Knize Ten – The reference leather – 10/10.
Well, if my maths is correct, and I’m pretty sure it is, as I’ve got WordPress to help me, this is my 200th post. To mark such a milestone, I’ve chosen a milestone scent to review. Enter Knize Ten. This leather gets a 10, and no, it’s not because there’s a 10 in the name. It’s because it’s the reference leather. Highly influential, and simply put, if you’re into leather scents, you must sample Knize Ten. If you’re into fragrance at all, you must try Knize Ten.
Before we get into the review proper, here’s a little background on the brand and the scent. Knize and Comp is an Austrian men’s tailoring house founded in 1858. Their much-vaunted leather scent, Knize Ten, is a fragrance from a bygone era. The 1920s, to be precise. The significance of the number ten in the fragrance’s title traces back to Knize director Ernst Dryden’s love for polo. Ten is the highest-rated handicap in polo, and for Dryden, polo was the ultimate symbol of nobility and elegance.
Ten is a masculine, somewhat dry, powdery, dusty, dark leather with floral and spicy nuances. Despite the presence of castoreum, it never becomes overly animalic on my skin. Curiously, the leather of Knize Ten is both harsh and distinguished. At times (especially in the opening), the birch tar leather reminds me of a mechanics’ workshop – oily, smoky, and dank. Later the scent takes a turn, with the spicy, floral freshness from the geranium, carnation, and mosses sending Knize Ten into debonair barbershop territory.
There are a few other notes that hang around the edges of Knize Ten. Preceding the harsh leather at the outset is a burst of citruses and herbs. However, perhaps more evident and influential are the powdery amber, vanilla, and musks that kick in after 10 minutes on my skin. Patchouli, woods, and orris give Knize Ten an earthy dryness. A fair bit is going on, but altogether these notes combine to soften the tarry, rubbery leather eventually.
Undeniably, Knize Ten becomes more and more amiable as it progresses. By the end of the first hour, the mechanic has left work, freshened up, put on a new pair of leather shoes, and is ready to hit the streets of Vienna. And ultimately, as the final dry down approaches, I’m conjuring up images of a decidedly old-fashioned gentleman – dashing, and well-tailored.
Knize Ten is a rare example of a perfume that holds my interest from beginning to end. I love the progression of the leather accord, the subtle nuances of the supporting notes that make their presence felt as the scent develops, and the majestic dry down. To put it into polo vernacular, Knize Ten scores plenty of goals, playing six-strong chukkas as it goes about its business without any fuss. It’s a winner in my book. Make no mistake, though, Knize Ten has a distinct edginess. Indeed, it will not be for everyone. The animalics and Isobutyl quinolines are noticeable. For that reason, lovers of fresh blue clean scents should probably stay well clear. If your perfume wardrobe consists solely of Versace Dylan Blue you may faint upon the first spritz of Knize Ten.
Knize Ten is a classic leather scent that paved the way for many modern leather staples such as Tuscan Leather, Cuir Cannage, and Cuir Mauresque. In my opinion, it usurps all these excellent perfumes. Vincent Roubert and Francois Coty composed the fragrance. Style icons James Dean and David Niven are said to have been fans of the fragrance. So, if it’s good enough for these two gentlemen, it’s good enough for me. Do give it a sample.
Quick Notes:
Launch Year: 1925. Interestingly one year after another leather classic, Cuir de Russie.
Perfumer: Francois Coty & Vincent Roubert.
Top notes: Lemon, rosemary, petitgrain, geranium, bergamot, orange.
Mid notes: rose, carnation, sandalwood, orris, cinnamon, patchouli, orange blossom, cedar.
Base notes: Leather, vanilla, amber, oakmoss, castoreum, musk. Prominent notes are in bold.
Longevity: 10-12 hours.
Projection: 4 hours, medium.
Season: Autumn, winter.
Price: I purchased my bottle at Men’s Biz in Australia, but they don’t seem to sell it anymore. However, it’s available in Europe and the US – Aus Liebe Zum Duft €55 for 50ml, and Luckyscent sells it for $80USD for 50ml.
Alternatives: Chanel Cuir de Russie, Serge Lutens Cuir Mauresque, Tom Ford Tuscan Leather, Dior Cuir Cannage.
All pictures are my own.
