Alutus - Antique Potion

A bit mentholatum ointment to begin with (yes, I am serious). I would say it remains cool in a fresh, minty or camphorous kind of way and not aquatic, and Alutus probably remains very eccentric to most noses. Patchouli and teak I also get in droves. Eventually, a pseudo-barbershop impression plays out nicely, vaguely reminiscent of the “green line” from Italy’s Proraso house, yet Alutus remains charmingly idiosyncratic. I would wait 15-30 minutes after application before entering intimate public or shared spaces, but other than that I love it. Not sure if I will go for the full bottle, but I feel I need to be able to come back and sniff this again and again.

Shifting over to an even more niche marine woody fragrance today with Alutus from Adi Ale Van, which carries a really interesting theme behind it. Alutus is the ancient Roman name of the Olt River in Romania, a river that stretches over 600 km and flows through a wide range of landscapes including mountains, hills, and open plains. With that in mind, the fragrance feels like a journey following the river as it moves through changing terrain and shifting environments. The opening of Alutus was not what I was expecting. It starts off with a minty, almost vintage aged wood character from the teakwood and mahogany, with a gentle touch of spice. I can see why some people describe it as having an ointment like quality, similar to something used for joint relief, but in a way that is oddly pleasant rather than harsh or unpleasant. Around 20 to 30 minutes in, the camphorous edge begins to soften and the composition becomes warmer and smoother. A clove like spice starts to come through, likely from the Peru balsam, along with a more earthy, slightly medicinal tone from the myrrh. At this point it also gains a subtle salty nuance, which adds to the marine feel without turning it into a typical aquatic fragrance. At around the hour and a half to two hour mark it settles into the base of patchouli and oud. The patchouli here is very earthy, almost soil like, which gives the impression of wet ground along a riverbank. I like to think of it as damp earth from the river, hills, and plains that inspired the concept. There is still a faint sweet mint backdrop in the background, along with a subtle animalic edge from the oud that gives it depth and character. In terms of overall impression this was not quite what I expected going in. It has moments that remind me of a vintage barbershop fougère, but it is layered with a much earthier darker base and a unique salty marine twist running through the entire composition. It is not your typical aquatic and not your typical vintage style fragrance either. For me it sits in a take it or leave it category. I think it will appeal most to people who enjoy older style perfumery, or those who like salty earthy aquatics with something a bit different going on. It is worth sampling for sure, but it is not an easy blind buy and it will not be for everyone.