Jil Sander Man Pure (original)
Jil Sander (1981)

Refined, sophisticated and beguiling, Jil Sander Man (original) is the epitome of what a higher end fragrance of its time would deliver: a convergence of textures and aromatic elements with a stratospheric sillage and a mysterious undertone close to the skin.

The opening is a stellar accord of oregano, basil, lemon, and clary sage (just as the note pyramid suggests, its all there). I am a sucker for cooking herbs when they appear in a fragrance, and here they are dosed to perfection, with the oregano more nuanced than say, Amouage Interlude Man, imparting a warmth contrasting with the brightness of the other elements.

Oregano merges into nutmeg in the heart, a unique contrast I haven't encountered before in a fragrance, even as the de rigueur carnation and geranium join the chorus, but its the castoreum note that is the real showstopper. The dry down is incredible: rich, dark, elegant yet sexy, a "thief of hearts." Heartbreakingly hot and handsome, the swagger is in its base.

This stuff rocks.

Just Woooowww such a quality balenced fragrance why should not be among us in the commercial shit perfumes of today.
How a nice fragrance for todays its production back to 1981 while it has modern vibe what an attitude was behind its creation that time which is still match to nowadays frags .
At first soapy and mossy but spices like cardamom cinnamon came to the game soon and animalic smoky leather accord back it up at the back.

Like a mathematical mean of the aforementioned Halston 1-12 and the eponymous Van Cleef & Arpels Pour Homme, with a particularly odd effect - This scent smells like it is highly concentrated but coming from farther away, like it's the ghost of a looming powerhouse fragrance. Basil, inky castoreum, and patchouli dominate, making the composition filthily clean. This fragrance certainly defies logic, moreso for the fact that it is no longer in production than that it should be impossible. Fans of classic Halston or Aramis frags would be doing themselves a great favor by sampling this. This is exactly the kind of scent which makes enthusiasts lament modern perfumery.

A classic top chypreThere is a bit of neroli in the opening that combines with herbal notes in a well-balanced fashion. A woody undertone is added, and all is penetrated by a first-class oakmoss drydown of phenomenal quality. It all blends beautifully, with the touch of inherent sweetness nigh neutralized on my skin by the herbal tones. Good projection, good silage and a good longevity if over four hours. A classic paradigmatic chypre.  

A powdery mossy chypre projecting in the air a sharp white/boise poisonous magic of the forest. Pure. It reminds me more than vaguely Leonard Pour Homme but without the leathery feel and yes, i find similarities with the Equipage's neutral mossy/floral suede. In the middle of the cloudy powder you can detect the aroma of fern and birch tar, some delicate hesperidic oil, a touch of aldehydes, musk, moss, ethereal spicy soap (cinnamon/orange?) and soothing balsams. Sometimes i wonder if a touch of not listed eliotrope is inserted in the blend. The balance is severe, the naturalness of the elements extreme and the fragrance, slightly hesperidic/aromatic at the beginning, turns out slowly as a silky/talky olfactory pearl with an airy/sharp mossy tone and with an orangy/floral animalic-powdery vibe. Just wonderful.

Jil Sander's Man Pure is, as others have described, a complex chypre with fresh, green, herbaceous, ambery, and smoky notes. It reminds me a lot of Halston's original 1-12, but a more mature, seasoned, refined, and experienced version of it. Not that 1-12 is immature or unrefined --- think of 1-12 as a smooth 12 year-old Scotch; then Man Pure is the same Scotch at 25 years old, with its final aging perhaps in oak casks previously used for Cognac. More complex, more robust, and richer in flavor, but very much of the same essence. Truly excellent stuff!