Chanel pour monsieur

I was once warned to never wear a cologne that had seen more of the world than I had. That was in 1985 when I first wore this and didn't understand exactly what I had put on.As a consequence I avoided Chanel PM for years, playing servant to the commercial fragrance masters and dallying with Acqua Di G, various other "modern scents", every colour of Polo...I even "invested" in the blue-chip Creeds and Tom Fords.The result? Today I'm wise enough to understand that PM is a scent for a man. Not a teenager. Nor a young 20-something with product in his hair and impulsiveness in his mind. Today I seek a more simple solution to problems. Chanel PM may open with a strong citrus last...It's aldehydes, the same ingredients that put No 5 at the top of the charts and STILL keep it there ensure it sparkles with neroli, lemon and petigrain before settling to cardamon with a final vetiver, oak moss and cedar dry down. This is serious juice for gentle men.Spray it on your chest under your business shirt and revel in it's power that night as you derobe. Better yet upgrade to the Concentree' and marvel at the elegance, class and lasting power abd easy confidence of this classic. If it's not for you that's ok. Neither are Rolex's or Mercedes...or even wet shaving. But isn't THAT why you're here to begin with?

My number 2 scent. Big citrus opening that quickly settles down. A bit on the sweet side for me but not nearly as sweet as most of what is on the market now. Elegant and refined.

This is undeniably a classic from 1955. It was the product of perfume genius Henri Robert who gave us many of Chanel's most popular and enduring scents, including Chanel No.19...Chanel Pour Monsieur has been recognized the world over as a hallmark in men's colognes...One scent that others are judged by...Does it hold up to the test of time?

Last year I went through a scent safari and tried most of the new popular scents and many of the reformulated classics, in search of a new signature scent. Chanel's Pour Monsieur I'd have to place in my top 5.
It opens with a suprisingly strong, very clean and fresh Lemon, Neroli blast...Very well done...One of the best citrus openers I've experianced. Right up there with Aqua Di Parma Colonia.

Then it quickly moves through it's floral mids to its base of woods and I thought a powdery Vanilla with maybe a touch of leather.

If someone thinks this is dated, it must be because it becomes very powdery very quickly. But I like powdery, and this is a very classy, clean, and one of the finest powdery notes I've ever had the pleasure. Actually I was expecting it to be dated but was pleasently suprised by how timeless it really is. This cologne has been copied by so many that it is immediately familier, but it is still the best of the breed and none of its imitaters have fully captured its elusive charms.

This is a very subtle cologne and the sillage stays close to the skin and it's duration isn't very long. But it is absolutly beautiful, and I believe it does stand up to the test of time and should be tried by all discerning gentlemen looking for a very high quality scent. But if you don't like powdery scents, then this is not for you, but if you do like powdery in the tradition of Floris No.89, or Aqua Di Parma, then this is a must try.