Fragrance Reviews by bbBD

Alluring stands out to me as one of the better BTV fragrances, many of which are either lacking in good structure or feel boring and not particularly imaginative. On application I thought it may another sweet citrus/white floral (i.e. 'Adventuress' and 'Powerful'), but the topnotes quickly give way to wonderful rose/patchouli, sweetened by a background bouquet of floral notes. The earthy aspects of the patchouli are well hidden by the rose, and the accord has just enough ylang-ylang and other florals to keep it sweet but they don't take over. As the fragrance progresses to the base the sweetness of the florals fades, leaving just the patchouli/rose. The patchouli lingers, eventually becoming a lightly woody base as the rose drops out.

Longevity is very good and sillage is fairly strong, especially at first. As with the other BTV fragrance there isn't a whole lot of innovation, or even distinction, in Alluring. Unlike other BTVs the structure is very good and the fragrance is very enjoyable from beginning to end.

My only real complaint is that the heart accord is strikingly similar to Lady Vengeance by Juliette Has a Gun - but then again it's not like Lady Vengeance was the first rose/patchouli (it's just one of the best). Unfortunately this isn't the only BTV fragrance that seems to be 'borrowing' accords from other fragrances.

I leave it up to each individual to decide if Alluring is worth the high cost - I won't be buying anytime soon (or ever), but this is still a good scent.

I'm not sure the note pyramid is entirely honest because what I smell is a bit different. Pure starts out like a simple, pleasant citrus - in fact the sparkly topnotes weren't entirely different from one of the Guerlain eaux that I recently acquired. The lemon/cedrat type topnotes give way to a mixed white floral heart and soon a distinctly lily of the valley note emerges. After 1-2 hours the lily begins to fade and a lightly sweetened, amorphous white floral base hangs around for hours. I never detect distinct rose (though it may account for the light sweetness of the white floral accord), and if Pure contains sandalwood, oakmoss, or any woody/mossy type base I don't smell it.

If you separate the so-called 'published notes' from the fragrance itself, Pure is a perfectly competent citrus/floral with good structure and very good longevity. Sillage is what you'd expect from such a fragrance, specifically it's average and were it to be stronger it would likely be very out of place. The quality of materials is very good - nothing smells synthetic or cheap. As a citrus/floral Pure is perfectly acceptable.

If I stopped reviewing here I'd be on the border between thumbs up and neutral. Although fragrances are best judged on their own merits, I can't help but comment on the high-price and purported exclusivity of this new house. As I work through samples of the entire BTV line it strike me that these fragrances typify a lot of what's wrong in niche perfumery. Recently it's as though the niche houses saw a couple other houses charging $2-3/ml and thought "well if they can charge that much so can we." Thus a new house like BTV puts a line of fragrances together, puts them in fancy presentation bottles, and boxes and charges top dollar through limited distribution channels. The problem is that these BTV fragrances - Pure being an excellent example - simply don't have the quality or distinction behind them to command such a high price. There must be enough people who aren't perfume collectors that will drop money on the latest and greatest such that houses like BTV can charge $175/50ml. There must be, because I don't think many people with significant fragrance experience are going to bite at buying simple, competent citrus/florals like Pure when the same money can buy something much, much better. Sure, Pure is 'good' - but since when is just 'good' enough?

Being familiar with Prada No.4 (Fleur d'Oranger parfum) I was hopeful that this would translate that wonderful fragrance into an EdP. The parfum presents a rich, vibrant orange blossom - a largely green fragrance with enough subtle citrus to sweeten it a little. I let my imagination wander and I'm picturing that if this 'Infusion' was successful we could soon see other Prada parfums moving from the realm of the obscure into the realm of the obtainable. After all, Prada No.3 would make a fantastic EdP. But I digress....

Sadly Infusion Fleur d'Oranger presents a soft, pale neroli/orange blossom fragrance that is bland and wholly unimpressive. It's certainly not offensive or bad, just disappointing, especially given that nearly every other Prada release is very enjoyable (even with the cheap iris used in Infusion d'Iris/d'Homme). The fragrance stays close to the skin, but I did notice that each occasion I sampled this I got longer than average longevity, at least 7-8 hours. I guess what's most disappointing is that we know Prada is capable of so much more. They have the parfum line to work from, but they chose not to. If I were judge FdO based on expectations it would be thumbs down, but by itself it's an ok scent - just nothing special.

A perfectly simple, pleasant linear rose fragrance with a light, 'green' background. Longevity and sillage are as expected (reasonable, not outrageous). If I come across an inexpensive bottle or swap I'd seriously consider a purchase. Being on a rose kick lately, I would compare this to another simple rose, Czech & Speake Rose. The C&S is stronger with nearly double the longevity, but it's also close to triple the price. Both present a high-quality yet simple rose that showcases the note without hitting you over the head with it.

La Petit Robe Noir is a bizarre fragrance in that its name - and associate image - is completely divergent from the fragrance itself. One would expect a classy, sophisticated and sexy fragrance. Instead LPRN is a loud, brash fragrance very much in line with the 'vulgar' fragrances Guerlain has been releasing lately.

Reading the list of notes - and knowing a little Guerlain - one can almost put the fragrance together in your head... a cheery sweet citrus/rose topnote accord that gives way to a darker, mellow tea/anise heart and eventually a Guerlain base, perhaps accented by almond such as the base found in 180 Ans de Creation. If this is what you think LPRN is, which is what I thought, you would be 100% wrong just like I was.

Instead LPRN starts off with the loudest cherry/rose ever used in perfumery. It is exceedingly bright, cheery, and strong. It's not sugar sweet like Insolence, but nor is it tempered by the 'hairspray' note either. A touch of lemon pokes out from under the cherry, giving a little sharpness to the topnotes. There is some similarity to Guerlain's Nuit d'Amour, but those fruity/rose topnotes weren't nearly as brash or loud. Unlike some people, these topnotes have not yet turned me off - especially because I thought I knew what was coming from the composition... now when does that tea and licorice kick in......?

If the composition developed as anticipated the cherry/rose would be a fun and loud opening to an interesting fragrance (much the way a loud peach topnote is used in Guerlain's Chypre Fatale). Unfortunately the rest of the fragrance never comes.... I never smell any of the published notes. In fact, I really never smell any other notes, not even the expected Guerlinade base that may have salvaged this fragrance. LPRN ends up just being a loud fruity floral, and if it weren't for the quality of the materials used in the cherry/rose this may just be counted among typical designer fruity florals of little consequence. It is the last fragrance I would think of as being associated with a little black dress, unless that dress is being worn at a college semi-formal.

If what I've said has been overly harsh it is because I am disappointed at LPRN's lack of structure. However all is not lost with LPRN, because the cherry/rose itself is absolutely a ton of fun (and much better then the cherry/champagne accord found in Etat Libre's Bendelirious). When I'm looking for something sweet and fun - often in the morning before going to the gym - I'll blast myself with a couple big sprays to the neck and enjoy. As a serious fragrance or a full daily wear I avoid LPRN. Turin wrote in his book (of Insolence EdP, I believe) that Guerlain 'does vulgar' very well, and that's just what LPRN is.

Philtre d'Amour is the ultimate in the pure-citrus genre, and if you're seeking a distinct, bright citrus fragrance with longevity and sillage you need look no further. I can't think of any other citrus that lasts even half as long!

PdA starts with an exceptionally bright melange of citrus notes - lemon, cedrat, neroli, and probably others. The citrus *never* fades, an amazing feat of perfumery - and from application to the last fleeting sniff citrus is ever-present. The citrus topnotes are soon joined by a subtle floral heart and distinct petitgrain, which eventually give way to a subtle patchouli base. Throughout the composition there is a light muskiness to PdA which serves to prevent the citrus from becoming too sharp.

Unlike typical citrus fragrances PdA lasts for many hours (5-6) with normal application. This longevity is particularly outstanding in the complete and total absence of any chypre structure (no oakmoss fixative) and no woody base such as those found in a typical 'eau de cologne'. The patchouli base is not at all what you think of as used in a traditional patchouli-centric, but rather it presents as a tangy woodiness that balances the bright citrus superbly.

The re-issued Les Parisiennes version is an EdP whereas the original, limited-edition release was an EdT. I've had the opportunity to sample the EdT and it's very similar, with less musk, slightly brighter citrus, but shorter longevity.

Chia is vanilla/floral with a strong dose of candyfloss - very much like an amped up L'Artisan Vanilia. A touch of florals (orange blossom?) and musk fill out the composition. Chia has strong sillage and lasts forever on the skin. If I sweat while wearing Chia I'm immediately surrounded with the aroma of cotton candy. Although this isn't the mold of the currently popular 'boozy/woody vanilla' (i.e. SDV, Tobacco Vanille, Un Bois Vanille, etc.), Chia is a great niche vanilla and I highly recommend it, especially at just over $1/ml. Farmacia SS Anunziata's other vanilla - Vaniglia de Madagascar parfum - isn't nearly as interesting or complex.

I have enjoyed Derby for over a year and only now do I feel I know it well enough to write a review. I'm glad I waited, because had I written a review after buying the bottle I may have been tempted to describe it simply as leather chypre with a distinct mint note in the top/mid. After all, that's what it is.... but it's much more.

While Derby is a product of the 80s and competed in the marketplace with 80s masculines - and while it has the 80s powerhouse characteristics of strong sillage and bold masculinity - Derby is absolutely NOT an 80s fragrance. Rather, Derby owes it's heritage to the classic leather chypres and feminine leathers of the 40s-70s. Lanvin Scandal, Cuir de Lancome, Miss Dior, and most of all Diorling are much more closely related to Derby then its fougere 80s contemporaries. In fact Derby may be THE definitive leather chypre, regardless of gender designation, and the ultimate expression of the genre. I can't think of any such leather chypres after Derby that took the accord any farther.

It's not surprising the Jean-Paul Guerlain would be aware of these fragrances or trained in the classical school that created them. What Guerlain did with Derby is take the basic leather chypre structure and crank up the leather and add a strong mint note. At first the mint was very, very distinct to me and I could not ignore it. Over countless samplings and wearing I was able to enjoy the mint as a cohesive part of the whole composition, a feature that added twang and depth to the fragrance. The distinct mint in the topnotes gives way to a floral heart and eventually a mossy/woody base, all the while the distinct leather chypre structure never giving way. Derby is classy to the extreme, formal, and uniquely masculine without ever reaching into the macho territory of the 80s powerhouses. Derby is James Bond in a tux while the typical 80s powerhouse is a guy with long hair driving a Camaro.

I read someone recently call Derby an old-man fragrance. I disagree - Derby is a fragrance of confidence. It will come off as overbearing and overly strong to someone new to fragrance, and I suggest sampling chypres and vintages to put Derby into context. I also suggest giving Derby many samplings because it does not reveal itself right away - it's simply too dense to be understood and appreciated after a couple experiences. In the year since I first purchased a bottle it's gone from something I liked, to one of my favorite masculines, to what I believe to be in the top-10 fragrances of all time. It's that special.

A comment on vintage vs. current (Les Parisiennes) formula. The re-issue is very faithful to the original but more muted, as though the volume has been turned down 20%. This formula may be best for those who find the original too loud. I've obsessively sought out vintage bottles and probably will always continue to buy them when presented with the opportunity. I'm not sure how Derby will fair if the upcoming rules take away its oakmoss.

I'm dedicating a few days to sampling and reviewing this obscure Mugler line, and into day two I believe this is my favorite of the bunch. All of the Miroir! Miroir! scents are mildly gourmand, with accords anchored to a lightly sweetened, vanilla, but Secrets is the least gourmand and perhaps the most subtle. It starts off with a very curious aldehydic 'green note' I can't specifically identify. This green note is quickly joined by a faint, musky patchouli. The patchouli is not anything like a patchouli-centric fragrance but a subtle and sweet patchouli. For a few hours Secrets slowly melds between very mild background notes (the patchouli always being noticeable) and a vanilla base. I suspect there's some iris in here because the powdery heart/base seems to be more then just a musk. Overall the style of Secrets is very much in the modern Guerlain floral/gourmand mold and in many ways it reminds of Quand Vient la Pluie.

Until it reaches its base, Secrets is remarkably subtle and delicate - pretty and remarkably well balanced. For a few hours I was thinking that this would be the one I would purchase.... but I'm not sure about the base. After such a well developed top/heart perfumer Bertier cheats a little with the base, opting for a fairly generic woody amber I've encountered in countless modern fragrances. There's still a musky vanilla to take the edge of the woody/amber, but the generic ending is akin to traveling in first class for a vacation up until the flight home.

Still, a wonderful fragrance and recommended. Sillage is a bit lower than the other Miroir scents but longevity is superb.

This line, available at select Saks and the Mugler website, is regrettably being kept quiet. It's something like a 'niche' line for Mugler but there's no buzz or marketing of these scents, which are absolutely niche quality and a welcome departure from the countless Angel/A*Men flankers (which still being very identifiable as in the Mugler style).

This is the first in the series of Miroir! Miroir! reviews. Others will soon follow.

As with all the Miroir! Miroir! line there is a distinctly gourmand feel to Vanities. What distinguishes the Miroir fragrances is what goes on above the gourmand vanillic foundation found in nearly all of the scents. Vanities starts off with a bright citrus balanced with anise...sounds like an odd combo (a la Caron Eau de Reglisse) but it works well. The citrus notes lose strength fairly quickly and a subtle woodiness with a hint of vetiver creeps in, enveloping and combining with the anise. The anise and woody notes keep Vanities from becoming as sweet and overtly gourmand as some of the others in the line. Excellent and well done.

I'm not sure why Mugler is keeping this line such a secret because they would be well received by the perfumista/colognisseur world, and they easily put Mugler into niche territory in terms of quality, sillage, and longevity. The Miroir line also represents a departure from Angel, A*Men, and their myriad flankers with which the Mugler name is associated. In the US this line is available at select Saks and via Mugler's website.

I rarely pan fragrances because even if I don't care for the accords I can usually find redeeming qualites that others may enjoy. That said, this is by far one of the worst fragrances I have ever sampled. I was hopeful given the notes because I love dark, animalic leather scents but Complex goes horribly, horribly wrong. The top notes remind me of the smell of the underside of an old car - gasolline and dirt. Not gasoline like, say, Dior Fahrenheit - or a 'fuel' type leather such as Caron En Avion - but gasoline. This strong gassy topnote slowly fades from gasoline into something resembling an overflowing cigarette ashtray at which point a touch of violet peers out from underneath. The violet isn't nearly sweet enough to balance the 'ashtray accord'. Not only is Complex difficult to take, but it's not original, either. The leather/violet combo is very similar to Armani Prive Cuir Amethyste. In fact the best way to describe the fragrance is to imagine the smell of someone who just applied Cuir Amethyste to their hand and then dipped their still-wet hand into an ashtray.

Unfortunately for me I dabbed on Complex right before getting in the car for a long drive, thus I couldn't scrub as I normally would have (though it did give me the opportunity to smell it long enough to review it). The sillage is heavy - the small dab overpowered the Pour Monsieur I was wearing - and it has tenacious longevity. I could still smell hints of it hours after scrubbing.

As someone who appreciates the concept as 'fragrance as art, even if unwearable' I have a high threshold for weirdness. However Complex is not an artistic statement gone wrong (such as Etat Libre's Secretions Magnifique), it is just a terrible fragrance.

Over the last few months I've taken it upon myself to focus on Givenchy III. I wouldn't presume to call myself an 'expert', but at this writing I have 14 bottles in various concentrations (it was made in EdT, EdP and parfum). I sample it almost daily and wear it weekly. Since first sampling Givenchy III just over a year ago it has worked it's way up into my personal "Top-5 Fragrances of All Time" list.

If you are curious about Givenchy III do yourself a favor and don't even bother with the re-issue. It's hardly an echo of the original, and if there's actually any oakmoss in the formula it must be so little as to prevent the chypre accord from being realized. By way of analogy, if the original is the Mona Lisa, the re-issue is a drawing of Lucy from the Peanuts cartoon. It hints at the original without ever actually smelling like it (much the same way 31 Rue Cambon alludes to the chypre genre without actually smelling like a chypre). The citrus is far more apparent and the base not nearly woody/mossy enough in the re-issue. I'm not saying the re-issued perfume is a bad fragrance in and of itself - in fact it's quiet pleasant - but it's not Givenchy III and should never have been so titled.

As far as the original goes, it should be next to Chypre de Coty in the perfume encyclopedia as the definition of 'chypre' is. It is simple and uncluttered. It is utterly timeless, and unlike some vintage chypres it does not smell dated. Smelling deeply, Givenchy III is one of those perfumes in which you can smell multiple layers simultaneously, and as the fragrance develops these layers are always anchored to the chypre structure. From the beginning oakmoss is apparent under the mellow bergamot/floral topnotes, which eventually meander into a green/floral heart. Givenchy III is less soapy and brighter then its peers (such as Miss Dior), and it never becomes overtly floral by any means. The florals give way to the mossy/woody base that persists for a long time, close to the skin.

Everything Givenchy III does, it does smoothly and quietly - always reserved and always elegant. It really is a 'composition' - no notes stand out loudly. Sillage in the EdT is typical of a fragrance from this period (moderate) and longevity a tad shorter (3-4 hours). The EdP is essentially a stronger version of the EdT, with better sillage/longevity. The parfum composition focuses far more on the mossy/woody nature of the fragrance, skipping the citrus and going right to the floral/mossy heart. Sillage of the parfum is about the same as that of the EdT but the longevity is incredible - 8-10 hours easily.

If your thing is modern niche with bold accords and loads of sillage Givenchy III won't be for you. However, if you're into chypres and/or the classics of perfumery you must try Givenchy III because you will love it.

The reigning queen of all vintage leather chypres! Truly a smooth leather with that chypre/oakmoss structure underneath. The re-issue is nowhere near as wonderful. Although rarely on eBay, Diorling is not forgotten because bottles go for small fortunes on eBay, especially parfums. I was recently testing an 80s bottle of Guerlain Derby when it struck me that Derby has much more to do with fragrances like Diorling then it does its 80s-powerhouse brothers.

Like Lanvin Scandal and vintage Cuir de Lancome, it may be called 'feminine' but Diorling would be a bold masculine by today's standards. Consider yourself lucky if you have a bottle.

A very well done, simple rose with a light green and woody background. The rose note itself is not too sweet and certainly not sugary. I prefer Dark Rose, especially in vintage formulation, but that's an entirely different ballgame. C&S Rose is completely unisex and wearable by anyone and everyone.

Wow - so many bad reviews! I'm glad I sampled this a few times before writing a review. Mimosa is a fairly straightforward white floral. It starts of with a light mimosa note with a touch of geranium. Slowly jasmine joins the accord and eventually a tuberose base takes over. I'm not much of a tuberose fan so I stopped enjoying the fragrance as the basenotes emerged, but until that point I felt Mimosa was a darn good white floral (a genre I usually don't care much for). There are better mimosa scents out there, but this one isn't bad. Sillage was what you'd expect from such a fragrance and the longevity was well above average. As for whether paying C&S prices for a white floral is 'worth it' I leave that up to you.

Long ago I got a tad bored with the myriad Montale oud/rose scents, of which Damascus is my favorite. All are very competent but redundant, with slight variations vis a vis the balance between oud and the other notes and perhaps where in the fragrance's progression the oud dominates. Ever since getting a decant of Louban I've been coming back to it over and over. The balance is much different from that of other Montale oud/roses. The addition of incense is a welcome component and the oud itself isn't nearly as dominant. The rose isn't as sweet or thick. Therefore while this is yet another oud/rose it really does stand apart as unique from the others. Overall Louban is more complex, with a lot more going on, than it's brothers and sisters in the line.

On the downside, what I really like about Aoud Damascus (and even more in Micallef's Aoud Rose) is the convergence between oud and rose such that it presents itself almost as a unified note, and this is not accomplished in Louban.

Ignoring the repetition in the line Louban is a fine fragrance, particularly for those who don't want an oud-dominant composition.

It's taken me 10ml - multiple wears and countless arm samplings to get this ASLP, and when I finally wrapped my head around it last night, a light bulb going off over my head, I put the fragrance on my 'must buy soon' list.

ASLP isn't about the topnotes, the mid, or even basenotes but rather the journey through the development. I love angelique, and Guerlain's Angelique Noir and AA Angelique Lilas are favorites of mine. Thus I had high hopes for ASLP, especially it being a Malle and JCE. As many people have commented, the topnotes are not what I was expecting. A watery, peppery accord with a touch of sweetness? That's it? Unfortunately it seems like a lot of people bailed on the fragrance at this point, which is unfortunate. Over the next two hours two things happen on the skin - the peppered spices become less distinct and the sweet, green/floral note of angelique emerges. Although this is difficult to articulate the spice doesn't just fade and angelique rise, but the accords *collide into* one another. Two distinct aspects of the fragrance merge into one bold angelique accord that has a spicy edge to its natural sweetness. Once the merger is complete this remaining angelique-centered basenote accord is simply gorgeous. I highly recommend anyone testing ASLP to plan on giving it 2-3 hours before coming to any conclusions.

There's no disputing that ASLP stays close to the skin... this is not a fragrance for loud sillage but will work well anytime you don't need/want sillage. Longevity is actually quite good for a subtle fragrance (@6hrs), though this may not be apparent because the sillage is so mild. ASLP is absolutely unisex and a must-try for angelique fans.

Very high recommendation!

Instead of just pure heliotrope like, say, Santa Maria Novella Eliotroppio, this Crown Perfumery version adds a touch of citrus to the heliotrope in the topnotes. This citrus is bright yet subtle and fades over 20-30 minutes, leaving a crystal-clear heliotrope note. Unlike heliotrope fragrances such as those by Etro and Ava Luxe, 'straight' heliotrope has a green, floral aspect to it as well as having a light almond/vanilla sweetness. Crown presents heliotrope just right and I got a strong soliflore in the mid/basenotes that lasted 4-5 hours easily. The SMN version also presents 'straight' heliotrope but it's a little more musky, muted with less sillage (but no topnotes, it's linear). Neither the Crown or SMN are better then the other - they are simply variations on presenting heliotrope and you can't go wrong with either one.

If you like heliotrope and see a bottle of this (or the SMN) grab it quick because restrictions on using heliotrope have killed the possibility of new, real, heliotrope-laden fragrances being released in the future.

This often-overlooked Dior is worth seeking out and rivals any modern citrus fragrance. The opening notes positively radiate off the skin in layers of citrus notes. Lemon takes center stage but a variety of citrus notes are present and can be appreciated distinctly or as part of melange of notes. I like to grossly overapply and surround myself with its aroma. This citrus is 'just right', not too sour, not too sweet, and no thickness or creaminess. Even overapplied the citrus is never too much.... Roudnitska must have intended this as discrete fragrance.

With a heavy application you'll get about 2 hours of citrus nirvana before Eau Fraiche fades out. If there's any sort of distinct basenotes I can't distinguish them before the scent fades entirely. For longevity Eau Fraiche is a tad disappointing, but really this is not surprising or out of the norm for vibrant citrus scents (i.e. Eau d'Orange Verte, Eau de Fleurs de Cedrat, etc.) - poor longevity is part of what defines this genre. This is a great alternative to EdOV and perfect for summer. If you can find a vintage bottle all the better because the citrus is even more vibrant.

I bought a mini of this and promptly forgot about, leaving it to collect dust on the shelf. I recently gave it a skin test then full wear and regret the time I wasted without appreciating it. Grain de Soleil starts of as a floral/amber, warm and comfortable. To compare it to another fragrance - it's a more floral, toned down version of Ambre Narguille. I recently sprayed it on my arm before bed and the next morning it was still going strong, with a tasty vanilla/amber base with what feels like a hint of spice to keep it interesting. I don't have much experience with Fragonard but this is one I wouldn't mind a FB of on my shelf.

A simple but pleasant patchouli and vanilla accord. It's got a bit of punch, especially at first (and in the extrait version), but the sillage fades after about an hour. As the fragrance dries down vanilla becomes more prominent and patchouli takes a backseat. Good for people who like patchouli and want a fragrance that doesn't have such a strong patchouli bite.

Green and floral chypres have been my 'thing' lately, and Profumo is one of the best I've come across. There is a distinct rose/plum topnote grafted onto the chypre structure that is simply fantastic. It is similar in style to Guerlain's discontinued Parure, but it's not as bright and cheery as Parure. After about 30-40 minutes the rosey/plumy notes fade and a long drawn-out oakmoss drydown emerges that meanders for hours. This may be one of the best oakmoss bases of any fragrance made today. There is an elegance and stateliness to Profumo that must be experienced. Many re-issues of classic fragrances are nothing but pale reflections of their former selves, but this is one that could easily confuse for a 30s era fragrance. Excellent and required for chypre fans. A Neimans SA told me there is a reformulated version now available (because of oakmoss restrictions? She didn't say). I can't attest to the newest version.

On a side note, the presentation is fantastic. The bottles sits in a pedestal base with a slot for the bulb sprayer attachment. The art-deco ribbed glass bottle - sans label - is one of the best looking on my shelf.

As Buzzlepuff mentions, this is a limited run of 80 bottles which makes owning it very special but is likewise unfortunate since it would undoubtedly be a popular vetiver that would rival Vetiver Extraordinaire, Encre Noir, and Sycomore. The vetiver presented is quite strong, but earthy, mossy, and damp throughout the entire composition. There are no contrasting sweet notes and really no smoky notes either. Turtle Vetiver is tenacious as it lasted into the next morning for a 24+ hour wear on a few sprays. Sillage at first is almost too robust but does fade to an acceptable-to-be-in-public level in a reasonable period of time. A must-have for vetiver fans.

Holy Smokes, Batman! This is the type of fragrance I envisioned a house with the name 'Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab' would create, and a fragrance that fits in with the imagery and vibe of its website. Umbra is a dark, strong, and evil fragrance. Essentially linear, Umbra is a huge, unforgiving blast of cedar and vetiver. The cedar is brutally strong and brooding, the vetiver is sharp and bitter. A hint of cinnamon brightens on application but quickly recedes, leaving only the angry, sillage-heavy wood/vetiver. Although there is no distinct patchouli note, I believe it is present as published providing depth and strength.

Perfect for the mosh pit or when you otherwise want to clear space around you, but not unpleasant or poorly constructed. It's different, it's strong, and it doesn't f-around.

Notes: East African black patchouli, cedar, vetiver, cinnamon

The tact I have taken over the last few months when trying a new niche fragrance is to - when possible - get samples of the entire line. I've been finding that trying all the fragrances reveals information and gives me perspective about each particular fragrance I otherwise may not have gleamed. The structure, the techniques, the style, the artistry, etc. all come into better focus when viewed in perspective. It's almost as though seeing the forest helps me understand each tree contained therein.

Thus has been my approach with Martine Micallef fragrances, of which Note Ambree is my first review of the house. I'm reviewing this first because I feel it typifies the line in many ways. The style I am encountering with Micallef fragrances is that they are subtle and full of discrete notes. These discrete, subtle notes can be enjoyed individually as they meld in and out, appearing, settling, and resurfacing throughout the fragrance's life on the skin. The notes however also have the unique effect of conglomerating such that their confluence stands for an interpretation of one larger note. In this case the note is amber, and I assume the name 'Note Ambree' tells us that this is an interpretation of amber without the use of amber, per se. The same effect is created in various other fragrances such Patchouli and Note Vanillee to different degrees.

On application Note Ambree presents a bouquet of florals brightened with citrus (bergamot). Ylang ylang and jasmine are the most prominent florals, and the composition is sweet in a floral - not sugary - way. The addition of bergamot gives the topnotes an amber feel to them. The different florals come in and out of focus, and slowly the bergamot loses visibility as the amber base becomes more prominent. The base is not pure amber, instead a well blended floral aspect always remains. The published notes of rose and iris are never distinct, but I assume they are present to both round out the composition and soften it as only iris can.

As is typical with Micallef fragrances, sillage is light to moderate but longevity is excellent. For a floral/amber, this fragrance is largely unisex - at least as unisex as any straight amber such as L'Eau d'Ambre or Ambre Precieux. If you are a guy who enjoys fragrances such as those you will have no problem wearing Note Ambree.

If you're starting with Micallefs, I recommend this fragrance (highly), as well as Vanille Aoud (one of the more unique from the line), Aoud (Boise) Men, Gaiac (my favorite), and Anabar.


bergamot, fennel leaves, jasmine, rose, ylang-ylang, amber, iris

Notes: Bitter almond, vanilla, frankincense, heliotrope, cinnamon

Whoofa! Eclipse starts out with almost medicinal blast of almond and cinnamon, to the point that it's actually quite unpleasant. The cinnamon fades within a few minutes, leaving a light, bland almond/vanilla aroma that is very synthetic feeling. I don't get any other published notes, or any other notes for that matter...the fragrance just fades out from there. It's almost as though they forgot to create the heart and base of the fragrance. My negative rating is not simply a case of me not liking the fragrance (I don't), but rather what appears to be a massive structural defect.

Notes: Amber, Heliotrope, Golden Sandalwood, Peach Blossom, Vanilla Bean

What really stands out in Tamora is the peach, which lasts from the topnotes well into the drydown. In the background a light vanilla slowly melds into sandalwood, and the entire composition is made slightly powdery and floral via the heliotrope. A mild and fun little fragrance, worth sampling.

A brief glance at the notes (in foetidus' review, below) would lend one to think Gluttony smells like a 4-scoop ice cream sundae, but it's actually much more successful (per the BPAL website, 'hops' is a note that foetidus missed). There is also a little more development and progression then I've experienced in the few BPALs I've tried (but that is so few I cannot generalize from them).

It starts of with a distinctly nutty, hazelnut blast. The nuttiness eventually subsides into a less distinct toffee note sitting on a light bed of buttercream, the effect of which is to smell like a buttercream-nut cookie batter. The toffee lingers, eventually meandering into a coffee/cocoa base. Longevity is incredible 10+ hours with just a dot of oil.

While sweet, the composition is just dry enough (probably the hops) so as to make the composition miserable, though if you don't like gourmands you should stay far, far away from Gluttony. It's important to remember that BPAL fragrances are highly conceptual and are one aspect of an artistic 'piece' that includes the art, themes, poetry, and other writings on the BPAL website. Gluttony is one of the seven deadly sins, and thus one must view its absurd over-the-top gourmand nature in that perspective - it's supposed to be sinfully rich and decadent. As to whether it's wearable that is on the skin of the beholder, but for a few bucks you can own a truly outrageous gourmand.

I simultaneously received samples of Amande Sucre and Sinfonia di Note Amande Sucree from a kind BNer. The Ava Luxe blows the Sinfonia out of the water! I've began to realize that what Ava Luxe calls 'eau de parfum' concentration would probably be extrait by most houses. This is a simple sweet almond, bright and cheery with excellent sillage and longevity. It's not toothache sweet, nor is too mute or musky (as the Sinfonia is). Ava Luxe fragrances are of high quality, regardless of genre, but the gourmands seem to shine above and beyond the others. For a simple gourmand at a low price I don't think you can do much better - I also suggest you try Doll Face, another inexpensive but slightly more complex gourmand.

Sharp, tinny, and unpleasant lavender. Not very good at all.

This is a bright, vanillic/amber with light woody notes. Very nice.

Here in the US the discount chain TJ Maxx and it's sister store Marshalls has received a flood of Armani Prive 'refill bottles', the internal fragrance bottle intended to slip into the wooden container with the fancy pebble cap. The refill bottle itself has a spray and is actually quite solid, physically and visually. In an amazing illustration of exactly how large the profit margin is on these fragrances, the refill bottles sell for $30 (at which price point the chain still profits). As I peruse the reviews, below, many of which mention the high price I almost twinge with empathy for all those who shelled out $150 or more for their bottles. I've had samples of the Prives forever, but because of these deep discounts I've had the opportunity to really play with them.

Bois d'Encens is by FAR my favorite Prive, and in fact it's the only one I enjoy. I've been exploring incense fragrances lately, and BdE is essentially frankincense with light supporting notes. On application the fragrance is all pepper, but within a couple minutes the frankincense note appears. As the pepper fades the frankincense becomes more dominant. The incense note is light and airy with a wonderful balance between being sharp and peppery and sweet and resinous. The absence of other strong notes lets the beauty of the frankincense do the talking, and as Turin points out in the Guide, frankincense has a wonderful quality of 'never smelling exactly the same twice'. I agree with this comment and have found that weather, clothing, situation, etc. all play in role in how Bois d'Encens presents itself on the skin. At first the sillage is very good but fades after a couple hours. Even thought the sillage fades the fragrance continues to develop slowly.

In the drydown slightly sweeter notes appear to balance the frankincense, and as a review below notes these seem to be balsamic, woody notes that have a sweet and resinous aroma of their own. At this stage BdE reminds me quite a bit of Guerlain's epic Bois d'Armenie which is loaded with balsam wood and incense. Bois d'Armenie is, in my opinion, a far superior incense fragrance, but it is also much richer and not nearly as minimalist as the Armani and thus they don't occupy the same niche. Longevity is good, 5-7 hours.

All in all Bois d'Encens is very good.fragrance and that's why I'm giving it a strong thumbs up (I try to judge in a vacuum without regard to value). However, I would never buy this at full price as I don't feel it's THAT good, especially when other great frankincense fragrances like Memoire Liquide Hommage are cheaper, and expensive incense fragrances like Bois d'Armenie are better. If you or someone you know can snag one at TJX/Mashalls by all means grab one. [special thanks to the BNer who bought me a bottle at their local Marshalls.]

Amber is a tricky note for me - I love it when used well in accords, and I love vanilla fragrances. I've long sought a amber-centric fragrance and have literally sampled dozens of such fragrances. [I do own Ambre Narguile, which it more of a gourmand then an amber.] The problem I have with most ambers is the honey-thick sweetness that pushes the note too far. Montale's Blue Amber is the best example of an amber I don't like for this reason.

Ironically, Ambre Extreme is one of the very first ambers I ever tried, and I'd nearly forgotten about it in my search for ambers. What I really like about it is that you get the amber complexity and warmth without the depths of sweetness found in others. Perhaps it's because it's an Ellena work, but Ambre Extreme magically seems to convey the warmth and sweetness of amber while also maintaining a certain transparency that is rare in the genre. There is a slight powdery background and chalkiness that I happen to really like but others may not. The only other amber I found in my search is MPG's Ambre Precieux, but the L'Artisan was far less expensive, and I actually prefer it to the MPG. Longevity and sillage are both very good.

For a straight amber that isn't super-heavy, check this one out.

It's taken me a couple tries to get a sample of Scandal that was still in excellent shape. Now that I have, I can report that it is an incredible leather fragrance - among the best I've ever tried. Glove smooth and very luxurious, Scandal is reminiscent of vintage Chanel Cuir de Russie but even smoother and richer. Asha's review, below, is superb. There's no way I can follow such a good review so I won't try.... read her review to learn about Scandal, then go find yourself a sample. If you like leather fragrances it's worth buying a couple bottles on eBay until you find one that still smells good.

Greed is a very pleasant, nuanced fragrance that contains patchouli balanced with heliotrope, and the drydown has an earthy/woodiness that is not entirely unlike Parfumerie Generale's Bois Blonde. There is a distinctively leathery quality to Greed, and the fragrance manages to balance woody and sweet notes excellently. Good stuff.

Purports to be pure leather, but in reality is a smoky, dark vetiver surrounded by leather notes. The vetiver is unique and very enjoyable. I'd love to write more, but with respect to the BPAL fragrances (of which this is the first I've reviewed), I think it's best to just get out a few notes about it to fill the gap where there is no info at all.

It's taken me quite a while to wrap my head around Tom of Finland, and I have a feeling that this review is probably premature as I will continue to progress in my understanding of its various subtleties, especially now that I have my own full bottle. What we have with TOF is a rare successful convergence of marketing, message, and a very good product. There is tremendous subtlety in this fragrance, and if you're not paying attention you may think it is a simple or boring fragrance. Close and careful analysis reveals it is anything of the sort.

The opening notes reveal an odd accord of aldehydes and a rubber/leather note that will persist throughout the composition (via birch and styrax). Normally a rubber/leather accord would be heavy, but in TOF it is mild and not overpowering. Upon first wearings one would think that this is a result of perhaps a light dosing of the leather ingredients in the mix. This is not the case, rather the rubber/leather is balanced by the aldehydes, light citrus, and the very prominent iris note that provides a powdery, rooty counterpoint to the rubber/leather accord. The effect is to trick your nostrils into thinking you're smelling a mild, powdered leather - but what goes into creating this effect is complex, nuanced, and quite remarkable. Heavier application reveals the mild citrus in the topnotes more clearly, but then one also loses the subtlety of the rubber/leather. With the overarching rubber/leather always noticeable, the citrus background melds into a floral background with what seems like geranium and galbanum. This is not a light leather fragrance, but rather a strong leather fragrance tempered by other accords.

As the florals develop and fade, the notes underlying the rubber/leather become more prominently woody and even peppery for a time. As the heart progresses to the base, the separation between the rubber/leather accord and the underlying notes collapses into a unified base. This unified woody/leatherbase sweetens a little, showing a little vanilla and tonka (and always iris), and becoming slightly musky. Longevity is good, 5-6 hours. Sillage is average unless you really over-apply, but this was not intended to be a loud fragrance thus you can't blame it for having sillage appropriate to its theme.

Now that the fragrance has been described it can be tied into its marketing themes. The intent was obviously not to create a wild, sexy fragrance. Tom of Finland refers to the homoerotic artist who produced works under that name (and the Tom of Finland Foundation with whom this was a joint project with ELDO). TOF art appears on the boxes and different editions are available with different art on the different boxes. The tie in to gay lifestyle, art, and associated issues cannot be ignored.

The simplistic explanation that TOF is supposed to smell like the rubber/leather worn as BDSM outfits - or the absurdly unimaginative idea that this is supposed to smell like a condom - enitrely misses the fragrance's most subtle points. TOF is masculine, but not overly masculine via its use of aldehydes that are typically used in feminine fragrances(fn1). There are sweet and floral aspects balanced with more wild and sensual notes (leather, rubber, tar). Homosexuality is not one-dimensional, nor is this fragrance. The fragrance is neither masculine, feminine, or unisex, but rather it is all three and none of them at the same time. I will leave it to the reader to decide how this ties in with homosexuality for themselves. Overall, I believe the fragrance is tied into the sometime ignored reality that homosexuality is not easily pigeonholed or sterotyped, and nor is it necessarily brash and loud (just as the fragrance is subtle and nuanced). It would be too easy to just make a loud leather fragrance and associate it with homosexuality, ELDO did not take this easy route and instead made a more measured artistic statement with this fragrance. Of the various artistic statement ELDO fragrances purport to make, this is perhaps their most successful and accessible.

If you appreciate subtle fragrances, and especially if you like leather fragrances, this one is far outside the norm and worth exploration. Give it a few tries and don't expect to be blown away on first application because this fragrance impresses the more you get to know it, and it is anything but boring or flat.

footnote 1: See review of TOF on The Scented Salamander (use of aldehydes as typically used in feminine fragrances) at minifroufrou.com.

Moustache was my dad's fragrance when I was a child and thus I've always had a special place in my heart for it - and a bottle on my shelf. While I have a vintage bottle of EdC and aftershave, this review is for the current EdC Concentree version.

Moustache is another work of Roudnitska's genius and like so many of his other creations was well ahead of its time (and totally relevant today). The opening blast of lime is tart enough to make your eyes water (it's the best use of lime in a fragrance, imo). Accompanying the lime note is a certain animalistic funk that I assume is civet, and the touch of depth it adds is really what sets Moustache apart from your typical citrus. The tartness subsides fairly rapidly and while the lime remains present, is balanced by a mossy/powdery note and a subtle, light fruitiness that is not tart, but sweet. [side note: the opening is where the EdT concentree really sets itself apart from the vintage EdC. The EdC's opening is much "brighter" and without the animalistic funk lurking in the background. I believe it even foreshadows the brightness that would later be found in Eau Sauvage.].

The drydown is long a pleasant. Rather than a typical woodsy base, it is more green and piney, with hints of fruit and the omnipresent lime that never fully fades. For a fragrance of its age, the longevity is remarkable (though not in the EdC version), and I get a full 4-5 hours. I wish the base was amplified a little because it it so pleasant, but hey - it is what it is. Considering one can easily find a 100ml bottle of Moustache Concentre for around $30-35, this is one of more affordable and underrated classics on the market today. You have to have respect for any fragrance still going strong after 60 years. Considering that Eau Neuve de Lubin is marketed as a feminine, this could easily be worn by either sex.

Absolutely a must-try for everyone with an interest in the classics AND for people looking for a contemporary citrus fragrance.

Calycanthus is a soliflore of a flower by the same name (calycanthus floridus, which is a flowering shrub). According to the Acca Kappa marketing, calycanthus is "a flowering plant often found in Venetian gardens, [blooming] uniquely in the heart of winter..." Whether or not you want to take their word for it, the fragrance is a very, very pretty floral. The aroma is sweet and similar to that of a violet flower (not leaf), but it retains some of the 'green' aspect of the flower underlying the sweetness.

Compared to other Acca Kappas, this is a sillage-monster, but compared to most florals the sillage is a bit low, but the longevity is pretty good. This is an EdT, whereas most AKs are EdCs. This is an 'off the beaten path' fragrance (in the US) for sure, but if you come across it, give it a try.

It must be a hallmark of Acca Kappa to have low-low sillage fragrances, as all I've tried thus far are very discrete. White Moss is light musk with mossy, fabric-softener type aroma. Pleasant but very mild, even for a skin scent. In fact, I applied nearly a half ml to my arm and cannot smell anything unless I push my nose up against my arm.

If you want your skin to smell clean at point blank range and nothing else, this fragrance would be for you. I'm giving this a neutral not because I don't like low-sillage fragrances, but because even within the realm of skin scents White Moss is too light - lighter than a body spray or even a deodorant (but at a premium price).

I found a bottle of this fragrance - sealed in a box - at a local yard sale and picked it up for a couple bucks. Without any expectations I was pleasantly surprised. It a traditional, very proper fougere that exudes British-ness. It's quite a bit powdery and not particularly strong. By way of comparison I'd say it's something like Dior Jules but toned down and without the strong herbal topnotes. I will definitely wear this for formal occasions, especially those that require me to be outside in any sort of heat. I can't say it's worth hunting down this fragrance, but don't pass it up if you run into a bottle at a yard sale!

You know when you go to an online fragrance retailer and go to the Guerlain page, and a number of 'oddball' fragrances are on the page, many of which are inexpensive and you know nothing about them? Terracotta Voile d'Ete is one of these Guerlains. I have not tried all of these mystery limited editions, but I can safely vouch for the fact that TVdE is a gem and a tremendous value considering the absurdly low prices it fetches on these sites (I bought mine for $22).

TVdE is primarily a carnation fragrance, which naturally has a floral spiciness to it. There are a confluence of other florals, and I believe citrus, that temper the spicy nature of the carnation and result in a fragrance that is very bright and sunny. It is not at all like a white floral, but wears more like a citrus or even a cologne, especially when you first apply it. The fragrance is essentially linear and, as mentioned by other reviewers, stays close to the skin but it lasts as expected for an EdT (4-6 hours). There is a light sweetness as well, which I believe results from heliotrope (there is also a light heliotrope-esque powderyness to the composition). On a side note, Guerlain used their old-school "circle flacon' with the cone stopper (with accompanying detachable atomizer) that used to be used for EdC concentrations of their fragrances. Don't worry, TVdE is an EdT.

A word to the wise: Guerlain may have discontinued TVdE, but it was reincarnated as a member of the Les Parisiennes line under the name Quand Vient l'Ete. If there is any different between the two, there may be a twinge of distinction in the topnotes, but they are at least 98% identical to one another (per a simultaneous skin test). I was seriously considering a purchase of the Les Parisiennes release until a knowledgeable BNer clued me in, as I know clue you in. Don't spend $200+ when you can spend $25! Not only do I recommend you try this, but I'd go so far as to say this is a safe blind buy for fans of Guerlain florals, especially at a the low prices it's available for.

Yet another deceptively simple, bright and cheery gourmand from Profumum (along with Dulcis in Fundo, Confetto, and the other ambers in the line). The simple accord of vanilla and light fruit notes strongly reminds me of a certain pastry, but for the life of me I can't remember the name of the pastry. Imagine the smell of a rich vanilla custard with a tart berry sauce and you're probably close to AeZ. There isn't much development, but nor is it entirely linear.

The fragrance starts out as vanilla with a light dusting of fruit - they say orange blossom but if that's what it is it isn't very distinct. Over the next couple hours the fruit becomes more noticeably a tart berry note. You might be reading this thinking that AeZ is recklessly sweet, which it is not, and although the vanilla is rich there is a restraint to it, and the dryness of the berry note keeps the sweetness in check. About 4-5 hours after application the berry note recedes in prominence but never fully disappears, leaving the vanilic base that is a touch powdery. As you can expect with Profumum, the materials are of obvious quality, none of the notes appear synthetic or cheap, and both great sillage and monster longevity can be expected with minimal application. Like with all other Profumums, it was perfectly well behaved on my skin.

A quick note by means of comparison to other gourmands: I happen to be skin testing Keiko Mecheri's Lokhoum on the opposite arm as I tested AeZ. Other than being gourmand and having fruit notes, AeZ shares nothing in common with Lokhoum-style fragrances such as the KM/Serge Lutens/Ava Luxe Lokhoums or Montale's Sweet Oriental Dream. The lokhoum/"Turkish Delight" gourmand sub-genre is characterized by a sweet almond note lasting the life of the fragrance that provides the sweet background, giving those fragrances a distinctly nutty and more subtle, maple-like aroma. Remove the almond and they are entirely different fragrances. AeZ is far more bright, the fruit notes far more prominent and sharp, than any lokhoum/gourmand.

Je Suis un Homme presents a great men's cologne, though as with most ELDO fragrances there is a twist that allows it to stand apart. In his case the traditional generic woods base is replaced with a patchouli/leather accord. The citrus/herbal top notes are reminiscent of Eau Sauvage, but drier (perhaps the lack of hedione?) and less tart. Within 10-20 minutes little hints of patchouli appear and from there the citrus fades out over the next hour into the patchouli/leather base, the start of which features a particularly prominent patchouli note*. As someone who likes patchouli, this is a great alternative to traditional cologne. Longevity and sillage are both very good, especially for a "cologne" (probably because it's not an EdC concentration, but EdP I believe). Therefore while there are certainly any number of cologne options, this is the only one with the patchouli 'twist' that I'm aware of (even from so-called 'superior' houses, as if the house is relevant to the review itself). As with all the ELDOs, the cost is very reasonable for niche.

* A note on the patchouli/leather base. Before purchasing a bottle, I tend to first purchase a sample, then a decant, then a bottle if all I still think the fragrance is bottle worthy by the time I'm done with the decant. For JSUH, my sample and decant were from different sources, one of which was US based, the other from Europe. There is something of a difference between the two sources with respect to how prominent the patchouli base presents itself, particularly at first. I personally prefer the stronger patchouli and would buy a bottle without hesitation if I knew for sure that the stronger-base version is the one I'd be buying, not that the other is bad, it's just that I would be buying it expressly because of the patchouli-cologne 'twist'. I have no idea whether there are different formulas released in different markets or if one of the samples I received had turned bad for some reason. I'm noting this in case your experience with respect to the base differs from the one I describe in the review, above.

Doll Face (EdP) is a terrific little floral/gourmand. The thrust of it is heliotrope, with it's powdery/almond/vanillic aroma. Underpinning the heliotrope is vanilla and musk. I did notice what others have described as a 'plastic' note, which presents itself not really as 'plastic' but rather as a note that is not sweet in a composition in which everything else is. I believe this may be violet, or perhaps another floral note that is very dry. The effect is to add a little twist to what would otherwise be a simple gourmand, and in conjunction with the name does in fact conjure the image of a 'doll' - plastic and cute.

DF is up to the usual high Ava Luxe quality and longevity - in fact the longevity was longer than most I've tried (8-10 hours). There isn't a lot of development, it's more linear, though there is movement towards the sweet musky base. With a bottle cost under $30, you can't go wrong if you like heliotrope fragrances.

It is what it is - oud! Montale could have chosen to make this wicked stong, but they didn't. Instead, it's a perfectly manageable strength without being too weak, either. I have a suspicion that had they made this more concentrated it would have turned off most people. The result is a pleasant, woody oud. The other advantage of not having it be too strong as that one can appreciate the subtlety and complexity of what oud smells like without being muddied with accompanying notes.

It's very difficult to articulate exactly what this type of oud smells like. The closest I can come is this - when I was young there was a tobbaccoist/ in town who sold cigars, pipes, lotto tickets, etc. Walking into the store was to be flooded with a variety of aromas, not only tobacco but smoke from different sources and ash. This is similar - woody, smoky, a touch medicinal, and rich with many different layers.

I'm so glad to have finally acquired a sample of this - the Aoud series is very hit or miss for me - but this really puts many of the line in perspective. Were I to be in the marketplace for a Montale Aoud, I'd have a tough decision between this and a few others I really enjoy (White, Silver, Damascus, etc. and I own Cuir). Great, great fragrance.

You know when you do a swap with someone, they (and you) will throw in some random extras, and perhaps if you don't know the person you'll include carded samples you just received from the mall but don't necessarily want (or have doubles of)? Well a carded sample of "B" arrived in a recent trade, and I tossed it on my desk in the 'to try' pile, where it sat for .... well, for a while before I just sprayed it on to say "I tried it, now I can file it."

Well I'll be damned if I didn't sniff my arm some time later and say "hey! this ain't bad at all!". I've seen sampled it many times and I'm very impressed.

B isn't your typical designer (high end designer?) modern feminine. The primary accord is rose and apricot on a background of osmanthus and musk. It is neither sweet or too dry, and the apricot really adds the twang that sets B apart. There isn't a tremendous amount of movement with this one, the apricot become distinct and some light woodiness and sandalwood emerge. The composition remains lightly musky with a white floral support that stays throughout. Overall I find the quality to be very high and far above that of typical designers. There is nothing obviously synthetic, flimsy, or cheap about B at all.

I've read this release, still somewhat new, is pricey ($150), and it's nothing I'll be investing in soon. Maybe a few years from in the future when it's hit the discounters, maybe not. B is something that would work on a woman of any age and I think I'd find it quite attractive on a lady.

Goes to show you don't ever know - watch each card you play, and play it slow.

As far as florals go, violette is one of my favorite notes, and I've been casually seeking out the violette perfect for me. What I've been finding is that houses interpret violette one of two ways, either very sweet (Tom Ford) or very, very dry (Santa Maria Novella and Caron). L'Artisan's entry splits the difference very well. There is a robust violette note, accompanied by iris which provides a dry, powdery background and subtle 'green' (leaf) notes. The violette is a touch sweet and to me personally is more enjoyable than the bone-dry or sugar sweet varieties.

Special thanks to ubuandibeme for getting me a nice decant of VV. I was not aware it was a boutique fragrance, but that makes sense since I've never seen it outside the LP catalog.

I loved reading purplebird's excellent review and astute description of the different approaches to patchouli by various houses.

There is nothing wrong with Patchoulissime at all - a dry, light, earthy, herbal patchouli that is as far from 'raw' or 'animalistic' as patchouli can possibly be. It's still patchouli, but by far the kinder, gentler version of patchouli. I'm firmly with foetidus in that I like my patchouli without being watered down, and while this fragrance is well constructed and would appeal to those wanting a mild patchouli fragrance, it is not for me.

I generally agree with my man everso on many fragrances, and in my never ending quest to sample every leather fragrance ever made I've come across many whose "Cuir" title did not match the actual scent. I was thus prepared to not be impressed with Peau d'Espagne, even though I'm something of an SMN devotee. Living now in Texas it took me quite a while to source a sample, and at times I almost pulled the trigger on an expensive blind buy.

On first spray I was entirely in agreement with everso - I got a blast of pungent herbs, woods, and amber that smelled little or nothing of leather. Not ready to give up, I gave it ten minutes and noticed the herbal notes were calming down and a leathery quality emerging. Within 20 minutes the herbal notes were merely a side note, and 30 minutes after application I was enjoying a terrifically smooth and rich leather fragrance. I'm not sure why SMN would devise such an opening except maybe that the myriad of notes that combine to create leather require these such an opening as a consequence of the ingredients used ((especially in an old-recipe, low/no synthetic formula like SMNs).

The leather is smooth and luxurious. There is a similarity to Chanel Cuir de Russie (pre Exclusifs) only the SMN has a distinctly more masculine feel to it, perhaps because of the herbal underpinnings that are always subtly present. I generally always get terrific longevity from SMN fragrances, despite their label as 'Acqua di Colonias' (which I don't think they are vis a vis concentration levels), and this is no exception. The leather note, once present, is linear and only fades slowly towards the end. Hints of the fragrance are present over 12 hours later, using 3 sprays.

*SIGH* Another Santa Maria Novella I'd like on my shelf.

Working my way through samples of the Ava Luxe has been a real joy - quality fragrances that are easy to wear with out compromising on artistic merit or solid construction. It doesn't hurt that there are many near-gourmands, vanillas, and others with notes that appeal to me. Even among so many I enjoy, Palisander really stands out.

I have a thing for rosewood - I love that it's depth, which simultaneous evokes rose and wood has a near-cocoa like texture to it. Other fragrance with excellent rosewood notes are Rochas Tocade and Parfumerie Generale Brulure de Rose. Palisander starts with a solid rosewood note, rich and near-gourmand, accompanied with a touch of musk and a little amber that seems to always be lurking in the background. This note holds down the fort for quite a while, in fact just when you think it's a nice, but linear, fragrance I get little whiffs of frankincense and pepper, but just enough to give more depth to the primary rosewood accord. The combo of amber and incense reminds me a bit of Tauer's Incense Extreme, only Palisander is more subtle.

I stopped paying attention for a little while and it took me a minute to remember what was on my hand. As the base emerges the incense deepens and is joined by a discrete but noticeable vetiver note, along with an increase in musk. The combo of amber, incense and vetiver sounds odd, but it works well and the interplay between the incense and vetiver is particularly enjoyable. From the base the fragrance fades well. Longevity is very good. The only negative is that the fragrance stays a bit closer to the skin than I'd like, especially with it being so enjoyable, however this may be remedied by applying the extrait formulation, which is the one I intend to purchase soon.






Palisander wood (from renewable sources), Japanese Hiba wood, Amber, Incense
Musk, Pink Pepper, Cinnamon, Vetiver

I'm not sure how I missed HOT Always when I was going through a lot of Bond 9 sampling a few months ago, but I did. I have an on again off again interest in Bond 9 fragrances, and lately I've been 'on again' and seeking to fill in the gaps of my Bond sample collection, hence why I ended up with a decant of HOT-A. Why does this matter? The "off again" periods coincide with when I become bored with Bond 9 fragrances. Too many are too similar, and if I sample too many of them in a short period they blend together. The Bond 9's that I like, and that seem to really stand out, are the ones that are different. New Haarlem and Silver Factory are examples such fragrances.

HOT Always is also such a fragrance. Absent is the "[insert distinctive accord here] over a fresh/floral/citrus base" that seems to be the formula for many Bonds. On application I get a blast of cinnamon and patchouli, in fact quite a bit of both. Definitely an interesting combo and one that I like. The cinnamon really adds punch to the patchouli and keeps me engaged to keep smelling my arm. The patchouli note is somewhat restrained, which I understand in the sense that Bond 9 was not looking to make a patchouli-centric fragrance. However I think HOT-A would be more interesting and successful as a fragrance were Bond 9 to have foregone restraint and gone balls out with the patchouli. Alas, they did not. Lurking in the background are a florals that fill out the scent, adding body and also balancing the camphorous nature of the patchouli/cinnamon accord. Again, I think the floral heart and base represent Bond playing it safe and choosing not to really put out a fragrance that jumps out at you (but may not be commercially viable).

The longevity was decent but not great. The initial burst is the most interesting aspect of HOT-A, and were I to own a bottle I'd probably want to reapply every couple hours to keep it interesting. I don't get much from the base in terms of published notes, just a mellowed out patchouli, slightly sweetened. This is one of my more favored Bond 9 releases, but not one I'd want to pay Bond prices for when there are so many great patchouli fragrances out there. Still, a very good release.

I've only recently started exploring incense fragrances and find them to be very hit or miss for me, probably a consequence of what variety of incense the perfumer is attempting to capture. What I have found is a 'vein' of incense style that I really enjoy, and I find that style present in Incense Extreme.

IE starts with a frankincense note that is clear and precise but not overwhelming. Balancing the incense is a touch of sweet-but-not-too-sweet - which I assume to be the ambergris. The incense is well balanced with the ambergris, which I suppose may not appeal to those who want a stronger incense note and smokier body. As the fragrance develops woody notes appear along with the incense, and the composition as a whole is lightly powdery.

What I really like is the transparency and delicacy of Incense Extreme. While the CdG incense series is very good, I find them a touch difficult to wear, especially to work. IE is imminently wearable, and as a wearer I can focus on the incense, the ambergris, the woody notes, or I can take a step back and just enjoy the composition as a whole. It reminds of me of Vetiver Dance in the way the notes seem to fade in and out subtly. Multiple wearings reveal different facets of the fragrance each time, and a single wearing just simply isn't sufficient to get a handle on what's going on here

IE reminds me of a slightly toned down version of Memoire Liquide Hommage and a very, very toned down version of Guerlain Bois d'Armenie. I assume thiee is the variety of frankincense that Longevity is good like the other Tauers I've tried. This clearly wasn't intended as a sillage monster but as a more discrete fragrance, thus the sillage is what it is supposed to be. I don't own any Tauers right now, but if I were to buy some this would be my second choice behind Lonestar Memories. Very enjoyable.

From Luckyscent:
Incense, touch of spices, powdery orris, cedarwood, ambergris, frankincense

I'm not one for hyperbole, and I've disagreed with nearly every other negative review of all the other Etat Libre fragrances (except Putain des Palaces). I thought the negative and absurd MKK reviews were way off base. Thus I figured Secretions couldn't be nearly as bad as everyone said it is (although the expert opinions I trust like Vibert and mikeperez23 did worry me a little). Well, everyone else was right.

I'm sure this is an artistic statement that someone, somewhere, understands. I'm not going to give it the opportunity to learn what that statement is. I'm not going to describe SM because I can't. I dabbed a tiny amount on my hand, spread it around, let it dry, took a whiff, and dry-heaved. I'm not kidding or exaggerating. I gave it a few minutes and the same thing happened. I scrubbed with the hottest water I could stand. Later I joked with my wife "want to smell the foulest perfume ever made?" I dabbed some on a blotter and again nearly dry heaved. My wife didn't think it was funny.

I wonder what the Henri Bendel shoppers think when they ask to smell this - or do the SAs hide it to avoid such embarrassment? I further wonder where the unsold bottles end up?

The only positive is that I give ELDO props for having the corporate balls to spend the money on a fragrance no one could possibly want for the purpose of making some sort of artistic statement. Perhaps the statement is IN the fact they are releasing an unwearable fragrance, I don't know. The remainder of my SM vial will have a second life as either a gag gift or as a mean prank to be pulled on someone I don't like by spilling it in their car.

I love Vibert's review and description as a BFFF. Jules is squarely in the category of 80s powerhouse masculines. Highly aromatic, I detect a lot of sage in its early stages with galbanum, tobacco and even a touch of citrus lurking underneath. The drydown is unusually smooth, with tobacco/woodsy notes entering the mix as the aromatics mellow out. The base is more 'leathery' smooth than actually smelling of leather. There are moments, particularly in the top/heart, when I can almost detect flashes of another 80s great, Ralph Lauren Monogram. However Monogram was anything but smooth, and in smoothness Jules is more like Aramis Tuscany per Uomo Forte.

What sets Jules apart from its brothers and makes it so enjoyable in today's age is that volume is turned down, and accordingly the 'obnoxious' factor associated with so many 80s powerhouses isn't nearly as noticeable. Accordingly, the sillage isn't outrageous (which isn't necessarily a bad thing), but the longevity is very, very good (8 hours).

Few masculines born of the late 70s/early 80s have stood the test of time so well. Polo is one, Aramis Tuscany, and the now-defunct Rochas Macassar. Dior Jules is among these greats. It's rare that I feel like wearing an 80s masculine, but when I do Jules is at the top of my list. Although increasingly hard to find do not despair as bottles are out there and can always be ordered directly from Dior in a pinch.

Of the many in the Aoud-line, White Aoud is 'the' Jeckyl-and-Hyde of the bunch. White Aoud starts of with the Montale oud note, softer then Black Aoud, but not initially balanced with contrasting accords. After about 10-15 minutes, the "soft side" (vanilla, amber, florals) of White Aoud begins to present itself. For the next two or so hours, the fragrance is an exercise in transition. Oud becomes less prominent as the amber/vanilla becomes more prominent. At some point the oud and amber/vanilla are in balance, then the sweeter notes take over.

Eventually the oud note fades away completely, leaving a soft and very pretty amber/vanillic base. This is remarkable, even compared to others in the Montale Aoud line in which at least some oud remains in the composition through the base (Aoud Shiny, Aoud Damascus for example). It's also remarkable just how far the fragrance travels from dark, distinct oud to near-Guerlinade in the base. The first time I tried White Aoud and forgot about it on my hand for a couple hours, for the life of me I couldn't remember what I'd sampled.

It's taken me a while to appreciate oud accords enough to wear them. It so happens that White Aoud was one of the first that I really enjoyed - I then went on to try many others and came back to this one, finding I like it just as much as I did the first time I tried it. I'd recommend this (and Silver Aoud) as the perfect 'starter Aoud' for getting into the line.

I agree with Trebor that this is an oud designed for Western tastes - and perhaps even the more adventuresome ladies... but what's wrong with that? I live in the West, not a middle-eastern city, and White Aoud works quite well.

There's not a whole lot to write about this. The composition is a lot more 'Ylang' than it is 'Vanille', and I think the fragrance would have been better if the proportions were reversed. Ylang itself is fairly sweet, but the composition itself doesn't go overboard with sweetness... it could be much worse (and I was anticipating worse from the reviews). AAYV is particularly feminine compared to some of the other Aqua Allegorias. It would make a nice casual day fragrance, but it's not nearly as enjoyable as some of the other AAs (like Pampelune or Angelique Lilas).

A cross between a floral and an aquatic on steroids. Well constructed but not my kind of fragrance. Would appeal to those who like designer offerings but want higher quality.

I'm a little mad now that I've tried Hypnotic Poison. Mad at the basenotes community, mad at the fragrance world, and even a little mad at Dior. There is no good reason that I should have had to stumble across this myself, and there is no good reason that this fragrance isn't discussed at all, or even mentioned, when discussing other greats in the 'woody gourmand' genre. I will seek to correct this in the upcoming weeks whenever possible. Dior shares some blame in making this gem a Poison flanker instead of having the balls (and budget) to give it a distinct name and bottle - but then again we just know how Dior love to make flankers instead of properly art directing and marketing a new fragrance (Exhibit B: Dior Homme Sport). Perhaps if people didn't associate Hypnotic Poison with it evil older sister Poison it would be more successful and well known.

Anyway, I came across HP when I realized Annick Menardo is the perfumer of many fragrances I really enjoy. Lolita Lempicka, Body Kouros, Jaipur, Oriental Brulent and even Boss Bottled (the one and only decent Boss fragrance, IMO) are all in the oriental/woody/gourmand style I love so. Reading the BN reviews I started seeking out an inexpensive bottle and sample, but Dior didn't make it easy as HP isn't in all the malls and it's quite pricey for a designer flanker.

HP starts of with a thick almond/honey accord. The fact that the almond note is bitter keeps it from ever becoming too sweet. The fragrance meanders with touches of vanilla, amber, woody notes, and florals while all the while retaining the bitter almond accord that acts as the backbone of the fragrance. As with other Menardo fragrances, HP is never a full gourmand because there's enough going on that has nothing to do with food, but the effect is a fragrance delicious enough to want to spread on ice cream, just like a gourmand. The base becomes musky as the bitter almond slowly fades out, replaced by a woody/amber. Not a woody/amber like every crap men's fragrance these days has an Iso E Super woody/amber, but a real wood notes and amber notes base.

There are those guys who will insist anything with a gourmand note or that comes in a feminine-marketed bottle cannot be worn by men. This is an unfortunate viewpoint for these guys because they're really missing out. HP is a fragrance that would be sexy on a woman but equally unisex and interesting on a guy as well. I haven't played with it long enough to judge sillage, but longevity is pretty good, about 6-8 hours.

High recommendation.

Notes (per LS): melon, green apple, mandarin, sandalwood, teak, aoud, patchouli, vanilla, white musk, saffron

Now that I'm about 20 different Aouds deep into this line, I've long since given up with extensive reviews of each. Only those that really catch my attention will command a review. I'll admit they do blend together when I recall them. On the skin, some oud/[insert accord here] combos work really well (White Aoud, Aoud Cuir d'Arabie, etc.) and some really don't (Aoud Lime, Aoud Ambre). Every person will have their own opinion and enjoy some while hating others.

I find Crystal Aoud to be one of the ones that work, and it works well. I wouldn't have thought the combo of melon/apple and oud would work, but the sweetness of the fruit perfectly balances the medicinal quality of the oud and at times the accord melds into one big sweet/bitter note that is very unique.. As foetidus notes, the oud lasts longer and is more pervasive then others in the line, but again - this works well and the particularly distinct melon and apple notes last along with the oud. Unlike some from this line, like White or Silver, the oud doesn't fade out at the base. Instead, it intensifies somewhat as the lighter fruit notes fade and oud is joined by patchouli and woody notes. The base is reminiscent of Black Aoud's but with the volume turned down.

One of the Aouds I'd really like to own.

Ever come across a fragrance that is very nice that, regardless of it not being remarkably gorgeous, becomes a preoccupation? Enter Parure. I came across Parure in my ongoing Guerlain sampling and for whatever reason I am smitten. When discussing classic chypres, Parure is unfairly overlooked and deserves to mentioned along with Givenchy III as one of the best.

Parure starts off with a bright, cheery bergamot note deepened by plum and a mix of florals. The top/mid fruit/florals are rich and create a wonderful aroma around the wearer. The base appears soon - a little to soon - and quickly one of the richer oakmoss bases I've ever smelled takes over. Most of Parure's life is it's oakmoss/woody base, which in some ways is interesting because most chypre EdTs are usually faded out by the time the base presents itself.

I recently acquired a small amount of Parure extrait. I'm so glad I did, even though there is only enough to wear more than 1-2 times, because I was able to experience a deeper, richer presentation of it's fruit/floral heart. The fruit/florals mix with the oakmoss as the extrait slowly lingers it's way to the base, and it is during this transition from heart to base that Parure is as it's most gorgeous.

Parure has been discontinued as of this writing for about two years, but bottles still appear occasionally here and there. I'm on the hunt. For those of us interested in Guerlain's 'bottle history', Parure has a couple interesting notes. First, there is the wild, vintage 'wavy stopper bottle' described in Mr.Guerlain's review in which the stopper nearly dwarves the bottle. My extrait is in a mini-version of this bottle. There was also a version that came in an art-deco style 'upside down pyramid' style bottle (I'm not sure what else to call it) and boxed in a funky orange/yellow geometric 70s-style pattern printed on the box.

This was included, at my wife's request, in my second order of samples from CB. I'm starting to get it. My first order included Gingerbread, which doesn't just smell of gingerbread but rather its components, butter, cream, sugar, ginger, etc. and then by the base the composition smells of its name.

Likewise with To See a Flower. One experiences walking into a greenhouse or flower case at a florist. One smells the soil, stems, leaves and earthy aspects of a flower before the base develops into a sweeter, more traditional floral accord with hints of the green aspects of flowers. It's really quite brilliant. I sampled the absolute/extrait, so I'm not sure how the water-based EdP would differ, if at all.

While I appreciate the artistry, this isn't something I'd wear. My wife loves it, however, and a bottle will probably forthcoming as a gift to her.

Not leather.... unless Persian Leather is a variety that doesn't smell like any other leather on earth. I found this to be watery and a light smoky fragrance at best. It's somewhat bitter and totally linear. This isn't in the same league as Knize Ten - or any other well established leather - not even close. If you're a leather fan don't even bother because it's not worth it, which is unfortunate because usually C-M puts out good stuff.

A good incense fragrance with thick layers twinged with spices and fruits. There's a nearly creamy texture to XXV. Unfortunately it's just too much and is an example of the phenomena where too many notes creates an overload that just isn't successful. I can recognize why people would like this but I don't like the aroma it creates when wearing it, and I personally wouldn't feel comfortable wearing it anywhere.

I'm glad I only had to spend $50 for a 30ml bottle because the normal price is $240+ for 50ml. At that price this fragrance fails compared to other fragrances in that price range. Now that the travel bottles are sold out, there's no reason to drop the cash for a retail priced bottle. I'd prefer to drop that money on Amouage's Lyric Men, which is as smooth as silk and very unique.

Speaking of unique, Duchoufor's own L'Artisan AdV is better and a touch cheaper, and Timbuktu even more so. It's pretty rare that I trade off a bottle like this instead of keeping it for posterity or to give away samples, but I already found a home for mine and don't think I'll miss it. This fragrance is a case study in what happens when a high-end fragrance becomes very affordable, because all of a sudden it's so many people's favorite fragrance. The truth of the matter is it's the only good niche fragrance they own.

A lush and very full floral with rose leading the way. Sweet but not sweet, and not overtly feminine such that a guy couldn't wear it. This is reminiscent of how a full mixed bouquet of flowers smell. Add a touch of liqueur in the background for texture and you've got QFR. Very pretty, very nice. No offense intended to SirSlarty, but I don't get the L'Homme comparison at all.

Starts off with a burst of lemon that quickly dries down into a mix of lemon, sandalwood, and cocoa. Very nice, simple, and enjoyable to wear. I received a decant as a bonus in a trade, and now I'm going to have to hunt down a bottle.

At first I couldn't see needing a bottle of MdM while simultaneously owning Jicky, but I'm glad I abandoned that poor idea. They share about 90% of their DNA, with MdM being slightly brighter on the citrus end of things and a little bit deeper overall, perhaps because the lavender presents itself more fully earlier in the life of the fragrance.

As with Jicky, there's nothing better than being surrounded by the aroma of MdM. Some people make quite the issue out of civet... I don't get the concern.... if all fragrances could smell this wonderful, we need to use more cat parts in perfumery.

Longevity is the only problem... the strength on the skin drops quite precipitously after about 2 hours into a light skin scent, and it's pretty much fini in about 4 hours. I may experiment with a light Jicky PdT base before applying MdM to see if it makes any difference, but even if it doesn't this negative is so minor compared with the positives of the fragrances as to not really matter.

The notes I have for 1826 are somewhat different than those posted in the review, below. These are the notes on the new bottle (pardon my bad French):

Top: Bergamot, Mandarin
Mid: White Flowers, Violette, 'Gingerbre', 'Cannelle'
Base: Patchouli, Amber, Incense, 'Bois Blondes', White Musk, Vanilla

As I've worked my way through the Histoires line, I've come to realize that the published notes are only indicative of what you'll actually experience, and they do not represent the actual order in which you will smell them. The Noir Patchouli should really be called 'Noir Rose' because the patchouli topnotes are fleeting and it's all about the rose. People should not think these are historical recreations - rather, this line has chosen historical figures as catchy associations with their fragrances (the way Etat Libre has done with sexual innuendos).

1826 would have been more appropriate to have patchouli in the name, because although it's a published basenote, it's a primary note to the fragrance structure and is apparent from top to base. The top is a pretty - but not delicate - citrus tempered with rose and other florals. Patchouli makes an entrance fairly quickly after the opening and becomes more prominent as the fragrance progresses. Patchouli is joined by what I believe to be violet (or other slightly pungent florals) in the heart. I like the composition's balance - it is never too sweet, too floral, or too citrusy, yet there is a brightness that highlights all of these aspects.

Unfortunately, by the time the base establishes itself (3 hours), the fragrance has run out of steam. There is a musky patchouli, rose, and some mild woody notes poking through, but it fades quickly from this point. I get none of the amber, incense, or vanilla per the published notes, though perhaps they are simply part of the composition and not distinct. The longevity is surprisingly short compared to 1969 Parfum de Revolte and 1740 Marquis de Sade, which both lasted 12 hours or more on my skin.

Even with the average longevity 1826 is a fun fragrance - if I had to categorize I'd say it's a 'patchouli/citrus/floral'. Good stuff.

This was a blind buy because (a) it's discontinued , (b) I got a great deal on eBay, (c) I like Heliotrope; and, (d) I like SMN. I guess I was sort of expecting something along the lines of Etro Heliotrope, which is very sweet and gourmand. SMN's version, like most of its single-note fragrances, is much more muted and realistic. CF SMN's Violette, Rose, and Vetiver.

Heliotrope smells like musky almond vanilla, and this version is presented exactly that way. The fragrance is just a touch sweet, but there is also a very realistic floral element to it that balances the sweetness and is just a touch green and almost - almost - bitter. Still, heliotrope retains its gourmand quality, and this would be a wonderful element in layering by creating a fuzzy, edible base. The composition on the whole is musky and fuzzy as heliotrope fragrances tend to be. CF Apres L'ondee.

If you thought Etro's Heliotrope was light, be warned that it's a sillage monster compared to this. SMN's version is essentially a skin scent, a very pretty one, but there is no amount of application that will result in sillage. Perhaps it's because the few ingredients are natural but the longevity is fairly short, about 4-5. Of course your skin may still smell nice after this time, but you can't really detect any heliotrope. All in all I'm glad with my blind buy, though I'm not sure this will play a big role in my rotation except for those days that call for little or not fragrance. Again, the best place for this may be in layering, which I rarely do but may just experiment with now that I have a good base to work with.

A wonderfully smooth and sensual leather, with just enough smoke and spice to keep it real interesting. When I applied to my arm, I noticed something of a floral note at first that I didn't find too appealing (I find this note in other SLs as well, such as Bois en Violette), this note fading out by the heart. When actually wearing CM, I didn't notice this floral note, instead I was just surrounded by a wonderful leather aroma. The leather starts out fairly intense but becomes more smooth over time. You can really feel the balance and twinge of fruit via orange blossom in the heart and base. The longevity is good, 7-8 hours.

As far as leather fragrances go, this one deserves a place on the top shelf with the other true greats such as Chanel Cuir de Russie and PG's Cuir d'Iris. In fact, this may the absolute smoothest among them, like the inside of a new Bentley.

A very impressive - and successful - Montale oud accord. I've been finding that some of the Aoud series work great (White Aoud, SIlver Aoud), while some are dissonant and, IMHO, not successful (Aoud Ambre, Aoud Lime). However, Montale does roses well, and this fragrance is perhaps one of their best.

What's really appealing is the balance... the oud, which is strong at first, never overpowers the rose, and conversely the rose isn't so dominant that the oud is only lurking in the background. At points, I don't even really smell oud and rose, but rather the intersection of the two as if a new note was just created. The effect of this superb balance is that the rose note avoids the problems inherent to many rose fragrances, such as being too sweet, too fruity, or even too earthy. Likewise, the oud avoids becoming too medicinal and overbearing as it can get in Black Aoud or even M7. As the heart emerges, I can get little whiffs of incense(?)... though fleeting. From the hear the fragrance simply fades out over the course of 4-5 hours.

Really, a great, different take on rose and a bottle I'd love to have.

This was a blind buy and my first time ever trying an Ava Luxe, so I had no idea what to expect. The top is a serious WHOA! The opening is very animalistic and has the 'jet fuel leather' type of accord you find in Carion en Avion. On paper this gassy note lasts a while, but on the skin it settles quickly into a subtle and light leather accord. This leather may be one of those conglomerations of notes that create the effect of leather, but to my nose these notes are so well blended that it smells just like light leather.

It remains like this for quite a few hours, and I figured it would just fade away as a light leather. However, the base really opens up and even sweetens.... I get hints of rose, tonka, and coumarin - I'd even swear I get hints of fruit/berry, though this may be the rose.

To smell the top notes and then the base, you'd never ever think that it's the same fragrance, such is the massive difference between them. There is some real artistry here, and I'm glad this blind buy was successful. I'm now really looking forward to checking out more from Ava Luxe.

As I've come to expect with SMN, this is another high-quality and robust fragrance. Linear, yes.... but realistic, enjoyable, and very aromatic. I'd take this over almost any other incense type fragrance. Foetidus' review is dead-on, and there's not much to add besides reporting that longevity was 10-12 hours. Real good stuff.

I've tried quite a few SMNs by now, and this is the only clunker I've yet to come across from this house. Instead of a robust amber, this fragrance is transparent and feels very synthetic. Nearly any other niche amber would be better, which is surprising because SMN's own Amber/Lavender is quite good, and very rich.

If you want something sweet from SMN, go with the Vaniglia.

I received a sample of this as an unexpected freebie, and I sprayed some on my hand on the way out the door. Within 30 minutes I forgot what I had applied, but I knew I liked the fragrance, and that it smelled familiar. When I get home I saw the sample, remembering what it was and re-applied for more complete testing.

Aod has absolutely no relation to "Aoud'' (lest anyone be confused). It starts as a lightly sweetened gardenia fragrance with a touch of citrus accompanying the gardenia. The sweetness is vanillic and I sense coconut (?). It starts close to the skin, but actually intensifies in it's heart, at which point the gardenia becomes more prominent. The drydown is just a fading of the gardenia and a lighter, musky vanilla accord. As with Losmarc'h's Lann Ael, it may stay close to the skin but it will last a long time. Lack of sillage is not a lack of quality with Losmarc'h.

The closest point of reference for this fragrance is Profumum Volo AZ 686, another Gardenia/Coconut fragrance, but the Volo AZ is about 1000x louder than Aod.

Great for gardenia fans....and there's nothing wrong with this fragrance (it's just not my thing).

You hear the term 'hippy patchouli' thrown around quite a bit, and I often wonder what these people's reference point is for this description. Is it from the descriptions of other fragrances as such or is it from a hunch as to exactly what this phrase refers to? My reference point for the term 'hippy patchouli' are years on tour and countless hours in the back of a 1970 Westfalia camper. Hippy patchouli is dark, pure, and singes your nose hairs as it covers the scent of everything from bong smoke to weeks of BO. The closest any niche fragrance comes to replicating that scent is Montale's Patchouli Leaves.

This is long and roundabout way to say that CB's Patchouli Empire is NOT a hippy patchouli. It starts out with a significant citrus accompaniment that cuts through the patchouli and balances it. There is also a salty element that I can't quite identify, but it's there. This citrus fades over the first hour, bringing the patchouli more into focus. It never becomes overpowering, and in fact as the citrus fades the entire composition becomes musky. I'm smelling patchouli through a cloud of musk. All in all this is an interesting interpretation of patchouli, but nothing overly interesting. A little more ooomph towards hippy might do this better, but still nice.

Quite simply the most incredibly rich, smooth and downright gorgeous leather fragrance I've ever tried. You will pay through the nose for this ($6/ml), but it is a parfum, and the slightest dab lasted for 8+ hours on my skin. On initial application, the fragrance definitely has some citrus undertones, and as it slowly develops the undertones become slightly more spicy, and eventually slightly vanillic. It's these undertones that provide so much depth to the leather itself.

This bottle may have just leapfrogged over so many on my 'I want to buy' list.

Notes (per LuckyScent): Citron, Geranium, Galbanium, Jasmin, Clove, Birch, Opoponax, Tonka Bean absolute, Oak Moss absolute

I tried Vraie Blonde having read these reviews, expecting something sweet with a foul stench. I tried it again. And again. Someone should study the effect that reviews have in creating preformed expectations before trying a fragrance. I've noticed that sometimes a reviewer's comments will sometimes be assimilated by subsequent reviews, and I think that people then seek out the described traits when first experiencing the fragrance. Vraie Blonde is Exhibit A. MKK is Exhibit B )I did not find it to smell like testicle sweat as many describe).

I write all this as prelude to my report that Vraie Blonde is nothing but a fun little aldehydic fruity fragrance, fun and inoffensive. It starts out with a very aldehydic peach/berry note, the effect of which is something like a brut champagne. As it dries the peachy/berry note persists and is joined by light rose, and eventually the fragrance tails off with a light musk and perhaps a touch of rose and patchouli, though the base it not particularly sweet (an effect of the myrrh?). The entire composition comes off as if it was the love child of Chanel No.22 and Mure et Musc, and it would be perfectly matched with a spring day.

Yet another great ELO I'd like to have on my shelf.

Chanel's Eau de Cologne is so good, it should essentially be the reference for all traditional colognes, which should then be judged relative to this Chanel version. The citrus is crisp and bracing, the herbal/woody drydown is smooth yet pronounced. I don't seem to have the same longevity problems others experience, with the basenotes persisting 6 hours after application, which isn't great compared to other Exclusifs but is great compared to most traditional colognes, and is certainly significantly better than the other great cologne, Hermes Eau d'Orange Verte. Although the fragrances that become references are usually the pioneers, Chanel's is a modern entry that has assimilated the best aspects of many generations' worth of traditional fragrances in this genre to create this classic.

I collect, and love, vanilla fragrances. I also love Montale, particularly for the unique accords and creative compositions in so many different fragrances. Montale's Boise Vanille is one of my all time favorite vanillas, so I figured how could I go wrong with a blind buy of Vanille Absolu when I saw it for a steal? Oh well.

If you don't like vanilla fragrances it may seem a bit odd to collect them - after all, it's 'just' vanilla, right? Not exactly. Even though every house has a vanilla fragrance of some sort of straight vanilla fragrance, there is generally something that differentiates them from being just plain-old-vanilla. Fragonard Vanille has a slug of sandalwood. L'Artisan's Vanilia has that candyfloss tinge, Parfumerie Generale Felanilla has a banana wood heart. Dior Addict has orange blossom. There's always something.

Well, this Montale offering is just plain old vanilla. It's hardly different than sniffing, say... vanilla extract for cooking. None of the few other notes (cinnamon, clove, woods) are noticeable, and if they're there from keeping the composition from being too boring there isn't enough of them. Even the saving graces - like good sillage - aren't present (though longevity is good as it is an EdP). I forgive Montale because I do so love Boise Vanille, and from the looks of it Vanilla Extasy is more interesting than Vanille Absolu, but I'd caution even vanilla lovers to take a look at any of the fragrances I've mentioned above.

I was horribly mistaken... I thought this would be a sweeter, more extreme version of Sweet Oriental Dream - I should have read these reviews first (of course it's just a decant I bought, no harm done). Instead of an oriental, this should be in the Montale Chypre series (Chypre Vanille and Chypre Fruite)... this should be Chypre Aoud or something. I get a touch of oud at the beginning - or perhaps it's something similar to Aoud. There is the slightest touch of sweetness, perhaps rose, that appears along with this oud note. The fragrance that changes again to become what I can best describe as a 'rosey chypre'.... oakmoss may or may not be present, but it comes off to my nose as a traditional chypre base, not dissimilar from Givenchy III or Pour Monsieur, but with a touch of rose and sandalwood. The base is also similar to Montale's Chypre Vanille, replacing vanilla with sandalwood.

I agree with the reviewers who say that something seems to be missing - it's a base without a top or heart. One of the few Montales I'm not overjoyed with.

What we've got here is essentially a fruit-meringue-cream gourmand. It's sweet but not overbearingly so. There's definitely not much sillage but it's clear this was designed as a skin scent. What starts off as lemony becomes somewhat more apple-like over time. Longevity is decent - a few hours. There's enough vanilla and musk to keep Lann Ael from ever becoming transparent, in which case I'd have been disappointed.

It's tough to judge something like this without knowing what was intended.... if the intent was to create a complex fragrance that tells a story this doesn't make the grade. If the intent was to create a pretty, fun skin scent then it's spot on. I'm a sucker for gourmands hence the thumbs up, but I'll point out this could be a little better - perhaps a little more complex, even for what it is.

The best woody/incense fragrance I've ever experienced by far, Gaiac 10 is very subtle and does not project much sillage, but its beauty is in the subtlety and complexity, not its volume. It is fairly linear and is primarily a balance between gaiac wood and olibanum, the entire composition being slightly musky. This is a parfum and just a touch of fragrance (it's definitely a little oily) lasted 12-16 hours. As the first reviewer alluded, this is really a skin scent, and this may not jive with people when they look at the price tag, but I know if I had a few hundred bucks to spend and this (and if I'm ever in Tokyo, the only place it's available), I most certainly would.

Here's a fragrance in which the reviews are nearly all identical. The thrust of this fragrances is a sweetened patchouli balanced with roses. The patchouli becomes more 'damp' in the drydown, and it is joined with a fruity note - perhaps this is the plum some describe - that serves to sweeten the composition a bit more. Linear but very enjoyable, the fragrance lasts 10 hours easily on my skin with one spray. The patchouli is sweet in the vein of PG's Intigrant Patchouli or ELO's Nombril Immense. I personally prefer my patchouli quite a bit more dry and along the lines of L'Artisan's own Patchouli Patch, but this is a good, unisex patchouli floral nonetheless.

As I read through all the ELO reviews it's become apparent to me that you either like ELO's 'thing' or you hate it. As these reviews show, there is rarely any middle ground. I'm in the camp of those who appreciate the ELO thing - from the goofy names to the cartoon logos to the avante-garde fragrances. I think some people are a little too sucked into the marketing and expect too much, judging the actual fragrance against the quirkiness of the marketing. In reality most ELO fragrances are well made, modern compositions using high-quality materials. They are not super-sexualized, raunchy, or wild over-the-top fragrances.

Charogne is my favorite of the line (having sampled all but three right now). I find it difficult to describe only because I'm not always good at distinguishing florals. Too my nose bergamot plays a bigger role then others have mentioned. The combination of bergamot and the florals come off as being a rich, leathery, candied orange scent to me.... sort of like leather tainted with orange, ginger, and vanilla. The fragrance sweetens and becomes a little more musky at it progresses, but I find it to be fairly linear. I don't get any of the foetid note others describe - perhaps I just can't detect it, perhaps I'm interpreting it differently, or perhaps it's different when worn as opposed to sampled on the wrist or paper. Either way, I find Charogne to be a fun, lightly sweetened leathery/floral that is neither offensive or boring.

I can't believe it's taken me so long to get a bottle of this, but better late then never. I picked up the EdP, though I've tested and enjoy both. I prefer a richer, more gourmand experience so I went with the EdP.

What a terrific melange of notes! As many reviewers have noted, there's a lot going on and L'Instant cannot be pigeonholed into any one genre. There's a subtle touch of citrus that persists into the base (less so in the EdP), there are cocoa and vanilla gourmand notes, there's patchouli and sandalwood, and there are spice and floral notes. The beauty of L'Instant is that the whole composition is so well blended that the composition truly is the sum of its parts - individual notes are not particularly noticeable or distinct, but the total effect is that of a rich, oriental/gourmand that is lightly sweetened and slightly musky. The EdP lasts forever on my skin and the sillage is typical of a masculine EdP.

Another Guerlain classic.

In case anyone was wondering, Vol de Nuit Evasion is the EdT version of Attrape Couer in a 50ml bottle. Weird how Guerlain does that. Because of the lower concentration, I didn't find VdN-E to have the same 'creaminess' of A-C, but I also find A-C to almost get a little too intense until it settles to the base. It's a good middle ground.

This big belly button is a sweet take on patchouli reminiscent of Parfumerie Generale's Intigrant Patchouli, but with the volume turned down by about 50%. The patchouli is citrus-sweetened and lasts a long time - through the heart - without much development. The base releases some of the sweetness, seemingly because opoponax balances out the sweetness of the citrus and ambrette. I personally enjoy earthier takes on patchouli, and within the ELO line Je Suis un Homme contains a dirtier patchouli/leather accord that I enjoy much more.

Still, this is a fine composition and but for Intigrant Patchouli this would be a very unique patchouli fragrance. Totally unisex and long lasting, Nombril Immense is worthy of sampling by patchouli fans.

There's something else this reminds of - strongly - and for the life of me I can't place it. The top is a bit sweet, but it soon settles down into a particularly aromatic woody/coffee accord. I don't find it to be gourmand at all, but pleasantly aromatic. It sweetens up when in its final development with an amberish base.

Nothing wrong with Divine Enfante, but there's nothing daring either. If the quality of the materials and strength of the oil wasn't so good, this would be indistinguishable from a designer release. However if you need an inoffensive, high-quality fragrance this isn't a bad choice.

*THE* classic leather fragrance - smooth leather that is neither too clean or too dirty. This is the official reference point for all leather fragrances and is required if you are fan of the genre. Some reviewers describe only needing one spray... I say spray away and don't pay attention to those nasty stares in your elevator. I love being enveloped in K-10, and I'm glad I hunted down a bottle.

If you're in the US and you see a bottle, buy it! As the time of this writing the US distributor stopped carrying them and no one has picked up the business. A friend who owns a fragrance shop and used to carry Knize has tried to get the company on the phone for weeks and they won't return her calls or emails. It looks like they don't care about having a US presence, which is a shame because after decades Ten is finally catching on.

A wonderful melange of smells I associate with growing up through Northeast US winters.... the smell of the woods outside and then coming inside to smell a fireplace, cookies baking, and spiced cider. The initial blast of pine and spice (cinnamon and/or nutmeg to my nose) is pretty intense but mellows quickly into a ginger/pine/incense accord. The accord eventually sweetens a touch with a little vanilla, and the entire composition is comfortably musky. Perhaps it's just my association with the spices that are featured, but I could sweat I almost get a rum note reminiscent of a rum spiked cider. The only other fragrance I've smelled that is similar is Winter Woods EdP by Sonoma Scent Studio, which also captures the 'winter spice' vibe perfectly.

As mikeperez says, find this quick before the e-tailers are all out.

I want nearly everything from this line and this is no exception.... the combo of light citrus, angelica and vanilla/tonka/heliotrope is to die for. It's soft on the skin but not without sillage, and just because the sillage isn't outrageous doesn't mean it doesn't last a long time on the skin. I don't think I could ever get tired of this preciously delicate Guerlain almost-gourmands. One day I'll have bottle of this, Bois d'Armenie, and Cuir Beluga all lined up next to each other. I hope.

This is by far my favorite amber and one of the most unique. As with most Profumums, the quality and strength is outstanding. DeF is essentially amber/cistus with a strong orange blossom/citrus note mixed it. Is very vibrant and full. The citrus livens up the amber and keeps it from getting too sweet, while the amber cuts any sharpness or tang off the citrus.

With the exception of another Profumum - Volo AZ 686 - this is the longest lasting fragrance I've ever encountered. One spray is plenty and expect it to stay on your skin very noticeably for 20-24 hours.

Pricey for sure, but if you're going to invest in a unique amber, check this out. Although it's $240/100ml, the fact that so little goes so far is a big bonus.

So this is what violet is supposed to smell like! Instead of the sugary sweet violet note I've come to associate with this note, SMN's interpretation is of a dry and vibrant floral with a touch of powder in the background. I normally interpret violet as a feminine note, but this fragrance is very much unisex. As you can expect with SMN, the quality and longevity is incredible.

An obscure fragrance for sure - but worth checking out if you either have the opportunity or happen to like violet and want a non-sweet interpretation.

Nothing bad about this - it's a musky fragrances with underlying cocoa and vanilla notes. Unfortunately Parfumerie Generale has already done a much better version of the same idea with Musc Maori, at half the price. A beautiful, exclusive bottle - but nothing special that commands such a price. The other two 'les elixirs' are much, much better.

Utterly fantastic - Chypre Fatale has been my most recent obsession after sampling it, and I consider myself lucky to have secured 20ml for my library. This is my favorite of the three 'Les Elixirs' and the most unique and dynamic of the three. What I also like about it is that I actually get all three stages of development distinctly, and the longevity is long enough such that you can enjoy the base as more than a bare skin scent.

CF starts of with a vibrant peach accord made sharp with the addition of rose. One can also detect the chypre bergamot/oakmoss structure and the 'fuzziness' that comes with it. But the star is the strength of the peach, which intertwines with the other notes all the way to the base. The peach/rose accord lasts about 90 minutes, at which point a sweet patchouli heart emerges. Not any sort of earthy patchouli, but rather a vanilla/rose patchouli reminiscent of of Juliette Has a Gun Citizen Queen. There are twinges of peach noticeable around the edges of the patchouli. An odd thing then happens on my skin, which is that the fragrance fades to almost nothing and basically disappears. I thought that was it, but noticed soon after a distinct mossy and earthy base emerges and holds onto my skin for quite a while, until this too fades out. At first I thought that I was perhaps smelling something else (a fragrance I hadn't washed off completely? Did I spray something on and forget I did?), but this happened with three different wearings.

This isn't a fruity chypre in the classical Mitsouko, Diorella, or Givenchy III tradition. It's much more a peach/patchouli fragrance that clings to an underlying chypre structure. It's unlike any other Guerlain I've experienced, except for the high quality. I easily got 8 hours from each wear with an average application. This was released last month at the time of writing, and the few bottles available through high-end 'lifestyle' retailers are long gone. It's only available through Guerlain now, and I assume not for long. If you're reading this and don't like your bottle, just let me know....

I got a sample of this after a friend found a couple bottles (and a couple recently went on eBay, one for $90 and one for $20... funny how timing works). As I understand it, this is just the aromachemical Velviona - I don't think there's anything else added.

Velviona creates a fuzzy, musky floral aroma with a tiny touch of pepper. It reminds me a little of Iso E Super from Molecule 01, only softer and less distinct. It is very mild and only perceptible if you put your nose right up to your skin. I can't imagine much use for this other than someone wanting to make sure their skin smells nice (to their lover - it's that soft). An interesting concept and I give HL credit for releasing it from an artistic standpoint, but as with various CdG releases, there isn't any practical use for this as a standalone fragrances.

Starts out with some light florals and citrus notes but dries into a gorgeous, creamy vanilla with a touch of amber. It diffuses and projects as only an oil can, and it's rich and nuanced (while also coming off as simple) as only Jalaine fragrances can.

I accidentally applied two drops, and it was more than enough to last over 8 hours on my skin. When I first applied there was substantial sillage - my wife remarked 'wow, you're wearing something heavy today', but this dried down reasonably within 2 hours.

Some fragrances have complex pyramids, with many notes and accords, and some houses specialize in these sorts of fragrances. Other fragrances have a few ingredients of high quality that combine a few distinct notes into simple, lovely accords whose boldness lies in their simplicity. Profumum fragrances are of the latter variety, and Confetto is no exception.

Yes, Confetto is sweet - do not try this if you don't like vanillic sweet fragrances. If you do like vanillic gourmands, Confetto is a superb entry. It is comprised of an almond/vanilla accord balanced with the slightest hint of anise. The fragrance is essentially linear, though I noticed it becomes a little more amber-ish and musky in its base. A single spray and the fragrance will easily last all day - add a couple more sprays and it will last 20-24 hours. This isn't the sort of fragrance from which you'd expect (or want) sillage, and accordingly it stays fairly close to the skin - though if you apply more than just a few sprays will create a little sugared almost cloud that surrounds you.

I find Confetto to be unisex, and unless you believe that anything vanilla is feminine, there isn't anything preventing a guy from wearing this. It would, however, make a cute and sexy feminine on the right girl.

I'm very much enjoying my sample-pack of Jalaines...they all share an almost edible quality. Not in the gourmand sense, but because they are all rich and well balanced. They aren't just single-notes, as their names would suggest, but rather complex fragrances that present a unique interpretation of the notes after which they are titles.

Vanilla starts out as a rich, sweet vanilla. Not sugary sweet, but vanilla bean-esque, with a reserved but deep sweetness. The oil dries into a smoky vanilla with a tobacco-like resinous accord that dominates the sweetness of the vanilla. It's most like Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille, but richer and more thick. This is a really, really top-notch vanilla and I highly recommend it.

I've only been applying about a drop and then spreading the oil, so I don't know how much this can project with a heavier application. As I've been applying, these oils last a very long time but stay close to the skin. I may try a full wear soon with a decent application just to see how it goes.

Definitely vetiver with its earthiness and a touch of sharpness, but sweetened, rich and thick as all Jalaines are. You almost want to eat it. A very different take on vetiver.

OK, I'll admit it. I'll buy just about anything with the word 'cuir' in its title on the hopes that it will be a leather fragrance capable of rivaling the king, Cuir d'Iris. Cuir Lancome doesn't get into that realm, but it's very nice nonetheless.

The initial burst is very citrusy - I would have guessed lemon but per the pyramid mandarin and bergamot make sense. The citrus is immediately joined by a glove-clean leather note... not smoky or rich, but smooth like gloves or a leather coat. It is a very sensual leather, somewhat reminiscent of the Royal English Leather leather, which is also joined by citrus notes. As the citrus subsides in about ten minutes, the leather is joined by distinct florals. At first the citrus and florals intermingle, then the florals become more prominent for about 1-2 hours. The real beauty is in the drydown where a smoky, birch-heavy leather emerges and persists. This is more of the 'old comfy smoking chair' leather that I'd hope for.

Unfortunately at the time of writing I can't say I've experienced pre-Exclusifs Chanel Cuir de Russie, so I don't know what to make of the comparison by other reviewers. Cuir Lancome is much more realistic and rich than the current floral/iris heavy Chanel version. Although Cuir Lancome wears like and EdP in its longevity, it stays close to the skin and requires a few sprays to get a good application. There is nothing particularly feminine about this fragrance, and it is definitely worth investigating for leather fans.

If you read the male fragrance message board, you already know that this is one of my holy grails of perfumery. Although leather is prominent in many PG fragrances, this is 'the' leather fragrance of the line. Further, I collect any and all leather fragrances, and this is by far the best of all of them.

Strong leather is present from top to base, and in each phase of development there are different accords and notes balancing the leather. The leather note is dark and rich. Powerful - not like a leather jacket but rather being inside a Bentley with its 27 cows worth of corinthian leather. Iris presents itself not as a distinct note, but as powdery top-note to balance the intensity of the leather. As with many PGs, there are hints of gourmand notes, in this case raisin and cocoa notes, that present themselves in the heart of the fragrance and become more prominent in the base, at which point cocoa and light fruit notes are joined by a lightly vanillic amber. There are *no* distinct spicy or woody notes, though these may be present to create the leather accord.

The gourmand and amber notes are very subtle unless you over-apply, which I like to do. One spray and you're surrounded in a leathery aroma. Two sprays brings out more fullness of the fragrnace, and with three sprays you can really notice the cocoa and raisin notes. Be warned that with three sprays you will smell of rich leather for the next 20-24 hours and there won't be anyone within a few feet of you that won't notice. True leather nirvana.

As with most of the PG line, expect this to last on your skin for about 24 hours under normal conditions. If you like leather fragrances and haven't tried this, you're missing out.

I found a bottle of this at antique shop for $6. It's got a powdered lemony top that is reminiscent of Guerlain's Attrape Couer. The lemon fades quickly leaving a light, soft powdery floral skin scent. I assume that there has been some damage to the perfume because of it's age and condition (it's thickening in the bottle), so I'm only reporting what I've found in my bottle.

Very, very interesting fragrance. I can't honestly tell you that I know what pure opoponax is supposed to smell like, but I know that I like this. Initially harsh and bitter, it lightens up over about an hour, becoming a musky, rubbery fragrance with a hint at herbal notes if you dig your nose into your skin. There is no sweetness, citrus, or wood accompaniment. Opopnax stays close to the skin, but I have a feeling that it would be more than a skin scent with a healthy application. As mentioned in supermarky's review, this would make an excellent layering component if you need to cut the sweetness off of something. It would also be excellent by itself as a discrete and very different rubbery/herbal fragrance.

I love SMN more with every fragrance I try.

My one and only Creed, and I'm very happy with it. The leather notes aren't like those in any other fragrance I know of, though they are closest to Knize 10. The initial burst is that of a musky, dirty orange-type note that is balanced with white florals. It's not overtly citrusy, but it clearly has a citrus sharpness. REL dries fairly quickly into a very clean, smooth, and 'fresh' leather accord. There is a chypre-like powderyness/muskiness that balances the strength of the leather accord, and as the orange note fades, what remains is the strong, clean leather base. I find the leather note to be far more realistic, and rich, then that in Creed's Cuir de Russie, which I find to be a leather fragrance that 'hints' at leather as opposed to smelling like leather. REL manages to be clean and stately without being stuffy or only comfortable to wear in formal settings. As it should be, REL lasts on the skin for a long time, and a morning application is still enjoyable upon returning home from work.

In the grand scheme of leather fragrances, REL is near the top. It's more realistic, but less fun, than HL Cuiron. It's not nearly as powerful as PG Cuir d'Iris or as genuine as Knize 10, but it's far more of a true leather fragrance than any of the 'leathery' fragrances such as Bel Ami, Derby, Kelly Caleche, Cuir d'Oranger, or even Cuir Maureque. Within the world of Creeds, this is one of their lower-priced fragrances, and as far as I know it's not one as prone to the ravages of time as other Creeds can be. If you're a fan of leather fragrances you must try this.

(This review is for the re-issued EdT and not the vintage Diorama).

This is very Routnitska in every possible way. Unfortunately I only smelled the vintage Diorama briefly, so I can't comment or compare on the differences between the vintage and the current version. I understand why reviewers have described this as 'buttery' because of its richness. Overall, it comes off like Diorella on steroids. Specifically, if you took the melon/peach top notes of Diorella, quadrupled the amount of fruit, and then let the fruit get to the point of just being overripe, you'd have the topnotes of Diorama. Likewise with the floral notes. The strength of fruit and floral notes overpower any woody or herbal notes that may be present (which I assume they are, given the fragrances depth, but they aren't clearly discernible), and the effect of this richness is to give the overall fragrance a 'butter' feel. It's almost too intense at first, but dries into an incredibly well balanced, classic fruity/floral.

By today's standards Diorama is on the slightly feminine side of unisex and could easily be worn by a guy. I liked my sample so much I arranged for a bottle purchase from Paris, and it's one of the highlights of my collection.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I ordered a sample of this. I've been exploring Italian houses, and SMN is one of the best. What I like about the Italian houses is that they remain very low key, with no marketing, boutiques, flashy distribution, etc. Instead the quality of their fragrances is the selling point, and SMN, Profumum, Mazzolari, and Farmacia Anunziata dal 1561 all offer serious fragrances for the collector that put most French houses to shame.

Anwyay, SMN's Iris has a little bit of everything, and it's quite beautiful. It is neither the earthy, rooty take on iris found in Iris Silver Mist or Hiris, and it's not the super-sweet, violet-backed iris by L'Occitane. It's somewhere in the middle. While you can definitely detect the earthy, floral, 'iris-root' notes, there is a slight and sweet, vanillic powderiness balancing these notes . It's this light sweetness that you detect first, and only as you inspect deeply do the root notes become more apparent.

The closest iris fragrance to SMN Iris is L'Artisan's Iris Pallida, (which is $300/100ml). L'Artisan's Iris isn't quite as powdery as SMN's, and the rooty notes aren't present at all, but it has a similar light sweetness and depth of iris. (I do detect a touch of violet in L'Artisan's Iris, which I don't detect in SMN's.). There are also similarities between this and MPG's Fleur d'Iris, which is mix of rooty iris and vanilla. MPG's offering is far less harmonious, and I find the clash between strong root notes and strong vanilla uncomfortable in that fragrance.

This fragrance is on the feminine side, much more so than Hiris. I will wear 'feminine' fragrances to a point, and unfortunately this is just over the line of too feminine. It's a linear fragrance, as are most of the SMN soliflores, and the quality and longevity are both excellent. This isn't the sort of fragrance from which you would expect, or want, sillage. However, it doesn't stay nearly as close to the skin as other iris fragrances. Overall an excellent offering and I highly recommend it.

Another sublime entry from Parfumerie Generale. The basis of L'Osieau de Nuit is labdanum, and accordingly it is a very ambery fragrance. Unlike Le Labo's Labdanum 18, there's quite a bit more going on. There is a light booziness, and although not published notes I could swear there's a touch of cocoa and citrus. These notes are inferred and not distinct, and the touches of sweetness and a little sharpness round out the fragrance. The citrus hints are more apparent in the heart of the fragrance and when worn (as opposed to sampling on your wrist). On drydown there is a subtle leathery quality to L'OdN, but it is just that - subtle - and not like the leather in Cuir d'Iris or Cuir Venenum.

As with most PGs, there is a gourmand quality to L'OdN without the fragrance actually being any recognizable food. Unlike Aomassai, Cadjmere, and Coze, this fragrance is far more delicate, and while it not transparent by any means (as few PGs are), it is not as rich. This is not a criticism, just an observation, and I think it serves to differentiate this entry from the many other gourmands in the line.

Add this to the list of PG's I would love to see in my wardrobe.

Published notes from Luckyscent: cistus labdanum, liqueur of davana, benzoin, leather

This is totally different from any other vanilla fragrance in that it does not smell of the sweetened 'vanilla extract' found in all other vanilla fragrances, but rather vanilla pods that have a smoky, woody aroma. Although the listed notes (below) may give the impression that this fragrance is all over the map, on the skin nothing besides vanilla pod and cedar is clearly evident... the remainder of the notes are exceptionally well blended and serve to provide depth and structure. I thought Guerlain SDV was the booziest vanilla until I really spent some time with Boise Vanille. Especially at first, there is an almost rum-like booziness that is rich and thick. Citrus notes create sharpness while woody undertones and a touch of spice balance and round out the composition. The entire fragrance has a slight iris like powderiness to it.

There are many, many Montales that I enjoy, but this is the first one that has compelled me to buy a bottle.

Notes from Luckyscent: lemon, geranium, bergamot, lavender, cedar leaves from Canada, Jamaican pepper, iris, patchouli, vanilla, tonka bean.

I may be way off here, but as a fan of gourmand fragrances, I don't find that Douce Amere is very 'gourmand', at least not in a traditional way (meaning, it doesn't smell like something you'd eat). Oddly, DA manages to be a fragrance of gourmand notes that ends up not being a gourmand. Regardless, DA is gorgeous and as of now it's my favorite Serge Lutens (having tried about half of them).

DA is driven by a contrasting accord of wormword/absinthe, anise, and vanilla. They are in perfect balance such that the vanilla never dominates or becomes too sweet. Cinnamon adds a touch of flair to the composition, and the strength of the wormwood makes it just sharp enough to keep it from being a gourmand (IMO). A cocoa note come into the picture deep into the heart and persists, adding a touch of sweetness to the base.

Though I like many SLs I've tried, I've only found a couple other to be worth owning... this is one I want to own.

Labdanum 18 is a pleasant amber-ish skin scent that is sweet but not overbearingly so. The first two times I skin tested it, I noted a similarity with another fragrance, but for the life of me couldn't place it... it was something about the heart of L-18, at the point where a sweet floral note emerges and melds with the labdanum to create a buttery effect. It struck me tonight... the heart of L18 is very reminiscent of Helmut Lang EdC/EdP, only with the volume turned way down. This buttery floral/woody accord is the thrust of Helmut Lang, front and center. In L18 it is balanced with musk and amber.

Although it stays close to the skin, only a couple sprays are needed for the fragrance to last forever. High quality, but worth purchasing only if money is not a limiting factor. Even discontinued, Helmut Lang can be found for far less money.

I will not attempt to describe the notes of Apres L'ondee because my perfume vocabulary is simply not sufficient. All I know is that this it is a beyond beautiful fragrance that is both delicate yet resolute at the same time. It is a shame that someone who themselves admit to be unknowledgeable in perfumery would rate this negatively. The chutzpah necessary for anyone but an expert to even try to rate a work of art such as this is astounding.

I received a sample and immediately went to the one online site I knew to carry it. Sold out. My father was visiting NYC and called me from Guerlain to surprise me. He offered me one bottle as a gift, and without hesitation I asked for Apres L'ondee.

All I can say is that I urge anyone reading this to seek out a sample and marvel at its beauty.

JaimeB's review is excellent, and in some ways it's impossible to describe the fragrance that has a bit of everything. What strikes the most about 68 is that for a complex fragrance that shifts and evolves constantly, it is incredibly easy to wear and works well in any situation, on anyone. Some complex fragrances - particularly those concept fragrances in the 'fragrance as theoretical art' category - don't take into account that an actual human will be wearing them. Not so with Guerlain, as this is very enjoyable to wear.

While 68 evolves through many stages - citrus, coniferous, spicy, woody, floral - there remains a slightly gourmand feel to it, probably in large part to the Guerlain vanillic base that is always lurking. The twinge of vanilla, along with a slight muskiness that persists throughout the life of the fragrance, is really what makes 68 as excellent as it is.

My only complaint is the lack of sillage - it's much more of skin scent with little projection. Longevity is average, 5-6 hours, but without really being able to smell it on yourself it's hard to tell. Regardless, this is one of my favorite new bottle acquisitions, and it is something that deserves a full bottle purchase instead of just a decant. A sampling just doesn't do this justice. Required for Guerlain fans, highly recommended for everyone else.

A gorgeous Parfumerie Generale classic.... it does everything PG does, and it does it well. Here we have a woody fragrance that is made creamy - and nearly gourmand - without the addition of traditional gourmand notes. Also typical of PG discordant-made-harmonious is the addition of fruit notes - in this case tangerine - to give the overall composition flair without interfering with the primary accord or being too weird (a la Cuir Venenum). It is not entirely linear. The beginning is somewhat confused; not in a bad way but rather in an interesting 'where is this going' way. Once settled into the heart the creamy wood really comes through, and only on drydown does the amber/vanilla become prominent. This is not a light fragrance by any means, and it will last at least a day on your skin.

If you've never tried Parfumerie Generale and want to know what typifies the PG style, this is one of the first I'd recommend to try.

I'm surprised that I'm the first to review No.3 Cuir Ambre, but given that the Prada exclusives have received very little attention on BN pehaps I shouldn't be.

Have you ever had a fragrance that you wanted upon first learning of it, even though you have no idea what it's like? That's been me with this. I live nowhere near a Prada boutique, and the one time I was traveling and visited one it was long out of stock (it is available at the time of writing from Liberty in London). I have a thing for leather fragrances, and I have a thing for ambers, so the idea of low-run high-quality cuir ambre appealed to me. I did buy an expensive sample, so I knew I liked it, but the sample wasn't enough to actually give it a full wear. A special thanks to fellow BNer ultranova3 for hooking me up with a great price on a full bottle.

OK.... to the fragrance. I'm not sure what the real concentration is... it's marketed as a parfum, but it's not quite that strong - it's more of a strong EdP. It's essentially a hig-quality, linear leather and amber fragrance. Unlike Pierre Cardin Centaure Cuir Ambre, which is 1:10 leather:amber, the leather is the star here. The leather is a strong, smoky leather that is most similar - in leather terms - to Creed's Royal English Leather. It's a bit spicier and smokier, a little more full, then REL. Amber is not prominent - and it's certainly not the least bit sweet, but it's clearly present as a balance to the smokiness of the leather. The entire composition is the slightest bit musky. I don't detect many of the notes listed above - in fact very few of them. If they are present, they exist only to fill out the leather accord and perhaps enhance the fragrance's muskiness. Although not a parfum, No.3 lasts well over 8 hours and only requires light application to give off some real sillage.

A few last notes; the bottle and presentation is great. The Prada exclusives come in a small, rectangular cut glass bottle. The extent of the adornment is a white sticker on the front (a la Helmut Lang) and a white sticker on the side (a la Infusion d'Iris/Homme) with 'No.3 Cuir Ambre' is a small typewriter style font. The small black screw cap (no sprayer) is a little incongruous and cheap compared to the rest of the bottle. At $7+ per ml, you've really got to want this. Although it's not the best leather I own (PG Cuir d'Iris), I'd say No.3 is a must-try for serious leather fans.

I fell in love with Jicky on first spray... the combination of lavender and vanilla, brightened with citrus is just irresistible. Much ado is made of the civet component - I can't say I care - whatever gives Jicky its weird, fun, sparkly personality is fine with me.

I own a bottle of the EdT, and my only complaint is that it's gone in about 2 hours. I have samples of both the EdP and PdT... I believe the PdT is the longest lasting of the three, and I may just invest in one of these concentrations for the sole purpose of mixing with the EdT. Even still, the PdT lasts about 4 hours.

If you haven't tried Jicky, seek it out. There's obviously a reason it's still selling well 120 years after being introduced.

An interesting, lightly spicy floral oriental. There's definitely a powdery edge to this, but it makes for a nice balance with the spice notes, which dominate over the carnation. The vanilla is never too sweet, and I'd swear there's a touch of tobacco in here. In some ways this is very de-tuned version of Feuilled de Tabac - at least in spirit. If you can get past the powderiness, there's no reason a guy can't wear this. The spiciness of the floral actually reminds me of the opening of vintage Equipage.

The initial burst is confusing.... it's not clear what will emerge from the aldehydes. It's a mish-mash of floral, green, and citrus notes. What quickly emerges is a fruity/floral chypre heart that is extremely similar to Diorella. Diorella is a favorite of mine and I'm thus pretty familiar with its intricacies. I tested Cristalle against Diorella, arm to arm, and say that Cristalle is about 80% of Diorella, but with the volume turned down by about half... and by volume I mean sillage, longevity, and just the general robustness of the fruit an floral notes themselves. Diorella was a successful release in 1972. Cristalle was released in '74... can this be coincidence?

Ignoring the Diorella comparison, Cristalle by itself is a solid classic feminine chypre, with a particular emphasis on the lemon notes initially and the floral (hyacinth? really?) later on. Longevity is not great on me - 2-3 hours, and by the time the base merges there's not much to smell.... the heart just fades out.

In and of itself, Cristalle EdT is very nice (avoid the EdP, which is heavy and uncomfortable). In relation to Diorella, I'd choose Diorella.

This is the perfect fragrance for those guys who drive limos, then stand around in the hall of your employer's workplace sleeping or being cranky. Also, Mambo is for you If you're an short, older gentlemen who likes to visit strip clubs and who thinks that you receive attention from the girls because of your sparkly personality instead of your influential boss. Make sure you think you're funny before slapping on enough to create a 7-foot bubble of Mambo around you, and don't forget to stock at least 10 boxes in your fridge so you can douse yourself in this juice every day for the remaining few years of your life.

Thumbs up for Ronnie - thumbs down for everyone else (thus a neutral rating)

My Review Title - A*Men is for Gourmand and Patchouli fans only! Stop Complaining otherwise!

With 190 reviews coming before me, I don't feel compelled to rehash the notes, etc. However I'll address the obvious love/hate nature of A*Men. Not many people are neutral on this. Obviously wearing A*Men requires that you like both strong gourmand and strong patchouli fragrances, as A*Men manages to meld the two genres together. You have a very strong patchouli - with all of its aromatic fullness - masked slightly by a chocolate/caramel/coffee/vanilla accord. However, even if you're inclined to like these types of accords, you CAN NOT overapply.

Application must be via a diffuse spray, and if you do want to lay it on, let a single layer dry then add another. If you put on a thick heavy layer something in the way AMen dries makes it powerfully sticky sweet. I only required about 1/2 of a 1.2ml factory sample sprayer to enjoy AMen all day. If I purchase this, it will be a 30ml bottle, because it would last me forever.

Applied correctly, I get varying notes of patchouli, lavender, the 'choco-cara-vanille' accord, and even some light touches of citrus and musk, that come and go, melding into one another. I can smell myself easily without someone else in the elevator smelling me, which is a perfect balance for me. In fact, AMen gives me of those 'aromatic auras' that few fragrances create and that I find very enjoyable.

In summary, for the brief time that my review is on the top of the page, let me me implore everyone who doesn't like both gourmand and patchouli fragrances to stay away from AMen. You will not like it, and then just get on BN and write a review whining that 'the perfumer was crazy - this stuff is terrible...waaaaaa!'. Please.

If you're looking for a citrus/vetiver look no further. R&G Vetyver isn't a complicated fragrances, and there's not much to add that hasn't been said in the reviews below. I will add only that this is a very vibrant, clean vetiver fragrance that sits lightly on the skin. Once the citrus notes fade, a light but earthy vetiver note/accord remains. By the time a light amberish base emerges what's left is a mild skin scent. As an EdC it only lasts a couple hours, but with a large, inexpensive bottle you can reapply as needed. I like vetiver but find heavy vetivers to be unpleasant in the heat, so when I came across this in a niche shop I bought it on first spray.

It's taken me a few wears over 3 months of ownership to 'get' Equipage, and I can now put it on my absolute favored list. Overall, Equipage is just plain classy. It's masculine without reaching into overbearing as Polo can be, and its understated without being simple. The Equipage experience conjures images of 'proper' gentlemen dressed in a tweed suit pursuing some dandy pursuit such as fox-hunting or perhaps driving an old MG in the countryside.

The opening consists of a bergamot and pine/green accord that, to my nose, creates the impression of containing lavender in its combination of sharpness offset with sweetness. I'm not as good as my peers at identifying specific floral notes, but clearly carnation and lily of the valley play a role in rounding out the fragrance and giving it depth. As the sweetness of the opening fades the coniferous heart emerges, presenting the an incredibly balanced woody/green accord, rounded out by light florals. The drydown is quite musky creating a long lasting, powdery wood. I don't quite catch distinct vetiver or patchouli, but their influence in creating the base are obvious. Just as lavender isn't a listed note in the opening, but the other notes hint at it, leather isn't a listed basenote, but the combination of musk, woods, and vetiver create a comfy-worn leather effect.

On my skin the movement from opening to base is fairly rapid - about an hour - but overall the fragrance lasts on my skin 5-6 hours. Given the fact that you can pick up a 100ml Equipage for about $40, this may be one of the best quality-for-you-dollar fragrances available today.

My review is based on an early-80s vintage bottle of Equipage. I've never smelled modern Equipage, but the Guide says it hasn't changed much. I'm anxious to try modern Equipage to determine whether I can replace my almost-empty vintage bottle with a new bottle or whether I need to make the investment in an vintage bottle again.

Darn.... do you ever want to just cop out and say 'this just smells GOOD'? Well that's how I feel about Nicolai Pour Homme. As already mentioned, lavender is at the heart of this fragrance and is present from application through drydown. When fist applied, the lavender is paired with mint and piney green notes (spruce?). The sharpness of the green notes fades, and for a long time the heart presents itself as lavender with the 'bite' removed by a mix of mint and tobacco. As the base emerges, amber becomes more prominent, the mint drops out, and the composition sweetens slightly. The transitions are seamless as the notes fade in and out. Throughout its life, NPH is constantly presenting a different face... but the changes are always discrete and happen slowly.

There is nothing at all jarring or obtrusive about this fragrance, it just makes you smell good without being overly loud or trying to break ground with some new accord. I could see this as being the fragrance to wear in situations when you're not sure if wearing a fragrance is appropriate. NPH is masculine but could be pulled off by a woman. It stays somewhat close to the skin, but I only gave it a 2-spray application. You'd have to appreciate lavender to some extent to enjoy this, but it's not a sharp, biting lavender at all.

Really, really nice fragrance.

Very pretty rose/berry, but Balkis is shockingly sweet with nothing else to balance out the sweetness. There's not much by way of shift to any spice or anything else in the drydown. The fruitiness just slowly fades out over 2-3 hours. A better alternative to most of the girly-garbage being released, but still incredibly sweet for almost anyone over age 21.

Rarely do you see so many reviews all heap what is essentially the same praise on a fragrance: Shockingly Beautiful. Bois d'Armenie is at once delicate and rich, woody and sweet, - this is a perfectly balanced fragrance. Light woody notes are weaved together with incense and pepper via benzoin and musk (and to my nose a light vanilla, though it's not listed). As it develops the woody notes reside and patchouli becomes more prominent - at which pepper notes fade out. The subtle interaction between the notes coming and going is something to behold. It also becomes slightly sweeter over time, at times coming close to feeling like a gourmand, but it never quite does - at least not nearly as much as it's sister scent, Iris Ganache.

Although I don't have a tremendous amount of experience with Guerlain, this typifies the best of the house. BdA is made to be worn and not just smelled on a strip. I would be a happy man if I could just have this aroma wafting around me always. The notes are in perfect harmony, and it is gorgeous without being ostentatious. It's true this won't project far, it's more of a skin scent, but it doesn't matter one bit because I want my skin to smell like this! Other reviews claim this is marketed as a male scent, although I've seen it on an upscale online retailer as a feminine scent. I'd say it's 100% unisex.

If you can't already tell - I'm smitten. $200 be damned - this is my next bottle.

An intensely bright citrus cologne. The citrus phase lasts longer than most traditional eaux de colognes - about an hour. From there it turns to a citrus/woody mix, and then eventually lightly woody. It's the citrus that is the star here... it was so sour it made me sweat. As with all SMN products, the quality of materials is amazing. There's not too much else to report on a fragrance in this category - it's a great cologne!

I spent a long weekend sampling Creeds when I found my hotel next to a Saks, and of the 20 or so I sampled Chevrefeuille was the most interesting and distinct from the others in the line. The reviews below are very good (except the one about licorice, which neither I nor anyone else detects), and I don't have much to add. The opening of honeysuckle/mint/florals and a touch of citrus is very unique, crisp, and enjoyable. I don't find CO to be feminine at all, and in fact the SA marketed it to me as a masculine. CO is basically linear, but this works for this type of fragrance for some reason. Longevity is average at best, which is kind of a downer for such a pricey fragrance, but otherwise this is high on my 'want a bottle' list.

Simple but fun fragrance... a lot more 'ambre' than 'cuir' unfortunately. Starts out with a distinct leathery note backed up with the sweetness of amber. Within about 30 minutes the leather note is gone and all that's left is a nice amber. Of course, there is no shortage of amber fragrances and there's nothing that makes this fragrance stands out besides its obscurity and neat stopper cap.

I found a bottle on eBay and both love leather fragrances and obscure items, so I bought one. I believe there are sites that sell samples of this.... I wouldn't spend much on seeking this out, but if you come across it, it's not terrible.

As with many Bond No.9 fragrances, Nuits de Noho is a rich composition that borders on gourmand without quite going all the way. It has a lot of body without being overly heavy, and it is certainly not perfumey at all. The other reviews that allude to a likeness with Angel are quite incorrect, unless you think every fragrance with gourmand notes must be like Angel. Angel is a dense, syrupy sweet berry/chocolate gourmand. Nuits de Noho's density is not all gourmand, it certainly isn't as sweet, and is more of a fruity floral. There's nothing 'thin' about NdN in the slightest.

As I've worked my way through nearly every Bond No. 9, I can't help but notice the close similarities between many fragrances in the line. Hearts and bases, notes and accords, are shared across many offerings. Nuits de Noho's gourmand-ish edge is replicated somewhat in the new Andy Warhol Lexington Ave. What sets NdN apart, and what made me purchase a bottle, is the pineapple-based top note that persists well into the base. The fruity top notes are not crisp - they're rounded with jasmine and musk, and they're not girly sweet. They put a fruity face on the floral heart. It's not pure pineapple, but the pineapple is noticeable. It's a much better use of pineapple then in L'Artisan's Annanas Fizz, which sounds like it would great but came off in reality to me as sour and muddled. The NdN fruit notes persist throughout the composition, which becomes more floral, and then musky as it develops.

I put on a healthy application of NdN and it projected very well - in fact too well (I put on a lot). It lasted about 8 hours, which may be in part because of how much I applied. Bond's don't last too well on my skin, and with a normal application it may not have lasted quite that long. Regardless, this is one of my favorite Bonds. Although classified as feminine it is 100% unisex (if you don't mind fruitish top notes) and I recommend it highly.

This is to vanilla fragrances what Audemars Piguet is to watches.... above and beyond anything either run-of-the-mill or even merely 'high-end'. I waited for six weeks for my sample and it was worth the wait. First off, a single spray allowed me to enjoy the fragrance for hours, and I could smell it without reaching my wrist to my nose (I was in a car).

The initial notes are a rich, deep and sweet vanilla. Within a few minutes, Double Vanille morphs into something that is like sweet pipe tobacco, slightly spicy and slightly woody. Tom Ford Tobacco Vanilla comes close, but doesn't have either the depth or spiciness. The fragrance continues to morph, with spice, wood, and vanilla notes intertwining. It finally settles into a vanilla-amber type of base. This was all from a single spray on the back of my hand, so I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to a full wear.

Now if I could just find a bottle....

I love the original, but as we all know it can be quite the sillage monster and thus inappropriate for the office. The light version is what is says it is - a light version - and it can be applied liberally to enjoy the fragrance without worrying about someone at the end of the hall smelling you. It's not so light as be unnoticeable, especially by the wearer. I'd say it's toned down by about 30% from the original.

Comes off as somewhat odd.... I do not get the sweetness others report. Instead, I get a vanilla/lavender accord whose sweetness is tempered by citrus. This balance doesn't quite work, but it's not terrible either. The citrus wears off, leaving the lavender/vanilla accord for a couple hours. While I have nothing bad to say about Suivez-Moi, this is definitely one of those "diminishment through faint praise" situations.

Thumbs up, because it's not down or sideways.

Having tried Fahrenheit 32 before trying summer, I was mostly expecting a fragrance entirely different from the original. Not so at all. This really is a lighter, more manageable version of Fahrenheit. The top notes are a muted citrus that only lightly mask a toned-down version of the original's honeysuckle notes. Gone in this Summer version are the 'motor oil' notes (which are really mossy notes) that some people find to be too strong.

Overall a great Fahrenheit version that would appeal to fans of the original as well as those who would like the original if it wasn't as loud. Stays close to the skin but lasts a long time. This is getting harder to find this as of the time of writing, so if you see it grab it!

I wore the EdT during a day shopping at a high-end mall. I sampled various other niche fragrances that day, and without any question No.22 blew them all away.

Achingly beautiful.

My fellow reviewer below is incorrect, this is definitely unisex. Fragonard Vanille is not masculine by any means, but as far as vanillas go this one is firmly non-feminine. What I like about this one is the subtle sandalwood and spice undertones that distinguish this vanilla from others. I don't get much by way of patchouli notes, but this note may be part of the subtle background that takes the edge of the sweetness of the vanilla.

I experienced Fleur d'Iris somewhat differently than did Foetidus. Of course he's far more educated in these arts, so take my review for what it's worth.

I initially sense an accord that is mostly iris, with perhaps some green notes to fill it out. Within a few minutes the first traces of vanilla appear, and slowly but surely vanilla becomes a more prominent note. I never thought of, or experienced, a vanilla iris accord. It is fantastic... the coolness and woodiness of the iris balanced against the warmth of vanilla. As the fragrance develops, vanilla becomes more prominent. About 3 hours after application the iris is but a coolly mild hint, and the vanilla becomes more amber-ish and musky.

I received samples of this simultaneously with MPG's Iris Bleu Gris. IBG is the 'masculine' iris by this house, and whereas pepper to balance iris in IBG, Fleur d'Iris uses vanilla. Fleur d'Iris is not particularly feminine and could easily worn by guys.

Top Notes: Rose, leafy green;
Middle Notes: Iris, vanilla, jasmine, violet;
Base Notes: Ambergris, vetiver, musk.

I've literally had this for months - received as part of the Hermessence travel set - and I literally just 'got it'. This is my fault - until today I've never done anything but spray on my wrist, and although I appreciated the incredibly realistic black pepper note, I couldn't figure out how such a minimalist fragrance could command such exclusivity and cost. The accord is simple - black pepper with a touch of woods. There's little development and no base to speak of.

So this evening I actually gave myself a few sprays on the neck/shoulders and it all made sense. When worn, PS creates an aura of warm spice around the person wearing it. I heard someone once write that they found PS invigorating, and I see what they mean... on me it has an almost aromatherapy type effect, the pepper being stimulating but never overbearing. I find myself looking forward to the next breath as I breathe it in. The length is average, about 5 hours. At first there was some sillage, but after about 30 minutes it is enjoyed only by the wearer (spraying on clothes lasts longer), but the 'aura' I describes lasts quite a while. This would work perfectly for an office or other situation sillage may be inappropriate.

I'm not sure I would spend the $210 necessary to buy a full bottle, but I will be using my travel size bottle and would consider replacing it. I definitely recommend trying PS, especially to those who either like pepper accords or who appreciate Ellena's minimalist composition style. This is one the the school's best examples.

The notes (per Sephora):

Top: Cardamom C02, Fresh-cut Basil, Pimento Berry.
Mid: Vetyver-leather, liquid Jasmine, Precious Myrrh Incense.
Base: Humidor Wood, Patchouli, Sueded Leather.

At first I didn't think Modern Reserve (MR) really shared that much with the original. I then tested them against each other, one on each arm, and revised that initial impression. They definitely share notes, and more importantly MR definitely invokes the style of the original.

MR stars of with a real cardamom blast, backed up with 'coolness' that it very difficult to articulate... perhaps it's the basil, but it's like a sharp piney-ness that makes the cardamom feel sharp. The fragrance settles into the heart quickly, with the top notes and mid-notes melding for a while. The heart is very 'green'... very piney and bordering on almost being the slightest bit minty. (By this point the original has warmed up, and is very leathery with a tobacco edge). As with the original, MR's notes are very well blended and no distinct note is very apparent. I can't distinguish vetiver or myrrh by themselves, but it makes sense that these notes together create the green heart of the fragrance. The drydown is fairly uneventful... a light leathery/woody/piney base that persists for a few hours. Unlike the original, which can easily be overdone with just a few sprays, MR doesn't kill the entire room with a few sprays. It's got good longevity and sillage without being overly potent.

Overall MR is a great fragrance - especially for being a modern designer offering. If Polo itself wasn't so green and bold, there's no way RL would have released something so radically different than everything else designers have released this year. You don't have to like Polo to like MR - it is its own fragrance for sure.

As with the other Le Labos, its named noted, patchouli, doesn't play a starring role in this fragrance. At first the fragrance is shockingly smoky, resinous, and fairly discordant. And did I mention sillage? There's lots of that also. Another reviewer drew the apt analogy with a fireplace... I agree. This smells not just like a fireplace, but the way a house smells when a chimney is clogged and too much smoke backs up into the house instead of going up the chimney (I had a house with a fireplace like this). You have to like incense/smoke to get through this phase.

The drydown is beyond magic... vanilla emerges and balances out the richest, resinous leather I've ever experienced. I don't sense the sickly sweetness others report at all. In fact, vanilla is barely noticeable as a lone note, but rather a lightly detectable note that keep the entire composition from going too far.

I'll be buying at least a decant of this.... definitely a cold weather only fragrance, but I can't wait to have Patchouli 24 seeping up from underneath my parka as I walk through sub-zero temperatures.

I admit it... I'm a sucker for vanilla fragrances. The current reigning king is Guerlain's Spirituesse Double Vanille. I think most vanilla fans would concur. I had some pretty high expectations for such an exclusive vanilla. The verdict? It's not your ordinary vanilla, but it's not $500-plus-cost-of-exporting-from-Paris vanilla.

The best way I can describe the top notes are, well it's like smelling watery vanilla. It's as if high quality vanilla was somehow diluted, as opposed to just a weak vanilla. The opening reminds me somewhat of the aldehydic dry-down of Chanel No.5 Eau Premiere, with it's floral/vanilla base under the aldehydes.

The heart features more prominent and spicy vanilla. No longer watery, this must be the 'vanilla pod' smell described by other reviewers. The primary vanilla note is lightly spicy and somewhat smoky. It's at this point that the vanilla is most like SDV (though not as strong or boozy). The notes supporting and underlying the vanilla are well blended and unobtrusive - I believe it's a light citrus/floral mix.

The base provides a prominent high quality vanilla that is not too sweet, a little thick, and a little spicy. Again, it's close to SDV but the overall fragrance doesn't project nearly as much.

A great vanilla, not doubt. If it were anywhere near available, and SDV didn't exist, I'd probably buy it. If you have SDV you don't need this, but it's a thumbs up nonetheless.

A strong, 80s type of rough masculine. Powdery and forceful, the citrus isn't crisp or fresh by any means, and the heart is all jumbled together. To me it just comes of as a rush of strong, discordant herbal and floral notes.

This is the type of fragrance I picture being worn by a smarmy guy dressed in a shiny suit who, dipped in cologne, jumps into his Bentley to drive off to the country club. Perhaps it's the Floris Britishness shining through, but I just can't find anything to enjoy about this one, and I can usually find something nice to say about almost any fragrance. The benchmark for male fragrances in the formal category is, IMHO, Tiffany for Men, and this isn't even close. Floris' other masculines like JF and No.89 are much more wearable and enjoyable.

A beautiful white floral with twinges of citrus and vanilla throughout the life of the fragrance (with the vanilla becoming more prominent in the base). It doesn't project far as it is more of a skin scent, but it lasts forever. Personally I don't wear floral-centric fragrances, but if I were to wear one this would be it.

Very high recommendation.

This is the first Mazzolari I've ever tried, so I didn't know what to expect. Being tipped off that a little goes a long way, I went with a small application on my neck and just a dot on my arm so I could analyze. A strong patchouli note isn't immediately evident, but clearly it is part of the depth and structure of the fragrance. The accords mix and meld from amber to incense and woods, with sweet and resinous notes in balance. About 2 hours after application a very clean patchouli note became clear, but amber balances the patchouli to keep it from becoming piercing or overbearing as it does in Montale's Patchouli Leaves.

I've been on big patchouli kick lately, and for me this ranks up there with Borneo 1834 - which is near the top but not nearly as nice as Chanel Coromandel, which is way beyond its nearest competitor.

Funny how everyone has their own memory and version of what a garage smells like. This immediately took me back the dusty, musky smell of my parents' garage when it rained. Rubber, brake pads and smells emitted from steam off the hood as the car rattled after being shut down.

No one else has mentioned - and maybe it's just me - but about 2 hours after application the heaviness of the synthetic garage smell was gone and what was left was a lightly citrus/floral, almost 'fresh' type of accord with the slightest hint of what came before it. In fact I initially forgot that it was Garage on my hand and for the life of me couldn't remember what I'd sprayed on my hand.

Fun for novelty purposes, but as Foetidus points out, even people who smell like garages may not want to smell like garages. The base accord isn't so unique as to make it worth a couple hours of smelling like a garage. The entire fragrance is fascinating, and I love that CdG has the balls to actually retail theoretical exercises, so thumbs up.

Notes (luckyscent) :Laurel aldehyde, traces of kerosene, leather notes, plastic floral notes, vetiver acetate, Chinese cedarwood

Fantastic! The strong opening of clove and incense, balanced with a sweet resinous note, grabs you right from the start. This opening lingers for about 30-45 minutes until it dries down to a tobacco and wood mix that lingers for a long time. There are some fragrances that you just like at first sniff, and this one of those for me. It will project strongly during it's first phase, but from then on it will stay moderately close to the skin. Definitely full bottle worthy!

Tiffany for Men Sport was far ahead of its time. As a fan of Tiffany for Men (TFM), I'd been wanting to sample this for a while. Foetidus' review of the fragrance itself is dead on...there's not much to add in that aspect. I sense a little bit of mint and woods behind the juniper berry, but it's mostly juniper. It's a nice, clean scent that clearly employs high-quality materials.

What strikes me is that this 'clean' accord predicted where masculine designer perfumery would be 10 years later. If you took Tiffany Sport, put in in a *insert designer here* bottle and released it now (fall 08) no one would blink an eye. It is eerily reminiscent of the clean vibe delivered by Guerlain Homme, Gucci by Gucci, Armani Diamond, etc. On the skin, Tiffany Sport isn't quite as light as its 08 children - probably because the materials are better and oil concentration higher - and it lasts a little longer.

If you're buying a modern male fragrance and live near a Tiffanys, check this out.

It took owning this for nearly four months before I could sufficiently 'get' this enough to write a review. Perhaps I needed to understand Ellena's work better, and perhaps I needed to experience more vetivers in general to put Vetiver Tonka in context. Whatever it is, I'm now able to describe Vetiver Tonka in a meaningful way.

As with the other Hermessences, this is an Ellena minimalist-type of composition. A few notes, melded together, without filler or noise in the background to distract from the primary accord. IMO, Vetiver Tonka works better in this respect - as a composition - than does Poivre Samarcade or Paprika Brasil, which are so simple that they come off as somewhat boring.

I disagree that this is a gourmand, at least not in the traditional sense of the 'gourmand' genre. It doesn't really smell like food, but rather it's sweetened enough by tonka bean (which is a lot like vanilla) to give it an edible-fragrance quality, but it doesn't smell like any identifiable food that I'm aware of. There's certainly no chocolate, coffee, licorice, or other traditional gourmand notes. It smells more like an imaginary food than an actual food item.

So what do you get? Vetiver by itself is a very full bodied, complex smell that can be herbal and pungent. In Vetiver-Tonka, vetiver provides the depth and 'base' of the accord while tonka completely takes all of the edge and pungency of vetiver away, hence why the the vetiver itself is not immediately noticeable. Vetiver is in there - it's just that it's traditional face is masked. Conversely, the one-dimensional sweetness of tonka all of a sudden has complexity and body to it. It's taken me countless wears to nail this down. It's an ingenious use of both vetiver and tonka - two notes found in countless fragrances but never juxtaposed directly with each other. If you're a vetiver fan and like your vetiver strong, such as in Malle;s Vetiver Extraordinaire, you will be disappointed.

This is my favorite of the Hermessence line (though I haven't tried Brin de Reglisse). Although I own travel bottles this and the rest of the line, this is the only one I would buy a full bottle of when I run out. As with the other Hermessence, and Ellena, creations, projection and longevity are average at best, but I find it acceptable for such a unique fragrance.

Many of PG's line have gourmand notes, so it's not surprising that a full gourmand would be so rich and full. Caramel and licorice are the primary notes, but as with Yohji Homme, there is a distinct roasted quality to the entire fragrance that keeps it from becoming sweet and cloying. Take Yojhi Homme, roast it for another couple hours to take out the sweetness, and you'd be close to this.

There are definitely some background notes of wood and incense that give body and depth to the Aomassai, but in a discrete way that never interferes with the gourmand-ness of the entire fragrance. The incense becomes somewhat more noticeable in the base, at which point the composition in general becomes slightly musky. Serge Lutens' Un Bois Vanille is a similar fragrance in that it recreates an aromatic atmosphere (of say, a coffee shop or a bakery), but for some reason Aomassai is less sweet and more wearable. Perhaps this is because Aomassai does not rely on vanilla or coffee notes, as most gourmands do.

I'm perplexed at the reviewer that experienced poor longevity. I literally dabbed the back of my hand with the sample vial - not even one spray - and I could smell it for hours and hours. Two sprays would be more than enough for a morning-til-bed application for me.

If you like the PG line you have to try to this - but avoid at all costs if you don't like gourmands.

Published notes: caramel, toasted hazelnuts, licorice, bitter orange, spices, wenge wood, vetiver, balsam wood, incense, dried grasses, resins (per Luckyscent.com)

I've been anticipating today - my first full wear of ESFC - for a long time. First it was on my wishlist for about 8 months, and then I finally found a bottle thanks to a kind BN member, then I had to wait about a month while hurricanes and evacuations delayed my receipt. Why all the fuss for something I've never smelled? Well, I love Eau Sauvage, I love leather notes, and I have a weakness for obscure Dior releases.

Was it worth the wait? Well, yes. Am I blown away? Well, no. At first I was surprised that the topnotes were pure Eau Sauvage, with little if any variation. I was bummed. After about a half hour I noticed the emergence of a slightly spicy, ambery leather accord that blended in with the standard ES drydown to perfection. As the name says (which is translated on the bottle as 'leather freshness'), this is a fresh leather. 90% Eau Sauvage, 10% Leather. I strongly recommend a massive overapplication to one's neck, arms, chest, etc. to experience the full effect.

My only complaint with the original has been longevity. No matter how much you put on it lasts about 2 hours from beginning to end. This problem seems addressed in the FC version, with the longevity being much better and the base persisting for about 5-6 hours.

If you're a fan of the various elements that went into this creation like I am, by all means seek out a bottle. If you're just a leather fan and think this will be a leather rich, lemony fragrance, somewhere along the lines of HL Cuiron, you will be disappointed.

Not to be mistaken with the low-quality fragrance of the same name by Jo Malone, this is what Amber/Lavender should be (and what I had hoped from the JM version). The Jo Malone version feature a briefly lived lavender note that is piercing, and dies off quickly leaving an amber base that lasts for about an hour.

SM Novella figured out how to actually combine amber and lavender such that both notes persist throughout the entire life of the fragrance. One experiences both the sharpness of lavender and sweetness of amber together. As with other SMN fragrances, this is a simple accord of high quality, and the name is what you get. This accord lasts through the base, and at times amber is more prominent, and at times lavender, but there is never a point at which you can't detect both.

From what I've learned about SMN, it is a very old, exclusive house that only recently began exporting. The high price reflects the quality of the materials used, and the bottles themselves are from a niche italian glass manufacturer that can be reused.

A very strong chypre accord twinged with the least-sweet, driest vanilla ever. At first the fragrance is very strong, and fairly discordant. The powderyness of the chypre accord is evident from the very beginning, and the volume is turned up high. Vanilla isn't blended in, but seems to take place as a note next to the chypre. The heart is the most pleasant part of the fragrance, with a prominent dry vanilla becoming more dominant, while the 'chypreness' is in the background. The drydown and base is long-lived, as with most Montales, and is classic chyrpe oakmoss. At this stage vanilla is not prominent, and perhaps only brightens the base a little. I detected other spice notes in the background as well.

For some reason and I am very drawn to this fragrance, and it's take on the chypre genre. I've already ordered a decant and depending on how it wears a few times will seriously consider a bottle.

Definitely a blast of patchouli, but far drier and more wearable then, say, Montale's Patchouli Patch, which is very strong. While patchouli takes center-stage, it is softened with enough vanilla and perhaps a touch of fruit underneath to make this version very different than the hippie-oil associated with patchouli. Plus, if you're not sniffing on skin, but wearing it, the patchouli note blends quite well with other notes and isn't overwhelming at all. As with any patchouli based fragrance, you must like this note to even bother trying patchouili, but within this genre it is great.

By far the most realistic, rich and all-enveloping wood fragrance. It is incredibly complicated - more so than I can describe - and certainly worthy of description beyond just smelling like wood. Hinoki does not hint at wood, or imply wood, and nor is it merely 'woody'. It IS wood. When I first smelled this I was instantly transported back to my friend's basement wood shop, with its variety of different woods, shavings, stains, glues, etc. I instantly remembered all the times we spent in that shop and how much fun we had. If you have some connection to these smells, as I do, perhaps this fragrance means more to you then for those that do not. Perhaps those who hike, camp, or otherwise spend time in the woods will find more to love about Hinoki.

Of course with CdG we again run into the issue of wearability.... sure, it's amazing that the smell of a wood shop can be recreated, but does a person really want to go around smelling like one? Well, in this case that wearability issue isn't as severe as you'd think. The intensity of the wood is only a problem when smelled from a few inches away. When applied (and yes, the sillage is strong) the scent that comes off from farther away is that of a masculine, pleasant woody smell. Within an hour or so the intensity, and realism, of the fragrance dies down and a very warm, fuzzy, enjoyable fragrance is what's left. This may be from the completion of the 'camphor' and 'turpentine' notes, but I'm not sure.

When compared to other 'wood' fragrances like Gucci Rush or Tumulte, Hinoki makes them look hopelessly synthetic and unpleasant.

I'm not usually a fan of wood-only fragrances, but Hinoki was bottle worthy and a prize on my shelf.

I was very excited to receive my decant of this obscure item (as someone mentioned, it is only available at the Dallas, TX Barney's). I'm not sure why Le Labo is keeping this so under wraps, but I can report it's good but perhaps not worthy of such exclusivity.

The opening is very reminiscent of the aldehyde laden opening of Chanel No.22. However, whereas No.22's aldehydic strength persists throughout most of the life on the fragrance, Le Labo's fades fairly rapidly. At first some florals and a touch of citrus lay under the aldehydes, and within the first 30 minutes or so the aldehydes fade, leaving a musky, light citrus/fresh/floral. Although pleasant, nothing distinguishes this Le Labo.

I'm not sure what Barney's Dallas charges for this, but based on the decant price it's somewhere around what they charge for Vanille 44 which is only available at the Paris boutique and somewhere around $500/100ml (per TPC's website). If you're looking for an aldehyde-rich floral I think Chanel No.22 is a much better choice, and at $200/190ml it's a significant savings over Le Labo.

Below are 70+ reviews of Rochas Man, so I can't add much new in terms of describing the coffee/lavender/vanilla gourmand accord. To my nose it comes off almost like cookie dough at first, although in the heart the lavender is somewhat more prominent and eventually coffee and vanilla. The longevity is very good, though it stays close to the skin. Of course this isn't a bad thing with gourmands.

What I like about RM is that it's a straightforward gourmand that isn't too sweet. Bond No. 9's New Haarlem is much richer, with more food smells, as is Yohji Homme. A*Men and A*Men Pure Coffee are more bitter and stronger. CSP's Vanille Mokha is just coffee. Rochas Man fits in perfectly as a very wearable gourmand that isn't always recognizable as a gourmand to those around you. My fiancee at first did not recognize it as food smelling, but instead noticed the smooth lavender.

This is very inexpensive and widely available. An excellent 'reference' gourmand for fans of the genre.

Holy Smokes! This patchouli is no joke. This is not a classy, refined patchouli like Chanel's Coromandel. This is not a dry, chocolaty patchouli like Borneo 1834. This is a sting-your-nose, transport-you-to-the-Grateful Dead-lot-circa-1989 kind of patchouli. That it invokes flashbacks of Jerry kicking into I Know You Rider out of a smokin' China Cat is not to say the quality is $10-per-vial of oil cheap, but rather it is so strong and it is of such high quality that it is like smelling everyone in the lot wearing patchouli simultaneously. It is that smell that reminded you that you were at the show (minus the smells of sweat and pot smoke).

Patchouli Leaves starts out as a sillage monster. I was casually testing a few fragrances one evening when I applied a single mini-spray of PL to the back of my hand. This is a sillage monster. Testing anything else instantly became meaningless as all I could smell was patchouli, and this is without raising my hand to my nose. This patchouli is very earthy and very rich. The juice itself is dark and seemingly thick. The only patchouli fragrances I've tried that come close are Bois 1820's 'Real Patchouli' and S.M. Novella's single note Patchouli.

After about an hour the ferocity subsides considerably, leaving an amber/vanilla/patchouli that is indeed more akin to Coromandel, albeit more earthy. Sillage is still significant, and the longevity is on par with the other Montales - 8-10 hours. I first applied the spray to my hand around 10pm and I could still clearly smell patchouli and amber at 8am when I woke up.

If you want an end-all-be-all patchouli look no further. Just be careful applying or else you may find a bunch of heads following you around asking for tickets to the next Hampton show.

I've become a big fan of patchouli fragrances lately and was interested in what a $285/45ml CdG patchouli would be like. As Vibert notes, the opening is rich in woods and resins, and I identify pepper as well. The resinous notes are at once rich and a little sickly-sweet. Of course a dry patchouli note is ever-present in the background. I would have hoped for an incredibly rich patchouli to be front-and-center, but that is not the case. The sweetness of the resin does fade, and what's left is a smooth, peppery patchouli balanced with woody notes. For your money you get quality - 2 sprays lasted about 10 hours on my skin.

If you're looking for a 'luxury patchouli' I'd recommend Chanel Coromandel ($200/200ml), or, if you can get it, Serge Lutens Borneo 1834 ($175/75ml). If you're looking for a strong, resinous fragrance that includes patchouli, and money is no object, this might be for you.

Thumbs up because this is a quality fragrance, but if I were to factor in cost it might point sideways.

A truly fascinating and unique fragrance, Eau d'Hermes is a study in contrasts and balance. More than any other fragrance I've experienced, EdH smells very differently depending on how much you apply and whether you're wearing it or just sampling it. Someone on the BN message board made the analogy between EdH and scotch whiskey - they are both acquired tastes that are beautiful to the acclimatized but very unpleasant to the casual user. This is incredibly apt. The most important thing you can avoid with EdH is to judge it based on a spray to a piece of paper. The second most important thing to avoid is to judge based solely on an arm or wrist spray (the mistake I initially made).

I first experienced EdH by spraying on my arm and breathing in deeply. The cumin was overpowering, and all I could smell was, as another reviewer put it, "sex". It's dirty and animalistic, with cumin and civet predominating. I did not give up on EdH because I could tell that something was going on under the cumin, something very beautiful. I kept waiting for the cumin to subside and meld into the background notes, but it persisted well past the heart and into the basenotes, loosening its grip as the primary accord at the very end to reveal a soft, woody leathery base. "Nice base" I thought, but could I wait 4-5 hours to smell like that? Also, the strength of the cumin, smelled up close, bordered on being sour enough to smell like urine at times, and I wondered if I'd be walking around reeking of either Kouros or the men's room at Grand Central Station.

I took the plunge and gave it a body-wear. What a difference! When sprayed over a wide skin area and not smelled up close (in other words, diffuse sprays not inhaled from 1 inch away as smelling on the wrist), EdH is an entirely different animal. The citrus becomes much more evident and vibrant, and it is balanced perfectly by the cumin, which no longer reeks like an indian restaurant but rather cinnamon and clove. EdH projects class and a slight formalness, but with a touch of quirkiness, like driving an old Jaguar Vanden Plas. The woody/leathery drydown is gorgeous and lasts forever. You won't smell like anyone else wearing this, that's for sure.

Final thoughts, I can't really picture a woman pulling this off unless it's for the express purpose of getting naked.

I can't add to the great reviews of the notes in the reviews below me. To me, Sweet Oriental Dream is one of the most unique vanilla/gourmands I've experienced. What makes it unique is the balance between sweet notes and nut/floral notes. There's something going underneath the vanilla that keeps me smelling my wrist constantly. After the opening this isn't sweet at all, and even though it's slightly on the feminine side of unisex, I wouldn't think twice about wearing it.

I'm glad this has been reissued! You'd think that coffee fragrances can't vary much, but Vanille Mokha shares little in common with my other coffee fragrances, A*Men Pure Coffee and Bond No.9 New Haarlem. VM starts off with a straight-up bitter, rich coffee note. This note softens over time, going from an espresso aroma to that of dark roast coffee, to light coffee and eventually to a latte with perhaps one pump of vanilla. Never overly sweet, VM is the first coffee fragrance I've come across that is pretty much just coffee.

If you like gourmands you should definitely grab a bottle while this reissue is available.

I came across this in a small niche fragrance shop in Austin, TX and was pleasantly surprised. 1869 is a light, peppery fragrance with melon undertones. It stays close to the skin and lasts longer than your average EdC but doesn't project at all. It's perfect for the office or any other time you want to smell nice without alerting the rest of the world. It's a somewhat unusual accord, and the only thing I've experienced vaguely similar is the lime/pepper accord created by the massive dose of the 'Iso-Super E' in Escentric 01 (by Escentric Molecules). 1869 is much less sharp and tangy than E-01 and not nearly as flagrantly synthetic.

If you know you don't like mint, there's really no reason to try a fragrance with 'fresh mint' in the title... unless you sample fragrances for the express purposes of writing bad reviews and having a high 'review count'. This seems beyond absurd to me but apparently some people do this.

The topnotes of a light, whispy mint definitely freshen this up a lot. Cuts the thickness of the original, and IMO makes it more wearable. I like this more than the original but don't like either enough to buy. If you like mint this just may be a favorite. If you don't like mint, well, see paragraph #1.

Fantastic for those who like gourmands but are looking for something different than another Pure Coffee, Yohji Homme, or New Haarlem. Musc Maori starts of with a rich cocoa note that is obnoxiously strong. This quickly settles down, and as it does a powdery musk becomes prominent. For a while this is the heart of the scent.. musky cocoa. However as the base develops the musk becomes spicier and what finally reveals itself is a lightly spicy, musky skin scent with hints of cocoa.

If you don't like gourmands, you won't like this, but it does offer much more than your average gourmand. As it is a PG, it lasts forever on my skin. Another winner from Parfumerie Generale.

Infusion d'Homme is the only fragrance of the 08 designer releases I found worthy of investing in. I went with 50ml because I know that's all I need, but I love the 25oz bottle ($270) just for the way it looks and other big sizes are priced reasonably ($70/100ml, $100/200ml).

To a large extent it is an EdT version of Infusion d'Iris, but this is not a bad thing. The crux of the (male) fragrance is cool iris presented with a face of neroli. My only complaint is that the other listed notes (which, as with other Pradas are listed boldly on the bottle itself) of vetiver, benzoin and cedar are not noticeable in any meaningful way. I assume these ingredients/notes are in fact there, operating in the background and blended such that you can't pick up individual notes. Again, this isn't new for Prada. Amber Pour Homme, which is a favorite of mine, doesn't really smell at all like amber, and the notes stamped on a metal plaque to the top of the bottle aren't all that clearly detectable, either.

The strength isn't there to carry significant development into drydown. I tested d'Homme on one arm and d'Iris on the other... being an EdP d'Iris was stronger and lasted much longer, but I actually liked something about d'Homme much more. Perhaps it was the subtlety, or perhaps it was the functioning of different notes in the background.

Still, very enjoyable modern fragrance and better than Armani Diamonds, Versace Pour Homme, Givenchy Pi Neo, Davidoff Adventure, and almost everything else designers have offered guys this year.

It's not my thing to write bad reviews... usually I'd prefer to just forget it, but this might be a special case. I love lime notes so I ordered a sample of this along with a number of others from Montale. I didn't even need to smell my skin before knowing it was shockingly strong and awful... just the mist of what wafted up was enough to get me to wash off (I did smell my arm).

Try before you buy.

By far the highest quality lavender I've ever tried. It is firm and sharp - the sharpness probably from the clove/spice notes that give this lavender and bite and an edge. It actually bites the nose a bit, especially on application. There is no alcohol or booziness at all, and the typical Creed dry down to amber is warm and a nice finish. I'm not sure any lavender fragrance is worth $150+, but when I run out of my decant I will seriously think about it.

Dry but not sweet at all, and anything but bland. One really must pay attention to the subtleties here. Bois Blond is sophisticated in its understated elegance, and as with all PG fragrances it exudes quality. If you stop at the top notes you'll probably not 'get' BB and be disappointed, so if you have the opportunity to test this make sure you let it develop for quite a while. The initial smell to me was almost like dirt - something like woody hay. These topnotes persist for quite a while. When I next checked my arm, the dirt/hay smell was gone and replaced with a wonderful, rich cedar/tobacco/amber. As one reviewer mentioned, the notes are constantly shifting, melding, and stepping in and out of prominence. I'm thinking I should jump on this LE release before its gone.

I was so excited to try this, especially with the other Dior Homme exclusives being such winners, with some of those reviews proclaiming Eau Noir to be the best of the three. Oy Vey! I rarely write negative reviews because usually if I don't like something I can still see the qualities in it that make something good. I can acknowledge that just because I don't like a note or two, a fragrance can still be good but just not for me. Not this.

The opening, to me, was dead on lentil soup - with too much salt. I've sampled it now three times, and each time I could swear it smells like salty lentil soup. The fragrance then goes somewhere unexpected - to a sickly sweet amber that is very similar to Tom Ford Amber Absolute. The basenotes come back around full circle, combining amber and some salty/spicy/incense notes that, jumbled together, are somewhat unpleasant.

Not for me at all, and just bizarre. I think Bois d'Argent is the best of the three, with Cologne Blanche right behind.

If you don't like Mure et Musc, it makes sense to not try the Extreme, otherwise you'll be tempted to write a duplicate bad review referencing your original poor review. And that would just be totally absurd.

I digress. L'Artisan continues to challenge and defy my normal fragrance preferences. I'm generally not at all fond of fruity fragrances, but I like this! Perhaps it's because the berry notes are not sweet, but sparkly - as though you were sniffing berry flavored soda water (Polar brand, if you know it). This berry, in confluence with the musky and powdery base, creates a unique fragrance that you just can't help but like. I'll admit I was indifferent at first, but just a couple repeat wears allowed me to see the simple happiness of MeM Extreme.

As I sample more L'Artisan fragrances I'm finding that some of their most simply constructed scents are the best. It's counterintuitive that it should take a more trained nose to recognize the quality inherent in simplicity.

I'm not sure why, but I have a thing for vanilla fragrances. It's odd because otherwise I shy away from sweet scents, especially anything both fruity and sweet. Having sampled many vanilla fragrances, I can honestly say this is one of my favorite, and it is the best representation of one end of the vanilla spectrum. Specifically, this is a minimalist, light vanilla, as opposed to thick, rich amber heavy vanillas such as SL Un Bois Vanille or floral vanillas like Dior Addict.

I assume it's the addition of ethylmaltol that makes Vanilia unique (Turin, p.347). The effect to my nose is to create a soapy undertone to the vanilla note, which is already delicate to begin with. The overall result is a vanilla that is lightly sweetened without being overbearing or cloying in the slightest. There isn't much development - after all this is a vanilla fragrance - but I did notice that the soapiness eventually mellows, making the entire composition a little cotton-candyish.

Definitely bottle-worthy, Vanilia would be a great for the office or anywhere else that you want to enjoy vanilla without projecting yourself like a dunkin donuts. Although definitely wearable by a man, this would be a sexy vanilla on a woman.

I'm not much for rose fragrances, but I find this one very enjoyable and more unisex than any other rose-centered fragrance. As people have noted, the opening is citrus and rose, probably 60::40/citrus::rose. Predictably, the citrus fades and the rose becomes more prominent. A healthy application lasts about 3-4 hours. As with most of the other Hermesscences, this is a minimalist composition, uncluttered with extra notes or background 'noise' to detract from the simplicity of the rose and citrus. If you look at it in this context instead of comparing to preconceived notions or expectations, the lack of longevity doesn't detract from the quality of the scent. Admittedly this is expensive juice to be reapplying 3-4 times in a day. Not the best of the Hermessence line, but definitely among the tops from the Hermes house.

Thumbs up!

I had no idea this was classified as 'feminine' until I saw it here on BN. Obviously it's my opinion that there's nothing about UBV that makes it more feminine than any other gourmand. And what a gourmand this is!! It's every smell that one would encounter in an espresso shop/bakery, the sweetness of which is grounded and somewhat tempered by undertones of woody notes. There's a lot going on here, and as with other Lutens you can chose to either pick out individual notes, of which there are many, or you can just sit back and just take in the entirety of the aroma wafting up at you. Having just used up a pretty healthy sized sample, I will wait until winter to buy this, not because I wouldn't want to wear it in the heat, but rather because it would be so wonderful to be all bundled up in a parka in the cold outside with a healthy dose of Un Bois Vanille seeping out from beneath the coat.

A nice, mild citrus/fruit/light floral fragrance that lasts a good while but stays extremely close to the skin. I had higher hopes that this would be a more robust citrus. BN has this listed as feminine but it's technically unisex... there's nothing that makes this more feminine than any other light citrus fragrance. I'm glad I bought the 30ml and didn't spend a whole lot. Good stuff but I won't back up my bottle...

Thumbs up

As a big fan of the EDC I've been looking forward to trying the EDP, especially because longevity is the biggest problem with the EDP. First off, this is not the exact same fragrance as the men's version, but more concentrated... close but not exact. They are both blended such that individual notes are not immediately evident.

Whereas the EDC starts out with the 'sharper' notes (jasmine? rosemary?) from the get-go, the EDP starts more softly, with the florals more prominent, and the woody and patchouli notes present themselves later. Most people immediately recognize the buttery feel of this fragrance... what creates this buttery effect is the combination of musk, heliotrope and vanilla. The more I wear it the less I interpret the scent as 'butter'. I believe the EDP is less 'buttery' anyway.

Rounding out he musk are some light florals - lily of the valley and rose. Lightly piercing through the musk and florals are woody notes of cedar, patchouli and sandalwood. Of course this really is a skin scent, and on me the sandalwood is particularly evident and sharp - almost spicy. HL does not present itself this way on my girlfriend at all. The florals persist longer, and are more noticeable, in the EDP. Overall either version is unisex. Seeing as though Dior Homme has made it ok for guys to florals, HL really was ahead of its time.

As of this writing both versions are getting harder to find and the cost is going up. If you're interested I'd recommend checking HL out before it becomes elusive.

Thumbs UP

I've this over the last couple days, and regardless of how I try I cannot articulate a review of the fragrance itself. All I can say is that I was captivated from start to finish. At one point I dozed off reading with 31RC on my arm, and I woke up smelling my wrist. Even in my sleep I couldn't help but explore this fragrance! Coromandel might be the most wearable (for a man, at least) of the Exclusifs, but this is by far the most beautiful.

What a neat fragrance! This Iso E Super that comprises the bulk of the fragrance creates some interesting olfactory illusions that lend credence to the notion that synthetic does not have to be a bad thing when done properly.

The fragrance is comprised of a perfect balance between lime and light pepper with a touch of incense lurking in the background. These elements wax and wane in strength over the course of application, but never fail to bore or get me to stop smelling my wrist. To date I have only tried a light application, but I get the feeling that with a heavier application I will be able to catch whiffs of lime and pepper throughout the day.

Perfectly unisex, there's no deep story here, no unfolding drama to interpret.... just a fun fragrance perfect for summer, the office or anywhere else you need 'fresh' scent that isn't a '(fill in the blank) Homme Sport' or '(blank) Femme eau Fraiche'.

On first application I wasn't too thrilled with Amber Absolute.... too sweet, too syrupy. Luckily I've learned that making judgment calls on one wear is a rookie mistake!

On second wear I put two diffuse sprays on the back of my hand and went to work. The beginning was the same story - sweet, vanilla amber so thick it could be syrup. However, I soon noticed at work that the most wonderful aroma was wafting in front of me, right over my keyboard. At first I forgot the AA was on my hand and thought it was my scent of the day (Egoiste). I then remembered I had sprayed the AA and found that the two sprays on my hand were giving off the most lovely, resinous incense-like sillage. These dark notes are balanced perfectly with vanilla and amber. Never quite gourmand, Amber Absolute is rich and inviting, with terrific sillage and longevity.

Thumbs UP, and on my 'purchase someday' list!

Wow... I know I'm not sophisticated enough with fragrances to write a review that does this justice. The initial notes are strong and somewhat discordant, with a heavy incense and pepper focus. I am utterly transfixed with the dry down and may simply have to buy a bottle. A strong patchouli intertwines with vanilla in such a way as to create a chocolate-esque fragrance - the way yellow and blue make green What is so wonderful is that I can smell, at once, the patchouli, the vanilla, and the combination of the two. Leather and amber enhance and round out the fragrance.

Longevity and sillage are great. Having sampled all the exclusifs I can honestly say there isn't a bad one in the bunch, and I would be happy if any were on my shelf, but if I had to choose one this would be it. Final thought, I find this to be unisex and best and if it was classified as masculine I wouldn't blink. This could be worn by a woman but seems more appropriate on a man.

This opens with huge gobs of synthetic ginger like it's brother, BLV, only there's a little more going in with Notte to counterbalance the ginger. Unfortunately it's just enough, and even though I catch traces of notes I really enjoy, like chocolate and light florals, the ginger is so medicinal (or 'baby wipe' as people put it) and unpleasant that it cannot save this fragrance. I have a twice used 50ml bottle sitting in its box waiting for the day it is traded to someone who will give it a good home.

The reviews of the fragrance below are simply too good to improve upon, especially buzzlepuff's description and floatingpoint's analysis that this a fragrance better suited to wearing than sniffing on a wrist. I will therefore relate my experience with Ambre Narguile.

I like gourmands and was made a special trip to a Hermes boutique while traveling just to try this. I made the horrible mistake of zapping the back of my hand with two full sprays. I almost choked it was so strong and overpowering, and therefore I wasn't that taken with it. I ended up buying the Hermessence 4-pack of travel bottles, which includes this. Playing with Ambre at home, I came to learn that a fine mist - one spray from a distance - is the correct dosage for this fragrance to appreciate it. It must be diffusely applied and not concentrated in one area on the skin. One such spray on the chest/lower neck area, and perhaps one misty spray on each arm, allows the wearer to be enveloped in the most wonderful aroma of spicy-vanilla-amber-cake for hours and hours. Unlike the other Hermessences, this is not minimalist, it throws significant sillage, and lasts forever.

If I were to spend $210 on a 100ml bottle of one Hermessence, I'd be hard pressed to decide between this and Vetiver Tonka.

Thumbs way UP!

A lot more tonka than vanilla, and more feminine than I thought it would be based on the published notes and the reviews. Very nice, very high quality, just not quite for me, even though I'm a big vanilla fan.

Absurdly fantastic! Similar in concept to the new Serge Lutens 5 OClock Gingerbre, but definitely distinct and unique, and while its a gourmand I think it would appeal even to those who don't like gourmands. It starts with a distinct gingerbread note, not sweet like cookies but rather spicy like mulled cider spiked with cinnamon and rum. This is a very, very full bodied fragrance, and is develops a distinct black tea accord intertwines with the spicy gingerbread, with just enough sweetness. The interplay of tea and gingerbread is what makes this fragrance and will probably lead me to buy a bottle. On drydown sandalwood and vanilla become more prominent - as does the cinnamon, and blend everything together perfectly.

Fantastically crisp and 'light' fragrance (but not a light sense). Unfortunately on my skin I don't get much of the herbal, woody basenotes, it just sort of fades out within a couple hours. Nonetheless it's a great classic that deserves a try by everyone.

An amazing, complex fragrance that reveals something new and different about itself every time you wear it. On first wear I didn't notice sweetness, just a bold, salty, woody tobacco/iris note dominating the top notes. On subsequent wears the sweetness of the honey became more noticeable, providing a counterbalance to the iris, tobacco, and patchouli. Over a few hours the balancing accords almost meld into one lovely yet bold fragrance. Lasts FOREVER - even though a swim in the pool and a shower - easily 8-10 hours if not longer.

Now, if I could only get to a Dior Homme store to buy myself a bottle...

I very faithful Grapefruit fragrance... the first time I sprayed it on my girlfriend could smell it across the room - it's that strong. Lasts about 4 hours on my skin. Absolutely fantastic, but it's so... well.... grapefruity that it's not really appropriate for an office. Great for hanging out on summer days!

LPH's most noticeable feature is its boozy, sweet rum note. This note, paired with cinnamon and vanilla, creates the basis for a fairly sweet fragrance. The rum note persists for a long time, eventually giving way to a soft, sweet musk. The fragrance most similar to this is Boss Bottled/#6, but I think Boss does a slightly better job balancing the sweet notes with some woodsy notes. This is one of those fragrances I like smelling on my arm but I'm not sure about wearing as a daily fragrance. Avoid if you don't like sweet fragrances.

I've always liked this and hoped my fiancee would wear it but alas, she finds the vanilla too cloying. I gave up hoping she'd wear it and bought it myself, even if it's just to smell it when I want.... on my wrist it isn't very feminine, just a fantastic bourbon vanilla that is rich without being too sweet, and just enough powder to keep it from being cloying (in my opinion, not shared by my woman).

What's amazing is it's longevity - the vanilla persisted on my wrist for 12 hours with little change... only after 16-18 hours did it really fade out. It never developed much on me, just a nice vanilla, so I can' t comment on the basenotes. I think Addict really is a 'skin scent' and will develop uniquely on different people. I don't think I'm going to be wearing this, but I'll hang onto it in the hopes my woman someday will, or when I want to smell a fantastic fragrance...

Thumbs way up.

Never before have I seen such a disparity between the published fragrance notes (copied below) and reality. Not that this a bad scent. I will join other reviewers in their positive comments on what is essentially a powdery old-timey barbershop post-shave refresher. Light florals with perhaps some citrus in the background are all I smell. A pleasant, clean smell that lasts an hour or so.

Fragrance Note(s): Sparkling Citrus, Bergamot, Green Notes, Waterflowers, Sheer Woods, Amber, Patchouli, Soft Mousse

Don't be fooled into thinking that this is anything like a contemporary citrus fragrance - its' not. The initial burst of citrus is balanced with rosemary and floral notes that keeps the citrus from being too sharp or bright. In fact, when I first put this on my skin I thought it was a spicy fragrance (the initial spice subsides a few minutes later). As mentioned below, the entire life of the fragrance is about an hour, but this is to be expected from what is titled 'cologne water'. Certainly worth a try!


from CM website: "Fragrance Note(s): Bergamot, Orange Blossom, Rosemary, Narcissus, and 27 other notes"

I'm with andrewthecologneguy on this one... perhaps it's because I'm not familiar with the original Newport, but I like the current version on its own. On first application I immediately drew the association with new fragrance, Ed Hardy for men. They both share a blended citrus/lavender/musk accord that is fairly linear. I don't have too much development on my skin, it just is what it is. Over 20-30 minutes the fragrance gets a little sweeter and little more musky, but for the most part the scent remains as it is on application.

A nice casual fragrance, worth a try if you come across it.

Fragrance Notes: Bergamot, Mandarin, Lemon, Green Notes, Lavandin, Geranium, Muguet, Rose, Amber, Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Musk
(from the CM website)

Thumbs UP!

This is one of those fragrances that's been sitting on my shelf, and though I know I like it I never quite find the right day to wear it. To start off with, it's quite strong sillage wise, and the first time I wore it I OD'd, requiring a wash-off during my lunch break from work. Perhaps this soured me on wearing it for a while.

Having given it another chance today I remember why I liked it enough to buy it. As with other Gucci offerings, GPHII is fairly linear and serves as a great, wearable, all-day scent. My initial reaction is to the semi-sweet, strong floral violet note. The primary accord is a three way balancing act between this violet, (the strength of which subsides fairly quickly), cinnamon that provides sharpness, and a base of strong black tea. Secondary notes of musk provide powder and tobacco and woodsy notes lend depth. The tea/spice/violet mix lasts for hours (6-8) on me, and as I mentioned before, throws very decent sillage. As many as 12 hours after application I can still sense woods and musk lurking closely to the skin.

GPHII is definitely a 'try before you buy' because if you don't like it's sweet-sharpness there would be no compromising and 'sort of' liking it. This could comfortably be worn anywhere and in any weather, and as someone mentioned below, women seem to dig it. Thumbs up for Gucccccci!

Heaven! Heaven in a bottle! This contains all the notes of the original, but with different emphasis (and because it's an EdP, better sillage and longevity).

The original has dominant heart notes of iris, cocoa, and vanilla with the more masculine notes of vetiver, patchouli, and leather lurking in the background, not particularly noticeable but clearly present to balance out the sweeter notes. Whereas the masculine notes provide balance in the original, they take on a more dominant role in the Intense version. The iris and gourmand notes are still present and dominant on application, but the base notes are immediately obvious, with a somewhat salty note (vetiver? patchouli?) competing with the iris notes for equal dominance. As with Dior Homme, this fragrance is very well blended and single notes, especially the base notes, can't easily be picked out.

Now that I've finally procured a bottle I must find another for safekeeping.

TWO thumbs waaaaay up!

Glad I found this! Ice*Men flew under my radar until I recently began seeking fragrances with coffee notes. The beauty is in its simplicity... the initial notes truly smell like ice coffee, albeit with a spicy twinge (like spiked ice coffee) provided by nutmeg. The top notes persist for a while, melding beautifully with a mild patchouli base that is as simple and distinct a patchouli note as you'll find anywhere. The balance of spice, lightly sweet coffee, and light woods makes Ice*Men very unique and enjoyable.

TWO thumbs up!

I can't possibly give a better review than the 3-4 that precede this (especially JaimeB's). I personally DO find the concentree to be similar to it's brother, especially in its refreshing, pungent opening that makes the fragrance. There is perhaps more breadth of citrus, such as mango, in the concentree. It's not just grapefruit and orange. Whereas the EdC is gone in a half hour, having done its job of cooling me off after a walk in the Texas heat, EdT continues developing, becoming mossy and woodsy. I would, and do, wear concentree as a daily fragrance.

I'm never exactly sure what I think about Dunhill Fresh... it's nothing special, but at the same time it's not bad, and while on one hand it is seemingly just another fresh men's fragrance, it offers some things the others don't... read on if you care...

This is not strong, even with excessive application - but that's too be expected of something actually named 'fresh'. The initial 'green notes' I detect are reminiscent of watermelon. Not actual watermelon, but the 'candy' watermelon scent I associate with, say, Jolly Ranchers. The only thing is, this light fruit scent isn't sweet, it's fairly dry. If this was all I detected the scrubbing would start now, but there's something - some note - that creates the slightest sharp/spicy balance to the freshness. Perhaps it is the 'basil' note listed, or perhaps it is something from the heart/base.

I don't get much development on my skin, either that or the fragrance isn't strong enough to appreciate its base. What fruitiness there is slowly fades, leaving a pleasant, but unremarkable, floral/green accord that lightly persists a couple hours and fades out. I haven't tried massively overapplying to see if I can detect the base notes.

I don't find myself ever reaching for D-Fresh, but I'd choose it before any number of others in its categories. At least its inexpensive!

On my skin I experience way too much ginger without other notes to balance the ginger's sharpness. I note the powdery notes some others detect, but not any of the sweetness. It's almost as though Blv takes the ginger's acridity without that little hint of sweet that I find in, say, my girlfriend's 'ginger essence' perfume (from Origins). CK Euphoria is a good example of a ginger notes counterbalanced by other accords. If you like sharp ginger, Blv is for you - otherwise I'd stay far away.

Quite simply my favorite fragrance.... I can see why some people can't rap their heads around this; it's not your standard male fragrance. Though a quick, cursory sniff may allude to lipstick, a close analysis (repeat as needed!) presents SO much more. Reading other reviews, I wonder how many of those who think this only smells like lipstick did more than smell a sprayed-card at the mall.

Dior Homme is at once sweet and gourmand while also being distinctly masculine. In fact I think we can credit DH for showing us all that masculine doesn't have to mean strong vetiver or herbal notes. The notes easiest to identify are iris, vanilla, and cocoa, all of which fade in and out. The genius of DH is in the fragrance's depth. If all we smelled was iris, vanilla, and cocoa this would be nothing but gourmand. Repeated application leads one to realize that the background of leather, vetiver and patchouli balance the sweetness. On my skin leather becomes more pronounced over time.

TWO thumbs waaaay up.

This is finally on BN after being available for a few months! Unique entry here - smooth, musky, and minty - I believe they call it a 'mint julep accord', with undertones of citrus and spice. The citrus is not immediately evident, but rather serves to balance the other notes while providing depth. There isn't much development, but the mint does fade and the scent becomes more musky. A little expensive, but there is a .25oz spray mini available that works as a great way to test this out. Sillage is average, longevity is very good on my skin.

Bought this for my woman and dig it.... the berries on top are sweet and strong at first, but not to the point of being candy-sweet. The sweetness eventually settles and becomes more musky. Lasts a long time on her.

Bought this for the sake of completion (owning Cedrat and Lavender). I'm picky about my vetiver fragrances and this one doesn't quite make the cut, being more heavy on ginger than anything. The three Pure bottles look nice together, and at $15/each I can't complain, especially liking the other two.

This is the only Kouros I own, and it's definitely the mildest of all that I've tried (which is nearly all of them). One could wear this anywhere, anytime, with no fear of scaring people away as is possible with the original. At first this is definitely 'perfumey', as the review below puts it.... you get all of the notes at once. Light fruit (tangerine?), mint, and anise. As with the original, there is something animalistic lurking in the background, but only ever so slightly. Over the 30-60 min after application the mint and fruit fade, leaving a pleasant, light anise scent that is similar to Rive Gauche Light. This is an EDC, and the whole thing lasts about 2-3 hours on my skin.

A soft, powdery blend of amber, vanilla, and spices (cinnamon?)... I bought this for my fiancee but find it to be fairly unisex. I guess we can thank Dior Homme for reinterpreting powdery, sweet fragrances as a masculine possibility. I would put Cashmere in the same category and don't feel uncomfortable wearing this, especially at the office.

The quality is very, very high. High recommendation.

To picture Edition Blanche, take Homme Sport, strip a few of the notes out and replace with similar - but not the same - notes. I'd say Blanche is about 80% of Sport. Whereas the top of Sport is a creamy neroli/lemon, Blanche loses the creaminess and the neroli, replaced by grapefruit and light pepper notes. It is not entirely unlike Terre d'Hermes, though not quite as sharp. The top takes a while to fade, and in all honesty EB loses most of its ooomph once it does. The base of light musk and sandalwood is subtle, and unless you really spray it on, barely detectable. They call this 'EDT Concentree'.... Chanel should have just made the investment in perfume oil to make it an EDP. If they had done this, EB would be more competitive in the marketplace.

I'm very much enjoying this on the ridiculously hot days we have here in Texas. Thumbs up for being a fantastic fresh summer scent, but I will note my disappointment in its lack of longevity.

A strong oriental that exudes masculinity. Sillage is ridiculous and it last forever.... a shame it's becoming more expensive (although not hard to find) now that it's discontinued.

I sprayed a single spritz on my arm to sample. Hours later I was still noticing the wonderful amber/vanilla aroma wafting up at me. Although classified feminine, there was nothing about this preventing a guy from wearing it. Be sparing as it's quite thick and rich.

Zizanie was the scent I grew up smelling on my father... I remember him saving his last bottle when it was discontinued (in the U.S?) and then being so happy when he found a bottle at an old time fragrance shop. I enjoy the current version - a little citrusy, a little woodsy and sweet... nothing too complicated but nothing offensive at all. Good for summer days.

I'm sorry to hear that the bottle I have is vastly different from the original... I'd like reexperience the original. If anyone know where to find such a bottle feel free to message me.

Foetidus' review is really all you need to know about this fragrance's smell.

I will add that I sampled at a store that did not indicate the gender of Chemical Bonding.... I assumed it was unisex, and even though it is classified otherwise I look forward to buying my own someday soon.

Smells a tremendous amount like John Varvatos - a sweet, syrupy thick fruit note balanced with leather and woods. There is no walnut (nut or tree) smell.

An absolutely enchanting and rich fragrance.... incense and woods, smoky woods, amber, cardamom, and vanilla. Masculine without being an 80s-powerhouse type fragrance, this is a perfect balance of resinous and sweet.

This is also a very very high quality fragrance. I put two sprays on my hand at an airport L'Occitane before getting on a plane. Not only did I enjoy it for a two hour delay and five hour flight, but I could actually smell it on my hand the next morning - almost 18 hours later!

I will purchase this soon.

Just tried this at the store (there is also a limited edition intense version).

Unfortunately the lovely blood orange top is somewhat fleeting, leading to a fairly standard vetiver base - which is nice, don't get me wrong, but not very citrusy.

The initial notes are somewhat confused - a little sweet, a little woodsy - you're not sure where it's going to go. Within about 20 minutes the most lovely accord develops that is at once rich and minimalist. Though not exactly 'butter', the fragrance invokes butter by having a lightly vanilla sweetened heliotrope note which is then balanced with a touch of musk and mild florals. The only man's fragrance that is similar in style and composition would be Dior Homme, though Dior Homme is more delicate and complex..

I'm not usually concerned with other reviews, but on the life of my family I swear there is nothing in Helmut Lang whatsoever that smells the vaguest bit like Old Spice. I know olfactory judgments are unique to everyone, but if someone detects Old Spice in HL it might indicate that their ability to appreciate fragrances is massively and utterly different from that of the average person.

If I could give 10 thumbs up, I would.... now that I've finally received a few samples of Helmut Lang you can bet I will be investing not only the EdC, but the EdP and parfum versions as well.

Thanks to a BNer I received this in a trade. I'm hooked! Smells like the essence of Bombay Sapphire (there's no alcohol smell), or perhaps a strong gin and tonic. Now if only I could find another bottle somehow...

Very disappointing... after considering Summer for months, trying it multiple times on cards and on my skin, I finally pulled the trigger and purchased. The top notes are fantastic and were clearly what was drawing me in for so long. Pungent, strong, lemon and grapefruit lead to promises of a great citrus fragrance. In not much longer than the time it's taken you to read this so far, the strong citrus dissipates, replaced with an entirely pleasant musky cedrat accord, and that's about it for the rest of the fragrance's short life.

This would be ok if it weren't for the fact that it smells IDENTICAL to Azzaro Pure Cedrat, which I purchased for $15 at a discount store. I put Burb Summer on one hand and Pure Cedrat on the other.... my girlfriend could not distinguish. The only difference between the two is that the Pure Cedrat lasted about twice as long as the Burberry, which was all but unnoticeable in 90 minutes.

I'm lucky I was able pawn off the Burb Summer to a friend without losing too much money. Not worth it.

Decent enough but absolutely NO strength whatsoever. 5-6 sprays on my arm yielded a pleasant dry watermelon scent that wore off in less than one hour.

There's not much to add by way of the glowing reviews on which I bought Curion blind. I may be the last lucky person to find this at suggested retail cost, because the site I bought it from is now sold out.

Knowing what I know now, I would definitely pay the $80-$120 asking price to keep an extra bottle on hand. I have a feeling Curion, which is already a cult classic, will be impossible to find for less than hundreds of dollars within a couple years.

Sampled via an open box at the local Marshalls. Typical light fruit/light citrus/short half life summer fragrance. Not great. Not Terrible. Not worth $30.

Not a bad scent, per se - but unbelievably low strength. Two sprays and I still smelled nothing on my arm. Four sprays and I noticed it was there, but only barely. Would not waste my money on this.

A blind Marshalls purchase for $20.... LOVE the bottle, the juice is barely tolerable. Sweet, synthetic, and fruity without much development. I don't get any of the notes from the pyramid at all.

The cap simulates a gas cap or other engine cap with its rubberized, grippy, large round top. The color and style of the bottle are striking, and thus this is not on my trade list.

Should have been named 'Buick Riveria'

I want to like this - I really do - the citrus is too sharp and misplaced. If it weren't for the 'clean man' theme I couldn't imagine being able to pass this off as masculine at all. It's more of a unisex citrus blast.

I'm going to go WAAAY against the grain and give Pure Lavender a good review. I don't get the overly-synthetic, common, too strong, cheap scent otherwise described.

What I get is a top accord of lavender and anise, which fades fairly quickly to be replaced by soft vanilla and musk with the slightest hint of woods. This becomes slightly sweeter after a couple hours and what's left is a very pleasant vanilla/tonka/musk base balanced with a touch of spice.

I picked this up for $14 at Marshalls - it's perfect for warm days or any day in the office.

I too am surprised by the negative reviews. My only complaint about Intuition is that the middle notes are similar to other scents out there.... I just tried YSL L'Homme and was astounded at the similarities.

But that's my only complaint. The short, sweet top notes quickly give rise to a long-lasting strong middle layer that is sensual and warm. Without looking at the listed notes, I'd personally say that I get a strong scent of cedar and woods that lasts and lasts and lasts. I'm smelling the base notes and fade out on my arm now, and it becomes a little sweeter and ambery.

Of my many scents this is my girlfriend's favorite for me to wear.

Not to be confused with an EdT from which one expects longevity and complexity, EdOV is fantastic for what it is - an old time cologne 'tonic' - and this is reflected in the low price. I acquired a bunch of 1oz travel bottles and I keep them cold in the fridge. When I come back home from walking the dog in 100 degree Texas heat, I splash it liberally on my face and head. The tangy citrus is a perfect refresher and I am instantly cooled down. I suppose it's a little obnoxious, washing up with water made by Hermes, but whatever.

When I go through my 1oz bottles I will buy the 13.5oz flacon.

Perusing through seven years of reviews, one can truly appreciate just how love it or hate it Fahrenheit is. I had never given it much thought until my woman mentioned she used to like on someone she knew. At first I didn't care for it - the moss was too prominent at a time I wasn't interested in woodsy scents.

You can now count me in with the lovers of this unique one. I suppose you could interpret the middle as 'motor oil', though my nose always interprets it as 'cold, dark, mossy woods'. Like a dark, wet forest at night.

Fahrenheit, along with Polo (green), grab me the most female compliments. It makes you realize that what guys like on guys isn't what girls like on guys.

Very refined and luxurious.... Jaipur's appeal is evidenced by the scores of great reviews. Jaipur fits into the rare slot of an oriental that is totally versatile - it works in the office or on a date, dressed in a tux or in shorts/t-shirt at Starbucks. The notes are those typically found in fresher fragrances, but they are presented so richly that the fragrance could never be so categorized.

I own the EdP and it lasts forever and throws good sillage. I don't suggest over-application.

When I first bought a .25oz mini a while back the old lady didn't like it, so JV was relegated to the mini-bin and forgotten about. I was more than skeptical when I gave it another chance, but I'm glad I did. I gave it three tries over the last few days so I could really 'get' it.

What turned my woman off (and me as well) is the sticky-sweetness of the top notes. I suppose that's the 'dates' and 'tamarind'. Though it's not an overtly synthetic fruit sweetness of, say, Mont Blanc Individuel or Dunhill Desire, it's pretty overwhelming. About 30-minutes after application the sweetness begins to abate, and within 90-120 minutes JV really comes into its own. It is at this point I get the faintest - faintest - whiff of agarwood (eaglewood), along with leather and amber. There is only the faintest sweetness balancing the other accords. This is my favorite part of the life span on my skin, and it lasts quite a while.

After 4 hours the agarwood is gone, replaced by a creamy vanilla, thus becoming slightly sweet again. The vanilla is balanced with powdery soft woods and fleeting leather. JVs life span is amazing - easily 8-10 hours on my skin - but sillage is average/low-average. As another review complained, JV is initially too sweet to apply the amount necessary to really get good sillage during the mid and late development.

Even with the top being too sweet, this is very well crafted fragrance.

I was prepared not to like this as I'm not a fan of other CK offerings (nothing against CK, I'm just not a fan of what's out there) and I don't like ginger notes. Bvlgari Blv makes me gag. Anyway, my lady loves Euphoria and made the subtle hint of buying the large gift set (100ml Edt, 100ml after shave, body wash + deodorant). You see where this is going.

I've been very surprised. The ginger really adds a sharpness that is well balanced by the suede and vanilla. Sweet, but not too sweet. Leathery, but not too leathery. I guess the balance in really the attraction with Euphoria. The longevity and sillage are far beyond what I'd expect.

Although at the time of writing it's not in the BN directory, I also tried the Euphoria Intense. I wish my girl had waited because it's fantastic. A bit sweeter, the vanilla is more prominent, as is the suede, while the ginger drops out after the topnotes. Again, the balance is very good. The sillage is much better as I can smell it on my wrist as I type this.

As with other Gucci offerings, Rush is a fairly unique entity.... there are some similarities with Azzaro Visit, but I find Rush much more wearable.

Basically Rush is a light woods fragrance, balanced with slight powder and very light floral/lavender. It's essentially linear. The woodsy notes feel slightly burnt, like smelling a chimney fire from a couple blocks away.

The white 8-track cassette box is neat - nothing groundbreaking - but I don't find it as unbearable as others.

Now that Rush is discontinued some retailers are jacking up the price, which is ludicrous given that they probably have plenty of stock. Spend a little time researching and you'll find it for suggested retail....

I consider myself somewhat lucky to have randomly found a 100ml of Aramis Cool at a local mall stand (I thought, who is making fakes of this?).

This is what a lot of today's fresh scents wish they could be. Light bubbly citrus without a touch of sweetness. The citrus is offset by the cognac/rum notes. The citrus hangs for while before slowly melding into a light woodsy/spicy base. As others note, juniper is the prevalent note, especially for the first couple hours.

I will treasure my bottle as I don't envision randomly finding it again, nor would pay some ridiculous sum for it.

The top notes can truly only be described as 'expensive soap'. I love it.... it makes you feel clean just by putting it on. I agree with other reviewers that point out that, although the fragrance itself doesn't project, it remains intense and fragrant for a long time. The soapiness dries down into a rich amber that I find I want to smell applied areas. The final notes of suede and perhaps saffron come on very late and are very enjoyable. This is one of the more unique mass-marketed/produced newer fragrances. If you enjoy using a fragrances ancillary products like shower gel, I suggest Prada's. The combination of soapy top notes and shower gel make this the richest smelling shower soap ever.

This was a blind buy at the mall and I couldn't be happier. Finally, I've found a fresh summer fragrance that isn't overtly synthetic, complicated, or sweet . The neroli (I also get watermelon) opening lasts a good 30 minutes, at which point I experience a nice, warm vetiver balanced with vanilla notes, as well as hints of the light citrus opening throughout. Call me crazy but when I'm outside in the heat I could swear i get subtle notes of mint on my skin.

Overall, F32 gives off the impression of a high-quality fragrance. As with Fahrenheit, there is no synthetic overload - just clear, crisp notes that meld well together. I love its simplicity. There is no mish mash of competing notes, no multiple personality disorder with a fresh fragrance turning super spicy on the skin.

Sillage and longevity are par for the course with Dior, which is far better than the average designer offerings.

why not spend $8 on a cool-looking travel spray of Nautica Competition? Well, that's what I asked myself when I saw it at the local Ross cheapo discount store. It is a neat looking bullet-style sprayer. Well, I'm seriously considering spraying the contents out and reusing it as a neat looking sprayer. Otherwise I just bought an $8 ornament for my mini collection.

This is your run-of-the-mill fresh (bergamot/citrus) that is clearly and unmistakably uber-synthetic. It is nearly identical to Jaguar Performance - another super winner - except that Jaguar has more depth. There is a metallic streak to this that is unpleasant. Totally linear. I don't notice any 'nutmeg' or other published notes emerge. It's just 'Glade fresh' and done. I'm many years past the target age for this, but regardless as someone who more Polo throughout their 20s, I can't imagine anyone truly appreciating this.

I'm glad I finally tracked this down! A strong oriental opening strong on the spice. This opening lasts quite a long time and the sillage for the first few hours is unbelievable. Once dry, Tiffany is a very pleasant, full woodsy experience balanced with subtle spice and florals.

This is very masculine fragrance perfect for a special nice out or formal event. With its elusiveness and cost I can't imagine wearing it more than once in a long while anyway.

I know, I know this is a classic, but I just can't stand it. I scored a mini of this and was extremely excited because I'm a huge Chanel fan and because I've read such great reviews - plus, I'm a fan of the classics. Very strong, pungent herbal opening that doesn't dry down into anything more pleasant. I'm glad to have the bottle for my Chanel collection but that's where the enjoyment ends.

I'm sold! BBJ has been kicking around my collection in mini form for a while and it's quickly becoming my summer favorite for its freshness and balance across its development.

The topnotes of citrus are not sharp, but they manage to find the medium between sour citrus and sweet citrus - its right in the middle. Accompanying the citrus is an underlying powder scent that softens the whole fragrance. A couple hours in light florals emerge and blend with sandalwood and vanilla. Overall there is a warmth to BBJ that I find compelling. As with most fresh fragrances, this stays close to the skin, but the longevity is great when applied somewhat more generously than average.

As a final plus, this is can be had for pocket change at your local mall perfumania....

This is my one and only Boss fragrance (I'm considering Pure when the cost goes down) and I'm very impressed. This is very similar to Lacoste Pour Homme, but I find the rum and vanilla in LPH to be too dominant, sweet and cloying.

The sweet apple and bergamot topnotes fade into a nearly perfect balance between vanilla, cedar, and cinnamon. Sweet/Woods/Spice. I can at once detect the individual notes and enjoy the blended collective. A musky base eventually joins the mix as vanilla and cinnamon fade and the cedar becomes more dominant. As others mentioned, there is a warmth to Boss Bottled/6. If this was even a little sweeter I might not be such a fan. The absence of obvious synthetic notes (like LPH) is a plus.

The sillage is decent, as is longevity. Can be found on the cheap ($31 for 50ml).

I want to like it, and sometimes I do for a few minutes at a time. The 'fresh' notes are overwhelming...it's overpowering. Melon notes are mixed with green notes, but they enhance each other instead of balancing each other. Although I generally like aquatic/fresh scents, and although I generally like RL offerings, Blue is just too synthetic smelling to be enjoyable.

I know it's unpopular to admit to liking LB, but you can throw my hat in the ring. Clearly everyone is disappointed that LB wasn't something else at thus review what it isn't as opposed to what it is.

The strong citrus opening quickly melds into a very peppery accord. I would've hoped the topnotes lasted longer into the heart. While LB might be similar in structure to other fragrances out there, it does it better than most.

What can I possibly add that 120 other people haven't covered? Not much.

Received M7 today in a trade. Everything written here is true. Ferocious, foul opening that I embarrassed to let my fiance smell. My dog ran outside when I sprayed it on my arm to test. The warm, woody drydown that mingles woods with a bit of honey sweetness is lovely and now that it's been on my skin for 4-5 hours I'm enjoying it tremendously.

I can appreciate the quality but this isn't my cup of tea. I even like some of the 80s macho powerhouses like Polo and Chaps, and in some ways I like this. I just can't possibly ever image when I would wear M7, unless I wanted to apply 3 hours before seeing another human.

This will stay in my collection. But in the back.

This is a great fragrance - the reviews below describe it well. My only complaint is that it is not really unisex, or at least it's on the most feminine end of the unisex spectrum. Unlike other B9 unisex offerings, like Wall Street, there isn't much that can salvage this for a man who wants to smell masculine.

FINALLY!

Although its not popular to say this, I'm a huge RL fragrances fan. With few exceptions I like them all, especially Polo (original), which was my grandfather's cologne and my first fragrance purchase. I have patiently waited for a Monogram bottle to show up on eBay that was in the realm of reasonable. I've seen minis go for $80 and open bottles go for $200. I spotted a .25 mini recently for $20 so I had to splurge.

This is the Purple Label bottle - which makes me appreciate that the PL designers made this nod to RL fragrance history. As other reviewers note, this compliments Polo closely. The initial notes are similar to Polo but with stronger accent on some of the pungent herbal notes and less tobacco and less leather. Although not overt, I believe there is some citrus in there that balances out the herbal notes, and this citrus (or whatever it is) becomes more pronounced on drydown, as do some spice notes. On drydown Monogram is closer to Polo Crest than it is to Polo. Like its family members, a little goes a long way and sillage/longevity are not a problem.

Overall this falls in the '80s powerhouse' category. I'm not much for these types of fragrances (Drakkar, Paco, Kouros, AzzaroPH, etc.) because I either just don't like them or don't need my entire office knowing what cologne I wear. Monogram is a happy exception that I will occasionally enjoy. 'Occasionally' until I find an unopened bottle in a friend's grandparents' attic, win the lottery, or otherwise justify spending $400 on a 'new' bottle.

Definitely very noticeable and unique - you can always tell when someone is wearing Drakkar, which unfortunately means that someone is usually bathing in it. I was at a will call line to pick up my tickets to a concert when I got an overwhelming downdraft of Drakkar. Someone two lines over was radiating Drakkar and there wasn't anyone in a 20 foot radius who didn't know what it was. As my girlfriend says "It smells like the 80s".

Strong and masculine, pungent and unforgiving. You either like it or you don't. I got a good laugh when the Nordstroms SA put a sample in my bag... I can't believe they actually sell it.

Except for Polo I'm not a fan of any of the 80s macho scents (Kouros, Paco, Azzaro PH, etc.) and this is no exception.

This is the only gourmand scent I've liked enough to buy (and at full price, too!). I'm surprised at the reviews that liken the coffee notes to that of cheap, burnt coffee. What I note is a rich espresso-chocolate aroma. Hints of vanilla balance the coffee notes and become more prominent as the fragrance develops. Eventually the coffee notes are gone and replaced with light chocolate and vanilla notes. I catch slight undertones of musk and cedar, which temper the sweetness of the 'mocha latte' notes. If starbucks ever markets a fragrance this would be it.

Even if you're cringing at this review, give it a try (assuming you're at one of the few department stores carrying this). I generally hate sweet fragrances, but AMen Pure Coffee is just done right. It lasts a long time on my skin (it is still very noticeable after 6 hours) but doesn't project too far. As of now I've only had it on my wrist and hands. Tomorrow I'll test drive it to work...

I know this is a limited release, but my only gripe is that nothing smaller than 3.4z was available. The bag-of-gourmet-coffee-packaging is a trip.

Vastly superior to previous PE offerings! The fragrance is a combination of vanilla and musk with slightly spice/woodsy undertones. I don't smell much, if any, fruit notes. The vanilla note is sweet but not too sweet. No one note dominates - the blending is excellent.

Particularly unique to this PE fragrance is the sillage and longevity, both of which are not only better than any other PE fragrance I've experienced, but better than most others in my collection.

The bottle is great - a heavy, thick cube with large wooden cap. The metallic nylon strap hanging off the sprayer is a little odd, but it works ok.

Sprayed a few zaps on myself yesterday. Immediately put off by the strong woods/spice note but enjoyed the dry down into a lighter woodsy scent. Although a few mentioned it, Visit is nearly identical to Gucci Rush. To test out this theory I sprayed Rush on the other arm. Gucci was slightly more powdery, slightly more depth, essentially the same scent. Visit lasts a long time - I noticed it on my arm when I was falling asleep nearly 10 hours after application.

I'll admit it...I like fresh aquatics, especially if done well like Aqva is. I'm surprised the similarities between Aqva and Polo Black haven't been further explicated here. I find at least the top notes to be very very similar. Aqva's drydown invokes a salty/spiciness that is rich without being overbearing. The only thing I would change would be to have the top notes last longer and perhaps intermingle with the deeper notes instead of 'turning off' so quickly.

I was very skeptical after receiving H2 from a friend who picked it up a local Marshalls and gave it to me as a goof (knowing my taste in fragrances is generally beyond those named after GM vehicles). According to the box this is an Elizabeth Arden fragrance, so it's not like the boys in GM were tooling around with the perfumer kit.

I don't sense the depth that iMaverick does, but nor to I get an intense synthetic feel as I do from, say, Dunhill Desire. H2 is a dry fruity scent similar to many others (Bob Mackie comes to mind) 2-3 hours in you get slight spice and musk notes poking through, and H2 lasts longer than Mackie. The vanilla does temper the fruitiness well. Sillage/longevity average to slightly better than average.

I can't imagine a day where I'd say "I'm going to choose H2 over the rest of my wardrobe". But I can't honestly say this is a bad scent. I analyzed it with a couple sprays on one arm as I placed a couple sprays of a very expensive, niche fragrance with similar notes on the other. There was no appreciable difference in the quality of the scents, development, sillage, etc.

There's not too much to describe that hasn't been described below. The intense sweet, sweet fruitiness is a little too much to bear. It takes about 4 hours on my skin before vanilla and musk are noticeable, but even then its not enough to balance the sweetness that pervades. Desire is sweeter than Individuel. The sillage and longevity are great - it's just too bad there isn't something to temper the topnotes as it dries. Great if you like sweet - avoid if you do not.

I find this to be a perfect hot-weather-loafing-on-a-weekend scent. Light and citrus fruity, but not too sweet, Mackie doesn't develop too much. It becomes somewhat more powdery and less sweet as it dries. It's in the category of masculine citrus/fruit scents (ie Dunhill Desire, Brook Brothers, MB Individuel) and is my favorite of this genre. Won't last long into the evening but not worse than average longevity. The bottle, which looks like a standard rectangle that has been bent into a prism, is very neat.

If you see an inexpensive bottle don't be scared to try (unless you require every cologne to be from an obscure high end house that only people on BN are aware of).

A decent dry fruit opening followed by a blast of synthetic spices that had me reeling. The spices are accompanied by a note, perhaps a pungent herb note, I can't identify that really fouled everything up. The sillage must be good because the couple sprays on my neck had me chocking in my office a couple hours later. I actually had to go home on my lunch break and shower the stuff off.

Picked this up very inexpensively at a local discount store - I was curious what tequila in a fragrance smelled like.

The initial spray in fact smells like a margarita - pungent and robust. This is a fleeting smell that gives way to a vanilla - almost coconut - musk that is more reminiscent of a pina coloda than a margarita. I wish the initial notes lasted longer.

I'd wear this on vacation in a warm place, or perhaps to the beach or pool. I wouldn't recommend paying anywhere near full price for this, but if you find it cheap it makes an interesting addition to a collection.

Holy smokes!! I picked up a $6 bottle randomly on the shelf of a local discount store because I was curious (and because I remain fond of the original Polo). This is one strong cologne you've got here. At first the dab on my wrist (no spray - its a splash) hit me in the stomach with a barrage of herbs and spices. When I got up the courage to sniff again Chaps became more powdery, more calm, but strong leather and herb mix with none of the sweetness found in today's men's offerings. The drydown becomes more powdery and more floral, but it never loses it's force. Chaps is like an angry Polo.

I *might* dab this on once in while if I'm going out - it's just not me. For historical reasons (as in - if you want to know what real men smelled like in the 80s) I'd encourage anyone to pick up a sample. Thumbs up because this is a good cologne, even though it wouldn't fit into the modern young (under 50!) man's life.

This is one of the rare fragrances of which I tossed out the spray testers I received after sampling. A sickly-sweet orange scent that is not unlike Clinique Happy, only it doesn't become less sweet as it dries on the skin. I imagine this would be for high school age only. Even though it's discontinued I see it at the local mall fragrance store ( i do think the bottle is neat).

This has truly become one of my favorites. Chanel Allure HS is a rare fresh, citrus based fragrance that also maintains depth throughout its life. There is something lurking below the lovely citrus notes that invites more whiffs for closer inspection. AHS comes off the skin farther off the skin than I'd usually like, but because it's so light and fresh I don't mind. Like other Chanel offerings, it lasts a long time. Unlike other Chanel offerings (ie Pour Monsieur), it's wearable anytime, anywhere. On a side note, Chanel makes the best bath and skin products (as my girlfriend always says), and I highly recommend the AHS after shave emulsion that comes in a tube (not the regular after shave in the bottle). It works well on razor burn, is SPF15, and enhances the EDT application.

Although I'm not usually a fan of Boss fragrances, I found myself really enjoying Pure this past weekend when I wore it out to a fancy casino. The opening is very very grapefruity - in fact this is all you will smell if sprayed on a card. It's a very dry grapefruit smell. The grapefruit dries down into a dry but lightly spicy, very 'fresh' scent. I'll be honest I didn't closely analyze the notes because I was busy at the casino, but I could smell it on myself and it worked with my fancy casino 'outfit' and working the blackjack tables.

This is another designer 'fresh' scent, but it does it much better than most offerings.

In reference Louslice''s review below, Montblac makes not only pens but a wide array of luxury-segment products, mostly high-end men's accessories like watches, cuff links, etc. I assume that they entered the fragrance world to complement and round out their product line.

That said, I'm not sure Individuel really fits in with the Montblanc image. It's fruity-sweet and I put in the same category as LeMale. It stays fairly sweet on dry down, and it does last a good while. I'm not a fruit fragrance enthusiast, but Individuel is not offensive in any way. Just not for me. I would image something more distinctly masculine and understated meshing better with $1000 pens and $500 cuff links. RL Purple Label does a better job matching with a luxury brand.

My .02 on the comparison to Polo.... Crest is very similar in structure and shares many notes with Polo, but is lighter with more focus on the green/woods notes whereas Polo emphasizes tobacco and leather. It may be that only those of us who truly appreciate Polo can make these distinctions.

It's not that hard to find small bottles or the mini gift sets on various websites at reasonable rates.

I've always enjoyed the original Polo Black but for some reason I never investigated Double Black until receiving as a gift recently. I believe I will now be switching 'black' allegiances from B to DB.

Like Black (B), DB opens with a sweet mango note and fades quickly into its spicy heart. DB is at once more muted and more rich than B. The top notes aren't as strong (which is not a good thing) and the middle shot of pepper isn't as distinct (which is a good thing). Instead, the mid/base notes are more complex, better blended, and more enjoyable than in the original. Unlike B, a few extras spritzes on the body or arms doesn't cause an olfactory overload. The various posts, below, provide an excellent description of the fragrance notes.

DB works as either a daytime or nighttime fragrance. It lasts an average length (5hrs) and stays fairly close to the skin. I'm not sure why this is being called an 'oriental', and I wouldn't recommend it as such, but regardless I'm impressed with DB and rate it highly.

On paper I should like this, but I not only dislike it but need to wash it off every time I give it a try. I received it as a gift so I have a full 2.5 sitting under my sink. I keep thinking I'll change my mind but alas...

Very powdery, slightly citrus opening that settles down into a powdery pepper/woods. It's at this point I need to wash off. For those who care, the sillage is ok... I can't speak to longevity.

The new Ed Hardy is very similar in opening to Code, but for whatever reason I very much enjoy it. EH develops in a more pleasant, rich, masculine manner into something I enjoy smelling on myself.

Very similar to Z Zegna. A little sharp, somewhat synthetic citrus/musk that is linear. Nothing great. Nothing terrible.

I was prepared to not like this as I don't care for any other Azzaro offering. However, after giving the sample I received a couple tries, I bought a bottle at a local discount store.

The scent is dry throughout its life, so the ever-present apple top notes remain noticeable but not overbearing (as is the case with fruity scents like dunhill desire). The apple notes fade into a light woods and musk that doesn't project far off the skin but lasts a long time. This is one scent that could work at the office or a night out, in the summer or the winter. There is nothing spectacular about onyx that would keep it in my regular rotation, but I could never see objecting to wearing it.

The bottle is very 80s - a huge monolithic black cube that is miami vice masculine.

There's not much I can add by way of describing this classic other than to say this... Of all of my many fragrances, Polo brings more compliments from women than any other. Whether its from my receptionist, the college intern, department store clerks, etc., I always get positive feedback. This is a very masculine scent without being horribly overpowering the way others from its era can be (ie Korous and Azzaro ph).

I suggest going easy on application to enjoy. I usually use the after shave and don't need the EdT. The discontinued Polo Crest is basically a lighter version of the original Polo, and I'd suggest seeking out a bottle if you enjoy Polo but find it too strong.

I'm surprised the experts here didn't pick up on Romance Silver's extreme similarity to Ralph Lauren Purple Label. Purple Label is one of my favorites, but smelling Silver made me wish I hadn't spent the effort searching for a good deal on the elusive PL. i believe both of these fragrances were released around the same time..

Both fragrances center around a blackberry/tobacco accord giving way to a slightly spicy woodsiness. The fruity scent is more pronounced in Silver, the woods more pronounced in PL. Other reviews note pronounced spiciness in Silver... I just didn't notice it but that could just be my skin or perhaps the rather mild (2-spray) application. Like PL, Silver is understated and close to the skin. It lasts a bit longer - I could even still smell it on myself after 10 minutes in a pool - but doesn't develop quite as much. This is great for the office or a dinner with your girlfriend, but it's not a particularly macho-masculine scent.

I'm glad to know that Silver is available when I go through my PL bottle.

I loved this on the card at the store and was so excited to find a good deal (randomly) at a grocery store. Unfortunately my love evaporated when it hit my skin.... Eau Fraiche IS strong and the sillage is good, but the top notes are, well, feminine - almost floral. The drydown is a sharper musk but the topnotes never fully recede. I personally don't like projecting my fragrance across the office and after an hour sitting at my desk I knew that's exactly what I was doing.... I went home to wash it off at lunch.

That said, this is unique and unisex, 'fresh' but not weak... it's just not for me.

I'm shocked at the reviews that describe Hypnose as cheap smelling.... I can understand not liking it, but it does NOT smell cheap. I don't find it too much like LeMale, either (which I don't like). The heart of lavender, vanilla, and amber are strong and stay throughout the development and into dry down. Catching a whiff of myself as I sit at the office brings thoughts of eating rich chocolate, or perhaps drinking a rich liquor.

I agree with the comment that there are really no 'age groups' for fragrances, but those complex, rich scents are associated with more mature men. Hypnose seems at home on a date to a fancy restaurant and then back to your place and not a college frat.

An eau fraiche version was just released.... If anyone likes Hypnose but finds it too overbearing I'd look in this version. Unlike other fresh versions of colognes, this one really does seem to be just a lighter edition of the original.

I agree with the reviews that point out Z's lack of development... it is what it is and that's what it is. However, I like what it is. It's not ADG, which I've never liked. There is something metallic about Z's impact on the nose whilst still wet, but once dry this fragrance exudes freshness. Z is not trying to be a deep, rich, spicy fragrance and shouldn't be compared to such scents. The after shave balm version is particularly kind to the skin.

I recently put a zap of the new Perry Ellis 18 on my skin and noticed that it is nearly a complete copy of Z.

I sought this out in stores for a while to try before buying, but I finally gave up and just bought the EDT and after shave balm. I'm glad I did because it's in my weekly rotation. PL is subtle and can be applied without offending, but it is still noticeable throughout the day (@ 6hrs). The blackberry is very distinct and mixes very well with the tobacco flower, which I find to be the most present middle note. PL becomes more woodsy as it dries, but it remains enjoyable throughout its application.

I *believe* PL may be discontinued.... no official notice but the fragrance is no longer available on Ralph Lauren's website. It certainly wouldn't be out of character for RL to discontinue its limited run fragrances. I'm going to pick up a couple extra bottles to keep on hand.

One cannot possibly overstate the difference between how Polo Black smells on paper, in magazine inserts, in shower gel, aftershave, etc. and how it smells on skin once dried. A lot of negative reaction seems to be to the 'iced mango' accord, which I personally love, that is similar to other fruity openings in other modern fragrances. Once dry, Black develops into a masculine, spicy scent that is both inviting and rich. As a lover of the original Polo, I find Black to be one of my favorite alternatives and go-to colognes when nothing else strikes my fancy.