WIENER SCHURKEN
STRAWANZA

Black Pepper
Clove
Menthol

Patchouli
Cedarwood
cashmeran

Oud
Musk
Labdanum
Tonka Bean

Strawanza is a masculine woody and spicy scent that was sent to me by the Austrian brand Wiener Schurken, and it’s a nice one.

Strawanza opens a bit harsh, due to the alcohol and the spices, but what struck me immediately is that the woody accord in this is very nice. It’s on the darker and greener side, so it takes me to a pine forest, but it’s balanced by a fresher and brighter scent from the clove and menthol.

The combination puts it in the Christmas-scent direction for me, especially when it starts to get sweeter. That sweetness in Strawanza really makes the fragrance for me. There’s patchouli and tonka, but to my nose it’s quite a strong cinnamon-like scent for most of the wear, but a touch greener. The original darker woodiness, makes way for a cedar base, so it smells a bit cleaner, sharper and I guess more modern. All the while the fresher tinge remains, reminding me a bit of shaving cream.

One of the reasons eau de colognes have not been featured on my page a lot, is the longevity. When your collection grows, the need to reach for a shorter lived fragrance isn’t always obvious. Now the longevity on this is surprisingly good and besides, there are situations where you don’t need all day performance, especially in the early morning or before bedtime, which is why Strawanza works well as an aftershave as well.