Laura Biagiotti Uomo

It's okay; an average spicy, leathery scent. There are much better ones in this neighborhood with which to spend your time. I had a mini of this four years ago, still had the empty bottle, smelled and liked whatever lingered, bought a three-pack of vials, and again realized I'm not going full-sized. Try before you buy.

Who needs room for another 80s spicy green fougere? I do apparently, and this one has got the style on lock. I say with confidence that this is in the same league as Van Cleef and Arpels Tsar, with a sweet incense opening that is however unique to Uomo. This opening is rather beautiful and enveloping, with an aromatic tarragon twang and quenching geranium radiance into the heart. Spices come into full effect after the top notes settle, a classic epicene base married with this sweet cinnamic note and a green herbal undercurrent. It feels almost festive and autumnal, it makes me want to pick apples and carve pumpkins. Bogart's Witness, while having a different scent profile save for the cinnamic quality, gives me this same feeling. Here, however, Laura Biagotti has better quality overall, and shows dynamism that Witness, while lovely as it is, does not quite exhibit. A melange of classic fougere notes with a trace of leather closes out the dry down, familiar, unpretentious and comforting. Wearing this is like wearing a cozy flannel on a cool, crisp day. I definitely had room for this little treat. Search hard enough, and perhaps an affordable enough bottle of this discontinued treat can come your way.

If you are into 1980s power fougeres, you will like Biagiotti Uomo. Unfortunately, it is pretty hard to find, and almost impossible to sample. You may come across an online offering now and then, but those bottles tend not to be as affordable as one might want to venture with a blind buy.