Our take
What does Opium pour Homme smell like?
Jacques Cavallier, then at Firmenich, composed Opium pour Homme in 1995. It does not copy the 1977 women's Opium. Instead it borrows the spicy mood and steers it toward a dry, balsamic vanilla. The opening pairs star anise with blackcurrant, while lavender and mandarin hang back. The blackcurrant is the surprise, fruity with that faintly sulphurous edge of the bud. Then the heart warms up. Ginger, pepper and galangal build a rooty spice that geranium brightens with a rosy touch. The base is the best part. Myrrh and Tolu balsam bring a smell of church and warm resin over vanilla and Atlas cedar. Patchouli stays quiet. It feels more like a thick knit than a tuxedo, and it lasts a long time without ever shouting.
When to wear it
Autumn and winter evenings. Two sprays on the chest.
It belongs to the Oriental / Amber, Spicy family. Opium pour Homme is one of 47 creations by Yves Saint Laurent in our encyclopedia.
