Minotaure 1992 Eau de Toilette

Minotaure (Eau de Toilette) by Paloma Picasso
Bottle Design:
Paloma Picasso
We may earn a commission when you buy from links on our site, including the eBay Partner Network and Amazon.
7.6 / 10 299 Ratings
A popular perfume by Paloma Picasso for men, released in 1992. The scent is sweet-spicy. It is being marketed by L'Oréal.
We may earn a commission when you buy from links on our site, including the eBay Partner Network and Amazon.

Main accords

Sweet
Spicy
Oriental
Fruity
Woody

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes Top Notes
FruitsFruits AldehydesAldehydes BergamotBergamot CorianderCoriander GalbanumGalbanum TarragonTarragon
Heart Notes Heart Notes
GeraniumGeranium Lily of the valleyLily of the valley JasmineJasmine RoseRose
Base Notes Base Notes
MuskMusk Tonka beanTonka bean AmberAmber SandalwoodSandalwood VanillaVanilla CedarCedar

Perfumer

Ratings
Scent
7.6299 Ratings
Longevity
7.0228 Ratings
Sillage
6.5230 Ratings
Bottle
7.2233 Ratings
Value for money
8.092 Ratings
Submitted by DonVanVliet, last update on 04/27/2025.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to
Minotaure (Après-Rasage) by Paloma Picasso
Minotaure Après-Rasage
Roma Uomo (Eau de Toilette) by Laura Biagiotti
Roma Uomo Eau de Toilette
Sharra Uomo (Eau de Toilette) by Sharra Pagano
Sharra Uomo Eau de Toilette
Les Compositions Parfumées - Woody Gold by Lalique
Les Compositions Parfumées - Woody Gold
Lafayette Street by Bond No. 9
Lafayette Street
Dunhill London (Eau de Toilette) by Dunhill
Dunhill London Eau de Toilette

Reviews

11 in-depth fragrance descriptions
7.5
Bottle
5
Sillage
7.5
Longevity
8
Scent
Apicius

224 Reviews
Apicius
Apicius
Very helpful Review 8  
A Spritz of Marble!
Today, I am wearing Minotaure by Paloma Picasso. I wore it a lot back in the early 1990's when it was released: it was – and still is! - an oriental men's fragrance of a special kind. This special kind of oriental has to do with the world of ancient Greece and Rome. This very dry combination of sandalwood with powdery musk, vanilla and tonka bean gives me the impression of marble from Carrara – being processed by slaves in an ancient manufacture. If marble dust had a scent, it would very likely be like Minotaure!

Minotaure is not the only “marble scent”. Shortly after its release, Laura Biagiotti came out with “Roma Uomo”, and Nikos with “Sculpture Homme”. They all have this dry dustiness, and they all refer to the ancient world with their names. So, I think, maybe I am not the only one who gets these pictures. You can also describe the overall impression as dry and earthy – or better: like sand. Minotaure is an autumn scent, and also the musty smell of fallen leaves may remind you of it. As the name indicates, Minotaure is not a too artificial or elegant perfume – it is a white bull! I'd say that this earthy fragrance might mostly appeal to men who by themselves feel grounded and down-to-earth. Minotaure was the Terre d'Hermès of the 1990's.

I remember their original ad campaign: When you bought it, they also gave you an unglazed perfumed red clay fragment that you could put in your drawer. The rough texture of this ancient looking shard fit perfectly with the character of Minotaure.

When Minotaure was released, it was a powerhouse fragrance. A few spritzes of it went a long way. After my leftover Minotaure had finally got rotten, I wondered if I should buy it again. Of course, it was reformulated – but its basic character is not lost. The bull just has been reduced of some of its strength – so it is actually easier to wear. But the “marble” appeal has not changed. I'd say, Minotaure was modernized with consideration.

My review at the German Parfumo site tells a different story. That type of Minotaure that I had come across about two years ago was horrible – also tamed down, but with a very questionable twist towards Le Mâle plagiarism. I cannot confirm this is the case with the Minotaure I bought a few days ago, so maybe another reformulation has corrected some errors. After all, you cannot really be sure what you are getting – even if you think you know it from the past. Minotaure is a try before you buy fragrance.

Minotaure will not become an every day scent for me – but with its dusty and sand-like appeal it is something that one likes to wear to get grounded again, preferably on wet and cold autumn and winter days.
3 Comments
8
Bottle
6
Sillage
7
Longevity
7.5
Scent
Smellavision

205 Reviews
Smellavision
Smellavision
Very helpful Review 4  
Fruity, warm, creamy and uplifting...
The opening of Minotaure is slightly septic with lots of aldehydes and spices, most of all the tarragon shines through. When the heart kicks in after about 30 minutes you are rewarded with floral lavender and geranium and after about an hour comes the excellent great fruity, leathery and woody base – the creamy sandalwood and fruits is what’s most prominent. It's sweet and spicy at the same time – and also floral, leathery and woodsy at the same time and the composition is finally completed with oranges, vanilla and amber. Masculine yet sweet. Somewhere in between the layers I also get the scent of rain after a thunder storm. The bottle is awesome too.

This labyrinth is well worth investigating.
0 Comments
10
Bottle
7.5
Sillage
7.5
Longevity
10
Scent
MasterLi

375 Reviews
MasterLi
MasterLi
Helpful Review 8  
Unforgettable... one sexy beast!
Pablo Picasso was a passionate man. He lived according to his passions, emotions and desires... life, art, women, he enjoyed everything. Throughout his work he featured the theme of a "Minotaure", a mythical beast half-man and half-bull. It was often said that to Picasso this was his alter-ego. His "inner" persona, the animalic "beast" inside every man. Nearly 20 years after his death, his daughter Paloma released a fragrance inspired by this very personal theme of her father's work. The "inner" personality of her father.

Minotaure is quite a unique fragrance to me. It's a heady cocktail of vanilla, musk, fruits and citrus... with strange notes for a male fragrance, like lily-of-the-valley, aldehydes, galbanum. It's such a mythical beast!

I cannot describe every single note here but it is blended really well. I get a "vibe", of sweetness, warmth, sensuality, and human sweat. It's sweet and candy-like, but also somehow masculine. I think this perfume represents the loving, caring, sexy nature inside every man. Like male sexuality under a strong, physical exterior. You can imagine a man who has just been swimming in the Mediterranean, coming out of the water, embracing a girl. They lie down on the beach, in the hot sun... there is a basket of fruit beside them. The smell of flowers and her perfume mixed with his warm body still wet from the sea. This really is a classic fragrance for men and it's one I enjoy wearing.

I have found that this works better in cooler weather, as I once sprayed too much of this in the high heat and it was overwhelming. I think the salty, musky mix of amber & vanilla, fruits and sweat is very intoxicating. I also think that (due to the wide range of notes) this could be worn by a woman - in the same way Habit Rouge could. This reminds me of a mix between Habit Rouge and Aqua di Gio by Armani. But it's so nice! Wonderful use of vanilla in a very sexy, raw, Mediterranean & masculine way. Try it out if you get the chance to!
0 Comments
10
Bottle
5
Sillage
5
Longevity
8
Scent
GothicHeart

85 Reviews
GothicHeart
GothicHeart
Helpful Review 6  
Lost in the maze of awe...
This is not how the labyrinth or the beast dwelling inside smelled like.

This is how ancient Knossos, after Theseus's sword and Ariadne's thread delivered it from its horned plight smelled like.

This is how a sandalwood ship, beaming her eyesome graciousness while sailing on an primordial sea smelled like.

This is how seven lads and seven maidens crowned with flower wreaths, dancing and falling in love on her deck, for their lives had just been spared, smelled like.

This is how the breath of ancient gods smelled like.

This is how the sidereal veils over Crete, bedecked by the beast's blood, whose real name was Asterion (starry), smelled like.

This is how Paloma Picasso's fragmented memories, in the morning after a febrile dream about a heroic antiquity smelled like.

This is how an unparalleled specimen of audacious perfumery smelled like.

This is how my reveries about early '90s trysts, adumbrated by the shadow of time smelled like.

Dare to be a modern Theseus and tame this beast of yore.

The Ariadnes of this world shall hold your hand for all time...
0 Comments
10
Pricing
10
Bottle
7
Sillage
7
Longevity
7.5
Scent
SwabGames

86 Reviews
SwabGames
SwabGames
3  
A scent that enchants
As soon as you spray the scent on your hand, you can feel the aroma of bergamot and coriander. When the alcohol residue was gone, tarragon and aldehydes were added. A very pleasant combination, both tart and spicy. Rose, jasmine and geranium open in the middle. Judging by the set of notes, it seems that the aroma is feminine, but it will smell beautiful on everyone, men and women, because it is very beautiful, with a sliver of spice and tenderness. Tonka bean, vanilla, sandalwood and musk will begin to smell. And this aroma reminds me of the aroma of the new interior of a new luxury car. The smell is very pleasant and very high. And it can still be classified as unisex.
0 Comments
More reviews

Statements

3 short views on the fragrance
ChicoRoch1ChicoRoch1 3 years ago
6
Bottle
5
Sillage
6
Longevity
8.5
Scent
One of those fragrances I never knew I had and then I came across it , tried it and liked it. Pleasant, not heavy or intrusive whatsoever.
0 Comments
ElysiumElysium 5 years ago
10
Scent
It's 1992, winter in the northern part of Italy. I saw this scent with such a magnetic name Minotaure. The sweetest cologne will never have.
0 Comments
Jazzy76Jazzy76 7 years ago
9
Bottle
6
Sillage
7
Longevity
8
Scent
A macho hiding a sensitive and gentle heart : that's Minotaure. Well balanced and oriental-aromatic with an unexpected flowery heart.
0 Comments

Charts

This is how the community classifies the fragrance.
Pie Chart Radar Chart

Images

27 fragrance photos of the community
More images

Popular by Paloma Picasso

Paloma Picasso / Mon Parfum (Eau de Parfum) by Paloma Picasso Paloma Picasso (1995) (Eau de Toilette) by Paloma Picasso Tentations (Eau de Parfum) by Paloma Picasso Paloma Picasso / Mon Parfum (Parfum) by Paloma Picasso Paloma Picasso / Mon Parfum (1984) (Eau de Toilette) by Paloma Picasso Minotaure (Après-Rasage) by Paloma Picasso Soleil d'Or by Paloma Picasso Amphore de Parfum by Paloma Picasso Paloma Picasso Édition Broche Soleil by Paloma Picasso Tentations - Cœur de Parfum (Parfum Solide) by Paloma Picasso Planète de Parfum by Paloma Picasso Paloma Picasso (Elixir de Parfum) by Paloma Picasso Tentations (Parfum) by Paloma Picasso Esprit du Millénaire by Paloma Picasso Paloma Picasso - Cœur de Parfum (Parfum Solide) by Paloma Picasso Constellation d'Or by Paloma Picasso Vaporisateur Bijou by Paloma Picasso Constellation - Cœur de Parfum (Parfum Solide) by Paloma Picasso Paloma Picasso (Brume Hydratante Parfumée pour le Corps) by Paloma Picasso Galet de Parfum by Paloma Picasso