Summer Prep-Talk

Good day world! Time for another fascinating update in the world of men's fragrance, as seen through the tediously wordy mind of me.

For this review I'm going a little bit farther back to a scent that has been my usual go-to for quite some time, especially in summer.

Chrome, Azzaro

1996

The Goods

I must confess the immediate post-spray split second sensation of this devastatingly grand fragrance is slimy, bitter, and quite frankly reeks. But less than 5 seconds after it's as if all the elements in Azzaro's 90's men's fragrance juggernaut, Chrome, layer themselves harmoniously as if they were intelligent beings. Bergamot leads the pack of gentle, daytime casual wear notes that remind me of walking along the rarer white sand beached coves along the Pacific Northwest coast in late summer. Underneath the light and airy lies a body of smooth musculature in the form of sandalwood, and the delicate ivy greenishly sits atop the woodier, oriental base notes to keep them from turning the fragrance into a heavy vs. light "cacolfactory" that is too contradictory to comprehend.

The soft, rosy base is also a shining example of how to make a fragrance long-lasting. The base lingers so long you'd wonder if The Cranberries had anything to do with it. But the meat of the fragrance is the experience somewhere in the middle, a balance of three sensations that seems to mimic an aquatic fragrance on paper but in execution ends up herbal and woody tinted with a bright glow. Glowing trees might be a good phrase to describe the middle note and overall interactions in this favorite of mine.

Argent's Random Artistic Fragrance Word-Association

Summer. Leaves. Mediterranean food. Eggshell linens. Cream slacks. Cliffs. Reception furniture. Gelato. Black hair dye. Rose gold. Glass coffeetables. Potted ferns. Skylines. Park paths. Sneakers. Petanque. Ramekins. Fountain pens.

Conclusion

Azzaro's Chrome is a versatile fragrance that can blend seamlessly from morning office hours to early evening affairs. While it will need a complementary buddy fragrance for upgrading for late night wear, Azzaro creates a zen-like fragrance layer that is so far unparalled in the 21st century.

Rank It Up

7 of 7 Sprays.