Our take
What does Equus smell like?
Equus came out in 2001 in a Lalique bottle topped with a horse's head. The name is simply Latin for horse. Several retailers credit the formula to Emilie Coppermann. It opens briskly with bergamot, citron and juniper berry. It could pass for an old school English cologne. The heart turns spicier and drier. Cardamom, mace and grains of paradise sit around a bitter violet leaf. The base lines up cedar, sequoia, vetiver and amyris wood. Benzoin and a touch of leather warm it up while musk softens it. The overall impression is saddlery and dry timber rather than a stable. One reviewer calls it a lighter prototype of Encre Noire, which Lalique released in 2006. You can see why, since the woody vetiver is already there in a paler shade. The scent vanished from shelves for a while before coming back in a plainer bottle.
When to wear it
A fresh woody for spring and autumn, at the office or out walking. Three sprays carry it through the day.
It belongs to the Woody, Spicy family. Equus is one of 17 creations by Lalique in our encyclopedia.