Stra-Vivara

review for stra-vivara parfum. mel_nocturnum said it all. fragrantica's notes aren't about stra-vivara: especially the amaretto and floral notes. while fragrantica is a great container for review of the impossibly large cornucopia of new fragrances, sometimes it falls short of knowledge in old perfumery. luca turin too, so no throwing stones here... stra-vivara, to my nose, is signor vivara for her. there is a progression from vivara to stra-vivara to signor vivara. stra-vivara enhances all vivara green and bitter notes, softening vivara's floral and (do I smell?) lactonic notes. signor vivara takes this progression to the extreme, adding some luscious myrrh/olibanum notes, the same notes I smell in ho-hang club. in 1965 the genius of michel hy created vivara. in 1970 signor vivara was lauched. the same year stra-vivara was lauched too. in 1975 the very same michel hy created, for YSL, the first unisex fragrance: it was the gorgeous and evanescent eau libre. but the idea that men and woman could use the same fragrance, is already present in the simultaneous launch of signor vivara & stra-vivara, the same fragrance, with some adjustments, to create a version for him and for her. this reminds me the glorious bernard chant, who created many fragrances for him & for her as variation of the same base fragrance: aramis-cabochard, aramis 900-aromatics elixir...

Mental notes for the time being. -notes list is complete rubbish; this is an animalic leather. -Bandit is the closest relative. I can also imagine that the regular Vivara and the Eau Fraîche are close to Aliage. -again, these notes are absolutely 0% accurate. I guess they go for one of the latest Vivara’s from around a decade ago. -search for it! -the notes for Signor Vivara are what I smell here. Definitely picking up a lot of galbanum and artemisia in the opening. This is GREEN and BITTER just like I like it. A lot of leather too, isobutyl leather. Florals hardly, if any. The animalic facet could be castoreum and/or costus, I don’t get that powdered savon feel of civet but more of an oily scalp feel. There could be some carnation or clove hiding in there. I’d love for the floral notes to come through. Later wearings might show them. Smells impeccably fresh and well preserved. 120ml edt (or maybe even extrait as there’s no mention of concentration on the box) reviewed. Massive oakmoss richness all throughout its evolution. A chypre for the Côte d’Azur goers. 70’s beach glamour.

Harsh vetiver, & intense powdery sweet galbanum... I get a very bitter harsh intense herbal essence with dry vetiver, dry powdered galbanum, & intense patchouli all drenched in liquid bitter amaretto & sweetened with bergamot, orange blossoms, and narcissus while the bitter amaretto whiffs back and forth within which makes it smell like a slight sweet tobacco-ish smoke. Beautiful made indeed.