A Wren Says

I had never heard of Maison D’etto or tried any of the brand’s fragrances. But I happened upon a sample of their Rotano eau de parfum and have been testing it out. I’m going to be honest with you. This has been a very difficult fragrance for me to wear. Mostly this is because no one looking at me would ever think I look a) Rock and Roll or b) ruggedly masculine.

This is first and foremost a leather fragrance. I get the scent almost as if I am smelling someone’s jacket. Hear me out. On paper, it smells like a child’s leather jacket. When I spray it on my skin, it smells like it belongs to a grown-up. On paper, I get the leather and a bit of the woodiness come through at the end. On skin, there is more nuance there. It is more powerful. All of the notes come together to make a bold statement that continues to build. Leather is the first thing I notice, but more notes begin to make an appearance as it has time to sit on my skin.

Rotano eau de parfum

$300 for 60mL

Notes:

Top: Cypriol, halo musk

Heart: Stallion accord, suede, myrrh

Base: Olibanum, cedarwood

I have not worn this fragrance out in public, because it is not a typical fragrance profile that would be understood by most people in my life. Okay, I’m in my life; I am one of those “most people.” Only now as I take time to smell it more reflectively to write this post am I starting to appreciate it. My first thought wearing it was that the leather would be difficult to pull off. Now, I’m smelling it as a more nuanced fragrance that just needs the right situation.

On someone who is adventurous, I think this could be a signature scent. Adventurous meaning doing extreme sports or being willing to try new things and not afraid to stand out. On people like that, I think this scent could feel almost native to them. It smells dirty, in the best way possible, a reminder of how such a person is willing to get out there, make mistakes, and brush it all off to ride again. Or just a cowboy in a romance novel. Take your pick on the persona.

While I can’t personally give you any feedback on sillage, staying power, or even compliments, I would tell you to give this a try. If you like leather fragrances or want a masculine leaning fragrance that will stand out, you should test it on your skin. But if you are the type of person who I think this might be best for, you didn’t need the encouragement to try something new anyway.