Léonard pour Homme (original)
Léonard (1980)

Wonderful 80's fragrance! On the same ballpark as van cleef & arpels pour Homme❤️ wrongly discontinued since👎

A radiant, punchy, deep red carnation on a black sport coat is how Leonard Pour Homme opens, Deep and swarthy, this creation of Ron Winnegrad (also responsible for the legendary Dunhill Blend 30 and the iconic Lagerfeld Cologne) is one that displays the shadows of manhood and the liminal space between a proper gentleman and the erogenous no-no zone. It nods to genteel classics that were handsome but shed little in the way of sensuality, but this is 1980. We want to be unapologetically sexy. So, Ron whipped up some hot leather, warming oils, and a "grr" to follow the "purr."

Aromatic herbs, particularly thyme, with lavender, straddle this hobby horse, wrangling the leather with its tasty pungency and bitter finish, rendering it all a bit more "in touch with nature" as was also de rigueur during this age of fragrance. However, the refinement cannot completely tame the beast with come hither glances. What at once might seem demure might actually want to take you by the hand to enter the deep, dark, delicious night. The dry down is cedar and tannins saddlery, discreet lust in the woods—trunks, roots, and the melancholy fuzz of dried flowers and herbs dusted with rice powder.

This is one of my all-time favorites from this era, surpassing even Antaeus (shock and horror!).

It’s an ever so slightly, as in 1 micron thick, better version of Van Cleef & Arpels Pour Homme which isn’t saying much since I absolutely can’t stand VC&A Pour Homme. If I wanted to wear old lady perfume, I’d pick up a flacon of Elizabeth Taylor’s White Diamonds, VC&A Pour Homme, or… Leonard Pour Homme. Totally disappointed to the max. This is obviously a direct rip off of VC&A Pour Homme because Leonard smells EXACTLY like it. Even performs the exact same, nuclear strength and room filling sillage. Where in the hell is all of this carnation? All I get is the same nauseating, incensed, hella musky rose in Leonard as I do in the dreaded Van Cleef. Ugh, another nasty ass, over the top musky grandma perfume with a Pour Homme label. 2 thumbs way way down. I hate this!

This one opens bone dry with a pungent lavender, powerful carnation, and I can immediately sense an immense leather and castoreum musty vibe building in the background. Later on this masculine animalic leather overshadows anything and everything else that might be going on.

To me Leonard PH comes off as a cross between a less floral Van Cleef & Arpels Pour Homme and Chanel Antaeus on steroids. It shares their dark vibe, but is much more rugged. I only wear it on the coldest of nights, and it is sure to induce weird looks from anyone who's only ever smelled contemporary bubblegummy-amberwoody perfume.

I don't know if it's the maceration in my 1990s bottle, but this projects like a MF. All I need is 1 small spray on one wrist, which I then smear onto the other wrist, and I'm good for hours.

Masculinity Level: The creepiest hitman ever, Javier Bardem in No Country for Old Men.

Leonard Pour Homme, a great leather oakmoss chypre - an aromatic overture with citrus and lavender sets the stage for a woody leather note, a resinous cistus and ambergris, the subtle warmth of castoreum and the deep resonance of oakmoss, that practically “shimmers” on the skin. It is intoxicating and I find myself savouring the effect.
Pretty sure there’s tobacco in there too - either tobacco leaf or an accord - but can’t find it listed anywhere.
An elegant leather-oakmoss that, to my mind, is in the same class and category as Hermès Bel Ami.
If you like Bel Ami, you will like this.

To me this fragrance comes off as very powdery in design. The heart of Leonard PH is very romantic of carnation and some leather. A good amount of castoreum flows through the powdery body of this, so expect it to be musky. There seems to be a lot of movement from the incense at times branching out between the leather and oakmoss for a "burning leaves" similarity, then to the castoreum to make it dark and more oily. There is a lavender/oakmoss/herbs/citrus combo that creates a green yet citrusy fresh soap smell. This soap design is mild though, almost as a separate layer to not interfere with the dark side of Leonard PH.

I'll gladly add to the thumbs up crowd on Leonard Pour Homme. This is a gentleman's scent that is smooth and balanced for the stronger notes it has. I think a fan of Aramis (1965) would really take to this fragrance. It's strictly a classic men's fragrances with just a dab of 80's innovation. Outdated to some...timeless to others.