Skip to main content

Maxim's De Paris

Cassius, Hyacinth, Mint, Melon.
Carnation, Geranium, Jasmine, Mimosa, Narcissus, Orange Blossom, Rose, Tuberose.
Amber, Heliotrope, Labdanum, Musk, Patchouli, Oakmoss, Sandalwood, Vanilla.

I snagged a full bottle of this recently in a lot-deal. This wasn't the fragrance I was focused on, but it came with the lot and I had a passing interest in this anyway. It was released in 1984 and since I found Maxim's pour Homme to my liking, why not give this a go since I don't recall ever smelling it. Perfumes such as this remind me of that old school "Chock Full of Nuts" coffee from back in the day. They cram more into one creation than is even reasonable to do so.

That doesn't always translate into a successful composition, but in this case, it performs very nicely. I find the blending top shelf and Maxim's transitions 3 distinct times on my skin. The opening shimmers with an array of floral players. It's aldehydic and unfolds as a bouquet with a bit of bite to it.

The Blossom and Tuberose are tuned intelligently to my tastes as they can sometimes be a bit overbearing. They're integrated nicely here, with everything else that's transpiring or oncoming. The heavy hitters in the base accord are already evident within minutes, but they lurk during the top and heart, giving a glimpse of what the drydown is going to be. I suppose this is one of the things I enjoy about vintage fragrances that are constructed in this fashion. I've always liked the finish being different, but just as good or hopefully better than the salutation. Maxim's De Paris delivers on this front and it makes the hobby worthwhile to stumble upon surprises such as this.

By now, most of you who read my perfume autopsies are acquainted with my wife, the 3 word perfume critic. She dislikes just about everything, but when I had her smell this, she asked me for the bottle when I finished reviewing it. Imagine that........

Sillage is near perfect with longevity in the 5 to 6 hour range on me. The skin phase is longer than that with an enjoyable, extended drydown consisting of oriental and earth tones. Thumbs up from Aromi for Maxim's De Paris and as always, a sample wear is recommended in lieu of blind purchase.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

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...

Chanel copying Guerlain. Why?

                      Last month, I had the pleasure of trying Comète by Chanel, the latest addition to their prestigious Les Exclusifs line. This fragrance follows the release of Le Lion in 2020, another standout in the same collection. Like Le Lion , Comète is a beautiful perfume that captures the essence of Chanel’s refined elegance. However, both fragrances bear a striking resemblance to classic creations by Guerlain, leading me to ponder the direction Chanel is taking. Chanel has a great fragrance history. Not as hallowed and old as Guerlain but for past three decades it has far outshone Guerlain. In my view, no other perfume house has come close to Chanel’s excellence in this century. This makes their recent approach of echoing Guerlain classics somewhat perplexing. Have they run out of fresh ideas? Is Roger Dove at the helm of their fragrance division, or have they perhaps...

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...