I-II Montecristo Masque 2013

Montecristo opens with a fresh cinnamon and nutmeg spice-like accord before quickly moving to its middle. During the early heart, the composition warms considerably as the early spice joins dry tobacco leaf and a very powerful animalic accord exhibiting facets of fecal civet, powerful musk and thick castoreum. During the late dry-down the animalics, tobacco and warm spice slowly recede to reveal hints of patchouli and the vague natural woody accord underpinning everything. Projection is above average and longevity is average at 8-10 hours on skin.

Montecristo is a tough composition to pin down. On paper the spicy aspects are much more prominent, but as soon as the fragrance is sprayed on skin, the animalic facets come out in full force. The aforementioned potent animalic accord is not easily identifiable as it features facets of many different types of animalics encountered in other compositions yet not quite the same as any. You first notice the fecal aspects commonly encountered with civet, then heavy musk with a cumin-like spice undertone joins in (possibly derived from musk mallow), and finally a thick castoreum adds weight. Quite frankly, the composition represents one of the most aggressive animalic concoctions available, past or present. That said, once the more aggressive facets slowly recede and patchouli and wood from the base are unveiled to blend with their remnants the fragrance really turns into something special. Getting to that stage is going to be tough for many, however, and indeed it was for me. The bottom line is the 150 euros per 100ml bottle Montecristo is a fascinating highly innovative composition that is tough to wear but ultimately rewarding to the brave souls that make it past the potent animalic early heart phase, earning a "very good" 3.5 stars out of 5. Definitely recommended to hard-core animalic lovers.