Two girls stand in front of the mirror, a reflection of made-up faces and jaundiced yellow tiles.
“Jennifer, give me your lip gloss“, says Ronni as she fluffs her auburn hair and wishes she had her hairspray with her. Her mother has seized all possible inhalants. Damn Barbara Walters.
Jennifer hands her the lip gloss and they share tales of weekend escapades and awkward dates with boys they don’t even like. They hide in a stall and smoke Virginia Slims. Gloss covered cigarette butts go down the toilet with a loud swoosh. The bell rings. They spray on a candied amber body spray that Ronni keeps in her purse, two sticks of Big Red and they’re ready for chemistry. Ronni lags behind…
What?! Tauer Auburn opens as a random things floating around at the bottom of teenager’s purse. I get Grape Lip Smacker’s, a couple lone sticks of Big Red cinnamon bubble gum and that weird, dusty funk that accumulates at the bottom of purses, backpacks, etc. Auburn is dusty, has traces of paperback books and this weird pack of cigarettes thing going on. Not like an actually pack but like a pack that used to be in your bag many moons ago. The dry-down is rather nice and “classic” Tauer ambery incense. But….I mean you had to get traumatized by the rest to enjoy some sweet, smoky amber.
I had the husband smell this as I kept my opinions to myself. “What does this smell like?” I ask. He says, “High school lockers”. Yep.
This fragrance is offensive and I have no desire to wear it. It smells too “school”, like a locker or backpack, too high school. I do like the base but I can find that in other Tauer perfumes.

Notes listed include citrus blossom, cinnamon, tobacco, amber and sandalwood. Launch date 2011. PERFUMER – Andy Tauer
I have no idea who to recommend this perfume to. Try it if you like amber or spicy fragrances.
The 1.7 oz EDP retails for $150 at LuckyScent.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Stale high school locker. I like many Tauer perfumes and it saddens me to say this but I have to…it’s a wreck. A total mess. I’m not calling the entire line a mess, I urge you to try many of the others in the line. Avoid the Pentachords unless you want proof that one needs more than 5 ingredients to make a good perfume.
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I don’t feel as strongly about the Pentachords in general but this is maybe my least-favorite Tauer. I think the cinnamon kills it for me – it’s too Red-Hot-like. Also agree that the drydown is fine but I adore Orange Star and it has a similar drydown.
I do like Pentachord White quite a bit.
breathesgelatin recently posted..Two from Atelier Cologne and a perfumista heresy
I’m most offended by the cinnamon in this. I like cinnamon in fragrances such as Malle Musc Ravageur but this one is too bubble gum. The drydown is pretty but I can get that in other Tauers (yep, liek Orange Star).
White was the least offensive to me. I need to try it again. But, I really should just stick to L’Air, Lonestar Memories and Rose Vermeille 😉 Oh, and Miriam.
I love this review. Very evocative and funny. I’ve tried a bunch of the Tauers, but not the Pentachords. Thanks for the warning!
Try them if they fall from the sky, but I wouldn’t go out of my way for them. Your time is best spent trying other things 🙂
Just the other day, I was pondering whether to sample this in a Luckyscent order and decided against. Now I’m SO glad! AT seems like a lovely person and his Lonestar Memories and Air du Desert Marocain are incredibly beautiful. (Is there any parfumista/o who doesn’t like LADDM?) So why are all of his other scents so miserable to my nose? 🙄
I feel bad writing this because I think he is talented I like some of the others (LADDM is genius). But, these Pentachords are pretty bad. I think what happened is that more energy got put into the process than the outcome (if that makes sense). Good idea, but bad final product.
Oh man. I actually LOLed. I haven’t tried any of the Pentachords yet (big Tauer fan in general) but I HATE the smell/taste of cinnamon gum so this is an automatic pass.
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I have such a diversion to Big Red and whatever that cinnamon toothpaste is, Up Close, I think. I have no reason why cinnamon gum offends me but it does.
Goodness
This had me laughing out loud – but I’m with you, the bottom of a teenage girl’s purse is not somewhere I want to go perfume wise.
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
theperfumeddandy recently posted..Which ‘ladies’ scent’ will this gent wear next? The Perfumed Dandy’s Hit Parade #23
You know that black gummy stuff that accumulates at the bottom of a backpack? I totally got that from this perfume. I can give it props for its realism!