Itasca

"Itasca" is a refined woody fragrance that balances all its elements terrifically well. Sharp, cool, fresh, piney, peppery, smoky, sweet, soft, romantic, rugged...it's a lot of things! The woods here are realistic, but are composed in such a way as to not make you smell like a forest. Pine stands out with its bracing freshness, but there is also that 'sanded wardrobe' effect I get from vetiver, and the vaguest traces of smoke alluding to a distant campfire. Spices and geranium add a delicate piquancy, and the juicy freshness of citrus and juniper give zest to the heart, avoiding the astringent 'disinfectant' accord that plagues so many other citrus/vetiver compositions. In the background, a mellow tonka bean provides a perfectly measured sweetness, giving warmth and sensuality. Quite easy to imagine a handsome, stubble-jawed cowboy sitting casually on a log pile, carving wooden figurines with a flick knife. I imagine women would go wild for a guy wearing this. It's about one of the sexiest masculine fragrances I've encountered. One of Lubin's best.

Well, I absolutely adore vetiver. It's one of my favourite smells, and therefore, I love Itasca. I also love masculine perfumes, lots of them. The vetiver is divine in Itasca, but really, on me, the little bit of floral, and fruit are quite noticeable, and it smells rather feminine. Must be my skin. On my husband it is very very masculine - sharp, fresh, crisp, smoky, piney, all the masculine things, but it's really a lot softer, less sharp, more gentle, on me. It starts off very fruity/citrusy, quite delicious, with a lovely hint of florals, and then moves into a more oriental, spicy, herby, incense woody, a little piney, resinous ambience, which smells soooo divine! I love it, it's a fantastic combination. But the vetiver is the magical part. The beautiful musty, dry, woody, smoky, bitter-chocolatey smell of vetiver just turns me on; I adore it. So Itasca is a delight, for both of us. A wonderful, slightly bracing, but full of many contrasting smells, and completely delicious, perfume.

Itasca is a well blended complex non-linear fragrance that took me a few wears to get my nose around. The marigold at the top is floral and aromatic, functioning like lavender but smelling very unique at the same time. This is a note I will look out for in the future, it’s really intriguing. The citruses play a supporting role, just adding some brightness at the top. As the marigold fades the spices come to the fore along with the pine and resins, similar to a classic fougere. The final act though is my favourite as it darkens into a pine forest vetiver, lightly smoky with a smooth leather like quality, although this isn’t listed so that might just be me. Itasca never shouts but it lasts for 8+ hours on my skin and leaves a really sexy earthy skin sent behind. I imagine this on a mature man or woman who enjoys the outdoors as much as they enjoy life’s more refined pleasures. Great versatility, any season, casual or formal.

As a Minnesotan, I know all about the woods and forests. I spent many years hunting deer near Itasca. It is a place of breathtaking beauty and scents. I was a little skeptical over how a company based in France could understand and create such a fragrance that represents the mystery and beauty of Itasca's forests. Here's what I found: This was a recommendation from a fellow member. I had never even heard of it but, it really intrigued me. It soon made it's way to my top 5 scents, truly a beautiful fragrance! A very well blended creation with a little bit of everything. The one thing that stays in your soul forever once you have visited a Minnesota forest is the smell of pine. This fragrance has it, and it's used beautifully. It's a pretty linear scent but it smells so good that it doesn't really matter! It's fresh and dark at the same time, green, mysterious and a little bit of warm spice. I love it.

I’m so devastated I waited too long to buy a full bottle. The newer bottles are all I can find but they’re so fugly compared to the one pictured above. I saw a couple listings offering this bottle with the brown and I was so excited to own it one day but now they’re all gone. I don’t want it anymore I hate the new design so much. It’s not even really that bad but the thought of looking at it knowing I could’ve owned the original beauty would make me SICK. The scent itself in the most phenomenal masculine scent I’ve ever smelled in my life. I like unisex fem leaning scents but this makes me not give a damn! Edit: it’s all good I found an original bottle. Feels so good in the hand with this copper outer layer. Also this scent started my journey into masculine scents and I’m starting to prefer them now