Reviews of Minotaure by Paloma Picasso
(Review of a vintage formulation from the Cosmair era)
Minotaure is one of the least captivating creations from Paloma Picasso from an artistic standpoint. The reality of it is that it truly doesn’t say or do anything new; it’s a pretty typical retro masculine oriental woody cologne from the pyramid perspective, but I still rate it well because of how it wears. Looking to most masculines of this type prior to 1992, the perfumes were loud, heavy, ostentatious, and/or sometimes complicated beasts - but not Minotaure. In the list of pros and cons, it’s biggest pros that tip the scale are that it smells very pleasant and clean, and it can be worn anywhere, anytime, by anyone of any style, and in any climate.
The citrus opening is bright and aldehydic, and just as the pyramid implies it is pretty nondescript. I’m sure there is bergamot, lemon, and perhaps some orange materials in there but they are ill-defined. However, the sparkling aldehydes work to give them some of the breadth they lack by creating this feeling of a very fine mist in the air. Unlike many aldehydic hesperidic openings you cannot feel the materials going up your nose. The lightweight diffusiveness is very attractive. The same can be said for the lavender and floral heart. The lavender is oily, green herbal, clean, and soapy just as you’d expect from a yesteryear masculine, and the florals - just like the hesperidics that came before - are vague. They are very obviously white floral, but I’m on the fence of either carnations or muguet. There is a creamy and unctuous aspect to them, not much in the way of sweetness, and it is smooth and supple. There is a bit of an aromatic and peppery lean to the heart that wants to make me say carnation, but it’s far more likely to be the aromatic woody base of sandalwood and cedar playing upwards. Some moss, a touch of musks, and a bit of vanillic benzoin round out the base.
I have to admit that I like Minotaure, but I also have to freely admit that it is overrated and overhyped. It’s not worth chasing after expensive vintages but if you can smell it, or get a great deal on a vintage bottle, by all means do so if you like this profile. It’s just so easy and comfortable to wear, and every stage of it smells clean and lovely - almost like it’s not there until you intentionally take a whiff of it off of your skin or your clothes. Good stuff - not great, certainly not poor, just genuinely good stuff.
Minotaure is one of the least captivating creations from Paloma Picasso from an artistic standpoint. The reality of it is that it truly doesn’t say or do anything new; it’s a pretty typical retro masculine oriental woody cologne from the pyramid perspective, but I still rate it well because of how it wears. Looking to most masculines of this type prior to 1992, the perfumes were loud, heavy, ostentatious, and/or sometimes complicated beasts - but not Minotaure. In the list of pros and cons, it’s biggest pros that tip the scale are that it smells very pleasant and clean, and it can be worn anywhere, anytime, by anyone of any style, and in any climate.
The citrus opening is bright and aldehydic, and just as the pyramid implies it is pretty nondescript. I’m sure there is bergamot, lemon, and perhaps some orange materials in there but they are ill-defined. However, the sparkling aldehydes work to give them some of the breadth they lack by creating this feeling of a very fine mist in the air. Unlike many aldehydic hesperidic openings you cannot feel the materials going up your nose. The lightweight diffusiveness is very attractive. The same can be said for the lavender and floral heart. The lavender is oily, green herbal, clean, and soapy just as you’d expect from a yesteryear masculine, and the florals - just like the hesperidics that came before - are vague. They are very obviously white floral, but I’m on the fence of either carnations or muguet. There is a creamy and unctuous aspect to them, not much in the way of sweetness, and it is smooth and supple. There is a bit of an aromatic and peppery lean to the heart that wants to make me say carnation, but it’s far more likely to be the aromatic woody base of sandalwood and cedar playing upwards. Some moss, a touch of musks, and a bit of vanillic benzoin round out the base.
I have to admit that I like Minotaure, but I also have to freely admit that it is overrated and overhyped. It’s not worth chasing after expensive vintages but if you can smell it, or get a great deal on a vintage bottle, by all means do so if you like this profile. It’s just so easy and comfortable to wear, and every stage of it smells clean and lovely - almost like it’s not there until you intentionally take a whiff of it off of your skin or your clothes. Good stuff - not great, certainly not poor, just genuinely good stuff.
I was only a teenie-bopper in 1992, but I was imprinted with that sexy intrigued sensation at first encounter. IT was so captivating and mesmerizing of a scent that I will never forget!
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I have an earlier Cosmair formulation as it has been stressed over and again that any that followed were inferior. If it's mentioned numerous times and with much conviction, I felt it made sense to just go for it, and I am pleased with this 90s fruity tooty, orange creamsicle, dreamy amber.
I have an earlier Cosmair formulation as it has been stressed over and again that any that followed were inferior. If it's mentioned numerous times and with much conviction, I felt it made sense to just go for it, and I am pleased with this 90s fruity tooty, orange creamsicle, dreamy amber.
The opening is aldehydic and spacious; Minotaure isn't dense by any means, and for that, it creates an atmosphere around the wearer. I love that I am reminded of cherry Lik-M-Aid Fun Dip, Tang and Crystal Light powder, some dried apricot, Durkee vanilla extract; it's a bit like exploring my grandmother's pantry. That is not to say there isn't anything substantive here: beneath this is a warmth and woodiness that belies the candied fruit, and a floral accord with what my nose detects as a sheer lily of the valley washing over the sweetness, adding this alluring contrast.
Several hours in, I am left with a delightful sandalwood, cedar, and amber that occasionally extends its sillage with movement. It made sense that Bowie wore this; sort of a subtle counterpoint to his complex personality. The appeal is there, for sure.
I have an earlier Cosmair formulation as it has been stressed over and again that any that followed were inferior. If it's mentioned numerous times and with much conviction, I felt it made sense to just go for it, and I am pleased with this 90s fruity tooty, orange creamsicle, dreamy amber.
The opening is aldehydic and spacious; Minotaure isn't dense by any means, and for that, it creates an atmosphere around the wearer. I love that I am reminded of cherry Lik-M-Aid Fun Dip, Tang and Crystal Light powder, some dried apricot, Durkee vanilla extract; it's a bit like exploring my grandmother's pantry. That is not to say there isn't anything substantive here: beneath this is a warmth and woodiness that belies the candied fruit, and a floral accord with what my nose detects as a sheer lily of the valley washing over the sweetness, adding this alluring contrast.
Several hours in, I am left with a delightful sandalwood, cedar, and amber that occasionally extends its sillage with movement. It made sense that Bowie wore this; sort of a subtle counterpoint to his complex personality. The appeal is there, for sure.
Paloma Picasso took after her father, Pablo Picasso, but channelled her artistic abilities into jewelry and perfumes, seemingly taking a page from the playbook of Salvadore Dali by using her father's name to create a perfume house in the process. The range never escaped the 90's and out of the six known, several are discontinued (including what I'm reviewing here), but Paloma liked to factor in a bit of La Belle Époque flair to her perfumes, making them a bit left-of-center compared to their peers of the day. Minotaure (1992) was the first and ultimately only masculine fragrance released by the house, supplied first by Creations Aromatiques (for whom perfumer Michael Almairac worked at the time) but eventually became a discount darling of mall perfume kiosks everywhere after L'Oréal acquired the brand as a part of their legacy perfume holdings. Almairac, who also worked on Joop! Homme by Parfums Joop! (1989) then later Sculpture Homme by Nikos (1995), can be seen as something of a godfather for the "clubber" fragrance, especially since Minotaure has some connective tissue between the Joop! fragrance and the later Nikos one. The sweet orange blossom found in all three, combined with the almost "creamsicle" quality found in the latter two, show some sort of thematic progression. I can tell you right up front I'm not the biggest fan of this stuff, but I've smelled worse, and think that for what this is and what it tries to do, Minotaure mostly succeeds. I wouldn't want to get lost in a maze with this stuff at its center, that's for sure.
The opening of Minotaure does a familiar trick of opening with sweet citruses and aldehydes, to carry aloft a certain fruity spiciness bolstered with tarragon, coriander, and sweet tonka. Like many of these 90's proto-clubbers, the tonka and later vanilla will define the final dry down of the scent, something the super-popular Jean-Paul Gaultier Le Mâle (1994) would champion in force. Like Le Mâle, Minotaure eventually focuses on minty vanilla sweetness, but closer to the later Roma Uomo by Laura Biagiotta (1994), this scent adds in warm sandalwood and amber to feign a certain degree of romanticism. I hated Roma Uomo for the way it crudely and sharply handled the synthetic sandalwood and laundry musk compounds in the final phase of wear, but Minotaure at least gets that right, since the heart of rose, geranium, ylang-ylang, indolic jasmine, and sweet Spanish lavender help give a buffer to those final notes. Before long, the sandaxol sandalwood note popular in 90's semi-orientals does come into play, alongside the token white musk, tonka, cedar, vanilla, and amber, but the blending here is way better than Roma Uomo. Some cite leather being present, but I detect none. I'm still not a huge lover of this kind of accord overall, since the contrast of oriental woodiness, animalic amber, and laundry clean just feels kinda wrong to my nose, but remains pleasant enough here thanks to Almairac's execution. If it isn't obvious, I'd call this a clubber or semi-romantic evening sort of scent for cooler weather if used outdoors, but being as it is of a more "dated" variety, may not be suitable for younger party-goers. Wear time is above average at 10 hours and projection can be monstrous with some body heat, so be careful.
I think Almairac would do better with Sculpture Homme because he would mostly ditch the semi-oriental elements and green elements this shares with Romo Uomo, adding in neroli to the top, and ambrette seed to the base whilst keeping the dandy florals of the heart intact, making for a much more sophisticated night-out kind of scent. Sculpture Homme is something of a timeless underdog clubber champion for this reason, as it brings the volume and the sweetness but does something enlightened and artistic with its key components that this does not. Don't get me wrong, Paloma Picasso Minotaure is definitely an attention-getting, potentially compliment-pulling all-eyes-on-me sort of fragrance, but the mint and green elements run counter to the softer, more indolic, and muskier side of the fragrance, making for an uneasy tug-of-war that to me is like adding a symphonic accompaniment to a Sex Pistols record. In other words, there is just something here that is at odds with itself here and that keeps me from fully liking Minotaure, although I totally respect the fanbase it has accrued in the years since launch. Being discontinued, some vintage heads in the online community will point to this as being the best of its ilk simply on merit of that alone, but I'd rather give that title to Fath pour L'Homme by Jacques Fath (1998) because there is a lot more going on and zero conflicts in the blending. Still, this bull has horns and will fight if you want it to, I'd just prefer it stayed in the pasture myself. Decent for what it is, but not my thing, although sample if you can and judge for yourself. Neutral.
The opening of Minotaure does a familiar trick of opening with sweet citruses and aldehydes, to carry aloft a certain fruity spiciness bolstered with tarragon, coriander, and sweet tonka. Like many of these 90's proto-clubbers, the tonka and later vanilla will define the final dry down of the scent, something the super-popular Jean-Paul Gaultier Le Mâle (1994) would champion in force. Like Le Mâle, Minotaure eventually focuses on minty vanilla sweetness, but closer to the later Roma Uomo by Laura Biagiotta (1994), this scent adds in warm sandalwood and amber to feign a certain degree of romanticism. I hated Roma Uomo for the way it crudely and sharply handled the synthetic sandalwood and laundry musk compounds in the final phase of wear, but Minotaure at least gets that right, since the heart of rose, geranium, ylang-ylang, indolic jasmine, and sweet Spanish lavender help give a buffer to those final notes. Before long, the sandaxol sandalwood note popular in 90's semi-orientals does come into play, alongside the token white musk, tonka, cedar, vanilla, and amber, but the blending here is way better than Roma Uomo. Some cite leather being present, but I detect none. I'm still not a huge lover of this kind of accord overall, since the contrast of oriental woodiness, animalic amber, and laundry clean just feels kinda wrong to my nose, but remains pleasant enough here thanks to Almairac's execution. If it isn't obvious, I'd call this a clubber or semi-romantic evening sort of scent for cooler weather if used outdoors, but being as it is of a more "dated" variety, may not be suitable for younger party-goers. Wear time is above average at 10 hours and projection can be monstrous with some body heat, so be careful.
I think Almairac would do better with Sculpture Homme because he would mostly ditch the semi-oriental elements and green elements this shares with Romo Uomo, adding in neroli to the top, and ambrette seed to the base whilst keeping the dandy florals of the heart intact, making for a much more sophisticated night-out kind of scent. Sculpture Homme is something of a timeless underdog clubber champion for this reason, as it brings the volume and the sweetness but does something enlightened and artistic with its key components that this does not. Don't get me wrong, Paloma Picasso Minotaure is definitely an attention-getting, potentially compliment-pulling all-eyes-on-me sort of fragrance, but the mint and green elements run counter to the softer, more indolic, and muskier side of the fragrance, making for an uneasy tug-of-war that to me is like adding a symphonic accompaniment to a Sex Pistols record. In other words, there is just something here that is at odds with itself here and that keeps me from fully liking Minotaure, although I totally respect the fanbase it has accrued in the years since launch. Being discontinued, some vintage heads in the online community will point to this as being the best of its ilk simply on merit of that alone, but I'd rather give that title to Fath pour L'Homme by Jacques Fath (1998) because there is a lot more going on and zero conflicts in the blending. Still, this bull has horns and will fight if you want it to, I'd just prefer it stayed in the pasture myself. Decent for what it is, but not my thing, although sample if you can and judge for yourself. Neutral.
I finally acquired a new old stock Cosmair era bottle of Minotaure. I used to see this fragrance in the department stores and always wanted to try it. Hard to find and pricey so I obtained the vintage.
This fragrance opens up clear of citrus and aldehydes. The citrus tames down while the florals reveal themselves which are attached to the aldehydes. This fragrance becomes fruity. Sandalwood in the background which becomes creamy from a rising texture of vanilla which touches the fruit. I don't get leather...but I do get a slight patchouli in the finish.
So why a neutral rating?
I'll give Minotaure props for inspiring this early 2000's fragrance it reminds me of...but not when comes to cost. Thallium by Jacques Evard instantly came to mind...that's a $15 fragrance. Now I like both Thallium and Minotaure's style... but the resemblance was so uncanny to Thallium it was ridiculous. If there was a knob to control the vanilla in Thallium and you rolled it back?...it would reveal itself as Minotaure. Bottom line is I'll stick to Thallium. Minotaure in any formula is overpriced.
This fragrance opens up clear of citrus and aldehydes. The citrus tames down while the florals reveal themselves which are attached to the aldehydes. This fragrance becomes fruity. Sandalwood in the background which becomes creamy from a rising texture of vanilla which touches the fruit. I don't get leather...but I do get a slight patchouli in the finish.
So why a neutral rating?
I'll give Minotaure props for inspiring this early 2000's fragrance it reminds me of...but not when comes to cost. Thallium by Jacques Evard instantly came to mind...that's a $15 fragrance. Now I like both Thallium and Minotaure's style... but the resemblance was so uncanny to Thallium it was ridiculous. If there was a knob to control the vanilla in Thallium and you rolled it back?...it would reveal itself as Minotaure. Bottom line is I'll stick to Thallium. Minotaure in any formula is overpriced.
It took me a couple of weeks to realize that it's the leather in this scent that is a bit off putting to me. Once I had found that out, it became easier to wear, but I will probably not buy this one again.
I used to wear this in the 90s and liked it... I bought very recently again from nostalgia and still like it but nowadays there are so many more beuatiful smells around
More like a summer day perfume, lasts and projects well
7/10
More like a summer day perfume, lasts and projects well
7/10
Minotaur has remained one of my top favorites and never fail go-to scent. Ever since I'd first smelled it in the 1990's, I've always been delighted by its balanced, dignified quality. Love the interplay between the citrus, lavender, vanilla, sandalwood and leather notes - a combo I tend to lean towards throughout the years in other fragrances. I thought this one was discontinued, or maybe it is? Anyhow, a signature scent for me!
Purchased at a discount online for only $20. I had read that this was a once great 90's fragrance, only to suffer from a reformulation change in the modern era. For the price I thought I would give it a try.
While never having smelled the original, the current version scent isn't bad at all. Very citrus-lavender opening, with hints of vanilla, leather and sandalwood underneath. I don't really detect much geranium or jasmine, but there is a little sweetness and gourmand like spice mixed into the middle. After about an hour it's mostly a vanilla, wood and spice skin scent.
It's a very nice scent, but doesn't give you much more than 2-3 hours of fragrance. I recommend a travel atomizer, so you can recharge as necessary.
I'll wear it this fall to dinner and a evening out, but can't see many other opportunities for it. If you can get it at a discount, it is very nice to wear while it's limited for wear.
While never having smelled the original, the current version scent isn't bad at all. Very citrus-lavender opening, with hints of vanilla, leather and sandalwood underneath. I don't really detect much geranium or jasmine, but there is a little sweetness and gourmand like spice mixed into the middle. After about an hour it's mostly a vanilla, wood and spice skin scent.
It's a very nice scent, but doesn't give you much more than 2-3 hours of fragrance. I recommend a travel atomizer, so you can recharge as necessary.
I'll wear it this fall to dinner and a evening out, but can't see many other opportunities for it. If you can get it at a discount, it is very nice to wear while it's limited for wear.
once an heavy spicy vanilla/ leather oriental, after reform a utterly tamed ghost of the masterpiece this scent, now discontinued, once was.
Good duration and appreciable sillage only with heavy spraying!
Good duration and appreciable sillage only with heavy spraying!
I blind bought this, because a few Minotaure reviews seemed to strike a chord with me. I couldn't find any reasonably priced samples so I went with a 75ml bottle.
Paloma Picasso Minotaure... not that it's some ground breaking scent everyone should be clamoring for, but you can get it reasonably priced. One of the most pleasant, easy going and wearable fragrances I've come across having an interesting character -- not a bland aquatic modern fragrance by any means. I've worn it sparingly in warm weather, as it can get cloying if you apply liberally.
Paloma Picasso is Pablo Picasso's daughter. Apparently she had Minotaure produced in homage to her father, who had featured a mythical Minotaure creature (half man, half bull) in some of his art work. This is not a beastly fragrance... and so I wouldn't say it matches up with the theme. The bottle has the bold lettering of "Minotaure" raised out of the glass, giving it a wonderful old-world charm. I'm not one to be into heavy vanilla fragrances, but despite the high quantity of it in this fragrance, it works well. It doesn't come off cloying or gourmand. I'm one who is keen on sandalwood and this note does appear into the dry down, nicely paired up with the resins, fruits, and vanilla. A little soapy from the aldehydes, but manages to stay modern. Overall, a scent worth having if you can pick up the 75ml bottle for around $35 or less.
Paloma Picasso Minotaure... not that it's some ground breaking scent everyone should be clamoring for, but you can get it reasonably priced. One of the most pleasant, easy going and wearable fragrances I've come across having an interesting character -- not a bland aquatic modern fragrance by any means. I've worn it sparingly in warm weather, as it can get cloying if you apply liberally.
Paloma Picasso is Pablo Picasso's daughter. Apparently she had Minotaure produced in homage to her father, who had featured a mythical Minotaure creature (half man, half bull) in some of his art work. This is not a beastly fragrance... and so I wouldn't say it matches up with the theme. The bottle has the bold lettering of "Minotaure" raised out of the glass, giving it a wonderful old-world charm. I'm not one to be into heavy vanilla fragrances, but despite the high quantity of it in this fragrance, it works well. It doesn't come off cloying or gourmand. I'm one who is keen on sandalwood and this note does appear into the dry down, nicely paired up with the resins, fruits, and vanilla. A little soapy from the aldehydes, but manages to stay modern. Overall, a scent worth having if you can pick up the 75ml bottle for around $35 or less.
A smooth melange of leather, vanilla and sort-of-sandalwood. It's not too sweet but otherwise I would not call it dated in the least, despite its 1990s origin. It reminds me a bit of Jil Sander Man. Longevity is excellent as a smexy skin scent but projection is non-existent. An ideal scent for the smart superhero about town, but owing to its less than super performance, perhaps more suited to Robin than Batman. 3/5
Unforgettable... one sexy beast!
Pablo Picasso was a passionate man. He lived according to his passions, emotions and desires... life, art, women, he enjoyed everything. Throughout his work he featured the theme of a "Minotaure", a mythical beast half-man and half-bull. It was often said that to Picasso this was his alter-ego. His "inner" persona, the animalic "beast" inside every man. Nearly 20 years after his death, his daughter Paloma released a fragrance inspired by this very personal theme of her father's work. The "inner" personality of her father.
Minotaure is quite a unique fragrance to me. It's a heady cocktail of vanilla, musk, fruits and citrus... with strange notes for a male fragrance, like lily-of-the-valley, aldehydes, galbanum. It's such a mythical beast!
I cannot describe every single note here but it is blended really well. I get a "vibe", of sweetness, warmth, sensuality, and human sweat. It's sweet and candy-like, but also somehow masculine. I think this perfume represents the loving, caring, sexy nature inside every man. Like male sexuality under a strong, physical exterior. You can imagine a man who has just been swimming in the Mediterranean, coming out of the water, embracing a girl. They lie down on the beach, in the hot sun... there is a basket of fruit beside them. The smell of flowers and her perfume mixed with his warm body still wet from the sea. This really is a classic fragrance for men and it's one I enjoy wearing.
I have found that this works better in cooler weather, as I once sprayed too much of this in the high heat and it was overwhelming. I think the salty, musky mix of amber & vanilla, fruits and sweat is very intoxicating. I also think that (due to the wide range of notes) this could be worn by a woman - in the same way Habit Rouge could. This reminds me of a mix between Habit Rouge and Aqua di Gio by Armani. But it's so nice! Wonderful use of vanilla in a very sexy, raw, Mediterranean & masculine way. Try it out if you get the chance to!
Pablo Picasso was a passionate man. He lived according to his passions, emotions and desires... life, art, women, he enjoyed everything. Throughout his work he featured the theme of a "Minotaure", a mythical beast half-man and half-bull. It was often said that to Picasso this was his alter-ego. His "inner" persona, the animalic "beast" inside every man. Nearly 20 years after his death, his daughter Paloma released a fragrance inspired by this very personal theme of her father's work. The "inner" personality of her father.
Minotaure is quite a unique fragrance to me. It's a heady cocktail of vanilla, musk, fruits and citrus... with strange notes for a male fragrance, like lily-of-the-valley, aldehydes, galbanum. It's such a mythical beast!
I cannot describe every single note here but it is blended really well. I get a "vibe", of sweetness, warmth, sensuality, and human sweat. It's sweet and candy-like, but also somehow masculine. I think this perfume represents the loving, caring, sexy nature inside every man. Like male sexuality under a strong, physical exterior. You can imagine a man who has just been swimming in the Mediterranean, coming out of the water, embracing a girl. They lie down on the beach, in the hot sun... there is a basket of fruit beside them. The smell of flowers and her perfume mixed with his warm body still wet from the sea. This really is a classic fragrance for men and it's one I enjoy wearing.
I have found that this works better in cooler weather, as I once sprayed too much of this in the high heat and it was overwhelming. I think the salty, musky mix of amber & vanilla, fruits and sweat is very intoxicating. I also think that (due to the wide range of notes) this could be worn by a woman - in the same way Habit Rouge could. This reminds me of a mix between Habit Rouge and Aqua di Gio by Armani. But it's so nice! Wonderful use of vanilla in a very sexy, raw, Mediterranean & masculine way. Try it out if you get the chance to!
Genre: Oriental
Minotaure is a sweet, candied orange and amber oriental that opens on a spiced bergamot top note before launching into an aldehyde-rich floral heart. Minotaure's rose, aldehydes, and powdery amber give off a faintly nostalgic, perfumey vibe that's surprising in a 1990s masculine scent. This retro impression is augmented by a generous dose of traditional barber shop aromatics that have Minotaure flirting briefly with fougère status before it settles into its comfortably conventional powdery vanilla, amber and sandalwood drydown.
Historically, Minotaure fall in with the wave of sweet woody orientals, including Le Mâle, Égoïste, Jaïpur Homme, The Dreamer, and Roma Uomo, that define one pole of 1990s men's perfumery. (The other being the antiseptic fresh fougères and aquatics.) A lack of chocolate, coffee, or licorice distances Minotaure from the gourmand lineage of A*Men, Lolita Lempicka au Masculin, and Rochas Man, but Minotaure has been compared more than once with Laura Biagiotti's Roma Uomo, with which it shares conspicuous candied orange, sweet amber, and vanilla. The resemblance is real, but also superficial, in that Roma Uomo is a much slimmer, sweeter, and simpler composition, without Minotaure's retro aldehydic floral notes or fougère-like aromatic elements. Next to Minotaure it winds up smelling at once more modern and far less sophisticated. I think Minotaure's spiced orange and powdery amber actually align it with Patricia de Nicolaï's slightly earlier New York, which could well have served as a template for Minotaure's basic structure.
Taken in isolation, Minotaure is a pleasant enough scent; solid, versatile, and easy to wear. On the other hand, I don't find it terribly distinctive, and it faces formidable competition in a crowded field. If you're a fan of New York and want something the same, only different in your wardrobe, give Minotaure a try. Likewise, if you've worn Roma Uomo, Le Mâle, Pi, or The Dreamer, and think you're ready for something more grown-up and sophisticated, Minotaure may also fit the bill.
Minotaure is a sweet, candied orange and amber oriental that opens on a spiced bergamot top note before launching into an aldehyde-rich floral heart. Minotaure's rose, aldehydes, and powdery amber give off a faintly nostalgic, perfumey vibe that's surprising in a 1990s masculine scent. This retro impression is augmented by a generous dose of traditional barber shop aromatics that have Minotaure flirting briefly with fougère status before it settles into its comfortably conventional powdery vanilla, amber and sandalwood drydown.
Historically, Minotaure fall in with the wave of sweet woody orientals, including Le Mâle, Égoïste, Jaïpur Homme, The Dreamer, and Roma Uomo, that define one pole of 1990s men's perfumery. (The other being the antiseptic fresh fougères and aquatics.) A lack of chocolate, coffee, or licorice distances Minotaure from the gourmand lineage of A*Men, Lolita Lempicka au Masculin, and Rochas Man, but Minotaure has been compared more than once with Laura Biagiotti's Roma Uomo, with which it shares conspicuous candied orange, sweet amber, and vanilla. The resemblance is real, but also superficial, in that Roma Uomo is a much slimmer, sweeter, and simpler composition, without Minotaure's retro aldehydic floral notes or fougère-like aromatic elements. Next to Minotaure it winds up smelling at once more modern and far less sophisticated. I think Minotaure's spiced orange and powdery amber actually align it with Patricia de Nicolaï's slightly earlier New York, which could well have served as a template for Minotaure's basic structure.
Taken in isolation, Minotaure is a pleasant enough scent; solid, versatile, and easy to wear. On the other hand, I don't find it terribly distinctive, and it faces formidable competition in a crowded field. If you're a fan of New York and want something the same, only different in your wardrobe, give Minotaure a try. Likewise, if you've worn Roma Uomo, Le Mâle, Pi, or The Dreamer, and think you're ready for something more grown-up and sophisticated, Minotaure may also fit the bill.
Oh, yuck. In an archeological way, Minotaur is basically the missing link between Joop's sweet cherry cinnamon and Le Male's vanilla fougere. It's interesting as a museum piece, but I just don't find it to be well executed.
The topnotes are a mess, a mix of sweet red Joop smells and lavender, with a weird fennel/licorice undertone that's probably an attempt to cut the sweetness, but just smells weird. Minotaur also has that metallic sperm coumarin smell that's hidden in Le Male, but brought forward, which makes for a Secretions-Magnifique-layered-with-Joop element that's subtle, but that keeps grossing me out. Blech.
The topnotes are a mess, a mix of sweet red Joop smells and lavender, with a weird fennel/licorice undertone that's probably an attempt to cut the sweetness, but just smells weird. Minotaur also has that metallic sperm coumarin smell that's hidden in Le Male, but brought forward, which makes for a Secretions-Magnifique-layered-with-Joop element that's subtle, but that keeps grossing me out. Blech.
This amazing oriental statement is a breath of fresh air. I mean if you can imagine standing on top of a mountain in Japan, taking in a deep breath, with cherry blossoms dropping on your head and David Bowie singing in the background (he wore/wears Minotaure)- you have halfway summed up this fragrance. Born at the exact right time, meaning it's ok that it's brash cousin Joop came barreling thru first,Minotaure is more refined and less diabetic. I like to use the Minotaure soap before the EDT (helps it last another hour).
Minotaure Some people compare it to Roma Uomo. Yes it's true that it has some similarities. But this an oriental fougère (like Le mâle). It is the ancestor of the sexy oritental like le mâle and body kouros (when I smell it I have the same vibe of the 90's). Minotaure is a masculine, warm, original and modern perfume from the 90's. It has also the warmth of body kouros. When it was launched in 1992, it was something new and surprising. Unfortunately, it didn't have a big success, maybe because the brand is not a famous designer like Chanel or Dior. Today even if Minotaure has many descendants,it is still unique and original.
A delightful Labyrinth for a complex beastThe opening is a gentle citrus combined with a tuberose that is darker and gives it a more somber note. The drydown commences with a jasmine-cum-lavender impression that is balanced very well by a flowery note. A touch of sharpness give the edge to what leads gradually into a colorful spiel of amber, sandalwood and a touch of moss, with counterbalance being provided by a vanilla that keeps up that sweetness a notch or two higher, but never in the foreground. The next phase sees a fairly restrained sweetish leather developing, like a not completely new soft Italian leather bag. Now, in the sixth hour, it fades away, just be be resurrected temporarily with a reminiscence of the top note, this time orange and a brighter rose of true beauty. Initially of good silage and projection, it is now fading again and close to my skin, and eventually, after eight hours it is gone. Marvelous!Pros: Complexity, longevityCons:
In a sculptured "with caftsmanship" bottle this far better version of Roma Uomo is an olfactory powdery-vanillic-leathery equivalent of the joy of life with its blend of orangy and rosey-aldehydic amber and woody-leathery vanilla. The initial sharp link of hesperides, aromatic herbs, rosey bath soap, lavender and aldehydes introduces a traditional classic kind of opening, slightly old school and soaring in the air with a flying long projection. The orangy and floral aroma starts soon to morph in to a soothed mild woody amber-vanilla base that remains discreet and balanced while becoming finally a bit powdery, mossy and leathery. The note of geranium manteins a certain level of angular sharpness while jasmine, in its link with balsams and orange, embodies a sort of rosey scent which (on the side of orange) flavours the final suede. I agree who with writes that Roma Uomo is a more sweet, synthetic and simplistic kind of scent that lacks that sort of retro and barber shop floral-lavender-herbal more discreet complexity. Because of Minotaure's distinctiveness, moderation in powder and balance I find more similarities of genre with fragrances as Jaipur or Patricia de Nicolai's New York than with The Dreamer, Pi or Le Male ( while the gourmand fragrances are a very different genre with their tasty-edible notes). A well appointed ambery-oriental with a mature fruity-herbal temperament, a certain level of survived sharpness and a joyful floral soul.
A nice woody oriental with a bit of fruit and some booze, almost like our friend Zino skipped his sour topnotes and then got drunk. It has a little of the cherry aura that I get from Dunhill (2003) and a few others. Unfortunately it's weak, and my vial is tiny so I don't feel like going for broke with it. Still, I can tell that the wood is the licorecey, aged, thickly varnished sort that you get from things like Tommy Bahama; it's just not as unpleasantly resinous to me as TB. The basenotes on my fingers are a lot more vanilla-focused, which is nice, leading to a closer kinship with Zino. What's strange, though, is I could have sworn I was blown away by this stuff when I tried it before, that it was exactly how I like my spiced woods to be done, but I may just be confusing it with Nemo. I could do without the cherry and licorice, but since they recede a bit in the base, I'll begrudgingly give this a thumbs up.
definitely a signature perfume, and probably the inspiration for later joop! pink juice.. quite present, pretty original, spicy and warm as hot!! liked it in a way
Though not unique by any stretch of the imagination, Minotaure does what it does better than most fragrances attempting to do the same. It is sweet and spicy, oriental and powdery, naughty and nice. There is no question the star of this show is the drydown, that is sugary but not too sweet, a bit zesty, and completely delectable. In my opinion it is a more mature, grown up version along the lines of a Le Male…less sequined shirt in a dark club downing well drinks, more buttoned up shirt at a sit down dinner sipping top shelf.
Bleah! This is the perfect kind of scent that give me nausea. Too much vanilla in contrast with some spicy thing that make it stink to me. I bought it blind in 1995 I think it was, sprayed a couple of times and then put away from me.
Warm and spicy, too much vanilla and sandalwood not well combined together.
It reminds me to another owful scent: Roma by Laura Biagiotti.
Avoid avoid avoid
Warm and spicy, too much vanilla and sandalwood not well combined together.
It reminds me to another owful scent: Roma by Laura Biagiotti.
Avoid avoid avoid