New Perfume Review Imaginary Authors Telegrama- Modern Clubman

When I was a young boy my hair was styled into a crew cut. I never remember dreading my trips to the barber. When the day would come around for my father and I to head out I enjoyed the entire experience. This was another place where the smell appealed to me. One of the reasons I enjoy lavender perfumes as much as I do is probably because I associate it with these walks to get my hair cut. There was also another scent in the air on those days, the talcum powder used to brush off my neck and face to remove the stray hairs. To this day when my barber brushes me off with the talc infused brush it is a sensory end to the monthly ritual. When there are perfumes which assay the barbershop, they too often leave that talc part of the experience out. Imaginary Authors Telegrama puts it back in.

Josh Meyer

The talc I have most smelled throughout my life is the one from Clubman. It is a sturdy scented powder ideal for a place frequented by men. Josh Meyer the independent perfumer behind Imaginary Authors wanted to create a version of talc in Telegrama which was inspired by those vintage aftershaves. What makes Telegama so interesting is when talc is used in other fragrances it has a delicacy to it. It is used as a gauzy veil. The one Mr. Meyer uses wears flannel and perhaps chops down trees. At the very least it stands with arms crossed across its chest with confidence. This is no filmy powder, man. What comes after is the creation of a modern barbershop with flat screen tvs and comfortable leather barber chairs surrounded by polished wood paneling.

Telegrama opens with the classic duet of talc and lavender. The talc has such an early presence it pushes the lavender to the background for a few minutes. The lavender finds a balance soon after. A clever filament of black pepper gives a sense of the heat of the electric razors humming. The polished woods are represented by teak and amyris. The slightly lemony quality of amyris makes me think they use citrus scented wood polish. As I settle back in the chair a fresh apron is snapped over my head as I am surrounded by a set of linen musks.

Telegrama has 10-12 hour longevity and average sillage.

Mr. Meyer has created a modern version of that old Clubman Talc. It is another example of how the imagination of the best independent perfumers take something ubiquitously mundane and turn it into something completely engaging.

Disclosure: This review is based on a sample provided by Imaginary Authors.

–Mark Behnke