Perfume Review: Christian Dior Fahrenheit

Warning for those looking for an impartial examination and a thoughtful note-by-note analysis of Fahrenheit: this review will fail on both counts. I am incapable of being objective and coherent when it comes to this fragrance. Fahrenheit is without a doubt my most favorite “men’s” scent. I think it is stunning and so very sexy…Having said that, I can never be quite sure whether I think so highly of this scent on its own merit or because of the one who used to wear it and who was stunning and so very sexy. If he wore Axe, I probably would have thought it was the most exquisite fragrance in the world. A couple of days ago I read on Now Smell This about a “warming tendency” in masculine fragrances. Fahrenheit to me is an example of a perfect (of course!) warm scent. It was created in 1988 by Jean-Louis Sieuzac, the author of Opium, and if anyone knows how to make a gorgeous warm scent, that is the perfumer who came up with Opium. Fahrenheit is quite a few degrees lower on a scale of warmth and is much less ornate and spicy, but the hand of the Master of Warmth is apparent. The scent to me is all about smoky leather, sweet amber and violet, which is not as much powdery as it is strangely and very delightfully “nutty”. The top accord of bergamot, lemon and lavender is brighter than the rest of the fragrance, but the brightness does not last long, almost immediately the three main players I mentioned become apparent and Fahrenheit acquires that robust, dark warmth that I find so very appealing. The further into the scent’s development, the darker it becomes, going through the beautiful stage of velvety sandalwood adorned with a subtle floral note, and finally culminating in the glorious drydown of leather enriched by amber, musk, and a hint of patchouli. To me the smell of Fahrenheit is poignant; it is heavy with memories of what have been and regrets about what could have been; it gives me the blues. I cannot wear it often, it is too painful. Too painful to realize that I haven’t seen the-one-who-used-to-wear-it-so-well for ten years (today exactly) and that I am now six years older than he was ever destined to be. And yet, such is the power of perfume that, although my more or less atheistic brain tells me that I will never see him again, when I smell Fahrenheit, I swear, I can almost feel his presence I wrote and discarded three versions of this review. This is the least sentimental one, believe me. Next week will be business as usual, no more soppiness. Please tune in on Monday for an (unemotional, but positive) review of the new Agent Provocateur Eau Emotionelle. Fahrenheit is available at Scentiments.com, $24.89- $51.89.