Eloge du Traitre

After falling head over heels for ELdO's Eau de Protection for Rossy de Palma I decided to order a sample set from them. Most of the perfumes I tried until now (Charogne, Vierges et Toreros, Noël au Balcon, Archives 69 and even Jasmin et Cigarette) left me quite disappointed. None could compare to the luminosity and genius of Eau de Protection. Then along came Eloge du Traître (wonderful name, by the way). The opening is green, aromatic and bitter and than it turns more bitter still, slightly musty with a very strong woody note. It almost smells to me like biting in a branch just pulled of a tree, just not as fresh. Slightly unpleasant and unsettling almost, precisely what I love about Etat Libre. Beautiful, wearable, but slightly unsettling perfumes. After some time Eloge becomes drier, but still full of aroma. Laurel is very prominent, strangely enough I don't really smell pine at all. I'm in wood heaven. Thrown back and forth between a leafless forest in winter and a room packed with ancient wooden boxes, that have absorbed the scent of everything they ever carried. And apparently they carried a lot of dried herbs. After a couple of hours a dark, sophisticated leather shows up. The leather mixes with the bitter woods and astringent herbs and rounds the fragrance, mellows it slightly, makes it deeper. This perfume is absolutely full bottle worthy. It is melancholy, brooding, deep. A person full of dark thoughts, but not without compassion, he does not kill for fun, he kills because he needs to, because he must.

This is my favorite from the ELdO line. There's nothing hugely original going on here, but this is a very well executed fougere that was clearly inspired by some of the virile masculines of the 1980s. When I first smelled this, I was instantly reminded of Halston Z-14, which my father wore some 20+ years ago. There is also a definite resemblance to Caron's Yatagan. Still, I'm always attracted to fragrances that attempt to capture the scents of the forest. This is definitely that - you're immediately struck by a beautiful pairing of pine and laurel in this fragrance. The wormwood is nicely aromatic, and the patchouli is actually quite subtle. The real twist here comes in the form of jasmine - not an ingredient you'd expect in this sort of fragrance. That said, the addition of that jasmine really gives this an additional dimension - and balance. Since this is a throwback to those ultra masculines, it will still scare a few people. Too bad - this is a wonderful, earthy fragrance that is particularly nice in cooler weather. Wear this one in the fall and be transported to the northern woods. This could have been Agent Cooper's signature scent in "Twin Peaks". ELdO has already done a collaboration with Tilda Swinton - maybe they should do one with David Lynch?

I love green fragrances and I’ve sampled quite a few now, but this one hits a real sweet spot: it’s a woody, bitter, herbal greenness that’s distinctly masculine in a vintage way. I love the presentation of wormwood here: it adds a thrilling nervous energy to the aromatic bay leaf, sage, and clove notes, like a poisonous snake slithering through undergrowth. The pine notes also blend seamlessly into the musky, leathery base, conjuring a foggy forest, not a Christmas tree. The geranium and jasmine are a surprise, as is the fact that this fragrance is so green without having any galbanum or vetiver. It feels surprisingly light and agile—effervescent, even—but it also has impressive duration and sillage. Many people have described this as a modernized version of Caron’s classic Yatagan, which I haven’t smelled, though I gather that it’s more animalic (I suspect it might lean a little ~too~ overtly masc for my taste, though I’m very curious about it). Of all the scents I’ve sniffed by Antoine Maisondieu, this is easily my favourite. I wish it wasn't discontinued! Hopefully my decanted sample lasts me until I can find a vintage bottle—or better yet, maybe ELdO will bring it back?

A remarkable fragrance for man (though marketed as to be unisex, I can see nothing unisex in here). The opening was rather sharp with bay leaves, but after the first few minutes it settles down to a fantastic pine and bay leave combo. The best part is the heart and the dry down where "Eloge du Traitre" turns to be a smoky and warm pine scent. The pine is very natural smelling and hard to resist actually. Do try this, it is a marvelous aromatic scent reminding me of warm summer nights in forest after the rain. This smells very inviting on me and I can only imagine how perfect would this smell on a man. Masculine, warm, sensual and macho like. One of the best by Etat libre d`Orange. UPD: Wanted to add that the staying power is enormous. It has been 14 hours or so and I can feel "Eloge du Traite" on my wrist still going very strong.

Take Caron Yatagan, and give it the necessary twist to make it wearable on a daily base in the 2010's... Here is Eloge du Traitre. Beautiful piney smoky birch tar (aka leather) with a strong support of bayleaf and cloves. Shares similarities with other leather fragrances, like Yatagan (as said before), Versace L'Homme, Bogart Signature and Bottega Veneta Pour Homme. Nothing new, but an excellent fine-tuning from ELdO, that makes this one of the most interesting in that category. Quite linear with moderate/heavy projection and I suggest not to overspray if worn at the office. Highly recommended to amateurs of this style. That said, young crowds and beginner nose may not appreciate it at its real value. Fall/Winter days, 30+

I put this into my top 5 this cool rainy Spring morning. This is an underated masterpiece perhaps. It's reminding me of why I like fragrances. I thank God for the beautiful smells in nature that He has given us to enjoy. Eloge is transporting me to waking up camping on the Appalacian trail, on a mountain top in Northern Vermont. It's cool and rainy and the vegitation is more pungent. I am smelling the cool bay leaf, pine and bitter green artemesia, the smell of minerals on a wet granite outcrop. Very natural and beautiful fragrance, allmost an anti perfume, as it smells so natural earthy and coniferous. Rating: 10/10 God bless. John 3:16

At first this gave me leather, lavender, cloves, tobacco - this is how the morning after the night before should smell but never does. The tobacco and leather stay, but a breath of fresh night air creeps in and the scent sinks to a sombre, comforting elegance that I almost forgot I was wearing. Finally, I realised I was smelling cedar forests and moss. What can I say? Pretentious, I know, but this strikes me as the perfume equivalent of Vaughan Williams' Tallis variations. I truly love it and long for a big, big bottle. Would work for women, men, and as a scent for the home. Really lovely and not even slightly treacherous.

What I love about Eloge du Traitre is the dry white smoke that permeates the pine, bay, and artemisia green resinous accord, it feels almost like powdered stone drifting suspended through gently moving air. After the bracing opening the deliberate restraint lends an introspective and slightly melancholy air somewhat similar in mood to Memoir Man, the subtle dark oily leather in the drydown only adding to the mood. It's the opposite of happy go lucky, but when you're in the mood it seems to touch at a deep level

A great scent. I don't know what happened to the great Yatagan but it smelt like the ghost of what I was expecting. I suspect reformulation. This is the wonderful woody aromatic creation I was expecting. It transports you to a wonderful coniferous forest. Lots of aromatic notes and wood at first then gradually the leather appears. I think it's a unisex scent for us gals who enjoy aromatic scents. Its lovely for cold weather wear. Pretty good longevity and good sillage.

This was the best ELdO fragrance ever. I still have 1/2 bottle, and put it in my top 5 yesterday from a large collection. I love natural smelling fragrances. This is very beautiful and enjoyable fragrance from the forest. Love the bay leaf, artemisia and pine accord. Very hard to find old bottles on eBay. PS: A. GREAT ALTERNATIVE IS "FRENCH LOVER " BY FREDERIC MALLE. It has juniper, artemisia, galbanum, and other green forest stuff, with a touch of Florentine Iris.

When you first spray this fragrance you will be thrown into a forger sensation. First you are in a forest of pine trees . A refresh awakening with the warm sensuality of what is to come. Clove accords are introduced with hint of geranium. The warm down is a masculine elegance. The patchouli in this fragrance is modern with flashes of the past. This is a beautiful green, spicy and earthy scent blended beautifully

piercingly sharp green at first, almost acrid, could have cut my nose in half pure pine needles, clove, sage, patchouli, chopped garden herbs, so naturalistic it’s very bright although it does smooth out over time to a slightly bitter floral green with a dark musky cannabis/coconut incense thing going on underneath, it's interesting the entire way through, so good

Perfumery at its finest. This is just one of those fragrances that encapsulates nature so well. The outdoors, earth, dirt, campfire, rain, the forest, etc. Its a lovely coniferous fragrance that is best suited for the winter. I get similarities to Nejman's Le Seducteur.

A blast for the senses. I get so many more notes than those listed here: whiffs of rich cacao in the opening, strong whirling cumin in the middle. This creation never sits still. It grabs you and forces you to get out of your chair, damnit. I love.

The best fragrance from this house. I like wearing it on cool rainy days. It smells like wet minerals, wet rocks. Laural, sage, cloves and geranium are strongest notes for me.

A quite masculine aromatic scent, reminding me on the old-school fragrances with its bold manliness and overloads of pine. What makes this one marketed as unisex is beyond me, but maybe there is a woman that could wear this. Sorry, but I can’t imagine her. A culinary accord of bay leaf opens the wholly green pyramid of Eloge du Traitre. Like in Monocle Laurel of CdG, it’s pretty sharp and heavy, but, unlike in Laurel, it fades earlier, or, should I say, mixes with bitter wormwood to create a more pleasant aroma. In the heart those two notes are joined by a boatload of well executed pine note, which overwhelms the other two in a heartbeat and defines this one as a, mostly, pine scent. The drydown is still a fresh pine with added earthy notes such as patchouli to give an another type of personality to the fragrance. The longevity is about six or seven hours. While this perfume doesn’t have an attacking sillage, it is quite detectable to others. And while I see a wearer of this thing as a person full of self-confidence, with little regard to others’ opinions, I feel I have to say this one can provoke both extremely positive and negative reactions. It’s harsh, quite honestly, but that harshness is a blessing for someone. After all, it defined an era of masculine fragrances – Yatagan, a most-likely predecessor of this one, is a worshiped creation and it was even louder, but that was the way a man should smell. Personally, I think I’m too young for this one. Maybe, one day, I’ll be mature enough to wear this, but I think I’d choose Caron’s beast instead. Aside from that, it’s a nice, well-made aromatic, sold for a pretty regular price – a worthy buy if you like pine and green accords in general. 7.5/10

I love the marketing graphic used by Etat Libre d'Orange for this EDP. A navy, pin-striped suit-clad man wielding a deadly dagger hidden behind his back. I think it says a lot for such a daring name for a parfum. ELd'O is one of my favourite perfume houses and I have endeavoured to try every one of their fragrances, eventually! I like this fragrance because it is so much like my beloved Yatagan by Caron, Polo by Ralph Lauren and even the oddly, Indian incense-smoked RIEN by ELd'O as well. It's all leather, pine, artemisia, patchouli, musk and cloves. I was sure I saw laurel in is as well when I checked the formulations of all of these fragrances and they all fall in the same category or pine/leather/artemisia. So if you like the others, you'll like this one too. Once again, this is not a likeable scent for the masses; unless you are a parfumisto who knows how to appreciate and wear this ultra-masculine creation by Antoine Maisondieu (a favourite nose of mine). Why a woman would want to wear this is beyond me, although their website promotes it as a shared fragrance. It is a good, old-fashioned, manly smell that you either love or hate. A word of warning; not everyone who smells this on you is going to love it and they will definitely be vocal about it, believe you me! I wore it to work today and my female colleague screwed her nose up and gave me a really poor review of what she thought was 'Oil of Wintergreen' so early in the morning and that I should wear a lot less of it at work; and when I went home, my sister said I smelt gorgeous! I like this fragrance very much; but the appreciation really depends on the individual who smells it; not the wearer!

Being very nostalgic of how scents used to smell back in the 80's, an era when men's perfumes were for men and women's perfumes for women, I am a big fan of this fragrance. Back then I used to enjoy Polo Green (which had nothing to do with the reformulated trash they sell nowdays), Yatagan, Jules, Macassar, Jean Patou and the likes. Eloge du Traitre brings back all those memories with its own personality. In my opinion this fragrance is an aromatic fougere dominated by artemisia, pine, bay leaf and a dry smoky sensation on the background. It conjures up a sort of "military bitter green" image but at the same time herbal and fresh. It is a great choice for those days when I feel like wearing a green, austere, masculine fragrance with no "tobacco vanille" in its notes ! Now, as far as its name is concerned, no matter how hard I have tried I cannot correlate it to the smell. But then again it is well known that nowdays playing crazy is the essence of modern promotion. Unless of course ELDO made this as an "eloge" for the "traitre" who sold to them the formula of Yatagan so that they can produce their own version !!! Just kidding - I possess no such info ! A modern classic. 8/10

Dries down to a smooth bay leaf with a slight coniferous top. A woody leather in the back ground nose to skin. The opening blast has a drydown over and hour or two that’s pleasantly green and herbaceous thanks to the artemisia which disappears unfortunately after 30 Min or so. This part reminds me quite succinctly of Versace Green Jeans. The opening also feels like a bit of wormwood and absinthe is present though this is likely the patch playing tricks. A blind buy, it at first disappointed me but as is oft the case of ELdO it has grown on me though some of the reviews below claiming it to be a masterful example of perfumery etc are quite an exaggeration. My only complaint is it’s sillage is mediocre after 1 hour though I enjoy the scent and it lasts 4-6 hours. Something I commonly find with ELdO.

This is surely not the best and most original scent I've ever tried but I quite like it. It's basically an aromatic fougere with all the chrisms but it has something special and intriguing to my nose. Big doses of sharp pine and laurel joined by a civilized jasmine that soften the general harshness. if it were a colour it would be dark green, if it were an item of clothing it would be a pair of camouflage pants. Eloge Du Traite may be a good alternative for those days you don't have enough strength to face Yatagan but still need to be somehow assertive. Update: In the drydown it gets a bit similar to CDG's Monocle Scent N.2 (Laurel), but way more wearable. Rating: 8/10

This one constructs into a botanical heaven on earth. Northern Italy meets Switzerland. Herbs, herbs, herbs! No matter which gender you are, this frag might portray you well if you always act like polite and easy going person. The scent is so peaceful and mild that I cannot imagine any type of extravagant compulsive talkers and bluffers wearing it. At the other extreme, it would be very interesting to smell it on introvert enigmatic japanese/korean females. Oh now I am totally obsessed with this sexy illustration where Alpine aromas interconnects with oriental feminine nature. Music: The Sun by Kim Jung Mi. Book: Silk by Alessandro Baricco. Film: Wasabi by Luc Besson

I didn't much like the opening to "Eloge de Traitre" on my skin; I found it quite rubbery and dirty. 30 minutes later however, it developed into something more fresh, clean cut and typically masculine. Strong piquant herbal sweetness over a dark, spicy leather base. Reminded me a lot of "Fou d'Absinthe" by L'Artisan, only with more menace. I can imagine this being worn by a Christian Grey type (and no I have not read E.L James' stupid book, but you know what I mean :P)

This was a blind buy for me -- I have been looking for a bay laurel-heavy scent and CdG Monocle Laurel doesn't sit well on my skin. This is all the bitterness and camphoraceous qualities I was seeking, and more interesting than your ordinary fougere. It has the herbal elements I love in Maitre Parfumier's Ambre Mythique without the amber (which can give me a headache) -- a pleasant surprise!

A fougere full of herbaceous dynamics, woody associations and leathery transmissions, all structured in that cool and crispy manner I’ve found to be one of the reasons I love this house. Yet I wonder which one of ELdO’s inspirations was seen drinking absinth under a pine tree while plotting their treason. Overall EdT is not as maniacal as my favourite ELdO, but I enjoy wearing it. ****(*)

Uno fra i migliori di etat libre d'orange. Fresco, verde,boschivo, muschiato, un profumo sereno e naturale che puo ricordare aromatics elixir ma si gioca sul verde foresta ombroso.

Green, ripe, citrusy. I get strong doses of mugwort, bay leaf and cloves at the opening that cross with pine, geranium, patchouli, and old worn and plasticky leather. I take a kind of spicy and sour bitter with a bit of retro musk in the bottom. A straight, masculine scent that doesn't compromise. Usually the sweetness of the pine gives me serenity and lightness but here it is a helpless pine. On my skin I have a camphor-like harshness from detergent that never fades into the background. I understand that for a lot of people this might sound great. But too sour and bitter for my taste. If I had a whole perfumery available I would choose it when I am angry, grumpy and dejected. Type: don't tell me what kind of day to have.

I currently own a 100 ml bottle, with only minimal use (around 5 ml missing).

Opens with dominant green bay leaf and artemisia, that's spicy and sour like pickles. Quite a pungent smell that stays that way for a few hours before the patchouli starts to fell. I didn't get anything that resembles a flower from this one, so they must be really hidden. I wouldn't want to smell like that. Big pass for me. 3/10

I'm not a fan. This smell makes me think of orange peel and crushed ants, like when I find a colony of ants somewhere in the house and I have to wipe them up and spray the area with cleaner. Don't get me wrong, it smells like a nicer version of that, but it still smells like... that.

Definitely for someone who don't care what other people think. Sharp top pine note, rather spicy mid note that steps perilously close to being reminiscent of sulphur. This one needs taming. Difficult, but well worth your effort.

A peppery, spicey old-fashioned cologne scent. Very vintage with some interesting notes. I thought I detected some lavender in here, poking through, giving it a modern hint.

The house of Etat Libre d'Orange can be rather polarising. You will either love their fragrances or find them difficult to wear. I have discovered many loves from this house, but I have also experienced some unpleasantness. Thankfully Eloge du Traitre is one of Etat Libre d'Orange's more likeable offerings. The initial top notes threw me a little, as they started off quite strong and dense. I usually enjoy patchouli in my fragrances, however, the patchouli note in the opening of Eloge du Traitre is almost overwhelming with its rich, green and sharp aroma. Thankfully after fifteen minutes on warm skin, Eloge du Traitre softens considerably. The heart consists of pine, leather, geranium, cloves and sage. This fragrance brings to mind a damp, dark pine forest on a cold evening. It's somewhat spooky and picturesque at the same time. I agree that Eloge du Traitre shares some similarities to Caron's Yatagan. I did own the latter some years ago but sold it on due to my nose's inability to warm to its scent. Just like Yatagan, I prefer to smell Eloge du Traitre on a man's skin rather than on my own. The longevity of Eloge du Traitre is excellent, and the projection moderate despite the rather loud opening. I recommend this fragrance for Autumn and Winter, but wouldn't be opposed to wearing it during a mild Spring season either.

"Très butch and macho", is the first thought that crossed my mind on first sniffing "Eloge du Traitre". :o) ... Close your eyes and imagine a classic aromatic fougère, it would probably smell just like this. So unless you're a fan of this style of frag, you're probably not going to enjoy it. (Even though from the notes listed it doesn't seem to have your typical fougère structure. It certainly smells just like one anyways !) It's all smokey pines and dusty lavender on leathered laurel and wormwood, with a sprinkling of spice for warmth (mostly cloves). All in that "distinguished over 40's gentleman" like vibe. You know, with "salt & pepper" hair & sideburns. And yes, a perfectly cut dark pin-stripe suit to match. To my nose, a pretty serious no-nonsense type scent. I imagine those of you who can't get enough of Caron's Yatagan, would probably get a kick out of this scent too. It's certainly one of the "safer" scents from ELd'O, one which I'd imagine is probably their bestseller during Father's Day in Paris.

Together with "Je suis un Homme" this one is part of their masculine conservative concepts. The protagonist in this story here is as cool as a cucumber and gets away with murder, because he is smart, conventional, confident, attractive, elegant and does not mess about. It is the perfect scent for a totalitarian or other man in office, or someone in authority. Is it a sales manager, a CEO, executive? Yup, can be any of those. Someone who will sell his soul, or that of his mother, just to get the deal. He will do anything it takes to get the job done. Ruthless, shrewd, unapologetic, and always the eyes and mind on the prize. However, from an olfactory story-telling viewpoint: boring for there is no story; just a no-nonsense attitude that exudes from this creation. 10/10 for authority. 1/10 for originality or development. This is "Pino Silvestre of the new millennium" nothing more nothing less.

Testing Eloge du Traitre in Etat Libre's Paris shop some years ago was somehow underwhelming - I had to think immediately of Caron's Yatagan. It is at once a highly unoriginal perfume though executed with care and contemporaneity, that it is enjoyable again. It relates to the Yatagan-pine-bay-leaf-legacy as it does to the zillion of body products that were ubiquitously coming from all directions: Pino Silvestre et al. on one side, on the other, via the Caron route, to what once were the leading institutions of French haute-perfumery. Eloge du Traitre is solidly engineered, it renders a strangely natural bay-leaf vibe in holographic realism. It must have served as a blueprint for Maisondieu when working on Comme's Laurel or even Sugi and Blue Santal. Currently, it's only available in 50ml, would not be surprising if it's on the way out ...

When you first spray this fragrance on you will be thrown into a fourgere sensation. First you are in a forest of pine trees with bay leaf growing everywhere. A refresh awakening with the warm sensuality of what is to come. Clove accords are introduced with hint of geranium. The warm down is a masculine elegance. I imagine being in the 1800's when they took leather scented it with natural oils to mask some of the animalistic smell. Here they use jasmine. As the leather would warm down it would release the jasmine scent. The patchouli in this fragrance is modern with flashes of the past. This is a beautiful green, spicy and earthy accords blended beautifully.

It's strange what happened when I spent some time with this scent. After raving about Yatagan for years (speaking as a Millennial reliably digging up the past), now, when I smell Eloge du Traitre, I realize it's what I *think* I'm going to get when I smell Yatagan. Yatagan, cheap and abstract as it is, has intriguingly truncated and variable suggestions of herbs, sweat, and celery. In contrast, this upmarket version, though more didactic, has a resolution to this bitter, green riddle that is as simple and satisfying as when the drums come in on "Gimme Shelter."

From my sample wearing today. Pretty interesting masculine green fragrance. Some leather plays along as well. To me, it seems like a love child of Yatagan and Loewe Escencia. Comparaing to Polo is a bit of a stretch in my opinion due to it's lightness. The bay leaf and pine notes are interesting, I like it. Not enough for a bottle as I'm trying to cut down, but I do give it a thumbs up. Average projection, better than average longevity on my skin. My rating 7.7

Yatagan made more bitter, herbaceous and naturalistic. Comparing the two, Eloge du Traitre is stronger in the pine and clove, giving it an exaggerated cooling warmth. Eloge du Traitre evokes an outdoorsy atmosphere than Yatagan's association of male grooming products. The base of Yatagan is a virile castoreum leather. Eloge du Traitre feels more resinous, reminding me to unburnt incense resins.

Woods, leather, sweat. Eloge du traître. Might sound funny but my first thought after smelling the heart notes was "This really smells like treachery". The scent coming out of the skin of the one who stabbed another one in the back. More masculine than feminine (A woman will never stab another woman in the back? Right?) ;-)

If you love Yatagan, you'll love this modern, greener, less smokey interpretation of it. It's bracingly green and aromatic in the opening and the dry down is bitter in all the right ways. The jasmine in here takes this to a whole new level. I wish it wasn't discontinued, and I will treasure my bottle.

The beginning of it reminds me of a Chinese medicine drinks cafe that I used to pass by during those high summer days. When drying down the leather becomes obvious and it smells more like "human" rather than herbal medicine. Good to try but will not consider a decant.

As soon I sampled this I realised that this is a very masculine scent, and perhaps doesn't suit all women! It's rich and spicy, very warming, comforting and sensual. I'd love to smell this on my boyfriend!

This Has An Uncanny Resemblance To biehl parfumkunstwerke al03 - not listed in fragrantica yet It has mature, confident, man written all over it. Strong Long Lasting And In Your Face

I like it but it’s definitely a masculine scent If you’ve ever smelled Mr Fragrant from Omar’s brand they’re very similar

Anyone selling a bottle of this (any level). Am located in Australia. Please email --- [email protected]

Got this 2 days ago! Smells wonderful but lacks of sillage and longevity . Buy RIEN much better!!

This smells like my beloved Yatagan, and for that reason... It's perfect