MARC-ANTOINE BARROIS
GANYMEDE
2019
PERFUMER
Quentin Bisch
mandarin
Mineral notes
Violet
Suede
Immortelle
Saffron
Akigalawood
Osmanthus
Somehow Quentin Bisch pulled of the feat of creating something that is simultaneously unique and versatile. I haven’t smelled anything that resembles Ganymede prior (it’s been copied many times since), yet it’s a fragrance that I can wear in all seasons and on all occasions, from the office to a date (it’s been one of the bigger compliment-getters to my surprise). Long story short; Ganymede may be the best release of its decade in my opinion; a true masterpiece.
yet, it’s a divisive fragrance in the community, even though it seems more crowd pleasing than its style would lead one to expect. To take it one step further, I was surprised to even like it myself; the mineral notes and especially the immortelle made this far from a safe blind-buy, but I was blown away from the first sniff. My best blind-buy ever.
It’s hard to pinpoint its scent as it’s abstract. To my nose it’s mostly a spicy mineral scent, with a lot of immortelle at its core. There’s traces of an almost gasoline and metallic like salt-water scent in the opening and the curry-esque immortelle comes through heavily. In my initial impression I jokingly referred to it as a ‘taco dipped in a salt water river’ and I stand by that. I mainly picture the salty rock pebbles on the river bed in high heat, with flowers nearly melting on the sidewalk.
As it dries the suede element comes through, but if you’re looking for a more conventional leather style, Marc-Antoine’s B683 counterpart will fit the bill more.
It’s often compared to Bisch’s other work, Essential Parfums Bois Imperial, but I think the similarities are exaggerated. If anything I get small hints of Amouage Reflection Man and Dior Fahrenheit in Ganymede, but with added immortelle and in a more modern and abstract fashion. It’s significantly more complex, more mineral and spicier than Bois Imperial.
After having had Ganymede in my collection for some years now, I can safely say it’s in my top 10 and objectively I would consider this one of the contemporary masterpieces that will likely stand the test of time as one of the best, if not the best, niche release of the 2010’s. Anno 2024, it’s impact can be felt, as more and more fragrances are copying its DNA, for example Gritti Super Nova & New Notes Akigala Mandarino. Bravo!
Sidenote: Marc-Antoine Barrois released Ganymede Extrait in 2023; a spicier on the Ganymede DNA, which I wasn’t the biggest fan of. Read more of a comparison between the two in my review of the Extrait.
