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Journey to the End of the Night
Lonely and forgotten by time, as if the earth had opened up and swallowed the small monastery for centuries, it lay there, its silhouette timidly rising from the fog..
Schönthal... in crooked and smudged letters, so it was written on the letter, the date
April 2, 1525.
Dear Albrik,
with dismay I have heard your bitter complaint about the death of our beloved parents.
How cruel the authorities can be, just to satisfy their claims to power and greed.
What is left for our parents and you?
To lead a lesser life than a common rat?
To toil to death, without hope for a better life?
How well I can understand our parents when the news came from Württemberg to join the uprisings.
Who could have guessed that from a spark, a firestorm would break over us..
I hope the letter reaches you before your escape...please come to me, beloved brother...
Everything else then.
Benjas
Albrik, at the end of his strength, was glad...
Glad to forget the past and the painful memories of those he had to leave behind, if only for a moment...
Glad to be able to place his own life in God's hands, diverting the fatefulness and knowing that from now on he would lead a virtuous life, in harmony with himself.
Yet he was aware that the penance he would have to do could hardly be compensated for in one lifetime...
With his last strength and in the protective fog, he reached the monastery wall; slowly feeling his way, until a small side door caught his attention.
The three short knocks on the wooden gate echoed in the fog gray..
Suddenly something stirred behind the door... footsteps could be heard, frantic activity.
All at once the door fell open and Albrik stumbled inside.
Immediately a dense, warm smoke met him... a smoke he still remembered from his uncle.
He was a cooper by trade and had loved watching his uncle burn the barrels since childhood.
Childhood... that term he had long forgotten..
His eyes watered, but through his tired pupils he could make out a shadow that, becoming clearer, approached him.
"My dear brother, you made it"
Benjas, completely wrapped in animal skin and leather, stood before him...
His brother had become smaller and thinner, where once a monastic robe had concealed his belly, only a penitent shirt now peeked out, fluttering loosely beneath the leather garment.
"Let me see you, brother"
..Albrik had also changed, his cheerful and benevolent eyes had almost entirely sunk into his skull, the wrinkles on his forehead deep, hair only present in a few places.
Benjas was startled:
"Come, brother, sit down, you must be thirsty, drink"
Benjas handed him a bottle with a thick substance..
"This will give you new strength, our monastery's own liqueur mixed with a bit of honey and various spices, that awakens the spirits of life"
Taking a large sip, Albrik immediately felt a pleasant warmth rising within him.
How long had it been since he had slept, let alone drunk or eaten anything...
All tension left his face.... there he was again, his brother, for a brief moment just as he remembered him, before Benjas had moved into the monastery, only for, as the bottle had not yet fully touched the table, his face to once again be thrown into deep wrinkles.
"You must be tired and exhausted, here you are safe....come, I will show you your room, there you can rest, we will talk tomorrow"
Benjas led his brother through a narrow corridor into a small room, sparsely furnished with a table, a chair, and a bed.
The air in the room was somewhat stale and smoky, but that didn't bother Albrik much; he simply enjoyed the pleasant warmth, probably also because he hadn't felt it for a long time.
"I'll let you rest a bit, if anything happens, my room is directly opposite"
"Thank you, Benjas" ... these were the first two words Albrik had spoken since his arrival...
"You don't have to thank me, you are my brother...never forget that"
Due to the liqueur and the weeks of deprivation, Albrik fell into a deep sleep...
Nightmares gnawed at his soul like threatening shadows....
There he stood at night, his spirit detached from his body, alone in the middle of the village square...
the houses around him burned, unable to do anything, he looked down at himself...
warm resin flowed around his feet, from afar the voices of the damned...
growing ever shriller, two dark figures approached him, arm in arm...
emerging from the smoke, they were now clearly recognizable...
it was father and mother....
but where once their faces had been, pig heads adorned their visages..
a black, hot mass spewed forth from their mouths...
"Father, Mother....forgive me..... I could not save you"...
falling to his knees, more and more of the black liquid poured over him, until only his head protruded...
everything had become silent, almost peaceful...
only a black sea...
"I just have to submerge and let go"
he sank completely into the darkness and...
awoke!
Drenched in sweat and gasping for air, he awoke...
It was dawning on the horizon...
Sleepy and still feeling the night in his limbs, he stumbled through the corridor..
Where were the other monastery brothers..?
He knocked on his brother's door, no one opened..
Cautiously, he crept further down the long narrow corridor, suddenly coming upon a large, soot-covered door..
He slowly felt for a round doorknob and pulled on it boldly..
With a loud creak, the door flew open..
Albrik, somewhat surprised by his own strength, was immediately blinded by the rising sun!
As his eyes adjusted to the light conditions, he found himself in the monastery courtyard,
many of the monastery brothers were in the monastery garden tending to the vegetables and the shrubs growing there.
The sun's rays warmed his face and from the reflection of the stones shining in the sun, his brother stepped forward.
He put his arm around his shoulder
"I may not be able to take away your pain, but together it is possible for us to find a new home here"
Tears filled Albrik's eyes...
He knew it would be a long road for him....
but now....
now he could let go....
Schönthal... in crooked and smudged letters, so it was written on the letter, the date
April 2, 1525.
Dear Albrik,
with dismay I have heard your bitter complaint about the death of our beloved parents.
How cruel the authorities can be, just to satisfy their claims to power and greed.
What is left for our parents and you?
To lead a lesser life than a common rat?
To toil to death, without hope for a better life?
How well I can understand our parents when the news came from Württemberg to join the uprisings.
Who could have guessed that from a spark, a firestorm would break over us..
I hope the letter reaches you before your escape...please come to me, beloved brother...
Everything else then.
Benjas
Albrik, at the end of his strength, was glad...
Glad to forget the past and the painful memories of those he had to leave behind, if only for a moment...
Glad to be able to place his own life in God's hands, diverting the fatefulness and knowing that from now on he would lead a virtuous life, in harmony with himself.
Yet he was aware that the penance he would have to do could hardly be compensated for in one lifetime...
With his last strength and in the protective fog, he reached the monastery wall; slowly feeling his way, until a small side door caught his attention.
The three short knocks on the wooden gate echoed in the fog gray..
Suddenly something stirred behind the door... footsteps could be heard, frantic activity.
All at once the door fell open and Albrik stumbled inside.
Immediately a dense, warm smoke met him... a smoke he still remembered from his uncle.
He was a cooper by trade and had loved watching his uncle burn the barrels since childhood.
Childhood... that term he had long forgotten..
His eyes watered, but through his tired pupils he could make out a shadow that, becoming clearer, approached him.
"My dear brother, you made it"
Benjas, completely wrapped in animal skin and leather, stood before him...
His brother had become smaller and thinner, where once a monastic robe had concealed his belly, only a penitent shirt now peeked out, fluttering loosely beneath the leather garment.
"Let me see you, brother"
..Albrik had also changed, his cheerful and benevolent eyes had almost entirely sunk into his skull, the wrinkles on his forehead deep, hair only present in a few places.
Benjas was startled:
"Come, brother, sit down, you must be thirsty, drink"
Benjas handed him a bottle with a thick substance..
"This will give you new strength, our monastery's own liqueur mixed with a bit of honey and various spices, that awakens the spirits of life"
Taking a large sip, Albrik immediately felt a pleasant warmth rising within him.
How long had it been since he had slept, let alone drunk or eaten anything...
All tension left his face.... there he was again, his brother, for a brief moment just as he remembered him, before Benjas had moved into the monastery, only for, as the bottle had not yet fully touched the table, his face to once again be thrown into deep wrinkles.
"You must be tired and exhausted, here you are safe....come, I will show you your room, there you can rest, we will talk tomorrow"
Benjas led his brother through a narrow corridor into a small room, sparsely furnished with a table, a chair, and a bed.
The air in the room was somewhat stale and smoky, but that didn't bother Albrik much; he simply enjoyed the pleasant warmth, probably also because he hadn't felt it for a long time.
"I'll let you rest a bit, if anything happens, my room is directly opposite"
"Thank you, Benjas" ... these were the first two words Albrik had spoken since his arrival...
"You don't have to thank me, you are my brother...never forget that"
Due to the liqueur and the weeks of deprivation, Albrik fell into a deep sleep...
Nightmares gnawed at his soul like threatening shadows....
There he stood at night, his spirit detached from his body, alone in the middle of the village square...
the houses around him burned, unable to do anything, he looked down at himself...
warm resin flowed around his feet, from afar the voices of the damned...
growing ever shriller, two dark figures approached him, arm in arm...
emerging from the smoke, they were now clearly recognizable...
it was father and mother....
but where once their faces had been, pig heads adorned their visages..
a black, hot mass spewed forth from their mouths...
"Father, Mother....forgive me..... I could not save you"...
falling to his knees, more and more of the black liquid poured over him, until only his head protruded...
everything had become silent, almost peaceful...
only a black sea...
"I just have to submerge and let go"
he sank completely into the darkness and...
awoke!
Drenched in sweat and gasping for air, he awoke...
It was dawning on the horizon...
Sleepy and still feeling the night in his limbs, he stumbled through the corridor..
Where were the other monastery brothers..?
He knocked on his brother's door, no one opened..
Cautiously, he crept further down the long narrow corridor, suddenly coming upon a large, soot-covered door..
He slowly felt for a round doorknob and pulled on it boldly..
With a loud creak, the door flew open..
Albrik, somewhat surprised by his own strength, was immediately blinded by the rising sun!
As his eyes adjusted to the light conditions, he found himself in the monastery courtyard,
many of the monastery brothers were in the monastery garden tending to the vegetables and the shrubs growing there.
The sun's rays warmed his face and from the reflection of the stones shining in the sun, his brother stepped forward.
He put his arm around his shoulder
"I may not be able to take away your pain, but together it is possible for us to find a new home here"
Tears filled Albrik's eyes...
He knew it would be a long road for him....
but now....
now he could let go....
23 Comments
Translated · Show original
Hiking Without Stamina!
"Hold up the sign"
'There should actually be a statement here'
I am too upset, so here’s a short comment!
OK, there is a statement after all, as an introduction!
:-P
"L'Air des Alpes Suisses" in herbal, without powder, in Austria and good! With a visit to the campfire!
I would love you; if the H&S weren't so underground!
I must strongly advise against purchasing!
The scent would surely be a 9+ points fragrance, (a summer walk through the fresh Alpine air, then into the coniferous forests of Central Europe, and in the end, we all sit by the campfire) if it weren't for the "100% organic claim"!
With all 5 test subjects - after 45 minutes, the walk is over - end, done...no stamina left...the broom wagon picks everyone up!
90€ for 30ml and not even Cologne durability...
If one could achieve a scent progression with a proper "development"...what a dream that would be!
From the herbal-airy citrus, past the wonderful wood accords to the smoky-medical base (stone oil + birch)...beautiful!
Everything feels too rushed, too fast...more of a short sprint than a long hike.
Sympathetic brand, sympathetic and very accommodating perfumer...everything fits...well, almost and that is unfortunately essential.
The scent was in development for 18 months..
You can really tell how much love and dedication went into this..
Really very unfortunate, but I must sadly downgrade the fragrance.
Thus, the Alpine dream really becomes a NIGHTMARE.
'There should actually be a statement here'
I am too upset, so here’s a short comment!
OK, there is a statement after all, as an introduction!
:-P
"L'Air des Alpes Suisses" in herbal, without powder, in Austria and good! With a visit to the campfire!
I would love you; if the H&S weren't so underground!
I must strongly advise against purchasing!
The scent would surely be a 9+ points fragrance, (a summer walk through the fresh Alpine air, then into the coniferous forests of Central Europe, and in the end, we all sit by the campfire) if it weren't for the "100% organic claim"!
With all 5 test subjects - after 45 minutes, the walk is over - end, done...no stamina left...the broom wagon picks everyone up!
90€ for 30ml and not even Cologne durability...
If one could achieve a scent progression with a proper "development"...what a dream that would be!
From the herbal-airy citrus, past the wonderful wood accords to the smoky-medical base (stone oil + birch)...beautiful!
Everything feels too rushed, too fast...more of a short sprint than a long hike.
Sympathetic brand, sympathetic and very accommodating perfumer...everything fits...well, almost and that is unfortunately essential.
The scent was in development for 18 months..
You can really tell how much love and dedication went into this..
Really very unfortunate, but I must sadly downgrade the fragrance.
Thus, the Alpine dream really becomes a NIGHTMARE.
17 Comments
Translated · Show original
Longing for the Sea!
"Mayday Mayday..Echo sounder failed..
trying to land..
see an island made of Haribo TropiFrutti"...
..Dracula was lonely...and so he increasingly escaped into daydreams to flee the dark, cold, and musty cave where he resided during the day.
How he wished he could spend his days in much more southern regions...
Through centuries of isolation, his self-esteem and zest for life had suffered greatly.
The vitamin D deficiency didn't help...pale, sallow skin, dark circles under his eyes, hair loss...what had become of the once proud Vlad..
This couldn't go on..
If he couldn't go to the South Seas, then at least the South Seas should come to him..
Today, my life begins anew!
...
As night fell, he purposefully flew to the small grocery store in his hometown of Bran. Slipping through a propped-open window, he quickly maneuvered into the sparsely stocked fruit section.
Bananas, figs, and a few oddly shaped star fruits caught his attention; the store didn't have much more to offer.
Determined, he grabbed an abandoned fruit net and eagerly shoveled the fruit into the bag.
Through the window he had now opened, he silently vanished into the night, his bag full.
Back in his cave, his heart raced with excitement, a feeling he hadn't experienced since his first sip of blood in 1336.
In the same moment, his excitement turned into sheer horror...Blood!...
Bananas, figs, star fruit???
What had he been thinking...since his transformation, he could consume nothing else but blood.
People called this strange illness "fructose intolerance"...whether he was afflicted by it, he didn't know...he just couldn't eat such things.
His horror gave way to pure rage, and he hurled the net into the farthest corner - his expression hardened, and with a gesture of disgust, he disappeared into the depths of the cave system.
Minutes, hours, days passed without a single sign of life from the cave..
Suddenly, after 2 weeks of silence, something stirred, but it wasn't Vlad; a family of martens had made themselves comfortable in his absence.
Attracted by the scent of the rotting fruit, a pair of martens now lived where once the proud Dracula had reigned.
The animals were feasting on the remains of the mushy fruit when, emerging from the darkness, a shadow snatched one of the martens without warning.
A brief yelp and crackling sound was heard, then silence.
The other animal barely managed to leap into a crevice to escape.
The shadowy figure stepped out of the darkness...it was Vlad...emaciated and close to madness - the long, sharp teeth gleamed from the lifeless body of the marten...
Sadness lay in his bloodshot eyes..
Had he really thought he could escape his fate and want more from life?
He was startled by his own thoughts and.........he awoke!
Darkness had descended over the small town...
....a strange dream...how long had he been sleeping?
No matter...he only knew one thing:
The hunt begins!
trying to land..
see an island made of Haribo TropiFrutti"...
..Dracula was lonely...and so he increasingly escaped into daydreams to flee the dark, cold, and musty cave where he resided during the day.
How he wished he could spend his days in much more southern regions...
Through centuries of isolation, his self-esteem and zest for life had suffered greatly.
The vitamin D deficiency didn't help...pale, sallow skin, dark circles under his eyes, hair loss...what had become of the once proud Vlad..
This couldn't go on..
If he couldn't go to the South Seas, then at least the South Seas should come to him..
Today, my life begins anew!
...
As night fell, he purposefully flew to the small grocery store in his hometown of Bran. Slipping through a propped-open window, he quickly maneuvered into the sparsely stocked fruit section.
Bananas, figs, and a few oddly shaped star fruits caught his attention; the store didn't have much more to offer.
Determined, he grabbed an abandoned fruit net and eagerly shoveled the fruit into the bag.
Through the window he had now opened, he silently vanished into the night, his bag full.
Back in his cave, his heart raced with excitement, a feeling he hadn't experienced since his first sip of blood in 1336.
In the same moment, his excitement turned into sheer horror...Blood!...
Bananas, figs, star fruit???
What had he been thinking...since his transformation, he could consume nothing else but blood.
People called this strange illness "fructose intolerance"...whether he was afflicted by it, he didn't know...he just couldn't eat such things.
His horror gave way to pure rage, and he hurled the net into the farthest corner - his expression hardened, and with a gesture of disgust, he disappeared into the depths of the cave system.
Minutes, hours, days passed without a single sign of life from the cave..
Suddenly, after 2 weeks of silence, something stirred, but it wasn't Vlad; a family of martens had made themselves comfortable in his absence.
Attracted by the scent of the rotting fruit, a pair of martens now lived where once the proud Dracula had reigned.
The animals were feasting on the remains of the mushy fruit when, emerging from the darkness, a shadow snatched one of the martens without warning.
A brief yelp and crackling sound was heard, then silence.
The other animal barely managed to leap into a crevice to escape.
The shadowy figure stepped out of the darkness...it was Vlad...emaciated and close to madness - the long, sharp teeth gleamed from the lifeless body of the marten...
Sadness lay in his bloodshot eyes..
Had he really thought he could escape his fate and want more from life?
He was startled by his own thoughts and.........he awoke!
Darkness had descended over the small town...
....a strange dream...how long had he been sleeping?
No matter...he only knew one thing:
The hunt begins!
14 Comments
Translated · Show original
Classic/Modern
Without much preamble, let's get right to it:
The scent creates an incredibly wonderful balance for me between classic perfume artistry and modern nobility.
As if one were to open a wooden spice cabinet and inhale the myriad scents and aromas deeply through the nose!
Clove, pepper, oregano, basil, lavender, allspice, cinnamon... everything somehow wafts around the nose, but to my surprise... very harmonious!
Here, one must truly give great praise to Mr. Staudt, who directs the seemingly endless colorful diversity of scents into orderly paths.
Once the initial herbal onslaught has passed, woody notes come in, paired with a lovely underlying hay aroma.
For me, this is where the scent development is the most balanced and, in my opinion, sets itself apart from the pure "kitchen herb" powerhouses.
The scent impression increasingly shifts towards the woody-oriental, giving the fragrance a more modern touch without losing its "old school" roots.
Everything lingers for a long time until it can settle on a sweet-bitter base!
We are talking about 6 hours of scent experience with a nice strong sillage, which then gradually recedes to make way for a very long-lasting base.
Over 12 hours of longevity are certainly guaranteed.
To put it briefly:
Here, the individual fragrance notes have been so finely woven together (in my humble opinion) that this scent is in no way inferior to timeless classic men's fragrances!
As I mentioned in my little statement, classic men's perfume elements gently meet more modern nuances from the East, elevating the fragrance into modern times.
A true feast for every perfume lover who mourns some old scents but is not closed off to new elements!
P.S. Even though I keep talking about men's classics, the scent is, of course, also wearable by women.
Only those who approach this with the expectation of a "La Vie est Belle L'Eau de Parfum" will quickly break into tears, as they will discover true perfume artistry with "Pour Homme," which has long shed the stigma of "sweet" and "flowers" and soars to new heights!
The scent creates an incredibly wonderful balance for me between classic perfume artistry and modern nobility.
As if one were to open a wooden spice cabinet and inhale the myriad scents and aromas deeply through the nose!
Clove, pepper, oregano, basil, lavender, allspice, cinnamon... everything somehow wafts around the nose, but to my surprise... very harmonious!
Here, one must truly give great praise to Mr. Staudt, who directs the seemingly endless colorful diversity of scents into orderly paths.
Once the initial herbal onslaught has passed, woody notes come in, paired with a lovely underlying hay aroma.
For me, this is where the scent development is the most balanced and, in my opinion, sets itself apart from the pure "kitchen herb" powerhouses.
The scent impression increasingly shifts towards the woody-oriental, giving the fragrance a more modern touch without losing its "old school" roots.
Everything lingers for a long time until it can settle on a sweet-bitter base!
We are talking about 6 hours of scent experience with a nice strong sillage, which then gradually recedes to make way for a very long-lasting base.
Over 12 hours of longevity are certainly guaranteed.
To put it briefly:
Here, the individual fragrance notes have been so finely woven together (in my humble opinion) that this scent is in no way inferior to timeless classic men's fragrances!
As I mentioned in my little statement, classic men's perfume elements gently meet more modern nuances from the East, elevating the fragrance into modern times.
A true feast for every perfume lover who mourns some old scents but is not closed off to new elements!
P.S. Even though I keep talking about men's classics, the scent is, of course, also wearable by women.
Only those who approach this with the expectation of a "La Vie est Belle L'Eau de Parfum" will quickly break into tears, as they will discover true perfume artistry with "Pour Homme," which has long shed the stigma of "sweet" and "flowers" and soars to new heights!
9 Comments
Translated · Show original
The Stroke of Genius
As I already mentioned in my brief statement, Bruno Acampora has achieved a small stroke of genius with the hiring of enfant terrible Miguel Matos and the subsequent release of the perfume line "Acampora Fifty Four".
Whether and how these wild creations will positively impact the business of the traditional company, I cannot judge.
Nonetheless, I am immensely pleased that companies today still have the courage to take risks and not sink into total insignificance or pandering to the mass market sic!(yes "Wilgermain" especially you.... feel addressed! ; "Caron" and "Le Galion" should only be ashamed in specific instances and seek the "Stille Treppe")!
Apparently, the jurors of the Art&Olfaction Awards 2020 saw it this way too and awarded the perfume in the "Independent" category.
A side note: Although this award means nothing in my eyes, and especially my nose, when looking at the other winner "Nimbis" of the Art&Olfaction Award 2020 in the "Artisan" category.
What the jury was thinking is truly a mystery to me!
Here, the "courage" for something new is not rewarded, but simply the "courage" to be so different that it must be art.
I would call such a thing pretentious narrow-mindedness.
As a blueprint from Henkel, Bayer, and BASF for what is possible in the "chemical kitchen" today... OK (Orto Parisi don’t be upset, you will win again, I am sure... just submit "Fantomas") but to deliver something that is supposed to describe the "falling shooting stars" is quite questionable.
Art is, after all, art, and one should actually be happy that new things are appearing at all, but in this category, there were sooooo many strong scents represented that I honestly have to doubt my nose.
Well, never mind, enough of the digressions, back to the star of the show, "Young Hearts"!
Here, I must agree with the jury and join in the praise!
Miguel Matos' best scent to date, period!
Why?
Because he has succeeded in breathing new life into the often-dead Chypre (others have managed that before too), but he has made the Chypre interesting for a young generation again, without completely alienating the old lovers of this genre!
A balancing act that has succeeded without losing itself in insignificance.
For this, the scent is too bulky, has too many edges and corners... but on the other hand shows a hip "coolness" (which can even be taken literally), as a deep dark, ethereal, and cooling aura is created through galbanum, pine, saffron, fir balsam, and birch leaf!
Jasmine gives light floral sprinkles that loosen the scent up just enough so that not everything sinks into total darkness.
Next, the rose makes its appearance, knowing exactly where its place is and submissively yielding to the bitter green. It appears as dark red as I have rarely smelled and gives the scent even more depth, but also something vulnerable.
The patchouli, oakmoss, and musk trio gives lovers of classic Chypre scents what they crave and makes them purr with delight:
Animalic
Not unpleasant, not fecal, and not intrusive... just enough to enjoy and want to know where this rough scent comes from!
The base of patchouli, oakmoss, and musk lasts (a restrained rose can also be slightly perceived) almost 24 hours on the skin and makes one sniff again and again at the sprayed spot.
The scent has an excellent sillage and extreme longevity (and this is already with the "only" tested perfume concentration, the extrait version should be even richer).
For over 6 hours, a dark, green, bitter, floral forest scent accompanied me with pleasant coolness, only to slowly end in a very long Chypre base!
It must be clearly stated that even younger noses should take a sniff here, so as not to miss a wonderful scent that expands the fragrance horizon alongside the usual Parfums de Marly and the like!
The name "Young Hearts" was chosen for a reason.
For young and old, who have remained young at heart, a true celebration!
Addendum 23.12.2020:
In the meantime, I can also call the Extrait de Parfum my own.
Here, the longevity has been further enhanced, achieving a "depth" and "aura" that I have rarely experienced! The scent is the same, just the expression is more voluminous!
Maybe the scent will even reach half a point to a 10, I will continue testing :)
Addendum 26.02.2021:
After further testing, I have concluded that this scent is nothing less than a 10-point scent for me. It possesses all the qualities of a fragrance that I appreciate and love!
Long-lasting, very good sillage, timeless scent profile.
For me, already a modern classic!
Whether and how these wild creations will positively impact the business of the traditional company, I cannot judge.
Nonetheless, I am immensely pleased that companies today still have the courage to take risks and not sink into total insignificance or pandering to the mass market sic!(yes "Wilgermain" especially you.... feel addressed! ; "Caron" and "Le Galion" should only be ashamed in specific instances and seek the "Stille Treppe")!
Apparently, the jurors of the Art&Olfaction Awards 2020 saw it this way too and awarded the perfume in the "Independent" category.
A side note: Although this award means nothing in my eyes, and especially my nose, when looking at the other winner "Nimbis" of the Art&Olfaction Award 2020 in the "Artisan" category.
What the jury was thinking is truly a mystery to me!
Here, the "courage" for something new is not rewarded, but simply the "courage" to be so different that it must be art.
I would call such a thing pretentious narrow-mindedness.
As a blueprint from Henkel, Bayer, and BASF for what is possible in the "chemical kitchen" today... OK (Orto Parisi don’t be upset, you will win again, I am sure... just submit "Fantomas") but to deliver something that is supposed to describe the "falling shooting stars" is quite questionable.
Art is, after all, art, and one should actually be happy that new things are appearing at all, but in this category, there were sooooo many strong scents represented that I honestly have to doubt my nose.
Well, never mind, enough of the digressions, back to the star of the show, "Young Hearts"!
Here, I must agree with the jury and join in the praise!
Miguel Matos' best scent to date, period!
Why?
Because he has succeeded in breathing new life into the often-dead Chypre (others have managed that before too), but he has made the Chypre interesting for a young generation again, without completely alienating the old lovers of this genre!
A balancing act that has succeeded without losing itself in insignificance.
For this, the scent is too bulky, has too many edges and corners... but on the other hand shows a hip "coolness" (which can even be taken literally), as a deep dark, ethereal, and cooling aura is created through galbanum, pine, saffron, fir balsam, and birch leaf!
Jasmine gives light floral sprinkles that loosen the scent up just enough so that not everything sinks into total darkness.
Next, the rose makes its appearance, knowing exactly where its place is and submissively yielding to the bitter green. It appears as dark red as I have rarely smelled and gives the scent even more depth, but also something vulnerable.
The patchouli, oakmoss, and musk trio gives lovers of classic Chypre scents what they crave and makes them purr with delight:
Animalic
Not unpleasant, not fecal, and not intrusive... just enough to enjoy and want to know where this rough scent comes from!
The base of patchouli, oakmoss, and musk lasts (a restrained rose can also be slightly perceived) almost 24 hours on the skin and makes one sniff again and again at the sprayed spot.
The scent has an excellent sillage and extreme longevity (and this is already with the "only" tested perfume concentration, the extrait version should be even richer).
For over 6 hours, a dark, green, bitter, floral forest scent accompanied me with pleasant coolness, only to slowly end in a very long Chypre base!
It must be clearly stated that even younger noses should take a sniff here, so as not to miss a wonderful scent that expands the fragrance horizon alongside the usual Parfums de Marly and the like!
The name "Young Hearts" was chosen for a reason.
For young and old, who have remained young at heart, a true celebration!
Addendum 23.12.2020:
In the meantime, I can also call the Extrait de Parfum my own.
Here, the longevity has been further enhanced, achieving a "depth" and "aura" that I have rarely experienced! The scent is the same, just the expression is more voluminous!
Maybe the scent will even reach half a point to a 10, I will continue testing :)
Addendum 26.02.2021:
After further testing, I have concluded that this scent is nothing less than a 10-point scent for me. It possesses all the qualities of a fragrance that I appreciate and love!
Long-lasting, very good sillage, timeless scent profile.
For me, already a modern classic!
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