Histoires de Parfums 1740 Marquis de Sade

Bergamot, Davana sensualis, Patchouli, Coriander, Cardamom, Cedar, Elemi, Leather, Labdanum.

I did some cursory information gathering on the Marquis de Sade before starting this review. It's pointless adding any of it to this post. From my perspective, this was a sick individual whose claim to fame was his perversion. I'm also quite sure the Marquis did not smell anything like this fragrance. How's that you say? Since he took great pleasure in the pain of others, this aroma is not capable of enhancing punishment. If anything, it would have generated the opposite reaction. It simply smells too good.

I cannot say that Marquis de Sade smells unique. It does not. It does smell deep, rich and has some aromatic qualities in the opening. The citrus in the top is melded with a herbaceous wood and balsam. There's nothing strident about the salutation even if the topnotes are a bit diffusive.

The Davana, Cardamom and Elemi perpetuate a smooth, balsamic effect throughout the wearings. Coriander lends a soft spoken spicy aspect along with woodiness to a surprisingly supple accord. The longer the scent transpires on  skin, the more homogeneous it becomes.

All during the wearings, a dry amber ever so slowly comes to fruition. It's been there the entire time, waiting for its time to unveil. It's on the arid side and barely sweet. It adds a nice resin quality to de Sade and is a fitting transition. This fragrance has been incrementally becoming more sensual and that can be attributable to the excellent rendition of labdanum.

Marquis de Sade does not exhibit a conventional leather aspect on me during the samplings. It's listed in the accords and since this scent represents a famous proponent of bondage, I was surprised ( but in no way disappointed ) to experience very little leather qualities. The sensual aura will have to suffice.

Sillage is respectable and longevity is about 5 hours on my skin. 1740 Marquis de Sade is an unexpected conformist who is slightly aromatic, spicy, woody and resinous. Big thumbs up from Aromi for Histoires de Parfums and their sexy amber.