This Is Him! Vibes of Freedom Eau de Toilette

Incense in the middle of a mainstream men's eau de toilette is a bolder choice than it sounds, and it is what makes Zadig & Voltaire This Is Him! Vibes of Freedom Eau de Toilette worth trying rather than assuming. Nathalie Lorson composed it from six materials.

The opening is clean and familiar. Lavender is herbal and crisp, mandarin orange is sweet and soft, and together they make a bright, comfortable first impression that gives no indication of where the fragrance is about to go.

Incense changes everything. It is dry, resinous and smoky, with the cold, slightly dusty quality of a church rather than the sweetness of a candle, and it arrives early enough to catch people out. Cardamom sits alongside it, cool and aromatic, sharpening the smoke rather than softening it. Cedarwood and patchouli make the base and they suit what came before. Cedarwood is dry and sharp, patchouli earthy and dark, and neither of them adds any sweetness, so the fragrance finishes dry from top to bottom. Six materials, a clear structure and no padding. It moves from fresh to smoky in about twenty minutes and then stays there, which is a simple arc done well.

The concentration is eau de toilette, so the projection is moderate and the wear is a few hours of presence with a close finish after it. Autumn and winter suit it, and it is good for evenings. It is marketed to men and reads that way, though the incense gives it enough character to be worn by anyone who likes smoke in a fragrance.

The label was founded in Paris in 1997 and works in ready to wear. Its perfumes are licensed, held by Clarins initially and by the Shiseido subsidiary Beauté Prestige International since 2014.