Nasomatto Pardon is one of the quieter releases from Alessandro Gualtieri’s eccentric Italian house, launched in 2011 as a 30 ml extrait de parfum. Where Black Afgano shouts, Pardon persuades. It is built around dark chocolate, oud, and woods, yet it wears with more restraint than almost anything else in the lineup. That restraint is exactly what divides opinion about it.
What Does Nasomatto Pardon Smell Like?
The opening is subtle. A soft magnolia and general floral note lifts off the skin first, faintly powdery and easy to miss if you expect a chocolate bomb on contact. Within fifteen minutes the real structure arrives: a dry, slightly camphoraceous oud paired with a pronounced earthy patchouli facet. Patchouli never appears on the official pyramid, but it is one of the most consistently reported impressions among wearers, and many describe the heart as a chocolaty patchouli rather than a true gourmand.
The middle brings unsweetened dark chocolate, warm cinnamon, and a modest tonka sweetness that keeps the composition from turning bitter. By the drydown it settles into a powdery cocoa resting on creamy sandalwood, with the oud polished down to a background shadow. The overall effect is closer to shaved dark chocolate over fine wood than dessert. Many comparisons point to vintage masculine patchouli fragrances from the seventies, which tells you the demographic this targets: mature, composed, quietly elegant.
Performance
Longevity lands between 6 and 10 hours on skin for most people, with several reporting well past that on clothing. As an extrait, a little goes far, though a minority of wearers find it weaker than expected on their skin. Projection is the honest limitation here. The first hour carries a solid arm-length sillage, then it contracts into a close, radiating presence you notice when you move. This is a lean-in scent, not a room filler, and buyers chasing Black Afgano-style projection are regularly disappointed. If you want something loud for club nights, look elsewhere.
Best Clone Or Alternative
Alexandria Fragrances No Apologies is the best-known affordable take, and Alexandria openly states it was created in homage to Pardon. Its listed notes, magnolia through flowers, cinnamon, dark chocolate, tonka bean, oud, and sandalwood, mirror the original’s pyramid, and customer feedback repeatedly describes it as strikingly close, with dry cocoa and oud dominating both. At $44.99 for 30 ml against roughly €130 at the Nasomatto store, it costs about a third as much.
What the original still does better is refinement. Pardon’s transitions are smoother, its floral top is more delicate, and its base feels more blended where No Apologies can read slightly coarser and occasionally louder. Expect around 85 percent similarity. For anyone unsure whether the chocolate-oud-patchouli style suits them, No Apologies is a sensible low-risk test before committing to niche prices.
When To Wear It
Pardon belongs to cooler weather. Fall and winter are its natural habitat, with mild spring evenings also workable once temperatures drop. It suits evening wear, date nights, and special occasions best, though its moderate projection makes it office-safe in winter if applied lightly. In summer heat the chocolate and patchouli can turn heavy and cloying, so keep it parked until the air cools.
Who Should Buy It
Buy it if you love dark, woody scents with a gourmand edge that never tips into sweetness, and if you value subtlety over compliments from across the room. It fits wearers who enjoy mature compositions in the vein of classic patchouli masculines, and collectors who already know Gualtieri’s work will find it his most civilized creation.
Who Should Skip It
Skip it if patchouli bores you, if powdery florals put you off, or if you want a sweet, youthful crowd-pleaser. Some wearers find the vibe dated or grandfatherly, so sample before buying blind. The 30 ml bottle at a premium price is also a fair objection for value hunters, who should start with the Alexandria instead.
Final Verdict
Pardon is a controlled, sophisticated chocolate-oud that rewards patient wearing rather than demanding attention. Its moderate projection and divisive maturity keep it from masterpiece status for everyone, but for the right wearer nothing else in this style blends so smoothly. Try No Apologies first; upgrade to the original if the style clicks.