Gucci Pour Homme II by Gucci {Perfume Review & Musings} {New Perfume} {Men's Cologne}

The latest release by Gucci is a masculine perfume called Gucci Pour Homme II. It was created by the Proctor & Gamble team and Mane. It includes fresh and silvan top notes of bergamot and violet leaves. The heart unfolds on a spicy accord of pimento, black tea, and cinnamon. The base deepens with notes of olive wood, tobacco leaves, musks, and myrrh. The perfume is a follow-up to Gucci Pour Homme. It is reminiscent of the incensey notes of the first one only en passant while taking on a very different persona. Markus Strobel, general manager of prestige products and fine fragrances for P & G said "the formula is aimed at hitting "the sweet spot" between providing a "fresh, easy to wear' ambience, "a masculine sensuality" and a "distinct, memorable" sensation." He also added "I think we've never spent as much time on a male fragrance as we did on this one, and it really is amazing,". It took Gucci two years to design the fragrance and the result is indeed remarkable.....

Gucci Pour Homme II is a strikingly complex (but not in a multi-faceted sense) and subtle perfume offering a velvety fresh texture. It is also a very "round" scent, which is classically considered to be a great quality in a perfume. The cooler notes are never bracing but come folded into softer warmer counterpart tonalities. The jus is balanced so as to feel both warm and refreshing, but, the latter, never in any literal obvious way. Déclaration by Cartier for example is more literally refreshing with its wonderful thirst-quenching quality (to each good perfume its genius). Gucci Pour Homme II conjures up on the other hand the complex sensation of being refreshed by warm tea. It is like tasting a very smooth drink and feeling the liquid roll under the tongue and develop in the palate all the while experiencing both the warm and fresh facets of a brandy or tea. The result is a mellow, elegant, and beautiful fragrance that could easily be adopted by women as well, as it feels unisex although the jus was initially designed with the "modern Italian playboy" in mind. It proves difficult to resist the smooth charm of that Italian playboy.

The perfume initially starts with a transient fresh and vegetal impression of bergamot and green violets punctuated by pimento that could evoke a green garden and is warmed up very soon by blond tobacco leaves and woods with a hay nuance. The accord is a little reminiscent of the blond tobacco nuances found in the narcissus of Fleur de Narcisse by L'Artisan Parfumeur. The perfume is however even more closely reminiscent of L'Antimatière by Les Nez, but without the über-subtle character of the latter; it is just very subtle and you should always be able to smell it, unlike the more difficult L'Antimatière. Although leather is not mentioned, there are some masculine leathery undertones making one think of the leather covering the seats of a sports car. There is a certain lightness and nonchalance to the scent that is very elegant and appealing.

The fragrance is a little fruity and a little sweet, but all in good proportions. Olive wood smells a bit fruity in its natural state. Bergamot and cinnamon together tend to bring Coca-Cola facets to the scent, but it remains seductive.The leathery and resinous accents of myrrh become more perceptible in the drydown. The perfume is enveloping, sensual, airy - perhaps from the wind in your hair and face as you drive your cabriolet - very suggestive of sunny days and holidays. The longer dry down or bottom note is subtly woody and musky and evokes the aroma of warm sun-kissed skin after having rolled in the hay. It is without ambiguity, for me, full-bottle worthy. I also would certainly feel very comfortable offering it as a gift to a wide spectrum of people, women included.

The EdT line comprises two EdTs priced at $50 for 1.7 oz and $65 for 3.3 oz. The perfume is now available at Nordstrom.

Source: Women's Wear Daily