Tesoro D:SOL MMXVI 2020

Tesoro, which translates to 'treasure' from Spanish, is not exactly the treasure I was hoping to find when beginning to test D:SOL MMXVI's catalogue. Something is missing here, something... that would make it truly valuable.

Not all the notes of Tesoro are listed here on Parfumo. The notes pyramid is lacking sweet orange at the top notes, cedarwood at the heart notes, and incense at the base. However, these three notes are shown on the card presenting each of the fragrances that you get in their collection sample set. On each of the fragrance's respective web pages, you get the same notes as here on Parfumo. Not that it's a big deal, since neither of these three play such a front-end role in the composition, apart from the sweet orange which plays its hand beautifully along the other citrus notes, making for a refreshing but not overly sharp squeeze of citric brightness. The orange is clearly leading here, with a nice balance of tangy sweetness and bitter accent, while the grapefruit offers support more so with the latter.

Given that the top notes, especially citric ones, usually fade away quite quickly, the petitgrain at the heart extends the citric accord with a continued bitter orange aroma, only it also appends a sparkling, herbaceous quality, as well as a very faint woody aspect, more so carried by the cedarwood, anyways. The pink pepper works underneath by bringing some bright, berry-like spice, while the jasmine oozes its clean, white floral richness without ever turning intoxicating or heady. Just simple, pleasant stuff.

The base is where I don't feel like this is a treasure worth digging for. A very soft trace of citric incense appears paired with a rather generous dosage of clean, airy white musk. The vetiver doesn't really manage to stand out with any of its numerous facets, at best a grassy accent in the back, while the leather is more muted than I expected and I'd like. It just adds a little warmth associated with leather, but also a grounding effect if faint, while the white musk completely covers it. A bit of a meh ending. Quality and blending are not the issue, in my opinion, just that the scent profile is nothing out of the ordinary.

Performance proved to be in the realm of my expectations, maybe a little better. I got about 7 hours of longevity on my skin, while as for projection it was soft to moderate, not invading anyone's nostrils from afar, but still leaving a noticeable trail even 2 hours into the wear.

No trouble on the versatility side of things, this being perfectly usable for any occasion, especially during those sunny, active summer days. Maybe a little bit boring for more distinct situations, but it will still do the job.

My only issue with Tesoro is an issue that most others will probably not have with it. It's a pleasant scent, hard to hate, and for those looking just for that, it's great juice. But those that wish for some more... "fireworks" so to say, for a more unusual freshie, Tesoro is unlikely to satisfy that criteria. For the €160/75ml price, it's not terrible value for those who would truly value a scent profile like this. But as stated, for someone like me who is looking for more distinct compositions, it will be a tough sell. "Orange Gold"? Maybe silver or bronze.

Overall Rating: 5.5/10

A super powerful, lively, energetic and sunny orange-centered perfume! Like an explosion of oranges, with green leaves, twigs, zest and sweet fruity flesh. The leather accord gives an interesting and smart counterweight with its bitterness. Overall a very smart, modern interpretation. Super long-lasting and strong, especially for a citrus-themed fragrance! A very strong offering from the brand!

Attending a late-spring evening outdoor party overlooking the Mediterranean on the island of Mallorca (which inspired this and other fragrances from this house), there's a faint scent of oranges riding the breeze from the Sóller valley. You spot a good friend across the way and approach. Leaning in for a long embrace, you're met with the smell of creamy suede -- their jacket from one of the nearby leather-workers in Inca.

What a gem! Not your average fresh fragrance for sure! Complex and “grown up”, a well worn suede jacket on which you accidentally spill some freshly squeezed orange juice!
Succulent but not particularly sweet, with a touch of that citrus bitterness. A must-smell in my opinion!
It also fits in so well in the overall storyline of the brand’s collection!

"A reminder of the golden and glorious times in the Sollér Valley in Mallorca. When oranges were traded like gemstones and life was cultivated and splendid. Delicious hesperidic notes are balanced against a refined aromatic leather note. Abundance and elegance meet. A fragrance with the magic of those times. For our time.".

Thus the usage poetry of the Berlin label D:SOL 2016, which launched three perfumes related to Mallorca, regarding 'Tesoro' (treasure). I’d say: Sure.

The majority of the ten statement authors so far perceive a leather-orange combination here, or at least a 'light leather'. My experience is somewhat different.

The opening of the fragrance comes across to me as primarily herbal-bitter. I find myself thinking more of wormwood and the like than of oranges. Only after a few minutes do actual hesperidic signals reach my olfactory center, still herbal, still bitter (well, grapefruit, bitter orange, and bergamot are also indicated as three sharp and bitter varieties). Interestingly, I simultaneously perceive the leather and vetiver notes that are only mentioned in the base, especially vetiver (to which I have a certain sensitivity). The overall impression here is rather dark and harsh; the musk is somewhat softer, without brightening.

After an hour, the scent impression has changed; it is now very, very smooth, a bit fruity (like from blackcurrant); I think of a minimalist, reduced, and subtly peppered version of Opium pour homme EdT (a fragrance I love). After two hours, the smoothness remains but has become silky soft.

After three or four hours, I think Tesoro would already be fading, yet in protected spots like the forearm (under the shirt sleeve), even after six and eight hours, a nice, fine, but somewhat nonspecific herb-spicy base with a slight sweetness can still be detected up close.

All in all, Tesoro leaves me rather puzzled. All ten previous statements agree that it is not a bad fragrance, but also not a great one (all ratings are between 7 and 8). I concur, and I also adopt Yatagan's remark that it is an unusually composed fragrance in this form. However, although it is quite beautiful at times, it ultimately feels too convoluted and directionless.

The definitely worthwhile orange-leather concept also seems to me not to be really fruitfully implemented. It is essentially an ancient concept, as evidenced by the many (but today mostly forgotten) 'Peau d'Espagne' and 'Pelle-di-Spagna' fragrances. I own an extremely inexpensive and classic representative of this tradition (Colonia Pelle di Spagna by Wally from Italy) and a highly refined, expensive French reinterpretation of the concept (Eau de Memo by Memo Paris), to which "subtly hesperidic light leather" really fits perfectly.

On this fundamentally not greatly optimizable formula, although I find the fragrance particularly clear, fine, and minimalist in the mid-phase (the handwriting of Marie Le Fébvres), I believe too much fiddling has been done. Vetiver bothers me here; those who like this fragrance note, in my opinion, would be better served with Marie's "Vetiver Reunion" in doubt.

Also, a thank you to Knopfnase for bringing this little series to my attention!