Fragrance Reviews by robyogi

This is not one for the young-uns. The smell is something like an old leather chair pulled out of an exclusive club, soaked with years of cigar smoke, and freshened occasionally with some sort of leather polishing cleaner. It is a tad dated smelling, and yet somehow still works, especially if you are going to be smoking cigars. Really, it's one of Creed's best. Give it some time to grow on you though.

This scent has what I could only describe as a citrus-floral-leather-sandalwood harmony. At first they don't seem to harmonize, with the sharper notes fighting the warmer ones, but as the base comes into play, the fragrance mellows, and the whole composition just clicks. It then becomes a distinctive, sharp yet creamy fragrance. It continues to get warmer and sweeter as it dries. I'm not sure sandalwood purists will love this one, but as a good all-around scent this is yet another Trumpers that I am going to have to consider purchasing.

I can see how Marlen would find this similar to Or des Indes, but to my nose Oropuro is not as powdery or feminine as that. It is heavy, there is plenty of vanilla, and it is sweet, but it is also smooth with a spicy exotic touch and an animalic presence in the base. In some ways it reminds me a bit of a spicier Habit Rouge, without the citrus component, and with a bit more of an ambery drydown.

Lots of oakmoss opens this one. Perhaps that's the reason it smells "dated" or "old lady perfumey" to some. The way oakmoss opens always seems very perfumery to me. But wait for the drydown because this one doesn't stop there. Where it goes I can't really tell you...the blending is so perfect. I can tell you that it gets spicy, warm, and ambery in the drydown. I can also say that iris plays a strong role, especially in the middle, but to my nose it's nowhere near an overpowering role. In fact, I'd say it's one of the best uses of iris I've encountered. That note almost always stands out like a sore thumb to me, but here it blends in so well, adding a lush, velvety texture. The deep dry down is just warm, spicy, and ambery - radiating the color dark brown, as well as a classical sort of exoticism. VintageVogue is right on: Vol de Nuit does skirt the masculine. It's not manly, per se, but it's also not distinctly feminine. There is nothing here that would make it difficult for a man to wear. If you haven't already, you've got to try this one to know what makes a classic classic.

What a changeling. The topnotes are marked by a sharp greenness that is rivaled by none. Seriously, this is a crisp, green opening. As the scent moves into the middle notes, the floral quality emerges and softens the greenness, which is still very much a part of the scent. As it moves into the base, however, it becomes a warm, ambery, spicy scent with just a faint memory of the green herbs and floral notes that were so prominent throughout. Here one can smell the Guerlain family resemblance, especially the deep dry down of Vol de Nuit and Jicky - all related but none the same. Great stuff, and a good so-called "feminine" scent for men who want to explore the Guerlain classics to try out (I would also highly recommend Jicky and Vol de Nuit, amongst others). In fact, I have no idea why this would be considered feminine. It's so green and sharp that it seems to me to be as masculine as it is feminine.

Tuscany is a simple but full frag. To me I smell woods, lavender, citrus. The opening is crisp, bright, and sharp. There is something pure and masculine about this, and the name is indeed fitting. As others have remarked it is a linear scent. As it dries it softens, but it does not develop that much. Unfortunately, it does not last long - I get a few good hours out of it. If you're looking for a classically masculine scent, look no further.

Lots of good reviews of this one so far. The peach is most apparent in the opening. Then, it fades and gives way to some soft, approachable florals. As it dries down you're left with a vanilla-floral-fruit accord that is smoothly blended together into one tight, warm, lush scent. It's not as heavy or sweet as Jaipur Homme. Realistically, this is quite unisex, at least for the more daring among us.

I am very much in agreement with Foetidus here. A "light" version this may be, but light or insignificant it is not. It is strong, and it does have quite a bit of projection to it. It is lighter, or fresher, than the regular Jaipur Homme, at least it's not as syrupy sweet, with a crisper overall scent. Like the other Boucherons, it's well-blended to the point of being difficult for me to pinpoint individual notes. That said, it is crisper, woodier, perhaps a bit spicier, than regular Jaipur, and not as heavily vanillic. It is to my nose, easier to wear, and in fact, I like it better overall as a fragrance. This is a very well done "fresh" version.

(This review is for the Epicee version, the first of the Jaipur Fraicheurs, so far as I can tell. The Boisee version seems to have come later. Sorry, I cannot get the French accents correct!)

More a crisp, bright tea than a dark, smoky one. The tea is there throughout, and is the predominant note. In the topnotes there is a smell a bit like a cleaning product. In the middle, I too get something musty, sort of a similar note to that in Messe de Minuit that smells like old books. As the scent dries down, it becomes a soft yet crisp tea scent, sort of like a cup of Lipton tea with some lemon in it. Not dark, spicy, or smoky at all, and not all that complex. In the end, I am left shrugging my shoulders.

A smooth, dry green floral fragrance with a somewhat powdery (almost dusty) woodsy base. There may also be a touch of white musk in here, providing a slight "laundry detergent" or "cashmere" quality, but the predominant scent to me is green and floral. It is, for this sort of scent, very long lasting - almost all day. The fragrance I would compare it to is L'Artisan's L'Eau du Caporal, only without that fragrance's signature mint. Pretty good stuff and not dated at all considering its 1979 release date.

What a strange experience wearing this scent is. Truly it is more like a work of art than a fragrance for personal wear. In fact, I don't imagine many (myself included) would want to wear this as a fragrance. It starts off smelling like rich, damp, black earth with all the facets of that smell - you can almost see the small plant shoots and insects. Then, it takes a cold turn, for some reason calling more to mind damp, cold soil in the late fall or early winter, with dried, decaying tree leaves playing a role. Finally, it ends on an almost green note, the smell of the soil in the spring. Here the smell of freshly sprouting leaves comes to mind. At this point, it is light, but still present.

As someone who has worked with his hands, often digging and planting, this scent brought with it many embodied memories of times past. The smell of clearing the trees to build our house; the smell of planting azalea bushes as a landscaper; the smell of digging in the hard, cold earth near the end of fall. For that reason, wearing this is an emotional experience. I'm just not sure that many of these are emotions I care to relive. If the goal of this is to mimic the smell of nature at various points throughout the year, then this fragrance succeeds. However, if the goal is to provide something that folks will wear to smell good, or feel good, then I'm not sure it succeeds.

I really, really wanted to love this. You know the feeling when you read the notes, consider the concept, and just "know" you'll love it. But then there's skin chemistry and the ever unpredictable olfactory perception with which to contend.

The topnotes were great. And I can completely notice the concept unfolding. There is the somewhat sweet nutty smell, some vegetal components, a whiff of smoke, and an earthiness underlying it all. Then as it dries down, the sweetness, the nuttiness, the smokiness, and even the earthiness all give way to a murky, plant-like smell reminiscent of tomato plants, or maybe green bell pepper plants. And there it sits.

I am encouraged by the topnotes and have high hopes for the others in this line. I am seriously hoping this is a skin chemistry issue for me. Nonetheless, I am disappointed by the way this scent collapses in on itself every time I try it on my skin.

How is there a single thumbs-up of this on Basenotes?!? A very cheap smelling concoction. Starts off smelling a bit like fruit punch, then the coffee note emerges and the apple note separates itself from the generic fruit punch accord creating a hideous combination of coffee and apple. Your coffee never has an apple in it for a reason. Then there is the generic, crappy musky-woody base that smells like something you'd get in Axe or Tag or one of those other asinine "body spray" products. There are so many other better youthful, casual options available.

For me, as for "colormechris," Polo is the King. The scent of this is huge: deep and wide. The pine, tobacco, and oakmoss are most apparent to me, though the patchouli probably lends its leathery warmth and forcefulness to this mix as well. Just for fun I sprayed a little on my skin - just a little - and had my girlfriend smell it to see if she knew what it was. Despite being of the Polo generation, she could not tell me, and didn't even find it to be all that familiar (as a reference point, she immediately recognized Drakkar Noir).

I guess the point that I am making is that while some of us bathed in this stuff when we were younger, if you use it sparingly, you can smell just how amazing this is without all the baggage of yesteryear. It's in a league of ts own. It's more powerful and more rustic than Polo Crest, rivaling Devin or Tuscany in that regard; more overtly masculine with less sweetness than Safari; and not as "dated" as Drakkar, Kouros, Havana, and Trussardi, but just as important as all those, maybe even more so. This is my King.

Right from the start, this one has "wow!" written all over it. Something about the opening of this reminds me very clearly of Musc Ravageur. As it dries down, it's easy to pick up the SL Borneo reference that Luca Turin makes. The patchouli here, as in Borneo, is soft, dry, earthy, and approachable, while still smelling "real." The benzoin sweetness is also apparent, but clear and never heavy. In the middle stage, Coromandel reminds me a bit of Prada for women, but it's not nearly as heavy or syrupy as that. The Musc Ravageur allusion is still present as well, though less so than in the opening. The final stage is a lighter, wood and vanilla scent that somehow still manages to be interesting. For men, if you can pull off Musc Ravageur, Angel for Men, or Borneo, you can pull this off. Very much worth a test. I can't wait to try the rest of these. My only complaint is that they only offer these in 200 or 400 ml bottles! Who can use 200 ml of anything? Come on fragrance manufacturers...get real. Offer more fragrances in 30 and 15 ml sizes.

I am really surprised at the reviews this has gotten - the suggestions that Alamut is a middling fragrance, both on the boards here, and in the blogs. This is a wonderful fragrance. In the interest of full disclosure, I will admit that I am a Villoresi fan. Piper Nigrum was one of my first loves, one of the fragrances that ignited my interest. Trying to put my positive prejudice aside, I still think this is a great fragrance. It may be Villoresi's finest. You get a sense that he has grown as a perfumer. The notes seem to meld together better, and flow better as well. The progression is smoother throughout the drydown. The scent itself is a warm, smooth, suave blend of sweet spices and gender-neutral florals blended with a warm, sensual animalic base. It most reminds me of Costes, but where Costes is more woody, this is more oriental, and to my nose, more exotic. It is richer as well. I am in total agreement with Gerald - this is a great unisex scent for those who like exotic, lush oriental fragrances.

For some reason, Basenotes has both "Amber" and "Ambra" listed in the Directory as SMN fragrances. I think they are the same, with "Ambra" being the Italian word for "Amber."

Anyway, I think this fragrant is a bit misleadingly named. It's really got more birch tar than amber. It opens loud and harsh, as many SMN frags are wont to do; think herbal and bitter, and a little off-kilter, possibly "gothic" (though to be honest, I'm not sure what that means when it comes to fragrance). As it dries down, the amber comes into play, but it is light at that point, more a powdery, semi-sweet skin scent than the voluptuous amber I am used to smelling in other fragrances. My main complaint is that on me it doesn't last.

For some reason, Basenotes has both "Amber" and "Ambra" listed in the Directory as SMN fragrances. I think they are the same, with "Ambra" being the Italian word for "Amber."

Anyway, I think this fragrant is a bit misleadingly named. It's really got more birch tar than amber. It opens loud and harsh, as many SMN frags are wont to do; think herbal and bitter, and a little off-kilter, possibly "gothic" (though to be honest, I'm not sure what that means when it comes to fragrance). As it dries down, the amber comes into play, but it is light at that point, more a powdery, semi-sweet skin scent than the voluptuous amber I am used to smelling in other fragrances. My main complaint is that on me it doesn't last.

Very, very similar to the typical Montale accord of oud and rose. It smells a lot like a number of Montale fragrances; or at least it smells like the common denominator between them, sort of divided by two, or maybe the square root of that accord. In fact, Buffalo_Gals' review seems to me to be dead on. It's a lighter, more approachable Montale, with just a touch of something fruity and berry-like (sort of like you would find in La Labo's Rose scent or 10 Corso Como). The lightness and the berry note to my nose makes this more a "bright" scent than a "dark" one, but it seems that whenever rose appears in a fragrance, people automatically perceive it as dark. I wonder why. I like it better than many Montales, and it is nice, but I've really tired of these aoud/rose/berry fragrances.

Light, crisp, green, and tea. Pleasant enough, but too light and generic, in that inoffensive way that is all-too-common. A fresh take on tea; would be suitable for men or women.

I've taken my time getting to this one. Part of the reason for this is that it is one of those scents that seems to be so well-blended that the notes just meld into one overall accord. Here is it something like: "chicsleekcleansmoothwarmsweetincenseypurple." Another reason I have waited to review this is that until today I only spot tested it. This scent has to be worn full-on for the full day to be appreciated. I thought it was pretty average until I wore it as my SOTD.

From the start to the finish I smell little to no amber, which makes me wonder if the name is some sort of joke. It is sweet, but compared to many, many other modern "men's" fragrances like Hanae Mori, Pi, Opium PH, Samurai, Minotaure, Dolce & Gabbana, Lolita Lempicka, Dior Homme, Dreamer, Gaultier2, or the ironically named Le Male - really there are so many!! - it is hardly too sweet, or even unusually sweet. In fact, right from the start my first thought was "oh good, at least we're moving away from hyper-sweet fruity, floral orientals for men." In some way, I'd say it's sweet like Habit Rouge is sweet - classy, crisp, integrated sweetness. The sweetness, being integrated into the whole, does not, to my nose, become cloying. The clean and chic modernized barbershop quality also balances the sweetness well and, as rach2jlc mentions, does well match the clean, crisp, cool, "disengaged" lines of Prada's fashions.

Not being able to name notes here, I can say it is slick and incensey, I'd say myrrh is at work here, though it could be labdanum too. There is something fruity, almost bubble-gum-like in the mix, but it's subtle and integrated. To triangulate in on this one, just to give a sense of what it's like, I'd say it's like a sweeter, smoother, more chic Rive Gauche. Maybe a smoother, higher quality, better done Versace Man? It's hard to say what it smells like. And that in itself is a good thing. This one just might be bottle-worthy for me.

Wow. Perhaps the most "masculine" scent I have tried to date. Definitely the most "80s." If you're old enough - and American enough - to remember the show "Magnum P.I.," this is the scent that Magnum's friend Rick would have worn to the nightclub. It would also have been the scent of Larry from the show "Three's Company." I spray it on, and immediately I think of hairy men with big gold chains, the top three buttons on their shirts unbuttoned (and for some reason that also reminds me of Croatia). I also think of cigarettes and smoking, and wonder if that may be part of the reason these 70s and 80s frags are so loud and huge - they had to compete with the ubiquitous smoking of the day.

I was surprised at the way the vetiver in this leapt out at me. I was expecting something a little sweeter, and smoother. As Foetidus says, this isn't really smooth, and it's not really artistic or creative. It's just BIG. I know the notes list nutmeg, and other reviewers have commented on the nutmeg, but to me it smells a little more like coriander. Whatever it is, it is LOUD for the first 30 minutes or so. Maybe that has something to do with the vetiver and patchouli that are also obvious in the mix. So too is the sandalwood. Pretty much everything traditionally masculine seems to be tossed together into one BIG scent. It's loud, and yes, it does seem to wear the wearer, it does invade others' space just because it's there, it would not be good for the office, but it would be good, as Christof says, for a full day alone, at home. Or maybe when you want others to notice your fragrance BIG time or just want to invade their space because you can.

Way too ordinary for my tastes, too much of the typical "men's cologne" smell. That said, there is something in the mix that reminds me of photography - maybe film, or maybe the fluid you use to develop film (a smell familiar to me from high school shop class). Or maybe I am imagining that due to some sort of olfactory self-fulfilling prophecy (a sort of "it's in the name, so I must smell it" effect). Not bad. Just not anything that yells out "buy me."

Odd, and slightly off-putting, but not THAT dramatic, now is it? What I smell here is mainly indolic jasmine with very dry and smoky woods. It gets dryer as it dries down (sounds redundant, huh?). The amber here is most like the amber in Ambre Canelle - not as sweet as what I normally associate with amber. In fact, Ambre Canelle has some similarities to this - indoles, jasmine, amber, and eccentricity - only in Salvador Dali, I get a lot more woods - smoky woods.

I again find myself agreeing with Foetidus. This is one of a very small number of scents that I would apply with no fear of overapplication. If you happen to try it, and a normal application doesn't cut it, try doubling that. You may be surprised by the result.

On to the scent: despite it's demure nature, there is a lot going on here. The aldehydes, boozy note, and friendly spices are most apparent in the topnotes. As it dries down, I notice more of the incense, musk, and amber coming through. Very nice, smooth, and refined, if a bit quiet, and ever-so-slightly "dated." Overall, it reminds me of something that could be in L'Artisan's exotics line (with Timbuktu and Dzongha, for example). It also reminds me somewhat of Prada's new men's scent. My main complaint is longevity. It doesn't last well on me. Well worth a try, especially for the low prices it sells for.

The listed notes don't look at all the same, but I swear this smells very much like MPG's Centaure. Very much. It's like a powdery, fuzzy - and after the drydown - softer version of Centaure. Not as crisp, not as sharp, and the black currant note stands out in Centaure. I feel crazy for typing this but to my nose this is like a fall/winter version of Centaure. The overall effect is surprisingly similar. I'm surprised no one else has mentioned this.

And truthfully, I don't see much similarity to Balenciaga Pour Homme, except maybe a whopping spice note they share for a while. Balenciaga though focuses on the incense and honey, and has an amazing drydown. I just don't get that same focus or wonderful drydown here. On me, this is a bit short-lived and more linear.

I've taken my time to review this one. When folks whose opinions I respect have great respect for a fragrance, I have to give it a fair chance. I would urge others to do the same. Parfum d'Habit seems to be all about vetiver and patchouli mixing and mingling, creating an earthy, dirty, almost decaying plant material scent that certainly does create the "dark green wool" smell to which others have referred. The topnotes are almost foul, very nearly like a compost heap or some manure. Trust me, those wear off. After that there is something almost medicinal, not really like oud, brighter, and slightly astringent, like mint, but I'm thinking it's the sharp, medicinal side of sandalwood, which lifts the fragrance, balancing the earthiness of the patchouli and vetiver. Then, as the fragrance develops further, I detect an oily leather-like note that reminds me of the castoreum in Yatagan and Balenciaga Portos (but it's not listed among the notes on MPG's website). Overall, the effect brings to mind images of dark green things: being at camp, hunting camp, a sleeping bag, living close to nature, and possibly old military gear. Re-discovering this fragrance was well worth the effort.

As others have mentioned, the opoponax is a key player here. It starts off kind of sharp and strong and spicy, in that 80s "men's cologne" kind of way. But that lasts all of about 5 seconds and the fragrance becomes a very round, smooth, warm, powdery, and sweet scent of opoponax and amber. Masculine powderiness? A tough amber? A bargain-basement classic? A Lutens-like scent on a dime budget? Possibly yes to all.

I find it odd that this is marketed as "roses for men." To my nose it smells very similar to 10 Corso Como, a fragrance that I find to be leaning to the "feminine" side. Looking at the shared notes this should come as no surprise, I guess, but still, it does. The two share at least notes of: rose, musk, vetiver, and oud. The sandalwood and incense are stronger in Corso Como, while the woods are stronger in Rose 31. But the oud is a similar type in each of these, the rose is almost equally prominent in both, and there is something fruity and sweet in both of them. Really, they are remarkably similar. I'd say perhaps Corso Como's over-ripe plum note makes it a tad more "feminine" than Rose 31...but not by much. Ladies and gents, don't let that scare you away though. I'd consider both to be wholly androgynous. Both have an exotic but not heavy or oppressive scent. It's good, but in the end, this just wasn't as ground-breaking or unique as I had hoped.

The Le Labo folks are not kidding when they say that patchouli is not easy to detect in this fragrance. The birch tar takes center stage, to my nose. I'd call this dark, thick, smoky, leathery, animalic, and even a bit rubbery. It's closest parallels I would say are Lonestar Memories, Nostalgia, and Bulgari Black...probably in that order. It lasts well too. Unusual and interesting, if a bit weird, it brings to mind images of people wearing masks and whipping each other for enjoyment.

Definitely very similar to the smell of a clove cigarette (as we call them here in the US) fresh from the pack. Tobacco, with, obviously, clove; but it also smells like perhaps there are some other spices (cinnamon, cardamom?) to round it off and sweeten it a little. All that seems to be resting on an amberish base. Very friendly and approachable, smooth, sweet, tobacco, and spices. Longevity for me is not so great (as seems to be the case with many Ava Luxe fragrances), and it's very quiet after it dries down. For the price, try it out if you like tobacco.

I can't believe no one has reviewed this yet! I'm really pleasantly surprised by Café Noir. The coffee note in the top is very realistic and holds its own against Rochas Man and New Haarlem. Café Noir is less sweet than either of those, less creamy as well, with more of a woody quality. It is, to my nose, maybe the most complex of the Ava Luxe scents (and thankfully, I don't get any of the weird plastic-like smell I get from many artisinal fragrances). The wonderful, almost shimmering coffee topnote fades quickly and, as the scent dries, it is replaced by a smoother, rounder mocha-like scent, with vanilla and musky aroma. The musk here smells like ambrette, not quite as animalic as some musks, not the weird "laundry detergent" scent of some "white" musks. There's also a touch of cedar in there somewhere and maybe a lighter, sweeter spice like cardamom. I also smell a bit of smoke in the mix. The woods and spices give the scent some vibrancy and clarity, keeping it from being too flubby, keeping it somewhat crisp, while the vanilla and musks make it subtly sensual, and the coffee, comforting. Overall, very well done, and something of a surprise to me: I think I might like this better than either Rochas Man or New Haarlem. Nice work!

Another of the "Luxe Editions," Firewood is incredibly woody - again, lots of cedar, there's a smokey sweetness that might be birch tar, and a touch of incense adding depth. I like these Luxe Editions much more than the standard editions. They seem deeper, richer, more complex. They're not going to be considered classics of perfumery (but then again, how many new releases even from designers and niche companies will be?). For the price, they're worth checking out.

There's one thing, however, that I consistently don't like about these artisanal fragrances: there is something in the oil or alcohol they are dissolved in - it smells a little synthetic and plastic-y to me, but I can't put my finger on exactly what it is that is causing this smell. In Firewood, it's strongest in the top, and then fades considerably to be non-intrusive. Still, it taints the overall experience for me.

If you like cedar, smoke, and incense, give this one a try...maybe the plastic note I am getting is skin chemistry related.

Fumari is an odd one. Very incensey, dry, resinous, woody, and slightly smokey. If you want a true incense smell, sort of a "head shop" style incense, this is the way to go. Much more incensey to this nose than either Passage d'Enfer (which is too sweet and vegetal to smell like incense) or Messe de Minuit (which smells more like a musty couch surrounded by yellowed textbooks). Fumari starts off with lots of cedar. The cedar fades and the incense comes into the picture. It smells like a mix of frankincense, myrrh, and something smokey, at this point the cedar is in the picture, but not as much at the front as it was in the beginning. The dry down is more of the same - maybe getting a tad sweeter. I don't know that I personally would wear it, but someone looking for this type of incense would probably find this much to their liking. BTW, Ava Luxe's Luxe Editions really do seem to be better blended, more complex, and of a generally higher quality than their (her) other scents. They're worth checking out.

So, Montale says this is for the ladies. I think in this case Basenotes gets it right - this is clearly unisex, and for amber (a note that to my nose naturally smells more "feminine"), possibly even leaning to the masculine side. The opening is pretty intense - the amber in the top smells a bit salty and sea like, making me think this is ambergris and not tree resin amber. The bergamot is also playing a role here, adding a hesperidic sharpness. The dry down lasts forever, and like most Montales I've tested, takes forever to occur. By the base, it seems to have lots of amber and maybe some patchouli - warm, smooth, slightly powdery (less so than Amber Sultan or maybe even Ambre Precieux, IMO), and subtly animalic, it's a wonderful thing. This is one of my favorites so far from the line. If you like amber, and you want one with a little bit of an edge, a little less of the round, comfort scent thing, you have to check this out.

Erolfa is a wonderful stab at emulating the smell of sea air. I think it does it well, better even than Mare, which I find smells more like a greenhouse (light florals wafting on a warm breeze). The only scent I can think of that better emulates the smell of the ocean is Tonatto's Oltre, which is EXTREME. But while Oltre has an intense and sharp marine note, is very lonely smelling, and smells like a cold day at the ocean, just before a gathering storm, Erolfa I find is warmer, more inviting. It still has, as Indie_Guy points out, a solipsistic quality, which is to be expected, I think, because for me the smell of the salty ocean air is an introspective one.

I also agree with Foetidus (as usual) that, if you step inside the overall olfactory effect of Erolfa, you find that it's a nice green scent with floral and coniferous accents. Whatever it is, it smells wonderful, reminds me of sunny, warm days at the ocean, reminds me of the summer. It's casual in my mind, and lasts well for a scent of this type. It was one of the first marine fragrances I smelled, and is still one of my favorites.

I have the EDP, so this review refers to that scent, except where I compare it to the EDT. As scentemental mentions below, the EDP really is a different beast than the EDT due to the addition of an agarwood note. One will immediately recognize this note from its use in M7 - it smells like a very similar chemical here, not like the oud of a Montale, for example, though here, it is less prominent than it is in M7. It adds a medicinal burst to the opening, and a smooth but "twangy" woodsiness to the base. The Habit Rouge signature citrus burst is still there in the top, fading to create a vanilla-woods-citrus melange that can be both intoxicating and addictive.

The first time I sniffed this, I wasn't sure it was for me. Too sweet I thought. Too powdery. Too boring. Then I decided to WEAR it. The full day wear makes a huge difference. Guerlains wear so well throughout the course of the day. The Guerlain animalic note is here, but less so than it was in what I recall of the EDT I tried some time ago. I'm not sure how I class this scent, that is, when to wear it, where to wear it, casual versus formal, and so on. I think I just wear it when I feel like it, when I feel a little vibrant and bold, and that seems to work.

I am really surprised by all those here referring to Héritage as "stuffy," "formal," or "pompous." I find it's none of those; not in the least! To me, this is a wonderfully warm, deep, rich scent highlighted by notes of coriander, pepper, patchouli, and tonka. I consider it a versatile comfort scent and often wear it with a sweater and jeans in cooler weather. I've also worn it to the office numerous times (my office is really very casual). It is "classic" in the sense that it's very well done, uses some familiar "masculine" notes...but stuffy? Nah. I do wish the Guerlain "animalic" component were a tad stronger, and the tonka a bit less apparent. Other than that, this is a true great.

Smells quite a lot like Bond's New Haarlem, or rather New Haarlem smells like Rochas Man. They have the same perfumer behind them, so it makes sense. It's a sweet scent that smells like a mix of coffee, vanilla, and cocoa. It's not as complex as New Haarlem, or Angel Men for that matter. It's not as sweet as New Haarlem, and by the standards of many of today's oriental fragrances, it's not even all that sweet. It's relatively simple, and dries down to a very comfortable and soft, but still rich, gourmand scent. Totally unisex. Very nice scent, especially if you like gourmands.

A most unique and instantly recognizable scent. More gasoline smell even than SMN's Nostalgia, only coupled with a soft floral quality and a woody base rather than Nostalgia's leathery vanilla. For as light as it seems to go on, it has lots of longevity and projection. When I smell this I am reminded of my younger years, cutting grass for money; money that was spent on my car; a car that I bought to get girls (pretty typical here in the USofA). Funny how the smell of gasoline links to sex. Interesting, distinct, quirky, youthful, energetic, and even bizarre, it's hard to believe this was released by a mainstream designer house and continues to be sold in department stores to this day. Hats off to Dior.

Quality, but a bit boring and too typical. It starts off quite floral - the "blossom" in the orange blossom is apparent here. Dries down nicely, the floral-ness of the florals somewhat softens, the scent rounds off a bit more and what you are left with is a crisp, greenish, floral, citrus scent. I'd say unisex, but leaning feminine in my opinion. Decent longevity, but nothing mind-blowing. Overall, it's nice enough but nothing that would part me from my hundred or so dollars.

Sweet, boozy fruit notes on top of a creamy rich leathery base, which provides a wonderful form of oppositional balance. In some ways this reminds me slightly of the original Guess Men, possibly also Le Dandy, to a lesser degree. It shows its age a bit, but holds its own. And while I like it a lot, I don't know that it's worth the prices it is commanding on ebay right now. Too bad they discontinued this one. I can't imagine it was unpopular, and if it was, it was not due to the juice, but rather to the distribution or marketing. The educated consumer loses again.

I was surprised by how wearable Opium Pour Homme is. It's sweet for sure, but not as sweet as I would have imagined, given the reviews here. Not as sweet as say, Hanae Mori's men's fragrance, and much more natural smelling than that one. The fruit note in it was also a surprise, and to my nose, just the right touch to blend with the spices, giving it a little "lift." Overall it is exotic but familiar and comfortable, unique, and enjoyable. I was pleasantly surprised.

This is definitely in the line of Creed's miscreant scents - the black sheep, the ones that don't want to play by the rules, don't want to stay all nice and dressed up, minding their manners at the formal family luncheons held in the great dining hall of the Creed family mansion. In this group of misfits you've got: the festive lumberjack Baie de Genievre; the second cousin that lives in a cabin in the woods, Cypres Musc; the cousin that no one leaves alone with the children, Orange Spice; the straight-talking old codger Santal Imperial; the loopy young cousin Chèvrefeuille Original; and our current preoccupation, Ambre Canelle. Of these deviants, Ambre Canelle is the weird uncle. He's formal alright. He dresses up well, but there's just something a little "off" about him. He talks about government conspiracies and alien abductions. He brings his own utensils to dinner. He doesn't even seem to realize that other people try to avoid conversation with him, and then smile knowingly at each other when he suddenly stops a rant, makes a quick turn left, and walks away as if directed by voices they cannot hear.

There is stuff going on in Ambre Canelle that is interesting, amusing, and eccentric, but not altogether pleasant, and not something you'd want to have as your companion for any length of time, or in particularly sensitive situations, where your pride and reputation are on the line. I, like ipaid, get lots of jasmine - very indolic - with a massive whop of amber. But here the amber is drier than it normally seems. The overall effect is a dry, powerful, eccentric, sillage monster. Interesting, but odd.

The quality of this scent is unmistakable. Even though it is not my style, and something I will probably not keep (much less reach for often), I can definitely appreciate the craft that went into this. Read Foetidus' review and you will have a good sense of what this fragrance is all about. While it may sound like a repeat, it's all true: floral but not flowery, classically fashioned, masculine, carnation, moss, vetiver, patchouli. Maybe it's a tad dated in that there are not many masculine fragrances made in this style today, but it holds its own considering its age. And there's something positively charming and comforting about it. Maybe I will hold onto it after all and see what develops.

This is truly nasty stuff. The opening is very sharp, and to my nose, synthetic. It changes dramatically, and the woods that eventually emerge are quiet, and don't last long at all. They too are not warm and rich, not natural, but rather plasticy and, to use that overused word, synthetic. Not good. Fortunately it doesn't last long.

Smelling this, one can easily sense that this was a key component of Black Cashmere. It's a mostly linear, slightly sweet, lightly smokey, powdery wood scent with that soapy-musky "cashmere" thing going on. Overall, it's just not interesting enough on its own to warrant buying. I like Black Cashmere much better - it's more interesting, more complex, spicier, and overall better.

Oh my, the florals. It starts off smelling something like Malle's Carnal Flower - very damp tuberose. Then within seconds that quickly disappears, replaced by what seems to be a rush of aldehydes. After that it picks up a very soapy, incredibly floral lily smell with maybe a hint of rose, but it's hard to tell - lots of flowers. It wears a bit like Chanel no. 5. It also reminds me of the fancy soaps my grandmother has, the kind that, when I use them, I have to rinse...and rinse...and rinse...and rinse...and rinse...just to get rid of the overly floral smell. Not for me.

This reminded me very, very much of Reminiscence Patchouli, a fragrance that I believe is pretty old, been around for a while, just not here in the US. The topnotes definitely show lots of dry and earthy, though slightly softened patchouli. Then, as it dries, it becomes sweeter, gaining lots of warm, rich amber. It's heavier and more dated than Patchouli Patch; not as chic or modern. Like Reminiscence Patchouli it's nice enough but not overly compelling or interesting, not something that calls out for me to drop the cash on a bottle of it.

Well, I think the printing gaffe was actually Vijay's gaffe - I read him say so somewhere - so apparently Sandalsliver was the intended name after all. And that's kind of what this is - a sliver of sandalwood. There's a brightness and fizziness to Sandalsliver that I find interesting. It's softer than many Montales, though hardly soft, and not really what I would call a skin scent, even though at one time Montale did call this Skin. The muskiness of it is not really animalic, but soft and sweet. I would say it's genderless, but less adventurous men may want to stay away. It lasts well and is interesting enough to warrant a thumbs-up review. Still, there was nothing so compelling to make this a must-buy for me. Think bright, fizzy, slightly sweet, musky, and woodsy, and you'll get the idea.

What can I say about Steam Aoud? It's weird. It smells like a combination of iodine, oud, and sandalwood. It's lighter than some of Montale's other oud fragrances, particularly the nearly overwhelming powerhouse Attar. It starts off smelling like the iodine the nurse smears on your arm before (s)he draws your blood. It changes quite a bit as the iodine quality burns off and the woodsiness of aoud comes into the picture. Montale claims there is amber in here, but I don't smell it. The typical Montale medicinal oud, though, is present throughout. It lasts a long time; the trace of it is still present even over a day later. Steam Aoud is interesting for its oddness, but not great, and probably not for most.

Ambre Narguilé is probably my favorite Ellena scent. It is the only one I think I'd consider wearing (well, maybe also Amber Extreme). Ambre Narguilé, while it is nice, is still something of a disappointment. I just expected more of a special, uber-expensive Hermès fragrance. I also expected a lot more (any?) noticeable amber. Instead I get a very sweet, almost gourmand fragrance with lots of vanilla, some very light spices, and a berryish, almost boozy fruit note. The topnotes in particular lacked pizzazz; they smelled like any of a million other sweet-fruity-warm-fuzzy-fizzy oriental fragrances. It's pleasant, it's sweet, it's slightly more "feminine" than "masculine," it's softer than most ambers...but where is the amber, and where is uniqueness that one would expect of a fragrance at this price point, made by a world-class perfumer? All-in-all it reminds me of a weaker, paler, less interesting, more linear version of Ambre Russe.

Very dry woods, musk, and pepper...lots of pepper, very real-smelling pepper. But contrary to the other reviewers, I do not find this to be classy. Like many of Ellena's scents, I find it to be pretentious, putting some philosophical belief or theoretical position above what ultimately works in the execution of the fragrance. Honestly, Ellena is the one "great" perfumer I don't "get." This scent is no exception. So dry, so straightforward, and after the initial topnote blast, so quiet, that it comes off as a whisper coughed from the skin. If Lutens' scents are richly constructed novels, with layer-upon-layer of meaning emerging as they dry, Ellena's scents are like Haiku. I guess I prefer my fragrances to be novels rather than poetry.

I can't believe I have not previously reviewed this. Of course, when you come to Basenotes, one of the very first fragrances you will hear about and be recommended is M7. The reputation is well-deserved. M7 is thick and sweet (not as sweet as many of today's men's scents though), ambery with a medicinal touch. To me the dominant notes are the agarwood and amber. The medicinal tinge of the agarwood, as well as the biting spiciness of what could be ginger, keep this from being a gooey sweet mess. Instead it's warm and sensual, while also being edgy and unique. The only other scent that achieves a somewhat similar effect to my nose is MPG's Soir d'Orient...and try to find that for $15 at Marshall's or TJ Maxx. I'm not saying the two are equal; M7 smells like a less expensive and more manufactured version of the obviously artisanal quality of Soir d'Orient. M7 is also more modern smelling, and less overtly "eastern" in flavor. It's a westernized take on some traditionally eastern notes. I had a bottle, sold it, and just now bought another bottle as I decided I missed it too much. Good stuff.

This is probably the best of the lighter/fresher Kouroses. The pineapple kind of messes this one up for me, as it's not a note I'm very fond of in men's fragrances (I have the same issue with the DK Fuels). It is however, the most Kouros-like of the Kouros light derivatives, and to my nose, the least synthetic smelling. The other light versions seem to be more about modern (if synthetic) woods like cedar, with some mint. This one retains the basic fougere-oriental (fougiental?) quality of Kouros with that signature, atypical melange of notes. If you like Kouros, but want something a little lighter for the office or warmer weather, then this is probably a good option for you.

This is probably the most atypical iris scent I've tried. Usually, I find iris to be cold and aloof, with a dustiness that I don't particularly care for. It seems it can add a three-dimensionality, a lushness, to scents that use it judiciously, but normally, I don't find it to be a "pretty" or "sexy" note. Here though, the iris smells more like violets than it does in any other iris scent I've tested. In fact, if it were not named Orris, or if I were testing it blind, I probably would have guessed this was a voilet scent, not an iris scent.

That said, I'm still not sure I would call this scent "pretty." It's more a mysterious and sexy scent than a pretty one. If LesNez's The Unicorn Spell is a violet scent that brings to mind a woman's romanticized memories of her childhood room and the dreams she had there, then Orris is the scent of that same woman, all grown up, dressed to kill, and exuding an air of mystery and confidence. In other words, I find Orris to be a sexy, feminine, grown-up scent.

The Tauer touch is there in the form of a dark, smoky, woodsy base that calls to mind a lighter version of Lonestar Memories. There is also a medicinal quality to this that adds the exoticism and mysteriousness I keep mentioning...probably the agarwood. Like all the other Tauer scents, this just doesn't last that long on me - I get a few good hours out of it. But for those few hours, it's a distinctive and interesting ride. In this case, it's the warmest, sexiest, iris scent I've tried. I probably wouldn't wear it, but I'd love to smell it on a woman.

A boozy, almost wine-like (makes sense, huh?) scent with a sweet, warm, smooth drydown of vanilla, woods, and a suede-like leather. I like 1270, but something about it, maybe the over-ripe fruit, makes it lean a tad to the feminine side, sort of the way the plum note in 10 Corso Como shifts that one from the truly unisex column for me. Frapin 1270 is definitely interesting, unique, and multi-faceted, and well worth checking out if you like sweet, boozy, quasi-foody scents. The woodsiness and suede notes keep it from being too sweet or flubby, and make it a wearable and comforting scent. Pretty good, maybe just not for me.

I noticed in a thread on the boards that someone said the new Guess Man is the same as the old Guess Men, only repackaged. No one argued with this there, and the thread is old, so I figured instead of replying to that thread, it might be more useful to post a review here and debunk this notion.

The old Guess Men and new Guess Man could not be more different - they are nothing alike. The old Guess Men, to my nose, is a far superior creation. It is smooth but sharp, warm, classy, sophisticated, and blended in a way that, if I were to smell it without knowing what it is, I may say it's an MPG scent, or possibly some long-lost Patou creation. It's distinctive and interesting, even if it smells a bit like an 80s scent. See Foetidus' excellent review of the original Guess Men to get a great description of that fragrance.

The newer Guess Man smells like so many other new designer scents. To this nose, they all smell the same: sweet, fruity, light and inoffensive, with a light androgynous musky drydown. Nothing that could be offensive to someone (even if that imagined someone has no taste), nothing that might be off-putting in the topnotes (even if it adds incredible depth or interest to the drydown), and nothing that might be perceived as challengining in any way.

In other words, they test well with focus groups in the 1-second paper strip test. Unfortunately that also means that they are boring, as nothing good has ever been created through the process of focus group testing, which tends to reduce everything to the lowest common denominator by removing all the interesting, if potentially challenging, aspects. (As an example, consider the Porsche 911. It would not even exist if its designer had used focus groups. Now that Porsche does use such data to design their cars, their vehicles have lost much of their original character.) In short, the new Guess Man has no character. Judging by the amounts of this already being liquidated on ebay, I guess that the Guess name alone is not selling this product. Maybe companies need to realize that taking a chance on offending some people with something interesting and distinctive is the only way to sell.

Spicy, boozy, woody, warm, and dark, but not really a comfort scent - to my nose, this is more of a social scent. It opens with a prominent whiskey note, which is sweetened just enough to balance the very dry woodsiness underneath. As it dries, the spices come forward, the whiskey fades, but the slight sweetness remains. Going into the base, it's the wood and sweetness that still linger, with maybe just a touch of vetiver. Toward the base, it reminds me a tiny bit of Timbuktu, probably because of the dry, smoky wood note (really though, on the whole, they don't smell much alike).

I don't mean to suggest this is an overly sweet scent - it's not. It's boozy while avoiding those overripe fruit notes that can sometimes be off-putting, often reminding people of urine or puke. This scent has none of that. Idole is airier (that Giacobetti signature touch, as others have put it) than Le Dandy, Ambre Russe, or Frank no.2, all I which I also consider to be "boozy" scents. It's not as sweet as Le Dandy or Ambre Russe. It's smoother and more refined than Frank no. 2, and less overtly "masculine." Idole, because of it's "airy" and modern touch, is also more versatile than any of the other "boozy" scents I listed - I could see wearing this for a special dinner, a night out, a day at the office, or a house party. It's sort of a classy party scent, if that makes sense. And it lasts surprisingly long. After I put it on and it dries, it seems to disappear totally when the whiskey fades, but then I catch whiffs of it again throughout the day. It smells wonderful on my shirt at the end of the day.

I have not yet had to buy a bottle of this because for some reason I keep on receiveing spray samples of it from Lubin! Once those are gone though, I may need to find a bottle of this. Each time I wear it, I like it a bit more and enjoy its versatility. Obviously, I am thumbs-up on this one.

As with many Lutens scents, there is a lot going on here. It starts off with a sweet, candied orange note, this is balanced with what smells to me like immortelle, lending a bitter, herbal quality. In addition to these there are clove and honey notes, and all of that sits on a base of amber, which adds a warm animalic sweetness to the end of this fragrance. Overall, it reminds me of a very good candle for the home, one that is tailor-made for the holidays, or perhaps a pomander ball. Something about the combination of oranges and spices always brings to my mind the holidays.

This combo of course begs comparison to other orange/spice fragrances like Creed's Orange Spice and MPG's Secret Melange. There really isn't much comparison though, as this is a totally different beast. At times Mandarine Mandarin calls to mind Cuir Mauresque, only minus the leather of CM and with a more noticeable amber note. As tmp00 mentioned, a comparison can also be made with Chypre Rouge, probably because of the immortelle. While Chypre Rouge was almost unbearable to me, in its overly bitter Goutalishness, Mandarine Mandarin is to my nose a deft use of immortelle, using it to balance and embitter a typically overly sweet mandarine note.

It's a very interesting scent, complex, with the usual Lutens layers-of-development quality, and I can see myself wearing this this holiday season, in the right setting, probably with a sweater. But after that, I am not sure I will reach for this often.

Lonestar is heavy, thick, dark, and greasy. I had really hoped for images of a dusty western US landscape, with tumbleweeds rolling past, cowboy boots, horse saddles, maybe even horses, but instead I get the image of working on a tractor in an old barn, wearing greasy, dirty, leather gloves in the darkness and the dead of winter. I've spent more than a few winter evenings repairing machinery, so this image is very real for me, and not an altogether pleasant image. Those who have never spent a night hungry and cold, working on machinery that tears open your frigid, stiff, and dry skin might want to romanticize such imagery, but for me, it's not all that pleasant. I have a hard time getting past this notion when I smell Lonestar.

Being more objective for a moment, Lonestar very much reminds me of Tauer's first men's scent, Desert Marocain, only here the tar and dirt elements have been amped up. There is still that smoky woodiness that to my mind defines Tauer's first three scents. Lonestar dries down to a scent very similar to Marocain. In fact, Desert Marocain does a better job of bringing to my mind the western US imagery I had hoped for with Lonestar.

I don't want to give the impression that this is in any way a "poor" scent. I like it for what it is, and I can see how, for many, this would bring to mind the desired imagery. It just takes me somewhere else entirely.

Parfum d'Empire has to be one of the most overlooked houses. Every one of their scents is, to my mind and nose, successful in what it tries to do. This scent is all leather, smooth and refined. There's a slight powdery and sweetly floral quality to it, but I can't pick out any individual notes. The scent it most reminds me of is Pierre Cardin's Cuir Casaque. Cuir Ottoman is actually pretty close to that scent, but less powdery, less floral, and because of that, to my nose, more unisex and more approachable. It's softer, wearing closer to the skin than Cuir Casaque, which to my mind makes it more wearable for those semi-formal occasions where I imagine scents like these work best. If you like smooth, powdery leather, you need to try this. Another winner from this house, which already boasts one of my favorite "citrus" scents (Iskander) and one of my favorite Ambers (Ambre Russe).

This is one of the stranger scents I have tried. The opening is not really unisex, but more like androgynous, or even extra-terrestrial. I find it to be very bright and incredibly intense in the opening notes. It calls to mind an exploding star, the word "supernova" pops into my head when I smell these topnotes. They seem to be a mix of hesperides, bright and sharp. The chypre feel is already present at the beginning. As it dries, it softens of course, and becomes more ordinary and unisex than extra-terrestrial. The middle seems to be a soft, floral, unisex chypre smell, and the base is all oakmoss and musk. It's well blended, as everything comes together in a harmonious whole, but probably not something I would wear often. Like Poivre, this is a good "women's" Caron scent for men to check out.

Poivre starts out strong, warm, spicy, and very full. It smells leathery and mellow for a while, still with that warm, spicy, floral combo that the other reviewers have mentioned. Unfortunately on me, as it reaches the base, it just unravels. The oakmoss and vetiver become too apparent and it takes on a weird vegetal-like smell. (A lot of chypres seem to do this on me, so maybe it's just a chemistry issue.) I wish it had held together because for a while it was a very smooth, intriguing, spicy blend, blended in that way that makes it difficult to discern individual notes.

For men looking to explore the allegedly "feminine" Caron scents, this would be a great place to start. There was nothing overtly feminine about this scent. Even in the base, if it reminds me of anything, it is Richard James EDT, or maybe a less "gothic" Iquitos.

I really wanted to love this fragrance, but I just can't get there. To my nose, myrrh is the main player here, not sandalwood. Santalum smells like a fairly straightforward and simple blend. The topnotes offer a wonderful, eccentric and spicy rush, but soon afterward it settles into a medicinal blend, made just slightly sweeter by the cinnamon. I really wanted this to be woodsier and spicier.

Perhaps oddly, the scent that this most reminds me of is Luten's Vetyver Oriental. While in VO the myrrh is accented with vetiver, cocoa, and iris, here is is accented with cinnamon and sandalwood, though to my nose only a light touch of sandalwood. VO definitely seems more complex. Santalum is nice enough, but I had hoped for more from it. As it is, it just doesn't quite do it for me.

"Dirty" is the first word that comes to mind when I first apply Derby. It's dirty in a couple ways. First, it's dirty as in dusty. There's a chaotic stew of notes in the opening that certainly would be off-putting to someone who didn't wait long enough for what was to come. Two images come to mind when I sniff this opening. One is of dust, swirling and billowing, as at a horse-race track. The other is of the chaotic noise of all the instruments tuning and practicing before the start of an orchestral performance.

The other reviewers have made significant note of the peppermint, and rightfully so. It is the mint that seems to marshall this mess into a coherent whole. The mint stays throughout, it adds organization and vibrancy to the whole composition. To my nose, it is almost like a conductor, pulling things together, which is the exact opposite role of what I would expect mint to play. Typically I think of mint as being like ginger, adding a zing or a zest, a little sizzle on top, but here, it seems like it is the note that holds together and smooths out the chaos of the other notes. It is this use of peppermint here that made me realize how artfully one component can be used.

As Derby dries, it gets smoother and more subtle, a near-perfect blend of moss, woods, and animalic notes. It is refined without being at all stuffy; gentlemanly but still edgy; a classy rebel and brawler. I wish I could find a bottle or two of this!

Eau Lente is thus far my favorite of the Diptyque line. I'll piggy-back on Foetidus' review here, as I think he's done an excellent job capturing the essence of this scent. It is a spicy, woodsy, musky scent. The opoponax here seems less in my face than it often does. It's more subtle here, adding a warmth that is slightly animalic, like amber or musk, as well as adding depth. As Pluran points out, in this scent it never goes to the over-the-top vanilla sweetness that opoponax sometimes does. Instead, here the muskiness and "browness" of the note is accentuated. I wish it lasted longer, and if I had one complaint about this fragrance, it would be that it can sometimes smell a bit like a holiday candle. Otherwise, it's great for those who like woods and spice with a touch of sweetness.

I finally got around to trying this popular, oft-reviewed scent. There's not much more I can add to zztopp's review. I'll just agree with him, on all but the Creed plug, but that's only because I have not yet tried Bois de Santal. I don't doubt it's more interesting than Tam Dao, because I had the same feeling of incompleteness, an unfinished sense from Tam Dao. It started off greener and sharper than I thought, was lighter than I expected it to be, as well as drier, and less complex. On top of that it never developed all that much. It then disappeared too soon. I can't say that I was totally overwhelmed by it as so many others here - many of whom I respect and with whom I often agree - seem to be. I'm a little let down. As far as "sandalwood" scents go, I prefer Santal Noble and Santal de Mysore (though those are more like gourmand scents) and Profumum's Santalum (though that's more about myrrh).

Cumin. Armloads of cumin, with some dry woods and possibly a light touch of musk, or maybe my nose is just so wishing for some musk in this that it smells it whether there is any or not. Cumin and woods. There's also a bit of coriander, but it's no match for the cumin overload. Why is this called "The Other?" My speculations: Because others stare at you as you wear it, wondering why you smell as you do? Because no other would wear it? Or because you really wish some other were wearing it? Not my favorite Diptyque.

Very much a straight-up, dry spice scent. It smells like one of those spice rubs that you can buy to rub into meat to prepare it for cooking. In this case, I can't help but smell predominantly curry and cumin. As PM notes, L'Autre is another scent in this vein. I think Oriental Lumpur is more about foody spices than L'Autre, while the Diptyque scent is more approachable, its cumin being tempered with woods and some musk. Here, the cumin is "tempered" with curry, or vice-versa, much like chasing your shot of Jack Daniels with Jack on the rocks. There is barely the slightest hint of sweetness to keep it from being unreasonable. Personally, I don't care for this all that much, nor would I see myself wearing it often, but it is interesting.

The most interesting of the three LesNez scents is also the most feminine. The violets jump out at me. In many ways it reminds me of L'Artisan's Verte Violette, only due to the iris, colder, and more distant, with the air of a fairy tale. In that sense it is a successful scent; I think it lives up to its name. But it is not something most men would want to wear. I'm not even sure I'd call it a women's scent, but more of a girl's scent. Even then, I'm just not sure. Even though it's approachable, the coldness of it makes it somewhat serious. Interesting that most fairy tales are like that. With approachable characters they tell stories that are often dark and cold. This is like the other LesNez scents - "watery" and not my style, but at least here I can appreciate the vision at work.

Warm, woodsy, soft, and lightly spicy, this is the most traditionally masculine of the LesNez scents. It also has that same white musk / cashmere musk note that never fails to annoy the crap out of me. All-in-all it's just too indistinct for me to give it a thumbs-up. It's not so bad to deserve a thumbs-down, but it's not something I would ever buy. Again, like L'Antimatière, this reminds me of Krizia's Time Uomo, not so much in notes as in overall effect. In some way, all of these smell like they could have been one of Ellena's earlier attempts at "watery." I just don't like the style.

I hate this stuff. (How many times have you seen me start a review like that? I don't think I ever have, that's how much I dislike this. I really hate this stuff.) Whatever it is that comprises this scent, is the very thing that I hate in many fragrances, most of which are cheaper fragrances. Is it "white musk?" Or "cashmere musk?" Or that molecule in Escentric Molecule's scent, that Iso-E Super or whatever it's called? I don't know. But whatever it is it's a fabric-softener-like greasiness made into a fragrance, and not much more. I dislike the smell of it, and I dislike having it on my skin even more. The worst of the Les Nez scents for sure, I was actually angry after I sprayed this on my hand, angry that I had been duped into trying this. If you like watery but persistent, neutered musk scents like Krizia's Time Uomo or the Gendarme scents, then you may want to try this.

One of my favorite, possibly my #1, "patchouli" fragrance. The patchouli here is tame; it's present, more so than say L'Artisan's Patchouli Patch, but it's under control, restrained. The scent unfolds quite a bit, getting darker and sweeter the longer it wears. Like many other PG scents, there is an animalic muskiness that persists throughout, adding a warmth and edgy dirtiness to the scent. The darkness of of it all makes the name seem very appropriate. Balancing the thickness and darkness is a ginger note that adds an unexpected medicinal vibe and brings an uplifting, modern twist to notes that otherwise would remind me of dirty hippies shagging in the weeds somewhere. It's interesting - modern and classic all at once. I wish it lasted a little longer, but overall the lasting power is not bad, just not what I'd expect of a patchouli fragrance in what I think is EDP strength. Still, well worth checking out.

If you have tested Eau de Gloire and you liked it except for the funkiness of what I can only guess is the heavy dose of geranium, then you really want to check out Iskander. It is reminiscent of Eau de Gloire (which I will repeat is intended as a men's scent, not a women's scent as it's listed here), but is more approachable, less chaotic. It's funny that the downfall of Eau de Gloire is that it overextends, it attempts to reach too far, attempting to include too many notes. That's appropriate for a scent designed with Napoleon in mind. Iskander does not fall into that trap. The opening reminds me a bit of Creed's Himalaya, but the drydown is richer and fuller, with a darker base that makes Iskander more substantial and more interesting. The citrus opening stays throughout, but it darkens as the scent progresses. The oakmoss is noticeable but not overwhelming. The musk becomes more apparent as the scent dries, adding a touch of animalism. The notes list amber, but I don't notice it all that much. Iskander lasts a long time on me and has jumped to the top of my list of what I consider to be citrusy fragrances. All the Parfum d'Empire scents I have tried have been successful at what they aimed to do. This one is definitely good stuff. I can't wait to try Cuir Ottoman.

The thing that stands out most to me about this scent is the overripe plum. It adds an almost fermented fruit smell that is equally attractive and off-putting. Something about overripe fruit also smells feminine to my nose. I don't get much sandalwood until the very, very end. Throughout I get the plum, with incense and oud fleshing it out. It's good enough, but not the "wow," rich, fragrant journey that I was expecting.

Well, I guess I have to come to the "defense" of one of my all-time favorite fragrances. I think this could be the most misunderstood scent in existence. First, I have to agree with Baron - there is leather here, lots of it, and in fact, it's pretty intense, almost harsh, sort of like the leather of Cuiron but deeper and richer; sort of like Knize Ten but sharper, not as buttery. This is not the vague, tough, chewy leathery quality that sits in the middle of many designer scents (JHL, Varvatos, Richard James) adding body and support to the star ingredients. It is instead a brazen leather, a star in its own right, that for some reason reminds me of the leather of high speed motion: leather seats in a Ferrari convertible, the leather jacket of the motorcyclist; maybe the leather of a whip.

Let's also remember that this is called Moorish Leather. More than just about any other scent, I believe Cuir Mauresque accurately delivers on its name. When I think of the Moors, I think of the exoticism of northern Africa, and especially southern Spain. When I think of southern Spain, I think of oranges and spices. Cuir Mauresque has those: the candied orange note, the nutmeg, the cinnamon, and the myrrhe to add some mystery, appropriate for the region.

I once used the metaphor that this is the leather of riding in that aforementioned Ferrari convertible, or that motorcycle, or maybe on horseback, speeding through some orange groves... maybe on the way to dinner where a spicy middle-eastern dish awaits. It starts off harsh and exotic, it smooths and warms as you wear it, but never becomes "comfortable" the way Knize Ten does. I think it challenges what we take "leather" to mean. For us, here in the 21st century western world, leather has come to mean leather chairs and sofas in expensive restaurants, lounges, and gentleman's clubs, maybe even fancy leather gloves, or the leather purse. All these are smooth, sophisticated, buttery. Cuir Mauresque is not these. It is exotic, mysterious, and challenging. To quote Baron once more, it's a masterpiece.

An extremely powdery leather. I've been trying this one for some time from my decant, waiting to "get it," waiting for that "aha" moment of realization, but it's just not coming for me. I put it on and it goes: powdery leather, then leathery powder. It smells distinguished, mature, classic, totally unisex (maybe leaning feminine by today's standards) - but also to my nose dated, anachronistic. I feel like this is something that could have been worn in the days that men wore wigs. It also reminds me of my great aunt's house...maybe the fancy soaps she kept by sink (don't use them; just look at them!), maybe the house full of Pierre Cardin beddings. If you like leather and powder, this is for you. I prefer my leather to be sharp and crisp.

I've got to agree with Marlen regarding Mahogany. While this is not as complex or "natural" smelling as Patou Pour Homme Prive, the overall effect of Mahogany (after they drydown) is similar. I can't say that this smells like mahogany - I doubt it does - but the name is appropriate in that the scent brings to mind the color brown. Woodsy, with noticeable lavender, and yes, something a little synthetic, Mahogany smells classic and modern at the same time. Of note are the topnotes. The first 30 seconds or so smell like a burning joint (marijuana), a sort of herbal bittersweet scent. That passes quickly, and the woods and lavender emerge. I will disagree with Marlen on one point...I get little longevity here. If I get it into my clothes, I can get it to last the better part of the day. If not, it lasts a few hours max. I like it for its classic yet modern vibe.

As usual, Foetidus's review leaves little room for adding any additional insight - the man is a great reviewer. Still, I'll take a shot and add my two cents. Cyprès-Musc won't win any awards for complexity, but for what it is, and what function it serves in my wardrobe, it's wonderful. It's is one of the more overtly masculine Creed scents, possibly the most masculine. The coniferous aspect of this scent is strong and striking. It reminds me of the topnotes of CdG's Zagorsk. Both have a heavy, turpentine-like quality to that coniferous note. It's not as creamy or smooth as Baie de Genievre - Creed's other outdoorsy, masculine scent - nor does it have the spices of that scent. To my nose Cyprès-Musc is mostly cypress and musk, with a touch of herbal mint to sweeten and soften the mix. The musk here is somewhat like the musk in the base of Orange Spice or Musc Ravageur: a noticeable, warm animalic, but not overwhelming, musk. I mention this specifically because it perfectly fits the muskiness of the great outdoors, the environment this scent most evokes. This is no white musk or cashmere musk. Somehow the musk makes the cypress last all day. I have no problem still smelling this when I return home from work. This is the one I reach for when I want something mature, masculine, simple, and casual.

I guess I was expecting more from this than it could deliver. It's woodsy, crisp, coniferous, yes. The smell of it reminds me very much of the cedar chips that you can buy in big bags to line rabbit and hamster cages. Just a little too linear and straightforward for my tastes. And a touch "synthetic." And as seems to be the case with many CdG fragrances, one-dimensional. I'm not sure what that means, except that they seem to show one facet, and that facet is often only skin deep (the Incense line is a glaring exception to this tendency).

I never see this brand spoken of here on Basenotes, though from what I understand it's pretty common in Europe. Patchouli, while listed here as feminine, smells more unisex leaning masculine to me. It's pretty approachable. Compared to other "patchouli" scents like LV's or SMN's, this one by Reminiscence is sweeter, warmer, with a comfortable ambery drydown. Imagine someone blending lots of patchouli into L'Artisan's Ambre Extreme. For another reference point, it's not as complex or masculine as a few other patch-heavy fragrances that come to mind like Mazzolari's Lui, Tonatto's Re, or even JHL. Longevity was very good - into the next day.

A very animalic musk, this one must be punched up with civet. I don't think I'd call it smooth, or suave, or sexy even...it's raw, pungent, and provocative. To me it smells like the downwind drift of a homeless person, someone who hasn't bathed in a while - all sorts of body odors melding. I guess this would also be the smell of a nomadic tribe in ancient times. Oddly, right smack in the middle of this is a rose note. It's almost like this same person has sprayed him or herself with a rose body spray, or rubbed some rose oil on their skin. Unlike most other Lutens creations, I don't get a lot of development from this. It just softens and becomes more approachable over time.

MKK has very strong similarities with Kiehl's Musk, but MKK is the heavier, stronger of the two. Of course, being a Lutens scent, it lasts forever.

One of my top five scents for sure, and likely to stay there for a long while. Think of sitting in a lavish palace, rich, thick, smokey tobacco notes waft in the air, somehow mingling with the smell of honey and flowers, all with some sort of exotic spicy cuisine being prepared in the background. It's a lot for one image, I know. It's a lot for one scent too, but it all comes together harmoniously, gloriously. Often folks want to compare this to L'Artisan's Tea for Two. I don't know why, since they are different scents, but here's what I had to say about that comparison on the boards some time ago:

"To my nose FT is more complex. I get little bits and pieces, where a note pops in for a bit, then disappears. T42, to me, is more straightforward, with less evolution. With the former, I keep sniffing to see what I am going to smell this time; with T42, I feel like once the topnotes have faded and the heart notes set in, I've seen the whole show."

That still rings true to me. When it comes to full-on richness and complexity, as well as dark, exotic beauty, Fumerie Turque is in a league of its own.

I have been wearing Cuiron quite a bit lately. I have to say, I think some of these reviews would mislead someone trying to understand this fragrance. Smooth?!? Cuiron strikes me as anything but smooth. I can see where Mario and Supermarky are coming from but I love the stuff. I agree - it's sharp, incredibly sharp. But I think it is leather - well the smell of the chemicals that make cow hide into leather anyway - sort of like the smell you get when you walk into a leather goods store, with all that new, unworn, unseasoned leather. I don't know about citrus, maybe it's part of the sharpness, but there is a sweet plum note in here. In some ways, this could be seen as a Cuir Mauresque Light. It's the same sharp leather with sweet fruity notes, only here there are no spices to complicate things, and this is much thinner, not as round. As it dries down it softens a bit, never really getting powdery soft though, and still retaining its crispness and bite. I think it smells youthful and energetic...and a little left-of-center. I find myself wearing this to the office a good bit - the EDC concentration makes it light enough to do so. Surprisingly, it lasts all day on me, especially if I spray under my shirt.

Villoresi’s Vetiver occupies the same ballpark as MPG’s Route du Vetiver and L’Artisan’s Vetiver. It’s earthy, dry, herbal, and strong. Expect plenty of sillage and tons of longevity from this scent. It’s stronger than the L’Artisan though not as strong as the MPG. Villoresi’s Vetiver is closer to L’Artisan’s Vetiver than it is to MPG’s RdV. It’s more herbal or green than the L’Artisan – both have a mint note, but the mint in Villoresi’s is paired up with celery and cumin, making L’Artisan’s mint more pronounced. All-in-all, I like L’Artisan’s a bit better, it seems to be the smoother of the two. That said, I like MPG’s the best of the three, as the blackcurrant note adds a richness, depth, and sweet plumpness that perfectly balances the raw, earthy, and pungent vetiver note. Vetiver is not really my note, so the way it is presented here - raw and herbal - is not to my personal liking. Still, I have to say it would be a good scent for those who like vetiver.

Like all Villoresi scents, Sandalo starts forcefully. The initial blast could be a bit misleading, as this rather quickly settles in as a comfortable, dry, woody scent. To my nose the rosewood, sandalwood, and Bulgarian rose are most prominent through the middle notes. The rose here is not a sweet, feminine rose, but a dry, herbal rose, very natural and actually quite masculine. As it dries further into the base, it picks up a touch of sweetness and a resinous quality, slightly ambery, with a bit of opoponax. Very classy and yet still acceptable as a casual scent, Sandalo, also doesn’t last as long as most other Villoresi scents. I’d consider it unisex leaning masculine, possibly even primarily masculine. As with nearly all his scents, this one develops quite a bit, keeping things interesting throughout. Another winner from this house.

Un Bois Sepia starts off like a candied fruit scent...very sweet and very fruity. Surprisingly, that seems to last all of a minute or two, then the scent transforms into something just slightly reminiscent of L’Artisan’s Timbuktu. While I consider Timbuktu to be dry, charred woods with a very nice red berry touch, I consider Un Bois Sepia to be dried red fruits in a wooden dish, maybe with some vanilla syrup. The scent is sweet and dry with an ashen, woody note. The further it dries down, the woodier it gets and the less sweetness it has, but it never leaves the almost-too-sweet territory. Compared to Timbuktu, this smells like a confectionery, while Timbuktu smells more exotic, like a potion made by a tribal elder. One is something to eat, the other, something to wear. Nice, but maybe too sweet for my personal tastes. Not as sweet as Santal de Mysore, but sweet still.

Greatly similar to SMN's Musk, only Villoresi's is stronger, lasts longer, and develops more. It's that semi-powdery, slightly sweet, almost dusty "musk" that I'm guessing comes from plants, as opposed to the musk I remember smelling as a child, stuff my dad and grandfather had lying around for hunting purposes (the MKK variety of muskiness). Maybe this dusty musky quality is created or augmented by the galbanum. Rose yes, but the base is more masculine than feminine in my opinion, and the rose here doesn't bother me in the least. Something about the scent also feels cold and stony, which gives it a cerebral, logical, and calculating feel. I always have this vision of myself as a hitman when I wear this, despite the notes that would suggest this should be a warm, comforting scent. Musk is a great scent, but potent, and I find, hard to wear, so go gently with that sprayer.

Time Uomo is a warm, but completely un-sensual, light masculine woods and green florals scent. Think Gendarme with woodsy-green florals in place of Gendarme's detergency and you'd be on the right track. It smells like something that Ellena could have made: light, almost transparent, sort of like the bottom of Terre d'Hermes without the grapefruit or even better, the woodsiness of Bois d'Iris without the iris. Far from "joie de vivre," Time Uomo strikes me as lonely and quiet, like walking through an eerily quiet woods (the way it is right before a storm) by oneself. It's too indistinct, vague, and wispy for my tastes, but some will definitely appreciate its light, inoffensive, and warm woodsy quality.

Severe is a great word to describe this scent. It strikes me as a cross between a chypre and an oriental scent. It is an "oriental" scent without the softening, warming, or sweetening basenotes like vanilla, tonka, civet, musk, and so on. It's striking.

At first sniff the topnotes do smell much like a gun barrel - a sort of dusty, piercing, metallic smell that I think comes from the orange, spices, and dry floral notes. As it dries down, the spices come into the fore - cinnamon, nutmeg, clove - but unlike most scents where these notes are present, here they are laid bare, like smelling them raw, as they are about to be put into a dish, and not when the dish is cooked and completed. This gives them a dirty, fierce quality. The base, if you can call it that, is similarly bare, angular, and stark. The woods come into the picture and blend with the spices, but I still wouldn't call the scent warm, as is the case with many woodsy scents. Instead, it's hot-and-cold: hot spices and dry woods with a cold metallic quality.

I consider this one of the most unusual, unique, and avant garde scents I have tried…and I go out of my way to try the weird ones! It's not for everyone, that's for sure, but it routinely makes my top 10 list.

Yep...powdery, warm, woody, sensual, with a spicy quality. While I think it could be worn by either sex, I think it leans considerably to the feminine side. I find it to be a little too powdery for my tastes and not woody enough.

The other reviewers have done excellent work in describing this scent. Rose and suede, though very masculine and more to the formal side, classy, sophisticated indeed. It darkens the further it dries down, but never loses the rose and suede character. I agree - the intensity and weight of this fragrance make it better suited to cold weather wear. It lasts quite well and projects lots. Expect people to know you are wearing something when you wear this. Reminds me of many 80s scents, only updated, more pleasant to today's sensibilities.

This is one of the more unique scents I have tried. I consider it to be a scent of contrasts. At the base are leather, incense, and tobacco. The rest of the fragrance is brighter and sharper, very traditional in many ways – lavender, neroli, bergamot. There is also something that adds a plant funk to the scent throughout much of its duration…geranium maybe? The result of all of this is a scent I would describe as cold, aloof, and cerebral. It’s fitting that this scent was designed based on Napoleon’s tastes because I can imagine a would-be emperor plotting and scheming while wearing this scent. This aloof yet cerebral quality reminds me of Czech & Speake’s no.88. The contrast of heavier basenotes with brighter top-and-heart notes reminds me of Centaure. Contrary to its listing here, this scent is intended for men, not women, and is masculine in character. I can’t imagine a woman wearing this. Longevity is good and sillage is adequate. This would be good for anyone wanting something unusual yet traditionally masculine and still wearable.

Ambre Russe is a bold, boozy, amber and leather scent. As Gerald points out in his spot-on review, it has qualities in common with Le Dandy, especially the boozy sweetness. It also reminds me of Frank no.2, probably more so than Le Dandy. The amber here is not as rich, deep, and round as MPG’s Ambre Precieux, but that’s okay, because if it were, with all the others things that are going on here, the scent would likely be too much of a good thing. I’d say it’s similar to L’Artisan’s Ambre Extreme, except that Ambre Russe is more complex, and therefore in my opinion more interesting. Imagine Ambre Extreme with a boozy quality and subtle leather notes, and you’ll have the basic idea. This is unisex, not feminine.

Knize Ten starts off with a strong mix of herbs, leather, and an overall greenness. I’ve never understood why so many find this opening to be offensive. It is anything but. Very quickly Knize Ten transforms into a smooth, slightly sweet, gentlemanly leather. Heat brings out the herbal/vegetal qualities. As it dries down, the amber becomes more apparent and the scent further sweetens, but never approaches “sweet” by modern standards. I get a good 8+ hours out of it and the sillage is just right. I don’t think of Knize Ten as formal or casual - it can be either or both. It’s not very complex but sometimes that’s what you’re looking for. The leather here is the opposite of the leather in Cuiron or Cuir Mauresque. This is not a sharp, pungent leather, and there is no fruit to be found. Instead it is the smooth, polished leather of saddles, old-style suitcases, or well-worn boots. When I think of classic scents that still hold their own, Knize Ten is top-of-mind.

I'm with foetidus when it come to MdM. I don't get the dark, gothic, or really even the incense comments. MdM to me is all about old, aged books and papers. It's that acidic, sharp smell that old paper has. It's also that musty smell that collects in basements and cool, damp places. It reminds me very much of the smell of the basement of the library of my undergraduate college, which also happens to be a very old seminary and basilica. I guess there's something slightly "gothic" about that, in a cold, damp, stony sense. But dark it is not. The acidity is almost bright, sharp, pointy, and kind of thin. The mustiness is pungent but not dark or heavy. To add another perspective, my girlfriend says it smells like a grandmother's couch; I take that to mean it smells like something that's aged and musty, almost mildewy. For a gothic scent, see Montale's Black Aoud. And for church incense, see Passage d'Enfer, with its incense and lilies theme. All that said, MdM is odd but not that extreme or unpleasant. Just cold and for times spent in solitude.

Patchouli. Not much else. There's really nothing better than patchouli when it's well blended in a scent. It adds earthiness and force. In my opinion, there's also nothing that smells worse on its own. Here it's earthy, dry, pungent, and almost camphorous. Not as strong as Villoresi's, not as animalic as say Tonatto's Re. Pretty straightforward and one-dimensional...much like SMN's Vetiver, Vaniglia, and Melograno are. If you like patchouli, go for it. Everyone else, please stay away.

Powdery and floral, and as Marlen points out, sort of aldehydic. To me this is an almost strictly feminine fragrance. I haven't spent enough time smelling pomegranates to say whether this hits the mark or not, but I can say that the fruit here is between say a mandarin and a plum in its smell. There's not much here to make it unisex or deepen it beyond the fruit and floral notes. Seems very one-dimensional to me.

Well, continuing my tour of SMN fragrances, Vetiver is more in the dry, herbal, earthy vein of vetivers than it is in the citrus or fruity line of vetivers. That means to me it is more like L'Artisan's Vetiver or Villoresi's Vetiver than Guerlain's, CdG's, or even Malle's, which has some citrus. This is a slightly sweetened, and almost aldehydic, feminized version of L'Artisan's take on this grass. It's not unpleasant, but it's also too close to something you might smell in a head shop or a new age store or a Dave Matthews Band concert. Vetiver isn't my thing, and while this one is not awful, it doesn't do much for me either.

Somewhat of a disappointment from perhaps my favorite house. Starts off reminiscent of Sables and Eau Noire (has to be immortelle) - a smell I can only describe as both sickeningly sweet and unpleasantly bitter at the same time. Then it shifts to a smell of caramelized pecans, sweet, nutty, smooth, and almost gourmand. The further it dries, the mossier it gets; it's also slightly powdery far into the drydown. It just didn't wow me. Maybe because of the somewhat gross opening; maybe because even the most pleasant part - the pecan middle - was still a little too sweet for me; maybe because it wasn't as dark and interesting as I had hoped; maybe because it didn't last nearly as long as most Lutens last on me despite being a stronger concentration. Maybe with time this will grow on me...but I have my doubts. For now, it's middle of the pack, with average longevity.

All those who are looking for a natural, herbal vanilla smell, look no further. Like real vanilla, it's sweet but not cloyingly so. It's herbal and natural, unlike most vanillas used in fragrances, which to me smell like cheap vanilla ice cream. This smells like vanilla extract. But, that's about all it smells like. Lots of projection and good longevity, but I like a little more complexity in my scents.

Very much like a vintage car - leather, oil, gas, even rubber - in the topnotes. Like all SMNs I have tried, it has massive topnote potency, very strong to start. The action fades quickly though and it picks up a musk and vanilla quality, with just a touch of the leather and petrol notes remaining into the base. The base is also a little soft for my taste. Longevity could be better as well. All that kind of bummed me out because the topnotes were a real rush: very avant garde, unique, interesting, inspiring even. It got my blood flowing a little. Then it tamed down too much for my taste. Warm weather would probably keep it interesting longer. All said, it's a very hip scent and worth a sample at least.

Another bizarre offering from SMN. It starts off as an unbearable mess of bitter, caustic herbs and fruits. Like Marescialla it is almost a weapon in its potency. As it dries, it softens considerably, and while not unpleasant, doesn't strike me as a skin scent so much as it seems a house scent. I would much rather burn this in a candle or spray it in a room than wear it on my skin. It smells like...potpourri. Dried, almost fermented fruits, and sharp, pungent spices (is this the mace...again!?!). Not bad, but just doesn't make sense. Maybe it's just too dated to be pulled off nowadays.

I'm not sure it's tabasco that it smells like, but there is a strong bitter, peppery, herbal quality (maybe that SMN mace again), especially in the topnotes. I don't see any relationship to Cuir Mauresque. If I can compare it to anything, I'd say it's about midway between topnotes of Knize Ten and the topnotes of Lonestar Memories - only here, this smell lasts at least through the midnotes and into the base a little. And this isn't as good as either of those. Imagine a harsh, dirty, herbal quality on top of a rich, strong leather. Very masculine, very strong, and definitely not for everyone. Like Lonestar, it doesn't last as long as you'd think given the potency of the initial blast. Not for me I'm afraid. The herbs ruin it for me.

This is nice, and sort of out of character for the house. It's soft, smooth, powdery, almost dusty or incensey musk, I'm guessing because it's the plant-derived musk. Reminds me very much of Villoresi's Musk, only this is softer and not as floral. It doesn't develop as much either - just a linear, soft, close to the skin powdery musk. Pleasant, but doesn't wow me. Lasts longer than you would think given the low sillage and soft character. I'd say it's slightly leaning to the feminine side.

Dear god. I can't believe this was intended as a women's scent, as Basenote's lists it. The SMN website for the NY distributor (Lafco) says this is unisex. It smells masculine to me. Good lord. Masculine in a bad, bad way. Apparently, Marescialla means Mace, as in the stuff that is inside the shell of nutmeg...and is used as a weapon. This is not far off. It is literally unbearable for about 30 minutes. It gets into your sinuses like wasabi, which makes sense considering what it is. It mellows out - a little - but not enough to warrant wearing. It's bitter, herbal, pungent, dry, as well as greasy - smells like something I've used in the garage, I just can't put my finger on what. Maybe GoJo, that greasy hand cleanser with the chemical smell. This smells like a chemical weapon. If a mob is after you, apply liberally; otherwise, avoid contact with skin.

The other reviewers have nailed it. It's got the same powderiness as SMN's Musk (which is like Villorsi Musk Light), but amped up big time and with a sharp, bright golden vibe. Powdery, soapy - smells a lot like a very strong Johnson's Baby Shampoo or maybe Dial soap - and strong, tons of sillage. It's got that piercing, shimmering yet powdery quality that characterizes those scents. The "musk" is the vegetable-based musk like SMN's Musk (Muschio), and it's got a slick, dusty, rooty quality that I think gives it an incense-like vibe. Odd but not bad. Just not something I'm likely to wear, especially at $85 a bottle!

An unusual tobacco scent. Very sharp, almost acidic tobacco notes throughout followed by a dark, musky drydown that enters skanky territory in the base. Lasts a good while, about 8 hours or so on me, but the last stages would be trying for many. In fact, all stages would be trying for many! Something about the acidic nature of the tobacco in this puts it into the "dated" category of scents that I associate with older men. I will say it's the closest I've smelled to a real cigar, but there's also something a little mildewy about it. I wanted to love it, but have to go neutral.

Jardin du Nil is not the most pleasant of MPG's. As the other reviewers have commented, it has a very ripe - overripe indeed - fruity top note, which I find to last almost throughout. This note (or maybe accord) reminds me of stinking, rotting fruit, too sweet, pungent, not totally unlike the smell of an organic compost pile. Once this fades, it becomes a more mainstream scent: light floral, fruity, with maybe some light vetiver. By that time it's outworn its welcome, as this payoff in the end cannot balance the effort required to make it through the top and middle. Longevity is average. Though it's not, one might wish sillage was absent.

A surreal, almost magical scent. No other scent I can think of is more deserving of the word intoxicating. The oud smacks you in the nose the minute this touches your skin. Exotic, medicinal, and pungent, and, as some have said of it, both “high” and “low,” oud seems to add a wet earthy woodsy quality to a scent that both envelops and supports the other notes. Of all the oud scents I have tried - quite a few when you count the Montales - this is by far my favorite. It is masterfully blended. Within 15-20 minutes the oud has melded into the overall scent, adding an exotic air of mystique. The rest of the scent is equally dark, compelling, and mysterious. Amber, leather, and some herbal notes, maybe some vanilla as well...imagine Ambre Precieux crossed with Lonestar Memories – and of course add a dash of oud – and you'd be on the right track. Darker and more leathery than Ambre Precieux, smoother, classier, more refined, and not as earthy or dirty as Lonestar Memories, Soir d'Orient has a wonderful, intoxicating, head-spinning effect. And with notes like oud, amber, leather, and vanilla it of course lasts a very long time. I only wish it were more readily available...

Well, 6 months later and it's time to eat crow yet again. I spent some more time with Timbuktu and must say that my opinion has changed significantly from that of my earlier review. With no other scent - save for Acier Aluminium - have I had such an about-face turn-about. I read my earlier review and wonder how I did not smell the fruit in this, especially in the topnotes, but persisting lightly throughout, as well as the peppery tingle. In fact, at times there is something herbal, almost minty, floating around within Timbuktu. What before smelled like plain charred wood to my nose now smells like burning incense and wood.

My opinion of this scent vis-a-vis Passage d'Enfer is that this is the more exotic, tribal incense, while Pd'E is the more traditional "churchy" incense, as in Roman Catholic Church. Pd'E smells more effeminate to this nose, probably because of the lilies, while Timbuktu smells like a masculine, almost rustic, potion concocted by a female tribal elder. Interesting and even intoxicating, I've found that when it mingles with my clothes I get nearly day-long longevity from it as well. And while it doesn't develop as much as a Lutens or Villoresi scent, in this case that is a good thing. It would not be the same if the slightly and lightly sweet fruit note were to vanish altogether.

Straightforward citrus and vetiver, but without the harsh chemical smell of Guerlain's Vetiver. (Am I the only one who finds Guerlain's citrus to have the harshness of a cleaning agent?) Racine however is clean, crisp, refreshing, easy-to-wear (even if you don't like vetiver all that much), and masculine. It's natural smelling and thankfully does not have the soapiness of Creed's Original Vetiver. The closest scents to it that I can think of are Mazzolari's Vetiver and Creed's 1948 Vetiver. Neither are all that close though. Racine's lasting power could be better, but for a citrus frag is not bad.

An oddball of a fragrance! Cloves, orange, and something like burnt wood or maybe even smoking peat. Of course, being from MPG it's got that raw, natural smell to it, and while wearable (just barely in this case), it's also eccentric, well off the beaten path. I just can't decide if I like it or am put off by it. Something in it reminds me of this soap my great aunt used to have in her bathroom.

I put off testing this for a long while because I figured peanut butter, or just peanuts, would not a good fragrance make. Well, as usual, it seems the topnotes too heavily influence folks' reviews. The peanutty note burns off within about a half-hour and what is left is a slightly nutty, warm, exotic scent with a sweet base of cedar and iris, blended perfectly into a fuzzy, warm, sweet, cookie-like accord not unlike the almond cookie scent of Bois d'Argent. On top of this there seems to be an exotic floral note, not really wafting, but almost grafted - or maybe glued with caramel - to the cookie accord, like some sort of exotic dessert. Despite all this sweetness, it's never too heavy or cloying. Needless to say I like Bois Farine much more than I expected. On top of all this, it seems very wearable, much more than these reviews would suggest (including this one). One of L'Artisan's most creative and interesting scents, even if a bit weird.

More sheer and lighter than the Extreme version, I find Premier Figuier to also be slightly feminine. It's woody, green, and fruity-sweet, but it's also got a perfumey quality that makes it lean away from truly unisex in my opinion. The Extreme version is rounder, fuller, slightly sweeter, and more importantly, earthier than this one, which makes it more unisex. I find the development to be fairly linear and longevity to be not so great.

I must admit, I had incorrectly assumed this would be the fig version of Mure et Musc Extreme, and so had avoided trying it for a while. It's not really that. Noseorgy's review is on the mark. It's warm and earthy, while also having a green quality to it. It's very similar to the non-Extreme version, though this Extreme version is a little plumper, rounder, sweeter, earthier, and less green; it's also more masculine in my opinion because it's less perfumey. I don't know that it smells like figs, because as I think about it, I don't think that figs have a smell, at least not the fruit that we eat. It is milky, sweet, woody, earthy, and ever-so-slightly green all at the same time. I don't detect a whole lot of development, rather a linear fading away. It also has some similarities to Navegar, which were totally unexpected: woody, slightly green, very natural. I like it, but maybe not enough to buy a bottle. Time will tell.

I had high hopes for this. What a great original name for a fragrance. Unfortunately, the scent itself is not so original. Fruity, with heavy doses of iris, it reminds me greatly of Bois d'Iris. It's not as exotic or interesting as I had hoped, rather, it's more a straight iris scent, not as interesting as Iris Silver Mist or Iris Taizo. As it dries, it takes on that fuzzy, powdery, dusty rooty iris quality. It lasts a long while and develops a good bit, but none of the stages of this development are all that intriguing.

Very much like the Extreme version, obviously. Also obvious, it doesn't last as long. Maybe not so obvious is that the non-Extreme version is less feminine than the Extreme. Extreme is thicker, sweeter, more blackberry-ish, while non-Extreme is muskier, with this muskiness at times bordering on animalic rather than "white." I like this one better.

I've always thought of these as similar to Creed's SMW - the berry and musk thing. SMW is more complex, maybe more interesting, and little edgier due to the weird pen ink note. All seem casual to me. All are refreshing enough for warm weather, but substantial enough for the cold. I find all three upbeat. I really need to try MPG's and the Mure et Musc Cologne.

I find Santal to be a warm, smooth, slightly sweet, woodsy scent similar to Gucci's Envy. Aside from the milky sweetness I can also detect some pepper and clove, but all-in-all it's a little too generic for my tastes. I'm also not sure it's any better than Envy, which makes me wonder if it would be worth the money. I guess if you are looking for something in the same vein as Envy but want something not as common, this would be one way to go.

Upon initial application my first impression was that JF is a Cool Water / GIT clone. I think it’s more Cool Water than GIT, not quite as interesting or fleshy as GIT, not as thick or plump, and more “watery.” It’s very fresh and fruity, inoffensive, with decent amounts of sillage and good longevity, great for the office, etc., but it’s also derivative, and at this point in time, pretty boring too.

On the boards it seems No.89 is sometimes compared to C&S no.88. I think 89 is much closer to D’Orsay’s Etiquette Bleue than it is to no.88. It’s got the same light, white, herbal-floral topnotes that have an uplifting sort of quality. It’s not quite as uplifting as the D’Orsay scent is though, and the heavier basenotes further drag this one down. Finally, there is a mustiness in here akin to the mustiness of Floris’ Elite, which makes the scent smell old or dated. This mustiness, combined with the floral notes, reminds me of a funeral home…not exactly a positive image! I will say it smells better on my shirt, where it retains more of that Etiquette Bleue sparkle. But why not just get the much better Etiquette Bleue?

The grapefruit topnote belies the rest of this fragrance. As soon as its grapefruit freshness fades, Elite changes into what I can only describe as a somewhat stale and musty yet somehow tingling, predominantly florals and lavender scent with a woodsy base. It’s not all that different from No. 89, but I think No. 89 is a little better in that it’s not quite so stale or heavy, and falls closer to Etiquette Bleue’s territory (though nowhere near that good!). The mustiness (almost rottenness) adds a certain "masculine" quality to the floral notes, but the tuberose still falls outside my comfort zone. Elite is an interesting name for this fragrance, as it somehow does capture my somewhat jaded image of the “elite,” as in those musty old men who sit on the boards of large corporations. Floris says this is for the mature, confident individual. I cannot argue with that. One would have to be very confident to smell like a basement filled with rotting flowers.

I swear I previously entered this review but it disappeared when we moved to the new site. Here it is again, as I still feel the same way...

Since the moment I first opened the Hermes mailer containing my sample of this fragrance I have tested it hoping that I would like it. I really did want to add this Ellena creation to my wardrobe, if only to have something for the office, something citrusy, something lighter, something easy-to-wear, something mineralic. Taking the advertising materials and the early reviews at face value, my hopes were set for this scent to be something of a holy grail.

How disappointing to encounter the real Terre d’Hermes and not the one of lore. The more I test it, the more I dislike it. The grapefruit is one of this scent’s worst components - it borders on annoying, and never disappears from topnotes to basenotes – it is also the most prominent note. It's not a clear, crisp grapefruit, but rather a waxy, almost synthetic grapefruit that reminds me of the wax fruits my great aunt has on her kitchen table.

I usually like scents said to be “mineralic,” for example, Creed's Vetiver (1948). Here again, I am disappointed as I compare marketing, advertising, and hype to my experience. I don't get minerals or wet stones as the marketing folks at Hermes and fans of this scent claim. What I do get is, again, that plastic or wax-like feel, one that seems to lay on top of the skin rather than meld with it; an opaque quality that makes me feel like the scent is the one in control, using me as its canvas.

As to the development...I don't get much. This is usually the case with scents that just sit atop my skin, slowing drying down with the typical, boring gaining-vanilla drydown common to many designer fragrances. On the plus side, it does last a good while. Then again, maybe that's not such a plus, as longevity is a good thing only if one likes the fragrance.

Reminds me of a beach. It's a marine scent, but in a beachier sense. It's not got the usual salty air note, but more of a kelp or seawater quality to it, with some light floral notes. It really does remind me of the beaches in So. California. An interesting take on an oceanic scent. Wears close to the skin and longevity is good, especially for a “marine” scent. Not sure I'd want to wear it, but intellectually, it is an interesting scent...

I find this to be almost a leather scent, which I don't think Montale lists it as. Dark, moist, leather and deep rose. Of course it's got oud, so that adds the medicinal tinge. Very good longevity. A truly manly rose. I like it better than most of the others I've tried including: Voleur de Roses, Iquitos, Malle's Une Rose, and Ungaro III. The only other men’s “rose” scents I've liked as much were C&S no. 88 and Villoresi Musk. Good company to be in!

What a fun, bright, summery scent. A poster on the board mentioned this smelled like Juicy Fruit gum to him. To me, it smells more like an orange push-up pop – at least for a while it’s sweet and orangey, or maybe tangerine-like, starting with a sharp but sweet citrus blast, then getting more woodsy and floral as it develops. I find it totally unisex. I could imagine this one being great for casual wear on a hot day. I’m not sure it’s my thing, but I can imagine it would be to the liking of many on this board.

First, I feel obligated to say that I am not a huge vetiver fan. Most, I wouldn't want to wear. In fact, the only ones I do wear are Lutens Vetiver Oriental and Tonatto's Albi - both have the vetiver blended in with other dominant notes. Hopefully that will provide a reference point for this review. Vetiver des Sables seems to be a combination of vetiver and something with a menthol quality. Montale lists iodine as a note, but I don’t get that as much as something like eucalyptus. To me it smells like an ointment for joint pain or an herbal liniment for bruises. It’s not my favorite Montale, but again, I am not a fan of vetiver.

To me Aoud Lime seems to be a less intense, less focused version of Montale's Attar. It seems like a softer oud, rose, and sandalwood scent to my nose, especially after it dries down. Again, I find this one to be completely unisex. Oddly, I think Aoud Lime may be the most inappropriately named fragrance ever. I'm not sure I get lime at any point in the development of this scent. In fairness to Montale, they don’t list lime as a note, at least in the listing I saw. Please don't take my comment about the name to mean that I don't like this scent. I do like it; I just don’t comprehend the naming of it.

I'm not sure how to review this one! It's kind of an oddity in my mind because it mixes some notes that I am having a hard time understanding together. It's got a fruity quality, which is listed as kumquat. (I've never eaten a kumquat, so I can't comment directly on how much it actually smells like one.) Mixed with that fresh fruitiness, almost in equal parts, is the oud. At times the medicinal quality of the oud contradicts the sweetness of the fruit, and at other times the two seem to complement each other nicely, with the oud providing some warmth, depth, and body. Each time I put it on, I am not so sure I like it, then the longer it is on, the more I start to like it. I had my gf smell it multiple times, and each time she liked it very much. I am still trying to decide what I think about it, but do think it's worth a sample, since it is pretty interesting.

Wow, such different experiences! Like Lux (and most Lutens), this one has amazing development. I found Nuit Noire to start off floral - very floral. I'd say tuberose and maybe jasmine or orange blossom, since those usually seem to be a little funky on me. There's also something a touch peachy at the start. In fact, at first it reminds me of Malle's Parfum de Therese. Then, as it develops the florals somewhat fade out and it becomes nutty. I can still smell tuberose, but it's like tuberouse on top of Patou Pour Homme. Then, as it develops further, the amber and musk come through even more. It lasts forever, it's feminine to start, but unisex to finish. A work of art really, much like Lux. I prefer Lux, mainly because it's more "masculine" than Nuit Noire. Both are wild rides.

A very floral tea scent. It's actually pretty strong, pretty thick, more floral than tea, at least after the topnotes I smell no tea anymore. As it dries on me the floral component gets mustier and darker, a little stanky, and just a touch soapy (but then jasmine always seems to do that on me). It could be worn in the summer but it is a bit heady. Most men would probably have a problem with the strong floral component.

First, two caveats. One is sort of philosophical, and directed at any newbies who happen to peruse these pages. All of these reviews, especially mine, are like snapshots in time, thoughts and feelings about a fragrance at a given point in time. They are not absolutes or eternal. The second is that I am not a patchouli fan. I really dislike the stuff. Stanky and rank (albeit earthy and maybe peppery) is how I would normally describe it. I didn't always feel this way about it, but these days I do. I've totally lost the taste for it.

These two caveats are relevant because I have changed my mind about Patchouli Patch regularly, depending on my mood. This may be because I don't like patchouli, it may also be because I have longevity issues with L'Artisan. For whatever reason, this reviews, and indeed, all reviews, should be taken with a grain of salt.

Anyway, Patchouli Patch is earthy, and ever-so-slightly sweet. The patchouli is there - I smell it easily - but it's not as strong as it usually is to my nose. This is a patchouli I can wear. It shares a character with VdR (and I might add T42): earthy, thick, close to the skin, dense but not strong, rich but not terribly complex, and linear. It's easily my favorite patchouli, but that won't mean much if you like the stuff.

VdR is a wet, earthy, floral. I do smell the rose, though not a purely sweet rose, more like the whole rose bush after a rain. There is also a plummy, round sweetness to the scent that complements the earthiness, making it richer, fuller, more plump, almost edible in some way. It's dark, but dark in the sense that a garden is dark after a rain (even if the sun is shining again), not dark as in ominous like Delon's Iquitos or Montale's Black Aoud. VdR stays close to the skin. Longevity could be better, but for this house, is pretty decent. I can get a good 3-4 hours before it's too weak to smell without putting my nose to the scent.

Confession. I was an altar boy when I was younger (no worries...my priest kept his hands to himself!). Passage d'Enfer takes me back to church (though that is about as close as I want to get). The frankincense is most prominent to my nose, but to be honest, I would have a tough time discerning the frankincense from the myrrh, and this is supposed to have both. The florals just add a light and naturally sweet touch that makes this more palatable than something like Amouage Silver, which I find lacking in any sweetness or roundness. This would be a good summer incense scent, along with Amouage's Dia or Cirrus. Not as complex as Costes or Black Cashmere, not soapy either. And not woodsy like other incense scents.

As for longevity, this is one of those scents that needs to be worn under the clothes - allow the scent to permeate the fabric, where it will last longer than on bare skin alone. Very much a churchy scent, reminiscent of the crypt in the Basilica. Spiritual and thought-provoking. Somehow psychologically heavy yet uplifting.

Completely un-Giacobetti-like, T42 is thick in character, with a smoky tea note and a rich (but light) honey-like sweetness. Also unlike her other scents, this one lasts a while. It jostles for position as my favorite L'Artisan. At some point it may be bottle-worthy for me, that is, if the bottle is the right price. At times it's compared to Lutens' Fumerie Turque. Sure, they are both smoky, but T42 is all about tea...slightly sweet, spiced tea, while Fumerie Turque is about smoky tobacco, spices, honey, and light florals. T42 is fairly linear in its development - much more so than Fumerie Turque, which changes at will. Anyway, as T42 dries it does pick up a woodsy quality in addition to the tea mentioned above. Overall, a great scent.

Okay, somewhat of a change of heart review. The very raw coffee note in here, smoky as it is, is incredibly addictive. This is the more refined, complex, and interesting version of L'Eau du Navigateur, stronger and longer lasting as well, at least in my opinion. Manly stuff, tons of sillage, but still there's something about it that overpowers my sinuses. Still, the pleasure of its scent is almost good enough to endure the pain. Almost but not quite...maybe in time...

Warm, sweet, smooth, long lasting for a L'Artisan...long lasting in general. Similar to Ambre Precieux in some ways, but not as substantial, not as woody. Ambre Extreme seems to me to be mainly amber and vanilla, and so it seems a bit boring when compared to Ambre Precieux or the spicy Ambre Sultan. The last one (AS) brings the amber with a bunch of spices and blends them all into that crazy SL tanned skin scent. So, if you want deeper and woodsier, try Ambre Precieux, if you want more complex and edgier, try Amber Sultan. If you want warm, smooth comfort scent, go with Ambre Extreme.

Very, very green, this is what Green Valley should have been (or something more like it, I guess). A sharp, tart green that softens and sweetens as it dries. At the end it gets a little sour on me, as some green scents seem to do. Still, it's good overall. Lasts well, projects a lot. Different from the other Guccis: not as woody or stiff as PH or Rush; not as sweet and youngin' as Envy. Why would they discontinue this? Why didn't more people buy it?

Balsamic sweetness, a nice caramel note, and some light fruity and spice notes are what I perceive in Santal de Mysore. Creamy, smooth, and sweet, it smells almost dessert-like, except for that woodsy quality that keeps it from crossing the line into cloying or foody. I don't really get the strong cumin here that others comment, but I don't doubt it's there; there's a body and complexity to this scent that belies the simple-sounding sweetness I mentioned above. Good, but just a little sweet for my tastes.

La Myrrhe really stretches the limits of what I'd consider unisex. It's a sweet, fruit, floral, and myrrh scent. The notes that first jump out at me are myrrh, jasmine, honey, and almond. As it dries it seems to shift character several times - after the opening, it becomes a little darker and woodsier, then sweet and fruity, then comes a touch of amber toward the end. The myrrh seems to pop in and out at will. It's exotic and complex for sure, but maybe a bit too traditionally feminine for my personal tastes.

The honey here is like honey alcohol or honey ether - it attacks your nose as a topnote. Don't worry though, it tames down soon enough (well, at least a little) and becomes a very natural sort of honey note: sweet and smooth but still with that sharp, tangy edge that real honey has. The wood here is like lumberyard wood. This is not pretty, fragrant, almost floral wood - this is sharp, crisp, straight from the mill wood. If you've done any construction work, you'll immediately recognize this smell. (Thanks calchic...one really can almost imagine sticking one's finger in a homemade honey pot and getting a splinter.) Of course, it lasts all day, it's got great sillage, which smells much better than the scent does smelled right on the skin. Really, it's a very nice wood and honey scent once it dries down. Crisp enough to wear in warmer weather (though probably not the hottest, most humid days of summer), and complex and sweet enough for the cooler weather. People toss around the word "masterpiece" a lot - Miel de Bois may actually live up to that term.

Reminds me of Loewe Pour Homme, only not quite as dark (read: sweaty, stinky). I like the comment about Aqua di Parma mixed with Kouros...you do get just a hint of something a little musty or acidic here - like BO or urine - but I mean just a hint. I got way more of this effect from Loewe Pour Homme. I'd say it's actually quite fresh, the lemon with the slight herbal edge works very well, and something warm and rich adds a layer of depth to it. Longevity is decent for a citrus scent and sillage is pretty good. Finally, more than any other house, MPG's scents always smell so natural and raw.

A very strange scent for me. I definitely get the dustiness of iris, but the overall impression this scent leaves is of lipstick - thick and pasty. Something about it smells cosmetic on my skin. It's not something that I like, but I suspect it's due to skin chemistry, so I'll forgive Serge this time! Bois d'Iris I think is a touch sweeter and not as thick in this pasty sort of way. L'Homme de Coeur is better all around - clearer, more interesting, less odd, and obviously not smelling of cosmetics. For what I feel is a better unusual take on iris, try Iris Taizo by Parfumerie Generale.

Chene has a light sweetness about it. To me it smells very much like the sap that falls from oak trees here in the eastern part of the US. Sweet, woodsy, slick, and somehow clean or "pure." Totally unisex in my opinion. Feels light, like it's close to the skin, and yet you catch whiffs of it in the air when you move. Am I the only one who doesn't get rum? Guess so...maybe my nostalgia gets in the way here. Lasts very well for the light impression it gives. Another great Lutens' scent that, for me, invokes childhood imagery and wonder.

Strange, I think of Gris Clair as the heavier of the two Lutens' lavender scents. It has a very thick, creamy, sweet base that smooths out the intensity of the sharp lavender that opens the show. Sweet, but probably not too sweet for the summer. It has a cheerier feel than Encens et Lavande. Not sure if or when I would wear this scent. I like it, it's just not one I would imagine reaching for often. Of course it's a Lutens, so it has strong sillage and very good longevity. It's good, maybe not my thing though.

Cedar and light spices, the cedar is similar to that of Gucci PH. There's also a vanilla creaminess and sweetness here that Gucci PH does not have. I don't get much leather. Softer, rounder, less "masculine" than Gucci PH, with a sweeter, vanilla-like base. Not too sweet, especially considering the sweetness of most oriental scents. Semi-formal. Lasting power is mediocre. Stays close to the skin. It's okay but I'll keep my Gucci PH and get my sweet fix from Relax.

Mmmm...just okay. It's kind of heavy, but stays close to the skin. The type of scent I could only imagine wearing on a cool evening at some beach bar. Woods and spice - I believe the tropical or exotic spice in question here is allspice (for any Americans reading this, allspice is not season-all, that horrid orange "salt" crap sold in supermarkets; allspice is something like clove, but with a peppery tinge). Woods, vetiver, allspice, close to the skin, dry. Not my thing, but not bad.

Oh what a disappointing stinker! Very, very earthy, dry, bitter. Patchouli overload...again (maybe my skin just doesn't like this note - man I can't stand it). On top of that, vetiver overload too! I don't get a lot of musk. Maybe some spices in the mix. Smells like something Goutal would have conjured up. Or a lesser version of MPG's RdV.

Yep - manly, straightforward, "classic," woody-piney-citrus scent. Many have said it's like Paco Rabanne. I have not spent enough time with PR to know. Probably the heaviest Bond I have tried (heavier even than New Haarlem), definitely the most masculine. Strong, with decent (but not great) longevity. It starts off with a wonderful citrus accord, but then loses my interest as it becomes a bitter, dry, soapy, green woodsy typical man's scent along the lines of Signoricci. Good enough, but kind of boring, unoriginal, uninspired, etc., and so, for me, not worth the money.

A light, wispy tea and musk scent. I get some light, sweet floral notes as well. While I agree that this could be a L'Artisan clone (moving on from Creed, are we?), Mechant Loup does not come to mind. I smell no hazelnut here: that note seems to define Mechant Loup. As with so many Bond no. 9 scents, this leaves me lukewarm. Too light, too watery, too sweet for me personally to wear. Unisex, but leaning feminine. Soft and close to the skin. Decent longevity. Not awful, but not worth the price and not up to the standards of the niche perfume world.

Utterly unique and beautiful. Feels almost airy - like a breath of fresh air. The balsam really comes through for me, that and the powdery vanilla base. The whole thing is just so unique. Lyman is spot-on: it's effortlessly exotic. Exotic in the way tropical flowers are exotic, not a heavy, dark exotic. Longevity was not a big problem for me.

Starts off very tart, sharp, sour and green, like a sour tropical fruit accented with mint. It's somewhat sweet at first, and to me smells like a modernized version of Centaure or L'Eau du Caporal. From the topnotes it had me thinking a full bottle was definitely in my future. As it dries through the middle notes, the sour quality remains, though it loses the sweetness and becomes more of a dusty (dusty like iris) mint scent. I wouldn't say it seems as complex as MPG's Centaure, but it does seem more complex and more interesting than L'Artisan's L'Eau du Caporal. My main, perhaps only, issue is that it doesn't last. It really doesn't last. After an hour or so, it's much fainter, though still very present, but a few hours in, it's a whisper. It is very good while it lasts.

Weird. I can't decide what I think. A sweet, feminine leather, almost a suede scent, with strong orangey-floral tones. It's also a little bit musty - should be musky - but comes across to me as musty. By the end, it smells amazingly like PEZ - these little hard fruity rectangular candies...I would never have guessed PEZ had a mustiness to them. Not really my thing. I'll stick with my Cuir Mauresque, Knize Ten, and even DK Fuel (which is probably the closest of these three to Cuir Venenum, at least in character).

A great scent for sure. I'll second the "dark" and "exciting" comments. Very dark, pitch black even. Sort of like MPG's Eau des Iles, but not as strong in the sillage department, and slightly sweeter. The coffee, pepper, and chocolate are prominent, as is something tar-like. I also get something spicy - maybe nutmeg. The sweetness is honey-like (but maybe that's the bourbon vanilla). It's a gourmand scent, but it's also not as thick or heavy as most gourmands, and while sweet, not as sweet as many. Sillage and longevity are both very good. Not being a huge fan of gourmands, this is not my favorite from PG, but still very good.

Wow, how can one follow Foetidus' excellent review? One cannot. I'll just add a comment or two to it. 3eme starts off with lots of lavender, and is slightly sweet. As it dries it mellows considerably, to a warm, soft, yet masculine scent. While it's soft and, in a way, subtle, it also projects a lot and stays with you all day. So the softness here is the smell, not the power. I found it works fantastically in warmer weather as well, despite smelling "thick" to me. The heat brings out some notes that in cold weather seem to be drowned out by the vanilla. Definitely an aura type scent, it just wraps you up in warmth and smooth sillage. You can't hide when you wear this one.

Wow, what a mess of greenery! Lots of green, herbal notes with a few sharp florals tossed in. I thought maybe it would dry down nicely, settle, and smooth out, but instead it just got bitter and harsh. Didn't work at all for me.

Very clean and soapy smelling, sort of warm and fuzzy, with a slight woodsiness and citric edge that keeps it from being a comfort scent. Stays close to the skin, would make a good daytime office scent. In the end, for me it smells a bit dated, and so was a slight disappointment compared to this house's timeless duo Pour Homme and Portos.

Not at all what I expected. I fully expected to love this, but couldn't stand it. A total patchouli monster, along the lines of Tonatto's Re, MPG's Parfum d'Habit or George Sand. Formal, boozy (and so a bit sweet), spicy, slightly leathery - and all that's great - but in the end, it's mainly patchouli, and then some more patchouli. That note really ruins this scent for me. Dated. I will not be seeking out a bottle of this to add to my other discontinued "classics."

The only Amouage I've tried that I do not like at all (and I've tried all but Cirrus). I have to agree with the Baron - smells like baby powder and vinegar. Sour and bitter, harsh, then very powdery. Somehow soft and powdery, but astringent and caustic at the same time. Posh but ugly. A chaotic mix of things that just never seem to work. Come to think of it, Gold does indeed remind me of spoiled young Saudi royals.

Cloying? Silver is not sweet at all. (As an aside, I think maybe people on this site are using the term cloying incorrectly, it means overly sweet. I believe the term folks are looking for is choking or maybe suffocating.) I get very dry fruits, spices, and incense. Silver reminds me quite a bit of Acier Aluminium, but of course with the Amouage frankincense. Very dry, dusty even, literally no sweetness at all to my nose. I was actually hoping some would emerge, as this scent made me thirsty! Good, but not as good as other Amouage scents like Dia, Ciel, or Arcus. As for dry incense scents, I'd go for Divine's L'Homme Sage before Silver.

My favorite from the house. Overall, one of my top 10 scents for sure. A blend of fruits, spices, and incense, it's perfect for daytime wear, office wear, casual wear, dinner, semi-formal wear...pretty much anything. I don't see how Amouage feels this is the daytime equivalent of Gold. They seem to be totally different to me. Gold is much messier, more sour, powderier. As with other Amouages, I can't pick out any of Dia's notes. It's not too far removed from Silver, but still much better. Not as dry and dusty as Silver and a fair bit sweeter, but still way less sweet than most new designer scents these days. Just a classy creation. Stays close to the skin but lasts all day for me. I just keep sniffing to suck this one in. Great stuff.

It seems lots of folks on the board were disappointed with Arcus. I like it quite a bit. Fruity, but never too sweet for me. As with all the Amouage scents, it's a little tough for me to pick out any individual notes. Unlike the other Amouage scents, I don't get frankincense here at all. Very summery, light, upbeat, almost sporty, but too laid-back for that. It gives me a very easy-going, positive mood. The marine note is present but very short-lived. In fact, so is the scent. Takes lots of sprays to make this one project or stick. I like it, but for the money, I'd probably run through the bottle too quickly.

As with all the Amouage scents, lots of frankincense. This is probably the most floral of the men's scents. It has a very uplifting quality...the name is an accurate reflection of the scent. Very blue skies and happiness sort of scent. As with all frankincense scents, Ciel puts me in a reflective mood. Here it's a daydreamy reflection, not brooding or pensive at all. For sure this one is unisex. If you don't like light florals and incense, I wouldn't even try it. If you usually like scents that walk the line between masculine and feminine, it's worth a test.

Again, the word with Goutal is bitter. I have a fairly high level of tolerance for all things bitter - dark green veggies, red wines, herbs, etc. - but Goutal manages to surpass what I can take on the bitterness scale. I guess this scent is natural, in a way, but it's like the worst of nature or something! While loungeboy's comment on "rotting leaves" may make you chuckle, I can see where he is coming from. This is a very earthy scent, almost smelling like a pungent forest floor with some rotting tree branches - only not that sweet. Musty, earthy, and dank are the words that come to mind. For what it's worth, I found sillage and lasting power to be average. I wish I could find a Goutal that fit my tastes, but to date, none have come close. This is currently my least favorite niche house.

I bought a bottle of Hadrien Absolu blind. Not a good decision for me! As with nearly every Goutal I have sampled, it starts off with an incredibly harsh, bitter blast of topnotes. In this case, a very bitter citrus and wood smell. As it dries down it does soften, but the bitterness remains, and to that, arrives a musty, almost mildew-like smell. It lasts fairly well for a citrus scent, like 4-5 hours...it is an EDP after all. It projects way too much for my tastes, given what it is that it is projecting! Just for the record, I'm not commenting on the quality of the components or the composition here, just stating my experience and opinion. This is simply not my style of scent. If you like sharp, raw, and even bitter citrus scents, then check out Goutal's works. For a sweeter (and to my nose even more natural) take on the same raw sort of scent, try some of i Profumi di Firenze's fragrances, especially Costa Mediterranea.

One of those scents in which I just cannot find any beauty. Thick, syrupy, sweet and bitter at the same time, it has an overwhelming herbal bitterness to the topnotes. That seems to be a Goutal signature - a very harsh, sharp, bitter opening. Sad part is, I don't like the way Sables dries down either. Too sweet, too bizarre, like an herbal maple syrup. Not as much sillage as the topnotes would suggest, though it does last a long, painful time. By the way, it shares the immortelle with Eau Noire, and maybe even a weird cacophonic character; I find both to border on disgusting. As for Goutal...I have yet to find one that I like.

I'm not sure that creamy or full-bodied are words that come to mind when smelling this scent. The sharpness of the sandalwood comes through, as does a slight bit of vanilla, or tonka I guess - who can really tell the difference in a scent? To me it seems fairly simple, linear, and yes, a little boring. To make matters worse, it does not last for more than a couple hours, and at least on me, after about an hour or so becomes terribly sour. I had high hopes based on the reviews here, and my respect for the reviewers, but I am sad to say that this is one classic that I don't see the beauty in. Chemistry I guess...

It started off so well - citrus and mint coolness. Then, for whatever reason, it turned bitter on my skin and all hope was lost. Fortunately, it stays close to the skin, and its longevity is not so great. The opening notes gave me hope, but overall, it just doesn't work for me. I have a feeling this is chemistry-related, hence the so-so rating.

As so many have commented, it does have a prominent spicy, sharp lavender note, especially in the topnotes, lots of sillage, and day-long longevity. There is also a sappy, green wood quality to it, and a smoky, burnt wood sort of note. "Sharp, sappy, spicy, slightly smoky, woodsy" is how I would describe it. BdP is so well-blended and classy that the first thought I had was "formal." But, the more time I spend with it, the more I see it as a mood scent - okay to wear anywhere, anytime, so long as my mood fits it. And that mood is? Strong, like a big redwood tree. Confident like the opening blast of spicy lavender. A bottle of BdP is in my future.

Juniper and cinnamon, with a creamy texture and a soft balsamic sweetness. Reminds me a little of Rocabar, or rather, Rocabar reminds me of BdG. It's manly, but not overwhelmingly so. The sweetness of it keeps it from being too "rustic." That said, the juniper and spiciness of the cinnamon are probably more lumberjack than most younger folks would be willing to go. To me though, it feels balanced, with the crispness of the juniper pairing well with the spiciness and slight sweetness. I've worn it in both hot and cold weather and it's worked well in both. It projects just enough, but could last a little longer. Still, great stuff - I think a bottle is in my future.

If you don't like a lot of vetiver in your vetiver scents, but you do like the crisp, citric and clean types of scents, then check out OV. I find that it's a little too soapy for my tastes, and I get nearly no sillage or longevity - one of the few Creeds with which I do have serious longevity issues. All-in-all there's nothing all that distinctive or interesting going on here to keep me coming back for more. It's a pretty typical clean, sharp, somewhat soapy, barbershop-type scent with a boring drydown. I still like the clearer, more mineralic 1948 Vetiver better from this house, and also like a few other vetiver scents better than either of those.

A bright, refreshing take on tobacco. The ginger certainly livens things up. It's also a fairly powdery scent, with a substantial floral sweetness to it. I could see this being unisex (but still mostly leaning masculine). If Vintage Tabarome is musty, wet, old-school manliness, smoked cigar tobacco, then New Tabarome seems to be crisp, tart, fresh tobacco leaves and flowers with an almost aldehydic powdery quality. It has lots of sillage and for me great longevity. My only complaint is that sometimes the base gets a little sour on my skin, and that combined with the powdery quality can be annoying. Most of the time I really enjoy wearing this one as it exudes a crisp, fresh, classy scent without the usual aquatic or fruity notes. I like it better in cooler weather, where it has less tendency to turn sour.

Cedar, cedar, cedar, incense, cedar, incense kind of bores me after a while. I would like something more in this scent, something to keep my interest, some development. It's not horrible, just a bit boring.

No. 88 is perhaps the most extreme scent of contrasts one can smell. There is something citric, bright, almost ulifting about some components of this fragrance. At the same time there are notes that are somewhat cold, dank, and hard. It's got an aura about it - sillage that seems to fill a space as a cloud and not as a pungent stream. I think of spending a cloudy day sitting in an old garden with overgrown rose bushes, surrounded by a stone wall. As the heaviness of the clouds, the wall, and the decay of age starts to weigh on me, some beams of sunlight break through.

My first vetiver scent and still one of my favorites. Lutens' version blends the vetiver into a unique and complex rendition, which is great with me, as I am not a huge fan of vetiver in the way it's usually presented. This is an almost gourmand use of vetiver - I get a complex, smooth, slightly powdery (iris?) scent with subtle notes of very dry cocoa. The vetiver is prominent, but not overwhelming. I don't get a lot of musk - just a touch, and mainly toward the end. It's not a dark scent, not brooding to my nose and mind, but more an alone, having some down-time, comfort scent. Sillage is moderate and longevity is good, but not quite that of my other Lutens fragrances. It's about as good as I can imagine vetiver being. I would say I give it about 4.5 stars.

Rich, thick, creamy capuccino scent with sublte chocolate notes wafting around. There's also something like caramelized sugar in there. Somehow this doesn't get too sweet for me...and I am not a fan of gourmands. Original and fun, but as with all gourmands - would I want to smell like this? Not worth the price for me. But if gourmands are your thing, this one is definitely worth a try.

IMO, lighter and softer than SMW, though very similar for sure. Hamptons seems to be more aquatic (more of a salt note), maybe a tad drier, with a bit of grassiness and dry florals in the mix. Not as musky as SMW. Certainly a warm weather scent. I find it stays close to the skin and does not last as long as I'd like, not as long as SMW (a scent with which I thankfully don't have any longevity issues). Good, but as others have commented, probably not worth the price unless this type of scent is really your thing.

I had high hopes for Green Valley, but the more time I spend with it, the more I come to dislike it. The topnotes are fine - green and refreshing, with a not-too-sharp mint note. It's the drydown that bothers me. There's something very cheap and synthetic smelling about it, very un-Creed-like. The drydown has a noxious quality that is almost choking. It's very dry, soapy, powdery, with a touch of grassiness to it. Sillage is mild to moderate and lasting power is just okay (like 4-6 hours for me). Overall I'm disappointed with Green Valley.

In my opinion, Ungaro II is the most formal of the three Ungaros. The civet really comes out in this one (I'd say even more so than in Romeo Gigli per Uomo). One reviewer described this as "stuffy," and I would somewhat agree. But it's stuffy in a good way - elegant, formal, classy. It's the most sensual and animalic of the three for sure - maybe the libertine of the bunch. Civet, lavender, citrus, musk, and florals are the dominant notes to my nose. I can see the comparisons to Chanel PMC, though I think UII is sweeter, heavier on civet and floral notes. Sillage is moderate, lasting power good (a solid 6-8 hours for me). This will be the bottle I reach for when I have a formal evening event to attend. I like it even though it is my least favorite of the Ungaro brothers.

It's a mossy, spicy, somewhat sweet concoction that smells rich, mysterious, and slightly boozy. It also somehow manages to smell un-formal, maybe even casual. The image that comes to mind is an old wine cellar, damp and mossy, with a bit of wine spilled on the earthen floor. I'd say this is the intellectual, yet easy-going (probably from drinking too much wine) older brother of the Ungaro three. Sillage is fairly strong, lasting power a bit less than I would like. One of my favorite scents - it gets five stars from me.

I think I have a new favorite Creed. Orange Spice is one of the least stuffy Creeds, and to my nose, one of the most interesting. It does start off (and continues for a while) smelling like Kouros. The differences to me are apparent though. Orange Spice has a definite orange note - sort of a like a dry orangey smell that reminds me of something I'd smell in potpourri. The clove is also apparent here and not so much in Kouros. (In fact the orange and clove combo makes this scent like a better, less oddball, brighter version of MPG's Secret Melange.) The synthetic soapy / cleaning agent smell that it shares with Kouros is more subtle here than in Kouros. In Kouros, that smell dominates and ultimately ruins the scent for me. Here, it is not quite as loud or pungent and blends well with the orange, clove, and musk. To me Kouros smells like a scent for a 13 year-old, while Orange Spice is the higher quality, more interesting of the two.

It is almost refreshing in its top and middle notes. Then, as it dries down, it takes on a much darker, almost oily, animalic quality reminiscent of the base of Balenciaga Portos, and to a lesser extent Yatagan...it shares none of the herbal qualities with Yatagan, only this oily animalism. To continue the earlier comparison, I get no animalism at all in Kouros. Never have. Here, I get massive doses.

Orange Spice lasts forever on me, and especially on my shirt, where the orange note lingers all day. Like Kouros, it projects very well. It's a fun scent, a year-round scent, weird but very wearable: I wore it to a business meeting just yesterday. In fact, I'm addicted to it and have just purchased a bottle!

So my question is, if we here at Basenotes so often chide Creed for making scents that are derivative of other scents, why do we not give them due credit when they are the innovators? And why have we not named Kouros for what it is - a cheap Orange Spice knock-off? Between this scent and the equally off-beat and unstuffy Baie de Genievre, I have a newfound respect for Creed...well, at least the older ones!

A dry, dusty incense scent with fruits and spices. An intellectual scent, not brooding, but rather thought-inducing: in other words, it puts me in the mood to think. Incense seems to have this effect on me. It has some affinities to Amouage scents, probably because of the incense - Dia is the one I would most associate it with - though Dia is brighter and cheerier. Sage is more "forest green," without being a green scent or foresty in the least (the image it brings to mind is one of "dark green," that's all). Maybe it also shares a quality with Encens et Lavande, though to my nose, it's more complex and they smell nothing alike, just share a quality. In a rare disagreement with Deano, I have to say that some days Divine L'Homme Sage does make me want to burst my pantaloons.

I get seaweed, cucumber, melon, and a slight bit of musk as the predominant notes. It lasts all day for me and projects just the right amount...while it is somewhat generic, it smells like a high quality scent - classy yet casual. It's a scent I have come to like more the more I find occasions to wear it. And there are many: it's as at home at work as it is at an outdoor event. Generic? Maybe. But pretty darn good as well. I'd say 3.5 to 4 stars, somewhere in that range. I'm still not sure it's worth the retail price tag though. A cautious thumbs-up.

I have come to like this scent more and more. Warm, rich, incredibly smooth, classy, and just a touch gourmand, but not so much as to be foody in the least. Not really an iris scent IMO, but does have an iris note. Lasts a long time, but does not develop much. It does project a lot, but it's sort of a warm, enveloping sillage that slowly fills the space. One of the most pleasant fragrance encounters I have had was smelling Dior Homme on a gentleman in a hotel lobby in Sweden. Very nice.

The opening notes are pretty sharp, yet still sweet enough to be tolerable. What I really like is the dusty, woodsy, peppery drydown. As a scent of contrasts this one works really well and has gained my respect the more I wear it. It also makes sense naming it "Himalaya," if one considers the contrasts of that region. On me it projects fairly well, and lasts a long time. I get a full day out of it (but then again I have not had the longevity issues with the Creed millesimes the way many seem to). Definitely a grower scent. Give it some time.

Guess Men starts off a bit too sweet in my opinion - probably the orange. As it dries, this sweetness tones down, though it always retains a boozy quality that I find addictive. This is a very warm, wintery scent. I have a hard time even imagining wearing this all day in hot weather. I personally would not want to. I don't find this all that similar to JHL, as this one doesn't whack me over the head with patchouli like JHL does. Guess Men is very distinctive, totally unique, warm, classy, smooth, and slightly sweet until the leathery and powdery drydown. It's long lasting as well. This one may be worth the high prices it currently commands.

Garrigue seems to have some lavender, some herbs, some woods, and a bit of brightness to it that makes it more a summer scent in my mind. It lasts a good long time and projects well. Unlike previous reviewers, I do find it to be distinct, and will likely add a bottle to my collection soon. Like nearly all MPG's this has a raw naturalness to it that I find both "artsy" and wearable. Another of my favorites from this awesome house.

I like Greyland more and more each time I wear it. Similar in some ways to Gucci PH (I guess it's the cedar note), with a nice incense note, as well as a fairly noticeable cumin note that seems to make the muskiness more "sweaty" or "animalic." There are also some soft, distant floral notes, which lend complexity. Longevity is decent, but on me it wears close to the skin and doesn't last quite as long as I would expect an EdP to last. In terms of overall effect, somehow this also reminds me of a subtler and softer Villoresi Musk. I still like Villoresi better, as I think it has more development, but Greyland has gained some ground on it.

Like Tauer's Desert Marocain, this one is dry and has tons of cedar. Unlike Desert Marocain, this one is targeted to women and is loaded with a dry rose note. It's more of an herbally rose than a super-sweet feminine rose, and so could be worn by either sex. Like Marocain, to my nose, the drydown features amber (despite not seeing it in the notes on Lucky Scent). I find both to be unisex, though this one leans feminine.

Spices, herbs, lots of cedar, and a rich, long-lasting amber drydown. This does invoke images of deserts and sunsets. Indeed, this scent is intended for men, not women (though I'd classify it as unisex).

The pleasant surprise of the year for me so far. I expected this to be good - but not this good! The civet here is so well done. It adds a warmth and smoothness, giving this scent massive character. It's a spicy civet scent that lasts a long time on me. I think this is the spicier cousin of Ungaro II, which is more citric and floral. The civet here is smoother and less animalic-sweet than it is in Ungaro, and much less "stinky" than in MKK or Givenchy Gentleman. Formal, but not stuffy. Strong, but not overwhelming. I think I will always have a bottle of Romeo Gigli per Uomo in my wardrobe.

A semi-sweet, easy-to-wear sandalwood scent, sort of like a light woodsy-oriental. For as average as that sounds, Sandalo per Teti is pretty unique and interesting. I tried this at Barney's in Boston, where I turned the salesperson onto it. He had overlooked it, as seems to be so common with Tonatto's scents. In my opinion, this house really deserves more attention.

This is probably the most extreme and realistic marine scent I've ever tried, with an incredibly sharp salty marine note. It's almost icy cold, lonely...but very marine. It brings to mind images of a gathering storm on the ocean - you know, when the sky is gray and there's a certain coldness and energy that makes you feel both calm and utterly powerless in the face of nature. I still can't decide if I like it as art, or like it as something to wear. The more I smell it, the more I like it, but it's certainly not conventional, and not for everyone. A tentative thumbs-up.

For all you animalic lovers out there, this is a must try. There are no animalic notes listed, but it has to have something. To my nose, it rivals MKK for animalism. It also has a very, very strong does of patchouli. If you don't like patchouli, then pass on this one. It takes hours to lose its "stinky" edge, but once it does, it's a very classy, warm, smooth, maybe somewhat powdery, masculine scent - lots of development here. It's almost "classic" smelling, as though it were made in (and for) a different era. While this scent is not to my personal taste, it is of high quality and would appeal to anyone who like Parfum d'Habit, George Sand, or the like. Tonatto is an overlooked house. Check it out.

I find Albi to be amazing stuff. There is something in it called "mousse d'arbre" or "foam of tree." I did a little internet research on this a while back and found that it's apparently some sort of moss collected in France. Albi has a persistent natural sweetness to it that I find addictive. Usually I don't like sweet scents because they seem so thick and cloying. This one, however, feels bright and light, uplifting almost, and is very unique, hard to explain. This sweetness balances the pepper and lavender, which are equally prominent. It is a monster sillage projector though, so I go light or apply long before I leave the house. Longevity is good, especially for a brighter, summery scent like this, and especially on my clothes. This scent brings a smile to my face, and gets 4-5 stars in my book.

With so many glowing reviews of Fuel, my expectations were high...perhaps too high. This is a nice scent, the pineapple comes through very prominently for me. It sits on top of a warm, musky sort of leather. I do not get the petrol note others detect, at least not to the same degree that I get it in Fahrenheit or Silver Mountain Water. The scent stays close to the skin on me. I bet this could easily be worn in all seasons. Very casual IMO, due to the pineapple, it's like a higher quality, classier Kouros Fraicheur. In the end, this one seems sweeter and more casual than I expected...maybe even a bit "adolescent." Fuel leaves me lukewarm.

Oh blech! So sweet, so synthetic, that I just don't see how anyone could want to wear this scent. Sugar-coated candied fruits is the best was I can think of to describe this mess. Thumbs way, way down.

I simply don't like this scent. In my experience, like many Ellena scents, it starts off wonderfully - very nice, crisp, green citrus scent. From there is gets musty instead of musky, like the smell of a nursing home. This one did not live up to my expectations, and so was swapped. Sorry, but I do not see the fuss over this guy's work!

Wooooo...stinky roses. The thing I like about this scent the most is that it does not pretend that roses are some sort of ideal flower, removed from the humid pungency of the plant kingdom. Let's face it - roses in nature have all sorts of smells about them. In addition to the flowers themselves, there are the stems and stalks, then the earth, and then the smells of the excretions of whatever animals may have passed by the rose bush. Rose Poivree captures much of this mess in one scent. Civet stands out here - more the musky, stinky civet of MKK than a suave, smooth civet of Romeo Gigli per Uomo or Ungaro II. Stinky? Yes...but also very real. I am not a fan of Ellena, but this one may be my favorite of his.

Based on the reviews here, I was really expecting this scent to be much stronger than it is. I found it to be a lighter, sweet woodsy tobacco scent with a prominent floral note. It is indeed very masculine, but in an old-school way. I can imagine a very debonair older gentleman wearing this as a signature scent. I wear it when I want something unique and soft, masculine but not overpowering.

If you have Zino, you have a pretty good idea of what Relax is like. Imagine the basic thrust of Zino, only better. A little thicker, a little richer, maybe a little sweeter (but not too sweet). It's kind of loud and strong, so if you're a skin-scent person, this one's not for you. I get florals, a sweet tobacco note, and some woods on top of the benzoin/vanilla base that the other reviewers have mentioned. A five-star scent in my book.

Simple and direct citrus scent. While it would be inoffensive in almost any situation, and an obvious choice for the hotter months, there was nothing interesting enough to compel a purchase for me. Like all the Carthusias I tested, it does smell like a high quality, very "natural" fragrance.

Like all the Carthusias I've tested, I like this on paper much more than on my skin. On paper I get the slight raspberry note as well as the woods, and there also seems to be a mineralic, stoney quality to the scent. On my skin however, it turns sour and loses many of these pleasant qualities. The "stoney" quality lasts for a while, but eventually even that is sucked up by whatever it is that is not working with my skin chemistry. A shame, because on paper this was a probable "buy" for me - a high quality, safe, easy-to-wear masculine yet modern scent. Give it a shot for sure, see if it works for you.

I just wore this one today, testing it out, and it struck me as something along the lines of Neroli Sauvage, only more "natural" smelling, like a cross between N.S. and MPG's Jeune Homme. On paper, it smelled very citrusy, clean, crisp, and refreshing, but on my skin turned bitter and sour, actually making it much more "masculine" smelling than it had been on the test strip, but at that point, not exactly good. I will say all the Carthusias smelled natural and of high quality. Unfortunately, they all reacted oddly with my skin. Worth a shot, but didn't work for me.

Just okay, but nothing that grabbed my attention. It has a fresh and fruity quality to it that brings to mind Cool Water or GIT, though Man.Aubusson seems to have more of an oriental vibe underlying the fresh/fruity accord. It smells youthful to me. If I were still in high school, or even college, I might find this more interesting and wearable. But, for now, I'll have to pass.

It does remind me quite a bit of what a tamed MKK might be. I don't see the resemblance to Musc Ravageur at all. Kiehl's is a strongly animalic musk to start, but not quite as much so as is MKK. There is a strong rose note in Kiehl's that reminds me of a perfume my grandmother used to wear, which throws me off a bit and leads me to my neutral review. I don't get a lot of development - just a gradual softening over time. It does project a good bit and longevity is very good. I can't get over the musty rose though...

A nearly perfect masculine, formal, yet slightly gourmand scent. The topnotes are wild - a strong, sharp sandalwood note mixed with a potent, rich coffee note that also seems to have a touch of dark chocolate tinge to it (but coffee and chocolate can seem similar in some contexts). As it dries, the coconut comes more into play, blending with the sandalwood and the coffee. This is not a sweet or syrupy coconut, but rather an earthy and nutty coconut. To me, Santal Noble is neither too sweet nor too bitter. Very elegant, refined, and classy - I feel more sophisticated just by putting it on. The somewhat gourmand quality, combined with its only moderate-to-mild sillage makes it perfect for a special dinner (it only complements, never gets in the way of the food). Long lasting too; the other reviewers have covered the wonderful drydown. This is a must try.

Overall a conventional, safe, and due to that, somewhat boring men's fragrance. I get primarily woodsy and floral notes. As it dries, something in it becomes sour on my skin - probably a skin chemistry issue. Jazz strikes me as something one would wear to the office or an occasion when one would not want to stand out. To me, it's almost the epitome of the 80s men's cologne. Better than something like Smalto Pour Homme, not as good as its younger sibling Jazz Prestige.

Much more interesting to my nose than the more conventional Jazz. It's probably the mint in it that grabs my attention, especially in the topnotes. There's a compelling contrast here between cool, tart, refreshing notes and warmer, earthier, woodsy notes. As it dries it becomes what I would consider a good version of an 80s-style "men's cologne smell." It's very masculine, has good projection, and is long lasting. My issue with it is that when it dries down it turns sour on me. I have this same issue with Jazz, and I have to say it's a deal-breaker for me, though I doubt it would be an issue for everyone.

Dark and gothic? Not to this nose. Bright, sharp...cheery even. Very mainstream. I also don't get a lot of rose in this. The pyramid that Pluran posted sums up pretty well what I experience when I wear this, though I'd say light on the patchouli and with a bit of musk. It's pleasant and extremely wearable, especially after the topnotes fade, at which point it seems like a sandalwood and light floral scent. At that point it's almost a light fragrance, great for office wear. Reading these other reviews, I feel crazy for having written these words...but I've got to call it the way I smell it.

This is a review of Salvador, by Salvador Dali, the one in the conventional bottle, as pictured on this page (just to avoid confusion). Pretty good stuff. I can't say it's my favorite fragrance ever, but it's pretty unoffensive, smells well-done. It starts off very "Italian" to my nose, and the topnotes bring with them an: "oh no, it's the cologne guy" reaction in me. But soon enough those fade and it mellows out. Citrus and woods, with the woods and vanilla becoming more apparent as it dries. Something about the base reminds me of Rocabar. It's good, versatile, pleasant, but not great.

My nose must be developing. The first few times I smelled Musc Ravageur, I was wowed by what I thought was a rather straightforward, yet high quality, musk, vanilla, and cinnamon scent. Wow, was I missing the show! The topnotes are hard to place - sharp, bitter, and ever-so-slightly animalic at the same time. As the bitter top fades, the cinnamon and clove become more apparent, as does the musk. I love this musk! This is not the average "white" musk, but a somewhat stinky, animal musk that is like a toned down civet. In my previous testings I had also relegated this one to the colder months...what a fool was I. As I sit here now, in hot, humid weather, I tell you that this scent's sweetness is just right - not cloying in the least. I did use a light dusting of the fragrance, but still, no problem wearing this for me. As it dries further, the vanilla comes more to the fore, but this is not the typical boring sweet vanilla of many designer frags, you know the one that reminds one of cheap vanilla ice cream. Rather this vanilla is more like pure vanilla extract - naturally sweet and almost herbal in feel. MR deserves its place in my wishlist for sure!

Piper Nigrum, my first niche love. Wonderful stuff. Every time I leave it for a while, I come to believe all the negatives that I read here on Basenotes: it's too harsh, too chaotic, too thick, too strong, too unusual, too un-wearable, etc., etc. Then, after a bit, I walk to my bedroom, remove the box from the closet, carefully pull the bottle out of the box, and just sniff the sprayer. Then I am in love again. There is something so raw, so natural, and so pure about Piper Nigrum's herbs and spices...this draws me in every time. I can't help but spray it - somewhere, anywhere. As it dries, the amber comes on board, and the scent smoothes out and sweetens. It gets richer and less "chaotic," but it never loses that raw and natural edge. It lasts almost days, really. The sillage is great - like a huge aura that surrounds the wearer. Not an overpowering presence, not one of those "wake" sort of fragrances that spew off beams of sillage, but rather a warm and slowly enveloping cloud of scent that intrigues and amazes everyone around. I had two coworkers comment me on this one, and actually go so far as to seek out scents that they felt were similar to place in their offices. I still love Piper Nigrum.

SMW...musky, Creed-ambery, currant and tea, with an unusual note that seems to persist throughout. This note I would describe as exhaust fume, or perhaps pen ink, maybe ink jet toner - it's synthetic, it's harsh, and it's odd in a scent named Silver Mountain Water. Don't get me wrong, this note does not diminish my enjoyment of this scent. In fact, it adds to my enjoyment, as it's so unexpected and out of place. Still, Silver Mountain Water? Maybe Polluted Mountain Water is a better name (though I imagine that wouldn't sell as many bottles). It is youthful, energetic, interesting, funky, and a touch avant-garde (as much as a Creed can be). Definitely for jeans, casual wear. I do not have longevity issues (and I happen to think that olfactory habituation is an issue with this one). I do get consistency issues - even within the same bottle. SMW seems to respond to temperature, weather, diet...everything. Sillage is high. I can leave my office, return to it, and smell SMW when I return, even after I thought the scent had faded. A "modern" Creed for sure. I really wish it wasn't sold at K-Mart!!! Creed, get your marketing heads out of their arses please.

Rocabar. Starts with a blast of juniper and pine-like stuff, with some spices. Very interesting at first and very manly, in the traditional sense. Reminds me somehow of hiking amongst redwood trees on a sunny day (though clearly it's shaded under the trees' canopy). As it dries, it becomes less interesting, sort of the typical "woodsy-vanilla-generic amber" dry down that typifies many designer scents. I agree, there is something reminiscent of Declaration Essence, especially in the base. Longevity could be better...but the opening and middle - very nice and worth returning to.

Could this be a poor man's C&S no. 88? While there are certainly differences, I happen to think the commonalities cannot be ignored. The "brighter" notes in Iquitos - mainly in the top and middle: ginger and citrus - positioned against the darker, earthier rose note immediately brought to my mind memories of no.88. Iquitos lacks the incense that no. 88 has, but it is a complex, dark, almost intellectually stimulating scent nonetheless. Give this one some time. The first few times I sniffed it, I was very disappointed, and actually moved it to my swaplist! I am happy to say it has found a home in my wardrobe. In the end, it's a dark, earthy, dry rose, with sparkling topnotes that add complexity throughout. As it dries, it gets more leathery, picking up a touch of sweetness (it moves into Montale Black Oud territory, only without the oud and perhaps a touch sweeter in the end). When does one wear this? I don't know. At home. On a date with a significant other (not a first date, I presume). On a solitary autumn stroll in the woods.

Incense, woods, and spices, slightly sweet - dark grey is the color that comes to mind. So many other reviews are correct: dark, mysterious, sexy, intellectual. Certainly this is unisex, if not masculine (and yet another excellent example of how gender marketing is a crock). Black Cashmere has a soapy and slick feeling drydown, almost oily in some way. It does indeed wear close to the skin. The longevity is a bit disappointing, but acceptable.

I'm not sure what a beach without the seaweed and fishy smell would be! I guess Mare takes a stab at what that might smell like. But, to me, Mare smells more like a garden in spring, a greenhouse, or a nursery than a beach. Beaches have more depth, heavier notes, with salt and ocean stinkiness, sometimes even the smell of decaying animal life. Beaches do not smell floral or sweet. They may even have some human stink: sweat, tanning flesh, hormones in the air. Even the ocean itself, far removed from the beach, has an animalic and salty smell.

To my nose, Mare doesn't capture either of these. Mare is more like a crisp, light floral note riding the breeze. There is something a bit substantive under the floral note, but nothing that grounds the scent enough for my tastes. It seems like it might just float away. I can see how someone would like this, maybe even love it, but, sadly, that someone is not I.

Smells a lot like one of those modern fruit juices with the juices of a bunch of different, sometimes exotic, fruits. Vita is a very sweet, happy, upbeat summery fragrance. I'm not very good at picking out fruit notes, but I'd say citrus and something earthier, juicy, and sweet. This one doesn't work for me, but that's not to say it's "bad." It just isn't my thing - too sweet with nothing that seems to hold it all together and toughen it up. Just pure fruit to my nose.

Why do they discontinue the great ones? Good lord, what a blast of spices to open this scent! A huge shot of manly, dirty, almost animalic, spices shoots through one's nose. The topnotes remind me a little of Balenciaga Pour Homme, which I guess makes sense. From there, they take two totally different paths. As Portos dries it becomes more animalic, leathier, and oilier. Imagine dirty, manly spices on top of wet, musky, earthy leather, all with an 80s vibe (but without being dated) - that should put you in the ballpark. If "The Godfather" had a signature scent, this would be it. It smells great, projects nicely, lasts a long time, and is unlike anything I've smelled. Holy grail? For some, it just may be!

I still don't see why the Caron scents get such extreme reviews. All have their quirks, to be sure, but all dry down to something completely wearable and not all that wild or eccentric (it is all about the Basenotes after all). This one starts off with topnotes that somehow bring to mind copper, or possibly blood, mixed with oranges and spices. The oranges and spices here are sweeter and not nearly as dusty as those in Acier Aluminium. I get cinnamon or nutmeg, maybe both. As it dries, it calms down and warms up considerably, with the sandalwood, musk, and touch of vetiver coming into play. I'm not sure I get the cedar others comment on. The base actually reminds me a bit of Creed's house base, only not as musky and perhaps a bit powderier. The spiced orange "tinge" to the scent never does disappear completely, as it colors the base. Overall the scent feels vibrant and alive, which makes it wonderfully apt that they used a copper coating for the bottle, since copper is a material that could be said to be vibrant or "alive," as it reacts with its surroundings. As for this being cheap, well if by cheap one means: edgy, fun, vibrant, dynamic, youthful, energetic, and yet somehow still well-blended and classy, then cheap it is. Wearing L'Anarchiste both calms me and gives me energy; I somehow feel younger and more centered with this one on. Worth a look!

Upon testing, Lux immediately jumped into my top 10 list. It is amazing. The development on my skin is one of the most dramatic I've experienced. It starts off incredibly sharp with a rush of bitter notes. The petitgrain is very pronounced in the topnotes. It takes well over an hour for these topnotes to mellow on me. I've not experienced longevity like this from topnotes in any other scent. As it dries, the amber takes center stage. This is a warm, rich, full and addictive amber. Not quite as "plump" as MPG's amber in Ambre Precieux, and not very sweet, but very good in its own way. The toned-down but still slightly bitter topnotes now act to buffer the slight sweetness of the amber, and the scent has a near perfect balance of sweetness and bitterness. As it reaches the basenotes, it picks up a complex powderiness. I don't mean to make this scent sound simple or streamlined, because I get the feeling it is complex, but the notes mix so well that the only ones I can pick out are petitgrain and amber, and that's only until it reaches the base, which to my nose smells like one whole note - powdery, warm, rich - glowing like a west coast sunset. Sillage is just right; enough that I can smell it, never so much as to be noxious. Longevity is astounding. The scent lasts well over a day on me. It actually was still present on my skin at the end of the next day, even more present than the Tabarome Millesime that I wore that day (on different spots of course). This is a must test, and bottle-worthy for me.

Contrary to previous reviews I find Ormonde Man to be both highly distinctive and incredibly long lasting. It's a dark, rich, warm, enveloping, sultry scent that, unlike say, Nicolai Pour Homme, never becomes depressing or melancholic. It's sophisticated and masculine, and kept bringing to mind a color like forest green. Perhaps this is due to the black hemlock, which seemed to me to be a strong note in the mix. The topnotes open with juniper and pepper, and some spicy notes. As the scent dries, it warms up and rounds out, and happily avoids the cliched sweet, vanilla dry down. Instead it seems to get both deeper and richer. I think it also gets stronger. It's one of those scents that starts off strong, mellows very quickly and fools you into believing it is going to fade, but then comes back to full strength as it develops. Ormonde claims there is oud in this scent. I believe it is there both because of the depth and aura it has, and also the longevity. But it is well-blended and I get none of the usual medicinal tinge that I get with oud scents. The sillage was great, and the longevity unreal. I put some on my skin, where it lasted with good strength all day, becoming an almost powdery dark green aura. As I wore it, it transferred to my shirt. Four days later I could still smell it on my shirt. This is like the older, more sophisticated brother of Dior Homme: darker, more mysterious, older, more sophisticated, sexier, more dangerous, but still smooth and suave.

The name says it all - lavender and incense. Straightforward, especially for a Lutens scent, but in no way boring. It is all the things the other reviewers said: calming, introspective, mystical, and intoxicating, as well as a little avant-garde. Every time I wear this, I enjoy it more for its lean, and to my nose, masculine, scent.

Oh god. How are there so many positive reviews of this grotesque of a gourmand? Like one early reviewer, I find this sickeningly sweet. Smells like fruit punch syrup with a touch of milk chocolate melted into it. Gives me a headache. It just swamps the wearer and everyone anywhere near him with horrificly sweet sillage. Yikes! As if that were not enough, this is THE SMELL of every overcompensating, overage clubgoing dude everywhere. I have never been to a club where I wasn't swamped by this smell.

One of my favorites. This is such an odd scent, to my nose it is divided against itself. The topnotes are sharp, brittle, dry, and almost off-putting lemon, mint, and lavender. As it dries, it gets softer, seeming to pick up a floral note or two, and then further into the drydown, the tobacco comes into play and it gets richer and almost buttery in feel. The black currant seems to add a touch of smoothness and plumpness in the middle and base that thickens the scent without making it sweet. It lasts a good long while on me, especially the tobacco part of it, and projects nicely. Finally, I can wear this in warm or cool weather, casual or formal (though I think I might like it best for warm weather, casual outdoor wear). An amazing scent that somehow both calms and invigorates me.

Light, crisp, bright, dry citrus fragrance with an orange and slightly spicy tinge (maybe nutmeg, but I'm no expert at picking out individual notes). Fairly short-lived but very pleasant. Like nearly all MPGs I have tried, to me it smells incredibly "natural." It would be perfect for a hot, humid summer day, which might also help the longevity.

A very interesting scent. It's intense and yet streamlined, not chaotic. To me it feels like there are only a few notes in the mix, but what is there is concentrated yet pleasant. I would say it is a dry spice fragrance, with characteristic oud richness. The oud seems to add an "aura" to fragrances, like a wet cloud that gives them weight and density. The rose in this scent doesn't strike me as being the same as the rose in most other scents. It adds a dry floral note to the mix, not the sweet rose that I am used to. I don't know that I would have even guessed there is rose in this scent if it wasn't listed in the notes. I don't see the comparison with no.88. While C&S no.88 is very complex, with tons of notes seeming to enter and exit, and a citric bite, on me Attar is dry, smooth, warm, focused, and intense woods and spices with a floral touch. These few notes blend to create a scent that really is unlike anything else I can think of at the moment.

This is a really awesome leather scent. The medicinal aoud note is not as dominant to me now as it was when I first started smelling it - I guess I've gotten used to it and now it blends in with the other notes. Being more able to handle the oud really opened this one up and I now smell the rich, almost sweaty or musky leather. This is very much a darker, nastier take on leather than my "holy grail" of leather scents, Cuir Mauresque. There would be room in any wardrobe for both of these magnificent scents...they are totally different takes on leather: one day, one night; one crisp, one sultry; one sweet, one nasty.

Indeed there is something very familiar about this scent. I was thinking it might be similar to GIT, so I compared them side by side, and it's similar but different enough that GIT can't be the one I am thinking of. I am beginning to think it's Cool Water that I am remembering as being similar to Fougeres Marine, but I no longer have Cool Water to compare with this. Nevertheless, Fougeres Marine is rich and "green" but not herbal green, more like oakmoss and marine notes green, or calling to mind the color green. It lasts a very long time and projects a lot. It's fresh yet warm and rich. If someone likes GIT or Cool Water but wants to try a newer, niche alternative to those, this would be a great option. Classy, masculine, and yet also refreshing and mainstream enough to wear in many situations. I found myself sniffing my arm all day.

I found Wood & Spices to be surprisingly sweet. For some reason, I was expecting dry woods and spices. I do get some incense in this one, and the cardamom - there's a friendly spiciness to it. I also get lots of vanilla or tonka or possibly benzoin (I can never tell those apart). If someone were looking for a high quality, niche version of say Pi, Opium, or maybe Body Kouros, this would be a good option. Very nice, approachable, and easily likable, but a bit sweet for my personal tastes. Still good overall.

Not many reviews for this one, so I think I'll take a stab at it. This is one of my favorite Creeds to smell. Very rich, thick, complex, and exotic in the sense that there are so many notes and so much going on it's hard to tell what exactly comprises this scent. It's somewhat spicy, somewhat floral, and fairly sweet - almost equal parts each. Rather than old-world, which for me (perhaps mistakenly) brings to mind scents like Chanel Pour Monsieur or BdP, Royal Delight seems to me to be more for the younger crowd - the guys who like the sweet orientals like Pi, Body Kouros, Opium, Mat; Male, etc. would probably love this one. Lots of sillage and great lasting power, as Matt said, one of the longest lasting Creeds. It's the type of scent I love to smell, but am not sure I would wear very often. Still, on the right guy, for clubbing, romantic dates, or a big night out, this would work great.

One of my favorite vetiver scents. Mineralic, bright, crisp, sharp, with a strong but not overpowering vetiver note. A very good daytime, outdoor activity scent. To my nose much better than Original Vetiver, which seems to have a cleaning agent smell to me. Vetiver 1948 is just crisp, clear, clean, and refreshing. It makes me want to have a cookout!

It took me many wearings to get into Acier Aluminium, but now that I have, I can't get enough of this versatile gem. It's a dry spice and fruit scent. The topnotes are sharp and slightly sour, which creates the illusion of metal, sort of like the topnotes in L'Anarchiste. As it dries down it picks up a creamy fuzziness; it's not quite warmth, but more like a powdery fuzzy quality that makes it much more approachable and wearable than the topnotes would suggest. The more it dries, the rounder and fuzzier it seems to get, but throughout the dry down it maintains the spice and fruit notes that give it character. I could see wearing this in any season, and for either casual or formal occasions. It lasts forever (literally over a day on me) and I find it has near perfect sillage - I never feel like I am overwhelming others, yet I always know it's there. I've done a total 180 since the first time I sampled this...it's now easily one of my favorite Creeds and possibly one of my favorite scents overall.

I bought this one blind based on reviews, and it worked out very well for me. As so many others have mentioned, Smalto Pour Homme is a classic, 80's style scent. It somehow manages to be fresh and clean without being aquatic, fruity, or floral at all. It's very masculine - dry, woodsy, and mossy, with an herbal quality that lasts throughout the dry down. The only off-putting note at all was in the topnotes. For the first 30 minutes or so there was a strong kitchen herb smell - maybe the rosemary - that put me off a bit. But that faded, the middle and basenotes took over, and the whole thing came together very nicely. I can envision wearing this in many different settings and weather conditions. This one is a good choice for a blind buy.

I give Mure et Musc Extreme thumbs-up, but barely thumbs-up. Not really a thumbs-up for me, as much as it is a thumbs-up for my girlfriend. I bought it for myself, but basically ended up giving this one to her. The blackberry note dominates the scent on me. The musk is a clean, sweet musk, not a dirty, animalic musk like MKK. Combine the blackberry and the sweet musk, and MeMe is too sweet for my tastes. That said, I very much like the way it smells on my girlfriend. While sweet, it doesn't smell cheap or childish at all. It does have good lasting power, especially considering the house.

Ahh, a blind buy that worked out well for me. It's also one of my favorites from L'Artisan. Very dry, herbal, and sharp, the topnotes remind me of MPG's Centaure. But, as it dries down, it takes a very different path. While Centaure seems to get thicker and butterier as it dries on me, L'Eau du Caporal gets crisper and cleaner, with the mint taking center stage. It is surprisingly long-lived, both considering it is from L'Artisan, and because it is an herbal-mint fragrance. The citrus doesn't seem as prominent to me as the herbs, especially mint. A very good choice for hot, humid summer days.

This is another scent I bought blind based on the rave reviews. I find this one to be thin and weak on me. And unfortunately, unlike some other reviewers, I get exactly the same scent every time I wear it. It smells like I opened a cedar chest and found a stale spice sack inside. It's also very short-lived on me - a few hours at most before it's just a whisper on my skin.

I bought this one blind based on reviews. This is not a good choice for a blind buy. As others have noted, it is very similar to MPG's Eau de Iles. Both of them have plenty of woods, spices, and a smokey quality. Interestingly, I don't get the coffee the others mention. Both also have what I can only describe as a noxious perfumey quality. It's a little overwhelming, and yet surprisingly short-lived on me, given the intense opening. Most definitely not my style. Try it before you buy it.

I wasn't sure how to review this one. It's pretty odd for a men's fragrance. I don't get the similarity to Chanel PM at all. To me, it smells a lot like mouthwash! But with a pleasant quality that one would not associate with mouthwash. It's very unique to my nose, unlike anything else I have smelled, though bordering on being "synthetic" smelling. Very fresh but not sweet at all. I would give it thumbs-up for its novelty, but the longevity was pretty poor, so I go neutral on this one.

Another great scent from Trumper's. Very classy, very masculine, and also unique. I am not even sure if I can detect particular notes. There are spices for sure, and something almost camphorous or menthol-like (though I don't think it's either of those). I don't really agree with the other reviewers that this is aptly named. Royalty is not what comes to mind, more like executives or upper-management...the corridors of power. Very distinctive and classy. One of Trumper's best scents.

Nice, classy, masculine. Reminds me very much of Antaeus by Chanel. It's also similar to Trumper's Eucris, but a little sweeter and richer in the dry-down, better overall to this nose. In the end, I prefer Antaeus to either one, as it has a more distinctive smell throughout (especially in that wildly unique opening). I don't think I would buy a bottle of Curzon, but it's a quality scent, and so gets a thumbs-up.

My first thumbs-down for a Trumper's fragrance, and maybe one of the easiest reviews to write. This has WAY too much clove in it. Smells like the bottle of ground cloves in my kitchen. Verging on gross.

The only one of the Dior trio that I like at all. This one is buttery and sweet. The almond here comes across as smooth and buttery, and the honey is obvious. As other reviewers have commented, the honey is sweet but not cloying, as this remains light and "up." The incense adds a nice touch to this, and for me, a slightly interesting twist as I am used to incense scents being darker, drier, and more pensive. This one brings to mind a stroll through a safe wooded park on a nice sunny, breezy day. My only complaint is that it borders on being too sweet, and most days I do find that I ultimately choose not to wear it because of its sweetness. Still, a nice scent and worthy of a thumbs-up review.

Sorry to be the first to rain on this parade, but this scent, like Cologne Blanche, I just cannot give a thumbs-up review. I find something about the two of these scents to border on disgusting, and I am surprised to be the first to mention it. Maybe in this one it's the immortelle, a note I don't like in Sables either. But I think it is also this near-foody quality crossed with an effeminate powderiness. On the plus side, this one is darker than Blanche, which makes it a little more interesting to me. Still, the sweetness, the chocolatey note, and the immortelle make this a "no" for me.

A powdery light citrus-floral scent. Orange blossom and almond, and there's some sharper, herbally note as well. Like the other Dior colognes in this series, this one too is sweet and powdery. And like the others, it borders on being a foody scent while not quite being totally "edible." There is something about this fence-sitting quality that I don't like. That is, it is foody while at the same time including elements that are not edible, which to me borders on disgusting, like getting your dessert with a pile of talcum powder on top of it. Then there's this powderiness, something I really don't care for in a men's scent. I guess that this might be a well-made scent - it certainly gets rave reviews on this site - but it's definitely not to my liking.

It seems to me that leather scents fall into two categories: either they are, 1) sharp and bright, rather in-your-face and almost chemical like the leather of a new leather jacket, or 2) soft and soapy, with a clean, powdery sort of scent like saddle leather that's been washed regularly. I guess this is because, technically speaking, when you smell leather you are really smelling either the chemicals that were used to tan it, or you are smelling the soap and chemicals used to clean it. Trumpers' Spanish Leather is of the soapy, warm, powdery variety and that is fine by me. I find this one to be slightly similar to Creed's Royal English Leather, but I like this one better (I know, the purists will now sigh and shake their heads at me) because it feels lighter and cleaner to me. It feels less soapy when I wear it and I get more of a whiff of what I would call "leather." This is one leather I might actually buy a bottle of as it is just soapy enough to feel clean without feeling like I have a soap scum residue on me, and still masculine too. Good stuff.

Being James Bond's cologne of choice I really wanted to like this one. And upon initial application I was quite impressed - very strong, masculine, rich, and classy in an old-world style. But it reminded me of something else, and as it dried down that something else became more apparent. It dries down to a scent very reminiscent of Xeryus, a fragrance that I do not at all care for. In the end, it seems to dry to a watered-down, tired, boring, old man's thing (hey, that sounds like a description of some Bond movies!).

I agree that this one has similarities with Pi and maybe Lolita Lempicka - it's kind of sweet, warm, round, and easy-to-wear. I don't get powder at all and I don't get animalic in any way. It's vanillic and slightly spicy, sort of a warm oriental that does not resemble the original's synthetic air sanitizer smell in any discernible way...that in itself is worthy of a thumbs-up review! It lasts well too. YSL should have given this one its own name.

Starts off pretty good, fresh, but also interesting and somewhat distinctive. Then it dries down to something similar, but weaker, than its namesake, that god-awful public restroom concoction that causes so much commotion. This one too smells like a public restroom, but with a worn out air sanitizer - a weak synthetic, chemical, disinfectant odor. Nothing special, nothing controversial, just fake and kind of boring.

Blech! Smells like a bell pepper. Really. I don't get it. I don't think there's much else to this one, just raw bell pepper. It may be short-lived, but for my tastes, it lasts too long. Odd, but holds nothing of interest to me.

Starts off with a sharp hot pepper note that soon picks up a warm, sweet milky base. If you were to take Safran Troublant, remove the saffron and replace it with hot pepper, I think this is what you would get. It doesn't last very long, nor does it project much, but for what it is, it is nice. One of the few "foody" scents that I have liked.

While I am impressed with how much like saffron L'Artisan has managed to make this smell, I am also a little repulsed by the smell of it. There's something about saffron that just does not work as a fragrance for me. This one smells like a sweetened rendition of paella, or maybe saffron flan - something I might like to eat, but not wear. On the plus side, it does seem to last longer than most L'Artisans I have tried.

This is one unique scent. I'm not even sure how to describe it. It starts off as a very strong spice (tons of spice in the topnotes) and mossy woods scent, not sweet but not overly dry either. I might get a little of the honey and caramel notes listed, which serve to give this some "thickness," but I wouldn't call this a honey or caramel scent. As it dries the incense base becomes more and more apparent until it is mostly incense slightly sweetened or rounded out by just the right amount of vanilla. Reading the notes I would have guessed that this might be a sweet (honey, caramel, and vanilla), almost gourmand scent, but it does not come off that way at all. I really like this scent. It's dark but not angry, sad, or brooding; it's more intellectual and classy, sophisticated, reflective, thoughtful. This is perfect for a night out at the theatre or opera house, or a nice dinner at an exclusive restaurant, or even better, an evening lecture by a renowned professor. Finally, its longevity is very good, especially considering that it has an incense base (which I usually associate with poor longevity ala Passage d'Enfer). Pure class.

I get smoky tobacco with a fairly linear development. It is also a relatively long lasting scent on me. If I have to place it, I would place it somewhere between new Tabarome and Vintage Tabarome. Less soapy than the vintage, and also more modern feeling in some way that I can't pinpoint. That said, on me it is smokier than new Tabarome. I like it just fine, but I like new Tabarome better. On me new Tabarome lasts longer, has a more interesting development, and throughout, has more "pop" or liveliness, probably due to the much-maligned ginger note, which I actually find crisp, refreshing, and a nice balance to the butteriness and smoothness of tobacco. For those reasons, I can't imagine buying a bottle of Miller Harris Feuilles de Tabac, despite my liking it more than most scents I have tested. I doubt I would often reach for it over my new Tabarome.

I'm commenting on Cologne Bigarade, not the concentrated version. It starts off incredibly well: a very nice, rich, non-bitter yet sparkling, almost steely, refreshing citrus scent. Then, like magic, it disappears. I mean completely, utterly gone in less than an hour. It's probably the shortest duration scent I've ever tried on. I have to give it a thumbs-down because I can't even comment on the "dry-down," since it wasn't really there long enough to dry down. I'd love to try the Concentree version, as it has the potential to be a go-to summer scent if it can last long enough.

Pleasant enough, an immediate, almost acerbic blast of lavender gives way to a powdery lavender shadow. It's light and somewhat powdery, pleasant, but short-lived (on me, very short). And honestly, for my money, MPG makes better lavender-heavy scents.

Pretty amazing - they bottled circus stink. Seriously, it smells like a circus or a county fair. I swear I can even smell the elephants. I get cotton candy, something like hay or sawdust (or both), and something a little funky, to be honest. I'm not sure I get vanilla on the dry down - to me it seems sweeter than that, almost candied, and so, like so many other artistic scents, not one I would wear. In the end, I give it thumbs-up for creativity and ambitiousness. Who would have thought to do this outside of the niche world?

I've been wondering how exactly I would describe the scent of ambre to someone who had never smelled it. Before I had tasted it, a friend of mine once described truffle to me as: "imagine the world's best chef took a stinky gym sock and somehow made it taste great." I guess the reality with ambre is that I would have to say: "imagine a sperm whale puked and somehow, months later someone found it and it smelled salty, dense, tar-like, and sweet but yet dry, and so they put it in a parfum with other stuff." Ambre is unique. In this scent, I think it is slightly sweet, verging on too sweet for me, but not quite there. I get lots of vanilla mixed with the ambre once this is dried. I also get maybe some nutmeg or a touch of cinnamon - light spices. It's pretty straightforward and yet rich and creamy. It's one of my favorite MPG's to date. Very nice and lasts a long time.

I get tons of patchouli at first, then as it dries down I get a scent not unlike a Downy dryer sheet that's been rubbed in patchouli and carnations. It's kind of feminine once it dries down. I do not like this one at all on my skin. Maybe it's great on others, but not me. A disappointment, as I wanted to like at least one Bond no 9 scent.

Lots of spices and dried fruits. Sweet and gourmand. It kind of smells like a real chai tea (not that syrupy goo Starbucks serves) with some dates or figs, or something sweet and earthy. I definitely pick up a tea note in this too. Like many niche scents, I like it but cannot see where or when I would wear it, and so will not be buying a bottle for myself. Still, it's one of the better gourmand scents I have experienced.

I just read this was made to smell like a woman, which is really ironic, because as I was smelling the dried down scent on my skin, I was strongly reminded of tanning bed smell. Not suntan lotion, but rather the sultry, salty, hot, sweaty, burnt smell of having been laying on a tanning bed getting fried. I'd imagine this would be pretty similar to a woman coming from the beach, so I can agree with the assessment. Overall, a dark, warm, burnt-creamy sort of scent. I like it, but won't be buying a bottle or wearing it myself.

My favorite citrus scent to this point in my life. It's very balanced, right from the start, which is not the case with other Neroli scents I have tried. It's got a very strong orange smell at first, which despite being so strong is not bitter at all. The amber and sandalwood really smooth out all the citrus. The first two hours are a love affair. My only gripe is that it does not last. 3 hours in and it fades, almost completely gone (but that's 2 hours more than I get with Czech and Speake's Neroli).

I don't get peaches at all, and while it does have some floral notes, I don't find it to be overly floral or too feminine. In fact, if anything, I'd say the citrus dominates early on and then as that dries away (hours into it!) I'm left with some floral notes, but they are balanced by the musk and background herbal notes, and possibly even a marine note not unlike Erolfa. I like it - it's refreshing. Creed's website says it's "uplifting," and in this case, I find myself agreeing with them. I'd imagine this would be really nice for a hot summer day.

Sweet, somewhat powdery, and floral. Maybe unisex, but to me it's leaning toward being a feminine scent. I like it enough - it's crisp, clean, and light - to maybe try this one on a hot, humid day. Still, it seems very soft and floral to me and I may not be brave enough to wear it out.

Xeryus starts off okay for me - smells like a lot of other fragrances out there (or maybe they smell like Xeryus, since this is 20 years old now), which leads me to agree that it's "in the middle." It smells pleasant enough in the beginning, then it dries down to very dry and faint woodsy scent on me. I don't get amber at all. It disappears rather quickly too. Finally, there is something about it that irritates my eyes, so I don't feel I can be completely fair in my evaluation. All-in-all it's nothing special and even without the slight allergy to one of its components, I doubt I would find occasion to wear it often.

As many others have said, the topnotes on this one are very, very similar to Gucci PH. As it dries down however, a few hours in, it gets more of a powdery/soapy scent than Gucci PH. On me, it lasts longer than PH (though neither last all that long). Also, the basenotes in Gucci PH seem to have more caramel and burnt wood, whereas CDG 2 Man has a slightly more synthetic (probably intentionally synthetic) basenote scent. Someone said CDG Man 2 has a burnt plastic basenote...that might be it. Or maybe it's burnt treated lumber as opposed to PH's burnt cedar. I like it, just no need for it with PH in my collection. I like PH's clearer (read: non-soapy) dry down. PH is maybe classier, more "gentlemanly" whereas CDG is more urban, more hipster.

This is a very intriguing scent. Right from the start it is somehow both entirely new and interesting, and completely familiar and boring. I've gone back and forth over whether it keeps my interest or not, and every time I have decided that it bores me, I get a whiff of something that pulls me back in. It's woodsy, earthy, sweet. It definitely has a strong note of hazelnut, in fact, on me the hazelnut is almost a dominant note. It does remind me of a forest, as many have pointed out. It's got an earthy sweetness to it, a little bit musky, but mostly earthy woods. I don't get the animal fur scent at all. Smelling this does bring to mind a fairy tale place where the big bad wolf would live...very cool effect. It's rich without being heavy or swampy. It's warm without being overly dark. I would even try this in the summer, though it seems better suited to the winter. The only downsides: it wears very close to my skin and does not last long at all.

Wow. This one starts off with a bang. It comes on very strong, quite potent stuff. Citrus, spice, burnt woods, and some florals seem all to come at me at once. Once it dries down, the citrus blends into the background a little more, the burnt woods come to the fore a bit, and the there is a subtle dry spice going on. While it is nice, and masculine, it also smells familiar to me, like it is THE smell of every nightclub I've ever been in. I know that contradicts what others seem to be saying about it's uniqueness...maybe it's just popular in my town. Who knows? At any rate, while it has its positive qualities, it doesn't thrill me, and the familiarity of it makes it unlikely that I would buy a bottle.

I like the orange and spicy start, but when it dries down on me, it smells ordinary, overly simple, and somewhat "old man." It's not terrible, but I see no reason to buy this when there are so many other more distinctive orange scents out there. This one is neither inspiring nor offensive. It also doesn't last very long.

I agree with the reviewer who did not like this scent at first, but after a few wearings, came around to loving it. On me it starts off a little salty and sweet, but later settles into a very nice, warm, semi-sweet musk scent with a creamy fruity note (watermelon, cream, and musk?) that I've found to be really addictive. The first time I wore it, it wore off within a few hours. After that, however, it has stayed with me for about 6-8 hours every time I put it on, and even after that, it is still faintly perceptible. It's even made it through the shower a couple times. I think this has the chance to be a real keeper in warmer weather, where the sillage will be stronger, and the lightness, creaminess, and hint of fruit will be welcome. Also, the musk really does make this one more of a masculine frag. My girlfriend put it on one day; it smelled too dark and thick on her. Finally, this is the first Creed I have worn, and I have to say I am really impressed by the naturalness of the scent. Before wearing this, I would not have noticed a huge difference between synthetic and natural fragrances; this one smells so pure and naturally fresh to me that it will be tough to ever wear another synthetic scent...goodbye disposable income!

On me, this one kicks out some serious patchouli and incense. For some reason I feel younger when I wear it, even though I associate patchouli with hippies (old) and incense with Benedictine monks (even older). Somehow, this just works with my skin. I can see how it wouldn't be for everyone - it is woodsy, dry, and reeking of incense - but I found that I could wear it day or night, so long as the occasion was casual. It's not sophisticated or complex, it's not as classy as Gucci Pour Homme, and it does smell synthetic, but like the Diesel fragrances, I think you need to wear it with a mind tuned toward fun, not taking it too seriously or expecting it to be what it is not.

I wore this for years. I found it to be appropriate primarily for formal occasions. An ex of mine once said to me, "that smells like gold," by which she meant it smells expensive. It is definitely a classy citrus. While many citrus scents smell cheap, sporty, or youthful, this one smells rich, classy, and mature. It must be the musky and woodsy oriental base that brings it a touch of class. I noticed one reviewer said it does not last for them. For me, this one lasts almost too long. I can easily smell it the next day, and even have to take that into account, so that if I am going to be doing something where this fragrance would be too much, I need to leave enough time for it to wear off or not use it at all. Overall, it's classy, sophisticated, and lasts forever, but on me, it's not appropriate for all occasions.

I like this one much more than Mat; Male. on me the Very Male version is heavier and darker than the Male version, with more patchouli and an overall muskier scent. The sweet and floral notes of watermelon, rose, lotus flower, and currant are all knocked down a notch. They're still there, adding that distinctive note, but the resulting concoction to my nose smells "dark purple," as opposed to Male's "pastel purple." The result is a fragrance that I find to be both more masculine and more wearable. I like to wear this on colder wintery days, though it also seems light enough to be worn in the summer. My only concern is that the sweeter top notes will wear on me after a while.

I had a bottle of this, wore it fairly often, and then "lost" the bottle (along with all my other fragrances) when I moved. Sorry, had to get that off my chest... As you can see from the reviews, this one is tough to classify. I always found that it was an in-between fragrance. What I mean is that it was a little too musky to be feminine, but too sweet, soft, and floral to be truly masculine. When wearing it I felt it was a tad too pungent for the summer, but too light and, again, sweet and floral, for the winter. I never got into a groove with this one, but still liked it. One reviewer said this reminded them of the color white. I say it is light purple. I'm not sure why, but the floral and sweet notes take the heavier notes down and notch, and for some reason I always felt this one was a light pastel purple scent (compared to Mat Very Male, which is a dark purple scent - more masculine, more musky, but still kicking out that one signature sweet floral sort of note). Maybe it is "purple" because of the combination of watermelon, rose, and black currant. There is a distinctive sweet note that sits on top, which is probably the result of those three scents combining. Overall, I like it for its distinctiveness, but always felt I could not find the right time, place, or weather to wear this one.

Greenish and only very slightly floral, though very sweet: Candied even. As others have said, it is a fun fragrance in a fun bottle, good for younger folks or a day at an amusement park or something (playful, like all of Diesel's fashion, really). Not as sweet as Diesel Plus Plus. Also very light and short-lived. I went through the whole bottle quickly. No matter how much I put on I never felt I was too strong for public consumption. Nothing about this offended me, except maybe the sweetness, but it also didn't interest me very much either. I finished the bottle and have no desire to replace it.

Very sweet, milk and honey scents, maybe some light florals. Leaves an almost sticky residue on my skin. Doesn't last very long and no one but me seems to be able to smell it on me unless I bathe in it. Not horrible, but not impressive, and doesn't attract a lot of attention (which could be either a positive or a negative).

On me this is a simple and straight-forward, but unique and masculine fragrance. It's a very clear and clean smelling scent to me. Not clean-fresh as in citrusy or soapy, as it has no citrus or soap, but rather clean and clear as in spicy and direct - there's no powder smell at all. There are also no floral notes that I can detect, and virtually no fruit. This one is all leather, wood (smells cedary to me) and white pepper. Not the pungecy and muskiness of black pepper, but the crisp clarity of white pepper. As it dries you get a softer woodsy scent with a buttery leather note, and the white pepper still tingling. The only downside for me is that it just does not last (a problem I seem to have with all the Guccis I've tried: Pour Homme, Rush, and Envy). I wear this more than anything and in all situations, day or night. It's very classy and very masculine. It's bold without being heavy or intrusive.

From the multitude of reviews posted, this looks like it's mostly a "love-it-or-hate-it" fragrance, so I am happy to post a neutral review. This fragrance has some qualities I like: chocolate, patchouli, and musk, to name three. It also has some qualities I really do not like. It is very, very strong. I noticed someone mentioned using more than four sprays; Somewhere around one I am maxed out. This is (overly) potent stuff. Another quality that I do not like is that, at least on my skin, this one comes across extremely dark. There are no light or uplifting notes at all, which leads to a sense of swampiness. I tried to wear this during the day and it just didn't work. Still, even with these negatives, I feel that this is a bold and unique scent. Also, it was recommended to me by a woman I worked with. There seems to be something about women and chocolate... At any rate I am glad that Mugler took the risk in producing this, even if it's something that I would not wear very often.