Salvatore Ferragamo pour Homme Salvatore Ferragamo 1999 Eau de Toilette
2
The Clove, A Flower Believed To Be A Spice
Ferragamo Pour Homme is nothing new to me. I had used and loved the original version in the late 90s when the fig note was not as well known in perfumery. Perhaps this was the pioneer who started the chain of essences developed around the dominant accord of the fig, together with Philosykos Eau de Parfum and Premier Figuier Eau de Toilette. I remember my amazement when I smelled the perfume for the first time, so fresh, green, yet dry and milky. And its bottle slightly twisted on itself like a propeller. Then the perfume was discontinued, while I still kept a few drops to remember it every time I felt the need. You can imagine my joy when a few years ago the perfume reappeared on the shelves, at an almost ridiculous price. And this is how I came back into possession of this little esteemed jewel, both in the men’s and women’s versions.
The opening of Pour Homme is fresh and dry, milky, figgy, and semi-sweet. I immediately pick up the fig leaf nuance, it's straightforward. Something woodsy lingers behind the milky accord, with dark florals and tamed citrus fruits. Albeit it is refreshing, there is not much sourness, just the bitterness from the grapefruit. After a few minutes, I get the mineral and dusty facets of the fig element. Let’s say that fig and grapefruit work together well. Ouch, this is unexpectedly a very complex opening, not a scent profile you see very often in daily life, with a clean, sweaty slant from the cumin, or caraway, that blends gracefully with the milkiness but is still not obnoxious or repugnant. Green, milky, and leafy are the main nuances of the initial phase. Not aquatic at all, not too citrus, just mineral.
The fragrance just began and already told me a lot. Soon it moves towards a darker and more dusty accord. Balmy, a tad floral, and powdery comes to the heart. Cardamom and blossoms give off a balsamic aroma, so soothing, classic, and fancy. A lot of powderiness comes from the orris, which is not lipstick-like. The rose does not scream, while the carnation is the star of the middle stage, so real, so vivid like the purple flowers freshly cut at dawn with some dewy drops over. Sometimes, the carnation has a clove-like smell, spicy, which might be off-putting if you are not a lover of that spice and flower. But clove has nothing to do with carnation. The clove, a flower believed to be a spice.
In the drydown, the green is still present, but now the woody and musky elements come to the fore and Pour Homme becomes very virile and musky. The cedar overwhelms the sandalwood, with its pencil-shaving vibes, while the musk gives it a touch of class without making it dated. Lastly, the herbaceous and green sides of vetiver govern the last stage, not too dirty, but rather clean and pure. Compared to other fragrances centred on the fig note, this one is very dry, green, and mineral. There is not the sweetish part of the ripe fruit, but that of the leaves, wood and sap. The leathery aspect is tamed, so mild that I wouldn’t describe the fragrance as leathery.
Fig is the strongest note, green or not yet ripe, not sweetened, neither dried nor stewed. Noteworthy. Projection and performance are both moderate. It clings to the skin slightly when drying, which is perfect. Ideal for the office, or when you need something that doesn’t scream too much. It seems like the kind of fragrance you’d want to wear when you’re in close contact with people. I like to wear this fragrance during spring and summer days, and also on rainy autumn moments and evenings. Still a great one if you are fond of milky and mineral accords.
I'm formulating my experience on a bottle I've owned since Oct 2020.
-Elysium
The opening of Pour Homme is fresh and dry, milky, figgy, and semi-sweet. I immediately pick up the fig leaf nuance, it's straightforward. Something woodsy lingers behind the milky accord, with dark florals and tamed citrus fruits. Albeit it is refreshing, there is not much sourness, just the bitterness from the grapefruit. After a few minutes, I get the mineral and dusty facets of the fig element. Let’s say that fig and grapefruit work together well. Ouch, this is unexpectedly a very complex opening, not a scent profile you see very often in daily life, with a clean, sweaty slant from the cumin, or caraway, that blends gracefully with the milkiness but is still not obnoxious or repugnant. Green, milky, and leafy are the main nuances of the initial phase. Not aquatic at all, not too citrus, just mineral.
The fragrance just began and already told me a lot. Soon it moves towards a darker and more dusty accord. Balmy, a tad floral, and powdery comes to the heart. Cardamom and blossoms give off a balsamic aroma, so soothing, classic, and fancy. A lot of powderiness comes from the orris, which is not lipstick-like. The rose does not scream, while the carnation is the star of the middle stage, so real, so vivid like the purple flowers freshly cut at dawn with some dewy drops over. Sometimes, the carnation has a clove-like smell, spicy, which might be off-putting if you are not a lover of that spice and flower. But clove has nothing to do with carnation. The clove, a flower believed to be a spice.
In the drydown, the green is still present, but now the woody and musky elements come to the fore and Pour Homme becomes very virile and musky. The cedar overwhelms the sandalwood, with its pencil-shaving vibes, while the musk gives it a touch of class without making it dated. Lastly, the herbaceous and green sides of vetiver govern the last stage, not too dirty, but rather clean and pure. Compared to other fragrances centred on the fig note, this one is very dry, green, and mineral. There is not the sweetish part of the ripe fruit, but that of the leaves, wood and sap. The leathery aspect is tamed, so mild that I wouldn’t describe the fragrance as leathery.
Fig is the strongest note, green or not yet ripe, not sweetened, neither dried nor stewed. Noteworthy. Projection and performance are both moderate. It clings to the skin slightly when drying, which is perfect. Ideal for the office, or when you need something that doesn’t scream too much. It seems like the kind of fragrance you’d want to wear when you’re in close contact with people. I like to wear this fragrance during spring and summer days, and also on rainy autumn moments and evenings. Still a great one if you are fond of milky and mineral accords.
I'm formulating my experience on a bottle I've owned since Oct 2020.
-Elysium
Elysium
