Skip to main content

Cereus Number 7

Bergamot, Mandarin Oil, Clary Sage Absolute, Pepperwood, Jasmine, Saffron, Pomerose, Violet, Musk, Leather, Tonka Bean, Australian Coachwood.

I wish I had the responsibility of naming creatively blended notes. "Pepperwood, Pomerose and Coachwood" are not bad, but I would make sure the names I gave were completely absurd, catchy and of course misleading. Oh wait.......that job is already occupied by numerous folks. Okay, okay........I'm not bitchin.......I just really wish I had their job !!! I could be just as good at misnaming as they are, probably better if I focused on it. At any rate, kudos to the ones that have the good fortune of getting paid for naming the notes in accords. It's my dream job that will never come to fruition unless of course, I go through the expense of having a fragrance made, marketed and distributed; all contingent on me having final say on names.

Cereus No.7 opens up on my skin showcasing violet. Perhaps I am more sensitive than others where this particular note is concerned. More often than not, violet has the tendency to unravel in a shrill fashion when I wear a scent where it's predominant. Not all mind you, but most. The rendition in Cereus No.7 seems tempered by the deep citric and spice notes. It's an unconventional aroma made familiar by the violet. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention other notes unraveling in the top accord as well. There is a mixture of Tonka and leathery woods already on the scene, but the important aspect for me is the calming effect they all have on the violet note. I have to admit that my initial wearing left me rather unimpressed and undecided. Further wearings allowed me to become acclimated to its unconventionality. The more I wore it, the better I liked it and since I got hold of a full bottle at a terrific price, I was able to continue trying No.7.

Suffice it to say, Cereus No.7 is a leathery, masculine floral augmented with hints of balsam, earth and powder. There's also an unusual sensuality to this scent, however I don't think some would see it that way. I say that because of reviews I have already read. My take on No.7 is that its offbeat players and their respective tuning unfold on me as described and it does indeed evolve a sensual side, regardless of its subtlety.

So, do I think Cereus No.7 is a winner? The bohemian approach it uses allows it to be, but I don't believe this was ever a mainstream favorite. A minority like myself may like the eccentricity, but mall purchasers would more than likely shun a non-generic creation. Once again, we like what we like and to hell with everything else. Sillage is moderate with longevity approximately 5 hours on my skin. Thumbs up from Aromi for Cereus No.7 and its originality. As always, a sample wear is highly recommended on this one.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

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 ...