Yves Saint Laurent Kouros

Yves Saint Laurent Kouros is sold out right now; the last price was ৳387 for 3 ml. Join the restock list on this page. We do not sell full bottles; a decant lets you wear it for weeks before buying one.

A bold, animalic classic. Aldehydes, coriander, clary sage and artemisia open it sharp and clean, a heart of patchouli, carnation, florals and spice builds it up, and a base of civet, musk, leather, honey, oakmoss and amber gives it that famous skin-like warmth. So it reads as clean and dirty at once rather than sweet or fresh. It launched in 1981, composed by Pierre Bourdon.

Heavily. Vintage bottles used real then synthetic civet, while the current version has had the civet-type materials removed and the oakmoss reduced, so modern Kouros reads lighter and more synthetic than the vintage powerhouse. If the full animalic experience is the goal, vintage is what people chase; check the batch on what you buy.

That comes from the honey, civet and skanky floral notes, which together give a sharp, bodily quality that some read as clean skin and others as outright dirty. It is one of the most polarising scents ever made, which is exactly why it has such a devoted following.