Genre Meeting For Men

Genre Meeting bottles the cosy, after-hours mood of Maison Margiela's Jazz Club - the smell of a dimly lit bar, warm spirits and good tobacco. It opens bright and spicy with pink pepper, lemon and a clean neroli, which keep the sweetness in check before the heart of Java vetiver and herbal clary sage rolls in. The base is the star: rich tobacco leaf and creamy vanilla bean over a resinous styrax that lends a soft leathery, smoky edge. Against the original it does a faithful job of the overall shape, but the Margiela's signature rum note - the thing that makes its sweetness feel boozy and lived-in - isn't here, so Genre Meeting leans a touch more straightforwardly sweet-tobacco and a shade less complex. Projection is moderate and the drydown, while pleasant, dries flatter and fades sooner than the long, layered tail of Jazz Club. Still, for the price it delivers the warm, sophisticated, autumn-evening character that made the original a modern classic. Best in cool weather, for evenings, dates and relaxed nights out.