Iquitos

I just got a Vintage, perfect condition 30ml/1oz bottle to try...as I have an affinity for masculine florals - even moreso lately, as I explore deeper into scents that were unknown to me earlier in life. Incredible quality and amazing perfume! This definitely goes on strong - aldehydes, citrus, coriander, ginger and cardamom...spicy and very impressive. About 15-20 minutes into the wear this changes rather drastically (it could have gone a lot of places - but if I hadn't have read reviews - I thought I bought a mature woman's perfume!) When the citrus melts off and the spiciness dissipates, a strong bouquet emerges - jasmine, ylang-ylang, lily-of-the-valley and a single, long-stem pink rose in FULL bloom. A nice touch of fruit, but not strong or boozy, some tropical fruit underneath the loud florals that are very prominent - guava, red papaya, very exotic! This is creamy & gorgeous with the coconut note really showing a way to connect notes and create accords among notes. Beautiful...a tropical bouquet in a bottle! Wow. The touch of civet and honey are there at 40 minutes in (fresh in my mind as I wore Kouros yesterday) giving it a slightly animalic and sweet note. The moss is light - showing up just after, say 45 minutes in, but present. Starting to integrate. A point to throw in as this is developing on me as I write this: Iquitos is probably the most feminine fragrance I have worn. This is very unique and the quality is there. I am very in-touch with my feminine side and adore Vintage Acteur by Azzaro (as another reviewer compared this to). While they both have a rose note that is prominent, Acteur's rose is very deep, dark and almost wilted (probably a couple of petals have fallen off). Iquitos is a fresh-cut bouquet of bright pastels, jasmine, and the ylang-ylang pushes the limit. Acteur is a very masculine rose scent that is, while refined, macho. The rich base of leather, oakmoss (Vintage), vetiver and patchouli create a vividly dark and brooding scent that breathes on your skin. But, there is an airiness and a freshness in here that seems to 'float' on top. Iquitos radiates too - but it smells like a tropical garden and very natural. This is quality fragrance...no doubt. But, would I wear it regularly? No. This is a scent for occasion. A 1oz bottle of this Vintage juice will last me. My wife loves it and said it reminds her of a scent she used to wear. We cannot recall the name - but we remember it had a nice jasmine/rose/ylang-ylang/tropical composition (with a spiciness), but she agreed this was very original (and maybe unisex as she adores it). I definitely would apply it light and at least 45 minutes before leaving the house to get past the phase of development just after the spicy top notes burn off. 1 full hour in: Drying down - there is a definitive coconut (tropical) smell. Mixed with the ylang-ylang from the heart, this is getting very interesting again. A touch of wood and slight oriental-vibe come out as well (the civet is very slight). I have never tried a Chypre like it and would probably classify it as a "Spicy Floral" - with great quality and a chic feel. Overall, it is a great composition - one that stands out. This has a certain South American feel - relevant to the name. Impressive juice...this will not be duplicated, ever. 2 hours in - the fragrance dries down into a warm bouquet with jasmine, lily-of-the valley and rose mixed with coconut oil. This would be wonderful fragrance at a night club in Miami or the tropics! My score - 9/10 for sheer quality and uniqueness. But, not a scent I can directly compare to others...it is Iquitos, and it takes you "there". **Update** - I kept this on my sleeve for the whole day - it is still there after over 10 hours with one spray! Excellent longevity. From the 2 hour mark, as noted above, this really comes together. I am truly impressed. Niche quality juice from 1987...! The scent really has a nice tropical vibe, but maintains a floral quality that could be as fresh-smelling as a quaint, small florist shop. There is nothing off-putting here for over 8 hours of wear. I compared it earlier to Acteur (by smelling the scent on my sleeve next to an open splash bottle). This evening, I did a full wearing of Zino Davidoff - my other favorite masculine "dirty rose" fragrance. I was complimented on it heavily, as it is truly awesome scent. It has dried down now, beautifully. I smell my inner wrist and back of hand - Zino. Back to my sleeve - Iquitos. Two very different scents and not fair to compare. I have to agree with Grottola that a close rose note is found in Vintage Czech & Speake No. 88 - not identical, as there is so much going on surrounding each bloom that is starkly different in these compositions. Iquitos, while it is regarded by reviewers as better in the winter (and it is cold and rainy tonight), I think Iquitos will shine in Spring, early fall and warm evenings (70's to 85 degrees Fahrenheit). A scent to be worn outdoors in the Spring and on long Summer evenings. The bouquet stays fresh during the entire wear and the base of warm amber and touch of wood with moss add depth. The vanilla and coconut oil notes make this breathe - definitely something I will reach for and come back with more notes. Not one I can apply once and fully understand. Truly compelling fragrance and very sophisticated.

My first ever fragrance! I was about 15 when my father gave me the After Shave Lotion (he probably hated it since we have always had different tastes in fragrances) as a birthday present. Little did he know that this olfactory sensation did sent my senses up and down an emotional rollercoaster. This was wild stuff only the coolest of men would wear (my dad was obviously no longer cool in 1988 aged 48) and here I was owning a whole bottle aged 15!! LOL I have not sniffed it since (had it for a few years as I used it sparingly) but recall it to smell of a tropical town (=Iquitos) after a hurricane, when the sun breaks through again and all those plants, fruits and flowers, compete in releasing their phermones. It is utter and absolute aromatic olfactory porn! Very exotic, tropical and intense, like "Carnival" in Rio I would imagine. ICONIC THAT TONIC! Recommended for summer evenings only when you are out to hunt for prey (like the snake in the commercial implies) +++++++ U P D A T E ++++++ May 2012 Finally managed to get a vintage bottle from ebay for a snippet of a price (perhaps a fake, who knows). Feels like I am re-united with a long-lost friend. London is wet and cold presently, so this fragrance works like heating up the prefect storm. It really is a crazy fragrance, once that can barely be classified and certainly is not on trend presently or has ever been. It is just too unique: it's got a bit of everything. Best described as a male floral with ample of amber, musk, aldehydes and a soapy-sour leathery base. It is the male answer to "Poison" with the floral beauty of "Acteur" (rose), the Amber nostalgia of "Halston" (Studio 54), the aldehydes of CHANEL #5, the pine/cedar/fougere accord of "Xerys" YSL and the soapy bathroom feel of a "Kouros" YSL. Yet it is disctinctively its own weird combination. I do get a bit of headache from the Lilly-of-Valley note and it is deffo NOT for the office, lol. 10/10 for uniqueness and creativity. Long-lasting and potent. Pungent and strong.

I had bought this for an ex-boyfriend when it first came out and I loved this on him so much! I could not stop myself from smelling him, the bottle and anything this fragrance touched. I would even steal some to put on my own pillow or jacket just so I could smell it all day- that's how much in love I was with it! Back then, I didn't really know or care about the notes and I wasn't so into the formulas as I am present day. Now I can almost smell every note in this formula and it's amazing how complicated and how wonderfully it all blends and comes together. This is a very unique fragrance and it is not for the faint of heart and also not for everyone. It is bold, handsome, sexy and it is totally what I envision the actor Lee Pace, who plays Brother Day in Foundation or as Thranduil the Elvenking in The Hobbit trilogy, smells like! Complex, mysterious and absolutely intoxicating! (IFYKYK!) Being discontinued, it is so expensive and difficult to find. I purchased one 3.4 fl oz on Ebay and I don't regret it, I am wearing it today and I think it is enough to last me until ???? that day! :)

A brief follow up review...and, you are very welcome my friend, krmarich! After decanting some of my precious 30ml and doing another test wearing, I felt compelled to revisit this scent. Fantastic review yourself, krmarich! This truly is something special and has won my heart (and nose) as well! Iquitos is what modern mass-perfumery (excluding niche) is lacking so obviously today - natural, high-quality ingredients that are blended so incredibly well together! This is art in a bottle. It is stunning. Further wearings have shown even better and more consistent - I don't get the mature woman's vibe anymore. Oxygen has allowed the vintage juice to breathe. What goes on is beautiful rose blooms in a tropical rain forest with moss, nice exotic fruit and coconut blended in...with a wonderful civet note. This is something to behold and admire, not just wear. My score is increased to a solid 9/10 - this is excellence. I hope to, one day, get a larger bottle of Iquitos as well. A scent like this will simply never be made again. This is for those who know....

This cologne along with Roger & Gallet L'Homme - Open, Davidoff Relax - Zino, Ungaro Pour Homme, Versace L'Homme, Chanel Egoiste - Antaeus, Yves St-Laurent Kouros, Calvin Klein Calvin, Pierre Cardin Cologne, Azzaro Pour Homme, Guy Laroche Drakkar Noir, Giorgio Beverly Hills for Men, Tiffany for Men, Elizabeth Taylor for Men and a handful of others were meant to be noticed, loud so to speak, i guess hairy chested as well and for the most part were distinct from each other. The 70's and perhaps more the early 80's were about excess in the olfactory business. Like Barbershop fragrances on steroids. With less companies around and room for creating unique scents, the buying public i feel was spoiled. Today, with so many companies around, main stream or niche, plus virtually every type of scent having been explored it is difficult to find a unique scent. More often than not you have to dish out large sums of money to get something unique and decent these day as the large corporations have lost their touch and interest often obliging you to go niche.

There is no wonder that Dior, after initially refused this formula that had been created especially for this house, saying that it is too much for a man such a perfume, later the house bitterly regretted the fact that it did not purchase the recipe, this being taken by the Alain Delon brand. Sales have been spectacular for over 25 years, but later, unfortunately, many of the ingredients - obviously natural - have become inaccessible and the perfume could no longer be produced. It is a real masterpiece and I am not surprised that it is so misunderstood by some people, indeed, you need other tastes, other levelof perfumery education and experience to appreciate such a creation at its true value, even if it is not a perfume that suits to your tastes. There are a lot of perfumes that I don't like, but that has nothing to do with recognizing their value. I would give anything to be able to have at least one decant, when I used it, in the 90's, there was not even a person who did not ask me what perfume I use. Amazing ... it's the right word!

Iquitos is a scent which was unknown to me, but as soon as it touched my skin I knew I wanted it. This masculine Chypre epitomises the 80s and highlights what’s really missing from masculine perfumes of today: character. This oozes testosterone and a rugged confidence, and yet never becomes uncivilised. I find it very reminiscent of Kouros, which encapsulated this decade. Sharp, slightly pissy musks, soft soap and that almost lavender-centric shaving foam effect which Kouros does so well. Up close, it can be a bit harsh and spicy, but in the air it’s like the most incredible old world barber shop. It’s utterly spectacular. I’m gutted the prices on eBay are so inflated, else I would buy a bottle without hesitation. There’s filth, yes, but it’s soft and tempered, lingering in the distance. If you found Kouros too much, too brazen and filthy, this is the one.

Incase nobody noticed, I only found one fragrance that closely resembles this WOW fragrance, I was shopping for sandalwood OUD in Little India[Devon St. chgo IL USA] and I went to a shop that had a tester displayed with their OUDs/Attars SCENTs. I tried 3, because The 3rd one hit the SPOT!!! The box name is known as Hajar Al Aswaad[Qurbaani] it's a box with an 8ml rollon applicator, and God as my Witness it is what Alain Delon has captured in Iquitos. I was stunned when I heard of the Discontinuance of Iquitos, but finding the closest replacement entirely by accident was like Z.Cavaricci coming back with their FAMOUS CLOTHING STYLES[REALLY HOPING SO anyway...] Anyway, I had used my last bottle of Iquitos in 2011[it was a refillable bottle] and sadly I did not remember where I left the bottle after it got emptied.

Okay. This is a magical perfume. It’s a really, really, really, good, multifaceted chypre, starting out with a gorgeously soft, powdery apricot, spiked with realistic floral accords and aldehydic lift. The core is a lovely, mossy, warm, amber breeze, subtle and incredibly smooth, yet possessing the requisite heft. This is a superior perfume, whether you love these big floral, woody chypre perfumes or not, there’s a level of respect this perfume commands due to its sheer complexity and craft, it’s just that good. I was extremely privileged to get my hands on an original sealed bottle, which I sprayed with abandon and smells like the most well kept, top note intact, vintage perfume I have in my collection, I never actually smelled this in the 80’s or 90’s but it smells pristine to me.

there is NO OTHER scent like beautiful Iquitos. This extremely rare masterpiece remains stunning over the years and no other can take its place! TRhe ingredients, all high quality and natural, the blend, the the genius with which they were chosen and mixed are unequaled. Wish I could find out the nose behind- from all information I have, there are two names:Mark Buxton from Comme de Garçons or Bertrand Duchaufour from L'Artisan Parfumeur. Both, genius. I love Iquitos an I wish I could afford to have it again, even though in a small vial...just to smell it every day! There are so many mossy/woody/chipry/rosy-civet/ambery/exotic/aldehydic scents today but this one comes from other galaxy! Piece of lost Universe, that lasts forever on your skin, but mostly in your heart. 10/10

@gatsby Thanx man for this amazing explanation, i really appreciate it. I used to be vintage lover before discovering the world of niche fragrances as few of even 2015 fragrances simulates the old ancient eras like the Ottoman empire and the Victorian age (which are my favorite inspiring eras) while these fragrances inventors inspirations are quite away from that era but when you sniff their fragrances you just get that amazing nostalgia feeling as if you lived in that era, and since then "most" of vintage fragrances became mild to my nose & kind of disturbing specially the commercial vintage ones. And after all there are dreamers in niche fragrance world who cares about art and inspirations rather than making money and i HUNT these personas inventions :D

also a blind buy, it's ok and it's truly 80s style, soapy greeny, dark with coconut and honeycomb. not so wow, and not cheap, but it's ok. i guess im not learning from blind buys, but to be honest im not sorry for buying this perfume blindly, but i guess it's quite normal. and absolutely not a common perfume at all. the sillage is ok, but the longevity is quite weak. edit (25th Nov 2014) i guess i like it! now i can smell the charm in it! it's calming greeny kind of sweet, like a soft velvet and perfumed satin sheets. become one of the perfumes that i like.

@gatsby Damn.. how did you find out that i replied to you that fast? :D i wish they make a feature that alarms me whenever i am mentioned :) I don't know wither if the pic will help cause it looks exactly like the one shown here but certainly my nose is extremely spoiled :) But i wonder (although it's way away from this subject but) what does Ho Hang smell like since it's one of your favorites! does it smell like anything similar to nowadays fragrance? and is it better than Iquitos?

I finally found a reasonable mini and can't tell you how happy I am to have this little treasure back in my collection!! I had this in my late teens early 20s, and this frag has met or exceeded my memories of it. One of the most unique mass men's frangrances, perhaps ever... If Lapidus Pour Homme, Tenere and Knowing by Lauder had a child, this might be it... ;-)

Agree with c0rtland below, this is NOT Estee Lauder's Knowing for men. I don't know how these untruths get started or what kind of faulty noses are creating them, but it's total nonsense. I've compared Iquitos to both vintage Knowing and a 2019 bottle. Aside from some slight similarities in the opening aldehydes, totally different fragrances.

@q80 Then it is because of this. It is almost impossible to be faked...it is rare and the particularities, like in every case of vintage, are too hard to be copyied. So, it can be your nose, you spoiled it too much with ultra strong fragrances :) You can send me a photo if you want. I am an Iquitos teacher :D

Hi RRBM, Well nothing like Iquitos out there, but it is in my top 4 male perfumes ever. Lancome Sagamore Yves Rocher Trimaran vintage Escada pour homme original Alain Delon Iquitos Maybe we share the same taste, if that is the case, I can recommend Escada pour homme original and Lancome Sagamore. Good luck!

Could not agree less with Sunnymitra as to the marvel Iquitos is, it might have been a flop but it was a unique revolutionary scent like Chanel Egoiste, Davidoff Relaxx & Zino, Caron Troisieme Homme, Cartier Essence Homme, Laura Biagiotti homme, YSL Rive Gauche, Donna Karan Fuel for Him

@Q80 maybe you got a diluted or not quite original item because the longevity and sillage of Iquitos are impressive. it is strong, pungent, violent in a beautiful way, and the longevity (on me at least) is 12+ hours. So happy with my bottles, Iquitos is the king of my entire collection.

This is the most perfectly blended perfume I've ever had the pleasure to visit my plebian nosetrils. This is elegance & class. It's the thumbs up from Jesus, as you're attending mass. It's a civet carrying a rose. You share a bowl of fruit, then let him fuck your nose.