Basenotes - Reviews by Backtable

United States

Showing 1 to 10 of 10.

Curve for Men by Liz Claiborne

To each his own, and yes, many women have commented positively on it, but every time I whiff this I envision Vince Carter (Gomer Pyle's drill instructor) in a cheap guayabera at the dog races; brash, loud, and indifferent to common courtesy. In classic Claiborne fashion this stuff is just flat out synthetic. It's as though someone in R&D lost track of what went in, shrugged, and poured a large flask of surfactant in for good measure. Not as prevalent as it once was, thankfully, but for me even a little is too much.

16th December, 2010.

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Mambo for Men by Liz Claiborne

Eugene Levy sporting chest hair, gold chains and a track suit. Faux-machismo that's so over-the-top synthetic it's laughable, and at higher doses, intolerable. This isn't 'bang for the buck,' it's a ten-megaton chemical bomb.

11th December, 2010.

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Jacomo de Jacomo Rouge by Jacomo

Le Male, Cuba Gold, 360 White, Bogart PH, etc. Throw in any others with a vanilla-and-light-syrup vibe and you're there. This is very smooth and obviously well-blended, perhaps as well as if not better than many of the aforementioned, but unless you go in for gourmands this probably won't be for you. It's inexpensive but doesn't smell cheap, and I'll give it a thumbs up solely on its technical merits, with the opinion that it will probably appeal most to a younger (under-30) crowd.

30th November, 2010.

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Patrick by Fragrances of Ireland

Yeah, this is good stuff. I will say that that upon application I get the fecal blast of a barnyard (may just be a one-off bottle?) reminiscent of swine, mud and fermented hay, but this rapidly and amazingly settles down into something exquisite, and indeed I too am reminded of Worth pour Homme, and in my opinion better. Great juice here, very masculine and in it's own way somewhat subtle but evoking a sense of a well-grounded cologne. Probably not for those under 30, but still very nice.

7th October, 2010.

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L'Anarchiste by Caron

Dullah, thanks for alluding to Creed's Baie De Genievre, as this is also one of my favorite colognes, and having just received a bottle of L'Anarchiste, I'm ecstatic. Yes, it has a spiced accord throughout but not overly sweet. In fact it reminds me also somewhat of Bogart's Witness, only much better formulated. A cool, spicy and to my nose reserved dry down that no doubt isn't for everyone, but still I love this stuff. Blood? No. Metallic? Maybe. Certainly unique.

7th October, 2010.

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Bogart pour Homme by Jacques Bogart

Yikes! An amped-up chemist’s concoction of synthetic sweetener with a heavy dose of vanilla thrown in. There's something in the dry down that has the same cloying aspects of Burberry Brit, a cotton candy, baby powder with marzapan background that ultimately is too much. Bogart PH is so linear and loud that even when there's nothing left to say it keeps on saying it. If used, use sparingly (please). For me, I’ll pass.

30th January, 2010.

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Trussardi Uomo by Trussardi

Whoa, Nellie! Word of advice - never apply this stuff if you're traveling commercial carrier. Your flight will divert immediately as the crew tries in vain to locate the source of the insulation fire emanating from the cabin. Seriously, the initial blast of 'essence of styrofoam' is so intense it'll have those around you moving away for fear you've bathed in something potentially carcinogenic.

Having said this, however, within thirty minutes of application an entirely different essence appears; a clean, somewhat powdery dry-down that is as sophisticated as it is elegant. I'll admit it's hard to sit still for the good half hour it takes to burn off the "I love the smell of napalm in the morning" statement this stuff exudes upon application, but for me, its worth it. As someone approaching fifty, I'm a huge fan of 80's power scents and while this isn't the best of them out there, not by far, it's good nonetheless. I would also add that this is definitely a scent best tried before purchased blindly.

10th September, 2009.

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Yatagan by Caron

If you've ever driven anything with a diesel engine and bogeys, know what a torque wrench is, have herded cattle, or can juggle chainsaws while holding off a grizzly bear, then Yatagan MIGHT be for you. Strong stuff. I don't get celery as much as strong patchouli, a scent I normally don't like, but Yatagan is so unique that oddly enough I find myself drawn back to it again and again. And every time I like it even more. Blues jeans and pointy boots cologne, the kind that hired hands would wear for a night out on the town. Gritty, strong, astringent stuff. Two thumbs up.

11th July, 2009.

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YSL pour Homme Haute Concentration by Yves Saint Laurent

I'd could write a page on what I love about this cologne, but then Ken Russell nailed it. A crisp, masculine scent with incredible silage. In fact, most scents meld into something milder as the day wears on, while YSL concentre seems to actually become more defined over time. What evolves is class-in-a-bottle, without being overwhelmingly stuffy or loud. Just refined, clean and self-assured. Excellent evening formal-wear cologne. (One caveat: A little is all it takes, so go easy on the application).

30th September, 2008.

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1903 by J Peterman

I couldn't agree more with Docwinters assessment. I'm in my mid-forties and over the last three decades have owned a lot of scents, and 1903, more than any other, has elicited inquiries, turned heads and even gotten whispered commentary from passing women, such as, "Damn, that smells good!" It's clean and masculine in an entirely unpretentious way. The middle and base notes meld into a warm, mellow drydown that evoke a sense of contentment, like the reassuring feeling of sliding into a large, perfectly worn, leather chair. Just amazing stuff! I only hope J. Peterman can keep his house in order so this wonderful scent is around for years to come! One of my top three and highly recommended!

5th October, 2006.

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