Fragrance Reviews by Buzzlepuff

I bought a bottle blind of this because of all the positive hype here on Basenotes. Big Mistake! I had heard that the opening is objectionable to some and the "magic" of GIT comes after the opening notes burn off. Well, yes the opening notes are really hard for me to take and it does smell better after about an hour and a half. Upon application it smells like ultra strong green apple/pinneapple syrup - somebody spilled the bottle. I guess this noxious green syrupy scent comes from the lemon + verbena + violet leaves - but wherever it comes from it is very unpleasant. After an hour or so the strong citrus tartness calms down a little and iris and violet become more prominent for a smoothe elevating scent combined with the green apple which is still there - smells sort of minty. Its OK after a couple hours, but not great. Actually it reminds me of other 1990's scents that area pinneapple tart and shallow. The ambergris basenote adds to the shimmering quality of the violet and iris and it is getting better. But I just can not get past the opening tartness - which by the way never really dies out. Actually, after the opening calms down this fragrance is sort of fresh and clean feeling - very similar to Irish Spring soap at this point. . . . ..

A dry woodland iris that is a very earthy violet flower scent with no powder to speak of. The iris leads to a soft animalic musk scent that blends to the skin of the wearer extremely well. Is it jasmine or cumin along with a touch of rose that gives the soft warm smell of hot skin just beneath the veil of iris flower. This is a sophisticated and very comfortable fragrance to wear. It comforts with warm dry yet very gentle aura of friendliness.

Reminds me of Old Spice or Barbasol with a resonant patchouli and gaiacwood background mixed in. Rive Gauche pour Homme is a successful recreation of that favored smell of the returning war veterans from 1950's post WW II era - only improving it somewhat. It is COMFORT FOOD for the soul by a direct link to the tribal scent memory for the baby boom generation. My dad smelled like this and probably everyone has a scent memory tucked away that includes this rosemary/lavender, clove, geranium, vetiver mix - its barber shop in a bottle. RGpH is well blended herbal spice brought up to date with the pathcouli and gaiacwood base. I think the allure of Rive Gauche is all about the woody incense base of vetiver, gaicwood and pathcouli. The combination is resinous and magical and when added to the spice opening has haunting nostalgic quality. Rive Gauche is such a strong scent that it holds up well to layering with other earthy vetiver fragrances or incense wood fragrances to enhance the drydown notes.

A truly wonderful incense fragrance. It is lively and fun - not dark or smoke incense but bright temple incense with lively florals mixed with the smoke. I am tempted to imagine that Jubilation XXV was a blending of the light spiritual qualities of Bertrand Duchaufour's CdG Kyoto and the floral tartness of his Timbuktu fragrances. But, I tried a blend of the two and no, JXXV has its own character for sure - more complex. When applied strongly the opening has a slightly erotic feel to it but this quickly leaves as a smokey wood, spcie and floral incense arises from the annointment. Complex but delightful. Another success story in a long series of great incense fragrances by Mr. Duchaufour. My only warning is it is quite light in its presentation. It's lack of strength is a mystery considering that most other incenses from this same perfumer are much longe lasting. But that said, highly recomended for quality of ingredients and development of notes.

I am a fan of the new Old Spice! I like it much more than the Old(er) Spice from past memory from Shulton. The new formulation was added by Procter & Gamble to make the classic fragrance a more balanced and subtle spicey oriental. The old fragrance that I remember from my younger days was similar but was totally dominated by the spices, especially cloves, through the drydown. I don't miss the old one at all! If I want that kind of heavy spice fragrance there are other better options, but this is really good now. The new OS is a delicate balance of citrus, florals, woods and aldehydes that minimizes the older spice notes. Still has the same recognizeable Old Spice smell, but is more balanced and more graceful. I like it quite a bit. My only complaint is that it stays innocently oriental instead of moving into more resinous territory towards the drydown like YSL Rive Gauche or Divines L'Homme Sage. But, OS is a very pleasant anytime daytime fragrance.

This fragrance is so subtle and seamless that its excellence is easy to overlook. In the face of so many ouotlandish fresh and fruity scents of the moment, a classic like this one glides along under the radar. It is a refined crisp fragrance woven of several notes that create a very pleasing chord of a distinctive woven chypre texture of lemon, warm spice and a sueded moss. The finish is the best part of Pour Monsieur Concentree. Has a formal, finished attitude. Very nice.

A great spice fragrance! Opening is a royal mix of warm spices that stay very assertive without stumbling over each other as in so many other spice fragrances. The warm spice is supported by a light green wood undercurrent that keeps the fragrance from getting too heavy. This base is probably vetiver with woods or a vetiver/ black tea note, but the spice is always sparkling above this green woody base.

I first bought this fragrance when I was younger and loved the warm spice blend but found it too bold to wear to work or around others in an enclosed office situation. But now, years later, I appreciate the luscious blend of exotic warmth. It is a very upflifting and radiating fragrance. The spices remind me of some others, although bold, they never get dark and steely like Spezie or Espices Noir. The scent is not as intensely spicey as Spiritus Land or Palais Jamal but is in the same category of fragrance as all of these great spice scents. It is similar to Nasomatto Absinthe - an aromatic cousin. One of the best Etro has created in my view. Very nice.

Querelle is a pungent green scent with some very masculine qualties. The formula is an unusual mix of verdancy, light spice and dark and powerful basenotes. Vetiver, oakmoss, and black caraway keep the resinous green sap like theme flowing all the way through the scent. The black caraway is unusual and a very powerful note that blends with vetiver well. I might smell juniper also in these green notes. Cinnamon spice livens up the opening adding a sparkling balance, while frankincense + oakmoss darkens down the basenotes. The clash of spice and the dark finish gives a slight metallic sheen to the scent. A leathery oakmoss + frankincense combines with black caraway oil for an aged green leather patina to this otherwise zesty herbal scent. Yes I like it quite a bit. Has a serious attitude to it but is also energetic.

I wore this scent for years as my go to summer fragrance and "office to not offend anyone" fragrance. It is very light and fresh providing the wearer with an instant burst of prana in the form of scent. Smells slightly green (verbena?) and slightly floral (jasmine) and very ozonic (iso e super?). As others have mentioned, Gendarme is the ultimate fresh out of the shower scent. I've weathered many well worn long days with a couple sprays of Gendarme delaying the need for a shower or change of clothes. You get instant freshness in a bottle. Several others supply this same freshness through fragrance idea (Creed OV, Mugler Cologne, Puro Lino, Gendarme 20 or V), but none do it any better than original Gendarme.

A sweet amber/vanilla leather fragrance that feels old fahioned and good intentioned from the start. The first sniff says very traditional men's cologne smell: bits of lavender, vanilla, amber and vetiver sweetness that smells like something from the old country. There is no darkness in this mix and it takes no chances either. I am always trying to remember where I've smelled this one before - it is familiar. It would be hard not to like this warm natured fragrance as it slowly reveals a light well worn caramel scented leather that peeks through the warm sweet spice. A spicey amber leather that they call Russian leather. It does smell of the Russian spiced black tea my grandmother used to mix, with sweeetener and then with a hint of leather added onto the back end. Elsha 1776 doesn't take many chances staying firmly in the middle of the road of likeability. Nothing too strong or too daring. An agreeable and possibly generic masculine Russian Leather fragrance. Ordered this from Carroll's in Beverly Hills. Elsha 1776 is that rare men's fragrance from a bygone era - a huge nice looking bottle, an honest no nonsense splash top, the price was dirt cheap and best of all it smells great!

Ok I sprung for a bottle of New York and have not regretted it a bit. I was drawn to it because of the favorable comparisons to another favorite - Bois du Portugal by Creed. I thought it would be hard to improve on BdP and since the Nicolai New York hit the shelves a short year and a half after Creed's best selling BdP was launched, I assumed it was a knock off. The notes are similar but it is different in a good way.

The opening is very smoothe lavender, orange and very woody. The midnotes pick up some wood and dryness from the cedar and sandalwood but the drydown is even better. New York improves on the similar opening to BdP most noticeably in the drydown when the oakmoss plays such a strong original role. The drydown has the same vetiver amber smoothe lightness as the Portugal but the oakmoss adds a dry raspy leather aspect that adds an entirely new dimension.

A great fragrance. Definitely in my top five scents of all time.

I did not give Bois du Portugal a fair try for years because I thought it was old and stuffy. The opening is a lavender spice that foretells an old man scent - warm and friendly but not too intersting. But after wearing it for full day I was shocked to find I really like the way it goes. It transforms and evolves marvelously. I am surprised to find a satisfying scent that is pretty much a perfectly adjusted composition of lavendar + sandalwood then vetiver + cedar and amber. The vetiver amber combination is particularly enjoyable for that very dry finish that is refreshing. I wouldn't change a thing! For a warm spice I am impressed by how light and dry the finish is. It is very elevating! BdP passes one old test for great design structure - "when you roll it down a hill nothing falls off"! BdP is intact. There is a lightness and dry woodiness at the finish that removes any thought of old lavender spice which you get at the opening. Very satsifying.

Green, herbal with a warm hay note that brings back memories of my grandfathers farm - walking through the barn and bringing the cows home. I really love this scent. It is especially moving in the spring and early summer. The blending is so well done that it has the ability to transport you to another place and time. The garden, the barn, grass, hay - yes - BUT - the drydown is very powdery. The powder is the only flaw in my opinion to an otherwise great scent. Warm weather increases and plays up the powder for some reason. The powder just doesn't go too well with the grass and hay. But, in the right situation this is a great comforting and inspirational fragrance. Also it is a very unique fragrance - what else comes close to Yerbamate in spring herbal grassy character?

Spice bomb at the opening. Whoa! Knock me back! But things change and the wall of spice and citrus start to cancel each other out allowing the emergence of tobacco and leather to warmly dominate the finish.

Smells of Cuba before the revolution - sunny and warm tobacco with a hint of spice in the background.

The original Sycomore fragrance was reportedly a reminder for Coco Chanel of the sycomore trees towering over her home garden. Yes, it reminds me of the deep verdant dampness and shadows beneath my own sycomore canopy that covers my front garden.
When I first smelled Chanel's new Sycomore I was immediately drawn in by its resinous, green incense nature. The opening notes resonate with a smokey woods and green earth - a rooty deep green vetiver. Along with the vetiver there is also a chypre effect that buzzes around the scent from the woody violet and woody vetier. This is clearly a vetiver centered fragrance that has all the positives of the best earthy damp vetivers but also with the warmth and mystery of uplifting smokey incense. Adding to the mix of vetiver and smoke woods is a light floral note - possibly honesuckle for sweetness and a woody violet note. This floral heart reminds me of the green floral of Creed's Chevrefuille, warm sunny and light flowers but still very green. What a magical mix of fragrance elements. Deep green vetiver with smokey light woods and uplifting florals are well blended for a chypre floral chord that resonates above and around the scent of the ingredients. With all these parts it still never loses its vetiver soul.

A fresh green citrus scent that is invigorating and renewing in its freshness. It includes some other notes that all blend well with the citrus and greenness. It has great longevity and as it wears down it becomes more piney and woody. Soft and light citrus that stays and stays. A very smoothe fragrance. Pleasing and very easy to enjoy. Great everyday fragrance - especially in spring/summer.

The noticeable opening of Navegar is the pepper. A couple kinds of pepper fill the nostrils followed by ginger, star anise, cedar and juniper, The mix of spice and woods smells oddly of filbert nuts. The warm nutty spice scent has a slight green base from lime/juniper. This is a great everyday fragrance that has a warm and spicey smile opening + the aura cleansing aspects of juniper oil in the base. One of the best all around daily wear fragrances I have found.

A very pleasant light wood fragrance. The opening lime and mandarin quickly blends with the pink pepper and cedar for a light woody fragrance dusted with nice smelling citrus. Dry and uplifting. There is no darkness or mystery here at all. A little like freshly sharpened pencils. Simple, straightforward, and possibly a little innocent in demeanor. It is very mild in its strength on me as well.

Bold, crisp and dry SPICE is the essence of this fragrance. Has an incense type of dryness but of warm spice. There is no heaviness as in some earthy spice perfumes or spice orientals, but the rose keeps it friendly and the cedar base keeps it light and woody. Comforting, mellow, but crisp spice is the theme all through. Comparisons have been made to Noir Epices from Frederic Malle, as are appropriate due to its nature, but this spice is so much better! Well done Ayala! One of my favorite warm masculine fragrances.

This may be "best in class" for the type of fragrance it is - like most Czech and Speake formulas are. Very fresh citrus opening that is balanced by animalic musk + civet that lets you know this is not another innocent eau de citrus. It is very French like the older Chanels and Guerlains that have body odor notes to give the freshness of the citrus a contrasting backdrop. It has character - it is real. I also like the dry coriander note that forms most of the very dry base along with the citrus that lasts throughout. The coriander adds a woody dryness that is a contemporary feel against the grapefruit opening that's a little like YSL Live Jazz but instead of the mint in L. Jazz you have the slightly odorous musk. This has to be one of the best citrus scents around. It is fresh, crisp, dry and woody, while it feels new and old at the same time. Highly recommended!

A fantastic green fragrance made of three basic components in balance and harmony. Juniper berry is the primary note and this intense green pine healing scent keeps from going into hospital disinfectant mode by the dry softness of cinnamon and the green earthy dry roots of vetiver. A wonderful interplay between juniper and cinnamon is the essence of why this green scent is so warm and lively. A dry vetiver base supports the green theme while keeping the fragrance dry and very green vetiver in the base. Thoroughly enjoyable green spicey fragrance.

Soaring patchouli opens this scent followed by a sour animalic musk note that is intriguing indeed. The effect is raw animalic patchouli that is a wonderful patchouli fragrance that is a character. But, the story continues to develop with middle notes remiscent of Indian spices of some type giving this a strong Indian temple incense feel to it. Sandalwood emerges in the drydown taking the fragrance more into mixed incense incense memories. You could be at a temple in Agra back in the U.S. at a commune in the Haight district during the 60's - sitar music in the background then swept away with smoke of nag champa, patchouli, sandalwood incense mixed in with some aromatic spices (ginger, saffron?) from the kitchen. A strong cultural mind shift comes with this fragrance. One of the more interesting incense patchouli fragrances that triggers lots of memories of the past - all good!

Wow have I changed my mind of this one. I had written off Habit Rouge EDT as a sweet citrus with little character or personality and hid my bottle in the recesses of obscurity. But was I wrong. Older and wiser I have brought out Habit Rouge and find where I thought it lacked character, there is hiding a great subtlety and extraordinary balance. Behind the citrus creamy opening is a chalky dryness that balances the opening notes. 2 keys to "getting" this fragrance are: 1) Give it time to develop (an hour or so) and 2) Use it to best results in colder weather. The dry chalky aspect comes out more in the cold. It is simple perfection.

Another very refined and delicate blend from Ellena. Smells very much like you would expect an Hermes scent to smell - subtle, warm and refined. In fact, the subtlety could be mistaken for blandness or weakness in this fragrance. But it does have character and a very specific attitude. I like it quite a lot.

Reminds me of Piper Nigrum in the pepper opening and also in how it moves to a nice warm masculine drydown that is a mix woods and moss. A slight leather aspect lingers in the drydown - a very Hermes light leather - probably from the oak and moss. An excellent scent.

Ambre Narguile is the most immediately likeable fragrance from the Hermessence series. Smells like warm pipe tobacco +raisen nut cake + old leather bound books + kitchen smells. Lots of great warm scent memories tied to this one. All the scents are mellow and in a low baritone kind of register with a warm masculine feel. No one notes stands alone and there is not too much sweetness. A warm tapestry of fragrance. The amber never takes over the scent, unlike almost every other amber scent that has amber in its name. In fact this could easily be named something else because I don't think amber is the primary story at all. . . A winning combination.

A very traditional smelling fragrance that cuts the barbasol spice opening of the original RGPH in half and increases the incense drydown by 30%. The spices from the opening quickly and the vetiver, gaiac wood, patchouli finish is more noticeable, right from the start. Otherwise, its very similar to RGPH. Fantastic! I like it more than RGPH!

Pure and fresh essential green vitality in a bottle. Light, airy and very greeeeeen - uplifting. It is fresh, but very short lived - 2 hours max. But is worth it anyway. You become the fresh green essence of growing plants when you put this on. It is a wonderful fragrance that is very unique. The nicest fresh green grassy fragrance I have ever smelled. Most green scents become very herbal or dry down into something else like hay or vetiver woods - but not Angelique. The Angelica is lifted by light cedar and stays full of vitality through to the end. A short life but a rich one.

A really unique fragrance whose strangeness will probably keep it a secret to most. I like it very much but it is different from anything else and hard to find.

The opening notes are familiar from many of the big scents of the 1980's. Bergamot, pine and jasmine have that strong lemony green blast that tends to push you back a little with its boldness. But this changes quickly as a wine alcohol scent wafts through the pine/lemony opening bringing in the geranium and jasmine as it mixes with the dampness of wormwood. There is a minty damp kind of mysterious green finish to this first part of the scent that was very pleasing. As the wormwood blends with the amber/tonka base it creates an aldahyde like finish that is cool and warm at the same time. Sort of mysterious and pleasing in the drydown. A great one!

A sweet floral musk scent that has interesting uplift from a nice rose floral that is offset with an mildly acrid civet scent. The rose emerges immediately and is sweetened by spices and vanilla while still balancing the civet. Not a bad boy scent at all, but pleasant and entertaining until the drydown takes it into old fashioned sweet powder territory. Through the middle notes this one smells like a lighter milder precursor of Musk Ravageur and it is very nice. The drydown loses the civet scent and the roses to become mostly a sweet vanilla musk scent - reminding of Lorenzo Villoresi Musk. Though this fragrance is very nice, it is not compelling enough for me to mourn its retirement. The UII is just a little too sweet and too bland for me.

A romantic scent that doesn't keep its raw intentions hidden at all. Musc Ravageur is a very flirtatious muse. I could not wear it at first - too carnal! and too flowery! Too bold, I thought. But the impression it left could not be forgotten easily so I came back. Surprise - no rose nor musk at all in this sexual drag queen of a frag!

The in-your-face deep floral kiss is actually a vanilla/gaiac wood blend dressed up as a rich rose oud. The sexy musk is a mix of earthy cumin oil plus equally smoky tonka which combine for a raw sexy musk powder. Both the faux flower and faux musk notes join nicely for a deep and lusty affect. This is a scent that makes me blush when I apply it - but I wear it anyway in the right situation.

Great fragrance for a formal night with it's soft gentle orange iris that coats a light leather scent. There is a mischevious lightly stinky note here too that balances the leather and orange - this is the unexpected star of the show in my opinion and makes this a good anytime fragrance. The oak moss and patchouli are a woody darkness that come about in the middle and leads to a breathtaking drydown. You want to cuddle up into the warmth of it all. Other than in the name, "leather" only makes itself known briefly in the mid notes then it is blended out by a melange of orange, stinky notes and oakmoss. But, I would not change a thing about it.

Bad boy? Gentleman? Dilletente? Might be all three - who cares when it smells this good.

A subtle but very enjoyable spice mix almost anyone would feel good about. A gentlile mix of spice with a green minty lightness from laurel, tomato leaves , rosemary and sage. A dose of spice from cardamon, coriander, nutmeg and Cumin add to the green incense base. Light and pleasant. A refined mix but possibly too polite and pleasant. Not as bold as YSL Rive Gauche or MB Spiritus/Land#2 and w/o the fruit spices of Arabie or Acier Aluminium. Does not make much of a statement even though it smells very nice.

What a warm and wonderful fragrance. It is a spice scent + orange citrus scent + deep leather scent all at once. The smells shift in and through combinations of leather/orange/spice like a merchant whose herd has wandered through an orange grove and the spices are being dusted up by the orange leaves. Up front is the orange peel and orange flower that is warmed up by the cinnamon, clove and nutmeg spices. Then drifting up from low places is the animal note that gives you a hint this spice trader is not so innocent. The leather is quite soft and very playful with all this madness going on around it. The three personalities go very well together and although it starts off as spice scent similar to Arabie, it ends a very fine leather with a hint of candied orange spices. A unique character. Very enjoyable.

In the face of several average reviews I am surprised to admit that I really like this fragrance. I have not seriously considered trying the Santal Blanc for a while because I normally do not prefer sandalwood fragrances, but this took me by surprise. It does not smell of sandalwood first - I guess the fenugreek seed is the winner here.

Fenugreek is a healing herb that always is a stabilizing soothing element and in this formula that is no exception. There apparently is pepper, funugreek, and a very nice woody sandalwood among other unknown elements of fragrance. It is dry, warm and sweetly scintillating and very comforting. What's not to like!

It reminds me of the CdG fragrance Kyoto, only in a totally different direction towards middle eastern spices and herbs. Like kyoto Santal Blanc is all background and does not step out with its own personality much. But what a great background! It is fresh, bright warm woods with sandalwood + warm vanillic fenugreek. Dry but warm and assuring. Has a dry far eastern essence but is very subtle. If you have ever had a hot cup of fenugreek seed tea you will have an idea of this scent but add some dry sandalwood (like Tam Dao) to support from inside. As with most Lutens scents it is extremely smoothe and well made - very understated like other Lutens scents (Daim Blonde, Gris Clair, and Chene come to mind). A great everyday scent and could also layer with others well but I am not sure I would want to complicate this one. Different, but very nice

A foresty opening that smells like a good peaty pipe tobacco has just been lit up. Deep and comforting scent. I don't think the name catches the essence of this one - its less rebellious and more well worn leather. The middle notes become very dry leather and the drydown continues further down that path that has a well worn essence. Much more masculine that Espionage, this leather fragrance is all western Marlboro man in its dry leathery quality without ever going into the dark tar notes. This one can be tolerated.

A warm round leather scent that reminds me greatly of Knize Ten, only with a more approachable opening notes. The opening has those warm notes that are a green and sweet bergamot rose with leatheriness. The jasmine and orris brings in that earthy leather fragrance and the vanilla softens up the drydown for a sweeter mellow leather. A very masculine scent with a slight green smokiness that reminds me of pinon campfire smoke. The leather is always there. As with all leather scents it is very particular in its attitude - so test it first. But, it's a good one.

This is what a great fragrance construction is all about. Gentle movement through various stages of fragrance. There is a deep equinine feel to this warm scent. The rosewood, lilly and carnation opening smells gentle but also deeply spicy like a soft leather spice - which is the carnation and jasmine. The pine peeks through now and then as a backdrop, but is almost unnocticeable before the drydown lands in soft tonkan musk + vetiver leaf - a pillow ending . These are all very soft notes used in a masculine and warm way. Very nice fragrance. Sort of young and naive in its attitude. But, very nice.

Vanilla and amber form the heart of this fragrance. The honey warm scent is quickened with a touch of myrrh and incense - with a light smoky musk finish. The fragrance stays warm and amberish throughout. I don't understand the dark reputation it has, but it is very deep and warm.

This is a bracing tonic of a vetiver. Very pure, light and simple vetiver splash. Not overly sweet or extremely earthy - just pure green vetiver. It feels good on the skin to splash this juice on and all over. Has a cleansing feeling. Vettiveru comes in a huge jug of a bottle and is made to pour it out and splash - it's a weaker concentration for the purpose of dispensing liberally. The drydown is light cedar that you feel more than smell. Green. Very refreshing!

A very refreshing and bracing grapefruit citrus fragrance. Opens tart and stays clean and fresh throughout its life - about 2 hours. It's great as a summer tonic but don't expect it to be there very long. The opening fresh notes do not change or progress much. After using an entire bottle I realized that other than the fresh blast at the opening, I was just kind of bored with it. A number of citrus frags are like this - sort of one note wonders - Floris Limes comes to mind as well, only in lime rather than grapefruit. For a much more interesting fragrance that opens freshly with grapefruit but progresses through very interesting and clean stages, try Live Jazz.

At first a wave of dry wine booze washes over you and is bracing and enveloping. Followed by a very stable and assuring spice/amber accord that is dry and very interesting. A beautiful spice and wood balance for the amber comes from the spiced russan tea reinforced by cinnamon, cumin, coriander and incense. At this point I really thought I had found that elusive warm incense spice fragrance that might be my signature fragrance - the middle is very good - but not so fastt. Tiny hints of leather peek through the mix. But, in the end this fragrance is mostly amber. As it wears on it becomes more and more amber dominating whatever incense and spice was once there. Nothing is so boring as a a singular amber note playing til the end. It's good if you are an amber lover. I am not. I'll pass on this one.

Knize 10 is really two different fragrances. The opening is kind of complicated as it mixes spices, citrus, herbs, and rose for a kind prelude to a leather scent but with lots of complication and is better to ignore this first hour. Or you could minimize the opening harshness by spraying very, very lightly. But the greatness of Knize 10 is the drydown which is a very soft vanilla/amber enhanced leather that is appealing and long lasting. It is really wonderful - but the opening smells of bad cosmetics or something - just let it go because it does get better - much better.

Had to review this because I just don't know what the other reviewers are smelling. Could there be a variety of samples out there?

A very gentle and soft leather - possibly the softest leather I have sampled. Very wearable. There are no animalic, stinky elements here, and no castoreum or tar - very warm and alluring. It's like Daim Blonde without the apricot opening. A suede leather - leather between an elevating iris opening and balsam finish with nice leather in the middle. An old leather club chair. Very Chanel in its gentle leathery quality. A nice one.

Definitely at the top of my list of citrus based summer scents. The lemon peel/grapefruit opening tartness provides a nice balance to the mint and rhubarb leaf mid notes. The wild reed and cedarwood give a dry lift to the middle notes while the vanilla ambergris mellow out the grapefruit by the ending. Contradictions provide interest. Tart and dry, tart and warm. A very refreshing and interesting citrus scent. Along with Eau de Rochas homme, Live Jazz is my favorite.

A very fantastic fragrance. Masculine and magnetic. The warm citrus neroli opens the door for deep and varied green scents that pull you up and down through a deep woodland. The vetiver/sandal/pathcouli and musk finish give an ethereal and incense like mystery to the green notes. The finish is magic. The best Villoresi so far. Like Czech and Speake's no. 88 this one has a classic men's aura about it (w/o the roses) - a great fragrance!

I didn't warm up to this fragrance easily, but have grown to really appreciate its subtlety and warmth. It's a good everyday fragrance that harmonizes with almost any situation and circumstance. All of the notes are of the same value - pale whispers in a conversation that is dominated by a gentle iris which dominates until the leather drydown happens. The iris, cardamon, vetiver and lavendar are all mild participants in a subtle blend. A comforting iris/leather fragrance.

A great summertime fragrance. Every note of the composition is light and uplifting. There is a fun aura about this one -smells kind of like the bottle design looks. Opening is a light green floral which has a tangy lime flavor that comes from the violet and thyme I guess. The cedar keeps it light and woody while the jasmine and cinnamon add playfulness. The patchouli and suede base are mellowed out by the amber and vanilla. This is not an amber fragrance though. It smells really herbal, elevating and playful. Reminds me of a summer night at the carnival - sparkling, colorful and fun. Definitely my favorite Bond No. 9 - an uplfting friend.

Vetiver is one of my favorite essential oils and I like this composition of vetiver and other greens - although it took me a while to accept it. It's not a fragrance for everyone. In fact, I would guess most people will not warm up to this "French Lover" at all.

French Lover is a cold and earthy fragrance that smells like a chunk of deep forest earth was pulled out of the ground with mossy edges and roots hanging. The scent is earthy, damp and humorless but it does have a note of mystery about it. The vetiver heart of this scent is kept green, watery and deep by the angelica and frankincense notes. Cedar wood lifts up the earthiness and adds an ethereal deep background. I like the smell of it, but there is a grim earthy reality about this that is hard to wear everyday.

I don't understand the name "French Lover" at all. A french fragrance house selects an english spelling, "French Lover", for a fragrance that is clearly not about love or romance at all. This fragrance is all about earthy realism. Is the name ironic? The significance of the title eludes me, but, I do enjoy the fragrance.

The most thoroughly satisfying "green" scent I know of. If natural organic had a scent this is it. The tone is totally pastoral and of growing green plants. No figs, no citrus nor vetiver or creamy plant milk that you encounter in other "green" fragrances - but just greens here. Tomato leaves and cut grass scent the opening while the drydown becomes more dried grasses and hay. When I think of green in fragrances this is the one that comes to mind. A refreshing encounter with the green earth.

This fragrance is a hot steaming mug of creamy dark chocolate with a dash of clove, nutmeg and red pepper. It's spicy and peppery while sweetly chocolate. Warms you up all over. I keep looking for a scoop of vanilla ice cream to cool it down a notch. A great gourmand scent - it's yummilicious!

Very nice green woody fougere that reminds me greatly of Patou pour Homme or Van Cleef & Arpels PH. Sort of the poor man's version of these two. The price is exceptional for a fragrance of this quality (available on the j peterman web site). Has that special drydown that is clean mossy woods that I swear is identical to these other two great ones from the 1980's. It is a little more playful at the opening and definitely less overbearing in strength, but smells really good. Don't see iris, patchouli or pepper in the frag note pyramid, but it smells the same on drydown anyway. Nice leather combination base note too.

Miller Bertaux #2 Spiritus/land is a very rich fragrance that I think has a magical seducing quality that seems to envelop you and immerse you in its world. Very elevating and warming. Deep spices open the scent and lead to a hypnotic incense and earthy vetiver/tobacco finish. There is probably all kinds of warm spice and incense ingredients in this mix that all lead to a very nice, quite masculine and spicy fragrance. Very similar to Parfum Generale Coze 2 in the great mix of spices and ethereal elevating quality, but instead of chocolate/sativa oil basenote as in the Coze 2, the Spiritus/land ends with tobacco/frankincense base. It has become one of my favorites.

I like this one quite a lot. If you favor gourmand scents or a strong pathcouli you will love this one. It is warm and honey caramel at the outset with a hint of dry frankincense in the background giving it depth and mystery. As it wears down a bit the caramel sweetness becomes a chocolate with a honey edge and the frankincense turns into a dry and forceful patchouli basenote. Similar to Serge Lutens Borneo 1834 but the chocolate is not nearly so dark and patchouli not quite so dry. Stays warm and inviting throughout, unlike SL Borneo which moves over to the dark side. A unisex fragrance, but it is definitely not for everyone or everyday.

Erolfa is a wonderful fragrance. Of the Creed fragrances that I've journeyed through over the past 10 years, Erolfa is the only one that I am still very seduced by. It's sort of a seaside mysterious aura that is haunting, clean and refreshing. It opens with a lemony citrus scent with a little spice in the background that is nice, but not that special. This hangs around for about an hour, but then a gradual evolution of receding citrus and emerging wood notes begins to happen. A third change happens shortly after the woods emerge when the ozone note drifts over the entire scent and creates this oceanic air that is a mysterious minty drydown. Lasts for at least 4-5 hours on me before starting to fade. It is one of the few fragrances that people consistently stop me and ask "what are you wearing?" To respond to another reviewers question about strength, I do think that the recent bottle I purchased is slightly weaker than what I remember from the bottles I got back in the 1990's - but the scent is still the same. A great one.

The opening of lemony mint is light and elevating - sort of refreshing. Then, an amazing evolution of fragrance occurs through a voyage of notes that goes from light to sweet spice warmth and into an ethereal forest of basenotes. The spicy carnation plus nutmeg and neroli make for a warm and enveloping middle that takes over and eliminates the light citrus opening. The base notes have an ethereal quality of sage + pine lifted by patchouli and iris. This is one of the most refined and complete fragrances I have smelled. It could be a masterpiece - I think it is. After the fragrance is settled it keeps a full range of scent profiles. When sniffed from a foot away it's a warm neroli, nutmeg, carnation. When leaning in for a closer experience you pick up the minty patchouli and iris lifting through the pine and sage - very green and ethereal. When up really close the a warm frankincense emerges through all of the other notes. A sparkling fragrance that is very satisfying.

The opening notes are upfligting with a rose, geranium and galbanum accord that is very warm and feels like old world fragrance magic. The initial impression is of Czech and Speake's No. 88. - Light. However, the C&S never leaves the rose patchouli note while the ruin of the LV Musk for me is the extremely sweet powdery drydown. It leaves the rose note behind and goes totally sweetness and amber. It is cloying and I really can not wear it. I don't know if its just my body chemistry or what, but whenever I encounter this combination of sandalwood, amber plus the powdery tonkan musk I become sort of allergic and can not wear it. Its sweet, strong, powdery - not really feminine - just not right for me at all. I suppose it could be worn at really light concentrations and the sweet powder would be less bother - but then its just the wrong smell. Oh well.

Great fragrance. One of the best I've ever tried. Your cup is full with this one. GPH is a deep, masculine but also ethereal fragrance with a very smoothe and easy to wear personality.

It opens warm with very lively and light spices of ginger and bay that seem to sparkle. The nose is opened up by the pepper to welcome the spice as well as all that follows. The opening is elevated and grounded at the same time by a balance of ethereal orris and earthy vetiver/frankincense. The bay spice+ethereal orris+earthy vetiver oliban accord layers gently over a warm amber/leather that keeps things very agreeable through the last notes. None of the parts dominate and all live very well together even though they have quite a few contrasts. I like to think that there is a touch of three of my favorites here - 1 pt. bay rum + 1 pt. Patou pour Home + 1 pt. Chergui. Bracing and comforting.

Had to try it because of the buzz, but ech! a spice overload with hints of incense around the edges - but couldn't tolerate it and could not understand the allure at all. Then on second try I used much less, and advise to test sniff only from a distance so you don't burn out the nose, and then . . . ok, I can see the spice + agarwood is an alluring and mysterious presence. Really can't compare to GPH as another review reported - the Gucci PH is on another level of excellence in my view as it is more accessible and the balance of woods, frankincense, warm spice is masterfully done. M7 is another fragance with an instruction manual for proper use - but if used correctly it defitely has drawing power. Good for a night out with lots of people around, but for intimate situatios I prefer GPH, Avignon, or even Coze by PG for this type of effect.

Patou pour homme - masculine, green, elusive, transcendent, soothing, ethereal, rare, subtle, comforting, stimulating, contemplative, profound and absorbing. I like it very much.

A green, minty, camphorous blend of lavender and other herbs that I find very refreshing and healing in nature. Lavender has that granny reputation from its use in sachets, make up and powders etc. But lavender has another side to its nature as one of the more healing fragrances in the aromatherapy world. The effect of lavender varies tremendously depending on the quality of the ingredients and type of lavender used. Spike lavender and green lavender leaves are much greener and have that healing quality that is quite different from lavender flowers which are sweet and lighter. The C&S Oxford & Cambridge uses the more medicinal lavendar to create a very refreshingly pure, slightly medicinal fragrance. I wear it when I want to heal the self a little. It is purity in a bottle. I like it very much.

Spicy and dark, like a heady Bay Rum spice that vibrates with mystery and fun. There is a Caribbean vibe here. Quickly became one of my favorites. Unlike other spice scents this one has a warm but raw herbal resonance that provides depth to the spice notes - possibly from the sativa oil base. The pepper opens the nose to the resinous spice and the chocolate/vanilla rounds out the body of this very pleasant scent. A magical spice potion that I don't want to stop smelling.

The easiest description of R de Capucci is a lighter and subtler and much more wearable version of Aramis. If you like the basic fragrance notes of Aramis you will really enjoy this one. It contains many of the same notes of the venerable 1960's favorite but is It's like a shy cousin that is a little more sensitive and interesting in the middle notes. The drydown is less glaring leaving out the sandalwood and with an addition of a small amount of leather/amber to soften the chypre effect. I find it very enjoyable, but I can't get past the similarity to the other one which I learned to avoid long ago.

The van cleef and arpels is a great one because of the very distinct progression through several scent stages that introduce each other with gentleness and pleasing harmonics. In other words, it just smells good!
The opening act is lemon/ green nots that remind us of so many other great 1980's scents . . does kind date itt. But, the opening greens are soft and deep with promises to keep of mist and mystery - foreshadowing the ethereal and elevating middle notes. Jasmine/patchouli/vetiver middle notes lift things into the next sphere as they are quickened by the orris and cedar to stir a "catch your breath mystery" that lasts through to the end. When you think you have the scent all figured out it finishes with a warm musk + leather basenote to connect back to the earthy green opening. In all stages of evoloution hints of the earlier notes are still woven through - a mesmerizing scent. If applied too strongly the subtle soft - cool jazz fragrance becomes a brass band blast really fast - so one spritz divided onto a few spots of the body keeps it enjoyable for those around you!

The no. 88 is a distinctive cologne with harmonious blend of separate fragrance paths that make for an uplifting and jazzy fragrance blend. The rose picks up the tone with warmth and pwer right off the bat. Along with the rose I am drawn into the bergamot/clove/geranium/sandalwood combination which is the type of traditional tolietries refrain you would expect from a small bespoke bath fittings company at no. 88 Jermyn St. in London. But the no.88 really departs from its safe traditional path when the jasmine+patchouli kicks in. Tradition becomes hot jazz with a big horn section - its in your face but very much in harmony. A real classic London fragrance that I can not wear everyday, but is very special when it is pulled into service.

I first encountered C&S 88 back in the late1980's in their small shop on Jermyn Street in London. I purchased both the no. 88 and Neroli because they had a similar C&S accord (probably the clove, geranium, sandalwood) that I found comforting and over time found I preferred the Neroli. But now, years later the rose of the 88 is drawing me back to it. I also really enjoyed their Frankincense and Myrrh too; however the shop told me a few years back that the F&M was being reformulated and from what I hear they took the gothic teeth out of that one - too bad.

The differences between the no. 88 and another rose heavy mix - Rose 31 (Le Labo) can be seen in the locations of their founding shop - a tale of two cities. Hundreds of years of tradition embue the mens furnishings shops on Jermyn St. in the most traditional neighbood in London while the Le Labo Rose 31 hales from the the scrappy but creatively energetic Nolita just outside of Soho in New York. The 88 is jazz combo with horns, very uptempo with nice harmony, while the rose 31 is more acid jazz but still with its own odd harmony working through some discordant back notes. I like them both quite a lot - but they are different.

The Bulgari PH is clean, ethereal and very contemporary in its composition and personality. It creates an upfligting, natural zen-like effect on the wearer. A calm in the midst of the storm kind of feel. This was my daily fragrance for several years and it never gets old or uninspiring.
The opening is a light floral that is expanded and lifted by a dry pepper opening of the beautiful green tea note which stays as the centerpiece in this fragrance throughout. The tea has a transcendent vibe from the uplifting of the strong but almost clear iris note that follows. The tea/iris middle notes are held up by a soft dry amber and wood finish. Bulgari is all about the dry uplifting green tea mixed with light floral and woods all lifted on the wings of the iris and pepper. It's a very unique mix that is subtle, but strong willed. I've not seen a similar scent anywhere else.
Other reviewers have pointed out that Bulgari can not compare to the greats from Caron, Balenciaga, Creed and Patou; BUT that is the point! Bulgari PH provides a gentle and perfect path away from those macho power play scents from the 80's. No piny lodges, horses or trumpets here! Bulgari has borrowed a secret from the great ones by utilizing pepper to open the nose for the primary note (tea) and then lifting the mix with iris for an ethereal middle. Patou Pour Homme uses this same pepper (even stronger) opening and then follows with cedar to lift its primary notes for a similar ethereal effect but with different surrounding notes. I am surprised more perfumers do not employ this open and lift quality of pepper + iris (or orris or cedar). Many that are considered masterpieces employ this harmonic twist.
Bulgari is a hidden tea ceremony set inside a magical wood. Unique. . . a classic of this century, in my opinion.

A very pure light leather scent. Smells exactly like a apricot, leather and iris. I agree with Elf in that I see this fragrance on a Scandinavian blonde. This one will not be for everyone - its a light headed niche scent for sure. Little earthiness here, but it is still very magnetic like most Lutens fragrances.

Borneo starts off like a carnival blast with warm caramel milky chocolate - a foody and fun delight. But, the second act turns to an entirely different mood with a cool blast of earthy mint patchouli. The fun and foody scent becomes a dark chocolate that is earthy, dark and mysterious. The big transformation from opening to drydown in this scent is from two very likeable extremes connected by the chocolate. Lots of character and strength in this fragrance. I like it very much. But its not worth booking a flight to Paris to acquire a bottle.

Chene starts off very woodsy and green that reminds me of the wonderful opening of Diptyque's L'Eua Trois. But it evolves quickly to a sweet warm undercurrent supporting the thyme sap that warms the room like a hunting lodge fire crackling with hard woods. As the fragrance progresses the piny scent goes away and a sweet waxy very light wood fragrance dominates. A very soothing and comforting scent of freshly cut oak logs - refreshing. This very light oak stays for the duration softening as it wears down and getting slightly sweeter. Very pure and clean.

Cologne is the best green, fresh, splash on fragrance there is. Close to perfection for what it is and it doesn't try too hard to be something else. Similar to Gendarme but a little grassier and sort of like Story by Paul Smith but with less of a vetiver finish. I can not take this one out of my cabinet because it fills the need to be fresh. It is a nice color too.

Such a smoothe transition of notes from spice, to patchouli + wood, jasmine, and finally to a very soft long lasting amber. It is mysterious and sort of a changling in the way the various fragrances drift in and out. At first it smells like an incense frag, but . . . the amber drydown is most of this fragrance personality. Not a strong amber at all. Just a hint of softness. Is one of the softest fragrances I have experienced, but it is not weak - go easy on the application. A masterpiece of fragrance note arrangement. Can't stop smelling the stuff.

Piper Nigrum is a great everyday background fragrance note. It doesn't shout its presence, but is very masculine and warm. The opening of is intriguing with mint followed by a wave of black peppery mint. But, the mint blends in and the pepper sort of recedes into the background offering strength and lift to the other notes. The finely blended drydown smells of tradition. An old world men's barbershop fragrance that recalls the best hard milled soaps. The anise, mint, nutmeg and myrrh are rounded out by a soft amber that is lifted by pepper. This one hits deep in the tribal memory as a soothing, men's comfort fragrance.

Le Labo Rose 31 is a synergy of fragrance bits where, like most great fragrances, the total evolves into much more that the sum of its parts. Yes there is rose up front but sometimes it is hard to find the rose, but it is always hiding around the corner - unlike Voleur de Roses where the rose disappears completely. The rest of the mix is spice and woods and incense and earthiness.Le Labo claims it has rose, cumin, oliban, cedar, oud (gaiac + cistus). But I also think I smell earthy vetiver root and slightest hint of patchouli. No one note really dominates. It is mysterious, very masculine, and gives a sense of inner strength. To me the opening is a beuatiful rose followed by warm spice & frankincense, and then wears down to an earthy vetiver/patchouli woood. A very special blend!

The name, "thief of roses" describes the transformation very well from a soft and innocent pure rose opening (geranium rose?) that quickly dissolves into a transcendant intoxicating and quite mysterious scent. Patchouli leads the middle and bottom notes, rounded slightly by the rose and plum. Also detect a hint of musk? The rose is stolen away by the patchouli, but the patchouli is improved by the association with rose. The scent that remains is an earthy, medicinal mint patchouli that is light gentler than most patch fragrances. Very plifting and quite unique.

Honeyed hay, leather, grass and herbs! A great fragrance combination, masterfully done and I could not stop admiring it. But its not the of the right century for me. Its a Romantic vision of the world that is not real for me. Its like admiring a great old artwork at the Met - the northern European renaissance painters who glorified the innocence of the hard rural life. The wheat gatherrs and oxen in the sunny fields - Hans Holbein or Albrecht Durer in bottle! I need more mystery, a little jazz, subtle counter beats etc in a fragrance. Many will admire this one, but few will be challenged enough to wear it everyday over time.

The opening spices reminded me of that old 1960's standby - Jade East. But the haunting dryness of cedar and vetiver behind the spices adds an otherworldly incense, a kind of dry spicy resinous wood with a hint of vanilla. A complex sent that is very unique caravan of spice, dry woods, and intrigue.

Opening note is all tannins and tar with a hint of chemical spill at the asphalt site. The drydown softens to a harsh dry leather. These Lonestar Memories are not best of memories in my opinion.

Very soft fragrance. The bergamot/neroli/vanilla notes start begin like fine milled french soap or crisp crisp freshly pressed linen. The middle notes add soft pepper and possibly Iris for a powdery dry finish that is similar to Divine's L'Homme d Couer. A softer and more refined relative to Armani's Mania - clean, smoothe but with much less spice. A sublte refinement.

Mystical deep frankincense like effect without being too smoky. A wonderful formula of transcendence and spirit in the aura. Bois d'Encens has less redwood but more deep resin than the incense of Avignon - evokes the same spirit of the classic CdG fragrance but in a quieter way. The soft middle notes of vetiver w/ slight mint + vanilla add subtlety and roundness that Avignon doesn't have. A very successful formula. Only negative is the weak life and brief staying power - especially considering the cost for a 1.8 oz. bottle!

Bitter orange mixed with a light ethereal wood note - a soft smile in the aura. It presents itself softly and warmly like a predawn sunsrise. Very unique cologne. It is a subtle wood like some of the CdG fragrances for men, but with soft bitter orange top note.

A classic fragrance with a nice balance of citrus, wood, patchouli and subtle ethereal complication thrown into the mix to avoid a simple definition. Smells like old money, crisp linen and polished silver - a genetlemen's fragrance. Similar to Erolfa from Creed, while not having the marine quality or ambergris ending of Erolfa. A great fragrance.

Very deep woody incense fragrance with bottom notes of spices that warm up this mysterious fragrance. Has a transformative power like the other CDG wood fragrances but is sweeter/spicier/warmer than Avignon and lighter and more middle eastern that Sequoia. Very nice.

Deep wood that reminds me of the fragrance of a hot sauna - very cleansing but is sweetened by the red rum bottom notes. Always has positive comments from others. This is one of the several CDG masterpiece fragrances and could have easily been included in the incense category because of its cleansing woods.

A light resinous wood fragrance with a fine fuzzy cinnamon top note. I find this scent is subtle and very cleansing to the aura - it almost disappears. I receive many compliments about it - almost no one guesses it is cinnamon. A great light day scent.

Tea is another in large group of fragrances from CDG that is a mystery and a challenge. I didn't like it at first, but found that as time progressed it improved and I do like it. It has character and is a fragrance of wood and tea that will reward with patience. From start to finish the fragrance is strong black tea, with a resinous woody background that is quite spartan - no light green or sweet spiced tea here. Tea presents an aura of character and strength that is assuring and provocative. It's not for everyone, but is powerful and strengthening.

There is nothing else like this fragrance. A transformational transcendant experience. You can almost remember a past life in the priesthood walking through the high mast incense. Deep mystifying frankincense with dry palisander wood - simple but powerful.

A warm and mysterious version of frankincense that has a strong tobacco/leather essence that crowds out and almost eliminates the frankincense altogether. The drydown is warm/sweet rose with a hint of honey vanilla. Not as woody and austere as CdG Avignon, but is a more congenial cousin. This is a masterful fragrance blend!