Ébène
Pierre Balmain (1983)

An air of mystery, understated classical masculinity, simmering and suave, the splendor of Ebene de Balmain has reached legendary status in certain circles. It's status as a unicorn to collectors has further pushed this appeal, and fortunately for me, I happened upon this lovely vintage, sealed, where the price was mercifully not astronomical.

From the first spray I immediately understood the magic, and was so very grateful that, in spite of its age it exhibited no signs of degradation whatsoever. Almost a hybrid between fougere and chypre style, Ebene opens like the former and dries down to more the latter. The top notes, nearly intact in this bottle, are a profusion of aromatics lifted with aldehydes, evoking the ether of the forest, reminiscent to that of the beloved Caron Yatagan, but here we have a pastel mint and a flourish of anise amongst the classic artemisia and various green herbs and woody spices. The heart has a pronounced pine harmonizing with geranium and carnation: all my favorite aromatic notes combined, manifesting rapturous delight in me. The sillage during this phase is phenomenal for could very well be a nearly 40 year old bottle for all I know. Whiffs and wafts suggest a dark, musky leather softened ever so lightly with tonka, and a foreshadowing of that chypre base, mossy and ambery.

Holy Evernia Prunastri, the dry down is gorgeous, too. For all its limpid, quenched herbs and florals early on in the development, the base is dry and dusky, the green pine needles on the trees are now the pine straw that lie on the forest floor, with that leather ramped up, a revved engine of sensuality, a subtle seduction in the shadows. Traces of anise and carnation remain and entre nous, things are beginning to get very sexy here. Yowza.

Ebene is a real treasure and a vintage for the books.

Stardate 20170804:

A nice classic aromatic barbershop. From scent memory very similar to Aramis Tuscany but when I did side by side there were many differences.
Ebene is more rounded and better blended. It has mint (Green Water kind) and is more refined. Don't get me wrong, Tuscany is its closest relative but they are not twins - perhaps close cousins.
If you can get for cheap go for it, I would pass at current eBay prices.

A bottle of this would be nice. It smells leathery in the opening. As it develops, I agree it smells like Aramis Tuscany, perhaps with a lighter touch of geranium.

Giving this another wearing, it has turned dark on me. It started with a greenish note. Not something I love, but not a deal-breaker. This note then turned leathery. It's a challenging fragrance. I can understand people getting excited about it. It's not quite for me. It's too harsh overall, for me. That greenish note is just slightly cloying.

You want Ebene back ? Try Tuscany ( Aramis ) very very close.......

Creative, highly original and - unique: this is how I can describe the top notes, in which bergamot, spearmint and basil blend with a slightly fruity berry note, with artemisia providing added depth. In the drydown cinnamon moves into the fore adding a pleasant spiciness that is never dark or harsh, with hints of rose and geranium adding subtle floral impressions. In the last hours hints of a suede-like soft leather with smidgeons of soft amber and just a tiny whiff of a gentle moss round it off. Most interestingly, the top notes never lose their core rôle and remain present as the backbone of this delightful fragrance, like the theme of a musical variation in classical music, with the notes in the drydown and further development superimposed onto this constant ever-present central theme. It is extremely well blended of constituents of very fine quality, and projects very well with good silage. And longevity is supreme at eleven hours. One of Balmain's finest, a masterpiece. Its overall bright character makes it perfect for a sunny autumn day.

I have just purchased a bottle of Ebene for a chemist in Portugal , very hard to find indeed ! It was always my favourite scent and I used it everyday , sad to say this one will have to last! For me this is my holy Grail of scent, my olfactory discription of who I am or maybe who I'd like to think I am. Either way this fragrance is better than all the creeds put together and topped of with any serge lutens aaaaahhhh