Bottle Design:
Serge Mansau

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Macassar Rochas 1980 Eau de Toilette

8.5 / 10 108 Ratings

A popular perfume by Rochas for men, released in 1980. The scent is woody-spicy. The longevity is above-average. The production was apparently discontinued.
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Main accords

Woody

Spicy

Green

Leathery

Earthy

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Green notes

Pine needle

Tarragon

Bergamot

Fruits

Heart Notes

Patchouli

Cedar

Jasmine

Vetiver

Carnation

Geranium

Base Notes

Coconut

Oakmoss

Amber

Leather

Musk

Perfumers

Nicolas Mamounas, Roger Pellégrino

Ratings

Scent

8.5108 Ratings

Longevity

8.389 Ratings

Sillage

7.883 Ratings

Bottle

7.591 Ratings

Value for money

6.521 Ratings

Submitted by DonVanVliet · last update on 12/28/2025.

Source-backed & verified

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Macassar After-Shave Lotion

Paris-Dakar Eau de Toilette

Arrogance pour Homme Eau de Toilette

Richard James Savile Row

Noir Anthracite

French Lover

Reviews

12 in-depth fragrance descriptions

06/05/2015

ColinM
516 Reviews

ColinM

Very helpful Review 9

Superb!

The opening of Macassar is one of those openings which instantly grab your attention for their uniqueness and quality. Basically, an amber-leather accord, really peculiar, ultramodern, fresh and dark, boozy and spicy, with also herbal notes and slight candied accents. It reminds a bit of that "gentle leathers" family which ranges from Bel Ami to Cuir Ottoman, but there is also a lot more. There is a terrific harmony of contrasts going on, a dusty and dry leather base blended with leafy tobacco notes, uncommon herbal notes (on the "culinary" side), with a beautiful ambery-floral-fruity side, delicate but present, warm and almost plushy in its coziness. Classic, more austere and conventional fougère drydown mostly comprising leather-mossy notes, still with spicy-floral nuances. For the first hour I basically kept thinking: "what an odd scent this is". In a totally positive way: it's exotic and mysterious, but also sophisticatedly Western in its soft and distinguished blend of amber and leather. Something to discover!

9/10

11/02/2014

8Scent 2.5Longevity 7.5Sillage

Drseid
828 Reviews

Drseid

Fond Memories Of The Past...

Macassar opens with a slight to moderately sweet boozy fruit laden dark woody accord before transitioning gradually to its early heart. As the composition enters its early heart the boozy fruit gradually recedes, as smooth leather melds with the sweet dark woods supported by hints of patchouli and carnation. During the late dry-down traces of the leather and woods remain as the focus shifts to a mildly sweet amber and relatively clean musk duo that finish off the development. Projection is good but longevity below average at 6-7 hours on skin.

Macassar ebony is an extremely rare exotic wood. It has been years since I encountered the stuff so I couldn't possibly remember with any precision what it should smell like. What I *can* say is Macassar the perfume does immediately conjure up memories of my limited experience with ebony wood, especially the top notes when first applied on skin. The dark sweet natural woody accord mixes perfectly with the booze drenched fruit and the later developing leather to recreate that fond memory from years past, accurate or not. Throughout the leathery woods also lie just hints of carnation and a bitter green herbal accord that is likely artemisia derived. The top and middle aspects of the composition really do smell rather unique and quite lovely. The only slight mar on the near-perfect smelling composition save its sub-par longevity lies in its late dry-down as the leathery dark woods recede, slowly giving way to a well-done smooth amber and musk tandem that is somewhat less unique. The bottom line is the discontinued $350+ per 100ml bottle on the aftermarket Macassar is a very unique leathery woods focused composition that conjures up some amazing memories, earning it an "excellent" 4 star out of 5 rating. I can easily recommend the composition fragrance-wise, but the near insane aftermarket prices it commands make sampling mandatory before ponying up the cash for a full bottle. Maybe a mini is a better investment to whip out whenever one wants to recreate those fond memories of the past.

02/09/2013

9Scent 8Longevity 7Sillage

Yatagan
416 Reviews

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Yatagan

Top Review 25

The Knights of the Coconut

For a long time, King Arthur had been searching for the perfect scent for his round table. He had long searched in vain for the ultimate perfume that would make him invulnerable, that would spread the aura of the invincible around him in every duel, in every board meeting with his knights and squires, in every speech before the noble court. But then the moment came; he encountered Macassar by Rochas, the Holy Grail of men's fragrances, long regarded as a hidden gem, never too well-known, tucked away in the farthest corners of the most secret perfumeries of his realm. Today it stood before him, he opened the bottle - and was surprised.

No scent of postmodernity wafted towards him, no traditional fragrance, but a classic of the purest kind. Was this what he had expected from his long search? Yes and No.

Macassar is not a scent that surprises you, one that you immediately fall for, that conquers you in a storm. It is simply good, perhaps very good, and due to its complex composition, a child of its time (the 80s). Initially, the almost dry green note stands out, which opens the fragrance. Less fresh than almost dusty, more reminiscent of hay than grass. Many herbs are included, certainly also resinous tones that could come from pine needles. I can make out tarragon (if I concentrate), but not much more at first.

In the heart note, the floral notes come to the fore, jasmine, geranium, but also the woody components that seem almost daring in their blend yet conservative at the same time.

And then comes the base: Here hides my favorite: oak moss. Certainly one of the main reasons why this scent could not be continued as it is, only reformulated at best. But that would have taken away its true character, would have disenchant it.

And yes, indeed, the coconut can also be found very much to the delight of King Arthur in this fragrance and can be (at least I can imagine it) quite well distinguished. So, did he really find the Holy Grail?

For me personally, this is a 90%er. The current average rating of 88% actually reflects it quite well: just shy of very good. Once more reviews come in for this scent, the hype may settle down a bit, and the fragrance might be displaced from the top spot of men's notes. Many others have experienced this as well. And yet, there remains a special impression: Somehow, one must own a bottle or a decant of it, even if it's just a small one. I am a proud owner of two miniatures.

That may be enough.

P.S.: And another holy grail awaits behind the next castle: Patou pour homme just needs a few more reviews to easily surpass Macassar and all the others...

10/01/2021

9.5Scent 9Longevity 9Sillage

Dechanina
1 Review

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Dechanina

Top Review 20

An Obituary

Hello,
this is my first comment here and I hope you can laugh and cry with me.

It was the early 80s, I was at the beginning of puberty and at a girls' gymnasium. My flirting attempts back then were limited to hitting boys I liked. Otherwise, I was quite tomboyish (short hair, always in pants), still barefoot following the brass band = a Bavarian term for late bloomers. But even then, I stuck my nose into everything and could recognize my classmates by their scent. One day I walked into the classroom and smelled - THIS FRAGRANCE! Woody, leathery, powerful, expansive, sensual, and absolutely MASCULINE. Just how a teenager imagines a "real" man. One who saves the beloved from the dragon for breakfast, builds a log cabin with his own hands at noon, and jets off to Monte Carlo in the evening to blow up the casino bank. Of course, I picked up the trail and stood in front of Heike. In the 21st century, she would probably be an influencer, for us she was just a trendsetter. Always made up, adorned with fashion jewelry, and stylishly up to date. The complete opposite of me. I always found her superficial, but in that moment, I would have wanted to lick her, she smelled so good. After I managed to extract the name Macassar from her, I absolutely had to have that heavenly scent. I even got it from Mom for Christmas. I was so happy. Without any "real guys" in my life, I had to wear it myself. I did at first, but I quickly realized - this is really a men's fragrance and has no place on a girl who is neither fish nor fowl. Still, it felt good, in the absence of physical touch, to be at least securely wrapped in masculinity.

Well, you know what comes next... A woman grows up, falls in love, and realizes that such infantile, romantic notions of men are absolute child's play. I have been with my husband for 30 years now and married to him for over 20 years. He is an artist, more of a humanist, incredibly musical, and not at all the hero in shining armor. Macassar does not suit him at all, but I no longer need to be protected from dragons.

So, now comes the really sad part. A few years ago, during a decluttering session, I threw away the almost full bottle in the trash. That was incredibly stupid, as I threw away my youth, my (then) dreams, and this incredible perfume with one stroke. Not to mention the financial loss.
However, I would have never thought that Rochas would ever discontinue this amazing fragrance. Nowadays, scents are so fast-paced, smooth, and designed to please the masses. Macassar was something truly special and I still mourn that one fragrance, my youth, and my dreams to this day.

Updated on 10/01/2021

06/28/2015

9Scent 7.5Longevity 7.5Sillage

Ernstheiter
41 Reviews

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Ernstheiter

Very helpful Review 14

The Scent of Jungle and Tropical Wood

Getting to know a fragrance also means letting your imagination run wild. It means transforming the signals that our nose sends into images with the help of our imagination. Some scents manage this only with difficulty, while others flood you with a wealth of images.

For me, Macassar belongs to the latter category. Just the name "Macassar" evokes associations of jungle and towering trees, whose trunks rise from the impenetrable jungle thicket and obscure the view of the sky with their dense foliage. I can almost smell the lush green of the vegetation, while simultaneously perceiving the dry scent of the tree trunks and the damp earth.

So much for my associations with the scent; but does "Macassar" really smell like that?

Upon spraying, Macassar unfolds an unusually fresh scent, not citrusy, but green. Yes, this is how I imagine the smell of a rainforest. At first, it reminded me of "Fleur de Liane," where the scent of green foliage and impenetrable rainforest is well captured. While in "Fleur de Liane" this green note takes the lead, in "Macassar," the scent of earth and fruits joins in. This makes the fragrance interesting for me, this initial freshness that almost does without citrus hints, which is neither bright nor dark; that is provided by fruits and pine needles, and I think I also perceive a hint of mint.

In the heart note, this minty freshness gives way to floral and woody notes, with the latter clearly taking the lead. The fragrance becomes drier in its further development, but still retains its green orientation.

The base note then surprises again with a new direction. Through the interplay of oak moss, amber, and musk, a gentle spiciness emerges, which gains a touch of sweetness from the presence of coconut. However, I can reassure anyone who does not like coconut. It is so well integrated here that it merely lends a certain softness to the spiciness but does not stand out as an independent note.

A glance at the fragrance notes immediately shouts "Macassar" at you: "Yes, I am an Eighties powerhouse." Nevertheless, I do not find the scent to be a typical representative of its time. It is loud, but not screaming - and it does not follow the beaten paths of its contemporaries. With its green freshness, it wants to stand out and say, I am not for everyone, I only want to reach those who understand me.

Have I understood "Macassar"? I do not know - I like it extraordinarily well. Even though it does not reach the elegance of Guerlain, its longevity does not need to hide behind them. It is a pity that the fragrance has not been produced for many years and that it has become very difficult or expensive to obtain.

Oh yes, what does "Macassar" actually mean? It is the name of a district in Cape Town. Aha, so much for jungle and towering trees.....But being just off the mark is still off the mark.

More reviews

Statements

14 short views on the fragrance

Finerthings8

2 years ago

7Scent 9Longevity 8Sillage

Sorry to say , One of the a few Parfums i had to throw in the bin.it is from another era

Axiomatic

10 months ago

9Scent 9Longevity 8Sillage

This titan is wonderfully elegant.
Dark grasses, glazed wood, and fine leather.
Floral undertones.
Rochas, you used to be unbeatable! *

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Siebenkäs

8 years ago

9.5Scent 8Longevity 8Sillage

It smelled like
childhood adventures.
You just have to stay in control,
he said.
The heroin
giggled silently.
(For K.)

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Bloodxclat

2 years ago

8Scent 8Longevity 7Sillage

Bitter-herb notes of vermouth and galbanum, with a hint of cooling pine needles at the back. Herbs, dark green, bitter. A lot of patchouli, creaky..

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Hautgout

6 years ago

10Scent 10Longevity 9Sillage

The uncrowned king... sadly passed away. Today's "trinket" - bland in comparison.
Palazzo versus playroom.

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Couchlock

6 years ago

9Scent 8Longevity 7Sillage

In a blind test, I would have guessed it was a niche fragrance. Spicy, woody, green, slightly smoky. A complex scent jungle. (reissue)

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Lox

8 years ago

8Scent 8Longevity 7Sillage

Green-dry vine juices, hinted woody sweetness, like a niche perfume from the present. And just as expensive. Individual.

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Dionysos2022

1 year ago

10Scent 10Longevity 10Sillage

In Spain, in the evening at the beach, I was 17 and she was 23. The next day, I was a different person :-)

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TuogHau

2 years ago

10Scent 10Longevity 10Sillage

From memory, the best men's fragrance of all time. It deserves to be mentioned alongside Aigner's Silver and Balmain's Ébène.

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Minigolf

4 years ago

9.5Scent 8Longevity 8Sillage

Delightfully fruity, fresh, green, woody, mossy, coniferous, resinous, earthy. Everything in it. Everything about it. Full-on chypre de Luxe. A mishmash, bold, great!

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