Hopping Into the Way-Back Machine: Annick Goutal Musc Nomade

I know, I know. We’re supposed to be writing about new stuff. Well, It’s been kind of a busy week here in the hills of Beverly compounded by the return of my minor back problems.  The last time I had them was a little over two years ago: for around two days is took me about 20 minutes to get out of bed and for one memorable 12 hour period pants simply were not going to happen. This time I’ve been aggressive in treating it: enough Aspercream heat get to bake a spud and avoiding sitting in uncomfortable seats for any period of time. So no 2-hour thing at City Hall yesterday, no comedy benefit at the Directors Guild tonight (that really hurt- I lucked into a free ticket and Lily Tomlin was headlining. Grrr) and most importantly do NOT under any circumstances try to fold my Frankenstein-postured 6’2″ frame into the low-slung tub-toy I call my Honda.

So there. I’m reviewing from my cupboard. I hope to be back in the saddle at Luckyscent soon.
But temporary infirmity has had me lumbering gracelessly over to my shelf of perfumes in the hall closet, where I grabbed the eponymous scent. I first sampled it back in 2008 via the perfumed court and promptly made sure a bottle was mine. I also was gifted one of those little beensy sample bottles that I took to New York with me. When I go there I always stay with my BFF, since A) I can’t afford NY hotels and B) I’d still be at her flat watching movies anyway.  After two days of sharing it with her she told me that she was keeping it. I could consider it a gift or rent, but I wasn’t leaving with it. Since it smelled so glorious on her I didn’t mind, as a matter of fact her birthday gift the next year was a full bottle.
I think it smells pretty glorious on me too. It’s a “clean” skin musk, certainly, but not a clean shirt one. Back in the day I wrote “all about tanned, clean youthful skin, an expensive linen shift tossed on after an ocean dip, an evening on a terrace overlooking the Mediterranean.., wood, roses and your own fabulousness” and all that is still true. It’s still a gorgeous brew of light woods and flowers and salty skin that makes me think of some movie where Jackie Bisset is sipping a cocktail on a yacht while, I don’t know somebody’s plotting something that will involve more cocktails, a diamond heist, a car chase involving a 2CV and three Ferrari (in which the 2CV is the improbable victor), and more cocktails. I love it.
It looks as if I might be in the minority, however. I don’t see this one on the websites of the usual suspects, but perhaps they’re in stores. I remember it as being $145 for 100ML. Amazon lists theirs as $175 retail and $105.98 from One Stop Perfumes.  Not bad.  My sample was from my own bottle and the image is from my review on PST from 2008.
  • Tara says:

    Love this scent – I stocked up a couple of years back when there was a vendor selling some cheap on ebay… it’s a mostly clean musk with just a hint of skank… very nice stuff!

  • Sammy says:

    Inspired me to go and purchase this from Amazon. Been looking for a new scent 😉 Thank you!

    Sarah

  • Juno says:

    I’m wearing this right now – dug up a sample after reading the review – and it’s lovely. On me it skews just the tiniest bit sweet – can you think of anything with the same velvety texture – which i adore – but leaning toward incense or a bit drier?

    And by ALL means, review older releases. New new new…how can one keep up? There’s always room to explore what already is, as well.

  • patuxxa says:

    Musc Nomade is one of my favorite musks of all time, I love it, though to me MKK remains the most amazing of musks ever.

    Wishing you a speedy recovery,

  • Gwyneth says:

    Thanks for the review!
    Look at it this way. Frequently, “old scents” are actually “new scents” to some of us.

    Even though The Hubster would raise his eyebrows in shocked disbelief — there are many, many perfumes I have not sniffed. And many scents who remain unknown and undiscovered by me.
    Whoa. Really? Yes.

    So, speaking for me, one of the “great uninformed”, a review of an “old scent” is every bit as wonderful as a review of a “new scent”. Everything is new to somebody, right?

    I am always on the hunt for a good musky fragrance, and as luck would have it, I already adore several fragrances by Annick Goutal. I’ll definitely look-up this one!

    • Tom says:

      I’d love to read how you found it! I pretty much adored it at first sniff, but I’m a musk-addict..

  • Ann says:

    Hi, Tom! Thanks for a cool review — I liked it when it first came out, but now I need a refresher on it. What I’m NOT liking — your back woes. So sorry to hear this; I have back spasms from time to time and it’s not fun. When it’s that debilitating, all I can say is thank goodness for ibuprofen and muscle relaxers. Feel better soon!

    • Tom says:

      Thanks Ann-

      It’s partly my own fault- I’ve fallen off the yoga wagon. Stop moving and the problems start..

  • Austenfan says:

    Thanks for this review, it’s a lovely scent. I do not find it that clean though, not the way Clair de Musc is, anyway.
    Having never smelled MKK I obviously can’t compare them.
    Goutal is such a wonderful house, many great, and very wearable fragrances.

  • mals86 says:

    Whaddya mean, you’re supposed to be writing about new stuff? I’ll read a good review of old stuff any time, especially if you’re writing reviews like this. Love it. Still haven’t tried Musc Nomade, but if I run across it I’ll have a go at it now.

    And take care of your back.

  • Musette says:

    I don’t like this scent. But I LOVE this review! I am so THERE with the 2CV as ‘the improbable victor’ and if they are heisting diamonds, I Want IN!

    Sweetie, hope your back improves. I have that, on occasion – and it’s no fun atall!!!

    xoxoxo (my ALIEN IS GAWWN)