Reviews by bugsyiii

Kalan by Parfums de Marly

This fragrance is FIRE.

So, I am not very familiar with the notes of Blood orange or Orange blossom, however the others yes.
Kalan is loud and boisterous and if you spray more than 2-3 sprays you will choke, I REPEAT you will suffocate. A little goes a longggggg way - I have a 2.5oz bottle and realize that this will last for a lifetime!

As many have noted, there is a sweet yet very woodsy greenish element that comes through right away. This fragrance is very stringent. Potent! Good! I get the dichotomy of woods versus sweets, as if they are playing a game of tug-of-war. Neither win but remain constant, firm, and grounded. I think Kalan is a nice fragrance, and yet a rather atypical offering from the PdM line (psss...If you try real hard, you will get some of the apple pie spice goodness as nuanced in other PdM fragrances).

Initially, Kalan can be a turn off because of its grand appearance. I must say, give it a moment to settle and you will not be disappointed. A fragrance that almost wants to go in the candied direction completely because of the combination of Blood Orange, Orange Blossom, Amber and Spices but stops and decides to turn around and go in the green direction. Perhaps, due to the mixture of Lavendar, White Sandalwood, Moss, and Woods…it's weird, but in a good way. Many compare this to MFKBR 540, however, I cannot add anything to that comparison as I have not tried that fragrance.

I can see how this could be unisex, however, in my opinion this is more for the masculine crowd. I really like it and more than likely it will be in the regular rotation. :o)

Projection: 9/10...others WILL notice;
Longevity: 9/10....remains on deck ALL day;
Silage: 8.5/10…..the degree to which others around you would notice is VERY high;
Performance: 9/10…PERFORMS extremely well on the skin;
Overall: 9/10

Black Vanilla by Mancera

Black Vanilla is a fragrance to acquire only if you like florals and vanilla. Perhaps more FLORALS than VANILLA, however the vanilla is there, but whose keeping tabs.

Once I sprayed this on my hand I realized a few things:

1) not masculine at all, more feminine in my opinion;
2) very floral and not dark as the name (black) insinuates;
3) potent, very POTENT;
4) smells like something I have smelt before...designer; perhaps, something I have smelt on a woman...

A sweet, floral bomb of a fragrance that lasts a long time on skin. The jasmine, rose, and violet comes through whereby the musk never rears its head, or at least the way in which I expected.

As the fragrance evolves, there is this powdery element that develops! Overall, I think not for me!

Métallique by Tom Ford

Man, I want this stuff!….I smelled this on October 15, ordered 3.4oz - 100ml on October 17, received shipment package on October 24.

First impression:

So, I smelled this for the first time yesterday at Von Maur's department store and I must say this is an exceptional fragrance!!

Tom Ford's Metallique has just the right amount of sweetness, just the right amount of sandalwood, just the right amount of musk, just the right amount of saffron, at least what I think is smells like saffron, and most of all just right amount of vanilla...perfecto! (Not a Mancera Rose Vanille or Aoud Vanille, nor a Atelier Vanille Insensee)

An amazing fragrance! Unisex, definitely! This is a sexy mutha - shut yo mouth, in my opinion! And as a man, I am going to rock the absolute snot out of this!

Performance: ?
Projection: ?
Silage:?
Longevity: ?
Overall: ?

Aventus for Her by Creed

From a sample, this is a very nice fragrance. RICH, potent, sharp or distinct, sweet and peppery, oud-ish, and floral are the descriptors that come to mind when taking in this fragrance.

[As my wife's sample came to a close, she didn't know that I had a full bottle purchased and on its way! I liked it that much, not to mention how it smelled on her...:o)]

The beginning opens with a piercing sweetness that is very nice, followed by a distinct floral smell that I think really defines the overall essence and drydown of this fragrance. There isn't anything in this fragrance that brings to mind the thought of Aventus for men. I believe this fragrance is in a category of its own. Although marketed for women, I am sure some men would find this very appealing however, I am not recommending men to go out and purchase. Just saying!

Use discretion when applying as this fragrance is very rich; I really like this on my wife.

Performance: 8.5/10
Projection: 9/10
Longevity: 8.5/10
Silage: 9/10
Overall: 9/10

Aventus Cologne by Creed

Aventus Cologne...finally received; sent for a sample from Creed Boutique and it finally arrived today.

First spray, this reminds me of a fragrance I had back in my high school days Acqua di Gio Giorgio Armani. Perhaps Acqua Di Gio with added oud.
The opening is very aquatic, fresh, citrusy, yet smoky all at the same time. As it dries down therein lies the original Aventus vibe, but a fresher citrusy feel.

Aventus Cologne is not as smoky and not as dark as the original. My wife's take on this is, that it is not as strong as the original nor is it as manly, but toned down and reserved.

Conclusion: A manly fragrance that is targeted for men; I like it, however not something I will rush out to purchase; My wife likes this more than the original Aventus, which I find interesting considering they are similar in style and genre.

Projection:6/10 (not a fragrance that will get you noticed)
Performance: 7/10
Longevity: 7/10
Silage: 7.5/10
Overall:7/10

Rouge Avignon by Phaedon

Rouge Avignon was a treat to behold and let go of.

When I blind bought this I assumed I would get a dark jammy, sweet, slightly smoky fragrance that would knock my socks off.

Well, it knocked my socks off but not in a good way. Rouge Avignon was toothache sweet, rosy, and chocolatery from the cacoa. Although there is raspberry listed in the note breakdown, I didn't detect any.
The amber that smelt like honey came out from hiding along with the musk that was very subtle and quiet. As the fragrance evolved, the vetiver emerges as did the ylang-ylang.

I'm not sure if I could bring myself to wear this as is was too feminine for my taste. The initial spray was a very sweetly rose that seemed to remain throughout, although other notes presented themselves. In terms of gender, simply feminine. (wear what you like, but for me...)

Not a fragrance that caused me to want to rush out and purchase. I wished there was some Agarwood or even some Sandalwood added to this to calm/tone the rose down slightly? Maybe adding Agarwood or Sandalwood would add depth and cast a darker edge to the composition.

In no way did this remind me of Tabac Rouge though they share a similar portion of name...

Projection: 7/10
Longevity: 7/10
Silage: 7.5/10
Performance: 7/10
Overall: 7/10

Casamorati 1888 Mefisto by Xerjoff

Just received Mefisto in the mail and I am quite impressed. I heard the buzz, the resemblance to Creed's Silver Mountain Water and now that I have it in hand, it does have a Silver Mountain Water vibe, yet nice.

Although I do have Silver Mountain Water, I don't regret purchasing Mefisto. Well, because I got an authentic 98.9% full, 30ml bottle for $65, yes $65. So, I am really please with this fragrance and the purchase.

At the start, I get a citrusy-grapefruit, aquatic, even fresh, slightly sweet, metallic smell with some watery elements in the mix. And quite nice I might add.

Right away my wife liked this one...she doesn't really have reactions to my fragrances, however with this one she immediately said, "O-K; I like that one-that might be my favorite!" She noticed the watery element and could attribute this to a fragrance I have already, namely Creed's Silver Mountain Water.

Projection:7/10
Performance:8/10
Silage:8/10
Longevity:8/10
Overall:8/10

Tabac Rouge / Turkish Blend by Phaedon

Honestly, Tabac Rouge was not what I expected. Since I do have Dzhari, I was looking for a stronger more potent, darker opening. I expected a raw tobacco-ish dark fragrance, with smoke. Instead, I got a lite floral (although not in the note breakdown), cinnamon gingerly, soft fragrance, yet a tinge of smoke, cinnamon, and spice. Surrounded by spice and vanilla, this is a nice fragrance however, again not what I expected.

Many review suggested this is like Herod by Parfums de Marly and others have connected this to Tom Ford's Tobacco Vanille. For me, this reminded me of Musc Ravageur by Frederic Malle. I cannot offer any resemblance to TV, but I can see Herod's slight vanilla flavor, but mostly a touch of that spicy vanilla, cinnamon flavor with some floral elements within the combination that I detected in Musc Ravageur. However, Musc Ravageur had a stronger floral opening that I couldn't get past which caused me to dislike.

Tabac Rouge is a little different in that is offers a slight difference in the spicy cinnamon dept. This fragrance is not too floral, not to spicy, not to dark or tobacco-y. The dry down is a sweet, vanilla, creamy fragrance that I think will be a hit. One that is unisex and not too over the top in terms of overall composition.

Carlisle by Parfums de Marly

When I let my wife smell this, she immediately recognized the similarity with other PdM fragrances, i.e. Herod and/or Layton;

So, I know I am echoing someone, however don't remember who...

Carlisle is a very nice, pleasant fragrance. This fragrance has the cinnamon Apple spice of Oajan, the (floral) Lavender Violet, Geranium, Cardamom vibe of Layton, the slight tobacco and vanilla feel of Herod, and the balsamic leather smoke of Nisean.

I love the opening, but I really love the dry down. It's as if Layton and Oajan had a kid and voila = Carlisle.

A phenomenal masculine fragrance that I absolutely love! IMHO, not sure if this would wear well on a female as I think it is too smoky (wear what you desire). To my nose, I give Carlisle a very high rating because it is done very well. Really, done extremely well!

(One spray)
Projection: 9/10
Longevity: 9/10
Performance: 9/10
Silage: 9/10
Overall: 9/10

Vetiver Citron Cologne Intense by Art of Shaving

Nice with a very modern woodsy take. I just purchased this as I saw it discounted for a really good price, considering I have Sandalwood and Lemon from the TAOS line, I really enjoy this one. I didn't get the old-fashion vibe as others mentioned.
What I do get is a strong vetiver cardamom mix with a woodsy, citrusy flare tucked underneath. Vetiver Citron is nice, with a promising stay.

(Reminds me of a stronger Prada Infusion Homme; Prada is lite and powdery with a soft laundry aroma that envelops. Vetiver Citron is woodsy and heavy, yet is has that laundry feel, however not like Prada...again, just what this reminds me of.)

Performance: 7/10
Longevity: 7.5/10
Silage: 8/10
Projection: 8/10
Overall: 8/10

Viking by Creed

Viking comes off as a very cologne-ish even as some have determined a barbershop-ish kind of fragrance. I mean this in the most respectful way as it relates to Creed and the high value many in the fragrance community place on their fragrances, for I too am one!

Up front it is VERY fresh with a slight sweetness, VERY zesty [Lemon] (Irish Spring kind of a zest) with an aquatic oceanic vibe. There is some floral elements [Rose] with a musky undertone. Most distinctly, is this minty green [Peppermint/Vetiver] feel, yet spicy (Pink pepper, Sandalwood, and Patchouli) aura that the fragrance projects.

In the end as it dries down, you are left with an average, fresh marine-like fragrance that I can see getting a few compliments.

Performance: 7/10
Projection: 6.5/10 (big opening for the 1st 3 hours, later becomes skin scent)
Longevity: 6.5/10 (...4 hours tops)
Silage: 7/10
Overall: 7/10

P.S. Viking is not IMO necessarily unique, nice but unoriginal in that it feels mainstream to me; regular, hum-ho...doesn't mean I won't accept it as gift or anything.

If I find this at a great deal I can maybe see myself with a bottle, however it is not one that I will be rushing out to your nearest Niche boutique to purchase.

[Found a new 1.7oz bottle for a really good deal. Also, after a good wearing I feel like Viking reminds me of the original Tom Ford's Pour Homme for men-that lemon citrusy fresh aroma, borders that same essence. Perhaps, Viking brings with it a minty element that is not found in Tom Ford's]

Cheers.

Percival by Parfums de Marly

Just purchased Parfums de Marly Percival and I must say, I would agree with many who have categorized that as a fragrance that smells very designer, not so much 'niche.' I am not sure if this smells like AF fierce or Mont Blanc Legend, I would say that this reminds me of Creed's Viking (even sharing a few notes in the note breakdown). I am not saying that they are identical, perhaps just falling into the same genre-family.

Percival is a fresh, zesty light, slightly sweet, woodsy, menthol-ish even aquatic fragrance. With some lavender and rose to mix things up, the musk and amberwood give it that masculine edge.

Overall, I think Percival is a nice fragrance to have, however not something to rush out and purchase.

Projection: 6.5/10
Silage: 7.5/10
Longevity: 7/10
Performance: 7/10

Overall: 7/10; PdM Percival-a nice fragrance, however nothing to call home about. I could get whiffs of this only when I would put my wrist to my nose, the scent bubble was not that great if any, and the performance was average IMHO.

Casamorati 1888 Dolce Amalfi by Xerjoff

What an amazing fragrance by Xerjoff!

Fruity with a woodsy bite; just received as a blind buy and I am thoroughly impressed. Dolce Amalfi is creamy, slightly sweet with a citusy feel but as it dry downs you get this woodsy sensation that really comes alive on the your skin.

Hindu Kush by Mancera

Hindu Kush has a strong oriental woodsy (perhaps, the cannabis) fragrance with a slightly sweet bent! I get the spices, labdanum, incense, the strong patchouli leaf, mixed with some amber, vanilla, and musk that is very detectable. A good frag head (Hednic-basenotes) shared some insight, ultimately helping with the acquisition of this which really helped.

Hindu Kush is very strong,...POTENT is the correct word; you do not need much of this, as with this brand-some you only need a spray and a half and you are set on projection, longevity, silage, and performance. This is no different; you could get by with only two sprays maybe 2 & 1/2 and you are GOOD FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK....lol!! If you go more than that you will need an EMS because you will choke...and those around you will pass out.

Overall: a WONDERFUL fragrance!

(I have the 120ml bottle, so this will be around forever because one spray will do the trick...)

Royal Princess Oud by Creed

Upon first sniff you get a dark, yet spicy floral opening. With the spice mix, oud is very present but not dominate. Together with the florals, these really propel this fragrance onward with a nice spice laden floral bomb.

Ladies, this is a nice fragrance to have in rotation.

Absinth by Nasomatto

Absinth has a nice sweet/woody essence that reminds me of Amouage Sunshine Man in that there is this sweetly, sharp green contrast with the woodsy background. I am not sure of the note breakdown, but there seems to be some incense, woods, semi-sweets, bitter pines, and some smokiness all wrapped into this fragrance.

As the dry down emerges, the fragrance settles into a nice woodsy sweet, yet slightly smoky fragrance that I think is very nice!

XJ 1861 Zefiro by Xerjoff

A nice (woody) cedar, citrusy sweet concoction combined with an incensy, spicy cinnamon feel. In the end, amber and honey rounds this off perfectly giving you a nice woody slightly sweet ambery fragrance with a tobacco type feel. Very reminiscent of Creed's Royal Oud.(...if you have one, you might not need the other as they are very similar)

Very nice!!!

Duro by Nasomatto

I give this 2 thumbs up!!!

What a wonderful woody concoction! An airy, leather, tobacco-smoky, yet slightly sweet fragrance.

Three fragrances come to mind: The spicy berriness in Jubilation XXV; the smokiness of PdM's Nisean, and the Incensy feel of Amouage Epic Man. Now, not to confuse anyone. These fragrances only put me in a certain genre or category, if you will, as you think through the aroma and essence of this fragrance.

Duro is a very nice fragrance! Very pleased.

Amyris Homme by Maison Francis Kurkdjian

If I could give this fragrance 2 thumbs up I would!!

Many have expressed that this is linear, nothing special, generic, even designer resembling, although for some this may be true. For me none of the above entered my thought process. I have never been a fan of Le Male, so I don't get that similarity there either.

I do get a citrusy, slightly musky, sweet fragrance;
Very much so, I get a coconut sweetness, even Iris which gives this a floral (semi-musky) feel; the combination of Tonka bean and Oud really gives Amyris a platform and foundation. This is a very calm/nice masculine fragrance in my opinion.

Looking to experience all that Amyris Homme has to offer in the coming days and I can't wait!!!

Opus VI by Amouage

Unfortunately, I have to go against the grain here: Opus VI was strong and overbearing. The sweetly animalic note was super over the top. Opus VI has so much going on that it is hard to enjoy, IMHO!!

Don't get me wrong I think it has some great qualities that makes this stand out among its counterparts, however I couldn't get past the incensey, almost [sweetly] BO smell that enveloped as the fragrance evolved.

Two fragrances Amouage Opus VI reminds me of: L'Artisan Timbuktu and also, Jubilation XXV. The difference is all have an animalic nuance, however Timbuktu's sweetly nuance is toned down a bit and Jubilation XXV's nuance comes through in the blackberry note. Both of the latter, IMHO, have down the sweet incensey thing a little better than Opus VI.

Performance: 8.5/10
Projection: 9/10
Longevity: 9/10
Silage: 8.5/10
Overall: 8 or 9 out of 10 (for pure fragrance)

(Although not a fan of this, still wanted to give an honest rating for those who do enjoy this...)

Bracken Man by Amouage

So I received Bracken Man from a swap and this is what I think:

Bracken is just that....fern, green, fern, and more green! I think someone else might have mentioned this already, this is Sunshine Man minus the sweetness and vanilla.

I'm a fan of Sunshine Man, in fact I think it is a lovely wonderful fragrance however, I'm not sure what Amouage was aiming for here.
Maybe to bring back the mature style of fragrance with a twist, don't know! But what I get is a dry soapy woodsy but lemony, citrusy fragrance that is lite yet pungent (and that's with one spray...image more). As the fragrance dries down, it remains linear and somewhat sharp.

In the dry down, it remains a green scent with a barbershop feel in the end. I am more into oriental fragrances with a hint of sweetness, therefore this is not really my cup of tea. (This is not like the green in Original Vetiver, however more along the lines of Creed's Bois du Portugal even Polo [green 90's ] bottle...a toned down Polo-and more modern Creed's Bois du Portugal.) If you like those, you will be a fan of this!

The wife's first thought, "smells like something my grandmother use to wear." Not sure if Amouage was going for that, however maybe this is hinting at the mature essence of the scent. As the fragrance continues to macerate, she gives it another smell and says, "its meh." Well, there you have it!

Overall, a nice fragrance for what it is; artistic, linear and green. Not something I think I will keep, however for the right person who is into green fragrances, this will be a gem!

Performance: 7/10
Longevity: 8.5/10
Silage: 8.5/10
Projection: 8/10
Overall: 8/10

Asian Green Tea by Creed

Purchased this for my wife as she really liked it when I purchased before for myself. I, too, thought it was slightly more feminine than masculine.. Reminds me of Acqua Fiorentina but lite...this fragrance, Acqua Fiorentina, and Jardin d'Amalfi all share a lot of the same notes. Opens with a pear-like, green apple feel with the green tea accompaniment.

Oro 1920 by Bois 1920

So, after getting this for such a great deal-I think this is outstanding juice!!

Bois Oro is slightly reminiscent of Godolphin, however less explosive IMO.
Leather, woods, tobacco, even the hint of raspberry sitting in the foreground....Oro has a dark impression, yet rosy.

I have not smelled Tuscan Leather so I can't give any comparison there...I can say that this does put me in the genre of Oud Saphir-Atelier or Godolphin-Parfums de Marly because of the raspberry/tobacco leather combination.
Oro is its own fragrance just places you in the category of the aforementioned!

Overall, a fragrance that I find very nice and with more time, in substantial rotation!

Red Tobacco by Mancera

Wow, what glee!!

Red Tobacco, I have been waiting for this for some time now.
First spray, I get spicy cinnamon, but also spicy sharp fruity opening; (perhaps a somewhat similar opening to that of Aoud Blue Notes with the fruits, yet different...) as it dries down the Oud comes through quite nicely, however not over-powering.

Red Tobacco has a great balance of Oud, spices, Fruits along with the Vanilla and Jasmine. The Tobacco, Sandalwood, and Patchouli really gives this fragrance its uniqueness and blended balance.

There is nothing like this out there that I can think of that is like this.
However, to give you a point of reference think, Aoud Vanille vanilla sweetness coupled with Aoud Blue Notes' fruity oud sharpness with a touch of Aoud Lemon Mint spiciness. This may give you a taste of what Red Tobacco is like, however more.

As with all Mancera fragrances, you want to be very careful with the trigger as this is very POTENT! Again, great smell, but POTENT; if you're not careful this fragrance has the potential of being cloying!!

Glad I have a bottle!!

Performance: 9/10
Projection: 9/10
Longevity: 10/10
Silage: 8.5/10
Overall: 9/10

Sunshine Man by Amouage

So, this is a very different arrangement of sweet vanilla and limey green(s)/spices (not forest green)...not sure if I have ever come across something like Sunshine Man. It is as if someone mixed Reflection Man's sweetly florals with Beloved Man's spiciness and Interlude's spicy Oregano and voila, out comes Sunshine Man!!

Initial spray; Orange and Bergamot, yes faint Lavender, a liqueur vibe and the booziness it provides along with Juniper berries. The Cedar(wood) begins to emerges slowly as the sharp green(s) [almost piney] settles, with some camouflaged sweetness that accompanies that I think comes from the Brandy (liqueur). In addition to the aforementioned, I also get an ENORMOUS dose of vanilla but with an herbal bent that is front and center as the fragrance settles.

So the bottle's design suggests hot, sunny, bright, beach, fun...although I get a sunny vibe, there is this coolness that I conjure; a coolness that suggests frost, being able to see the air coming out of my mouth while standing outside in the snow! (I am not sure why this image comes to mind but it works-maybe because I live in the Midwest and it is cold).

After about 15 minutes or so, I am beginning to get less sharpness however, more of a bubblegum candish-like aroma..
(...so the green vibe begins to take a back seat and the sweet, spicy, woodiness starts to emerge.)
This fragrance is starting to make a statement: Sunshine Man is starting to shine! This fragrance is edgy, brash, but also evocative and pronounced!

After about 30 minutes....after the top notes have produced and Sunshine Man has reached the fragrances' mids, I believe you are left with a NICE spice laden, spicy floral composition with some woodsy tones that is less pungent than its start however, more sweetly vanillic in the end.

I think Sunshine will take me a few wears to decide what I concretely think of it. However, this offering is very different than what this brand {Amouage} normally presents...a few superlatives: Creative, evocative, unique, edgy, and conspicuous, just to suggest a few! Someone mentioned that this fragrance is one that is an acquired taste...I second that.

As for gender, some have mentioned this to be too sweet therefore feminine. In my honest opinion, this fragrance is definitely masculine all the way! Not sure if I could see a female pulling this off. Season, I can see this shining in the colder months, summer maybe...we'll just have to wait and see! This is (IMHO) a special occasion kind of a fragrance; not your typical signature scent!

Performance: 8/10

Longevity: 9/10

Silage: 10/10 ***If you over spray, you run the risk of overdose for oneself and others. ***This fragrance carries with it a HUGE scent cloud!

Projection: 10/10 (3 sprays carries ENORMOUS projection!

Overall: 9/10

Lonesome Rider by Tauer

Just received Lonesome Rider and it is very nice! A spicy somewhat boozy gourmand fragrance with a sweetly dark feel; I don't detect just sweets nor is this just dark, however the combination; Lonesome Rider has this woodsy yet soft edge about it that's almost powdery. Perhaps from the Incense and Sandalwood combination.

(There is a rubbery aspect that I detect initially hidden underneath it all but it is not off-putting, however just an observation worth noting...this is probably due to the leather, vetiver, and pepper)

This comes in 1.7oz and you don't need must of this to project or to leave a scent trail (silage) to be noticed.

(This fragrance puts you in the mindset/genre of Phaedon Dzhari, gourmand, sweetly dark, spicy, etc.)
A great scent!

Projection: 8
Longevity: 8.5
Silage: 8.5
Performance: 8.5
Overall: 8

Nisean by Parfums de Marly

Nisean: A great one to have in your wardrobe!!

What a nice take on sweet woods, saffron, and dry patchouli! I have defined this fragrance in the following:

Balsamic: Very balsamic.
Dry: Yep, dry!
Warm: Extremely warm.
Sharp: Slightly sharp, but nice.
Woodsy: Very much so woodsy....
Sweet: Absolutely sweet!
Saffronic: Yes, a nice saffron!
Incensey: Incense for sure!
Spicy: Definitely spicy!
Leathery: Leathery, indeed!
Bombastic: Bombastic, this fragrance is enormously thick and bombastically big and I likey likey!

(Nisean is dryer than Molton Brown's Rogart, yet sweeter than Creed's Royal Oud-these come to mind as I take in Nisean PdM!)

Performance: 9
Longevity: 9
Silage: 9
Overall: 9

Oajan by Parfums de Marly

Just received my Oajan in the mail, and I must say I am amazed! An excellent excellent fragrance!

After the first spray, I detect a boozy, cherry tobacco, sweet, gourmand, slightly vanilla, with a small hint of cinnamon in this. Oajan sits right in the middle of Herod and Habdan; a gentle yet alluring fragrance. Habdan has a cherry/smoky tobacco vibe and Herod has a sugar tobacco vibe; Oajan has a cherry tobacco vibe that is less sweet and less smoky as opposed to Habdan. The cherry chapstick vibe I get is likened to Speakeasy of Frapin and not bad, just something I observed as the scent developed. This fragrance is phenomenal!!

Along with the Honey, the Tonka Bean, Ambergris, and Artemisia show up quite nicely. The Patchouli, Musk, Labdanum, Benzion, and Osmanthus are however very faint in that they aren't so heavy that they take center stage or overpower the aforementioned notes.

Overall, manly goodness-a VERY nice fragrance from Parfums de Marly!!

Shagya by Parfums de Marly

Shagya is a very linear fragrance; Agarwood Oud, Guaiac wood, some Patchouli, Musk, and Bergamot. Listed additionally, are Cedar, Geranium, Lime, Pink Pepper, and Papyrus.

Upon first sniff, this reminded me of Parfums de Marly's Kuhuyan from the soft oud cedar combination. I also get a slight oily reminder of Mancera's Kumkat Wood, less the sweetness though.

Shagya gets to Kuhuyan's dry down much faster. Kuhuyan's beginning is puzzling and weird but the dry down is very nice. The down side is that is takes too long to get to that dry down in Kuhhyan.

Shagya, a nice, soft, woodsy, faintly sweet, with a hint of musk type of fragrance. Not overbearing, sharp, etc. but very mellow.
IMO unisex, not distinctly masculine yet very pleasant...

Diamondflame: While I'm not bowled over, I must confess I do like it." My sentiments exactly!!

{This is so soft it is hard to determine if you are wearing any fragrance at all.}

Overall a great offering!

Musc Ravageur by Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle

********REPOST********

I must apologize for my (maybe) misleading take on this:

My expectation was a bit different upon first trying this and I am not sure if I was ready even prepared for what I initially received. Within this fragrance, one has to allow to macerate. Give this a bit of time, if judged on the onset, you will be surely disappointed, however if you allow some time I believe you will appreciate what this fragrance has to offer. I believe I might have express dislike prematurely without allowing Musc Ravegeur to develop on my skin with time and patience.

After going back to this, giving Musc Ravegeur a full wearing my thoughts have changed slightly;

Musc Ravegeur is a nice gourmand spicy, ambery fragrance. Maybe I didn't give this enough a of a chance in my first initial wearing, however.
Soft, animalic with some vanilla creaminess...not woodsy but floral with a touch of sweetness. Not sure if I would rush out to get a bottle, however I can say the pendulum has swung!!

In my previous review my sentiments somewhat remain, however modified. I still get the rough stringent (urinal) aroma up front, however with many fragrances sometimes that is detected in the initial spray. That stringent blast does not remain very long. Overall, a nice fragrance!

************Initial Review:*************

[So I maybe the only one who thinks this fragrance smells.......Um, um (what's the correct word here I am looking for) stinky?!?! I've read that for some this reminded them of urine in the initial spray.....BULLSEYE!!!
I thought it was just me thinking this. Don't get me wrong, Frederic Malle has some great fragrances, however in my humble opinion Musc Ravageur is not get the rave reviews I suspected!

I had never smelled Musc Ravegeur before but have heard so many raves about it! I am not sure what to think; vanilla, spices [cinnamon], and woods [cedar]. Right away I get those notes followed by some lavender and bergamot. However when these are mixed together...el nopie nope!

In the end, all that is left is vanilla and spice, perhaps more vanilla than spice! To me this smells dated, almost like something a grandfather would wear. Gourmand yet, slightly dark and ambery-ish is what comes to mind!
Glad I only have a small sample; equally glad to have given this a try;]