Gucci Guilty Absolute by Gucci

Bach 2023 smells like top-tier cured leather, an olfactory masterpiece. It’s not a beast in projection, but if you appreciate perfumery, you have to try it.

It’s new leather, a new jacket, brand-new boots. The opening is powerful and dense, but once it dries down, it clings to the skin. It’s wearable, but it takes character to appreciate it.

Leather, green woody notes, and smoke. It smells incredible, though some might find it reminiscent of varnish. It has magic when worn in the air. With my reformulations, it lasts about 7 hours on skin and over 24 on clothes. Recommended!

This is a gem, just as I imagined: a big green, earthy, woody, and smoky fragrance with a very subtle sweet touch at the base that makes it addictive. A must-have for leather lovers. To me, it’s totally unisex; it depends on the outfit and attitude. The fact that my circle doesn’t like it just makes me want it more.

Disappointing, I think it’s the reformulation’s fault. It projects nothing.

We all know it’s reformulated, but it still slams hard. Just a couple of hours less longevity, but there it is: that dirty, greasy mechanic shop vibe that I absolutely love; hell yeah. To my nose, the cypress and patchouli give it that earthy nuance I enjoy, while the woods and vetiver push the leather to the edge. I’d wear this perfume if Negan from The Walking Dead did.

💥🖤 Gucci Guilty Absolute 🖤💥 Opens with leather, very green; you get the feeling of being in the middle of a lush, damp forest. Soon that herbal sensation calms down and delicious, quite noticeable solvent/camphor/mechanic shop chords emerge, reminding you of days when our dads polished leather shoes with black wax and let them dry. All accompanied by dark woody notes and green base accords that keep the aroma fresh. For me, it’s not a challenging scent, as leather is one of my favorites, and I own much more complex fragrances than this Guilty Absolute. It could go the way of Amber Kiso by DS&Durga, but here the leather is much more animalic than in the Gucci version, though the fresh herbal leather sensation is similar, obviously keeping the differences. For me, a misunderstood masterpiece by Morillas at launch, which people not used to more challenging aromas simply didn’t understand or appreciate. Hence its quick removal from commercial markets, although it’s still made for sale on platforms and relatively easy to find. A different scent that won’t please the majority, and I’m glad it’s so, and hasn’t become mass-market; obviously, the olfactory sense of 95% of the population isn’t prepared for slightly more challenging scents that stray from JPG, Rabanne, or Carolina Herrera. A pity, and a joy at the same time. Scent 9/10, Longevity/Trail 8/10, Value/Price 100/10. Designer bottle in the niche category. For me, a resounding yes 💯💯.

I managed to get a 90ml bottle from Batch 2017, what a beauty. That’s how Fangio would smell after a race. That leather that glorifies fragrance!

Old lady powder from back in the day. Definitely not for casual wear. Needs a test first.

Guilty Absolute, a well-executed and achieved leather accord; I expected it to be more overwhelming, but at least it delivers well, although it’s somewhat linear as it doesn’t evolve much, only turning a bit warmer and saltier at the end. Far from using it as a winter perfume, I see it as an olfactory experience. Here at the end, the leather note presents itself as a tribute to nature and human skill in working this material. It’s an aroma that evokes the elegance of an aged leather armchair, the force of a journey through rustic landscapes; it’s understandable why some associate it with certain solvents, and for others, the leather note becomes an olfactory poem, reminding us that in the art of perfumery, every essence tells a story, and every story leaves a mark on the senses. My favorite leather perfume remains CUO by Orto Parisi.

I love it for how different it is. It’s a must for cold weather. Wood, suede, and an animalic touch. It’s exclusive and intense, giving a sense of security. Smells very unique, very niche, like being in a cabin in winter. Only for special occasions. Start with a little because it’s right on the edge of being loved or hated. Not for everyone.

I tried it yesterday in a decant because everyone was talking about it. Up close, the opening almost exploded in my nose. I imagined something wilder, but it’s unique, powerful, and full of character. It brings back childhood memories: shining shoes with my dad, going to the carpentry shop smelling solvents, helping with the truck’s mechanics, smelling oil, tires, and gasoline. Basically, it smells like new shoes polished with brown wax in the sun, dirty hands from the car engine, in a wood workshop. It’s original and rich, a gem. Complicated to wear and you won’t get compliments, but people will look at you and ask why you smell so elegant. It deserves a spot on the podium. I loved it at 27, it’s not for everyone and hard to wear, but olfactorily it’s the best. What a shame it’s no longer available.

Not for rich people, not for elegant folks, not for men of character. Why don’t they explain the scent and do comparisons? This smells like a small-town leather workshop: worked wood, tanned leather, diesel, animal leather, and burnt oil. Surprising? Yes, for achieving that scent in a perfume. Will the public like it? Most won’t. I bought a small decant on discount and it’s interesting, but many have tried it and most rejected it; some even covered their noses. Everyone is free to choose, as it acts differently on each skin. I like it, but don’t tell me it’s elegant, millionaire-level, or characterful; it’s pretentious. This smells like a saddler or a mechanic.

Is men’s olfactory sense becoming too feminine nowadays? Everyone wants to smell sweet, like candies, vanilla, or honey. This smells like a real gentleman. I imagined it would be harder, but it’s not that much. It’s elegant and rich, very sophisticated leather, high-quality niche scent, and gives a lot of personality.

I’m a novice in perfumery, inexperienced, although I always had some perfumes in mind. I never let myself be carried away until two years ago, when its venom infected me. I started buying affordable, aromatic, woody, and citrusy perfumes, but above all, I became passionate about leathers. I haven’t had cars with leather upholstery due to economy, nor the obsession; I’m practical (except now with perfumes). I loved the smell of new leather wallets, jackets I could afford, shoes in the 80s and 90s, even sneakers, mostly leather. Entering a leather goods store was a delight. Reading reviews and following YouTubers, everyone put this Gucci Guilty Absolute on a mythical pedestal. I wanted to smell it, impossible in a physical store, had to be brave and buy blind. Last year Zara launched the Oud collection by Alberto Morillas, and many said Elevated Oud was similar; I tried it and although it was a magnificent synthetic woody perfume, it didn’t smell like leather and didn’t convince me. I let time pass, watching from the sidelines, until this summer on vacation I entered a leather shop and took a shoulder bag. I carried it around half of Spain, with heat, rain, and some cold, and its smell accompanied me along with my citrus and summer perfumes, leaving a particular trail that intoxicated me and my wife started tolerating it. Upon returning, I asked for this wonder blind. As soon as it arrived, I sprayed it on my right wrist, next to my leather shoulder bag. What a wonder. At first, that smell comes out that seems like a mechanic’s workshop with grease and used parts, but soon clean leather from leather goods, a new jacket, boots, and shoes appear and dominate. It lasts hours without being offensive. I’ve had it for a week, use it every day, two sprays on the right wrist, and combine it with citrus summer scents on the rest of the body. It’s a treat, even in this hot August; I receive more compliments than ever, I don’t think it’s just because of Guilty Absolute, but it helps. (For those who say it’s only for autumn/winter).