As far as fragrance brands go, the house of Dior definitely has its fair share of classics.  Looking through their back catalogue of scents is almost like listening to the greatest hits of someone as iconic as Madonna or Elvis.  Covering a vast number of decades and pretty much every single style of fragrance, Dior’s offerings span from the classics old-school perfumes (such as Miss Dior Originale) to the renegade Poison – a perfume that epitomises the bombast of ‘80s scent.

One particular icon is 1988’s Fahrenheit – a perfume that defined and inspired a genre of masculine fragrances.  What makes this Dior so wonderful is the fact that it cleverly marries a fresh green accord with the unsettling tones of petroleum and tar to make something new, exciting and wonderfully off kilter.  To me, Fahrenheit is one of those perfumes that can be worn any time, anywhere because of its duality of themes.

To keep the fragrance alive and kicking over the years, Dior has released a number of flankers to refresh and revitalise the themes first explored by the original in the late ‘80s.  So far we’ve seen a cool, grey and minty version in the form of Fahrenheit 32 (fab stuff, by the way) and a rich oudy interpretation as seen in Fahrenheit Absolute.  The latest take on this classic theme is the newly launched Fahrenheit Parfum, an altogether more precious and intense interpretation of Dior’s most iconic masculine.

The Notes

Liquorice, Sicilian Mandarin, Suede, Violet Leaf, Rum, Coriander, Cumin and Bourbon Vanilla

How Does it Smell?

Fahrenheit (originally launched by Dior way back in 1988) has worn numerous guises in its many years, and it’s not surprising seeing as the original has such a distinct profile that it has stood the test of time long enough to allow for the brand to reinterpret it time after time.  Much like Hypnotic Poison, Fahrenheit is one of Dior’s classics and when it launched it was seen as something entirely new and innovative – a warm masculine with an unusual sense of freshness.

I’ve always seen Fahrenheit as a fragrance of contrasts.  On the one hand it is a rich woody scent that is evocative of manly men, whilst on the other it is sharp, piquant and green with an unsettling undercurrent of airy tar.  As far as fragrances go, Fahrenheit is as unique as they come, and whilst it may smell a little bit dated now, it is an important fragrance that pushed the boundaries of how men should smell.

The new Fahrenheit Parfum feels much more bang up to date.  It still maintains the slightly off-kilter edge of violet leaf and leather that makes the original the modern classic that it is, but Le Parfum takes this signature and makes it decidedly warmer and multi-faceted.  The leather is much more suede-like and vanilla-centric, perhaps giving an olfactory nod to Dior’s remarkable (and super-modern) Homme, and there is a greater undercurrent of spices (cumin and pepper) that allow for a more textured sense of warmth.

When a brand releases a flanker or a new concentration of one of their established fragrances, the question one tends to ask is – is it really necessary?  In the case of Fahrenheit Parfum, the answer is a simple ‘yes’.  What Le Parfum brings to the table is a smarter and more comforting interpretation of Fahrenheit that, whilst not being entirely different, feels smoother, more confident and more formal.  So yes, Le Parfum is a worthy addition to the Fahrenheit stable and would be a good fit for those who wish to transfer their scent into evening wear or for those simply looking for a warm and spicy scent with a unique edge.