Top Notes 
Heart Notes 
Base Notes 
02/29/2024
Lanatra
13 Reviews
Lanatra
1
The appeasement of the vegetal combatants
The opening is simply full of spicy autumn vegetables and fruits and they are all combative and full of character. While this might sound odd I think it is amazing. As you might guess from the metrics, this is a scent that is a little bit polarising, but it is undeservedly underrated on this site; L'Art de la guerre is a modern yet timeless, niche, vegetal fougère that is unparalleled in my book.
In the opening and for 30 minutes you will, then, perhaps be a little bit surprised by everything going on. Anyone with a bit of cooking experience will recognise the combination of rhubarb, green apple and celery stalks as a very contrasting yet successful balancing act of aromatics, the surprise to me is how well it works together when you cannot intervene with sweetness and acidity that you can on the tongue. Supported by leafy herbals (violet and patchouli) and spicy nutmeg, the aromatic vegetal impression remain a signature throughout the full 8-12 hours this scent will last you, but eventually lavender, oakmoss and sandalwood comes through and suddenly there are nods of recognition towards the classical fougères. You can feel the debt it owes to Pour Un Homme de Caron (1934) and Trumper's Wild Fern (1877) but yet it is idiosyncratic and its entirely own thing – none of the talcum notes of Caron nor the strong coumarin of Wild Fern.
Once the base is properly established, the ever so odd combinations are lifted into a state of harmony and peace. Some have said elsewhere that it is a little sweet, but I disagree. The rounded odours you will find in especially fruits are not by destiny associated with sweetness although in the memory of many it will; damascenones, esters, ketones are prone to fool the brain into believing that sweetness will eventually reach your tongues receptors, a bit like when you smell and taste a bone dry yet fruity white wine. But I find L'Art de la Guerre to be very little "sweet" myself, although other people might have different experiences. At any rate, it all balances out, and I think some of the magic is that the drydown feels both so classically masculine and yet so idiosyncratic at the same time. Anyone with ever so slightly developed olfactory receptors will notice that this is not your average male scent, whereas those who prefer mainstream scents will fully accept it (at least if my varied surroundings are anything to go by). Although Jovoy presents it as unisex, it is a bit difficult for me to imagine women appreciating the long lasting oakmossy drydown phase.
In the opening and for 30 minutes you will, then, perhaps be a little bit surprised by everything going on. Anyone with a bit of cooking experience will recognise the combination of rhubarb, green apple and celery stalks as a very contrasting yet successful balancing act of aromatics, the surprise to me is how well it works together when you cannot intervene with sweetness and acidity that you can on the tongue. Supported by leafy herbals (violet and patchouli) and spicy nutmeg, the aromatic vegetal impression remain a signature throughout the full 8-12 hours this scent will last you, but eventually lavender, oakmoss and sandalwood comes through and suddenly there are nods of recognition towards the classical fougères. You can feel the debt it owes to Pour Un Homme de Caron (1934) and Trumper's Wild Fern (1877) but yet it is idiosyncratic and its entirely own thing – none of the talcum notes of Caron nor the strong coumarin of Wild Fern.
Once the base is properly established, the ever so odd combinations are lifted into a state of harmony and peace. Some have said elsewhere that it is a little sweet, but I disagree. The rounded odours you will find in especially fruits are not by destiny associated with sweetness although in the memory of many it will; damascenones, esters, ketones are prone to fool the brain into believing that sweetness will eventually reach your tongues receptors, a bit like when you smell and taste a bone dry yet fruity white wine. But I find L'Art de la Guerre to be very little "sweet" myself, although other people might have different experiences. At any rate, it all balances out, and I think some of the magic is that the drydown feels both so classically masculine and yet so idiosyncratic at the same time. Anyone with ever so slightly developed olfactory receptors will notice that this is not your average male scent, whereas those who prefer mainstream scents will fully accept it (at least if my varied surroundings are anything to go by). Although Jovoy presents it as unisex, it is a bit difficult for me to imagine women appreciating the long lasting oakmossy drydown phase.
EnomisCVD
