Fragrance Reviews by jrd4t

Pure Gold is gorgeous. If you're familiar with Chanel's Coromandel and enjoy it, you'll love this. It has a number of new elements, including some berry notes and other juicy aspects. After the first 20 or so minutes, it transforms and becomes a wonderful experience of patchouli and vanilla. I'll be buying this shiny one this week!

I often put a bit of a fragrance on the back of my hand to sniff during the day at work and sample. Today, I decided to grab a random Bond out of my desk drawer at home – I grabbed Astor Place and thought I’d give it some more attention since I’d only briefly smelled it in the store up til now.

When I first put it on, I got a pleasant, but not exceptional plummy fruit note. It seemed nice enough and I thought perhaps it could be something the GF would like when she wanted something light or girly. By the time I had gotten to work, it had fallen flat. I’m not sure exactly what the culprit is, but it’s turned into the smell of shampoo. I lived with a number of girls one year in college, and this is the smell of their just-washed hair while getting ready to go out for the night. I think the freesia may be to blame, but I can’t be certain. What I get now is nothing more than wet Pantene hair. Every now and then, I get a pop of citrus, likely the mandarin sticking its head out for a breath of air.

I wrote most of this earlier and then headed to a meeting. Astor Place did evolve some, but not much. There were a few minutes that I felt like it was going to turn into something better, more tart – but then it settled back into a shampooed head. The juicy mandarin is smothered with the hammering freesia and white florals.

I’m left pretty disappointed for the most part. It’s a pity – the bottle is quite a sight, and the real location seems to be very cool. Perhaps that intersection has a lot of recently washed heads of hair.

This was just awful. It has some sort of accord in it that almost triggers the gag reflex, not unlike Secretions Magnifique. I think it's an iodine note that you get hit with in the back of your throat. If this is a beach, it's definitely not one I want to be visiting.
Unfortunately, it's also quite tenacious. Just a few swipes from the sample vial and I was wafting it everywhere. I seldom encounter "scrubbers," but I did actually have to scrub this off as best I could. It's just not good.

I can't really say much about this because it left me pretty unaffected and indifferent. I guess "it is what it is," but unfortunately, that wasn't much to get excited about. I wore it today and it certainly didn't smell bad, but there was nothing about it to warrant anything but a lackadaisical neutral rating. It's a pleasant skinscent, but there are many better ones out there.

I have a hard time describing this, but I love it. When I first smelled it, I thought "old paper" in a good way, but there's so much more. The people before me have described it much better than I can, but count me as a fan nonetheless!

I love this - It's one of my favorites of the genre. While it could stand to be stronger, I have plenty of other scents that are stronger in the same variety and it's really nice to have something that can fit into the category of smelling wonderful but not playing first chair. I've gotten really wonderful comments about this as well as it seems to create an aura of multi-faceted scent, rather than immediately tipping people off of "oh, it's just that guy's perfume." It's blended really wonderfully and is incredibly inviting.
This is currently the only thing I have multiple bottles of.

This is my favorite of the Prive edp line. This is a unique take on amber and not at all overpowering or overly intense. It's creamy and warm and really addicting. Very nicely done on this one.

No good. It's tinny and synthetic to me. Clearly many people like it, but I really can't find the love for it. It's just thin, generic stuff to me.

Oh I love this. It really reminds me of many of the characteristics I love in Musc Ravageur, but without some of the more pungent spices, less animal notes, and a softer amber. It's wonderful when you want a smoother vanilla amber with hints of incense. It's warm and comforting. I wore it once from a sample, and ordered a whole bottle.

I like this quite a bit... starts out a coffee gourmand that dries to a rich, velvety floral. I've bought a bottle for my girlfriend and might be sneaking some sprays sometimes. It's super long lasting as well, as are all the Bonds.

I can't add much more than what's already been said. It's really incredible - a few dabs lasts and lasts. It's a rich, deep, luscious attar that's just wonderfully made.

It's pretty good, but nothing I got that excited about. It's a bit non-descript and boring aquatic/citrus/floral. There's a gummy character to it that has some interest but overall it just never did much for me. The same thing from my girlfriend: "it's not bad I guess... but nothing special."

Nothing good about this. It's about as boring and generic as any other aquatic ho hum designer scent. I sprayed it on my arm at Bloomies earlier based on some good reviews and I've regretted it since. It reminds me of Aqua di Gio, which is not a good thing at all. I tried to wash this off when I got home but it won't come off. At least it's tenacious. :)
Thumbs way down.

Crisp white incense with just the right amount of warmth. One of my favorites from the house.

I'm right on board with the previous reviews.. this is a magnificent, complex scent. It stays dry and undoubtedly masculine on my skin. There's a lot going on in it, but it all works perfectly together. The name is a bit misleading as it insinuates that it's an extreme version of Classic which it's hardly even related to.

Boooring. It seems like every designer scent from your regular department store is beginning to smell like the same aquatic mess with just the slightest touch of something interesting. This isn't a bad scent, but it's definitely something you'd expect to smell on someone sporting a popped collar and cheap hair gel. This is on the top of the others in its class so I give it a neutral rather than negative.

What a 180 on this for me. I initially dismissed it as just a generic scent that I wouldn't get into. I decided to give it another chance after Chandler Burr's glowing remarks. It really is quite good! The drydown is a magnificent sparkling vetiver that I really didn't expect and what seems like hints of incense. I recommend this one.

Looks like I'm the first to love this, but I do! It reminds me a bit of Tea for Two, but more like a gray tea with notes of soft ginger, a touch of bitter cocoa, and touches of smoky patchouli in the drydown. I love it!

I've tried many times to enjoy this more, but it's very much a neutral for me. It starts out like canned cake icing, has some middle notes that almost hint at some woody depth, but that soon vanishes and it leaves you with a cotton candy base that lasts an incredible amount of time. Even just a dab on the hand will be detectable 13 hours later.

This is one of the best and richest ambers I've tried. It's got the perfect amount of sharpness, and dries down to a magnificent, warm amber scent. It lasts and lasts and is pretty powerful so a little goes a long way. If you take the medicinal herbs from Ambre Sultan and add some extra warmth to the base, you'll have something close to Amber Absolute.

This is the most authentic leather scent to me. For some reason, many other leather scents (especially Royal English Leather and its counterparts) have something in them that disagrees with me. They're almost too pungent and sharp for my tastes. This, however, is a soft, supple leather without any sharpness or pungency - it smells extremely natural on my skin and is a real "comfort scent" for me.

This is a really wonderful take on vetiver. It's not an earthy, dirty vetiver but rather one brightened with some fruit notes, light musk, and fresh accords done in such a way that it's unlike the standard mainstream "fresh." I find it to be made in the style of Outrageous! by Frederic Malle (though that's not to say they smell alike). It's probably one of the more inoffensive of the Privé line, but it's certainly still unique and creates a nice aura that will have others, as well as yourself, wondering what that lovely smell is.

I'm with bbBD that I almost don't want to put a review in because I simply can't do it justice. This is in the top 5 scents I've smelled this whole year. I might even say higher than that, but the year's not over. :)

I would describe it overall as a rich, yet accessible take on patchouli and chocolate. However, there are just so many wonderful aspects all along the way that make it as wonderful as it is. The opening has the peppery tart spray of bitter orange peel that JaimeB mentions with a sweet chocolate undertone. The spices are gritty and light, not ones to hit the back of your throat.. A wonderful patchouli that you wouldn't necessarily identify unless you knew to look for it emerges with just the slightest powdery feathering. It settles into a rich, warm leathery scent that still retains some of its top notes punch and even has a comforting, classic feel to it. I don't know many classic Chanels, but the dry down makes me think of a complex scent with such depth a company like this would have produced.

This is really a masterpiece for me. I knew I would end up buying it within minutes of sampling it. I took a sample and wore it that night and the next day and bought a bottle the next afternoon. The bottle is gorgeous and the base of the box doubles as a Chanel stand for the bottle.

This is a good offering, but probably not something I would purchase. The opening is REALLY strong of cannabis to me... enough that it made me laugh. That's not a bad thing though.. I couldn't pull myself away from my hand for the first 30 minutes. However, once it settles into what it spends most of its time as, it turns much more average and quiet. It's certainly not bad at all, but it's just another good earthy base with touches of oiled saddle leather and a dusty vetiver. I do like it quite a bit, but find it's longevity a bit lacking. I doubt I'll end up with a bottle, but never say never! :) It still gets a (mostly) thumbs up from me.

When I tried this I was pleasantly surprised. It's a really lovely super dry patchouli with dusty earth and grasses as a backdrop. It's extremely sensual without using the usual suspects of a vanilla or sandalwood cloak. It leans more to the masculine side than feminine for patchoulis, but it's by no means an overpowering scent. It remains a light aura of a scent on my skin as opposed to a powerhouse patchouli scent. I sampled a number of scents of its type and decided to get this one. I'm certainly glad I did. The bottle is really nice as well... the raw wooden cap is a really nice touch. The bottle/cap size was much bigger than I'd expected (to my pleasant surprise).

It's a parfum extrait, but either I get olfactory fatigue very quickly (which rarely happens to me) with this, or it has poor longevity. Either way, I really enjoy it! Thumbs up from me.

I actually quite like this. I find it to be a refreshing, close scent that is the type of "clean" scent I can get into. It's bright, simple, and even somewhat dusty. The light floral top notes transform perfectly into a close skin scent that is unique in its own. Thumbs up from me.

When I first tried this, I thought it would be something I'd like and be perfect for a hot day. The bracing, odd note in the beginning never left and it had a feel to it not far removed from clothes left in the washing machine too long before drying them. The grapefruit isn't fresh at all like some I've encountered but rather in the school of "a few days past its prime."

Nothing really special here... it boasts a nice, but not exciting, opening that is bright and clean. It eventually turns into a generic soap that is gone in a couple hours. Next.

This is a fantastic, vanilla sweetened, ambery scent with just the right amount of "dirty" musk. It really evokes the 60s aura that it purports to do. It's completely addicting and hard to stop smelling when you put it on. The initial few minutes take a couple times to get to know, but once you do it's hard not to love it and the dry down is a lovely dusty amber. There are ever so slight touches of potpourri and patchouli hiding in the background that just add to the complexity.
This is a perfect scent for evening moments spent close to someone you love. It evokes sensuality, comfort, and an inviting familiarity. It's really quite nice once you get to know it.

This started as a sharp scent with a considerable amount of complexity to it that I wasn't sure if I was sold on. However, I wore it once and found something in it that I really liked. Then my girlfriend mentioned that she thought a rose and incense scent would be incredible... DING, I grabbed the rest of my sample and told her to try it. She fell in love with it, as did I. It's now her favorite fragrance and I really do enjoy it. It's intoxicating.

It shares the base of L'Air, but adds the jammy, sharp rose to the top with some more incense notes throughout. It's really wonderfully crafted, has a perfect sillage that only informs but does not overwhelm, and is unlike anything else. It's almost nothing like Incense Extreme (which I share Trebor's opinion on).

I originally thought this wouldn't be something I'd really want as lavender never seemed to move me. However, once I actually gave this a full wear rather than just sampling, I did a 180 and really love it now. The lavender center star is gone after about 30 minutes to become the supporting note in a warm, comforting super-natural vanilla scent. There is a touch of spicy musk in the dry-down that I really enjoy as well. When I asked my girlfriend to describe this versus a couple others I was wearing at the time, she said that this one made her "really just want to eat me." Fine with me. :)

This is not a feminine scent, but purely unisex. It sparkles and has a bright, juicy center that you can't miss. It's admittedly fruity and juicy in the initial opening, but I don't think it's enough to sway its easy accessibility. It turns into a smooth, unisex scent that I think would garner plenty of positive attention.

I didn't think this was terribly unique on first sniff, but after wearing it for a while, it's really grown on me. The Guaic Wood plus (very ethereal) Incense is addicting and I'm really glad I have a bottle now. It's well put together, smooth, and comforting with a considerable amount of depth in the dry-down. My girlfriend absolutely loves this one as well.

Seems most people that don't like this were just hoping for more rose or don't like patchouli, but that's one of the reasons I like it so much. I love the rose and patchouli mix here... it's completely different than the rose/patchouli you'd find in Black Aoud, but very unique in its own right. I have a bunch of more rose centered scents, so I really appreciate this one for taking such a different approach. It's a dry, earthy rose with a gritty patchouli backdrop but it stays light in the style of L'Artisan.

I really enjoy this... It's a somewhat light scent for Montale and almost a tertiary player. It doesn't play center stage for me, but rather is a very pleasant, musky aura. I get much more positive reactions from this than I thought I would - I had a sample that I savored for a while until my girlfriend insisted I get a bottle!

I bought this blindly and was never even able to wear it out once. When I sprayed it on my skin, I just got an overwhelming blast of stale locker room and BO. It eventually got better, but the sourness never left. I think the grapefruit notes in this one are a bit rotten.. definitely not for me.

I used to only think this was 'pretty good' and not a huge head turner. However, I recently gave it the true analysis it deserved instead of just sampling in passing. West Broadway is really pretty wonderful! This is a magnificent tea scent with a spicy, musky, lime note that really sets it off.. I can't wait to wear it again! It's very addicting once you get to know it.

When I first tried it from a sample from Luckyscent, I loved it but didn't think I'd find myself splurging for the bottle with its price tag. However, after thoroughly enjoying a couple samples and garnering more compliments in just a couple days than most other scents in the time I've had them, I decided to get it. I'm sure glad I did!

It's intoxicating and like nothing else in my wardrobe. It has some sweet rummy notes, but it's balanced very nicely with some woody and spicy notes. It dries to an almost creamy gourmand on me and provides perfect sillage without making me feel like I'm leaving a toxic wake. I've tried three of the line and this is by far my favorite.

The packaging is incredible.. some of the best I've ever seen. The interior of the velveteen wrapped box is cushioned and satin lined. The box is very sturdy and lockable and the bottle is substantial and well crafted.

One thing to note; if you buy a bottle after the March '08 lot (Mine is April), the outside of the box no longer has the metal engraved plaque that they advertise, but merely an etched K (not that this should deter you.. just for buyer information). The bottle itself still has the engraved metal plaque though.

I think this is Olivia Giacobetti's strongest I've encountered. It has all of the rums, spices, and depth that I love, but is blended so masterfully that it just becomes an almost indescribable beauty that really draws you in. Big thumbs up and very satisfied purchase.

It's incredible.. to me, it's very grown up without being a 'classic' scent. There's nothing playful about it.. just a dark, mysterious rose with a medicinal oud that blasts you sharply in the initial application. As it develops, it becomes a crisp rose laced with the oud and what I perceive as a gritty, natural patchouli (though not a head shop type of patchouli).

I definitely think it's a great fragrance. I didn't hang on to my bottle simply because I really enjoy woody scents and have quite a few that I found myself putting ahead of this to wear. I would highly recommend trying this to anyone.. the combination of wood and earth is blended nicely with white smoke for just a touch of light incense and sweetness. Very casual and not at all overpowering.

A light version of Creed Original Vetiver to me. It's very clean, very casual, very fresh... I felt like it was a t-shirt afternoon running errands while Original Vetiver was the black tie evening at dinner. Excellent scent though and finely made.

This is definitely under-rated. It's woodsy, spicy and rich with just the right touches of what makes A*Men great without becoming overpowering or cloying.

It's a bright, sunny scent with just the right amount of fruit and musk. It has a really wonderful drydown and lasts much longer than you perceive. It is a great weekend scent, or for a casual afternoon by the pool. It seems very natural, warm, and comforting.

When I first got it, before I had experienced many, I thought it was really fantastic. It now hits me as way too abrasive and over the top... perhaps a bit too sharp. It's definitely a unique smell that I sometimes like to spray around at home, but it's not something I could wear anymore and probably won't again.

I'm surprised this hasn't gotten higher reviews. I think it's really fantastic... easily one of my favorite roses. It has a warm cashmere-like musk and a variety of rose notes that create an incredibly warm and familiar feeling. One of the best in the non-aoud line of Montale and highly regarded by those around me as well! Big thumbs up.

The open was satisfying and acceptable but nothing I got excited about. It was decent and pleasant, but forgettable. However, I really don't like the midle. It turns sharp, medicinal (not in a good way like a good oud), and "cheap" if that makes sense. The drydown is actually quite nice but I can't fight all the way through just for a 'nice' end result.

I LOVE the private blend series and have plenty on my top list, but this one fell very short. I don't hate it, but I wouldn't buy it compared to the rest in its class.

It's very nice. It's familiar. I has some spice. It's old lady vanilla meets baby powder. I generally will defend a house I really love (I LOVE kisu/signature). The middle is really comforting and warm, but it's not quite up to what I'd really hoped for from such a cool, quirky house like Tann Rokka. There's the top and middle.

The dry-down. There are elements of MKK and Musc Ravageur in the drydown. It is NOT a dry spicy like you'll find with Kisu, but really a warm, sensual vanillic. I LOVE it. It's sexual, it's raw, it's comfortable and familiar. There's a touch of Givenchy Pi with some dirtiness.

I would give a big thumbs up if you didn't have to suffer through 45 minutes of baby powder. I won't buy it, especially for the price.

This is the strongest of the Cereus original four for my personal tastes. No. 7 is masculine, but not in an abrasive way. It has a bright, clean opening that settles into violet and jasmine with just enough spice. The tonka and musk in the base pull it together really nicely. There's something very familiar about the pyramid, but is still quite unique for me in wearing it.

I find it in the same family as Central Park, but with a bright citrus element that isn't in Central Park. It's got that same bright sparkle in the top notes that I still can't put my finger on, but I love. It's fresh and bright without being commonplace or boring. I love it.

This is newly becoming one of my favorites. I finally bought a bottle after months of living on samples, and having a lot of it around is very comforting.
It's incredible as many have already said so I second all of those comments. I get adamant compliments and I'm pretty much addicted to the smell. I had some on the back of my hand the other day and stayed glued to it all day.
One of the best. Maurice, you do good.

Easily one of my favorites. It's an incredible green scent that is very easily addicting. It lasts and lasts and has a fantastic dry down.

I loved this on first spray, then I was confused and not sure how I felt. There's something in it that you don't expect from what seems to be a safe opening. However, I'm back to loving it. It's bright, clean, and refreshing while still being warm and familiar. It has the familiar Bond base that I enjoy quite a bit and doesn't overpower the room. Good stuff!

I find this extremely similar in many ways to CdG Zagorsk. It's a little more crude and raw, but it shares a good bit!

I think people try too hard to find similarities between Bond fragrances and Creed rather than just evaluate the fragrance in question. I personally love Wall Street and every one of my friends gets extremely enthusiastic about it whenever worn (including borrowing it for the night). For what it's worth, it's nothing like Erolfa, nothing like Silver Mountain Water.. it is similar to Millesime Imperial but I feel that it's more complex and stronger. I prefer it to MI.

I love this fragrance. It's light and casual and the sweetness is not at all overbearing. I get great longevity out of it (I could still detect it 12 hours later).
The opening is a huge burst of warm citrus. The caramel and chocolate keep the bright opening from being thin or too sharp, but it still makes your mouth water.
Very much a thumbs up from me.

I used to really like it but that was when I only knew about 10 scents. Every time I try to wear it now, it just annoys me. Yes it's pleasant, but I think it might be more suitable for a frat party (where I got to know it) than years later. It hits me too synthetic and something more of an era.

At first, I was worried that it would be too feminine just from the packaging (which is definitely feminine) after sampling it in a standard vial. However, I found a great deal on the Swarovski bottle and figured I could easily sell it if it didn't work for me. I must say, though, that silly sparkly bottle is going to find its home in my wardrobe.
It's incredible.. It starts as candied peaches but evolves into something creamy, close, and sweet while retaining a touch of spice and wood. It's got a surprising citrus feeling that really sparkles.
I've worn it out of the house only once but received a huge positive reaction. It may sit on the feminine side of unisex, but really tends to impress all.

Incredibly crisp, with an amazing salty note. You can really taste the salt on first spray. Absolutely fantastic. It definitely strikes me as a scent to be worn in boat shoes without socks, khakis, an unbuttoned white shirt and aviators on a yacht... or at least it makes me want to be on one :) Works well in a cubicle, too.

I think this is an incredible, unique scent. It lasts forever on me, 15 hours or more and I can still smell it. I often find myself randomly wanting to smell this and have to wear it that evening. Yes, the bottle is great, but I don't really care.. the scent will drive you crazy. Very big thumbs up from me for this. Also works great on women.. I've let female friends wear it and they/I love it on them as well :)

Dear Givenchy Pi,

I love you. I have wonderful memories every time I put you on and your warm and enveloping scent is a comfort with every turn. Other people love you too, as can be witnessed by the compliments you receive when we are together.
Whenever I want something familiar that harkens back to some wonderful times, I turn to you. For that, I thank you.

Yours truly,
Robbie

I love this.. it's moved into my top list of favorites. It's lasts and lasts on me and works for both day and night. There's something welcoming and familiar about it. It's warm, sweet, with a floral touch that isn't overly feminine.
When I tried it in the store, I liked it at first but as it dried down on the sample card, something came out that I didn't like. I had gotten a couple samples too and when I tried the on my skin later, whatever I'd smelled before on the paper wasn't there at all. Maybe that card had been polluted by something else! Works great on my skin.. definitely worth a skin test if you're sampling.

I love it.. it grows on you quickly. It's very warm and inviting and is one of those that you want to keep smelling.

I actually quite like this. It has a very nice warm and "round" mood to it. For me, the longevity and sillage are quite strong. I would, however, agree that the scent is somewhat synthetic and definitely somewhat linear. I also don't think it's strictly limited to a young crowd.. it has some qualities that show some maturity.

i'm guessing jon_remy is bashing this because he can't afford it since his entire review focuses on the cost as do most negative creed reviews. yes, it is a safe scent and it's not as unique as virgin island water, etc, but cost aside, it is a great scent. come one people, if it costs too much, buy something else than bash otherwise very pleasant scents (though i will admit creed is quite sub-par in longevity... i've gone through an eighth inch of virgin island water in three days.)

It's ok.. it is what it is. It smells like what it is purported to smell like but nothing that excites or surprises. It almost seemed like it was going to dry down to something a little sweeter and more complex, but stopped short. Not bad though overall.

Nothing special here. Just a grassy chemical smell. I'd even tried to make myself wear and find merit in this but just couldn't. Better to avoid this one!

I can't find anything at all good about this. It's just awful.. imagine an axe filled locker room - and you have this. To me, it smells like cheap cologne smell that I would still be disappointed in if it came out of a vending machine. Generic as can be!

Randolph, I think you may have gotten a bad bottle of this to try :) I can't sense even the slightest resemblance between the two.
This is a great scent.. Warm, inviting, woodsy, spicy. It has a familiar smell to it that can make you think of early Christmas mornings as a child with a fire in the fireplace and snow on the ground. It's very natural and earthy.

When I first sprayed this on my wrist, I thought "Ok, this is fine.. just not exciting for me."
Then about 10 minutes later, I smelled it again. I really don't like it at all! It's like a combination of VS Very Sexy and run of the mill body wash. There's something else in it that I recognize but can't put my finger on it. It's something that has been in women's fragrances.. and I disliked it in those as well. Definitely try this before buying - you may like it. I just don't. It's not just 'ordinary.' It's bad ordinary.

I completely agree with libertine. It's hard to stop smelling it once you've started.

Here's what I've gotten from it:
when I first tried it, it was a whirlwind of cotton candy and warm caramel. After about 10 minutes, I warmed up more and mellowed a bit. I caught notes of Givenchy Pi.. and actually the slightest touch of Emporio He (dunno where that came from). That progressed to smell a LOT like Lolita Lempicka (women's version).
It's been on for about an hour now and I think it's pretty much stabilized. It still has a lot of the musky vanilla of LL but less "in your face." I'm getting some of the bugspray qualities as well... but oddly, I kinda like it :)

Yes, I like it.. and yes, I'll probably have to buy it now. Very strong, very unique. Gimme Gimme

I really love this.. it's so unique and completely addicting. The initial blast of coconut is really quite pleasant and fades quickly into a welcoming, sweet scent that you almost can't get enough of. It's extremely subtle and you almost can't spray too much... which you'll have to do as it dries down to a very quiet smell.

I thought the longevity was a big problem at first, however, the other day I picked up a shirt that I was wearing two days prior the soft Virgin Island Water smell was still present and really quite pleasant.

I think this fragrance is great for casual environments and does a great job of scenting the person wearing it, not the area around the wearer.

It's a crisp, green scent with a peppery/woody bite to it. It seems very light with just enough spice and point to balance the lighter notes. It is still somewhat thin, but very nice for daytime wear.