Renato Balestra Pour Homme

for what i can find about this fragrance, there are 3 versions of balestra pour homme: the first is from 1979 or 1982(some sources have a different date), black box with a brown square in the middle, basic bottle; the second is from 1991, multi-colour box, stylish bottle with a dark-blue plastic cap; the third is like the picture above and is from 2006, basically a mass-market product with a poor presentation. it seems they are totally different in terms of smell. dont know if the info are correct, if someone has something to add please write here. now im talking about the second one from the 90's. balestra pour homme(90's version) is a fresh fragrance, very nice, light and well blended. it opens with citrus, then u can find some spicies, lavender, lilly, vetiver, pine and a soft, pleasant oakmoss. so what u get is a citrus-green-mossy-soapy juice in an old-fashioned style, elegant yet casual, mature but not outdated. the juice is light, not so dense but very effortless for a spring-summer wearing. the performance is ok, nothing crazy, 5-6 hours with a moderate projection in the first hour. i paid only 10euors for a sealed bottle, so im quite happy with this edt. not curious about the last formula, many says the first edition from the 80's is a very nice leather-chypre so im looking to try it. overall, this version of balestra pour homme is very pleasant, a great surprise with an excellent price. dont spend crazy money on it but if u prefer fragrances like vintage mila schon uomo or capucci pour homme(maybe an old version with more oakmoss) im sure u can appreciate this. if u are a niche snob this is absolutely not for u. a quanto ho capito ci sono 3 versioni di questo profumo: una degli anni 80, una dei 90 e una dei 00. la versione che ho è probabilmente quella anni 90, scatola multi-colore molto carina con una raffinata bottiglia all'interno, tappo blu stile marmo. si tratta di un profumo fresco, con limone, spezie, vetiver e muschio di quercia. è un blend con note agrumate mischiate con altre verdi, leggero ed elegante con quel tocco casual. ha una vibe di altri tempi ma io lo trovo interessante e piacevole. a 10euro è un affare. scent- 8 long-7 sillage-7 versatility- 8 uniqueness- 7,5 presentation-8,5 back up bottle?maybe compliment factor-6,5 my vote-7,5 in one word- overlooked alternative- legendary Harley Davidson edt, mila schon uomo vintage, capucci pour homme(an old batch is more appropriate).

There is something to be said for scent association. With our olfactory bulb sending information to the amygdala, the orbitofrontal cortex, over to the hippocampus, the memory center, the relationship between scent and memory can be powerful, startling, and often bittersweet. In this case for my older formulation bottle of Balestra Pour Homme (the one with the uniquely jagged cap and overall 80s design), I am taken to somewhere in the past, but the memory isn't specific, almost more like a sensation that brings me back to that time. These sensations are often with mixed emotions, a yearning for the past, and the tricks our brain makes into seeing through the rearview things that happened perhaps somewhat differently than what actually occurred at time. Life experience, knowledge, memories compounding memories, our memories can somewhat evolve as we do. But the core of these memories are often revealed through that one whiff of a scent. Perhaps it is a scent that was last smelled at that time, ages ago, and the inner recesses of the hippocampus have somehow retained it, can recall it. It's fascinating to imagine. Had I smelled Balestra Pour Homme in the past and am just revisiting it again? Perhaps it was a scent that was quite similar. It has that musky, citrus, aromatic accord that was de rigueur for gentleman's scents at the time, but it's floral heart includes not only the usual suspects as carnation, rose, and lavender, but also lily of the valley. The latter makes infrequent appearances in frags that are marketed to men, but when it does, its most inviting to my nose and lends a sort of watery, green, pensive quality. The contrast between this and the sweet citrus seems to the fulcrum to my memory stimulation. It lingers on, while the moss and leather come into the fore. It's this stage that almost reminds me of Hermes Rocabar, for which I am very fond. The Welsh language has a wonderful word, hiraeth. It means a feeling of nostalgia for something that's now left in the distant past or something that has never happened at all. The "sweet poison of a different existence," that longing for the unrealizable largely constitutes the poetic essence of the British and especially the Celtic culture. This may not conjure up anything like this for others. They may even think, well, this is nice, but nothing outstanding really. But I feel hiraeth with this one, which is testament to the very personal connections we can have to fragrance, regardless what the general opinion might be. Had I smelled Balestra Pour Homme in the past and am just revisiting again? Perhaps it was a scent that was quite similar. It has that musky, citrus, aromatic accord that was de rigueur for gentleman's scents at the time, but its floral heart includes not only the usual suspects as carnation, rose, and lavender, but also lily of the valley. The latter makes infrequent appearances in frags that are marketed to men, but when it does, its most inviting to my nose and lends a sort of watery, green, pensive quality. The contrast between this and the sweet citrus seems to the fulcrum to my memory stimulation. It lingers on, while the moss and leather come into the fore. It's this stage that almost reminds me of Hermes Rocabar, for which I am very fond. The Welsh language has a wonderful word, hiraeth. It means a feeling of nostalgia for something that's now left in the distant past or something that has never happened at all. The "sweet poison of a different existence," that longing for the unrealizable largely constitutes the poetic essence of the British and especially the Celtic culture. This may not conjure up anything like this for others. They may even think, well, this is nice, but nothing outstanding really. But I feel hiraeth with this one, which is testament to the very personal connections we can have to fragrance, regardless what the general opinion might be.

Simply outstanding! I am talking about currently reformulation. Lots and lots of spanish leather, juicy citruses and fine Mediteranean herbs, predominantly cardamom and coriander. Truly, a fine 1980ies blend wizžrh an Italian flare.

@APULIAN wrote "...the first edition from the 80's is a very nice leather-chypre..." That sums it up.