Irish Leather

Testing Irish Leather from a 1.5 ml Memo Paris sample. I really like this one! It’s way better done than French Leather in my opinion, even though Irish Leather is catered more towards men, I much prefer it. Quite a masculine scent but a good one! Smells like a typical aromatic, herbal, piney, ambery, woody, leathery manly man scent. Photorealistic, zingy, bright juniper berries and mate are the stand out notes to me, even though it’s advertised as a leather perfume! The mate and juniper berries take the scent into a fresher, green/bitter direction but it’s all balanced by the tonka beans. A perfectly balanced bittersweet scent! The leather is not animalic, dark and rough but leans towards something super smooth as a fine piece of suede. Not prominently featured, so don’t avoid this if you’re thinking it’s going to be leather dominant. It’s not...Better call it a entry level leather fragrance, smooth and elegant. For moderate temperatures, spring and autumn mainly, Irish Leather is all that you want! It’s a long lasting fragrance but it’s not overpowering and it’s very easy to wear. Average projection, sits closer to the skin than I would prefer, so in terms of performance it isn’t spectacular but it isn’t a poor performer either. Nothing too complex or too niche in or difficult to wear here. With all that said, it’s a bit too masculine for my personal taste! But it does smells excellent and it’s a wonderful composition for those looking for something green, bitter and on the fresher side not too far off the beaten track. It’s an elevated version of a classic aromatic designer scent with a corresponding price! This and Terre d'Hermes Eau Givree by Hermès have the same beautifully done juniper berries note that I have discovered that I adore! Irish Leather could be the heavier version of Eau Givree, one for summer and the other one for fall or spring. Not talking dupes here.. I would buy this for my husband if he likes it, because I would love smelling this on him. It’s that good..

I have been eyeing the Memo brand for a very long time and finally decided to purchase the Irish Leather. I am so happy with my choice and do not regret it for one second. I went to the main Memo shop in Rue de Cambon in Paris and the lady was incredibly sweet. She gave me testers for the whole Memo leather line including some more and a mini Irish Leather body lotion. I am so happy I waited to go to the main shop instead of purchasing in a department store counter. First of all, the brand is just beautiful. All their perfumes are made with so much attention to details and with very long lasting ingredients. The bottles are incredibly beautiful and all have their unique drawing. Many of the Memo scents have very creative notes in them that I would never imagine in a perfume, but somehow it all blends beautifully together. It was very difficult to pick a scent as many caught my attention but the Irish Leather is perfection especially for the colder upcoming months. To me its a very sensual, green, earthy scent. The juniper berries give it a slight touch of fruity sweetness. The leather gives it a dark and alluring feel. It is spicy, and a soft leather stays throughout. Overall it is a fresh green in the opening and it envelops into a deep and sexy scent perfume. As many people mentioned, it reminds me too of a crisp misty winter forest walk, beautiful in every dimension.

It is just as amazing as Floraiku's Between Two Trees. I compared them both at the same time, one on each hand. The openings were more different but they became much more similar very soon, in 10 minutes or so. Floraiku version is slightly more floral, sweeter, maybe even more luxurious in a sense, Memo version is slightly more leathery and simpler. Masterpieces are both (the author is the same) but the price is way over reasonable so I will try the Rasasi dupe next. Yes, there is even similarity with Orlov Paris's Walk On The Wild Side which I have (very fine leather) but that one is closer to BR540 because of saffron, having that very crispy note in it that's missing in these two scents. That saffron note is so attention-seeking that I don't really want to go out with it but Floraiku's and Memo's versions are perfectly good for that. And the yerba mate note: well, as a regular drinker and having tried many versions of it over the years, I wouldn't say that I recognise mate here. But the greenery that is supposed to be mate, is very nice anyway (in both of them).

I love Memo. I rarely am tempted to buy a bottle - regardless I’m always impressed with the build and offer. (I do own Tigers Nest). I received a huge decent Memo discovery kit so I can enjoy the scents at a leisurely pace and sure enough the first one sums up my experience with them. A green sweet slightly dirty lush scent with a hint of untanned leather. Gorgeous. Amazingly it is genuinely remarkably similar to HDp 1828, Commes des Garçon Amazingreen and Oliver and Co./Avant Garden Lab Veil - and distantly not far off Ambergreen. It has just enough of leather (only just) to differentiate it - maybe problematically even then nose to skin rather than as a waft - occasionally my nose/brain registers more of the leather. I really like it - I may have to indulge in a bottle though my common sense kinda says wait until one of the aforementioned I own needs replacing as it’s so close. There! Done deal - it’s on my shopping list for the right time...

My favorite from the brand. Green leather, that's what this is (which coincidently fits the Irish narrative, i.e. perfect scent for St Patrick's parade). Scent is mostly leather-woody-spicy but has a lot of complex, dark green notes as below: Clary Sage, Juniper, green mate, oil of flouve, birch (leaves?) - all green notes, beautifully blended! Notes from the Memo website. Sorry Fragrantica, you are wrong again (or incomplete): head notes: clary sage, juniper, pink pepper heart notes: green mate, flouve, orris base notes: amber, birch, leather, tonka This is very niche and not for everybody. Has a little bit of the old leather scent vibe but very/ modern built. Great performer, very masculine IMO and attention grabber. This is no Dior Sauvage, this is a serious fragrance. My wife thinks this is a lighter more wearable version of Amouage Interlude Man - I can see what she means, probably even closer to Interlude Black Iris. Must try!!!