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.

A nice spring fragrance, mostly a fresh aromatic chypre (there's some tree moss in this even though it does not appear on the note pyramid above) with woody touches. This is neither expensive nor offensive, and would probably make a good gift fragrance for a man over 40 (such as me). Eucalyptus is a hard note to pull off because it smells a little camphoraceous unless used in minute amounts, and both it and the violet note are a little too strong for my tastes in the opening (I do understand how with the citrus people say that the opening reminds them of a restroom that has just been cleaned). but those notes blend in with the other more chypre elements in the drydown, which is actually quite nice. I started out not liking this during the initial application, but as the day has worn on I really enjoy it. I would note that it lasts unusually long too, and is very pleasant on a hot day.

I agree with many of the reviewers here: This is a scent with its roots firmly in the old school. Not that that’s a bad thing, but it takes a certain kind of man to pull this off. I had to think about this one a bit ... I don’t know if the passer-by will think anything other than that this is some variant of “dad cologne” or aftershave, but if they (and you) can be trusted to really mull it over, you’ll find something more. Sure, there’s a distinct aftershave feel to it, but it smells of really expensive, natural ingredients. The musk, eucalyptus, herbs, and citruses all come together for something quite nice. Bottom line: It is impossible for me to imagine anyone pulling this scent off while wearing a t-shirt (or really, being under the age of 30). This screams gentlemanly sophistication, and in my view, should be worn on occasions when that mentality suits you.

#1226 in my "Tour de Fragrance" This is a woody aromatic with a kind of powdery/soapy undertone that becomes more pronounced in the dry down. It was filling the room from the second I pulled the stopper out of this decant. A single drop on the back of my hand was almost overwhelming in projection. It's hard to make the myrrh too much for me, but this comes close before it starts to settle down. You definitely wouldn't spray this on just before getting in a car pool, elevator. To me this is a unisex scent. The quality is undeniable, and I think most people will find this a very attractive scent, it just won't be a bottle buy for me as I'm not a fan of ylang ylang, which is always a bit much for me to stomach. But aside from that it gets pretty likeable in the dry down and the price is reasonable for this quality.

The more I smell it, the more it reminds me of a bottle of CK mens escape I wore in my early 20s. Maybe it's the powerful citrus/eucalyptus opening. I really like this fragrance, but still on the fence as to whether it's full bottle worthy.

smells like a herbal bath, quite a relaxing feel to It

Update: Tried another sample...same result. The weird airplane bathroom smell is front and center for too long. A shame. Two years since my last review. Again, off a decant. Somehow, I really like this. It feels old-school in a good way. Different from all the freshie junk that dominates the dens of most men these days. It is certainly pretty complex and well blended. But the more I wear it, the more I notice a very subtle but problematic note in this...and it is not always noticeable or present...but there is an unmistakable smell of airplane bathroom sanitation liquid. I think it may be the orange-amber combo that gives this off because as this dries down, it is less prominent. But it ruins the fragrance for me. Even my kids immediately noticed that note without me prompting it. If Carthusia could solve that issue, this would be a solid FB buy.

This is a really interesting scent and I am still somewhat unsure what to think. There is a lot going on in the beginning but as soon as the drydown happens, this reminds me 100% of the scent you can get when walking by blooming Mimosa trees or smelling those yellow blossom bushes that are so common on the slopes of Vesuvio. There is an interplay of violet and woodiness even though "wood" isn't a component that I find particularly descriptive. Feels really old school and maybe slightly behind the times in 2018.

mitsouko dei poveri. allora accattatevi mitsouko! trattasi infatti di colonia con note erbacee, floreali e chypre di fondo. l'evoluzione è comunque piuttosto monocorde e parte da agrumi strasentiti, senza passare per la complessità dinamica di mitsouko . ricorda vagamente il floyd dei barbieri... se si considera il costo di un profumo di nicchia, direi di non soffermarsi su cose inutili come questa.

Mentholic, herbal soap on a strong woody base. Very Italian. Not my style of perfumery.

Its Old School. 3 Notes. The leafy oily note takes first place, though its second tempo in-line. Straight forward and no complications but sophisticated. I am carried away in imagination and memory to a small town. Stone houses built from wall-to-wall within intimate lanes and roads with cobble stones. White faded picket fences with paint peeling off, climate is cold and people are selfish, all unto themselves. Uncut lawns with wild flowers growing in corners coming up through the fence. Homes are well kept with furniture handed from previous generations. Clean and Self centered. Its a gloomy day and skies are cast with thunder storms. You want to buy some good tobacco from an old shop selling antiques, stamps and stale chocolate and old books. And suddenly from the back of your mind, You are reminded of the great things the Greeks and Romans did and wonder why the hell you are born unto this shit stale town. The perfume reminds me of great nations, of merriment and plenty. Use only if you can carry this well. Its brute and classy on a classy person and its cheap and foul on a man known to take short cuts and who does not understand or discuss the values of quality. Wear lightly Dry eau de cologne-like fragrance Ok for any season Linear Fresh Beautiful Orange note vanishes after a few minutes. Skin Notes after 2 hours on a sweaty day is pleasant.

Occasionally I tire of the mass of aquatics and citrus scents that I smell on the men around me. Discovering Numero Uno was a nice change, something unique and pleasing. Numero Uno is quite herbaceous, but not in an overly green sense. It has this deliciously smooth and soothing blend of herbs, with the lavender in particular giving it that dreamy feel. I bought a sample of this for my boyfriend to wear and I absolutely adored it. I liked it not because it was sexy, or because it was particularly bold, I found myself attracted to its friendliness. It made him smell so approachable and cuddly. It actually makes a wonderful bed-time scent. Some might say that this is a fragrance for older men, but I disagree. I also think despite its rather masculine scent, a woman could also wear this. The subtle, powdery violet in the heart makes it a tad unisex. Sharp notes of orange only feature for a few seconds in the opening. I get a lot of rosemary, lavender, patchouli, violet, musk and myrrh in this fragrance. The eucalyptus note is there, but I can't guarantee that you'll smell like the Australian bushland with this fragrance, although it does have a rugged feel to it. The longevity is wonderful, however the sillage is rather soft, hence the reason why I find this a pleasing bed-time scent. Numero Uno is not for everyone but it's worth a try.

Dark green herbs & spices... This is a nice woody "chypre" style fragrance. I like it a lot! It has just enough spice and kick to keep it interesting and with character. I want to say it's a "mossy" fragrance... but there's no oakmoss listed in the notes. Instead, there are a selection of many different dry green herbs and labdanum, which gives this a rustic, bitter and green feel. The real component that sets it apart is the orange note... and the orange here is paired up with the background bitter, moss-like herbs to give it an overall masculine feel. This really is like Guerlain - Mitsouko but with an orange note. However Mistouko is sweeter overall. I also think this that Numero Uno is more bitter, and therefore more masculine. I would say this is Mitsouko but mixed with Terre d'Hermès . It has a rugged, "dirty" or "mossy" orange... amongst all the Mediterranean herbs and spices. I think it's a very good choice for men. This is definitely one that more men should check out. The price (for a niche house) is not so high as other brands. It's a fragrance which evokes the masculine styles of the past (the fougères and mossy chypres of the past) but with a unique modern twist (the orange note). Very wearable. In fact it has got me noticed and complimented whilst wearing it. Very nice, and definitely worth a look

Numero Uno can't help but have high expectations with a name like that. It's a classic take on the chypre type perfume I'd have sworn there's oakmoss in here as it has that trditional feel. In essence it's a woody warm, slightly floral, herbal, musk fragrance. Opens with bergamot and clean vetiver then the sharp labdanum, and myhrr start to come through. Then as it dries down settles to a more herbal type fragrance with patchouli, all these elements excellently balanced and don't take long to transition & quickly settle into a singular entity. I get a kind of animal smell, it's a natural one of pheromones, like skin or more specifically...scalp. Bare with me on this one. Some fragrances evoke this quality of when I kiss my girlfriend on the top of her head and I get a slightly herbal, soapy, shampoo, hair and warm scalp smell. Sounds a bit pervy I know...I don't have a scalp fetish honestly. So a good fragrance then...good but not great. It certainly communicates what it needs to with clarity and has good longevity and projection on my skin.

I so badly want to love this. We just returned from a wonderful trip to Italy and spent time on the Amalfi coast. While exploring the shops in Positano we came across a Carthusia store and decided we needed a souvenir from there....and it would my first from this house. We sampled several and settled on Fiori di Capri for my wife and Numero Uno for me. I liked this one on the strip and a wrist spray but now trying to wear it back home and I just can't get past what feels like a wall of powder. Not feeling any of the other notes and not much evolution I can detect from initial spray. I may look to sell or trade it, but will probably keep it as a memory from an otherwise magical trip to Italia.

Soapy, green, floral, a little herbal and spicy, it reminds me of an old-fashioned lavender-based cologne. As it dries down it sweetens a bit, but the lavender remains prominent. It goes through a phase where it smells a little fruity, but then it goes back to the lavender cologne and stays in that mode until it finally disappears 12 hours or more later. It has enough sillage to make its presence known and has excellent longevity, but is at no point overpowerlingly strong. It’s a well-made, conventionally “masculine” scent that would be wearable by anyone in a wide spectrum of situations. Not wildly exciting, but pleasant and dependable.