Fragrance Reviews by Mario Justiniani

Sorry to be a naysayer on this one, but the best I can say is that I found it somewhat less boring than Dunhill Edition. There are finer citrus frags. There are finer " gentlemen " frags. Jacques Polges may be The Messiah and deserves The Nobel Prize for chemistry but this one's unspectacular. I won't compare it to the original Chanel PM which so many of you assure me is the last word in elegance, since I haven't had the pleasure.

The second soapiest vetiver I've ever smelled--the first being Adolfo Dominguez. Good for a summer scent. I agree with those who pointed out that it hasn't the greatest longevity, mildly agree with the comparisons to TM, but OV is far, far better. I don't care TM costs less. Hell I don't care if they'd pay me to wear Mugler, OV is better.

Yes, this soapy vetiver does have that ' Old Money ' smell about it.

If you find a hidden 18th century manuscript in your attic which reveals that Oliver Creed also made a killing with a chain of barbershops , I would not be too surprised. Damn. Too bad about Sweeney Todd, there could have been a musical in this . . .

Neither Eau de Rochas, Loewe Para Hombre, Versace l'Homme (1984) nor Eau d'Orange Verte by Hermes need shake in their boots with fear. On the other hand, Armani Eau PH and a hundred other trendy lime-lemon citrus bombs which would rightly be forgotten but for the designer label should hang their heads in shame.
This is an uplifting el cheapo, which does for citrus what that other cheapo, Clinique Happy does for oranges--in fact it does it better.
And to add to that, what SirSlarty said, word for word.
Get yer compliments!

This is a B+ agua that's on the good side of not so boring. Easily wearable, but it ain't no great shakes--no Gai Mattiolo Uomo or Erolfa. For that matter Eau d'Orange Verte leaves this far behind as well; though purists would argue that it's not, strictly speaking. an acquatic---Hey, it says "Eau" doesn't it?
May I suggest you also check out also Caroline Herrera's 212 H2O? It's about a B+ as well, and neither it nor this one will smell ' generic'

I agree with the generic verdict. Thumbs down but let's not get too carried away. It's not as if Versailles came outas a re-formulated marine and smelled like Axe.
All Bulgari did is screw up a B+ scent. One that was eminently wearable but not a work of genius, not by a long shot . . .

I vaguely remembered that in Greek mythology, poor Persephone had something to do with pomegranates. But did you know that in Exodus the High Priest had images of pomegranetes woven into his robe? That Leonardo and Boticelli featured pomegranates in their Madona and Infant paintings? That the Qu'ran mentions pomegranates will be in Paradise? Or that some Hebrew scholars speculate that the pomegranate was the forbidden fruit in The Garden of Eden?

No? It's ok, neither did I. I looked it up in Wikipedia . . .

Be forewarned though, according to the same:

"The pomegranate also evoked the presence of the Aegean Triple Goddess who evolved into the Olympian Hera, who is sometimes represented offering the pomegranate. "

So reviewers, myself included, better watch what we say---one diety you do NOT want to piss off is The Triple Moon Goddess.

----------------

All this tells me that pomegranates have a long history, have been considered "holy" and-- I'd give you 3 to one odds--they've been incorporated into fragrances for thousands of years.

How does Jo's offering stack up?

The same lesbian film director who had such unkind things to say about MKK dropped by yesterday and commented that it was the best frag she's ever smelled on me.

I told her it was a unisex frag, did she not find it somewhat feminine?

Her rant ( Perhaps inspired by The Triple Moon Goddess?) was, as best I can remember:

" Are you f****** nuts? It's masculine as all get out. I wouldn't wear it, and I'm a dyke. Listen up: It's not sexy, so don't use it to pick up women. Use it for business! It tells everyone that you're confident! Get it? It tells them you're important! It's sophisticated. Yeah, that's the word. Get it? Sophisticated. "

I politely thanked her (How do they find me?) and told her that, yes I "got it."

Well, it's Vintage Tab for me, but if ever were to play the role of an aristocratic Samurai, this one would be perfect.

I quote from Wiki again on the word Shibumi:

:" Originating in the Muromachi period (1333-1568) as shibushi, the term originally referred to a sour or astringent taste, such as that of an unripe persimmon. Shibui maintains that literal meaning still, and remains the antonym of amai (甘い, amai?), meaning 'sweet'. "

Evidently it became the antonym of gaudy or common as well. The Japanese aristocracy felt that only one of their own could appreciate this kind of scent---as anyone who has smelled Kyara incense can attest.

I'll add 2 more cents, Longevity is very good. I could still smell it on my skin 9 hours later. This is a 'morphing' scent rather than linear, but throughout its development, it stays faithfull to thye shibumi theme; unlike, for example, John Varvatos which is smoothly rounded, this one keeps that bitter aristocratic feel.

I disagree that women cannot wear this one. The Bride in Kill Bill immediately comes to mind.

Domo Arigato!

M.

What the world needs: Another review of Acqua di Gio.

Glad to oblige. It's still overpriced and overrated. It's still inoffensive/timid. A fragrance for men who want to wear fragrance but don't want to smell as if they are wearing a fragrance. (Are you taking notes?)

To my nose, it smells like a watered down version of Geir. I think that if Geir Ness had wanted to make a light, fraiche, pseudo acquatic, green colored version of Geir for the summer--and screwed it up by being cheap, it would smell somewhat like this.

Mild stuff. Remember to pronounce it correctly. Gio should sound like Joe. Not Gee-oh.

It's just too bland to give it a thumbs down. Neutered and Neutral.

Well, it's actually less spicy than Aramis.

I suspect, though I cannot prove it, that of all fragrances ever made Brut has had more jokes written about it from stand-up comics, playwrights and sketch writers.

I wish I could document this hypothesis.

Is it honeysuckle or did the " Check Engine " warning light just lit up on the dashboard of my car? Well, it was innovative for its time I guess.

Begins with a citrus that has a 'sour melon' note reminiscent of Acqua di you know who, but the lemons keep it happy, dries to a heart note of interesting rain/ocean Jr. Erolfa which only last about half and hour, then the rest ends in a feminine scent that most women would find too flowery. Does it have any virtue? Yes. It's overpriced. Go Amouage! The niche shall make thee rich.
Pass.

No, I don't hate it, but it's too suburbia prom night rented tuxedo retro 70's. Some like it out of nostalgia, others because they can't find a citrus with longevity and some plain like it. I'm not one of them, much too overbearing a juice, If you want a violet rush that's dignified and distinct, try Joseph Abboud. GF is too high a price to pay for longevity. Pass.

MASCULUS! (Latin)

SHIBUMI! (Japanese)
Well, I guess shibumi should not be capitalized, let alone given an exclamation mark. The rough equivalent in English is simple, in good taste, and subtle.

I'm not sure this 80's left hook to the jaw could be classed as " subtle "

From Wikipedia:" Originating in the Muromachi period (1333-1568) as shibushi, the term originally referred to a sour or astringent taste, such as that of an unripe persimmon. Shibui maintains that literal meaning still, and remains the antonym of amai (甘い, amai?), meaning 'sweet'."

Yep, like Azarro, The Third Man, and company, whatever Tuscany is , it sure ain't sweet!

Though I've tired of it at present, fickle soul that I am, I'd still recommend this 'anti-frag' for unabashed machismo during cold winters

Popular with the frat boys at the time when the hippies were OD'ing on patchouli. Strangely, it wasn't considered all that 'manly' by comparisons to the pop frags of the day, but rather 'refined and formal' instead. I was rather unkind to this classic in my former review and must recant, though Spice Central is no longer to my taste, I concede that this chypre is far from exhausted and deserves a thumbs up, but spritz ever so lightly, as this is one of the easiest frags to overdo and, as already pointed out, one of the easiest to recognize.

Bold? Well it does have extraordinary sillage. I believe this is the only review in which I thoroughly agree with everything everyone has said, both good and bad. If you wish to leave a trail of strong yet sweetened fumes as you walk through a corridor, this is it. On the other hand perhaps you should avoid corridors or any closed in spaces altogether.

A pleasant surprise; especially for those of us who are not Boss fans. This one is placid like S. Dali's Laguna and also has the attractive power of Acqua di Gio yet without any sour notes.
Better than the original Baldessarini formula. Good staying power, too.
Nothing to go crazy about, though. Hard to justify rebuying it with so many " 5 star frags " out there . . .

Not for me. Amber with herbs? Orientals are my favorite category, but I have to pass on this one. Mix Prada with Aramis, add a dash of Avignon and sprinkle heavily with Piper Nigrum. Forget it, we're getting silly here.
What! A Serge Lutens fragance silly??
I should be arrested by the niche police as a thought criminal . . .

So I happenned to be by a L'Occitane store and asked the SA about any orange/orange blossom edt's

She mentioned that 'the good one' (?) had been discontinued, but that they now carry this one instead.

It has an annoyingly irritating top note, but after a while it settles into something synthetic and mediocre.

What's going on in Provence these days?

I wonder what 'the good one' was?

5 to 1 it was L'Oranger Neroli

*sigh*

Strong sillage. Made in '78, Azzarro was a herald of the oakmoss 80's. About a 9 on the machometer, yet after the top anise note goes away it is really quite sparkling and light on its feet.
Not to be confused with over the top stink bombs like Quorum.
Azzarro delivers the goods. I've enough of its genre. Still if I tire of Tuscany and co; this forgotten one is a great bang for your buck. Check it out. Especially if you're a fan of fougeres. Unlike its chypre cousin, Aramis, it is not instantly recognizable--So I think it's easily suitable for any age group.

MonkeyManMatt was being far too kind. This is Nicheiosity to the max. Should have been in an old Ab/Fab episode:

Edina: " Do you like it? "
Patsy: " Er . . .Who made it? "
Edina: " Amouage "
Patsy: " It's fabulous, darling. "

Yuck!

Glad that more sophisticated noses than mine enjoy this one. No, no irony inteded. To me, however, this smells like Erolfa with an iodine band-aid around it. I'll pass. Strongly suggest sampling before buying

Allright Firmenic!--If that really is your name--Fess up!
What you did was to take a bottle of Givenchi Gentleman and ask yourself:

" How can I make this far more sexy and accessible, even at the cost of it being less formal or elegant? "

Your masterplan suceeded admirably and you kept the Patchouli theme of GG
and, as you evaporated the notes suited for a night at the opera, you combined star anise. pipe tobacco, suede, dark plum, incense, fruits and-- Dionysus only knows what Booze--to produce this brash yet somehow ( you mad genius, you! ) light brew.

Will it be hailed as a classic years from now like ( the old unreformulated) GG?
Will the praise continue unabated?
Who knows?

I can only speculate that: " Your place or mine" will always prove more popular than " Wanna stay for the second act of La Boheme? "

Cheers.

Well, after all is said and done, it makes me feel like taking another shower rather than jumping for joy. This juice is rather simple, inoffensive and ordinary. I can't imagine having the happy reaction I get from wearing Himalaya (Yes!) with this one. In fact it's hard for me to imagine anyone feeling so happy with Happy.

Possible exceptions being:

A) You want to get in touch with your "inner child."

B) You really are 12 years old or younger.

C) You're going to the baseball game with your kids.

D) You're a burly sailor with a "Kick Me" tatoo on your back who enjoys barroom brawls by the waterfront, and you're about to smash a pool cue on someone's head.

Or variations of the above.

The ultimate non-adolescent scent.
Women miss this; like they miss masculinity, elegance, and wit. What more can one say?
It has a slight touch of tragedy, it conjures up past loves, moonlit nights. Romance. The bravery to approach beautiful women. Quiet confidence. Self worth.
No, you don't have to be tall, dark, handsome and mysterious to wear this--though if you are, and are use another frag, you're making a mistake.

Masterful.

The film was better.
Ah! the 80's And what did that decade produce, old man? The cuckoo clock--no wait, that's from the film . . .

Ok 80's powerhouse scents like Santos de Cartier (original formula), Francesco Smalto , Pascal Morabito Or Black, Versace l'Homme, Esencia Loewe-- and stinkers like Quorum.

Chypre, Fougere, Animalistic! The Drakkar Noir decade. Bring the outdoors home The Hills are Alive---and it's very frightening.
Will Fern and Oakmoss take over The World?
This one is light for its time, not bad at all but nothing to write home about, old man. Though I suppose by today's bland standards some would consider it quite bold. Good drydown.

Well, if you don't want to cough up the dough and buy Vintage Tabarome, and too many wonen are coming on to you when you wear Michael by Michael Kors, yet you want a tobacco scent, there's, Cuba Red. An el cheapo that's in the same class as the ever so popular Dolce & Gabbana PH. but not like everyone else who is wearing D & G and having said all that; frankly, why bother?

Allright I recant! This really is a great frag IF (see jforturi's 2003 review) you are around the seashore. Skip the seabreeze and wear it at a board meeting? Methinks not. Might as well pour salt over your head. <br>

Good Oriental, a bit too vanilla-sweet and feminine for my taste, but balanced so well that it all comes out quite elegant . As long as it's not oversprayed, Jaipur has a happy ending. <br><br> Moreover, it does not suffer from the 'heavyness' of so many scents in the Oriental category which tend to come off way "over the top". Jaipur, by contrast, tends to float away like a cloud.<br><br> For me, this was a fun try which I've enjoyed owning, though it got too powdery for my nose over the years. Jaipur has many fans but--PERFECTION? The Holy Grail? I hardly think so. <br>Unless, of course, you're a Heliotrope addict. . .

Prada has an amber barbeshop feel that wears very close to the skin. This juice is understated and it seems to vanish quickly. If you like soapy scents, you'll enjoy this one.

Holy 80's! One of the better offerings of the Drakkar Noir decade. Great woody/chypre. Makes The Third Man quite pedestrian by comparison. Quorum exorcised. A seemingly simple citrus that turns out to be quite complex. An underrated sleeper.

Starts off very sweet and feminine, but after a while it gets more butch. <br><br>(Or perhaps just more medicinal?)<br><br>I agree with Ms. unstableisotope, this could very well be considered a modernized version of Shalimar (my grandma's fave, btw) and I've no doubt that on her skin it is 'magnificent vanilla' etc.<br> Great on women. Not for me.<br>Pass.

Naw . . .it's not quite lemon pledge. It can be inoffensive officewear, but after all is said and done, it gets boring rather quickly.
I'll pass on this one.

Acquatic fruits and floral. Strong sillage and longevity. Overhyped and overpraised.
A mega-hit with the kinder that have moved up from Curve, as well it should be.
Bottom line? If you like Acqua di Gio (and don't forget to pronounce it accurately: Gio should sound like 'Joe' not gee-oh)then you'll like this other one. I yawn in your general direction.

Good for insomniacs, it'll put you to sleep. This is so mediocre that it makes the tired fragrances by Lacoste exciting by comparison. Now that's mediocre!

If you care to try superb fruit scents for men, start off with Nicole Miller, Le Roy Soleil, and the original 1989 Montana. These should keep you happy for a very long while.

Doesn't do a Dzing! for me

(sorry)

I'm a bit afraid to turn in a neutral verdict while surrounded by all these lovers and haters--but I must, otherwise I'll just be damning it with faint praise.

Perhaps the most refined--or the most expensive--of the " half-insane " frags
which are a hoot! eg; Quasar(newspritnt and bananas?) Xeryus Rouge (cactus flesh?) SMN' Nostalgia(gasoline and motor oil?)

I'm glad so many of you enjoy this particular circus. For those who haven't tried it, by all means give it a whiff, you might love its cheerful lunacy as well--but don't buy this one blind.

This is Robert Piguet's true masterpiece.

I feel the need to praise it after my somewhat unchivalrous comments towards Bandit, which I still maintain--er, never mind. Suffice it to say Bandit enthusiasts should try Caron's Tabac Blond, and the men's Dunhill '34 among others--

Fracas does the magic T to near perfection. Yes, I'm a tuberose freak, so it's difficult to remain objective.

But consider that Fracas is a floral which is so well balanced that it's never irritatingly 'floral' nor 'fresh'

Perhaps Luca Turin was smoking something he could not spell when he praised Tommy Girl to the sky; a juice that suffers greatly from both sins.

What kind of woman should wear Fracas?

I think it would help if she were drop dead gorgeous, or have a sense of casual style that would have put Jackie O. to shame.

It's a 'young woman's' frag only in the sense that it's upbeat and optimistic-- for someone who anticipates something wonderful and unexpected around the corner.

( Allegedly characteristics of youth, if memory serves. )

Now, having mentioned Dunhill '34 instead of Bandit for women, I must ask myself--can men can wear this?

Absolutely, if you're an androgynous rock star; otherwise you may be pushing the envelope too much.

Mind you, as usual, this is all simply my subjective, personal and infallible opinion.

Well, it's a kind of pseudo aristocratic Tommy Girl, or Tommy Boy.
Anyway, one of the Tommys . . .
Yawn.

You Have Got To Be Kidding! They discontinued this? And I thought the think tank at Aramis was comprised of total twits for discontinuing Havana.

Damn! I don't even own a full bottle.

Well, it's all been corroborated by independant witnesses, judge. It's sophisticated, warm, elegant, sexy and distinctive. I rest my case.

--------

These are the notes:

Top--bergamot and clary sage oils, green note, lemon, pimento.

Middle-carnation, cedarwood oil, cinammon, fruit notes, geranium, jasmine, patchouli, pine needle, sandalwood.

Base--amber, labdanum, leather, moss, musk, oilbanum, styrax, vanilla.

Now, there are survivors of the 80's--but why kill this masterpiece yet keep alive pedestrian ones?

Well, my guess is that, as in the case of the defunct Jean Patou PH, most acqua-androgynous wearing teens would--if they ever got a chance to smell it, dub it an 'old man's cologne'

*sigh*

Now let's see, would I rather drive a modern Sports Utility (contradiction in terms!) Vehicle or an old man's Phantom V Rolls Royce?

Boy, now there's a tough choice. . .

Not for me. The opening is much too sweet to be wise. It settles down after a couple of hours (no complaints aout longevity with this one) and is then bearable. Really best suited for the 'Yumsters!' crowd.
Development is amazing, though.
At the end, you'd swear you've worn several different frags. Drydown is quite good but there's a weird herbal mid-note ( I should talk, I love Minotaure ) that is off-putting.
I can appreciate it as a work of the perfumer's art, just not anything I'd care to wear.

I'll take zztop's word that the oakmoss will be prominent in cooler weather, as all we've had now in Sothern California is scorching summer three months in advance. I can attest he's absolutely correct that the bitter orange is most prominent in the heat. Hell, the petigrain is still going strong hours later! The leather does put in an appearance, but at times this seemed closer to Piper Nigrum than V.I.P. or Gomma or any of the purer (read more linear)leather scents.

Bad boy? Tenacity? A 9+ on the macho meter? In total agreement with pluran as well.

But there's really nothing to truly compare this frag to. It's a one of a kind " You're messing with the wrong guy." type of scent. No it doesn't have monster sillage. It doesn't have to.

If I were a wealthy philanthtropist, I'd buy a bottle for every BaseNoter that has Cuiron in his wardrobe, or who gave it a favorable review.
I doubt you'd ever go back to it.
This one is citrus and leather done correctly. The notes are enhancing, not fighting each other.

A strange and fabulous brew.

A girlie scent that's quite manly.

Say what?

This one opens up with amber and vanilla notes that are quite sweet--but then the musk and civet come forth like gangbusters.

(Is it real civet? Not unless Oliver's bribed the ASPCA--but let's let Creed's ' I'm so natural' hype slide and get back to the scent)

The male and female notes do a tango back and forth all the way to drydown.

What is this anyway? Jaipur crossed with MKK ??

Weird? Yes.
Decadent? Affirmative.
Sophisticated? Roget that.

Bottom line is that this is an evening scent for when you're too lazy to be dashing and bold, and so you leave The Antaeus on the shelf, while you recline on the couch like a patrician Roman as nubile harem girls feed you grapes.
Not bad, huh?

Hey, what happened to my last review? Was it deleted in cyberspace due to references of Tarzan and Jane doing the wild thing while wearing MKK in their jungle treehouse?

( I hope I didn't suggest Cheeta for a menage a trois )

Say, has anyone thus far mentioned that this is a 'dirty' musk which comes off as animalistic, sexy and sweaty?

I'm not a fan of the BN adored SL, but this is the exception.

Well, as the philosopher said:
You can take man out of the jungle, but you cannot take the jungle out of man.
5 stars.

Well, I don't know much about herbal mint, but I know what I like.

This one is stunning. A victory over the forces of evil in my battle to find good citrus frags. And yes, longevity is quite decent.

Especially good on hot days, as noted. No, it's not absurdly expensive. It's just that SV comes only in 8.4 oz flacons.

So, skip on two GITs and git this instead.
Cheers.

" Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink "

Well, here's a pleasant surprise!
Both for The Ancient Mariner, and for all of us that have fallen asleep at the million and one acqua snoozefests that have infected most fragrance counters at department stores for the last 20 years.

An acqua scent that is both refreshing and complex? Wow! Citrus, acqua, and woods blended and balanced? Who'd have thunk it possible?

If you want a light and relaxing, yet unique summer scent that will stand out from the crowd look no further.

Both reviewers mention tobacco but there's no mention of it in the pyramid note. Neither is there a mention of rum, but it's there as well. I'll bet you a mojito, along with a Cohiba.

Wonderfully warm, charming and effortlessly elegant. This is one smooth and mellow juice.

Unisex? Well, in the sense that the 'male' Egoiste could be worn by both men and women--provided they have good taste--the answer is yes, it works.

Why are there no more reviews? Because it's expensive and very hard to get, esp. in the U.S.
To my mind, this is what Idole de Lubin tries to accomplish, but here the idea is executed far better--with panache and with subtlety.
Well done.

I had high hopes, but have to turn in a neutral verdict. A newbie described it on The Forum as what he'd expect a 16th century pirate to smell like--I can't top that comment!

It has strong sillage and enormous longevity, but in this case, that's not a favorable comment.

Rum Absolute is like nitroglycerin, and here it explodes in your face from the get go.

Perhaps Giacobetti did include other notes as listed but you'll have to wait all day for them to come forth.

Cool bottle and an interesting idea, but way over the top. Neutral.

With special apologies to those reviewers--which I really admire, btw--who think this is a sophisticated gentlemen's fragrance ( And to film reviewer Joe Bob Briggs ) but to me this is a minus 4 on the macho meter.

Cinnabar? Yep. Perhaps Estee came up with a novel way of keeping women at bay from her husband.

( Some interesting discussions in the forums about resemblances to Opium, as well, both PH and the original classic.)

Well, it's not bad by any means--just not for me. I gave it away along with Muscs Ravageur to an old flame. What the hell, I owed her one--she broke up my marriage.

And yes, I do enjoy Zino, Bulgari Black, and company. As a matter of fact, Orientals are my favorite category.
Cheers.

Some odd reviews: " I wouldn't use Zino when meetingg a girl. "

Well, neither would I, if I just wanted to be friends with her . . .

Far higher on the machometer than Muscs Ravageur, to which it has been compared (huh?) or JHL, again that's just my subjctive, personal and infallible opinion.

Quite a sophisticated juice, not for daytime--unless it's winter; there's only one downside: Guerlian's Heritage.
Now that's one that I would compare Zino to--at drydown. I agree that Guerlian must have ripped it off--I mean, um-was inspired by Zino.

I'll let you in on a secret. Zino is far more complex and interesting.
It's certainly more romantic.

Yes, it's a superb masterpiece.

However, if it were in production and readily available some twit might refer to it as " an old man's juice. " No, I'm not kidding; it's uber-elegant and to noses raised on the anoerexic 90's acquas--to use Luca Turin's phrase--let alone today's androgynous unisex frags, it might feel ancient. Ditto Dunhill 34, Versaille PH. etc.

On second thought I should not say "etc"--what other aristocratic masterpieces come to mind?

I wish to high heaven it would be in production, it would be a small price to pay.

The full pyramid according to Scent Direct (Thank you, Naed) includes the following notes not mentioned here:

Origanum and Petigrain in the top. (hot pepper?)

Middle ones of Carnation, Cinnamon, Geranium, Hay, Jasmin, Sandal and Pine Needle.

Base of Leather, Amber, Castoreum, Olibanum,Tonka and Vanilla.

An sublime balancing act. Sorry to be simply 'part of the chorus', but I'm in great company here.

It doesn't get better.

Wow! Hard to top foetidus' excellent review. This is a sparkling delight, especially suitable for the summer.

Vetiver is an ingredient, but the virtue of this frag is NOT that 'this is a scent with vetiver for people who don't like vetiver.'

( Here's a stunning idea: If you don't like vetiver, don't wear vetiver.)

The virtue is that--aw hell, just read anything posted in The Fragrance Forums on this juice by Scentemental.

I was familiar with Esencia Lowe but not with this one. What a sleeper!

Well, I've said it before and I'll say it again: Spaniards seem capable of creating only two kinds of fragrances; the very good or the very bad. This one is very, very good.

Well I've no idea if Ian Fleming chose Eucris for Bond or whether it was Dunhill or Floris and I confess I haven't lost sleep over it. In any case this is an old world gentleman's frag (1912) that would probably be as expensive as Jean Patou or Versailles PH if it ever were discontinued.
Great development, complex, and masculine. Get it while you can.
Cheers.

It's Halloween and the busty, sexy kindergarten teacher has shown up to class dressed like The Tooth Fairy.

She sniffs something in the air.

Terrified, she recognizes the smell, it's Joop!

Jason Voorhees and Freddy Kreuger enter and make short work of her in front of the horrified children.

Screams and slashes!!!!

OK, cut and print.

The director turns to the screenwriter.

" Sorry dude, but Joop! should have a question mark at the end, not an exclamation point. You're fired! "

The cast breaks for lunch----and even the child actors avoid anything that smells even remotely sweet.

The End.

Great, complex scent that has good longevity and wears close to the skin. Reminds me of both Havana and Patou PH Privee (2nd cousins, perhaps?)

Which begs the question, why did they re-fromulate it into the citrus bomb of the 'unoriginal' blue box Montana of 2001? I can only think of one reason, the new one must have been cheaper to manufacture.

Get the real thing.

A citrus bomb that lasts forever, unlike 99% of the citrus frags out there. Tried it for a week, found it too overbearing; gave it to a friend and he reported tons of compliments from the babelets at work.

*sigh*

In fact he re-ordered this! He's now a minor league frag addict.
It's the one that comes in a blue box, not the original masterpiece.

Want a lecher--um, I mean a man's opinion? Still great after all these years. Yes I'm also referring to this frag. Been copied and inspired some masterpieces and some very insipid failures, but who cares? Opium is intoxicating and heady stuff. Something no wicked, decadent girl should be without.

So, when are they going to come out with L'air du Temps for men?

Well, graded on a curve this is ahead of M7 and PI and Raw Vanilla but far behind other Orientals , such as Signature by St. Dupont, Bulgari Black and--oh, too many to mention.

An ok wood/pepper--or is it tobacco?--accord keeps it from being too cloying. but 'nice' is about all one can say of this one; unlike its great namesake for the ladies.

A caramelized vanilla babe magnet. One of the better of the most common frags at your friendly mall.
Why only a neutral?
Well, in the first place you have really got to have a sweet tooth to endure this one.
In the second place, besides Orientals with a touch of vanilla, or more than just a touch, like Jaipur and Co.--which are better---I must mention another equally easy to find yet far more complex, dark, and intriguing fragrance: Bulgari Black !

That's the one from which I get my vanilla fix. Yes, chicks dig it too, Beavis.

In fact if you're really a crazed vanillaholic, go on the net and search for the little known 100% revved up Primo concoction, Lomani's Ignition.
Pax 'all.

If you're still using this, you've been asleep since 1996.
May the sleeper awaken!

Musky officewear just about covers it.
Yes, it does have some similarity to D&G. This is a good thing?
Nay.

Clean, fresh, and inexpensive.
You should buy it as I did.
Was I once so young?
Swiss Army was good at the time.
Mow?
It's time to surrender.

This is a chic, G.Q. scent that I used to love but became tiresome with repetition. Still, since I wore it at the office and my job sucked it may have had something to do with it.

Citric, light, floral, spices and a sweet drydown.

Sounds familiar?

True, it won't win awards for originality nowdays--despite the absinthe note--though it would have easily done so in the Oakmoss 80's.

Ah well, absinthe makes the heart grow fonder . . .

This is so bad it's good.
Sometimes.
Now, where did I put that onyx dagger and the goat I was going to sacrifice to Cthulhu?

I think this should come in EDP!

Don't ask me why, if I told you I'd have to tie you to the altar as well.

Sweet dreams . . .

At the risk of repetition, yes this is an Acqua di Gio clone but (dare I say it?) better than the original. Agree with the reviewers again that it's a light and sparkling juice, and that it will appeal to the younger crowd.--Or anyone in search of the best el cheapo frags that pennies can buy--see also Iceberg Twice, 212 H20, Ferrari Black, etc.
Cheers!

I owned this for 15 minutes and then went back to the store where I traded it for L'Occitane Vetiver. A happy ending to the story. This is a fair scent but tries too hard to be bubbly.
Check it out.

A pungent aromatic fougere that kicks ass---but does so with aristocratic subtlety and panache.
Spaniards seem capable of creating only two types of fragrances: The very good or the very bad; and this one is on the side of the angels.
Only con is a somewhat annoying top note which mercifully settles down quickly and then serves the useful function of locking in all the coolness of the forest green accords. Good longevity. Viva!

A very good bang for your buck. Nothing earth shattering or terribly memorable, but fresh and sporty for the summer.
See also 212 h20 and Perry Ellis 360 red for the best of the cheapos that get the job done. Iceberg Twice is at the top of the list.

Hmm . . .I used to love this one when I first got hooked into this addiction, but then----well, perhaps I'm just jaded, but it doesn't hold a candle these days to my favorite 5 star fragrances whether they're woods, fougere, or boardroom powerhouse scents.
*sigh*
Farewell!

Yes, I confess my first She Who Must Be Obeyed loved this on me. So macho. So Western Rugged! She would give it to me as a gift--or a peace offering after throwing some piece of crockery at my head. She loved me so. Stunningly bautiful and much weirder than the body pierced goth girls that lurk in California these days.
I believe she ended up in prison for securities fraud, or owning a mansion in Pasadena. Or was it both?
There's a moral to all this, but I'm not quite sure what it is. Evil scents end up in drugstore shelves? Beware of beautiful babes that choose Chaps? I must reminisce further. . .

A bit of a sleeper. Not great, but for a relatively inexpensive scent, you'll get an acquatic bargain. This one fell through the cracks with all the discussions about the original 212 vs the 212 on ice, etc.

What the blazez is this? By the beard of The Prophet! If Millesime Imperiale by Creed was created for an Arab King, this one must have been made for his embarassingly gauche, noveau riche, slightly effeminate 5th cousin, twice removed.

Well, it is one choice for the hot summers, and it's not entirely godawful, just very, very 'perfumy'
Pass.

Somewhere between the horror of Quorum and the lunatic howling of Jacomo de Jacomo comes this 80's right cross to the jaw.
Even stronger than Jacomo, but without any of its redeeming qualities, this is the one that will get fragrances banned from your workplace. Or get you fired.
Pass on this King Kong smell and Godzilla sillage.
Or give it to someone who whines about scents with poor longevity.

Alas! I had such high hopes based on all the buzz in the BN forums, but my hopes were dashed.
A timeless classic? A gentlemen's club from the 1920's? Boozy and heady whiskey?

More like a fruity wine spritz cocktail with seven-up. All that's missing is the paper umbrella.

Still, if you like the (to me) strange notes, drink up!

Casual is one thing, this one's scratching your belly button while burping. On top of that it's citrusy-cheap and feminine sweet. Must have been some weekend . . .

A hyped dumbass oriental gourmand. May not be as obnoxiously strong as A*Men but I fail to see anything else that may be said in its favor.
These notes do not blend well at all. Try Rochas Man, try Jo Malone's Black Vetiver Cafe; or simply break your diet and go to the nearest retro 50's diner and order a chocolate shake.
You'll be much happier for it.

Sorry, but this comes off as a powdery and banal version of Egoiste. Get your ross elsewhere. Too sweet. Pass.

Good juice. Nothing spectacular to me, but well constructed and certainly worth a try.
Who knows? You might find your understated signature love.
I detect no resemblance to GIT, let alone Coolwater.
Of the Floris scents that I've tried, this runs almost neck to neck with No. 89, which is an entirely different animal. Interesting . . .

My, this house is getting a bit generic and dull here. You want citrus with your Floris? Get JF instead.

Will, it ain't 5 stars, but it's worth owning!
Look up ' aromatic ' in a book on perfumery, and you should find a picture of Bowling Green.

Some people go through life without ever smelling an aromatic. How sad.

Now let's see. Should I get Hendrick's or Seagram's Extra Dry to go with Hansen's Tonic and a dash of lime?
Hmm, weighty question. Must consult The I Ching. . .

Spice it up!
It's a kind of Tabarome Millesime meets Eucris.
Is this still really in production? Difficult to find, but well worth the effort. Very bold yet very elegant.
No, it does not have monsteer sillage, but neither does it need it. You will turn heads.
The play on violet and jasmine with wooods is--Oh, for heaven's sake, just buy it, would you?
Truly a one of a kind frag. Thumbs up!

I like this very formal scent but can't say I'm crazy about it, nor would I re-buy. To my nose, it's a dark, smooth leather mixed with olive oils.
Weird.

And yet another negative review. Not so much bad, as completely unsure of itself.
Is it Sandalwood?
Is it afraid of Sandalwood?
What's going on here? Or to be more accurate, what isn't going on that should?
Strongly recommend sampling before buying--and trying to remember what it smelled like a day later.
This composition dissolves into silence.

A most forgettable vetiver. In fact, after the top notes die down the frag itself begins to forget it.

Luten's fruitcake/honey schtick is beginning to wear a bit thin. May work on other scents that thrive on creamy smoothness above all else, but it sure doesn't work here.

Ah, the 80's, when men were men!
--Unless they were ferns . . .

As noted, this is rich, freshly cut garden grass-- and without any medicinal-herbal notes--which I happen to dislike. Great for the outdoors.

It's an uplifting, almost heroic scent.
Perfect for either tough self-made millonares, or starving artists who fight alone against the world!

Anybody got a copy of The Fountainhead?

Cheapo synthetic vanilla cloying with an overdose of tonka drydown.
Otherwise perfection---in marketing.

The bottle is the biggest hit since Coca Cola decided to copy a woman's curves in theirs. And, from the official JPG ad:

"Since Jean Paul Gaultier's first men's collection, he has shown men that they can indulge in the forbidden, and that a kilt or dress can be worn with virility."

Yeah, I can see Braveheart forsaking his kilt to wear a dress, preferably a sequined gown while leading The Scots in battle.

We continue the hype:

" A reminder to them that nothing in life is totally black or white but always a blend."

Welcome to Orwellian Doublespeak. How many fingers am I holding up, Winslow?

"Jean Paul Gaultier now transforms the man in a sailor's T-shirt into both the symbol and bottle of Le Male."

Alone tonight, sailor?

Yes, I also remember getting compliments on this when it first came out, but what the hell, I was a hunk.

I also remember liking the original Aramis better--which I now equate with lava lamps.

Not a bad juice by any means, but no match for the aggresiveness of Tuscany nor the greatness of the discontinued Havana.

Aramis, what have you done?

Good dry citrus, 3 out of 5 stars. The opening is the best phase, imho. This is one that I can admire but not love.

I like this juice but it's an odd duck. Strong citrus opening and smooth base, but the heart is just plain flowery soft. Not that it calls attention to itself as in Egoiste or Dunhill '34--or other great frags, it just says 'hello, I am here' in an undistinguished, inoffensive way; which, depending on your way of thinking is understated class or just plain officewear.

Is this the well made upper class version of Coolwater, Gendarme 20, Orange Vert or Monsieur Balmain?
Wow! A laid back, smooth masterpiece. I can't wait to try Patou PH!

Very good citrus scent. Agree with Jeff that it's an all round year scent. Still there's something tangy and crisp about it that blazes away in summer! Hmm . . .Where did I put my gin (Tanqueray 10, of course) and tonic?

A most elegant and restrained citrus whose acquaintance I would never had made but for the generosity of Scentemental.
(A big thanks!)
It's complex and a one of a kind fragrance.
Perhaps best suited to Spring than sizzling Summer? You do not want to waste a drop of this juice.

Well, I can't top pluran's reviewe of this!
Yes it might feel 'old school' to some or 'oficewear' to others.

Yet this is what the far better known Eau Savage tries to be and fails. Fails? It's positively cheap by comparison.
One of the few well done citrus scents. Signorricci is another. Why are they so hard to create?

Fans of the original should stay away.

In fact, even those of us who are not fans of the original should flee to the hills! What were they thinking?

This is NOT a concentrated version of ES which lasts longer, but a different animal altogether. It seems to be concocted of 1/3 Pino Silvestre, 1/3 Route du Vetiver and 1/3 herbal poison. Run Away!

Not for me. Smells as if I spilled a cup of herbal tea mixed with lemon on my hairy chest.
It's a pty there weren't 'unisex' frags back then; this smells much better on women, esp the jungle tigress types. One good thing about it, it's not absoluteuley foul like it's "extreme" variant. Pass on this classic.

Saying it's one dimensional is giving this one dimension too much. Forgivable with very young adolescents, or with nostalgia imbued 20 somethings whose girlfriends liked it at the High School prom.

Extremely popular and rather nice. Such a good boy! Rather bland, but a good boy. It is well crafted, it belongs in the category of liked by many and loved by a very few. Inoffensive. Give me Antaeus any day. Or rather any night.

Neither here not there.
But principally, it simply does not harmonize all the discordant notes. Think I'll pass

No, once the horrible top notes dry down, it's puerile poop.

Um . . .not surprised by those of you who like Joop, Le Male and Cuba Gold also liking this pink potpourri of synthetic tobacco.

Perhaps I'm being unfair and it's a perfect chaepo scent for romantic, brooding poets. On the other hand perhaps it's Le Dandy's lower class gay cousin coming in from the boonies for a visit to the big city.

Well, if you smell this on anyone, be kind. At least it's not Quorum.

This is not effeminite. I checked the word in a dictionary:

Adjective. Having qualities or characteristics more often associated with women than men.
Characterized by weakness and excessive refinement.
----------------------

It's not excessively refined.

Pass!

Clean and mediocre. Even more bland than the " silver " version. Poor longevity. Otherwise it's not terrible. Pass.

Groundbreaking for 16 year olds who have hitherto only tried Versace Dreamer, D&G, A*men, Le Male, AdG, Coolwater, the original Romance and whatever bland, trendy, boring junk Sepphora is pushing this week. By comparison, it's a definite improvement. Otherwise mediocre. Not bad, just not worth the effort. Pass.

This is pleasant officewear. ' Not bad' about covers it.

Bought this blind, it was advertised as a man's scent.

Well, with the following of M7, most Serge Lutens, Opium PH and co, it's macho as hell--- er, almost.

When, of all people, Marlen informs us that it may be 'challenging' for a man to wear this, far be it for me to gainsay him!

Happy ending. Gave it to a friend and she's a tuberose addict.

Now, while I agree with the criticism of 'where's the tuberose?'--There are much closer 'purer' tuberose scents, for those who have actually smelled the magic flower; nevertheless this is a bold and well crafted creation that blends several florals, puts an oriental spin on them, without going fruity-sugary, and gives it strength, power and complexity.

Bottom line? If you're into 'upbeat playful' stick to Fracas for your dose of the magic T.

However, if you like orientals that are not cloying, this one's definitely worth a sniff.

This smells like the kind of soap I would expect THING to hand to me in The Addams Family bathroom. Or find in a Greek prison.

However, according to the posititve reviews it would appear that if I simply don't shower for a few days, spritz Kourus on very sparingly, and wait 7 hours before I leave the house, then the drydown combined with my own body odor will be da bomb.

I'll take your word for it.

Hang Ho Hang! Truth be told it is not a bad scent, just mediocre. One big yawn.

The best of all the Caswell-Massey offerings; which is to say, it's only mediocre rather that a total snoozefest. You might like this one if you're into 'fresh' sandalwood. Or if you think Gendarme is too bold and edgy.

Glad John Barrymore enjoyed it. Guess he wasn't partial to Jicky.

I'm seeing purple hype! Sweet and synthetic? Yes, also eminently forgettable. We're getting silly with this one. Not fun-silly like Quasar or Nostalgia, just silly.

Thi is Le Male with diabetes. Can't stand either, but at least this one's cheaper.

Weird and slightly unpleasant, but in an inoffensive way. Cool bottle, though.

Drakkar Noir disguised as the Scarlet Pimpernel. Or is it the other way around? It's a Foppish powerhouse scent. Yes, I know, another 'Wow what a contradiction' review.
Allright, mate. You figure this one out!

Well, there are worse. Stetson, Raw Vanilla and other Coty abominations come to mind.
This one is, as noted earlier, a dime store cologne.

How the mighty have fallen!

A rather generic acquatic. Not worth the effort. Neither important nor unusual enough to really dislike. Bland.

Huh? This is a sickly sweet synthetic with a touch of tobacco during drydown which tries to pass itself as 'fresh'. Mediocre at best. Glad it's popular with the H.S. crowd, did it pave the way for Joop, or vice versa?

Ah, the memories this synthetic, fever reducing, alcohol-blasting coolant bings back!

Being 9 years old in Cuba and splashing some 4711 in the inside folds of the handkerchief which I carried in the breast pocket of my jacket, on the way to Mass.

I wanted to use Bay Rum, like my dad. But granny thought it was too macho and precocious for a child. So I got stuck with 4711.

Despite all this, there just might be a God . . .

Weird. The almond's too bitter to smell like almond, and the heliotrope is too sweet. Overall, like with so many Lutens, it's a variation on crystallized honey.
Miel for Serge!

Yes! We have no bananas!

Newsprint and fish and chips would be loony enough, but--banana peel?

A good acquatic that should really not be in the marine category--no Erolfa like seasalt breezes here.
Quasar belongs in the happy lunacy category, along with the likes of Xeryus Rouge ( Cactus Flesh? Little House of Horrors? ) Nostalgia ( Motor Oil? ) and Peau d'Espagne ( Tabasco sauce on leather? )
Four out of five stars.
Enjoy!

Hmm . . .all these references to Santos remind me of the bridge of death skit in Monty Python and The Holy Grail

Bridgekeeper: "Is that the new formula Santos or the old formula Santos? "

Knight: "I don't know---AAARrggghh!!"

In any case, how blessed are the humble! For in eschewing niche and geting Z-14, they shall have the biggest bang for their buck.

This was painfully average and forgettable. Wish I could be kinder. On the other hand, for the prices MPG charges, that's kind enough.