FRAGRANCE | When Dior goes drink and drive with Fahrenheit Parfum

halfwhiteboy - Dior Fahrenheit Parfum 01 

2014 saw Dior release another flanker in Fahrenheit Parfum, the first in a non-EDT concentration (unless you count Fahrenheit Absolute Eau de Toilette Intense). The bottle also deviates a bit from the line's usual shape. Although identical, it's shorter in height and wider at the base. I suppose this change alludes to how different this flanker is going to be in terms of approaching the Fahrenheit DNA.

Dior defied the "don't drink and drive" rule, albeit figuratively, by combining the original's trademark gasoline accord with—you guessed it—booze (rum in particular). The rum is infused with a delightful, spicy sweetness that together make for an intoxicating aroma. It's a fairly common approach to booze in perfumery, as seen in the likes of Penhaligon's The Blazing Mister Sam, Zara's Unexpected Fresh Spicy, and many more, so while it's good, there's nothing out of this world about it. Leather is also at play here, which is probably why the booziness—not the scent, just to be clear—bears a remote resemblance to that of Bentley for Men Intense.

halfwhiteboy - Dior Fahrenheit Parfum 02
halfwhiteboy - Dior Fahrenheit Parfum 03

The sweetness's vanillic properties soon unfold, adding depth and warmth to the composition. Together with the rum, they continue to dominate the scent, balancing each other off quite nicely. It helps that there are spicy accents in the mix, so it never gets too thick and heavy. After several minutes, I start getting faint traces of gasoline around the edges, lurking and unable to penetrate the perimeter. I thought the petrol would be a little more prominent because I can clearly smell it from the nozzle but apparently that isn't the case.

Eventually, the spices soften and soon, the gasoline manages to infiltrate the boozy vanilla party. It does so covertly, so it's still hardly noticeable unless you dig your nose deep into where you sprayed. Again, I'm slightly miffed at this letdown. [Update, July 29, 2024: I wore this on a rainy day and the gasoline accord shone quite nicely. It was on par in strength with the boozy vanilla, which made me really happy.] In the end, it's the vanilla that prevails, the rum and spices reduced to mere traces. The scent still leans masculine but the vanilla does make it a little friendlier to the opposite sex. Just like the OG, it's not meant to be worn on really hot days even though it's not as aggressive in terms of projection. It is long-lasting, however.

Dior sure steered the ship in an entirely different direction with Fahrenheit Parfum. I don't mind the vanilla and the booze at all. In fact, I enjoy the scent a lot. But when I remember that this is a Fahrenheit flanker, I can't help but pine for that addictive gasoline accord. I understand that every flanker needs to introduce something new to the OG's core scent but sometimes the results depart too much from the DNA that they feel like they should be given their own name. Still, nice scent.

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