Anvers 2 by Ulrich Lang

Bergamot, Lime, Lemon, Black Pepper, Basil, Rhubarb, Cypress.
Rose, Jasmine, Lily, Mimosa, Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Vetiver.
Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Musk, Amber, Olibanum, Oakmoss.

After trying Nightscape not too long ago and liking it, I thought it a good choice to sample Anvers 2. The note listing looked intriguing and naturally it smells different than I had envisioned it would.

Anvers 2 opens with an offbeat citric accord courtesy of bergamot, lime and a latex glove aroma. I deduce that the rubber aspect is coming from the combination of Mimosa and Musk, but this is an educated guess and nothing more. It's more weird than annoying and I have smelled the latex note in a just a few other leather fragrances, yet Anvers 2 is geared to be a floral woody. The top accord also exhibits a mild pepper, but I can't help but be distracted by the rubber quality.

I've worn Anvers 2 four times now before entering a review because I wanted to give it a chance. I also hoped I would have a change of heart, but I guess some fragrances are simply going to leave us indifferent.

The spicy, citric salutation is fairly nice. The rubber note is apparent, but on par ( volume wise ) with the lime and pepper. It's not until the heart accord unfolds that it becomes pronounced on my skin and Anvers 2 loses me here. I find this stage of the scent strange and not something I want to wear and smell.

The heart accord does afford some wood and violet-like tones. They're on the passive side, but there nonetheless. I am disappointed that, with all the terrific wood notes listed, I only get a generic, subtle woodiness with some spice and that damn latex.

I will say that once the base and drydown finally arrive, Anvers 2 does transition into something a little more to my liking. The latex aura never leaves, but it does dissipate noticeably as the base accord begins. The onset of a dry amber and soft resin bring some enjoyment into an otherwise tedious wearing for me. There's also some Tonka evident at this stage of the wearings, but it seems that all the notes that made me decide to sample this in the first place never come to fruition.

Disappointment sums up Anvers 2 for me. Sillage is average and so is the longevity. I get about 4 hours worth of wear and I'm not mad about that. Perhaps you will fare better than I and take a liking to it. The best I can do is give a neutral rating......and I'm being magnanimous about it.