If you read reviews of Masque Milano Montecristo, you’ll notice that it evokes people to tell stories. Sometimes these stories are of a personal nature. Sometimes these stories are completely fictional but filled with vivid details of time and place. When it comes to perfumes, I don’t think there is a better sign than this. A perfume that stirs something inside us that makes us share stories, is a perfume worth trying…even if it is something that many will find too challenging to wear.
Montecristo is dried herbs, spices and rum. And cowboy boots with dried dung. Coffee percolating on an open fire. Cool ozonic breeze over warm clay. The opening of Montecristo is rugged, complex and (one could argue) difficult. It’s animalic with notes that are like feces and B.O. Some people really want this in a perfume, so I don’t think this will turn off the more seasoned perfume wearer. I actually think “Perfume People” will find the celery notes and kerosene-y notes more challenging! As corny as it sounds, Montecristo reminds me of the Wild West. It’s dirty leather, dung, open air, dried earth and sweat. It’s not even Hollywood’s interpretation of cowboys. This is dirty, sweaty cowboys surrounded by dirty, stinky barnyard animals. The animalic notes settle, but are still present as the fragrance wears. It becomes spicier with dried pipe tobacco. The dry-down of Montecristo is much more tame, but still interesting. It’s a smoky, dark incense with cedarwood embers. This cowboy cleans up nicely. It smells like sipping rum and smoking a pipe while sitting in a leather chair in front of a warm fireplace. It’s boozy and warm. However, there’s still some skank there thanks to the cedar and all the animalic notes.
My moods for animalic scents are rare but when I have them, they’re intense. I don’t want anything shy. When I’m in that mood, Montecristo is perfect. Montecristo isn’t a perfume that has mass appeal and it’s not something I’d recommend to just anyone. But, if you like the sounds of my description or any of the other rugged stories that are told around this fragrance that you may find online, then you should try this.
Notes listed include cambreuva, ambrette seeds, rum, tobacco leaves, celery seeds, cistus, benzoin, golden stone, styrax gum, gaiac wood, cedar wood and patchouli. Launched in 2013. PERFUMER – Delphine Thierry
Give Montecristo a try if you like animalic or skanky scents. Or if you like scents like L’Artisan Parfumeur Al Oudh, Caron Yatagan, Les Liquides Imaginaires Peau de Bête, Parfums d’Empire Musc Tonkin and/or Papillon Salome. For real, you better not be scared of dirtiness in your perfumes if you’re trying Montecristo.
Projection and longevity are above average.
The 3.4 oz bottle retails for $215 at Luckyscent and Twisted Lily. Samples are also available for purchase.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Animalic booze. It can be cowboys or bikers in a biker bar or rowdy sailors or any of the sweaty, dirty things you want it to be.
Want more reviews? Try…
Nero Profumo – Interview with the art directors of the brand.
*Disclaimer – Sample provided by the brand. I am not financially compensated for my reviews. My opinions are my own. Richard Arlen pic from doctormacro.com.
Oh, nice review. I will have to re-try my decant. This has been in my swap or sell pile for a while, but I never actually list things haha. I can’t remember why I didn’t take to it before, but I’ll definitely give it another chance. I like animalics a lot, though like you I have to be in the right mood. I really love Musc Tonkin and am lucky I have a little bit of the parfum concentration they released first. That is potent stuff.
I love animalics but ONLY when I’m in the mood for them. If I try when I’m not, I’m not going to like it. I guess that is my excuse for keeping all these perfume samples around 🙂
I love Musc Tonkin. For me, I prefer it over Montecristo (which leans more traditionally “masculine” at times). A dear friend gave me some of hers from the initial launch (I missed out) and it’s truly gorgeous stuff. And yep, potent!