V37

Fresh, pungent ginger and sparkling pepper cut through a shallow, sweetly underlaid veil of incense. Strong, natural citrics accompany these fireworks at first, creating an insanely pleasing scent that I wish would linger.

Unfortunately, the opening only lasts a predictably short time before the pepper and citrus fade, the ginger fades into the background and the eponymous incense takes center stage.

Thanks to the ginger, the fragrance retains a rather cool character for quite some time, although it is far from crystalline cold. The fragrance does not want to be clear either, which is prevented above all by a clearly perceptible but not really dominant grapefruit, which is more fruity than tangy and seems to be sprinkled with sugar due to the sweetish aspects of the incense.

In the background, wood and cardamom complement each other to form a slightly spicy bed, which prevents the fragrance from drifting too much into the shallows, but without otherwise noticeably influencing the superficial characteristics of the fragrance.

All in all, this is a very pleasant incense fragrance that has an interesting companion in the form of sweet grapefruit, but does not reinvent the wheel. The longevity and sillage do not set any new standards either, but at least it allows you to enjoy the great opening again when you spray it again.

If Jean-Baptiste Grenouille had brewed a perfume out of Lemmy Kilmister, I would imagine it would be something like this.

At least in the opening, because it's almost as brute and unapologetically masculine as Lemmy was musically at his best:

Whisky, leather and sharp, smoky peat.

A fragrance that is not afraid to show its edges, that doesn't need to please and yet does so for that very reason.

However, anyone who assumes they are getting a stuffy, gloomy fragrance is mistaken. The dominant triad is complemented by all kinds of lighter and softer notes, which balance out the fragrance and make it appear friendlier and brighter as it progresses.

Tobacco is quickly in the air, giving the fragrance an unobtrusive sweetness that is supported by davana and has a slightly fruity undercurrent. When the whiskey and peat calm down a little, this light tobacco takes up more and more space in the heart note until it is increasingly replaced by the vanilla-musk base towards the end.

In this way, the fragrance becomes more and more pleasing, but never completely loses its edges, its soul and therefore my interest.

The very first sprayer picks me up to disappear with me to the beach.

The fragrance is dense and creamy on the skin, but it's not just this consistency that reminds me of sun cream: the combination of coconut on white flowers, accompanied by a light spiciness, is also very reminiscent of the daily companion on a beach vacation

The fragrance retains this basic character even after the opening, when the coconut note loses some of its intensity and makes way for the tuberose.

Behind these distinct fragrance notes, light tobacco, davana and a completely unadulterated rum combine to create a creamy, subtly sweet base.

Coriander and pepper prevent the fragrance from drifting too far in the direction of teenage girl and give it a somewhat more grown-up, spicy feel. Of course, without making it really grown-up or even old.

If I had to categorize it somehow, it would probably be more young than old, perhaps more feminine than masculine in the classic sense. But let's be honest: sun cream knows neither age nor gender.

Usually, a crown rests on the head of the monarch.
Not in this case, however, because the golden crown literally sits on the head of the clear role model: "Original Collection - X: The Masculine Perfume of the Perfect Pair / X for Men | Clive Christian"

An impressive 16 years have passed between the release of Clive Christian and this reinterpretation of his DNA from Vertus. Enough time to think things over, to dare to experiment and discard, to rethink and create something great?

After all, there are those who claim that the fresher brother of the "Original Collection - X: The Masculine Perfume of the Perfect Pair / X for Men | Clive Christian" , the "1872 for Men | Clive Christian" was once the model for a true giant: Nine years after its release, another house dared to take on this green fresh DNA with the fruity pineapple and gave it a modern, almost youthful, but definitely pleasing coat of paint. The result is still considered by many to be the ultimate in the perfume world, as we are talking about none other than "Aventus | Creed"

So has Vertus now done the same to Creed and produced a mass-market hit from Clive Christian's typically classic, almost somewhat aged DNA? The answer is sobering: No. Nothing was ventured and yet lost.

At heart, the monarch's DNA remains astonishingly close to the role model, so close that you don't have to suspect a relationship, it jumps out at you. Malicious tongues would almost claim that he is nothing more than a cheap copy. And: you would almost wish it were, but it's not cheap. Not even cheaper, because the "Original Collection - X: The Masculine Perfume of the Perfect Pair / X for Men | Clive Christian" reaches the same price in the sale.

So what are the differences? This becomes clearest in the opening, when a peppery lemon underlay loudly demands its place next to the actual fragrance composition, but never manages to merge harmoniously with the DNA. As quickly as it arrives, however, the citrus note is gone again and is replaced by cool juniper, which makes the DNA a little lighter for the rest of the fragrance. The rest of the fragrance can also be described as lighter, but no different: It lacks the volume, density and power of the original.

For me, this monarch remains a failed usurper, a false king, a lost hope.

And you, Mr. Thompson?

I was so looking forward to meeting you. And then this:
You seem almost irrelevant, you are so simple and straightforward. So terribly unexciting and quiet, you almost melt into the background.
One could almost forget you.
Almost.

But I didn't, I couldn't.
As if of its own accord, my hand kept looking for you, emptying the far too small bottle far too quickly.
But why? Because you're not so unexciting, you're unexciting. You're not quiet, you're calm. Not simple, but tidy, neat. Almost clean in your own peculiar way.

It is the simplicity of the fragrance pyramid and the harmony of the individual notes that create this calm, soothing effect. The eternally powdery iris is accompanied by a warming but not particularly sweet vanilla, which in turn brings a certain creaminess into play. So far, so familiar, so often smelled before. But the twist is promised by the sweet, warm sesame, which is prominent from the outset and is rarely encountered so authentically. Somewhere in the background, there is a hint of lavender, which just barely contributes to the overall picture. The opening is accompanied by pink pepper and the base is discreetly concealed by woods that are hard to pin down.

All in all, this is a fragrance that perfectly captures the butler theme, as this is the role that Penhaligon's marketing department assigns to Mr. Thompson.
Loud, garish notes that bring themselves and the fragrance to the fore are nowhere to be found and would also be out of place. This creates space for calm cleanliness, accompanied by warmth and a subtle sweetness that is friendly but never intrusive.