Duel

Duel and I have had a long relationship. We've met several times and I consider us friends by now but can't decide whether there's any further chance of love or romance... To start with, I'd say it has a memorable long life. I used to think this was weak and lasted for a short period but it is one of the only Goutals that isn't gone with the first wind and its citric basenotes are incredibly vibrant. Unlike some other great offerings from this house that start furiously citric and disappear within minutes, Duel ends with an enormous dose of citrus and makes me think of the same in Lalique's Encre Noire pour homme. I love citric notes developing and staying. I see people wonder about the tobacco and I don't remember having seen that listed on their webpage, but what I smell the strongest is the mix of citrus with the paraguay mate absolute. In Paraguay, southern Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina we drink mate everyday and this is exactly how that herb smells when it's mixed with hot water and sugar. These leaves can have a process of drying that gives them a smoky smell and this is what I see here. I was really impressed when I first tried this on my skin since I hadn't read the notes and felt I had this sooo familiar thing on me and couldn't realise until I read it was mate absolute and then didn't resist and went again for a sample. Now, my problem with Duel is I love it but can't think of anyone under 50 using it. It is redolent of old people drinking "mate cocido" which is the tea version with extra sugar. This is by no means offensive... I just can't think of myself wearing this now but will definitely buy it once. This makes me think of my grandfather, his clothes and wisdom. His slow movements, the cozy atmosphere around him and I'm afraid I wouldn't dare to go dancing with this on, nor would I use it wearing modern clothes. I would definitely feel out of place, as if I was pretending or disguising myself. Its quality is great, its basenotes superb and I'm happy I've finally come to terms with it. I love it but our times differ... isn't it somehow romantic? Our love is not possible YET.

I once had this cologne in its original brown bottle. I miss it being in that bottle. Over the years, I was convinced the formulation changed. The owner, after transition assured me it did not. It did. From what I remember, the tea was once at the top, middle and base of the fragrance and everything else was underlying. It’s now too “perfumey”, although it still smells like nothing else on the market in my opinion. It is dry. It is green, albeit green in a subtle way, not really in a fougere type of way, that is sharp and cloying. The absinthe helps in this regard. It’s also slightly vegetal and a tad earthy. It has a natural sweetness of tea, throughout. It is a very light and airy fragrance. It has a slight pungent dryness, sort of like a persimmon not yet ripe, that can almost make one’s nose pucker. This dryness, lends to its old world feel. I like that someone walking by, would not just be able to pick out the notes. In this way, it is a mysterious fragrance and the original story of knights and chivalry is realized. I wish they’d bring back that brown bottle. More importantly, I wish they’d bring back the original formulation, that was tea, with an almost plum, fig like expression.

I really love this fragrance. At the top, it opens with a refreshing blend of citrus and herbal notes, followed by a subtle touch of tea, a hint of leather, and the smooth elegance of iris. Over time, the scent doesn’t change dramatically—only the citrus softens slightly—while maintaining a natural and comfortable impression throughout. There’s nothing artificial about it; instead, it feels clean and genuinely natural. If I were to describe this fragrance as a person, it would be a gentle gentleman with a sense of comfort and refined cleanliness. The only drawback is its weak projection. The scent fades so quickly that even I can barely recognize it on myself shortly after applying. Still, I absolutely adore this fragrance for its natural, understated elegance. この香水を非常に気に入っています。 トップではシトラスとハーバルの爽やかさが広がり、その奥にお茶の落ち着きや、微かなレザー、そしてアイリスの滑らかなニュアンスが感じられます。時間が経つにつれて大きな変化はなく、シトラス感が少し和らぐ程度で、全体を通して自然な印象が続きます。人工的な香りはほとんどなく、ナチュラルで心地よい雰囲気です。 この香水を人に例えるなら、優しく、安心感と清潔感を備えた紳士が思い浮かびます。 ただ一つ欠点を挙げるとすれば、その香り立ちの弱さです。自分自身でも香りを認識するのが難しいほど、つけてすぐに薄れてしまうのは惜しい点です。 それでも、このナチュラルで上品な雰囲気が大好きな一本です。

Gorgeous. It seems the notes above are incorrect--the maté absolute comes through loud and clear... unroasted green maté with mint and honey is my drink of choice all winter, so I know it well. Duel has a fresh, light, woody, green feeling, without being aggressively FRESH or overly masculine. It occupies a lovely middle ground between dry and sweet. I've been looking for a perfume to wear at work this summer. My job includes alternating between physical work and consulting/selling at times rather pricey home services, all in an environment that is warm and humid during the summer. I naturally gravitate toward sweet and strong vanilla, amber, and spice in my perfumes, but those are too much in the heat. My perfume crush/potential love/maybe soul mate right now is Dzing! But I worry that others will find it unpleasant, and judging from the mixed reviews, this is likely. Duel is the one for me, for now. No screechy or cheap-smelling elements to annoy me, not challenging to others, and perfectly unisex in my opinion.

Big Edit: Rewriting my whole review. This went from a like to love for me. A very realistic, rich black tea that always stays *just* this side of bitter. I get wafts of something slightly sweet/fruity (like a peach/osmanthus) but only here and there. I don't get orris really. It's not quite leathery on me either. This is a very natural smelling green scent featuring black tea and some lovely, soft vegetal musks. It's intelligent, understated, and cozy. Contrary to reviews below, I think this would be STUNNING on a woman. Longevity and projection on skin is quite good.