MIND GAMES
CHECKMATE

2022

PERFUMER
David Apel

davana
champagne
red currant

rose de mai
bulgarian rose
rose centifolia
magnolia

tobacco
Patchouli
tree moss

‘An effervescent burst of champagne rushes to action in a dazzling sparkle of hope in Checkmate. Succulent and seductive fruits and florals follow, drawing on their reserves of willpower. As you experience the bliss of surrender, an intoxicating blend of tobacco and bourbon emerge. The memory of the battle fades as the ground cradles you in potent and rugged notes of earth, moss, and patchouli.’ – Mind Games

Whereas Grand Master was my favorite upon first trying the Mind Game collection in store, Checkmate was a second pick. After testing them on skin, Checkmate has taken position as my favorite from the brand based on my impressions so far.

I’m a sucker for fresher, citrussy rose scents, and while there’s no citrus notes listed, Checkmate has a strong sense of the citronellol, high-pitched, watery lemon edge of my favorite type of rose (some of my wishlist Holy Grails being Henry Jacques Rose Snow & Krigler Manhattan Rose 44, both being in that style).

Here it’s not ‘just’ that style of rose, but overall a more common earthy, patchouli-heavy combination. For a rose-patch, it retains quite a lot of that brightness though,which makes it a stand out for me. I’d go as far as saying this is one of the better rose-patch scents I’ve come across and different enough from other stand-outs, like a Frederic Malle Portrait Of A Lady and Jazeel Ghala. According to Fragrantica users, this is mostly comparable to Portrait Of A Lady, but I strongly disagree. From my collection, it’s actually a lot closer to another Malle, Rose Tonnerre/Une Rose, but Checkmate is a tad greener and brighter.

Definitely on the green side, but the florals themselves feel vibrant; I do get the rich, softer, petals, as well as the earthy garden surrounding them. There is a good dose of sweetness that creeps in that this fragrance didn’t need in my opinion, but not to the point that it becomes a huge distraction. Still, I would’ve loved this fragrance more if it kept the sweetness out more.

As far as the ‘champagne’ effect; to my nose, Checkmate isn’t as sparkling & fizzy as some other ‘champagne roses’. It does feel watery and bright; it gives a bit of the sensation of a drink I guess, but not the full champagne experience. If Rose Tonnerre is a red wine, in the air Checkmate feels more like a rosé, light-wine to my nose, whereas up close, that citrus tinge is even more noticeable. In the drydown, a bit more of the spiced, warm ‘mulled wine’ vibe takes over.

In the late drydown it becomes a lot warmer and sweeter, but it retains some floral cues throughout. I’m not reminded of the tobacco note, but more so the cinnamon-clove spices that often accompany tobacco scents.

Given all the aforementioned rose fragrances that I already own, I’m not looking to spend Mind Games-money on adding Checkmate to my collection, but the scent is wishlist worthy for me.