Mouchoir de Moniseur was created in 1904, and is usually considered to be the first modern mens fragrance. It is not completely unlike Jicky, which Guerlain created in 1889, with it's lavender, vanilla and civet chord, but the character is rather different, with Mouchoir at first appearing like a very refined eau de cologne. The lavender seems to be less naked than it is in Jicky, and is also balanced by the sweetness of patchouli, becoming reminiscent of old-fashioned bath salts. Shortly after the opening, the balance of the sweetened lavender, vanilla and the deep animalic civet is sublime, as each note retains its character, yet combines to form a scent that is rich and opulent.
One of the big differences from Jicky is the prominent use of iris. It is not a loud iris, but it is distinctive, and is reminiscent that used in Vol de Nuit. All of this is underpinned by a herbal mossy base, while the musks and civet make sure that the vivid animalic quality dominates every stage of the perfume's development. While many fragrances use their animal component in an almost provocative way, Mouchoir de Monsieur brings out the almost disarming elegance of its ingredients, so the term "animalic" here is has more in common with the elegance of a fine thoroughbred than anything raunchy.
The quality of ingredients in the fragrance is superb, and it's a pleasure to zoom in on any of the individual notes. It's a little like looking at a photo in a magazine up so close you can see all of the dots, and when you pull back, you see a picture. With this perfume the dots are so beautiful it wouldn't really matter if there was no bigger picture -but there is, and it's a masterpiece!
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