Mazzolari
Mazzolari (2006)

Well, boo. I'd heard this was a coniferous scent, and I've got to say that it sure doesn't smell like one to me. It smells yellow...just like it looks. No green to be found by my nose. I had read several reviews that said it was a pine scent. When I saw the fragrance notes and saw that there wasn't any pine listed, I realized that the pine comments weren't based on actual ingredients, but were subjective. I got a sample anyway, and based on my experience so far won't be pursuing this fragrance anymore. It's definitely not the worst scent I've experienced, it's just not my dazzle. When I first put it on I was picking up visuals of bell bottom pants, gold neck chains, platform shoes, and mutton chop sideburns. I'll give my nose a rest and revisit another day.

Genre: Green

Stand back! It's a big green monster!

Like every other Mazzolari scent I've tried this one is a powerhouse. This time the theme is green. Green so sharp it stings your nose. Green that's acidic, abrasive, and astringent all at once. Green that's seasoned with black peppercorns. (Figuratively speaking.) Green that says “I dare you to wear me.” But you know what? It's good! Mazzolari does for green what Yatagan does for aromatics and Knize Ten does for leather: presents it without compromise, without apologies, and without any concern for the conventionally pretty. It's a fantastic scent, but only for the brave.

As Mazzolari ages it reveals a dry, smoky note below its surface, leaving the impression of a parched meadow that's just caught fire. I hand it to the folks at Mazzolari, this stuff is unique. Mazzolari is pretty linear on me once its middle notes settle in, but it runs a long course, with some astringent cedar wafting up from the depths.

Mazzolari's eponymous fragrance has a STRONG old school vibe throughout. Made me think (somewhat in a good way) to countless masculines of the past including Yatagan, Insensè, Gucci Nobile, Esencia, Loewe Para Hombre, Caesar Man...it walks on that thin line bewteen glory and precipice, bewteen being cheap and smelling great. I'm not sure what to do with this but fans of old-fashioned green-aromatic compositions might want to give Mazolari a chance.

As usual with Mazzolari, butch, full bodied, sort of ungroomed and definitely not trendy!

I was very keen on this a few yeras ago after sampling, but now that I have a bottle I find it unwearable. I think my growing interest in natural perfumery has made me highly sensitive to certain synthetic amplifications, and while I still enjoy Mazzolari Lui in minimal dosage (of course), this one is just too much for me. The green blast is not merely extreme, it also clogs my nostrils (as no natural oil ever has) and, worse, the combination of herbaceous and slightly minty notes actually adds up smelling like (fruity-green apple) shampoo on me, mixed with a cheap loud 70s fougère. And once it's there it just keeps screaming in my face, sort of like the horrific television monster in Aphex Twin's legendary "Come to Daddy" video (http://www.bbc.co.uk/collective/dnaimages/gallery/directordvd/2.jpg). All this from one careful spray onto my chest. Any redeeming features are drowned out in view of this nose-crippling horrorshow. Objectively I might give this a mediocre after some closer analysis, but personally I can't stand it for another minute. Pure green hell.

This goes on strong and green. Crushed leaves, stems, sap - various herbs - perhaps bay, sage, mint or others. This subsides leaving a resinous evergreen - juniper or galbanum, as it dries down. I don't get any vetiver or citrus in this. It is woody in a subtle way, though I don't really think sandalwood. I do get a salty, brothy quality as it dries down giving it a savory, oddly foody element. There is also a classic men's cologne quality to it - and it is ultimately masculine as all get-out, but not particularly sensuous, in my opinion. Thumbs up, it is classy, but, I don't think it suits me.

This is one those fragrances that I think of as "severe." In my opinion, that's not necessarily a bad thing. By "severe," I mean that it does not really compromise. Durbano's Black Tourmaline, Yatagan, and Noir Epices are also severe perfumes in my book. I like them all, and I like this as well. Lucky Scent's list of notes (Sandalwood, vetiver, spices and subtle citrus and green notes) don't really capture what's going on here, at least to my nose. I wouldn't call the green notes here subtle. And I don't think of this as a sandalwood or vetiver heavy fragrance, though they may be in the mix. I've seen Mazzolari Mazzolari listed in some threads here at Basenotes as a good pine scent. I also don't really smell pine here, as much as I smell juniper on top of some wood notes that I would guess are cedar and/or cypress. To my nose, there's also the mustiness of black pepper roaming about in the mix. All this makes it a tangy, dry, almost strident fragrance that, as Off-Scenter puts it, dares you to wear it. I can see some of the comparisons to Yatagan, but this lacks the leather of Yatagan and is tangier and less overtly herbal. All-in-all, this Mazzolari is uncompromising, very "masculine," and many would likely find it hard to wear. Still, I like it for its intensity and its uniqueness, so thumbs-up.