Guerlain – L’Homme Ideal Cologne review

L’Homme Ideal Cologne is a perfume by one of the oldest, most famous, and best perfume brands in the world – the famous Guerlain. It appeared on the market shelves in 2015 and is part of the highly successful L’Homme Ideal collection, which for now has the Eau de toilette, Eau de Parfum, Sport, and Intense version in addition to the above mentioned. Guerlain master perfumer Thierry Wasser tried to introduce delicious, gourmet cherry and almond notes to men, notes that celebrated La Petite Robe Noire collection for women.

In an interview, he said that:

Almond is a trademark of the L’Homme Ideal collection. It is at the heart of L’Homme Ideal Cologne’s composition. We could even say that the full effect this perfume has, owes it to green almonds

Almond is not what matters most with L’Homme Ideal Cologne, no. Although, there are not many good fragrances for men with a dominant almond note. What makes this perfume significant is another extraordinary interpretation of grapefruit, that layered citrus fruit that combines hesperidic, citrusy freshness and zest on the one hand, and fruity sweetness and masculine bitterness like Schweppes on the other.

When Mathilde Laurent made Pamplelune for Guerlain, no one could believe that it was possible to make such grapefruit in the perfume world. The legendary perfumer, now Hermes in house perfumer – Jean Claude Ellena, made Terre d’Hermes by doing something similar. Eventually, that magic was brought to life by Thierry Wasser with L’Homme Ideal Cologne, creating a more masculine but no less romantic and chic interpretation of grapefruit. He accomplished this by skillfully combining it in a chord with notes of almond and vetiver.

Grapefruit is only the top note of this perfume on paper since perfume genius Thierry Wasser captured it somehow throughout the whole composition. Citrus notes usually last about ten, fifteen minutes on the skin, but in this case, they last a long time, gradually revealing a crispy, sweet almond note and a green, woody note of vetiver. There are not many perfume houses in the world that can make a perfume that is both gentle and masculine, refreshing and gourmand, elegant but unpretentious. Guerlain is such a house, and L’Homme Ideal Cologne is such a perfume. The ideal spring perfume for the ideal man, or for all those who strive to be like that.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT IDEAL FRAGRANCES FOR MODERN MAN: luscious but refined L’Envol by Cartier, ingenious and natural Invasion Barbare by MDCI and exotic and juicy Chinotto di Liguria by Acqua di Parma.

The perfumer is Thierry Wasser.