Maroussia 
Slava Zaitsev (1992)

Aldehydes opening with flowers and green notes, a white musk (ketones) base, with a subtle dark mossy side, nothing bold nor "realistic" – all quite plain and synthetic (not in an "avantgarde" positive way obviously, just rather cheap and boring-bored). The opening is quite metallic but somehow aerial and thin. Quite unexpectedly, it all then becomes denser, drier, darker, the floral-green accord kind of disappears leading almost to a complete change of scenario – less lively, more gloomy and shady. Still a bit plain, but different. It emerges – and won't go away – a frankly disturbing, heavy note halfway sweet and pungent, like burning plastic/rubber, which may be some odd benzoin-tonka note gone wrong, however it's a bit unpleasant – and as I said, it just stays there like a fat cop supervising you. The only fascinating side of this is a sort of camphor-stale aftertaste, kind of a "dirty chypre" mood, which gives a nice shady and almost erotic feel. Overall I must say it's more "odd" than "bad", it reminds me the bizarre, nostalgic, decadent, even a bit creepy world of Oriza L. Legrand – just less romantic and less well-developed. An odd floral-green-chypre scent with a bold aldehydated/metallic soul. Interesting in a way, but not that well-made (and overall, despite I said it's oddly interesting, it's negligible).

5,5-6/10