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.