Poivre 23 London

Most Le Labo fragrances are ok but in general not all that astounding. This one parts the sea and can be polorizing at first sniff. The top note of pepper can be off putting if this is not an aroma you appreciate...but I love pepper. Both the smell and the taste. (I blacken my food much to the surprise of others around me.) But fear not.The jolt of pepper during he first half hour soon subsides and gives way to resins, incense and vanilla. Vanilla and pepper turns out to a delicious combination. Also present is a nice touch of guaiac wood, sandalwood and patchouli. Starts out decidedly masculine and softens as time passes to become softer and a bit more feminine but very wearable by anyone. An unique oriental with a shocking blast of wonderful pepper at the start. Longevity borders on incredible lasting well over 12 hours, almost 24 hours. Twice a year Le Labo offers their city exclusives at their retail locations. This is one of the very few times I have purchassed a small bottle. The $440 price for 100ml is stupidly rediculous! $290 for 50ml is even worse (per ml) but my bank account appreciates the extra $150. But even at this price this is a scent I needed in my collection. At least I have the bottle and can get refills later if I run out. The fact that I sprayed liberally in the store and got 3 nice sized samples before I left makes the high price a little easier to take.Not a blind buy! Sample first. If you visit or live in London make sure to sample. If not then get it while you can or wait 2 years...

I first got my nose on Poivre 23 when I was at the Seaport Boston location in November and the employee working had the most intoxicating trail when he was walking around the store helping customers. I asked him what he was wearing, and he pulled out Poivre from the fridge in the back and let me apply some to my forearm. He said this was his date night fragrance, and he put it on today because him and his partner were going to dinner after work. I loved it immediately, and found it to be so classic, mature, and perfectly unisex. When I went to London in early December, Liberty was doing a 15% off sale of Le Labo (which is unheard of) and got myself a 50ml of this intoxicating juice. After spending some time with it, I found the deeper reason I feel so connected to this fragrance and it unfolded a time and a place I haven't revisited since I was a child. That place being my grandparents asking me to set the table with the China that was in an antique cabinet in the dining room. Opening the doors to it I would get this waft of old wood and a peppery smell that could only come from such an old piece of furniture. So special, and now always reminds me of a sweet time in my life where I spent time with my grandparents. I love Poivre 23 for many reasons, but ultimately for unraveling a time in my life that I held so dear in my heart and wasn't aware of it until my nose understood its magnitude.

I bought most of the city samples this year and have been going through them one by one. Many are lovely but similar to other available fragrances. Not Poivre 23, at least it’s nothing like I know. First blast is a floral vanilla but in just a couple of sniffs it develops into pure black sneezy black pepper. As it dries down the pepper stops tickling your nose, but is still strong. As it dries, it goes through an old wood phase, like an old pirate’s barrel filled with the valuable spice. And then for a time, it’s a mildewed musty book sprinkled with pepper, which many might not like but to me was interesting and beautiful. All these things happen in the first hour, and in its final form, it becomes a vanilla smoky pepper with the sandalwood and patchouli becoming evident. And, a single small tester spray lasted all day and will be with me as I sleep. Definitely a powerhouse. A frag that’s not for everyone but is still feminine and beautiful and my favorite city fragrance so far. I’ll be purchasing this one when I can, unless one of my untested samples I end up liking more. Sadly, only one can be in my budget but this may be it. It’s odd for me as I’m a floral and bergamot lover but this one is amazing.

Poivre 23 was love at first sniff and has been my signature scent for the past few years. It’s sophisticated enough for black-tie events yet tastefully casual for everyday wear. Based on the notes, one would expect this scent to be pretty sweet, but it’s not. Because of that, it works well for me in warmer months if I limit myself to two sprays. The bourbon pepper note is realistic but lasts no more than an hour. At first, I wanted it to linger for a bit longer, but I’ve learned to love its brief appearance as it doesn’t overstay its welcome. This scent lasts seven to eight hours on my skin and a couple of days on my clothes. Getting whiffs of it as I dreadfully throw my dirty clothes in the washing machine makes doing laundry slightly more tolerable. The projection is strong, and you will leave a trail. A friend told me that one day, when I visited and left their home, they closed all their windows to keep the smell of my perfume inside. I know it was a compliment, but given how overpriced it is, I realized I sprayed way too much. And I continue to spray too much. But that’s how much I love this juice.

Le Labo Poivre 23 (city exclusive for London) is, as meteorologists might put it, a wintry mix. It involves pepper, smoke, and resin. It's a strong cold-weather option that seems to be able to work day and night. Poivre 23 is the strongest Le Labo I've tried with respect to projection and longevity. A few mini sprays from the sample atomizer create a cloud, and longevity is in the 8-12 hour range, at least. So the City Exclusive price ($290 for 50ml) at least provides a robust fragrance, but aesthetically, I can see the mix of hard notes being divisive among wearers. This strikes me as almost an exclusively masculine fragrance at the intersection of woody, smoky, spicy, and perhaps even dirty. At a lower price, it would be a welcome addition among some other cold-weather favorites, but the price is still prohibitive. A cool fragrance, nonetheless. 8 out of 10