Stahl

More is not what Tar wants to be. Of course, CdG hits you with the smoked Opponax and Styrax resin right in the face - and that with a nicely tanned leather whip - but this series was not created to produce mainstream fragrances and please everyone! In other perfumes, a similar base note is then "softened" by, for example, amber, tonka, vanilla, and a certain sweetness, etc. Tar, on the other hand, is the pure hardcore version!

As already mentioned in the title, I perceive pleasant smoky notes, leather, and woods. Everything else is mercilessly overshadowed by these three characters - and yet I find them very likable and would definitely meet them for a whisky tasting at the pub around the corner. Because this association also comes to mind with this scent: Scottish Islay whisky! You either love it or hate it - just like Tar from Comme des Garçons!

Tar is definitely wearable - not always and only in the cooler seasons, but I find it radiates a certain warmth and is quite pleasant as a companion on a winter walk or on an evening by the fireplace!

I see a rocky mountain range, some rocky surfaces are covered with lavender fields and conifers rise sporadically towards the sky. The wind has already blown the lavender seeds into the crevices of the rocks years ago, providing a pleasant coolness. However, the rock is warmed by the sun and invites you to linger. I settle down and let the noble and classic scent of lavender rise into my nose, the wind coolly caressing my face while the rock provides comforting warmth. The few conifer trees and tree stumps remind me of the scent of airy forests, interwoven with light, sweet smoke trails of a procession. I feel comfortable and relaxed.

Lavender at its best!

Piment Brulant is the third fragrance from the trilogy "Les Epices de la Passion" (alongside "Safran Troublant" and "Poivre Piquant"). Bertrand Duchaufour and Olivia Giacobetti aimed to create a reminiscence of the original form of chocolate, the Aztec Xocolatl (unsweetened ground cocoa beans mixed with water, chili, and other spices). Montezuma (the most famous Aztec ruler) is said to have attributed aphrodisiac effects to this drink.
However, this effect and enthusiasm are unfortunately not evoked by PB for me!

It starts with a smoky, bitter green note, but without feeling fresh. After a short time, the pepper or chili increasingly comes through, bringing a distinct spiciness that combines with a barely perceptible, bitter-dry cocoa note. Personally, I can also distinctly smell the poppy flower. The whole thing is rounded off with a slightly creamy base, which seems to stem from the amber and vanilla - but without any sweetness.

For me, PB is a gourmand that I do not like at all. I miss the sweet component to balance the bitterness and spiciness of this composition. Bertrand and Olivia have come quite close to their goal - but I do not want to smell like this and will continue to prefer my cocoa mixed with milk and sugar or honey...

Our dear Serge certainly didn't name Bas de Soie without reason. It develops a smooth and gentle character on predominantly female skin very quickly, just like silk stockings (as far as I can judge as a man).

The already described powdery bloom is present from the very beginning and remains until the end. In this respect, BDS is very simply and consistently crafted. What sets it apart from some other floral/powder fragrances, in my opinion, is that there is almost no sweetness detectable. Instead, there is a dry, slightly bitter nuance noticeable. This may be due to its unisex appeal, but unfortunately, it doesn't align with my taste. I can hardly describe this effect, but hyacinth and iris are accompanied by some undertones: as if not only the bloom but the whole plant, including leaves, stem, branches, roots, and some clods of earth, had been used.

I can only agree with my exclusively female predecessors; it is definitely more of a women's fragrance - perhaps that's why I am the first male reviewer. However, I don't want to completely close the door for us men. The bitter and dry manner of unfolding might also appeal to some male colleagues - so feel free to test it, Andi136!

I admit, I am hopelessly infatuated with this fragrance - and I must have it! But let's tell the story from the beginning:

As life sometimes plays out, I stumbled upon a sample purely by chance. Otherwise, I probably would never have come across Cuir Ottoman due to its "women's fragrance" labeling. Accordingly, my anticipation was somewhat muted when I read this classification. But then I saw the target audience distribution favoring men in conjunction with Apicius' comment - and my excitement grew again. What then developed on my skin in the next seconds and hours, however, exceeded my wildest expectations:

Imagine an oriental incense burner, in which various types of leather, vanilla, tonka beans, and flowers (iris!) are being smoked with styrax resin - now combine this vision with a pleasant sweetness, as well as slight whisky notes, and you get a rough idea of this masterpiece.

Marc-Antoine Corticchiato takes us with this composition into the Ottoman Empire. Strange yet erotic scents fill the air, exotic music can be heard, clouds of incense waft through the palace, and guests indulge in seas of flowers on sumptuous leather furnishings. The fragrance radiates a powerful masculinity, paired with the desire and eroticism of a seductive woman.

Cuir Ottoman is a fragrance of contrasts: masculine, leathery, and smoky at the beginning, soft and caressing at the end. Or rather: Enchanted leather in a bed of flowers - and what was it again about contrasts and attraction?