Zaharoff Signature Pour Homme EdP Fragrance Review

I have several reasons to love this fragrance.

Zaharoff Signature pour Homme is a scent that I find myself enjoying a touch more with every wear. It’s an inherently masculine fragrance; you will feel this the second that it hits your nose. It isn’t just masculinity though; it’s well balanced, strongly developed and refined masculinity. Come to think of it; those last two words are quite a good description for sartorial style, and this fragrance is an excellent accompaniment.
Refined masculinity, in sense and style.

It’s the first and currently only Zaharoff fragrance that is currently available – and what a cracking start.

Header image credit: World of Zaharoff

Initial Thoughts

The versatility and evolution of this fragrance is such that I actually get a different mental image from it throughout the day. It’s the kind of scent that tells the story of your day as your day evolves, rather than painting you into a picture.
It doesn’t limit its evocation to a single location either. Whereas scents like Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille are unmistakably an olfactory picture of London, England, Zaharoff is a sophisticated world traveller.

There’s something about getting a whiff of this scent that just makes you feel like relaxing for a split second and letting out a contented sigh, just like that feeling when you crack a fresh can of good beer or Coca-Cola and take that first sip.
The best part is that you’ll get whiffs of this fragrance all day and repeatedly experience a sensation of this manner.

I’ve worn it on hot days and on cold days, and it adapts to both quite well. Of course, nothing beats a freshie on a really hot day, but this scent is a solid option if you don’t feel like a freshie. Unlike many complex cool weather performers, the scent seems to change its nature based on the temperature, lightening up in the heat and thickening pleasantly like a warm jacket in the cold.

Zaharoff Signature comes in 2oz and 4oz sizes (roughly 60mL and 120mL respectively), in a bottle shaped like the above image. It presents in a sleek box with a gold facing. It’s quite aesthetically pleasing overall; well presented.

The Olfactory Notes

What I quite enjoy about this fragrance is the degree of evolution you experience from it as you go about your day.

When freshly applied, it’s quite a spicy and woody scent with notes of cardamom, black pepper and lavender quite prominent. Pear is also listed as a note but my nose doesn’t really pick it out, other than perhaps as a slight edge of sweetness that combines pleasantly with the other notes.

The drydown transforms this fragrance into something with quite a smoky, woody character which I find really relaxing. There’s a presence of ginger root which gives a bit of sharpness to it, and the unmistakable presence of a smooth oud and cedar/fir combination which is softened by a touch of iris.

I find that the sharp and woody characters evolve again as the scent settles onto the skin, becoming a resinous, smooth – and to my nose slightly powdery – scent.
The olfactory notes cite sandalwood, patchouli, black amber, frankincense and myrrh – my nose can’t pick any of these ingredients out individually but they combine beautifully.

The evolution completes its course around the 10-12 hour mark, and you will notice this fragrance on your skin when you wake up the next morning. This timeline is part of why I say that Zaharoff Signature evolves to tell the story of your day: it starts off in the morning as one thing, spins another image for the duration of your work day or leisure day, and winds down to a relaxing cocktail in the evening.

Ratings

Blend Quality: 1/1

As above, the blend quality is excellently balanced. The scent evolves a lot over its wearing time; keeping things interesting, yet retaining its balance throughout.

Projection: 0.8/1

The scent projects very well, and you’ll definitely be noticed. It’s never a bold room filler, but a subtle announcer when you step through the door.

Longevity: 1/1

I can put this on in the morning, and still smell it on myself the following morning. Can’t ask for more than that.

Presentation: 1/1

I can’t fault anything about the presentation. The bottle design is appealing, the packaging is appealing, the colour is unique – I like everything about it.

Subjective Smell: 1/1

Zaharoff Signature pour Homme is – at this point in time – my ideal masculine scent. I really can’t fault it, there’s nothing in the blend that I don’t like. And the blend itself is excellent; smooth and well executed.

Total Score: 5/5

What Would I Wear This With?

I would wear this fragrance with almost any outfit; from the most dressy sartorialist’s dream to a tucked tee and tailored trousers, this one will do it all. Because of this, I think it’s ideal as a signature scent.

If I wasn’t a bit of a fragrance nut, I could probably make do with a bottle of this scent for the majority of the time.

The great thing is, it also works really well with blue collar outfits. Any workwear style or outfit you might see on a man riding a cruiser motorcycle in the movies is as much a great fit for this fragrance as a jacket, tie and trousers.

It gives you a whole new vibe too, in this case. If I’m swinging spanners on my bike all day, I get mental images reminiscent of silver screen workshop scenes like those in Ford vs. Ferrari, or if I’m fanging about in a cool car it’s a thought of Steve McQueen in Bullitt.

Now I just need the wheels to match…

George’s Web Series

The Zaharoff Signature fragrance is also accompanied by a web series on YouTube that George Zaharoff released in companion with the fragrance, covering his journey around the world in search of specific fragrance ingredients and oils for the scent.

The series has 15 bite-sized parts, each covering a single location and ingredient. You can view the first episode here and the full series is available on Zaharoff’s YouTube channel.
I think that this is a great companion to the scent and it’s fascinating to get an insight into the lengths George went to in order to source the ingredients he wanted for the fragrance. I highly recommend watching the series, you’ll find it of interest.

Concluding Thoughts

There is but one negative about this fragrance, and that’s a geographical one. It’s not readily available in Australia, due to shipping issues and no retailers currently stocking it.
However, where there’s a will, there’s a way – and managing to get a hold of a bottle means you’re going to be smelling unique since the fragrance isn’t common here.

Seriously, get your nose on it. You can get a sample from the Zaharoff website, or ask around in your local fragrance groups (try Facebook to find one for your location, for Australians try Aussie Fragrance Network or Australian Fragrance Marketplace) to see if anybody has some. It’s worth your while.

Thanks for tuning in,
Sam