Question:
After yesterday's Tauer experience, I cautiously applied Heeley's Fine Leather at three places - wrist, and both sides of my neck. I like to use my wrist to test fragrances - it's an easy way to gauge sillage and it gives me a focal point if I need to clarify something. So... with a modest amount of scent on, off I went to work. I got home about an hour ago, reapplied, and so here's a note:
Heeley's Fine Leather - Oddly enough, this smells like Ciroc going on... yes, the vodka made from grapes. It's got a touch of a sweet, alcohol aroma that's reinforced by fresh grapeskins, but it quickly turns lightly purple (violets, wisteria) and a touch powdery, as if something's fighting to get out from the mass of flowers. After about 30 minutes, the topnotes have moved aside, and we get to the heart of things - this is a softly leather and smoky (a bit like Lapsang Souchong tea - smoked over pine boughs). In my mind (and please be kind to a newbie here), the violet aroma and subtle leathery tones don't keep this fragrance from being clean smelling (there's a soapy aspect that may be a reappearance of the violets) and rather fresh. It seems very retro to me - something from the mid-19th century. It's certainly subtle, with modest sillage and longevity... it lasted about 4 hours on me at the wrist.
Thanks,
Zachary

Answer:
but no halucinations with this one?
I prescribe cuir mauresque. . .

Answer:
that the best fragrances are the ones that are hallucinatory - I want to put something on - I can never wear much seeing as what I do is very scent-driven, and if I know I'm tasting, my scent is as discrete as I can make it. So I don't mind the subtle/low sillage things like Mechant Loup or Fine Leather. But the ones that do..... they're a lot of fun.
And as for Cuir Mauresque... if I could, I would. I've dreamed about the SL stuff: Fumerie Turque, Rahat Loukhoum, Chergui, Chypre Rouge... but I don't exactly want to buy them blind, and Lord knows what might happen shipping them into the States.
Thanks,
Zachary

Answer:
I think that the retro may harken back no further than Grey Flannel--Heeley's Fine Leather--to me--has a definite "Grey Flannel with guts" aspect to it--violets with attitude. I love it.