Samouraï Katana
Alain Delon (1995)

A very good alternative to the sadly discontinued vintage m7. Very woody and manly, lasts a long time.

An old-school masculine rose, almostTop notes: pink pepper, lemon and bergamotMiddle notes: jasmine, rose and cedarBase notes: sandalwood and vetiver.A big ol' spicy rose. Pepper dominates but I think there's some clove in there too. A moderate degree of sweetness effects a 'jammy' quality to the rose and there's some smoke lingering in the background throughout. Nose-to-skin it does smell a bit artificial - sort of salty/metallic - particularly in the initial stages; after an hour or so it mellows out, the sharper notes die down and it becomes altogether smoother. Compared to other scents in the spicy, woody rose-garden, like Opus 1870 and Declaration du Soir, this is brasher, spicier, heavier and more 'ballsy'. That said, this is not a real powerhouse; it dates to no earlier than 1995 so there will be no reaching for pomanders.The upside of the obvious use of synthetics is ample longevity: I get 10 hours from 5 sprays.Inexpensive and good value.Pros: Uncommon, good longevity, inexpensiveCons: A bit robust for delicate palates"