Eau Suave Parfum d'Empire 2005

Eau Suave - sweet water: my alarm bells go off, especially when looking at the pyramid: raspberry, peach, floral notes, and all of that on sweet-soapy musk and cardboard-like vanilla?

But it’s not that bad at all! The top note surprises with a remarkably successful spicy rose. Rose is often combined with saffron, especially in "Arabic" perfumes, like in some rose-oud combinations from Montale or Black Tie by Washington Tremlett. The fragrant rose and earthy saffron complement each other well. It feels as if you’re not just receiving a single cut rose, but a whole rose bush along with the soil beneath it.

The components of the heart note dangerously threaten to evoke a carnival candy aroma, but fortunately, they hold back extremely well. They really only provide a hint of fruitiness. This comes off as piquant rather than candy-like - just the way I like it. I don’t know of any other perfume where fruity notes are used with such clever restraint as here.

Even the musk and vanilla hold back. Sure, there is creaminess, but it’s only subtle. Some fragrances with musk and vanilla in the base smell like a whole truckload of Nivea cream. But here, the perfumer knew his craft.

Is this rose really reserved only for women? I see it differently. While it lacks typically masculine attributes, it is also not overly sweet or cloyingly feminine. I think it’s a unisex comfort scent. It reminds me a bit of Guerlain's Habit Rouge, and I would wear it in the same moods. Sunday afternoons, for lounging. Conclusion: an exceedingly successful perfume on the theme of rose.