Fragrance Reviews by zztopp

Blu pour homm (BPH) is probably the most potent of all the Bulgaris and perfumer Albert Morillas has certainly created a somewhat unique and intriguing composition here. The star melding act here is the spicy freshness of ginger married to a sweet tobacco note to create a zingy powdery somewhat earthy accord which will certainly pique noses. However thats not all there is to it .. I also catch something skanky or dirty underpinning this accord ...a covert 'dirty socks' smell (perceptible 3 minutes after the scent is sprayed on), which is probably the gingko (sp?) plant .

The opening half of BPH is the most captivating .. all the aforementioned contrasting notes and accords meld together beautifully to create a complex feast for the nose...and then the scent shuts down. Its as if the Bulgari accountants burst through the doors when the perfumers were getting all excited playing with their perfume organ and said "Enough fun! Lets revert back to the quiet and demure Bulgari signature!". With all the core dynamics extinguished, BPH plunks down to a slightly gingery somewhat powdery aroma which stays close to the skin for the next 3-4 hours. BPH can be unbearable if sprayed on heavy - for best effect, use no more than 2-3 spritzes sprayed from 3-4 inches away to let the scent notes slickly unravel on your skin. I find Versace's The Dreamer to be somewhat similar, but BPHs structure is more stable and its distinctive accord more enjoyable (although The Dreamer exhibits better evolution and sports a louder juniper note).

If you want to wear a Bulgari scent to an Old Greenwich swingers club, Blu pour homme is it.

Rating: 7.5/10

A multilayered and rich formal fragrance, but the sandalwood here is of the mucho cedar-infused variety. The opening coffee and amber notes are strange and intriguing - they collide with the woody backend. The coffee beans and vanilla accord slowly gives way to a cedary sandalwood accord. This woody accord smells a bit too much like the innards of a finely crafted drawer or cupboard...which is fine if thats the variety of sandalwood you like and are familiar with. In terms of pure high quality sandalwood notes, this one lags behind other powerhouses like Creed Bois de Santal, Santal Imperial, Sandalo, and even the cypress-green Tam Dao. Ignoring this, Santal Noble is rich and very well put together. Just adjust your sandalwood expectations before diving in.

Rating: 7.5/10.0

Top notes: Bergamot, Lavender, Mandarin, Aldehydes
Middle notes: Pepper, Coriander, Geranium, Carnation
Base notes: Cedar, Amber, Tonka, Oakmoss

What we have here is Cavallier trying to do an Ellena under the minimalist guise of Bulgari's scent umbrella. Bulgari pour homme's (BPH) notes pyramid is flattering. BPH comes off as a simple scent; and even if the notes are well blended into a single coherent accord, that accord in BPH isn't very nose pleasing.

The 5 second opening burst of pleasant of uninspired citrus aromas hide a mini-lavender note; this is immediately overtaken by the main accord of pepper....or musky pepper. BPH is all about a very transluscent and quiet musky pepper accord with a bit of tea freshness thrown in just because Bulgari are great tea sluts when it comes to their fragrance line. There's minimal notes movement, and the pepper accord is lent a bit of softness by "in the background" florals and amber notes. And thats about it. Its very Gendarme like in its feel, and its quite apparent that Cavallier wasn't able to generate a transluscent fragrance which incorporated some semblance of notes movement (smell Bulgari au The Verte for comparison).

BPH doesn't excite or interest me much but I can see where it can work. Add 2 to the score below if you are an uptight conservative or an office rat.

Rating: 6.0/10.00

Top note: Orange, Lemon, Mandarin, Orange Blossom
Middle note: Mint, Papaya, Mango
Base notes: Patchouli, Oakmoss


Eau D'Orange Verte (EDC) is a classic citrus scent which exhibits characteristics typical of such scents: its fresh, its tangy, its fun, and it suffers from poor longevity. It has also been offered as part of a gift package in various airlines to cure passengers of air sickness and smelly co-passengers.

The lemon and orange top provides an inviting opening - its a bitter citrus blast but is not bitter citrus. Rather its a top quality citrus note punctuated with lemon edges to give an aromatic and bitter but still refreshing aroma. From there the scent unravels into a "smelling the fruit and the whole tree with twigs and all" phase.. the mango and papaya salsa comes forth with a light fruity vegetal freshness to temper the bitter citrus opening but in the background the march of mossy undertones can be heard. And it stays that way .. quite distant. The alluring moss and patchouli combo never increases in intensity; instead, Orange Verte silently peters away to a very light mossy drydown which wont be perceptible unless you splash 1/4 of the bottle on your head. Which you should anyways, considering how refreshing and wonderful it feels. That said, it does share some characteristics with Chanels pour monsieur, which is more dense, spicy and mossy. Eitherways, splash on a bottle and jump out into the 98 degree heat...let your body heat conjure the wonderful aromatic-mossy aroma of Orange Verte.

Rating: 8.0/10

Top notes: Bergamot, Lemon, Mandarin, Orange
Middle notes: Cardamom, Tea, Lily of the valley, Rose
Base notes :Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Musk, Amber

Bulgari's first perfume and (arguably) still the best. This is where it all started... the beginning of Jean-Claude Ellena's signature minimal accords. Ellena shopped this composition around in the late 80s early 90s, but there were no takers .. incredibly the composition was considered too off-beat for the crazy hairdo wielding populace of that period. Ultimately Bulgari took a chance on the composition, and used the juice to aerate one of its flagship stores in NYC. Rest as they say is perfume history..

TheVerte (TV) elicits the aroma and freshness of green tea, but as far as I know it contains no green tea note. Ellena uses a smorgasboard of notes to recreate the freshness of green tea. The juicy citrus opening is immediately followed by a (comparatively) more complex heart of florals and spices...but these are florals and spices suspended in space, their loudness barely audible. The spicy freshness of cardamom (a regular ingredient in Chai tea) is rendered soft by a dusting of jasmine and rose while the remnants of the citrus opening infuse the composition with a tangy element. The basenotes provide ample support in the form of cedar and amber. Its a quiet yet substantial scent and easily lasts over 6 hours on my skin. For a more impressive effect, use it as a room spray - the ambiance it lends to space is an olfactory experience to behold.

Nowadays Ellena maybe accused of riding on his past glory by regurgitating his minimal sweet and vegetal formula dressed up in fancy international marketing, but his classics have stood the the test of time. The Verte has been oft copied but never bettered. Put a bottle in your guestroom and the guests may never want to leave.

Rating: 8.5/10

Notes:
Top: Bergamot, Mandarin
Heart: Orange, Clove
Base: Amber, Musk, Tonka

I have been wearing Orange Spice for quite some time now, and felt that the time was right to revisit it and share some new impressions. It might have been made for a bold, uncouth yet charming and youthful European prince with penchant for a festive attitude towards life.

This is one of the funkier Creeds whos unusual spicy citrus accord has been paid homage to by many other fragrances. The accord is the result of an interesting pairing of orange, bergamot and clove. Its the accord which dominates Kouros' top notes (and has been replicated somewhat in MPG's Secret Melange) although its much more impressive here with a better flow and clearer notes. I am not implying that Orange Spice and Kouros are similar - Orange Spice lacks the civet madness of Kouros and is a simpler potion overall. Body heat brings out the civet in Orange Spice (although its always a bit subdued), but the indolic character is everpresent in Kouros.

It really is all about the bright spicy refreshing smell that Orange Spice blasts out, and it lasts deep into the drydown (some 7-8 hours later) before settling into a less clamorous amber and musk combo. Orange Spice is a simple yet forceful and satisfying fragrance. This 1950s spicy citrus accord has been duplicated quite a few times yet never bested. The quality of ingredients shines through and it sports excellent longevity despite being an EDT. Orange + Spice = very very nice !

Rating: 8.0/10

Top notes: Bergamot, grapefruit, mandarin, lemon
Middle notes: Pepper, sandalwood, cedar, gunpowder
Base: Ambergris, musk, tonka

It actually took me various trials to really analyse this Creed. There is a lot of talk about Silver Mountain Water and Geir eliciting that fresh mountain air accord - in my opinion, Himalaya elicits that better than either of those two scents. This is a deceptively light fragrance - for a woody citrus, it packs a fairly intense initial sillage, but calms down soon after. The top notes of mandarin and grapefruit, along with the light nature of the scent, really do make you feel as if you are getting whiffs of the cool mountain air. The basenotes of tonka and cedar are spicier, and provide the long lasting base which complements the airy top notes. Very appropriate for intense summers, and would wear well during the winters too. I dont agree with the claims that this is a clone of XS pour homme - their is a slight fleeting resemblance at the start, but the coriander, juniper berry and wild flower notes (all missing in Himalaya) stick out the most in that and make the two fragrances different from each other and each worthy of a try. Comparisons with Chanel Platinum Egoiste: Once again they share a certain character, but Plat Egoiste has a distinctive smoky herbal clarysage-galbanum heart which differentiates it from both Himalaya and XS homme.

Overall, while longevity is good, the sillage is average, but nevertheless, after avoiding it for so long, I may eventually invest in a bottle of this Creed (and what a bottle it is !). Himalaya is Creeds "everyman" fragrance...it won't blow you away with originality or construction, but damn it smells good. On another note: Does anyone else think Creed launched this in north america to increase market share?

Rating: 7.0/10

One of the stars of the Creed line-up, and launched to the public in 1994 to celebrate Creed’s 140th anniversary as supplier to the Imperial Courts of Europe. This oft-imitated fragrance was one of my first exposures to this house and is a permanent fixture in my wardrobe.

Imperial opens with fresh notes of lemon and bergamot. Its in the middle notes where the magic happens. Imperial contains an unusual aquatic/marine note with a hint of "watermelon" or a "sweet note" which makes it incredibly irresistable. Maybe its the iris blending with the "marine accord". Or maybe its the musk. Or its Creed magic. Whatever it is, it draws people to this scent. The aquatic note is expertly blended here ..its not garish and plasticky like as in many haphazardly put together low budget chemical juices or even in other expensive niche fragrances where this note sticks out like an ugly child (Malle's En Passant is an example). The composition lands on the signature Creed ambergris-musk base. Another note: if you have a bottle of older juice, the drydown will be more rapid.

Imperial is very wearable, fanstastically crafted, works under all situations, often used as inspiration (Unforgivable, Wall Street), all with good longevity. And that gold plated bottle is a cracker (try to grab one fast - Creed is changing the packaging to clear glass). Creed do citrus and aquatics extremely well, and this is yet another example of it. Fantastic stuff.

Rating: 8.5/10

I have been wearing Virgin Island Water(VIW) for over a month now, and it was quite a hit over the recent spring break. As a rule, I dont like coconut in fragrances (Frederic Malle's Carnal Flower is about the only one to execute a coconut note with panache in recent memory). I detest sweet fragrances even more. VIW is guilty of breaking both rules, yet somehow it works - quite wonderfully I might add.

A splash of tart natural lime opens the fragrance - it smells refreshing and very natural, and I expect no less from Creed since they do citrus extremely well. Shortly thereafter, coconut makes an appearance - at first it just peeks behind the lime curtain drawn earlier, but slowly it makes its presence felt. The coconut is obvious, but never overwhelms the composition, and thats where VIW succeeds. Jasmin and ylang ylang add a more floral feel to the composition in the heart notes, but before the composition threatens to get too saccharine, notes of ginger and rum come to the rescue and balance the composition beautifully. Longevity? Despite being a citrus fragrance, I got 8 hours out of it easily. With lime and ginger on top and a rum base, the sandwiched-in-between coconut toddy has quite an enjoyable time pumping out attractive sillage.

Comparisons to Bath & Body Works Coconut Lime and Verbena: ViW smells deceptively simple at first. Some critics have dismissed it as an overpriced Bath and Body Works Coconut Lime and Verbena cologne. This is like dismissing all EdCs because they smell very similar and share most of the ingredients. I have used CoconutLimeandVerbena products and they are nice and refreshing. At a higher level of abstraction CLV does share some key ingredients (lime and coconut) with VIW, but has zero depth. A deeper analysis of VIW reveals many hidden facets like a strange subtle spicy woody note (hibiscus + ginger), jasmine sweetness and a wonderful drydown of rum and musk.

Warm weather seems to brings the best out of VIW, and as I mentioned earlier, it was quite a hit at a recent spring break outing. I got all sorts of inquiries as to what I was wearing. "That smell delicious!", "Rum and coconut?", to "Whats that smell (in a good way)?". An instant classic? Its too early to tell. For now, I will just enjoy this sexy and fun fragrance come the intense summers ...

Rating: 8.0/10

Feuille Verte, or "Green Leaf" is an incredible fragrance of extremely high quality. As of now, it stands as the best release of 2006, and easily holds its own against the best that the house of Creed has released over the past 240 years. Yes, its that good.

The olfactory experience starts with a sharp, piney and fresh top notes of lime and madarin. These top notes awaken you to the olfactary experience you are about to undertake and command attention. The lime is especially attention drawing. After 15 minutes, its onto the middle notes. Here is where you will experience the "Forest smell" of Verte...the oakmoss brings about that earthy smell. It is kept in check by the wonderful vanilla and Bulgarian rose notes so as not to deter people wary of vetiver-type earthy notes. After that phase subsides, you experience the drydown, which is simply superb...instead of the usual Creed ambergris/musk/vanilla drydown, you are treated to a jasmin note of the highest quality. And this completes the olfactory journey of one of the finest fragrance creations around. All of this is provided to you with a guarantee of good sillage and longevity. If you are a fan of "green" scents, or just a fan of fragrances in general, you need to try this.

The only negative is that, for now, this is a limited edition fragrance. Its a disappointing that Creed doesn't have plans to add this to their permanent line.

Rating: 9.5/10

Originally commissioned for King George IV, and a favorite of Churchill and Bogart, Tabarome certainly has an impressive list of past patrons. Ignoring all that star hype and power, I can easily say that Tabarome is one of the most finely crafted fragrances I have experienced, with near perfect longevity and sillage.

Tabarome contains notes of tobacco leaves, green tea, pepper, and ambergris. It smells quite unusual for a tobacco fragrance in that it is quite fresh. Upon initial application, it exudes an uplifting and pleasant aura. It must be the green tea with some mint or lavender. A few seconds later, an exquisite tobacco note joins in. The tobacco is never heavy or overbearing, and never mutes the other notes. Instead, it flows alongside the pleasantly uplifting top notes to make this an extremely wearable and classy tobacco fragrance. Infact, this might even appeal to people who dont like tobacco - Creed has managed to to transform a (usually) powerful heady note into a note which works from all angles. The end result is a masterpiece which exudes power, grace and class.

Comparisons to "New" Tabarome: New Tabarome contains a prominent combo of ginger and tobacco. Compared to the Vintage formula, New Tabarome, while good, smells more brash and less crisp. If you want your tobacco well mixed and uplifting, Vintage is for you. For a dominant tobacco note (with some equally heady ginger filtered through a flacon of citrus and ambergris), "New" might be the way to go.

Rating: 9.5/10

I have been wearing Guerlain Vetiver (GV) for over an year now, and its strange that I haven't reviewed it yet. It's probably because I have been enjoying this fragrance so much that whenever I put it on, it imposes on me a feeling of calm, its earthy yet tranquil vetiver note intoxicating in its expert realization in this manly potion.

Wearing GV is like having a knowledgeable and friendly tutor help you accomplish a task which absolutely has to be done. In this case, the task would be to familiarize oneself with the vetiver note, a note which many find too pungent and ghastly for their taste. GV makes the note apparent from the very beginning - BUT, like a good tutor/teacher, it eases you in by flanking the note with crisp citrus notes. The top construction eases you in - from there, GV evolves to a more rich and heavy base of tobacco and vetiver. During intense summers, the tobacco note may become more pronounced and might even be offputting to some - I find that if applied evenly using no more than 3 sprays, the notes flow better. Longevity and sillage are near perfect.

GV is ultimately one of the easier introductions to vetiver. Some may prefer Creed's Original Vetiver (an excellent offering itself), but it comes at a price...no, I am not talking about the less intense vetiver note, I was hinting at the $195 price tag. If you are willing to venture out of Original Vetiver's protective cocoon, GV will be an excellent choice. Its easy on the wallet, and a top tier fragrance to boot. Citrus, grassy, with a base of tobacco. JP Guerlain created this when he was 22 years of age .. a hell of an accomplishment that. Be a man, take the plunge.

Rating: 8.5/10

top notes: Petitgrain
Heart notes: Orange Blossom, Fern Accord
base note: Coumarin

I missed all the furore that followed the launch of Le Male and didn't really get the snarky sailor ads and that striped torso bottle. Having spent time playing (pun intended) with the Fleur du Male (FdM) bottle for the past couple of weeks, I can say without hesitation that the bottle is one of the oddest things I have felt up. A headless pale-white colored stud of a man with a prominent bulge and rounded buttocks, my little nephew who has quite a collection of Pokeman, Takara Transformers and other assorted figurines had a puzzled look on his face when I handed him the bottle. Apparently it appeals to neither of us, and it should be as well..its whats inside that counts. Does FdM sell poorly in the red states?

I don't understand all these "its too feminine for me!" comments here regarding FdM. A little insecure are we? FdM isn't half as sweet or floral as some of the more disingenious men's juices out there. Opening with a burst of well rendered and juicy neroli, perhaps because of budget limitations, composer Kurkdjian instills a woody petitgrain facet almost immediately ...this makes the opening more woody, and ironically, more masculine. The woodier aspect grows and growns before it touches base with the oh-so-familiar-but-so-sexy smooth vanillic coumarin and fern accord. Wheres the middle notes phase? Dont know...FdM skips the dinner and heads straight for third base. This signature le male accord is also more well behaved and less ravaging in this incarnation. While FdM appears to be more presentable and wearable, it comes off as less complex than le Male, with fewer notes bouncing off each other and less dynamic movement between the notes phases.

Le Male's signature accord was always a hit with the women and now FdM adds a very pleasing (also to women!) woody-neroli top note to this base. There are 15-17 year olds who complain about FdM not being manly enough for them (and these are the same hormonal teens who spend weeks growing a decent moustache amidst a plethora of facial pimples to get a date). Little do these hormonal teens know that the neroli top married to the le Male base works magic on women. Le Male, and now FdM are also (apparently) big in gay circles. Hundreds of years ago, neroli essential oil was used by Kings as an invigorating and relaxing tonic; now queens can join in the fun as well!

Rating: 7.5/10

I must be smelling a different fragrance here: Original Santal (OS), for some reason, gets slammed at basenotes. Many compare it to Joop! homme...I dont get the similarities. There is a slight resemblance for the first 6 seconds, but thats about it. And as for the Allure homme comparisons, I dont get them at all. Sweet? Compared to many Lutens concoctions, A*Men, or other metrosexual 90s juices, OS comes off as very demure. Loud? OS is nowhere as loud as some of the grandma juices from the 60s or 70s. Infact, OS is not even the sweetest or the loudest Creed .. just try Royal Delight, Royal English Leather, 2000 fleurs, Ambre Cannelle, etc..

On with the review: OS starts off with spicy citrusy notes - its the cinnamon locking horns with the citrus notes initially. I detect a combo of lavendar and orange in the top notes - this combo stays on stretches way into the drydown (although its quite muted by that time). The coriander comes into play soon and ups the spice tempo, while the lavender provides a discreet halo-like medicinal effect. The middle notes introduce some nice woody and benzoin notes - the cedar and/or sandalwood let off a pungent woody odor. OS dries down to a low key vanilla base - after the twists and turns of the top and middle notes, the drydown, while pleasant, comes off as bit of a disappointment. Vetiver, leather, or some balsamic notes would have been welcome and would have put the finishing touches to a good display. Joop! homme by comparison contains a very sweet opening which introduces a strange, sometimes sickening, relentless motor oil note which goes away only when the fragrance dies.

OS is a nice, well made fragrance with excellent sillage and longevity. Its a "spicy wood" fragrance, sort of like Luten's Santal de Mysore except that its less intense and balsamic. Compared to Creed's Santal Imperial and Bois de Santal it doesn't possess as clear a sandalwood note, but its construction is more complex. Its a different fragrance catering to a more modern crowd. Creed already have two top drawer sandalwood fragrances and OS does its own different thing well. There are only so many sandalwood plantations a house can uproot to serve its royal clientele...plus you know you want the glistening Red Ombre bottle in your hands !

Rating: 7.5/10

Top note : Mandarin, Neroli, Artemisia, Coriander
Middle note : Cardamom, Pepper, Jasmine, Orris
Base note : Cedarwood, Vetiver, Leather, Amber

What we have here is man-of-the-moment, scent-strip magic weaving and international perfume media hog JC Ellena emulating his idol E. Roudnitska by emulating the masters' venerable juice Eau D'Hermes. Declaration is more watery but the basic citrus-leather accord is present. Declarations opens with a pleasant juicy mandarin accord before slowly revealing an attractive spicy-peppery layer of notes softened by iris and jasmine - this is probably the juices' most appealing phase. 45 minutes laters, the slow march of the dutch-oven accord becomes more perceptible: hints of cedar with mighty sweaty cumin infused with light and smoky birch. The iris and jasmin soft palette is all but gone by this time, and depending on your skin, the cumin will bloom like a skunk in heat. I find the balance to be a bit off here...lengthening the iris-jasmin accord into the drydown would have provided some much needed relief against the fart attack.

Declaration is where it started it all .. you can smell the sparse signature Ellena accords: the pepper-cedar combo, the liberal use of cumin, the earthy tones...but nearly all of these accords now exist in better and more improved variations in the form of Ellena composed juices like Terre dHermes, Bigarade Concentree, etc. Declaration, at this point, serves nothing more than an Ellena fanboy trip down the memory lane, but for those who balk at Malle and Hermessence prices, thanks to Ellena's now repetitive and promiscuous use of signature accords Declaration is all they need to get their Ellena fix.

Rating: 7.0/10

Santal Imperial is one of the most focused and high quality sandalwood fragrances around. Made for a king a long time ago, this imperial sandalwood still rules the roost.

Opening with a burst of citrus (and bergamot), the woody powdery heart of one of the most authentic sandalwood notes makes an appearance and takes center stage for several hours before melding with tonka beans and ambergris in the base notes to conjure a fantastic rendition of the Creed house note. Santal Imperial's laser-like focus on displaying a quality sandalwood note with minimal distraction by supporting notes is nearly unmatched. Its light and distinguished, and possesses enough virility to satiate any woody desires. Conservative? If you want a moroccan spice rack or ghastly chemical lab notes like burning tires and spermicidal lubes in your spray juices, this might not be for you. The sandalwood note might be less vivid than (Creed) Bois du Santal (another sandalwood powerhouse) and the overall composition less metrosexual than Original Santal, but this is still a must try for sandalwood afficionados.

Rating: 9.0/10.0

Top notes : Pomegranate, Pink Pepper, Raspberry

Middle notes : Plum, opopanax, frankincense

Base notes : Patchouli, Musk, Spicy Woods

The inspiration for Pomegranate Noir (PN) came to Jo Malone after she saw one of her friends dressed up in a red silk dress at a middle eastern hookah party all the while stuffing dollar bills in her cleavage. I have enjoyed the simple uncluttered soliflores of the Jo Malone line so the "Noir/Dark" label of this fragrance made me wonder if Malone was going all Lutens on us.

I shouldn't have worried. PN opens with a perplexing accord. Its sweet, lush and minty....and for a moment, does smell like Vicks vaporub except that there's a plummy fruity aroma enveloping this "vicks" accord. I am intrigued by how this minty fresh smell is engineered .. I don't see cloves listed in the notes pyramid, so the only explanation I can come up with is that PN is probably employing a variety of frankincense that is higher in its camphor (moth ball smell) content than the other constituents. Interms of fruitiness, this primary accord has all the hallmarks of a prune...it can be enjoyable and fun as well as occasionally grating and temperamental. While the incense does its camphor like thing, the distinctive sour and sweet smell of pomegranates is neutered by plenty of sweet raspberry and plum notes. PN loses much of its midnight vaporub funkiness after half and hour or so, and lets a timid patchouli note and some non-descript spicy woods base lead it to its quiet but not-so dark conclusion. The longevity is good..around 7 hours.

I admit I expected more "Noir" facets from this scent but knowing Malone's style I wasn't expecting a Jules or Vintage Tabarome. It says "Black Pomegranate" on the label after all, and that could mean "Over-ripe Pomegranates" for all I know. I would have liked more patchouli and spices, and less raspberry and plums in this concoction. Its more complex than other Malone's like Grapefruit and Amber Lavender but is also, strangely, less interesting. With that said, during the dog days of winter and nostril scraping flu attacks, I would still like to spray a spritz or two of PN on my chest before going to bed....I hear it attracts fairies in red silk dresses.

Rating: 7/10

**This review is of the EDC**

Habit Rouge (HR) was created by JP Guerlain after a rather freak accident where he spilled lemon sherbet on his red jacket while riding a horse to the Guerlain fragrance lab. From the Guerlain site: “The Habit Rouge man represents the height of elegance. He is intimately aware of his powers of seduction and the only thing that ruffles his perfect outward appearance is the faint glimmer of uncontrollable passion that smoulders deep in his eyes.” Well I can’t imagine Bill Clinton wearing this but hey who knows ..

HR smells like a refreshing tangy vanillic sherbet. While that may sound like a sickly sweet potion geared towards facebook-humping teens, in the hands of the vanilla masters at Guerlain this classic potion exudes class and displays superb blending skills. From the first blast the tangy sweet lime citrus notes are apparent, with a faint veil of vanilla creating a light warm sensation. Soon the delicately balanced spicy heart of cinnamon and carnation makes itself apparent, with a little bit of cedar lending an airy dryness to the composition. The spices are never nose searing and the cedar never gets into the “Oh my god! I smell pencil shavings and hamster cage!” phase. From here the tangy vanilla spicy accord evolves over the next few hours to a smooth amber and vanilla base with the barest hints of leather to keep things interesting.

If one looks at the pyramid, HR might seem like a heavy stomach churning fragrance with notes of vanilla, benzoin, patchouli, cinnamon, etc. The reality is it’s a light even airy fragrance with deceptive depth. It smells like what most L’Artisans aspire to smell like (“light skin scents) except that you don’t get the watery sensation of most L’Artisans resulting in a feeling that the fragrance house is skimping on the essential oils and feeding you romantic stories to make a buck or two. HR’s composition is substantial but never cloying….and it manages to succeed because of its EDC concentration. In the hands of other lesser perfume houses, the vanilla note would have most probably turned the composition into an overwhelmingly saccharine and unbalanced composition. But Guerlain show in HR how to control and maintain a note of excess. Bill Clinton would be proud.

Rating: 8.5/10

Notes: lemon, rosemary, petitgrain, basil, jasmine, rose, iris, oakmoss, vetiver, and musk.

Eau Sauvage (ES), the 1966 classic from Perfumer Roudnitska was groundbreaking in its use of the synthetic hedione molecule. This citrus chypre has influenced many, and while it may have been usurped by other fancy new citruses in the media, it still has the moves which can surprise many.

Opening against a backdrop of clear and light lemons, ES almost immediately generates soft floral notes of rose and jasmine which are rendered "masculine" because of the lemon and petitgrain notes...the petitgrain note isn't too strong so as to introduce an annoying "dry & woody" sensation which lesser citruses do. This supremely light citrus-floral combo mingles for a while before the most intriguing phase of ES comes into play ... its the vetiver note, and at this point ES smells like if you took a whiff of the air after someone who has had too many lemon drop candy let one lose. It smells a bit like lemonade infested with maggots...yet it works. This dirtiness gives ES its fine distinguished character, and it works because its light and balanced. Roudnitska probably knew that to convince people to splash on this dirty water, it had to be a light, balanced, and only slightly offbeat. And judging by the success of ES, he has entirely succeeded in doing so. I dont smell a lot of oakmoss, if at all..compared to another substantial classic, Chanel pour monsieur, ES smells impotent in its oakmoss content. ES lasts a good 7 hours ... there's not much sillage, but someone in close vicinity can certainly smell the dirty-clean vetiver-lemon bubbling on your skin.

ES probably won't wow as many people as it did during the Kennedy era. It might be the old man of citruses, but its definitely no old man scent..it smells as relevant today as it did when it was launched, and few citruses are as balanced and expertly blended. When everything else fails, just grab a bottle of ES. As Donald Trump once said, "If you need Viagra, you are probably with the wrong woman". Apparently Dior has been very faithful to the original formulation of ES....ES don't need no modern molecules to keep up with the spunky new CKOne's of this world. This old timer can still surprise the ladies with its stamina, energy and years of experience.

Rating: 8.5/10

Top notes : whisky, cognac, Korean calamus, wild carrot

Middles notes: tanned leather, Iris of Florence rhizome, Brazilian copahu essence

Base notes: Caucasian leather, Haitian vetyver, Turkish Latakia tobacco, Mexican opoponax, Yemenite myrrh, Indonesian patchouli

With Bois d'Ombrie (Wood of Umbria, BO), Perfumer Duchaufour promises to whisk us away to the deep dark and autumnal green forest of Umbria..."a golden embrace of wood and leathers". If you have hitched a ride with Duchaufour on his eastern travels to Bhutan on L'Artisan airlines, this trip to the dark forests of Italy might smell strangely similar.

BO opens with a wonderfully pleasing accord - an alcoholy burst of goodness, a smattering of porous leather notes, and a resinous frankincense like balsamic and woody note of copahu. Attracted by the beautiful opening, you keep walking further and further into the deep and dangerous woods of Umbria and soon realise what twisted freaks of nature reside within. The leather increases in intensity and takes on a peculiar dry, salty and spicy character. Sprayed on too heavily, I can see how it can remind some peope of vinegar...imagine inhaling the vapours of boiling vinegar, and how they zing the nostrils before sawing the brain in half with their splintery accents. The salty character becomes too pronounced. However, with a light application what one gets are occasional whiffs of a perfectly balanced salty-spicy-woody leather accord. I am especially intrigued by the spicy aspect of it and wonder how Duchaufour achieved it. Is it because of a certain type of leather used? Maybe so. True, this forest could use some trimming...this accord needs softening around the edges, some sugar to balance its salt N pepa. The myrrh, patchouli and iris notes need to be increased in intensity to simmer down the overly zealous leather melange. BO is also a long lasting fragrance...I could detect it 9 hours later, that spicy salty leather kick perking me up late in the afternoon when exhausted by the sameyness of the cubicle environment.

So there you have it .. BO smells good, but like its namesake, it needs to be handled with care. Too much BO can smell bad...but a little BO goes a long way, and can intrigue the opposite sex. Animals with primal instincts live in the deep dark forest of Umbria. Enter with precaution.

Rating: 7.9/10

Villoresi's Wild Lavender/Inglese (WL) is a spicy lavender fragrance which smells like an english fougere at times, thus the confusion in naming it. After having spent time with some of the big name lavender fragrances, I find that WL is neither at the very top of the list or at the bottom. However there's no confusion regarding its quality; it fits snuggly somewhere in the middle of the lavender powerhouses list.

WL doesn't exhibit the trademark Villoresi fragrance style: an explosion of a mishmash of notes which settle down into a coherent arrangement within minutes. Rather, WI opens with (comparatively) straightforward pungent lemon and lavender notes - fresh, prickly, and invigorating. Almost immediately the spices brewing underneath this combo come forth. Its cloves, ginger and pepper marching in unison to spice up the lavender opening. At this point, WI exhibits the greatest variation in the defining accord it lets loose - all depending on how you apply it and when you wear it. Applied lightly and in cool weather, one gets a balanced bitter lemon and lavender accord with a smattering of spices kept cool by a clove note. With heavy application in hot weather, heavy spices with a smattering of lemon and lavender which join forces to conjure the smell of guava (with some masala sprinkled) on. Its quite amusing, this masala guava image that WL conjures...I was almost compelled to rename it "India", instead of "English", but I guess its the same thing considering how most of England now indulges in south asian cuisine like chiken tikka masala and biryani.

WL lacks the clarity of the lavender on display in fragrances like Caldey Island Water and Lavanda Tonica (amongst others), and isn't an uncomplicated but somber fragrance like Luten's Encens et Lavande. It does however share certain characteristics with Creed's retro-modern Royal Scottish Lavender. Both open with a lemon+lavender combo, and use clove in the heart notes to render light the increasingly complicated development. WL has more spices, a murkier lavender note and a lighter drydown of musk and rosemary (compared to the Creed's "victorian era with a hint of BO" drydown of amber+vanilla).

WL is a quality spicy lavender fragrance with no rough edges or whacky and needless "niche fragrance" tricks. The lavender note could be more prominent, and the spicy heart could be a bit unstable in how it unravels, but apart from that this Royal Scottish Lavender-lite will find many fans.

Rating: 8.2/10

Notes:

Top: Bergamot, Orange, Geranium, Nutmeg
Middle: Orange Blossom, Rose, Jasmine, herbal notes
Base: Sandalwood, cedar, vetiver

No. 89 is Floris' flagship fragrance and the favorite of Ian Fleming, James Bond, Inspector Gadget, Kim Jong Yil and few other high profile celebrities and fictional characters. It also shares a few properties with No. (89 - 1).

No. 89 is based on a formula which is intended to represent what an english gentleman is smells like. Some say it also "reeks" of funeral parlors. I haven't been to a lot of funeral parlors, but I don't think that they would smell like No. 89, which is a grand yet understated aromatic woody floral. This is no "old man"/"dead" smell, nor is it a sombre scent. No. 89 opens with a complex citrus-floral-spicy accord which then gives way to a prominent flowery middle notes phase. However No.89 is never overly floral because of a well assimilated nutmeg note which provides a spicy kick to the mix...yes, the overall impression is still of a gentleman's rich aromatic floral fragrance, but its never overbearingly like Enya's garden.

Comparisons to Czech & Speake no. 88: No. 88 and 89 share some similarities. Infact the notes pyramid share a lot of notes. Both open with a burst of bergamot; No. 89's opening is more elaborate, but the heart notes are what sets the two apart. No. 88's luxurious and powerhouse notes of rose otto, cassie and frangipani in concert with sandalwood introduce a distinctively full-bodied accord which is missing in No. 89. Instead, no. 89 has a less potent rose note, and features an equally dynamic if less ravaging spicy-floral mix as its distinctive accord. No. 88 also has a longer march to its drydown, which richer and fuller than in No. 89 due to its richer concentration of oils (its an EDP). No. 89 has a soft woody floral drydown - I don't get a lot of vetiver or cedar, but instead there is an outlier of a sweet floral note which is kind of interesting and lends a certain powderiness to the drydown.

No. 88 and 89 do share some similarities and No. 88 was probably inspired by No. 89. If you find the rich composition of no. 88 too much to handle, try the floral-spicy concoction of no. 89; the reduced potency and the diluted rose notes alongwith the nutmeg might feel fresher and less daunting. Eitherways, No. 89 is a fine fragrance in its own right, and a true classic. I can't picture the grim reaper handing it out at anyone's "going away" party.

Rating: 8.6/10

Notes:

Top: Bergamot, Lemon, Mace, Pineapple
Middle: Violet, Lily of the valley
Base: Tonka, Cedar, Moss, Musk

Kiton is one of the most exclusive fashion houses in the world. Their suits normally take about 20 hours of labor and atleast 45 tailors contribute to one. For sure Kiton won't be outsourcing the stitching and sewing of their suits to south Asia to be hand knitted by 10 year olds at $1 a day anytime soon. Unfortunately Kiton Men (KM) doesn't exhibit any of that fine attention to detail. While far from a substandard fragrance, its mossy-woods composition exhibits characteristics of a wearable and well-made designer knock-off.

KM opens with tangy citrus accords and a floral heart of violet notes which immediately brings to mind the hypnotic, unique and bewildering "green and gasoline" accord of Dior's classic Fahrenheit. This floral gasoline accord is toned down in KM, and is infused with tangy citrus notes of pineapple and lemon. By comparison, Fahrenheits honeysuckle and violet dominated "gasoline-like" accord is richer, smoother and overall more satisfying to my nose. KM can be viewed as a sporty version of Fahrenheit; it might be more approachable for noses which can't fully inhale the floral motor oil wonder accord of Fahrenheit. The dont detect a lot of moss in KM's basenotes, but there is a woody floral tinge in there somewhere (is it the lily + cedar ?).

Comparisons to Creed's Green Irish Tweed: KM is far more similar to Fahrenheit than is it to GIT. The violet note in GIT is more grassy, and is of a different character than in KM and Fahrenheit.

Overall, KM is a pleasant "green" fragrance with good longevity and sillage. Its composition doesn't posses the snob value or the superb artistry of the Kiton suits, but it does pay homage to a fragrance which does. And that's not a bad thing, is it ?

Rating: 7.5/10

Rive Gauche pour homme (RG) is one of those fragrances which elevates my mood when I have it on. I really don't get all the retro greasy Travolta references ... the only Travolta I know is the one who did the twist with Uma Thurman. It could also be because I am a product of the 80s (I cried when E.T. had to go home and I was in love with a girl named Rio). Eitherways, RG kicks ass and takes names.

The initial impressions are certainly barbasol + man smell. I find the opening burst of a shaving cream accord amusing, interesting and at the same time it makes me exclaim "Wow, thats hell of a recreation of barbasol!". Its a familiar smell which draws you in. I get a unified shaving cream accord but spraying it 2-3 times in quick successions breaks up the composition and I am able to detect the well integrated tart spiciness of star anise, a dim lavender note, and the spicy coolness of cloves. Within a few minutes of this elasive barbershop opening RG begins its descent into a woody melange of patchouli, vetiver and gauaic wood out of which patchouli is at the forefront with hints of dry sweet spicy guaicwood. The clove in the heart notes has enough potency to keep the base from becoming overly woody or "old manish". The intermingling of this barbasol smell and patchouli is the best facet of RG, the combined accord creating a clean, classy and chic aura. RG doesn't create a lot of sillage but sports good longevity (the drydown is noticeable upto 9 hours after application). A criticism is that I would have like the opening accord to hold on for more than a few minutes before melding with the woody base.

RG is cool, crisp, and stylish. Its familiar yet unique, light yet substantial. Its not a terribly cerebral fragrance, but its a perfect example of a fragrance which can make you feel damn fine when you wear it. Wear it.

Rating: 8.2/10

**This is a review of the EDT**

Notes: orange blossom, bergamot, mandarin, clary sage, iris, jasmine, rose, ylang-ylang, cedarwood, vetiver, styrax, leather, amber, vanilla

"An ashtray doing a flower vase"

Ernest Beaux's 1924 classic, Cuir de Russie (CdR) is widely regarded as one of the finest Chanel fragrances as well as one of the best leather fragrances ever created. Created to paint an image of an elegant snobby woman rummaging through her fine leather bag to look for change to tip an escort for a night of much fun, CdR displays all the hallmarks of Beaux's expertise, alongwith a few eccentricities introduced by Polge.

CdR opens with a burst of citrus melange with a sage note inserting enough bitterness to offset the smooth orange blossom and bergamot. Hints of leather (due to isobutyl quinoline) are perceptible from the beginning. Soon, CdR transitions to its most feminine phase - Beaux's signature trifecta of ylangylang-jasmine-rose infuses a dose of floral sweetness with an element of coolness due to a shy iris note; the florals threaten to drown out the gradually increasing intensity of the leather. CdR was reorchestrated in 1983 by Polge and the floral heart was increased in strength while the leather note was decreased in potency .. can't say I like this "tune up" but it makes it more approachable to women I guess. Another smooth movement of accords takes place a few hours later and CdR enters the drydown phase which is more masculine due to smoky styrax and vetiver which are prevented from rampaging the composition with their supposed tenacity by gendarme like notes of vanilla and amber. Unlike some of the other reviewers, I dont smell a lot of civet, if at all. Longevity is good at around 7-8 hours, and sillage is medium.

CdR presents a well behaved leather note interjected with a good dose of florals to result in a smooth and slightly floral leather fragrance. The ambery styrax+vetiver drydown is the highlight. Those of us looking for a wild no-holds-barred "look ma I am wearing a cow-hide" leather might be disappointed with CdR's cultured and metrosexual approach to a leather romp. With that said, this is arguably the best leather for women...its flirty yet classy, confident yet sensual.

A quick comparison to some of other notable leathers:

Caron Tabac Blond: its leather is more smoky, its vanilla base more unrestrained and naughty. Marilyn Monroe vs. Elizabeth Taylor.

Creed Cuir de Russie: loads of birch tar with ambergris. A very unusual leather. More manly.

Creed Royal English Leather: Resembles the first 2 minutes of Chanel CdR with its mandarin+leather mix. The leather note is more raw and substantial.

Serge Lutens Daim Blond: No. I want a sexy sensual leather on my woman, not decorate her with a fruit bowl.


Rating: 8.7/10

Notes:
Top: Lemon, Mandarin, Basil, Petitgrain
Heart: Lavender, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Lily
Base: Oakmoss, Vetiver, Sandalwood, Cedarwood

Supposedly Armani Eau Pour Homme (APH) was Giorgio Armani's personal day-time fragrance before being released to public. Going by the composition, Mr. Armani must have been a big fan of the classics like Dior Eau Sauvage, Chanel Pour Monsieur, and especially Nina Ricci Signoricci.

I was initially perplexed by APH's performance on my skin. Testing it amidst a flurry of recent citrus purchases and that too in the searing summer heat, initial impressions were that it's a standard lemon pledge like citrus fragrance with a bromidic dry herbal mossy drydown which revealed itself too fast. A different technique of application revealed a more consuming side - spraying from a distance allowed the latent notes to bloom, and I perceived an immediate (light) woody-citrus combo of lemon and petitgrain lent a light airy floral aroma of lavender inconcert with a subdued spicy nutmeg note which renders an enjoyable if restrained aromatic citrus accord. The problem here is that this accord gets more and more anhydrous - the sandalwood in the base doesn't possess enough potency to neutralise the dryness...I would have preferred some forceful floral notes to counteract this unbalanced desert wind like drying act, or pumped up the lavender note's concentration instead. By the drydown, I am left with a parched mossy accord on my skin which reminds me of gardening in the backyard with lemon juice crusts on my fingertips.

Mr. Armani probably wanted a Signoricci of his own. The notes pyramid reveals a lot of similarities as does testing them side by side. It also reveals that Signoricci is the better and more balanced scent. The lemons are more luscious, the lavender smoother, the petitgrain woodier, and it has the missing floral components to counter balance the mossy-herbal drydown that afflicts APH. Yes, Signoricci is the better fragrance...but APH has the better bottle! Also, can anyone confirm whether Armani's clothing line has been similarly "inspired" by other fashion houses?


Rating: 7.3/10

Notes: amber, myrrh, burnt styrax, incense, cinnamon, aloe wood, cedar, civet, nutmeg, clove, cumin, musk, mandarin peel, orange blossom.

In the technology adoption lifecycle while crossing the chasm to mainstream acceptance, entrepreneurs need to find product and market alternatives to their product. This can also be accomplished by taking a successful product and using its features to fulfill the needs of a need in a new market. Lutens and Sheldrake take this approach with Cuir Mauresque -they take a successful leather fragrance, perform minute customizations, and then name it "Moorish (Spanish) Leather".

Cuir Mauresque (CM) is one of the more pleasant and wearable Lutens offerings. While a great leather fragrance, to my nose it also borrows heavily from Caron's nearly 100 year old classic, Tabac Blond (TB). Both feature a smoky leathery heart derived from the molecule isobutyl quinoline. The smoky leather note is richer and more forceful in TB, while its considerably tame in CM where the use of clove, aloes wood and mandarin peel strip the leather of most of its distinctive characteristics and present it as smoky-leather-lite. There is a layer of the lutens trademark oriental madness bubbling under the leather show, but thankfully it doesn't materialize or develop further. While TB ends with a rich smoky vanilla accord, CM's drydown marries the muted smoky leather note with a cool yet never overbearing incense note which to some people might spell "Tabac Blond for men".

To summarize, CM is TB with a little bit of sweetness, the same smoky leather note but toned down 5X in strength, and an incense infused drydown instead of the smoky vanilla accord in TB. If you found TB too leathery and smoky, CM might be your ticket to leather salvation. Spanish leather is marked by a distinct sweetness in addition to leather, and Lutens/Sheldrake take a fast follower approach to success by taking the TB blueprint and adding a few sweet notes to the formula - and voila!, the result is a fine spanish leather fragrance which destroys the competition (ex: Trumper etc's offerings which are too sweet and musky with barely any perceptible leather).

Note: Depending on how CM reacts on your skin, you might either get the impressions discussed above, or a heavy saccharine scent ala traditional Lutens fare (if your skin amplifies the amber and mandarin peel notes). Try before you buy.

Rating: 8.4/10

**This review is of the EDT**

Notes:

Top: Leather, Linden, Carnation
Heart: Iris, Vetiver, Ylang Ylang
Base: Cedar, Patchouli, Vanilla, Amber, Musk

Said to be launched to celebrate the liberation of women in the 1920s a movement which allowed them to vote and mate without male consent, wear skimpy bikinies and take care of that ever growing bikini line, and ofcourse smoke in public. The name might be a misnomer, but there's not an iota of smoke in Tabac Blond's performance - this is a crystal clear display of excellent perfumery skills.

Tabac Blond opens with a fresh blast of a sweet citrus note conjoined witha bright floral spicyness of carnation tinged with the barest hint of leather. Its an inviting opening and only hints at whats to come next. And that hint only grows more and more obvious over the next few minutes. The castoreum-based leather heart of Tabac Blond grows in prominence and starts dominating...and what a leather note it is! It shares some similarities with the turpentine-like leather note in Knize Ten, but unlike that motor-oil mechanic juice note, is never harsh or overly chemically (probably due to the iris and ylang ylang, which smooth out any rough leathery tones). Its smooth and as well-balanced as a leather note can be, and although I don't smell much tobacco or smoke, there is a general underlying smoky feel enveloping the heart notes. The leather is impressive in its longevity - this sublime note lasts for a good 4 hours, before the fragrance transitions to a smooth resinous vanilla-amber base, which surprisingly smells cool (is it because of the enduring musk and cedar notes?) compared to the leather action in the heart notes.

Tabac Blond is Carons' flagship perfume, and even in its EDT form, is a fragrance which very few, if any, leather fragrances can claim to compare to. The movement between the three notes phases is dynamic, the leather note is substantial yet never overbearing, and the vanillic-amber-cedar-musk base finishes off the leather powerhouse display with a rich melange of temperate and sensual notes which provide a frore contrast to the leathery warmth. Tabac Blond was a fragrance way ahead of time; its time though has come. The time is now. This is a fragrance for bold women, women who find the fruity florals littering the malls insubstantial, inchoate and insulting to their driven motivated interior. Women who have had enough of the vanilla-amber-laden sweet bombs. Women now lead Fortune 1000 companies, are career driven, and play an equal hand in marriage. I can easily see such independent women do Tabac Blond justice. Its also a clearly unisex juice, although Mr. Moms might be better off with the generic aquatic. Tabac Blond is smokin'.

Notes:
Indian, Egyptian and Moroccan jasmines, green shoots, honey, clove, benzoin and musk

One of the better and more sensual jasmine based fragrances around. The quality of jasmine oils used in this one is excellent, and its the darker more indolic interpretation of the flower...however as all thing Serge Lutens, the jasmin is flanked by lots of benzoin honey and vanilla to give it a rich decadent and at times suffocating feel. Infact, it can at times feel like a scrubber because the top notes are uber strong and sweet. But ofcourse, if you are a Serge Lutens fan girl or fan boy, you know what to expect from this honey-and-benzoin-morocco inspired house, so you are probably prepared to handle this assault. Things do improve and simmer down by the drydown phase, and A la nuit fares better if applied lightly. During cooler weather, the indolic jasmine melds well with my skin to give it a bit of a dirty and sensual metrosexual skank, but in warmer weather, the honey and benzoin infuse into the jasmine oils to surround me with an aura of transexual confusion (which I am not a big fan of).

If you are looking for a rich indolic jasmin fragrance, A la nuit might fit the bill. I personally prefer Creeds' beautiful non-cloying Jasmal, which highlights a superb jasmine heart with sophisticated green accents.

Notes:
Top: Citron
Middle: Olive Blossom, Aromatic, and Anisey Accents
Base : Tonka Bean, Blonde Tobacco, Gaiac Wood, Smoky

I am revisting Armani Code/Black Code after some time off from Armani fragrances (trust me, its hard to do if you frequent department stores - can't escape the Di Gio), and I have to admit, I am finding more redeeming qualities in this one. While the adverts come off as a bad case of The Matrix trilogy hangover (dark shades, spandex and slo-mo bullet dodging is so played out!), the sleek curvy dark bottle with just the right degree of curvature and heft isn't as embarrassing.

Code opens with a citric blast which is a bit unusual; its hard to describe. It smells citrusy alright, but theres something medicinal and gaseous about it with a floral hint. Its interesting to say the least - the floral note is probably the olive flower, which isn't as sweet or intense in its scent profile as something like tuberose. The heart notes amp up the intrigue factor with a dose of anise, its tangy sweet character continuing from where the olive flower and citrus combo left off. The smooth and suave creaminess of the tonka bean makes its appearance shortly thereafter. And here lies the problem - the transition from top and middle notes to the base takes minutes...5 minutes to be exact. Thats too fast for a Matrix wannabe. Slo-mo, take your time to develop. Thats not to say that the base is bad; its chockfull of tonka bean with a dry woodiness about it (with a light smoky character) thanks to the guaic wood. The end effect is of a light, creamy, slightly woody skin scent, with good longevity but low sillage.

The quality of ingredients is decent, and there are distinct phases of development. Code however is less interesting than its orange blossom laced womens counterpart, and reveals its trump cards too early. With that said, it qualifies as a good discreet/office scent. It has also made Armani a ton of money already, and just having both Code and Aqua di Gio in your wardrobe is a pretty respectable option for a casual fragrance fan. I dont care much for this musky light skin scent, but for some strange reason women like it a lot .. that last statement itself will now entice hordes of teens to stock up on the Matrix love juice. What is the Code ? I dont care because I am happy doing my own thing with Terre D'Hermes and Chanel Allure homme.

Top notes: Lavender, Galbanum, Cumin,
Heart notes: Osmanthus, Cistus oil, Neroli
Base notes: Labdanum, Vetiver, Oakmoss, Lavender Concrete

Having spent the past month or so trying out a batch of Villoresi decants, the house's Vetiver stood out the most in its overall flow and construction, and the quality of its ingredients. All Villoresi fragrances smell good, but theres something more striking about the Vetiver, especially when it comes to its ingredients. Whenever I wear it, I smell a wild untamed beast in the potion, yet the beast never claws me to death or rip me to shreads ...rather it overlays on me a raw hide skin, intense yes yet friendly at the same time.

No, Vetiver doesnt smell like its loaded with vetiver, rather, the vetiver is buried beneath a smorgasboard of other herbs, citrus and floral notes. But the scent explodes with a fantastic lavender note paired with a green herbaceous accord and a pine like note which, dare I say it, provides the fragrance a "fresh" feel. There is a persistent yet austere labdanum note which drills into the drydown decorating Vetiver with a smoky, woody and slightly salty/iodine-like accord. The effect is not unlike a refined and much better executed version of the mineralic and iodine-laden Vetiver des Sables by Montale.

Like all Villoresi fragrances, there is a raw untamed monster of a feel in Vetiver, yet at the same time it also smells powerful and distinguished, like a caveman dressed in a suit (picture Robin Williams at the Oscars). Each of the notes is crystal clear and rendered in high-def...my guess is that Vetiver probably the most expensive Villoresi to manufacture. Its not a naked display of vetiver root oil like Malle's Vetiver Extraordinaire or MPG Route de Vetiver, but it is a very well crafted fougere with a modicum of vetiver. Vetiver is kryptonite for the senses...except that you are not Superman.

Exquisite white flower notes rendered in such a way so as to be light yet substantial, thoroughly modern yet composed with a classic touch.

In Love in White (LIW) the daffodils and magnolia are the clear highlights, are given a gentle sprightly introduction by the use of orange zest in the top notes. A combination of daffodils, magnolia, and rose can potentially lead to suffocation but here this floral heart is joined by a rice husk and orange zest to restrain the floral madness that so plagues fragrances from grandma's days (or even when compared to some of Creed's older fragrances for women).

Love in White is a well-behaved and well-composed bouquet of white floral notes infused with a transparent layer of orange zest which filters out the cloying heady vapors that so many florals emit. The longevity is excellent and the warm vanilla/sandalwood base introduces a hint of creaminess. LIW is an excellent demonstration in exhibiting the inherent rich characteristics of white flowers in the purest yet most restrained manner.

**This review is of the original version labelled 'Chanel for men'; I can't comment on the recent reformulated juice because I haven't had the misfortune of smelling it**

Notes:
Top: Lemon, Verbena, Neroli, Orange
Middle: Cardamom, Coriander, Basil, Ginger
Base: Oakmoss, Cedar

Lately, I have been on a citrus kick. Ploughing through the hordes of citrus fragrances which are so similar in their genetic makeup that one might think they were the result of a massive inbreeding swinger session between citrus fragrances, I was able to fine tune my nose to sniff out a few citrus fragrances which have sufficient identity of their own. Henri Roberts' classic Chanel pour monsieur (CPM) might have its seed strewn about everywhere, but it retains enough distinct perfume traits to still command respect and stand out from the crowd.

CPM is an aromatic citrus with chypre underpinnings. The opening is a refreshing splash of citrus puntuated by teeny bits of aldehydes to give it that distinct Chanel character. I smell lots of verbena and lemon, and a distant march of spice troops. The spices slowly grow in intensity, and after 15 minutes, join forces with the citrus top notes to create the main heart of CPM. The cardamom and coriander lend warmth and depth to the composition, and never become overbearing or cause that 'burning nose' sensation. Intermingling with the citrus notes, the spices conjure a citrus-spice accord which is amongst the best I have smelled. Its also delivered with much more panache and expertise than in fragrances like YSL Live Jazz or Caron Eau Forte, which are good fragrances in their own right. An hour later, CPM slowly transforms into a moderately 'drier' fragrance, with cedar and oakmoss joining the fray. Its true that CPM doesn't output much sillage and stays close to the skin, but its more perceptible in warmer weather, lasts for atleast 6 hours, and the drydown gets more 'chypre' like.

I read this about CPM on osmoz : 'It is the secret 'plus' of elegant men, highlighting their refinement with discretion.' And I totally agree. Its one of the best citrus aromatics around, and people weaned on A*Men and the like will not appreciate the understated elegance on display here.
This is not the type of perfume which creates an atomic blast like intense sillage and longevity which you can still smell on your skin a month later. Its a discreet, stylish, (still)distinctive fragrance which is expertly composed with decent longevity. Henri Robert created a classic in 1955 which has stood the test of time, but which (unfortunately) looks like couldn't guard itself against the greed of Chanels' profit lusting financial officers...

I found two distinct note pyramids for Signoricci:

Notes-1: mandarin, petitgrain, sage, alpine lavender, haitian vetiver, exotic woods, and oak moss.

Notes-2:
Top note : Lemon, Lime, Petitgrain, Basil

Middle note : Aldehydes, Jasmine, Carnation, Mandarin

Base note : Musk, Moss, Tonka, Amber

To my nose, Signoricci smells like:
Top: Lemon, Lime, Basil
Middle: Sage, alpine lavender, petitgrain
Base: Amber, exotic woods, moss, musk

These citrus fragrances are a dime a dozen. 95% of such fragrance smell so similar, its like they have hardly evolved since the dawn of time. They all follow the standard lime-herbs-woods formula that has rendered the "my citrus is better than yours" argument irrelevant...get more creative with your EdC's perfumers! Signoricci, while not as unique as I would like it to be, is one of the better standouts of this genre. I neither have time nor care to investigate the confusion regarding which Signoricci is which ..this is another one of those maddening scenarios which perfume houses create just because the management/perfumers were too lazy to lift their pokey fingers and engage their brain to number the perfumes properly.

Signoricci opens with a crystal clear and natural smelling blast of lemon and lime. No synthetic lemon pledge or chemical warfare smell here, this is a clear and enjoyable lemon lime note which lasts! And does it ever! It squeezes its way through the heart notes and deep into the drydown where one can still catch whiffs of lime. A subtle lavender note anchors the lemon in the beginning, before being replaced by a superbly balanced petitgrain note. Unlike in some other fragrances which I couldnt be arsed to name right now, the woodiness of petitgrain is kept well in check. Its like a "dry" lemon at times. The marriage of lemons and petitgrain gives Signoricci its slightly distinctive character which is then joined by soft amber in the base to round off one of the best and long lasting lemon fragrances around.

If you are in the market for a lemon dominated citrus fragrance, Signoricci is one of the best around. Its a refreshing EdC with ample depth, quality ingredients and good longevity. I dont think its as amazing as some others make it out to be, but I would certainly put in the top tier of citrus fragrances. Alert your nose to be on the lookout for petitgrain in this one, else it might smell similar to every other Eau De Cologne (or maybe not)

Top note : Bergamot, Mandarin, Lavender, Coriander
Middle note : Pepper, Anise, Geranium
Base note : Cedar, Sandal, Amber, Vanilla

I admit that Chanel Allure homme has been one of my guilty pleasures. Its not the most remarkable fragrance, but it wears remarkably well on me, has ample depth, is suitable for all occasions, and that milky oriental woody spicy accord is tenacious yet never overbearing. Its a workman-like fragrance like a studious student who does follows instructions to a tee, is clinincal in his execution and understanding of concepts, yet lacks a creative spark. A student who takes his mentors work and keeps building on it throughout his career, never diverging from the well set path . Enter Lalique pour homme, the mentor of Allure homme.

Lalique pour homme smells similar to Allure homme. Considering that it was launched in 1997 and Allure homme in 1999, it seems that Polge was "inspired" by Roucel's juice in the fancy crystal bottle. Add a dash of a porous lavender note to the fresh burst of allure's citrus opening and you have Lalique's opener. Mildly spicy heart notes power both the fragrances, although the cedar is more prominent in Lalique. The distinctive sweet woody spicy milky oriental accord is present in both, but its heavier, richer and better blended in Allure. The reticent vetiver in Allure adds a touch of earthy woodiness to the tonka + santal + vanilla drydown, while the cedar in Lalique keeps things lighter, airier, fresher. Lalique is your late night sensual madame being graceful and ladylike. Allure is the lady of the night (no not those kind!).

So there you have it. The most "creative" mens fragrance from Chanel within the past decade or so was actually by Maurice Roucel not Jacques Polge. However, I prefer Allure homme to Lalique because of its richer composition and depth, but many might prefer Lalique's lighter, cleaner rendition of this oriental woody smell. Maurice Roucel is the Super Mario of the perfume world in more ways than one. Still, Super Mario was the original platformer and deserves a thumbs up for all the other platformers it has inspired !

Top notes: crisp watery notes, pear, cardamom,
Middle notes: nutmeg, suede, patchouli,
Basenotes: vetiver, warm woods and vanilla.

“Aha! This is what Daim Blond was supposed to smell like!” – not quite, but Obsession Night for men (ONM)delivers what I was looking for from Daim Blond and largely succeeds.

Yes, the opening is fruity. But this is good fruity. A pleasant “watery” and delicately sweet pear note intertwined with a sprinkling of cardamom to restrain the generic bonbon fruit bomb opening that plagues 90% of the fragrances on the market results in an attractive, delectable and well designed fruit accord. More spices in the form of nutmeg add further vibrancy before the suede makes things interesting by lending a smooth leathery tone which in concert with the diluted pear forms one of the most accessible yet satisfying light fruit and leather pairings around. The base adds a comforting warmth and gourmand feel to the suede-pear unison. The one complaint that I have with ONM is that I would have liked the suede-pear layer of goodness to last longer. Although I still get hints of suede, whiffs of that watery pear and tinges of spices every now and then, the vanilla and “warm woods” clearly dominate the base, which deep down into the drydown smells like a caramel skin scent not unlike the effect found in the smash hit Tom Ford Azuree Soleil (although its not as sweet here). This skin scent drydown lasts for around 7 hours.

If Daim Blond had violated your olfactory mucosa with an apricot and heliotrope blast intense enough to put Willy Wonka in a comma, and left you nosing around for even the slightest hint of suede, you need to try ONM. It succeeds where the Lutens falters. While the pear note lacks the richness of the apricot in Daim Blond, it is still wonderfully rendered here and is presented at the right concentration so as not to distract from the composition. And, the suede/leather fits right in. Forget the bell jars, buy this pear shaped bottle.

Top notes: Lavender, Pine, Bergamot
Heart: Patchouli, Wormwood, Precious Wood, Jasmine, Geranium
Base: Sandalwood, Tonka, Honey, Amber

Going through Jacques Polge's fantastic work for Ungaro mirrors my experience with Peter Jacksons' award winning gamble of bringing to life the seminal Lord of the Rings series. So far I have enjoyed both the works of art in reverse chronological order, thoroughly satisfied with parts 3 and 2. I am yet to watch my copy of Fellowship of the Ring, but thats because I was lured first by Ungaro I and its wormWOOD note instead of the ghastly look on Eijah WOODS face on the cover of the DVD.

Ungaro I's main focus is wormwood (absinthium), a key ingredient of german Wermuth beer and french absinthe liquor. However, before you reach the heart of 'wood, Polge leads you through pristine opening notes of lavender, bergamot and pine. The use of pine in just the right concentration here certainly contributes to the fresh, uplifting, yet non-generic tone of the top notes. Alas this phase is extremely fleeting. But wait, you can already smell the boozy molecules marching towards your nose receptors...the wormwood slowly makes its presence felt. Similar to what YSL M7 did with oud/agarwood, I find the singular focus on wormwood interesting to say the least, and its rendition here to be absolutely perfect. Its not overdone, yet its very obvious. Its superbly balanced and anchors the fragrance well. It lends a "red", "boozy", non-alcoholic, wine-like sensual aroma, which is slightly sweetened towards the end of the evolution of Ungaro I. You can expect to get 'wood for 7+ hours.

Ungaro I is a superbly crafted dark/boozy/red wormwood fragrance. I dont think its quite the masterpiece that the lavender+civet dynamo that Ungaro II is, but thats probably because I personally prefer those types of fragrances. I also prefer M7's smoky agarwood to Ungaro I's absinthe, but once again thats because I am not a big fan of wine/alcohol and boozy notes. That said I find Ungaro I to be substantially more worthy of my money than something like L'Artisan Fou d'Absinthe; the wormwood in Ungaro I is richer, longer lasting, and closer to the real essential oil. Ungaro I is also less saccharine and fruity than the whiskey blast that is D'Orsay's Le Dandy. If you like this sort of thing in your fragrances, there are very few (if any) which are better than Ungaro I. Even at its slightly inflated discontinued price of $65+, its well worth the moolah. At the very least, it has raised my expectations of LOTR1 : Fellowship of the Ring....

Notes: (contrary to what the Basenotes notes pyramid says, gingerbread is not an actual note in Bois Des Iles)

Top: aldehydes, bergamot, neroli, peach;
Middle: jasmine, rose, lily of the valley, iris, ylang-ylang, coriander;
Base: vetiver, sandalwood, benzoin, musk.

This review is of the EDT.

Created by the legendary Chanel head perfumer Ernest Beaux, a Russian immigrant, Bois Des Iles (Bdi) makes a strong case for importing Russians brain power and creativity! Bdi might be the best of Chanel, and one of the finest fragrances created. It’s a masterfully composed and perfectly balanced woody-gourmand fragrance. It makes most recent Chanels look like an embarrassment to the Chanel fragrance catalog. And yes its got that gingerbread/donut note thing going on, although I cant see anyone wearing this perfume perfection to a giggly carefree Dunkin’ donuts date…its far too suave for horny high-school first base encounters.

The most surprising thing about Bdi is that its more of a sandalwood fragrance than many fragrances that claim to be constructed around that note. From the more-cedar-than-sandalwood fragrances like Santal Noble, Tam Dao, etc., the cloying sweetness of Trumpers Sandalwood to the spicy sweet attack of Original Santal, Bois des Iles shows them all up with its superbly blended sandalwood note. A sparkling and smooth citrus (and slightly fruity) accord opens Bdi, and the medicinal yet cool vapors of sandalwood make one exclaim “Eureka! I found wood!”. The sandalwood is lent a comforting softness and approachability by a deft use of a floral heart.

Bois des iles is also (suprisingly) a very adept gourmand. It has a lingering "gingerbread" accord which is most prominent in the middle floral notes. It’s strange and captivating at the same time and is probably the result of a collision of the lingering ‘wood, the sweet florals and coriander. This spicy sweet accord inconjunction with the smooth sandalwood is woody nirvana. Its somewhat similar to Lutens Santal de Mysore, but unlike that fragrance, its less loud, more restrained, and far better balanced, i.e., the spices and (turkish) sweets dont bury the sandalwood six feet under. The cool sandalwood returns to the forefront in the base, and alongwith the vetiver, extends the longevity to way past the 7 hour mark.

If you like fine classic fragrances and/or are interested in experiencing one of the more impressive sandalwood fragrances on the market, Bois des iles should be at the top of your list. It also smells surprisingly contemporary - Ernest Beaux had set out to create a fragrance that bestowed a feminine character to the traditional masculine domain of dark woods. Little did he know that almost 80 years after its creation, this classic fragrance’s gingerbread note would represent the upper echelon of perfumery amidst the plethora of fruity, aquatic, and “gourmand” juices. Ah yea, that gingerbread note…..no, I can’t imagine Ted Kennedy wearing this one.

Notes:
Top: Basil oil, Clary Sage oil, Lavender, Origanum, Petitgrain
Middle: Carnation, Cinnamon, Geranium, Hay, Jasmin, Patchouli, Pine Needle, Sandal, Vetiver
Base: Amber, Castoreum, Leather, Moss, Oilbanum, Tonka, Vanilla

Its interesting to note that so far, none of the reviews have described Patou Pour homme's (PPH) composition in detail. Is it really the best mens fragrance created? Is it worth selling your kidney for? Is it really that much superior to similar classics from the 70s and 80s? Will gas prices keep rising? I will take a crack at providing a detailed review and answer these questions in the process.

PPH initiates the supposed godly experience with top notes of lavender piggybacking on a crystal clear clary sage oil note. This pleasant opening fades fast, and is ushered to the heart of the composition shouldered by jasmin and carnation. These floral notes are the calm before the storm - a soft inviting aroma before the more "macho" accord muscles into contention and takes over. The main accord of PPH is a bitter herbal slightly smoky aroma which may not be to everyones liking. It blooms more in warmer weather, but thankfully a vibrant patchouli note adds a much needed ambrosial earthiness to keep things balanced. From here its smooth sailing - PPH's base introduces a warm and smooth amber dominated melange which when combined with the herbal smoky character of the main accord creates attractive sillage.

PPH is a light oriental which is well composed, sports good quality ingredients, and lasts for a good 8 hours. With all that said, I dont find anything in its composition to put it at a higher pedestal than say Van Cleep pour homme, Chanel Antaeus or Gucci pour homme ('78 - discontinued). At its regular price, it would be a thumbs up - however at its current discontinued price of $150+ I am not so sure. Try before you buy, and try the aforementioned classics as well. Patou pour homme - whats in your pocket ?

*This review is of the EDT*

Notes:
Top: Lemon, Bergamot
Middle: Jasmine, May rose
Base: Iris, Incense, Opoponax, Tonka Bean, Vanilla

I recently revisited this classic by J. Guerlain, who was inspired by the dedication and grief shown by Shah Jahan towards his wife when she died giving birth to their 14th (!!) child. Shah Jahan erected the glorius Taj Mahal in her memory, and the name Shalimar derives from the beautiful Shalimar Gardens (in Kashmir and Pakistan) which were made by Shah Jahan and frequented by his wife.

Shalimar is exultant, sensual, bewitching and sad. Refreshing lemon and the sweet and sour bergamot convey a feeling of excitement in the arms of your significant other. Moments later, lush notes of rose and jasmine bringforth a sensual and intimate feel to the moment. From here onwards, Shalimar showcases its most impressive aspects. As far as my nose is concerned, the masterfully blended incense note is the star of the composition. Shalimar is a powdery classic oriental except its not - i.e., it is powdery, but not overbearingly so. The base of vanilla and oppoponax, while lush and deep, is lifted to Mughal empire-like glorious heights by a thin layer of chilled roses, and a slightly bitter yet always consistent incense note which imparts a strange allure and sadness to the accord. None of these contrasting notes overpower each other - the construction is as solid as the 350 year old Taj Mahal itself. Like the Shah Jehan, there are no longevity issues here - you can expect upto 14 hours of pleasurable sillage from this Guerlain love potion.

Shalimar is a multifaceted classic. It reveals glorious layers of perfume delectation, and its "powdery accord" is one of the best I have encountered. Incense is brilliantly used, and to my nose Shalimar is easily unisex; if my review didnt convince you, then perhaps the Bat-signal like bottle should !

All hail Shah Jahan and his principal mausoleum !

• Top notes of bracing mandarin, lotus leaves, cardamom, and ginger.
• Middle notes of coriander, bay rose, macy, davana, and violets.
• Base notes of patchouli and dry amber and musk.

"A fragrance that exudes Italian elegance, excellence, creativity, vitality, and energy. " ... I thought I had lost all those attributes after taking one whiff of this generic unexciting impotent mess called Subtil pour homme.

I had just had my way with another (and more expensive!) disappointing plasticky aquatic (Clubman by Truefitt&Hill) when a sample of Subtil pour homme dropped into my lap. First impressions were decent; a well executed mandarin note complemented by spices like cardamom, coriander and ginger to perk things up (interestingly cardamom is the Truefitt&Hill house note). Soon after that the all too familiar (and poorly executed at that) "village bicycle" aquatic note corrupts the olfactory receptor neurons causing them to go haywire. The notes pyramid sounds more interesting than it smells...dont be mislead, Subtil is little more than spices + generic aquatic cologne.

If anything, Subtil has slightly more character and panache than Clubman. Another thing...with Aqua Di Gio around, theres no need to invest in this Italian mess. Close the books, this ones not getting promoted to the upper echelon of perfume ranks.

Notes:
Top: Bergamot, Galbanum
Middle: Hawthorn, Mimosa (Acacia)
Base: Ambergris

Aubepine-Acacia (AA)? Hawthorn-mimosa? The manatee name didnt interest me at all, and I had purposefully delayed testing this Private Collection fragrance because of its classification as a "feminine" frag (although its easily unisex). I should have tried this earlier when I had a chance to buy the 8.4Oz flacon for $160.

AA is a stunningly beautiful fresh green floral fragrance. The top notes are captivating: lemon and bergamot ride a wave of green-green-green galbanum to create an undercurrent of a bright and fortifying herbal-citrus accord. The citrus notes then drop out, the hawthorn slips in and then slowly but surely the mimosa flower makes its presence felt. The floral heart powers AA from here onwards, although some remnants of the "green" accord remain to ensure AA's true classification as a "unisex" fragrance. The mimosa heart is rich, plentiful and exquisitely rendered. I also detect either a pine, mint or clove note burried in there somewhere - this "easter egg" note is instrumental in making sure that the pretty mimosa doesn't turn this into a "girly men" fragrance. Longevity is excellent (clocking in at over 8 hours) and AA pumps out some of the most attractive multifaceted sillage I have experienced.

And multifaceted it is...you will get whiffs of green, lemons, subtle hawthorne, gorgeous rich mimosa, and even some pine and or mint the entire time you have this scent on. Its as exciting as playing out ones role playing fantasys behind closed doors (and smelling good while doing so). I never thought I would say this, but I have probably found the perfect floral for men for this summer. AA - get with the program.

"For the 007 kind of guy elegant, sophisticated, debonaire, suave, sexy, and D A N G E R O U S! "

Conquest to my nose is an interesting alliance of two notes: grapefruit and lavender. Its flow is like a game of two halves played in the same style by two different teams. Its also not your typical run of the mill citrus fragrance.

The notes pyramid can actually be reduced to: Top: Grapefruit, Middle: Lavender, Base: cedar, vetiver, benzoin. Conquest opens with a burst of tart citrus notes; its the dual combo of yuzu (a small grapefruit like fruit), and grapefruit (err...its grapefruit) that provides this sour yet appealing opening. I cant discern the fig note but I believe its role is to diminish the possible astringent impact of the yuzu and grapefruit pairing to manageable levels..and it succeeds. The heart notes are all about lavender (or Iced Lavender, according to the official notes listing)..interestingly to my nose, it seems that the yuzu/grapefruit note and high octane doses of lavender in this rendition share a trait - a tart character. Once again, the floral and apple notes are barely perceptible to my nose, but I believe they control the intensity of the "iced" lavender note. By this time, Conquest has entered its last phase of dominance .. and here is where it reveals its rich set of notes. The lavender, while still prominent, is joined by vetiver and benzoin to form a complex base which lasts for atleast 5 hours.

Despite sporting widely varying notes in its pyramid, the dominant accord of Conquest is surprisingly coherent (although the base does reveal a more varied set of notes). Conquest differentiates itself from the hordes of cookie cutter citrus releases every year, and is definitely a must try if you like grapefruit and/or lavender notes in your fragrance. Its citrus start belies the fact that its elaborate basenotes make it suitable for evening wear as well. Conquest will probably not make it into my rotation because there are many fragrance in the crowded citrus realm that I like more. However, it doesnt really matter whether you are a 007 or 711 kind of guy - Conquest can help you conquer the challenge of smelling good.

A side note: Despite what's stated on the bottle, Conquest for men is actually an EDP, composed of 18% concentration of oils.

Notes:
Top: Bergamot, Lemon, Petitgrain, Clary sage, Green note
Heart: Jasmine, Mandarin, Clove, Rose, Aldehyde
Base: Patchouli, Moss, Leather, Amber, Vetiver, Musk, Tonka

As the_good_life, Eluard and hirch_duckfinder point out, this is a vastly underrated and overlooked fragrance. We have all experienced (and at times, been assaulted by!) those unrestrained, brash overly leathery and mossy grandpa scents from the late 60s. R de Capucci (RdC) is that fragrance but after spending a season with the guys from Queer Eye for the Straight guy.

As soon as I spray it on, RdC pleasures the senses with a smorgasboard of intricately arranged and extremely pleasing notes. Its an exhilirative attack on the senses. Theres lemon and sage with the subtlest hints of jasmin and rose - this cocktail is boosted by superb use of aldehydes which provides just the right degree of sparkle. I could spray RdC over and over again just to experience this opening set of notes. The composition then shifts a gear, loses a couple of notes, but maintains its bright feel by introducing a superbly rendered clove note which maintains the luminous path blazed so far. Half an hour later, RdC dries down a noticeable yet never suffocating notes set of leather, moss and vetiver.

RdC is a "summer chypre". Its a chypre perfect for people wary of harsh mossy fragrances from 760 B.C (made by cavemen for cavemen). It wont make you feel like as if you are being strangled by a raw leather belt which has been left in the sun for far too long. RdC lays a welcome mat before sipping you your hard-to-ingest capsule coated with a layer of sugar. You feel good and well taken care of. Layering Yatagan with Aramis wont do - you just have to try RdC on its own.

Notes: Vetiver roots, ginger, spices, wood, cedar.

Smooth, suave and distinguished .. no not JFK, I am talking about Vetiver'48.

Vetiver'48 has fast jumped to the top of my favorite vetiver fragrances list. It smells clean, yet deep. This is not the well made but linear rendition of the vetiver like in Malle's Vetiver Extraordinaire. The vetiver is obvious to the nose, yet it isnt harsh or overly earthy..its extremely well balanced and is sieved through a mixture of citrus, ginger (+ possibly other spices) and cedar notes. A special note has to be made of the ginger in use here - it provides a zing! to the formula, yet is never overbearing and is mostly responsible for giving Vetiver'48 its arresting elevating accord. It is multifaceted yet has a calming and powerful effect on the senses. Sillage is perfect and longevity is over 7 hours.

Vetiver'48 is one of the best vetiver scents out there. Its not as "fresh" as Original Vetiver, as "earthy" as Route De Vetiver, or as "linear" as Vetiver Extraordinaire. It avoids all those classfications by being superbly balanced. Vetiver'48 has a signature aroma which is edifying and provides lots of confidence. With it on my wrist, I can have any woman on my arm.

Notes:
Top: Lavender, Lemon, Basil
Heart: Woods, Cedar, Incense, Rose
Base: Patchouli, Sandalwood, Tonka, Amber, Musk

"The name Grafton was given to Truefitts’ newly blended fragrance in 1983 at the suggestion of one of HMS Grafton’s officers, who while being attended to by Truefitts barber, particularly liked this unmistakably masculine fougere aroma and suggested that the new fragrance is named after the gracious line of HM battleships."

I have to agree with my friend hirch here. This is a top tier green fougere and possibly one of the finest "barbershop" scents around. Lavender is the main star here, but unlike various raw medicinal interpretations of that note, the lavender in Grafton is presented in a very nose-pleasing manner. Its stripped of its at-times harsh natural edge, and brings about a certain uplifting "brightness" to the composition inconcert with a backdrop of refreshing. The lavender powers through the fr