Pour Homme Van Cleef & Arpels

Myrtle's green-grey sharpness collides with bergamot's crystalline brightness, immediately seized by juniper's resinous grip and nutmeg's hot spice—the effect is bracing, almost medicinal, like inhaling the vapours above a spice merchant's counter mixed with gin botanicals. Lavender and sage round the edges slightly, but this is unmistakably a masculine declaration, austere and unapologetic.

The leather emerges as the dominant personality, a rich, slightly smoky leather accord that feels almost animalic, whilst clove and rose attempt a genteel presence that gets systematically overwhelmed. Patchouli and vetiver anchor everything into earthy, slightly dusty territory, and frankincense introduces an almost incense-like whisper—the spice accord (100%) remains prominent, creating a slightly peppery, warm hum beneath the leather's austere character.

Sandalwood and labdanum create a creamy, almost balsamic foundation, with musk providing a soft, skin-like warmth that grows increasingly abstract as the fragrance fades into near-invisibility. What remains is merely a suggestion—a ghost of leather and spice hovering just above the skin, almost apologetic in its quietude, before disappearing entirely within the hour.