No 17 Civet Chypre

I decided to sample this again because it was one of those fragrances that you like but don't think you don't need when first sampled. More so because you are trying to keep your collection down. But #17 was just something that I kept thinking about in the back of my mind and something was telling me I needed to revisit this fragrance. It is really hard to find good musk fragrances in today's day. This is a very good musk fragrance. I don't consider this close to a chypre at all. For me this is all about the florals and the musk. I would put this in the musky floral category. Soft, clean neroli, sweet and creamy ylang, pillowy moss and buttery musk. It's a sleeper type of fragrance much like Jean Patou Joy Forever was for me. And that is now one of my ride or die perfumes. #17 kept calling me like that and it needs to be in my collection. There are things I can give away to make room for this and other fragrances I need. You live and learn in this hobby. #17 is Vintage style but executed in a way that is very wearable for today. Got to have it.

I love cognoscenti even if I can’t live with all of their fragrances (and why would I expect to?). There is such a sense of fun and humor in all of their compositions I’ve sampled. No 17 was a nearsighted buy (smelled but didn’t live w a sample) at Tigerlily and SF this weekend. It is such an easy breezy take on what could be an intimidating genre. Teen animalic chypre. Miss animalic chypre. Candy tone animalic chypre. Barbie animalic chypre. Emoji animalic chypre. It has a certain turn of the millennium sense of fun despite its 2012 vintage, with a bright neroli note taking charge of the lovely floral accord at its heart, smearing the impression of that initial energetic bergamot far into the drydown that is (yes) heavy on animalic and oakmoss accords but never seems brooding, over the top, or decadent. Not that any of those descriptors are bad, but they don’t describe No. 17. This is not the silent film actress but the thembo next door... and we love that for them.

Beautiful easy to wear classical chypre. Unlike most chypre it is not aggressive to my nose. I can smell rose, oakmoss, a lot of oakmoss, soft neroli. Despite the name it is not really an animalic scent. The dry down is much sweeter and feminine but it is really an unisex scent. It could easily a signature fragrance as it is refined and easy going at the same time. Longevity is excellent, as most perfumes offered by that brand.

This was a blind purchase and one of the best scents EVER! This can be worn day or not. Due to its refined scent, it will not be offensive to others, and certainly not the wearer. I tend to like fragrances with a history. The maker of this fragrance has personal rapport with her clients which makes the scent even more wearable and memorable to me.