Parfum D’Empire Equistrius: Said to be named after a competition showhorse owned by the founder of Parfum d’Empire, Equistrius isn’t the wild beast you’d expect out of such an homage, but rather a tender collection of violets, buffed saddle leather, dusty chocolate and roots of iris flower and grass, plus a rich slathering of grey amber (ambergris) to evoke the warm, sweet breath of a pampered thoroughbred in the winner’s circle.
All the ingredients meld into an olfactory shimmer, so that Equistrius isn’t so much a succession of duly noted elements ticked off in a row as it is an overarching impression of one moment in time: technically perfect, emotionally controlled and the embodiment of superior breeding.
Trophies and roses aren’t included.
Ulrich Lang Anvers: What the stable boy wears when he shovels out the stalls. I’d list the supposed ingredients, but they don’t make any sense in relation to how vile the stuff actually smells.
UPDATE (05/04/10):
Okay, you know, that bit of Anvers snark was not necessary, and so entirely destructive toward a boutique fragrance brand that I should have just kept quiet about if I was less than thrilled with the encounter. My opinion is (obviously) not the only one that matters, and there are other reviewers who have liked Anvers just fine. I’m including quotes from them below:
The Perfume Critic: “Brighter, fruitier, more sophisticated but with a geater depth and more complex development than its Aramis predecessor, Anvers does have a typically masculine feel to it, but I would think the fragrance could find an audience with female fragrance fans as well and is one of those scents that has to be experienced more than once to be truly appreciated.”
Katie Puckrik Smells: “(Anvers) ends up dry, spicy and woody, which is comfortingly familiar for a dude, but also has some tricksy moves with sweet melon, mint and smoke, just to prove that you don’t have to run with the pack. It’s not too different — just different enough.”
Olfactorialist: “Minimalist, timeless, very virile . . . Anvers is like the morning; it has power and charisma and feels like a strong shoulder.”
Luca Turin: “A very comfortable, discreet, dry woody-spicy fragrance, less interesting than Avers 2 but still head and shoulders above the average contemporary masculine.”
So go make up your own mind about Anvers, because while it’s apparently not my average contemporary masculine cup of tea, it may turn out to be exactly the bracing, office-friendly fragrance you’ve been looking for.
