Lower your expectations and don't fall for the hype
Hello Parfumo Community,
as a long-time (account-less) reader and fan of this site and its community, I created an account some time ago and (a few days ago) decided to actively become a part of this wonderful community.
Thanks go to my first and incredibly nice sharing partner Norleans, who made it possible for me to test this fragrance in a 5ml sample. Everything went smoothly, we were able to chat nicely about other things, and I am happy that my first experience with Parfumo was so pleasant.
Before I get to the fragrance, I ask for your understanding. Understanding that this is my first comment. Understanding that I am still inexperienced in writing comments. Understanding for my subjective opinion.
About the fragrance itself:
The opening is, as can be read from the notes, citrusy. We are talking about quite fresh, quality, and (unfortunately) short-lived citrus. This pleasant citrus note fades very quickly and flows, I must admit, very harmoniously into a grassy, leathery composition, where this wonderful and authentic lemon only makes a faint and distant appearance.
Cut grass as a scent note is indeed very unusual, but incredibly precisely captured. With closed eyes, one could really think they are lying in a pile of cut grass while someone in the background is peeling lemons and pressing the peels.
In this image, the person lying down is wearing an old (again high-quality) leather jacket.
It definitely smells leathery. Without wanting to tear the fragrance apart, it also definitely has a slightly musty scent. Not unpleasant or grossly musty, but clearly and thankfully only subtly musty, and this association cannot be denied. At least not for my nose.
However, this does not mean that Sur la Route is a bad fragrance overall. For me, it just isn't a scent that deserves the praise it receives here for the most part. Praise that almost led me to buy this fragrance blind. I am a fan of leather scents. I am a fan of citrus scents. I should fundamentally adore this fragrance, but I do not. And that is mostly due to the distribution of leather/grass/citrus. This fragrance is neither citrusy with leathery, grassy nuances nor leathery with citrus nuances.
Potential buyers and interested parties must be aware that this is not a clean/fresh citrus fragrance that gains character and depth from the leather and grass notes.
This is an adult, mature, grassy-musty leather fragrance with citrus nuances that definitely stands out for its quality and uniqueness. However, it is not a scent I had hoped for.
And with that, I definitely see this fragrance on a more mature, smarter guy who values quality and uniqueness over pleasing others. He must not mind this slight mustiness at all; in fact, he should love it. He should be a fan of rich, robust grass. He should not be a fan of the first sniffer.
Personally, I don't really like this fragrance, especially not for this price.
I must also say that Sur la Route should be evaluated more critically in my opinion due to its high price.
It is not a bad fragrance, but it is not a groundbreaking invention or perfection of an everyday scent.
It is pleasant, special, and of high quality, but does it justify the price? I would say no.
I find the reviews here especially misleading in terms of sillage. The sillage is VERY subtle, and after 2 sprays on the upper arm, it can only be smelled closely and is hard to detect with a gust of air.
Regarding longevity, there will probably be a follow-up, as this is more or less my first reaction or the first hour with the fragrance.
I have only seen the bottle in photos, but the entire LV line fully meets my taste. Subtle, clear, elegant. I like it.
I found it important to write this comment because I
1. wanted to honor my first experience with Parfumo and Norleans
2. felt a critical comment about the fragrance was missing in contrast to the statements
3. do not consider the fragrance particularly special
Friends of Sur la Route should enjoy a high-quality fragrance. Those who want to become fans and other interested parties, I can only urge to test this fragrance before purchasing.
Great first comment that gives me a very good impression of the scent and it's probably not for me, exactly for the reasons you mentioned (and in addition to the points made by DerDefcon). Regarding "hype," it's more that newer fragrances tend to get positive feedback in comments and negative mainly in statements. After a few years, it becomes more mixed... Helpful trophy :)
I agree about the sillage; unfortunately, it seems to apply to the other LVs as well. The leather is definitely a matter of taste; I think the scent is fantastic, but I also agree that it's more suited for more mature "types." However, I disagree about the price-100ml for 210 euros is great in my opinion; other fragrances easily cost double that, or you only get 50ml for that price...
Very good first comment! A curiosity on Parfumo: As soon as 2 or more users find a fragrance great, it’s always referred to as a hype here(!) - even with other scents - which makes it sound like a "deadly sin"... maybe there are just a few more people who simply really like the fragrance.
The sillage is a bit tricky here. Sometimes the scent disappears, then it suddenly comes back. I suspect that ISO E has been added, which causes this behavior.
Tip: If you want to respond to users here, I recommend doing it on the respective user's wall instead of under your comment, as they will be notified about your message there, unlike here.
I really like your first comment; it's wonderfully detailed and accurately describes what you dislike. I enjoy "Sur la Route," but I agree with you about the slight mustiness. That's just due to the leather, which I think can't really be fresh. I would have liked a bit more lemon as well. If you prefer something fresher, you should definitely try "Orage." You might like it.
Thank you so much @Schoork :) I'm curious to see what you think.
@Toto00 I'm the first to change my mind and admit it if that happens. However, I have to say that I generally know pretty quickly what I like and what I don't. If anything changes, I'll update you. :)
Tip: If you want to respond to users here, I recommend doing it on the respective user's wall instead of under your comment, as they will be notified about your message there, unlike here.
@Toto00 I'm the first to change my mind and admit it if that happens. However, I have to say that I generally know pretty quickly what I like and what I don't. If anything changes, I'll update you. :)