Auslese

アウスレーゼ

Shiseido 1980 Eau de Cologne

First of all, thanks to the esteemed colleague Yatagan for sending a sample of this exceedingly rare fragrance. Samples from the sparsely represented owners of Shiseido fragrances are indeed the source of choice, as (with the exception of the - very successful - "Zen") Shiseido's offerings are hard to come by in this country. One might occasionally enlighten me about the modalities of a "direct import" from Japan...

Now, after really enjoying "Zen for Men," I am now working my way through the back catalog of this manufacturer. The already borderline "Basala" has been tested, and the "Tactics" has been ordered as a mini. The selection is quite remarkable and certainly offers very surprising fragrance experiences. I am curious.

The men's fragrances from Shiseido are not immediately recognizable as "Japanese" to my nose, in the sense that fragrances from Nippon are generally very subtle and have a strong emphasis on naturalness. As for naturalness, "Auslese" fits into this category, but it also displays unexpected and unanticipated qualities, as it does not come across as subtle at all, yet is not intrusive in any way. It is one of the few fragrances where multiple citrus notes harmonize wonderfully with each other. One almost waits for basil, which then quickly joins the mix. The oakmoss in the base brings the fragrance to a harmonious conclusion with precisely calibrated punch.

Due to its balance and the skillful combination of citrus and spicy notes, "Auslese" was somewhat ahead of its time given its year of release and confidently shows today's mainstream synthetic citrus overkill who is really in charge in this regard.