DAVIDOFF (the original)

This is a traditional opening of the cypre style: lemon, a moderately boozy wormwood note, the mandatory bergamot and a good sprinkle of basil all over it - the good old-fashioned style. And, as the script demands, the oak moss.

On me the oak moss arises quite early in the drydown; a beautiful, rich, rough and crisp oak moss of great quality. Yum yum! Thyme and jasmine - the latter the main floral - round off what makes a good cypre.  I even get hints of a nigh-menthol-like aroma at times.

In the base the moss is still going strong, with added crispness supplies by a very decent patchouli that is not too dark, and whilst castoreum supplies an added touch of sharpness; the whole works together beautifully.

The performance is absolutely outstanding: strong sillage, brilliant projection and and incredibly superb longevity of nigh seventeen hours on my skin - a longevity monster in the same league as Knize Ten or Creed's Orange Spice on me.

This autumnal beauty as a paradigmatic classic of a traditional chypre. The quality of the ingredients is excellent, and the blending done very well without losing too much structure.  The preofomance is outstanding.  A great olfactory creation.  Maybe Davidoff's finest.

Launched 1984.

Sadly discontinued.

4.25/5.