Colonia Embrujo de Sevilla by Myrurgia

Aldehyde, Bergamot, Lemon, Neroli, Peach, Strawberry.
Carnation, Jasmine, Muguet, Orris Root, Rose, Rosewood, Ylang Ylang.
Amber, Benzoin, Sandalwood, Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Vetiver.

I recently stumbled across this bottle locally and purchased it. I knew nothing about it except it looked interesting and extremely old. I never would have believed it was from 1933 because of the condition of the bottle and the smell of the juice. The serial number is #3009.

My first reaction was amazement that this is actually a feminine fragrance. Even in extended drydown when the scent is the most vulnerable and soft, it comes off as a classic masculine from either the 60's or 70's to me.

The opening of Embrujo de Sevilla is a dark mixture of Citrus and spicy Carnation. The Carnation evokes the classic masculine aura and has a borderline after shave quality to it. I can only guess that the Neroli, Peach and Strawberry haven't survived old age too well, but one can tell Citrus is in the mix and there's no mistaking the Carnation.

In spite of this, the fragrance is as intact as it can be and with the exception of dissipated topnotes, is extremely sound and has a clear voice. I wonder if the carnation was this dominant upon release, or if it has been amplified due to the roll-off of other notes?

After about 10 minutes, Embrujo de Sevilla begins to exhibit subtle earth tones to compliment the spicy Carnation that's still going strong. There's intermittent whiffs of Rose as the wearings progress and once the scent delves into the base and drydown stages, wood finally straddles aside the spice and earth. This seems to balance out the aroma and gives it even more substance.

Extended drydown is what I deem the best part of this fragrance. It's not "quite" as masculine as it was. The addition of an oriental-woody finish seems to soften it a bit. Sillage is slightly better than moderate and longevity is surprisingly good at over 4 hours on me. Thumbs up from Aromi for this rare, Spanish gem called Embrujo de Sevilla.

Comments

DK Men by Donna Karan

Citrus, Juniper, Pineapple. Ambergris, Almond. Sandalwood, Lavender, Musk. I felt compelled to revisit DK Men ( Fuel for Men ) after perusing through some older samples and then reading my previous review from 2009. Wearing DK Men again has caused me to revise my original post. I liked it three years ago and have a new found appreciation for this extremely smooth fragrance. My perception of it has changed slightly, but my opinion is still extremely favorable. This time around, I get less of a petrol vibe and much more of a fruit and suede theme. The pineapple note is integrated so well that I am surprised I couldn't previously esteem its deft implementation like I can now. The magic of DK Men is in the blending of chosen notes. The citric opening is very good indeed in spite of its quick dissipation. The pineapple and amber quickly pick up the slack. They are rich, full bodied and manage to keep a respectable presence while offending no one. The volume is intelligent. ...

La Chasse Aux Papillons Extreme by L'Artisan Parfumeur

I read many reviews before or after I do my own and I seem to be at complete odds with the house of L'Artisan. I have previously said on basenotes that for me, L'Artisan Parfumeur is the most over-rated house I have come across. La Chasse Aux Papillons Extreme does nothing to sway that opinion. Yet another linear, floral dominant scent that does nothing to stir me up or inspire me in any way. This house has "pleasant" nailed down to an art form......but damn...can't we go beyond that? The only attempt at polarization so far has been Dzongkha ....and I found it a jumbled mess. At these prices, move me, anger me, hate me.......but please don't bore me. Extreme in a nutshell is a toned down tuberose with assorted "blossom" thrown in the mix. Is it bad? No, it's an acceptable floral scent that's very timid and just lays on my skin smelling like....well....a toned down version of tuberose with blossom this or that added to it. I'm almost a...

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...

Il Mondo di Odore

Search This Blog