Heartfire

...this is a good way to describe this extremely strong and striking fragrance. The Cœur Héroïque is one of the few olfactory creations where I can perceive all the listed notes of the fragrance pyramid right from the start. The gourmand-sweet facets blend wonderfully with the floral aspects, with chocolate and rose clearly leading the way. All of this is underpinned by a woodsy-tinged vanilla that is truly one of a kind. The scent almost made me addicted from the very beginning; I constantly caught myself bringing my forearm to my nose for a deep sniff, which I usually never do in public, except in such special cases. Have I mentioned the aquatic aspect? I don’t know what exactly triggers this association, but the fragrance makes me think of lily-covered ponds in an old castle park; somehow the floral notes come with a certain noble water note, and that fascinates me completely, giving the scent an almost aristocratic, elevated... or rather heroic quality.

All in all, the heroic heart is a beautiful and very striking fragrance that impresses with its extraordinary combination of notes. Moreover, the longevity and sillage are almost brutal; the sprayer is designed so that you can dose the fragrance precisely, and a few small clouds are more than enough to envelop yourself in a noble aura of gourmand-floral elegance. However, I only give the bottle a 6 because it had a slight leak at the beginning, meaning it was covered with a thin but noticeably perceivable layer of perfume when I took it out of the packaging. While it’s not really leaking, something did seem to have spilled a little.

Anyone looking for something truly extraordinary that will definitely make a positive impression will definitely unearth a hefty nugget from the olfactory goldmine here. For me, this was one of my best blind purchases so far. In this sense: be bold and carry the heroic thought out into the world with this fragrance!

...or rather woody hard herb resin? No matter how you turn it, the complexity of the wood and resin with all its nuances and facets is absolutely brilliantly represented here. I bet Gualtieri primarily had wood in mind with this fragrance and... uh... resin in his brain... um... oh, you know what I mean! He was focused on the olfactory representation of resin and wood! If the Duro Extrait de Parfum were a fantasy journey, I would be a marathon runner engulfed in flames, sprinting through a jungle at 223 km/h, mixing up all the types of wood that dare to stand in my way! On the edge of the forest stands a carpentry shop, where vigorous planing is taking place, but this is just a side note, as I, the flamboyant sprinter, have only one thing on my mind: to enrich the air with an incredible number of wood nuances and then make my escape, yes indeed!

When you end the fantasy journey and turn to the dry facts, you inevitably and directly realize that this is an exceptionally masculine and highly distinctive fragrance. Gualtieri is well-known for intending to olfactorily represent masculinity in general with this work, and in my opinion, he has incredibly succeeded with the Duro. The 30ml lasts forever, as the scent is extremely potent; just two sprays create a very present sillage that easily lasts up to 8 hours. Anyone seeking raw masculinity in its purest form will eventually come across this strong work of perfumery art - and it will stick in memory, that much is certain! As far as I know, there is no dupe or any other fragrance that strikes the same chord as the Duro Extrait de Parfum. Haha, "chord" in relation to wood, get it? ...okay, let's leave that, this review already contains enough illustrious antics and wordplay. I’ll then joyfully leap from tree to tree and later have a mighty log of proud beech for dinner.

Good wood, my friends, and thank you for reading!

Describing this fragrance with words is a challenge. One that I am willing to take on at this moment - even though I know I will never be able to verbalize it adequately, I still dedicate these lines to it. The first time I smelled Tabac Original Eau de Cologne was in my early childhood during a family gathering or celebration. Unfortunately, I lack the exact context, but I have always associated it with immensely positive nostalgia and a journey into my own personal past. One could even say that this fragrance has subtly yet significantly shaped my taste today, as at 40 years old, I love herbal-spicy-aromatic-woody vintage scents more than ever. And that is precisely what Tabac is for me: the cornerstone for everything that has come since and will come in the future. I compare every fragrance that takes this direction (partially unwillingly) with Tabac Original and think to myself, "Is it better? Does it smell more intense? Does it evoke similar memories? How does it smell different from my favorite?" Of course, the notion of "smelling better" is an absolutely personal and individual matter, as every fragrance carries a certain uniqueness and affects everyone differently. And yet, every classic men's fragrance that I discover anew must first pass the comparison with the legendary original before I can incorporate it into my mental fragrance repertoire and store it away.

I sincerely hope that this brilliant masterpiece (I use this term very rarely) will never be discontinued and will accompany me for many more years. This fragrance is a monument from the past that, for me, olfactorily represents the values of a bygone era. An era in which true masculinity had not yet been defamed by today’s agenda and in which decency, respect, and morality were not inflated and alienated phrases, but real values for which one stood proudly and acted accordingly.

If you want to be transported back to the olfactory wildness of the 80s, a few generous sprays of Lapidus pour Homme Eau de Toilette will really get the party started! For me, all the powerhouse fragrances from that era have one thing in common: they all resemble each other a bit too much. The Lapidus here stands out with its overripe pineapple in the top note, which, in my opinion, carries through the entire scent journey. And to be honest: of all the overripe fruits that could have been added to the concoction, that tropical fruit was definitely the best choice! It harmonizes so well with the fougère-like notes that it is a true delight to take a deep breath and ignite the inner fire... again and again and again! When a crazy pride of lions tears through a pineapple plantation, biting into fruit after fruit, this scent is in the air! And anyone who claims that lions would never do that simply lacks zoological-botanical imagination! In this spirit: douse yourselves generously and wear the scent with pride and conviction - it represents the masculine flair of its time, which nowadays can hardly be proclaimed (olfactorily) often enough! Cowabunga, you rascals!

This fragrance holds a very special place for me personally. It is one of the few olfactory creations that has managed to evoke a flood of images, impressions, and the associated emotions right from the first spray or sniff - a kaleidoscopic projection of impressions from deep untouched forests, a true delight for the inner eye. The Encre Noire à L'Extrême starts off for me just like the Encre Noire Eau de Toilette, but it quickly develops a distinctive individuality. The prominent vetiver note, reminiscent of deep dark mossy forest floors, is soon underlined by a subtle smokiness, along with a clearly perceptible accord of coniferous woods. Essentially, it is a rather minimalist fragrance that comes across as truly unique, as such a composition has been a rarity until now, and accordingly, it also has a recognizable character. It is a meditative forest walk in a bottle; one wanders through the ancient woods, where only sparse light penetrates through the dense treetops, and the ground is soft and covered in moss. After a brief rain shower, petrichor and herbal aromas blend together, dense steam rises above the moist earth, in the distance a roe deer barks... the call of a night bird heralds the approaching twilight, the light is now finally fading, and the golden full moon casts its twilight over a dew-covered clearing... I certainly do not wear this fragrance every day, as that would quickly take away the specialness that it undoubtedly possesses. In quiet moments of slowing down, I wear it, close my eyes, and embark on a meditative journey of inner reflection and nature mystique. Even during a "real" forest hike, it is a welcome companion. It feels as if one carries the essence of the forest being traversed and becomes one with it.