Fou d'Absinthe

Snow flakes like Lalique crystal lace falls on the city catching a glint of glitter from the Eiffel Tower search light as it sweeps the sky. There is a cool blotter paper grey tint in the East behind the Louvre, a herald of the coming day. Finely crafted Italian shoes crunch the icy sidewalk as I walk alone up the gentle rise that is the Champs-Élysées. The city is asleep on this Christmas morning. I pass Guerlain’s festive windows that cast a glow of amber on the snow banking around the door. On I go up toward the Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile. Fouquet’s is closed and the red awnings flutter their scallops as I pass as if to wave me on. The street glints and sparkles, the naked sycamore trees festooned for the holiday in no more than a negligee of colored lights. It is all lonely and lovely and cold. Not where I should be on this Christmas day in Pairs. Not were I long to be. The wheels of the cab spatter darkly stained snow up from the gutter as it carries me into Place Pigale. The spray hits the side of Le Cupidon nightclub as we spin past the multitude of “le sex shops” that line the Place then roar onto Rue Houdon. A few lights in the houses are on now as my cab snakes and turns north to the heart of Montmartre. Within moments I am released from the smoky cab onto the Rue de Cardinal Dubois. There it is only an angel’s fight of stairs above me, As I pull my overcoat close against the cold morning, Paris awakens behind me. Sacré-Cœur, its absinthe white walls meet the snow and melt the flakes to wash the sacred heart clean. I am almost there. Once Behind the church I pass la Place du Tretre now devoid of the many painters of postcard Paris. It looks in the snow like it must have a hundred and thirteen years ago, when it was young and the painters were creating a new art. Sliding on the icy cobblestones I turn down Rue de Calvaire and there it is. The old street lamp lights the way across the tiny Place du Calvaire in front of the little café where I know I can get the best Absinthe in town. A small group are seated inside they turn to greet me. “Joyeux Noël!” they shout and raise their glasses in toast. They have been here all night waiting for me. A very slight man in a tall hat offers me a glass of cheer. “Merci,” At the fist taste of the Absinthe the calendar slips backward and it is Christmas day 1899. The little man who gave me the glass now offers me a chair at his table, “Merci, Toulouse, and Merry Christmas my friend.” Here in Chez Plumeau it is the best Christmas imaginable. Fou D’Absinthe by L’Artisan Parfumeur is the perfect fragrance for Christmas! A festive if dangerous drink, good friends and wonderful smells, it is all here in this wonderful perfume. The fragrance is light and close to the skin on me so it is the type of perfume I must revisit, which I don’t mind at all. And if you have the body cream that in conjunction with the perfume makes it last longer. So a low silage and longevity make it a perfect scent for the office, or the office Christmas Party! Fou D’Absinthe (Crazy Absinthe) opens with a sensuous deep blackcurrant and the balancing act of the pungent and sweet angelica. Here is where the sinful fun begins. The wormwood note, the very thing Absinthe is made from is here meandering and slithering its way into the soul of this fragrance. What would Christmas be without a toast or two of the forbidden brew? In the middle notes Christmas morning opens like festive packages one after another. There is sharp ginger as in the cookies, a pot of patchouli bubbles with a pinch of pepper, nutmeg and cloves. On the top of the Christmas tree a lovely licorice lick of Star Anise. In the dry down we get to the where the Pagan and the Christian meet. Raw resinous fir trees and Pine needles of the Druids and their winter solstice ceremonies meet the catholic incense from the cathedral. The ending is magisterial, solemn and reflective. So in its way Fou D’Absinthe is anything but crazy. Rather it embraces all the joys of the season and then, just like Christmas it is gone at midnight. But then again...New Years Eve is just around the corner. FIVE GOLD STARS *****

i remember one evening last winter on the tube (london underground) during rush hour, i was crammed into a crowded carriage like any other evenings. most of the time the crammed journey is smelly and uncomfortable. but on that day, luckily for me, the man standing in front of me was smelling of something nice, not the cheap deodorants or sweat that usually plague crowded spaces like this. he was taller than me and my nose was around his chest height. as the wind gust in through the little door window i can smell this gorgeous fresh piney spicy scent coming from him. adding a guy's body musk, the smell was very sexy, alluring and unique. it left a great impression on me and sometimes i regret not asking him what he was wearing. but i guess as luck would have it, a few months later i discovered l'artisan parfumeur. i read about fou d'absinthe online and thought the name was interesting. when i went to the store to smell it, it immediately reminded me of the guy on the train. im not sure if he was wearing this actual perfume or something similar, but doesnt matter because this smelled to me like the sexy pine. this is a scent on the masculine side, mainly due to the lack of any typical feminine notes such as floral or gourmands, but as a girl i wanted to wear it anyways. i think this scent will be very sexy on a guy, but not so much on me. which doesnt matter because i wont reach for this when i want 'sexy' anyways. i will reach for this when i am tired of smelling sweet like flowers or fruits or gourmands. this is a great cocktail of greenery which in turn delivers a pure clean freshness not commonly found in perfume. this was also my first perfume from l'artisan and i have developed more and more love for their scents overtime. though fresh scents is usually associated with day, i find it a little sharp and even boozy for day wear. i think it is better for nighttime because i think the woods comes more alive at night, and this is no different. it smelled more fitting for the nighttime surrounding, amplifying the chilliness. the longevity of this perfume is good, but on me, the projection is decent, it becomes more of a skin scent after a few hours. regardless, i love this perfume.

Opens with a strong rubbing alcohol scent immediately after spraying. Once the alcohol burns off it develops into a very masculine vetiver accord strongly reminiscent of Terre D'Hermès. I like it immediately. As it further develops, a green note starts to take over. This is where it diverges from TdH. The green note is hard to describe. It's very earthy like the smell of soil or uncleaned freshly-picked mushrooms. I'm guessing that's the angelica. It's an acquired taste and can be off-putting to some. Initial projection is several feet. 15 mins later the earthiness has calmed down significantly. Now I'm getting bitter wormwood with hints of ginger, pepper and cloves. They're working on behalf of the wormwood rather than alongside. There's also a hint of incense. The wormwood smells green but it's heavy and slightly bitter. The greeness doesn't smell like a cultivated vegetable or bright and vibrant like the cannabis accord in Balenciaga's Florabotanica; it smells more a wild plant from a dense forest. 20 mins: scent has significantly contracted. The contraction has revealed a very well blended perfume. It smells like a classy man's scent - if a little old fashioned. I imagine a 45++ gent wearing this. Again, the similarities with TdH is undeniable. The wormwood could almost be a stand-in for TdH's earthy vetiver. 40 mins: So far I'm getting none of the licorice accord I associate with absinthe, the liquor. My guess is this frag focuses more on the green and herbal aspects of absinthe. 1hr: It's a dead ringer for Terre D'Hermès at this point. It's the same kind of classy (if old-fashioned) nicely blended woody men's cologne that made me fall in love with TdH. As I am with that, so I am with this. 4hr 15mins: No change since 1 hr mark. By now it's a very faint skin scent. Total longevity is probably around 4.5 to 5 hrs. UPDATE: Amazingly, after 9 hours there's still traces of it left on my skin. It's very faint and scattered but it's definitely still there. Projection and sillage was abysmal after the 1 hr mark. UPDATE 2: Still there after 12 hrs but so faint that, practically speaking, it's gone.

I would hope to augment this review after more trials (so far just a strip test, a wrist test, and one full winter weather wearing)... As others have said, this is a very nicely blended and appealingly contemporary 'masculine' fougere. For me, pine kept light by way of spicy herbal freshness, defines the opening. It might have been this, in concert with a subtle hint of currant, that made me half-imagined a juniper berry note. This transitions into a warm, slightly caramellic lavender/tonka fougere accord supported by an undertone of woody notes and a hint of incense. Something I admire is the way the skin-prickling chilly pine top is kept separate from the sweet, resinous base by a breath of green vetiver. The whole reminds me of two things: one is Caron pour un Homme, a distinct yet archetypical sweet fougere composition that marries cool, anisic lavender with a warm vanilla as if by slight of hand, using musk, amber and almost toasted tonka note to manage the overlap; the other is Ralph Lauren’s Polo, which, in the vintage formulation produced by Cosmair, had a similar coniferous herbal brightness with a smooth, almost boozy transition to a grassy yet rich vetiver and patchouli base. In fact, if you remove the overtones of heavy tobacco and leather chypre accord that tend to date the old powerhouse, there is no small resemblance to fou d’absinthe, which makes a similar use of bitter-fresh wormwood, unguent clove and textural pepper to liven up its pine. Projection is soft to moderate, but I kept catching traces of its finely crafted drydown well after the eight-hour mark. Anyway, a nice winter signature for someone – pine that feels discreet and conceptual enough to be contemporary, urban, and unisex, but substantial enough in underlying structure to succeed with a wearability and charisma that guarantee its being more than another novelty niche scent. Is it possible to make a pine scent that speaks to neither to seventies machismo nor cleaning products and car fresheners of a bygone age? It is. Nicely done, Ms. Giacobetti.

Impact I immediately get baking spice, specifically pumpkin pie. Medjool dates. There is an exacting crisp pine scent clashing with a roasted, or mashed, nutty note that creates sort of a boozy beach scent. Herbs, essential oils, vodka on the rocks. The herb profile is similar to that of absinthe and chartreuse, and some dill flavored liquor I once had. Soil, clay, soaked wood, still more unmistakable sappy winter pine. Wearability? Yes, I think so. Perhaps to some bizarre pagan celebration. The scent expresses nature, and intelligence. More calculating than wild, but still rather raw. If you like this scent, wearing it will make you feel as if you’re celebrating something that most others aren’t familiar with, and the ones that are, are worth keeping around. Sort of a password. Boozy, not dark. The smell of absinthe may turn many way, but this is more of an event or celebration involving absinthe, rather than nose in glass. Baking spice and sap, however some smoke or peat would be amazing. Maybe that’s why I feel like it’s an ongoing gathering and not the remnants. This isn’t an easy scent to wear for most, fairly challenging, especially around those that will say it smells like Xmas, even though at further inspection it’s much more to the less controlled mind. I’d say unisex, but more attractive on a female. I feel on a male this could be mistaken for sort of a barbershop sort of scent, a sweater and glasses, probably a laptop. Bottom line I really like this and would recommend it to those that are looking to escape from typical designer scents. It’s not otherworldly good, but it will get you somewhere. When this wild scent becomes tame it’s quite comforting. I think I’d prefer it to remain wild, get darker and burn. I’d also prefer louder projection, longevity, and silliage.

Being a HUGE fan of absinthe/artemisia in general, I was very anxious to try this scent, and have actually added quite a few scents with this note to my collection of late (and am anxiously awaiting the arrival of Absynthe for men by Christian LaCroix-Thanks members). This, more than any I've smelled so far, catches the spirit of the drink and essence of The Green Fairy... This begins sweet (currants) and warmly green (angelica) very much like the liquer. A cube of sugar is placed in a slotted spoon to pour the absinthe over, as it is so bitter, hence the inclusion of the sweet dark fruit to this. The opening has an almost silvery vapor to it I find exquisite. In the main body of this scent, the spices are the stars: cloves (warm & raw), nutmeg(smooth),anise(sweet and aromatic) and pepper(bitter-hot) really warm things up as ginger adds a frshness to it and patchouli keeps it dark and mysterious. The drydown is truly green and bitter with the balsam fir and pine needles, incense adds yet another aspect of the mysterious and a different sort of warmth (more resiny)to it all. Those who do not like overly spicy/herbal aromatic scents may want to pass on this; though, I find it quite unique and very inviting, not to mention alluring and dangerous... Sillage: good Longevity: okay Overall: 4/5 I really like my first L'Artisan scent and feel I picked one very suited to my skin (and preferences). It is quite aromatic, yet I feel it does not have the necessary green/woody floral component to be a fougere, although the conifers add some of that. Regardless of what family it is in...it's absolutely a wonderful and stunning creation that truly would be excellent for cooler temperatures and darker times of the year. I hope this does not spoil me for LaCroix's Absynthe...

FdA is a herbal/spicy/woody fragrance. Very light and a bit of a skin scent despite being an EDP. FdA is lovely and beautiful. It is fresh, sweet, herbal, and woody. I really like its smell. The initial spray is interesting. FdA may have well been called Fou de Pin (Pine) as pine hits me in a big way immediately. I also detect a combination of herbal and spicy notes, none of them standing out prominently over the others. However, the top scents retreat very quickly after 5 to 10 minutes. At that point, FdA goes herbal with the angelica and wormwood standing out (along w/ the pine backdrop). There is maybe a faint, almost imperceptible, sweet and very tamed patchouli in the mix at this point. During the warmer season I get just a little of incense. However, in colder temperatures the incense note seems to standout more on me. I don't smell the black currants, the nutmeg, the clove or the ginger notes at all--maybe the are so well blended you I don't detect them distinctively. After 4 hours, FdA goes skin on me. I really need to sniff hard on my skin after the 4th hour to smell it. Not what I expect from an Eau de Parfum. This is a fragrance that will be forever in my collection. I wear it all year around. It is more suitable for daytime wear. Great for the office and casual occasions. It is totally unisex in my opinion, even though Fragrantica and LAP has classified it masculine.

i was thinking of this for some months but as the price was relatively high and never smelled the juice, i was not sure whether to take the risk and buy it or not....but finally i did it. i read a lot of reviews about it and as Victoria from bois de Jasmin suggested it to me some months ago (as my taste muches hers) i bought it. The initial spray is something like alcoholic drink, forestee, like a christmas tree as mentioned by some guys indeed...although not rated too high, i see that the blackcurrant is one of the major players for me, together with pine needles and fir balsmam. The overall reault is a fruity forest tree, strictly masculine and traditionally manly. The blackcurrant gives depth to the perfume and some sweetness. If you like old power houses like Azzaro, Paco Rabanne, Tsar etc, this is of the same school but taylored to today's fashion and not being old fashioned at all. Personaly i like it, i love it, from the alcoholic first sniff to the drydown....it is not a light perfume, it has normal power and longevity of 8 or more hours but closer to the skin. Generally is a happy perfume, very well blended but not unique as Dzing! is from the same house. Having tried a lot from L'artisan, this together with Dzing!, L'Eau and Timbuktu are among the best offerings for me.

This one is interesting. It's very green and memorable even if it does have one of my least favorite notes, ginger, in it. I really get the pine, some incense, and artemesia. Definitely lots of pine and fir. Fir and pine always smell "cold" to me, and this feels like more of a cold, green fragrance. Like an ice-cold alcoholic drink (which, I think, was the intended outcome with the name "Absinthe") mixed with men's shaving products. Coming back to this after several years - Before I couldn't really smell the warmer notes of nutmeg, pepper, or clove, but I *think* I can detect the clove now. It's a very crisp, green, shaving cream-esque scent to me. I don't get any blackcurrent, for which I am thankful, because that always smells like cat pee to my nose. More powdery anise in the dry down, which I reeeeally enjoy. A "clean man" fragrance, if you ascribe to traditional gender standards in perfumery, but really anyone could wear this. Smells very sharp and classy, with a hint of something else undefinable. I really like this one! This is one I always buy for the dudes in my life. Its so hard to find a good masc-coded fragrance that doesn't have a butt-ton of vanilla or other notes that make me want to hurl. This one is just *chef's kiss*

This is very well blended fougere fragrance. No one note dominates each other. The notes orchestra produces the main theme of this perfume - the smell of a good looking man at the end of the working day, with released tie and unbuttoned collar of the shirt, rolled sleeves, a little bit tired, with a hint of sweat (exactly that amount of sweat which makes men attractive for the oposite sex) but still clean and fresh enough, and ready to respond to ladies' flirt. Firts time tested it in April looking for spring and summer time sophisticated fragrance. It was in a transit zone of Istanbul airport before connecting flight, they had an impressive selection of niche perfumes. During a flight some amazing smell touched gently my nose, sometime desappearing for a short period and coming back again. I was anxious to know what's the beautiful smell. But did not expect that it was my arm kindly perfumed by the employee of the shop. When we landed the woman who was my neighbour during a flight asked me the name of "amazing perfume"! I have bought Fou D'Absinthe four months llater being a transit passenger at the same airport :)

A spicy green witches brew... This is such a dark, intriguing fragrance! Based around the drink "absinthe", it has an unusual combination of notes such as artemisia, pine, fir, star anise, cloves and blackcurrant. It's such a deep green mix which is both fresh and aromatic at the same time. It opens up in a spicy way with nutmeg, black pepper and ginger, backed up by cloves, star anise... but the mid and base it what makes this one what it is, a deep, dark green mix of pine, fir, patchouli and bitter wormwood. It reminds me of old masculine classics with a very "green" vibe to them. Like being surrounded by forest and earthy roots. This one reminds me of the smell of a hot, dry pine forest, not a cold icy one. Maybe the type of pine trees near the Mediterranean or other warmer regions. It's like a dark, spicy drink... a green potion. I cannot testify as to whether absinthe tastes or smells like this does, but it's a very mysterious, intriguing mix of dark aromas that leaves me wanting more! Olivia Giacobetti is very talented to make this. I recommend it to try for something mysterious and altogether different.

I've owned this for quite a while and yet I still do not feel qualified quite yet to write a worthy review. This is a masterpiece, no doubt at all about it. It carries an old school vibe yet somehow manages to remain totally timeless. Another reviewer wrote that it reminds them of their father, even though their father never wore anything like it. That really sums this fragrance up for me. It smells of comfort, of falling asleep in the arms of someone who loves you unconditionally. You trust the man that wears this. It smells of class and it smells of refinememant yet it carries not even a hint of ostentation. The play of hot and cold (or rather warm and cool) is truly a perfect example of the purest art in perfumery. A lot of people say that this works well in winter or the cooler days if autumn. It does indeed but somehow, for me at least, it seems to work even better in the unexpected heat of a lucky English summer. My goodness I truly love this creation and I do not feel as though I have even begun to explain my respect for it.

Oooh, this is tweedy. I feel bookish and wise wearing this: a sweater with a collared shirt, corduroys, a pair of Clarks and a flat cap. The opening truly is terrific: thujonic, herbaceous wormwood, musky angelica with an almost a Twinings blackcurrant tea aroma. This crossfades into a crunchy star anise note that is reminiscent of Azzaro Pour Homme but also reveals a melange of spices, not an epicene accord but rather dense, raw natural materials, particularly that of ginger. It is far from loud, but it hums nicely several inches from the skin. It is here where the absinthe sensation comes all together for a good while. As it dries down it gets ever more coniferous, with a patchouli and incense that stirs and undulates. I find this stirring and undulating quite sensual, at least in my opinion. Can a so-called 'green" fougere really be sensual, you ask? You bet it can. Lean in a little closer and you'll find out...the cap and sweater comes off, the collared shirt undone, and... Nuance is sexy.

So dynamic! I get a different note with each sniff. First impression is definitely old school high-end men’s aftershave-but in the most elegant, tasteful and balanced way - something a 1910s academic/titled Englishman would use. But along with that is the warmth of incense (reminds of of the sandlewood-based incense of Shinto temples) coolness of anise(my most favorite note)/conifers/herbs and a soft powdery/soapiness. I got 8 different samples from L’Artisian and surprised myself by only really enjoying this one. I’m a 30 year old woman, and despite the initial impression of aftershave I do think the herbs, incense, and soapiness bring this to a perfectly unisex place (though maybe in a subversive kind of way for women). I would wear this year round, though maybe only at night during hot spring/summer times. Silliage is intimate (my preference), but lasting power is there 8+hrs. So looking forward to purchasing a big bottle!

NOTE: THIS REVIEW IS THE OLD VERSION WITH A GOLD CAP. Last year I bought several LAP fragrance...Timbuktu, Mon Numero 10, Dzongkha and now Fou ď Absunthe. I find these fragrance's appealing to me and are better for the fall/ winter months. Now about FDA...when I first sprayed this juice on my skin, thou this juice isn't close in aroma to Pino Silvertre, my father's favorite cologne had a sharp pine needles aroma and so does this juice. This fragrance has a complex blend of anise star, cloves and pepper which awakens your senses. After this juice settles, the green notes really take off as well a woodsy spicy blend making it perfect. Longevity and Silage is moderate overall, I wish the longevity was a bit more lasting at least 8hrs. Finally, Regardless of the longevity, this juice is one of the best woodsy-spicy-fougere blend. I enjoy the pine needles and fir adding that crisp deep aroma. 8/10

L'Artisan Parfumeur FOU D'ABSINTHE is really a scrumptiously gorgeous oriental woody fragrance to my nose, and I have no idea why it is said to belong only to men. Fie! Could it be the inclusion of pine which led to this erroneous categorization? No, no, no, I must protest: the pine is far too light. This is not a bracing polo-playing male cologne at all. Far from it, in fact. This really is an oriental woody perfume--I swear. The fir, pine, and incense mingle together as woods, and the nutmeg, anise, clove, ginger and pepper form a seamless spice blend which lightly dusts the wood and other notes. Believe it or not, this composition is a second cousin to CHINATOWN and related Bond no 9 chypres (BRYANT PARK and LEXINGTON AVE). Partly the connection is the anise; partly the patchouli. I find FOU D'ABSINTHE to be an incredibly appealing blend--which I would love to add to my collection.

Currently my favourite clean green masculine. The initial spray hit me like a dazzling green firework but also faded as quickly as one. At this point alone it reminded me of the intense anise opening in Tuscany Per Uomo, while afterwards it actually is similar to a greener Stash. It is certainly cleaner and fresher than Polo green, as suggested above. The short-lived hit of absinthe and spice is an impressive performance but quickly retreats into a demure coniferous cocktail skin scent that lasts about four-six hours on me. This is a joy to put on, which makes it all the more exciting that it accommodates reapplication but damn I wish it had better projection. It clings so close but even as a skin scent though it is still an intoxicating aromatic fougere that has serious versatility, but is also perfect for a day of nuzzling with someone.

When I first began my fragrance journey, Fou d’Absinthe was something I wanted to try. I was just turning away from the department store perfume counter / Sephora bestsellers and dipping my toes in the niche world, and FdA called to me. Practically every single note on here appealed to me, but I hadn't been able to test it... until now. This isn’t absinthe, though. Don’t get me wrong – this is a very nice, top quality scent, and I can smell the retail price if you know what I mean. But this isn’t absinthe – no, it’s the absolute classiest barber shop fougère I’ve ever sniffed in my life. To paraphrase the Umbrella Academy: L’Artisan Parfumeur imagined Davidoff “Cool Water,” then aimed higher. I think this would be incredibly sexy on my boyfriend, if I had a boyfriend; but it’s really not me.

This fragrance does not (thankfully) smell overly much like the drink absynthe, which is as vile smelling a brew as has ever been concocted. Think Sambuca with gasoline in it. The part it retains of the drink is a mysterious, herbaceous, heady characteristic. Fou d'Absinthe is green, spicy, piny, mysterious and ever-so-slightly floral, like a spicy lavender. I'l definitely agree with the nutmeg people have mentioned below. It's very strong off the top. I'm not getting as much anise or fennel notes as it would take to get a real "absinthe" smell. This is an eau that needs a full spray on each wrist and the neck to last, which it does beautifully on my skin - unusual as my skin seems to dispense with eaux relatively quickly. The development is really gradual and interesting. Very, very nice.

Frankly, if I had never tried this but only read the notes here, I would definitely not go for it, cause it 'looks' like a heavy woody, spicy one. But fortunately, I tried it. And it became my personal favorite fragrance of all time! Fou d'Absinthe starts with pine-y, fresh and slightly spicy notes. Soon the star anise begins to come up with the pepper and angelica support behind. It may sounds like some spicy-aroma food seasoning here but the smell doesn't actually remind me anything of food dishes. The interesting part is, I can sense some amazing sweetness and acidity at the same time as it develops on my skin, I think it's the black currant and angelica. Longevity works fine for me, 2-3 sprays makes me smell like a delicious fir tree all day.

Great scent, but wait. Is it? I can't tell anymore because this is already gone. In all seriousness, if this stuff would last more than half an hour on my skin, this would be one that I wear a lot. Smell wise, it is amazing. Performance, it never gets off the couch. To describe the scent, it is definately very masculine. Though not listed in the note breakdown, I feel like there is papyrus in here because of the fresh yet spicy feeling I get. I guess the combination of the spices and anise give it that feeling for me. Obviously there is also a lot of greeness to this fragrance as well. In general, I think that if you mixed green notes, papyrus, and woods in that order together you basically have fou d'absinthe.

Instantly this smell provoked an emotional response...A rare moment in perfumery that genuinely moved me. Not only is this an amazing fragrance that is very masculine and hugely complex and interesting but somehow reminds me of the smell of my late father. Strange really as he only used to wear dated classics in the vein of faberge brut or Fendi uomo...to name a couple and towards the end of his life he didn't wear anything but smelled exactly like this. I got pine, moss wormwood and aniseed from the star anise. What a great herbal tonic this is almost menthol, medicated but soft at the same time. Needless to say I love it and it smells like my pa so I can't help but love it.

Fantastic, highly wearable, green and fresh wormwood/absinthe. Beautiful opening that unfortunately fades to a moderately less interesting (though still very pleasant) skin scent very quickly. The coniferous vibe starts strong and ends weaker, but present. This was probably incredible 15-20 years ago when it came out, but I think the market has become saturated with fragrances that are very similar and don't suffer from the horrific performance of this one. With that said, I love this scent for what it is but can't justify a full bottle purchase. If anyone wants to point me to a happy, aromatic wormwood middle-ground somewhere between this and Amouage Memoir Man, please do!

A fresh bitter herbal liquor cologne. This smell bitter and lean toward a man fragrance and smell like the old classic cologne. This is a special scent for this century because you don't smell this anymore. I do not have in my collection so I glad I have it because it does smell something which I like. Fou d'Absinthe projection are moderate and staying power last for 8 hours. Dry down is powdery and refreshing and yet elegant. The only thing is I don't get any incense in this perfume. The blend of all herb turn out to be a surprise unique scent. Can wear this to restaurant outdoor dinner or heat weather. Can use them during summer or beach vacation too.

Last night I had a try on this magnificent perfume for the first time. I have to say IT IS SUPERB. I think this product is an masterpiece among other perfumes. I can smell a lot of Spicy and Woody notes with an aromatic scent mixed with some balsamic accords. The most dominant notes are a nice blend of Angelica, Wormwood and Balsam Fir.. smelles to me like the sexy pine.this is a scent on the masculine side. i love this perfume. This perfume is suitable for all seasons with a great longevity and good projection. With no doubt It really worth to buy a bottle. Tumbs up. سمپل ارجینال جهت تست موجوده

There is something melancholy about Fou d'Absinthe. As another reviewer noted, it alternates between warmth and coldness, never quite belonging to either, as if the fragrance itself had somehow escaped you, leaving an untouchable echo. Although my brain registers the deep, dark piney and spicy notes, the absinthe is the star player here; mixed with fruity black currant, the result is a subtle sweetness that evokes liquor, sticky desserts, and splashy holiday parties, but not necessarily the kind you enjoy going to. Magic and alchemy with a hint of madness, or maybe just loneliness.

So, here we go. First of all - absinth is one of my favourite drinks. I know, it's unbelievable, but it's a second favourite after white russian. L'artisan's Fou d Absinthe is one of the most mouthwathering scents I've tried lately - it's spicy, there is the fantastic anise note working together with spicy clove + sweet patchouli. It's wonderful and yes, very masculine, but girl's can pull this off as well - it's very complex and smoky so a lovely "femme fatale" could rock this perfume. Very unique, very rich and expensive smelling, i'm just amazed. Jummy! Must drink absinth NOW.

This is one of the best impressions I've had in quite some time. It reminds me of 1828, but feels cleaner, refined and more formal. The overall impression is of a dry, spicy, woody fougère with pine running through the composition. Despite the long list of notes, everything is blended seamlessly into a sophisticated aromatic whole. The absinthe accord is noticeable in the opening before quickly settling into the composition. There is also a subtle shaving foam quality throughout. This currently sits at the top of my collection. I'm very glad I picked up a bottle.

I love L'Artisan Perfumeur's Fou d'Absinthe a whirl today. It may be labelled as a mens fragrance but I hate definitions like that (would Marlene Dietrich have paid any attention to such distinctions, I think not) and the idea of absinthe was something I just couldn't resist due to my Fin de Siecle obsession. It's certainly not disappointed me as a fragrance. Sharp, bitter and pine needle warm blooming from a top note of black currant and glowing with incense. I can imagine Oscar Wilde popping a dab of this behind each ear before a night out at the Café Royal.

I am Fou d'Absinthe (''crazy for absinthe'')! Warmwood, anise and herbs produce here a deep, warm-spicy effect. Compared to my other favorite (absinthe) one, Paname by Keiko Mecheri, Fd'A is ''thicker'' and more masculine, Paname is more realistic and feminine. In general I love to wear men (or unisex) fragrances designed by women: I often find them more delicate, elegant and less sharp. With Philosykos and Fou d'Absinthe (and Tea for Two?) Olivia Giacobetti created some pieces of art letting us stand out of this oud's world...

The conifers are not as dominating as I thought they would be, but I can definitely smell them throughout. They are well blended. All the Pine or Fir notes are smoothed over by light Nutmeg, Clove, Anise, and Patchouli. It softens up over time, but keeps it's light conifer notes. During the dry down the incense comes through lightly, and the Patchouli picks up some strength. The Anise note is present right through to the dry down. Very aromatic. Good quality.

A beautiful evergreen, crisp and bright but with enough spice and rich smoke to distinguish it from piney air freshener. The execution is elegant enough to make this safely feminine, with a slightly sweet BR540-like drydown. Anise as a top note pulls it in a more peppery cologne direction. Unisex, great for all seasons. Longevity is lacking though, even accounting for weakness from a sample vial, and I do lament how quickly the lively top notes disappear.

Gosh I love this. It is absolutely heavenly. Fresh, clean, green and spicy with a touch of sweetness. Very well balanced and blended. Great for summer or winter because of the pine. May be made for men but I love it for me and feel it is completely unisex. Even if it isn't, I don't care, I am wearing it anyway. This puts a spring in my step and makes me feel happy. I would love smelling this on anyone!

THIS IS SO BEAUTIFUL. My love for this scent is instinctual. It bypasses the brain and goes straight to the gut. You walk in the forest and the fields on a rainy day and nature has released its leafy odors. All the spices do is remind you of an even wider selection of herbs and greens. There's nothing perfumey about this. It's as if you went out, picked some herbs and brought them with you.

Not just for gents. This smells amazing on my skin and I get more compliments wearing it than I do with some of my more traditionally "girly" fragrances. It's an incredibly fresh and green smell; like someone picked a big bunch of unripened bananas and put the entire bunch up to your nose while you are sitting on an old hippie's tapestry rug in a patch of glistening, mountain trees.

was so excited about a sample of this and dropped the money on a full bottle. unfortunately on the bottle the black currant is way stronger for whatever reason, which is a huge bummer to me because it always does the cat pee thing on me. I’m going to let it sit for a few months and see if it changes. I didn’t smell any black currant in the decant sample

A realistic forest - lots of trees (pines), green plants, spices; a walk in a peaceful forest, pure nature around, silence. I love it.

This is sex in a bottle! I'd ♥*~*♥purrrrrrrrrrr♥*~*♥ if a man wore this around me. Very sexy as a intimate date perfume for a male.

French interpretation of Axe Brand medicated oil after removing all the spicy menthol. Surprisingly wearable and nostalgic.

woody, spicy, aromatic, and masculine. Smells classic and classic. Great sillage, and performance. Im very very impressed

یک رایحه خوش بو با کلاس و شیک .یک نیش خاص مخصوص اوایل فصل بهار و پاییز.تنها ایراد ان ماندگاری متوسط به پایین است.

Was really really enjoying this until my husband said it smells like shaving cream. ☹️🤦♀️

Love it.... smells just like after shave my dad used when i was little

Another great scent by Olivia Giacobetti, but it is a skin scent.

I get 6+ hours. Smells like a good shaving cream

Fou d'Absinthe is (yet another) L'Artisan masterpiece. As I applied the perfume, I kept thinking, Eggnog! Eggnog! There must be nutmeg in here! It seemed borderline gourmand. I could see myself at a Holiday party, cozied up in my cashmere sweater, smiling while pouring myself a cup of that delicious, creamy drink. The reason for all the exclamations is because although many perfumes claim to contain nutmeg, I have never once detected it in any perfume. There is always a "general spiciness", but never what I would call a clear note of nutmeg. The nutmeg subsided quickly after the first spritz as the perfume became a blond,dry, woody scent, only for the woods to gently relax and allow the nutmeg to emerge transformed like a butterfly from a cocoon, this time flanked by its friends star anise and clove. At this point there is no hint of eggnog, no gourmand rumors, and the perfume settles into a classic fougere--woody, a little green, a little fresh, and a bit spicy. But throughout, NUTMEG is the twinkling star. Fou d'Absinthe is a tad too masculine for my personal wear, which is a subjective quality that if you've read this far, you can already tell I will overlook. I fear I will never smell nutmeg this good again, and the fragrance is a masterpiece to boot. While it's perfect for Christmas, the fact that it's a quintessential fougere, not a spice bomb, makes it very easy to wear throughout the year. Another must for my collection (damn you, L'Artisan, there goes my budget for shoes and clothes again!).

This is one of more restrained deliveries from L'Artisan, as it doesn't seem too original or groundbreaking. The opening is mainly about absinthe with some added earthiness from angelica and a bit of patchouli. This is a part of the fragrant evolution I like the most, as it is quite natural-smelling without being too in-your-face green. Later the patchouli and spices heart bridges that same absinthe, or wormwood, to a somewhat familiar coniferous base. The base of this fragrance is about fir and pine, and that is a bit standard, I'd say. It does mix with a whiff of incense to make it a bit more spiritual and a bit different as well, but still can be mistaken for a solid number of pine-centered perfumes. Luckily for me, my skin keeps the wormwood note for a decent amount of time, as it can be spotted above some other notes for two or even three hours. After that, it's all fir-pine combo, and it prolongs the fragrance longevity for approximately four more hours. From that, it can be said that Fou d'Absinthe's longevity is solid, especially for L'Artisan, but it fails to project after an hour or so - it is quite a skin scent, which is strange for this combination of notes. I see this perfume as a good choice for people with love for 80s style of perfumery, but with less audacity. Being that it's Olivia Giacobetti's work, I expected more, honestly. Still, Fou d'Absinthe is a solid green fragrance, but not among the best of the brand. 7,75/10

Spicy licorice clove damp woody angelica vetiver patchouli Testing the current formulation i am still absolutely blown away by that opening arrangement bitter sweet woody damp herbal, like brushing your nose over a cold shot glass of herbal bitters or italian Amaro. Right underneath a stunning arrangement of angelica cool muskiness and slightly rooty inky vetiver entering fuzzy patchouli earthiness. I repeatedly heard from people i generally agree with and noticed in the comments below claiming that Fou d'Absinthe follows fougere structure... the anise i presume replaces the citric lavender, patchouli the oakmoss, what about the staple nutty metallic tonka? I don't really see the resemblance other that the fact that it is broadly outdoorsy. More importantly it doesn't wear like a fougere, bright and fresh from a far and warm tobacco-like from up close, no real soapy shaving cream facets either. Instead i get the scent of a cool evening in the forest after rainfall. For me it is conceptually closer to something like FM French Lover or even more abstract works like Floraiku in the Rain or Stora Skuggan Fantome. Personally its a top 5 Artisan fragrance, I love the impact of the top and stunning tranquil forest vegetation of the dry down.

This fragrance took me by surprise. I went in without looking at the notes first, and I think that if I'd seen them first, I wouldn't have tried this. I almost never like green/woody scents, especially more "masculine" ones. However, upon applying this, I was shocked to notice that not only was the scent warm, cozy, and inviting, but also sweet and somewhat feminine. Not entirely so, as there is still the presence of woodsy notes. But I'm very surprised this isn't marketed as unisex. I felt perfectly content wearing this - I've never found such an enjoyable woody scent as this. On the other hand though, I could just as easily love this on my boyfriend. It's truly a versatile scent, and one that I've fallen for! I described this scent to my boyfriend as a trip to a gorgeous, luxurious mountain cabin. Surrounded by trees, wooden decor, the feeling of the outdoors. But there's a great big fireplace, and you're in front of it, wrapped in the warmest blanket. Perhaps sipping some cider. It's everything you want a cozy forest retreat to be - green and fresh and clean, yet warm and gentle. This scent is crisp but rich. A real treasure of the L'Artisan line.

This is beautiful, green, fresh, spicy aromatic scent suitable for year round use. I get a vibe from an expensive shaving cream, something manly and nowadays manly scents are a rarity. Dominant notes are pine, wormwood, fir balsam, mild incense and mild star anise. At the late dry down there's also cloves. In the air I get mostly spicy pine and wormwood. There's also strong nutmeg, vivid angelica, strong black pepper and mild cloves along with patchouli at the background. I think that cloves are stronger than ginger which I can't feel it at all and as time passes the cloves make their presence clear. Sometimes smells like an absinthe liquer especially at the first stages of its development but mostly is a resinous, green and spicy barbershop fougere scent. Sillage is moderate, projection is moderate to soft. The longevity is good, high-average. Highly recommended for those who love manly scents with a vintage green vibe. It's a clean, green, delicate, incensy scent. Beautiful natural smelling fragrance!