Cacharel pour L’Homme by Cacharel

A vintage gem that doesn’t follow fleeting trends; it will sound just as good today as it will in 20 years. It opens fresh and herbal, reminiscent of freshly cut parsley with a hint of anise. It then evolves into something mossy, with tobacco and floral notes, very old-school and masculine, like the dads of the 80s in suits with full beards. Nutmeg and flowers blend together; I can’t distinguish much beyond geranium and clean lavender. They achieve a harmony without the harshness of modern perfumery. In Spain in the 80s, this was the status symbol in an emerging men’s perfumery, leaving behind the ubiquitous Agua Brava or Varón Dandy. My mother gave it to my father on an anniversary, which prompted me to try it in-store; I loved it so much I bought it. The bottle and box retain the original design, perhaps with minimal changes. It deserves a place on every serious collector’s shelf. In fresh springs or mild autumns, it fits like a glove, perfect for daytime wear because it doesn’t overpower; it’s subtle, like a second skin. In current batches, the trail and longevity are moderate (6 sprays/6 hours). A reasonable price between £35 and £45 for 100ml given what it offers.

What a crime they have done with this perfume! It was my signature from 1998 to 2002 and I hadn’t smelled it in ages. I sprayed it yesterday and it smells like a completely different perfume, plus the performance is non-existent. What a shame to ruin a classic like this.

It is my signature. It fills my senses, I feel comfortable and secure wearing it on any occasion, climate, or season. Regardless of the declared notes, for me it evokes three indisputable ones: pepper, nutmeg, and cardamom. Perhaps I am wrong, I am just a humble enthusiast. I received my first bottle as a gift in 1996 at 19 years old and I loved it immediately. I have used it in different periods and when it runs out, I leave it to smell different and miss it. It disappeared for two years and when I found it in 2015, I bought two of 100ml; the second one finished in the middle of last year. It must be reformulated, because sometimes my olfactory memory misses something. However, it seems fairly faithful to the first time I smelled it. It is less persistent and lasts much less, but what can we do? At least it is still available and I hope to enjoy it until I die, hopefully to be buried with it.

It has been my favourite for many years. I find it balanced, rounded, masculine, timeless, and elegant, valid for daily wear and all year round. But the latest reformulations have turned it into an ephemeral cologne with almost no fixation. I have a bottle from 17 years ago with barely 5ml saved to remember; that one lasts hours. It happened to it the same as the original Kenzo EDT: what is sold now is just a shadow of what it was.

Fortunately, I enjoyed this fragrance in the 80s. It seemed to me the most spectacular aroma I had ever tried: the most elegant touch of nutmeg I have ever experienced. Unfortunately, the reformulations (I know the topic is old hat, but it is true) have ruined the perfume. It still smells just as good but nothing like the power and projection of old. If it lasts more than 4 hours you will be lucky. Despite everything, I recommend it for its pleasant and elegant smell, perhaps even with a touch of sexiness.

This was my signature scent alongside Massimo Dutti when I was 16. Its spiced DNA with nutmeg and that green helichrysum note is still there, but IFRA restrictions have castrated it bit by bit. It’s not the same anymore: back then you could fill an entire nightclub and it lasted forever; now, if you’re lucky, three hours but with better health 😂. The important thing is the soul remains intact, loaded with memories of when you were happy and didn’t even know it.

It was my first perfume. The first time a friend smelled it, I was stunned. It’s obvious that perfumery has changed a lot, but even though I use it little, it’s not missing from my collection.

After postponing this perfume for several years, it finally arrived today and blind. At first it seemed a unique and masculine departure. After 10 minutes it starts to remind me of Loewe 7, but softer and more wearable. I liked it a lot. I’ll keep testing it.

I had it in my youth years, today I only vaguely remember its scent. I used it only for special occasions. Once a girl from my gang gave me a compliment: ‘you smell like a man’. She meant you smelled like a mature man… And I really felt that way wearing this fragrance.

I fell in love with this so authentic bottle, one of my favourite designs, both the old and the modern one, and logically I had to get its contents, blind. A fragrance from 81 with that story couldn’t disappoint me. But one day I couldn’t resist and tried it; I loved the aroma but not the duration, which I found very scarce. What a letdown, pressing my nose to my arm trying to convince myself it had quality, but what about it! The scent vanished in little time and I relegated the purchase. Would I buy it some day? It could be, although only for the bottle, ains what a pity. But what joy I took today!! I tried it again, the limited edition they say is better, and wow it is. Three sprays on the wrist and all day perceiving it, after 12 hours I notice it at skin level, how good. It’s an aroma I love, very evocative, as if I had smelled it already in someone in my childhood. This fragrance transports me to another time, to other situations, it’s easier for me to imagine stories, for example, in 80s Madrid, of those people who one day perfumed themselves with the authentic Cacharel Pour L’Homme. Stories of low and high neighbourhoods, robberies, infidelities, elevators, nightclubs, Christmases… Like a film director or writer, a small detail serves them as inspiration to start their story. Something like that happens to me with this smell. In a review I read it was associated with Christmas, it has clearly taken over the #1 again and next month it will be my mandatory purchase. Cacharel will be my Christmas perfume of this year, ho ho hou!!!

Cacharel Pour Homme from the 80s is a vanguard jewel in an era of excess. It smells like winter holidays thanks to that addictive fir and spice note. The dry nutmeg adds a powdery, fresh touch that is delightful. The current version has reduced the nutmeg and isn’t as deep, but if you can find the limited edition with the bird logo, it remains a timeless, earthy masculine gem.

They gave it to me for my birthday, 25 years after I first owned it. The bottle and box are identical, and luckily, the scent is too. I don’t care about longevity or projection; this fragrance doesn’t matter to me in those terms. It has that characteristic nutmeg that sets it apart from Loewe. It transports me back to when I was 14; it’s incredible how perfumes take us back in time.

My brother had a dead bottle, so I managed to get it. At first, it didn’t convince me, but over time I have come to appreciate it. It is very herbal and aromatic, with a touch of incense at the end. I don’t see it as unisex and wouldn’t recommend it blindly. The trail and longevity are decent. It resembles the classic Massimo Dutti one, but this is more intense. It’s good for shy people who need to stand out. My final rating is 7.5.

It has been my signature fragrance until three years ago when I started trying other options. It is marvellous, it smells fantastic, it is sweet, it has longevity and a good trail. As one forum member says, it is very similar to Loewe 7 but without the incense. Highly recommended.

An unforgettable classic, but we don’t get along because it overwhelms me with that marked nutmeg note, which becomes astringent and even gives me a headache. Nevertheless, if you have never heard of it, it is a fragrance worth trying. PS: A friend’s wife often wears that scent, but I imagine it is a women’s perfume as it is not her style to wear men’s fragrances. Does anyone know which women’s fragrance it could be? Thanks, au revoir.