Tom of Finland (Etat Libre d'Orange)

By Dane

Etat's most daring packaging yet...ironically containing their most mainstream fragrance. I'll skip all the history for Tom of Finland...frankly, the man on the box says it all.

TOF opens with a blast of leather, very much in the vein of Rien, layered with juicy aldehydes borrowed from Encens & Bubblegum. A fascinating pair they make, but from there, things take a drastic turn, and calm into a very fresh, aquatic wood accord mixed with musk. Genius opening...anticlimactic drydown. I love a nice, soft, skin-scent as much as the next guy, but if you're going in that direction, why have such powerful topnotes?

Likable all the same, and still worth trying, but not what I was hoping for.

Year: 2008
Perfumer: Antoine Lie
Notes: Aldehydes, Lemon, Birch Leaves, Cypress, Galbanum, Pine, Suede, Musk, Grey Amber