Numero Uno

Numero Uno is definitely going to put off a normie olfactory palate whose safe space is firmly planted in the sweet, clean, or synth-woody. This will undoubtedly be perceived as "dated," and a number of reviews scoff at the resemblance to halfway clean, halfway dirty lavatories. One review is so specific as to mention "airplane bathroom sanitation liquid." Naturally, I love it. That's not to say I had any fun in halfway clean, halfway dirty lavatories in my youth, but, I kinda did. This pushes all the elements I love about the chypre front and center. There is a huge citrus element, including the addition of a little something called litsea cubeba, also known as may chang. This evergreen shrub yields an essential oil, that is distinctly lemon drop lemony with woody-floral-green undertones. I first learned of its use when I studied aromatherapy but found few instances of its appearance in perfume. It is very apparent here and I love that it is: when the sparkling bergamot wanes, the litsea cubeba is there to freshen up and amplify the rustic herbal-floral heart of Numero Uno, most notably a unique union of violet and thyme. It reminds me of Pre de Provence soaps. The dry down is where folks may find it most reminiscent of classic chypres like Mitsouko, Miss Balmain, and even Capucci Pour Homme. It's musky, labdanum-heavy, and bitter-mossy. However, its feel is more like bathing herbs in a spa (perhaps with that aforementioned bathroom around the corner), darkly green, woody, and with suggestions of sebaceous costus further into its dry down. While myrrh is listed in the notes pyramid, it isn't particularly prominent to my nose, but it's supposed presence may serve to contribute to this whole effect. I find this to be quite distinguished and is a no-brainer for my appetite. Chypre fiends, take note.

wonderful manly, playful, seductive scent. Numero Uno is a scent I could wear everyday, just might be a great signature. A statement of your masculinity, but not overly masculine if you know what I mean.. a woody, herbal beautiful scent that makes me think of the roman coliseum..all the fragrant smells that would have been going on a personal type of man smell.. , a masculine scent that's for sure but not overpowering and actually quite an elegant scent but it also exudes a distinctive aroma and in a pleasing way very herbal. people around me seem to like this too.that is always a positive, have been told that smells like a bath oil .i get the patchouli / citrus note at first ..but that is not the dominant scent to me.. i pick up the aroma of that era like an incense burning in the background. really an earthy warm and powerful scent.where is my sword and shield? i think achilles wore this one. worth a try...got my sample from lucky scent.a few dabs stayed with me for a while...so good longevity from my point of view. one that i want to add to my growing collection, and my wife likes it..so a winner! and only the winner goes to dinner!

Soapy-salty-herbal-muskiness in a bottle! Did I say musky? This bright yet bitter bold fragrance is unique in the sense that it's executed with a relatively traditional concept in mind. Resulting in something that's not necessarily "new", but rather made in a simple fashion. An underrated new-classic and a personal favorite!

When I embarked on an excursion to the isle of Capri, complete with a boat ride through the grotto apparently depicted in the Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue ads, I had no idea that Carthusia was a serious perfume house. At the time (way back in 2003), I knew very little about Italian perfumery at all. So when I hiked up the hill and browsed in the gift shops and found that one of them had local-made perfume laid out on tables to beckon tourists, I picked up a bottle of Fiori di Capri simply as a souvenir of my journey to such a beautiful place. It turned out to be a good floral perfume, if a bit sharp for my tastes, but I still never investigated its provenance until relatively recently. It turns out that Carthusia makes excellent perfumes, including Numero Uno, which I am wearing today. This fragrance is marketed to men, and upon initial application it seems like just another fine men's aromatic cologne. All of the usual suspects are present: lavender, orange, rosemary, vetiver... It smells like an herbal-citrus cologne for a few minutes. What happens next, however, is a transformation to a truly delightful grassy chypre deserving of the name "perfume". At this stage I am reminded of something along the lines of Balmain Balmain--strangely enough marketed to women, though many find it to be masculine--proving yet again that gender designations are meaningless. Numero Uno is not a masculine fragrance but a refined unisex grassy chypre perfect for spring and summertime but wearable all year round because it smells so great!

This is a fragrance that sings of a bygone era. This stuff goes way beyond old school. This fragrance feels 'ancient' and because of that it transcends the typical labels of 'Dad's cologne' or 'Old Man's scent' that are often projected onto fragrances steeped in tradition. I can't explain how enjoyable this fragrance is - not because it is better than most fragrances or more groundbreaking - because it's not. Instead it is because it is so unlike the endless coveyor belt of current designer fragrances. As I sniff this I feel like I have stepped into a time capsule that's taken me back a few hundred years. I can visualize the image of someone in a little laboratory room crafting fragrance from recipes loosely scrawled on small pieces of paper. Dipping into old overused glass flasks filled with natural extractions and little satchels of various precious resins. There is a potent herbal freshness in the initial application that soon gives way to a natural resinous softness. The combination of herbs and resins gives way to something engrained in my past - akin to scent saturated wood in an old church. It is somehow unique yet recognizable at the same time. It feels familiar even though I cannot pinpoint where I have smelled those resinous dry-down notes before. The brilliance of Laura Tonatto is evident in this fragrance. All together enjoyable and strangely makes me think of the paintings of Fra Angelico.