Tango is a spicy amber perfume from Masque Milano. Tango was created by Cécile Zarokian, and released in 2013.

The fragrance is described as “A mid-summer night. The bower in full bloom, large wooden tables, a liquor. And music.”

Argentinean Tango

Tango is a dance that arose in the 1880s from the immigrant culture in Argentina and Uruguay. It was a fusion of African and European dance styles that became popular in the brothels of Buenos Aires. The steps were aggressively sexual, often portraying the relationship between a prostitute and a pimp, set to music characterized by somber sensuality and despair. Tango music is traditionally accompanied by a German instrument called a bandoneon, a type of concertina resembling an accordion.

Tango was considered vulgar by Argentinean elites. Then it spread to Europe in the early 1900’s and became all the rage. Tango became popular in Paris, then London and Beriln, and made its way to New York City. European dancers simplified and (only slightly) de-sexualized the steps, and also added a fancy style of dress, including evening gowns and patent leather shoes. The music became faster and more lively.

With tango becoming mainstream in Europe and North America, the upper classes of Argentina came to embrace it as a part of their cultural heritage. Tango reached its peak popularity in the 1940’s, during the Presidency of Juan Péron, when tango was considered a source of national pride. Today, although there are many different styles of tango and it is danced all over the world, it is considered emblematic of Argentinean culture and lifestyle.

Fragrance Review

Tango by Masque Milano opens with a big hit of dark, oaky rum, licked with honey. It has a chai-like spiciness, and a burnt sugar sweetness. When I think of Argentinean drinks, I always think of Malbec, or a Fernet & Coke, but Ron Miel seems like a very fitting drink for a sultry dance like the tango. The first time I wore Tango, I sprayed it on lightly, and didn’t get a lot of this honeyed rum scent. For the second wearing I applied it to a more concentrated area and was rewarded with this sumptuous Ron Miel flavor that lingered for the first hour (and made me want to taste my own arm). I now know that this is a fragrance best applied with no inhibition.

As the rum and honey scent begins to subside, toasted spices take over. Sharp cardamom and black pepper dance on the surface, along with warm cumin and cinnamon. Some musky, indolic jasmine wafts through, along with a dark, plummy rose. The spice and jasmine effect reminds me of warm skin. This warm skin is anchored by a base of melilot, which smells like sweet hay and tonka. In the fragrant dance of Tango, this is the cresccendo. It is oozing with sensuality. Sharp spices and smooth florals, the push and draw sounds of the bandoneon, bodies moving toward and away from each other in long, fluid strides.

A few hours into wearing Tango, the dance draws done to a velvety base of resins and musk. In particular, I smell the chocolate-like aroma of Styrax benzoin, which mingles with a cinnamon-amber and tonka. It’s a lovely effect, like the lingering, sweet memory of a tempestuous night, dancing the tango with a mysterious and beautiful stranger.

Manufacturer’s listed notes are bergamot, black pepper, cardamom, Sambac jasmine absolute, Damascena rose oil, cumin, patchouli, vanilla bean, tonka bean, melilot absolute, amber accord, leather accord, benzoin, and muscs.

Longevity on me was about 8 hours, and sillage was moderate-large. Tango’s boozy spiciness with smooth tonka and resins will appeal to both men and women. I especially appreciated its distinct and interesting phases. The constant tension between sweet and spicy, masculine and feminine, was much like an olfactory dance duet.

Tango by Cécile Zarokian for Masque Milano is available in EdP concentration. For more information, visit www.masquemilano.com