Stahl

Basically, I would describe myself as a true gourmand lover - especially when the sweet regions are covered. Pierre Guillaume has captured this part very beautifully: I smell warm cocoa with vanilla; additionally, there are light marzipan and almond aromas.

If it had stayed that way, we could have certainly become good friends - but then the animal in him comes out! The amber and especially the musk cause the fragrance composition to drift into a corner that makes me feel slightly dazed and really uncomfortable. Not so bad that I want to get rid of it, but enough that I don't want to wear it again.

I can only imagine that this was meant to satisfy the unisex compromise. Because without it, the composition would really be almost a pure women's fragrance. In my eyes, this hasn't quite succeeded: it remains a women's fragrance - albeit with an animalistic/male disturbing factor.

Women who enjoy sweet gourmand fragrances with a distinctly animalistic note should take a closer look at this mixture.

...I thought after the first attempt - and today after the 3rd test, I must unfortunately confirm this conclusion as well. Based on the previous comments and the fragrance notes that usually appeal to me, I was firmly convinced that Serge Noir would become my new favorite - but it seems it was not meant to be.

Don't get me wrong: Serge Noir is truly a demanding and extremely elaborate scent, but unfortunately, there are two penetrating tendencies in it that I do not like at all:

First and foremost is the Apicius ammonia comparison, which I can absolutely agree with - although less piercing, more like stale urine. Additionally, there is a strong animalistic note that reminds me very much of the sweat smell of a hard-working farmer. I have no idea where these scents come from; of the fragrance notes mentioned above, I can most likely attribute the patchouli to these sensations, as it can also be very animalistic, penetrating, and musky at times.

However, I really like the rest of the composition of the fragrance notes! The spices, the woods, and the resins come through beautifully and make me only guess how much I would have liked Serge Noir without the two aforementioned knock-outs. So I prefer to stick with Gucci pour Homme and continue my search for a new favorite in the "dark spice shelf"...

Right after applying, this exact thought came to my mind: an unripe honeydew melon on a sultry summer day in the countryside, with the scent of hay lying in the meadow. I find this note particularly pleasant, especially when the spicy base blends in after a few minutes. Vetiver and cedar provide a fine finish. Conclusion: More of a green scent with a distinct hay note, rather than cedar and sandarac resin.

...this image came to me when I had Sienne L'Hiver on my arm for a while. I think winter has been captured quite well - but not necessarily the cozy version in front of a warm fireplace, rather that of a walk in the woods wearing a waxed Barbour jacket (of course with a fur lining)...

In my opinion, this is a good fragrance where the name and design have been excellently executed. However, the rather harsh, green, and simultaneously spicy note simply does not suit my taste.
By the way, I can recognize less of the gourmand touch of Apicius, although there is definitely a slight sweetness noticeable. What a pity.

Then the search ends here - at least for me! Sorry for these words, but I am still impressed or rather shocked that a fundamentally high-quality fragrance makes me feel nauseous. As soon as I finish this comment, I need to wash this stuff off. So I have to hold back a bit... but what is actually the reason for this nausea?

I don't like licorice, but I can hardly smell it - if I hadn't read the comparison in previous comments, I probably wouldn't have thought of it. I can rather confirm Blumfeld's buttery note, and the myrrh contributes to my bad condition. The sweet wood only reinforces this impression and makes me shudder with disgust - and I actually like sweet notes. Here, I rather associate it with a sickly sweet smell of decay in a leaf forest. Fairy tale style: It was autumn, the big bad wolf was long dead, and Little Red Riding Hood buried him under a thick layer of leaves because she could no longer stand the stench of rot. Bon Appétit!

- Break: No joke, I just had to run to the bathroom and scrub my arm because my nausea was getting worse. Now I feel a bit better... -

For me, and on my skin, the aforementioned (and possibly also unnamed) components combine into a deadly mixture that sets off alarms in all my senses! I felt similarly when I wanted to try "stinky tofu" (literally translated) in China, which is fermented tofu that is considered a delicacy there: My instincts forced me to spit the small piece out immediately, as my body was conditioned to reject spoiled food. I believe it is similar with this fragrance - I am simply not made for it. Have fun to everyone else - I do not envy you.