Musc
Bruno Acampora (1975)

It smells like a classic, rich musk-- but with something rank sitting at the top of it. That sharp, stank is very prominent to my nose. It's like dirty feet or rancid cheese. I almost washed it off. I won't be buying this one.

Musc opens with the ether of humus, the decomposition of leaves on the forest floor, layers of humid oak leaves on a damp autumn day, mushrooms pushing through the soil with glistening caps. I picture red efts, these tiny vermillion newts, as they wander through the moss and loam.

To what others might seem dank to me is exhilarating, but for even those who might be intimidated by this opening, give it just a bit of time for the dry down to reveal itself. It transitions into this beautifully moorish musk, ensconced in premium powder, the slightest waxiness, animal undertones, with echoes of the earth and astringency folded into sheets of sandalwood.

What at once seems feral now purrs, albeit seductively, detectable as an aura for hours, likely leaving you smelling like the sexiest man (or woman) of the woods, treading the line between the clean and the dirty.

This is a bit of a weird review, because I've only tried Bruno Acampora's Musc as a candle and in its EDP formulation - I've never had a chance to wear the original iconic musc oil from the 70's.

The candle is nice, but uneventful. If you've smelled cheap "Egyptian musk" oils, it smells like that - sort of a sweet hippie vibe.

The EDP version is terrible. It's basically an especially woody "woody amber" perfume. Imagine something like Dior's Sauvage (woody aquatic) but with the cypriol dialed way up, so there's an exaggerated artificial woodiness. The musk comes through more as a general sweetness than the focus, while the focus is on an Axe-style chemical base. Unless you're a diehard fan of men's designer scents looking to spend well over $200 on something you should be able to smell like for much less money, I wouldn't bother.

Hopefully, I'll get my hands on a sample of the 70's oil at some point and figure out what the fuss is all about, but by all means, skip the EDP. But for now, I'll vote neutral because at least I enjoyed the candle...

Acampora's Musc the only patchouli-prominent fragrance that I really love. Perhaps, in part, because the patchouli note is leavened and made much more fascinating by the addition of clove and rose and sandalwood. The oil version wears like an attar and starts out with a surprisingly fungally mushroom scent that rather quickly evolves into something bewitching: an incredibly sexy forest floor. Now, it smells rooty and spicily mossy, with its dusty vegetation filtered through an autumn afternoon's sunlight. There are still hints of the mushroomy patchouli and an absolutely divine and sort of "fuzzy" 3-D musk unlike any I've ever encountered. It's elven in its magic and somehow both vegetal and sensual at the same time. It's an ambrosia fit for tiny forest dwellers or gorgeous, androgynous supermodels.

A hesitant thumbs up and not a neutral rating because it's a good creation and some people may like it. There is some muskiness to it, though I didn't find it very pronounced. The musk is on the white side, vaguely chalk-like but not powdery. The scent reminds me a bit of a marshmallow. A slight peppermint-type note, possibly the clove, and a tiny bit of what may be the violet come through. Other than that, I can't distinguish any other notes. Some might call this a skin scent, as it doesn't really project on me. However, it's a comforting scent. Review from a vial sample.

This review is for the EdP spray, released in 2012.

This is a dirty musk, and by dirty, I mean not fecal nor animalic, but literally of, or from, the dirt.

Two quick sprays to the forearm. I get Musk, rose, ash, leather, dirt, cardboard, pepper, and more dirt. There is a green, celery note. And an oily, only slightly animalic musk. After a bit, a peppery tobacco notes comes forward to join the dirt. There is a sharpness to the scent, which must be the clove. 1.5 hours in, the rich, somewhat fruity rose note comes forward, blending well with the clove. As the scent develops, there is little change. The green celery note disappears eventually, but the other notes soldier on, in approximately the same proportions. There is a vaguely woody note in the background, but nothing recognizable to me as sandalwood, and the vanilla is so low key as to be nearly absent--a good thing, imho.

The principal note, the musk, remains as described–dirty, oily, organic, but only slightly "animalic." Projection is moderate, and longevity at least 16hrs.

Verdict: This is a WINNER. Fall, Winter, Early Spring.