Rochas
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
Pine needle and tarragon arrive with almost architectural precision, piercing through a bright bergamot that feels almost citric-sharp. The green notes dominate entirely, creating an herbaceous, slightly medicinal introduction that feels less perfume and more botanical extract.
As the greenery settles, the woody spine emerges—that patchouli-vetiver alliance becomes the fragrance's true centre of gravity. Carnation introduces a peppery warmth whilst the leather accord, until now subtle, gains prominence, creating a warm, slightly dusty quality that smells faintly of aged suede or old book bindings.
What remains is a whisper of amber and oakmoss, dry and earthy, with the leather persisting as a faint tannin-like ghost. The musk dries everything further, leaving behind something almost powdery in its withdrawal—a scent that feels as if it's retreating rather than fading.
Macassar Rochas is a fragrance that smells distinctly of 1980—not in a dated way, but in the manner of something genuinely rooted in its era, unapologetic about its woody, slightly austere character. Nicolas Mamounas has crafted something that sits at an unusual intersection: simultaneously green and leathered, herbaceous yet earthy. The tarragon in the opening gives it an almost savoury quality—you can detect that distinctive anise-like greenness alongside the pine needle's resinous bite—before the composition pivots toward its woody, spiced heart.
This is where the fragrance reveals its true personality: the patchouli and vetiver interact to create something faintly soil-like and mature, whilst carnation adds a subtle clove-tinged warmth that prevents the composition from becoming austere. The jasmine is subdued, acting less as a floral star and more as a softening agent against the leather's tannic quality. Oakmoss and amber in the base work in concert with that leather accord, creating a slightly smoky, almost hide-like dryness that persists throughout the wear.
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4.0/5 (313)