Yes I Was Madly In Love, But That Was Yesterday

I get positive comments about the perfumes I choose to test rarely. Well, because with testing you will never guess where you will find your gem. But even my husband noticed how well I smell wearing “madly in love”. And I was lucky to find it here right when I gave up on Kilian after the series of saddening tests (Intoxicated, forbidden games, city of sin, good girl gone bad, moonlight in heaven). Back to black is still my forever love though. But this one is more day-friendly version. I can hear all notes and then some that are not supposed to be there (vanilla and some wood). It has a great longevity and cute bottle.

The most fascinating interpretation of this classic Arabic olfactory profile, which includes your beloved Tuscan Leather... However, Tuscan Leather is just a variation of a traditional Arabic blend.. an abstract accord of berry leather, tobacco, saffron, and incense, what else.. violet, bla bla.. rather than the original source. Similar perfumes were created by many Arabic brands long before Tuscan Leather, although most people aren’t aware of this. So, to be clear, this is not Tuscan Leather. It’s a completely different fragrance. Brilliantly crafted, and in my opinion, one of the best works in this style.

I see no resemblance to Tuscan Leather. In order of prominence: Raspberry, White Tobacco , Leather. Very tightly blended perfume which is straight up unisex. Just got this in, so will update this review with more wears. It is "sweet" but has a "musty" tobacco vibe at the same time.. Very simple perfume in construction. Definitely simple, but sometimes less is more. Initial impressions.. 7.5/10 ----------------------------

My review is based on a sample. I like it, but I don't think it's suitable for blind buy even if you like Tuscan Leather or Le Petit Robe Noir or Mmm JHaG... or if you expect this to be like the other sweet creations from By Kilian. No sweetness here and it's not as clearly defined and loud as Tuscan Leather. It's very well blended and more of an everyday scent. I have to reach, though, in order to associate TL with Madly in Love. But the dryness of the raspberry immediately reminded me of a similar raspberry - that in Guerrilla 2 Comme des Garcons (where you have spices to accompany it, and here you have subtle tobacco-leather enveloping the raspberry). The raspberry is not like bubble gum/candy-like/lollipop, paired with vanilla. Raspberries are a very tricky territory for me and this raspberry is not sweet and gourmand in the sense of raspberry jam - where you can recognize it immediately through the combination of sugar and Vitamin C. This one feels cold and dry - like raspberry seed ketones (should you happen to remember how these once popular supplements smell like) or very very dry raspberry wine. And this slightly under-ripe raspberry feels like it's in a suede-like leather basket and sprinkled on top with blond tobacco. It is blended well, but quickly transforms into something that looses it's coherent idea. Maybe due to its simplicity since there are not too many bridges between the three main accords here. And now, suede and tobacco are gone, you mostly feel raspberry ketones and dry vitamin C powder (no sugar still, thank god). I mentioned Guerrilla 2 Comme des Garcons, but I do understand why someone may suggest Interlude pour homme in the "reminds me of section" above, and I may add that the same "something" is in Amouage Memoir (pour homme) - it's a type of resinous sweetness that gives a smoky effect and the tobacco here has it too. Gives a nice spin to the suede/leather. I like Madly in Love very much for what it is, but I'm still contemplating if I like it enough for the price with its poor performance and quick fall-apart to actually buy it or maybe I shouldn't simply stick with Tuscan Leather and for a change I go with Guerilla 2 and layer it with Another Oud by JHaG or dab Memoir/Interlude pour homme on top. I may actually pull the trigger because although it's leather and tobacco scent, there's something sheer about it, that I feel I want in my life.

“Yes I Was Madly In Love, But That Was Yesterday.” What a strange name for a fragrance, a name that doesn’t really resonate with the scent profile or any related story at all really. Forgetting that, the scent itself is rather quite nice, but I’m not crazy about it. Raspberry has always been one of those notes I have a hard time enjoying, in fact I’m still yet to find a single raspberry perfume I actually love - I always find it too sweet, cloying and plasticky. Here, thankfully, the raspberry is rather tame whilst still acting as the most dominant note. It’s definitely sweet, juicy and gourmand, but thankfully the tobacco balances it very well with a touch of dryness. I’ll admit I was concerned when I saw raspberry and leather together, it gave me flashbacks to the abomination that is Tuscan Leather. Thankfully, this is nothing like that - I would happily wear this and enjoy it, but I don’t love it enough to buy a bottle.