IL

In the 90s I worked in the mall and used to spray this one on whenever possible. I loved how sweet and woody it was. I was a poor college kid at the time and no way could I afford such an extravagant cologne. 37 years later I tracked down a bottle on eBay to see if it smelled the same as I remember. Unfortunately it turned bad and I was sorely disappointed. I then read an article about old vintage perfumes. The alcohol often goes bad in the spray release and in the plastic tubing, but usually you can give it a good 10-15 sprays to clear it all about. Eagerly I pumped the sprayer on my old IL bottle a good 10 times to see if it was the case. Well, it did smell a whole lot better. Its still the old sweet woody fragrance I remembered. The mossy and leather background layered against the sweet amber and carnation is there, this is what I remember liking about this fragrance. It was so different than any other colognes I knew of at the time. Although the pumping action did expel lot of old foul smelling alcohol, I still think the fragrance as turned a bit, as it smells a bit stale and muddy. Thats the risk of buying vintage perfumes, you never know the condition it's in as a lot of them turn sharp as they age. Its nice to sometimes reminisce about an old favorite fragrance, you're usually better off not looking back, and investing with a freshly packaged bottle of something new.

wow..I had this when I just turned 18, so many memories. Get many compliments. very versatile and nice smell. Still remember the smell like a sunny late spring day. I was not able to find it almost 20 years

It was a freezing winter morning. I was standing at the tram stop and waiting to see a dear friend of mine. We were close to Christmas time, and we had to exchange gifts. I looked around, and the streets of Milan were full of flashing lights. People moved frantically between one shop and another to make their last purchases, and a thin fog pervaded the city, as is customary in the northern metropolis. The tram arrived, I run to meet my friend who immediately threw his arms around my neck and kissed me on the cheek. I notice that instead of walking away, he moved closer, plunged his face into my scarf, and whispered in my ear, “Wow, what a wonderful smell you have! Just the ones I like!”. “I’m glad you like it, it’s a gift I gave myself for Christmas.” "IL (Eau de Toilette) | Lancetti" had just come out on the market, the autumn-winter season of the early 90s. At that time I was working to support my studies, and the perfume was only one, and it had to last for the entire season. I remember being struck by the beautiful red bottle, a garnet shade that turns scarlet when the light passes through. Maybe the scent was a little sweet for my taste. It was one fragrance that had to grow in my sensitivity. It’s not that I didn’t care at first. Let’s just say I wasn’t ready for its sweetness yet. Though I liked the warm, enveloping effect it released on clothes and all around me. And my dear friend approved of my choice. Today I found this 50ml bottle, it was given to me a long time later, and there are only a few sprays left, maybe 5ml. I keep it jealously, and I sprinkled it on the back of my hand to relive that beautiful day many years ago, and describe the sensations that this perfume still gives me today. It’s still the old sweet woody fragrance I remembered. The mossy and leather background layered against the sweet amber and carnation is there. This is what I remember liking about this fragrance. So, what is Lancetti’s IL all about? Just to give you an idea, it smells akin to "Azzaro pour Homme Elixir | Azzaro", I can see them in the same ballpark without being clones. IL perfectly reflects the extroverted era of the 90s, and what I like most about the opening of this masculine is the interplay of anise and lavender. This may be the best pairing of these two notes I’ve ever smelled. From the initial spray, the IL is completely static and without a rough edge or flaw in its glass-like exterior. This is smooth, plus one and intermittent hints of spice and woodiness abound. Neroli and bergamot citrus nuances are subdued, a steady duo that contributes to a smooth version of the hybrid aldehydes. The sweetness oozes from the very beginning, and I do not detect too much sourness. The initial blast is an extremely pleasant and comfortable accord, with just a touch of green basil and artemisia. The heart of IL is on par with the opening, in terms of quality and volume. In this phase, piquant coriander and sage contribute with a very pleasant spicy and herbaceous aspect that stops below the aromatic. The combination of carnation and geranium is unmistakable, with the support of fougére nuances. Carnation has practically disappeared from modern fragrances. However, it has a manly floral touch that no other flower can provide, and I miss it a little. It mixed the sweetness with an impressive succession of floral and spicy notes. The scent remains with this heart aroma for several hours. IL finally exits the comfort zone when base and dry-down occur. Not that it changes radically, because it doesn’t. It simply develops enough grain from enough amber, leather, and vetiver to observe a change. The base contributes a leather and musk undertone. I get a smooth leather, a kind of velvety suede, away from the rough "Ombré Leather (2018) (Eau de Parfum) | Tom Ford" for example. There is also a certain woodiness underneath that underlies everything else. I also get the impression of creaminess, which is usually provided by sandalwood, not mentioned. It is the same sweet and creamy scent also present in "Arden for Men - Sandalwood (Eau de Cologne) | Elizabeth Arden", a vintage perfume based on the sandal note par excellence. Sweetness is excessive, and I can feel some fougére herbaceousness in it. Lavender is prominent but vanillic amber contrast it. More, anise and oakmoss are present in a way that the overall feel is not a typical barbershop scent. So, I could’ve never worn this scent in late spring, summer, or early fall, too cloying with the warm weather. Longevity is great, and sillage is good if not great. Despite I wore it during the day, it suits me better in the evening and night out; it is a clubbing beast. I somehow felt sorry for its discontinuities. If you like this genre of the oriental-fougére accord, this is for you... oops, this was for you, miserably. I base the review on a 50ml bottle I have owned since the 90s.

An aromatic woody fragrance that sorta of reminds me of a perfume, older style fragrance that some might say outdated. Its not a blind buy fragrance or what others deem safe. In my mind when i smell this it instantly reminded me of a fragrance that doesnt come into mind at the moment but as of right now 1 or 2 similar note to encre noire a la extreme. i have tester box for sale that is reasonably pricing shipping out from Toronto, Canada. Pick up is available too. PM me for inquiries or contacts.

Ok, so I've given this one a second chance since my retailer had a 50ml unboxed and I could try it again, so, here I am with this beauty in my collection! I really don't get the Egoiste comparison except they both have a noticeable sandalwood note, but that's it. The lavender is prominent (and has a natural feel to it) but it is contrasted by a vanilla-tonka combo. The anise and oakmoss are also present but in a way that the overall feel doesn't come off as a typical 'barbershop' scent. So in terms of comparisons while ticking the 'oriental fougere' category this one is quite unique... I even think of it as a precursor of Le Male by JPG (less synthetic, more rounded and smoother). Performance is good but nothing extraordinare. If you like this genre (oriental/fougere) this one is almost perfect. ---------------------- Bueno, finalmente le he dado una segunda oportunidad a éste ya que mi minorista tenía un 50ml sin envasar y pude testearlo nuevamente así que, ¡aquí estoy con esta belleza en mi colección! Realmente no encuentro comparación con Egoiste, excepto que ambos tienen una nota notable de sándalo, pero eso es todo. La lavanda es prominente (se siente natural) pero está contrastada por un combo de vainilla-tonka. El anís y el musgo de roble también están presentes, pero de una manera que la sensación general no resulta un aroma típico de 'barbería'. Así que en términos de comparaciones a pesar de cuadrar en la categoría de 'oriental fougere' es sin embargo bastante única ... Incluso pienso en el mismo como un precursor de Le Male de JPG (menos sintético, más redondo y más suave). El rendimiento es bueno pero nada extraordinario. Si te gusta este género (oriental / fougere) este es casi perfecto. 9,5/10