Cologne Intense

The nose behind the new masculine fragrance by Houbigant, Cologne Intense is Luca Maffei. He is a young nose in the fragrance industry that is making a name for himself with such stunning fragrances as Perris Monte Carlo’s Oud Imperial and Rose de Taif. What he has created in Cologne Intense is something brilliant bold and breathtaking. The presentation of the fragrance which comes in both Eau de Parfum and Extrait Parfum is classically elegant. The 100 mil bottle is the same sophisticated masculine bottle that was created for Houbigant’s 2010 re-release of the exquisite Fougere Royale from 1882. The juice is darker in Cologne Intense which only adds a golden richness to the presentation. Just as the No.5 bottle is used for other perfumes by Chanel so it is that Houbigant is presenting this release in the same bottle as Fougere Royale. This smart marketing gives a certain instant house recognition. You see the bottle and you know the house at once. Class and sophistication are assured. The parfum is classified as a citrus aromatic. I agree, it opens with sharp crisp summer freshness of Sicilian lemons, a bitter bite of Calabrian bergamot which sparks brilliantly on the skin then gives way to the wonderful green petitgrain and Moroccan neroli. It is a show of green citrusy skyrockets that shimmer as they rise and sparkle as they fall way to reveal the center of this fragrance. Here the heart in this classic tarragon takes the center stage. It is richly blended into a complex dance with red pepper, a touch of lavender, and a whiff of Indian Jasmine. Oh that Jasmine is nice if subtle, as it should be. And the pepper is sharp adding depth to the tarragon and lavender. I love the middle of this fragrance but my love turns to obsession when we reach the dry down. Here in the bottom notes I find a fine and creative blend by Luca Maffei that make this a truly memorable release of 2015. The two magical notes he introduces to the fragrance are a bitter Mat Tea and lush deep and hypnotic incense. The effect with the fading mid notes is sheer olfactory heaven. On my skin the it lasts between 6 and 7 hours and the sillage is at about 18 inches. Cologne Intense is one of my top favorite releases of last year. It is a beautiful addition to the venerable and historic house of Houbigant that is both a tip of the hat to past classics, an era of refinement and grace but also embodies a youthful modern vibe. [FOR THE REST OF THE STORY INSPIRED BY THIS FRAGRANCE BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY BLOG SCENTS MEMORY]

Houbigant released a truly remarkable composition in Cologne Intense in that it seeks out the refined, fastidious nose with its whimsical classicism merged with emergent modernism. However, it is far beyond that, as evidenced from reading through the mixed reviews that run the gamut from adulation to revulsion. Well, I can think of some other masterpieces which I love dearly that share this polarity: Guerlain's Jicky and Mouchoir de Monsieur, Eau d'Hermes, Kouros, Rochas Moustache Concentree, even Diptyque's L'Autre. It's because they all juxtapose the clean and dirty, the sacred and profane, the botanical and animal, and I think this has its appeal to those who know that beauty is molded from shadows and light. Cologne Intense opens with all the sharp and sweet drama of a citrus aromatic; juicy, leafy, tart, sweet, even oily, announcing itself in a radiant arc from the skin. No sooner than this delicious bravado wafts do the elements that make Cologne Intense fall into play: a surprisingly indolic jasmine combined with somewhat anisic tarragon and pink pepper create an accord with dusty lavender that is profoundly intriguing to my nose. I am stirred further when I soon am met with the a bit of the must and civet-like undertones coming from the base (perhaps a synergy between bitter, earthy mate and the terpenic elements from the olibanum resin for which the incense note seems comprised. I find this effect to be very sexy. All of this swirls decadently into an eventual sensual simmer on the skin, while still retaining the spirit of aromatic cologne from days of yore (though I must point out that this is far more substantive as well, its longevity is formidable). What can I say? I think it's brilliant in its bold defiance on both classic and modern convention, and surely this was the reason that it wasn't at all commercially successful, but as we diehard fragheads know, that is in no way a metric for quality olfactory art. This is high art, actually, and high art is seldom ever mass-appealing...

This is a surprising scent. It’s really two scents crashed together, and in a way that I found intriguing. I absolutely love it. Some scents - many scents - just “smell nice” and they are bought so people smell nice. Nothing wrong with that. This perfume smells amazing - but is for people who are on some sort of “scent journey” rather than people who want the proverbial “easy grab”. It starts as a straightforward traditional cologne with a masculine citrus thing going on, a little reminiscent of YSL Pour Homme. And this remains throughout. Then there is the other, earthier scent. I’m not going to call it maté because I don’t know what that smells like - and nor, I’ll wager, do any of the 83 people who have voted it as the dominant note. This earthy scent kind of grips me on the inside (I loathe poncy perfume reviews, so I’m trying to be straightforward), and almost feels like it’s emerging from the body into the nose. I’m contrasting this experience with smelling a normal, current masculine fragrance, like the oud-forward Amouage Jubilation. Smelling that feels like sniffing a chemical on the surface of something, whereas the Houbigant somehow... I dunno. “Comes from within.” It provokes a bigger range of thoughts and experiences. But be aware - this is an earthy, organic, convoluted smell. It doesn't smell "like" Kouros, but there is a family affinity with some of the "nature-y" dimensions of that scent. The marrying of the conventional citrusy cologne with this visceral Je ne sais quoi (et personne ne sais quoi) is electrifying. I love it and every day with it is a journey. Performance is cologne like - a couple of feet for a couple of hours. Re sprays mandatory. Currently £30 for 100 on eBay. I shall buy a second bottle, because this is so idiosyncratic that it will inevitably be discontinued.

Opens with a blast of petitgrain and lemon. Shortly after I get a beautiful bitter aromatic/earthy stage (probably the tarragon and mate), giving a strong impression of spices (caraway/cumin). The citruses, greenery and florals will tone down in the base, letting the mate dance with incense, labdanum and oakmoss (the pyramid is not complete here). Moderate projection and longevity. A stunning classic chypre-sque spicy/aromatic citrus fragrance (or more accurately: a citrus-y chypre, imho), on the same shelf with L'Eau d'Hermes, Armani Eau pour Homme and Lancetti Monsieur. I am not sure where people are getting some fecal, urinal or BO facets,(nor any similarity with Fougere Royale - it is totally different)... The name 'Cologne' might be misleading - the only point I might concede to the negative reviews - as It is clearly not a summery light citrus EDC, and is probably more suited for Fall than Summer, given the spicy undertones. While the full retail price is definitely steep for that one, it can be found for 3-4X cheaper online, and it's a no brainer at these prices if you like that style of fragrances. Mature? Not really... I'd say, for grown-ups, independently of age. Basically: lovers of Layton and Eros might want to pass and stick to the newborn department, independently of age :) Masterful craftmanship in my book, and again a hit by Luca Maffei. Fall days, 30+

Houbigant's Cologne Intense is really, really good. Upon first spray, you get a Citrus bang from the Bergamot and lime but also a slight bitter tang which I am assuming is either the petitgrain or Neroli mixing with the lavender. The mid part is all spicy herbal notes, tarragon n pepper with the lavender covering it. The dry down is slightly dry, salty herbal smelling notes which I am assuming is the Mate Tea and I also get hits of the slightly bitter floral Jasmine note. I dont smell any Incense as such. Projection is pretty strong for the first couple of hours and then settles a bit. Longevity is about the 6-7 hour mark which is fine for what is primarily a citrus herbal fragrance although in EDP concentration. This is a year round frag and you can dress it up or down, will add class to whatever you are wearing. The only thing it is not is a clubbing frag unless it's a beach party or something like that. Normally I dont pay attention to bottles but I have to say the Houbigant bottles for this and Fougere Royale are really beautiful with etched glass and solid, heavy Gold and silver caps. Adds a final touch of class to already classy frags. Get this if you like ADP's Colonia line or frags like Eau Sauvage or Rive Gauche. All Masculine Class. Very impressed.