Czech & Speake Cuba: Perfume Review
 These days I am in a mood for scents whose spiciness is fresh or whose freshness has a dark and piquant depth. The examples would be Piment Brulant, Piper Nigrum and Poivre 23. Cuba by Czech & Speake is my latest discovery in this genre. "Inspired by the old town of Havana, its Latin rhythms, smooth cigars, fine rums and exotic beauties," the scent...lives up to its inspiration.Multi-layered and multi-sided, Cuba is an exciting scent to wear, because it inclines you to pay attention to its development. It is interesting to monitor the change from sutbly sweet and delicately mentholated top notes, with their distinct boozy undertone of rum, to the warmer, spicier middle accord of cloves and roses enveloped in a mellow tobacco mist...to the richer and simultaneously somewhat sharper base notes of frankincense, woods and vetiver. I love it when complexity is rendered so harmoniously. The seamlessness of its blend, the familiar softness of its tobacco, the uplifting quality of its incense, makes Cuba as unexpectedly comforting and calming as it is invigorating. It's muy, muy bien! Available at Cambridge Chemists, Czech & Speake and Luckyscent Labels: Czech Speake, Spices |
posted by Marina |
12:00 AM
24 Comments:
Could this be the pepper for me? Piment Brulant went all taco seasoning, Piper Nigrum lasted about 8 seconds and I can't smell Poive 23 because of Le Labo's dippy "city specific" policy. As usual, Perfume Circe sends me off in search..
Wow, I might need this! Pepper AND tobacco = fab!
(Tom, have you ever tried Caron's Poivre? It's a must for black pepper fans.)
Hmmm. . .somewhat suprisingly, I've never tried this. Sounds like I should!
Tom,
It's more than just pepper, but still great stuff. I too wish Poivre 23 was more easily available! Enough with the city-specific already! :-(
Donna,
A great combo indeed. I think I was predisposed to like this as soon as I saw the red bottle. :-)
Judith,
I can see that this might really suit you!
This figures prominently on my list of scents that I *will* (said w/ teeth gritted and steely eyed determination) make work w/ my skin chemistry before I die. I love the scent in the bottle, love it on other people, but weep when I apply it on my wrist because it simply does *not* work on me. Goes off in very unfortunate directions. :-(
L,
Oh :-( What kind of direction? :-(
I heard it's illegal to import or possess this in the US :)
Well, Romain,
Maybe somebody would smuggle it for you. There is this guy Ryan...
As long as it's not Beau
Romain,
Oh snap! Beau's are the highest quality cigars :-)
I really do love Piment Brulant with its sharp capsicum followed by smooth chocolaty-ness. Cuba sounds like a must-try. I have visited Cuba many times...Old Havana, like all Havana, is beautiful and decrepit and bustling and musical all at the same time. Thanks for this review.
lovethescents
S,
I think you will love it then, I really do.
Torn...very torn. Boozy doesn't work on me at all, but ooooh does that clovy-rosy middle bit and woody-spicy dry-down sound good!
Mmm, I agree that pepper and tobacco are lovely, and by coincidence (Flora) I was wishing I could indulge in a bottle of Coup de Fouet (which is related to Poivre?) at this point in the month. Well, payday's not too far away, and these light, peppery scents seem to suit all the year round... so I guess you could say it would be money well spent?! - Emma
Piper nigrum is such a multifaceted source of delight: does Cuba surpass it in elegance?
Tammy,
It is spicy and balsamic more than boozy, I'd say
Emma,
definitely money well spent :-) This kind of scents is very versatile, I find.
Fabiana,
I would say it is as elegant, but in a different way. PN is a little colder. This is one is warmer, smokier.
Sounds so ...(looking for an adverb...) so temptingly adequate for a pre-fall summery evening. Next hop to London will see me spritzing it for a try.
Fabiana,
That would definitely be a perfect season and time of day for it.
I just received a C&S sampler and like this scent a LOT. The top notes are a bit strong and other people have described it as very "fecal." Earthy? Definitely, but not fecal to me. Might depend on your skin chemistry.
It has fairly good lasting power, too. The dry down is quite pleasing and brings a smoky room and mojito to mind. Peppery, minty, smoky... awesome!
Bacana esse artigo, gostei. Esse perfume tem uma fragrância muito boa, com destaque pra esse design de frasco fantástico.
Abraços !
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