Fragrance Reviews by Fiorello

Pamplelune is deceptively simple, persistent and wonderfully naughty. I was all over its grapefruit and slight floral accord until the vanilla evinced itself about three hours into the drydown. Vanilla is a deal killer for me. Too bad, I really, really loved the opening and heart notes.

I own several MPGs and have tried Baime several times. Ultimately it is too sweet to be an option as an aromatic for me. I love basil and thyme but prefer them in a dryer milieu. I give it a neutral because of its uniqueness. It's just not for me. 5/10

I too appreciate this vetiver more than Guerlain's or Creed's. The splendid, dry balance between the citrus and vetiver is, as others have stated, the strong and very appealing focal point of Racine. I also agree that other vetiver-dominant, MPG frags are more dimensional like Centaure, Parfum d'Habit and of course Route de Vetiver. None of these are as dry as Racine though. 7/10

Oltre ranks up there with Profumum's Acqua di Sale and Erolfa as one of the highest quality, marine fragrances I have tried. I concur with Foetidus that it is not a cheaply made, synthetic marine. That is my prime directive in choosing one from this category. It has to actually smell like being by the sea, not like being at a mall.

Oltre is beautifully crafted and super salty like Acqua di Sale. I did detect a discordance but found myself reacting to it positively and playfully--much like walking along the beach in the sun and then passing through a shaded area near a tide pool where the darker elements have had time to meld in the on-again, off-again, salty, wet environment--and then walking in the sun again where the negative ions from the waves collide with a humid breeze of pine/myrtle greenness combined with optimistic, serene muguet. I can sympathize with Scentsitivity on the level of the of the muguet, as probably most guys would. Although floral-sweet scents tend to stay true on my skin and I am a floral-loving guy, this came across as being a bit too feminine for me as well. Unlike Erolfa there is no ambergris (or sandalwood) in the base which keeps it cool as others have noted.

In the end I chose Acqua di Sale (I had already owned Erolfa) over Oltre, at more than twice the price, because it had the longest duration and it's the saltiest. True saltiness is what I yearn for most in a marine fragrance. I found Oltre to have average duration and sillage.

If you are at all interested in marine fragrances you should most definitely give Oltre a try--and all the Laura Tonattos.

btw Oltre means Beyond in Italiano.

7/10

Eau de Hongrie is one of my top ten. I love natural jasmine as a bona fide, starring note in men's/unisex frags and there aren't too many with such panache. The jasmine here is very natural, fresh and more high-pitched than that of average, indolic, African--especially Egyptian--types. The accord formed with the bergamot is the "grapey" type--an accord I can never get enough of. I have detected this synergistic nuance in many frags, especially Italian ones. Some people relate it in part to classic "barber shop" frags. It can be rendered like bug spray in cheap, synthetic blends or be glorious, mesmerizing and transcendental like it is here. EdH is warm without being sweet, fresh without being ozonic, very sensual while remaining dynamic, unfailing and eternal. Sometimes simplicity is more fascinating than a complex chypre--and when it's done with quality ingredients it will put a smile on your face all day. The price/quality ratio is quite agreeable.
EdH is in a similar class to MPG's Jardin du Nil, L'Artisan's Mure et Musc, Lalique Pour Homme, Byblos Uomo, CdG Rose, etc.
10/10

I can appreciate its English sensibilities overall but the nutmeg note is too off-putting for me to wear. Its strongest asset is the unfortunately, short-lived but wonderful, citrus/floral melange. The nutmeg/orris/sandalwood connection is prominent throughout the entire course.

The clearly evident, earthy-dry, floral orris note definitely conjures up images of some kind of institutional stuffiness. No. 89 seems more likely a purchase for a mature person.

Lemon is a lemon masterpiece. It supplants my lemon throne from Monsieur Balmain albeit more expensively. Instead of a blast of lemon and middle note herbs, it's a very healthy dose of lemon plus florals on a subtle, deep green base. The base notes are present enough to ground the blend effectively but are by no means a major component of the pyramid. The vetiver note is greener/grassier than the traditional, root (heavier) version. The oakmoss is very restrained as well. The tenacity is quite formidable for a lemon dominant fragrance. Lemon exudes all the class of Acqua di Parma but is cleaner and ultimately more joy-bringing. A caveat, as with all lemon (citrus) dominant frags, overall duration is somewhat limited. If you are a lemon fan it should be the first one you try.

I find it interestingly natural in a carnation-like manner but way too spicy for my taste. Average tenacity and sillage. The persistent heart accord of cardamom and rose is the main feature on my skin. I wear a lot of florals and find this to be verging on the feminine side of unisex (mixte). The organic quality is definitely evident and appreciable but not enough for me to consider a purchase due to the high spice content.

This juice is aptly titled. It is truly an adventure albeit a very short lived one. Musically, I would compare it to Shoegaze; cinematically like Antonioni. It needs time and space to envelop you with large, shifting vibrations. I think those who expect overtly dynamic fragrances will find Aventure too subtle. Those who appreciate less posture will enjoy the solful adventure. Aventure is very natural, slightly sweet, citrus-y, spicy, floral, incens-y, and a warm/cool leather fragrance. My only caveat is that it was not as tenacious as I would have hoped. I have not compared it to the G 11. Definitely sample first.
Aventure dries down, very quickly, to a soft amber/musk accord. I would definitely buy this if it had more tenacious heart and base notes. Too bad, because it is quite unique and spacious.

Hei comes across as a standard bergamot/jasmine/cistus with tea. As most have stated, the citrus/floral (nice) aspect dried down way too fast and as a few have stated, the cistus was tenacious as hell. I occasionally get whiffs of the mint/fennel components but on my skin they are nothing compared to the cistus.
Altogether it lacks depth and development. Big yawn.
Concerto by Fragonard is quite similar and much, much more interesting.

One of the best values available. Warm, amber-y, powdery and classy. Although there's a bit of vanilla, it isn't a cloying vanilla bomb like the ubiquitous amber/vanilla drones of the '00s. I prefer this in colder months. It is strong in character but it's definitely not for the overtly macho. Use sparingly.

The notes list sounded like it was right up my alley. And initially it was. Unfortunately it just doesn't hold up well. The citrus is extremely fleeting. The mint is a little too powerful. The floral notes are too weak. The oceanic note is too synthetic, like zztop mentioned. And finally the woody base is overtaken by the kind of soapy-synthetic musk I don't like. Clubman is a great concept that was executed in a weak and cheap-smelling way. If I were to compare it to any other juice, it would be Erolfa, but by no means is it anywhere near Erolfa in quality, blend complexity and tenacity/sillage.

My holy grail of all time, really. Sexy, earthy/ethereal, masculine floral of the highest order. It's not for everyone, yes. But even if you consider yourself quite masculine, you might find yourself liking this floral. I feel the stinky feet comments are valid, but fortunately it doesn't evolve like that for me. One important caveat, not for the geranium shy.

If you like "substantial" and "meaty", go away now. If you like surreal, mesmerizing, ethereal and intoxicating, read on.
This juice gets me "high". That's my main criterion for scents. This juice does not contain vanilla, nor is it sweet (thank some deity). It is not heavy (even with oak moss), although I find the tenacity to be quite acceptable. Uniqueness for those who live on the fringe of "real" world.

Jasmal is not too sweet or cloying. It's one of the most natural jasmine-centric fragrances I know of. Exotic, sultry,
heady, yes--cheap air freshener? absolutely not. Its strength lies in its ability to raise jasmine to the highest level of beauty. I wish there were a version au masculin!

If you are obsessed with the highest quality and consider yourself conservative, by all means try it. If you wear Brooks Brothers and go to a club, you must own it. If you have an inkling to widen your olfactory world even just a bit, skip it. There are more interesting Creeds (and other high quality niche houses to explore). Try Imperial, Bois du Portugal, Erolfa, Chevrefeuille Original (my personal favorite Creed underdog plug) or Vintage Tabaróme.

I really appreciate fragrances that "sparkle"--an effervescent like accord of citrus and a heart note--but this one didn't sparkle for me. I find Imperial, Chevrefeuille Original, Bois de Cedrat, Erolfa and Verveine Narcisse to be much more soulful.

I find the birch note to be absolutely stunning here. I agree that it is unusually paired with the citrus and prone to derision. I am unaware of it being used like this in any other (masculine) fragrance. To some this is the odd, rubber/gasoline accord. Although I can detect this for a short time, it is not a detriment. I find that to be an integral part of its bold character--and it's not created synthetically. CdR is unique among all of the Creeds and other brands. It is not soft, clean or well behaved. It is dynamic, sweeping and not for everyone. The ambergris base tends to fade more rapidly below 50 degrees F / 10 C and above 90 F / 32 C. It is not the most tenacious composition but that is not an issue for such a blast of the country life.

I'm a guy who wears almost exclusively florals. This one didn't work for me. I found it too feminine. Where oh where is my Verveine Narcisse? Although as Quixotiq stated, it would work well as a (expensive) layering option.

Montale's take on the fresh/masculine-floral is interesting to me but none the less benign and dim. The spice notes add to the fullness but seem more like an afterthought than an integral part of the composition.
There are many other fragrances in this category that I find much more appealing, such as any Carthusia, particularly Numero Uno, Imperial by Creed, Eau d'Italie, Eau de Hongrie by Fragonard, Jardin du Nil and Eau pour le Jeune Homme by MPG or Byblos Uomo (original).

This is definitely a try before you buy endeavor. If you like cardamom and artemesia, you will love it. If you like birch and bitter orange you will love it more. These are the accords that make it so wonderful and obviously polarizing. The bergamot and cedar support with sparkling freshness. Unique, elegant, joyful, sexy, radiance with an edge. I prefer this to L'Essence Déclaration which I find to be softer and less enticing though no less exquisite.

I find L'Essence to be a softer, kinder version of Déclaration. The tester at the store listed Ciste as an ingredient which is not listed above. I feel this cistus is what makes the mellowing difference. I appreciate cistus greatly, especially in Eau de Hongrie by Fragonard, but I still prefer the more in-your-space joviality of Déclaration (original).

PLEASE bring back Verveine Narcisse! There is now a huge void in my green/floral realm. Pure joie de vivre in a bottle.

This is a very potent tea fragrance. It's quite a bit like Early Grey Special (Earl Grey with jasmine). I find it to be much more natural than other black tea-focused scents. The Amber base is like a very special down pillow. Great tenacity. Earthy and simultaneously ethereal. Fragonard is an amazing value for natural-centric fragrances.

Fleur du Male is all about neroli and I love it. I am particularly keen on florals (and Baudelaire). It was different than what I was expecting. It is not a "white" floral, like jasmine or carnation. There is an earthy, mossy, base accord that is very grounding and expertly extends the potent ethereal/earthy, dualistic character of the neroli. If jasmine sambac is the masculine version of jasmine, then FDM is the masculine version of neroli. The juice is very linear but not problematically so, due to its expansive uniqueness. There is a slightly synthetic note that is somewhat distracting but it seems to make the neroli more tenacious, which in the end is what it's all about. It definitely leans toward the sweet side of the spectrum but not near the vanilla/benzoin end (thank goodness). The sillage is adequate. The overall tenacity is somewhat limited, but not enough to steer me away from this super-sexy, esoteric, modern fragrance marvel. Like a hands-all-over-the-place romp in a flowering orange grove. oh la la!

This one came off as a smoky/spicy, vanilla mess on me. It was not floral in the least. Not my cup of synthetic tea.

The pyramid looks absolutely fantastic. Has anyone seen/tried this jus? It is not listed on the Boucheron site.

This is one of my favorite citrus/floral/wood compositions. The jasmine is full-on for a masculine fragrance. I also detect a good amount of lime, which blends wonderfully with the jasmine and cedar. As a previous reviewer stated, there is a fair presence of cardamom. It is not so potent to where it can be mistaken as body odeur though. My only wish is that it would be a bit more tenacious. But I don't think it would be as interesting if it were. I do love to wear this in the warmer months. I just apply one spritz instead of two. It is a very natural jus. I find it to be a bit like Oyedo by Diptyque but less unusual and more floral.

I find Rose d'Homme to be fairly similar to Voleur de Roses in that they are both very interesting, somewhat masculine Rose/Patchouli compositions. Unfortunately they both last about an hour on me. Voleur de Roses is known to be dank and sweetish. Rose d'Homme by comparison comes off as more of a floral/dandy but still quite woody. I prefer the latter, yet still I search.

This is a great example of a masculine floral. It is natural, fairly intense, tenacious and not cloying (for a floral). Grab it if you can find it. The Hombre de Flores Tuberosa is hands down better than the Hombre de Flores Jasminum, which is too bad because I adore jasmine most of all flowers. I find it fairly similar to L'Artisan's La Chasse sans the cloying tilleul (linden blossom/lime blossom). A great, medium intensity, warm weather fragrance. No vanilla or musk!

I truly love jasmine and masculine, floral compositions. Naturally I had to try this. Although it is a pleasant and unassuming juice, it doesn't do justice to the jasmine. In fact, it's only an after thought in this pallid, mostly green and coniferous blend. It's difficult to find now that production has stopped. Unless you can find it for a low price, don't waste your time. Contrary to this; if you find the Hombre de Flores Tuberosa, buy it. Now that's what I call a splendid, masculine floral--and it's much more tenacious than this. I wish someone would make a righteous jasmine composition for men. Something like Creed's Jasmal, but earthier.

I found the pepper and benzoin combination to be so incongruent it gave me a severe headache. I think this is what robyogi was referring to when he described it as being like old wax fruit or cedarmoth's description, "An old shoe grinding a baby aspirin into a gravel road". It also reminds me of those paper-strip sachets they sell in Italian grocery stores. I do appreciate the citrus/woods going on, but I much prefer Déclaration to this.

The overwhelmingly natural quality of L'Eau de L'Artisan launches it light years past the dearth of average fragrances in this category. I don't think this would be evident from a sample. I only began to relish its organic, green bliss after a week of wearing it often (in the summer). I found it to have a most agreeable basil note which does smell very green but not so obviously grassy as others have noted.
I couldn't agree more with opalsdad that, "this makes one realize what crap most fragrances houses are foisting on the public".
Re: the "menstral" component: I find myself to be sensitive to that odor as well. I wonder if it's a gay guy thing? Although, I don't find it here. I do see where the verbena/basil accord could possibly lean that way but thankfully it just doesn't go there for me.
It is quite linear and it is not as wholly complex as other L'Artisans, yes, but if you really love citrus/aromatic (green) combinations there's none so real and uplifting.

lemon verbena mint basil

I remember this one fondly. It is disappointingly impossible to find now. Pancaldi is truly worthy of a rebirth.

Along with "mucho macho" I would add, with a heart of gold.
Notes include: bergamot, Sicilian orange, lavender, thyme, eucalyptus, violet, ylang-ylang, patchouli, vetiver, myrrh and white musk.
This juice is fantastico! As with Carthusia Uomo, this is not in your face Italian. It's more like a subtle, yet convincing, come hither look (scent).
The citrus/herbaceous opening is truly head-spinning yet controlled. Shortly thereafter, the myrrh note appears. This note's role transports the somewhat linear, yet unique whole into its woody and musky drydown. I am not a fan of some musks, but this slightly soapy one works for me. I don't get much of the eucalyptus or vetiver in this composition. They're present but only as supporting roles. The main green/herb note appears to be thyme. The violet-ylang, heart accord is what makes Numero Uno special per me.
It has been compared to chypres like Parfums de Nicolaï, New York and Chanel, Pour Monsieur. I prefer Numero Uno because of its more natural and brighter aspects. If tenacity is very important to you, I would choose another. If natural, unique and transcendental are your thing, go for it.

Hanae Mori had so much potential for me but that damn vanilla went and spoiled the party. If you don't mind sweet but dislike vanilla, I would avoid it. One scent that comes to mind is Lalique Pour Homme.

Oyédo is a unique citrus/aromatic fragrance for sure, it's definitely more feminine than masculine. It's interesting enough, that all lovers of this type should at least give it a try. It is definitely more suitable for casual pursuits. At the onset, yes, I can smell the connections others have made to Fruit Loops and gum drops but I feel it opens up more broadly than that. I instantly fell in love with the tangerine, (yuzu)? and lime accord which is pure, non-western sunshine in a bottle. The dryness of the lime and thyme combination keeps the lot from becoming too sweet for me--although there has to be a sweet floral note that's not listed in there. I found myself being reminded of L'Eau de L'Artisan sans its fanfare basil-mint accord and replaced with a more subdued, sweet(ish)-herb green and slight, (cedar)? drydown. This is one of those, "don't overdo it, although it's light" fragrances, although you may find yourself wanting to reapply it quite often. I would probably choose L'Eau de L'Artisan before Oyédo. I'm giving it a thumbs up though, because it is just so unique.