Year: 2013
Notes: Sevillian bitter orange, Jamaican rum, eucalyptus, Indian saffron, plum, Indian davana, leather, oud, Texan cedar, Indian guaiac wood
Comment: Gold Leather is part of the Collection Métal
The complex opening of Gold Leather is both arresting and enthralling, but it's all downhill from there...
The opening is brash, sweet, dark, boozy and spicy, consisting of bitter orange, plum-infused rum, saffron and a hint of eucalyptus. The fruity-floral wine-like properties of the davana supplements this exuberant introduction while, at the same time, acts as a bridge for the woody-leather aspect of the composition.
As the fanfare subsides, a mild leather accord surfaces. Some (probably synthetic) oud quickly follows, but it's noticeably demure and eventually gets lost among the other woods. Actually, one discerns more guaiac wood than oud throughout its development. With a vague nod to Tom Ford's Tuscan Leather, that's pretty much how things remain until the very end – a bland woody drydown, exhibiting traces of saffron, plum and leather.
With decent longevity, development reaches its peak within the first two hours, with sillage that initially bellows but gradually descends to a purr. Overall, it's certainly not a dry masculine leather fragrance by any means but, beyond the top notes, neither is it one with any balls.
An extra star just for the first 15 minutes.
The opening is brash, sweet, dark, boozy and spicy, consisting of bitter orange, plum-infused rum, saffron and a hint of eucalyptus. The fruity-floral wine-like properties of the davana supplements this exuberant introduction while, at the same time, acts as a bridge for the woody-leather aspect of the composition.
As the fanfare subsides, a mild leather accord surfaces. Some (probably synthetic) oud quickly follows, but it's noticeably demure and eventually gets lost among the other woods. Actually, one discerns more guaiac wood than oud throughout its development. With a vague nod to Tom Ford's Tuscan Leather, that's pretty much how things remain until the very end – a bland woody drydown, exhibiting traces of saffron, plum and leather.
With decent longevity, development reaches its peak within the first two hours, with sillage that initially bellows but gradually descends to a purr. Overall, it's certainly not a dry masculine leather fragrance by any means but, beyond the top notes, neither is it one with any balls.
An extra star just for the first 15 minutes.
