Witness by Jacques Bogart

1992 found Jacques Bogart releasing the eclectic Witness. It's hard to believe it has taken me until now to finally snag a few bottles ( dirt cheap I might add). A thread dedicated to Witness was going a few months ago on basenotes and it compelled me to look up the accords since I have never sampled it let alone wore it.

After finding the listed notes, I laughed out loud since there's at least 26 notes comprising Witness. There's nothing funny about it except already knowing what vibe it would project compared to what's formulated today. Suffice it to say that, once my bottles arrived, it didn't disappoint.

One of the first things I noticed upon wearing this Oriental Woody was that it had similarities to Jaguar Mark II circa 1995 and that the opening assault was borderline aromatic for the first few minutes. I have a proclivity for the boisterous, but that doesn't mean I like all rambunctious scents. Witness won me over however, mainly because it quickly adjusts its volume and proceeds to emit unadulterated masculinity. The first few minutes had me in indecision, but gave way to gratitude that a workhorse frag this good can be had for literal peanuts.

Witness is a testament to masculine scents that are extinct. Look at the accords :

Top: Aldehydes, Artemesia, Basil Oil, Bergamot Oil, Coriander, Lavender, Lemon, Orange

Heart : Carnation, Cinnamon, Fir, Geranium, Honey, Jasmin, Rose

Base : Amber, Benzoin, Cedar, Cistus Oil, Moss, Musk, Patchouli, Sandal, Styrax, Vanilla

This fragrance opens with a jolt of orange-tinged woodiness that is aromatic. A spicy citric thread is interwoven in there for a very noticeable top accord. I find it comparable to renditions from the 1980's. It surely makes a statement and subtlety be damned.

The heart lowers the volume a notch and brings cinnamon and a dash of honey to augment the topnotes. There's intermittent fir and geranium wafting around in this brew as well before Witness becomes even more low key. By the time the base unveils itself, a soft woody-tabac made comfortable by a van-amber is apparent, along with a dusting of moss and patchouli. In spite of the sheer number of notes implemented, they all seem to get their opportunity for team-play in Bogart's Witness.

Allow me to say that I have other masculines in my rotation that are akin and cost quite a bit more, yet aren't as impressive as Witness. Need I say more? If you're on the fence, go sample this and decide for yourself. Aromi gives Witness a big thumbs up.

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bosunkoyaNovember 24, 2010 at 10:30 AM
Glad you finally got your hands on Witness. Your review and comments are spot-on, as usual.

Cheers.
AromiEroticiNovember 25, 2010 at 8:15 AM
Thank you bosunkoya. I have worn it a few times now and like it very much. It seems it's an overlooked classic.
shamu1November 26, 2010 at 6:59 AM
I'm surprised you hadn't tried Witness until now Aromi. It is a great scent. I bought a couple of bottles blind two years ago and haven't regretted it. It's an overlooked powerhouse from an era known for wimpy fragrances (i.e., the 1990s). Enjoy.

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