FRAGRANCE | Maxim's pour Homme EDT: Why must all good things come to an end?

This one just fell on my lap somehow. I wasn't seeking it nor have I ever heard of it. Yet when I saw someone put this up for sale in a Facebook group and read the words "oakmoss" and "discontinued," I was in, knowing how everyone is pining for this ingredient that IFRA has restricted to oblivion. Maxim's pour Homme was commissioned by the famous Parisian restaurant of the same name in the late 80s. It was created my renowned perfumer Dominique Ropion.

I can't say anything about the box since it was just the splash bottle that was sold. The bottle's pretty straightforward, with embossed metallic logo and label. While it really shouldn't matter, it just doesn't resonate with the fabled restaurant's reputation. I mean, I wouldn't expect that this would come from the same place that can command up to €200 for a single dish. To be fair, though, it isn't an expensive fragrance to begin with.

But what Maxim's pour Homme lacks in presentation it more than makes up for in terms of scent. It is, without doubt, a blend from a different era. It has a beguilingly deep, sweet, and smoky opening, briefly prefaced by an easy-to-miss citrus zing. Oakmoss takes a peek minutes later, followed by some florals (I get rose somewhere) that seem to dial up the sweetness. Good thing they don't stay very long. Nevertheless this sweet and smoky vibe reminds me of Hermès Bel Ami Vetiver, which I also adore.

About 30 minutes to an hour in, the fragrance takes on a darker turn with an accord that's redolent of very dry tobacco leaves, the smokiness enhanced and the sweetness toned down. It's brooding and I love it, more so with the gradually increasing intensity of the oakmoss. Something powdery comes in later but it's not the iris or baby powder type of powdery—more like dusty actually. All this eventually leads to a drydown that's smoky, mossy, and musky, with a hint of resinous sweetness.

Despite coming from a decade known for powerhouse fragrances, Maxim's pour Homme isn't a screamer, yet it isn't a shy one either with its modest projection and impressive longevity (for an EDT) that goes on for hours, albeit as a skin scent in its latter stage. It may be dark and brooding, as I've mentioned, but it isn't that heavy, so for me it suits most occasions and weather conditions. If you chance upon a bottle of this discontinued gem, especially if you're a sucker for oakmoss or all things vintage, go get it. Just get it.