Vir

I’ve lived with Vir for over a month now and managed to put a good dent in the bottle but it’s only now that I feel like I really understand it enough to write a decent review. The best word to describe Vir is comforting. It wears much like a favorite pair of jeans. I reach for it on quiet days where I might be feeling a bit world weary or when I need something soothing and comforting to rehabilitate with. The scent is soft, sweet, woody and smoky, in that order. The cannabis accord is lightly fruity and floral, an aromatic quality that doesn’t smell much like actual cannabis to me. The way it combines with the tabacco reminds me more of sweetened tea than narcotics. The woods are likewise warm and round. Nothing here is sharp or demanding of attention, no heavy spices or citrus openings. The smoke might be a sticking point for some, it has a slightly sweet petrol quality to it, (this might be what others describe as licorice) it’s not ashy or at all like a bbq, or aggressive like in A City On Fire. I suppose it is some sort of incense smoke, but more hippi than church. Don’t get the idea that this is a headshop fragrance though, it’s much more refined than that. I feel that smoke is what makes it lean slightly masculine to me. The performance is very solid, typical of the brand, and it projects lightly for much of it, even more than some of their bolder fragrances. It also smells really nice in clothes the day after. Vir is unlikely to light the fragrance world on fire; it’s too subtle and vague for that perhaps, but it’s a strong recommendation to anyone looking for a slightly unusual but still comforting and relaxing fragrance.

Quite the honour to leave the first review for this magnificent work of art. Starting with the chosen name, "Vir", which means "man" in Latin, this fragrance emanates power. There's an important distinction to be made here: it is far from meaningless, capital POWER, and more about the power to love, to be vulnerable, to be responsible, to be courageous. This fragrance is a journey. The journey starts with a top note of cannabis, the initial dullness of senses, that prepares you for what is to come next. It then moves on to the rich, warm tobacco leaves, supported by the sandalwood, brilliantly tempered by the cooling, mothball-like smell of cedar: sleepless nights, absinthe, smoky pubs, long talks, sins. Growing up christian, my mind links incense and the smokiness of oud to the church’s function as a sin cleanser. You allow yourself to repent for the sins that you performed in the 2-3h until mid notes dissipate. Vir is to men as men are to life: indispensable. "Here, in front of my infinity, I’m finally ME!" My favourite so far, 10/10. P.S. I feel like I should discuss the similarities between Vir and Black Afgano as I own both: they are indeed very similar. While Black Afgano is sweeter due to the resins & coffee and is too intoxicating for its own good, Vir entices you to keep your head cool through the cedar mid note.

My first thought when I put this on was that it smells like Wind Song with maple syrup. However, if I sniff closely, that maple syrup scent is mixed in with tobacco. And the powderiness that is reminding me of Wind Song has a bit of splintery wood in it. The overall presence is a slightly sweet and very powdery one. I cannot detect cannabis, which is fine by me. I suppose the powderiness has a slight incense bent to it, but that's not what it makes me think of. I was surprised to see so many people think it's more of a masculine fragrance. But I think it must have to do with the fact that a lot of people connect it with Black Afghano, which I've never smelled. The fact that I'm connecting it to a fragrance my mom used to wear in the 1980s probably has a bearing on me finding it more feminine. So, I guess, it goes in the middle into unisex territory. On first sniff, I didn't think I liked it, but it's really growing on me. I think it's probably best for a cool day in fall or winter, where it can be a comforting fragrance.

What an interesting fragrance. It’s hard to find any reviews of this. I didn’t know what a “cannabis” note would smell like, and to me it doesn’t smell like marijuana smoke. It is chewy and resinous like other Profumum Roma fragrances I’ve liked, like Ambra Aurea and Arso, but not as dark, with tobacco as the main note to me. A sweet tobacco, but not cloying or gourmand. I don’t get any fecal or barnyard scents that I sometimes associate with oud. In fact, if oud wasn’t listed as a note I wouldn’t have known it’s supposed to be here. This is no overwhelming smoke like Profumum’s Fumidus is. It’s much more wearable and the two are nothing alike and I’m not sure why I thought they’d be similar. This might be my favorite tobacco scent I’ve tried so far. Yes, more than Luten’s Fumerie Turque, which seemed nice but feminine. More than Tauer’s Sundowner, which had too much cinnamon. I’m waiting on a sample of Rania J’s T. Habanero and Lutens’s Ecrin de Fumee to compare it with.

I heard someone says it smells similar to Duro? Remind me to never try Duro. I'm not trying to be petty. I consider myself pretty open minded. That's how much I dislike this fragrance. The same attributes apply however. It's exceptional in how it's made. It's still my favorite fragrance house of all time. I just can't do it. I think it's the first fragrance where my body chemistry interferes. Last night I put on Confetto and I still have remnants of it on my skin. One positive outcome is today has reaffirmed how much I love Confetto and how much I appreciate the fragrances I own currently. Did I mention I love this brand? Ha ha. That's why hurts so much for me to say I really dislike Vir. You know you have a sickness when you want to purchase something just to say you have it and can smell it every once in a while and say you don't like it. Does that mean I subconsciously DO like it? Is there something wrong with me? Where is my wallet. Help.