Balmain de Balmain

The opening is a classic fougère blast: bergamot and galbanum as the core top notes, fresh, crisp and a touch peppery, but less green in character than, for instance, Montana Homme.

Soon a delightful oakmoss enhances the astringent side a bit more, with a drydown that expresses a floral tendency apt for a fougère - jasmine mainly and some iris, but on my skin the opening notes are still present at an equal strength. In this well-crafted blend of the chypre with the floral lies he attraction of the heart notes, which is enhanced by a touch of a restrained rose in the background.

The base adds some general woodsy untertones, with the tail end of the galbanum impression still present and mixed with an underlying green vetiver layer towards the end.

I get moderate sillage, excellent projection and six hours of longevity on my skin.

An archetypal chypre, with the bergamot, the galbanum and the oakmoss being of very high quality, balanced in its astringency and not very loud - this is no Gucci Nobile. A very fine fougère.  3.5/5.