Sybaris by Antonio Puig

My friend Jerry Drake let me try this Sybaris, a true elixir and one of the best Spanish perfumes from the 80s I’ve ever smelled. Curiously, it was conceived for Paco Rabanne, but they ultimately didn’t offer the desired image. Perhaps the style was too modern for the late 80s; it would have had more luck in the early 80s. It’s an aromatic fern loaded with notes, with oriental and leather chypre phases. It’s assembled in a complex, baroque, and extravagant way, like Kouros, Aramis, or Ted Lapidus. The opening is portentous, a wall of dirty, indigestible scent that hits you until it breaks down. It’s not linear: it moves from fresh and earthy to floral, herbal, and animalic. It’s granitic, heavy artillery for fans of masculine bombs. Excellent projection and longevity, with high-quality components. It could be the work of Edouard Flechier. It reminds me of Davidoff Classic or Montana Parfum d’Homme, and Aramis Havana without tobacco. Sharp, virile, and muscular, it will thrill lovers of the ultra-masculine legends of the 80s.

It’s hard to choose between three Puig jewels: Quorum, Agua Brava (that laurel is pure delight), and Sybaris, which is the absolute. The bottle is simple yet features Art Deco and futuristic details very 80s. The scent is intoxicating; it hits hard with juniper, caraway, patchouli, citrus, basil, and cloves. It’s a tough, typical scheme of the era, but the delight arrives when Sybaris lowers its guard: ambered cinnamon, flowers (geranium, jasmine), and a perfect Mysore sandalwood interwoven with the patchouli. The spices and herbs step back to accompany rather than dominate. The leather isn’t the star, but it adds a multi-layered, suede-like, smoky aspect. First, it’s sharp, herbal, and citrusy, then it calms into something floral, patchouli-like, and mossy with hints of cinnamon and sandalwood. That’s where it shines: warm, creamy, and cozy. An exquisite fragrance on par with the icons of its time.

Will Puig ever consider relaunching its great fragrances like Moana, Zambra, Dore, Diagonal, Verte, or Azur? The ones that truly arrived and were treasures in every perfumery today don’t exist a single one. It all seems like a Primor-style supermarket where you have to hunt until you find a box. Years ago, even the smallest detail was available in the Puig line. I can’t finish without remembering Estivalia, magical and unique. A friend of art and design says that when Estivalia returns, everything will be much more human.

I see they’ve uploaded many Puig fragrances I hadn’t seen! And right this one, along with Agua Brava, Vetiver, and Quorum, is a crown jewel. Azuriiita gifted me the Davidoff Silver Shadow a few months ago, and if my memory serves me right, it’s the closest thing to this jewel. It had impressive fixation, longevity typical of the monsters of the era, and a moderate trail.

I tried it today, and although it’s hard to assimilate at first, the dry-down is very pleasant, animalic, and earthy. Sybaris is a worthy 80s fragrance, very similar to Dior’s Jules but lighter and less formal. It comes in a box with 30 ml and a 20g soap for $15. I still think I have a chance to get it.