 | Monsieur Rochas by RochasThis review is for the vintage yellow eau de cologne and not the new pink EdT: 26th December, 2011. |
| | Royal Delight by CreedRoyal Delight is a gem among mainstream fragrances and probably one of the last good Creeds to be produced. However, among its own kind, Royal Delight is all too similar to Vanisia and Jasmin Imperatrice Eugenie with their sweet, decadent bases--Royal Delight merely adds leather to the mix. For real royal delight I would go for Royal English Leather. Royal Delight uses top notch ingredients, but is redundant. I must restate though that compared to most other stuff these days it is quite nice. 18th December, 2011. |
| | Vanisia by CreedVanisia is a classic composition in the styler of the older Creeds using superb quality ingredients. The fragrance is beautifully executed as well. Supposedly made for (inspired is more like it) an acquaintance of Marie Antoinette and it smells that way. Vanisia is an ambery oriental in the style of Jicky and others. There is a bit of orange in the opening and then a brief floral heart of Bulgarian rose and jasmine. The base is an ambery sandalwood. If there florals were more persistent I would like it better. Somehow scents with strong amber bases burn through the top and heart notes on my skin. 3rd December, 2011. |
| | Jasmal by CreedJasmal is probably the best jasmine centered eau de cologne type fragrance I've yet to smell. The quality of the jasmine is crisp, warm, a bit indolic, and aristocratic. Jasmal employs jasmine, galbanum, and ambergris in the classic style of early Creeds. Jasmal reminds me of the "eau de jasmin" favored by Comte d'Orsay--namesake of Parfums d'Orsay. Jasmal is head and shoulders above any designer or niche jasmine I've yet to smell. The ambergris here is not the millesime accord found in most newer creeds, but rather a warm, animalic tone in the base. The opening is a bit sweet, but the jasmine itself is just dry enough to keep my attention. The galbanum imparts a light amber tonality. I think Jasmal, along with the much older Jasmin Impératrice Eugénie should be smelled by any jasmine lover or perfume historian. In summary, I would say that Jasmal is a beautiful jasmine soliflore with all the traditional (Belle Epoch French that it) trimmings. 30th November, 2011. |
| | Sandalo by Lorenzo VilloresiThe best sandalwood fragrance I've ever smelled is Creed's discontinued Bois de Santal, but the best extant sandalwood is surely Lorenzo Villoresi's brilliant Sandalo. His creations tend by hectic and brash--finally settling after several minutes. Sandalo has some of that though it quite smooth and old-fashioned compared to most of what's out there now. Sandalo is a woody oriental based around synthetic sandalwood (along with Australian perhaps), which is adeptly navigated by natural rosewood, which is sour, sharp, medicinal, and resinous. The opening is aromatic with lavender and exotic spices and floral heart of perhaps jasmine, rose, and carnation. The base consists of sandal, rosewood, tonka bean, and Villoresi's signature resin. If you crave sandalwood, this is the best one still available--but for how long no one knows. 21st November, 2011. |
| | Town & Country by Crown PerfumeryTown & Country is a quintessential English fragrance featuring pine, pepper, woods, herbs, spices, and musk. Town & Country was surely inspired by Blenheim Bouquet, but is one of those rare occasions where the inspired is superior to the inspiration. Crown certainly had a fragrance called Town & Country that was released in 1925, but who knows what that one smelled like as Crown was out of business by the Second World War. Crown was revived by new owners in 1993 who set out to recreate traditional English fragrances using traditional craftsmanship and high quality ingredients. Blenheim Bouquet tends to give me headaches with its synthetic edges. Crown's quality and largely natural ingredients do not offend. It is austere, spicy, woody, and musky--and I like it a lot. Town & Country is the scent of an uppercrust Victorian aristocrat who has no humor and no expression. It's also a lot cheaper than Blenheim to boot. 21st November, 2011. |
 | Aqua Allegoria Pamplelune by GuerlainNot horrible, but not up my alley so to speak. Among the Guerlain Allegorica series, Pamplelune is probably the best. The allegorica series is meant to tell an story through imagery--hence the name allegory. I suppose they each tell a brief and subtle story about some seasonal beauty or another spending spring on the wind-swept fields of Provence or something like that...The allegorica series, as one of Guerlains newer fragrances, lacks originality and traditional craft and uses inferior ingredients to boot. The grapefruit here is good, but the florals and blackcurrant are too much. 17th November, 2011. |
| | Duc de Vervins by HoubigantOn its face, Duc de Vervins has little to offer in comparison to other 1970s-1980s masculine aromatic fougeres. I would suggest the Duc is restrained and perhaps more regal than other contenders like Azzaro pour Homme, Paco Rabanne pour Homme (now watery dish soap), Aramis Tuscany, and others. I find Duc de Vervins is closest in style to Patou pour homme Prive though it is far greener and does not employ as high of quality ingredients. While Patou is a purple-golden orientalized fougere, Duc is a green-purple fougere. Many of the accords are similar, but nowhere near as good. Duc de Vervins has come a long way since the days of Fougere Royale, but who better to build your fougere than the fabled firm of Houbigant? 17th November, 2011. |
| | Crown Fougère by Crown PerfumeryCompared to many light and water "fern" or "fougere" fragrances today, Crown Fougere makes an impressive statement with excellent strength and longevity for being just another green fern. I would certainly describe Crown Fougere as green--but also earthy. It is one of the last three surviving Victorian fougeres (not including Fougere Royale as that is French) and in my opinion, the best. Crown opens with a brief and sharp, but staid citric blast that gives way to the traditional fern accord (abstract mind you--not an actual fern) interaction between lavender, geranium, and tonka bean. Crown also features sandalwood, oakmoss, and patchouli for spice and richness. Crown Fougere, like the other Crown fragrances, reeks of quality, tradition, and craftsmanship. 15th November, 2011. |
| | Sandringham by Crown PerfumerySandringham is the Edwardian British masculine floral personified. It sits poignantly among other greats such as Dukes of Pall Mall Cotswold, Dunhill for Men, Floris no. 89, and even Hammam Bouquet. Sandringham features a realistic--likely natural--muguet note (lily) which is tempered by spices, woods, and musks to keep it safely masculine. Sandringham is an Edwardian dandy's scent (blast that it doesn't have an animalic element though) built around quality ingredients and traditional craft. We can only pray that Clive Christian chooses not to renew his trademark over Crown Perfumery when it expires in 2016 and that someone will revive these lost gems. 15th November, 2011. |
| | Bois de Santal by CreedBois de Santal is a lost gem these days. In my mind it clearly evokes the essential of high-end French perfumery in the Belle Epoch period c.1910. Bois de Santal features notes of orange, lemon, greens (likely petitgrain and neroli), Mysore sandalwood, vanilla, and tonka bean, and possibly civet. It is a shining example of using luxurious quality ingredients no matter what the cost and constructing them brilliantly to form a breath-taking composition, which might I add, becomes more and more of a lost art as each year goes by. I don't think there's a lot of development or complexity here, but there doesn't need to be. The quality of the sandalwood oils used stand for itself. In a way, BdS reminds me of the old, vintage Guerlains and Chanels. Collectors and enthusiasts alike conjecture that Bois de Santal contains a significant dose of the real oil, too. Of Creeds, sandalwoods, namely Original Santal and Santal Imperial, Bois de Santal is a masterpiece beyond reproach. Along with Viloresi's aromatic and spicy Sandalo, there is no better sandalwood perfume. 12nd November, 2011. |
| | Sartorial by Penhaligon'sI've given Sartorial a lot of thought before writing this review. I initially liked it, then reviled it, and now find it rather ho-hum. After all the media surrounding this fragrance and its supposedly Victorian bespoke tailoring industry association, I hoped it would evoke that same imagery for me--unfortunately it did not. To be honest, Sartorial is nothing more than a 1970s-1980s aromatic fougere in the style of Jazz, Azzaro Pour Homme, and others juxtaposed on top a warm heart of beeswax, which is probably Sartorial's only interesting feature. Overall, I find Sartorial to be a somewhat modernized version of a macho aromatic fougere with beeswax and loads of other unappealing notes and "effects." Ginger, aldehyde, gurgum wood, ozone...all of these would have been far out of step with a true Victorian-inspired scent. Nonetheless, the beeswax heart is appealing, but the cacophonous opening and synthetic musky ambergris base (a cheap musk and ambroxan I figure) make this scent not to my taste. Perhaps the most bothersome part of Sartorial is the fact that Penhaligons took a staple genre of men's perfumery, dressed it up, and re-bottle it is some centuries old formula. If you should ever get the chance I would suggest trying the little known and discontinued Belgravia by the Dukes of Pall Mall--nearly identical, but exudes traditional English refinement, simplicity, and quality. 10th November, 2011. |
| | Cotswold by Dukes of Pall MallI was lucky enough to to get a full bottle blind from a winning bidder on eBay UK that changed his mind after he received the product from another seller. I was at first reluctant to buy blind, but the quality of Dukes justifies it. Cotswold is a much lighter, airier companion of the urban fougere with which it is paired in the typical English tradition--Belgravia. Cotswold is a beautifully constructed citrus-floral that evokes spring and summer afternoons in the English countryside. My guess at the notes would be as follows: 13rd October, 2011. |
| | Belgravia by Dukes of Pall MallIt is with great jubilation that I am able to review this fine fragrance. Although there were only two short lived perfumes from the Dukes of Pall Mall, namely Belgravia and the citrus-floral Cotswold. Belgravia is a middle of the road, tan in color aromatic fougere perhaps in the style of vintage Monsieur Rochas and the original 1934 Dunhill for Men. It is a shame that Dukes was so short lived. I will horde my sample villainously until perhaps one day I find a full bottle! From smelling it I conjecture that the notes might be something like this: 13rd October, 2011. |
| | Tea/Rose by CB I Hate PerfumeI really like the idea of a scent featuring Moroccan rose absolute and I am not usually a tea note lover, but I think it works well here. The tea is of the Darjeeling type, black, spicy, and full of old world charm not the newer watery green tea accord used by lesser house. The Moroccan rose is quite nice, but more on the lighter, snappier, tea rose type accord--I'd of preferred a Bulgarian rose absolute for a richer, more satisfying accord. One of things I really like about this scent is its ability to show the various facets of both the tea and rose as each is very complex with more notes than just their namesake. Tea/Rose is exactly what it claims--nothing more, nothing less. 11th September, 2011. |
| | Cuba by Czech & SpeakeOf the Cuba type scents available Czech and Speake's (especially the vintage) is by far the best in comparison to the likes of Acqua di Cuba and others. Cuba must be understood as more of a bay rum superimposed on top of a leathery cedar and tobacco base. I will not say that there are no animalic elements to Cuba, but I argue they aren't as profound as many have claimed. The cedar adds a certain type of graphite pencil note (covetous in wine I hear) that combined with civet smells somewhat of bad breath--but what great ones don't--Mouchoir de Monsieur, etc. I find the tobacco note quite profound and reminiscent of an unlit cigar though perhaps La Via del Profumo's Tabac does it better. 25th June, 2011. |
| | Tabac Aurea by Sonoma Scent StudioTabaco Aurea is one of the few modern creations that really has me excited. I feel Tabac Aurea is a good balance between varying presentations of tobacco seen in many different fragrances. It's not as musty or uptight as Vintage Tabarome, not a leafy green as La Via del Profumo, and not as boozy-spicy as Cuba. The opening is beautiful though slightly sweet cherry-plum tobacco accord that is natural and close to the skin. All of the heavy aspects here work well together (I usually don't favor heavy components like labdanum, vanilla, leather,etc). Despite its extrait concentration, the sillage is restrained and wears close to the skin for many hours. A pure joy. Every time I open the gift box that contains my sample, I smell the most beautiful pipe tobacco accord settled into the paper of the box. 25th May, 2011. |
| | "Vintage" Tabaróme by Creed"Vintage" Tabarome exemplifies everything that is great about Creed. No marketing scams, no low grade ingredients, no games--this is the genuine article. Tabarome is strong with great longevity and sillage yet still refined, restrained, and gentlemanly. I believe Creed may have reached its high point with Tabarome though it plays host to a number of other timeless classics from yesteryear including Royal Scottish Lavender and Citrus Bigarrade. The leather, tobacco, and peppery aromatic components are superbly integrated and balanced. The tobacco here is not honeyed (i.e. Acqua di Cuba, Tobacco di Toscana, etc) but stark, authoritative, and staunch. The base is a gentle though synthetic cedar of respectable quality that keeps ambiance of the tobacco and leather going long after they have departed. Is this a cigar? Perhaps, but the driest and most regal. I would think of Tabarome as more of a time and place--a high end social club in Victorian London perhaps on the Pall Mall where wealthy industrialists and earls tend to congregate. Do not bother with the newer Tabarome Millesime as it has nothing to do with this beautiful Tabarome except a slight tobacco note in its base. 23rd May, 2011. |
| | Alt-Innsbruck Eau de Cologne by Alt-InnsbruckAlt-Innsbruck is a classic 1950s Austrian gentleman's barbershop scent with all the trimmings. First, for the relative affordability, the quality of all natural ingredients is exquisite and holds it weight with some top contenders like Creed's Vintage Tabarome though the former is deeper, more complex, and more regal. Alt-Innsbruck is a simple concoction of water, alcohol, tobacco, and menthol. If one uses it as an aftershave, the menthol blast in the opening is quite apparent. Then the scent dries to a nice sweet, cigar, tobacco scent far removed from the vapors of the smoke. Very good and now available from select vendors in North America. Buy it before it disappears. Things this good never last. True Austrian quality from 1953. 7th May, 2011. |
| | Hermèssence Brin de Réglisse by HermèsBrin de Réglisse is quite nice but still largely disappointing. I think it lives up to its name as a "strand of licorice" quite well. I'd prefer a stronger lavender component and more emphasis on a fougere structure featuring some of the other interesting notes like hay, vanilla, leather, and orange blossom. All I get is a big blast of licorice--don't get me wrong, it is a blast of perfect licorice if you will, but it never goes beyond that demarcation. I must commend Hermes though for not venturing into the super-sweet realm as so many fated anise and licorice fragrances often do. I'd suggest trying it first as it is hard to find and commands a pretty penny at Hermes boutiques worldwide. 28th April, 2011. |
| | Royal Water by CreedRoyal Water is supposedly a classic citrus cologne with a modern, British twist. I suppose this is what one might call it. Creed generally uses good quality ingredients, which gives this citrus-herbal concoction a little a edge over similar products. The opening is a blast of lemon and other bitter citrus. The heart is herbal-spicy with the usual ambery drydown. The interplay of herbs and spices notably cumin, is somewhat disagreeable in my mind. Royal Water's description tell a story that the fragrance fails to live up to. In this pseudo-cologne mix there are far better options such as Eau de Guerlain, Acqua di Parma Colonia, etc. I think Creed's own Selection Verte is the much superior and time-tested version of Royal Water. 18th April, 2011. |
| | Acqua di Parma Lavanda Tonica by Acqua di ParmaAcqua di Parma Lavanda Tonica is a nice Italian lavender tonic just as the name suggests. However, it is little more. The opening lavender blast is nice with a brief floral heart. The base persists with a soapy laundry detergent musk. I would not think this is worth the money though the quality of ingredients is quite nice. I'd give Agua Lavanda a try first. 18th April, 2011. |
| | Fougère Royale by HoubigantFougere Royale is a modern interpretation of the 1880s fragrance that started the fougere genre (much like Coty's Chypre) and is quite a feat to live up to. I'd like to say that there are things I like about it and some other things I find not so appealing. To start Fougere Royale is an aromatic fougere not a classic fougere, which is an incorrect rendering of the original. FR certainly does have the traditional lavender-geranium-tonka accord that defines the fougere genre, but does not feature it. The opening is composed of high quality citruses and aromatic elements. The heart is the most beautiful delicate floral bouquet of geranium, rose, orchis, heliotrope, and carnation. This is probably my favorite phase of the whole production. Then the base is very woodsy with oakmoss, tonka, and vanilla. My nose interprets some of the new mown hay coumarin accord as a spicy cedarwood that dominates the base. 13rd April, 2011. |
| | Marlborough by Geo F TrumperNot the worst fragrance or the best by any means. Trumpers all seem to be of middle of the road quality and this is certainly true of Marlborough. The opening is an ashy lemon with a little geranium and an ultra-thick cedar heart and base. I get nothing but stale ashy cedar from this unfortunately. Sounded like a promising fougere, but I would go with Wild Fern or Penhaligons English Fern. Even YSL Jazz is much better. 3rd April, 2011. |
| | Ma Liberté by Jean PatouIt is a true shame that Patou has discontinued several of its finest fragrances over the past decade or so. Ma Liberte is a lavender centric floral/oriental with aromatic fougere elements. Ma Liberte is much in line with the style and quality of the much vaunted masculine lavender fougere Patou pour homme Prive. Ma Liberte opens with a citric-lavender blast followed by a seamless floral heart with light spices and a slightly powdery base that prolongs the floral and lavender components. Both the EdT and EdP versions are very light and conservative. The same dry smoky vetiver-patchouli accord present in Prive. I am convinced Ma Liberte is the chassis on which Prive was built. Ma Liberte represents a simpler time in perfumery. 25th March, 2011. |
| | English Lavender by AtkinsonsAtkinsons English Lavender is exactly what is says: a dry, herbal, astringent, spicy English lavender that is far removed from the sweet vanilla/tonka syrup of Caron PUH. The opening is a fresh blast of lavender that is followed by a spicy heart of clary sage and clove backed up the resinous spice of rosewood. The base is a light tonka-moss-musk accord. Worlds drier than Caron and not as dirty as Oxford and Cambridge. English Lavender is very masculine and quite simple is comparison to more complex lavender fougeres like Arome 3 and Patou pour Homme Prive. I'd like to think of Atkinsons as a lavender dominated bay rum almost. The scarcity of Atkinsons products does not help their cause one bit! Try their Gold Medal Eau de Cologne if you can. 19th March, 2011. |
| | Patou pour Homme Privé by Jean PatouI am glad that I was finally able to try Prive today. It is most of what I imagined it might be. Prive has an exquisite and complex lavender opening that is both fruity and slightly sweet--a welcomed change from the usual harsh and medicinal lavenders to which I am accustomed. The heart is a tad musty (could be from age). The base is a light fougere accord of coumarin and oakmoss. Very light, very conservative, and nearly perfect. 19th March, 2011. |
| | English Fern by Penhaligon'sSupposedly the closest extant relative to Houbigant's fabled Fougere Royale. English Fern is a classical fougere of the highest order--mind you classical fougere--not the more modern aromatic fougeres we are so used to like Jazz, Tsar, Patou Pour Homme Prive, and others. English Fern is one of the best examples of the pure fougere accord--lavender, geranium, citrus, sandalwood, and oakmoss with patchouli and clover for good measure likely with tonka, too though it is not listed. It is not nearly as earthy as Trumper's namesake offering. Many reviewers have commented that English Fern does not smell like a fern--it is not supposed to--the fougere genre is an abstraction of natural green elements among others. Fougere merely refers to a type of fragrance with dominant lavender-geranium-oakmoss-tonka accords that became popular at the end of the 19th Century. English Fern is quite a bit smoother and more refined than other "fern" fragrances. 15th March, 2011. |
| | Lavandula by Penhaligon'sLavendula, despite being created in 2004, smells quite classic indeed. The opening is a realistic, somewhat floral lavender followed by a sweet floral heart (Lily of the Valley) and a light musky/ambery base. Not bad at all, but decidedly to feminine for a man to wear. It reminds of an innocent sweet lavender perfume that a Victorian young lady might have worn. 9th March, 2011. |
| | Aqua Allegoria Lavande Velours by GuerlainThis is probably the best of the Guerlain Allegoria range and truly a unisex scent. The opening lavender is crisp, aromatic, and realistic--but this is the only part I like. After the first few minutes, the lavender is overtaken by iris and a rather odd amber that dominate with great tenacity for quite some time. If it were just the top, it would be perfect. 9th March, 2011. |
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