L'Eau du Navigateur

Upon first experiencing L'Eau du Navigateur, I immediately understood why many adherents to contemporary niche don't necessarily warm up to it. This is a niche from the 1980s, and the composition, which was daring and forward-thinking for its time period, does remind you that it is of its time. There is an epicene base, which I absolutely adore. It is showcased to full effect in seminal men's classics such as Hermes Equipage and Cacharel Pour L'Homme. It imparts a melange of spices: nutmeg, mace, cloves, bay leaf, even allspice (pimento). This is due to the presence of myrcene, a warm, balsamic, ethereal and somewhat sweet terpene. From an aromatherapy perspective, it is actually considered quite warming and calming. Here, it is in full effect through the epicene base almost overdosed to what would be I suppose considered a "niche" level today. This, with the musks and leather, really makes this more of a "yesteryear" scent, but with a twist. It is argued that L'Artisan had the earliest "niche", pre-dating the category by decades. So, we have this opening that has a coffee note, but this is no strident Intense Cafe or sweet cappuccino, creamy latte, coffee in your face note, and for that, it seems many folks are let down. This is a coffee note, not a coffee fragrance, and let's remember that coffee as a scent is quite a charger for the olfactory receptors, so having such a nuanced coffee note is actually an impressive feat by Jean-Claude Ellena. Watercolor, minimalist coffee in the atmosphere, with a splash of rum, while one wears their lounge jacket and reads the morning papers. That is the coffee note, and yes, it doesn't stay for hours, but it makes for a fantastic first hour. This sits perfectly well for me. The dry down is vaguely floral, maybe some dianthus and a tiny bit of muguet murmuring, and while the coffee and rum has run dry and the funnies are through, a fine soap layer surfaces (uh oh, too 70s-80s for contempos) and I am a sucker for soapy and spicy together. Hours in, a discernible caraway note mingles with the woods and it makes for a snuggle-worthy second skin. L'Eau du Navigateur is quite arid and pleasantly aloof, it has no time for the frivolity of youth, it has seen and experienced a lot, knows what it wants and where it wants to be. It lights some incense to ruminate, smokes a pipe now and then to relax, takes long naps, enjoys comfortable slippers and revels in the languorous. Navigateur has an acerbic wit but a soft heart. Navigateur could be you or me, at least while we are wearing it.

Lately I've been searching for softer scents since my wardrobe is full of powerhouses and some days I feel like having something good without being loud. L'Eau du Navigateur fits the bill perfectly since it is very smooth and understated without being bland or forgettable. I see here some other reviewers saying this is a powerhouse and I'm intrigued, Is it that there's been a significant reformulation? My bottle is in the new shape and it is definitely not a strong scent. I wonder: if l'Artisan stopped selling this... what did they make the new bottles for? Is the old juice transferred? It sounds strange... On the first 3 minutes there's a defined edge with some leather, spices and bitter coffee which still is not something I'd call strong. I love the smell! It goes on for a long time but softens considerably, even becoming hard to perceive unless you put your nose close to the skin. The general effect is that of very bitter and tart coffee beans. Dusty and deeply erotic, I agree with those previous reviewers. It is not dated at all to my nose even if the smell recalls some 80s scents. The good thing is the softness makes this wearable whereas its cousin Eau des iles, which shares many many facets with this, feels more suitable for the older crowd and might appear a bit dated and harsh (even if it is gorgeous too). Here the smell is unique and modern... or better: timeless. Jean Laporte was a genius to have conceived both. It is wonderful for men but women should give it a try, I think it might surprise you positively. Still, do I recommend to blind buy as I did? not really. I think a sampling is wise in this case in order to see if you like the low sillage and the scent itself. As for me, I'm in love with it (but to be honest, I would surely have dismissed it in my first months of sampling scents...). Last but not least: warmer weather (like spring or early autumn, not summer) is the perfect season for this since in winter it gets too lost unless you're inside a small room.

Having damned L'Artisan Parfumer's Dzongkha as an absolute Stzingkha, I am pleased to be able to endorse L'Eau du Navigateur as an absolute pleasure. From the first to the end, pure delight. I love this! I don't get a lot of transition, the opening stays until the end. But it is not a 'linear scent'. Every note is on stage and can be smelt (or heard as Japanese say about incense) as an ensemble but each one remains as distinct as in a solo. It reminds me of the end of Mozart's La Nozze di Figaro when everyone sings 'Ah Tutti Contenti Saremo Cosi'. The great voices of the Divi have to blend as a choir - very difficult for voices trained for solo singing. When it works it is breath taking. This fragrance achieves the same amazing balance which brings solo notes together not to form a shapeless mush but to form a glorious ensemble. I get rum, leather, coffee, spices, incense, soap, rose. I get, from Bass to Soprano, Bartolo, Figaro, the Count, Cherubino, Marcellina, Susanna, the Countess - singing their hearts out! Beautiful! Bravissimo! This fragrance is so life-affirming I want to stand up and cheer! Not much projection, a private indulgence. I like this even more than Timbuktu which is drier and less sweet. Will wear this often, day or evening. I think you could recommend this to men or women, in fact anyone who could sing along with Mozart.

first impressions: curry, coffee, spice incense. Oh these reviews below me...This is not "just for men", gimme a break. What makes this solely masculine?? Stop deterring women from giving these type of scents a chance on their skin! It's sexist and ridiculous. A century ago, there were no classifications...men and women wore perfumes based on what they liked, not what they were told was for men or women. There is nothing cloyingly thick heavy or suffocating that would not work on a female's skin with this perfume. Ok rant over. It's very nice and middle-eastern-y. It's different, and this smells lovely on me. On top of everything I already listed that I smelled, also add sort of a rum & coke hint, and just a little little bit of sweet smoky pipe tobacco. These are buried tho, they are not strong components. The stars are still the curry/spice/incense/coffee notes. Since I'm not a world traveler, I will have to compare this perfume to something I do know about...this smells like when you're walking down Curry Hill in Nyc on Lexington Ave & the 20's...all the spices coming from the many Indian restaurants, very warm and exotic. This is just beautiful and I would love to add this to my collection someday. lasts a long time as well !

Perhaps someone could think that this is not the right fragrance for summer, perhaps someone is right. For me a fragrance can be right if it doesn't spoil itself whenever it's used, no matter what the thermometer says, it is basic that the chemistry of the essence and that of the 'holder' can match. Liking paradoxes, I do like also trying 'summer' scents during the winter and 'warm' ones during the summer, being a gardenist I like making programs and projects as well, perfume is not only memory, but sometimes it makes you skip the calendar and let you spy a glimpse of future possibilities as well......A frag like a 'dress' or a colour must suit you, and l'Eau de Navigateur does it its job very well on my skin. Although I could love and wear totally different kind of frags, I'm not ashamed about something -probably - controversial but really above any genre, style, trend and so on. Quite inimaginable that it comes from the expert hands of Olivia Giacobetti! Rich and a bit excentric but always in the right 'measure'! Long lasting. A big mistake by l'Artisan putting this wonderful perfume (perhaps one of their most original creations) outside its 'menu', I personally, would have suggested to do the same with something else! : (