Brunello Cucinelli pour Homme
Brunello Cucinelli (2023)

Brunello Cucinelli pour Homme has got plenty of spice and wood (although it’s not quite Spice and Wood). Pepper and ginger are clearly evident; the stated juniper, not so much. I’m not intimate enough with a range of woods to tell you if this really smells like cypress: it’s non-scratchy cedar and distilled patchouli to me.

Is this interesting? Is it distinctive? No, and no. Sexy? Also no. Instead, It’s a solid dry, woody masculine that’s easy to wear to the office, and at under $2/ml, not crazy expensive. Would I buy it? That’s another no: I already have better options, and if I didn’t, I’d rather go with something like, say, Zaharoff Signature. But this is perfectly serviceable for a man who likes the idea of perfectly serviceable. That’s not the typical Cucinelli customer, which strikes me as a marketing misfire, but the fragrance itself is fine. So, a qualified thumbs-up.

Let me cut to the chase: I love Brunello Cucinelli Pour Homme! It is slightly sweet with a warm autumnal aspect; offset by that "pencil shavings" opposition that keeps it from being too sweet. Although it has a bit of barbershop smell to it, BCPH is a pretty modern fragrance. I usually don't care for modern fragrances. Ultimately, what tipped the cards for me was that it has charm, sophistication and (most importantly of all) it is distinctive. It has a bespoke feel; a suggestion of being expensive, without being showy or forward in any way. I don't think it smells like anything else out there. I think that in this very over-crowded fragrance market, if is very hard for a new brand to communicate something both sophisticated and new. Brunello Cucinellin PH did that for me in spades. I found it on the new-ish second floor fragrance ghetto at Saks, and after testing a lot of other fragrance that felt "same-old, same-old" to me I came to the very non-glitsy, very understated Brunello Cucinelli station and tried this. Straight off, I knew it was the best thing on the floor. But I didn't buy it right away. I am no longer that gullible. I thought about it, and forgot about it. Then days later, the scent memory came roaring back and I had to have it. This beautiful 100ml bottle is right up there at the top of my collection. I predict one day it will be called a classic, if it lasts long enough in the ephemeral commercial environment. I highly recommend you try it.