Basenotes - Reviews by tort2

United States

Showing 1 to 6 of 6.

Dunhill Fresh by Alfred Dunhill

Dunhill Fresh was a gift from a co-worker, who doubtlessly intended to provide moi with some well deserved joy and temporal lobe satisfaction. Unlike Preferred Stock (reviewed elsewhere), Dunhill Fresh was an inoffensive, somewhat pleasant foray into the realm of somnambulism. Unlike Dolce Gabana's PH, this fragrance was (to me) one dimensional, lacking in any hint of vice or moral self flagellation. I could not detect the orris or patchouli.

In short, this would make a laudable introduction for someone under 30 to the world of summer, clean scents. Scents which, unlike the great Dunhill pipe tobacco blends of old, stay simple and true to form.

somewhat recommended.

13rd September, 2008.

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Preferred Stock by Coty

Truly a vile abomination. I was given the bottle as an act of Christian charity by the boyfriend of a co-worker (I am the resident fragrance 'nut'), who had advanced to Cool Water. My initial sniff was skewered by the transient orders of someone having an unspeakably odoriferous lunch. Much later, in the privacy of my domicile, while enjoying my Guerlein Vetiver, I decided to sniff the Preferred Stock and give it an olfactory spin around the block, so to speak.

The top notes are listed as Citrus. Perhaps these are citrus from some genetic experiment gone horribly wrong (combining lemon with a platypus). Unfortunately, I could not in good conscience wait for the heart notes. I had to wash away the evidence of evil from my skin. On the whole, I didn't like it.

13rd September, 2008.

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Muscs Koublaï Khän by Serge Lutens Les Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido

Having purchased a vial of MKK decant, and saying my prayers, I was besides myself when the package containing said scent arrived. A spritz to my wrist produced a visceral response. The opening was floral in nature and brief. The heart notes, when they arrived, transformed a civil and non-judgmental night, into a night filled with one epiphany after another.

The mid notes (heart) are not putrid and wanton. To my nose, the leather/tobacco was quite muted. However, an hour in, a new presence made itself known. As so many others noted, this presence was (once again, to me), smelled of male genitalia, mixed with 2 days worth of secretions and some hint of its (MKK) brief and transient acknowledgment to Western standards of cleanliness.

In short, a masterpiece.

13rd September, 2008.

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Yatagan by Caron

Having read Mr. Turin's review of this fragrance ("Perfumes, The Guide"), "...one of the most disturbing...masculine fragrances of all time. Pg 363", I was uncertain as to whether I had the courage to wear this work of art in public. Being of a somewhat retiring nature, the possibility of co-workers avoiding or reporting me to Human Resources gave me pause. For 4 minutes.

Upon opening the package and sniffing Yatagan, the much anticipated urge to purge myself did not rear its anticipated hoary head. I was puzzled that it smelled of Pine Sol, with a hint of civet/musk in the background. After 20 minutes (give or take an hour), the Pine blast retreated gently and a musk like note took over (at least on my skin).

The following day, I bravely strode forth either to meet my doom or glory. The first three (3) co-workers I met (all women) stopped and asked what I was wearing. I told them I was an old fashioned kind of guy and didn't feel comfortable revealing such information so early in our relationship (I don't want all the other guys to wear what I wear). I asked them if they liked it and to a woman, they all said yes; all of them said (outside of each others presence) that my fragrance smelled 'manly' or 'like a man' or 'rugged'. Interesting.

In short, this has to be the single most unique fragrance I have tried yet. A manly pine forest, if you will.

1st September, 2008.

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Vetiver by Guerlain

Elegant, urbane and mesmerizing. Although the bottle design has changed since I last owned it (back in the early 70's), the fragrance is to my untrained nose, the same.

1st September, 2008.

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Le Vainqueur by Rancé

I purchased Le Vainqueur based upon an article by Liz Upton (Body Odour - or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Musk; http://www.basenotes.net/articles/20080507body-odour.html). The topic regarding musks and animal scents in perfumes intrigued me.

Let me add that one of my passions is bowhunting, and to be successful, a bowhunter must not only master the bow, but learn the ways of the prey and the woods. In particular, the importance of scents and smell (I hunt for the elusive and paranoid animal known as the whitetail deer) cannot be underestimated. If bodily scents from unspeakable glands in animals can turn wary bucks into impertinent, lust filled maggots, what effect would it have on urbane riff raff such as yours truly?

Knowing as I do the nature and importance of scents with wild animals, and not having the opportunity to purchase Luten's MKK, (fly to Paris to buy a perfume? Ain't going to happen). I ordered the next best thing. Le Vainqueur.

First time I smelled it, I was reminded of some obscure woman's perfume my aunt used back in the 60's. Not having a sophisticated nose, I was unable to discern all the notes that reminded me of that perfume (Guerlein, perhaps). I will take them (the creator of said product) at their word that the top notes contain the elements stated on their website.

What I can say is that Le Vainqueur is a warm fragrance. There is something soothing, oily, and definitely dark about it. Dark, yet not without hope. The darkness I speak of is that we encounter while doing something unpleasant; it will hurt possibly and is distasteful, but it will soon come to an end. This is not a fragrance one wears in order to feel refreshed and willing to do something important like the week's laundry. In my humble opinion, this fragrance is what I would wear if I were ever to declare a state of war or amend my will.

Being EDP strength, the longevity is simply ludicrous. A light spray on my chest and inner elbows last for more than 12 hours. And I have relatively dry skin. At work, all my female co-workers respond in a visceral and sensual manner towards me. I do not receive the typical "That smells so clean/nice/sweet" response. Rather, they stand closer and sniff discretely to discern what is it that puzzles them.

I have worn it half a dozen times at work and at play, and the response from women is astounding. Perhaps its the mid notes. After the initial lavender/citrus notes end, the essence of musk/slightly sweaty genitalia takes over. I wish I could be less crude, but to my nose, the unmistakable essence of testosterone mixed with male lubrication is never far from the surface. It threatens to overwhelm the lavender based notes, but retreats at the last moment. But not before those nearby detect the unmistakable sex notes.

In short, this is a complex and intriguing scent. It is not a citrus or earth based fragrance, yet, like the deer in heat lures I use during hunting season, this fragrance does have an unmistakable effect on females (at least those I come into contact with). A wonderful find.

27th August, 2008.

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Showing 1 to 6 of 6.