Fragrance Reviews by MonkeyManMatt

Excellent release from L'Artisan. After a few so and so fragrances, especially the austere and boring Timbuktu, this house is right back on track with Fou d'absinthe and Dzongkha.

By no means an instant crowdpleaser, Dzongkha is an extremely dry and somewhat demanding scent. Lovely pale iris opens the blend that progresses into deep spices, tea and muted smoke. All notes with significant dryness as their common denominator. The drydown, that lingers forever, is a woodsy leather with subtle incense - truly exotic. Like many reviewers attest, it is a very evocative blend - romantic as in breathtaking nature and stunning vistas. This may sound a bit cliche - but There is defintely a "zen" to this fragrance. A mellow calm and without even the slightest hint of superficiality.

Give Dzongkha a serious try/wear, and don´t let a bad or perplexing first impression scare you of. For those willing to give this eau de toilette some time, chances are it´ll be a very rewarding experience. Simply superb.

The keyword for Chypre Rouge is patience.

I´m quite certain that most of the negative reviews stem from it´s opening and topnotes, which are indeed pretty bizarre. Celery and curry immediately come to mind with the initial blast. Dior´s Eau Noire is in the same category - strangely herbal and with clear kitchen spice, perhaps some thyme as well?

Anyhow, after half an hour or so what remains is a pleasant amber with a piney touch that ´s real nice and wearable.
I also pick up something reminiscent of vinyl (maybe the beeswax?)that gives CR an abstract edge - very Comme des Garcons-ish.

But yeah, to reach that phase you´ll have to endure a good deal of quirky strangeness - for me the wait is worth it, but I have full understanding for those who don´t agree.

Insanely sweet but equally excentric and cool! Absolutely not something I´d wear myself. But it´s very hard not to appreciate the fun and joy that is so evident to have been part in the making of Un Bois Vanille.

I get a carefree "resort" vibe from it if that makes any sense, probably due to the coconut. Something to pull out before going to a leisure dinnerparty with your equally well off friends at Ralph Laurens villa in Jamaica. Hedonistic, cocky and FUN!

The vanilla is special on it´s own, kind of "toasted" and with some bitterness like the real pods. But together with the licorice, sandalwood and sugar it transcends classic vanilla interpretations into something completely different - the quintessence of opulence.

If you´re an obsessive vanilla fan and can handle this extreme gourmand on your skin - then you might find a party friend for life.

Daim Blond does come across as very feminine smelling on a strip or from the bottle, but in fact it works very well on my skin.

This is an amazing fragrance but waaay too light! Not much to add about the smell itself that hasn´t already been covered by earlier reviewers - other than that it is a very evocative scent - dreamlike and mesmerizing. When experiencing it I imagine a large piece of the finest suede delicatly sprinkled with jasmine flowers and ripe, fuzzy apricots. The end result is just fantastic, tender and completely unlike perfume as we are used to it. It is the olfactory representation of an idealized
scent of human skin - musky but clean and inviting. One of many Lutens fragrances that are the testament of the resident genius in this house.

Extremely different from most Lutens scents, Gris Clair is somewhat brutal, quite one- dimensional and very masculine. It definitely breaks the mold regarding what we´ve come to expect from this house. Neither ambigous or an oriental-candied fruit-honeyed-sweetness-meltdown, Gris Clair is a modern, sharp and quite dark take on lavender.

The lavender has a clear metallic edge to it that is very special - reminds me a bit of the small spice sachets that grandma had lying around drawers with linen.

But it´s also easy to argue that Gris Clair in fact is a stronge move toward the mainstream. It´s miles less original than most Lutens fragrances, and elements of it are extremely reminiscent of widely available stuff like Lanvin L´Homme or Rocabar from Hermès. Perhaps this is the route many niche houses will be taking? At least Fredric Malle´s Outrageous and many of the latest L'Artisans seem to indicate such a development.

To conclude, Gris Clair is a cool (literallly)and macho spiced juice with some serious bite. Mellow and subtle it is not, but an accesible lavender that'll work great in a professional business enviroment assuming it is applied with moderation. A nice fragrance on it´s own but only okay granted it´s maker and niche status.

I also belong to the scarce group of fans of this Lutens. Definitely not one of this house´s biggest crowdpleasers. But Santal Blanc is such a pleasant wear!

It sort of shares some qualities with L'Artisans Bois farine, both have a dry, almost flourlike accord. The Lutens however is seriously complimented by cinnamon, pepper and other balsamic ingredients. The sandalwood isn´t a standard one (obviously) but instead a lighter, mellow one. Drier than the creamy variations found in for instance Trumper´s. But after all this is a Lutens fragrance, and there´s plenty of sweetness in there balancing the dry, blonde sandalwood. There´s no information about cumin being part of the pyramid but to my nose there´s a clear cumin note as well, This might however be the fenugreek that other reviewers have mentioned. I suspect that it is this spicy edge that makes Santal Blanc an aquired taste. To me, as a whole, it is an amazing fragrance with so much going for it. Sillage might not be awesome, but longevity is - won´t leave until you shower. Overall a cool and original winner from Serge!

The comparison to Fleur de Male must be made - both are heavy on vanilla and neroli in combination. But where the Gaultier is a balanced, original and cool release - Fahrenheit 32 just seems redundant and frankly, a bit cheap. On my skin I just can´t get by the feeling of a highly artificial product. Something created in a lab between washing powders and stain removing liquids. As for instance Comme Des Garcons has proved time and again, artificiality doesn´t need to be bad per se. But in Fahrenheit 32 there isn´t enough originality or other redeeming stuff going on to justify it. The vanilla and orange blossom smell awfully synthetic and the whole brew has a strength (nuclear!) and offensiveness that´s just a bit too much too handle.

It also shares that sharp "floral aggression" of Geir Ness and Tommy T, giving it a ridiculously clean feeling. The irony is, it´s so strong it comes across more like some kind of industrial strength cleaner for warehouses or something...

Nevertheless it is quite different from most of the stuff coming out today which in itself is worth some praise. But at the end of the day a definite thumbs down. Hardly worthy of sharing shelves with Eau Sauvage or even the original Fahrenheit for that matter.

Along with Baldessarini Ambré Lacoste Elegance is one of many signs that the mainstream fragrance licence holders like Procter & Gamble are finally moving in the right direction, albeit terribly slowly.

Elegance is an almost embarrasingly simple amber scent with a semi-gourmand base. Not very good but certainly no disaster like Essential etc.

If P&G keeps up this development for another 2-3 scents we´ll end up with something on par with Lacoste Booster.
Let´s hope they do.

After the first three catastrophic releases for men, Cavalli´s Black is big step forward. By no means a particularly orginial fragrance, but instead a very plesant one. Basically a subtle and rustic amber with strong notes of dry lavender and a noticeable white pepper. Very italian in it´s overall feel.

Initially the longevity may seem limited, but Black sticks around for quite a while but without major sillage. The late drydown is in fact it´s most rewarding stage, This is where the tonka bean in the base steps up and sweetens the deal significantly.

To those that might feel Caron´s Pour un Homme is a tad old fashioned and stuffy Roberto Cavalli Black is a nice alternative. Of course with such a trade what you´ll gain in wearability you´ll lose in complexity and quality.

If Jaisalmer is the most challenging and Avignon the most eccentric in the Incense series, Quarzazate is their playful cousin. Carefree, light and very easy to wear. There´s a strong bergamot note in the opening that stays with the fragrance during it´s evolution. This adds an orange like dimension to it and also makes it smell a bit like a hot cup of tea. Additionally the incense is much more muted here than in the others. I partly agree on the comparison to Gucci pour homme. They definitely share a dry cedar base, but there is very little pine or smoke in this one. More of a fizzy, slightly herbal and optimistic addition to this excellent range of CdG´s. Not great sillage but stays on the skin for a long time.

For me, Jaisalmer is easily the most challenging fragrance in this series. I suspect there´s a good amount of raw vetiver in there. A note that with it´s earthy and soily qualities certainly is not a favourite of mine. I do however like this fragrance anyway. Like the others have pointed out, it is intensely smokey and spicy. I too get images of campfires and charred pieces of wood when wearing it, and I like it! Jaisalmer is intensely dry, a bit dirty and very masculine, would not want to smell this on my girlfriend. Like many CdG´s it is an aquired taste, so don´t buy blind. It´s siblings, Quarzazate and Avignon are mucher safer bets if you´re into incense and want a cool avantgarde approach to it. Jaisalmer´s staying power outlasts both of those easily though.

I Recently purchased Avignon together with Jaisalmer and Quarzazate from this fine series. It´s impossible not to admire CdG for their great integrity and artistic approach to making fragrances. This was especially true before the sweet-series and the recent guerillas, which are fine as well, but a bit too mainstream. No other house (fairly large that is) could or would put out a series like this. There´s such a leisure cool and above all strong sense of luxury to the concept of exploring variations of a theme such as incense in 5 different premium fragrances. No Demeter fragrance library here, these are all standalone scents with great character. The different nuances balancing the incense range from sweet to woody, smokey and smoulderingly spicy.

Avignon is definitely the most straightforward "churchey" one of the lot. The comparison to Etro´s Messe de Minuit must be made. They are certainly similar, but I would argue that Avignon is far superior and above all much more wearable. MdM stays with the gothic theme during it´s entire progression, never leaving that catholic mass groove. Whereas Avignon is significantly softened by the vanilla and chamomille that appear quickly alongside the frankincense and myrrh. The subtle vanilla also prevents it from becoming to cold and musty. Avignon could be described as a mix of MdM and Gucci Rush, with the originality of the first and the pleasant powdery wearability of the latter.

! Disclaimer! - No offense to any fans of this brand: But if the name Armani still conjures up luxury, creativity and timeless elegance in your head, then chances are, unfortunately, that you are in fact living in 1989. Can’t really think of a bigger sell-out designer brand, especially in the fragrance and cosmetics section the last decade.

There’s simply no limit to the kinds of crap that they will put in their gift boxes to sell the below average juices. So far I’ve seen t-shirts (but always with the word parfum added - God forbid anyone actually would get a 100% "real" t-shirt), electronic alarm clocks, cheap plastic cuff links, and the last one - silicone i-Pod covers. Ok, maybe someone actually wants all that stuff, but it’s becoming painfully obvious that the fragrances just aren’t cutting it by themselves anymore. It has to be said that this mainly goes for the Emporio Armani diffusion label, but still...

On a positive note Attitude sports a very good looking black flacon. Unfortunately the hinge mechanism that holds the cap is worthless, as countless people have already testified on the boards. But before this review gets too shallow, let’s focus on the juice. It’s a Diet B*Men. An anorexic cousin if you will, of Mugler´s pleasant woody/licorice- themed male fragrance.
Ironically, that far superior brew is getting discontinued - sigh... Did I mention that Attitude sports an impressive longevity as well, 35 minutes approximately…

The worst part of all of this is, that with the Privé line (expensive and very hard to get) it’s obvious that the house of Armani is indeed still very capable of producing high quality, rich and original fragrances. This kind of dualistic cynicism, where the mainstream is served hastily put together junk sold mainly through the name is just saddening. I mean, who will seriously remember City Glam in 10 years? Do try the Privé line though if you have the opportunity, especially Privé Bois d'Encens is terrific.

I am very aware of the tremendous impact and importance that Giorgio Armani had upon the world of fashion during the 80´s. But as the Dylan song goes - The Times They Are A-Changin'. As far as I’m concerned, at least in the world of fragrances this house is over.

Recently sampled this very hard to find fragrance. I do understand the Safari comparison (obviously a eucalyptus connection), but there is another juice out there even more similar to Nicole Farhi Homme - Issey Miyake L'Eau Bleue Pour Homme. They share the same sharp, astringent opening and that slightly sour, herbal, woody thing going on. I guess that doesn´t sound too good, but it actually works great, creating a complex impression, almost like a cold forest. The tea tree is easy to detect like the others pointed out but I think the fragrance would have benefited from a bit of softening of that particular note. Personally I associate that specific smell with medicinal anti-acne products.

It has to be said though, Nicole Farhi is a very interesting and abstract fragrance. Was greatly surprised by it´s avant-garde presence - cool!

Upon application Cerruti Black immediately reminded me of the original Burberry (the one with the silver cap, formerly known as London). And they certainly share a sticky, synthetic, sweet vibe and an intense mossy feel. I kind of enjoy it in the Burberry but it gets out of hand in this one. Especially that artificial marzipan note goes haywire on me. I did however notice that it works extremely well on some guys, making it one of those "chameleon" colognes that are impossible to judge without trying it on your on skin. On my friend it just smelled warm, clean and projected very strongly. In other words worth a try - results may vary...

Kudos to the CK-people for extraordinary packaging on this one. The In 2U bottle surely is an eye-catcher and very good looking in it´s modern coolness. Sadly the juice is below average as one has come to expect from this house nowadays. Boring, artificial semi-oriental that doesn´t know where to go. Kind of powdery, kind of cocoa-ish, not a good composition. And a fleeting one on top of that. Pass.

Just like Joel_Cairo I´m revising my initial dismissal of Polo Black. By no means is this a very original or daring frgrance. But it´s biggest problem is indeed the marketing concept. The ads and name creates an expectation of something smoulderingly spicy and oriental. Which it clearly isn´t. It is, however, a competent day-time/office fragrance with with just slightly more character than other recent launches. Mango, cardamom and subtle spices create an overall pleasant experience. I get way better longevity from it than other seem to, 5-6 hours minimum. The jet black bottle looks great but should have been coloured light green or brown instead, better representing it´s content.

Not bad at all. Familiar territory for most of us as this is mainly based on lavender and vanilla. The fragrance opens with a pungent blast of cardamom. Then the lavender does come on very sharp and strong, but eventually mellows out during the long amber/vanilla drydown. Hypnôse Homme is actually a bit reminiscent of Miracle for men as well, which is kind of cool out of a house continuity perspective. If in the mood for a spicy, fresh and potent oriental, then give this one a go. Clive Owen is a cool guy by the way (he´s the "face" for Hypnôse).

Foetidus´s review is very accurate. Versace´s l'Homme really epitomizes how brilliant mainstream designer fragrances once were. This is so well blended that it is hard to pinpoint the individual notes.

It does start with some pleasant citrus and eventually settles down to a semi-sweet, mossy, herbal and highly masculine base. Lasts forever and the progression is flawless, with each hour a new great nuance of the scent is revealed.

L'Homme slightly reminds me of Dunhill Edition, but less sweet and superior overall.

Balanced, full of character, subtle yet decisive - this IS bottled elegance. Do get it quick before it dissapears completely. 10 out of 10.

Terre d'Hermès certainly is appreciated by many basenoters and there has been plenty of discussion regarding it on the boards. Personally I find it hard to form a distinct opinion. It´s just so and so. Not bad at all, but definitely not groundbreaking or very desirable either.

The broad shouldered and proud looking flacon however is excellent, as always with this house.

I strongly feel that this theme was done better with Cartier´s Declaration, that also used a tad of cumin (just like the first Hermès) for an added dangerousness. If I´m not misstaken Ellena was the creator of that one too, which would certainly explain the similarities.

TdH is mainly a grapefruit/vetiver combo to my nose. The slightly acidic citrus works well with the earthy grass and that mineral note that sounded like fancy copywriting at first is definitely lurking in there. It creates a salty soiliness making the scent stand out from many other fresh juices of today.

Longevity is decent compared to general stuff, but superb compared to several others from this particular house.

Certainly worth a try. I can see how this can become a easily worn everyday staple scent for some. I´ll stick to the original Bulgari pour homme for that purpose.

As the earlier reviews indicate, Aoud Lime hardly leaves anyone neutral. This is definitely a strong and somewhat agressive fragrance with a sharp personality. Can´t really think of anything even remotely resembling it.

My experience with oud is also very limited, but I certainly enjoy it in YSL´s M7. And after sampling a few of the Montales M7 seems to be true to the naure of this pungent wood.

Aoud Lime becomes something completely different though. The sharp lime combined with the smoky and semi-sweet woods creates a dry, herbaceous and medicinal aura. The dryness is further accentuated by the strong iris and organic sandalwood. The sillage is a killer - will take over a small room in no time, so be gentle on the trigger. Overall a very cool and unusual fragrance. Can imagine it working extremely well on the right femme fatale as well.

2007 05 04 Davidoff Cool Water (long)

Recently I´ve become increasingly relativistic in judging and reevaluating older fragrances. Like many members on the board I very strongly dislike where the mainstream fragrance industry is heading and has developed the last couple of years. Way too much effort is put into packaging, limited editions, summer versions, ridiculous pyramid copywriting and such. Genuine creativity and originality has dissappeared in favour of hype and politically correct and synthetic scents that aim to please as many consumers as possible.

Further there is a growing trend of "dual" markets for the big brands. Dior have their 3 upscale colognes (and to a certain extent Homme), Guerlain their L'Art et la Matiere series, Chanel their Rue Cambon, Hermès their Hermenessences - the list goes on. Practically this means we now have to pay about 3 times more for the same quality that was standard issue during the 80`s while the conglomerates squeeze every penny
out of each aquired franchise with their "special editions" and summer versions, products that seldomly even make it to next year. It´s simple mathematics - increased frequency to spark short term purchase and boosting the sale figures for the share holders. Unfortunately all kinds of new sub-par "niche" houses have popped up as well recently capitalizing on peoples quest for the genuine. Fancy packaging and claims (hardly controllable) of all natural ingredients hardly justifies the prices asked by for instance Profumum. IMHO you earn your respect, by decades of quality output. Sadly many lose it much faster in the race for quick bucks today.

So how does this rant relate to my reveevaluation and growing fondness for Cool Water? A few years ago I dissmissed this fragrance in this very same review section. But recently I started sampling it again and it grew on me with each try. I started to think of it with a strong sense of nostalgia and even appreciated it´s simple old school bottle. The Green Irish Tweed reference is unavoidable, especially since that Creed (in this rare case)is the original. And sure, GIT has more bite and complexity, but CW is close, much closer than the price tag would indicate.

Cool Water is a simple fresh fougere that works perfectly on a mild spring day. Less marine than the concept indicates, I´d say its a herbal, slightly peppery scent with a strong base of oakmoss, musk and pleasant cedar. The overall impression is, pardon the cliche, a modern masculine classic. I eventually bought a bottle and it has served me very well in the office the last couple of weeks.

Cool Water, together with Acqua di Gió and Eternity may very well be the initiators of todays downward spiral of forced freshness.
But compared to all the mediocre new stuff released, especially by Davidoff themselves, Cool Water will always remain a nice alternative. Good Stuff.

Excellent modern oriental take on orange blossom.
Classic Gaultier level of exuberance and lavishness. Therefore perhaps not best suited for high level board meetings or office use. Instead, wear this to a fun summernight out with good friends.

Although it certainly shares some basenotes with the original, FdM had plenty of merit of it´s own. It´s warm and spicy but also has a certain "cool" that makes it perfectly wearable in hot weather. Less projection than Le Male, but equal stellar longevity, stays on your skin until you wash it off.

A modern, eccentric, self confident neroli for urban hipsters - good stuff.

Clean, subtle and boring(!) launch from the mainstream house that I respect the most. With fragrances like M7, Rive Gauce and Opium on their resume L`Homme inevitably seems ike a major sellout and blatant attempt to cash in on the conformistic scent market of today. Coming from some other house L´Homme could easily be described as a nice, clean reinterpretation of Dolce & Gabbana PH. But in the light of YSL´s rich history and heritage this new release just serves as a sad reminder of a business in deep crisis. Let´s really hope they pull themselves together...

Baldessarini Ambré is basically Boss Bottled with a dash of amber and in a better looking bottle. Nothing new here in other words and hardly a competitor with excellent niche ambers such as L'artisans or Lutens. Just like Boss Bottled it is a great choice for office wear and other everyday situations though. The subtle apple and vanilla combo is simply very hard to dislike.

The original Baldessarini is excellent albeit very fleeting. A mature blend of tobacco and sugared bitter orange peels. The citrus has a very pronounced bitterness that works great with the subtle mint notes and prevents the sweet base from becoming too much. A very elegant formal fragrance that you can´t really go wrong with. But do try to score the concentrated version since the ordinary escapes your skin all too soon.

With Inside Trussardi continue their tradition of excellent packaging and bottle design. Sadly the quality of the juice keeps deteriorating with each release. Inside is basically a Moschino Uomo? ripoff . A bit more synthetic and with much crappier longevity though. The pyramid seems completely wrong compared to the actual scent. Like the Moschino it´s more about cedar, musk and with some toned down fresh lavender. Not a bad scent altogether, but get Uomo? instead, a better , stronger and more balanced execution on the theme.

I was pretty excited to try this since Burberry has released some very decent scents in the past. I quickly decided that London will not join my list of those. Fresh and aquatic it ain´t, which in itself deserves some kudos in this day and age. But unfortunately there is something off putting in the heartnotes, something sour and slightly vegetal, almost like rotten leaves. Perhaps these are the alleged tobacco leaves mingling with the port wine? Also the staying power and sillage is minimal, so even if you do dig the scent this is a negative factor. The flacon is pretty cool though, the use of the plaid textile is nicely done and reminiscent of Hermès´s Rocabar.

The Biagiotti Roma reference is spot on. I´d also add Paloma Picasso´s Minotaur as it shares the sweet, sticky vanilla base. Of the 3 Raw Vanilla is unfortunately the worst. Too linear and boring and ultimately cloying as well with it´s thick, sugary take on vanilla. Might attract the Pi-crowd though.

There comes a time in the life of every fragrance aficionado when you choose your prefered fig, just like your sandalwood, musk, patchouli or vetiver of choice. In fact I´d go as far as claiming that fig, or more correctly fig leaf, is the one note that has become a benchmark for numerous houses the last decade. Shortly, many houses feel they have to represent this increasingly popular ingredient in their ranges. And subsequently we have a lot to choose from: Diptyque´s Philosykos, L'Artisans Premier Figuier, Hermès´s mediterranean garden, Marc Jacobs for men, Davidoff's GoodLife, Salvatore Ferragamo's pour homme, Christian Dior's Dune for men - the list goes on. Therefore it´s fairly easy to compare within this category and find the individual merits of each fragrance. The Acqua di Parma people (like most of the time) certainly suceeded with their take. Immediately upon application you´ll sense that Fico di Amalfi is a tad more synthetic compared to Diptyque's and L'Artisan's juices, but definitely less artificial smelling then Hermès´s and Marc Jacobs dito. Overall this slightly synthetic touch doesn´t hurt the fragrance or it´s general feel. There is a bit of that same dryness as with most fig-leaf based scents, but FdA also adds a luscious sweetness of crushed fig pulp to the mix along with a sparkling touch of jasmin. Longevity is excellent although the fragrances is very linear, but I think this is the point with the entire Blu Mediterraneo series, simple, few-note, feel good fragrances at an affordable price. With FdA they continue the good vibe that started with their excellent roasted almond gourmand and the uplifting piney freshness of their Tuscan Cypress. To sum up the charateristics of Fico di Amalfi in comparison to it´s peers and competitors I´d say it´s less dry, mossy and green than Philosykos, lacking the milky almond note from Premier Figuier, completely absent of the acidity in Un Jardin en Mediterranée, avoiding the coconut-sun-tan-lotion bonanza of Marc Jacobs - but instead sporting a fleshy-fruit sweetness and a plesant cedar base balancing the composition very well. Also the staying power is probably the best within this genre. A big thumbs up, and just like Guerlains aqua Allegoria line, AdP have found a consequent and interesting aesthetic in this range - Blu Mediterraneo, that will hopefully and probably release more care-free, sunny and high quality fragrances in the future.

A somewhat overlooked spanish eau de toilette. Angel Schlesser is very fresh & clean but with quite some personality compared to other fragrances in the AdG genre. Sligthly piney, soapy clean and with a sweet rice accord on a warm cedar base. Definitely worth checking out if you're on the hunt for something subtle and inoffensive with decent staying power.

By no means only suitable for the ladies, this very traditional honeysuckle fragrance is definitely unisex. Extremely simple "one-noter" that still manages to shine thanks to the super quality and natural feel of it. Refreshing and dry, think Fahrenheit but without the petrol-accord + more floral overall character. A bit pricey perhaps for what it is, but a very neat juice for carefree summer wear.

Very nice "interpretation" of Gaultier's Le Male.
It's funny how different companies have perfected upon that formula along the years. Body Shop's Javari for instance puts a strong black pepper spin on it, while this one basically has toned down the original recipe a bit making it more elegant and less in your face. Cuba Gold is by the way dirt-cheap, around 8$, making it essential for almost everyone. If you appreciate the JPG but find it a bit too strong and vulgar - then this one is for you. Don't hesitate, for that price even a blind buy is safe.

Another french house's attempt to ride the fresh, clean and unobtrusive bandwagon. It has to be said they do suceed a little better than many others. But at the end of the day this is hardly worth any attention. My "neutral-hand" mostly comes from a byass because of their ultra elegant flacons and classy sport shirts...

Lovely powdery chypre in a beautiful flacon and packaging. Haven't had the chance to try the original so I can't tell how big the difference is in the new edition. The old one however is considered one of the great feminine classics of the past century.

I've always wanted to "freeze" the lemon/citrus topnotes of many of my favourite fragrances. I felt Dior's Eau Sauvage, Hermès Orange Verte, Eau de Rochas pour homme and particularly the original Lacoste would benefit from prolonged citrus presence. Then I tried Monsieur Balmain... In this one the squeezed lemon note actually stays with you for hours - and guess what? It actually ruins the whole thing. My personal conclusion is that the best classic citruses are the ones with a fresh zesty opening but with an equally pleasant drydown. This progression often lands in some kind of herbal or woody base, unfortunately the Balmain stays mainly lemon and eventually a faint & not too clean musk. So it's linear and pretty boring, however - if the thought of a long-present lemon note excites you the way it did me before, then by all means give this oldie a shot. I would try Penhaligon's excellent Blenheim Boquet to though, also with longlasting citrus but paired here with a refined and elgant smokey pine making it's structure infinitely more interesting.

Decadent and original. A pleasure to wear this fresh but powerful blend that is full with the confidence of the early nineties. See it as a predecessor to Chanel's Allure pour homme - both with strong tonka-bases, but with plenty merit of it's own. Since it's from Joop! you KNOW it lasts and lasts and lasts... Great bottle that really corresponds with the feeling of the juice. Get nightflight istead of the original, same innovative, extroverted and excentric vibe, but without the cloying bits.

A good example of the fact that stronger & more often just wrecks a good thing. Instead of the zesty, fresh & beautiful combo of citrus, rose and light herbs in the EDC and mint in the Assoluta-rendition the perfume version OD's on everything. The result is an overly dry, stuffy and unrefined chypre. Strong? - Sure. Elegant, pleasant & worthwhile - Not even close. Ironically I even find the bottle inferior to the ones of the lighter formulations.

Very fine gourmandicious take on almonds. Sweet, strong and definitely different from for instance Etro's Heliotrope and L'Artisan Parfumeur's Bois Farine. Good staying power and beautiful presentation. Another hit in this understated & high quality series from AdP.

Tried this recently and expected something along the lines of or at least slightly similar to Dior Homme because of the Iris in both. No such shared features though as Iris Nobile smells much more of star anise than anything else. A pleasant wear no doubt, but still dissapointing in the context of brand and price.

This one truly is as weird as the previous reviews indicate. It's very hard to describe L'Eau Bleue but there's definitely a vegetable thing going on, the opening is sligthly reminiscent of the cilantro/coriander in the top notes of Rochas Aquaman, but the overall impression is more complex and better. I think the blue concept of this fragrance is a little deceptive, a medium green bottle would better represent the contents. Top sillage and longevity as always with Issey but do sample this oddling before buying cause it is very original and an aquired taste.

A very straightforward neroli/rose combo that is perfectly unisex IMO. A bit linear and one-dimensional but nevertheless great for refreshing summer usage. Great flacon like always from this house.

I never thought of rose as a particularly feminine smell. If you smell the actual flower in a dewy garden it smells very genderless to my nose, just a nice, mild and fresh aroma. I think it's the extremely synthetic rose in the tacky mass market fragrances of the last decade that has tarnished the reputation (and woman-ized it)of this beatiful floral component. The rose found in Geo F Trumpers ancient Rose Shaving Cream for instance smells very gentle and natural, not girlie in any way. The same can be said for Comme de Garcons Red Series Rose. So with this in mind I was never afraid or worried about the strong rose element when I finally got around to sample Hammam Boquet. After all this one was released over a century ago. Unfortunately the overall impression of the fragrance left me somewhat underwhelmed, I guess I expected a little more - afterall Penhaligon's Blenheim Boquet is one of my favourites and a monumental statement of everything brittish. Since, I've warmed up to it slightly but there is a dryness in HB which just doesn't sit well on my skin. The quality is stellar though, literally smells expensive (and it is!) and for the right person I think this could give the perfect ambiance of understated elegance. Good stuff, just not for me.

Very surprised that no one has mentioned the utter similarity between LP No.9 and Yves Saint Laurent's Opium Pour Homme... This is clearly a blatant rip off, neither improving or belittleing the french original. Unfortunately many of Penhaligon's recent launches follow the "Creed-trend" of plagiarism. Too bad since the mighty boquets Blenheim and Hammam & the brilliant English Fern surely stand on their own with plenty of history as well.
Go for Opium PH instead, which ironically is cheaper as well.

Totally outstanding fougere. In my honest opinion this juice represents the essence of this category of fragrances. And what a fantastic job at that! Manly, soapy, mossy but fresh and with just a tad of sweetness - as classic as they come. Basically gives you the most pleasant, clean barbershop vibe imagineable - like an upscale luxurious shaving cream. Incredible longevity as well, keeps you confident all day. Only downside I guess is it's extreme simplicity which probably could prevent many from making English Fern their signature scent. It would perhaps get a little boring using it every day. But despite it's somewhat austere and linear character I sincerely think this should be everyones first choice in the search for the ultimate basic fougere. Truly Excellent.

Indeed similar to the horrible Adventure from Gant, but also shares the opening with D&G's Masculine, mainly due to the strong bergamot. And while the topnotes are somewhat pleasant, Instinct quickly dries down to the synthetic mess one would expect. This soccer players persona is just as tacky as the overall impression of his standard issue vulgar cologne.

The only reason I even chose to comment upon this atrocity is the chance that it might prevent someone from buying it. Another great example of the short-term thinking that is so typical of many mainstream houses today, this will probably not make it through even to next year. Total disaster - STAY AWAY.

Definitely not a bad fragrance, but in this category there is thousands of better options. If you want a super-classic citrus on a solid, masculine herbal base, go for Eau Sauvage or Chanel PM Concentree instead, both more complex and interesting. The YSL sports better staying power than the Dior though.

The brilliant ad with a naked androgynous Yves that stirred up quite some controversy in the 70's doesn't represent the fragrance well - this is a classic masculine juice on the border of stuffiness. Could definitely appeal to lovers of extreme simplicty.

A bit more blunt than the original. The differences are actually very similar to the ones between the first Acqua di Parma and Colonia Assoluta. This means more green in the stronger versions, mainly added mint. Stronger for sure, but since this by no means means GREAT staying power, I'd still choose the classic one, just more zest and playfulness in that one. If you can only afford one of the two and staying power is your main criteria - Concentree D'Orange Verte is still better than the majority of fresh colognes out there. Same bottle as before but in frosted glass instead.

Often stated as the best example of extremely poor longevity, you simply cannot hate this zesty tonic. As long as you treat it as a cologne and have the opportunity to reapply lots of times during the day, you will be rewarded with the sparkling freshness of squeezed lemon and mandarin - truly uplifting. Eau d'Orange Verte is better blended than most Eau's, and has a recognizeable edge to it. The concentrated version lasts a little longer, mostly because of added mint, but the gain in staying power comes with the loss of the sparkling, refreshing quality of the original. Both are essential for summer though. Perfect for nice play in Nice a sizzling july day ;) .

After a great bergamot burst in the beginning Équipage quickly morphs into a mossy, piney carnation based classically smelling blend. It actually is pretty close to Tabac, but more uncompromising and rugged. It's not a personal favorite, I don't really like this category (with a few exceptions - Penhaligon's English Fern for instance) but there is a nice soapy side to it + the sheer masculinity of fragrances released in the 70's is always appealing. Classy, but not on par with say Eau Sauvage or Chanel pour monsieur.

Many people claim to experience a celery-note in Caron's Yatagan, well Dia has a very clear one in the opening. A little weird & the cardamom further accentuates the foodlike first impression. This quickly fades though, leaving way for a soft, woody aura with a strong incense character. The drydown has a pleasant masculine sweetness to it but I think the price is hardly worth what you get. A decent juice at a perverse cost.

Wow, where to begin. Received a sample of this recently and had high hopes, after all this is supposed to be "The most valuable fragrance in the world"... Well, what can I say, let's put it like this - often less is more, something the good people in Dubai obviously do not grasp. This is a terribly messy, super powdery, aldehydic disaster. We often discuss cultural differences in olfactory perception on the boards, and this one may be the best example of such a clash. The floral and distinct middle-eastern vibe found in Gold just smells extremely feminine to my nose. It's actually very reminiscent of Chanel #5 with a pungent aldehydic, leather-like ooze sprinkled with like, well, most known flowers to man. Grandmother was the very first impression when smelling it. And although the vanilla in the base mellows it out somewhat, the overall feeling here
is that of a mature women's perfume. Not what I look for & there's is just so much going on here -zero balance between the ingredients. It feels like the Amouage people just blended all kinds of exclusive raw materials together without any concept or feeling. Simply appauling. Check out the better (but still dissapointing) Dia if you must have something from this house. Haven't tried all of their stuff yet but this supposed "flagship"-juice indicates yet another manufacturer relying on gimmick and fancy bottles to sell their sub-par products. Powderbox-boquet-overload-meltdown - YUCK.

Heady, aldehydic, highly powdery juice that probably is this house's attempt to create their own Chanel #5. A big failure unfortunately. Could be worthwhile if you're into L'Air du temps though, since I HATE that one Oscar gets a big thumbs down from me.

A typical case of "the bottle says it all". If you find this bottle exciting and original looking then perhaps this juice is for you. For the rest of us standard issue citrus/wood blends don't quite measure up considering all other cool things out there. Boring AdG/Eternity hybrid with a mossy base, mediocre longevity in addition pass on this one fellas.

An eighties floral classic for men. In the same category as Van Cleef & Arpels and Floris Elite. This one is vastly superior though, especially compared to the latter. It never takes the floral part too far and settles down to a nice powdery musk base. This is very far from the fresh scents of today though, so definitely do sample before buying. In small doses Oscar de la Renta pour Lui is the perfect, subtle compliment to a nice dark suit. Formal, traditional and very masculine.

Aristocratic hostility at it's finest. I can honestly say this is the only fragrance with a true adversarial character, you really feel superior when wearing it, and almost despise the simpletons around you. Of course I'm exagerating here, but in fact 2 of my friends have commented upon Blenheim saying it almost frightens them in a way. There's something about the zesty citrus in the opening that fools you into thinking this is just another Eau Sauvage copy, but BB is infinitely more complex. The lemon, which btw is masterfull in this fizzy & slightly bitter rendition, hangs around much longer than in ordinary colognes and melts into the smokey, antagonistic base of deep pine. A little spice (cardamom or cumin?)adds even more dimension, but it is that very english pine that makes this Penhaligon really stand out - giving it it's chilling edge. I really don't want to scare anyone off with this review, BB is a fantastic fragrance, but use it wisely - perhaps during a hostile corporate takeover, heated debates about the tragic demise of the great commonwealth or after winning your local cricket-championship (^o^).

Extremely refreshing summer-cologne type of launch from the jewelcrazy italians. As extreme and over the top as their watches and jewelry may be (nicknamed Vulgari by some...) as subtle and refined are most of their fragrances. And this one is no exception. Smells very much of the african red tea Rooibos, an accord hard to describe, but I`d say it's somewhat dry and with a irony touch. The same vibe can be found in some of Comme de Garcons reds, and Eau Parfumee au The Rouge could easily be a part of that series. Some vanilla in the base makes it linger longer than most offerings in this concentration. Completely agree with Marlen's whine comaprison as well. Could become a summer staple.

Brilliant in it's naive simplicity. A super-clean, fizzy cologne based on the lovely aroma of freshly squeezed pink grapefruits. I also think the longevity isn't half as bad as many say, easily lasts 6 hours, which is a lot considering it's carefree citrus anatomy. One of the most feelgood juices out there, sparkling and playful ingenuity. I don't think anyone could dislike this.

I don't like my sandalwoods harsh at all, so Santal Noble really doesn't do the trick for me. Others like Tam Dao - where cedar compliments very well, and Santal from this house - where spices and sweetness balance the blend, are much more appealing. And this sandalwood is perhaps the best on the market for the pure ones, perfectly mellow and soft. Wears close to the skin all day and is definitely more to the masculine side. Also smells very timeless and I was surprised to see how late it was lauched.

Although I think the Creed-plagiarism that Bond is often accused of is somewhat exxagerated, this one really confirms some of the conspiratoric thoughts. Hamptons is simply a blatant ripoff of Silver Mountain Water. It does have some own merits, BUT overall inferior and most of all I must question the pyramid since it doesn't even mention tea and blackcurrant which are obviously very present in the juice. Get the original instead, afterall the price difference isn't that big.

Very dissapointed in this one. It really feels more like a Drakkar Noir for the new millenium, than a great and original niche offering. Mossy, green, some citrus and a generic marine accord unfortunately don't add up to something worthy of this price range. Get the excellent sweet, green and pleasantly floral Central Park instead.

Like Scenteur7, this was my new years scent 2005-06. And it performed well, although I was somewhat dissapointed in the sillage department - where I expected wonders I received decent at best. Rochas Man is the most similar thing on the market IMO, and they both mainly feel like warm ground coffee/vanilla mixes. I wouldn't say New Harleem is a complex scent, but rather a well balanced one. The base-patchouli anchors the composition with a well needed semi-bitter earthiness so essential in the middle of all the sweetness. Overall I'd say it might not be worth hard retail cash, but e-bay deals etc should facilitate the plunge for interested people.

Original Santal comes across as a hybrid between Chanel's Allure for men and Joop!, and thereby continuing the unfortunate recent trend of unoriginality. As much as I like Original Vetiver, the similarity to Mugler's cologne is even harder to get over in the light of this release. The fragrance itself is really well done and boosts exceptional longevity for this house. A sweet blend with woods, vanilla and red berries, but just like with OV the name-note is hardly present. If you're into sugary scents with massive staying power and a youthful overall vibe this might be for you.

BUT the subtle warnings of plagiarism are increasingly disturbing. Wouldn't suprise me if the next launch will be called Original Patchouli and smell like mix of Monsier de Givenchy and A*Men. Shape up guys.

CEO-ish powerhouse from this ancient french house. Similar in character to Bois du Portugal & Azzaro Ph but smelling very different from these. Heritage is a dark, mature, masculine juice with the classic Guerlinade-mix clearly pronounced. This can make the initial perception somewhat "sour", but this quicly fades in favour of cinnamon, vanilla and a massive amount of dry woods. Like many Guerlains, Heritage is available in many different concentrations. I prefer the Eau de Toilette.

Insanely similar to Burberry Touch. And that one is great so Arpege is as well. A little less pepper and violet here + more tonka and overall sweetness. If you don't have the Burberry buy this one, if it is in your posession already - then pass. The longevity is equal also, very good in other words.

This one is a little overhyped according to me. Sure it is fesh, carefree and superior to tons of more recent launches in the same category, but I think it does lack personality and depth. Of course it may just be that it doesn't perform as it should on my skin. Worth trying anyhow.

As much as I like the classic, well made italian clothes from this house, as much do I despise their cheap moneymaking attempts of scents. Essenza and Z has really signaled what to expect fragrancewise here. Boring, no development, light, synthetic fruitiness without depth. Please do not make this one stay on the shelves longer than needed.

This concept has been done so much better so many times since 1991 that there really is no reason for buying this one. For superior woody tobacco spring for Dolce & Gabbana Ph or Burberry London intead. Outdated.

I do agree there are some similarities with Creed's Millesime Imperial, it should also be pointed out that Herrera, just like Creed has a metallic house-note in many of their juices. I also definitely smell the cola-thing that some have metioned. Unfortunately there is also a significant amount of red pepper in the mix, that spoils the overall impression for me, making it somewhat similar to boring stuff like Gant Soho or
Tommy Hilfiger Freedom.

Another 180 on my behalf. For many years I dismissed this as a run of the mill aquatic crap-scent. How I was mistaken. 212 is a perfect musky blend with some floral elements and that cool Herrera metallic house-note. The green pepper gives it some edge and the incense delivers a smooth and balanced drydown. It sticks around forever to, especially considering it's light and carefree aura. 10/10 - Good Stuff!

Have to disagree with my two highly respected colleagues Ipaid and Scenteur. It is indeed a simple citrus, but hardly bland. Quite contrary, it is very recognizeable on it's wearers due to a strong mint and herbal midsection which also makes it much more manly than many others in this genre. A summer staple, especially considering it's low price.

Hard to describe this as something else than a modern classic. Complex, strong and uncompromisingly masculine. Very mediterranean feel to it, just like Versace's Dreamer, and the two have more in common. Intense tobacco and cinnamon take center stage here, complimented by the citrus opening and woods/tonka drydown. Just like most countries, very popular here in Sweden.

Original, and somewhat surprisingly part of a very strong fragrace catalog from these two designers that one could think would be selling out big time in the fragrance section (like they have clothes-wise) . No such signs yet - sweet.

Tricky one. Not on par with Classique or Le Male for sure, but interesting nevertheless, especially in the fatigued fragrance - climate of today. If there was a bubblegum with amber flavour, then this is what it would smell like. Very sweet, and ultimately too cloying for myself, with hints of cardamom. Probably somewhat more suited for the ladies, G2 is still definitely sampleworthy.

Really nothing in common with the mighty original, this light figsy/coconutty juice is pretty boring. It would actually be good enough to buy if it wasn't for the terrible longevity that is now the trademark of this sadly sinking ship of a house. Release a concentree version and I'll reconsider. The classic Dinand flacon was updated nicely though.

Actually a decent rendition of saffron lurking inside this one, with pretty boy Iglesias gracing the cheapo packaging. Overall synthetic and messy and hardly worth a purchase (although it's really inexpensive) but the saffron in the opening is really nice, better than for instance the one found in Armani Mania.

Reminds me strongly of Armani Black Code. one that is just okay. Unfortunately JV doesn't improve on that concept the least. Instead I perceive it as quite synthetic and slightly cloying. Apart from a GREAT flacon, this was a letdown.

This is really not a bad scent, but unfortunately very similar to previous things on the market. It shares a lot with for instance Jean-Luc Amsler's Pive. Soft, woodsy, slightly peppery and suedish. Well balanced but with pretty low staying power.The bottle is nicely made, thick brownish glass. I'd describe it as a Diet-Cuiron tailor made for office enviroment.

Bk is a safe scent, haven't come across anyone who's not attracted to it's sweet and incensey aroma. It's very similar to Lolita Lempicka minus the licorice. Eucalyptus, wood and a smokey sweetness creates a recognizeable and pleasant aura. One of my gay friends told me that it is huge within their community and I can easily understand why. Another hit from this distinguished house.

Unfortunately not improving on the original at all. This is a hollow, stale & simple scent that isn't worthy of the Cartier name. Yves Saint Laurent's Live Jazz does the mint and citrus thing way better.

Pasha is an overdose of green notes. I don't find it balanced enough + it's extremely close to something else, can't remember what. It does smell kind of exclusive, as often is the case with this brand. But there is something off putting with the strong herbal dryness. Check out Jazz or Tsar instead, both in the same genre and superior IMHO.

Classic indeed, and the opening citrus zest is to die for. But as always, this fades ridiculously fast and the whole scent is very weak. There's also some slightly "stuffy" notes in the mix, which are sure to scare of many young guys on the hunt for their signature fragrance.

A somewhat different take on the classic PM. It is indeed stronger as the name suggests, but not with great longevity unfortunately. It feels more modern, but not edgy in anyway. Main difference is a clear added note of nutmeg & something smelling slightly like coconut. More interesting than the original and with the badly needed extra strength (Pour Monsieur lasts approximately 15 minutes on me).

As someone pointed out earlier, conservative is the word here. A herbal, highly manly concoction with strong notes of patchouli, leather and red fruit. Dry and strong. Not one for the timid, then again - what released in 1981 is?

Superb blend, although it has absolutely NOTHING in common with the oiginal Egoïste. Woody, dry and fresh at the same time. There is a smokey, burnt cedar vibe going on that makes it very original as well. A masculine, modern, clean scent - perfect for urban enviroments. The only thing resembling it is Decleor's Un Air de Java.

Opens up with an insane cucumber, like a bathtub full of the sliced vegetable, a bit nauseating actually. But it dries down to something completely else, somewhat Fahrenheit-ish actually. Not bad, and sporting a very good longevity. This has also received Luca Turins "blessing" if I'm not mistaken.

Very light and breezy, not something for a cold climate or mindset. Bermuda Tonic is very Piña Colada-ish and features a pleasant blend of bitter rhum and sweet coconut. It is a tonic however and probably intentionally designed to be sprayed very liberally since it´s quite weak. Inviting packaging, and a nice release after numerous Lauder dissapointments.

Fracas actually reminds me of Caron's Yatagan. It has that same ferocious bite and bad attitude, herbal, green and woody. As this was intended for women upon release, I strongly suspect the fairer sex was no joke in the 40's... Great, but wear with extreme moderation.

Simply brilliant. One of the great classics in female fragrance. A soft, powdery and slightly dirty floral with amazing staying power. One for the ages!

Musky, powdery oldie which is a nice "everyday" wear. A little citrus in the opening, but quickly goes into a honeyed talcum mode, much thanks to the heliotrope in the base I guess. I don't find it very woody like the others, it reminds me more of the subtle bitter-sweetness of the original Tabac. This due to a good deal of carnation in both.

The art nouveau-ish bottle by design-guru Thierry de Baschmakoff is unfortunately wasted on quite trivial contents. The juice is close to DKNY Men (the skyscraper bottle) and woodily boring. Annick Mennardo has been the nose of many fine blends in the past, like Lolita Lempicka and Bulgari Black. Apparently she was either out of inspiration or on strict orders from the Celine people when creating this one. Just the usual citrus/woods + a dash of spice mix here. Save your money.

Sienna is a herbal, leathery melange that leaves a calorific trail. It sports much more character than it's sibling Sienna. Beautiful presentation like always with Crabtree. The new design can be viewed here: http://store.crabtree-evelyn.com/sie218000.html .
Spicy, warm juice, but strict as well, ideal under a white shirt and bespoke suit.

C&E's shaving products are some of the finest on the market. I believe it is an american company(?) but the whole range is a high quality one in the steps of the traditional english barbershop represented by houses like Trumper, D.R. Harris and Truefitt & Hill. The Nomad fragrance is a very orthodox sandalwood, with supporting notes of teak and bamboo. Naturally the blend comes across as very woody, and is best worn for formal occassions. Layering it with the excellent shower gel significantly increases the otherwise moderate longevity.

The male version regrettably doesn't have anything in common with it's female counterpart. The original Sun (for women) was an extremely innovative scent, designed to smell like concentrated sun-tan lotion. Probably the best coconut based fragrance ever made. And highly wearable for men - no problem. This one is a very weak, generic summer cologne (definitely cologne strength as well...) full of calone, a synthetic widely used in the aquatic/marines of today. So it's anemic, artificial and common compared to the womens one, need I say which one you should choose?

To me this doesn't seem quite as original as the others think. Sander for men is a sympathetic fusion of coriander, cedar and Chanel's Allure. It really resembles that fragrance but it's lighter, less cloying and without the tonka-bonanza. It does last well, and gives the wearer a distinctively urban feeling. An enjoyable modern eau de toilette.

Coty is virtually unknown in Northern Europe, so when I got around to sample Aspen (many, many years ago) at a friends dads house I didn't have any cheapo-associations linked to the house at all. First of all the dark green bottle is well made and gives it a quality look. Secondly, Aspen is a really decent juice. Piney and mossy, very comforting in a classic way. It reminds me slightly of Tuscany, but much greener and minty. I think that this is a great choice considering the low price.

Bought this blind and was delighted at first. It is however very heavy on the incense, and easily becomes cloying. Strictly for winter use therefore, where the ambery, piquant sweetness and woods will surely please it's wearer. Is very similar to Cacharel's Nemo by the way, minus the caramel and with significantly stronger incense.
As snowman pointed out the flacon is made to resemble an ink-well, which is of course a reference to the companys rich history of making high quality fountain-pens.

I agree with Dave, a terribly weak marine release. Not better in any way than Axe/Lynx aftershaves. Uninspired aquatic mess, simple and bad. The original Cardin, Pour Monsieur was a much better juice along the lines of the first Polo by Ralph Lauren. Piney, fresh and masculine.
By all means stay away from Bleu Marine though.

This was a blatant rip off of the original Tommy Hilfiger cologne. They even copied it conceptually with the regional american components/notes. I have to say that the end result is slightly better though, mainly to the nice and juicy pineapple in the opening. Overall a generic release which was discontinued, not exactly surprisingly.

Neat "swinging sixties" flacon, but only decent content. London could have been excellent if it wasn't so artificial in it's general ambiance. It's figgy, rummy, coconutty and cosily woody. There seems to be large- scale trends in the mainstream designer houses every year now, multiple launches under a given period smell very similar. And this is definitely the case with London, Armani's Black Code and CK's Obsession night. Out of these 3, the Paul Smith is the given winner, especially longevity-wise. An acceptable cologne, and a huge improvement over the two first very dissapointing offerings.

Very 90's in the overall feel, for me along with Eternity this was one of the signature scents of that decade. Minotaure achieved huge sales in Europe, especially considering the small Picasso brand. A strong juice, heavy on vanilla, orange blossom and jasmine. Instantly recognizeable and somewhat sexually ambigous courtesy of the florals. Smooth leathery base with a mellow sweetness that keeps delievering throughout the day. The closest scent is without a doubt Roma by Biagiotti, but Minotaure is the better of the two, at least for me.

Unfortunately UV turns very synthetic on the drydown, which is a pity since it's quite a cool EdT. It's sweet and almost gourmand in nature, has a milkiness also found in Diesel ++ and Allure. Additionally It manages to capture the colour purple/violet well in the overall impression. BUT the longevity is bad and the base definitely too artificial to warrant a purchase.

Just recently sampled a very old bottle of this and I'm almost sure it had gone off, cause it was very urine-like... Can't imagine this was the purpose, especially with the 2 positive reviews. It did smell rather mossy though, which seems to be a Rabanne house note. Hope I can smell an okay version of this sometime, the bottle is very alluring somehow in all of it's simplicity.

Oriflame is a swedish based cosmetics company that has become very successfull especially in Russia. Their concept is employing thousands of representatives globally, that sell the products during "tupperware"-parties in the homes of private persons. The quality is generally low, but it is a cheap brand as well. Their fragrances are unfortunately no exception, they're actually even inferior to the mainline, very poor standard. Glacier is a run of the mill spices and woods concoction, nothing new. If you're still interested in this brand check out http://www.oriflame.se/prod/catalog/MainCategory.jhtml?CATID=fragnance for their list of fragrances.

Fantastic scent and quite original as well. It definitely resembles the old leathers like Knize ten and Cuir de Russie, but it's closest relative has to be Bulgari Black. Nostalgia is even more avant-garde though, using notes like petrol and motor-grease to create a very unique aura. Very untypical for being a Santa Maria Novella fragrance, especially since it's so modern. After all we're talking about a house with several centuries of heritage. In no way does Nostalgia put that leagacy to shame, quite on the contrary- this is probably their best launch up to date! The genuine, vanillic, leather drydown is to die for.

Apparently the good Baron de Charlus finds L'Air du Temps angelic. Well if this is the aroma of angels, then please send me to hell right away! If anyone wants to describe that nasty smell of old ladies OD-ing on their perfume - just remember the name of this atrocity. This is really terrible and should be forbidden ASAP. Powder overload with ghastly florals, get it away from me!

Unjustly forgotten scent that is always discounted here. I agree with Scenteur 7 100% that the overall impression of Memoire is similar to L'Artisans great Tea for Two. A little strange since they don't share any notes. I think it is the saltiness of the licorice in the Ricci that reminds of the smokey lapsang in TfT somehow... Anyway this is in no respect a simple clone, it has a lot going for it, a very nice leather drydown for example. Seek out Memoire, you'll be happy you did.

Recently received a very generous sample of this and quite frankly I don't get extatic reviews. This is a very basic scent, just like Hennepin says it, consist of lemon (not even different types of citrus), musk and wood. That is all there is to it, hardly very regal in my opinion, on the contrary quite "poor" and definitely simple. The staying power is indeed good but that hardly makes it purchase-worthy. Very weak effort compared to Blenheim Boquet or even Castile.

Incredibly natural on the plus side, a little too earthy on the minus. I'm also amazed by the testimonies of great longevity, this Patchouli faded within an hour or so on me. Perhaps my sample was bad? I miss something sweet in here, maybe a dash of vanilla or amber. It comes across as a little rough, but maybe that's the point.

Spezie reminds me of the first Comme des Garcons and is way too crammed with "kitchen-spices" for my acceptance. I mean no offense, but surely Coriander, Cardamom, Laurel,Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cumin, Tomato Leaves, Rosemary and Sage especially all together, rather should belong in a nice tuscan beef stew then on anyone's skin. Sorry Mr. Villoresi but you overdid it this time!

The colour of snow is white, as is the colour of powder. And surely Teinte de Neige is the most powdery fragrance ever created, the description even reads: "The essence of perfumed powders". This of course makes it a bit odd, not very manly for example. I still appreciate this one in an abstract way and wouldn't mind having a scented candle of it. Too "MUCH" for personal wear though.

Works fine as a uni-sex refreshing mist for the summer holidays. Forget the fancy pyramid, this is green tea and citrus, very effervescent. No staying power here, use it like a splash or tonic.

Smells great on my friend but vile on me. Perhaps cause I've been dissing its siblings for so long, hehe. This fact anyway prevents me from giving it a unanymous thumbs down, since it seems to be dependant on skin-chemistry to a higher extent than most other stuff. The fragrance itself is a subtle blend of saffron, woods and musk and the bottle is unarguably great looking recalling the twisted -spherical design of the Armani make-up products.

Clearly the best one of the "tubes", He is almost original. A decent wood/musk combo that does stay with you all of the day, not very common in Armani-country. It has some suede-ish spice, and the whole mix is mellow and very enjoyable to wear. Not half as popular now as it used to be, which is good since the whole european continent (slightly exxagerated =)) reeked of it in the late nineties.

For some reason this one vaguely reminds me of Fahrenheit, but of course with that added syntheticness of later Armanis. I perceive Night as being very sharp and unpleasant, even cloying. Didn't do particularly well here, maybe because of the aforementioned?

My initial response (from the board) upon sampling this P o S:

Tried it this weekend, what a pathetic excuse of a fragrance. It is 100% the weakest release from Armani up to date, and that does say something. It smells like water+hairspray+faint musk. This is a joke. Cannot in my wildest fantasy imagine that City Glam becomes successfull, it's so bad that no one, NO ONE can buy even the fanciest gimmicks, copywriting etc. A Disgrace!

This was a few weeks ago, since then my hatred for this garbage has only intensified. This represents everything that is wrong with the extreme consumerism of today - to much shallow surface - no Goddamned substance. Aaaaaaargh!

Definitely ok compared to much of the junk released by GA. Decent oriental heavy on woods and tonka, not unlike Le Male impressionwise. Lousy longevity though, and definitely too cheap-smeling in the end to accompany a sweet tux.

I have zero respect for the house of Armani nowadays. Too many blatant sell-outs, especially in the fragrance department, has made the name very hollow for me. This "eau" was launched long before the demise though and trust me it is as far away from Acqua di Gió as is possible. This is a heavy, mossy masculine EdT that opens with a great, bitter lemon peel. High quality, good sillage and to this date more expensive than the other run of the mill crap bearing Giorgio's name. The discontinuation of Armani Eau Pour Homme
(which wouldn't surprise me BTW) would definitey mark the end of one of the most famous designers worldwide, at least for me.

This doesn't have much in common with the flawless original. Instead it suffers from the extreme thickness and herbal overload so typical for the time of it's release. People should only consider this as a replacement for Drakkar Noir or YSL PH Concentree, not Roudnitska's 1966 masterpiece.
Very curious about the 100% Glaçon version though...

This shouldn't be marketed as uni-sex because it's 100% feminine. No guy could get away with this, unless you are wearing D&G's Sicily on a daily basis that is. It is very lovely though, peaches and lillies in a powdery, soft and sweet blend. Best longevity among the Carthusias.

Quite original offering. It is somewhat aquatic and with a very natural raspberry accord, smells like the real fruits, no synthetic crap. Like all Carthusia's it is a simple blend, but pleasant nevertheless. It reminds me of the early, austere Creeds like Bois de Cedrat and Bigarrade.

Mediterraneo opens up with a superb lemon zest, the best there is alongside the original Boucheron according to my personal preference. It smells natural, fresh and is good reminder why citrus is so widely used in perfumery. It then dries down to a quite simple green tea base, delicate and dry. This is not a complex fragrance, but a very nice one in all of it's simplicity. Perfect for hot summer days.

All the Banderas scents are made by Puig and feature very cheesy and cliché -latin lover ads with the great thespian himself. I don't have to tell you the scents are average at best and I honestly never understood this type of marketing. Wouldn't these slick guys be better to use in selling stuff to women? Maybe the wives and girlfriends are the target here? Whatever, to summarize - these suck. Bad.

Although I prefer Creed's Original Vetiver, which is very similar, Cologne obviously came first. It was a very refreshingly different take on the whole fresh & clean genre, one with Character. It's soapy, clean, grassy and full of citrus. Though it contains very standard notes, the overall impression is original and not much, except OV, resembles it. If you're on a budget get the Thierry, if not go Creed.

Just like Paul McCartney's solo work always will be compared to The Beatles, every new Mugler release automatically gets measured alongside of the masterpieces Angel and A*men. That has to be the flipside to such a massive success, how can you possibly match it? Well, simply put, you can't. B*men is a great woody scent, with rhubarb and all kinds of cool notes - still the final impression is a "Diet-A*Men". Now that in itself probaly justifies a purchase for many, and I believe the 2 can co-exist. Just think of B*Men as a new edition more suitable for office and professional enviroment. 4/5 stars.

Aaaah - the great Lagerfeld Classic - I want to hate it and throughout the years I have, but, the older I get I can sense a weird connection between "us" and I know he' s calling in the horizon and knows I soon will surrender to the mighty mix of amber and spice... Won't be happening for quite a few years though - THIS IS HARDCORE!

Was supposed to be called Hunger at first, mainly cause it smells a lot like bread. But the name was judged too controversial and this EdT was launched together with Lagerfelds clothes collection for Hennes & Mauritz, and was only available for a short time in those stores. It is pretty avant-garde, especially compared to earlier KL fragrances. Starts out just like a spiced loaf of bread (and I mean EXACTLY like bread - unique) but fades into a much more ordinary warm, ambery mix quite rapidly. Traded mine away, thought it was to feminine for me.

A weird one, not particularly masculine and with some very "clashing" notes. All fragrances where rosewood is involved seem to be terrible on my skin.
Jako was anything but a pleasant olfactory experience, at least on me.

A dry and very formal cedar juice. Very peppery and woody to the extreme. Nice but hardly suitable for anything else than professional wear. The yuzu in the pyramid must be wrong, not a sign of anything but wood and spice here, especially not citrus.

Although launched in 1990, Photo feels very much like a child of the eighties. It's strong, woody, masculine and has a very nice peach note. Very similar to Romeo Gigli's Sud Est. That one is superior of the two though. The packaging and name is of course a reference to Karl Lagerfelds second passion after fashion - photography.

Probably the truest rendition available of this lovely flower. It's not a one noter though, some supporting citrus and roses in there to. Not for guys obviously, but there is a huge supporting line with fine soaps etc. that can be used by everyone.
Check out: http://www.woodsofwindsor.co.uk/fragrnce.php?fragID=2
for the entire range.

Too linear and "boozy". Apart from the beautiful flacon Anice has little to offer, just sambuca-smelling cologne, PASS.

Very nice subtle cologne from the Italian masters of paisley. Etro's Heliotrope is the aroma of bitter-sweet almonds on a bed of white flowers sprayed with caramel-milk. Quite weak, but this is not an issue here as I suspect a strength-increase would just make it overtly sweet and cloying. Also I'm surprised that this was released in 89, comes across as much more contemporary and soft compared to what stuff generally smelled like then.

Just like Fahrenheit you'll recognize Egoïste immediately in your proximity. Very original spicy and warm oriental with an almost medicinal, semi-bitter opening. That quickly fades though, leaving room for a sweet, woody base with vanilla and roses that keeps you enchanted (and enchanting!) for many, many hours. One of Chanel's best and a rich example of the fact that their male collection is on par with the legendary female one.

Caron's Pour un Homme is one of my most beloved classics. It feels so modern you can't understand it was created more than half a century ago! I guess this was the first fragrance to combine the sharp astringent qualities of lavender with smooth and powdery bourbon vanilla. The combination is of course brilliant and the sales of for instance Gaultier's Le Male is great proof of this. PuH is sweet, masculine, confidence-inducing, comforting and uplifting all at once. One for gentlemen around the globe. A subtle classic, will be available forever (I guess and hope).

VERY VERY heavy on the cilantro/coriander which gives it a sour and perfumey (in a negative way) aura. I don't think Aquaman is a very good blend, just too disharmonic and sharp. It does however seem to have many fans, so maybe this is just my dislike for the entire genre shining trough... The Jacques Cousteau-ish bottle is brilliant though!

The fragrance people at Rochas really thought outside the box when creating Lui, and for that they should get some cred. Cause this one could have easily come out in the 70's or even 60's, it is VERY classic smelling. The juice itself isn't exactly super original, an orange blossom/vanilla cocktail with a dash of patchouli. But the overall impression is a sympathetic and masculine one. Can't imagine it's selling very well though.

I think this is a potentially great one, unfortunately the rose accord ruins it for me, making it to girlie. Mat; Male is the one fragrance best capturing the real aroma of both watermelon and parsley - 2 very cool notes that unfortunately haven't been used well before. What a pity that they added those florals to...

The only fragrance I can remember that has made me throw up. I literally vomited after spraying HR on my skin. There is something very wrong with this one, the sickly sweet vanilla base clashes with the rosewood in a bizarre way, and on top of that this smells extremely feminine to me. I guess the enduring global support for this one will always remain a mystery to me...

Just as Luca Turin wrote somewhere, Pamplelune is a very sulphuric juice. It slightly resemples that sharp smell when you light wooden matches. This supposedly is some strange quality unique to grapefruit, and since the pyramid lists it as " Acidulous Grapefruit" this certainly seems to be the case. It quickly fades into a semi-bitter citrus with a nice Guerlain-vanilla base and the scent sticks around for a long time, especially for being a part of the AA-series. A good wear for humid summernights I would say.

Can't stand it myself, but Happy probably is among the best ones in this genre. Should be the premier choice of teenagers worldwide. Inoffensive, linear orange and yuzu scent, crammed with that acidic/aquatic AdG quality that seems to attract so many people today. If your main goal with fragrances are to blend in and become as mainstream as possible, then Happy should be front row in your bathroom cabinet. The bottle does look good though.

Unadulterated brilliance. Don't have the energy to go on a rant about the virtues of Chaos now, but let's just say its one of the most smooth, slick, mellow, creamy and spicy leather based scents out there. Like a big piece of suede sprinkled with saffron and cinnamon. Heavenly.

Absolutely vile. Synthetic crap with some bizarre apple and coffee thing going on, anyone liking this surely must be on crack or very low on comparative experience. Please do yourself a favor and stay away from this garbage. And the bare thought that this comes from the same house that gave us the timeless Fuel, Black Cashmere and the pure genius of Chaos says a lot about todays market climate. Saddening.

Probably the biggest source of controversy on the male fragrance discussion board up to date. EVERYONE has an opinion of Kouros, this one just doesn't allow neutrality... Okay, I'm on the positive camp, a great classic in my perspective, but as so often with those - keep the application moderate. That way you'll have a honey/incense/clove/amber combo signaling cosmopolitan masculinity all day, AND night - bizarre longevity, again like the majority of YSL's. If you can't take the Great White Devil, as Indie Guy calls Kourous, by the horns immediately, there are plenty of summer and sport versions working as a great introduction. Once you're ready to face the beast - he'll reward you big time. =)

This one was just unnecessary really. I suspect they only launched it to play around with the colour scheme of the oooh so classic tin cannister. Go for the real deal instead, you won't be dissapointed!

A remake that actually does deserve some attention. This one is quite different from it's big brother, the smokey, oudh-ish, Dr Peppery brown bottle. Fresh has some pronounced citrus, grapefruit mainly, and less of that darkness (that can come across as quite feminine sometimes) so characteristic of the original. Obviously better suited for the summer season.

Flawless update of old classics like Tuscany and Azzaro PH. Modernized spicebomb a lá 1970's. Rive Gauche PH manages to sport a very contemporary appeal alongside of the rugged, masculine rawness. I can honestly say nothing else elicits so many positive reactions in the clubs and dancefloors as this one. It just signals that 70's decadence so incredibly well, without smelling one bit stuffy or dated. Tom Ford should be a very respected man for pushing stuff like this and M7 in an era where the the best seller lists include Polo Blue and Davidoff Echoe... One of my top 5 forever.

I think Escadas female fragrance developers are the number one experts on fantastic top notes. All these seasonal launches smell unbelievably great when you first try them, I know cause I bought this one for my lady immediately. Once that blast of fresh strawberry and delicious fruit punch settles, the rest isn't as good unfortunately. Still this works great as a "refresher" during the warm months of the year.

This one is Escada's worst release hands down. Nothing in common with great juices like Magnetism, PH or Casual Friday. Sentiment is just a synthetic mess, very Calvin Klein-ish. Poorly mixed red fruits with a dash of lime and rose pepper.Decent packaging doesn't save this work of haste. Discontinue, pleaaaase.

The cognac-note is no gimmick, Escada PH definitely has a vintage brandy vibe to it. This is a really cosy and warm juice, would only wear it in winter.
Powdery and spicy, reminiscent of Aramis old JHL. Could definitely have been released a decade before it's actual launch. A modern classic.

Soft, subtle, saffron-scent that should be worn for romantic wear in my honest opinion. This one is very original for coming out in 2004, a warm caress of a fragrance, slightly woody and almost metallic. A big favourite of Basenoters globally, and I can certainly see why. Magnetism is a great blend of the aforementioned notes + leather and white musk - a class act!

The compariso to Joop! is unavoidable. These two really are very similar, Individuel being a sligthly muted version. Same monster sillage and longevity though. The question is just WHY? With so many people hating the original, did we really need a copycat? I don't think so, and if you want something this flashy and strong just go for the "scarlet bad-boy" in the first place.

This company makes some of the finest pens available and their wristwatches are excellent to. The fragrance department seems to suffer from a serious lack of good ideas though. Présence is decent at best, an ambery melange with mint and anise. Nothing new and the bottle is unpractical and above all not very good looking.

Sweet, peppery, positively smoldering with spices. One of the most uncompromising male orientals out there. The staying power is insane, probably weeks if you don't shower. The supporting products are top notch as well (like always from YSL) and the deo-stick is probably enough for those who want to keep it light. Did I mention it comes in a concentrated version as well? =)

Like many of it's 70's peers, Gentleman suffers from the patchouli OD so typical for this decade. On me it's sour and nasty, very strong too. The base reeks of civet, which is fecal by nature, and doesn't improve the overall impression one bit... Stay away!

Never been a vetiver fan and this rendition is no exception. Still I really appreciate this classic blend, just not on my own skin. Green, grassy and lemony opening, maybe a hint of coconut as well? It progresses through the typical vetiver, slightly bitter and soilish - this is the part I can't stand. But the tobacco/tonka base significantly mellows it out leaving a very nice finish. Not for me but I won't diss it either, it's just too darn classic. Would put it next to Eau Sauvage in terms of timeless appeal.

Cumin done right. Probably the only fragrance with detectable cumin that doesn't smell like bad BO. Eau d'Hermès is just so perfectly balanced. Perhaps not a surprise since the Great Roudnitska is it's creator. Dries down to a sweet, super-pleasant almost bubblegum-ish base that surrounds you for hours and hours. One of the best "ancient" creations still available.

I can say I bought Bois Farine on the spot after just smelling the sprayer. It has been in my top 5 ever since, and trust me, that says a lot. It's so original I can hardly describe it. Just like Marlen I think it has a strong peanutty-character but there's so much more to BF. There's bitterness but also sweetness, it's masculine but also very floral. It dries down to a kind of pastrie finish that sticks around forever, easily the strongest L'Artisan on the market. Just try it, if you like it chances are it'll become a life-long companion.
Masterfull.

As any regular basenoter knows, Laguna is the premier choice of the distinguished Mr. Milamber on the boards. I share his affection for it only to a ertain extent. An able fragrance that I'd describe as a CK Be with a good dose of saltiness and a strong vanilla base. Lasts very well and is a good choice for guys with no other vanillas in their wardrobes.

To add a few words: Ungaro III still holds it's position as the best fall fragrance. It 's like bottled autumn really. Dark and manly but earthy and with pronounced rose as well. This should be worn under layers of tweed walking in a foggy english park with yellow leaves surrounding you on the ground.
A very fine blend that deserves to be discovered by many.

Okay, this is indeed a Noble fragrance. SN definitely is very refined and a high quality juice. It smells almost more as mahogany than sandalwood, at least the juice conjures up very dark images when smelling it. Still there is something in here making it impossible for me to love this MPG. The coffee doesn't compliment the wood notes in a good way and the overall bitterness gets too much in the end for me. The best sandalwoods IMO are the ones with some sweet spices anchoring the compostion, for example Floris Santal and Gucci Envy. My grudge with this one is probably highly personal though, and if you usually enjoy high quality woody, formal and masculine stuff you should definitely give Santal Noble a try.

Already worn by lots of men, this fragrance is presented in a very stylish heavy, rectangular glass-flacon. It is indeed mainly an amber scent, just like Serpent pointed out, but the beginning smells awfully fruity, at least to me. Also I do find it a tad too girlie for personal wear but I'd love to smell it on my girlfriend. It must be said though, that for such a prestige-couture house this launch is somewhat dissapointingly mundane...

Stylish 40's packaging and decent linear lavender scent with herbal elements, terribly weak though. Has that typical mossy base that can be found in most of the really old gentlemen's colognes.

Standard cedar in cologne form. Just like White Moss this one is terribly weak, but unlike a light musk this becomes more problematic in a wood-based fragrance. Cedro does smell nice but the limited strength doesn't make it purchase-worthy. Love the simple packaging though. This company btw has tons of nice bath - products. Great soaps among other things.

Modern CK-garbage. Synthetic grass and woods that last approximately 30 minutes. Avoid at all costs. Like the majority of modern Kleins, the bottle is way to good looking considering what's inside. PASS!

Similar to the mens version but stronger, naturally. Very well suited for layering with the edc, that blend becomes more than just the sum of it's parts. Wonderfully ambigous and decadent, the ultimate MUSK -ride.

I wanna start with saying that the Cuiron flacon together with the Kiehl's Musk one are the finest ones in the fragrance world according to my humble taste. The no nonsense clean, apothecary style bottles are what juice should be contained in - always - old school greatness. It doesn't hurt that the fragrance itself is excellent also. A modern take on the classic leathers. This time again with the usual orange/neroli opening but also some semi-sweet plum giving it an almost raisinlike dimension clearly setting it apart. The juice doesn't evolve so much, stays pretty linear and is very heavy on the lovely hide-fumes. I don't think this is uni-sex in the same way as Cuir de Russie or Peau d'Espagne, Cuiron is a MANs fragrance, and a great one at that.

Loved big time by most basenoters, Bel Ami just isn't for me. Watching the pyramid + adding the strong leather it should be close to the fragrance of my dreams but it isn't. It smells stuffy and dated to me, If in the mood for smoke, check out Eaud de Fier or Bulgari Black instead. Bel Ami is very unknown in my country, which is great - cause frankly I think I'd be sick if I was on a bus or subway with someone wearing this. The only Hermès I clearly dislike.

JHL has a great deal in common with Creed's Acier Aluminium and I guess it's no surprise they were launched almost simultaneously. It has that decadent old-world smell, which is extremely rare in american perfumery. I can swear there is some dirty civet lurking in there. This is the #1 fragrance for many on the boards and I can certainly see why. Warm, spicy oriental, they don't make 'em like this anymore.

Unusual Sander juice that for some reason reminds me strongly of my familys country-house on the coast. It is hard to cathegorize but I'd say Feeling is a sweet aquatic with a moist, earthy base. Original and cool, like the others pointed out extremely hard to find unfortunately.

Casran is a nice but not outstanding fragrance from the bling-bling experts at Chopard. It's similar to a dozen things on the market and really isn't half as gourmand as the pyramid indicates. Buy it if you get a good deal, otherwise don't.

Strikingly modern and a great way to understand more recent launches like Santa Maria Novella's Nostalgia, Bulgari Black or even L'Artisans Dzing!
Knize Ten isn't terribly complex, but it was the first to explore the lovely relationship between leather, vanilla and amber. Somewhat sweet, uni-sex but leaning to the masculine side, and simply a very pleasant wear.

Just tried it for the first time and the resemblance to the green big brother is evident. A bit more refined and suitable for more occasions I guess. Since I love the original it's hard to not like this one as well. And I do agree that it is a hybrid between Polo and Safari, RCavs put it very well.

Already a big success in my home country, I can easily see why. Dior Homme just oozes quality. Everything from the flawless packaging and perfect bottle design to the dry iris/cocoa, powdery ambigous yet classic blend has obviously been overseen by Hedi Slimane personally. The man knows what he's doing. Just try Dior Homme and you'll understand.

Clearly the most mundane of the 3 colognes. Still definitely worth getting, at least discounted. A modern take on kölnisch wasser with a heliotrope side-dish to the usual citrus/herbs melange.

I have a great deal of respect for Hedi Slimane, and the updates he's doing for Dior on the olfactory side just feel very good. This guy is no sell-out, he cares about quality and originality the same way Tom Ford did for YSL when launching M7 and Rive Gauche - 2 modern giants.
This silver woods cologne is a sparkling blend, woody, sweet old but contemporary at the same time. Hard to describe really, just smells awesome!

Nice but perhaps not as earthshaking as some of the reviews suggest. Aramis is actually very reminiscent of the original Sergio Tachini. If you've smellt that one, imagine it with a strong tobacco base instead and you'll get the picture. Superb sillage and duration though.

These words actually concern the pure version- which isn't yet featured in the directory. Geir Ness immediately comes to mind when sniffing Eau de Caron Pure. Same type of sparkling, white floral freshness, but done masculinely here as well. Also it's good to see that Caron, home of 2 of great powerhouses - Yatagan and 3rd Man, has some contemporary offerings to. A keeper.

Dare I say I perceive Duel as somewhat "farty". The flatulant notes aside this is a very dry scent, clearly noticeable Iris - unfortunately not in the same nice fashion as in the new Dior Homme. I don't detet any tea here at all - is this supposed to be a tea-fragragrance? Whatever, not appealing at all to my nose.

I think this fragrance actually is called just Central Park. Anyway, I just received a sample of it and I'm thrilled. Its fantastic simply put. Looking at the pyramid I feel a little lost though:

"The world's first fragrance commemorating New York City's grand oasis of greenery.
Refreshing aroma of dew-fresh basil, verbena and mandarinleaf, bergamot and lime blossom.
The top notes segue into an intoxicating but not overly sweet floral heart of Bulgarian rose,
miguet and water jasmine. The comes the mossy-deep-in-the-forest base notes:
blue cedar, balsa wood, cashmere musk and patchouli."

This sound like a very green scent full of florals, while on my wrist it comes across as a sweet semi-gourmand, but definitely with lots of lovely citrus. Doesn't really matter, this, my first encounter with this brand has been a very positive one!

Not a personal favourite - but great craft nevertheless. Truly very green, has almost a vegetable feeling to it. Maybe I should rephrase that on second thought, vegetal is probaly more correct. Dry and green, and unlike Zhoya it lasts all day on my skin.

Nice one. Not too sweet, very balanced. According to Paul G at the boards it layers very well with Tea for Two from the same house. Am et to try this combo, but it sure sounds like a good one.

I'm a bit confused since I was sure I'd reviewed this fragrance some time ago... Anyhoo, such an exquisite EdT deserves a second praise. At first I didn't like TfT at all. I perceived it too smokey and sharp. But, as is the case often with the truly great blends, repeated sampling made me realize what a beauty this was. TfT is like a steaming cup of lapsang souchong with plenty of lemon squeezed into it and just the right amount of honey at the bottom of the cup.
The closest I've come to this sensation of a smell is Nina Ricci's Memoire and that's still miles away.

For me tea for two is the only non-drinkable tea I'll ever need.

L'Artisan Parfumeurs take on the classic cologne was bound to be original, as everything else they do. And of course it is. Just like Bwp pointed out L'Eau de L'Artisan is indeed very grassy. It smells fresh and lasts for ages (especially for a edc). Top notch, as expected.

Very much along the lines of Bulgari Black, Dzing is smokey, semi-sweet and a bit rubbery. This is a more complex fragrance though, I can detect something smelling like cherries and there is that signature sawdust accord. Overall a brilliant launch and as uni-sex as they come. The circus rumours are highly exagerated but I'll be damned if it doesn't have an animalic quality to it. Like so many from this house, this is best worn when in the mood for sweet, sweet love.

Top 3 L'Artisan for me and a favourite among many on the boards. To me Passage D'Enfer smells very much like Bulgari Ph, but with 2 important differences- a very well done smokey incense note and some toned down florals. Very mellow though, not a strong scent, highly suited for romantic enterprises I would say. Just like Mechant Loup the name is misleading though, this is no purgatory or passage to hell, this is the passage to making out with that woman or man you've been eyeing for so long ;).

What can I say, another brilliant offering from the house that is my absolute favourite. Warm, woody and with that strong initial hazelnut blast that can be found only in Mechant Loup. The drydown actually has a lot in common with Passage D'Enfers. That same organic, slightly sweetly smoky and floral vibe. These fragrances all put me in such a nice, relaxed mood. But as the ever eccentric Baron de Charlus pointed out, this is hardly a big bad wolf, rather a feel-good squirrel with a huge hazelnut-stash.

Only L'Artisan scent I really dislike. I think Timbuktu is too woody and sharp. Also I'm getting extremely fed up with the use of incense in modern scents, it often takes over, dominating the blend, This is certainly evident here. In the same genre I'd pick YSL's excellent Body Kouros instead.

To feminine for my personal wear, but this truly is one of the most gentle scents I've tried. Like a light fruity caress. Berries done in the way they should be. Haven't tried the concentrated version yet, maybe it's different enough for me to purchase.

Avant-garde and probably the most abstract fragrance ever created. I guess that that in itself deserves some credit. CdG did push the limits with this and the other one (71), and seen as little pieces of art or installations they are very cool. One of the best looking bottles for sure. However I find them completely unwearable. Maybe I can't "think outside the box" sufficiently, I don't care, I really don't want to smell like dust on a lightbulb when I'm riding the metro.

Rhubarb notes are very unusal as far as I know, and here you get a clean and natural one. This series is very one-dimensional (as I'm guessing is the purpose) so I think this rhubarb would probably be suitable to layer with other stuff. Maybe he cinnamon from the same line, could become a cool, sweet pie-thing...

Bottled chewing gum, PASS!

The rhubarb one is nice though. Could probably be layered successfully with
Mugler's B*men.

I'm bizarrely addicted to coffee, espresso, cappucino, lattes - you name it. Therefore I'm always on the prowl for a good coffe-scent. So far A*men, Rochas Man and Christobal have been the best for me, but the coffee is just a component in those. I want it to take center stage sometime! Well, Wood Coffe was NOT he ticket. An overall decent launch, this is more woody and has a somewhat synthetic aura to it.
I'll have to check out Hanae Mori and Black Vetyver Café soon...

I don't wanna be vulgar here but spicy cocoa comes across more as spicy poo-poo to my nose. This really smells fecal, I was feeling sick for 15 minutes after sampling it. What the hell were they thinking??? Yuck.

Hands down the best of this the latest series. Linear and sweet, but pleasant and with great sillage too. A winner. It's also funny how they abandoned the sleek, graphic, modern packaging for a kitschy-french boudoire style this time around.

First I was stunned - what a great tea fragrance, excellent update of Tea for Two et al. After the topnotes fade however NT slips into classic CdG mode and comes across almost exactly as something from the 1:st series (leaves). Big dissapointment.

Really has a strong noticeable ink note like the pyramid says and it is definitely well balanced in terms of uni-sex-ness. 2 does smell original no doubt, and has achieved large sucess in Sweden for being so avant-garde. However something prevents me from loving it like with so many other Comme de Garcons fragrances. The is something disharmonic, industrial about it. I'm sure that is the whole point, but can't digest it myself.

In my honest opinion this is a shameless rip off of Gucci PH. They're 95% the same. Doesn't make things better I wasn't too fond of that one either. Also this one is very ordinary compared to the usual avant-garde style of Cdg, is this really the path Puig has in mind since taking over?
Thumbs down from the MonkeyMan!

I'm a big sushi and sashimi fan and at one of the better restaurant for this in Stockholm (East) you always receive shiso leaves with your order. It is a strange but pleasant taste and smell, somewhat minty. I must say they captured the essence extremely well in this juice, however it is not something I wish my skin to smell like.

Nice and pretty linear carnation scent. I don't like that note myself but my father does and he was very satisfied with CdG's take. Like all CdG's the packaging for the red series is flawless.

Ordered this blind and quickly traded it away. Very Diptyque-ish in terms of composition. Smells like an incredibly strong christmas potpourri. High quality fragrance no doubt, but sometimes more isn't more. There are just too many different types of spices here and the end result becomes bitter, very medicinal. Strong hay note as well, just like in Villoresi's Yerbamate, not half as pleasant here unfortunately. Not for me.

Generic citrus/woods scent that is hardly worth sampling. Apparently very popular in Russia for some strange reason. Stay away, or at least get the original (red bottle) which has a little more substance.

Sticky, sugary and ridiculously strong vanilla juice that is very popular globally. As always with sillage-monsters it is all in the application. Stick to 1-3 spritzes, up that and you'll make yourself or EVERYONE else sick. The orignal juice is waaaay better than the blue fraiche version launched later - that one smells extremely artificial.

First of all they have really made a superb job with packaging and bottle, very attractive.
It starts out with some very fresh notes contrasted by heavy hazelnut coffee which creates a very weird first impression, but I like it. After a while, and I'm very surprised no one else on the boards has experienced the same, it becomes extremely reminiscent of Polo Sport! I swear, after 1-2 hours they're very hard to tell apart on my skin. This fact probably will keep me from investing in this Givenchy.

Probably the only fragrance with that darn grass in the name that I like. I'd say it's the pefect vetiver for people who, well, aren't too fond of - vetiver. Spicy and masculine, very well blended. It's the great balance of the fragrance that prevents the vetiver from taking over too much with the earthy, dirty quality. Many vetiver-fans seem to be searching for just those qualities and I'd say L'Occitane is probably not for them. But for me who HATES Vetiver Extraordinaire, RdV etc it's the perfect choice.

Definitely sharing characteristics with the original Polo (another favourite of mine, especially since we don't have the nasty frat-boy association with it outside of the US) this really is a bad-boy in many senses. It's just very uncompromising in it's less than subtle blend of basil, nutmeg, lavender etc. Not a single ingredient leans towards the fresh, clean spectrum ( except for some hardly noticeable bergamot) and it's definitely in your face. However I continued sampling it and eventually got the shower gel from my girlfriends father who found it to strong(!). Its a classic though and there is definitely something extra about this more than 20 year old chypre...

This is perhaps the only fragrance that I haven't made up my mind about after years of exposure. I tried it in the States first and I thought it was a bad joke, I thought it smelled like old tobacco in a rusty bucket with rotten orange peels... Later on I got a sample of it from Mark (MJH) and I kind of enjoyed it. Now however I'm sceptical again. I most honestly say, pointing out there is a lot of niche stuff i haven't tried yet, that this is the most original and strange commercial fragrance I have ever tried. As much as I deeply respect the fine noses of this community I find it weird, almost disturbing,that so many love this one here! It's sooo strange. I've studied it's pyramid many times and I find some key notes missing. To me this sucker is entirely about: Orange zest, incredibly strong tobacco, mint/menthol, some very weird metallic "rusty" note and heavy, dirty musks. I have the feeling I 'll never quite "get" this scent...

Maybe my sample was bad or something but I can't relate to all the glowing reviews on this juice. To me it's a competent, spice and woods mix with sharp lavender and herbs. Very eigthties mood to it. The bottle has been replaced and the juice is now presented in the same clean looking transparent bottle as it's siblings PuH and Yatagan.

Okay, where to begin... Let's start by saying that there is a very big ( I estimate it to about 85% ) chance that Yatagan is the most masculine smelling fragrance ever created. Caron's contribution to the 70's madness took things just a liiittle further. Simply put Yatagan smells like a horse. Not just any old horse either, but a musky, power stallion on hormonal overload living in the mountain areas of Tibet working as a lumber transporter of some sorts. This brew is just extreme in a way the kids of today could never grasp. Yatagan is perversely spicy, woody, piney, leathery - it does NOT take prisoners. So if these are the qualities that excite you, look no further, this Caron has Azzaro PH and Polo Green for starters, Paco Rabanne as the main dish and
even Bois de Portugal for dessert (in terms of it being hardcore - not qualitywise). Do I wear it myself? - I don't think so! Wouldn't even cross my ind, but dissing the ultimate power juice #1 in the world wouldn't either!

Very nice and quite unusal. If it resembles anything I'd say Lorenzo Villoresi's Musk but with a very strong violet and lilac character. Powdery and somewhat feminine, but not overtly. Just a fine example of an ambigous classic in french perfumery. Personally I do find the flacon a tad tacky though...

In many ways a great end to the 90's. A decade that unforunately, and this is my private and subjective opinion, signaled the begining of a large-scale demise of the perfumery world. Of course created by master nose Polge, Allure stands as evidence that new ideas and concepts can be explored without losing the quality and feeling of consistency within a house. I'd say Allure was very original upon it's launch. Although not a gourmand per se, it is very strong and the tonka beans give it a sweet, powerful aura. There is also a persistent pepper accord that enhances an incredibly masculine feeling midst all the sweetness. I dismissed it's little brother, the sport version, when that came out. But I've reconsidered since the, even buying a bottle. The Sport edition tones down some of the original strength, but also adds a lovely milky note (similar to the one found in Diesel's ++) that sets it apart enough to own both.

Despite the horrible orange plastic bottle this is a great scent that deserved a much better fate. When I first sampled it, the house of Bulgari instantly came to mind. RMM has that same playful, light vibe that is so typical of many Bulgari creations. I'm sure there is some tea in here as well. The scent goes from a pleasant neroli and mandarin top to a slightly sweet and musky drydown that lingers for a very long time. Shortly, if you see this scent somewhere, be sure to try it. A very unknown gem.

Flawless skin musk. The quintessential "anti-fragrance", blending with skin in minutes creating a faint but very pleasant juniper/white musk aura. Sure it's light, but this is the main idea. A scent that can be worn at ALL times, even if you're in a temporary fragrance burnout period or had a sensory overload due to Diptyque's vicious L'Autre =) . Great bottle as well, even more appealing than the original "One" version. A classic in all of it's simplicity.

A bitter and sugary vanilla absolutely perfect for enhancing and layering with other scents. Very mono-note, so not so exciting on it's own, but that feature makes its so suitable to mix with other fragrances. Try for example layering it with Cacharel's Nemo, Lush's Prince or Helmut Lang. Accentuates other notes such as musk and different woods very nicely by adding a bitter-sweet vanilla dimension to them. Nothing feminine about it all btw.

Most certainly the premier atrocity of the fragrance world. This is the most putrid, reeking, sweat-infused brew of nasty BO one could ever imagine. Cumin-overload, words cannot describe the horrors contained in the stylish graphic bottle. This could be used as some kind of chemical weapon for sure. Horrendous. Surrealistically vile. An absolute abomination.

Although I really enjoy the smell of this oldie I, can't help to think it's better suited for the ladies. I was given a generous sample of it at Skins in Amsterdam (one of the worlds finest fragrance stores, IMO) and the friendly sales-woman said she loved the smell of this on men. So I gave L'Ombre dans L'Eau many wearings. I will say it contains the perhaps purest, most lovely rose I've ever experienced in liquid form. And maybe it's this strong floral character that makes me a little uncertain of it's masculine appropriateness. It shares a similar blackcurrant accord with Creed's Silver Mountain Water, making it very fresh and crisp. Probably the perfect scent for a 25-30 year old professional woman during spring and early summer. However not very unisex at all.

Van Gils feeble attempt to cash in on the Acqua di Gio bandwagon. As much as I dislike that Armani, it is miles better qualitywise than this cheap copy. Just another good looking bottle with utterly pointless contents.

Very generic neroli/vanilla mix. Same style as Roma, Minotaure etc, but inferior. For some reason Van Gils fragrances are very popular here in Sweden, I don't know why since they're decent at best. This company makes nice shirts and should stick to that, raincheck Between Sheets and the rest!

My mother's signature fragrance since decades. And what a fine "oldie" she has chosen. Traditional chypre composition that I guess has defined the genre to a certain extent. It smells classy, green and floral and lasts forever. I think a man could pull this off, if applied extremely sparingly, afterall the drydown is very woody. The frosted bottle with the "dogtooth" pattern is a classic as well.

Superb "post-modern" bottle, boring "modern" fragrance. I have a personal grudge with pear as a note and Burberry London is the only blend (I can think of now) that makes it tolerable. Cerruti Image, Perry Ellis Portfolio and yes, Dior's Higher are all ruined by this strange, edgy fruit-note. The overall is impression is a sharp one, not very balanced. Higher smells almost acidic, very sour at least. Good sillage for a post 2000 release, but it doesn't help unfortunately as the juice leaves so much to be desired.

Jules suffers from that 80's thickness that is just too much. Like Drakkar Noir, the original Van gils etc, Jules is very uncompromising in it's herbal, dry and arid composition. I do enjoy the leathery basenotes that are perfect, overall it's a very high quality scent. It's just to extreme in its dark, woody ruggedness, let some light in please...

A zesty fresh citrus classic that would could/should be mentioned together with the heavyweights like Eau Sauvage, Signoricci, Orange Verte and Monsieur Balmain. But just Like the aforementioned Hermès, EdH unfortunately struggles with severe longeviy issues. Strenghtwise it's definitely more a cologne than EdT. Too bad on such a natural-smelling lovely fragrance. Check out the Absolu version which is stronger, or the Les Nuits edition which is alltogether a different scent, both great alternatives.

A strong men's floral along the lines of the original Van Cleef & Arpels and Oscar de la Renta. There is something nasty in Elite though, somehow the florals come across as very dissonant and overtly powdery to my nose. Shortly, this smells really dated in the same way as Aramis and Paco Rabannne PH, NEXT!

Marvelous fragrance with the highest quality possible. Santal is such a smooth, natural blend, very masculine and romantic. It is indeed very similar to Gucci's Envy, but not as loud and even richer. It has a bitter edge to the sandalwood that makes it very old school, but never in a bad or cloying fashion. Much more complex than your average sandalwood, so if you want a "one-noter" go for Tam Dao, Santal Noble or Santal Imperial instead. This Floris is much more, IMHO one of the finest men's fragrances ever made.

This is the cinnamon I've been searching for all my life (well at least a few years ;) ). A search that has taken me from Obsession through to Cartier's Must via Baie de Genièvre, CdG White and so forth.
Of all these lovely cinnamon interpretations, Incensi has appealed the most to me. It is brutally manly and extremely spicy like the majority of LV`s. But do not let the name fool you, although there is sinificant incense to be found here, this Villoresi is first and foremost a hommage to cinnamon - the note of kings!

Completely different take on this perhaps the most classic note of them all. In Lorenzo's rendition we get a sweet, slightly powdery musk with a lovely, mellow rose heart. Like many Villoresis it is quite creamy and the woody base makes it very safe for masculine wear, although there is nothing overtly feminine about the fragrance at all. Musk is in my honest opinion one of LV`s finest and a great example (just like his colonia) of the way he flawlessly has updated many of the darlings of the perfumery-world.

Nothing to do with it's big brother, the black bottle. Rouge is like the name implies very red, smells ike red fruit punch with a distinct cactus note. Extremely sweet and with significant power, extremely strong actually, at Joop!ish levels. The drydown is a conventional woody one, but doesn't appear until many hours after application as the fruity sweetness lingers forever. All in all a pretty cool and original release but to cloying at times.

Highly original floral composition that really doesn't remind of anything else. Picture a snowcovered mountainside with crisp air, the breeze sweeping through the surrounding woods and the most delicate white flowers growing in the white landscape, this is the image Geir creates. I'm really not exagerating this is how powerful of a scent Geir really is. And the fact that an ordinary norwegian guy like Geir Ness has achieved worldwide success with this and Laila, the womens fragrance, says everything about the quality and work contained in the simple, stylish bottle. The fact that this is one of very few masculine florals that work + superb longevity doesn't exactly weaken it's glory!

Reading the awesome list of notes, anyone who has sampled Very Valentino would surely become VERY Confused. The pyramid shows a spicy tobacco fragrance with woods and musk, but in reality this is just a medium musky, semi-sweet plain scent. Very pleasant no doubt, but not half as original or masculine like it's predecessor, Vendetta - the leather king. I would say that Very Valentino is extremely suited for office wear though. Just the right strength and output for that enviroment.

There is some cloying element in Zino that never made me embrace it. It also comes across as quite feminine, perhaps the strong rosewood? However it is very recognizeable and original, so I guess it could easily become the signature for anyone who isn't bothered by the aforementioned factors. Imagine Gaultier's Le Male with added florals and a sweet tonka base. It's definitely a quality scent, just not my cup of tea.

This male Samba comes in the same the weird shape as the other earlier ones, but the bottle is terra cota with a nice dry finish. The fragrance is ok, opens with strong mint and herbs. The drydown is like a mix of Biagiotti's Roma and Diesel Zero Plus, very woody and with vanilla + strong cinnamon.

Think Calvin Klein's Escape, but significantly more competent execution. A fruity, masculine musk that I must say still smells very contemporary. The best of the Samba line that does contain quite a few hidden gems.

I don't know if there is any other fragrance brand except Cerruti, where I really dislike ALL launches up to date. Just like CerrutiSí and Image, 1881 is an unfinished blend IMO that doesn't know where to go. It never settles down to something harmonious or balanced, just a bunch of soapy, woody notes plus a completely unnecessary rose accord that bounce around each other leaving the wearer uncomfortable. Try Bulgari PH for a brilliant take on a similar idea.

Oakmoss has always been one of my least favoured notes along with vetiver, and Drakkar Noir truly reeks of spices and dry oakmoss. I find it bland, one-dimensional and overtly macho in a very negative way. This is outdated stuff that shouldn't be worn by anyone except maybe bearded bikers (and they probably aren't too keen on fragrance anyway...). Stuffy, inasanely strong and often ridiculously over -applied. YUCK!

A pleasant surprise from the people behind the horrid Drakkar Noir =).Although this one shares the contour-lines of that 80's beast, that is fortunately their only similarity. Horizon is like a hybrid between Kenzo PH and Extreme Polo Sport - a marine with strong peppery elements. Sticks around forever as well, like many pre Acqua di Gio launches.

Dissapointing early nineties launch that didn't stay in production that long. Reminds of Hugo Boss Elements, both in concept and actual smell. Grab the terrific Booster from the same company instead!

Was sceptical about Brit at first, mainly due to what I perceived as lousy staying power. After a few revisits I now find it very nice and actually sporting decent longevity. It's a very subtle scent, modern musk with floral elements, mainly rose. The drydown reveals a spicier side though, and after an hour or so your skin will smell of delicious dry and spicy gingerbread. A nice "grower"-scent. Another hit from this brittish house.

Oddly this one doesn't have any reviews yet, sells a lot worldwide to my knowledge. EdC is a very mossy green unisex scent with a super distinct tomato leaf note in the top. Perhaps leaning slightly to the feminine side, EdC is still herbal and dry enough for any guy to pull off. It lasts forever which is good considering the hefty price tag. Reportedly a favourite of the Swedish Queen Silvia.
Must say it definitely smells more modern than something launched in the early 70's. A classic from a original and somewhat excentric french company.

Semi-sweet, semi-oriental, it's hard to pin down Tel-Quel. Definitely an original blend that is easy to recognize once you've smellt it. However there is some weird note in there, possibly coriander, that is kind of disturbing to me. Good lasting power and very cheap like all Rochers. If you want something reminiscent of YSL's Live Jazz but much sweeter, then Tel-Quel might be a good option.

This one is very much like Diesel's Zero Plus Masculine. Heavy on cinnamon and woody notes but very little depth or complexity. Actually both the bottle and the scent itself feels kind of tacky and it's a good example of the fact that many cheap fragrances really are plain bad. Any other of the male Rocher launches is a better choice than Aztec.

I really like it, however I can't detect so many other notes beside the amber. It 's just basically a quite dark amber scent that sweetens up with time. Compared to L'artisans Ambre Extreme (which is THEE amber for me) I'd say AS is a little more mature, dark, less sweet and with better staying power. A Lutens classic!

Incredibly complex no doubt, but unfortunately equally incredibly nauseating to me. This is just to much for me to handle, Arabie triggers a sensory overload for me, like walking around in giant spice market all day when wearing this. Like the most overtly spicy offerings from Diptyque, Villoresi and CdG this is just too foody for me. If i get the craving for a christmas fruit cake I eat one, don't wear one!
Jokes aside it is a masterfull blend, but to me an aqquired taste that definitely should be sampled first. Go for Ambre Sultan instead if you need to order any SL online with no testing opportunity.

Lolita is very similar to Body Kouros by YSL, but without the incense and eucalyptus in that one. Instead LL has a very strong licorice aroma that was quite unique when it came out. Since then we've had Mat;Very Male, KenzoAir and several other launches based on licorice/anise, but to this day I feel that LL does this the best. It's projection isn't the greatest on me, but it lingers around the skin for quite some time. I think that Lolita together with A*men and Rochas Man will stay at the top of the gourmand genre for years to come.

It's very simple: Just don't overdo Le Male and it will be perfect. Every who has once encountered this Gaultier knows its uncanny potency. Therefore 2-3 spritzes should please even the most hardcore wearers. Much of this fragrance's bad rep stems from the fact that many guys just go bananas on the trigger, creating a thick, nauseating cloud for anyone close by. It is however a brilliant blend and I feel it's also very contradictory. In the sense that the overall impression feels extremely modern while the composition and notes definitely are inspired by and pay hommage to classic french perfumery. I mean how many modern best sellers have a lavender note this prominent? Also the seductive, heavy vanilla in the base reminds me of the old Guerlains like Shalimar.
As most of us know, Le Male has been a mega-bestseller in Europe since it's creation, and this goes to show that being creative and original does pay off in the long run. Le Male should be a lesson to all the companies trying to make a quick buck on all these seasonal launches, re:editions and hollow new gimmicky releases. -Put some real effort in and you will be rewarded!
With that being said I think Le Male should be a part in every mans wardrobe, unless you can't stand orientals that is =).

A very unfortunate case of "smelling-much-better-on the-paper-strip-than-on-my-skin" for me wit EdM. This is a perfectly crafted clean amber scent with some spicy citrus. EdM just smells clean in a way I've never encountered before, it blends into the skin in brilliant way. Unfortunately it takes a feminine turn on my skin that was not present on my sample strip. Every man should try it though, cause I think it is extremely uni-sex. Another winner from Hermès!

The world famous tennisplayer from my home country Sweden now makes a living by selling high quality underwear and medium quality fragrances. 109, which is a statistical reference to how many consecutive weeks Mr Borg was ranked the worlds no 1 tennis player, is a decent citrus offering on the dry side. Lots of bergamot going trough dry herbs and eventually landing on a standard wooden base. Not very exciting, but for the low price it usually can be found for it's quite good. Would work fine for office use for example.

Very classy, and the lemon explosion of topnotes belong to the best in the fragrance world. It's a shame that these vaporize so quickly though, because the heart and base aren't as great. Still a very steady, rich and classic fragrance that I guess will be around for ages. Original jewelry-inspired packaging like all Boucherons.

An aquired taste and perhaps not for the mainstream. Jaïpur is very original and playful. Strong powdery notes, mainly because of the vanilla, but also a sweet, almondy heliotrope that gets a lot of space. The drydown goes on to become quite spicy and this Boucheron, just like it's predecessor, feels very formal and perfectly suited (pun intended)for business occassions. It's a try before you buy fragrance though, as I suspect that the powdery feel might be to much for some.

As dull and uninspired as everything else the Gant-people have laid their preppy little fingers on. A watered down grapefruit/neroli mix that seems to have been designed for an anemic, politically correct government office. Or something like that... I guess you get the picture - BORING! Save your money and buy Creed's Erolfa instead.

Like the colour of the juice suggests this is very peachy indeed. Quite frankly I'm not sure why Gant even bothers to continue launching fragrances since everything they do is so horribly ordinary that it gets discontinued within a year or two. As you might suspect G2 isn't even worth a quick sniff and it shall be as waguely remembered as the embarassing Soho that came 3 years later. Let's hope that the latest aquatic monstrosity, Gant Adventure, meets the same fate soon...

Mossy ambiance with emphasis on cardamom. Somewhat synthetic overall impression, but ok staying power and like previously pointed out, almost always available for a very low price. For something similar but much better, check out another artist's fragrance - Le Roy Soleil. Although that one isn't a favourite of mine, it should appeal to any fans of Andy Warhol for Men.

Winter comfort scent. Extremely peppery and warm woods steadily anchored by a not too sweet vanilla. Rocabar feels very outdoorsy due to the clear pine and Hermès' reoccuring equstrian theme is strong as ever with this one.

Definitely a sibling to the previous mediterranean garden. This time without figs but with a fresh mango accent instead. The similarity is huge though, so need to get both.

Like all Elena's scents this is a competent olfatory experience, very zesty and nice. And unfortunately, like all Hermès's scents somewhat poor in the longevity department. Summerwear exclusively for this one.

Not bad at all, less cloying than the original and overall a more appealing fragrance. Actually not very similar to Eternity, much sweeter and and a lot more subtle. As tiresome as these seasonal releases may be, I think CK has a summer winner with this one.

Huge improvement over the original. Less floral, more manly but still containing that unique metallic Herrera note. A good example that re-editions sometimes are warranted. Cool (pun intended) ice cube conceptual packaging.

Actually haven't tried the fragrance itself, but that bottle is a piece of modern art. To come out with something this minimalistic 1969 is just pure genius. It's apparently inspired by the Roll's Royce radiator grill, which is called Calandre in french. I suspect that the Bauhaus movement also was a source of inspiration for the now classic design.

This flacon perfectly shows how cyclical our aesthetic perception is, as it wouldn't look retro in anyway if launched today.
Check out a pic at:
http://www.mydesignerperfume.com/img/Calandre.jpg
Beautiful.

Excellent bottle no doubt. Calandre by Rabanne is another great bottle with neat metal details. However this is one of the few powerhouse fragrances that I absolutely cannot stand. It reminds me of Aramis in it's thick herbal quality. If there was only some more sweetness added to the dense soapiness it could become great, but it's just to dry and cloying. Like an inpenetrable garden of sickly dry kitchen herbs.

For a nice one in this very same, mossy category, go for Gucci Nobile instead.

Don't think it has so much in common with the original, which I loathe by the way. To me this is a pretty one-dimensional lavender fragrance. Extremely modern in it's approach though, and this is not bad at all in this case. Breezy, light and lasting all day.
Strong lavender is after all a very unusal note in newer launches and it's great that there is a more modern alternative to the classic representatives of this ingredient like Caron Pour un Homme and Yardley.

The only original thing about Paco is it's recycleable packaging. Just like Ruslan pointed out, a total CK One rip off, launched to capitalize on that success. Haven't seen it for years btw, probably discontinued, let's hope so.

Odd one. Competing with Polo, Pino Silvestre and Creed's Epicea for the heavyweight Pine belt. The fizzy citrus-top fools you that it's a summer scent, but when that forestnote kicks in, warm weather is not what you want. Can't make up my mind on this one, very good sillage and power but the pine-extravaganza renders it somewhat cloying and not very versatile.

Apart from the very cool modernist bottle this isn't very exciting. Nice enough minty citrus opening but VS is weak and fleeting, and above all waaaaay to floral for my liking. The original Versus in the Marlon Brando-style carton was much better.

Nice daytime frag, practically identical to Emporio Armani He White. Looking at the pyramid I'm a little perplexed over the huge amount of notes as it's more or less a basic white musk with some nice citrus top notes. Typical Versace Glamour 'n Glitz packaging.

A pity that this one was discontinued. A lovely powdery, feminine vanilla presented in the great Jean-series packaging. Got my girlfriend 2 bottles and we both enjoyed it a lot. Somewhat similar to the first female Emporio Armani, the one in the golden cylinder.

Reminiscent of Gaultier's Le Male, but possibly even stronger. I really liked Blue Jeans at first with it's potent blend of violet, lavender and a very creamy sandalwood finish. However I started perceiving it as quite cloying (maybe my bottle went bad) and ultimately gave mine away. Held on to the lovely decadent, camp cowboy motif tin can though. A true work of sleazy genius.

No offense, but these all suck big time. The bottles are so tacky they belong in a John Waters film. Actually the whole concept is so camp I might buy some just for fun. Bleeeh! If I'm not mistaken btw, the blue one is a bad copy of Cool Water as well...

Ô is a slightly forgotten unisex classic. Standard formula eau cologne, this time in the hands of Lancôme. No surprises here, the blend we know so well, tons of citrus set against green herbs, mostly basil in this case. Basically another well done Eau to chose from the hundreds.

Remember mom and dad sharing the bottle when I was a kid, I off course "borrowed" some from time to time.

Topping my list of most pointless launches this decade together with the 2 recent Zegnas, Morgan de Toi and a handfull others. Sharp, sour, run of the mill garbage. The cucumber note is especially bad, and what a shame that they failed to use such a cool note in a good way.

The only positive thing about Polo Blue is that it lasts for approximately 1 hour.

Besides sporting a flawless Hemingway-ish bottle and packaging, Safari is an excellent fragrance. Herbal like Polo (green bottle) and Crest but with a fresh dimension as well, which is definitely welcome. It is very recognizeable, due to that soapy, leather and woods base. Sweet and masculine, - good stuff.

The first "real" fragrance I ever bought and I remember being amazed how anything could smell this complex. 12 years and some 50 different bottles of fragrance later that thought seems somewhat remote...

Sentimental associations aside Polo Sport is a decent release which is indeed very sporty. Somewhat similar to Kenzo PH, but inferior in quality. It is a citrussy, aquatic fragrance with a peppery bite and clear seaweed notes.

Not bad at all, but so many more exciting things have come out since then. Will always hold nostalgic value for me though ;).

Escape is to blame for a lot. Actually probably not, but it was indeed the first fragrance in this fruity fresh synthetic genre that eventually dominated the market for over a decade and only now is starting to stagnate. This development was unfortunately inevitable, mainly due to the great backlash against the eighties. A decade of decadence, consumerism and above all the incredibly strong powerhouse fragrances. With the nineties came grunge, beige clothes and extreme political correctness. People became very afraid to offend anyone in any way, which also became noticeable in the fragrance world, ultimately leading up to the total dominance of another CK - One.

But first came Escape, miles away from the spicy, ultra masculine juices like the first Armani, Jacomo de Jacomo etc. Very fruity, fleeting and presented in a bottle that clearly looks uni-sex, even leaning to the feminine side.

Enough with history, the juice itself is just plain boring. Synthetic, zero harmony and as mentioned before, zero longevity.

If you must have something in this genre, try Kenzo's L'eau Par or even Lacoste Red.
Next!

Great heavy fragrance reminiscent of the old french classics. The EDP version smells sweet, floral and loaded with apricots and honey. Strong floral elements as well (lily of the valley & gardenia?). 2 spritzes will keep your dame lovely for the whole day. The Monica Bellucci ad is amazing too. 5/5 Matt/Sweden

Dirty and sexy animalic musc with super potency. Not one for the office, clubbing and romantic wear only for this beast. By can easily be very overpowering and needs to be handled with caution, 3 sprays works great for me. I'd classify it as a peppery, woody oriental. However it seems to have added pheromones or something, cause the drydown smells like sex (in a good way!). Definitely recommend sampling before getting By, because the animalic heaviness might be too much for some.

One of the nicer day time fragrances for women. I immediately bought it for my girlfriend upon release. Little did I know how popular it would become. I'd say it is probably the most worn female fragrance in my country right now. It's understandable though as it's an extremely pleasant blend of orange blossom, white musk and some other sweet and fresh notes. Also Light Blue doesn't feel artificial or cloying at all like many others (Issey Miyake, Polo Sport for women etc.) and this fact has surely contributed to it's massive sucess. Same bottle as the original but with frosted glass and blue lid.

Well made summer/spring citrus. Heavy on the ginger and with a quite strong mossy base and a bitter lime-peel note making it substantially more masculine than most of the other fragrances in this genre. A neat brushed steel cylinder protects the juice from light.

Yuck. Horrible. Vanillic, powdery, orange pez-mess. Stay clear. The ridiculous container isn't smart or good looking by the way, just ugly and unfunctional.

Weirdly this seems to sell shitloads, which just goes to show how much marketing does, cause I can never be wrong can I? ;)

Some fragrances seem to be caught in the time they were releaseed in. Hugo together with Eternity and Joop! are good examples of this. Sure, they were all the rage and nice upon release, but it IS time to let go now. So many interesting things were made after and before that there is no need for these anymore. They've lost to the zeitgeist. And that goes for Drakkar and Van Gils original too.

Very synthetic and the worst one from Boss together with that nasty little metal sphere - In Motion.

Decent but lacking depth. A little to close to many others in the end. XS by Paco Rabanne has been mentioned, but I don't think that is fair, as that one widely surpasses Elements in terms of complexity. This would only become a part of my collection if I received it as a gift.

Good one. Bought it in Poland on a trip and haven't seen it anywhere else, almost like a ghost cologne. Remember it being very heavy and ridiculously masculine, playing in the same ball league as Gucci Nobile and Azzaro. Just look at the bottom of that pyramid and you get the picture.

Overall a very dissapointing experience.
The only fact saving Soul from total disaster in this case is that they're at least moving in the right direction, away from horrible aquatics like Del Mar.

Soul is as basic an amber as anyone with just a little understanding of perfumery could have created. A generic citrus opening, followed by a spicy heart and then a woody/sweet drydown. There are a billion of these already and we really didn't need yet one more.

Check out Hoggar by Yves Rocher instead, better and cheaper.

Superb eighties juice, virtually impossible to find anywhere. It had that herbal dryness like many of it's peers, but also a sporty freshness and some tonka to warm it up. Always enjoyed the botle too, its something Gordon Gecko from Wall Street must have slapped on after a long racquetball game with one of his disciples.

If you against all odds find it somewhere, do not hesitate to grab it immediately.

Hugo Boss has released some nice fragrances over the years, and I think that much of the bashing they receive on the boards is undeserved. Elements Aqua for instance is a very potent blend, that funnily enough isn't very aquatic at all. It's more of a sweet, smooth and very warm mix with a clear juniper freshness. One that is always commented on and appreciated by others, and as experience has shown me, excellent for clubbing.

Pour some Eternity and Lagerfeld Man into one bottle - voíla-Tabac Sport. Smells 100% like a hybrid between these two, especially on the drydown with heavy cedar. Not bad but very uninteresting.

Arena di Roma is a pretty straightforward copy of two other famous fragrances: Biagiotti's Roma and Paloma Picasso's Minotaure. Therefore it isn't a big surprise that the packaging and juice are orange, just as the bottles/liquid of the other two. It is however a competent ripoff and personally I like it more than Roma, since there is an added licorice dimension here. Like many Tabacs, a steal for the price.

Quite unusual mix that smelled very warm and nice. Can't remember much about Culture's compostion other than that I liked my bottle (finished since several years) a lot. Dirt cheap as well.

Doesn't share anything with the original except the bottle. Both are great colognes, as is everything from YSL in my honest opinion. Wouldn't wear LJ during summer myself, as many seem to do. I think it's better suited for autumn where it's minty, woody character is comforting and warm.
It's also another very good example of nicely used grapefruit-notes, a tad bitter.
Just like all others from this house it lasts for ages.

A*Men could very well be the most complex fragrance available to ordinary people in the world. With this in mind, the result is nothing short of flawless. There are so many facets to this classic that you can hardly count them. I haven't experienced a single one of it's drydowns to be quite the same yet. There is always some new nuance stepping up, be it another shade of the earthy patchouli, spicy lavender, burnt sugar, dark and bitter coffe or that weird but lovely tar-note. It is as brilliant as messy the pyramid may look. Whoever composed this is a genius, and the worldwide success and several awards (including the Basenotes ones) is the aknowledgement to this. The female version, with an even stronger emphasis on the patchouli, is equally great and instantly recognized on the women wearing it.

Mugler should forever be respected for launching something this daring and original this side of Acqua di Gio.

No collection is complete without this fragrance. Amen.

Enormous dissapointment. Love most of Smith's clothes and especially his beautifully tailored shirts with the trademark coloured stripes. This fragrance however feels like a rush-job to get something out on the market. Uninspired brew of sharp, green notes that just leave an artificial mess. Very weak effort. Good to see that the recent London is at least going in the right direction.

Rubbish. Total sell out frag in the new school of the fruity, boring, aquatic and politicaly correct.
A waste on a nice, art deco-ish bottle. It's also a pity they destroy the Aramis name which has been a guarantee for power house action historically.

Comes on strong like hell, and most probably wash it off as fast as they can. But let it warm up for half an hour and you'll have a decent pine/patchouli combo that is very special.

Lush btw makes one of the most true nerolis on the market with their Prince edc, unfortunately lasting power is about 10 minutes...

Think CK Obsession, just a lot better. Cinnamon-heavy oriental that still manages to be extremely sophisticated and subtle. Stays close to the skin, but thankfully forever. Total powerlunch YUP scent from the classic french house. Solid, beautiful bottle.

I Just cannot handle the cumin. BO-ville - population you! Haven't tried the 2 other versions, but they're probably less cumin-heavy. It's a pity cause Declaration is a very well made like all Cartiers, just cannot handle that sweaty note. Same thing with McQueens Kingdom for me, and of course the wretched L'Autre from the house of Diptyque. Will stay with the classic Santos and the Obsession-de luxe from this brand- L'Essence de Must de Cartier.

The best female vanilla ever made. Nuff said.

Actually just as dark and hardcore as the name and packaging hints. Was almost shocked by it's old world manliness. Along the lines of Bois the Portugal and Caron's Third man. Lavender spice bomb with unbelievable longevity. Neat!

Nice, dry, classic scent like made for a white shirt, just like it's ad displays. Not groundbreaking or fantastic, just very reliable like many french classics. Delievers good power throughout the day and the deo-stick is great. Also check out the female version for an awesome oriental highly reccomended for masculine wear - much better than the Pour Homme actually.

Very easy to dismiss this one as riding the recent fresh/revamped/young trend but I've found that Energy belongs to the category of fragrance that is so dependent on skin chemistry that it is hardly recognizeable from person to person. Armani's Mania is the same. Both smell horrible on me, fantastic on one friend and just okay on a third. So I guess you must sample this to begin with, if you're lucky then you're in for a mellow, pleasant citrus with hints of juniper. Like an Eau Sauvage for the 21st century. Then again if you're not, the dissapointment will be huge...

Probably the most easily recognized cologne in the world. Only Gaultier's Le Male is as simple to pinpoint. So that says a lot about Fahrenheit's originality. The problem is, at least here in Sweden, that it got heavily associated with young troublemaking hoodrats in the early nineties and it still bears this stigma here. If you look past strange associations and people wearing way too much of it, Fahrenheit really is an amazing fragrance and one of the given modern male classics.

It combines a very masculine mix of leather, petrol and woods with an ambiguos strong honeysuckle note, creating it's distinct trademark sillage. Very corresponding bottle to the scent, looks warm and spicy and as always with Dior, amazing supporting line with soaps, shaving products etc.

Cool artificial experiment in the vein of Tommy T. Nice but cloying in the long run. Excellent packaging though.

Must confess I like very few of CdG's offerings, but this one is an exception. Many times their fragrances are more avantgarde and original than wearable, but Palisander is a cool, woody scent with a spicy chili note that is completely unique. The saffron rounds of the blend perfectly. A keeper.

Sampled this at the Munich Airport and I still regret not buying it. What a pleasant surprise. Like Toni said, definitely a modern scent. Very sweet but with a cool bitter coofee thing going on, balancing the sugary accord perfectly. Awesome sillage and staying power, at least on me. Don't know anything about this Lezard guy, but he's released one fine fragrance.

As some have pointed out already the similarity to Creed's Himalaya is striking and I wouldn't say XS is inferior either. You can approach them as two slightly different takes on the same theme. The Paco surely is more woody than Himalaya, and less peppery. Both open with citrus/bergamot but there is some coriander and florals here that are not present in the Creed. Despite the floral elements, I'd say XS is more masculine and rugged, and therefore also less sophisticated. Still a very good fragrance.

Subtle yet powerful and competent male fragrance. In the same territory as Joop! and Mont Blanc Individuel but more tastefully composed. Heavy vanilla base though, so nothing for anyone not liking that note. It's spicy and warm, with a distinct coffe note making it stand out a bit. Something for a romantic dinner or the office if applied very moderately.

Very nice unisex fragrance. Reminiscent of Helmut Lang, CK Be and other light, musky, skin scents. This one is even cleaner though (if that is possible). My only complaint is the strength, very weak, it's more a cologne than regular edt. Hit it 10-15 times and you'll have a fresh, soapy, mossy, white musk embracing your skin and making the day brighter.

Actually a great fragrance, just like their recent launch Hoggar, and like many others from this underrated brand.
Yves Rocher scents seem to "borrow" from other famous ones (Eryo - similar to Eternity, Hoggar -Boss Soul) but they do it with finesse and are absolutely no total copycats by any means. Having said this though, I must say my impression is that Millenaire was mad glancing at Creed's Bois de Portugal. Obviously inferior qualitywise it still shares a lot of the woody, dry and extremely herbal qualities of BdP. A great scent for a small price.

Not a fragrance review, as I can hardly remember the juice itself. It was along the lines of Aramis, but even stronger if I'm not mistaken. Very italian and extremely herbally dry. What I love about P 21 is the incredible packaging! Oozes, power sophistication (much more than many of Ferré's actual garments) and is almost like a piece of architecture or fine furniture. It's a real pity that the fragrance doesn't deliever after the ultra high expectations I'm guessing this great rectangle evokes in many people. From a commercial perspective I can't understand the decision to launch such a heavy thing in 1999 btw?! So a big thumbs up to the flacon, neutral on the juice.

My comments are also on the concentrated version:
A very promising start with bitter zesty orange peels unfortunately dries down to a base that is both fleeting and containing way too much cardamom. I find that the cardamom note just like cumin should be used very moderately as it easily destroys otherwise perfectly nice scents. Examples of this is Alexander McQueens Kingdom, Biagiotti Acqua di Roma and IMO Malle's Bigarade. If there was a way to prolong great topnotes, so many scents could be even better. Lacoste claims to have done just this with the new Essential - let's wait and see. I should also add that not much from Malle has impressed me except The Winter Water and Musc Ravageur, so take that into account considering this dismissal of BC.

Already a classic in the books of many. An eighties update of the great leathers like Equipage from Hermès. Less stuffy, but stills packs a decent punch as many of it's decade/decadent peers. Somewhat herbal, very manly and with a sweet edge from the cinnamon. Similar to Tsar from Van Cleef & Arpels which I would say is just slightly drier.

I find that too much cedar can be very cloying, but some cedar based scents like the earlier Gucci Rush manage to avoid that by balancing the "pencil shaving" note with for instance soft, sweetish incense. In this Gucci however, the smoky bit just enhances the cedar in a negative way, making it cloying and simple smelling somehow. I agree with others about very poor longevity as well. In my opinion Gucci has released 3 great scents before: Nobile, Envy and Rush. And as the two latter ones are very woody as well there is no reason for acquiring PH at all.

Always been intrigued by the fresh, crisp smell of Gin. That juniper zestiness is great, and with Infusion they've captured that very well without making you smell like an alcoholic. A pretty straightforward, one-dimensional scent, just a clean pick-me-up feeling. Tried ordering it from the Bombay Sapphire home page after sampling it at an airport before, but it seems to have been discontnued...

Flawless. One of the most original scents in years. Perhaps the strongest sillage in the world, you are actually surrounded by a dark, mysterious and extremely chic aura when wearing this. It's basically a resinous, smoky amber sprinkled with red fruits (raspberry?) and a clearly present black tea note. The combination of these elements create something mindblowing, although it might be too feminine for some guys. Doesn't have much in common with the other versions that seem very pale compared to this. I love most of Ennio Capasa's work and I'm sure he had a large part in the creative process leading to this fantastic fragrance. Just remember to go very gentle on that black trigger...

Total Devotion rip-off! That Gabriela Sabatini scent isn't so great in the first place, so I find it rather ridiculous to copy it like Van Gils did. I made a side by side comparison and the're virtually impossible to tell apart. A decent vanilla/red fruits blend similar to tons of other stuff. Buy Devotion instead for 1/3 of the prize.

It's somewhat surprising that a brand like Burberry have released so many high class scents. London, Touch and Brit are all excellent in terms of quality, originality and overall appeal.
Touch is quite deceptive, first comes across like a light musk, but turns out to be a very potent violet blend with a peppery heart. It's one of those scents that are instantly recognizeable like Fahrenheit or Le Male. For me it 's already a modern classic.

Together with Safari, Extreme Polo Sport and the original green bottle, Silver goes to show that RL cranks out very good scents once in a while.
Not original by any means but a pleasant wear nevertheless. Modern daytime fragrance playing on the contrasts between manly suede and a grapebased -fruitsalad. A nice combo explored many times before like for instance with the plum/leather in Cuiron. Silver is much more tame compared to the Helmut Lang but something worth at least wearing for a full day sampling. Stylish smoked glass bottle as well.

Like others have poited out, creamy is a key-word here. Warm, spicy, creamy, luscious sandalwood with a hint of smoke to sharpen the edges a bit. Extremely suited for clubbing actually as it blended superbly with cigarette smoke (before the ban here in Sweden in my own case). I get the same vibe as with YSL's M7 for some reason. I don't think women should wear this, it's just too ruggedly masculine in all it's woody glory.

Diptyque's finest and definitely one of the best figs on the market. I'd say it's only competitor is L'Artisans Premier Figuier. Whilst the later is drier, a little almondy and a tad more feminine, Philosykos plays heavily on the added
buttery sweetness of coconut and a terrific cedar anchoring the composition. Great scent with great graphic packaging like all launches from this interesting french house.

Similar to Moschino's Uomo and even Cacharel Pour Homme in an updated way. Nutmeggy freshness and a sophisticated contemporary feel. I see this as a professional scent, best worn with a crisp white shirt and perhaps a meticulously tailored suit from it's Napolitanian parents;) .Lasts well too.

In contrast to my general hatred toward this genre I find T to be a great launch. The people at Firmenich have created something quite unique with this. A designer scent that is abstract and very avant garde. It takes the ozonic accords to new extremes creating something that could easily be a part of Comme des Garcon's synthetic series. If you just get over the initial surprise of the uncanny frehness, this truly works great as a YUP-super scent with extreme sillage and longevity.

I'm in total minority on the boards as I like this a lot. Sure it's a tad synthetic in the long run, but the primary citrus burst is just perfect for hot days. Actually the topnotes have a lot in common with Creed's Zeste Mandarine Pamplemousse as they are all about zesty grapefruit. The drydown is completely artificial though compared to ZMP, but if you can get it cheap you shouldn't hesitate. Also it's superior to Biagotti's Aqua di Roma that is the latest mainstream fragrance heavy on grapefruit.

An almost completely unknown fragrance gem. MV3 is along the lines of Bulgari Omnia and has a very noticeable white chocolate theme with some dashes of creamy mocha. Can be had for a very decent price at almost all M.A.C. counters and is completely unisex in my honest opinion. Dry cedar base that sticks around forever.

Great fragrance and unisex to the max.
Shares many similarities with it's DK predecessors Chaos and Fuel. Same dark aura filled with resinous amber and slightly sweet spices and incense. I know many men who wear it regularly and I still question the decision to launch it as a feminine scent. Another one that is close to it is Costume National Scent Intense which hass better longevity and some added fruit notes. The sleek, beautiful BC bottle was designed by Donna Karans late architect husband Stephan Weiss.

Not a pleasant wear... Overtly floral after a very mediocre citrus opening. Maybe not a bad scent per se, but extremely dissapointing for a modern men's launch. There are just too many superior scents out there to ever justify a purchase of this.

Mossy, herbal, leather overload. Being a big fan of the great gentlemen's classics such as Azzaro PH and Oscar de la Renta Lui just to name a few, I must honestly say this old juice is horrendous. Overly dry and with no contrasting citrus notes or mellowing factors (like in it's cousin Tuscany for instance). This just reeks of old man basically... Not a positive experience in any way. Try Rive Gauche pour homme instead or even Brut that has a tad sweetness taming those overtly masculine spices!

The first men's offering from MJ unfortunately suffers from a very common problem of the fragrance world today: Great topnotes and then - well - not so much more... Starts off with the quite common combo of figs and coconut, and does it very well. But the base that comes out fairly quick is just a dissapointing mess of synthetic musk and uindentifiable spicy and floral notes.
Pass on this and go for either Diptyque's Philosykos and L'Artisan Parfumeur's Premier Figuier in the niche segment or Davidoff's Good Life or Lancôme's Miracle Aquatonic from the designer section.

Nice new launch, although a little to similar to Allure and other sweet modern scents. Strong like all Joops and quite distinct, easily identified tonka base and trendy notes like iced vodka (does that smell much in the first place?). Still a decent effort compared to many of the other Gío - clones flooding the markets nowadays. Also nice that they've decided to continue with the recognizeable shape/design from the original and Nightflight.

Synthetic D&G PH wannabe. Very dissapointing launch, especially from a brand responsible for great classics like Edition and the more recent Desire.
The whole pyramid is sharp and almost sulphurish and sour, feels like a work of haste. Too bad on a great flacon.

Quite unknown and unfortunately terribly underrated. This nightime version of the original Hadrien has some brilliantly executed semi-dirty musk notes accompanying the regular lemon blasts. It all ends in a pleasantly spicy drydown and my only conplaint would be it's somewhat short duration.

Brilliant amber rendition. Creamy, resinous and very warm, spiced amber. This extreme version is much deeper than the original and lasts for hours. Like a soothing companion, would fit perfectly under a nice cashmere sweater in front of a large fireplace wit the dark and cold winter surrounding you. Class Act.

Lovely unisex fragrance with fresh figgy topnotes.
Significantly different from other fig based scents such as Philosykos and Premier Figuier, and more to the fizzy white musk side. Best suited for summer wear.

Excellent modern take on classic cologne. Zesty fresh and with a sparkling herbal base and great longevity. Neat bottle and silver stopper as well.

Everyone loves it, including me. Nothing to add than just that it smells really good. Great longevity as well. Buy!
MMM

Pure class. Green to the extreme and not for anyone under, say 22... Sophisticated, mossy, extremely classic smelling fragrance with sillage and longevity that needs to be experienced to be believed. Lets put it like this, Envy is a badboy - but Nobile has it for breakfast anyday. Powerhouse!!! Good stuff
/mmm

Great spicy cologne in the vein of Gucci Envy, ST Dupont Signature etc. Masculine, incredible staying power and nice looking bottle. Buy the frag, DO IT! (ben stiller voice ;) )
MMM

I've done a 180 on this since my initial impression. It's Perfect. Yuzu done right. This is what Happy, Tommy and countless other recent launches aim for but fail miserably to deliever. Light, fresh and original just like Kenzo's signature ph. Good stuff. The old samourai-katana bottle is so superior to the new rectangular though...
MMM

Overrated and to simple. Vetiver and licorice is all there is in here. I expect more from the company that brought us Pour Homme and L'Eau Par, two of the best fresh scents on the market. Also the bottle is a real cheapo in reality...
MMM

Perhaps the most linear scent I have ever sampled. Fresh? -Yes, boring to death - likewise...
Stay away! And the price is just ridiculous. 100$ for this???? Take a shower and buy some Creed online instead. MMM

If you positively need another Aqua-scent in your warddrobe, then I guess this is one of the best choices. Extremely nice bottle but the scent does leave some to be desired, maybe cause I'm not a big fan of this genre and because of my strong feelings for other offerings from this house. Nevertheless it is much better than 90%of its peers. The drydown is actually very reminiscent of Fahrenheit.
Matt/Sweden

Excellent. Classy, subtle, original. Another modern classic from this superb Italian house. Solid rubber mingling with mellow vanilla and smokey tea. As urban as it gets, from image, bottle to scent and overall impression. 10/10 Mattias/Sweden

Alongside Knize Ten and Cuiron the best leather scent out there. Never overpowring but a rich mixture of fizzy mandarins and exclusive deep accords of smoky leather. Exquisite.
Mattias / Sweden

That something this uplifting and smooth could be created 155 years ago says a lot about this house (assuming the recipe is exactly the same). A smooth and somewhat linear interpretation of this note that is far from my favourite usually. In the hands of Creed, made one of my favorite scents ever. Luscious.
Mattias /Sweden

Mint as it should be.
Herbal, limeish minty pepper freshness. Absolutely gorgeous fragrance, unfortunately with a price thereafter. If you can, get it!
Mattias /Sweden

One of the most decadent scents I have come across-and absolutely intoxicating. The blend is somehow pagan and sinful. You know the masked orgy scenes in Stanley Kubricks Eyes wide shut? - thats the image I get from smelling this unorthodox blend of raw ambergris, resins and fruits with a slight lemony edge - Very cool and original.

Extremely un-Creedish, and definitely not a bad thing in this case. A very rugged fragrance with an unpolished attitude and plenty of manliness. The juniper/cinnamon combo comes off as something a macho cop would wear (if he would use scent that is =))in the 70's, brutish, raw and extremely cool.

The original that spawned numerous rip offs such as Cool Water and JF by Floris. This is however the original and although I personally think it's one of the less exciting offerings from this house I must humbly aknowledge it's quality and originality. Manly, distinct and with subtle but significant projection I easily see why GIT is such a modern classic.
Mattias / Sweden

Absolutely intoxicating blend of violets, jasmine, vanilla and other nice things. Pretty androgynous and I think it's safe to say you must be quite self confident to wear this as a man, but once you do you will be rewarded greatly. Also the lasting power is the longest of all Creeds except Bois du Portugal.
Mattias / Sweden

Perfect Neroli interpretation that bypasses that overtly floral tendency that many orange blossom scents seem to suffer from. Fizzy and with some bitterness this truly is one of the superior citrus blends out there. The drydown is quite similar to Erolfa's but with a slightly more woody drydown. Good Stuff.
Mattias / Sweden

Excellent marine scent. Breezy, salty and fresh without losing its distinct masculinity. Put on a newly ironed white shirt and 3 spritzes of Erolfa and you'll be ready for any urban challenge. Very similar in drydown to Neroli Sauvage.
Mattias / Sweden

Stunning. The only scent out there with this level of freshness without the sour, aquatic notes that seem to dominate the fragrances launched today. Crisp, refined, versatile. Bottled class, suitable for almost any ocassion.
Mattias / Sweden

Pure masculine power! Classic Gordon Gecko style powerhouse scent with amazing sillage and projection. Not for the too young or insecure for sure. Cedar, sandal, lavender, vetiver and citrus notes mingle in the most manly way possible. A joy and something that will always be in the fragrance wardrobe of many men.
Mattias / Sweden

Only Creed I can NOT stand. Horrible in it's feminine, obtrusive peachiness. Reminds me of the vile Noir Epices from Frederic Malle. Take a raincheck on this one guys and girls!
Mattias / Sweden

Yet another winner. Seems very innocent at first with its mainly green composition, but gradually reveals a very mature, minty and semi-bitter side which makes it so special and lovely. Great musky base that lingers on the skin for quite a while. Perfect for summer and outdoor activities.

At first you will be upset with the apparent initial similarity to Mugler's Cologne. Although I enjoy that one to, in the end it has nothing on this superior green scent. Classic Creed "sparkle" and a broad register of clean, green soapy notes makes this new classic so enjoyable and special. And by the way, the longevity is about tenfold compared to the Mugler.
Mattias /Sweden

Absolutely fantastic. It takes a house like Creed to make a tobacco fragrance this fresh, sparkling and pleasant at all times. The ginger isn't as strong to my nose as some have suggested. I get more bergamotte freshening up the luscious tobacco leaves. Class A as always, one of the best Millesimes. / Mattias K /Sweden

Floris's Grreen Irish Tweed/ Cool Water clone. Nice enough but get their excellent Santal instead!
/mattias

This is perhaps one of the best light scents on the market. Sparkling blend of beatiful transparent musks and slightly spiced tea. A must in every mans fragrance warddrobe. I believe that Bulgari has generated more positive comments from people I know than all of my others combined, and I have over 40... Mattias/Sweden

Pathetic, A disgusting excuse to make money.

Fresh, clean oriental with spice and florals. I would say it reminds of both Herrera´s 212 and the original Cacharel. Better than both of those though. Very longlasting and nice bottle too.

Clean, fresh, tobacco/chocolate/ginger- action. Great stuff. Much better than the original.

Bad ripoff of Mugler´s Cologne, pass!

Top notch! Like Gaultier Le male but with loads of black pepper.

Very nice, similar to Dunhill Desire and Van Gils Tendenza. Smooth vanilla and red fruits. masculine, complex and at an extremely low price- Nice!
Mattias/Sweden

Great bottle and classic Creed "grower" scent. You realize it´s grandeur a little more with every wear. A subtle woodsy citrus that keeps on giving.
Matt/Sweden

Carbon copy of Chanel´s Allure. Total rip, just as wellmade though and I guess a little cheaper... Still this copying crap needs to stop, the new launches are even unoriginal without this behaviour from the conglomerates. / MonkeyManMatt-Sweden

Nice bottle by Karim Rashid, bland - uninteresting - "modern" scent by Coty

New crap along the lines of Aqcua di Gio etc... Don´t waste your money!
Matt

Beautiful vanilla scent, very well balanced. My girlfriend´s favourite.

Excellent formal fragrance-very mature and extremely classy! In the vein of Van Cleef & Arpels and early Diors and Chanels. Let´s really hope they don´t discontinue this one as colognes of this kind haven´t been made the last two decades. A classic

Lovely-could swear it has some mint in the top notes though
/matt

Actually only recently discovered this classic... This is stunning stuff, absolutely marvelously masculine and pleasant to wear. Though the juice is strong, to me it has no nauseating or headache-provoking qualities. Obsession is yet another tragic reminder of that things just were better before!

Very Nice, definitely a huge surprise, especially since the bottle i similar to the ultra-boring Chrome. this reminds pf Gucci Rush, but is stronger, more complex and just generally more interesting. IMO the best fragrance this year.

Tried this on for the first time the other day and it completely blew me away. Very surprised to see all the bad reviews it has gotten, cause to me this smells absolutely marvellous. Never been a big fan of musk, but the way they´ve managed to incorporate it in this juice is really appealing. The scent carries (also to my nose) a powdery quality and is incredibly subtle, almost provocingly discrete, yet always noticeable and present. The lightness makes it more of a formal scent, daytime, office and casual wear for this gem of a fragrance

A huge disappointment, especially since the both the first Lacoste fragrance, and also Booster had very interesting characteristics. I find this one very typically "modern" with too many feminine notes. A good example of how the blend sounds better in theory than in reality....

Strikingly different, only one that slightly resembles this one is Pascha by Cartier. Booster has a very prominent menthol/mint/eucalyptus character that I can imagine not everyone liking. However I find this property very captivating and interesting. Shortly, smell before you buy!

Ok here goes... surprised that I'm the first negative voice on this one. Undoubtedly a complex fragrance, in my opinion Acqua di Giò has a far too sharp sour note I just cant stand. This especially becomes apparent (surprisingly) on the drydown, where this acidity becomes unbearable! Furthermore there is a floral quality to it which makes my stomach turn, since it is still ranked very high , I suppose I´m one of few with this viewpoint.

Incredible fragrance... Utterly complex composition with a very "green" spicyness. Good life remains in my opinion one of the top formal scents. The distinct dryness is extremely suitable for office or daytime use.

As I am a sucker for tobacco notes this really qualifies as an evening favourite. The fragrance is really powerful and IMO almost sinful, very mediterranean.

The fact that this one got discontinued really makes me sad. Black Jeans had a very interesting composition, and a lovely musky dry smell. Splendid för daytime use as it was vey discrete.

Thank You! This old school fashion house reliably delievers yet another wellcrafted winner! IMO Yves Saint Laurent has not yet put out anything dubious on the market and M7 certainly is no exception. For me, and I know a lot of other people, the kind of traditional spiciness that M7 carries is very important for a mens fragrance. Yet in this particular product they´ve managed to brilliantly update this heritage (dunhill edition, opium, safari,obsession,goodlife etc )with a modern twist. The potency also is terrific, lasting almost all day. Doesn't hurt the bottle is beatiful as well!

Already at the sight of the transparent colourless liquid I had my doubts... And was I right -yet another of these "modern" uninspired, boring, carelessly made mass market products! It's obvious the fragrance industry is in a deep crisis when these (Crave, Echo, Polo Blue etc)unoriginal citrus offerings is all they put out. Save your money and buy Eau de Sauvage istead , or Issey Miyake if you MUST have a modern citrus scent!

I very strongly disagree with Tero´s point of view. I find this update flawlessly executed. Furthermore in todays climate of thousands of unoriginal citrus scent, in the vein of Acqua di Gio, something this spicy and masculine is in my opinion highly welcome!

Feminine bottle, but highly masculine juice. Extremely pleasant scent which everyone I´ve met adores.Yet another top of the line product from this amazing company!

Boring, next!

Smells exactly like everything else coming out now. Fresh-absolutely. Boring to death-likewise.

Very masculine enjoyable daytime scent. Original composition, and always great with the evermore unusual musk notes...

Fantastic stuff... Perhaps one of the best daytime scents ever, very fresh and hard to get bored with. Definitely not one for fancy evening dinners, but absolutely perfect for the office and casual occasions.

Undoubtedly one of the most original fragrances around. However this juice is just too much. Can´t really handle the overpowering sweetness. If you like it though, this must be a scent to die for.

Strange bottle and even stranger scent. Too many contrasting ingredients which leaves the user puzzled rather than satisfied...

Shocked by the positivity regarding this utterly unoriginal and boring smell!!!

Don't at all understand all criticism towards this fragrance. Ok if you look for a scent that's gonna reek all day, this shouldn't be your first choice. However if you appreciate a discrete warm, woody ambience, go for Rush!

The true original, after wearing this fragrance once you WILL submit to it's ultra-classic citrus appeal!

A very nice clean scent, a bit similar to Emporio Armani's He.