El by Arquiste
Men 2016
The olfactory pyramid
A guide to the opening, heart and lasting trail of the fragrance.
The community speaks
Compare the results and tap an answer to add your vote.
In the collection
Leading answer I want it
478 votes
What do you think?
Leading answer Love it
166 votes
Season
Choose severalLeading answer Autumn
196 votes
Time of day
Choose severalLeading answer Night
105 votes
Each question has its own vote count. You can choose several seasons.
Fragrance profile
About El
El by Arquiste is an oriental fougère fragrance for men. Launched in 2016, this composition was created by perfumer Rodrigo Flores-Roux.
Woods and mosses Musk, amber and animalic White flowers Green, herbal and fougère Flowers Spices Sweet and gourmand
It may remind you of
Ranked by what the community voted.
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How it wears
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Longevity
Leading answer Long-lasting
86 votes
Sillage
Leading answer Moderate
109 votes
Character
Leading answer Traditionally masculine
65 votes
Value perception
Leading answer Fair price
53 votes
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Community reviews
3 reviews
Share what you noticed: opening, drydown, sillage and the moments when it works for you.
Paid $210 for Arquiste, expecting the price to justify the quality, but I was let down. The opening smells like Kouros, yet more ambered and subtle. In comparison, Arquiste feels more relaxed and diluted, leaning towards the style of Chanel’s Antaeus, whereas Kouros is more synthetic, potent, and deep. The real issue is its performance: by an hour, the intensity drops drastically. It evolves into a green, woody scent with faint notes of castoreum, civet, and geranium. By four hours, you have to press your nose to your skin to smell it, and with luck, it lasts five hours. In contrast, reformulated Kouros, despite being an Eau de Toilette, lasts nearly ten hours on me. It makes no sense to spend $210 (plus shipping) on something that performs so poorly compared to the $60 Kouros. It is a disappointment; it is a characterful perfume, but the price doesn’t add up. If you have money to burn, go for it, but if you are looking for quality and longevity, there are better and cheaper options. Scent: 9.0/10 Sillage: 5.5/10 Projection: 4.5/10 Longevity: 3.5/10
This is a proper masterpiece. In my 18 years, I have smelled everything, but this is a marvel—not for ignorant noses, only for those who dare to enjoy a unique experience. I tested it a couple of months ago; I already knew of its reputation, so with excitement, I applied it among more than 100 options. Upon smelling it, I was stunned: it is masculine, authoritative, bold, robust, and animalic. If you want to feel like a caveman hunting a mammoth to feed his tribe, this is it. If you prefer something softer, better look elsewhere. The longevity is apocalyptic, lasting over 12 hours on the skin with decent projection; by the end, it becomes a delicious second skin. Try it with moderation; it is not a Nautica Voyage or an Invictus, but the effect is different. I do not yet have the bottle, but it is a safe purchase. Given its performance, I doubt I will finish it; four sprays last all day. Scent: 9/10 Longevity: 9/10 Projection: 8/10 Highly recommended, I look very handsome indeed.
I was absolutely blown away by this fragrance. I smell it and think: ‘This is Kouros!’ Perhaps the notes differ slightly, but the sensation is that you are smelling a perfume from the era, vibrating just like an Antaeus or a Kouros, but with a niche-level price and quality.