Fragrance Reviews by Ronald

An interesting, subtle composition with nice top notes that dries down into something too feminine for me. I've got the Amouage men's sampler and am wearing it right now, and I keep getting hits of some sort of vaginal aroma - not that I mind that smell at all, in other circumstances... this seems to be a more unisex-tending-towards-feminine fragrance. Not bad, but I'll pass on it.

Got a sample of this and am unimpressed as it is way too light. The "rain notes" are nice, but extremely fleeting, as is the fougere. It dries down very quickly and is basically gone within about two hours. It could be that my skin chemistry is incompatible with this one, but I expected more.

I'm not normally an Oriental kind of guy, but this one works for me. Got it as a gift, and the first thing that came to mind upon smelling it was its similarity to Pasha de Cartier - so I compared the pyramids and see that they share the oakmoss, sandalwood and patchouli basenotes. My same comments apply to Tiffany as Pasha - chicks dig it more than I do, but I dig it, too. Longevity is off the charts - it's still there a day later. Thumbs up!

One of my very first forays into the fragrance world, and I'll always have a soft spot reserved for this one, along with Tommy. It's a guilty pleasure for those of us who are probably quite a bit too old to wear it "appropriately" any longer, but I really like it a lot - who cares if it's common?! Rock on, Hugo!

Good stuff - church indeed. The first thing that came to my mind in terms of comparisons is, strangely enough, Chanel's Platinum Egoiste, although it also bears resemblance to CdG 2 Man in terms of the smoke. Avignon shouldn't work well in warm weather, but surprisingly, it isn't bad at all in the heat, although I'd imagine that it must be a bit better in cool weather. Morrissey is said to wear it, and has it sprayed on the stage before performing... seems appropriate.

I'd consider this a more palatable version of SMN's Nostalgia - at least it doesn't dry down powdery like that one does. Still, it's a bit of a gimmick - the garage/industrial notes are in there, but not in any real striking sense. It's actually pretty mild stuff compared to CdG's "Odeurs" 53 and 71, and I can't really think of any situation that would call for this one. It has little sillage and weak staying power.

Synthetic in a nice way, with lime and ozone notes combined in a laundry detergent and "sparkling" champagne-esque composition. Great for hot weather. Staying power is weak.

Great stuff. It does smell like the gin (my all-time favorite), and is pleasantly "dry". The juniper is dominant. It has fine sillage and nice staying power, too. I've had people ask me what I was wearing several times with this one - bought myself three bottles on eBay as it is almost impossible to find these days. Bring it back!

An interesting chypre teetering on the precipice of orientaldom. "Dry floral" and "masculine floral" are indeed apt descriptions. The rose note is quite prominent - a whiff of fragrant moisture in an otherwise herbal desert-esque base. Smells like something straight out of a fragrance house on an oasis in the Arabian peninsula, although it seems to work quite well in a variety of climatalogical circumstances. Probably not as scarce as some fear... I found a plentiful supply at a local Dillard's. Doesn't have the best designed packaging, but it does look very apropos to its 1973 release. I give it a retro thumbs up.

I like it. Mildly. I get an immediate smokey accord that reminds me strongly of CdG 2Man. This is followed by a dryish kettlecorn note and a bit of leather. I don't get any of the allegedly "animalic" stuff. If you've ever used power tools and know the smell of the contact between hot spinning metal and fresh wood, then you've probably got a reasonably accurate idea of what this one smells like.

I refer to this one as "niche-designer" since it smells like a high-quality fougère that, were it bottled and marketed differently, could easily become a huge hit with the middle-brow fragrance demographic. The bergamot and musk are great here with topnotes from a variety of the aromatic shrubs of the Mediterranean scrublands for which it is named. Goes excellent in warm, humid weather. Cool Water for the cognoscenti.

Reputation seems to exceed reality on this one. It's strange how something that's so citrusy on the opening can become so extremely dry at the base. I get some leather notes at the midway point, but at this time, several hours after applying, it has a dry woody iris smell that is like a masculine version of Bois d'Iris from the Different Company. Although this is an interesting composition, it's not what I expected, and definitely not for me.

Excellent stuff. Classy indeed. I always keep a bottle on hand, as it works well in most social situations and most climates, including the warmer ones. It seems to vary a bit from "vintage" to "vintage" in terms of concentration and/or the ratio of components as I've had bottles that seemed to have different "emphases" in the composition, and some that had great staying power while others faded rather quickly. It must be the "Tweed" in the name and the Cary Grant connection, but it has a sort of sartorial aura about it that I reflexively associate with those cool old black-and-white movies from the late 50's and early 60's. Thumbs up.

I see why people like it; it's sort of an archetype fragrance -- classic, old school fresh and green, what people who aren't into fragrances might think of when trying to imagine a "classic". Alas, my opinion is biased as I compare it to other vetivers (MPG's Route de Vetiver is my favorite, Creed's new one is next) that I tried before really giving Guerlain's classic version a serious go. In comparison, this one is very light and stays extremely close to the skin on me. It's green and somewhat organic, but not as good as I had expected. 3 out of 5 stars.

Pleasantly unisex. I have to disagree with those who say that it's too feminine to be unisex -- I haven't smelled it on a woman, but it's definitely fine for guys. It must be the bergamot that does it for me, because I seem to end up liking anything that contains it. This one is quite fresh, and just when you think it's going to get a bit too feminine, the musk kicks in and makes it work. Has some similarities with Santa Maria Novella's Colonia Russa I believe.

One of those fragrances that smell like they'd taste great if you could drink them. If only it had more staying power! Great for warm weather. First leaves and berries, then herbs and tobacco, and finally into the weak wood, moss and musk that is barely detectable. A concentrée version is in order... that'd be a real winner.

I like it a lot, it's my favorite CdG so far and I've tried many of them. It's synthetic, for sure -- but in a modern, minimalist sort of way -- and that's a plus in this case. Great for hot weather. Smells like something the Bauhaus school would come up with if they did fragrances.

Got this as a gift recently and quite like it. Supposedly it has something to do with Façonnable getting in touch with their roots on the French Riviera, so I can see where they are going with some of the aquatic notes here. Nothing especially spectacular, yet nice for daytime and office wear. There's a sort of saltiness in there that reminds me of the more "high-seas" marine scents like Erolfa and Vintage Yachting Co., but this time around it's in more of a contemporary young-ish base that's slightly musky at the same time. Fresh, spicy and woodsy? Yep. I can see all of those, too.

Very "80's"? Definitely. In fact, it's the signature scent of a friend of mine who is sort of stuck in that decade. It's also excellent stuff - I picked up a 3.4oz bottle for $20 at a drugstore recently based upon the pleasing sillage and don't regret it a bit. If you like scents like Azzaro PH, you should really like this one which is a bit more luxurious.

I picked up a bottle of this based on several Basenotes reviews and must say that it's not bad at all. Comes very cheap at the drugstore and has a real presence. Sort of an "in-between- drugstore-and-department-store" scent. I definitely get the anise note quite loudly, and the drydown is subtle, yet "thick", with good sillage and longevity. Perhaps not on the same level of sophistication as some of the scents that it's similar to like Tuscany, Boss Number One, or A&F Woods, but better than most scents in its market niche.

A classic deserving of respect. Manly and in-your-face. Very non-PC. I keep at least a small 1oz bottle in the wardrobe at all times. I've never heard a female say anything bad about it - though it does get plenty of compliments. Smells like a cologne should. One of the few to ever be mentioned by name in a motion picture - see "Black and White" for a hilarious Aramis mention.

I agree with IPaidForThisName - this is the heaviest and roughest Amouage, and therefore, I would say, the best. I can't take Gold or Dia, as they smell to way too feminine to me. Silver is ok, but Silver Cristal cranks the animalic note way up and has a heavier and more complex base. It also has great staying power and sillage.

Smelled really good on the magazine sample so I ordered a bottle and am somewhat dissapointed to find that it smells almost exactly like Echo by Davidoff which I already own. Not bad, has decent staying power, but nothing special.

Outstanding. This is something like a female version of Creed Erolfa! An extremely worthy addition to any lady's wardrobe, but particularly those who live in warmer climes. The ingredient list includes: Mandarin, Lily of the Valley, White Musk, Neroli, Lilac, Myrtle, Florence Iris, Hyacinth, and Lime. Great stuff!

You're kidding, right?! This has got to be some sort of sick joke - absolutely horrendous! It sucks the oxygen out of a room and practically brings people to their knees. Smells like ultra-sweet chocolate exhaust fumes, like what might happen if you poured cocoa powder into your car's heating system and sat inside with the heater running on full-blast and the windows all rolled up. Splendidly offensive! Aggressively wretched! If this one hasn't sent lots of people with scent or chocolate allergies to the emergency room, I'd be very, very, surprised.

Nice stuff. Unlike one of the previous reviewers, though, I prefer the regular (red bottle) version to this one. Good staying power. Has similarities to Bvlgari Aqva and AdG that the regular version doesn't exhibit.

Less than mediocre. I agree with the previous reviewer who called this one "rubbish". Smells of cheap sticky fruit, and has little to no development. Try before you buy. I gave my bottle away after a day.

Shockingly mediocre. Drydown smells like cheap soap. Don't know why they bothered with this one. The rest of my sample vial is going in the trash.

This one smells very nice. Definitely a marine scent, floral, with a hint of Creed Erolfa's "oily" notes. Reminds me a great deal of "Ocean" by Jalaine (Bagutta Life) which is marketed to women and comes in parfum strength, and the recently released Vintage Yachting Club for men. I would recommend Calypso over Vintage Yachting Company if you want something along these floral/fruity/nautical lines.

An underappreciated Creed, if ever there was one. Classy. I can go along with the "gin and martini lover" reference of the previous reviewer... I love both, and Baie de Genièvre is right up there near the top of my list of favorite Creeds. There also seems to be a sort of musk note in there that makes this composition sneak up on you in terms of its manliness. Excellent stuff.

Definitely a unique take on vetiver. Smells pleasantly organic, rather like rain-soaked, mineral-rich soil covered in an assortment of (tropical?) plant matter in various states of decomposition. Depending on one's skin chemistry, it can take on a mustard-like scent a few hours into the drydown.

Obviously directed to the under-35 market. Fine for very casual daytime wear. Smells almost exactly like L'eau par Kenzo for women, but with some added basenotes. Some might find it a bit on the feminine side. It's light, invigorating, and has decent staying power.

Bears a striking similarity to Angel Schlesser Homme. It's sort of aquatic mixed with some kind of "starch" note (rice?, potato?, bread?). Not bad, it's quite light and inoffensive, but nothing special - Schlesser does the same thing better in my opinion.

Seems to have taken the Paco Rabanne pour Homme ideal and fine-tuned it. Less piney and more musky. Very versatile, manly stuff. Lasts forever. Chicks dig it. 'Nuff said.

Pleasant enough, but on the feminine side of unisex. Must be the white orchid that I'm getting the most hits of. Little to no sillage - stays extremely close to the skin. I've gone through most of a 5ml decant in half a day just to be able to smell it at all. Since it was launched specifically for the travel retail market, maybe it's made for use in a cramped airline cabin for several hours. Can't imagine anyone really complaining about it in those circumstances.

Excellent and unique. I don't know about the "plum", but I like it better than any of the "old school" leather fragrances that I've tried. Lasts a very long time. Best for cool-to-cold weather. I've still to try it out while wearing a leather jacket... it should go great.

It's stock has gone way up in my books. I bought a bottle when it first came out but ended up selling it after barely using it as it was just too sweet to my nose. I enjoy it occasionally now, especially on cooler days. I think it's the pepper note that saved it form me...

Not bad, fine for casual daytime wear, but just a bit too citric for my taste. Some excellent potential here, but the lemon-ish notes interfere with the overall development of it. Doesn't last long. Davidoff Echo is a better take on the concept.

One of my first fragrance-habit purchases due to its cheap price. Wore it occassionally for a month or two, then couldn't stand it any longer. Ended up using the vast majority of the bottle as air freshener, a task to which it is more suited than that of a cologne spray. Avoid.

Very nice, if somewhat middle-of-the-roadish. A pleasant, fruity/fresh aquatic with a woody drydown that's most appropriate for daytime/office wear. Discreet, and lasts a fairly long time. Along with AdG, this was a signature scent of mine when I was working on my dissertation, so I tend to think of it as a "grad school" fragrance. Not necessarily for the youngsters, but not for the oldsters either... best for the in-between thirty-somethings.

More a mass-market chain store fragrance than designer. True, it is fresh and sharp, but it is also quite weak as well as plain in composition. Went through the bottle very quickly due to its lack of staying power. Keep it in the corner of a shelf or it'll fall over on you regularly.

Good stuff. Metallic, mineral/rocky graphite notes along with a pleasing hint of pencil shavings and eraser. Has great staying power and sillage and is extremely versatile. This was my signature scent for a long time. Plenty of compliments from the ladies on this one.

The only Amouage that doesn't leave you smelling like a sissy. Not bad, but not really anything spectacular either, especially given the price. Has decent staying power and sillage, probably most appropriate for dining out, rather than for casual, office, or formal wear.

Crisp, clean and uplifting to the olfactory spirits. T is highly original, with plenty of zesty freshness... I don't think I would go along with the reviewer who suggested wearing it for an interview, but for hot weather daytime casual wear, like running errands on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, it's great stuff. Rumor has it that Hilfiger is working on an updated version of this called Tommy "U" that's based on the ubiquitous "wife-beater" rather than the classic t-shirt. It's said to feature notes reminiscent of perspiration, macaroni and cheese, warm beer, and discount cigarettes. Let's see!

Guess I just don't get the "sporty" oriental concept. This reminds me of the original Nautica Competition -- the one that came in the scuba-tank bottle, though this one is admittedly a little bit better than that. Overly powdery for a scent with such manly pretentions. That's what ruins it in my book. Could have been a contender... Many of the ladies do seem to be intrigued by it nevertheless.

Might as well be renamed "Milwaukee" or "Detroit", because this is missing the saltwater sophistication of scents like Erolfa, Acqua di Gió, and Inis. Heck, even Vintage Yachting Company blows this stuff away! Got a "commemorative" numbered splash bottle (shortly after which C-M lowered the price by more than half on this allegedly "exclusive, limited time offer"). It did come in a nice looking presentation case. But the juice itself smells sweetwater-ish and suspiciously close to some sort of watered-down apple juice to this nose. A mediocre effort at best.

This is both fresh and smooth. Not bad, but nothing special. The most unique thing about it is probably the way the wood notes combine into a pleasant mélange of fragrant lumber. Stays close to the skin (read; little to no sillage) then wears off quickly. Could see a "concentrée" version of this working very nicely.

A fresher, crispier L'eau d'Issey. It does last a long time for such an invigorating scent. Exhibits some similarity with Truefitt & Hill 1805 too. If you've got any one of these three, you might want to wait until your bottle runs out before getting either one of the others, as the difference is that slight.

This is a definite winner. To my nose, it's similar in several ways to Trussardi Uomo. Not formal, but a going-out fragrance of the first order. It has great staying power and tremendous sillage. Besides, it's also a babe-magnet!

An impulse purchase that has turned into one of my favorites. Sort of an ozone-aquatic-blue-flannel smell that's hard to describe, but you don't forget it once you've tried it. As a previous reviewer says, it's an excellent summer scent - and a great addition to the fragrance rotation for anyone in a hot and humid climate. Sophisticated and cool - the Bombay Sapphire of scents.

The top notes smell exactly like the "citrus-scented" tile cleaner the maintenance man uses to clean the elevator floor tiles in my building. Dries down to a fairly inoffensive if barely detectable woody note, but is basically gone within two hours on my skin. I wanted to like this one more, but have to give it a "neutral".

This smells great - sort of an intense, green-ish L'eau por Kenzo pour Homme with sea kale and lime. Has fine staying power but doesn't really evolve in any sophisticated way in my opinion, especially considering the cost and its pseudo-exclusivity. If it sold for about 1/3 of what it currently retails for I might actually buy a bottle.

Addicting. Got some samples of this and wasn't all that impressed at first, but after they were finished I found myself Jones-ing for this often. Bears some resemblance to Cool Water, but overall is a spicier, greener fougere. Well-designed bottle too - it curves as though it was meant to be carried around in your back pocket.

Not great, not bad. Very similar to Perry Ellis Reserve but less musky - if you like that one, you'll probably like this one too. Something mabye to wear to a ballgame or a casual bar-b-que. Staying power is not bad... I don't know what the previous reviewer is on to about regarding that, but it lasts plenty long on me.

I can't take this stuff. It's fresh for a couple of seconds and then begins drying down into a vaguely leathery-vomit-like smell reminiscent of Coriolan. After bottoming-out it's not as bad as it was during the middle-notes phase, but still does not get very pleasant. No wonder this was going for $10 for a 125ml bottle at Sephora. Tacky, just like most Versace clothing - maybe I'll just keep the gold chain bracelet from the bottle and throw the juice out.

Mediocre. This one is confused about what it's supposed to be. It's soft and "un-Ferrari" like, but not unpleasant for cool weather. If you like this one somewhat, you might try Carthusia Uomo for a better, more refined version of the better notes in this one.

Old school perhaps, but quite similar in many respects to L'eau d'Issey, though with more pronounced marine characteristics. Also reminds me of Acqua di Gió and Creed Erolfa to a lesser extent. The bottle, stick-on label and atomizer stem leave much to be desired, but if you're into oceanic/marine scents, this one is worth having. The shaving cream smells excellent too, with a green tea note coming through loud and clear.

A very pleasant surprise. Navegar is to my tastes the best L'Artisan that I have tried. Similar in some ways to CK Truth (or vice-versa) but less in-your-face - a sophisticated take on "green".

"Light and fresh"? I don't think so. Try sickeningly sweet, more like rancid suntan lotion. There is a fresh air / ozone note buried in there somewhere, but it's way too hard to find it. Over-rated.

Truly original - the best new scent I've smelled in a while. It seethes urbanity. Reminiscent of a Fall evening out on the town, the kind where you can see your breath and the air is slightly moist, crisp and invigorating. It has a curiously pleasing note that, seriously, reminds me of second-hand cigarette smoke on a wool suit jacket (from back in the day when smoking was still allowed in the good bars). Class, sophistication and cool. Highly recommended.

Surprising that this one doesn't get more attention on the forum. It is reminiscent of the saltwater seas, as advertised, but with an additional interesting "oily" note that is something akin to what the rigging on wooden sailing ships must smell like after being soaked for many years with sea salt, rain and sunshine. While the staying power could be better, this fragrance does speak loudly of "old school" notions of class and cool.

This isn't bad at first, but there's a sweet note that gets cloying after a while and makes you want to wash the stuff off as soon as possible. The antiperspirant / deodorant stick is pleasant enough... better than the EDT.

Think L'eau por Kenzo crossed with L'eau d'Issey and you've got something very close to Agua de Loewe. A great warm weather fragrance with plenty of staying power. The generous 5.1 oz bottle is made to please for the copious user of this baby.

This is a very nice, casual, freshly aquatic composition that is perfect for warm, sunny mornings and afternoons. I'm not sure of the exact breakdown of the component notes, but it is somewhat similar to fragrances like L'eau par Kenzo pour Homme, Adidas Moves, and My Ocean by Club Med. The price is definitely right on this one - in fact, it's one of the least expensive colognes around.