Styrax

I think I'm becoming a Casamorati fan after all!

According to the descriptions here, I was expecting a strong citrus scent. Nope - but not too bad either. Quite the opposite!

The fragrance starts floral: clearly lily, with lavender in the background. Rose is detectable, rather rounding off. Definitely a sophisticated, expensive bouquet.

However, the acidity prevents it from being overly sweet: first grapefruit and then bergamot, which is even more tart. Here too: the lemon rounds off, but does not dominate.

The feminine floral flatterer is shifted towards the masculine by the woody, dark notes. The warmth of amber and musk then reveals it: Mefisto - with a floral gift from the hand of a seducer. Interesting and distinguished. Deliberately attracting the attention of his counterpart.

An offer she cannot refuse.

To be honest, I wasn't expecting much from this fragrance or the line. In general, I'm not a fan of Xerjoff, although Casamoratti at least has its own history.

Then I tried another Casamoratti at MANUFACTUM. It just fit in with the nostalgia sales fuss and this fragrance smelled similar - grandma grandpa flowery). I subsequently forgot what it was.

And first, but only a fraction of the time, 1888 starts similarly sweetly geriatric. Ylang ylang, neroli, carnation. Every grandma-in-law's dream on the plush sofa.

But then the evil, earthy part comes through with strength: Pepper and cardamom, mixed with sweet, heavy patchouli. The whole results in an oriental lasting and silage composition. With an individual, unusual and difficult to describe overall note. But at the same time very sophisticated, never cheap or cholerically narcissistic.

Somehow old school, but extremely well done and by no means out of date.

An absolute discovery for me.

Many fragrances are advertised with the terms "oriental", "spicy", "market". A synthetic oud note mixed with something sweet and smoky is often enough to boost sales.

Not with this complex, well-balanced composition.

This is exactly how I imagine the Orient. Warmth, dates, cinnamon, rose and saffron. Like a sweet veil that is primarily feminine. I associate this head and rose note with something private, intimate, sensual and protective.

But then the heavy, smoky notes of the Orient come in. The masculine. The basis for the very good durability and sillage. Smoke, wood, spice. Heaviness and sweetness.

In combination and composition it is round, homogeneous. Ying and yang. Man and woman in consensual, sensual union. Yes, this fragrance clearly touches the emotional and skin level.

I myself would wear such fragrances in winter, but also very happily on hot days. Like all Orientals. Rather in a soothing atmosphere than in stressful everyday situations.

For me, this fragrance is on the same quality level as "Interlude Man | Amouage", but with different associations.

Masterpiece!

Every now and then I take the sacred hype grail of the Louis V disciples under my nose. In the meantime, I've become a little more educated about some niche fragrances.

At the very beginning of my olfactory journey, I was almost overwhelmed by it in the form of a never-smelled rake. Even then, it was too loud and too vulgar for me. Despite its proud price, it was somehow cheap. So "Robeeert Geiß" like. But of course, everyone as they like it.

I confused the loud ordinary with dark - gloomy - heavy.

That's total nonsense, of course. The only thing that is heavy about it is the durability and sillage. And in my opinion, Mother Nature can't help it with this one. That's more a matter for the laboratories. Often located in Chinese wildlife markets. Because of the labor costs.

The part here is above all vulgarly sweet. So indiscriminately sweet that you can't even tell whether it's rose or raspberry. Even a cheaper but all the more honest "Ombré Leather (2018) (Eau de Parfum) | Tom Ford" can do that better. Not to mention the "Suède et Safran | Nishane" or this one "London | Widian / AJ Arabia"

But wait a minute. Now I'm making the mistake again and letting myself be guided by the constantly repeated, but never, ever accurate forum paradigm that we're dealing with a "leather fragrance" here. We are not!

There is something woody in it. And as I said: this is never real oud. Whereby one might expect at least a lesser quality of natural ingredient. But see above.

To put it bluntly: for me, this is a boring rose "oud" fragrance, only in a "perversely synthetic and heavy" version. And ultimately, that also suits this show-off brand. Sorry, the whole thing is just damn unappealing to me.

I would still like to wish everyone else who likes it a lot of fun and enjoyment!

This fragrance gives me an immediate feeling of intense radiant warmth. A radiating energy. Like sunbeams penetrating everything. Room-filling energy that gives me a protective sense of security despite the heat.

Hot desert wind stirs up dust and sand. The sunlight breaks through this veil to form a red-brown curtain. A red-brown, hot windy veil that obscures the view of the desert oasis in the distance. Only the wafting, intense scents of this mysterious place point me in the right direction. A place of refuge and protection.

There must be a smoky fire smouldering, on which tea is being prepared with spices. Logs of agarwood, kindled with the resin and branches of the frankincense tree, are smouldering. The animal smells come from animals feasting on the oasis water. Leather hides drying on wooden fences. A meal of sweet dates is prepared. An ambrig warm taste explosion that will save me half-starved and thirsty.

Finally arrived and thus fortified, a sheltering desert night under the starry oriental sky will dawn... or is it just a mirage?

I absolutely have to wear this fragrance in summer with airy clothes on sweaty skin. An oriental, highly intense dream.