Pardon

Dear readers, to tell the truth, I didn’t expect to have to face such a disturbing monster and “Pardon” surprised me quite a bit when I smelled it for the first time today. I believe you couldn’t make a better choice if you are passionate about the scents of foliage, earth and soil, and it gives me great joy to have the honour of introducing it to you here. I must confess that some people will find it difficult to wear, as it is polarizing. To some, this perfume will seem rude, but I feel that you will understand it if you love patchouli in all its nuances and accept the challenge. Even if it does not agree with "Kouros (Eau de Toilette) | Yves Saint Laurent", Pardon belongs to that genre of virile perfumes, rich in hints of masculinity. What a very impertinent speech to make, I realize. I apologize, my readers, for the impertinence of this perfume. I apologize for being so flippant. I apologize for being so rude. I apologize if I seemed rude to you. I apologize... And this is precisely what Pardon wants to tell us, starting with a brutal slap and ending with a sensual caress. Chypre, woody, and earthy like the layer of damp peat that covers the floor of a forest after a rain. Pardon means sorry, not surprisingly, because its arrival is bursting, brutal, almost violent, irreverent, and reckless. A hurricane that devastates everything in its path. I’m sure of what I was smelling because something came to light very quickly and then became the dominant note... raw and pure patchouly. Patchouli is the guiding spirit of this essence, rich, warm, moist and soft, it dominates, and it makes you understand who is in charge, as in a role-playing game with the dominator and the submissives. You must be a fan of patchouli to appreciate this essence, since it is evident from the beginning to the end, clear, limpid. A green, musky, mineral scent, full of excitement and sex, something that resembles the primordial calls of the most intimate male parts, odours that in the animal world leave their trail in the air and serve to attract the attention of the partner. Along with patchouli, we find a medicinal and semi-sweet oud note, not sharp, not piercing, not barnyard, not faecal, and not animal. On the other hand, Alessandro Gualtieri’s nose plays a lot with these non-perfumes, which include dirty and unusual notes, and which at the beginning can be unpleasant and create sensations of repulsion, but then create habituation and dependence as soon as you get used to them, and not we can no longer do without it. Sorry, it’s not exactly like a sequence of notes on a staff. Pardon is a set of strong sensations that follow one another and change, different every time you wear it. Its chocolatey facets are the first accords that release and give the opening the bitter, dark tones, typical of dark chocolate, the black one with a cocoa percentage of over 90%, which dries up your mouth when you try to melt it. There is a drunken, pungent note, especially in the first moments. I would like to point out that the essence of the best quality patchouli oil has a smell with marked reminiscences of bitter chocolate. I can confirm the presence of patchouli since I have a 100% extract with the same smell. It is this bitter chocolate aroma that has made the fragrance popular, and it is rounded off with natural woody and floral notes, which do not lack some leathery edges. These scents are intertwined with fat floral touches, those slightly carnal scents of the thick petals of the magnolia, the intense and intoxicating aroma of the gardenia, almost certainly a handful of Arabian jasmine, and a powdery undertone of the iris roots. The latter comes out very dusty, chalky, and not at all similar to baby powder. Many people claim not to recognize patchouli and only perceive a strong chocolate smell, perhaps because they expect the ancient sweetish scents that made it popular in the hippie period, which is absent here. Patchouli is raw without a throwback aroma that reminds the wearer of the essences from the 70s and the 80s. Instead, the powerful chocolatey notes are precisely those of the patchouli oil used in this essence, modern, cleaned, from which all the nauseating sweetness has been removed, leaving only everything bitter, earthy, musky, mineral, and balsamic that can be to extract. As far as flowers are concerned, we are not faced with flirtatious, mushy petals which are often appreciated by the female public, but rather with virile, erotic, hypnotic white flowers, which are inspired by Arabian jasmine and lemon magnolia, with strong impulses towards a predominantly masculine taste. Pardon oozes virility from every pore, at 360 degrees. That kind of brutal and beastly perfumes like "Kouros (Eau de Toilette) | Yves Saint Laurent", as I was saying, and those who know and love it know what I mean. It takes a few minutes before these scents of passion and sex subside a little, leaving room for something that draws a powdery trail, with a balsamic and medicinal aftertaste that at times recalls the pungent smell of iodine and dark amber disinfectants. The dusty notes come from the iris root, which combined with the nuances of chocolate makes the essence very intriguing, elegant and refined. The rough appearance he showed at the beginning is now tamed, more sociable, more gentle, more courteous. The more time passes, the more intense the smoky, non-clerical incense accord becomes, which alternates with sweetish spicy touches of cinnamon. This brown bark stands out, although it remains a secondary and non-protagonist note. It is a type of cinnamon that makes the fragrance richer and warmer without forcing it towards too spicy a direction. Now Pardon releases woody, resinous, perhaps even balsamic and woody scents, with at times powdery touches. On the finish, sandalwood emerges to give creaminess and roundness to the fragrance while the spicy notes fade away. Everything becomes softer, sweeter, and creamier. Despite the modernity of the perfume, I don’t feel the overused notes of Iso E Super or Ambroxan. Sandalwood is warm, sensual, and never treacherous or annoying. The earthy and mineral appearance persists until the end. To my senses, the perfume comes more with hints of incensed patchouli, carnal magnolia, and soft and slightly leathery sandalwood. If the opening is boozy and exuberant, the base is simply creamy, sweet and classy. Don’t let the brash opening scare you because it’s really easy to fall in love with this fragrance. It’s mysterious and incredibly compelling. What I like about this scent is how patchouli is evident throughout the development, and what’s even better, this patchouli feels like it’s made of natural raw oils. Its gloomy and dark character makes it ideal for the colder months. But I think it’s worth a gamble to try to wear it on spring and summer evenings when the air is thinner, cooler, and a little humid. Despite its irreverence, the scent is not suffocating, I would say it does nothing to get noticed, even if others notice it. The projection is not exuberant, and the duration is around 4 or 5 hours. Even if the performances are not insane, Pardon knows how to be subtle and intimate. Another rare pearl that stands out from the crowd. I'm formulating my opinions on a bottle I've owned since June 2024.

Imagine a field with the most beautiful flowers you've ever seen, and then the darkest, thickest rain clouds looming over them. Pardon is a fragrance that caught my eye from the moment I saw the notes, oud with chocolate, cinnamon and flowers. I talked about the fragrance with the person who sold me a 2 ml decant of it and he told me he found it a dark and alluring scent, and he could not have been more accurate. When my mom smelled it (and I have to say I'm surprised she loved it, I expected her to hate it), she said it smelled really manly and mysterious. My grandmother also seemed to like it a lot, as she went as far as asking me what it was called when she usually just mentions in passing that I smell nice. Pardon has a gorgeous floral opening, which is stalked (feels like the appropriate word) by a really dark oudy and creamy scent. It's the type of fragrance you'll have to be wearing a full black outfit to go with it. It's an excellently blended fragrance with a lot of depth, so I'm really struggling to describe the scent, I'd rather leave it at that than doing a poor job attempting to describe it. What I can say is I adore this fragrance and it's made me very interested in trying more from Nasomatto, particularly Baraonda. Performance is really good, although I did spray very lightly as I had heard it's a strong fragrance and it was really hot today, I didn't feel like choking out my family or myself. Despite that, performance has been really good and I never felt bothered by the scent's thickness. In fact, I'd say this could easily be worn in summer nights if you spray lightly, the florals really do help a lot not making this an overwhelming scent. Projection is strong and sillage is dense, at least as strong and dense as three sprays in total can be (two in the neck and one in a forearm). Longevity has been great too, the single spray on my forearm is still easily detectable 7 and a half hours later.

Pardon by the house of Nasomatto is the embodiment of sensuality in a bottle. I got this fragrance for a bargain price of £95 on the website I usually use to buy frags. When I first looked into this fragrance, I was keen on buying either this or black afgano, ultimately both being blind-buys, as I have never tried anything before from this house. Needless to say, this is FAR beyond ANY designer frag in terms of its quality, and perfumery. I went into this with high expectations, and came out more than satisfied. First thing I have to say, this stuff is extraordinarily potent, it's an extrait concentration so the 30mls you get should be enough to last as much as any other frag you have, plus the ingredients used in this frag anyway are far past potent and into their own league. When you first spray on Pardon, you're immediately hit by patchouli, it's not harsh or sharp unlike some other patchoulis I have tried, instead, Pardon manages to reach a level where this patchouli is elegant, and soft whilst still remaining potent. The dark chocolate and cinnamon notes pop out more after a few minutes and that only helps this fragrance retain its beauty. The dark chocolate note isn't one that's overly bitter, it has this photorealism to it alongside the cinnamon which balances out in such a way that's almost orgasmic. I don't get too much florals in this frag, further on in the drydown the florals do become more apparent, and it has this powdery quality to it that makes you want to keep smelling it. I LOVE this fragrance, and I'm personally impressed with this frag being my introduction to the house of Nasomatto. Even though this of course isn't for everyone, if you're able to see the perfumery behind it, I believe it can open the eyes more to enjoying this fragrance.

I went into Pardon curious... and came out completely mesmerized. From the first spray, it pulled me into this dark, elegant atmosphere — not loud, not flashy — just quietly luxurious. The opening gave me a subtle boozy warmth wrapped in cocoa dust and polished oud. Not gourmand in a syrupy way... more like dry dark chocolate shaved over fine wood. As it developed, what really captivated me was the texture shift. A faint peppery dryness emerged — refined, not spicy-sweet — adding a tailored masculinity to the composition. It felt seductive without trying. The kind of scent that makes you feel composed, magnetic, and slightly mysterious. The drydown is where it fully won me over. Creamy sandalwood and tonka take control, smoothing everything into this powdery, skin-like elegance. The oud becomes a shadow in the background — present, but polished and restrained. It stops smelling like “perfume” and starts smelling like an aura. Wearing it, I felt like I was sitting in a dim whiskey lounge — quiet, confident, and completely at ease while others wondered where that warm, animalic glow was coming from. Not animalic in a funky way... more like enhanced skin warmth. Performance is excellent but intimate. It doesn’t project loudly — it radiates. This is a lean-in scent, not a room filler. Overall impression: Powdery elegant woods Cocoa dust Creamy sandalwood Polished oud Peppery dry warmth Pardon feels like velvet, low lighting, and quiet confidence bottled. I’m working through a 5 ml sample now, and it’s already clear this will be a full bottle in my future. Not because it’s loud or trendy — but because it makes me feel like the most refined version of myself when I wear it.

Finally giving my thoughts after owning it for awhile, to start off i get very little florals in the top, the magnolia is noticeable but fades away pretty quick, i get very little cinnamon to my nose as well but the main player in the composition is the chocolatey oud and chocolatey patchouli, and i say that because i dont think there is a dark chocolate accord at its own, i think it's more of a chocolatey oud and a chocolatey patchouli coming together the give an illusion of an unsweetened dark chocolate accord, but it is not an all and all a "chocolate fragrance" i find it to change a morph on my skin, sometimes its more oudy sometimes the patchouli jumps to the front page but it always comes off balanced, never one note taking over the other. i also get slight churchy incense vibes but it seems to be hidden in the background of the composition, and only in the far far (5+ hours) drydown i start getting the slightly creamy sandalwood, in terms of performance its not massive or has insane longevity, projection and sillage, its subtle and intimate, doesn't completely sit close to the skin it has a little bit of pop but it's not in anyway shape or form a huge performer. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ UPDATE:THE SANDALWOOD IN THE BASE IS FUCKING GORGEOUS, it's absolutely my favorite part of this composition!!

OH MY, Pardon is, surprisingly, currently my most complimented fragrance, and it performs REALLY well. I'm so shocked because it's so concentrated and resinous, I expected non-fraghead folks around me to be confused or put off. But I got the exact opposite response. I myself didn't initially have the highest opinion of Pardon -- mostly because I've already smelled and/or purchased so many woody, resinous, strong, Middle-Eastern type scents that my olfactory senses have fatigued of the scent profile. Pardon is in that same genre. And then I sprayed it on myself for the first time -- it has been years, if not decades, since anyone has asked me what cologne I'm wearing, but Pardon garnered that reaction TWICE in one day -- from both a girl and a guy! And both times, I was outside standing about 10 feet apart from them, which should have meant that they probably shouldn't have been able to smell anything. Yet there they each were, on separate occasions, stopping midsentence to ask what scent I was wearing. It was so validating of this fragrance journey I have been on. If I ever attend an event or meeting of any importance, Pardon will for sure be one of my first reaches. Even if you're more a fan of freshies or citrusy fragrances, I still highly recommend you own a bottle of Pardon. You might not like it but everyone around you will.

Love at first sniff!!! What a fragrance!!! I feel a bit vulgar trying to break it down but here goes. There's definitely patchouli in here and that might account for the chocolatey vibe. I also get a cocktail of sweet balmy incense elements of ladnaum, Myrrhe, opoponax just about everything I love. The Oud is present but not that prominent at first but comes on stronger and stronger in the drydown which is sublime. It's an interesting mixture of Carner cuirs, jubilation 25, black Afgano, Duro, Myrrhe imperial, bois noir but with the patchouli of Hindu grass. This fragrance might even surpass some of my alltime favourites, Pardon is quite simply a revelation, brilliant and something I would wear in a heartbeat. Despite vague similarities across the board, the more you discover about perfume the more you refine 'exactly' what it is that you're into. Pardon delivers it...what it can't do is recapture the enthusiasm or the sense of discovery the first time I smelled certain types of perfume but it has a damn good try. By some strange miracle Pardon is not that strong...yes you heard me right. Of course it's strong, it's a Nasomato perfume for gods sake but in my experience this is not as strong as Black Afgano or Duro. A top top fragrance no doubt and has that signature Nasomatto thing about it.

Pardon is a very interesting fragrance. There are many of these deep and strong warm spicy, oud & chocolate fragrances which typically means they are pretty much unusable in the warmer seasons, but this one caught my attention. Thanks to the flower notes in this it becomes a bit lighter and airier than most other alike perfumes. This allows it to be inoffensive in the spring and summer which I think is a great trait. I can tell by the ratings that not many other users agree with this, but I do have some pretty weird perceptions of many fragrances. I think Pardons is absolutely gorgeous, it's sexy and seductive all while still being innocent, smooth and inviting. You can really pick up those sweet bloomy notes and chocolate on appliance. In the drydowns you pick up a deep oud and a bit of cinnamon and sandalwood, while the flowers still are lingering in the back creating the freshness and summeryness I get. The presentation is also great, just like all of Gualtieri's creations. Beautiful bottles, beautiful scents. Definitely worth a try, not so much talk about this one compared to many other Nasomattos and Ortos lately.

Pardon opens with immediate presence. There is a smoky, almost animalic entrance that is both masculine and romantic. It oozes class, with a perfect mix of dark and refined notes. There's nothing cheap or synthetic here. The development is where it gets interesting: sweet dark chocolate appears, but not in that obvious gourmand way. Instead, it bridges the magnolia's floral brightness with deeper woody notes. The tonka bean and cinnamon add a slight spiciness in the background that (a vague association of the original Tom Ford Extreme – I miss it). To me, the standout in Pardon is the wood. To me it genuinely smells like pressing your cheek against wood that's been sanded with the finest grain. On me the longevity is insane. This stuff sticks around like few other fragrances. You can shower and still catch hints of it. It's definitely one for colder weather, when you want something that makes an elegant statement without shouting. This is one of Nasomatto's best, which means it's a masterclass. The price reflects the quality, and in this case, it's completely worth it.

I've had a bottle of this for ages but never posted a review. Because I find it a tricky perfume to review, and to wear. Pardon indeed. As many do, I perceive patchoulli (not listed) and chocolate. The chocolate is dark/bitter rather than milky/sweet. Theres a woody smoothness in the background which holds it all together. There's also some pungency up front which I dont much care for, but patience is rewarded in the mid and later phases as the scent develops. Performance is enduring. I tried it today outside in cool rather than cold conditions and I have to say it was gorgeous. As strange as it may sound this may be the ideal outdoor date fragrance in cool and still conditions. eg a walk through a forest pre spring or late autumn. Or outdoor drink under patio heaters, just as the evening chills. The point is Pardon is a very romantic perfume but needs space to work. Indoors it's all just a bit too much and to get a similar patch and chocolate effect Coromandel, Black Phantom or even LIDGE would be better (at least for me). A love, but just and no more. 4/5

Took me a while to appreciate but WOW this is incredible. At first I'd say I smelled mainly oud. It wasn't necessarily a barnyard sort of oud but it was definitely animalic to an extent. I also got some patchouli which I feel like is par for the course with Gualtieri fragrances but I did not expect it to be so prominent. Everyone around me loved this but I just wasn't feeling it as much as I had hoped. Now however, I can confidently say this is the best fragrance I own. I get this bitter chocolate and sandalwood opening and I still get the oud and patchouli but I feel like I can understand this more since I spent a lot of time with it. I don't get much tonka bean and I guess I get a little cinnamon? There's something spicy in here. Be advised the notes make this seem gourmand leaning but it isn't at all. Very balsamic and slightly incense-y as well. This is a dark and mature STUNNER that will turn heads in the best way possible (don't be shy because it's "uLtRa NiChE") 10/10

mid earthy fragrance, I feel like ive smelt this on every adult man at a wedding ever. It does not smell bad by any means but it doesnt smell good to me either. sample before blind buying 100% it is not bad just not unique in my opinion. EDIT: I let it sit for a few weeks and wow I was so wrong this is a sexy grown adult choclate coffee and oud fragrance with a floral top and a unique amazing patchouli I completley changed my mind from what I thought about this one before I think its a masterpeice, a tobacco flower choclate patchouli and oud, this is what I imagine fidel castro smelled like. a real italian man taking a puff of a cigar in a convertable driving down the road with no care in the world. dont get me wrong at first sniff this could still be misread as a simple old fashioned mens frag that your grandpa has but when you truly give it a deep smell the complexity shines through impecibly smell 10/10 longevity 9/10 silage 9/10 artistry 10/10 total 9.3/10

There's a reason why I love this house. Lots of reasons actually. Right now, the reason is watching and reading the online back-and-forth between the people the that love not having the notes listed and the people that hate not having the notes listed. I enjoy the mystery. I think it is a motivating factor and forces me to really think about what exactly it is that I am smelling. One thing we agree upon is that Pardon smells fantastic. I don't think this is overtly masculine. This falls under perfectly unisex in my opinion. It is classy and elegant and a little bit sexual. Attractive on any individual that keeps themselves together. Just imagine this on Halle Berry. Then imagine it on Michael B Jordan. Christian McCaffrey. I could go on, but I think I made my point. This fragrance is a moment. It's Wednesday night at a jazz club where you can barely see the person in front of you, but you can feel them as if they are already inside of you.

i'm generally not a fan of chocolate-forward scents as i often find them too cloying, too immature, or both, but pardon nails it in a way i don't think anything else ever has. rich and sweet but not aggressively so, with a smooth woody, slightly leathery base. i can't say i really get any floral notes, if they are present they are imperceptible to my nose. the combination of chocolate, tonka bean, cinnamon, patchouli, and oud is much more dominant. the best way i can describe the overall scent is that it smells like drinking a really, really good cup of hot chocolate tastes. this is a very mature, "comfortable" scent, reminiscent of kind and gentle male role models and grounded by those associated feelings. my only gripe is the bottle size- 30ml forces me to be more selective about when and where i wear it which is great in a way but i would love to not have to do that calculus so often.

Pardon is fantastic, I think about this stuff a lot It’s an incredibly smooth. So smooth. One of the most well blended perfumes I have found The scent is a classy and relaxing blend of dark chocolate, soft oud and cinnamon Where Baraonda is sexy and exciting, Pardon is elegant and refined It’s a little tame compared to a lot of Gualtieri’s other perfumes so it isn’t my favourite (But Nasomatto and Orto Parisi are goated so that isn't saying much) Btw all of his perfumes smell completely different on skin - don't judge off paper pls :) Pardon is probably his most wearable, and one of the best crowd pleasers Decent projection for about 10 hours, sillage is a bit on the gentle side 9/10, if I hadn’t bought Baraonda a week ago I would have instantly picked up a bottle of this. For now I have to wait until my girlfriend forgets how many perfumes I've bought recently >:)

This is such a hard one to categorise -- it is mostly amorphous synthetics that don't really smell like ANYTHING -- I struggle to see where the 'oud' is -- even the synthetic Agar Blend (or the other one I can't recall at the moment) -- the chocolate is quite weak, if I'm being honest -- it's got a VERY common accord that Nasomatto sneaks into a few other scents (Fantomas, Pardon and MAYBE Duro), but by and large, this is notable for it's LACK of that nose-choking aromachemical he uses in Black Afgano and all the Orto Parisi scents (is it Norlimanol? Or something that sounds the same...???), it basically takes over the whole scent and it's hard to discern anything note-wise. I still love this. Big fan. But let's call it what it is. This has as much oud in it as I do. There's a hairspray note, which mingles with the bubblegum note, and I LOVE IT.

Undoubtedly an olfactory masterpiece. It conjures images of an old, exclusive, members only club in London, which is entirely panelled with rare, beautiful, dark woods - the kind of place Churchill would’ve frequented in the 30s and 40s but now they’ve allowed a younger, hipper clientele to join the ranks. The chocolate note is sublime - only slightly sweet but rich and indulgent - blending in with a deep resinous, incense like note. I wish it projected a touch more (although it is already a strong performer) because I just want to be entirely enveloped by this smell. Therefore I’ve placed an order for the accompanying 10ml Oil version to layer under the perfume. I’m in the U.K. so weather is never scorching. As such, for me, this is an all year round evening scent.

I first got a sample of this back in October last year. A fellow fan of the line, I already own Duro, Fantomas, and Blamage. The sample has been sat in my wardrobe for about 4 months, and today I thought I would try it out for the first time. The opening: It started a little harsh, and very chocolate floral, which was a little of Putting. So I was already thinking this was a big no. The dry down: This is love at first sight really, chocolate, Oud (not stinky) and subtle dusty wood. It is so elegant. This is my favourite from both Nasomatto and Orto Parisi. The performance is incredible, and I wish I brought this over some other fragrances. I’m angry at myself for skipping this one. It’s the best from the house. Performance is great on my skin. 10/10

smelling this takes me back to scentbar nyc—a fleeting memory that lingers. at the time, i thought it was just alright, nothing extraordinary. but as we left and walked to osswalds, my mom caught me off guard. she sniffed her wrist, and this sweet, mysterious aroma seemed to float in the air around her. curious, i asked, "what did you spray on your wrist?" she replied, "the one with the big brown cap." for some reason, i thought of baraonda, but i was wrong. much later, i realized it was pardon. it’s a scent i don’t get the chance to smell often, but the memory is vivid. it’s tied to that moment—a day full of discovery and the unique connection between scent and place. 10/10 for nostalgia and for being a distant yet cherished masterpiece.

Out of all Nasomatto scents, Pardon stands out as my favorite. If you’re thinking of diving into this perfume house, this is the one I’d start with—hands down. It’s sexy, warm, and deep, with a seductive vibe that’s hard to ignore. The chocolate and cinnamon combo gives it a sweet, spicy richness, while the oud and woods add a dark, smooth depth. It feels bold but classy. There's something about the atmosphere it creates—woody, a bit smoky, and super alluring. Longevity? Amazing. It easily lasts the whole day and leaves a memorable trail without being overpowering. If you want something elegant with edge, Pardon is worth checking out. It’s the kind of scent that makes you feel like you’re quietly stealing the spotlight.