Gianfranco Ferre for Man by Gianfranco Ferre

The undisputed king; I’ve worn it for 30 years. It’s the perfect blend of wood and citrus, incredibly versatile. It’s a shame it’s no longer available, as it has a brutal approval rating. It handles the stifling summer heat of Buenos Aires perfectly and is also ideal for winter.

Sometimes I think ‘all the past is better’ and in perfumes, it’s almost a law. For years, it was my favourite; I wore it six times over the springs and summers of the eighties and early nineties until production stopped. With its potency and longevity, I wore it from morning till night, even if I showered in the middle and it was still there. It opened with fruity, green citrus notes, perfect for the hot, humid mornings in my city (Buenos Aires), then moved to a fresh garden over dry citrus, like cardamom, and ended the afternoon/evening with a woodsy forest of moss and leaves freshly wet by rain. It was superbly formal or informally elegant, with a classic air but nothing boring. If someone were to launch something like this today, only Armani could do it.

A spectacular and dense proposal that makes me think of a conifer forest with a small river running over stones and trunks full of moss. You have to breathe this to understand the eighties in perfumery, something impossible to recreate today due to those absurd restrictions. It has everything a man needs at an olfactory level: classic in appearance, surprisingly fresh after a while, elegant and casual, wild and kind, with presence and personality. The longevity and sillage are worthy of praise, very balanced and delicious as it develops. There is nothing here that bothers. The bottle is truly fantastic. If for any reason you haven’t ventured to try an eighties fragrance, you should absolutely do so… Wonderful.

The Gianfranco Ferre has an opening very similar to Azzaro Pour Homme, but more potent, less harsh and more citrusy, without that semi-sweet anise touch. As it dries, the difference grows: although they share oakmoss, lavender, sandalwood, vetiver and patchouli, the Ferre feels creamier and more exquisite than the Azzaro, which I also adore. The only thing that disappointed me was the poor longevity on the skin; the ghost of reformulations returns, I only had sillage for a couple of hours and by four it was skin scent. But the aroma is so good that it’s worth reapplying. I see it for autumn-winter, day or night, with an ironed shirt and clean shoes, because this perfume is for wearing with boundless joy, mature but vigorous and elegant. I found it on Amazon and I’m happy to have it; sometimes I put a little on my forearm just to get drunk on its opening and travel to memories, it’s almost like a drug. Magnificent. UPDATE March 2018: Longevity and sillage are better than I thought. It seems the skin has ‘taken a liking’ to it with use. The Ferre points rise like foam; it’s a perfume that approaches perfection.

One of the best woodsy-chypre fragrances I’ve tried. It starts with a powerful and explosive opening of citrus and green notes, where lemon, bergamot and petit grain dominate. In the heart, the carnation, geranium, jasmine and valley lily evoke memories of Chanel’s Antaeus and Halston Z-14. After eight hours, the cedar, a touch of tobacco (not very intense) and oakmoss become noticeable. Later, the musk and cedar express themselves in a classic way for the genre. At fourteen hours, a soft patchouli appears. I loved it in all its phases; with its citrus and floral base, it has potential in temperate times (not for sport), and, due to its woodsy notes, it also serves in winter. It’s an elegant chypre, of the same quality and complexity as Chanel’s Antaeus. The sillage is heavy and the longevity exceeds fourteen hours. If you like fragrances like Antaeus, this is for you, although it’s difficult to find or discontinued in some places. As a final plus, the price is very reasonable: I got the 100ml bottle for less than 60 dollars.