Ettore Bugatti

An Italian beauty - epitomising the sophistication of Italian fine perfumery. And a fitting tribute to a pioneer of the automotive industry who designed and built his first car in 1898 - at the age of seventeen. Ettore Bugatti was always a hero of mine - and a cult figure among classic car enthusiasts - although his marque folded after his death in 1947. The Bugatti cars around nowadays have nothing to do with Ettore - the current incarnation of Bugatti is a franchise owned by Volkswagen. No idea who’s behind the fragrances that bear the name Bugatti but those I’ve experienced are of superlative quality and style. Presentation is classy and the flacon is a brilliant design - a perfect union of form and function - presumably an allusion to the legacy of its namesake in automotive engineering. An effervescent citrus overture, an aromatic interlude, and a sumptuous panoply of florals, resins and woods with oakmoss and (subdued, almost undetectable) castoreum in a supporting role. The dry down almost feels like a different fragrance altogether as it transforms into an exquisite creamy coumarin-woody-vanillic-benzoin. Unquestionably one of the most beautiful fragrances I’ve ever encountered. Still entirely wearable, thoroughly modern even. Can’t think of anything like it. Shame they don’t make them like this anymore. Performance and longevity are phenomenal. On my skin this stuff lasts more than 12 hours in Winter. The one I have is the royal blue box and I’m glad I found it again but wish I had a helluva lot more. Apparently you can still find vintage Ettore Bugatti in Italy. A remarkable, timeless Italian beauty that’s very wearable today.

Ettore Bugatti is one of my absolute favourite perfumes, of all times. I have stocked several bottles, but I dread the day I won't be able to don myself in this marvel anymore. EB opens with aldehydes and the most saturated citrus I've probably experienced - sunbaked lemons and crispy bergamot zest, backed by dusty rosewood, indole rich neroli and a savoury, almost salty, clary sage. At this stage, one might carefully associate EB with Habit Rouge, but, Habit Rouge is but an appetiser and a light desert compered to this hearty three course meal. What I cherish most about Ettore Bugatti, however, is its animalic aspect. I imagine EB to be like standing among a pride of lions on the Serengeti. I get the notorious "cat piss" from this one - but in the very best way possible! In no way is this a kitty litter box, and it's anything but a bodily waste product. It is a precious and assertive spray that marks a territory, sprinkled on the savannah, evaporating from scorched trunks of acacia trees and tall dry grasses. Woods and coumarin. The image might sound repulsive, but I find it glorious, a majestic air of the king and queens of the beasts. Once the citrus has faded to a low ember and only traces remain of the animalic pride, one is in for a treat of a dry down. A base of tanned fullgrain leather and soap reminiscent raw savon de Marseille, while the woods and coumarin merges into a lightly smoked vanilla. Italian perfumery at its very very best.

A simple but very niche Guerlain-style chypre. Opens with a blast of citrus and lime, that will stay for some time, until a noticeable (but well behaved) animalic note will come in support, joined by florals, vanilla and aldehydes. The drydown is the no-thrill classical leathery/tobacco-ish combo of labdanum and moss, seen many times before (ie GF for Man), but beautifully executed here, with a hint of soapy animalic musks and a subtle but omnipresent lime note (in the base!!). Beautiful, but will have to confirm that the projectionis soft on my skin (something expected with a 25/30yrs old bottle), but the scent has not been altered, and a bit of double layering may push the longevity (as a skin scent) up to 6 hours. Should you want to get your hands on that one, I strongly suggest to get the 1st or 2nd ed (both have the golden'yellow original juice and a blue box - with or without red logo), and for sure not the 3ed (black box, transparent juice, and even less the current version. That said, due to the vintage nature of this scent (which imo reflects more the 80s than the 90s) and the performance issues, I'd recomment a 1oz bottle to collector, to be enjoyed at home. Spring/Fall days, 30+

Ettore Bugatti is a refined fragrance that would have the audacity to slap my other fragrances in the face. It has such a strong construction to it featuring a strikingly pungent citrus-mix of lemon-lime-bergamot anchored by a solid base of musk-amber-benzoin. It’s not the most complicated scent and doesn’t evolve into much else beyond the opening but does carry a significant presence throughout its scent arc. The scent could be off-putting to modern tastes, but the type of person wearing this could care less about modernity or what others think. I cannot imagine a boring, subdued, or forgettable person wearing this scent. It is for a bold or confident person, not a follower or subservient. Score: 8.5 out of 10 Would I purchase a replacement bottle? Yes, but is not easy to find, so doubt I will ever end up with a second bottle.

Bugatti pour Homme is a real stunner, a sort of encounter between Guerlain and Chanel. But its evolution is pure magic, hidden behind a chypre structure. It starts with a classic citrus accord, bright, and magnificently bitter. Then some powdery, sweet vibes join the top notes,with balsamic and woody nuances ending with an animalic, ambery explosion. If you like complex fragrances you don't need to search further. In my opinion one of the best and most overlooked scents around. 9.5/10