 | Fath Pour l'Homme by Jacques FathSuave, not overpowering, but a definite presence. Goes to a skin scent after about four or five hours. The oriental character of this seems not to reference vanilla very much. The drydown is more amber and musk, retaining a hint of the spice notes as well. Perfect for wearing in public, at work, casual social occasions, and so forth. It's urbane, sophisticated, and not in the least modern or trendy. Unassuming, but definitely not self-effacing. 9th July, 2011. |
| | Mat; Very Male by Masakï MatsushïmaA bit strong at first, with a clear, sweet anisette liqueur note. Then subtler bamboo and lotus flower notes chime in, along with other woody notes. Finally, patchouli. licorice, and cedar complete the scent. Overall, quite captivating; I would say almost addictive, because of the anise and licorice complemented by cedar and other woods. A stroke of perfumer genius made to flatter the male ego. 29th April, 2011. |
| | Sartorial by Penhaligon'sQuite unusual for a fougère, though recognizable as such. It has a lot of spicy notes, and some florals (cyclamen, lavender, neroli), but lots of woods and 'effects' (by which I guess are meant accords or bases). First sniff is kind of barbershop-like, but later, the more modern aspects come out, supplementing the earlier impression without negating it or taking over from it completely. The resiny and woody notes come in gradually, starting from the very beginning, it seems. What doesn't seem evident are the aldehydes; the sort of waxy and slightly floral effect one expects from these doesn't seem to materialize, unless it is missed in the early rush of top notes. The overall effect seems spare, a bit angular and no-nonsense, but in an elegant mode nevertheless. Some might call this invigorating; that would certainly be justifiable, but the best overall descriptions to me would be 'modern' and 'atmospheric.' 22nd March, 2011. |
| | Silver Black / Onyx by AzzaroHmm... not really a fougère (no coumarin) and not really a chypre (too much lavender), this is a strange beast. But strange, for me at least, is not always bad. The herbal spiciness in the middle notes and the woody oriental feel in the base notes makes this an interesting play on contrasts. Having said that, I think the balance among all the elements is what makes it work. It wants to say "aromatic fougère," but then it stops and contradicts itself, and says instead, "I'm my own animal." Frankly, this isn't something I wear a lot, but when I tire of fragrances that more or less play by the classical rules, I may turn to this with solid confidence that at least I'll smell good. 17th March, 2011. |
 | Kenzo Pour Homme Boisée / Woody by KenzoAlso, the label lists a bunch of interesting chemicals (what they synthesize or their function in parentheses): Limonene (Oranges), Linalool (Floral-spicy), Alpha-isomethyl ionone (Floral), Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate (UV screen), Citronellal (Lemon), Coumarin (Tonka bean), Butyl Dimehtoxydiibenzoylmethane (full-spectrum UV screen), Ethylhexyl Salicylate (UV screen), Citral (Lemon verbena), Geraniol (Fruity-rose-like odor), Eugenol (Sweet-woody spice). Interesting what gets into scents, but not into the pyramid, nowadays. Smells nice, light, slightly spicy, slightly fresh-floral, definitely woody. Good for young guys who like woody, masculine scents. Not much sillage after the initial blast, limited longevity. Nice ad, not too expensive. 19th February, 2011. |
| | Private Collection - Querelle by Parfumerie GeneraleThe ambergris note in the base qualifies this to be called an oriental, along with the myrrh and incense notes. Woods, in the form of vetiver, share the space with the deeper notes. There is a hint of a chypre about it as well, because the citrus and oakmoss make a reference that is not totally subordinated to the dominant oriental theme. Black caraway and cinnamon provide a spicy vibe, and the complete absence of floral notes marks this as a definite "masculine" in terms of traditional gender classifications of scents. The associations with Jean Genêt's novel of murder and raunchy whorehouse sex belie the beauty of this scent — unless you consider, as Genêt did, that murder and raunchy sex can be beautiful... 11th February, 2011. |
| | Lancetti Monsieur by LancettiA rather dry, green, slightly astringent masculine chypre with herbal and spicy notes predominant in the first phase. The development progresses to a woody-spicy vibe with overtones of muscatel wine. The drydown is mostly woods and musks, with coumarin and incense for added interest. Not too easy to find these days. It has decent projection and quite good longevity on my skin. It’s just a tad too bitter to seem elegant to my taste, but quite a well-constructed and interesting scent in its own right. I would say it’s not quite a gem, but rather perhaps a baroque pearl: lustrous, but slightly farouche and irregular — in a good way, of course... 29th January, 2011. |
| | Eau de Fleurs de Cédrat by GuerlainUse a lot and reapply frequently. A waste of money? Definitely not. This is a variant on the eau de cologne genre that distills its essence. The lack of longevity is not a hurdle that can't be overcome; rather, it's a challenge to be met. A definite note of indolic animality is present here, even if orange blossom is not mentioned in the formula. The overwhelming impression is of that odd creature that seems to combine lemon and lime: the citron, called cédrat in French. The reference to fleurs, of course, is the hint that citrus blossom is in the mix. 13rd January, 2011. |
| | XII L’Heure Mystérieuse by CartierNotes: Jasmine, Patchouli, Coriander, Elemi, Incense, Nutmeg 10th October, 2010. |
| | Eau des Merveilles by HermèsThis is the one that's supposed to have an "inverted pyramid"; i. e., the top notes are in the base, the base notes are in the top, and the middle notes are... well, still in the middle. The EdT smells to me remarkably similar to the later Terre d'Hermès of Ellena, but it is missing that "silex" note that's said to remind one of the smell of sun-warmed stones. On the whole this is rather unisex to me, though it's labeled as being for women. The progression of this from layer to layer is rather hard to detect for me. It seems almost as if all the levels are present from beginning to end, making it a bit more linear than most Hermès scents. Still, it's something of a toudr de force, and deserves some credit for that. 2nd October, 2010. |
| | Opus II by AmouageTesting this from a sample. It seems to go through a fairly rapid development, and goes quiet sometime between the start of the heart note and the beginning of the base. It's hard for me to judge these things when I can't spray a scent on; using the juice by applying it from moistened wrists doesn't always give me a true impression. I had tested this casually before, but today was my first full wearing. I like it very much, except for the quietness of it. I wish it stayed as noticeable throughout as it does in the top note. I like it enough to have ordered it, so that should say something about my willingness to get beyond my reservations. I do, however, think it will require more than I applied today to satisfy my nose. I want to say I think there's some confusion about one of the top notes here: the note listed in English as "Pink Bay" is, I fear, a mistranslation of the French "baies roses," which is actually what we usually call pink peppercorns in English. I don't smell bay laurel in this; the pink pepper seems more plausible to my nose. 13rd September, 2010. |
| | Eau Duelle by DiptyqueOfficial notes from Diptyque printed matter: 11th September, 2010. |
| | Quartz pour Homme by MolyneuxA very dry scent dominated in the top notes by bitter citrus rind. The heart note is a combination of sweet and piquant spice notes. Finally, the base consists of woods with touches of leather and musk. The dryness is quite pronounced for quite a long time, but eventually these harsher notes are relieved by the remains of the spice notes with woods, leather, and musk. The final stage is quite elegant and gentlemanly, and the best part of the ride, in my opinion. 6th September, 2010. |
| | Aventus by CreedI found Aventus kind of citrus-fruity on the top, with leather and light florals in the heart, and with oakmoss-oriental notes in the base. Good longevity, moderate sillage. This is different from older Creeds, more on the modern side, but I liked it quite a bit. It's less gimmicky than some of their other newer scents, like Original Vetiver and Original Santal. I think this could be an evening scent, but it's pleasant enough to wear to work, as long as your work environment isn't very conservative or stuffy. 5th September, 2010. |
| | Vetyverio by DiptyqueVetyverio has a lot of citrus up top; florals and geranium in the heart with Haitian vetiver; and some unusual notes in the base: Java vetiver, carrot seed, nutmeg, clove, cedar. The two vetivers make an interesting contrast: the Haitian is a little more citrus-floral, the Java much woodier. What lingers at the end of this are the two vetivers, the spices, and the woods. I think most would like this one, though it may be a little light for some tastes, and others might not be crazy about the first few minutes. I guess you'll just have to try it. Like most Diptyques, this is not extremely long-lasting, but not as bad in that department as some of their earlier ones. Sillage is moderate, but noticeable. 5th September, 2010. |
| | Bulgari Man by BulgariFirst, let me say that I don't only buy the most wonderful scents. Some fairly mediocre scents are still good enough to wear to work, or on a routine day. I can't live with my head in the clouds all the time! I thought this was a bit above average middle-of-the-road scent, the kind of thing I could wear around people who don't like scents that project a lot. It is close to the skin (like a lot of the Bvlgari men's line, apart from Black, perhaps). It is modern and fresh, with the currently popular violet leaf accord, but it also has a nice semi-gourmand quality (the honey?) and it dries down pretty quickly to a skin scent that is nevertheless detectable to those very close by (a date scent, maybe). Someone compared it to a combination of Bvlgari Soir and Bvlgari Black. I would have said Soir and Blue without the marine note. Soir, but warmer, not so off-the-top fresh, but more subtly so. 29th August, 2010. |
| | Comme des Garçons 3 by Comme des GarçonsOff the beaten path, like so many other CdG scents. This one is subtle, not very sillage-heavy, though noticeable on a quieter level. An unusual mix of largely unfamiliar green notes, spices, light florals, woods, and orientals. This is not going to be everybody's cup of tea, but it does something magical in spring and summer for me. There's just some kind of leafy freshness that seems to fit those times of year, to my nose. 8th August, 2010. |
| | Lentisque by 06130 Zéro Six Cent-TrenteThis is not a strong scent with a lot of sillage, although it seems it may be for the first few minutes on your skin. If you're able to enjoy just wearing a lush and beautiful skin scent for the better part of a day, though, you'll love this. It is a floral oriental with an unusual top note of mastic (an oleoresin from the lentiscus tree) that does linger well into the heart notes of the scent. Relax with the mellowness of Lentisque when you don't feel you need to shine, but maybe just want to vibrate softly for a day. 7th August, 2010. |
| | Etra by EtroEtra is a very fresh, woody-spicy oriental with a fairly sharp beginning and a mellow, but persistent drydown. I like to wear it in cool to warm weather, especially if it's a sunny day, since it really seems to incarnate a sunny disposition. Thi has good longevity on my skin, and a beautiful sillage. People often remark on smelling "something good" when I wear it, though it seems they don't know exactly where it's coming from. I don't mind, because I get to smell it wherever I go just by sniffing my wrist! 16th June, 2010. |
| | Gris Clair by Serge Lutens Les Salons du Palais Royal ShiseidoA lavender fragrance over an oriental base, but not exactly a fougère. This is a remarkable tenacious fragrance, and yet not overpowering. It does go on for hours, and the sillage is moderate, but far from being a skin scent. The pyramid has mysterious references to roost and pollens, dry notes, oriental notes, woody notes, all carefully sketchy and unspecified. Undeniable tonka bean and amber in the base, and lavender and iris in the heart. The rest is your guess. Rapturously engaging, irrefutably pleasant, carefully balanced and well-constructed. A pleasure to wear and a delight to the nose. 19th May, 2010. |
| | Richard James by Richard JamesElegant, restrained, refined floral for men. This is a seamless blend of citrus, tea, herbs, spices, florals, suede, tobacco, oriental, and woody notes. Smooth and even in development. The top is fresh with a hint of herbs; the heart, floral and spicy; the base leather oriental. Overall, as near to chypre as such a wide-ranging palette can come. A pleasure to wear as a suave work scent or a well-tailored evening dress fragrance. 17th May, 2010. |
| | Parfum d'Habit by Maître Parfumeur et GantierInitially, a very strange note resembling some kind of sharp-smelling forest damp, but then, it evens out into a kind of a leather scent with an oriental base. This has quite a bit of sillage, and works best in cooler weather on my skin. It can be quite elegant for evening wear (as in black tie), or simply for informal social events. The blackcurrant bud note stays with the fragrance most of the way through the drydown, giving it a uniqueness and a touch of cachet. 7th May, 2010. |
| | Red Vetyver by MontaleAn interesting and different take on vetiver. This may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I feel the elemi and grapefruit in the top note makes for a very promising beginning. The rest is conventional enough not to be offensive. It seems to have good longevity and sillage on me, and I like the rather unorthodox beginning. 27th April, 2010. |
| | Sutra Ylang by Bois 1920Rather nice and pleasant scent that wears well in almost any weather. I like the citrus top with a hint of spice and laurel. The heart of florals with just a hint of clove in the carnation note is very pretty without being girly. A woody oriental base includes a bit of moss for bitterness, which helps the drydown mellow. All in all a very nice scent for evening or casual social wear. 17th April, 2010. |
| | Amber Absolute by Tom FordLabdanum and amber characterize this scent. The vanilla is kind of an obligatory player in orientals. Which woods are in this? My guess would be guaiac wood, perhaps with a sandalwood note, and a bit of something cashmeran or ebony-scented. This makes for good layering with Tobacco Vanille or Tuscan Leather. 30th March, 2010. |
| | Léonard Homme by LéonardI must have thought I was getting the classic powerhouse Léonard pour Homme, since I was expecting a leather chypre in the old-school mode. But instead I got this, which is not a bad woods scent in the more-or-less modern mode. This will be good for the office and casual wear. It has a slight camphor note, unlisted, which seems to give it some interest. 30th March, 2010. |
| | Sélection Verte by CreedCreed elegance for warmer weather. This is a simple collection of lemon, verbena, black pepper, peppermint, herbes de Provence, and ambergris. It is light and somewhat ephemeral, remarkable among Creeds for it evanescence and the need for reapplication. But thus it is with many citrus fragrances, save that in this one the peppermint and base note linger a bit. 30th March, 2010. |
| | Le Mâle by Jean Paul GaultierA fairly pleasant powdery fougère, with some herbal, citrus, and aromatic notes in the top, spice and orange blossom in the heart, and a woody-oriental base note. It's sort of sedate, and in spite of a lot of powder, has a good sillage and longevity. I can see why this appeals to younger men, although of course, scents have no age of their own. This is affable and more or less mild-mannered: not threatening, yet slightly sensual. Kurkdjian did a good job here. 29th March, 2010. |
| | Palais Jamais by EtroA comfortable woody scent with citrus and jasmine notes in the top and tobacco/leather notes in the heart. Oakmoss and vetiver are in the base note. The leather note in the base is slightly smoky, a definite birch tar note. This is not the kind of aromatic woody that inspires sweet thoughts; it is more masculine and rough, emphasizing the smokiness of the leather and the bitter vibe of the oakmoss. Good sillage for the first hour or two, with average longevity. A refreshing change from the run-of-the-mill scents one smells on many young men today. 26th March, 2010. |
| | Caron Pour Un Homme by CaronLavender and vanilla, tout court? Not quite; that seeming simplicity is deceptive. There is an ample cast of supporting characters here, all pulling their weight to make those two notes shine. Behind the lavender, there is bergamot for definition, rosemary to reinforce the green and herbal side of it, and lemon to brighten it; also rose and rosewood for a floral and spicy lift, and clary sage for a slightly green muscatel vibe. For the vanilla, an oriental trio of powdery musk, hay-like tonka bean, and a touch of bitter oakmoss. A bright head, a rich heart, and a lush base: a masterpiece of balance and support for a transparent simplicity as light (but as precarious to achieve) as a perfect meringue. 25th March, 2010. |
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