Smalto Pour Homme by Francesco Smalto

Lavender, Clary Sage, Bergamot, Anise, Neroli, Tarragon, Rosemary.
Geranium, Rose, Heliotrope, Carnation, Cedar, Cyclamen, Juniperberry.
Oakmoss, Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Amber, Leather, Musk.

If you happen to enjoy classic masculines, Smalto will not leave you disappointed. For a good example, I like and wear Alain Delon Plus. While both it and Smalto are assuredly related, Smalto is smoother and leans farther "green" than Delon, but these and a host of others from that era were cast from the same mold. It is a bit retro, but very viable to those who eschew loud classics, yet enjoy their construction.

Smalto's citric-lavender opening is very bright, aromatic and enjoyable for the first few minutes or so before settling down. It mushrooms on the skin and is accented by green spices. The presence lowers quickly and morphs into the classic, 1980's vibe.

Smalto showcases a green theme on me, courtesy of herb, spice and cyclamen. There's a subtle smoke and balsam in the mix and these qualities mix well with the undercurrent of wood and floral tones. Smalto is a fougere that has you believe it's a powerhouse 80's scent the first couple of minutes. I'm taken aback at just how quickly it becomes "respectable". Picture Stallone shedding his skin to reveal he's actually Michael Caine.

There seems to be numerous masculines of this ilk that accomplish similar results. Smalto is just one more on the list, but it still is every bit as good as its competitors. It simply brings nothing new to the classic table.

Once Smalto transitions into the base and drydown, it lowers the presence and volume even more. This stage is more or less predictable in how it smells. The lavender is still accounted for, but gives way for some leathery moss to inhabit the accord. The essence of Smalto is moss, leather and wood that have tilted green the entire ride.

I find Smalto average but good. It's good bang for the buck currently, but unless you love classic fougere's, I strongly recommend a sample wear. Neutral rating from Aromi with positive attibutes.

Comments

Newport by Caswell Massey

Bergamot, Mandarin, Lemon, Lavender, Geranium, Muguet, Rose, Ambergris, Cedar, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Musk. After wearing Newport by Caswell Massey a few times and then reading what others had to say about this recent formulation, I found some of the opinions harsh. I have no way to compare it to the heralded vintage formula, nor can I use memory as I've never tried the original. Enter the current version. I do agree with some reviews that this rendition does not bring about the sense of beach and salt, but there's a long line of fragrances that fail to represent their depictions. However, Newport isn't so far off the mark that it's a complete misrepresentation. I can imagine wearing Newport ( or something similar ) in a beach setting. It smells classic due to the way Citrus, Lavender and Geranium are implemented. It's assuredly retro, but it seems to have that intangible I like that keeps me sniffing. Newport, at least on my skin, is top heavy in the sens...

Black Suede by Avon

Nutmeg, Clove, Amber, Musk, Moss, Wood Notes. Yes.........I am reviewing one of the Rodney Dangerfield's of fragrance. Black Suede has been gracing medicine cabinets, for better or worse, since 1980 my friends. If you're expecting me to inform you ( like others may have already ) that Black Suede is a nasty scrubber, you will be disappointed. On the other hand, if you're expecting a glowing review claiming it's a diamond in the rough, you won't hear that from me either. I will say though that Black Suede doesn't deserve the hate it's received and most of that is due to snobbery aimed at Avon products in general. I kid you not when I state that a close relative to this fragrance is Cacharel Pour L'Homme. The array of spice in both ensure comparison, but the "smoother" of the two is Black Suede due to its implementation of Amber. While wearing Black Suede, one can detect a hint of "drugstore". That quality doesn't manife...

Lanvin L'Homme

Lord knows the world has enough fresh woody citrus fragrances. It's a hackneyed genre of masculine perfume, having been done to death by countless designer firms cranking these things out since the 1990s, and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight. Lanvin L'Homme, released in 1997, is one of the early woody citrus releases, but it (along with Essenza di Zegna) stands out because it's one of the best. That may sound like it's not saying much, but Lanvin L'Homme really is excellent. I won't get into a long treatise about all of the notes contained in this and how they evolve. Lanvin L'Homme is sparkling, spicy, woody, transparent and dry. What I love about this scent is how brilliantly it uses vetiver - the vetiver gives Lanvin L'Homme a woody, dry and somewhat bitter smell, but it also manages to create an effect of sustaining the citrus top notes for several hours. This results in a fragrance that smells fresh and cheerful from beginning ...

Il Mondo di Odore

Search This Blog