Close Up

This niche perfume brand was completely inspired by the art of photography. The photographer of this work was Suren Manvelyan and the conceptual image brings a human eye in maximum zoom, in which the eyeball represents the Earth and the iris, a sort of map of the soul. Close Up refers to terms such as framing or approximation. The perfumer was Annick Menardo, who has already created for YSL, Dior, Boucheron and Lolita Lempicka, among other renowned brands. The fragrance features notes of green coffee (Brazil Santos), spices and cherry, in the head; white tobacco, patchouli, Atlas cedar and centifolia rose, in the body; amber, musk and tonka bean, in the base. I do not know where to start, but I think it might be like this: wow, what a bomb! When it touches the skin, it is sweet and medicinal at the same time. Cinnamon is the strong point of the spice accord, the coffee gives a roasted appearance and the ginja cherry gives the liqueur part with some medicinal nuances. For those who do not know, the ginja is a type of bitter cherry used to make a liqueur, also known as Griotte. Luckily, in this fragrance, it does not have that nauseating smell of cough syrup that often bothers me, very common in cherry-scented perfumes. Over time, it seems that the fragrance will not change anymore, as the little that evolves takes place under the great umbrella of the exit that, incredible as it may seem, never disappears. It's cool to wear a fragrance that changes the whole famous concept about output notes and olfactory pyramids when you are faced with a perfume whose output remains present all the time. Regarding evolution, Close Up changes so smoothly that you barely notice the sweetness of the tobacco popping up and making room for the creaminess of the tonka beans, at the base. A nuance of chocolate may also appear, occasionally, because of patchouli. And the addictive sensuality of the fragrance is due to the amber, here of high quality. Close Up is the clear signature of Annick Menardo! She has the ability to create fragrances in this oriental style as few within this area. Examples abound: Au Masculin (Lolita Lempicka), Body Kouros (YSL), Bvlgari Black (Bvlgari), Kokorico (JPG), Roma Uomo (Laura Biagiotti), etc. Now I need to report a situation about the similarity aspect and nothing better than giving real examples to illustrate this analysis. The first time I wore this fragrance, I met some friends (who are also collectors and fragrance lovers) and both said the same thing: "It is very similar to Ambre Narguilé (Hermès)". And they are not the only ones to make such a comparison, as we can see here and in the other international forums about perfumes. Well, I had to make new tests and talk about it with more property. Close Up and Ambre Narguilé are really very similar, especially if you just feel the trail left by the user. However, if worn at the same time (one on each wrist), the differences can be perceived very easily. While Close Up is more medicinal and has toasted facets at the start, Hermès's perfume is sweeter and more gourmand, because of the honey and vanilla notes. Close Up brings tobacco, while Ambre Narguilé brings caramel and tonka beans. In terms of flowers, Close Up brings the rose, more metalized; the other brings orchid, more delicate and powdery. Side by side, the differences are very noticeable. From a distance, it is difficult to know where one begins and the other ends. Comparisons made, Close Up (released in 2016) may not be groundbreaking when we realize that Ambre Narguilé was released in 2004, twelve years earlier. However, even though the quality that Hermès's fragrances own, when I think of the price charged by them, I have no doubt that Close Up is the best investment. Apart from that, I also think that the fragrance is better and stronger in all respects. If anyone complains about the projection or durability of this perfume, doubt it. Close Up talks about close range, but the fragrance is quite expansive. By the way, thinking on this side, it could be called Wide Angle. I confess I can not wait for a perfume called MACRO.

I will preface this by saying that I am a cherry lover. After testing Lost Cherry for several times a few years ago and noticing how mediocre it performs, I still decided to splurge a ridiculous amount of money because it has prominent cherry as the star note and I adore this fruit! Where was this when I was going through my crazy cherry obsession?? Cause it’s freaking amazing!!! And looks like it was launched two years before Tom Ford’s cherry scent. But then Olfactive Studio is not a hyped up brand on social media so of course I had no idea of its existence! What a delectable surprise! Spiced cherry (I would say pink pepper and star anise), still sweet but not overly, tobacco flower, tonka beans, coffee beans and patchouli for a deep contrast on a musky, amber, warm base. Might be just me and so many others knew about it, but I personally feel that Close Up is the most underrated cherry fragrance on market in 2024! And smells very intense and rich, different than the uber famous Lost Cherry, Lovefest Burning Cherry or Cherry Ambition, which are all over social media...And a full size bottle costs around 150 euros, such good value for money!! Would call Close Up more of a fall, spring cherry scent because seems to have a strong presence on skin. I am testing it today from a 2 ml sample and will update later in the day more details regarding the performance. But what an underrated gem! Update: after eight hours of wear, it became a skin scent. Projection was moderate for the first three hours. Close Up is going to my to buy list. Edit: got myself a bottle for Black Friday sales. Such an amazing fragrance for cherry lovers! Best purchase in a long time.

This reminds me so much of Tonka Cola! I'm getting major cherry coke vibes from this. I actually find this a lot smoother/less abrasive to my nose despite the coffee note (I usually find it too overwhelming but it's subtle here, which I didn't think possible!), TC was overtly spicy and just a bit too much for me. This is gorgeously fruity, dark, cozy, dare I say a little sexy? The wildest part is this wasn't even on my radar initially; a very big thank you to the employee at Bloom Perfumes (a wonderful little boutique in Covent Garden, London) who suggested I also give this a go when I asked about Indecent Cherry. I now have a very tough decision to make as they both take the cherry note in wildly different directions and I love both!!! Edit: alright I've sat with this sample for a good week or so, and I adore it. Unfortunately spicy scents just aren't my forte (with a few exceptions, obviously) and even if I opted for the 50ml over the 100ml I honestly think it'd go rancid before I finish it... So here's hoping they eventually release this scent in a 15ml too! I'd be ALLLLLL over a travel size.

Admittedly, it's been a while since I've smelled oajan or amber narguille. I feel like those were more tailored around cinnamon + apple. I could be wrong. With that said, I find close up to be a play between a light blonde piped tobacco and a subtly sweet cherry. Close up is a smell that draws you in - it doesn't scream off your body, but rather invites those around you. The tobacco is creamy as it mixes with the sweetness of the cherry and the tartness of the coffee. Tobacco is what this fragrance is all about. I can't imagine this would knock your socks off and make you rethink the purpose of life - but it may make you reconsider your feelings on tobacco fragrances as a whole. This is far from the harshness and "hey I'm here!!" Formula that we see with tobacco vanille - and because of that, I appreciate this fragrance. 7/10

An intensive, cherry tobacco scent. Often I can’t wear tobacco, but that’s not the case here. Most unusual, Close Up is coupled with a kind of dry gourmand note (which one is responsible?). The opening is very odd, I wasn’t sure I liked it and along the way I kept going back for a deep inhale, trying to figure this one out. The coffee note here is akin to a pot of coffee on a fire pit. It’s past it’s prime but still drinkable. I’m picking up spices, tonka, patchouli and musk as one harmonious blend; the dry down is my favorite part. It’s comforting. Intimacy and reflection are present, for cool weather only. Close Up is appropriately named.