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!

@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.

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

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.

@gatsby I don't know! i bought it from ebay and it looks quite vintage to be honest, but maybe because i am used to enormous strong fragrances & that's why im not used to soft tender fragrance like Iquitos.

This is lovely, an older Kouros, a little less animalic with an added rose and very slightly fruity. Could be a brother. You probably has to love Kouros to love this, but I guess all do. gusten

Gérard Anthony is the nose behind this gorgeous (also father of Azzaro Pour Homme and Oh Là Là, Balenciaga pour Homme, XS pour Homme etc). So,thanks to osmoteque, mistery solved.

If MONTANA PARFUM DE PEAU had a twin brother it would have been IQUITOS. Strong. Intoxicating. Dark. Unique among the men's perfumes. Very rare. Very expensive. Soooooooo good!

Today to find something this excellent we must look at Arabian perfumes I think. Animalic with a gorgeous woody rose, yes definitely Arabian quality.

Very in your face fragrance, that settles into a charming brew. Very Chanel overtones on first spray. Highly recommend

My favorite scent for most special occasions. It is a rhapsody of smell. Great longevity. Can not get to buy.

I agree with Afraafra. Iquitos & Sagamore, how I regret those two fragrances being discontinued...

In NO WAY is this estee lauder’s Knowing.

This is a dated classic, smells a lot like Guerlain Derby, but much more floral, fruity. Wow, this is a powerfull fragrance, not for beginners. It took me a couple years to feel comfortable wearing it. It is a masterpiece and one of the greatest classics, rich, full, and so well blended. It is a festive fragrance, for Spring and cool Summer nights... This is a gourmet desert fragrance. Not as in gourmandish, it doesn't smell like food, but it smells delicious, enjoy ! The performance is great like a EDP. First sniff was nice, OK, not a bad blind buy. Then I laughed, as I remembered the reviews that said it's like an old ladies perfume, because the first 15 min opening is the strongest rose and aldehyde smell. When the aldehydes burn off some you get a nice green note that makes the rose more realistic smelling, making it more genderless. The coconut and tropical fruitiness comes in with hints of vanilla and amber, and it does start to feel tropical and more rounded. My second thought was that it does remind me of Kouros, the honey, civet, and soapiness, but with rose. My Muslim friend Issa at work, likes rose orientals as many Arabic men see rose as a lavish manly smell. This Iquitos smells good, flowers are nice. I recently discovered Givenchy Insense(floral), which is in my top 3, but the flowers there are more green and manly for my nose. When the mid arrives there is a more even blending of the other florals, fruit and fresh spices. Ginger and oris root are a welcome addition. But the rose, oakmoss, civet and honey are my top 4 notes in strength in that order in the mid; aldehydes, rose and fruit in the opening. Sometimes it smells to oooh la la for me, as in lady killer. But that's not why I wear frags. When the green note comes in and the civet and aldehydes simmer down, it feels more comfortable. It smell great throughout, and Kouros was intoxicating when I first sniffed it in 90's, now it's hard to wear, I guess I'm older more conservative and aware of others around me. The whole ad campain with the dark bottle, snake, and the Amazon rain forest was missleading, I was expecting something darker, more earthy like Z14, but the olfactory frequency is like a Paco Rabanna Pour Homme (vintage), from which came Kouros, and after Kouros was released, Iquitos came out in 1987. I think Iquitos may have taken some inspiration from the great, Lauder for Men. (1985) The whole tropical vib is light, but the hint of coconut and fruit help the fragrance feel more wearable. This would fit on a tropical night on vacation, where a fun and darring scent would fit. Update: After wearing it a week, Im not noticing the feminine opening that was a strong first impression. I am getting more of a tropical rose floral with honey fruit and coconut, and the animalic civet ofcourse. Great classic ! Rating: 10/10 God bless. John 3:16

Its been a while since I wore Iquitos. I have a new appreciation for it. I've been collecting for 5 years, and rarely add to my collection. I was exploring Roja Dove fragrances this year. The average price of his fragrances is about $500./50 ml. He is a classy gentleman from England who used to be a perfumer for Guerlain decades ago. Many of Roja's frags are old school classic style with lots if oakmos, coriander, soapy aldehydes, and classic fresh spices like coriander. Iquitos is a lot like Roja Dove fragrances, kike Britannia, Danger, etc. Lots of his fragrances are complex with over 20 notes as Iquitos. Iquitos even comes close to Roja Dove in quality of notes and performance, excellent. Iquitos is a great classic. The oakmoss, and earthy fresh spices, are balanced with lots of florals, coconut, honey, some amamalic civet, aldehydes, rose. Its got it all, and is lots of fun to wear in any season. It is old fashioned, but in a good timeless way. I think this could still be a good investment, as prices will continue to go up. You can easily still get a pristine bottle, at half the price of a Roja Dove, and you can feel like you have a great Roja Dove fragrance indeed, with Iquitos.

I never thought I would pay such a high price for a celebrity perfume. My fiancé wanted this perfume more than anything, he refused any other (expensive or not) gift, even if I tried to convince him that maybe a Roja or Kurkdijan would be a better choice. I had no idea what this perfume is like and I had no choice, we had to buy it. If it is in the ninth heaven, I declare myself satisfied, because it is, indeed, a unique perfume. I have never found another perfume that is at least similar to this one. it is of an impeccable quality, the longevity is very good, the quality of the ingredients is felt. It is a perfume with a very complex composition, it is enough to look at the list of notes and realize its uniqueness. The glass is strange, but very beautiful, slightly asymmetrical on the edges. Indeed, a high-class perfume, even if its price is high. After all, no price is too high when you make a choice for your loved one. A superb, devastating, unique perfume, as is, by the way, the great actor Alain Delon. It is the most beautiful and high quality perfume I have ever tested, which has the signature of a celebrity.

This is a gender bender. I appreciate its boldness for a man's fragrance but acknowledge that it wouldn't be so unique if it had been released as a woman's fragrance. I love the brash aldehydes and fruity notes. These aren't juicy, they're more like dried fruits. There's a hell of a lot going on here so I won't pick out everything. The flowers are well blended, a little sweet but dusty. There is soft moss, leather and animalic notes that really work to keep it elegant. It's a spectacular scent but it doesn't work for me as well as other 80s sexually ambiguous scents like Tenere.

I just purchased a bottle of this fragrance and I have to say it smells very similar to Azzaro Acteur , masculine floral love the rose note in this fragrance , it seems to last more than the one in Acteur , well worth a purchase if you can find a bottle :)

This is the style of many Roja Dove fragrances. He was a perfumer for Guerlain, in the classic era, and takes that to his new creations. Iquitos is a great old classic, a bit similar to some Guerlain classics, like Mitsuoka.

I bought a tester size bottle of ebay . The opening is very mixed up but it develops into a lovely masculine floral scent - why was this discontinued ?

The young gentlemen of nowadays generation will never make an idea of what Iquitos was like... A precious fragrance. Misterious and with personality.

With the exception of Balenciaga Pour Homme, this is the singularly most overhyped men's fragrance amongst vintage collectors of which I'm aware. Let's be real, Iquitos was an attempt, and a failed one at that, by Alain Delon Parfums to cash in on the new wave of the short-lived masculine floral genre of fragrances marketed to men, in 1987, although it wasn't available for sale in all global markets until a year later. Coincidentally, 1988 marked the apex of masculine floral fragrance releases, with other notable and forgotten examples from that year including Tenere by Paco Rabanne; Sybaris by Antonio Puig and Maxim's Pour Homme, the debut men's fragrance from the Parisian chocolatier and macaron maker. Cool Water by Davidoff also released in 1988, becoming a best-selling men's cologne almost immediately, which, as the first pre-1990s aquatic / fresh fragrance for men to reach worldwide popularity, felt like the first of its kind. The following decade would see a revolution within perfumery which saw fresh, synthetic fragrances, fuelled and often overloaded with ambroxan, become ubiquitous and as a result, masculine florals of powerhouse proportions, like Iquitos, very quickly fell out of fashion. Iquitos became a fragrance that was widely available at discounters and chemists/drug stores within only a few years of its release, and the same is true of other fragrances of its genre, which were all flops for their respective houses, unable to fight the tidal wave of freshness that made so many 1990s fragrances popular. Arguably, the greatest masculine floral made was Insense by Givenchy, which was very late to the party in 1993, arriving alongside aquatic flankers of designer fragrances like Platinum Egoiste by Chanel and YSL's Kouros Fraicheur, which became commercial successes in their own right, whilst Insense faded very quickly into obscurity. In conclusion, Iquitos is wildly overhyped (and overpriced as a result), is extremely unlikely to be the original version of Dior's Poison, a story repeated so often that even Trump claims it to be true, and is just another 1980s masculine floral that was doomed to fail. Whilst many YouTubers with much more money than sense claim it to be the greatest vintage fragrance ever, it really isn't, it's a cacophony of a period piece made under licence by the Jacques Bogart Group for Alain Delon which is a good example of why so many celebrity fragrances flop.

This is the closest to Kouros so far — and I mean the honeyed depth and darkness of the dry-down. There’s a bit of that Furyo vibe here, a sort of chewy gumminess, a sour twist. But let’s be honest — it’s not really comparable. I wouldn’t call it a classic fougère, just like I wouldn’t with Furyo or Balenciaga. It’s more like a candy that isn’t modernist, but does that make it a fougère? Not really. Though... maybe there’s a dark base that hints at oakmoss? Still, it shouldn’t be grouped with green powerhouses, wall-of-scent types like Aramis or, on the other end, something like One Man Show. It’s more of a borderline vintage-fougère that went its own way. That said, I find it better and more mature than Furyo, which was overblown and linear. This one simply has more character — but is it enough? In any case, it does have that grandpa vibe. Xeryus, for example, is much more fougère despite its oriental turn. This one is a rubbery borderline scent with a dark hue. Paradoxically, it reminds me of the skin scent of someone close. Turns creamy over time — gets better.

A *BIG* thank you to aidin900 for the decant of this stuff. I really can't thank you enough. So many lovely, well-written reviews of this fragrance sit below me. While every reviewer has something unique and special to say about Iquitos, I am particularly in envy of the detailed, articulate reviews by ericrico, Lana Lool, and originaldeftom. I've always loved "gender-bender" androgynous fragrances. I've reached the point where I pretty much look past gender classifications in fragrance, but it's always a delight to find a hidden gem that can swing both ways - examples include Zen by Shiseido, Ô de Lancôme, Caron's Third Man, and now Iquitos by Alain Delon. Despite the classification as an woody chypre, I'd put it more on the line between an aromatic fougère and an oriental floral (gasp!). Three fragrances come to mind when I smell Iquitos: vintage Czech & Speake No. 88, with its luscious rose-neroli accord; Dior's Poison, with it's bombshell tuberose note; and Ted Lapidus's Lapidus Pour Homme, with a fruity-lavender accord. Iquitos opens with stark, slightly green rose and aldehydes - enough aldehydes to almost make you sneeze! When the initial shock of "aldehyde abuse in a masculine fragrance?!" dies down, a gorgeous floral amalgam develops - the rose quiets down a bit and (at least to my nose, despite the notes) joins forces with what smells like tuberose and carnation. Under all this is a semi-animalic, fruity lavender, which is straight out of Lapidus Pour Homme. The florals continue onward to a smooth touchdown of tame but slightly funky civet and oakmoss, while still retaining the floral medley. The total lasting power of the fragrance, on me, is about six hours at the most, and it changes very fast, but man does it smell good while it lasts. The projection is definitely strong for the first hour or so, but then it goes down drastically to a more subtle skin scent. Some things worth noting: 1). If you've read my other reviews, you'll know that I'm not too big on rose fragrances. They very rarely work on me, but I'd call this an exception, because the rose doesn't last very long, and it eventually blends with the other florals to just make this a straight up abstract floral as opposed to a singular, representative floral. 2). It's interesting to see a comparison to Balenciaga Pour Homme. While it is funny that both fragrances open with a sharp aldehyde blast, what's even funnier is that I find Iquitos to be one third Lapidus Pour Homme, which was a precursor of sorts to Balenciaga Pour Homme. I gave my bottle of Lapidus Pour Homme to a friend, because I found it too crude and overbearing, but I feel like the concept was perfected in Iquitos (and later Balenciaga Pour Homme). 3). The fruity/tropical notes. I don't really get any tropical visions with Iquitos, but that's the beauty of abstract perfumery. It allows for more varied interpretations by the person smelling the fragrance. Don't believe me? Look at how differently people interpret Chanel No. 5 or Patou Pour Homme. Abstract perfumery in and of itself is an art. So anyway, I feel that Iquitos is a gorgeous masculine floral that has unfortunately been lost to time. While I don't find it dated, there's certainly no way it would work in today's market - in a sea of boring aquatics and apple pie gourmands for men, guys would shriek in terror at the idea of an animalic masculine floral. The dark bottle and the snake in the ad campaign (which I think is a gorgeous ad, by the way) just intimidate you even more. Oh well, at least true lovers of perfume can appreciate this work of art. Maybe someday I'll buy a full bottle, but for now I'll cherish the decant I have. If I ever smell someone else wearing this, you know I'll give them a thumbs up. As the saying goes, "All good things come to an end..."

yourfriendmarit: It doesn't matter what it sold for in 1989 or if people hated it back then. Have you heard of the phrase, "living in the past?" The fragrance world is entirely different now, as is the way people regard and buy "luxury" and/or "collectible" items. If you could build a time machine I think you'd go back 100+ years and buy some van Gogh paintings, right? I agree with you about the Montana, but not only isn't it Iquitos, but it was marketed to women. I tell people about great bargain scents all the time, but rarely does anyone listen. For example, Dark Flower has a great frankincense base, which I enjoy more than any Amouage I've tried, but I don't think anyone has purchased it because of my advice (I wrote about it on my blog!), despite it selling for the cost of a cheap burger and fries. Then there is Police Gold Wings, which has the best absinthe-oriented drydown I've experienced (I think of it as A*Men Pure Absinthe), and I told people that there were two bottles on one site for about $10 each (otherwise the prices are much higher), but nobody bought either of those bottles! And have you ever heard the phrase, "herd mentality?" You don't seem to be taking human psychology into account!

I like the idea of this one but I like Boss Cologne (before it became #1) better, and whenever I've worn Iquitos I've thought to myself that I'd rather be wearing BC. They are certainly not identical, but it's the same basic idea, at least to my nose. I find Iquitos to be too fruity and floral. I prefer balance, which BC has relative to this one, and I'd say there's a better interplay among the notes in BC. I'll have to wear it again when I feel I can give it a totally fair assessment, but if you want an excellent "old school" fragrance where the fruity and floral qualities are emphasized, I don't think I've come across a better one than Iquitos. In the meantime, I've got more than I'll ever need, so if anyone wants to swap I've got more than 50 ml in the original bottle. UPDATE: I think the key with this one is to spray more than usual but try to avoid the aldehydes in the top notes as much as possible (unless you like aldehydes; I can't stand them). It's rather blended but definitely not "blob"-like. This is not in fashion now, to be sure, but it's a great change of pace for me, just different enough from Boss Cologne to make me want it in the rotation.

There has not been another perfume so intensely interwoven with nature and the mystical as Iquitos. I bought mine first in late October or early November 1987 in Amsterdam, and it was what has made my 1987-1993 special. It was having a jungle and the wisdom of the shamans around me, whirling and twirling, and creating a ball of safety around my uniqueness. After it was discontinued I occasionally managed to find a few bottles in small non-chain shops in countries outside of Fortress EU (the US, Switzerland), until even that disappeared. I do have a bottle at home (a continent away from East Asia where I have been living since 2005) and when I go back there after my annual return flight reimbursal, wearing it for a night out is like a real home coming. In my opinion, Alain Delon perfumes should be sued for hooking us on Iquitos and then discontinuing it and causing us withdrawal suffering. If they did not want to make it any more, they should have sold it to someone else. Anyone else interested in class action suit?

A while back, an aquaintance of mine told me about this fragrance, I wasn't familiar with it, besides its name and bottle shape. I was lucky enough to find It online. This fragrance works for me. Ok, in the first minutes after aplication you get the most faeces alike fragrance that you can find, but the smell subsides very quikly fortunatley. After that, I get a likeable floral man fragrance, because for me the notes that I feel on this one are mostly florals. I see a lot of similarities with women fragrances in the description, probably from the florals...I do not get that, this one is manly...I also had a sample of Montana Peau 1989 edition, they are very similar but that one is a women fragrance and it feels like it, while this one is not. Performance is strong in the first hour, after that it settles down, but lingers on you. On clothes it stays for ages. To conclude, this is not a fragrance that one should blindbuy ever, especially at the loudacris prices online... For me, it was a very well received gift.

@Ranya Lol, I live on Rene Levesque too. They have 1 tester and 1 bottle available at Eaton Center. In the little counter in the alley. It was still there 2 weeks ago. I saw 2 bottles last summer in the little discout boutiques on the plaza st hubert. I never said it was 20$... and I never said that there are 10 bottles around... ;) Your sister can go in the Les Sens Ciel counter besides ZARA at Place Montreal Trust and ask the lady to check in the computer, there is certainly one bottle that she will be able to track for you. In my opinion, you should really try parfum de peau from montana, It is really close... really, if you are into this scent, it would be a really close match! Finally, I am probably older than you but Iquitos was a drugstore discount perfume in the 80-90s, nobody cared for it... really... Anyone else recalls that or am I the older one here ;)

I so wanted to love this. I am on a never-ending quest to find the perfect masculine rose scent and the reviews on here had me purchasing a miniature the very next day. But try as I might, I just couldn't love this one. When I was small I used to go to my grandmothers and in her bathroom were a group of perfumes that never seemed to get used and were always coated in a fine layer of talcum powder. I used to smell them each time I visited because I used to feel a bit sorry for them! Unfortunately, Iquitos reminds me of those fragrances. So far, the best masculine rose I have found is Cabaret by Gres. It is as close as I have found to perfection. As for the best feminine rose, I have to give that award to Stella by Stella McCartney. BTW, if you have a masculine rose scent suggestion I'm all ears - or should that be nose?

A formal green fragrance in the vein of a university garden. Green yet elegant and controlled. Not a wild grass or flower smell. An odd, but addictive mix of jungle and high culture, like the town of Iquitos itself. My Iquitos and my Francesco Smalto smell rather similar in one way I didn't expect. Somewhere in both there is a hint of finest vintage pear liqeur. Iquitos has plenty more fresh air in it than Smalto though. I guess it's more "transparent". Iquitos is out of production, but there are still similar, if not identical fragrances in production. Must and Must essence by Cartier come to mind but I'm sure there are others as well. So if you missed out on Iquitos don't worry. Sniffing Cartier's Must Essence will take you to the same place in a slightly different boat.

A class of its own! Iam sure Monsieur Delon has stored away some of this for himself as well:) Packed with character and a whole bunch of ingredients, this is a perfume which would be unimaginable to be released today. It is extremely dense and instantly recognizable. Very exotic and plays along the line of being male or female but ends up with being very male, if the wearer has the right profile to live up to this scent. Like some other have written, it also shaped some of my times back in 1993/1994 and around 2001 and it will make its comebcack very soon as I have ordered a 100ml of this magic liquid. I dont even care who likes it or not. I wear it, I like it and the others have to get used to it. Again:)

Tenere by Paco Rabanne was compared to this fragrance, and IMO Tenere is a more beautiful fragrance mostly because Tenere pops. Tenere smells very similar to Iquitos without the animalic note. Iquitos doesn't smell like it's price point. It's okay, and the notes pyramid above are extremely accurate. I would describe Iquitos as a more powdery animalic muted version of Tenere. Rose is also prominent in Iquitos, and if you enjoy the rose note in Iquitos, check out Balenciaga Ho Hang Club which is affordable, and also IMO nicer. Iquitos is beautiful, but not $300+ beautiful. Thank you Manly Scents.

Advice: don't buy everything because it gets good reviews! :) I was quite curious for Iquitos and bought a full size 100ml bottle. I don't regret buying it, but I don't think I will ever wear it. Iquitos is of superb quality. Well blended and pronounced. However it's really dated. I think it's the aldehydes/rose/oakmoss combo that makes me think Iquitos is only for a bygone era. Classy, but not for me. Without wanting to bash the fanbase of this fragrance, I wouldn't be surprised to smell this on an older lady (60+). 9/10 for quality 5/10 for wearability (as a male, mid 30).