CD1810

There is reason for hope. I was a big fan of the Kenzo brand. I found that they created unusual, non-mainstream, yet everyday wearable fragrances: Kenzo Homme Eau de Toilette - a classic, to this day. Jungle, Homme Boisee, and especially Tokyo and Power. And of course: the milestone Air Intense! Unusual, different, and yet unmistakably Kenzo.

And then came the decline, which started cautiously with Homme Sport (mainly boring and insignificant), continued with Homme Night (unharmonious and somewhat intrusive), and then reached the low points of the Eau de Parfum versions of the two classics Homme and L’Eau, which threatened to plunge the brand into an seemingly endless spiral of sweet, sticky insignificance. A sure sign of this: the even worse Aqua Kenzo. I must confess that I had given up on Kenzo.

And now Kenzo Homme, Eau de Toilette intense - a new beginning, reason for hope?
Indeed yes, I think. The new one has nothing to do with the original scent. Kenzo is not trying to rediscover the old DNA of Jungle and Tokyo. But they are finally releasing a multi-layered, well-crafted mainstream fragrance again, which has a proper development, a certain individuality, and enormous longevity and projection, without coming across as overly sharp and synthetic.

It starts with a strongly peppered aquatic note, before the fragrance develops into a slightly sweet (fig, I love fig!) and especially into a green-earthy (vetiver, patchouli) character. The sandalwood ensures that a certain basic freshness is always maintained. And that is the strength of the new Kenzo. It has a bit of many directions, but creates a main direction and excellent performance.

Yes, a certain synthetic quality is undeniable. I would most closely compare Kenzo's new fragrance to H24 from Hermes, although the scents are quite different. But it seems that a new mainstream trend is a slightly unisex, distinctly green, lightly sweetened freshness, which can also be quite synthetic, but above all comes across as more understated and less intrusive than the latest trends (1 Million candy bombs, Sauvage synthetic slingshots). I can live well with THIS trend.

And Kenzo is taking a first, very big step towards rehabilitation.

Much of what is written here about Eau de Minthé resonates with me. But I draw somewhat different conclusions from it.
Yes, a Fougère through and through.
Yes, Fougère, but not old-fashioned in the process.
Yes, it is fresh and spicy.
Yes, the mint plays a significantly lesser role than the name might suggest.

So far, so good. On these four points, most who have commented on Eau de Minthé seem to agree quite well. But many find it to be nothing special.

However, I believe it is special. The combination of old-fashioned Fougère and fresh, minty spiciness makes it unique. The fact that an old-fashioned theme is interpreted in a modern way, without falling into overly synthetic excesses, is (unfortunately) something special today. And for me, longevity and sillage are also particularly good, namely very respectable. This is rather unusual for a freshie, at least when avoiding too much Ambroxan or ISO-E-Super.

Eau de Minthé is extremely well-received, it generates many compliments (you really do smell particularly good), it is universally applicable, and it offers its qualities at a still reasonable price.

In this respect, I advocate for more dissemination and more agreement and condemn all the naysayers to four weeks of Gualtieri-scented immersion!

With this new Eau de Toilette from Acqua del Garda, I was primarily intrigued by the name. Juniper and cedar seemed to guarantee a fragrance that might not be revolutionary, but would likely be a fresh, spicy, and probably more masculine scent. During the Black Friday sale, it was also discounted, so it was time for a blind purchase.

I do not regret that decision, although Ginepro e Cedro comes across differently than I expected. The juniper is dominant at first, but is soon lightly sweetened by tonka. The cedar adds a very pleasant spicy, yet distinctly aquatic freshness that lasts until the end. However, contrary to expectations, Ginepro e Cedro is not woody or citrusy. The later addition of musk introduces a subtle powderiness that clearly shifts the fragrance towards unisex. But that is certainly not a bad thing.

Overall, it is exceptionally well-balanced. As always with this brand, nothing stands out or disturbs. Those looking for something extraordinary or exciting will not find it here. But for anyone wanting a calm, very clean, and well-crafted spicy fresh scent, this is an excellent choice. And at a price that is truly more than fair for this quality. A clear recommendation! Acqua del Garda has impressed me once again.

Who still remembers Else Stratmann?

Who admits to being old enough to know this artistic figure created by the wonderful Elke Heidenreich from the eighties? And what on earth does Else Stratmann have to do with Amyris Homme Extrait de Parfum by MFK?

Else Stratmann was, as mentioned, a character by Elke Heidenreich. She appeared on the radio and television as the butcher's wife from Wanne Eickel, offering witty and humorous comments on current events and "Sonz noch wat." I loved her! Her texts were also published in book form, one of which was titled "Darf‘s ein bisschen mehr sein?"

"Darf‘s ein bisschen mehr sein?" is, I believe, the motto that perfectly fits Amyris homme Extrait de Parfum in comparison to the Eau de Toilette. It seems that Francis Kurkdjian has turned all the dials on this fragrance and added a bit more of everything. I could hardly say that or whether the Extrait is accentuated differently than the Eau de Toilette. If anything, it is less citrusy and a bit less fresh than the Eau de Toilette. But actually, the Eau de Toilette has simply been cranked up several degrees to a wonderfully dense, lush, indeed opulent fresh-sweet-fruity-woody scent with enormous longevity and projection. One gets the feeling that Amyris has truly arrived with this version. This is how it should be!

In this respect, Else Stratmann's question is clearly a yes for me. I have diligently worn the Eau de Toilette over the past few weeks, so that it could be used up and replaced by the Extrait. However, Else Stratmann would probably have indignantly exclaimed at such a mindset (and especially at this price): "Sonz noch wat!"

I admit that what I am about to write may partly be a tribute to Eau Sauvage Parfum (2012) and partly a requiem for the brand Dior. Because alongside Eau Sauvage Parfum, I also mention, and not sparingly, the current, very successful fragrances from Mr. Damachy's Dior chemical construction kit. This is probably hopelessly outdated and quite culturally pessimistic.

But I cannot and do not want to do otherwise, because what has once again delighted me on my wrist after a long time has so much power, stubbornness, and character that it deserves recognition, combined with a requiem for a house that apparently is only capable of releasing increasingly generic fragrances at an ever-shorter pace.

Dior Eau Sauvage Parfum is just eight years old in my version from 2012 and feels like it is from another time. Strong bergamot at the beginning connects it to the wonderfully ethereal original, but for me, it is almost instantly accompanied by exceedingly potent myrrh. The latter soon pushes strongly to the forefront, allowing the original to be only faintly sensed. I really enjoy this scratchy, smoky quality of the myrrh; it makes the fragrance unmistakable and unique. After about an hour, it is only slightly softened by a grassy sweetness from the vetiver. If one believes the comments on parfumo about the reformulation released five years later, which I am not familiar with and that omitted myrrh, it seems that in 2017 (just three years ago), they managed to even improve Eau Sauvage Parfum and bring it closer to the original without sacrificing its distinctiveness and potency. As I said, I cannot judge that.

However, I can say that Dior apparently no longer intends to launch such powerful, high-quality fragrances: Even the magnificent Dior Homme recently underwent a complete redesign towards blandness. Heaven knows what they plan to do with Homme intense at LVMH. Just the thought sends shivers down my spine! And I will cover Sauvage and its offshoots with the (old, so dusty) cloak of silence.

I suspect that this is where the problem lies: Fragrances in the designer sector are no longer made for "dusty" people like me or of my age (46). To all others who enjoy the "new Diors," I sincerely wish you well, and please be lenient with me regarding my tirade on Dior.
But perhaps there are still more parfumos to whom I speak or write from the heart, who mourn the not-so-distant past when Dior still made fragrances with character.