Profumorist

Thank you for your attention. Since you’re already here, you might as well stay a bit longer and read to the end. And don’t worry, this is not an ordinary comment. But let’s be honest, without the headline, you wouldn’t have read the comment about this “normal” fragrance. See.

Aren't we all searching for that one extraordinary scent? Don’t we all want to smell like no one else? Something that makes us unmistakable. And why does it smell like Imagination, Naxos, or Ombre Nomade on every corner? Why do we let way too many influencers talk us into something? What’s unique about that? Especially when you can buy a similarly scented fragrance in one of the many dupe shops for little money, which you wouldn’t want to afford in the original. Therefore, many people today smell the same, even though they believe they are wearing something extraordinary. Whoever has found the irony in this game can keep it.

Montblanc is not exactly known for producing creative fragrances. Most of the time, they create scents that are inspired by successful and trendy fragrances. Just to get a piece of the big perfume pie. This one is probably an oversight. Because it is extraordinary. Violet, clary sage, and cedar. That’s all that should be in it. It is said to remind one of Santal 33 Eau de Parfum. That wouldn’t be my first choice to rake in money through sales. And to get straight to the point, this one does go a bit in the direction of Santal 33 Eau de Parfum. It’s not a true fragrance twin. It’s softer, not so straight-in-your-face, not so leathery.

The Montblanc is aftershave-fresh (I just love it), green, woody paired with just the right dose of sweetness. Minimal, but just like you need sweetness in a beer or a really good wine to keep the overall experience from being too dry.
Violet (I just love it) gives the scent this cool, sharp freshness. The clary sage takes on the green and the minimal mineral sweetness, and the cedar wood - what a surprise - brings the woodiness. It simply smells different, extraordinary and yes, extremely masculine. It’s somehow a modern old-school scent.

The longevity and sillage are top-notch for me. A workday without reapplying is no problem. The bottle is, as always, a matter of taste.

What can I say in conclusion: It flies completely under the radar and, in my opinion, unjustly so. Testing is a must if you want to discover something extraordinary.

And to all those who think only niche counts: It’s not bad to wear Montblanc.

This one doesn’t need discussion anymore. It speaks for itself. Staying true over the years. Different yet unmistakable.

Modern top notes? Ridiculous. It packs a punch from start to finish. Alpha and Omega. At the same time.

Reformulated? Of course! Several times! What do you think? Doesn’t it smell like it did 34 years ago? Who cares? Please stop whining. That’s just how life is.

A classic? He would probably say milestone. But he doesn’t brag about it. Honestly…

Arrogant? More like self-assured. He knows what he wants. He has no time for young posers. He just doesn’t need to anymore.

Do you wear tight chinos that end above the ankles in summer? Tassel loafers? Without socks? Then wear something else. Here, masculinity is still required!

Leather? Of course. Tobacco? Sure. It has to be in every proper men’s fragrance. You heard right! Men’s fragrance. The contemporary sweet synthetic scents are not it. Even if it says “For Men” on the label and the sales assistant told you so. It’s not true.

Is it worn by softies? Definitely not. It wouldn’t fit. It should match the wearer and not disguise him. This one is a gentleman and a macho at the same time. Macho is considered a possible counter-term to softie. Just so you know!

Do you want to make an impression? Not hide? Are you self-assured? Here’s the answer to those voices in your head!

Do these voices also tell you to test this perfume? Does your nose need a change? Yes? Then go for it. Test it. It’s worth it. And if not, at least you can join the conversation and continue watching your YouTube/TikTok videos.

Are you not buying it because it’s so cheap? Don’t be a marketing victim. You would do it if it had XerJoff, Roja, or Tom on it. Try it out. A small bottle should be in everyone’s wardrobe.

Do you want an impression of the scent development? Do you want to know how tangerine smells? Do you want a dissertation on longevity and scent clouds? Read the other comments!
Oh, and Thierry Wasser composed it. That should be enough of a statement.

Regards

Your Profumorist

What do you associate with Steven Terrence "Steve" McQueen? Daredevil. The Magnificent Seven. Motorsport enthusiast. Le Mans. Bullitt. Green Ford Mustang Fastback. Twelve-minute chase. (Tag) Heuer Monaco. In short: The probably coolest actor Hollywood has ever seen. And for me, also a candidate for James Bond. King of cool, indeed.

Would this perfume have been his? Never. It’s too modern for that. It starts off very fresh and very fruity. But no citrus and no fruit salad. And before it drifts towards shower gel territory, a hefty shot of peppery clove comes in. After about half an hour, it becomes a bit woodier with a slight floral touch. After a while, this wonderfully fresh, fruity, modern, masculine, slightly woody-dry blend settles onto a fluffy musk bed. My first thought about this perfume was Égoïste. However, in a fresher form.

The longevity and sillage are perfect. Not too much and not too little. Definitely not a candidate for re-spraying. And the best part is the sprayer. A rich, beautifully wide spray. Top-notch.

Unfortunately, I have no idea if and where this perfume is still available. Let alone what it costs. I only got it by happy coincidence.

I can't say much more about the extreme, unfortunately. It’s a good example that excellent fragrances can often be completely unknown and thus remain undiscovered.

Regards

Your Profumorist

The 70s and 80s were characterized by rich, mossy, heavy, room-filling, testosterone-laden distinctive scents like "Azzaro pour homme," "Antaeus," "Patou pour homme," "Quorum," to name just a few. A bit later, "Boss No. 1" and "Zino" were added. Unisex fragrances weren't really a thing yet. These were the signature scents of Darth Vader, Gordon Gecko, and the Terminator. What we now refer to as classics and still love to wear.

In the mid/late 80s, the olfactory landscape changed radically. From heavy and mossy, it became aquatic and fresh. The shift couldn't be more drastic. Starting with "Green Irish Tweed" and three years later with "Cool Water" and "New West," the wave of refreshment washed over us. In the 90s, we saw the addition of "L’eau d’Issey pour homme," Calvin Klein's unisex masterpiece "CK One," Kenzo's "Pour homme," and Giorgio Armani's disco hit "Acqua di Gio." All of these are what we now consider modern classics and still enjoy wearing.

In the mid/late 90s and the beginning of the new millennium, something changed again. It became sweet. "Le male." Jean Paul Gaultier. In the 2000s, "One Million" and "Spicebomb" followed. The high-quality offshoots of this style are known as "Dior Homme." Someone also suddenly discovered a strange resin from the agarwood tree, and leather was back in vogue despite the vegan trend.

And what has happened since the beginning of the 2010s? Right. The often-criticized shower gel scents. "Aventus," "Bleu de Chanel," "Sauvage," and all their counterparts, imitators, and hangers-on. And despite their "flaws," they continue to enjoy immense popularity worldwide. They are consistently fresh and wearable in any season and for any occasion. The ultimate all-rounder?

Maybe not yet?! Because what is coming our way in the new decade? Dior started this last year. The new "Dior Homme." Fresh without real citrus. Ethereal soft woodiness. One hardly suspects any sillage because it is difficult to perceive oneself. However, when noticed by others, it is enormous. Similar to Molecule No. 1. Molecular, indeed.

As you can see, many things are constantly changing in life. That is a law of nature, and it is a good thing.

When Hermès launches a new men's fragrance, my anticipation is huge. "Terre d’Hermès" is one of my absolute favorite scents for a deserted island. And "Voyage d’Hermès" is one of the underrated fragrances.

H24 is incredibly soft and fresh in all its phases. Freshness without discernible citrus. Slightly green without associations to grasses or forests. Floral, but not a bouquet in a vase. When Pepper 81 writes below that the scent reminds her of the old "Higher" by Dior, I can only agree 100%. H24 is simply excellently balanced.

The longevity is very good. More than eight hours for me. I can't say much about the sillage. However, I suspect that it is also quite impressive (if others perceive it on you).

What remains? Well, I think that H24 is another scent of a new category or rather, a new style. Dior has shown the way. And I bet my collection that Chanel will follow the same style with their new men's fragrance. And all the others will then follow suit. And no, this is not the downfall of the West. This is the course of time, and it cannot be stopped. And of course, it won't appeal to those who prefer oriental and sweet scents.

Oh yes, it would also be interesting to know what these scents will be called. Molecular Freshies? (since everything is getting "denglish" anyway).

Best regards

Your Profumorist

P.S.: I can only recommend the film "Nose" about Francois Demanchy and Dior to everyone here. Remarkably objective and beautifully staged.

Happy New Year, dear community! It's time for a new comment and especially for a new comment on this extraordinary crowd pleaser that not everyone wears.

Dear JoHannes, your blog “Mann Mann Mann - Männer Männer Männer”
speaks to my soul in many ways. And I hope I was allowed to use a quote from your blog for my title.

Where has the desire gone to not be (or here better: not smell) like everyone else? Where has individuality gone? Does everyone nowadays want to look and smell like the masses? Does everyone want to drive the same car, own the same smartphone, or wear the same watch? Nowadays, most men sport laser-sharp trimmed beards. And almost always the same style. They all look alike. Everyone wants to smell like Aventus, LNDLH, Layton, and recently totally hyped Baccart Rouge. The pants now end above the ankles. In the past, we would have called that high water. Shoes generally without socks. Always the same smartphone with the apple logo. And watches. Yes, watches are also a topic. The one who spends a lot of money on watches or better said, the one who has no idea about watches but thinks he must wear an expensive luxury watch, usually buys the diver's watch from the probably most famous watch brand in the world. Because he doesn't know any better. And just for the info: There is no watch in the world that is copied more often than this one.
Just don't get me wrong. Everyone should do and wear what they want. It's even stated in the constitution. I also like the aforementioned fragrances very much. However, I personally do not believe in the often-quoted “magic” of these scents.

So, where has male individuality gone? I would always mention the Bvlgari here in the forum when someone is looking for an extraordinary fragrance. The Extrême is incredibly fresh. It starts with the bitter freshness of a freshly squeezed grapefruit. It remains bitter, on the edge of bitterness. Invigorating, woody. And in the end, thanks to the musk, also slightly dirty. It lasts quite long and projects more than adequately. A perfume should not disguise you.

Oh yes, guys, I want to emphasize this again. A perfume does not make you more attractive to women. Maybe at first sniff. After that, for most women, what should make a (life)long relationship counts: love, respect, responsibility, a shoulder to lean on, security, and the art of being able to listen. If you can't manage that, you can smell as good as you want.

I wish us all that this year becomes “normal” again.

Best regards

Your Profumorist