Cuir Cordoba Keiko Mecheri for women

Unfortunately the violets are just too dominant for me in this fragrance. Beyond the violets, it is very smooth, but not fusty, the way some classic leather/suede scents can be when they are this soft. The violets give it an added edge, and keep the fragrance lively but, as I said, this is definitely not for me.

Well Cuir Cordoba just enchanted me when I wasn't expecting it. It's beautifully sweet, smooth and creamy.

Before trying this I was a little wary of the suede note, but I was unprepared for just how smooth that note is within this composition.

The suede paired with the benzoin give the scent a buttery sweet vanillic aroma with a subtle kick to it from the patchouli in the dry down, which is sweeter than the opening.

I prefer the dry down to the opening, which mostly consists of a strong floral note.

Córdoba leather was traditionally used to make gloves, and that epitomizes how this fragrance fits to the skin...just like a soft comfortable glove, gently caressing the skin.

I actually find the longevity of this fragrance is great on my skin. It lasts all day.

The sillage is very light, but it sits around the skin like a luxurious cashmere sweater.

A lovely Keiko Mecheri scent for winter.

Ok, it caught me by surprise. I got a sample of this perfume and was sure I wouldn't like it. Wrong. It starts off a little sweet, but floral sweet; maybe the black violet and iris. Then it warms yet still maintains the violet and iris. I'm not one to like flowery florals; and this has just the right amount. Not overwhelming, really nice and I think they got it right!

Leather? Not at all. Very pleasant and sweet with a hint of something darker. Very much reminds me of Kilian's Oud Rose or in some small way, of a Montale Rose aoud.

I only detect a suede feel in the first 5 minutes of Cuir Cordoba. And even then it is a pretty, delicate, furry kind of leather.

After that it is pretty much beautiful, bright, fresh, natural-smelling flowers. Truly uplifting and elegantly composed.

It stays very close to ths skin so I had to risk life and limb driving to work with only one hand on the wheel and the other wrist attached to my nose. It was worth the concerned looks I was getting from other motorists though :)

But it is with great sadness that I also noted the longevity is very poor on my skin with less than 2hours to enjoy Cuir Cordoba's gorgeous flowers and no drydown to speak of. With such low sillage and poor longevity it is not economical to add this to my collection.

There's nothing that I could really add that Doc Elly hasn't already covered. What I can say is that this is one of the smoothest fragrances that I've ever encountered. There's nothing hard-hitting or loud about this - or any of Keiko Mecheri's creations. I love it. Subtle sophistication at its finest...

This must be the least aggressive leather fragrance ever created. Although the listed notes include some traditionally assertive ones like iris, incense, and patchouli, there is nothing powerhouse or even unisex about this to my nose. If you want a sexy, slightly scary leather, you'll need to look elsewhere.

That said, Cuir Cordoba is extremely pretty and wearable in its own right, if you let go of the traditional leather-scent expectations. It's airy, warm, and friendly, with not-too-sweet apricot top notes, subtle floral notes (I can't pick out any particular flower, it's well-blended), and a bright, sunny feel. I'm guessing the incense and leather are lending soft rich warmth and then receding meekly into the background. However, it's not bland, oversweet, or boring. Just a happy, fruity, slightly tart sunshiny fragrance with, sadly, mediocre lasting power.

I was very curious about this fragrance because I liked Serge Lutens Daim Blond (both are based on suede notes). It turned out that it was impossible to describe Cuir Cordoba without comparing it with SL Daim Blond, after all. No, the two are not identical, but they appear fairly similar to me. Daim Blond is the drier and the more bitter of the two fragrances. That distinct bitter accord that I found so characteristic of DB is missing in Cuir Cordoba. Daim Blond's opening is also a bit sharper than Keiko Mecheri's. Cuir Cordoba develops somehow softer on the skin and is also more cheerful. Daim Blond is fruitier, while Cuir Cordoba relies more on flowers in the ancillary notes of its composition. The longevity of both is similar as well, although DB lasts longer on me than CC.

Overall, it is a nicely done fragrance, but if you already have Daim Blond, you can skip this one. If you are still searching for a cozy and, yet, modern suede fragrance, perhaps you should check CC out. (It is a bit less expensive than Daim Blond, too.)

Some perfumes are real workhorses. They're appropriate for any season, any time, and any situation. They're neither masculine nor feminine. You don't have to be in a certain mood to appreciate them. Cuir Cordoba has become my latest workhorse, the one I can reach for in the morning without thinking. A scent that I can revel in all day without being in-your-face offensive to anyone in my vicinity. To say a perfume is a workhorse is not in any way derogatory - quite the opposite. It means that I like the scent enough to want to smell it day in and day out. It's not the holy grail (for me there is no such thing), but it's one that I like enough to have sent off for a large decant. I'm a big fan of violet, leather, and incense, and Cuir Cordoba has it all. It starts off with top notes that are incense-y, woody and violet-like, drying down to a smooth, sexy combo of violet, leather and sandalwood that lasts and lasts. It may seem odd to call a workhorse sexy. Cuir Cordoba is not French whore sexy, Marilyn Monroe sexy, or American woman-trying-too-hard-to-be sexy. It is the unselfconscious sexiness of bodies that are pleased with themselves and each other, oblivious to the rest of the world, snuggling in a cocoon of intimacy. Not a bad image to carry through a less than perfect day.