Molinard, alongside Guerlain, Caron, Givenchy, and d’Orsay, is one of the truly great traditional perfume houses of France. The Molinard brand was founded in 1849 in the southern French town of Grasse, which has always been regarded as the center of the French fragrance and perfume industry. Molinard has remained a family business to this day and has since found its own path through avant-garde and bold collections. The brand's perfumes are always elegant, balanced, and unique. The house of Molinard offers a relatively large selection of perfumes, both lighter and heavier creations, but without complex extreme challenges.
Among the most famous creations is undoubtedly the perfume Habanita from 1948, which was reissued in 2005 and scored wonderfully again. In addition to its classic scents, Molinard also presents modern compositions that captivate even the most discerning customers. Molinard was the first house to introduce vetiver into a fragrance for women. This was in 1921 with the scent Habanita. It is also the first house to create a solid perfume with plant-based flower wax in 1925 with the creation Concreta; as well as having the innovation in 1950 to develop a shaving cream without wax.
Célia Lerouge-Bénard, who has been with the house for about five years and is the first woman entrusted with the management of the brand, decided to promote the Eau de Parfum Molinard Cuir - her then newest creation - by stripping down to show herself naked and thus natural. Her slogan - I expect to discover something raw, sensual, powerful, spicy, and provocative in the scent as I open it ... and I will not be disappointed!
The perfume opens with a zesty citrus-fresh note, like a morning walk in spring - the scent of freshly mown hay from a meadow at the edge of the forest, with a slightly floral note. The heart note gradually sets in. The floral accents of lily and lavender recede into the background, and a delicate woody leather note joins in, which I interpret as fresh chili and saffron. The leather note is anything but harsh or animalic, rather gently masculine and soft, like glove-soft lamb leather, lasting for three hours. A bit impatiently, I await the base note - the more I smell it, the more I find it appealing. Over time, the scent becomes more complex, woody-warm, balsamic leather through amber: as well as sandalwood and agarwood, balanced with patchouli and musk. If I were to compare the light sweetness in the base to a wine, I would describe it as sweet - a scent that remains perceptible well into the night.
Conclusion: A fascinating fragrance experience, luxurious, perfectly balanced for men and women.
The sillage: excellent, but without being intrusive.
The longevity: above average (depending on skin type)!
Well wearable in autumn, during mild winters, and in spring for many occasions.
However, those expecting dirty leather with gunpowder will be disappointed.
Your review hits the nail on the head.