Courvoisier L’Edition Imperiale Eau de Parfum

Look at the notes of Courvoisier L’Edition Imperiale (from Luckyscent):
Cardamom, mandarin, tagette, coriander, cedar, smoked tea, royal calla lily, violet, vetiver, fir balsam, leather and amber. This spells dark, delicious and warm, but to me that's genderless. The whole masculine image, cognac and cigars, is a marketing spin. Just as the Courvoisier cognac isn't necessarily limited to people who think they're Napoleon.

One of the nicest things about L’Edition Imperiale is the perfect balance between elements that each could have taken over the perfume. I absolutely adore the opening with its cardamom-coriander-tagette (marigold). It's spicy and different, and morphs beautifully into the honeyed spiced tea heart. I don't get any of the gentlemen’s clubs association or any traditional, Cary Grant-ish cologne. It's all in the skin and nose of the beholder, and for me this is a resinous amber with hints of leather, spice and everything nice. It's not a casual perfume and probably not the thing to wear on the subway in August. But as far as I'm concerned, it can work equally well on a date as in a board meeting. And on a guy.

Courvoisier L’Edition Imperiale Eau de Parfum is avaialble from Luckyscent and Bergdorf Goodman ($110 for 75ml, $165 for 125ml), but I dearly suggest that you check with the online discounters for a (much) better price. Also, at the PXA perfume expo last summer, the company's reps were showing two new versions, an EDT and an aftershave product. Both had the lighter top amplified and the good parts greatly diminished. I was not impressed.

Image: A 1972 Courvoisier ad from Found in Mom's Basement
L’edition Imperiale ad: harlingenboeit.nl