Escale En Indonésie
Les Indémodables (2020)

This scent is wonderful stuff that really shines in the Spring and Summer. A Citrus focused concoct that moves to a subtle skin scent pretty quick. A sneaky dash of Mineralic Ambergris points it to a seaside breeze without using Calonic nonsense.
I burned through 1/2 a bottle last spring and summer startlingly quick. I may need to purchase another bottle soon.

Escale en Indonesie is one of the two Les Indemodables entries into the classic cologne genre, which, like Escale en Haiti, makes an attempt to put a modern spin on an old idea and is largely successful. Indonesie smells retro and classic in a positive way, whilst the clarity and precision of the materials lends to a modern feel. The naturalistic hesperidics of the top notes, mainly bergamot, lemon, and orange, mix with a gently floral heart and touches of salty ambergris in a way that is achingly familiar. We're still doing this template today, even after its approximate centenary, and why? - because it's just good. It works for our noses and our brains; I believe we are biologically programmed to like it. Due to the synthetic materials for the hesperidics in particular, they have a resolution and precision to them that gives them a modern edge, but it's the sandalwood base that really drives this feeling home. It's an excellent quality synthetic sandalwood - a touch peppery and cedary, a touch milky, and light and fresh, like you're smelling sandalwood sawdust. There are only two problems with Escale in Indonesie: the first is its longevity, which leave a fair bit to be desired for the price, and the second is timing. If you do not have a masculine citrus woody scent because you are brand new to the world of perfumes, it makes perfect sense to buy this if Les Indemodables's style speaks to you. I am not new to the world of perfumes. I have been living with and loving this genre for decades, whether it's Eau Sauvage, vintage and new, Terre d'Hermes, Malle's colognes - my mind is spinning with so many others coming to the fore that my fingers will not be able to type fast enough to keep up - so why would I buy this now? I wouldn't. Great recommendation for a newbie, a bit redundant for the rest of us, but very well done nonetheless.

Escale En Indonésie by Les Indémodables (2020) is a fresh citrus ambergris fragrance in a fairly staunch French tradition, but with some modern twists here and there. The house of Les Indémodables is pretty much a mystery besides the usual "makes luxury perfumes" and courts some pretty significant talent, so there isn't much to tell there unless you want specific names and such. I do take some issue with the name "the timeless classics" because this is effectively a new-ish house, so it's a bit presumptuous; but I won't fault cringe market copy if the smells are good.

Like the house itself, there isn't a ton to really tell about Escale En Indonésie, as it's a fresh citrus woody cologne with an ambergris riff in the base, recalling somewhat Terre d'Hermès Eau Très Fraîche (2014) and to perhaps a greater extent, Perseus by Parfums de Marly (2024), which feels like an overcharged variation of this fragrance. In a similar manner, you get bergamot, lemon, and bigarade squeezed through cedar and sandalwood, lifted with some jasmine hedione, and then topped with a breathy musky ambergris construction with just the right amount of sea salt aura.

Performance of this fragrance is light but tenacious, and balanced better than the rather wispy Hermès, which does have the flinty signature of the original Terre d'Hermès (2006) and Jean-Claude Ellena's stamp on it otherwise. The Perseus is the heavy-handed "compliments bro" variant for those who need volume over class or good taste, although I also like it in spite of that fact. Escale En Indonésie is priced between the two, and has performance between them, and was released between them as well (although the Hermès is technically discontinued), so it presents the "just right" option of the bunch. Thumbs up

This one is for citrus lovers. Very nice. A hint of sandalwood is in there also. Great for warm weather. The scent is supposed to be made of 97% natural extracts. I also get a hint of jasmine in this. Unisex for sure. 8/10