Reviews of Cedre Atlas by Atelier Cologne

Atelier Cologne Cedre Atlas (2015) reads like an unused Calvin Klein brief for a new cK One (1994) flanker repurposed for an entry-level "niche" unisex experience (also read: niche enough for Sephora but not niche enough for Bergdorf). I mean that in the best way possible, but people who have been in the hobby of perfume sampling and collecting for a good amount of time will probably read my words as unintentionally elitist without proper context, so here goes: Calvin Klein doesn't have a niche or prestige arm of their perfume operation, but like to really push olfactive boundaries in an almost science fiction way within their budgetary means and always have, while Atelier Cologne has a bit more cash to compose within their R&D budgets for essentially the same style. Especially within the purview of the cK One line, Calvin Klein does some pretty out-there stuff under the flag of unity-through-scent. Atelier Cologne Cedre Atlas seems to almost attempt a similar merging of masculine and feminine values, being a fruity woody floral composition, obviously synthetic like the Calvin Klein to which I am comparing, but where the ultimate judgement here is made comes from whether or not this is worth the listed $135 USD when you can pick up a comparable cK One scent for that price minus $100 from an online discounter.

The scent of Cedre Atlas opens up with a quite lucid cedar, but I guess it had better because cedar is literally in the name. The opening cedar note may be "hamster cage" to some people who are not as into the note as others, but overall it sets up for what otherwise seems like a nice fresh woody accord. Unfortunately, the true face of Cedre Atlas emerges moments later, which makes all the difference for "buy or not to buy" for many people, and that face is osmanthus. Before we get ahead of ourselves, there is a bit of lemon and blackcurrant here in the beginning so you know this will be at least somewhat sweet from the get-go, but once that osmanthus kicks in, the apricot-like nature of the flower takes over, to the point where Atelier Cologne actually lists the note as apricot and not osmanthus. Most mainstream-minded men typically don't like osmanthus, and it's the reason you don't see it much outside feminine-market releases; it also isn't a favorite note of mine, but can be respected when done well. Beyond that, we get vetiver, the exptected ambroxan for sustain, an Iso-E-Super "clearwood" type of a note listed as papyrus, and some hedione floating about. Wear time is average at about 7 hours and projection is also middling, but anyone knowing Atelier Cologne expects that from the inventors of "cologne absolu" (aka rebadged eau de toilettes).

Cedre Atlas is summery to my nose, but I guess it could work indoors any time of year, as a casual fresh sweet nothingness worn in boredom or forced optimism at an office. Women will like this more than men, but it is still by-the-book unisex and should be tested by anyone interested in a rare example of a woody fruity floral. Calvin Klein cK One Gold (2016) would mostly democratize the accord found here and replace the osmanthus with some kind of lactonic peach vibe and stuff in some sage, drawing it closer to more of a true unisex appeal but still having enough fruitiness to give the ostensibly "bro" male personality trope some pause. I actually like that scent and it got a lot of praise from me for being niche in character even if not exactly niche in quality. Sadly, this presents almost the identical idea, but a year before it (shedding light in hind sight on potential inspiration for CK) for a lot more money, but no greater quality to show for that money. Because of this, and the osmanthus note I wrestle with in other compositions that use it, I can't bring myself to fully enjoy this particular Atelier Cologne, but admit this might be right up someone else's alley for the same reasons I don't click with it. Since this is easily testable, I'll let you be the judge, but for my part, Atelier Cologne Cedre Atlas is a pass. Neutral.

Cedre Atlas smells nice, but it's a bit of a letdown because of the synthetic woody accord that is so common these days. The opening is cheerful with fruity accords and backed up by faux woods; this is the best part as later, the fruits do die down and that is when the woody accord intensifies and it starts to get too synthetic for my liking. It's ok, but so overdone. All in all, a nice woody/fruity fragrance.

Woody fruit - seriously. The top is dominated by cedar, clearly skewed cedar, in a matter of seconds. It reminds me of one of the Burberry perfumes I own; either Body or Brit Rhythm. A longer fruit flavor here, would have been welcome to break up so much cedar. Maybe.

The cedar here is convoluted to my nose. It's mixed with jasmine, amber, papyrus, and vetiver so much so, that it is just plain odd-smelling. Maybe, I just don't care for the Atlas cedar here. It is too "sweet" or, something... Maybe I just prefer good old Virginia cedar more.

There are a number of Atelier Colognes that devolve into plain white floral / wood combos–this is definitely one of them. That in and of itself, while not interesting, is at least not awful. But there's some weird and frankly off-putting fruit that I find to be dominating in this composition. Apricot, sure–but very synthetic. The papyrus here is the same from Philtre Ceylan, which I find to be extremely scratchy and grating. And then blackcurrant–the synthetic version of which I find to be just cloying, makes its face known. Yuck.

I'm a fan of woody fragrances, but that's most certainly in the background here. It's not cedar-focused. It's a sporty men's scent, and I'm sure it is reminiscent of any 100 designer scents you might pick up. Not worth its niche pricing, not worth considering a unique composition by any means. Like any other AC, there's a big citrus opening. It lasts for all of ten minutes. The whole fragrance lasts for maybe two hours. I hated it, but at least I didn't have to stand it for too long. (3/10)

To be fair, I almost never like fruity fragrances. Having said that, the Cedar is nice, but the fruit overpowers. It smells like something from Bath and Body Works...shower gel, shampoo, room spray. Not unique enough for thumbs up.

The simple name for this one could be Fruity Wood. The apricot note is done very nicely with the Vetiver note. Unisex fragrance that many will enjoy.

It smells like your typical men's shower gel. Blue and green... it's fresh, not bad, but nothing special.

I am a huge fan of scents that prominently feature cedar wood in their fragrance triangle (and is composed well). Gucci pour Homme II, Hanae Mori HiM, Lalique Equus, Jean Paul Gaultier Kokorico....these are the scents that have been such a pleasure to wear because of the artful inclusion of cedar in the mix.

In Cedre Atlas, the fruit and wood thing is done so daringly outside of my usual expectations, but without being cloying. It is smooth, woody, with hints of floral greenness (jasmine is buried inside so deeply, I couldn't really detect it) and spice with a pungence that makes sense - given the involvement of notes like black currant, lemon, bergamot and apricot. Those blend so well with the cedar, ultimately creating a wearable fragrance that both men and women can enjoy.

Solid outing from Atelier Cologne, worth a try.

Opens with a searingly intense chemical blast, unpleasant. This reminds me exactly of the opening for Byredo Mr Marvelous, so I wasn't surprised to hear it comes from the same perfumer. The intensity of the top note blast fades as the fragrance dries down, but doesn't completely vanish. I almost wrote varnish there by accident, but now that I think of it that's exactly the impression I get.

This is an oddity to me because it seems to go from one end of the spectrum to the other.

What im talking about is sort of a sour/balsamic or vinegary type of vibe but then I also, at other times, get that Iso E Super and ambroxan smell to it and yes, Dior Sauvage does come to mind.

The way some talk about apricot, then maybe that's the acidic aroma I'm getting. What I love is the Ambroxan which within Sauvage's review I have described as a hazey type of smell.

Cedar is not the main character here.

The reviews are mixed for this one, and I understand why. A scent named "Cedre Atlas" should have cedar as a prominent note.
As others have observed, the most prominent features are apricot and amber. Neither of those are notes I particularly enjoy.
The scent is OK despite these notes: it is not sweet and some of the dry-down feature rather faint but pleasant wood and vetiver notes.
The initial phase of the apricot-amber smells just like hot buttered popcorn. That settles down into a light dry apricot note, not too fruity.

Go easy on this one, folks, 'cause she's strong.
I'm with Asha: this is heavy on the IsoE and vetiver. It has a thick, almost ink-like feel to it that is almost throaty. While it becomes tamer as time goes by, it remains on the skin well past the six hour mark.
It garnered me a few compliments, but it's not one for up close and personal environments.

Top notes: lemon from Sicily, bergamot from Calabria, blackcurrant bud from Burgundy
Heart notes: cedarwood from Moroccan rif, jasmine from Egypt, apricot
Base notes: white amber, papyrus from India, vetiver from Haiti
(from ateliercologne.com)

Atelier Cologne Cedre Atlas will pique the interest of those who love sheer, woody, unisex fragrances. I can't say that I can distinguish the notes listed on the brand's web site. I mostly detect cedar, vetiver and IsoE Super. Still, it is better than Escentric Molecule 01 and less smoky than Lalique Encre Noir, which may appeal to a broader audience. I personally find Cedre Atlas to be boring, a bit headache inducing and somewhat harsh in the opening half. However, I love the vetiver dry down with a hint of ambery sweetness--it reminds me of a quieter TF Grey Vetiver. Definitely sample-worthy for those who are attracted to this style.

Atelier Cologne Cedre Atlas is an odd take on cedar. It's a far fresher and fruitier experience than it is a woody one, so the name is a bit misleading. It opens with citrus blackcurrant but they all give way to the apricot in the heart, which ruins the fragrance for me within a few minutes of applying. Perhaps the apricot was dropped, it would be a more pleasant blend, as the mix of notes seems great, and it should logically be a fresh woody, perhaps refined, but the apricot note simply isn't one I want to smell in a perfume. The base is pretty standard--I don't get much amber but I get plenty of vetiver.

Many seem to laud Cedre Atlas' performance, but its performance is pretty poor on my skin--not much projection even after applying almost half of a 2ml sample. Performance notwithstanding, it's simply not something for me. Available at typical retail pricing of $125 for 100ml, it's a decent option for those that love it, and there's certainly a group of apricot lovers that this may work for, but it's certainly a bit of a deviant cedar fragrance as far as I can tell.

5 out of 10

Just after I'd first applied this one, I was nearly certain it'd be a definite buy. The initial impression is that of a classy citrus/woody scent, not far removed from (though a little sharper and more defined than) Terre d'Hermes.

Soon, this classy accord was joined by something more unpleasant: a slightly sour and overtly “chemical” note that, while not altogether ruining the fragrance for me, did make for an omnipresent distraction from the accompanying beauty. Ultimately, it also makes this a “no buy” for me.

The unpleasantness departs towards the end, and the whole thing devolves into a fairly innocuous and pedestrian whiff of powdery woods.

It's by no means a bad scent, and I suspect that the acrid note has more to do with personal chemistry and taste than anything else. Try before you buy, and you might not be unhappy.

I'm starting to think I'm insane after reading all these other reviews that don't mention the extremely pungent, acrid, animal-like musk. Is it possible to hallucinate smells? Because no one else has even mentioned this note! Honestly, this ferret-like odor is nearly all I can smell and it is overwhelming. I guess I can detect the faintest scent of cedar but overall, I feel like you could get the same effect by spraying yourself with ammonia. Maybe it's just the way it interacts with my skin and I should try it on my husband. I'm disappointed because I love cedar but this one is lost on me.

Cedre Atlas presents a fresh take on The cedar genre opening with sweet fruity notes of bergamot and apricot, and concluding in soft amber and traces of a light, middle of the road vetiver. The cedar is true but neither dominant nor heavy, avoiding both the shaved pencil and hamster cage varieties probably through some creamy effect provided by the apricot and white Amber intermingling with it. Cedre is more juicy than dry, softer than it is sharp, and equal parts fruity and aromatic. Its projection stays within a couple of feet, reserved, and making this an excellent choice for work. Its overall feel is crisp, clean, and calm, modern without feeling synthetic. It smells very good in a subtle, understated way. Longevity is about 6 hours. This recent release from Atelier definitely gets a thumbs up.

This is an interesting feat- recreating not just the wood of the tree but the sap, resin, and bristly foliage. As such, this version of atlas cedar is significantly less dry than most but it's mostly faithful and certainly enjoyable. The perfumer(s) involved assembled a portrait as tribute to this fragrant tree by using smaller, disparate parts, like a mosaic photograph made from screenshots. I don't know that I'd wear this often but I feel it would make an excellent room or pillow case spray.

Dolce and Gabbana Light Blue for women.

That is all you need to know.

Ok, it smells more natural, but other than that, it is a bang on copy.

I seem to have a different sense of Cedre Atlas than many others. Of the 6 or 7 samples I have tried from Atelier, I find this one quite bold and definitely more suited to a man. You can really note the Cedar and I can see how this is going to be a dividing line among those who love it and those who don't. I love the onset of the Lemon & Bergamot. I don't find the apricot unappealing as I find it quite soft and in the deep background. After the dry-down and a few hours later, the Cedar is upfront and stays there which is really where this fragrance is taking you; into the deep Vermont woods. After I tried Atelier's samples ( of this fragrance, I bought two) I kept coming back to it liking it more, enough so that I purchased a 100ml bottle. I've also gotten several very positive comments and by this, I can only surmise that it wears well on me. I think it's worth a couple of wears before you abandon this unusual scent.

Smells cute and complex like a pineapple icecream,resembles the Light Blue of D&G. Its complex notes with a dominant musk at the beginning, very capitavating, sexy and playfu
. ALso resemble the lovely scent of Anna Sui

I love ATELIER but hate this fragrance. It leaves a weird, sharp, stinky smell on me. I can only think it's the apricot they mention. I received a sample and would never wear it again.

I gave this 3 stars. I cannot bemoan a fragrance for doing what it says, so anything less than 3 stars seems unkind.

This is not a cedar that will bring any surprises to your nose; it is fairly boring and a non-candidate for purchase, at least for me.

Silage is decent for an office scent, but I highly doubt many will enjoy the cedar, at least not in this structure.

I keep trying to like this house, but thus far, my experiences have been lacking in joy.

I really can't decide if I like this or not - and I'm new to describing fragrance, so bear with me. I purchased a 0.25 oz travel spray of this scent after trying it in Sephora and initially loved it. When I first smelled the bottle and after spraying myself for the first time, I loved the freshness and I typically love citrus notes - and it smelled "green" to me in the store also - although now, and especially after seeing the notes listed - I think perhaps I was having some olfactory fatigue after smelling too many scents. I still love the smell in the bottle and after an initial spritz, but as the scent develops, I keep picking up on an annoying "plastic-like" note that just ruins the cleanliness...perhaps this is the gourmand element that others are picking up on, and I tend to not like gourmands. If it wasn't for that strange twinge of "plastic" I would wish to bathe in this.