Chromatics
Aramis (1973)

Chromatics opens with an aromatic sharp green galbanum and lemon citrus tandum, with hints of underlying cumin spice. Moving to the early heart the lemon citrus takes the fore, supported by the cumin now significantly stronger with a tinge of hard leather making its way into the mix. Later in the heart the cumin spiked lemon recedes and the hardcore leather takes the fore as star, now with significant green oakmoss support. During the late dry-down the leather gradually recedes, ceding the starring role to the oakmoss that eschews its green mossy facets, turning to a gentle powder, mixing with subtle woods through the finish. Projection is on the low side of average and longevity excellent at well over 15 hours on skin (but only 8-9 hours at full strength).

Chromatics has been an elusive composition to track down. It had a very brief release in the early 70s, being yanked quickly by Aramis. The tag line on my blind bought bottle label calls it "metallic cologne". Quite frankly, if sales were a disappointment that may have been a possible reason, as I really don't detect anything metallic about the composition at all (a very good thing in my book). So what does this rare release smell like? At first I got a very similar open to another extremely rare Kerleo composed gem called Lacoste Eau de Sport by Jean Patou. The two while different, have a similar uncommon mixing of citrus and slightly dirty cumin-like spice. Of course both compositions are quite old in relative terms of a similar age with similarly small release windows so it is quite possible they both smelled quite different back then as surely some of the top notes have evaporated and/or changed over the years. Still, Chromatics' open, authentic or not smelled quite distinctive and interesting. Also interesting was the very deft shift away from the spiced citrus to relatively hardcore leather seemingly out of nowhere (and ending any tenuous link to Eau de Sport in the process). The oakmoss that joins the leather also seems to rise from the base in relatively subtle fashion, all of a sudden meshing perfectly with the leather like it was there all along. Finally, just as seamlessly the oakmoss turns slightly powdery late, eschewing its earlier green mossy facet, while adding in just a touch of underlying woods. The whole composition from top to bottom is really, really impressive and I have to wonder if some better marketing by Aramis could have turned this stellar but unsuccessful outing into a blockbuster. Maybe we would all still be able to easily buy Chromatics today? I also wonder who the talented nose was behind the composition, as it is so skillfully done most noses couldn't pull it off. I guess there is no point debating what might have been, but all I can say is if one ever comes across a highly elusive bottle of Chromatics, snatch it up as quickly as possible! The bottom line is the long since discontinued and highly rare Aramis Chromatics is a fine example of everything I love about the line, earning it an "excellent" to "outstanding" 4 to 4.5 stars out of 5 and a strong recommendation to vintage perfume collectors.