cravache', German: Reitgerte, came 1963 as the first men's fragrance
of the house of Piguet on the market. Although the old Cellier classic
blinked
'Bandit' years earlier already towards unisex, but ultimately did not completely
bend
on this then still quite undescribed terrain. 'Cravache' but
now served the comparatively narrow canon of fragrances, the traditional
masculine fragrance language described: fresh-herbaceous citrus, herbaceous-aromatic
Lavender, coarse leather, fixed with neat oakmoss, from a discreet,
unsweet floral breeze ventilated.
That sounds now more crashing and ruckus than he
actually was - after all, he wanted to be a fragrant leather whip - but
'Cravache' remained in the habitus yet a real gentleman: reserved,
unobtrusive, the optionally with 'Fracas', 'Bandit' or 'Baghari' scented
Lady at any time and everywhere the precedence. The time of the space-blasting
Scent gods 'Antaeus' and 'Kouros', which began to
oppose the primacy of feminine fragrance sovereignty
began to resist, was then still far from dawned, and so lined up
the few masculine representatives of their kind still naturally behind the
often large-caliber sprawling fragrant ladies.
Nowadays, we are long since stronger and more offensive men's fragrances
not to mention unisex fragrances, so that we once representatives
of this genre, they are now called 'Eau Sauvage', 'Habit Rouge', 'Monsieur de
Givenchy' or just 'Cravache', rather perceive as printed Leisetreter, in
Recognition of their cavalier restraint.
Those were just still fragrances with manners!
When the house of Piguet in the 70s of the
Bedeutungslosigkeit dawned and finally the perfume production
stopped, it was also around 'Cravache' happened - it disappeared for many
Years. Only 'Bandit' and 'Fracas', the big sisters, it was reserved
to keep the Piguet flag flying high: a US-American group had acquired
the rights to the old fragrances
Rights to the old fragrances acquired and limited to the established, still
attractive war horses limited.
Only in 2007, in the course of a revitalization of the brand it came
also to a re-introduction of Piguet's first men's fragrance, but in
considerably revised form: the flowers disappeared completely, as well as the
leathery nuances and also the agrumen intro was plucked vigorously. Was supplemented the
such skeletonized Cravache concept, however, with a
tidy portion of nutmeg, aromatic sage and a bunch of sweet grass.
The new 'Cravache' came now with somewhat more Wumms therefore,
exuded with its spicy-muscat-nutty Fougère aura now but rather conservative
Solidity, because lederchypriges Draufgängertum (which it before also not
possessed, but under the facade of well-behaved at least hinted).
Why the riding crop, or according to another reading: leather whip,
was so completely stripped, was always a mystery to me, especially since the new
'Cravache' with its braven Biederkeit altogether more old-fashioned smelled than his
44 years older predecessor of the same name. Had Piguet possibly the mare
left her from the Cellier icons 'Fracas' and 'Bandit', over 'Futur'
to 'Oud' (almost) always possessed?
16 years later, a new 'Cravache' now replaces the so
completely leather- and flowerless descendant of the original 'Cravache' - this time in
EdP concentration and with again seriously changed recipe.
First: the leather is back! And yes, even a few
Blossoms. But who thinks now, the good old Chypre with the concise
citrus opening, the spicy, but also floral heart and
the woody-leathery, moist-mossy base is resurrected, which is
warned: this is not so.
At least not in the sense of a detailed reconstruction.
The original fragrance concept apparently served merely as a template for a new,
rather free, the preferences of modern perfumery committed
Interpretation. Thus, the leathery effect is typical of the time in the interplay with
earthy iris rhizomes and saffron created, while the dry-floral facets
of iris, combined with a touch of jasmine, the flower bouquet re
define. No entrance into the current recipe found, however, the dark
Rose of the original 'Cravache'.
The agrumen opening, on the other hand, was again somewhat stronger
accentuated, but less in the style of a brightly shining citrus freshness,
but rather by the complex bitter to green nuances of the
Bergamot and petitgrain characterized, complemented by fruity hints of
Bitter orange and tangerine.
Remained is the central, the fragrance characterizing
herbaceous lavender accord, from a good dose of sage and a pinch
Nutmeg aromatisiert, which in contrast to the 2007 edition, however, no
supporting role plays more.
In the base, finally, is the Chypre-Charkter of the
Orignial fragrance now almost completely disappeared, after he 2007 already rather
drifted in the powdery-moosige Fougère direction. There he is now fully
arrived, or already again a piece beyond it on a sweet-spicy,
woody-ambriertes, almost oriental terrain arrived.
Basically, it behaves with the new 'Cravache' a little
as with the perfume of 'Eau Sauvage': the spirit of the original fragrance is indeed
somehow still there, but paraphrased to such an extent that it is barely recognizable.
The once slender Chypre structures, which in both cases a good
Portion oakmoss served as fixative, were decades later mighty with
Cashmeran pimped and woody-ambrig plumped up,
so that they unfold towards the base a vanilla-like sweet-woody volume, which -
at least in the case of 'Eau Sauvage Parfum' - especially with younger
Generations reliably enthusiasm ignites.
Let's see if that will work with 'Cravache Eau de Parfum' also
will work, the plants are in any case there.
A small, but not entirely insignificant difference to
'Eau Sauvage Parfum' but there is: the new 'Cravache' is still
recognizable 'Cravache', just in a more fashionable outfit and completely different
Proportions: more voluminous, more androgynous, more synthetic, yes, and in some ways
more digital. For although I still smell the spirited central lavender note that
already distinguished the two predecessor Cravaches, I have the feeling in the
latest edition to get served the digitized version.
Bad is not, no, it's just different and I have
still get used to it.
But one thing I already know: I will the new
'Cravache' certainly wear more often than the previous version of the fragrance,
which was simply too conservative for me, too much stock exchange floor, and which the
sinewy leather-chyprige masculinity of the original fragrance went off. The new is missing
they are just as, replaced by a digitized and genderfluid modernity,
with which I can make friends but interestingly quite well.
Top Notes 
Heart Notes 
Base Notes 
