Quorum by Antonio Puig

You wouldn’t wear this today to pick up a date. As things are: it’s an old-school fougère, potent, and full of personality.

A classic, notable, solemn, and respectable perfume. Today I remember it as the office worker in downtown Santiago from the 80s, since it was very commonly worn by adult men of that era during my childhood.

I usually wear it after shaving or when going to the barbershop, which is why I associate it so strongly with those places. Just close your eyes and you feel yourself in an old-school barbershop, smoking, chatting, and waiting your turn calmly. Quorum smells exactly like that: tradition, classic masculinity, and mature elegance. It’s a mature perfume, yes, it may remind you of the scent of ‘a gentleman,’ but of an elegant one, with presence and history. It’s not easy for the young, but collectors understand its value: it transports you to another era. I love wearing it at home after shaving to travel back to that memory. Should I recommend it? Yes, especially for the price. It’s a different olfactory experience from trendy sweet perfumes. Is it for everyone? No. It’s difficult, the typical ‘grandpa perfume,’ but not due to a bad smell, rather because it belongs to another era. Advice: try it on your skin and don’t just rely on reviews. Let it speak for itself.

I won’t lie to you, this is one of the most difficult perfumes I’ve ever tried. What a beast. The opening is literally wild. My first thought was to hallucinate that this is how the entrance to a dragon’s lair would smell. There’s a citrus note that lasts a mere breath before giving way to the monster, which takes presence in an overwhelming way, without warning, like a predator. When it settles, it calms down a bit. Towards the end, where the beast has marked its territory, it rests on ferns that withstand its dreamlike breath. Among the plants, pine stands out, taking the spotlight alongside the animal accord, enveloping the experience. We’re facing a hidden prehistoric world, sheltered from extinctions, on a wooded terrain open to the sun but enclosed by rock, dense with its secretions. I value and enjoy it, but it’s impossible to recommend. There’s no way to buy it blindly. It’s a mythical beast, a legendary creature from another era, the skin Hercules would wear after taming the beast.

QUORUM: THE ECHO OF THE 80S AMONG CYPRESSES AND TOBACCO. In the 80s, a man could walk into a room and leave behind an imposing trail of Quorum, that perfume that today seems to bottle lazy summer afternoons among cypresses and worn-tile pools. Dark green, bitter, like the reflection of a forest at dusk, its sober bottle is faithful to an era where scents were punchy, firm, almost rough. With notes of dry leather, smoked tobacco, and a herbal touch evoking the freshness of Pravia Hay soap, Quorum captures the nostalgia of those unhurried afternoons, where skin smelled of chlorine and the air of lavender and oak moss. A rough, dense aroma that doesn’t ask for permission, but claims space, like the shadows of cypresses as evening falls. Today, Quorum remains there, unaltered, like an echo of classic masculinity that refuses to fade away.

I have no idea how I lived so many years without knowing this gem! I stumbled upon it while searching for current vintage scents like Azzaro, Lapidus, Lagerfeld, Kouros, or One Man Show, which bring back childhood memories. I went to Primor and almost didn’t buy it because of the ridiculous price of 11 euros, thinking the quality would be terrible, but I was wrong. What a marvel! It reminds me of YSL Kouros and Paco Rabanne Pour Homme, but with a citrus top and an animalic castoreum base. Am I the only one who smells castoreum on this? I’m surprised it’s not listed in the notes, though I think Wiki Parfum does mention it. It’s a classic scent from the past at a ridiculous price.

I’ll be objective. Let’s be realistic: it doesn’t perform the same as it did 20 years ago; it’s been reformulated with different ingredients to be more wearable today. The opening is powerful, but it dries down well; it’s a dirty, sexy, very masculine leather scent. Perfect for cool climates and formal or casual wear. But obviously, not for kids. Give it a try and let us know your thoughts.

Those are ‘vintage’ scents that I don’t dislike, but they’re perfumes for older people, don’t overthink it: perfume for people over 65, basically pine scent. Cool Water and even Drakkar Noir are better options.

I’m almost finished, and when I bought it, I had to turn around to check that no one was following me out of the perfume shop and asking for the rest of the money (this is worth more than it costs). I wanted the smell of Christmas pine trees, so I started using it in the cold, but I had to let it rest. Although my taste for it made me use it again in the heat; above 30 degrees, it turns sour on my skin and releases a note like pink pepper (which I like). I don’t know what else to say; I don’t want to convince anyone of how good it is, because we know perfumery is an art, and we also know art is subjective. I love it.

I love talking about fragrances; it’s a beautiful universe. But this time, I won’t ramble, except with passion. Quorum: that budget cologne from the past, classic, Spanish to the core, and very popular across all of Hispanoamerica, something exaggerated and necessarily exaggerated to be itself and to be so flavorful that you’d dare to spray it on yourself as if you were about to immolate yourself with fuel and a lighter, which, as a child, made me smell bad, but rather smell like a man. Beloved Quorum, beloved times. Full identity.

I bought it blind without fear because of the price… if you want to try something niche-level at a Mercadona price, give this a shot. I’m not sure if I’ll wear it, but I’m intrigued. Even if reformulated, it smells like the original, just less invasive. The opening is sharp and projects due to its uniqueness. It’s aggressive, with an animalic touch reminiscent of a horse stable; the leather and other notes approach the smell of manure, but not repulsively. It smells like a Mediterranean forest, animal, dehesa. Everything softens down to a soapy, gentle scent. It’s hard to pull off because it smells like older people, which is why many don’t like it… But the fault isn’t the scent; if Lenny Kravitz or Johnny Depp wore it, it would be a masterpiece. For the price, you should own it even if you don’t use it; it has quality and originality.

Dear friends, I’ve had over 40 perfumes of all kinds, olfactive families, and price ranges. I just say that Quorum is in my top 3. The magic is in its dry-down when others smell it. That’s when you realize how pleasant and masculine it is. I’ve had two bottles and I’m going for a third at 36 years old. In Chile, the price is spectacular, $15-16. Greetings.

If they ask me how a men’s perfume should be, my answer is “it should be like Quorum.” My fascination with fougères and vintages led me to buy it, and I exceeded my expectations. A timeless fragrance, impossible not to like. Citrus, green opening, drying down on skin with delicious tobacco combined with leather. There’s no more to it. It’s a perfume that makes you reconsider that you were born in the wrong era, but luckily you’re alive to enjoy it.

The first 30 minutes you have to be careful that a cat approaches and confuses you with its litter box. Then it transforms into your grandfather’s aftershave lotion. If you want a fragrance totally devoid of compliments, go for it.

No notes, no performance, or anything. This is a trip back in time, the dessert your grandmother used to make that’s no longer here, or the fragrance your dad used in an era that’s no longer here. It touches my emotions. I love having it, spraying myself, and it’s because… besides, it smells good. Vintage, green, citrus, very aromatic, at the same time refreshing. It’s a fragrance to own and use occasionally to enjoy. And that’s it. And the price, a laugh. Awesome.