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French Line by Revillon

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Artemesia, Basil, Bergamot, Coriander, Lemon.
Carnation, Jasmin, Orris root, Rose, Thyme.
Amber, Castoreum, Leather, Musk, Patchouli.

This 1984 release by Revillon is ( in hindsight ) a study in what a well tuned spicy, floral-leather could smell like. You must first realize that French Line is a basil dominant fragrance that is masculine throughout. It's one of the better renditions of basil out there and even though I already described it as a well tuned spicy floral, there's more going on in French Line than that.

French Line opens with a sharp accord of citrus, basil and herbal elements. It's very full and one thing I notice immediately is the difference in ingredients used here. I'm not stating superior, just that the depth is much more obvious than what I've been smelling recently. It's a generic observation for sure, but it doesn't make it any less true.

This masculine shares numerous similarities with others I've previously reviewed. What is notable is that French Line came before they did, so it is a form of flattery. The opening accord lasts a respectable amount of time before relinquishing any ground to a well blended heart of Carnation and Jasmine. The Rose seems to be a passive rendition, but the Coriander comes alive more in this accord than in the top. It's slightly aromatic and woody. Thyme also contributes and accents the basil note with amplification.

Once the base arrives, there's a leathery musk that slowly inserts itself into the development. This is where French Line seems to take a different path from the more current basil fragrances I've had the pleasure of wearing. It's not leather in the conventional sense, but rather a quality that is born during the transition.

The castoreum perpetrates this as well and adds a tangible masculinity. There's only hints of smokiness and it's intermittent. The amber is opaque, dry and sans sweetness. It augments with resin and pairs well with the wood tone. French Line continues to darken during the base and drydown stages.

The earthiness that's evident in this portion of the wearings compliments the warm and leathery wood. The spices in French Line are here for good and the ever present basil note has shown stupendous determination. It's there until the very end and has done its job extremely well.

Summing up Revillon's French Line is easy. This is a worthy masculine featuring basil, wood and leather that possesses good sillage and excellent longevity. Big thumbs up from Aromi for the French Line that could have easily been Italian.


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