Alcazar by Ted Lapidus

It comes in a nice tin and the bottle is a deep blue with chrome finishes. It’s neither modern nor old-fashioned, but you can sense the DNA of Lapidus Pour Homme, though softer. It’s designed for temperate or cold climates; in heat it can be overwhelming. Three sprays last about 8 to 10 hours. It’s sensual and masculine: it starts citrus-resinous, moves through a marked orange blossom phase, and ends dark and deep like its bottle. It’s sweet from start to finish, generates compliments, and its price is excellent for the quality. I like it very much, but I don’t recommend buying it blindly.

It’s Ted Lapidus’s first fragrance. It opens with cardamom and nutmeg, very sharp and spicy, then comes the orange blossom and closes with leather and tonka bean. It lasts more than six hours before fading to the skin. The truth is, I didn’t like it at all; on my nose it smells like disinfectant, but what surprises me most is that people, both men and women, give me many compliments saying they love it. Given its composition, it’s ideal for autumn and winter, day and night. It’s excellent for the office, with character, but I wouldn’t dare for casual dates. The design is useful because the tin can later serve as a USB drive holder. In short, it’s a formal perfume that personally didn’t convince me.

Thanks to Josesan for recommending this. I like it; it smells aromatic and spicy, reminding me of Silver Scent but more complex. The opening is intense, then it softens and becomes more wearable. It doesn’t need overapplication; it’s potent with good longevity. Recommended if you don’t have the Bogart one.

It’s a wandering fragrance that mutates, though inevitably it recalls Silver Scent Intense and a bit of Joop. Sometimes you adore it, other times it saturates you. For open spaces and pubs it has excellent performance and longevity, and girls have a very good opinion of its scent.

Companion, Alcázar is ‘something complex’ that may please greatly or fail to convince. Marketed as spring or summer, but when the temperature drops its performance is greater. That error could be the cause of not assimilating it at first. Its notes are beautiful, with that Mediterranean feeling everyone likes, but its dry-down is very masculine, with lots of dark leather contrasting with the initial sweetness. Ideally for afternoon/evening in autumn until spring, not in summer heat. I’d define it as a soft oriental-fougère; saying it’s brutal would be excessive. One extra spray can make you dizzy. It’s a fine informal perfume that can be elegant. People like it. It behaves like modern perfumes: moments where you stand out and others where you don’t. It’s a good perfume in general. You can tell it’s a more innovative and modernised Lapidus, with a different olfactory concept. No defined age, ranging from young people to gentlemen. Hard to assimilate due to the clash between a Mediterranean fragrance and a vintage masculine dry-down. If you assimilate it, it’s beautiful and harmonious, without being intrusive. Requires liking Lapidus’s sweet notes and being prepared for the dry contrast of woods and leather. Doesn’t seem very massified. Synthetic? Let the innocent throw the first stone.

I’m not sure if it was an impulsive purchase. It tempted me due to the difficulty in getting it, the striking and sturdy packaging (withstood a fall of over a metre), and the aluminium case. The sparkling opening and the scent in the bottle and case pleased me. The price isn’t bad, so remorse is little. Alcázar isn’t bad, nor spectacular. It reminds me of other fragrances that shone for their uniqueness. I find it somewhat linear. I hear it searching for the reason of my purchase, without a definitive answer. Sometimes it smells like a catalogue, other times like an undervalued creation. In the opening it seems a mix of Silver Scent, Lapidus Pour Homme, Animale, a grape refresher, and D&G Pour Homme. It’s rough, dark, sweet, and synthetic, with a halo of detergent cleanliness but powdery. It’s informal, with moderate to heavy trail and outstanding longevity. For cold days, especially nights. Not always are first impressions conclusive. One must ‘cat’ it several times before buying. Scent: 7.5/10, Longevity: 9/10, Projection: 8/10, Versatility: 6/10, Price: 8/10. Update 30 Dec 2016: after a week, the impression is bewildering. At times I like it, other times it bores and makes me dizzy. There are days it smells cheap and cold days that suddenly raise its quality. Today it smells pleasant and fine, with a floral and powdery opening, plus that grape refresher. I feel a sophisticated and sweet dry-down with orange blossom and tonka bean. Anecdote: I gave it to my brother and he thought it was a layering of Versace Eros and Rochas Man. Alcázar seems to grow with use; it has charm and persuaded me to keep it at home.

It’s very heavy, with a pleasant and warm aroma, ideal for cold climates and open spaces. The price is quite attractive. Edit 2022: I have a 30ml bottle from 2016 that I haven’t finished yet, as it was discontinued in Peru.

I’ve tried Ted Lapidus Alcázar again. Although it didn’t quite convince me back in 2014, my opinion has changed and it now leaves a good impression. It’s super versatile, wearing well both day and night, and the best part is that it’s not as woody as other generic options. It’s a soft oriental, perfect for spring and summer. The orange blossom note, the house signature, dominates the heart and gives it identity. Sometimes it smells a bit like Altamir, but it lasts longer on the trail. It’s sweet and elegant, but be careful: too many sprays and it becomes heavy. I think it’s another hidden gem from Ted Lapidus, exclusive and very well crafted for those who enjoy orientals, fougères, and sweetness.

Launched in the spring of ’14, it’s a genuine Ted Lapidus with its own stamp. It recalls the original and Black Soul Imperial but is softer, ideal for heat. It’s an oriental with a fougère ambition, a game of light and shadow. It starts Mediterranean and clean, then moves to suggestive tones where the notes dance. The base (5-7 hours) is dark with that Cordoba leather. Leave the Mediterranean ones aside; it’s not synthetic and the price is acceptable. If you like leather in summer, it’s a good option. A crystal-to-dark pyramid, very contrasted and sensual, perfect for dinners with friends.