FRAGRANCE | Yohji Homme EDT (1999 Vintage) by Yohji Yamamoto: Is it really a gem worth the chase?

I got this partial bottle of Yohji Homme from a fellow fraghead a while back. Although I don't know the exact year of production, it appears to be the vintage 1999 formulation. This is obviously why the friend who sold me this has since been courting me into selling it back to him. Sorry, bro, touch-move (*wicked smile*).

With its long and slender cylindrical design, the bottle—paint coming off already—is reminiscent of other fragrances from the house. But instead of a black cap, like the one from Yohji Yamamoto Deconstruction, the bottle features a plastic clip that locks the sprayer, an indicator that this is the OG formulation (the 2013 re-release has a black stopper). The bottle comes with a pouch but the cardboard box is pretty basic.

As for the scent, licorice is evident from the very start but it's not as pronounced as the one I get from Kenzo Air Intense, perhaps because there's an accompanying spicy sharpness that aggressively elbows its way to the front of the pack, masking the licorice's otherwise sweet and smoky character. The opening gives some fougère-like feels but with a spicy and airy twist. It's later joined by a touch of booze and coffee although neither dominates; just enough as subtle flavor additions to the overall composition.

After several more minutes, leather starts to appear. However, it's not the usual leather I'm accustomed to. There's no dark smokiness or animalic trace whatsoever. Rather, it has a plasticky kind of vibe, which is something I remember from Ganymede by Marc-Antoine Barrois. That said, the scent remains clean and fairly light, making it a suitable wear for warm weather. The plasticky leather eventually lets up and Yohji Homme's woody base slowly emerges but it doesn't dominate either. In hindsight, it remains a fresh, spicy fragrance supported by small doses of licorice, alcohol, coffee, leather, and wood.

Yohji Homme is indeed a pretty good fragrance but I don't find it spectacular. While I still like it, I'm underwhelmed with its performance. I don't know how it was back in the day but what I have is pretty average. It does start with moderate intensity but unfortunately, it quickly loses steam and settles close to the skin in an hour or so. Just the same, I still cherish it both as a collectible and a usable frag. I wouldn't break the bank just to cop a bottle, though.