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.
