Brutal as a Horny Moose

Eden Rapport

Oldie but a Goldie. Yeah, Eden’s Rapport is old, but still is valued or golden. A classic. Few carnal masculine perfumes exude sex. You can count them on the fingertips of one hand, such as Kouros, Lapidus, Quorum, Halston and Paco. And then there’s Rapport, an unknown gem that is rarely talked about, which you can take home for under 10 euros. When I found out from a YouTuber that the barber vibes heavily dominated this cologne, I searched the internet and sorted it blindly. You could never imagine my disappointment when I tried it. A powerful, animal, akin to sweaty groin, almost sexual smell first invaded my nostrils and then enveloped me like a nimbus. Perhaps, the scent came to me at the wrong time. The season wasn’t right for a cologne of character like this, or maybe I wasn’t quite ready to take a direct punch in the stomach. Okay, I said to myself, sometimes there can be a wrong, blind purchase. I put the bottle in the back of a closet and forgot about it until today. I was putting back some clothes for the change of season, the cold arrived, and suddenly I found Rapport in my hands. Why not give it another chance in this slowly advancing autumn? I told myself, and here I am describing this perfume from the past. After another visit to this, probably about one year later, I got this. It smells like a bit of Antaeus, a pinch of Kouros, a sprinkling of Paco Rabanne pour Homme to some extent. I suppose they’re not at all similar and I won’t rush to try them again, but a few notes within Rapport took me back to my days of sprinkling on Antaeus and Kouros and feeling like a man.

Rapport is a vibrant fragrance originating from Shulton, which dominated the mass prestige sector in the 1990s, and the aroma is typical of that era. A gorgeous, inexpensive fragrance nowadays. The bottle is reminiscent of Guy Laroche Drakkar Noir, with a dark red glass instead of a black one. There are smoky incense, spice and a bouquet of floral notes in there that will bring a soft, natural and sensual perfumed sensation. The cologne stretches out in a breath of clean, herbal, aromatic, woody, and citrus top notes. The soapy bergamot blends with the leafy sage and a touch of piquant coriander, and some pepper. I find the burnt, rubber-like opening that melts into my skin but quickly fades, leaving a rich, bitter citrus smell that eventually softens to what I assume is sandalwood. The old-school patchouli is alive and kicking from the very few moments. Galbanum, cardamom and patchouli are easily identified along with exotic woods and musk. The first stage is intense and vigorous, vibrations reminiscent of lemongrass in men’s bathrooms, all just too citrus and aromatic.



Upon closer inspection, once applied, I notice a persistent quality, a softer fragrance, with green, herbaceous and earthy hints that hide an essence of calming, warm and invigorating sensations. When the heat arrives, it brings delicate notes that intertwine around a boost of floral and marine atmosphere, composed of greenish geranium and galbanum, warmed by a spoonful of patchouli and cardamom. And it is very floral that you would never imagine. It doesn’t bathe you as much in flowers as he drowns you in them like an impatient and hopeless lover buying flowers for her/his hopeless love on Valentine’s Day. Dated, but classic, it’s not a bad way. As aforementioned, the patchouli is dark brown, sweet, dirty. It is the whole plant, not fractions or sanitized distillations; this is a die-hard absolute that makes me love it even more.

When Rapport settles on my skin, it becomes very pleasant. What is left behind is magical, sexual, intoxicating and seductive. The dry down perseveres with the barber’s atmosphere, with deep woody and musky accords. When I bring my nose close to the skin I get more civet, ambergris or castoreum on the bottom, reminding me of the sweaty, stale armpit that at one point had a musky deodorant on. In some places, Rapport smells like a macho man, reminiscent of the natural smell of some kind of man, which doesn’t mean it’s bad. The more woody aspect of the exotic sandalwood is present and I see a relationship with the way the wood was used in Elizabeth Arden’s Arden Men Sandalwood. The last stage is a soap shake and a large dose of nostalgic sentimentality.

What a haughtily disdainful and contemptuous beast! Rapport combines aromatic freshness with sensual warmth to deliver a spicy yet seductive masculine fragrance. There is animal magnetism deeply embedded in this. Its complex aroma makes it suitable for any occasion, day and night. It is durable even with good sillage. Cheap and cheerful. A soap smell that is anything but unpleasant, it is powerful and lasts a long time! If you wear it in the morning, you will still be able to smell it the next day on your clothes. Spray this on your chest at least a while before going out. Expect it to be noticed for good and ill. But after a few hours, you will exude pure, dirty sex. I would say this is a cold Fall and Winter scent, might cloy in humid and hot weather. It’s an authoritative old school masculine fragrance, a change from all the modern clean smells. My last thought, a brilliant discovery that is both clean and dirty at the same time, and the company deserves praise for high-quality products at a lower price, it far exceeded my initial expectations. An amazing masterpiece, a tribute to the perfumer’s art, boldly masculine yet gentlemanly, with mighty underlying sexuality and sexiness. Be aware, this is a mature fragrance and not one for young boys.
This review bases upon a 100ml (3.4 fl. oz) I own since January 2019.

-Elysium