Atomico XXVI Cutuli 2019

They told us not to go over the mountains, only desolation and death await you there. They told us to stay here in the valley, life is hard but safe. They told us to be content with what you have here, even if it is little and meagre. They told us not to strive for more, that is the road to ruin.

They said all that, over and over again, but I couldn't listen to them. The valley here is too narrow, the horizon too close, always reachable in a few hours, without a secret. So I set off, over passes and through narrow valleys, an arduous journey, but now I stand at the foot of the mountains and feel the cool wind blowing sharply from the heights at my back.

And it is desolate here, but not empty. The trees are black, but resin flows beneath the charred bark, and a tentative green is showing between the bare earth. Smoke drifts across the land, but the air is warm and aromatic. The fresh wind from the mountains fights against it, but after a few more steps it fades and the warmth surrounds me. I sit with my back leaning against a charred tree trunk and even my heavy, coarse leather becomes miraculously soft and gentle. I look into the distance, towards the horizon, and for the first time it seems infinitely far away and mysterious.

----------------

To be honest, I'm not quite sure why Atomico XXVI automatically conjures up post-apocalyptic images, but they are always there. Images like Mad Max, The Road or Fallout. It's probably just the name, because the fragrance has nothing apocalyptic about it.

It starts very peppery and there are also fresh notes, but it is not entirely clear whether they are vetiver or cedar. On the other hand, there are warm resins and sweet vanilla (fortunately not too much and not too sweet). This is a very nice contrast, which is slightly different every time you wear it. Sometimes the sweet-resinous predominates, sometimes the peppery-fresh. Soon creamy, spicy sandalwood comes in, not Mysore (no glue), but not generic either. The vanilla becomes a little clearer and amber is added. For me, it shouldn't be any sweeter than this, but the blend is perfect. The leather note only comes through towards the base. It is a clean, soft leather, slightly creamy and spicy and there is also a hint of licorice, the latter slightly burnt.

Which perhaps brings us to the apocalypse: the smoke. It runs through the entire fragrance, still relatively faint at the beginning, then increasingly perceptible, then a little less in the base. However, it is not a dense, black smoke, but a rather light and gentle one. In the middle of the trail, I briefly have the feeling of a blown-out match, but it doesn't last long.

So the apocalypse has been canceled for now and it won't come in '26 either, because I already have something else planned. Atomico is a very warm, cozy autumn and winter fragrance with enough depth not to bore, but also not so much to strain. Therefore, it can be worn all day (it lasts for 10-12 hours), and if you put it on your scarf, it will last for a few days.