78 community ratings

Madras Cardamom

2019MenClassic

8.0/ 10

Community score
78 ratings

Ermenegildo Zegna Madras Cardamom is a fresh, spicy men's fragrance built around cardamom and Brazilian coffee; it has been discontinued.

Compare

Skunky's take: A card-carrying member of the fresh club.

How does it perform?

From 76 community ratings, all out of 10.

Longevity

7.6 /10

Holds up through the day and fades gently toward evening.

Sillage

6.8 /10

Leaves a light trail and stays polite in a crowd.

Bottle

8.0 /10

Sits nicely on a shelf.

Value for money

6.4 /10

The price makes you think, so a small size is a smart start.

Blind buy risk

Low risk

90% of votes are positive and opinions barely differ.

Notes

They open one after another, from the first spray into the evening.

Top notesfirst 15 minutes

Brazilian coffee

Cardamom Virginia cedar

Citrus fruits absolute

Ambrox Pink pepper Vanilla Bergamot Vetiver

Accords

From most dominant to most subtle.

Fresh
Citrus
Green
Synthetic
Gourmand
Spicy
Woody
Oriental

What does Madras Cardamom smell like?

Its longevity is rated good and its sillage moderate. Most voters pick autumn and winter, though spring is not far behind. It leans towards evening, leisure and nights out, and most voters read it as masculine.

Cardamom and pink pepper form a spicy backbone, while Brazilian coffee and vanilla add a gourmand warmth. Bergamot and citrus fruits absolute keep it fresh and slightly green, and Virginia cedar, vetiver and Ambrox give it a woody, earthy base. Lalique Hommage à l'Homme Voyageur and Roberto Ugolini Oxford have a close profile.