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EnCuirNoir
5
Ode on Guerlain
I broke a 30ml bottle of this juice in my home gym last night and now the whole house smells like a fucking handsome lad from 60s. Every breath I've been taking for the past 20 or so hours has been a constant reminder of my momentarily clumsiness in the most beautiful way possible. I'm ordering a bigger bottle and using this tragedy to write a review for those interested.
Review:
New York Intense to be dumbed down is a fougere chypre, in that order. It starts by being a barbershop with chypre characteristics and then starts smelling more and more like an old Guerlain chypre, think of a masculine Mitsouko mid-to-drydown but with a remaining hint of oldschool masculine fougeres. The fougeres start in a rush, literally, the perfume starts by showing you lavender and playfulness of artemisia, like a man who's slapped some after shave that fills the room for a minute or two. The next change comes almost immediately as the house for the first 2 or 3 hours smelled so strongly of civet. It's a very high quality creamy musky civet that settles nicely for us to behold the full beauty gradually through the heart of New York. Note, don't be alarmed, civet doesn't smell like bodily secretions on its own, contrary to popular belief. There's also a constant recognizable oakmoss in the house, a very green and synthetic moss like the ones of modern Mitsouko rather than a heavy metal mousse of Rogue's. There is also bergamot, it has long left, but that too in the beginning along with the far cries of oakmoss and a creamy smokiness that resembles labdanum (probably castoreum musk) feels like a foreshadowing of NYI's chypre nature that will eventually unfold. This very unfolding into chypre aspect itself, is also reminiscent of another Guerlain to me, the gorgeous Derby. The similarities are so much that I can confidently recommend a blindbuy of one to a lover of the other. Note, New York Intense isn't nearly as smoky as Derby, yet everything else is shared either directly or in parallels between the two. Let's get back to the notes, Citron is still in the air after many hours, a rough piercing green citric accord that somehow doesn't mix with the creaminess to feel foamy/barbershop, and instead adds to the mossy side of this duet. It's a very well made perfume. It changes a lot and purposefully so. In a very sophisticated manner it walks a fine line through the history of French perfumery. You can also get small hints of a vanilla here and there, it's a realistic bittersweet vanilla, just not in a Guerlain style nor porpotions. Which I always believed to be what makes a Guerlain, but this beauty brought to my attention the bergamot, the florals and the structure of a classic Guerlain as just as important a aspect as the superficial tone to a vanilla note (something that seemingly Guerlain itself has forgotten for the past decade or two). What -for me- saves NYI from being limited to and overshadowed by the house that lost her brilliant nose, is the simple fact that despite all the heritage and history of Guerlain house, they haven't put out a single master perfume that reaches the heights of Mitsouko, Shalimar, Derby or Mouchoir de Monsieur in decades. New York Intense could easily be another masculine offering in the league of Derby for Guerlain -something the whole house have lacked for a long long while-, now it's Nicolai's smirking revenge.
To whom do I recommend this? If you like chypres or fougeres of old. If you like the idea of a more modern Derby, a much deeper richer Bois du Portugal, a masculine Mitsouko or an easy wear that has depth to keep you interested for a bottle and more, then this is for you. They don't make them like this anymore. It's not a dated perfume imo, don't worry. It's just mature, sophisticated and lush. It's not extreme in any way. Don't expect anything animalic, futuristic or groundbreaking, and you won't be disappointed.
What do I think when smelling this and who do I imagine wearing this? Well it takes me back. It's so classic that I can't ignore personal memories in favor of imaginations. It reminds me of good old days. Sharp dressed aloof men with big offices going about their day, perfumed for the task of being the provider of their family in the 60s! What do I feel wearing it? Mature, as in responsibility and not taking trivials of life too seriously! And of course handsome in a 60s parisian way! It keeps projecting for 8 hours before finally getting too close to skin and stays interesting whilst constantly getting deeper. It's relatively cheap considering what it offers, and what similar qualities cost elsewhere in likes of Diaghilev, vintage Mitsouko or Derby. New York demands respect and I love her for it.
Top Notes 
Lemon
Bergamot
Lemon petitgrain
Thyme
Mugwort
Heart Notes 
Clove
Lavender
Black pepper
Chamomile
Cinnamon
Base Notes 
Oakmoss
Musk
Styrax
Tonka bean absolute
Vanilla
Frankincense
Patchouli
BertolucciK
BamBamNYC
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