4711’s Collection Absolute: A Brief Review

Picked up 4711’s Collection Absolute Exploration Set on my holiday in Köln! While I was able to get a tour of the Farina Haus, I unfortunately didn’t have the time to tour 4711 😔

But here are my notes on each:

Midnight Sandal:
I first wore this to the European release of Nosferatu at The Eye in Amsterdam. I absolutely longed for Herretic’s Nosferatu (which I’m hoping to make a post about soon, now that I’m getting my sample in a couple weeks 🤭) but I wanted to wear something within the same vain. Rather than embody a damp Bavarian castle, I gravitated towards capturing the smell the common household smells of a 19th century home. So paired with TF Oud wood, it satisfied my itch to embody the film somehow!

Orchid Vanilla:
I have an aversion to floral scents because they often make my nose pucker so unfortunately but unsurprisingly this is my least favourite of the line. The florals are a bit overbearing for me, even in the dry down. I often wonder if my opinion would change if the top notes would have been more akin to a ripe summer peach or if the dew carried into the heart notes.

Amber Mandarin:
As with florals, I actually have an aversion to citrusy scents as well but this surprised me! The top notes are incredibly aromatic— like the smell of your fingers after peeling an orange as opposed to the way the citrus based top notes in most of the fragrances I’ve smelt so far come across as far too tart for my taste. So far, one of the few citrus scents I wouldn’t mind having a full bottle of!

Noble Rose:
Though I know I essentially prefaced my post with my aversion to florals, I will say that I’ve consistently throughout my life have found rose to be appetising in most forms, and this is no exception. Pleasantly sweet, practically candied, but not cloying or overpowering— an inoffensive rose for those who enjoy a flowery gourmand.

Vibrant Musk:
Not getting a full bottle of this is my deepest regret since they do not ship outside of Germany and Austria + there’s absolutely no listings on secondhand sites. I told the woman behind the counter that this was my favourite by far so she gave me an additional sample vial to take home as well. Since coming home, I went to my local niche parfumerie and asked them if they had anything in their inventory that closely matches this profile. And while the associate pretty much hit it on the head with the first fragrance she presented, I found that its dry down left me wanting 😔 But a part of me wonders if my attachment to this scent is also influenced by the memory of smelling it in its original home.

Smoky Tonka:
As a person who adores gourmands, I was surprised I didn’t like this more. It’s sweet but not cloyingly so thanks to the bergamont/sandalwood and it pairs very well with 4711s Vibrant Musk as well! It’s very subdued so I would recommend it for those who like but don’t necessarily love gourmands.

Majestic Leather:
This was the other fragrance I debated wearing to the showing of Nosferatu, and I ultimately decided against it because it has a sweeter, opulent quality than I didn’t necessarily fit the tone I was going for. But my draw to this scent for the event was the Balkans Tobacco Absolute in the heart, and it made me think about the stories folks of old would tell of vampiric lore as they were huddled around a fire with a pipe in their hand and smoke blowing out their mouths.