Anvers
Ulrich Lang (2003)

This is another of those scents where all sorts of flowers and spices come together to smell like artificial grape. It's that really common grape smell you get in a LOT of mainstream aquatic or "woody amber" men's scents. Thankfully, Anvers avoids the grape's usual accompaniments and instead pairs it with a retro-80's lavender and spice mix, heavy on the green herbs and pie spices. The base is unfortunately thin - I was really hoping for a full-on chypre or maybe some leather, but it's mostly just a pale version of the cinnamon/herb middle paired with wispy woods.

Anvers's grape topnotes are a total cliche, and the masculine herbal middle notes are as well, albeit in a retro way. But somehow they take something that should have been awful and actually make it work. It's no materpiece, mind you, but it's a perfect example of that level of niche that's just a little above mainstream, broadly appealing but lacking in deeper artistry. Not bad, but not amazing. Wear it to work...

A refreshing lemon-mandarin-bergamot opening last combines with a herb-garden note; the basil and sage are very convincing and merge seamlessly with the citrus freshness; a beautiful beginning.

The drydown includes a sweetish note of new nappa leather, combined with a basket of florals, mainly geranium, jasmine, and hints of violet, with the herbs still spilling over from the top note; still very impressive.

The base adds a slightly sweetish light amber and hints of a moss impression; towards the end wood notes are noted. This base is not loud but quite restrainedly elegant.

The performance is excellent, with strong sillage, great projection and nine hours of longevity on my skin.

This is a great spring scent, which maintains its high standard throughout and never stops developing in an interesting fashion one way or another, with only the base being a bit more linear than the rest. The quality of the ingredients is excellent; is extremely well blended, very well structured and well balanced. A winner. 3.75/5

Sorry, I just don't get them, I'm talking about the honey, bergamot, lime and floral notes. All I get is moss and leather notes that come together to give a smokey/incense aroma.

I do see the resemblance to Sung Homme, except this definitely does not have the ashtray note.

Not exactly unique or a head turner, to me.

Not dark enough to hold back for
summer or spring application.

Anvers opens with a fresh herbaceous accord immediately joined by honey and violet. The whole fragrance is made of a pleasant and gentle sweetness as the honey note is cleverly freshened by herbs and surrounded by a tropical fruits feeling that make this fragrance quite distinctive. On the other hand I get a few "ordinary aspects" that made me think about others generic mass market fragrances especially in the drydown where IMO Anvers lacks in personality. Overall this is a nice scent and quite an easywear. Nothing really necessary but if you're lucky you can find it for 20$ at a discount store (as happened to me).

This smells like an updated version of Sung Homme with better notes , but you can purchase Sung Homme for less than 20 bucks!

This is very modern and complex scent. I detect green notes, violet like Narciso Rodriguez for him and smokey notes. Very unique. Thumbs up