KevinGrey

Etienne Aigner's Statement. A 90s classic

The first Aigner fragrance I encountered. However, only now. In the 90s, it completely passed me by.

Before I actually acquired it, it had to go through three tests with me.
The first time, tested on paper strips, it left me undecided. It had something, but still couldn't really convince me. It lacked that certain something. After testing the fragrances from the similarly named, yet completely independent house "Aigner" (the connections between the perfume houses are a topic of their own), I found a trio of very similar scents: "Statement" by Etienne Aigner from New York and "No.1" and "pour homme" from the Aigner house in Munich. All similar, yet each with its own focus. And with all three, I was initially unsure whether I liked them or not.

After retesting on my own skin twice, I was convinced.

The Statement starts citrus-fresh and slightly fruity. The sillage is strong and corresponds to the leather-citrus base typical of both the New York and Munich Aigner houses, with a synthetic vibe. No spontaneous enthusiasm from me. But potential....

After an hour, it resembles a brother of the Munich "pour homme." Just less peppery and more citrusy. It hardly feels fresh now, so it’s not a fresh scent as the opening might suggest. It’s more of an autumn scent for the office.

As with "pour homme," you have to keep your nose a bit at a distance to perceive the true aura of the fragrance. If you get too close, it defends itself with strong spiciness.

The price-performance ratio is good.

Its color is brown in varying tones.

It will suit men over 30 best.

In summary, we have a rather subtle men's autumn fragrance for everyday use, which starts fresh but then arrives at a spicy-woody scent on a citrus-leather base. It stands side by side with its Munich cousins "No1" and "pour homme," although I think you only really need one of them. They are so similar. Depending on personal preference, you can set your focus here. For me, "pour homme" fits best because of its peppery-nutty drydown. However, I only wear that in winter. As a variant for autumn, I occasionally enjoy using the Statement in everyday life.

First of all: I only know the "Caribbean Summer Edition", but you can't write reviews for that one, and it seems to be identical to the "Coral Reef Edition", except for the bottle.

A random test while browsing through Davidoff fragrances in the perfumery. But one that was truly worth it.
I have been a big fan of Cool Water since my school days. None of the many flankers that have been released for this scent could convince me until that day. Except for this one!

From the very first moment, it had my attention. There was something interesting about this fragrance that made me keep sniffing it again and again. Convincing from the top to the deep drydown. And considering that this type of scent (the fruity-fresh ones) usually has a hard time with me, that’s saying something. I should mention that I discovered it on a very hot summer day, where it truly belongs and shows its absolute strength. I had to have it!

But now to the details:

It starts off aquatic-fruity-fresh (lime) with a herbal sharpness (mint) in it. The mint sharpness is still very dominant here. A light scent, but with good sillage. A summer cocktail. Instantly, I’m at a beach bar at 35 degrees, or sitting on a rock in the Caribbean surf with a fruity cocktail....

After an hour, the fruity note now dominates and becomes "darker". Now it’s more orange fruits instead of lime and mint that shape the fragrance. It now appears like a fruitier Cool Water for higher temperatures, thus less spicy-woody than the classic original.

In the later drydown, it approaches the classic Cool Water. It becomes spicier-woodier but remains fruitily characterized. You can already tell that Cool Water is underneath, altered with fruit and mint. However, it doesn’t last particularly long on (my) skin. No comparison to the classic.

Its color is definitely light. White, beige, or light bluish tones suit it well.

A summer fragrance for men aged 20 to 50. Too boring for teenagers, and too youthful-fresh for those over 60.
Already masculine, but very close to the unisex threshold. Layered with something slightly floral, it would already be feminine.

A "Super-Freshy" for the really high temperatures, without an exaggerated citrus vibe or anything like that, unlike many other fragrances for these situations. A nice, pleasant aquatic-fruity freshy for extreme summer days, where it’s no longer about masculinity, but just about freshness.
Well suited by the water (swimming pool/beach/lake/pool, etc.) and definitely wearable in the office on hot days as well.

As I said, normally a fragrance direction that can’t convince me, but here everything just clicks for me. A total exotic in my fragrance collection, but it has its rightful place and does its job very well :-) It fits in between "Cerruti 1881 Riviera", which is great away from the water in the woods and fields in midsummer, and the classic Cool Water, which is already too spicy for extreme temperatures.

It simply belongs here.

Boss Bottled - one of the great classics of office fragrances.

By now, it has been widely duped and reformulated (sometimes poorly, sometimes decently), but for me, it remains an absolute must-have in my fragrance collection, despite all the hype and cheap dupes that unfortunately seem to be everywhere at times.
It actually represents a fragrance category that is usually not my thing at all: the Fruity-Fresh scents. However, Boss is an absolute exception here. Everything just works for me!

But now to the details:

It starts off apple-fruity-sweet and woody, yet remains fresh at the same time. A look at the fragrance pyramid reveals that this is not surprising at all. It contains everything that usually deters me from even testing a fragrance ;-) The composition is simply brilliantly balanced and dosed. Especially with its increasing woodiness in the drydown, it convinces me.
Above all, in the opening, it has a distinct freshness vibe, but it is not a "freshie".

After about an hour, it is still fruitily dominated, but the various woods start to come through.

From the third hour onwards, in my opinion, the perfectly balanced ratio between fruitiness and woodiness begins. This is when I find it the best.

By the fifth hour, it has become "darker" and "richer". A "fruity-woody scent". Spontaneous thought: "Excellently delicious!"

A fragrance that is especially suitable for transitional periods or cooler summer days. In spring, it reflects the budding fruit, and in early autumn, it embodies the apple season.

I have a beard oil with a slightly creamy walnut scent. Together with Boss and a light brown vintage leather jacket, it feels simply wonderful on a sunny early autumn day....

Its color is more yellowish like apple juice.

It is suitable for men in the age group between 20 and 50.

The performance is good. It lasts long and is well-present throughout. A subtle dosage is therefore appropriate. This makes it perfectly suitable for everyday wear and the office.

Reformulations, cheap dupes, hype..... it doesn't matter! The woody apple in the bottle will remain one of my absolute favorites. Because it is what it is, both in the 90s and today. THE Boss.

The opening is fruity-leathery. However, it has an old and rancid vibe. It reminds me of Terre de Hermes, only here there is no orange, but grapefruit. However, it doesn’t come off as intensely fruity as the Terre-orange. Horizon also lacks the patchouli earthiness of Terre.
The sillage is good at the beginning

After an hour, it is still fruity but has become spicier. Probably because the ginger is coming through now. However, the sillage is noticeably declining. This is a fragrance that definitely needs to be applied generously. In terms of performance, Terre is clearly better.
The cocoa note only appears for me after about 10 hours, when it has already become very close to the skin.

Like Terre de Hermes, Davidoff Horizon is also a good alternative to the aquatic, citrusy, and herbal "freshies." Due to their fruitiness, I see both more at home in late summer and early autumn.

Like Terre, Horizon also suits yellowish tones. However, Terre has a tendency towards brownish tones.

It is suitable for men between 20 and 60 years old.

I like it, more than Terre de Hermes for sure! One of the few fruity fragrances that I enjoy because the fruity note is not annoyingly overpowering.

The name intrigued me. What could be hidden behind the gentleman scent?

So I got a sample pack from Givenchy and tested it:

It starts with a subtle sillage that feels dry and powdery. There’s a hint of “lavender” in the powder as well. The opening is a bit too powdery for me. Luckily, it becomes more floral with a lavender accent within minutes.

After 1 to 2 hours, it has developed into a pleasantly subtle chocolate scent. It has taken on the well-known “Tolu Gourmand” character. It now feels pleasant and elegant to me. The sillage is still fine. The floral notes have receded into the background, and together with the powderiness, it feels a bit too “washed out” and old-fashioned.

This is the smoother and gentler, more refined gentleman compared to “Gentlemen Only” or “This is him!” by Zadig & Voltaire. There is none of the peppery note that characterizes the other two. This one is gentle, floral, powdery, and gourmand throughout its development.
A lovely scent for special occasions, especially in the winter months (though it can certainly be worn year-round) for those over 40 who want to present themselves as particularly serious and gentle gentlemen.

However, for me, it is a tad too powdery. Therefore, it will not be my gentleman favorite. I prefer scents with more “pep” (in the truest sense of the word). But it is still one of the very few powdery fragrances that I like.