Andros by Parera

An 80s classic with a clean scent. It’s a shame that in my country they’re hard to find now, just like the Dandy and Royal Regiment Sun for men. Without a doubt, these are classics no collector or fragrance fan can afford to be without.

I consider ANDROS by PARERA to have been the substitute for ANTAEUS by CHANEL for most Spaniards in the 80s, who couldn’t buy Chanel or didn’t even know what it was. And I vote for Bríos, a worthy substitute. PARERA made wonderful men’s perfumes, like VARON DANDY and this ANDROS. Forget the data sheet that says ‘Aromatic Aquatic’ and dive into the deep world of Oriental, Woody, and Spicy notes, because it has it all. They say it launched in 1987, but I’d argue it was earlier, around 1981 like Antaeus. Created by an unknown perfumer, like almost everything from Parera, Gal, and Myrurgia, it carried a baggage of honesty hard to find today. Its ads showed a sirtaki dancer on a yacht, between Ibiza and Mykonos, very much in the line of those playboys who married Brigitte Bardot, an expert Rohmerian collectionneuse with a Gainsbourg touch. From Gunter Sachs to Patrick Gilles, anyone could have worn it because it suited them and it was a powerhouse. Poor Brigitte, who has seen her and who sees her now! Moving from the wild Gainsbourg to the current Bernard d’Ormale. Woe to that blessed one who recorded ‘Je t’aime, moi non plus’ and the current xenophobic old lady! Sic transit gloria mundi! ANDROS was cosmopolitan, sophisticated, and masculine. The Spaniards of the 80s didn’t suspect anything; they simply wore it because it was in supermarkets at a good price, advertised heavily, and smelled good. ANDROS had its Oriental side in a rich blend of rose, jasmine, leather, and pepper. With these notes, I melt. If you wore ANDROS, I could say, ‘I know what you did last summer.’ It was tied to hot beach summers and absolved sins, necessary conditions of the Summer Theorem. Or a race you don’t notice, it stays in your body. It was a potent Chypre based on Mediterranean juniper, distilled in Crete, where juniper, thyme, juniperus, and mastic masculinized those velvety oriental and floral effluvia. And it had one of the most mysterious and deep patchoulis I remember. A sweet, earthy, humic, dense, sensual, and libidinous patchouli. ANDROS was a sexual scent, for nights of cognac and blond tobacco, sweat on burned skin, and open shirts on hairy torsos. It was the ideal companion for a woman in an OPIUM turban, silk suit, red lips, and endless lashes, in a primal orgy where perfume and passion blurred together.

An 80s wonder. I was lucky enough to buy a bottle and I have no regrets. Andros is clean, soapy, and powerful, yet not overwhelming, and it doesn’t smell aquatic at all as Fragrantica claims. It evokes memories of other classics from the era; I’d add Halston 1-12, and perhaps the dry-down reminds me of Ted Lapidus Pour Homme due to that soapy base note. The performance was frankly good for a cheap perfume from back then. If you get the chance, you won’t regret it.

It’s true that everyone has their taste, but these scents move me; it’s a wonder that reminds me of Cartier’s Santos. Bathing in Andros is smelling like a man without hesitation. Aside from the aquatic notes, after an hour I notice gourmand sensations like chocolate or cocoa, mixed with amber and pepper, all in a natural form, with quality and care, far from current synthetics. One of the best old-school Spanish proposals, a jewel for anyone brave enough to wear it, very different from what’s used today. I thank Bofifa and Josesan for the opportunity to dream with eyes wide open by sending me the samples.

I’m from Lima, Peru, and reading the reviews (especially the one by user Bofifa, a jewel worthy of Cortázar, congratulations!) sparked my curiosity to buy it. Today, July 2018, I walked down a street in the center full of perfume suppliers and they were selling it in two 100 ml bottles for $10, which seemed such a good deal it made me suspicious, but we’ll see what I find and I hope to share my opinion.