Cuir de Russie

It opens up with a oily leather and birch which is soon joined by hints of violet. Eventually a sandalwood note joins the fray and the scent becomes a bit powdery. The oily leather and powdery violets just rubbed me the wrong way. It did die down after a hour or so and this is where some florals (lily of the valley) and other notes became apparent. The projection was quite poor and the after about two hours the scent was just a whisper of a skin scent. Maybe it's my skin chemistry, but this is the only one I've tried where I got poor projection and longevity. This coupled with the oily powdery violets just makes this one a no go for me. Though the quality, blending and complexity of what I did smell was top notch. I could detect the usual weave of different notes a couple of hours in but at that stage I had to hold my nose to my upper wrist.

Mossy yet fresh, resting on some of the same rounded soft floral hues which are a common feature of other Sultan Pashas I've tried so far, Cuir de Russie manifests an intent by the perfumer to create a well rounded and balanced scent, a synthesis no doubt, perhaps a retrospective meditation by the artist. The animalic facets are tastefully minimized and subsumed into a classic, liquidy leather form. As a whole, the notes set a dark and brooding tone that is not too overpowering.

Looking to buy this if anyone is offering. Thank you