“Puredistance M is a masculine that straddles the gender line”

After trying and loving the ethereal Puredistance I and the warm-bosomed Antonia, I thought that the dreaded rule of three’s (as in that a collection of three perfume’s cannot contain three good fragrances) would kick in and I would end up hating Puredistance M, but as usual when it comes to drawing quick conclusions, I was wrong.

I was wrong because Puredistance M is a pretty damn good fragrance and whilst it may not be in the style of perfumes that I would wear, I cannot deny that it is impeccably well made and puts the majority of masculine fragrances on the market to shame. In terms of quality, artistry and just how damn good it smells, Puredistance M is in a class of its own. Oh, and it’s an Extrait too, with a rather decent 25% concentration, which is somewhat of a rarity within the masculine genre.

Puredistance M is currently the only masculine in the line and it takes its inspiration from the classiest and most debonaire of motor vehicles – the Aston Martin, namely the Aston Martin that belongs to a certain James Bond. M was created by Professor of Perfume Roja Dove and is described as “a leather chypre of classic proportions…with an unexpected oriental twist. Sumptuous and complex, noble and sophisticated” [1] Puredistance M is a fragrance that is neither shaken, nor stirred, and just like 007 it is as smooth as can be.

The Notes

Bergamot, Lemon, Rose, Jasmine, Cinnamon, Patchouli, Mosses, Cistus, Vetiver, Patchouli, Vanilla, Leather and Musk [2]

How Does it Smell?

Puredistance M’s opening is all chypre, with wonderfully sour citrus contrasted with rich, oriental spices. One spice that I find quite prominent during the opening is cinnamon, a note which I am having a slight love affair with of late, and it works perfectly with the acerb nature of the bergamot and lemon.

In keeping with the Aston Martin theme there is a good deal of leather in Puredistance M, and rather than opting for sweet leather, Dove has gone for a rather dry and almost harsh leather note. Think of the dry leather in Chanel’s N°19 and you’re on the right track, although Puredistance is not green in the slightest, if it were a colour it would be ‘Chestnut Tan’*.

Rose and jasmine appear in the notes, but their appearance within Puredistance M is actually quite subdued. The mosses and patchouli seem to outweigh the florals slightly, and whilst there is a definite jasmine hue amongst the leather early on, as time goes on it becomes harder and harder to pick out the flowers.

After the oriental heart, Puredistance M comes full circle back into chypre territory with a base of patchouli, mosses, labdanum and vanilla. The base is truly wonderful, and whenever I smell a good chypre base I can’t help but think “they don’t make ’em like this anymore”, and thankfully Puredistance does.

As much as I enjoy Puredistance M, I can’t help but feel that it is perhaps a bit too debonair for me and I’m not sure that I am man enough to pull it off. When I wear it I picture a man much older than myself, but still in his prime, as if a certain degree of life-experience is required to ‘rock it’ effectively. Maybe it’s a fragrance that I’ll grow into one day, I do still have a lot of living to do after all.

Puredistance M is a masculine that straddles the gender line, it works as an effortlessly cool and glamorous masculine just as well as it does as a kick ass feminine that is reminiscent of the chypres of the good old days. To me it feels like the finely tailored duck feather coat by Alexander McQueen depicted in the first image in this post – a contrast of old school femininity and classic masculine tailoring.

There really is something for everyone in the Puredistance line. I have found my love in Puredistance I, I really think Antonia is something my mother would love and Puredistance M is perfect for my father. It’s a family affair!

The Bottle

All Puredistance perfumes are available in 17.5ml and 100ml flacons. The 17.5ml flacon resembles (a rather posh) test tube.

I find it incredibly handy that each of these Parfum Extraits are presented in a spray bottle, I have to admit that I’m not the biggest fan of dabbing and I wish more brands would follow suit.

A series of accessories are available, including leather cases, a stand and a Swarovski crystal column (pictured and available in clear & silver, clear & gold and black & silver). The packaging is ultra-luxe but it feels, clean simple and pure.

Puredistance M is available in 17.5ml and 100ml Extrait de Parfum. Prices range €165-€490.

Disclaimer

This review is based on a sample of Puredistance M sourced myself.

[1] & [2] puredistance.com
* Chestnut Tan is a shade of Aston Martin leather. 

Image 1 backseatstylers.com (Gold duck feather coat by Alexander McQueen from the book Savage Beauty).
Image 2 & 3 puredistance.com