FBDHH

We usually expect that new releases will surpass what already exists. I find this expectation to be general and for everyone. A new fragrance must be louder, last longer, attract attention, and preferably be given as a gift. Only then is it considered good and accepted.

Contrary to the impressions of many previous speakers, I find this release to be very successful. My nose and I are in agreement. The Noir smells great. The experience of the first encounter can be well compared to "Castley | Parfums de Marly." A certain synthetic quality somehow belongs to it these days. Whether that is bad or good is for each nose to decide. Personally, I like it. Also because I really enjoy molecule fragrances, and they wouldn't exist without synthetics.

I would probably have chosen a different name. "Noir" doesn't really fit for me. To me, it is a fragrance that works very well during the day. In general, I would have dedicated a completely unique name to the scent.

Starting off sparkling fresh and slightly fruity, it quickly transforms into a fresh, soft, spicy, slightly "warm" clean man scent. Bright and clear, in no way "Noir." The cypress gives it a minimal green touch, the leather note is very light and reminiscent of soft suede. Patchouli stays in the background. I smell a very fine rose-ambroxan accord. Every nose perceives differently, and that's a good thing. I really like the Noir, especially because it is understated and feels rather quiet. Nevertheless, I find the sillage to be quite strong, at least in waves. For a fresh fragrance, I consider the longevity to be very acceptable.

Elysium is and remains a reference in the world of niche fragrances, quality for which one is happy to spend a few extra euros. It is exactly this quality that I also smell in the Noir, albeit differently, but certainly not worse.

To begin with, I would like to briefly touch on the bottle and the concept. One of my predecessors has already addressed it, which is why I don't want to dwell too much on the topic of "violence." Some associate the fragrance with weapons, which would automatically imply that the creator(s) of the fragrance could be trivializing violence. I don't think this was in any way the intention of Jan Mihm or Geza Schön. When a creative mind develops a fragrance around the theme of gunpowder (and alpha macho) and thinks about the presentation, one can really only do everything wrong... Art should know no boundaries, but I too would condemn any reference to real violence. Mihm from Ballistic Therapy may have simply invented a kind of fictional alter ego and created this fragrance for that. Didn't we all want to be cool, Hollywood-style gangsters at some point? Didn't we all play Cowboys vs. Indians without "malicious" thoughts?

The fragrance opens with a fresh burst of bergamot, paired with spices and the association of gunpowder. Provocatively sexy. Not really smoky but quite peppery-spicy. Shortly thereafter, one is overcome by the refreshing feeling of black tea, but not iced tea. Here, I would almost claim that the recent creations M01+Black Tea and M01+Guaiac Wood are essentially based on the 9mm and make these fragrance directions/associations their own. Especially Guaiac Wood plays a significant role in the development and runs completely through the fragrance journey. The leather is less pronounced to my nose but still noticeable, paired with minimal floral and dark green notes as well as soft spicy musk. This combination is carried by Geza’s typical M01 Iso-E, and on me, the fragrance has very strong longevity and sillage. It is precisely this combination of Guaiac Wood, leather, and Iso-E musk that makes the wearer "feel" like a martial alpha. Rugged on the outside, soft on the inside. An aura fragrance that polarizes, just like its creator(s).

For me, a fascinating change in today's predominantly boring uniformity. I would almost claim that if 9mm had been released under a different name/label/bottle, it might have sparked a hype.

For this comment, I will keep it short:

For me, bergamot, mint, juniper, sage, and cypress play the main role(s) here. The scent starts fresh-woody and remains so. In my opinion, it doesn't have much of a development. The longevity could be better. Generally, I find it hard to describe. It's just a really cool 90s scent! Those of you who were into fresh fragrances in the 90s probably had either this one and/or AdG, Dior Dune, Chanel PE, Cool Water, Polo Sport, etc. I still really enjoy this olfactory vibe of the 90s and how beautifully relaxed these perfumes are compared to so many "beast-mode" scents these days.

Even today, it’s a very distinctive fragrance!

@PV and/or Dua: Please consider a revival!

You do exactly what you were born to do in this world. You smell fresh, aquatic, spicy. You are not trying to reinvent or redefine this genre of aquatics; instead, you fit into a variety of alternative scents within this segment. A segment that seems overcrowded and these days only justifies its existence through animalistic "aquatics" with brutal longevity.

In my opinion, an aquatic scent does not need to last 72 hours, because that is not what it is made for. An aquatic scent is made for summer, for warm days. On those days, you should primarily do one thing: Refresh! And do so lightly and casually... And you do that incredibly well! You start confidently, fresh, and strong, just as I want to feel as a man after a morning shower in summer. Some may call you a "shower gel scent," but who wouldn't want to smell like that? Who wants to shower in summer with Layton, Carlisle, or Habdan?

You do fade over time, but you do not completely disappear. You accompany your wearer confidently throughout the day, and yes, others benefit from you too. Just not in an "in your face" manner, but with a lot of understatement. Your notes create an incredibly harmonious drydown for me. A bit fluffy and light but consistently assertively fresh and spicy.

The evening is not entirely your time; you need the sun to shine.

Your price is steep, and there are many good alternatives. But it is your distinctive scent that ultimately sets you apart from the competition - at least for me.

It was the time before Parfumo when I left the Karstadt on Mönckebergstraße with a few fragrances. In my bag, I found a sample of Icon. Since I knew the fragrances I had purchased and acquired them purposefully, I hadn’t tested anything further in the store.

Short anecdote:

I stopped testing fragrances in stores a long time ago when I already knew which one(s) I wanted to buy. The risk for me is simply too great that it could get out of hand. Like many of you, I have sworn off impulse buys. And that’s a good thing. Patience is a virtue, but in my opinion, it should actually be a prerequisite when it comes to perfumes.

Dunhill had completely passed me by until that point. I had associated this brand with prejudices like "old-fashioned, pretentious, boring, it doesn’t suit me anyway" and therefore never tested it (if there was ever a Dunhill tester available anywhere). So, I sat in my car with my bag, and since I hadn’t tested anything beforehand and my limbs were therefore receptive, Icon was placed on my forearm. 2 sprays should be enough to change my perception of Dunhill. Of course, a fragrance cannot represent the entire brand, but this Icon was so good from the second I sprayed it that I had to hold myself back from buying it immediately. Throughout the day, I kept smelling my arm. The scent was perceived as very good, and after the sample was almost empty, a bottle was acquired. Over the months, other fragrances joined the collection, and somehow Icon was forgotten. To make space, I even sold it, which was foolish. Why does one do such a thing? My patience back then was not what it is today. It’s good to learn from one or two mistakes… My luck was that I had also forgotten the sample. It was lying somewhere far down in the sample jar. When I was cleaning up recently, I came across this (remaining) sample. I have rarely been so happy to find a sample and immediately entered a state of fragrance ecstasy. I was instantly transported back to that late summer when I discovered the scent. Wow. Rarely have I felt such a guilty conscience. It sounds crazy, but it’s true. So, I ordered Icon again right away. Good thing, it will stay.

The scent starts for me very fresh, spicy, citrusy with a nice pepper note. Not sharp, rather invigorating. Neroli, lavender, and sage quickly join in. They make Icon warm, flattering, cozy. On the other hand, I perceive the scent as very masculine, energetic. The listed base notes are less noticeable to me in the rest of the development than the heart notes. I don’t smell oud, just minimal leather nuances, and the vetiver is very light, bright, and fresh. An understatement scent. For me, it is wearable all year round, just not when it’s too hot. Preferably with a shirt rather than a T-shirt, better with chinos or jeans than with shorts. A certain (age-independent) maturity should be brought by the wearer. The longevity is very good for me, and the projection leaves nothing to be desired. An absolute bang for the buck.

In a certain way, Icon opened the door to neroli for me, albeit on a selective basis since everything about the scent must (for me) fit. My current signature scent is Opalon; without Icon, Opalon would have passed me by.

It’s beautiful how one’s own preferences develop and change over time - some faster, some slower - and sometimes you have to return to something to experience a certain level of happiness.

Icon smells to me like understatement with a bit of bad boy charm!