DN1982

After reading in various forums that Lomani is supposed to be a kind of scent twin of Drakkar Noir from the pre-reformulated (!) era, I thought I’d give it a try. And since Lomani is also unbeatable in price, with the bottle available online for under 5 euros with a little searching, I ordered the stuff and - even with a profit - quickly got rid of it again on Ebay.

If this is supposed to be a much-praised scent twin, then I wonder if these people even have nostrils. Or to put it more mildly: the perception of smell can differ that much.

To be more drastic: if the unreformulated Drakkar Noir was supposed to smell that bad, then I would never have stuck with the original! Lomani lacks the finesse and the skillful balance in every respect. Not only that, Lomani masks its inability to be a good copy with leather, leather, and more leather. I mean, I do like the smell of leather, but this is too synthetic, too intrusive. What gave the original a certain flair in the base note along with a slightly powdery note is here carelessly slapped on like “Look, I smell like a shoemaker’s workshop.” Thus, the old saying proves true: Stick with the original! (even in the reformulated version)

I don't really know how to assess Fahrenheit. On one hand, it's a scent that seems relatively unmistakable - especially in today's time, I think - on the other hand, I quickly grew tired of it. When I subsequently received only negative feedback about this EdT from my entire surroundings, the remaining 80 ml went to Ebay. Despite its uniqueness and unusual composition, I don't miss Fahrenheit; it's a flash in the pan like so much in life.

And yes, Fahrenheit smells like motor oil; more precisely, it actually smells like two-stroke oil, which usually has a distinctly perceivable petroleum touch.

I received it as a miniature and was initially pleased with the bottle, as the eye is known to eat with the nose. Then I applied it and was very positively surprised by the scent - my wife even more than I was. The grapefruit and mandarin as fruity notes are very noticeable, the sweet-sour mixture is well complemented by lavender and coriander, which become more prominent as time goes on but never so strong that it could become intrusive. So, it's a highly interesting blend. However, the base note is only very weakly pronounced to my nose and somehow does not harmonize properly with the heart note, even though the scents should, in my opinion, seamlessly transition into one another. And that is probably why the finish is quite unspectacular. I am actually inclined to reapply Givenchy pour Homme after four hours because it simply loses its strength too quickly. I did this as an experiment for a while, but then it becomes too coriander-heavy, which quickly dilutes the otherwise successful overall composition. What I found negative about this EdT, however, is that it obviously does not last long once the bottle is opened! While with proper cool storage, for example, Drakkar Noir still smells like Drakkar Noir after two years, Givenchy pour Homme should be used up within at most half a year: After this time, grapefruit and mandarin come across with a harsher, slightly scratchy acidity, the coriander becomes stronger and more synthetic, and the overall package has a much stronger alcoholic note, giving it the touch of a poorly made version. I have gone through a total of five bottles of Givenchy pour Homme since its release, and only with one 50 ml version did I not experience the phenomenon of poor durability because it was empty after four months. So, for less frequent use, it's better to take the small one and use it up quickly.

Azzaro - a classic. Always praised, and since it is quite an old fragrance and things were not perfect back then but certainly better in many ways, I thought I should give this big name a try. And it hits hard, this child of the late seventies. Positive? No, not really. First of all, the scent is very pronounced, it practically sticks its elbows out. But this sharpness, this zest does not flatter my nose at all, as there is just too much of everything.
Actually, the bottle should be labeled with a black X on an orange background and the addition "Charming." Did someone re-label WC-Fresh? That’s exactly what the scent reminds me of during the first hours, paired with a hint of spices that come into play later on.
After about eight hours, it becomes more manageable and is quite bearable for my nose, remaining pleasantly detectable close to the skin after a remarkable 24 hours. Then it’s even very pleasant. But to first torture my nasal mucosa for hours before it becomes bearable? No, I lack the masochistic inclination, so Azzaro pour Homme can stay where it can be bought. Meanwhile: its brother, Azzaro pour Homme Elixir, is a really great number!

In the past, when men - and of course women - could still buy their fragrances at Müller cheaper than online, I often found myself in the nearest store when my all-time favorite Drakkar Noir was running low. There were always samples included, and at some point in 2003, the lady at the checkout handed me M7. I tried it at home, and it was amazing stuff!
I can only confirm the "raspberry cola" mentioned here, as well as the later penetrating smoky-spicy-distinct note. At first glance, both might not seem to fit together, but here a creation was made that was absolutely unique and led me to acquire a bottle of M7 the next day. The emphasis is on "was," because unfortunately, M7 lost much of its uniqueness and heaviness due to the reformulation (the cheap printed bottle...) and became more generic, sadly fading away from the skin much too quickly.

Old stocks of the first series keep appearing in the depths of the internet, but unfortunately, outrageous price demands dampen my desire to acquire a few more bottles of this brilliant substance. Man, if only I had back then, M7 was as common in stores as lead...

Was this a scent for old gentlemen? Either the scent suits you or it doesn’t. And M7 suited me very well back then at 25 - just like the contrast of the individual scent components of M7.


A little update at the end of 2013:

The remaining stocks of the original version of this brilliant substance seem to be running out for good now. 100 ml for 200 plus X euros has become the norm. This makes it all the more frustrating that I didn’t buy M7 in bulk back then, as the reformulation wasn’t particularly successful, which is why I put M7 aside for a while.
Not frustrating because I was deprived of the theoretical possibility to play the game "Gold price chart chases Dr. Reibach," but the original M7 was often on sale at Müller, and if I remember correctly, I usually paid around 30 euros for 50 ml...