Too Much Powder on the Theater Stage – It’s Alright, but Not a Must-Have
The hype surrounding the big Finale comeback definitely made me curious. The story about the Berlin stage world and the promising olfactory pyramid sounded like an absolute banger for the colder season. After extensive testing, however, my conclusion remains rather muted: you can definitely wear it, but by no stretch of the imagination do you need it in your collection.
Scent: 7.5/10
The opening is actually the best part. You get a fairly dense, sweet nectarine liqueur. It packs quite a punch at first, making you think you're in for a deep gourmand powerhouse.
Unfortunately, the shift happens much too quickly for my nose. As soon as the liqueur recedes, benzoin takes full control. I usually enjoy benzoin, but here the whole composition simply turns too dry and powdery for me.
The tobacco, unfortunately, has none of that rich, moist pipe-tobacco vibe; instead, it feels like dusty, dry tobacco leaves.
Towards the end, the fragrance flattens out quite a bit in my opinion. While the woody notes of guaiac and vetiver salvage some of the structure, this chalky powderiness runs like a common thread through the entire remaining progression.
In the drydown, the fragrance simply lacks juiciness, contrast, or any exciting twist to break things up.
Longevity: 7/10
The performance is okay, but nothing extraordinary.
Conclusion:
The opening of the fragrance is genuinely convincing, but unfortunately, the rest is a complete disappointment.
