John Varvatos (John Varvatos)

By Thomas

Among the atrocities reinventions that bear the John Varvatos name, there are pairs of Converse-clone canvas sneakers that have maybe 24 eyelets. I hear they're well-made, but still hideous. You'd think that a designer of such talent would stick to shoes, but, no - there are now two scents which bear his name.

The good news is that John Varvatos smells good. Really good, in a clean barbershop way. JV opens with warm spicy woods, slightly sweet and soapy, with a bit of lime to give it some lift. Kind of a barbershop scent, but that phase doesn't last long. After a short while it takes a turn into Nicole Miller territory – fruity (plums and dates) and boozy, maybe a smooth bourbon. Sounds jarring, but the warmth remains consistent and makes for a smooth transition.

Eventually the fruit recedes and the drydown pulls the woody and boozy parts together with a bit of leather into a warm, approachable scent. This evokes evenings by the fireplace with mulled wine and a comfortable club chair. Is it a masterpiece? Probably not – too affable, too easy to like. Won't offend anyone, which is good for office wear, and is best worn during the colder months.

While out shoe shopping, I saw a pair of brown oxfords that caught my eye. Nice color, clean lines, classic without being stodgy. I checked the maker: John Varvatos. Turns out Varvatos is good with the classics, after all.

Year: 2004
Perfumer: Rodrigo Flores-Roux
Notes: Medjool Date Fruit, Mediterranean Herbs, West Indian Tamarind Tree Leaves, Coriander Seed Templar, Clary Sage Flower, Indian Ajowan, Auramber, Vanilla CO2, Eaglewood, Black Leather, Sensuous Balsams