Fulgor
Calé (2011)

As its name goes, Fulgor ("Splendor") opens with a bright, bold and vibrant smell, which instantly reminded me of my father's vegetable garden. It smells of wet grass and flowers, humid roots, "culinary" smells and spices (saffron) patchouli, sandalwood, stoney and earthy soil (alfarom nails it: "mineral", indeed). There is quite a lot of nuances which are really organic and realistic, to the point you almost feel the leaves and the branches crunching and crackling under your feet, and not only that, as there is also this more artificial feel or wet concrete soil with its peculiar and slightly pungent smell. The smell of fig leaves is no way comparable to real fig leaves (as with any scent containing that synthetic note, which I don't really get the point of), but overall the blend works quite decently initially. It reminds me of other kind of spicy-botanical scents like some Frapin and perhaps Terralba by Masque, although there are some differences – more a matter of general inspiration. The evolution of Fulgor brings it on a different - and quite disappointing - path, though: almost "oddly", I'd say, it soon starts to get drier, darker, more austere, still vibrant somehow but getting - frankly - increasingly *weird*. A sort of clumsy and random industrial smell, with a palpable smoked, gloomy, rubbery and chemical feel all over, which reminded me of something halfway gasoline and Comme des Garçon's Odeur 71 (much more powerful, though). All of which apparently does not have the slightest connection to the first stage of the scent. I would love to believe this is still an "intended" evolution, but I fear it's most just aromachemicals gone wrong in each in their own way. They still smell somehow earthy, woody and floral, but in a really cheap and artificial way. On the drydown, another twist, which partially saves this sort of random, Lynchian turn of events; Fulgor becomes warmer and retrieves a bit of earthy-sweet natural smell thanks to patchouli and amber, which blends with that odd stuff I've mentioned above, covering it a bit. A peculiar scent indeed, and only partially in a positive way, which overall does not really convince me. The opening is nice, even if unoriginal, while the evolution is just, well, you read that. Meh...

5/10

The Fulgor's real complexity is demonstrated by the fact that you will probably need at least a couple of hours to fully notice that this fragrance is basically a great sandalwood dominant aroma. I have to immediately outline in here my serious admiration for this utterly satisfactory intense woody floral/oriental (with a laborious and articulated evolution) ending up with a languid ostensibly rose/mimosa centered "white-woody" floral accord (the illusorial effect aroused by narcissus, honey, dusty fig leaves, saldalwood and oriental patterns). The element that mostly impress me about this fragrance is the veritable antithesis between a really carnal and spicy-indolic floral/fruity initial accord (almost syrupy floral patterns plus tangerine, saffron and a fig leaves "iris-like" white sticky dust) and a final romantic honeyed and almost (just apparently) rosey woodiness (which seems overall an harmonious melodic operetta after the initial "bloody techno shock"). Fulgor opens with an "obdurately" spicy-indolic figgy floral fist (mastered by a huge saffron dust joined with an hyper-penetrating tangerine/narcissus accord) which is ideally (by my olfactory mnemonic archive) perceived as something across ELDO Noel au Balcon (tangerine/honey/patchouli/spices/musk), Elie Saab Le Parfum (orange, honey, white flowers, woods, musk, rose), Chloe Eau de Parfum Intense (because of its ethereal rosey dry down), Narcise Noir Caron (narcissus, orange, sandalwood and rose), Lumiere Noir Pour Femme by Maison Kurkdjian (spicy honey and patchouli) and the classic Lancome Poeme (due to an honey/mimosa Fulgor's simil undertone) all over a musky and woody/ambery resinous foundation not so distant by an ideal sort of Musc Tonkin without all that huge dirtiness. The dry down with its incense/woody honeyed floral agreement plus amber conjures me more than vaguely the final Mugler Alien Essence Absolue's almost creamy outcome with a tad of the Dior Dune for Her's dreamy "pale" romantic vibe. The deep dry down, after three or four hours, appears anyway on my skin still smooth but decidedly woodier and slightly drier with its dominant smooth floral saldalwood (a la Santal 33) with a burnt sugar-like almost bitter/herbal spark (typical of many "sandalwoods" as for instance the Etro's one). The note of incense is masterly blended in the final amalgam in order to provide a touch of misty "resinousity" to be flanking the woody oriental depth. The "accomplished" aroma appears elegant and ultra-sophisticated on my skin. Really an interesting new creation long in evolution, surprisingly talented and almost natural in the olfactory perception.

The inital citrus-saffron accord is not so distant from Tom of Finland's opening but surely less sparkling because of the total absence of aldehydes. Don't let this mislead you as Fulgor takes immediatey another path by introducing a bizarre (that's the most approriate adjective that comes to mind) accord of incense and something else, that I suppose being what they call Graphite and Pyrite, that smells haflway bewteen pure kerosene and something extremely mineral (charcoal?). A subtle yet remarkable leafy fig note together with narcissus try desperately to alleviate the tension while a bold earthy patchouli/amber combo lurks threateningly in the back waiting to take over during the drydown...INTENSE!

Wearable? Surely not among the most versatile fragrances around yet quite unique and compelling. Something to experience.