Of all the accords perfumers construct my favorite is leather. One reason is there are so many different variations on the theme. Soft suede, rich Corinthian, black biker jacket, or equestrian saddle; they all require a perfumer to put together a group of other ingredients to create the accord. The first leather accords used birch tar and were often referred to as “cuir de Russie” or Russian Leather. It had a roughhewn quality more emblematic of the tack of the draft horse than the elegance of an equestrienne. It was so popular that this is the kind of leather accord the general populace is most familiar with. Those of us who love perfume have our favorites; the cuir de russie version is mine because I like that rawer quality to it.
Clara Molloy
When I heard that the newest release in the Memo Cuir Nomades collection was going to be named Russian Leather I was excited to try it. I was interested to see how creative director Clara Molloy and perfumer Alienor Massenet would interpret it. They also thought of draft animals but they were high up on the steppes with reindeer in harness. They themselves described Russian Leather as a “frozen fougere”. There is never a point where I thought fougere. Instead I was greeted by a cavalcade of green leading me to the tack room adjacent to the reindeer stable.
Alienor Massenet
For the beginning of Russian Leather Mme Massenet wants to create that sense of the frozen tundra. She accomplishes this with a neat trick of camphoraceous materials namely lavandin and mint. Lavandin carries a decent amount of camphor in tis natural essential oil. The mint picks that up and amplifies it. The mint also begins the march of green notes; basil, coriander, and clary sage start it off with a strong aromatic herbal trio. It modulates somewhat as cedar leaves, rosemary, and nutmeg rein things in. Next comes the leather accord and it is that smell of well-worked leather that has been well-worn through constant use. It doesn’t have as much of the birch tar bite as the old ones do. For that Mme Massenet turns to pine. The pine provides a sappy green roughness which complements the herbal fusillade from before. Over the final stages patchouli and tonka bean provide a fitting foundation.
Russian Leather has 10-12 hour longevity and above average sillage.
I enjoyed the choice made by Ms. Molloy and Mme Massenet to go green and let that become the birch tar substitute at the end. It made me feel like this perfume was less cuir de russie and more cuir de vert. Russian Leather is another excellent interpretation of leather in a very strong collection within Memo.
Disclosure: This review was based on a sample provided by Memo.
–Mark Behnke
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