Reviews by wicozani

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    wicozani
    United States United States

    Showing 1 to 30 of 71.
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    Light Him by Trussardi

    No scent was more aptly named! A watery citrus/herbal/woodsy fragrance, it was absolutely gone - poof! - in under 5 minutes on my skin. Even Guerlain's classis Eau de Cologne both last much longer and are far more interesting. No surprise, indeed, to see that this had disappeared so quickly.

    10th March, 2010.

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    Tubereuse 40 by Le Labo

    Sir! What a fresh, sparkling Eau du Cologne you're wearing today, and is that a hint of tuberose that I'm smelling?

    So bloody perceptive my valet! I can't seem to pull anything over on him recently!

    Tubereuse 40 is Le Labo's SoHO Boutique exclusive store scent. As explained to me, Le Labo will be establishing boutiques in other cities this year, and they are committed to produce a unique scent for each store that will be available for purchase only at that store; not at any other store and not through their website. Tubereuse 40 is the exclusive scent developed for the SoHo boutique. I have been on quite a tuberose kick as of late and Tubereuse 40, while said to have a 30% concentration of essential oils, amazingly smells like an Eau du Cologne. There are some very longlasting hesperidic topnotes (> 6 hours) blended with a subtle tuberose. It is a beautiful and enchanting scent. It stays pretty close to the skin, especially when compared with Vetiver 46. It is in the vein of Guerlain Eau du Cologne Imperiale, with tuberose, but it lasts so much longer than the beautiful Imperiale. Incidentally, the number in each name of Le Labo's scents signifies the number of different ingredients in that composition (i.e., scent).

    Wicozani

    28th March, 2007.

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    Farnesiana by Caron

    Farnesiana is an almond, fruity, floral scent that, like most of Caron's classic scents, must have been pushing the envelope when it was first marketed in 1947. The extrait parfum version, as expected, lasts a long time but oddly did not make much of an impression with me. In general, I'm not a fan of either almonds or fruity notes. Plus, it will be difficult for any other Caron urn scents to truly wow me, because both Tabac Blond and Poivre are truly ne plus ultra in my book. Nonetheless, Farnesiana, like all Caron urn scents, sports excellent
    longevity if somewhat muted sillage (again, for a Caron urn scent).

    Wicozani

    28th March, 2007.

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    En Avion by Caron

    Mattie, the SA, splashed the En Avion extrait all over her palm, like with a men's cologne splash, and literally drenched my right wrist with it, the precious extrait dripping onto the floor! As a result, I had a great opportunity to follow its development for the next five hours, until I fell asleep.

    En Avion is a serious leather scent, and to my nose is a touch dated when compared to either Tabac Blond or Poivre. Yes, there is some carnation, rose, and cloves in En Avion, but nothing like the fireworks in Poivre. Yes, too, there is lots of leather in En Avion, but different from Tabac Blond. En Avion smells like plasticy, chemically-tanned leather, versus the vegetal-tanned, suede-like leather in Tabac Blond. They are undoubtedly related, but Tabac Blond is the more resplendent of the two. Please don't mistake me, En Avion is a classic fragrance in the best sense of the term. However, Tabac Blond and Poivre happen to both represent the ne plus ultra to me, thus tempering my appreciation for En Avion.

    Wicozani

    28th March, 2007.

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    Insensé by Givenchy

    Yes indeed, Naed_Nitram! A few minutes after sniffing Insensé for the first time the ghost of Nino Cerruti Pour Homme came to my mind as clear as day. I even told Mack, the cunning SA at the equally stunning perfume kiosk at the mall the same thing; I swear! This was just on a scent strip and not my own skin. I would be bowled over to learn that there is NOT any musk in this scent. I shall accord this a neutral, in lieu of one day actually wearing this.

    Wicozani

    27th February, 2007.

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    Monsieur Balmain (new) by Pierre Balmain

    Sir, have been smoking while taking a bath in your beloved concentrated lemon juice again?, chirped my very able but sometimes annoying valet.

    "Very funny, Holmes. Though I cannot and will not deny my eccentricities, I have opted to wear the inestimable citrus elixir from the House of Balmain this day."

    Simply put, for its price, Monsieur Balmain is a stunning scent! It opens with the most concentrated burst of bitter citrus you're likely to ever experience. On my skin, after an hour, the citrus recedes and an ash-like note appears; very dry and dirty, like an ashtray. However, after one more hour the citrus note returns to the fore, where it stays for hours fairly close to the skin. There is just enough dirtyness in Monsieur Balmain to make it appropriate for cooler weather, something that cannot be said about many citrus scents. I like this better than Blenheim Bouquet, imho its closest competitor. IMHO, there is too much piney character in BB.

    Wicozani

    20th February, 2007.

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    Cèdre by Serge Lutens Les Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido

    Sir, that is as unique a scent as I've ever appreciated on you, stammered my trusted valet! "There is a melange of notes that is harmonius, soothing, and very, very attractive!"

    Un Cèdre by Serge Lutens in EDP Haute Concentration strength is a beautiful blend of cedar and tuberose, with significant spices, cloves, amber and musk. The topnotes are dominated by a spicy, floral opening. Cinnamon and/or nutmeg mix with cloves and tuberose, with cedar and amber blending in. As others have noted, cedar never assumes center stage here, and that's just as well since there are already some superb cedar-focused scents available. As the scent progresses the tuberose and spices recede, replaced by a woodsy, ambery, musky drydown. This drydown is longlasting and impressive! I like this one from beginning to end!

    Wicozani

    3rd February, 2007.

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    MCM Success by MCM

    My assistant hadn't even seen me turn the corner yet, but my whereabouts apparently preceded me.

    "Sir, donning the old smoking jacket so early in the morning?"

    MCM Success is a powerhouse 80s fragrance, yet worn cautiously it remains quite pertinent even today, and I find it a real treat to wear! While there are some floral elements to the top- and mid-notes, the dominant notes to my nose are tobacco and leather. In this vein, it is similar to Creed's Tabarome, though not quite so dry as that classic scent. The earthiness of patchouli is also present in MCM Success, along with vetiver and moss. It is a very masculine scent, and I should definitely wear it more often.

    Wicozani

    28th December, 2006.

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    Caron Impact Pour un Homme by Caron

    Sir, have you by chance layered your Mark Birley over the top of Caron's classic Eau de Toilette for men?, my trusted valet asked me, once again betraying his exceptional nose, perhaps better even than mine.

    Impact opens softer than PuH with respect to the sour lavender note, but with an airy, ozone-like nature not unlike Mark Birley for Men. Ironically, however, Impact holds the lavender note longer into the evolution, until it is gradually replaced by vanilla and late entrees by both amber and musk. The airy, ozone-like character rapidly diminishes about 30 minutes after application. Impact is less complicated than PuH, with none of the citrus topnotes of the classic EDT, nor any sage or rose that I can perceive. While this is certainly unoffensive and likable, it stays very close to the body and does not have very good longevity for an EDP strength scent. For these reasons, I must assign this a rather rare neutral mark.

    Wicozani

    13rd October, 2006.

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    Prada Amber pour Homme by Prada

    Eyebrows raised, quizzical look on face, my trusted assistant stammered..."Sir, did you by any chance dare to mix your sample of Burberry Brit with some saffron oil?"

    I was finally getting a chance to try this new release. I was quite excited to do so, based on the olfactory pyramid that I had taken notice of. I was very impressed at first application; my assistant should have smelled it then! Quite surprising was the extant of citrus I could appreciate, along with pleasing floral, musk, and myrrh notes. This goodness lasted all of about 20 minutes, and thus began the quick slide into middle-of-the-road, amorphous sweetness. I could not appreciate very much amber accord, nor much woods, nor any vetiver. Perhaps all these notes are there, and just seamlessly blended. At any rate, the drydown strikes me as moderately sweet and fruity, though I fail to see any fruits mentioned in the notes. It's not that sweet, but the combination with the fruity accord renders it similar to Burberry Brit, or D&G By Man (minus the spices), or many other sweetish, fruity scents. While many will like this a lot, I'm sorry to say that I do not.

    Wicozani

    13rd September, 2006.

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    Terre d'Hermès by Hermès

    Ah, Terre d'Hermès, that brash new kid on the block! Holding up pretty well under the glare of the bright lights, I should say. Though he is of gangly legs and puffs up his chest a little too much, he is suitably humble and built out of strong stock.

    I consider Terre d'Hermès a very good, if not great, new release. The simultaneously bright and sour grapefruit citrus note is tempered or blunted just a touch with a sharp metallic, or flinty note. For comparison, the grapefruit here is not as bright and clear as in Guerlain's excellent Pamplelune. A faint hint of pepper leads into a nice, discrete drydown, which introduces soft woods and vetiver. Overall, I think this is very well done, and will stand the test of time. For a while I didn't think that I'd smelled anything quite like Terre d'Hermès before. That was before I compared it with Nina Ricci's Memoire D'Homme! Both scents are enriched by the comparison, and I urge you to compare them also.

    Wicozani

    25th August, 2006.

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    Mémoire d'Homme by Nina Ricci

    Sir, I am quite gladdened that you're staying in tonight, for that is quite the grotesque, schizophrenic cologne that you're wearing!

    I couldn't blame my assistant, for I fear that I have gotten him hooked on smooth, deftly spiced orientals, and the masterpiece that is Mémoire d'Homme will never look good in such a straightup comparison. Indeed, after I uncurled my own nose after first smelling this scent, and set about to concentrate more deeply, I was also very unsure. However, Mémoire d'Homme rewards the patient examiner, and it is rewarded itself by comparison to the new kid on the block making waves, Terre d’Hermès. Mémoire d'Homme has grapefruit, that fickle citrus with the sulfurous tendencies. However, this doesn't prevent Guerlain's Pamplelune from being a beautiful, bright scent. No, Nina Ricci, through Christine Nagel (Quest), does the unthinkable and smashes the note straight away into liquorice leaf, which sours it even more! A healthy dose of ginger soon appears, spiced with nutmeg, which are then joined by dark and brooding woods and vetiver sap. What the !@#$? It is shocking, and utterly unique, or so I used to think.

    That is, until I compared it to my recently acquired Terre d’Hermès. Suddenly, Mémoire d'Homme makes all the sense in the world! While overall a bit darker than Terre, Mémoire is actually rendered beautiful in the comparison, it's juxtaposition of notes clarified, and rendered interpretable. Both scents are enriched with this comparison, and I urge everyone to try to compare them straight up.

    Wicozani

    25th August, 2006.

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    Terre de Bois by Miller Harris

    Sir, have you taken to layering your Santal Noble with something else? I thought that Terre de Bois might just confuse my assistant, for it is very hard to pigeonhole!

    After an initial sharp, alcoholic opening, Terre de Bois settles down beautifully with vetiver, galbanum, juniper, and sage most apparent, supported by a deft touch of spices, ambergris, and patchouli. It is not unlike Santal Noble, though with no sandalwood to speak of and without what I perceive as Santal Noble's refreshing minty topnote. If the Terre de Bois EDT is this good, I've got to imagine the parfum might just be 'da bomb!

    Wicozani

    21st August, 2006.

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    Nicole Miller for Men by Nicole Miller

    Why in the world am I not wearing Nicole Miller for Men more often? This is an amazing, unique scent that I just have to get another bottle of to serve as a backup. This fruity (presents me with an "orangy" effect), boozy, leathery, slightly sweet, sandalwood, oakmoss, and musk elixir is incredibly comforting to wear, perfectly balancing opposites as has already been noted. Nicole Miller for Men strikes me as a cross between Michael for Men (or D'Orsay Le Dandy) and Trussardi Uomo, all other scents I really like as well. However, Nicole Miller for Men is unique enough not to be duplicitous with these. Really, really nice! Get it while it's still available!

    Wicozani

    24th March, 2006.

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    Number 3 / Le 3me Homme / The Third Man by Caron

    It was some time since I'd been around such a changeling! My valet was simply besides himself, "Sir! Have you REALLY changed your cologne three times today already? It isn't even past noon." I was quite amused myself, never having quite appreciated Caron's Third Man in this way before.

    Sir Yvan and I seem to have very similar reactions to this fragrance, for I was bowled over by the sweet, fruity topnotes. Had I really been sleeping all the previous times I wore this? Not two hours later, most of the fruitiness leaves, replaced by an evolving powdery phase with a touch of spice and florals. After several hours this phase then changes to a woodsy, incensy, musky drydown, always staying distinguished and fairly discrete. I agree that this could double for office wear very easily, but it could also work in all manner of situations. Funny thing, but the packaging for my clear bottle reads "Le 3e Homme de Caron." Whatever, go out and try this fascinating scent!

    Wicozani

    31st January, 2006.

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    Imperial Jade Emperor by Agatha Brown

    I must say that I was expecting more out of Imperial Jade Emperor. We were promised a scent unlike anything else, but this turns out to simply be marketing-speak. Imperial Jade Emperor is basically a sweet, fruity, floral scent underscored by subtle woods, and evocative of quite a few other scents; namely Gucci Envy (IJE is sweeter than Envy), Laguna Homme (has an aquatic note that IJE doesn't have), Jaipur Homme, and Burberry London. Don't get me wrong, this is very nice and of excellent quality and lasting power, but it is hardly as unique as we are told.

    Jeff

    26th January, 2006.

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    Jazz Prestige by Yves Saint Laurent

    I'd been toying with my valet for some time now, wearing all manner of obscure and discontinued scents for several weeks. He's a real bugger, though, and was rarely put off the correct trail. This would be no different, for as soon as I turned the corner out of my dressing room he burst forth; "Fabulous choice, Sir! What with the warm sun, your special mint and Earl Grey tea a brewing, and the sandalwood sachet on your dressing room counter! To have you wearing Jazz Prestige again truly warms this curmudgeon's heart."

    Jazz Prestige is an obscure gem, sparkling with an effervescent mintiness amidst the bergamot, tobacco and sandalwood! This is quite different from the excellent "standard" Jazz in a very complementary way. Jazz Prestige "feels" closest in character to L'Artisan's Tea for Two, especially at the outset. There is also a touch of rose, and while not listed I believe there to be some patchouli in this one, too. This is an overall excellent scent, and one that I should wear more often.

    Wicozani
    Jeff

    18th January, 2006.

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    Lauder for Men by Estée Lauder

    Puzzling over what to wear, my hand instinctively reached for Lauder for Men, despite not having worn this in many moons. What seemed normal to me absolutely shocked my noble assistant. "Sir, I'd nearly forgotten what a remarkable scent this is! Truly the Santal Noble of its' time and, I should say, every bit its equal and then some!"

    This classic 1985 scent opens with an harmonius lead of citrus, green notes, florals, woods and spice, with musk also present; artful. As this progresses, the woods and musk, with a little spice, assert themselves and turn this scent in an even more masculine direction with excellent duration! Truly should be tried by everyone.

    Wicozani

    16th January, 2006.

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    Rocabar by Hermès

    Kicking off my holiday trilogy with Hermes Rocabar. This has been a favorite of mine ever since its release (1998), especially during the colder months. Heavy in fir (cypress, balsam and juniper), cedar, nutmeg, and cinnamon, it balances these elements beautifully without ever becoming too sweet or cloying. I find it somewhat similar to Cartier's Declaration Pour Homme, especially the Essence version. Rocabar will bring in some vanilla toward the end, which will extend the fir and spice notes while adding a little depth. It lasts very long, especially on clothes.

    Jeff

    23rd December, 2005.

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    Krizia Uomo by Krizia

    Krizia Uomo is a classic Italian men's scent from 1984, and is a powdery herbal containing marjoram, lavender, coriander and is accented with jasmine, leather and musk. There is little to no citrus in this one, which is a bit surprising. As RCavs points out, it is quite strong in the Bogart One Man Show tradition, but imho is better than OMS. Aztec was also right when he said that this is the antithesis to Acqua di Gio and related scents. And that's a good thing. Krizia Uomo has a very good duration and feels at home at the office as in more casual situations. Definitely should be sought out and tried by lovers of Italian "Uomo" scents.

    Jeff

    4th December, 2005.

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    Vetyver by Fragonard

    Fragonard Vetyver EDT is a very different vetiver, and is a smoother, woodsy vetiver scent, not unlike Carlo Corinto Vetyver, but without ever reaching the powerful soapy stage that the CC does. There is a potent lemon note that runs through the top and middle of the Fragonard, and then the pine needles pick up the slack and propel the fragrance forward both powerfully and smoothly. On direct comparison with the CC Vetyver, the Fragonard is surprisingly similar, with slightly less woods than the CC and, as noted, without the surprisingly strong soapy phase that the CC evolves through. Overall, very nice.

    Wicozani

    4th November, 2005.

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    Vétyver by Molinard

    Molinard Vetiver EDC is quite nice. It has the focus on the vetiver, which is slightly earthy and smoky, with touches of tobacco and patchouli. It is fairly subtle, and not sharp and raw like either Route du Vetiver, or “shaggy” like Lorenzo Villoresi. There is also a slight hint of a maple syrup-like smell (amber?). The Demeter Vetiver also has this maple syrup-like accord, but is downright sickly when compared directly with the Molinard. Like the Etro, this compares most favorably with the L’Artisan version, only being slightly smokier and with the aforementioned maple syrup smell.

    Wicozani

    4th November, 2005.

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    Vetiver by Floris

    My trusted valet was stunned. "I never thought I'd smell anything that even faintly resembles Route du Vetiver!", to which I replied "Me, either, but darned if they aren't similar, eh?"

    [b]Vetiver by Floris EDT[/b] is a most surprising vetiver scent! I did not think I would ever experience another vetiver like Route du Vetiver, but these are in fact in the same neighborhood. Vetiver by Floris opens with the second most sharp vetiver note of all of these vetiver versions, only behind Route du Vetiver. It is braced by cedar and sandalwood and a faint hint of spice. It stays quite sharp through its evolution. The principal difference that this reviewer finds between Vetiver by Floris and Route du Vetiver is that the latter has a black current note that is lacking in the Floris, and overall it (the Floris) is a tad softer than RdV. Definitely very nice, and like the Etro in the upper crust of those I have experienced.

    Wicozani

    3rd November, 2005.

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    Vetiver by Etro

    Sir, you obviously like the L'Artisan Vetiver, for you are wearing it again!
    I couldn't blame my trusted attendant, for they are very close, but today I was wearing my Etro Vetiver EDT for the first time, and an enjoyable experience it was!

    [b]Etro Vetiver EDT[/b] is a very nice vetiver scent. It opens with a strong, earthy, true vetiver note that is dry. It then evolves fairly straight, always staying pleasant and true to its vetiver roots. It lasts a good long while. This is not a “shaggy”, overpowering vetiver like Lorenzo Villoresi’s, but is quite close in character to L’Artisan’s Vetiver. Indeed, I compared the two straight up and they are very close, the primary difference being that the L’Artisan does have some citrus in the topnotes that the Etro does not. Overall, definitely a very nice vetiver scent, and in the upper crust of these versions.

    Wicozani

    3rd November, 2005.

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    Uomo? Moschino by Moschino

    That's a bit different from your typical Eau d'Cologne, eh Sir? What is it?
    I hadn't stumped my humble assistant with a scent in some time. Indeed, I just received a bottle of this and was wearing it for the first time.

    Uomo? Moschino opens with a slightly sweet, moderate herbal/floral/citrus accord with hints of spice and woods. The citrus notes disappear after about 30-60 minutes, the floral/herbal notes extending the scent into the spice and woods. It is very harmonius and should serve well and uniquely amidst the raft of other typical office scents (Bulgari PH, Lanvin L'Homme, any Kenzo, etc.). I guess it is quite typical of Italian scents, like Krizia Uomo and Biagiotti Uomo.

    Wicozani

    27th October, 2005.

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    Feuilles de Tabac by Miller Harris

    Ah, Sir, you are transporting me back to those days near the Rue St. Germain with your scent today! What on earth is it?
    Though he has worn nothing but Acqua di Selva for the past several decades, my valet stuns me often with his uncanny propensity to properly ascribe provenance on the various scents in my collection, even new ones like this Feuilles de Tabac.

    This is simply quite a scent. Unabashedly masculine, yet perfectly appropriate for the fairer sex. There is no tobacco, per se, at lest not like D&G PH, Cuba, or even Guerlain Vetiver. Rather there is use of cascarilla oil, which is steam distilled from the bark of Croton Eluteria, which grows in the West Indies. The oil's color is a pale yellow to greenish yellow or dark amber. It has a strong, spicy, aromatic, warm woody, peppery, nutmeg, myrtle type odor (the preceding information from the Good Scents Co.). This scent is masculine in the same vein as Le Dandy from D'Orsay, though the two are nothing alike. In other words, this isn't masculine like Paco Rabanne, Sung, Aramis, or any of the otehr "typical" masculine scents; and I consider that a good thing. According to Lucky Scent, this scent has Cuban cascarilla oil, pimento berries, pine needles, sage, tobacco, tonka bean, and Malay patchouli. Seek out and experience for yourself. Enjoy.

    Wicozani

    5th October, 2005.

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    Yerbamate by Lorenzo Villoresi

    Sir, donning the old baby powder today, are we?

    Yerbamate on my skin is pure Johnson's Baby Powder! Amazingly similar. And just like baby powder, what can you really say? It's pleasant enough, even a little nice to smell. But is certainly is not unique, or singular, or strong, or stunning, or any one of thousands of other adjectives. It just is.

    Wicozani

    30th September, 2005.

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    Green Irish Tweed by Creed

    Either you spilled some of that effervescent ginseng and lemon-lime spritzer on yourself, or you're wearing Green Irish Tweed today! So, which is it, Sir?

    Ah, Scent Synchronization Day, and Green Irish Tweed is being worn the world over. GIT opens to my nose with a potent citrus/fruit/green accord. This initial blast is good for about one hour and lots of sillage. This then settles down, the fruity note recedes, and the citrus and green notes blend into one another very harmoniously and aromatically. As it evolves further, a touch of ambergris, sandalwood, and vanilla round out this scent. I've had a full bottle for some time, but rarely reach for it, despite its excellence, and I wonder why. I do not have and really don't recall Curve or Cool Water, so I'm not sure what the buzz is regarding these two and GIT. Of scents I am familiar with, GIT is sort of like Guerlain's Coriolan and Goutal's Duel, both featuring lemony citrus with violet/iris notes. In all, a superb scent, and I must start wearing it more frequently to do it justice.

    Wicozani

    30th September, 2005.

    rating

    Original Vetiver by Creed

    Going old school today, eh Sir, with the old soap-beneath-the-armpits-for-deodorant-trick?, to which I replied "You'd think so, only this is a highly regarded recent frag from our dear old friends at Creed!"

    OV on my skin is a soapy citrus frag with only a modest hint of vetiver. After the first 15-20 minutes the soapiness starts to recede and the vetiver steps forward, only to reverse course after another 20 minutes. The soapiness is intriguing, and on initial application I didn't think it would last very long. However, it acquitted itself very well, as it deepened and hung on nicely with excellent sillage; truly a well-crafted scent. Overall, however, there is not much vetiver. I do not like it as much as my dear Guerlain Vetiver, but any vetiver fan should search this out to try it, based on its depth and sillage alone.

    Wicozani

    29th September, 2005.

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    parfums*PARFUMS Series 4 Cologne: Vettiveru by Comme des Garçons

    That's a clean, green scent, Sir! Are you wearing your Coriolan again?

    Vettiveru is a very nice vetiver scent. It is quite straightforward, with a clean, soft vetiver note throughout, accompanied initially by what seems like both green olive and soft floral notes. Now five hours later it is still noticeable, and the base remains predominantly vetiver with perhaps some cypress or cedar, and incense. The character of this vetiver scent is strongly "green", as opposed to "brown", and indeed the greenest vetiver scent I've experienced. This will be a good thing for lovers of "green" scents. Overall, an intriguing and arfully prepared vetiver.

    Wicozani

    29th September, 2005.

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