If the Matière Premiere collection was a menagerie, Falcon Leather would be the American bald-headed eagle, bristling with the raw masculine energy of a practiced predator. Opening with a gut punch of smoky saffron, which twists everything into the shape of a leather harness, Falcon Leather feels immediately powerful, like sinew shifting over bone.
The coiled energy of the scent is further emphasized in the heart when a smoky, austere birch tar and a grungy but sleek oud join the party, darkening the background from saffron gold to a deep, oily black. The pungency of this saffron-birch tar accord is softened somewhat by the caramelized, incense-y sweetness of labdanum resin, which, given its starring role in fantasy amber accords, is the perfect way to talk the eagle down a bit from attack mode. Incredibly rich, pungent, and dark, Falcon Leather is tailor made for those for whom Tuscan Leather (Tom Ford) and Patchouli 24 (Le Labo) feel distinctly underpowered.
Saffron, Leather, Birch Tar, Ciste Labdanum, Benzoin Absolute
Perfume rating 4.32 out of 5 on Fragrantica