Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier- Centaure

I had the hardest time finding a good art work to accompany this post. Most of what you get when you google centaur images most of what you find is either gloriously hideous or bordering on pornography. Apparently, the concept of half man-half horse captured the image of people far less talented than Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier's Jean Laporte. Centaure the fragrance deserves much better than mytho-porn.

Centaure is considered a masculine and I'm not going to argue with the label on this 1991 Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier creation. All I'm saying is it's so pleasant, balanced and well-made it has a universal appeal and wearability, as long as one does not object to lavender, tobacco and mint in a woody-balsamic setting.  The overall feel of Centaure is very refined- no rough edges or out-of-place notes. It lures you in with a friendly citrus and herbs opening that is crisp without screaming "fresh". The lavender and mint don't try to choke you on hair tonic and toothpaste. Instead, they smell alert and natural and are greatly softened by the floral heart that feels like it's almost lit from within.

The dry-down is where things get a bit darker and more opaque. There is an elegance to the way Centaure comes together and moves from the summer garden into the shade of ancient trees. Maybe that's where the mythological creature is lurking. But if he's there, he's still out of sight and smelling range- don't expect any animalics. Instead, there's an aromatic honeyed tobacco, smooth and rich with an amazing all-day longevity. It's a fabulous summer scent for those of us who get bored easily with the usual citrusy suspects. Yet Centaure has enough depth and body to offer for colder weather.

Centaure and the rest of the Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier line ($120, 100ml) is available from Henri Bendel and Luckyscent. My bottle is of the older 90ml edition. As far as I could tell from a quick spray and Sniff at Bendel they smell the same.

Art: Centaur by Azriel Awret

Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier- Santal Noble

I don't have any statistics to back me up on this, but when it comes to sandalwood perfumes the more popular ones seem to have that comforting creaminess of 10 Corso Como and Tam Dao. These scents go well with hot cocoa and a cashmere blanket, which is probably why they are considered more unisex than the formal Santal Noble by Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier.

Santal Noble is a very dry incense and wood scent with a dark amber-patchouli drydown. It's quite spicy and peppery, especially during the first couple of hours I have it on, and has an exotic vibe at times. If I spray enough of it (and I do. It makes a world of difference for Santal Noble's staying power), I seem to pick a light saffron note, especially in warm weather. The overall impression of this Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier cologne is very woody, crisp and impossibly proper. It can be the male equivalent of a cashmere twin-set and heirloom pearls, except that it's a lot more tailored than that. Santal Noble is a scent fit for Tim Gunn, and just like him, it's always right.

The original version of Santal Noble (before MPG repackaged and reformulated) seemed to have a richer, almost thick drydown, but since the sample I have is much older than my bottle of the newer formula, it also might be due to aging. In any case, the new Santal Noble is very good and satisfying, with its dignity intact. As for the gender issue, I understand why many women would balk at wearing a scent that goes well with a tux.  I still think it's worth trying, because you never know. I'm as girly as they come, but it's no secret that I wear vetiver, cedar and other woods much better than I wear rose or violet. It's all about skin chemistry and personal taste, after all.

Santal Noble as well as the other Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier fragrances ($120, 100 ml EDT) is available from Henri Bendel in NYC, Luckyscent/Scent Bar in Los Angeles and beautyhabit.com, which was where I purchased my bottle.

Photo of Tim Gunn from chicagotribune.com

Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier- Parfum d'Habit

According to most reviewers on Basenotes,  Parfum d'Habit by Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier is a manly powerhouse storming on his horse into sunset. A vintage Clint Eastwood type of scent, perhaps. In reality, I don't find any cowboys in Parfum d'Habit, despite its strong jaw and all the leather and vetiver involved.

The opening notes are a bit sharp and nose-tickling. Online sources name them as blackcurrant buds, bergamot and petitgrain, and I certainly get the bitterness of the latter. But things soften significantly as soon as the leather comes into play. It's more of a vintage black coat than a buttery suede jacket, probably because the strong patchouli note keeps it dark and somewhat dirty. Still, the allover feel is warm, dry and woody. For the first couple of hours something is constantly happening on my skin. A green and herbal note peeks from under the wood, a hint of raw animalic sensuality that disappears as soon as I notice and try to catch more of it, and a lot of crisp vetiver.

Yes, these are some of the basics of masculine colognes, but when I wear it I don't feel like I'm putting on a costume or a false air. This Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier scent actually feels more refined than Racine or Route du Vetiver, maybe closer to Santal Noble. It's not flirty and doesn't try to please, but there's an air of easy confidence and effortless chic. That's a good thing no matter who you are.

After a long and unfortunate hiatus, Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier perfumes are back in the US and can be found at Henri Bendel and Luckyscent.

Photo: Lauren Bacall by Nina Leen, Life Magazine May 1945.

Breaking News: MPG Perfumes Back At Henri Bendel!

I just got a call from Giuseppe at Henri Bendel: The Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier line is once again available. Since Henri Bendel is somewhat stuck in the early nineties ecommerce-wise you'd have to give them a call (212-247-1100) to order your bottle(s) or go to the store in person.

Update: Luckyscent (Scentbar) in L.A. is also selling MPG now.


MPG bottle store display photo by me (from a couple of years ago in Paris).

Good News: Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier Is Back

Here's the scoop right from Giuseppe at Henri Bendel: Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier have a new American distributor and the line is back on the shelves. He expects to have the full range of fragrances within a couple of weeks. So we can stop stocking up on Route de Vetiver and Or des Indes. I was surprised to know that Annick Goutal was close to facing a very similar issue- their USA availability was jeopardized by the distributor going bankrupt. This might be the reason we've seen huge stocks of Goutal perfumes at cutthroat prices online. In any case, danger averted.

More on the Henri Bendel front: I sniffed the new house scents and they're not half bad. Incense & Musk is a lighter, fluffier cousin of Donna Karan's Black Cashmere. I also enjoyed Persian Lime & Pepper (just how it sounds) and Grapefruit & Vetiver (ditto). All come in an EDP concentration for $65. Not a breakthrough in perfumery by any mean, but cute and wearable.

Some interesting makeup news to follow...

Maître Parfumeur et Gantier- Iris Bleu Gris

If I could list only one reason why MPG, Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier, should continue making perfume, it would be Iris Bleu Gris.

Iris Bleu Gris is part of the masculine line, but I've always liked it better than its feminine sibling, Fleur d'Iris, because it's far more interesting and original. While Fleur d'Iris is cute, sweet and smells like someone's idea of what a feminine iris should be, Iris Bleu Gris is the real thing- complex, dark and dry. Instead of a powdery feeling, it is dusty and leathery, and dries down into an almost sweet musk. It doesn't have the famous earthy carrot note of Iris Silver Mist (Lutens) or the woody backbone of Infusion d'Iris (Prada). Instead there's something mossy and maybe some hay in the background.

The opening is almost bitter, which I love. It makes you pay attention and stand up straight. It becomes a bit less formal and stiff afterwards, without losing the edge. I don't think I could wear it with a pink cashmere sweater, but a belted trench coat and an Hermes scarf are a perfect match.

There's a lot of uncertainty about the future of Maître Parfumeur et Gantier. I can't find much definite information, but it looks like their website hasn't been updated in ages, and all their listed NYC retailers are no longer getting new stock.The entire Maître Parfumeur et Gantier line is now back in stock at Henri Bendel and Luckyscent.

Art: Gray Iris by Christopher Redwine

Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier Racine (Old and New)

Racine is the gentler, kinder sibling of Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier's Route de Vetiver.

The combination of citrus and vetiver is not exactly revolutionary. Guerlain has done it before to a great commercial success (how many of us own a bottle of their Vetiver, vintage and/or new?), which Racine, a 1988 creation, has sadly never achieved in either one of its formulations.

The first few times I've worn the original juice I found it too similar to other vetiver scents but got a smoky leather note late in the drydown. It's interesting how sometimes your perception of a perfume changes over time. I'm far more focused on the vetiver, and I find it delicate, almost transparently green. An interesting aspect of Racine is the way the citrus reappears here in there. Instead of self-combusting like most citrusy top notes, there's some lemon or maybe lemongrass that is woven into the vetiver, lifting it up.

My bottle is of the new, reformulated version, but I still have some of the original cologne and can compare the two. The differences are subtle- the vetiver in the older one feels darker, the citrus in the new one is sharper and the base is not as smoothly blended. It's a bit earthier and bears more resemblance to Route de Vetiver. Racine is still a great scent, even in this reformulated, less suave form.

Racine, like the entire Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier line, is no longer distributed outside of France, and even there its future is unclear. There are still bottles to be found, mostly online.

Art: Pamela Sukhum- Tibet II

Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier Route du Vetiver (Old And New)

Route du Vetiver is one of those perfumes that make me wonder if I like it because it smells good or because it's so interesting, bold and unlike anything you'd find in the wardrobe of most women my age. Of course, this MPG creation is part of their masculine line and the bottle I have actually belongs to my husband (who smells much better in it than I do, if I'm being completely honest).

Route du Vetiver is sharp and medicinal from start to finish. One needs to really like vetiver on all its aspects in order to appreciate it. It has everything: the green, the earthiness and the dry blades of grass. And then some. If you think Frederic Malle's Vetiver Extrodinaire is on the extreme side (I don't. It softens considerably on my skin), RdV would teach you an unforgettable lesson in vetiver.

That isn't to say that Route du Vetiver is linear. It isn't. The perfume develops and unfolds, the heart is even darker with the wet, just-dug roots, and the base is a bit more mellow, showing signs of wood. I could swear I smell oud, especially in the older version. Speaking of which, the original RdV, before Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier repackaged and reformulated it was even edgier. I happen to think that in this case the reformulation, while taking away from the perfume's originality (and probably also quality of the raw materials), might have done this scent a favor in terms of wearability (and definitely marketability). I have a small amount of the original (I can't call it "vintage", as it's only a few years old) and it's absolutely stunning in its complex top notes. It has more sweetness and an additional medicinal note that might or might not come from oud. After the opening wears off, the two versions start to smell very similar, and the drydown is the same (I tested this by dabbing from the new bottle the same way as from the older samples).

The new version is the one in the 100 ml (3.3 oz) bottles. If you're punched in the face by an evil vetiver in a slightly smaller, 90ml (3 oz) bottles, that's the original Route du Vetiver. Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier made the change about two years ago, which was probably when they started having serious financial problems. It's quite evident that things haven't improved there. This year they've closed at least one of their beautiful Paris boutiques and the most recent blow was losing their North American distributor. It's not clear what exactly has happened. I've heard all kinds of rumors. Some said the American distributor went out of business, others said MPG can no longer afford to produce the required volume to stay on American shelves. Since it looks like other major retail venues in the UK are dropping this line, I suspect the problem is rather serious. I have no idea how much truth there's in either story, but the bottom line is that none of the stores is getting any new shipments, though there are plenty of bottles around, online and offline. I was at Henri Bendel in NYC, where the entire range was still available three weeks ago. Things might have changed since then.

Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier Route du Vetiver retails around $110. I bought my (husband's) bottle online from BeautyHabit about a year ago (they're already out of stock). It's worth seeking a sample, but please don't buy blind. It might end in tears.

photo of vetiver and its roots: thaifloriade.net

Top 10 Memorable Masculine Fragrances

In honor of Father's Day, Elena of Perfume Shrine and I wanted to honor men and the scents they wear.

Fathers, spouses, old boyfriends, scent twins- they all have one thing in common: they (and us) create memories. Nothing is more emotionally triggering than scent. Think of your father's old cologne from the 70s (did he wear Old Spice? Did he later graduated to the original Polo?) or the Drakkar Noir of your first boyfriend. Did you ever date a man who wore Creed Green Irish Tweed and made you think of Cary Grant (the story is that GIT was created for him)? Did your little brother drench himself in Axe before his first date? Maybe you had a great teacher or work mentor who used to wear Grey Flannel, or had your heart broken by a Chanel Égoïste fan (I did). The point is that it's not just our Shalimar that creates special moments.

Things have changed since the days of the ubiquitous bottle of Polo, and the choices are many. Here's my list of (very) memorable masculine scents for the unforgettable men in our lives. In no particular order:

1. Tauer Perfumes-Lonestar Memories
Smoky, strong and outdoorsy at times, warm leather, herbal with a hint of Lapsang Souchong. More interesting and sophisticated than the cowboy image.

2. Tom Ford Private Blend-Tuscan Leather
Soft, smooth and as leathery as they come. Warm and inviting, evokes both a leather jacket and an old study full with leather-bound books.

3. Mazzolari-Lui
An animalic patchouli like no other. Sweet and dangerous (especially if over-applied).

4. Serge Lutens-Gris Clair
Burnt lavender. A bit brooding, yet clean and crisp.

5. Guerlain-Vetiver
A great classic. Citrus top over green vetiver. Perfectly tasteful.

6. Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier-Iris Bleu Gris
Dry to the bone, earthy without being dirty.

7. JAR-Shadow
Damp and mysterious. A visit to dark cellars and forgotten attics.

8. Frederic Malle-Vetiver Extraordinaire
Dry and bitter vetiver, yet still green. A scent to take over the boardroom before going out to take Manhattan.

9. Hermes-Terre d'Hermes
Perhaps the most popular in this bunch, yet somewhat controversial. Orange peel and minerals, crisp and strong.

10. Comme des Garcons-Monocle Scent One: Hinoki
Incense, evergreens, a forest floor.

Please visit Perfume Shrine for more unforgettable masculine fragrances.

In Which I Take On White Flowers (and win!)

This little review could have gone really, really bad. This thought crossed my mind the other day as I was liberally applying Tubéreuse by Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier and realizing seconds later that testing a tuberose perfume on a day the water company was doing maintenance that required shutting down the water supply for the entire street, might not have been the best idea ever. In fact, with my white floral record and the weather getting significantly warmer, it had all the making of a bad day (though a much funnier review).

Don't get me wrong: I have tried Tubéreuse several times before and didn't hate it, but going for the full body experience was pushing my limits to a point a hot shower should have been at least a viable option.

I think I finally have tuberose all figured out. I am more likely to enjoy it when it's not trying too hard to be lady-like. Whenever tuberose is paired with other white flowers like gardenia or orange blossom and doing the pretty, pretty princess thing, chances are it wouldn't work for me. But if it has some masculine notes, a dirty edge or a quirky personality, I just might fall for it. There's no shortage of examples: While the EdP version of Fracas feels off, like wearing an utterly wrong shade of lipstick, the parfum fits me like a bias-cut silk dress. I adore Uncle Serge's Cedre, where tuberose peaks and pokes the wood notes, and the first Parfumerie General bottle I ever bought was Tubéreuse Couture.

But back to this little surprise from MPG. I think it works because of two things: the green leaves that keep the floral parts from becoming a full-on diva, and the gorgeous drydown. I get more ambergris than musk, but in any case, it's considerably softer than many other tuberose perfumes. It has enough development to my nose challenged, while still showing the many faces of tuberose. A warm day makes this scent bloom, but it doesn't get overwhelming. The sillage is polite but still good, and the lasting power is very impressive. Twelve hours after application, I could still smell traces. While I don't need a full bottle and maybe not even a decant, considering the other options in my collection, I did enjoy Tubéreuse a lot more than I expected.

MPG fragrances are sold at Aedes in NYC and LuckyScent (Scent Bar) in L.A.. My sample was bought on eBay.
Art: White Tuberose by Pierre-Joseph Redouté. Image: AllPosters.com

Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier- Fleur d'Iris

Spring is really here. I haven't worn a heavy coat in a couple of weeks, my back yard has some interesting signs of life (and I don't mean Steve, our resident groundhog) and I'm playing with perfumes that have more green and floral notes.

Or iris.

While the orris perfume note is actually made of the roots, the rhizomes, and is earthy and cool, this isn't exactly the feeling you expect or desire in a perfume called Fleur d'Iris. And, indeed, this is as far from the legendary Tauer Orris as you can get. There's no leather or dirt here, and the scent is decidedly feminine, powdery and sweet, sweet, sweet.

It definitely evokes some flowers, but on my skin, as soon as the vegetal-rose opening fades (I quite like it, even with the strangeness and almost leek aftertaste it can give), the scent starts warming until it becomes all violet, and a candied one, at that. It's not too sweet, and I manage to enjoy it, despite not being the greatest fan of powdery flowers. It's probably the amounts of vanilla that make it warm and deep instead of vintage face product. In fact, after a few hours of wearing I always think that if only it had a touch of tonka bean it would have passed as a Guerlain.

Like quite a few of the feminine MPGs, Fleur d'Iris is pleasant and wearable, but not too original. It's pretty, would probably delight vanilla and violet lovers and for an EdT, the lasting power is impressive (8-10 hours on my dry skin, a rarity), but it doesn't wow me the same way several of the masculine fragrances from this line do. Expect an ode to Parfum d'Habit, Route du Vetiver and Iris Bleu Gris in the near future.

Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier line is available from Henri Bendel and Aedes in NYC as well as other premium retailers. I'm still using a sample pack I bought on eBay in the good old days.

Art: Iris by Sofia Perina Miller

Maître Parfumeur et Gantier- Vocalise

The very second I opened the sample of Vocalise, I knew it might not be a very good idea. I haven't checked the notes, but I vaguely remembered it had something to do with fruit. The opening blast, though, wasn't much of anything: just a sharp alcoholic note, the kind you'd expect from far less exclusive brands. Thankfully, it vanished quickly on my skin, replaced with so much berry that my anti-fruit nose was screaming and I was planning a mad dash to the sink.

It wasn't that bad, though. Yes, blackcurrants and raspberries are not my thing, but the blend here isn't too syrupy. I guess it's the quality ingredients that are keeping it from going the synthetic jam way. Not that I didn't have the "No! No! No!" moment of panic every time I tested it again for this review, but I managed to brace myself and deal.

As the scent develops, the florals emerge, and they're nice enough. It's nothing you haven't smelled before. It's mostly rose and ylang-ylang, in a classic combination that would remind you of many perfumes you have probably owned at one point or another. It has an almost Goutalish quality, pretty and very French. But it doesn't hold: not my interest and not my nose, and while Vocalise boasts lower notes such as vanilla, sandalwood, musk and ambergris(!), I would swear that is has no base at all. The fragrance completely disappears from my skin after 15 minutes and doesn't leave even one berry behind.

Many of the MPG scents are available both from Aedes in NYC and Luckyscent in L.A., both are good places to obtain samples. They are also sold at Bendel, Bergdorf and several other fancy stores. My own pack of 30 MPG carded samples was purchased for less than a song on eBay, when it was still a common practice.

Recent Sniffing

Not full reviews, because I didn't wear most of these for more than a day or two, usually for good reasons.

Racine (Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier)- This is one of their masculine scents, which indeed starts with the usual manly citrus that develops into a wood/vetiver combo. It's pleasant but predictable. The surprise was how late in the drydown (moderate sillage, lasts for eternity) it turned all Bandit on me, leather and that infamous note that we usually refer to as "hemp". Easier to wear than Bandit, that's for sure.

Chanel Chance-I've had the mini EdT for a couple of years; every time I've dug it up and gave it a try things went the same way: smelling the fruitiness, making a face (see image), holding breath, scrubbing off, still smelling fruit. Lather and rinse until all is gone. This week I decided to brave it and see what happens. I still dislike Chance, but eventually there's a drydown in which I get the faint whiff of something better and a hint that Chance might really be related to a few grown-up and quite decent perfumes.

Prada Infusion d'Iris- I like it. I really, really like it. But I have issues. Until that moment the the scent settles on me and does this pretty iris-woody thing, it plays hide and seek, and when it hides it feels like I'm not wearing anything. It's totally gone. My guess is that I'm anosmic to some important heart note. The sillage is minimal, which is another fact I'm not happy about and the lasting power questionable (two to three hours at most, no matter how much I soak my skin in jojoba oil). On top of that, Iris Taizo from Parfumerie Generale is prettier.

Bond no. 9 DNA For Her (Saks Exclusive)- Tom said that I would probably like this non-lethal white floral, and he was right. It doesn't have the tentacles of death that suffocate me in most Big Whites. Probably because it isn't Big. Yes, it's white and floral; it has jasmine, tuberose and gardenia. But the three sisters of doom are mellow, powdered with a layer of dusty earth, courtesy of the decidedly un-diva vetiver, and very wearable, even if it's not really me. My husband, though, didn't approve. It's too floral and ornamental for his taste.

D&G The One- This is the kind of synthetic fruity-floral crap that is going to kill mainstream perfumery. Surprisingly, it didn't cling to my skin for dear life, so I can't really call it a scrubber, as it was mostly gone by itself within 20 minutes and saved me some soap.

Perfume Undercover

Some scents are playing games. They pretend, they conceal their real ingredients and they pose as masculine or feminine while hiding their true nature. Or maybe it's the nose of the beholder...

Agent Provocateur (the original): I had plenty of opportunities to sniff this one, and tried my best, mostly because I loved the bottle. There's something extremely sexy about its shape and color. The problem was that I absolutely hated it. I'm fond of several chypres and was never scared of them, but the rose in this one did me in every time I tried. In a very bad way. A few months ago I ended up with a bottle of the mini EdP among my possessions, which lead to more experimenting and the discovery that if I only spray a teeny tiny drop of it on a day the stars are in the right alignment, I get a boozy, saffrony opening, not unlike my beloved Black Cashmere or Idole de Lubin. Also, the rose is tamed and I can smell something almost violety, though there's none of that in the official notes. But what do we know? This secret agent of a perfume also doesn't have any oakmoss in it, though I'd swear I sense it all through the development.

It's a cute one, after all, though I don't get the sex siren it's supposed to be. Maybe because when it comes to lingerie I've always preferred La Perla.



Ambre Precieux by Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier: Despite a sharp opening that reminded me of too many men colognes, I liked Ambre P. from the start. Something about the lavender and greens with an ambery promise has caught my nose and my heart right away. The woody development didn't hurt, either. It softens and becomes less and less masculine and more girl-friendly (though still very wearable for both genders, at least if you're me). I consider a full bottle every time I put it on, until the drydown. Not that it goes bad. Quite the opposite, actually; The vanilla takes over and the perfume becomes almost identical to Mazzolari Lei, a perfume I love with a passion. It manages to be both sexy and comforting, sweet, powdery vanilla with a special edge. Patchouli isn't listed among Ambre P.'s notes, but once again, I smell it, just like in Lei.

Given the long lasting vanilla drydown, I'm not sure how many men would be willing to actually wear it. It still is a beautiful scent.

Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier Or des Indes

The note list of a perfume is not always an indication of what the juice within really smells like. It's more of a suggestion, a hint of what's inside and what it might be if no one has messed things up in the process. In the case of Or des Indes by Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier, no one has messed up, and the fragrance lives up to its notes. I only wish it lived longer.

As far as I'm concerned, you can rarely go wrong with bergamot, oppoponax (that's a resinous gum from the bark of an African tree), sandalwood, amber, vanilla, geranium and lavender, even if I can't really tell the top notes apart and would have never guessed that the bergamot was in there. My nose detects a lovely, soft and thoroughly blended floralish opening which gives way to a sweet woody heart. The base started as an unoriginal if pleasant amber-vanilla mix, until something shifted towards a darker, woody place. That's probably the oppoponax, which has officially joined my list of good things. It's spicier than sandalwood, with a faint hint of cinnamon.

Or des Indes is a joy to wear. Not too powdery, the sweetness is refined and controlled. It has the coziness of a comfort scent while still being elegant enough to be worn with a little black dress and red lipstick. More feminine than its distant cousin, Bois de Copaiba (Parfumerie Generale), but sadly, not as strong. Or des Indes is an EdT, after all, so there's only so much you can expect in terms of lasting presence. Yet, I suspect that when sprayed (as opposed to dabbing on from a sample) it has a better sillage and more staying power.