Fragrance Reviews by odysseusm

This is a basic refreshing splash citrus cologne. Its distinctive features are lime notes and very light grassy notes, which give this a ‘green’ character. This is a light, subtle scent – so splash it on liberally and enjoy. It has a pleasant light musk drydown.

This is a basic refreshing splash citrus cologne. Its distinctive feature is that it has orange oil. This gives a lovely, orange-y note, like orange skins. This is not sweet. It is fresh and enjoyable. A light scent, it can be applied liberally and often.

Looking at these notes I had a good idea of what this would be like -- and I was right. This is a gorgeous, neroli-based scent. It is very simple, a classy version of an EDC. The longevity of such a citrus scent is predictably brief, so splash it on liberally and often. Orange blossom: special.

This is lemony-green and minty, with an old-school barbershop vibe that might due to a bit of patchouli. It has a slightly powdery drydown which is cool, airy and smooth. Not as citrusy as V Victor. A nice green bottle, in splash format.

Orange blossom, frankincense, myrrh, sandalwood
This has a magnificently resinous incense opening. It is dry, slightly smoky, and very satisfying. Myrrh contributes a pleasant depth, and sandalwood provides a woody spine – but this is a frankincense scent, and a great one. . Its notes are green, austere, contemplative, and slightly cool. My kind of scent. Highest endorsement.

Pink pepper, coriander (see below), laurel, vetiver, oakmoss (see below).
This has a very green, grassy opening – a bit of surprise but I appreciate it. The pepper gives a slight tingly-warm aspect to the green notes. As an EDP this is substantial (even rich) but not heavy. The notes are seamless and cannot easily be distinguished. My impression is of a grassy field in the sun. The scent is so green in a low-key way that I suspect that coriander leaf (cilantro) as well as coriander seed plays a role. The leaf adds a minty, perky note; and the seed gives a faint sweet-nut whiff. Great dry-down – slightly grassy and even hay-like. Subtle, sits close to the skin. Note, the final element is oakmoss (muschio di quercia), not musk.

Iskander has a lovely lemony-citrus opening which is fresh and crisp. There are green herbal (even a bit minty) notes from the tarragon, yet this is a restrained treatment compared to that in Ortigia's Coral Shell. There is a bit of peppery spice from the coriander, and faint woody-fresh notes from cedar. The citrus notes are commendable, in that they are not only attractive but persistent. The white musk is light, and a good compliment to the other notes. Thankfully, the amber is restrained. There is a very satisfying drydown, a bit salty from the moss.
This is an excellent Mediterranean-style scent, a worthy occupant of the garrigue category. It is a bit like Borsari, but fresher and more subtle. I like it a lot.
(I deleted my previous review and inserted this one. I did a 180 on Iskander, now I love it.)

It opens with lots of lemon and bergamot, and only a hint of lavender. Verbena adds a powerful lemon-green note. The scent is quite citrusy, overall. It is a refreshing and substantial summer spritz. Some soapy wood notes emerge, and the scent settles into a clean mossy-green finish. Not complex, but nice and certainly inexpensive! I like the lovely squat green bottle.
PS -- this is not discontinued. I just bought some (July 2009), in a Roman pharmacy. It is widely available in Italy.

What an odd name for this sort of scent. “Gates of Hell” sounds like a ferocious brew, and yet this is a lovely delicate floral. Think of white flowers, with a hint of green and a soft musk drydown. An aura of springtime is here. Not dry, not sweet, situated mid-point in every way. Incense notes are very light. This is a bit like Mugler Cologne, though not as green and more subtle. Not especially distinctive, and I certainly don't get any pine here.

Pimento, clove and paprika
Iris and green leaves
Reseda, ember wood, woody notes.
The opening has dusky green notes and is attractive. The spices are dry and peppery, and the clove is not overdone. The scent overall is subtle and translucent, as is typical of this line. The myrrh-like note from the reseda is heady and perfumed-green, giving a pleasant and soapy quality. The scent is quite enjoyable; dry not sweet. The peppery-myrrhy drydown is really enjoyable.

Peony, lychee, chai tea with milk, vetiver, incense, cyprior grass, cedar, leather, iris.
I am slightly disappointed in this scent. On me, it is essentially a light green, leather/iris scent. I was hoping for more interesting and exotic incense notes. The opening is very aromatic, green, tangy, and acidic. I’m not sure what that note is, it seems familiar to me but I can’t place it. Perhaps it is a green treatment of vetiver with the grassy notes. Where are the “wild smoky teas” and the “woods mixed with spices”? I didn’t notice them.

Lemon, verbena, basil, mint
This is as light and refreshing as a breeze on a sunny day! The ingredients are simple and true to type. They are rendered in a cheerful, tonic and yet delicate style. The lemon and basil are excellent, with verbena complimenting and bridging those two notes and adding a typical baked bread note. The mint and basil combine to give a leafy herbal cool green air.

I appreciate and like this – and that surprises me! I am no particular fan of leather scents. I do not care for foody or sweet scents. And yet Dzing! intrigues me greatly. I find three phases.
The first phase has the most amazing, complex sort of leather scent. It is a wonderful rendition of leather, suggesting to me a worn, sweaty soft leather jacket. At times this veers into a slight rubbery-industrial tone, but this is never unpleasant (unlike Lonestar Memories which I can’t stand). There is the merest touch of sweetness and a hint of vanilla, and yet I like this phase very, very much. I wouldn’t call the sweetness “caramelized candy” – for me it is not that distinct. Rather, it is a slight accent note on the leather.
Half an hour later, what is euphemistically called the “sawdust” phase kicks in. Well, we all know what lands in the sawdust at the circus, and it is here. This note is notorious, accurate… and yet oddly compelling. It is not gross or unpleasant. To put it delicately, the horse that produced this product was healthy, vigorous, and had eaten sweet hay! The leather re-emerges in this phase, to produce an amazing mélange. This is a risky and brilliant scent, not for everyone to be sure.
The third phase is slightly sweet and definitely mellow. Leather is here, with a bit of amber. But the finale is neither heavy nor cloying.
What an experience!

This is a lovely floral with green hints. The flowers remind me of lily of the valley and lilac, and give a creamy-dreamy note. The impression is of something sweet, charming and innocent. Some green galbanum notes frame this gorgeous floral heart. It develops a light mossy note, with a very faint hint of wood. I don’t get what I would call an aqueous or rain note, apart from a sort of fresh quality underneath the flowers. This is more floral and less green than is my usual style, but it is certainly beautiful.

Scents in the oriental style prove a challenge to me – I don’t like sweet and ambery-vanilla notes. So when I find a dry oriental, I am pleased. Timbuktu is a very nice scent. I don’t detect the fruit notes of mango and berries. The spices are light. I enjoy the papyrus wood note: it is tangy, acidic and refreshing. The incense notes are light and combine well with the vetiver. In the final analysis, this dries down to a lovely vetiver scent. At this stage, it seems very similar to Lorenzo Villoresi’s Uomo. My one caveat with this scent is that I would like the frankincense and myrrh to be a bit more pronounced and exotic. This is a lovely, restrained scent, it is not sweet or cloying and not heavy. The drydown is lovely and slightly haunting, and the scent wears very well.

Wood notes: cedar, sandalwood, vetyver, kayak
Spice notes: ginger, black pepper
Base: Arabian leather, musk, Tibetan rock rose
These notes are from the Montale site. I note that oud is not mentioned, and I believe it – I don’t detect any here. This is a woody scent through and through. The opening is a bit sweet, but not challenging. Lovely cedar notes emerge – they are woody and not suggestive of pencil-shavings. Pepper spices accompany the wood. And that chord maintains itself for several hours. So, while I appreciate the woody notes, I don’t think this especially distinctive in the world of cedar scents. Nothing wrong with it at all; it just doesn’t bring something new to the table.

This is a charming floral with a young air of innocence and yet depth. The opening is soft, green and pretty – suggesting spring flowers, honeysuckle and lily of the valley. The scent develops a soapy character that is pronounced but not challenging. The drydown has some earthy, heady aspects. This is a bit too floral and sweet for me, but it is very good scent.

I was very interested to try this – I know it has many fans. I find that there is much to appreciate here. Ultimately the leather/patchouli combo isn’t quite my cup of tea.
I find that this has three distinct phases. Also worth mentioning is that the fragrance note elements are quite clear and distinguishable from each other. The first phase is the opening, which is bracingly spicy and green. It is big, aromatic, and pleasing. In particular the artemesia has a vibrant and powerful presence. The second phase is that of peppery spice, with some florals given a dark and earthy tone. This too is well done. The last phase is true to the scent’s 1980’s origin: a big ol’ tangy-brown chord of leather and patchouli. The patchouli really hangs in there, and takes on a kind of salty, minty character.
So, this is classed as a leathery chypre, but I think that a case can be made that it is a leathery oriental (given the spices and patchouli). Well crafted, and worth checking out if you like this sort of thing.

This is a straightforward scent, essentially a soliflore expressing vetiver in an earthy way. The opening has notes of bark and dark soil. Then, a distinctive note of iodine appears. That is sometimes found in vetiver; here is not unpleasant. It gives a crisp, acidic note. This combines with the developing patchouli for an interesting effect – briny, almost marine! This was unexpected, and intriguing. A bit of toasty brown from oakmoss makes an appearance. This is a nice scent, and it will appeal to vetiver fans. Is it distinctive enough to justify the premium price, when there are many other competent vetiver scents out there? I’m not sure. But it is a very pleasing and satisfying scent.

This opens with excellent, lovely citrus notes. These are very fresh and true, and have a tart green tone. The scent then moves into its herbal phase. This is well blended, being a green chord rather than distinct elements. The drydown is gentle and subtle, with very mild spices and hints of wood. This is a classy EDC – nothing particularly new or innovative here; but everything is well done.

The full name of this is Tobacco di Toscana. It certainly smells of rich tobacco, a darker sort of tobacco than the blond leaf found in Acqua di Cuba. It is sweet and aromatic, and yet also powdery-dry and airy. I think it has a healthy dollop of coumarin (which often is used to scent pipe tobacco) and also tonka bean, since there is a strong vanilla note. Another rich and powerful scent from SMN, not my sort but quite interesting.

I agree with those who don't find any pomegranate/grenadine fruit here, also with those who find this to be a soapy scent. The image I get in my mind is a clear, powerfully-scented pink soap. It is a pleasant, clean smell and also quite rich. Not my sort of scent, but interesting.

This is a simple, fairly sweet floral scent. It starts with a green note, and then develops an earthy iris note on a musky base. That's about it.

Well, this smells like most of the CB oeuvre -- which is to say thin, somewhat sweet, slightly green. This has the virtue of being non-offensive. It doesn't irritate me, and it does smell reasonably like damp earth and green growing things. But there is nothing here to get me enthusiastic. Rather pallid.

Top: Sicilian bergamot and lemon, lime, junper, pink pepper
Mid: Myrtle, cypress, lavender, geranium, jasmine, cassia, cinnamon, nutmeg, black apper
Base: Benzoin, labdanum frankincense, myrrh, sandalwood, vetiver, birch tar, cedar, guaiacwood, accord of honey, tobacco and vanilla
This is a truly excellent scent, a woody oriental that I can whole-heartedly endorse. The citrus notes of the opening are good, but predictably brief. Myrtle and cypress give green, coniferous notes. So far, it is light and refreshing, but then it develops some really interesting spicy-earthy elements. The sandalwood is well done, quite authentic. The birch tar is smoky and tangy, and cedar and guaiac are good and woody. The hints of tobacco and vanilla are not problematic for me. They are not sweet nor heavy. They give an earthy tang which, combined with the spices, creates an old-stones note that I find pleasant. Romantically, it suggests the atmosphere of an old pyramid tomb. The scent here is like Eau D’Italie, but with less citrus and more stony character. It is most intriguing, and I like it very much.

I'll respectfully disagree with the negative and neutral comments, for me this is a terrific scent.

Bergamot, cedar leaf, grapefruit, juniper berry, petitgrain
Bay, fir balsam, lavender
Amber, cedarwood, moss, musk, patchouli, vetiver

This has a lovely green, bergamot-rich opening. The juniper and leafy cedar add fresh notes. Bay (laurel) adds to a terrific aromatic green-herbal theme. The laurel is outstanding here, being reserved yet uplifting (as befits its ancient Greek usage in victory crowns). This is a dry, well-blended scent. There are good coniferous elements lurking in the background. The drydown continues the green theme, with mossy and light musk notes. The drydown gets cool: the moss-musk-vetiver/grass produces a classy, somewhat austere British sort of mood (which I love). I think this is a great green scent: it is aromatic, not sweet, lively and yet formal. At times it reminds me of Truefitt & Hills Grafton. Big endorsement.

Bergamot, lavender, lemon
Cinnamon, clove, coriander, geranium, vetiver
Amber, frankincense, patchouli, sandalwood, cedarwood, tonka bean
This is a superb, classy scent. It is a crime that this gem is being discontinued. The opening is rich with plummy-aromatic bergamot, freshened by citrus and the merest whiff of lavender. Vetiver quickly appears, along with lovely warm spice notes. These two elements combine in a most pleasing way. The vetiver is very well done: dry, grassy-woody, typically tangy. It is not heavy and soapy as in Guerlain. Then, great wood notes appear: sandalwood and its usual friend, cedarwood. The sandalwood is very natural and enjoyable. This is a complex scent – more than simply vetiver, I’d call it a woody-spicy vetiver. It has depth and endless charms as it drys down. The vetiver and spices provide a comforting yet also invigorating tone. I like to think that the frankincense adds a subtle green note. This has my highest endorsement!

Incense, sandalwood
This is a simple, minimalist scent. It has a dusty, dusky sandalwood which gets some notes from its usual neighbor (cedar) and other notes from a slightly sweet, aromatic incense. Essentially woody and dry, it is also somewhat delicate, sitting close to the skin. The sandalwood hints at creamy vanilla but never goes there. It also whispers a kind of salty tang but never develops that. If you are looking for a very subtle and restrained sandalwood, this would suit you. I was a bit disappointed, expecting something more dynamic and distinctive.

This has a complex list of ingredients, and it is difficult for me to characterize it. I get a good citrus opening, followed by hints of green mint and herbs which are quite interesting. There is also a slightly sweet fruit note which is somewhat like pomegranate, that must be the passion fruit. Quickly a rather heavy and creamy white floral note appears. The gardenia and jasmine are prominent, and they muscle aside the very light woody spice notes. I don’t get any coconut – I wouldn’t like it, so the fact that I can’t detect it tells me it is restrained. The amber is also restrained, thankfully. Less thankfully I find restraint in the lime or cedar, which I expected due to the scent’s name. This is an interesting scent, and it kind of grows on me in its drydown. But I can’t get particularly enthusiastic about it.

Lavender, Thyme, Bergamot, Lemon, Mandarin, Nutmeg, Cinammon, Pink Pepper, Amber, Musk
It is hard for me to generate any enthusiasm for yet another bland, fresh scent. This is so light-weight it is almost a non-scent. In its favor: it is not sweet, heavy, cloying, has no obnoxious amber. It is simply a vague cloud of indeterminate freshness. I can’t see spending money on this – a good bar of soap gives about the same result.

This is a gorgeous, heavy-languid scent… not my style at all. It has a sweet, honeyed opening which is quite perfumey. The florals are heady and beautiful, giving prominence to rose and jasmine. The musk is potent, sweaty and animalic. It is kind of rubbery too… and hard to describe. I get an image of an eraser in a sunny classroom, held by a girl’s hand. In her purse is an old make-up case of lipstick and powder. check it out, it is interesting.

Pimento berries, cardamom, cinnamon, incense, guiac wood, ebony, amber, benzoin
This surprised me. My preconception is that it would be quite spicy. It is not. Rather, it is a green scent in the sappy/medicinal style. It has a slightly sweet opening, but in no sense is this cloying. There are peppery notes and very good cedar wood notes that are like a sweet, aromatic cedar chest rather than pencil shavings. The amber is very restrained, and the benzoin gives intensity to the overall fragrance. I think this is quite distinctive.

This is a very mellow, restrained scent, basically orange-centered. The opening has lovely orange-citrus notes which are round rather than crisp. The scent deepens and darkens slightly, with restrained and smooth herbal notes and very light woods. The scent remains subtle and translucent. At times I think the restraint gives this a haunting quality; at other times I grow impatient for a bit more character. I appreciate it but am not greatly enthusiastic about it.

Santolina is a Mediterranean shrub which is also known as Lavender Cotton – it is not a true lavender plant. It yields a oil which as a camphor-like fresh note.
This was a major disappointment. Lavender, juniper, fir balsam – these have great potential. This is a somewhat bland, fresh scent. The opening is sweetish, with that disappointing generic synthetic note which is typical of many current fragrances. Mild hints of a soapy patchouli or a cool fir note linger at the periphery. There is the merest hint of tobacco smoke in the drydown, which then gets a bit candy-sweet due to the patchouli and tonka. Another fresh, clean smell. Blah.

I’m amazed that I have such a different response to what is listed below. I don’t see ANY similarity to Eau Sauvage, not do I detect much citrus at all. On me, this is a long-lived and powerful scent. I would characterize it as spicy rather than leathery or patchouli-prominent.
It has a manly, powerful old-school vibe. I enjoy the myrtle which gives a green, slightly coniferous note to cool the abundant warm spice notes. I think this is quite well done, and a worthy and similar sibling to Eloge du Traitre.

Lavender, musk, precious woods
This is an excellent lavender scent: it is dry, herbal, with a lovely blue-green aura and a smoky tang. This is a very simple, minimalist scent centered on lavender with translucent hints of musk and wood. The dry down is airy, and the scent wears very well. Some of the negative responses may be due to the fact that some people don't like lavender. I love lavender, and this is a great scent -- better than Caron IMO.

Bore-ia, snore-ia.
I'll concede that it does have some mildly interesting pepper notes. Nothing remotely resembling ginger is here. The light patchouli gives a sweaty-sour tang in the drydown. Synthetic and quite uninteresting.

The sample packet lists bergamot, ginger, and vetiver as notes.
This opens with a "fresh," sweet, synthetic blast and continues in that vein. Very generic, quite unexceptional, not irritating and not interesting. Certainly there are no distinctive notes. Bland, unremarkable. Might make an acceptable room freshener.

In my opinion, this is a waste of potentially great ingredients. Corrections and additions to fragrance notes -- medjool date fruit (not separate ingredients), mediterranean herbs are lavender, myrtle and rosemary, Indian ajowan is a herb reportedly giving thyme and oregano notes, only one vanilla as a CO2 extract, the balsams are combined with myrrh and benzoin, eaglewood may be something like oud, auramber is likely a synthetic note. So as we see, potentially a great green herbal-spice brew. (all of this from the excellent JV website)
Instead, this essentially is a cloying, ambery-vanilla stew, with headache-inducing qualitites. The top and mid notes are pretty good, though very brief. The greens are fresh and interesting, and the wood/incense is appealing. Then the dreaded heavies and sweeties kick in, and it’s scrubbin’ time! The drydown has an unpleasant note I often find with very synthetic ambers, it is a kind of detergent/amber combination that is extremely irritating.

Notes: ctrus, florals (rose, narcissus, karo karounde, jonquil), incense, spices (coriander, rosemary), vanilla and amber
The name suggests an oriental, and that’s exactly what this is. It is a typical oriental, with spices on an ambery-vanilla base. I wish the spices were better developed, the florals more prominent – and the amber-vanilla greatly reduced. The amber announces itself immediately, retreats for a while, and then returns in strength. In the middle, the incense and spice are excellent: dark, smoky and exotic. But the sweet amber and vanilla are too strong for me. Others may like it, but I can only give it a sideways rating.

This is a lovely green fig scent: fruity in a crisp, acidic way. The sycamore wood note is dry and sappy. These sheer, translucent notes create a light green impression, rather than a dark or mossy green one. This is intentionally a minimalist scent: I find fig and grassy notes, with a hint of wood and also a mineral aspect like rocks in the sun. The simplicity and vitality of it is a joy.

Fragrance notes: cédrat (citron), black pepper, “leatherwood” (evoking cedar and cumin), violet leaves, vetiver
This has a nice fresh-citrus opening. Quickly, the spicy pepper and cumin kick in. I don’t get the usual piercing note associated with violet leaf, so it must be in small amounts. This settles into a pleasant fresh spicy-wood with a bit of vetiver. At times the cedar is a bit like pencil-shavings, but I like that. A pretty good new frag.

Fragrance notes: citrus, sage, Moroccan labdanum, and probably orris (iris) with jasmine
Like all Knize fragrances, Sec is stylish and very, very distinctive. It is often described as a floral leather and that is exactly how it seems to me: a deep floral heart with a leathery-incense drydown. The opening is marvelous and intrigues my green-seeking soul. It is quite herbaceous, fresh and lively. It quickly moves to a somewhat ‘fleshy’ floral and powder note, which I speculate comes from orris/iris and jasmine. I can see how some detect a champagne quality, since the citrus and somewhat yeasty notes combine to give a champagne-like character. The base is leathery, and I think that comes from the Moroccan labdanum which typically has warm ambery-leather note. The dry down is lightly pungent, with incense and leather notes. Floral-leather normally wouldn't interest me at all, but due to the panache and quality of Knize I find that I admire this scent. Long live Knize!

The website calls this a herbal-fruit scent with notes of sage, caraway, ginger root and patchouli. I find it to be a warm woody-spice scent.
This is delightful! A thread discussion and all these good reviews encouraged me to try this – I wouldn’t have given it the time of day otherwise. First of all I want to say that the bottle is a great substantial handful. It has a classy feel with its golden colour and wooden top.
The opening has lovely spicy rich notes of coriander, pepper, nutmeg and other nutty-woody spices which combine well with the ginger. There is a hint of a green mint note,which is from the sage leaf. That note adds an interesting balance to the golden brown spices. Then the patchouli emerges, and this is **really** well done. I’m not a huge fan of patchouli, but here it is mellow, complex, masculine, and very classy. It may be what is contributing the leather and tobacco notes (if they are not actual ingredients themselves). All in all, this is a suave and very enjoyable scent. It reminds me of the good old Comptoir Sud Pacifique scents, before vanilla took over.

This is an acceptable, if not terribly original, light sporty-green scent. The sort of thing that we see in Greenergy or Trophee Lancome. Citrus, green notes, a touch of grassy vetiver. Absolutely nothing wrong with this. I'm over-subscribed with this sort of thing and won't be purchasing it. It is new for this season and pleasant, so if you have a gap in your 'drobe you could do far worse.

Bergamot, lavender, rhubarb, rum
Jasmine, iris, cardamom, coriander
Cedar, vetiver, ambretta seeds.
This is an uber-cedar scent, and not much else. There are tiny little hints of citrus and rum at the beginning, but they are almost instantly overwhelmed by the aggressive cedar. I like cedar, and wood, but this is too simplistic. CdG’s Sequoia has similar notes but is more fragrant, complex, and attractive. It’s not often that I won’t endorse a dry woody scent, but this is just not doin’ it for me.

This is delightful! I love green scents, yet this one had flown under my radar until now. It has a great dusky-herbal green opening: basil and galbanum are doing their wonderful work. The other notes are smoothly blended into the presentation. The drydown sits close to the skin; and it has comforting, somewhat soapy character. I really like this scent, I’m surprised at how much I do. It is low-key but completely satisfying. Not sweet, but smooth and substantial. It wears very well throughout the day.

What a disappointment! It simply doesn't work on my skin. The ingredients looked so promising. The style (Mediterranean, garrigue) seemed ideal. However, this scent sits like a muddled lump on me. No bracing citrus, no greenish basil (flower or herb), no laromatic avender. On me, it is not delicate or translucent, it is thick and indeterminate with no stages that I can detect. And what do I get? A fairly sweet benzoin/vanilla and musk drydown. Failed potential.

This is an excellent and distinctive dry aromatic lavender-herbal scent. When I say dry, I mean bone-dry. It is cool, crisp, bracing, at times medicinal. I love this sort of scent, and find it to be bracing and enjoyable. At times, lavender can have an evergreen aspect, and that combines here with the rosemary to create some fantastic pine-like notes. The drydown is mossy, almost salty. This is a cool British scent, very similar to Penhaligons Blenheim Bouquet with lavender replacing the lemon note. Superb! I recommend this highly.

Dark Rose is a distinctive, other-worldly sort of scent, due to the mysterious oud note and also the brilliant rendering of fresh rose. The oud here is very bright as others have said, it gives me an image of yellow and sunshine. (The scent doesn’t seem at all ‘dark’ or brooding to me.) The oud has its typical medicinal, astringent, piercing aspects; but these are not excessive. When the oud mellows, a truly lovely rose emerges, very fresh, delicate and yet assertive. The drydown is enjoyable and slightly soapy. This is certainly a scent that can be enjoyed by men as well as women.

Cuba is intriguing and complex. I’ve worn it twice, and each time I get different aspects from it. It uses elements I normally don’t like (tobacco, tonka) and yet wins me over! There is an aromatic, lime-green and bergamot opening blast. The citrus freshness is very quickly followed by an appealing, slightly ‘dirty’ chord of clove spice and tobacco leaf. This chord is freshened by mint and herbal bay. This scent is powerful but not heavy or sweet. There’s lovely frankincense in the dry down, giving a bit of a heady, soapy air. The mint persists for a long time. The interplay of elements is fascinating. This is definitely worth checking out, it surprised me by how good it is.

Pink pepper, clove, saffron
Muguet, carnation
Cypress, gaiac wood, sandalwood, cedarwood
Incense and ciste (labdanum)
Vanilla
This is luxury. The scent opens in a distinctive way. Most scents have a bright and crisp opening. Black Sea starts as very rich, dense, soft and cushiony. It is like encountering the base of the pyramid at the beginning. Then the clouds thin somewhat, and interesting notes emerge: clove from the spice and carnation; and resinous wood tones. The scent becomes a bit soapy and like a barbershop (the clove-y spice). And then it gets rich again, quite beautiful. The vanilla brings out a sweet note. Finally that burns off and some deep cedar notes remain. I’m not a fan of vanilla, but I can say that this is a lovely scent.

Cedar, rock rose (= cistacae/labdanum), cinnamon
Note that the ‘rose’ is the shrub rock rose, not the flowers rosaceae commonly known as roses.
This is an excellent woody scent! It comes in two formulations: EDT (dark brown box) and EDP (light brown box). I have the EDT. It starts with a twist of lemon. Then it develops a lovely cedarwood note that is dry, attractive, and aromatic. This is basically a soliflore, not much else here apart from the cedar. I don’t mind when the note is so well done. Such cinnamon as there is brings further woody bark elements to the scent. I like this.

This is an odd industrial scent, and I find it quite unpleasant. There is an initial note something like burnt coffee and sticky chocolate, mixed with warm rubber. This develops into a more piercing note, something like the acetone of an over-ripe banana. Maybe if I really use my imagination I can smell a worn leather jacket here… maybe. This gets sweeter and heavier, and after half an hour I couldn’t wait to wash it off. Don’t know what sort of cowboy this is… unconventional, I guess. More at home in a garage or laboratory than in the wide-open spaces.

This is a lovely, quietly enjoyable and classy scent. It has a beautiful citrus-wood opening. There are light green herbal and notes which are a bit dusky and yet also fresh and quite pleasant. These probably are from the tobacco and frankincense. The spices are muted and subtle. At times the drydown has fantastic herbal-pine notes which waft in and out of view. Generally, the elements are well blended, being smooth rather than very distinct.

I see a polarization of responses to this scent. For me, it is a lovely light grapefruit scent, with a bit of distinctive depth. The grapefruit is very natural-smelling – quite delicious – and it has amazing longevity for a citrus note. There are hints of a dusky green (clary sage) and peppery-woody spice (coriander). Then, indolic and animalic notes appear, courtesy of the civet and ambergris. These somewhat rare items move the scent out of a ‘linear’ shape and into something more ‘rounded’ and complex. Grapefruit reappears, amazingly, as the scent settles into a gently mossy drydown. I don’t find this to be a classic EDC sort of scent. Both the straight-forward focus on grapefruit and the brownish depth components move it into a distinct category. Perhaps Dior’s Eau Sauvage is the closest analogue in style.

Magnificent! An utterly gorgeous evocation of bitter orange blossom. This is a beautiful woody-floral scent. It seems light, ethereal, even delicate; yet it has depth and substance. It is floral and yet not sweet; certainly it is not heavy and cloying. The ylang ylang gives an interesting, luxurious and earthy note. I like this very much.

This is a magical and very distinctive scent! It is boldly new and yet it has a quirky old-school aura about it. It opens with a perky geranium blast, and then moves into an opulent floral heart which is balanced by a somewhat sharp edge. Many have identified oud at work here, and I agree. Oud combines so well with rose and the other languid flowers. At times, this reminds me of Harris’ Arlington, with a sharp yet addictive quality. Might be some moss here too, and incense. Lovely drydown, good longevity.

Leaves, mint, patchouli, white musk
This is a delightful and distinctive scent, somewhat delicate and yet having a lot of character. I find it to be very minty, but that is not a problem. No toothpaste here, rather what I find is a great green-leafy sort of mint. Now this is the way to achieve a fresh cool note, a beautiful natural-smelling path rather than the usual tiresome ozonic and synthetic-smelling elements! The mint reaches into every phase of this scent. The opening is a leafy green mint. The brown earth tones of bark, soil and forest floor have a cool tone. The light patchouli is framed by mint. And the gorgeous musk is balanced by mint. I think this is a well-designed scent. Although it is not a fougere, it evokes the same cheery vibrant mood as my favorite Trumper’s Wild Fern. My only reservation is the price! Otherwise, it's a winner in my opinion.

Well, no surprise here. This is a simple, grassy, slightly sweet and synthetic scent which lasts about 10 minutes. It is forgettable and because of its simplicity, rather boring and shallow.

Mid: French lavender, Russian sage, modern florals
Base: patchouli, cool musk, labdanum absolute
Note that the fragrance notes are different from the BN description. I got these off the box, they are the same for the scent and the accompanying soap. Probably the BN reflects the earlier formulation which would have (on the face of it) been greener and more herbal. The new elements, in particular the ozone and cool musk, are a concession to the modern “fresh” market taste. This starts with a an orange-floral and fresh ozonic blast which is a bit sweet. There are some good herbal-green notes, and light patchouli. The drydown is a pleasant dusky green with a slight soapy air. The freshness and ozone is not excessive, and make this a pleasant but not brilliant summer scent.

Fragrance notes: Spices, exotic woods, strong coffee resins.
This is a very good, distinctive scent. It has deep spices and dark woods. It is very similar to MPG’s Eau des Îles. EdN is woodier, spicier, sweeter, richer. EdÎ is drier, smokier. They both are warm scents and yet EdÎ has an intriguingly cool aspect. They both have a very roasted espresso note that is quite charming. I didn't detect any tobacco notes. I can’t see owning both, and I prefer the MPG take on this. But Navigateur is a classy scent, to be sure!

I like the ingredients. I don’t like the fragrance. I didn’t expect a lot from it, and I do enjoy some inexpensive scents. But this one has something that says “loud and synthetic.” It starts with a lemony, fresh-mint note. Then there is something very powerful and soapy, along with a really fake sort of lavender and vetiver. Very quickly this gets tiresome, even irritating.

The fragrance note list from Fragrantica is LONG! And this is borne out in the scent, which is complex. The opening is spicy-green, accentuated by the aldehydes, and is powerful and slightly sweet. The middle is a floral-herbal-spice mixture. The carnation gives a real clove spice ‘kick’ and also a barbershop vibe. The barbershop theme is picked up in the tangy patchouli drydown. Also in the drydown are pine needles (yay!) and a significant dollop of vanilla (boo!). This is an interesting scent, to me it seems ‘old school’ in a good way. It reminds me of Rive Gauche pour Homme or even a less formidable Yatagan. As noted, this is the original version, in the red box.
By way of comparison, the revamped Montana pour Homme in the blue box is a simpler, more translucent scent. It is drier, more lemony. It is more fresh and greener than the original – and thus I prefer it. But the original is a very worthy scent.

This has a powerful, sweetly floral opening. It is not very green, in my opinion. It is a pleasant and classy scent, though a little too sweet and floral to suit me. The dry-down has substantial patchouli, which gives a soapy/sharp tang that is abetted by a hint of incense resin. There is also a little grassy vetiver in the dry-down. The amber is not problematically sweet, buttery or heavy.

Fragrance notes: black pepper, yuzu, rose, narcissus, ambergris, myrtlewood, russian leather, amber, labdanum
This one surprises me. Normally I don’t care for amber, yet I find this to be an intriguing scent. I attribute my interest to the fact that there is both ambergris and (vegetable) amber here – I suspect that the ambergris adds an interesting, animalic complexity. There is peppery spice here, evident rose notes, and a cool, almost minty-green note (probably the myrtle). The amber is rich and buttery, and yet it is compelling in a brooding sort of way. Hints of leather add to the depth. Ultimately, this is not the sort of scent I enjoy, yet I can appreciate the craft and quality here. I’m sure others will enjoy it.

No vanilla, no amber = happiness for me! Hinoki is chock-full of woody goodness, or goody wood-ness. At first is presents itself as a very simple scent, namely variations on a wood theme. The turpentine note is not as powerful or even harsh as it is in Eau Trois. Here, turpentine and camphor contribute bracing, slightly astringent notes. The incense softens and adds depth and richness. This is full of nature’s vitality. The drydown is smooth and satisfying; it is a lovely balance of pine wood, incense, and aromatic elements. Believe me folks, I know from pine and wood and this is a great one! It is a memorable scent: assertive and yet restrained; bold and yet with an elusively haunting quality. The scent draws me in. This might be a niche and austere sort of scent, not appealing to many. So be it.

This is a lovely, simple and very natural rendering of sandalwood. It is very dry and woody, and a bit soapy. Sandalwood has a sharp, aromatic quality that makes it different from other woods, and it gets centre stage here. I find Santal to be a very satisfying, go-to sort of scent. Sometimes sandalwood can be tarted-up with excessive vanilla, amber or other sweeteners. Other times it can be done in a very pungent, heavy style. Neither is true in Santal, which is balanced and elegant in its own austere way. This is a simple, quiet performer with good longevity.

This is a perfect example of a garrigue fragrance (herbs on a warm breeze). It is an aromatic and powerful scent. Many of the notes is distinct and identifiable: bergamot (Earl Grey tea), rosemary (minty freshness), basil (green and soapy), thyme (strongly aromatic), artemesia (dusky and sharp). Together the notes create a herbal mélange which I find appealing. I see the comparison to Yatagan, but I find this closer to (and better than) the thyme/basil Baime. Never sweet, always assertive. Cologny and old-school? Perhaps. This is not a problem for me, I appreciate it.

This has a sparkling-green vetiver opening that is quite delightful! Green citrus notes (lemon, aromatic bergamot) and green leaves and herbal notes contribute to this excellent beginning. It is refreshing and most enjoyable. The scent develops into a lovely warm, comforting cushion. There is a haunting yet invigorating dusky-tangy quality that is so appealing! Light sandalwood is here: soapy, woody, aromatic. IMO this far surpasses Guerlain Vetiver. Those who like it, like it a lot; and with reason. Re-released recently.

Notes: cédrat lemon, grapefruit, water fruit, cardamom, basil, mint, ozonic notes, musk, cedar, white amber, vetiver.
This is a delightful scent: it is light, balanced, and elegant. All the notes are apparent and distinct, and yet they are moderate in amount and natural-smelling. The citrus notes are refreshing and appealing, as are the herbal notes. Special praise to the basil, which is very true to type. The ozonic note adds to the freshness but does not dominate in a tiresome synthetic way. This is a translucent scent. The cedar is pleasantly light and woody, the vetiver is lightly grassy, the amber and musk add some depth but not heaviness. Well done!

I always get dismayed when the very first thing I smell is a basenote, particularly when it is one I don’t care for. This suggests to me some kind of imbalance in the construction of the scent. Well, here I get chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate. It is not a yummy dark chocolate, it is an odd, kind of indolic/fecal chocolate. The chocolate opening lasts for about five minutes. It settles down, and allows some pear and rose notes to peek through. There are some green notes from the myrtle, but not much incense that I could detect. Then the chocolate comes back, accompanied by a sweet and also piercing amber note. This is very powerful oriental, and not at all to my taste. Kali is a powerful goddess, a destroyer of illusion. All that is destroyed here, however; is my interest in this scent.

This is a dark, rich, very woody scent. The dark tone is very interesting: at times I get hints of espresso coffee, but mostly I am reminded of rich, organic black soil – an attractive smell for those who garden. My goodness, the cedar is prominent and aromatic here! It dominates the sandalwood, in my opinion. The incense notes are pleasing and a bit heady. Like many other MPG scents, this is rich, and at times ever-so-slightly sweet. The vanilla and amber stay fairly restrained, and add a bit of luxury. Very nice stuff.

This is a beautiful, perky and cheerful vetiver. Not heavy or excessively soapy IMO. The bottle has a green tint, and the scent seems green to me as well, a kind of leafy-green opening. I love vetiver scents and this is very good. It is not complex, and I can see the alleged similarity to Mugler Cologne. I think the vetiver here is more pronounced than in the Mugler, and the Mugler has a touch more soft musk in the drydown.

This is an old-school fougere. Lavender and light moss combine in a classy way. I really appreciate the lavender, which is dry and aromatic. The scent is not heavy in any way; in fact it is restrained and measured. It conveys a crisp and elegant aura, it is a white-shirt sort of fragrance. The drydown is a very light mossy spice.
Hey... everybody so far loves this! That is a rarity.

WOW! A powerful blast of dry yet rich cedar greets me. Cedarwood to the max, pencil shavings galore… it’s beautiful! It settles into a gentler version of a woody scent as the sandalwood develops. The wood is creamier than before; and it is sweet, aromatic and very pleasant. In some ways this is a simple scent, “zen” as others have noted. Perhaps due to this simplicity and a kind of austerity; I find it to be enormously pleasing, charming and accessible. At times I get hints of ginger and cloves – I think these are notes from the sandalwood rather than any actual spice ingredients.

This opens with a lemon-green blast! It is typical verbena: leafy/herbal, lemony, aromatic. The scent is bracing and enjoyable. Since it is a solyflore it is not complex, although many hours later it does develop a light woody tone. Basically, this is a refreshing summer splash, or it could be used as a brightening element in a layered system. It has amazing longevity for a citrus-style scent. There's nothing particularly feminine about it; in fact due to its dryness and power it certainly could be worn by men.

This is an inexpensive scent, and it is OK. Of the three in this series, it was the only one that interested me. It is a combination of citrus and green notes, on a vetiver base. The citrus is perky and fresh. The vetiver is solid, and a bit soapy. The dry-down reveals that this is a budget fragrance. It doesn't go anywhere, it gets a bit sweet and synthetic, it certainly doesn't develop much of interest beyond its initial flurry of activity. Competent, that's all. If you are interested in vetiver, check it out, it is affordable.

“Grey lavender, delicate smoky amber” (Lutens product information)
The range of opinions on this is most interesting. Those who like it, like it a lot. I’ll put my cards on the table: I love dry aromatic lavender and I don’t like amber. This scent has very little lavender and it has a particular style of amber. And yet, it is so well made that I cheerfully give it a neutral.
As I said, to my nose the lavender is MIA. Almost immediately I got a creamy, buttery amber note, with a bit of a salty tang. For a while this aspect dominates. It is somewhat unusual, and not unpleasant. It reminds me of a smoky cream cheese. The amber is translucent or “claire” and it is not cloying. In dry-down the amber becomes more conventional.
For comparison, I am also wearing L’Occitan. Now THERE is a dry, smoky lavender! The lavender is powerful, and there is no amber. Thus I love L’Occitan. To each his/her own.

Lemon, galbanum, lavender, floral violet, marine notes, immortelle.
This has a beautiful citrus-green opening. The lemon notes are remarkable for their purity and strength. This is really attractive. There is a bit of lavender. Violet leaves, and also the immortelle flower, give a wonderful earthy note which at times is exactly like rich, dark soil! The marine note is quite enjoyable. It is not ozonic. It has a salty tangy quality. With the lemon, herbs and earth notes at play, this scent is definitely a marvellous garrigue-style experience. I like it a lot.

Well, skin chemistry reactions are certainly interesting! On me, this has a gorgeous neroli opening. There are lovely orange blossom notes, of both fruit and flowers. It then develops an airy, light green note from the incense and laurel. This phase is quite interesting. The vanilla is faint and not cloying. The orange blossom note has great longevity, and I enjoyed it for many hours. I guess this is definitely a scent that each person has to try. I have a sensitive sniffer, and I can find no odd-ball components here.

The history on this is complicated. My bottle says “H pour Homme / Fougère Royale” by DiParco. It also has Houbigant printed on the bottle. My research indicates that Houbigant created a subsidiary company called Chéramy in 1924, which reformed under the name Diparco in 1956. In 1959 Houbigant relaunched its famous Fougère Royale, which had been discontinued. Then in 1963 Diparco released its own version of Fougère Royale in an EDC 90 degree concentration. Likely the Diparco version was an attempt to present a less expensive, mass-market version of the more exclusive Houbigant product. In 1977 Gemey amalgamated with Diparco and L’Oreal, and released a version of Fougère Royale in 80 degree concentration. My bottle is Diparco and 90 degree, therefore it is from the 1963-1975 era. I say all of the above to situate this product within its larger framework, and to provide a foundation for analysis.

On its own merits, the Diparco is an excellent scent. Despite being a vintage bottle, the scent is lively and quite enjoyable. It has the classic, old-school fougère scent. It starts with a very perky and fresh lavender note which is dry, aromatic and very well done. The scent opens up beautifully with light florals and moss. It settles into a delightful soapy moss base. Despite its age, it has good longevity. I also have this in aftershave, at 38 degree concentration. Predictably the AS is lighter than the EDC, but it is still very pleasant and in the same camp.

I am fortunate to own a 1960 era Houbigant Fougère Royale, and thus I can comment on the difference between the two versions. The Houbigant version has an incredible depth and a haunting, earthy quality that is not in the Diparco. Clearly there is a qualitative difference between the two scents. But as I said, the Diparco is a charming scent in its own right.

I'll put my cards on the table upfront. I really don't like amber! However, I will do my best to objectively report on this scent.
I find this to be very sweet, rather buttery syrup of a scent. It is amber-laden. I don't find anything remotely dry or resinous about it, it is certainly quite unlike the magnificent Bois D'Encens which is a great dry-resinous scent. The spices are just a spicy and rather vague melange rather than distinct elements. The patchouli tang is apparent. I can't see any connection to L'Eau Trois, other than that the two scents are powerful.
I can't even give this a neutral rating, but I have attempted to describe it carefully. Amber fans, give it a try.

Ad fontes – from the source

Many thanks to HW for the wonderful review. I read it early in my BN days, and it inspired me. Now I can offer my own take on this interesting scent. I was able to obtain a bottle of this vintage juice, but I held off on reviewing it for a year. I needed to try other classic fougeres, and learn about scents generally, so that I could do it justice.
My bottle is from Houbigant’s re-launch period of Fougere Royale, somewhere in the 1959-1963 zone. It was from a seller who had the inventory of a drugstore of that time. The little splash bottle is lovely, with a glass stopper. The juice is a golden colour. The bottle was very tightly stoppered, and I’m confident that the contents are as well-preserved as possible.
What I encountered was the magnificent, incredibly beautiful scent of a classic fougere. It is so lovely! No wonder it was the sensation of its time. It is rich in a way I’ve never smelled in any other fougere, even those of the top ranks. It has a compelling depth, a kind of earthy quality that is peerless. It has power amidst the beauty, and thus it is an assertive scent that any man might happily choose. Its rich, languid notes convey the image of a warm summer day, with flowers and grasses shimmering in a heat haze.
Amazingly after all this time, the ingredients still ring true. The lavender is very dry and aromatic. It combines well with the dusky green notes from clary sage. Special mention is due for the heliotrope – it delivers its characteristic vanilla-cinnamon-powder chord. The pleasantly fern note, something like rubber or soap, is here. The dry-down is dry and haunting, and completely satisfying. Good duration, especially for a vintage scent. I can still detect it 10 hours later.
But again I must stress the richness and depth of this scent. People really smelled like this in the late 1800’s? Amazing, simply amazing.
And in dialogue with HW’s wise, wrist-by-wrist comparison… here is Penhaligon’s English Fern. EF is brighter, crisper, a thinner and more lean scent (especially at the outset). In comparison to the FR it is weaker! I can hardly smell it. Gradually it grows, but it does not equal FR. It is done in the house style of many Penhaligon scents, namely with a cool, even frosty British reserve. It has a crisp, even slightly salty aspect. All of these elements I can recognize only in comparison with FR. EF used to be my benchmark fougere, and it is a marvelous scent. But there is only one FR.

(Cf. a related scent with the same name by Deparco/Gemey, which also goes by the name H pour Homme.)

Top: Italian citrus, bergamot
Mid: cedar, cocoa bean
Base: gaiac wood, vetiver, ambroxan
(from Armani website)
Blah. Cocoa up front, then citrus, then cocoa again. It is OK, not too sweet, and definitely cocoa rather than chocolate. The alleged wood and smoke notes are so faint that I missed them. For the first hour this is an airy, somewhat bright cocoa scent. It then settles into a slightly sweet, powdery finish. There are touches of vanilla and amber, and a synthetic tang from the ambroxan. No thanks.

Fragrance notes: lime, woody spices, coriander, oakmoss
This has a zesty citrus opening which is bright and refreshing. There are pretty good light spice and grassy green notes. At times there is a little hint of something like fruit cocktail in a tin cup. That sounds odd but it is not unpleasant. This is a good summer splash: it is inexpensive, not strong and can be applied liberally. I characterize this as a light, sporty scent, in the golf or country club mode.

Notes (from Eau d’Italie website): coal-roasted chestnuts, black olives, autumn leaves, truffles, French straw, iris root, white musk
I wanted to like this scent! The concept of a olfactory ‘walk’ through a location, especially one as romantic as Sienna, is very appealing. The promised fragrance notes are intriguing. I’ve tried it on several occasions over the past few months. In the end, I’m neutral on it. My reservation is that it just isn’t “me” – it doesn’t suit me. On my skin, it is a largely a creamy, slightly sweet and slightly leathery scent. Although it is so much better than Cumming, it does remind me of that, another high-concept and location-oriented fragrance.
The opening is very good. It is green with lovely lemon and birch-like wood notes. There are hints of smoke, olive, wood, the earthy tang of truffles. It is a subtle scent, and stays close to the skin. It evokes an introspective, personal aura. It dries down to a clean, slightly soapy finish. But as I said, the lingering sweetness and creamy aspects don’t click with me.
I urge people to try it, and see for themselves. I’m sure it will suit many, men and women.

This is such an interesting scent. All vetiver-lovers must try it. I find that the top and mid notes are brief as distinct phases, but they re-emerge in the basenotes and add complexity. Initially I thought, “citrus-spice, lovely, poof it’s gone.” As for the floral notes, “where have all the flowers gone, short time passing.” And even the vetiver initially appears very briefly before retreating in the face of an iodized salty note. The latter is powerful, not unpleasant but so unusual that I wasn’t sure if I cared for it. Gradually that note abates (but never disappears) and a lovely, grassy vetiver emerges. And now I find that some citrus and spice notes re-appear. The visual impression I have – a strong one – is of sitting on a grassy knoll beside a beach. It is a sunny day, and I’m drinking lemonade. The salty sea breezes, the hay-like scent of the grass, the warm lemons; all combine in that moment. I’m not sure how they achieve that salty, tangy note. Perhaps it is the patchouli, carefully deployed in combination with the vetiver. Perhaps it is some unlisted ingredient. All in all, this is quite an experience.

This is a very interesting scent, and I like it. I characterize it as an aromatic, fresh green/wood type. The opening is astonishingly complex. At times it reminds me of very green banana skins, at other times I swear I get some creamy coconut. Neither of those are ingredients, rather, it is that the fig leaf treatment has affinities to those things. The fig leaf is really well done. It then develops a light herbal-vegetal note for a while, something like celery leaves. This segues into the light wood of cedar. This is a refreshing, summery scent. It is different from many things out there. Not sweet at all, and quite satisfying.

Fragrance notes: verbena citronelle, flowers, spice
If you know verbena then you are not surprised at this. What we see is a lemony-green scent, in fact here quite lemony. I don't really think this is a stand-alone scent, it is not especially interesting. But it might work well in the JM layering system.

Here's a more complete note list I found.
Top: artemesia
Mid: coriander, sea breeze accord
Base: vanilla, masculine woody notes
I don't care for this one. Artemesia gives me grief in Polo Black and the same is true here. I find it to be a irritating, cool, sweet green note. There is a hint of nutty spice (the coriander) that is OK. The fresh accord isn't too bad, it is kind of minty. But the vanilla peeks out almost immediately and persists. Vanilla is a deal-breaker for me and that is certainly the case for this scent. I tried it two years ago, put it away and am trying it again. Still don't like it.

Lemon, basil, mint, juniper, cinnamon, cedar.
This has a lovely lemon-green opening. It is aromatic and dry, with a haunting yet cheery quality. By that I mean it conveys a sort of spacious, airy sense like being alone but not lonely. Focused and still but full of life (lots of subjectives there…). There are great herbals here – the basil is really well done. There is a restrained spice note which blends well into the other elements. Nice light woods. This is an excellent scent, quite classy in character.

I think that basil is a difficult scent to render accurately. It is such a beautiful, vibrant green fresh herb. Most scents only approximate that. And this one doesn’t even come close! If I strain hard I might think I smell something vaguely herbal. But mostly this is a pretty and extremely short-lived little scent, nothing remarkable or distinctive about it at all. ZZZZZZ

Fil de Soie by L’Atelier Bohême starts off with an aromatic bang. It is sharp, herbal and quite interesting. Unfortunately, this doesn’t last. Woody tones (mostly sandalwood but particularly the patchouli) take over. Cedar is hard to detect. Then leather kicks in, starting soft and buttery and getting sweeter. The patchouli ramps up the sweetness and heaviness, and we wind up with a leather/patchouli experience. I make it sound like an old hippie leather vest – far from it. The scent is done with charm and style – but it is not my style at all. Too much patchouli, too sweet for me.

Fragrance notes: lemon, rosemary, lavender, geranium (rose)
These simple ingredients are apparent here, and work well together. This is a full-bodied lemon scent, quite assertive for a citrus. The rosemary and lavender are fresh, aromatic, and almost spicy. The rose softens the edges. This is a big scent, but there is nothing heavy about it. Available in large bottles at an amazingly low price, this is a no-brainer for a summer splash. It has old-school charm, and I like it a lot.

Prince de Galles Sport is a budget scent. It is a green mossy scent, very much in the style of Acqua di Selva. I like mossy scents, but in my opinion both PdGS and AS have an odd and unpleasant cabbage/vegetal aspect. That being said, Prince de Galles is almost tolerable and has some attractive notes. Certainly if you LIKE Acqua di Selva you will really like PdGS.

CB's notes about the fragrance:
* “blended from classic ancient incenses” – frankincense, myrrh, opopanax, labdanum
* Cedar, sandalwood, styrax
* “memory of smoke”

Well there is a vague sort of incense note here. Somewhat sweet, not even remotely resinous. Incense ‘lite’. I don’t get any smoky notes. This is the typical, predictable CB style: slightly sweet, somewhat synthetic, light and yet irritatingly persistent. This should be much, much better. I like incense scents but this one does not please me.

Fragrance notes: exotic eastern spices (cinnamon, clove), Indian incense, woods, pepper.
Judging from its position in the Josephine line, one might assume that it is a women's scent, but I characterize it as unisex verging on masculine. I think it is a very nice and inexpensive scent. It has good resinous incense and black pepper notes. The cinnamon and especially the clove give it a barbershop vibe. There is a powerful initial blast which quickly settles close to the skin. Indeed, my only complaint is that this is a very short-lived fragrance, lasting about an hour – but at the price one can’t complain. This is a dry oriental, a budget version of something like Czech & Speake’s Frankincense and Myrrh.

Note -- this is NOT Jean-Marie Farina/ Extra Vielle.
Fragrance notes: mandarin orange, basil, bitter orange, jasmine, verbena, cedar, orange wood.
This is in a green box with a picture of an orange tree, and it is billed as a “tribute to the orange tree”. It is quite nice. It has a brisk citrus opening, with a hint of leafy-herbal green. Jasmine lends a lovely floral note, softening but not too sweet. The final phase is a lightly pleasant wood. R&G Cologne is a delightful daytime/summer scent. Not complex; but fresh, natural and enjoyable. I like it.

“Citrus and verbena opening notes; with a long-lasting, woodsy and masculine body.” (From an Atkinsons brochure in the package.)
This is a lovely little chypre with typical lemon and grassy notes. The opening is very citrusy and refreshing. The green notes are excellent. They are herbal and interesting. What might they be? Perhaps sage and /or clary sage with tarragon. Vetiver might be lending a grassy note. For sure there is patchouli in the later phase, but it is well done (with a light hand). This settles into a grassy vibe, with clean soapy aspects. A short-lived and light fragrance, now discontinued. It reminds me of Greenergy by Givenchy.

“A beautiful blend of scents from grapefruit, mandarin, basil, Florentine lavender and other wild flowers; with touches of musk, amber, vetiver and cedar wood.”
Verdo Bosco (Green Wood) is a lovely and powerful green scent. It is EDP so it is substantial. I find the basil and vetiver to be the most prominent notes. They combine to give a herbal-grassy character, a walk in grassy fields more than through a deep dark forest. I this sort of scent (chypre) and this is a very good one. It is not complex, but it is satisfying.

This has a **very dry**, woody/incense opening which persists throughout the duration of the scent. I’ve been told by company representatives that this scent uses organic frankincense. I’d say that this is a soliflore type of scent, namely a single-note. That’s marvellous when the note is so strong and true, as it is here. Resinous, a bit smoky, lean verging on the austere. I find this type of scent very attractive and satisfying. I enjoy this one a lot!

Sisley pamphlet: “A floral chypre composed of a blend of syringe, rose of the orient, Egyptian jasmine; blended with iris and juniper, and the fruity notes of mandarin and grapefruit.”

This has a tangy opening of juniper and citrus. Then the iris appears and takes over. It is a powerful heart note. On the one hand it is earthy, even a bit fleshy. Yet at the same time (and perhaps with the juniper) it has metallic aspects. This is a floral chypre to be sure. Interesting, yet for me the fleshy/metallic note is a bit jarring, and it doesn’t work for me.

This has a perky, green, and crisp opening. It is lemony-fresh, and quite nice. Then, I get an odd and quite distinct note that seems like rancid butter! I don’t know what that is, perhaps it is the particular treatment of the vetiver. The scent is fairly attractive once the butter note burns off – it remains lemony for a good long time. My reservation is that for a scent called Vetiver, it doesn’t have much of that, especially in the nice cushiony smooth style I like. More could be done with the mid-note spices, they are very faint. So I’m neutral on it.

This is OK, it is a somewhat conventional masculine-styled spicy wood scent. I don’t get nutmeg or ginger as distinct elements, all I get is a somewhat generic spice note. If anything, I think I get pongy cumin notes at times. This reminds me of Roger & Gallet’s Open or some of Geo F. Trumper’s spicy scents – but it is not as good. This is not bad, and if I wasn’t well supplied in this category I might consider it.

This has a kind of nutty tone (like nuts, not goofy). I don’t really detect a coffee note. And I don’t get the usual sorts of vetiver notes, though I can imagine some sort of vetiver here. The drydown is interesting, a bit of "lite" incense there. This is kind of odd or unusual, in my opinion. It gets more powdery and sweet as it progresses. Don’t really care for it.

Nice florals here, very pretty. The jasmine and lily notes are prominent. I don't get much mint at all. Pleasant, I'm not into lily so I'm just neutral on it. But this is a fine scent, it's just not my style.

This has a gorgeous neroli and citrus opening, with real freshness and depth. It develops very light herbal notes which add to the attractive nature of this scent. I keep noting the depth of this – unusual in a citrus scent. The light moss dry-down is excellent. The patchouli is very, very restrained (thankfully). This scent is lovely from beginning to end, quite enchanting.

The vanilla and spice make their appearance almost immediately, freshened by citrus at this early stage. The chocolate is a velvety sort. Quite a foody scent, and it seems very feminine to me. Although initially I can stand the vanilla, I find that it gets heavier and sweeter, and thus my mild appreciation withdraws. I just don’t like vanilla.

A very orange, tangy opening… more powerful than I expected. It is like the zesty oil expressed from squeezing an orange skin. It softens into nice florals. It is a bit sweet, especially with the lily note. I can appreciate it, but I wouldn’t wear it.

Fragrance notes (from TF site): woods, spices, beeswax absolute, clary sage, tarragon, rosemary, labdanum, patchouli, benzoin.
I'm in agreement with Vibert. I'm underwhelmed by this scent. I was expecting great herbal notes, a green experience. I call this a honeyed brown sort of scent. Ambery vanilla from the resins hit my nose from the get-go, and persisted throughout. I don't have a complaint against the patchouli. It is restrained, and adds an interesting tangy note to the rich scent. Ultimately, it is too ambery for me to endorse or enjoy. It is a luxurious scent, some would find it classy. My complaints are as follows: where is the moss, where are the herbal notes, where are the woods? It is a pleasant sort of scent, but not terribly interesting. The Breches in the title refers to a region of France. The moss in the title? Your guess is as good as mine.

Fragrance notes: pomegranate, raspberry, plum, frankincense, patchouli
I hadn’t thought I would like it. I assumed that it would be very berry/fruity. I find that the frankincense is the dominant note, and the berries are in the background. This seems aromatic, not sweet… and incense-y from start to finish. The fruit notes are subtle, dry and complex. They are not the expected artificial, candy style sort. The scent has been called “enigmatic” and I agree. It is a somewhat rich incense experience all the livelong day. Interesting!

Fragrance notes: peach, plum, blackcurrant, honey.
This is the first JM scent that I don’t like. It starts off very peach-y. It is a complex scent, like warm peach preserve. It is interesting, but very fruity. The honey is tolerable, not rich and sugary-sweet. But then the scent develops an unpleasant tinny note in the dry-down. This metallic note with the lingering peach is not attractive to me, nor would I find it attractive on someone else.

Fragrance notes: grapefruit, tangerine, rosemary, vetiver
No surprises – this is very citrusy. It is quite natural smelling, and thus I enjoy it a lot. There are lovely green and light herbal notes, a hint of pine/mint from the rosemary and another grassy hint from vetiver. These give the scent very good longevity, and the citrus finds a way to linger too. I like this very much! JM scents are designed to layer, and I have no doubt this would add sparkle to many scents. I think it stands well on its own, as well.

This has a gorgeous neroli opening, with light spice and green notes quick to develop. Then there is a lovely, cushiony vetiver scent. I call this an ideal treatment of vetiver. It is not sharp or excessively earthy, nor is it heavy and soapy. It has a charming vitality and a comforting quality that I can’t explain, but I do enjoy! This is not a complex scent, but I love it.

I have been wearing this for several hours and I find it hard to entirely dismiss. There are certainly interesting elements here, and a distinctive character arises from their combination. But something doesn’t quite work for me, or keeps slightly irritating me. I think it is the combination of patchouli (tangy) with the honey (wafting in and out of sweetness) and moss (generally good but here a bit brackish). It is a spicy and bold, honey-brown scent, and in the end I find that it is not my style. I’m open to any moss scent, and this one was worth a try. But it is not for me.

Fragrance notes, from Parfum Dali site: fig, grapefruit, jasmine, vetiver, ambergris, sandalwood.
This is a floral-green scent. It has a somewhat sweet tone, rather than crisp or herbal. When I first smelled it, I was convinced that there was moss and musk in it, but they are not listed. The scent has a mossy-genteel air about it, and is quite old-school in its presentation. I find it a bit heavy and perfumey-sweet, so I’m neutral on it.

Fragrance notes: bergamot, mint, vanilla, patchouli, fern, vetiver, labdanum, cashmere wood.
I found two very distinct phases here. #1 is odd, a chocolate-vanilla-candy smell. Slightly synthetic, and also like stale After Eight mints. I'm disappointed there are no citrus notes (at least none I could detect). 5 minutes later, this burns off and we get to phase #2. This is a cool, dry and (to my nose) light herbal fougere. There are hints of patchouli, fern and grassy vetiver, and an interesting salty note. I like this phase. Some have complained about the mint, but after the first phase it is not an issue. I'm pleased that it is dry and an herbal fougere (an interesting style, and one not in vogue at the moment). Later in the dry-down, there is a vanilla-fern note that is pleasant but a little too vanilla to endear itself to me.
Thus, I'm not bowled over by Roadster, but I do give it kudos for being mostly dry and having a distinctive style.

Fragrance notes: bergamot, citrus, white flowers, spices (and probably musk)
A classic, classy EDC. Very citrus-y, fresh and refreshing. The citrus notes are softened by the flowers and mild spices. No surprises here, this is one of the originals, a charming old-school scent. Very much in the same camp as R&G Extra Vielle. A lovely, beautiful dry-down, with a “comforting” quality from the spices and light musk.

Fragrance notes: sweet lime blossom, bergamot, tarragon, (probably iris).
No surprise, this is a powdery floral. Not very citrus-y. This is a romantic, beautiful scent. The tarragon is very restrained herbal background to the lovely white blossoms. I’d say it is mostly for women, and yet I can appreciate it (though am unlikely to wear it myself). It has a haunting depth that intrigues me. I suspect there is iris in here, making that sort of contribution.

I like this. It is a medium-weight spicy incense. A bit rich but not sweet or heavy. I like the incense notes, and I love the woody cedar dry-down. Not radical or distinctive, and not the driest incense out there. It is smooth and attractive, a good introduction to an incense fragrance.

This has a soft, sweet and aromatic opening, kinda boozy. It drys a bit, develops some incense. I can smell the violet leaves (not too piercing) and some good cedarwood notes. The iris and violet accord forms the heart of the scent – other elements simply frame that. This is an artistic but slightly edgy-brooding element… like AW I guess. Complex, quite intriguing, but a little too sweet for me. And iris-violet are not high on my list. I think it could have more dry incense. I don’t like the amber-y drydown. I didn’t get any metallic notes.

This has a lovely lime-citrus opening. It is superb, excellent, really zesty with a hint of hint of green herbs. Honestly, this is one of THE BEST lime openings I’ve ever experienced. It is awesome! Then it deepends and develops into a fresh, slightly metallic phase. It is interesting… I don’t dislike it but I’m not crazy about it. It is hard to describe, almost like tender green onion shoots. Not bad, but unusual. Patchouli and vetiver appear, each quite tangy. The vetiver is pretty good: it is not heavy or soapy. A complex scent.

This has a gorgeous citrus-neroli opening. Verbena is quite evident too, with its distinctive green-citrus character. So far, it is crisp, fresh, very enjoyable… just a beautiful scent. When these beautiful notes burn off, there is a grassy vetiver chord, along with some synthetic notes which are a bit metallic. Also there is an animalic musk note that sometimes is intriguing, sometimes a bit irritating.

Great balls of fire, this is a big ol’ scent! It has a lovely opening, very masculine with citrus-spice notes. These are followed by assertive woods and more spices. They are dry and quite aromatic. Then everything settles in and gets bigger… and bigger… and bigger. It does turn into a PR twin. It has a big, soapy, old-school scent. Very powerful and rich, and so retro! Surprising for this line. Apply LIGHTLY. I can appreciate it, but given the price I won’t be seeking it out.

“worn leather, worn cloth, wood polish”
This was weird. I don’t get any of those ingredients. I do get an odd, fruity/dessert chord. It is hard to identify. Peachy-pear, melon, pudding, bread pudding, custard… with a sharp note. I don’t care for this at all! Where are the old books, the wooden benches?

I'm neutral on it. I love dry incense scents. I recognize that Demeter is an inexpensive spritzy line, so I don't expect too much. But I have to say that there really isn't much incense here. It starts with light wood tones, they appear right at the start. Then follows a slight synthetic smell. It is not really unpleasant, reminding me of rubber tires and garage notes, in other words a sort of industrial chord. But where's the incense? The scent is not sweet, heavy, or obnoxious. The dry-down is OK, and here if I REALLY use my imagination I can pretend there is the faintest whiff of incense.
My advice -- if you want incense, pay the bucks and get a high-quality fragrance. Bois D'Encens and Bois D'Orage come to mind. Sure they are expensive. But they are an incense experience! The Comme des Garcons line is also good. Life is too short to stay stuck at this basic level.

Fragrance elements: white lily, purple iris, ylang-ylang, “a chutney of spices,” cedar, sandalwood, rosewood, musk.
The floral notes are sweet and quite lovely. There is something like pear or tropical fruit here. I don’t get any spices. Hint of sweet rosewood, some musk. Develops an irritating element, perhaps it is the iris/lily combo which gets too powdery for me. Not my style but I thought I’d see what it is like. I don’t care for it, and I don’t think I’d like to smell it on anyone else.

Kind of odd but not obnoxious. A sweet scent due to the tobacco and hay. Also green in a hard-to-define way. I don't get any of these quirky elements (sawdust, leather gloves, etc.). To me it is just a light, breezy, slightly sweet and synthetic scent. Very typical of CB style. Wouldn't seek it out.

This has a really, really woody opening! It got my attention. The various woods combine to suggest cedar, a real pencil-shavings tone. In the opening, it is a cool-spicy wood scent, and I like it. I don’t mind the fenugreek. I think we see a good, naturalistic rendition of this seed/spice. Yes, it is bitter, medicinal, woody… and it adds an interesting aspect to the scent. It is not out of balance with the other elements. I don’t find this to be sweet or foody-gourmand. I also don’t find anything curry-ish here. My overall impression is one of wood. Eventually the cedar tone is replaced by the promised sandalwood, here done in a mild style. Several hours later, I’m still smelling it. Now it has a somewhat sweet, powdery-balsamic aspect. Here I lose interest, and will not move from sample to purchase.

I’ll grant that this is a complex, distinctive scent. I agree with assessments that it has a slightly strange, synthetic character. And, like others, I find that the “everything-but-the-kitchen-sink” ingredient list is daunting. This scent doesn’t work on me, and I don’t like it. All these elements (many potentially quite interesting) combine on my skin into a sweet-sharp, powdery, leather-patchouli combo that is quite irritating. Filter those through its synthetic prism and Antidote really does nothing for me. I don’t even think I’d like to smell it on anyone else. It gives me a headache.

I agree with wise Hirch. This one is a major disappointment for me. Why? Because of its unrealized potential. What promising ingredients! A really excellent line-up on paper. It should have an aromatic, zesty green opening, a spicy and perky-green middle, a resinous base, and lovely whiffs of pine throughout. Instead, all we have is another cool-fresh scent in the current middle-of the road style. BORING! The only element I can really distinguish is the patchouli… oh joy. It is slightly sweet and tangy. The whole thing is blah and more than a little vacuous, like many current releases.

Fragrance notes: apple, citrus, lavender, nutmeg, vetiver, sandalwood, patchouli.
This is in two phases. The first is a lovely green-citrus one, with a hint of woody spice. This is well done with a sporty, green character. It reminds me of Greenergy or Trophée Lancome. The scond phase is the dry-down, which is woody. First vetiver and then sandalwood appear. Each is done in an attractive and classy style Longevity is medium, fading after 4-5 hours. This is a relatively inexpensive scent, and I like it.

Interesting to see the varied reactions (and emergent fragrance profiles).
This was a disappointment to me. The top and mid-note elements had promise: juniper, pepper, pine, incense. I applied it, and POOF – immediate amber/vanilla. And that was pretty much it. The basenotes were there from the get-go. If I used all my powers of discernment, I can imagine very faint pepper and pine, but you really have to go searching. I’m not a fan of amber and vanilla, they are Ok as a slight feature at the end but they are not what I seek in a fragrance. So, I can’t endorse this one. It fails to live up to its potential.

This is a true classic, a lovely scent in the typical cologne style. It has a soft character, the citrus is gentle yet prominent. The citrus notes combine graciously with the rose. The rose is beautiful, not heavy or too sweet. I think this is very similar to R&G Extra Vielle. Light wood notes at the end. No surprises here, but quite enjoyable.

This has a pleasant, citrus-green opening. I think the middle is truly lovely. I’m not usually a floral fan, but this is beautiful. I get all the scents: jasmine, violet (flower and leaf), honeysuckle, and rose. They are fresh, translucent, and natural (not synthetic). They are light, and although not heavy or terribly sweet they do make a statement. Their effect in combination reminds me of lilac. The dry-down moves to a violet leaf centre. Bright, a bit piercing. I always find violet leaf to be an acquired taste; but I have to say this is pretty good. It is a kinder, gentler Grey Flannel. The sweet almond, musk and especially the vanilla are thankfully restrained in treatment. This is OK, quite nice in fact. But I agree that it is not a very ‘green’ scent.

I am very impressed with the Eau D’Italie line. I find them to be complex and refreshingly DIFFERENT from the usual new fragrances. They really have character, verve, and charm. Such is certainly the case for Paestum Rose. It has a rich opening that I would characterize as oriental: it is dark, mysterious and compelling. The myrrh lends a sensuous, languid note. I am convinced that the “exotic woods” are at least partly from oud – hence a further dreamy (or narcotic, as one has said) aspect. On my skin, the rose is a minor note: I find the myrrh, oud and other woods and spices to be dominant. The patchouli is evident but presented with restraint. It augments the other elements but does itself not hog the stage. Great dry-down. To my mind this is a masculine scent but I can see that it would be terrific on some women. It’s a sexy scent.

Let’s have a moment of silence for our dearly departed friend… my mini bottle of Hunter. In its youth it had such promise: citrus, aromatic-herbal-pine notes… Now all we have is a tired old hippie vest, sweetly and strongly smelling of patchouli and leather. Let us think kindly of it, my friends. Let us hope it once communed with nature. Now it is a wizened war-horse, a tawny and very perfume-y relic of greener days. Its green vitality has evaporated.

Absolument Absinthe. This is a pleasant scent, but I have to deduct marks for a disconnect between image and reality. Absinthe conjures images of dissolute dandies at the Follies-Bergere sipping a disreputable and eventually forbidden (interdit) glowing green nectar. The aromas of artemsia (wormwood) are dark, bitter, herbal and distinctive. Add some cannabis into the mix and you should have something quite illicit. Instead, your muguet-loving granny would happily wear this! There is a green, opening that is a tiny bit resinous but is mostly floral. The lily of the valley and jasmine notes are beautiful. There is a charming mood of tristesse (melancholy sadness) in the beauty. At times I’m remined of Guerlain’s Sous le Vent. The jasmine and tea might seem to some to combine in a jasmine tea chord. The dry-down is that of light musk… I don’t get any sandalwood. In sum, a pretty scent, on the feminine side of unisex. For a bolder scent of absinthe, try the amazing Fou D’Absinthe… one of my favorites.

I tried both the regular and concentrée versions of Santos. Counter-intuitively, I find that I don’t like the regular but can appreciate the concentrée. That is because of the role of patchouli and how it is treated in each version. Here, the patchouli does not dominate. It is handled with restraint. Now, what we have certainly is an old-school powerhouse chypre: it is big, smoky, leathery, full of dark notes and rich spices. It is in the Jules or VC&A mode. It is what it is, no apologies. Today we might apply this in micro-doses, out of consideration for the changing scentsibilities of our time. We want to be suave but not not obnoxious! Too much conjures an image of gold chains and a shirt unbuttoned to the navel. This is a well-done scent. It is not my go-to style, but it is worth checking out.

I tried both the regular and concentrée versions of Santos. Counter-intuitively, I find that I don’t like the regular but can appreciate the concentrée. That is because of the role of patchouli and how it is treated in each version. In the regular version, patchouli dominates. Perhaps in concert with the juniper, I get a most vile scent! To me, it seems quite obnoxious. Pungent, sweet, metallic in an “airy” style, medicinal, harsh, perfumed, pongy, irritating. Tangy cheese? Something going dodgy on an aluminum plate in the hot sun? Stinky sneakers in an old gym locker? You get the picture. This one doesn’t work on my skin, folks. End of story.

I’ll gently disagree with the reviews so far. Admittedly I’m not sympathetic to this sort of breezy-fresh-cool scent. What can I say in its favor? It has a fruity-crisp opening that is aromatic, slightly sweet. The middle has the vaguest hint of pepper. The base is very light: a bit salty-leathery but really this is just a ghost of an impression. So this is a very light scent. I’m not advocating for a return to the tired old 80’s blockbusters; I just wish for a bit more character, distinctiveness, personality in a scent. To me this is clogging the market place with another generic version of the bland mid-point. Hmmm, guess that wasn’t as gentle as I’d promised. Oh well…

Spirited discussion here. I think that if a fragrance lists interesting ingredients, then it should deliver interesting and well-done notes. In my opinion, VpH does not deliver the goods. I agree that the citrus notes are very good: they should be, given their number and variety. However, I find the middle to be boring. I don’t get any clary sage (a particular favorite of mine), nor cedar wood. All I get is a light, cool, marine vibe. Yes, it is a salty breeze but I do question the value of yet another entry in this over-populated category. The oud (normally a really quirky element) is so domesticated as to be invisible. The amber is dry, thankfully. In sum, this seems to me like another airy, slightly synthetic blast of cool air. It just doesn’t appeal to me in any way. Marks deducted for lack of originality.

Cereus 11 notes: iced anise, gimlet, juniper berry, black pepper, platinum musk, gentle woods.
This has a cool herbal-green opening: dry, minty, somewhat interesting. It is quite lemony at this point. I don’t get ANY pepper. Airy but not unpleasantly synthetic. I don’t get any anise/licorice, nor any aromatic piney gin-like notes from the juniper. Basically, for me this is a breezy lemon scent… barely there, irrespective of the amount applied. Nothing objectionable, except its lack of distinctiveness and its niche price.

Cereus 5 has a nice opening, with hints of green leaves, spice, and woody bark. I think it would be more interesting if greater emphasis were placed on the cardamom and licorice elements. The mid phase has an intriguing dusty quality that is difficult to describe. The spider orchid smells a bit like some day lilies, with an earthy-floral note. As well, there is a distinctive baked-goods/toasted note; at times reminiscent of apple pie. The woods are light and pleasant. This settles into a nice light lemony-vetiver scent that is clean, fresh, and a bit like a cookie. Not bad, wears well, safe, conservative. Well done but I don’t find it to be compelling… which it should be for the price.

Cereus 4 notes: citrus, green apple, papyrus
The opening is crisp, with lemon and Granny Smith apple notes. Then I find a very light papery-brown note that is “papyrus.” The scent is quite simple, with little depth. It is not irritating but it certainly is not compelling. And certainly not worth the niche price! IMO a more successful scent of this type is Hermes Jardin sur le Nil.

Cereus 7 notes
Top: bergamot, cedar, mandarin
Mid: “warm spices of violet and jasmine”
Base: skin musk, worn leather, tonka bean, Australian coachwood
The opening is fresh, with a good citrus note. Unusual to see cedar in the top note – here it is understandably light. I think the distinctive element noticed by some is due to violet leaves, which have a brisk, at times almost piercingly translucent aspect. Unclear to me whether there are actually spices in the mix or whether the spice is just the floral accord. The base is IMO a bit irritating. To my nose, the “skin musk” and “worn leather” notes are synthetic and they give me a headache.

Top: Sicilian bigarade, artemesia, bamboo leaves
Mid: Tuscan cypress, atlas cedar, bourbon geranium
Base: Indian vetiver, white musk, Indonesian sandalwood (from SF website)
Incanto pour Homme is a competent scent, not wildly exciting. It is a fresh, light wood: airy and simple in style. It is not spicy, sweet, or heavy. Thankfully it achieves its fresh aspect in a natural-smelling manner, without the irritating synthetic aspect one often finds in such scents. The opening has some good orange and dusky-green notes (the latter from the artemesia). The cypress could be more exciting and distinctive. The vetiver and sandalwood are quite mild. This won’t turn heads, but it is pleasant.

In the 1980’s Paco Rabanne, Eau Sauvage, and Jules were the scents in my youthful repertoire. Here we are almost thirty years later, and how do things stand up? Well Eau Sauvage is a timeless classic, and I wear it with enjoyment. But curiosity got the best of me, and I decided it was time to ride the old war-horse Paco. And you know what? It is not as bad as I feared. Micro-doses of this suit today’s scentsibility. Given that, I find much to appreciate. The opening is bracing, crisp and aromatic. It has minty, pine and green notes. Then woods and spices (clove-cinnamon) emerge. The result is a soapy, barbershop vibe. The base notes are rich but not oppressive or deadly sweet… again this will be true if this has been applied in tiny spritzes. The tobacco is restrained and effective, with a brown tangy twang. In my young days I wouldn’t have recognized myrrh but I do now – it is complex, perfumed; and it gives a slightly moody and contemplative air. The dry-down is mossy and soapy; charming and close to the skin. In conclusion, this is certainly worth a try. For me it is no longer a go-to scent. But it is a pleasant blast from my past.

Gentlemen, I have called this meeting to discuss the overlooked element in Royall Bay Rhum. That, dear colleagues, is C-L-O-V-E-S! I am not talking about a little bit of a spicy note. I am talking about a great big guy banging a huge brass gong labeled ‘cloves’ until my head hurts. I am more than a little surprised that no one has mentioned this 800-pound gorilla. One reviewer’s phrase “medicinal harshness” hints at it. Think of the infamous scene in the movie “Marathon Man” where the Laurence Oliver character (a dentist) is torturing the Dustin Hoffman character. He alternately probes an exposed tooth nerve and then applies oil of cloves, which soothes the pain. Well, here the cloves IS the pain and the torture, and it is a medicinal harshness indeed. I don’t get green bay-leaf notes, nor menthol/mint ones, nor coniferous or pine notes. Any of those would be nice. Oh, did I mention that I do get clove notes? Now, a little clove can add a charming barbershop aura to a scent, and I like some fragrances with that hint. But this is relentless, over-the-top, and a scrubber. Peace be unto those who like it, I am not among that select crew. If, as one reviewer suggests, there are worse ones than this… I shudder to contemplate such a thing.

This has a lovely opening, which reminds me a bit of Mugler Cologne. It’s the fresh notes and the white musk. The drydown is a bit like Worth pour Homme. That’s the sandalwood and light spices. Mildly rich, comforting and comfortable. A quiet performer, quite pleasing.

Fragrance notes: Kashmir saffron, coriander, cedar, leather
I like woody scents and this is indeed woody. The aromatic cedarwood is complimented by the spice notes. I’m a bit surprised at how woody this is – no complaints, but this definitely registers on the Richter scale of wood-dominated scents. Cedar can sometimes ‘go south’ and get obnoxious… it stays civilized here. The spices give it a bit of an old-school barbershop vibe. There is a faint hint of leather. I’m hyper-sensitive to vanilla, and I don’t get ANY of that here. I don’t find the saffron problematic, indeed on me it is just part of the spice mix. (For those interested in more prominent saffron scents, I recommend Safranier and Palisander. Zafferano… each person needs to try it.) Back to JBB, it is a cool-weather scent – not heavy or sweet, but I find it to be substantial.

Fragrance notes: juniper, ginger, herbaceous thyme and vetiver
This is a crisp, invigorating scent, in the breezy summer splash mode. Minty juniper and a very light green/woody notes are its essence. Thankfully, there are no artificial-smelling ‘fresh’ notes here – all seems natural and is satisfying. I don’t really get any ginger (mind you, I have yet to find a ginger scent that actually smells anything at all like fresh ginger). This is not a complex scent, but who cares? The price is moderate, and it is well done. If you need a nice summer splash, check it out.

This is a powerful scent – I wouldn’t want it to be any more assertive! It presents itself as very clean and airy, and yet also bold. Definitely masculine, since it is aromatic and dry. The opening salvo has pungent lavender, peppery spices and some green herbal notes. These move into a light wood chord. If cypress is done well, it has a pleasingly haunting quality; and that is true here. My reservation is with the patchouli. It is not sweet or heavy (thankfully), but it is pungent and creates a kind of ‘fresh’ edgy quality that sometimes is a bit tiresome to my nose. I’ll give this thumbs up, but I’m not crazy about it. Actually, now that I think about it, the spices and patchouli remind me of Rive Gauche for Men. This is very much like that, I think. They both have bollocks.

I agree with Renato: Parfum d'Adventure is a great scent, and clearly a masculine one. This is a soft cushion of gentle spice and musk -- very satisfying! Geo. F. Trumper specializes in this sort of thing but in this, Piver gives a worthy contender. This is powerful, assertive; but it has a certain suave barbershop charm. The spices are very well done, and there are hints of good wood. Now entering the comfort zone....

Alleged fragrance elements: bamboo leaves, Japanese green tea, 3 types of cedarwood, incense.
Well I have to say I’m extremely disappointed in Just Breathe. The elements sound great! But where are they? Missing in action. This starts with a sour-sweet green note that bears no resemblance to any leaf I know. The scent gets sweet, fruity and odd; like a car freshener in peach or melon scent. This has the usual CB style: slightly sweet, synthetic and freshly tangy. Something like powdered laundry detergent. No cedarwood, no incense. Don’t like. Just avoid.

Fragrance elements: narcissus, clean running water over mossy stones, wind blowing through green leaves…
M#1 Narcissus is a nice scent, the first CB I’ve tried that I like. It has attractive green-leaf notes that remind me of Bond No. 9 Gramercy Park, but are not as subtle. There are some lovely flowers. I don’t know what narcissus smells like but there is a combination of lily of the valley, iris, and sweet pea. This is interesting, not sweet, somewhat haunting in style. Because it is so floral it is not quite my style, but I can appreciate it.

I tried Canali Black Diamond this morning. I was underwhelmed. It has a real "kitchen sink" list of ingredients... yet hardly any are distinguishable. This is a very smooth, slightly sweet fragrance. It's so smooth that -- in my opinion -- it has nothing interesting to offer. Kinda ho-hum and innocuous, and vaguely synthetic. Everything is so mellow, it is putting me to sleep… zzzzzz. The spices are not spicy, the citrus is not citrusy, woods are not woody, the leather is nothing more than a vague impression. The sweet-musk drydown gets irritating and more synthetic, and I eventually washed it off.

Italian saffron, raspberry flowers, wild rose petals, Moroccan jasmine, lily of the valley, rosewood, golden oriental amber… (and oud?)
Zafferano was quite a surprise. I was expecting a dusky-woody scent, from the combination of saffron and woods. What I got was an oud-like blast of considerable proportions! Oud is not listed as an element, and some have speculated that the saffron has been done in an “iodized” style. Perhaps. Or perhaps oud is a mystery element. Whatever the explanation – be ready for the quirky, tangy-pungent, bug-spray qualities of oud. The opening is spicy and earthy, with a bit of sweet hay (from the saffron). But quickly there are perky, rubbery notes hovering in the background. These almost seem like a green fern-moss note. As far as florals go, jasmine seems to dominate, rather than rose. The cedar is done in a bright, medicinal style (rather than woody). This is a very bright, almost astringent scent. At times it reminds me of Arlington by Harris. A lean sort of oriental scent – if that classification is appropriate. The amber is very light, like a tangy yet restrained patchouli. The drydown is acidic and unusual. Bottom line: this is such a different sort of scent that each person should try it and see how it works on his/her own skin. On me, something like oud was the major element.

Limes! That’s it, just limes. They are green, zesty-fresh, natural. This is a wonderful, refreshing tonic splash. It is very short-lived, and that is to be expected. Citrus oils are (by nature) volatile and brief, and this scent doesn’t have any base notes which would prolong or develop. In other words, it is what it is. Splash it on and enjoy the brief experience. Half an hour later do it again, or put something else on – it will layer with anything. Indeed, ‘layer’ is an over-statement. In a half-hour, you just have your skin (but nice-smelling).

Neroli, lemon, bergamot, rosemary.
This is a lovely scent, in the typical and classic Cologne style (namely fresh citrus). The distinctive feature here is a gorgeous neroli note which gives depth. No surprises here – if you know R&G’s Extra Vielle or Dior’s Eau Sauvage then you get the picture. This sort of scent is suave, classy, and has rightfully been popular for centuries. The longevity is good for a citrus scent.

Top: lemon, bergamot, cardamom, laurel
Mid: rose, jasmine, violet, lily of the valley, carnation
Base: sandalwood, cedarwood, moss, benzoin.
Sutra Ylang is a distinctive scent! I find that violet dominates (leaves + blossoms). This combination is brisk and piercing, yet also flowery and powdery. In my opinion violet is an acquired taste. I find that I now can appreciate it; formerly I didn’t understand it nor like it. Sutra Ylang has a good opening. There is citrus, spice, and a fine green note from the laurel. I appreciate the latter. Lovely florals (rose, jasmine, lily of the valley) are set against the restrained yet powerful violet. The effect is haunting and memorable. In the dry-down; the citrus persists (unusual!), the wood gets tangy, and eventually the violet and benzoin combine in a powdery-sweet sustained note. I lose interest in the later stages of the dry-down, but up ‘til then I enjoyed this.

Top: bergamot, lemon, petitgrain, cloves, geranium, artemesia
Mid: patchouli, lavender, vetiver, sandalwood, cedarwood
Base: tobacco leaves, musk, amber, vanilla, benzoin, labdanum, galbanum
The citrus is absolutely invisible in the opening. I get rich and spicy cloves, and a bit of green artemesia. Then appear some good smoky and tangy notes of vetiver and lavender. I find this phase to be excellent. Then the vetiver reaches down and shakes hands with the amber. I’m not a fan of vanilla, amber or tobacco leaf. However, they are well done here, not excessive or cloying. This one is not my style, but I can appreciate it. Perhaps it is more suitable for a woman, in fact I think it would be quite attractive on the right woman. The dry-down is excellent, I appreciate the hint of dry and dusky-green galbanum.

The lemon-spice opening is pretty good. Lovely rich florals give this depth. The sandalwood starts off woody and tangy, and with the other ingredients it intially makes a dignified statement. But then the heavies (amber, leather, patchouli and particularly vanilla) kick in and highjack the scent. Where did the sandalwood go? This winds up creamy and luxurious, quite sweet and perfumed. Loads and loads of vanilla give this a foody sort of profile. Not my style at all. For the complete opposite – a lean, woody, austere sandalwood – try Santal by Melvita in its Soliflore line. That can be hard to find but is is worth the effort, I never grow tired of it. Whereas this Trumpers is a scrubber for me. A shame, because I love pretty much all of the ‘historical’ Trumper scents. But the modern ones don’t have the same character: perhaps in an attempt to have a unisex scent some of the masculine assertive flair has been lost.

This is gorgeous. Honeyed vanilla notes with tobacco are not my style, and yet I find much to appreciate here. The opening notes, although sweet, are not cloying. The impression is of a sweetly-scented tin of pipe tobacco that has just been opened. This is a very attractive, even sexy scent. The tobacco leaves are restrained and give a beautiful brown-leaf tang. Moving into its development, the scent displays luxurious incense and jasmine. The incense reminds me of myrrh, another sweet and perfumed aspect. Vetiver is mellow rather than grassy. So I have to say this is one of the best scents in the tobacco family that I’ve ever encountered. It is classy and compelling. My problem is that vanilla and tobacco just get sweeter and more opulent on my skin, and after an hour I grow weary of them. But this is truly a lovely scent, and I’d enjoy a romp with a lovely woman wearing it. So, a neutral vote but still appreciative.

Fragrance elements: snow, woolen mittens, frozen forest.
Winter 1972. Fresh, entirely synthetic. Not attractive to me at all. Odd, frosty, no ‘warmth’. Like smelling blasts of air from a freezer. I understand this is a wintery scent... but sheesh. At times a whiff of something like coriander – the only interesting thing there but a bit too sweet. It has poor longevity, in this case a blessing. I’m sorry to be so negative, but I find this to be vacuous and irritating. It makes my nose sore.

Fragrance elements: grape leaves, weathered wood, green moss, cool earth.
Under the Arbor – a lovely name, memory, concept. I’d love to sit in a pergola or arbor on a hot summer day and smell the above wonderful things. However, I’m underwhelmed by this scent. It is slightly green (sappy, vinous) and has a somewhat innocent mood. Fairly sweet and floral; young flowers I’d say. There is a fresh and cool note, mint-like. But the latter becomes another example of the irritating fresh notes in many of today’s scents. Whatever the grape leaves are supposed to be, to me they smell like grape Kool-Aid powder, or a tin of grape soda-pop with a mint lifesaver dissolved in it. Moss? Pretty subdued. Wood? Can’t find any.

Fragrance elements: marine, salty breeze, driftwood, rocks covered in seaweed, old leather suitcases.
Mr. Hulot’s Holiday – a charming French movie, full of wry observations of human nature and great physical comedy, all conveyed wordlessly. I guess this scent is an homage to the movie, but I too am not a fan of this family of scents. It is an airy, breezy, fresh scent. What I find in many scents of this family is certainly what I find here: a synthetic, detergent-like note that gets colder and more irritating as time goes on. This is an OK scent, but in my opinion nothing special. Its chief virtue is that it is somewhat less irritating than others. Don’t get any green seaweed, old wood, or leather notes here. Just fresh, fresh, fresh. My nose is getting weary of all the freshness.

Well, I’m disappointed in Gli Odori. I love herbal scents, and the product descriptions of little pots of herbs in the sunny streets of Florence sounded so nice. The opening is great: herbal, fresh and green, even a bit piquant. There is also a bit of peppery nutmeg spice, and woody pencil shavings from the cedar. The cedar and sandalwood bring out a citrus note that is also pleasing. Then, the whole thing goes south on me! The celery seed combines aggressively with the cedarwood and I get a STRONG cumin pong that just gets bigger and more obnoxious as time goes on. I’m not against cumin-like scents, Trumper’s Eucris for example has a nice little pinch of it. But it is just way too much here. Out of interest, I compared Gli Odori with MPG’s Grain de Plaisir – what a difference. Admittedly, celery seed is the ‘point’ of Grain (whereas it should only be a background element in Gli Odori); yet in Grain it stays as celery seed (slightly sweet, aromatic, nutty and celery-like). Grain is much finer scent in my opinion. Can’t register a positive for Gli, unfortunately. I'll be interested if others have the same impression.

Top: celery, mandarin orange, thyme, davana, cedarwood
Mid: patchouli, sandalwood, eucalyptus, incense
Base: tobacco leaves, musk, vanilla, benzoin, labdanum
The first half of Real Patchouly is excellent. It has a wonderfully dry resin-incense note, freshened by a bit of eucalyptus. The woods are woody and well done. So far this ranks with Bois d’Encens or Bois d’Orage. Then the sweet and rich notes of tobacco leaves, amber and vanilla kick in. The scent gets bigger, browner and heavier and I like it less and less. The final dry-down is quite ambery and vanilla-laden; a true oriental style of fragrance. I guess if you like amber and vanilla you’ll like this; but I don’t. I vote 'neutral' because of the fine first half.

Top: bergamot, pepper, nutmeg, basil, juniper
Mid: rose, jasmine, osmanthus, cedar, apricot, lavender, black pepper
Base: amber, vetiver, musk, tobacco leaves, thyme
Classic 1920 has a marvelous opening. It is spicy-green, aromatic, invigorating and quite charming. This is the best part of the scent, in my opinion. The scent then opens up and mellows with the appearance of the floral notes and light woods. The base is where I lose interest. I’ve never been a fan of tobacco-leaf scents. I understand the rich, sweet brown note but it doesn't work on me. The amber-musk notes add other rich and sweet notes. I don’t get any of the vetiver or thyme notes. So I’ll be neutral on this one, but I admit it is a classy and lovely scent that will appeal to many.

Top: tea leaves, cumin, lemon, orange, rosemary, lavender
Mid: rose, jasmine, hyacinth, geranium, cedar wood, sandalwood, patchouli
Base: myrrh, tobacco leaves
Sandalo e The is a complex, difficult-to-categorize scent… indeed an “odd duck.” I think part of the issue is how it reacts on male skin (judging from the reviews so far). On me, the particularly ‘male’ fragrance notes are accentuated (cumin, wood, and tobacco leaf). I wonder how this scent would be on a woman? The opening is very aromatic and quite interesting. The first time I tried this I got cumin, cumin, more cumin. That is the sweaty spice mentioned in the review below. The cumin circles around and reappears in every phase of this scent. Smoky lavender adds to the forceful entry. Then there is a woody middle phase. I got more cedar than sandalwood, and I enjoyed it. I didn’t get any florals the first time I tried it. The second time, my nose was accustomed to the barrage and I could detect nice floral notes, which are brief and frankly overwhelmed by the more powerful notes. In the base, myrrh is dominant. It is heady-sweet, perfumed and rich. The tobacco leaves are sweet, brown and tangy. The myrrh-tobacco chord grows and grows, and finally moves into a languidly sweet drydown. This is an interesting scent, but where’s the tea leaves and sandalwood? I like the aromatic, bold qualities, but in the end find it too sweet to suit me. But give it a try, it is different!

Detailed fragrance note list –
Top: grapefruit, lemon, orange, mandarin, petitgrain, cumin
Mid: jasmine, patchouli, lime, lavender, sandalwood, cassis
Base: musk
I am of mixed mind about Agrumi Amaria di Sicilia. I like the concept of a Mediterranean hesperidium-inspired scent. I like its particular citrus notes; they are fresh, persistent (for such notes) and natural smelling. So what’s the problem? Namely that this is an expensive, exclusive scent that merely (and mildly) delivers the same sort of lemony EDC vibe that R&G’s Extra Vielle, or even good old 4711, have been doing for centuries at a lower price and with more oomph and character. For this price, I expect either an outstandingly vibrant rendition of the basics, or a distinctive twist on that. Neither is in view here. AAdS has a lovely citrus opening, in particular the grapefruit is really appealing and evident. There is a hint of green (lime, lavender leaves) and the merest spice note. The scent has a slightly cool, airy quality; and it pretty much stays that way. I don’t get the cassis berries. The patchouli is light (thankfully), so is the musk and sandalwood. This is a subtle, refreshing scent… nothing wrong with it. But is it worth the price? In my opinion, no.

“Ambergris itself is one of the few natural animalic fragrance ingredients that has no connotations of cruelty because it is produced and excreted by the sperm whale. It can float on the ocean for years evolving under the influence of sun and salt water. Then it is collected when it washes up on shore, by which stage its distinctive nutty, warm scent is a symphony of boronal, ambrinol, dihydro ionone gamma - and its best-smelling aromatic part, ambroxan.”
This techie note is from the Luckyscent site and gives very interesting insight into the mysterious allure of beach-harvested ambergris. What a rare and fascinating ingredient!
Razala has a rich, spicy opening. It is not very orangey on my skin. The scent is soft, floral, and substantial. I think the oud combines very well with the myrrh: it gives a bracing edge to the aromatic and perfumey myrrh. The oud and myrrh combine to create a sensual, languid, almost narcotic feeling. The drydown is spicy and complex. The scent is intended to evoke a “love-potion” mystique, and in my opinion it succeeds! It doesn’t suit my skin type, but is an exceptionally beautiful scent which I would enjoy smelling on someone lovely.

Top: citrus (bergamot, mandarin, lemon)
Heart: spices (pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon) and jasmine, rose, anise
Base: vanilla and woody notes (sandalwood, patchouli, vetiver, tonka beans)
I got this expanded list off the Net and it jibes with what I’m smellin’.
First I’ll have a mild grumble about the name. I can imagine a scent that actually might evoke a sushi-like vibe: it could have a marine note, a wasabi kick, some dark soy… and that would be an interesting sort of thing. Sushi Imperiale has absolutely nothing to do with sushi. So why the name? I suppose because it is an oriental style of scent. But Japanese minimalism and focus (seen for example in some of the Comme des Garçons line) is the antithesis of the rich, spicy, luxurious oriental style of fragrance. Giving this scent the name ‘sushi’ suggests a simplistic marketing attitude of “hey, let’s pick an oriental-sounding name that no one has used yet.”
Enough of that line, what about the scent? It is a beautiful oriental, to be sure. That style is not my cup of tea but I can note what’s here. The citrus opening is so brief as to be undetectable, at least on my skin. I immediately get interesting spices, which are peppery and warm. These are softened by floral notes. Vanilla and patchouli emerge and the scent gets sweet, soft, opulent, slightly foody. So it is a nice scent, some may enjoy it.

“Zohar” in Hebrew means enlightenment, brilliance or glamour. “May Zohar,” “Zohar Water,” or “Glittering Water” are common names for orange blossom water in the Middle East, which is used in refreshing drinks and fancy confections.
Well, I think the above is so interesting that I pasted it in from Ayala’s site. I’ll add that The Zohar is a beautiful series of books of Jewish mysticism, part of the Kabbalah tradition. In part, they speak of humanity in productive harmony with nature – a fitting connection for such a lovely fragrance.
Zohar by Ayala is a gorgeous soliflore scent. That means that it emphasizes a single note, usually floral. It has other fragrance elements but these serve to frame and accentuate that note. So what we have here is a love letter to the orange blossom. The neroli scent, from flowers of the bitter orange tree, has been described as spicy, dry yet floral, fresh but with depth. That is exactly what we have here. Those expecting an orange fruit scent will only find a faint hint of it. I love the smell of neroli, and this is a delightful rendition. Tuberose adds an ethereal, expansive air to the dense orange blossom and jasmine florals. There is also a note that I struggle to identify… ‘brown’ comes to mind. At times it seems like toasted nuts, or earth. It may be the honey absolute, or the type of amber, or it may be an indolic component which is a languid and somewhat pungent background factor typical of these florals. Zohar is a complex soliflore, and well worth trying.

I tried Eau de Cartier in both its regular and concentrated versions. I like each to a certain extent, but can’t endorse either whole-heartedly. Eau de Cartier Concentrée reduces the problematically powdery-amber drydown of the regular version, so that’s a good thing. It is a sharper and more acidic fragrance, and a simpler one. Sadly, it has lost the haunting and elusive herbal-wood note that I enjoy so much in the regular version. This is a bigger scent than the regular: it has more green-acidic notes, more violet leaves, more musk. It is an OK aromatic-green scent. A bit sour, and slightly synthetic in character… not very interesting in my opinion.

I tried Eau de Cartier in both its regular and concentrated versions. I like each to a certain extent, but can’t endorse either whole-heartedly.
Eau de Cartier has a fruity and crisp green opening. It is quite citrus-fruity, but the yuzu (a Japanese citrus) is not the usual lemon. The middle starts as a very translucent light green herbal chord. It has hints of metal (not something I usually like) but here it is pleasantly cool. The cool herbal notes come from the violet leaves and lavender. This is excellent, and if it stayed there this would be a favorite. At this point there is haunting, elusive quality that draws me in. The dry-down starts off subtle and initially continues the light herbal-woods note from the middle. Cedar adds a woody note which complements the herbs. Unfortunately from my perspective, the amber and patchouli grow and grow and drown out that great middle section. There is a powdery, perfumed profile which just turns me off. Where’s my axe? I’ll cut off the base, and then I’ll be happy. Out of appreciation for the first two phases I’ll just be neutral on this.

Top: incense, bergamot, blackcurrant buds
Mid: terra cotta
Base: amber, lichen (moss?), cedar, patchouli, honey, yellow sweet clover, musk
If you read about the hotel on the Eau d’Italie site you find these fragrance notes – they are not listed elsewhere.
Well, I think this is fantastic. It gets top marks for all three phases. First, it has incense as a top note (rather than the base) – how unusual and creative! I love dry, resinous incense scents so I don’t have to wait on this one. The incense combines with the blackcurrant buds for a sappy-green and zippy opening. Second, the clay or terra-cotta note in the middle is brilliant and quite distinctive. How they achieve it I can’t imagine, but it is very realistic. Third, the dry-down is mellow, suave, not sweet or heavy but very satisfying. It is really lovely, a restrained but completely effective blend. In particular there is something (lichen-moss perhaps) that gives a hint of a salty-green note that is just great!

“Knize Forest – a hint of simplicity (ein Hauch Ursprünglichkeit… I’d translate this as ‘primordial’) – nature’s declaration of love for the modern man – a fresh, green and balsamic fragrance.” Knize brochure
Knize Forest is intriguing and complex. It is very herbal and green, so it won’t be to everyone’s taste. I like it, and find it to be a classier and less piney scent than Pino Silvestre. I’ve revised my review, since I had been working off a sample and had to guesstimate the fragrance notes which are a bit different from the BN pyramid. Now I have a bottle, and that came with a little brochure that 'officially' lists the following:
TOP: lavender, bergamot, lemon, juniper, clary sage, verbena
MID: oregano, spruce, carnation, rose, geranium
BASE: cedarwood, musk, labdanum, amber, tonka, sandalwood.
In addition to these elements, I am convinced that there are mint and violet leaves; and certainly there must be some oakmoss since this is clearly a fougère type of scent.
It opens with a green-citrus blast from the lemon and verbena. The juniper and lavender add a very brisk, even perky quality. This phase is excellent. The mid notes are primarily herbal, as I said in my earlier review this is not a pine or spruce-dominated scent at all. In this phase I get a very strong minty note. I used to think it was rosemary but it is less resinous and more creamy, like mint leaf. Here the scent is quirky but pleasant. The drydown has cedarwood and sandalwood, these are done in a fresh/sharp style rather than a woody style. Light musk adds some grace notes, and tonka gives a grassy flair due to its coumarin. I think that all the perkiness must be due not only to the juniper, mint and woods but also some violet leaves. Certainly Knize Two has lots of violet leaves and I get a whiff of them here too. If you like herbal scents, then Forest is worth a try. As I said earlier, what we have here is a quiet walk in woods which border on grassy meadows: everything is aromatic, restful, and cool (but not piney).

Who could resist such a cute line, including scent, bubble bath, soap… all at really inexpensive prices when it appeared at a local remaindered shop? Not me! It is true that it would take a genius designer to capture the whimsical, poignant, innocent, sadly wise qualities of the novella Le Petit Prince. And it is true that this scent does not fully do that story justice. However, it is an acceptable scent and it you can find it at a low, low price then you might give it a try. It has a very good lemon-verbena opening. In my opinion the verbena is really quite good, lots of citrusy-green leaf notes. These last a satisfying amount of time for volatile citrus top notes. Later there are very light touches of moss and tiny bits of translucent wood which – if you use your imagination, as the little Prince suggests we all should – give a somewhat thoughtful air to this light-hearted lemony splash. Apply liberally and repeatedly. The joys of life are beautiful but transitory. We can’t hold on to them, we just enjoy the moments.

I wear some R&G scents: Vetyver, Extra Vielle, Bouquet Imperiale, Ginger. To my masculine taste, those are dry enough that I enjoy them. Lotus Bleu is a beautiful scent but – no surprise – I find it to be feminine and thus outside my style. Thus, I can report that it is quite sweet, floral, pretty. The floral notes are big, even rich. The patchouli is sweet. Not much wood here. I think this is one of the ‘bigger’ R&Gs in terms of fragrance presence. Since I have to position the thumb I'll put it sideways, but this is an attractive scent for women.

Spezie puzzles me. There are different versions of the fragrance notes. Here is what I got off a LV brochure: “pure herbs from the Tuscan garden” (laurel, origanum, sage, thyme, rosemary, lavender, fennel, tomato leaves), juniper, cut grass, fir, bergamot, coriander.
Well, that should be exactly the sort of herbal-grassy scent I like! And many reviewers describe it as a green herbal concoction. I’ve sampled it twice, but on me it is an odd sort of powdery scent. The image I get is of a hand that has worked in the garden but more recently was in a rubber glove sprinkled with baby powder. Needless to say this does not thrill me. The opening is very pungent, sharp and spicy. But even at this stage, and developing further, is a sweetish-aromatic tone that I suppose might be from juniper… it is a bit boozy-gin in style. Once in a while I get hints of herbal notes, and also a sweet-nutty coriander note. But basically the powder remains front-and-centre. The dry-down has a vanilla-balsamic note that also doesn’t thrill me. This should be like a super-charged Sisley Eau de Campagne, on me it is something very different. I like herbal scents -- for me this is not one.

Additional fragrance notes (from sample brochure): mastic tree, red cedar
I like Un Jardin en Méditerranée. It is the first fig-oriented scent I’ve tried that I can endorse. This is a citrus/green leaf/light wood scent. It is light, translucent and very refreshing. It opens with a crisp citrus and green leaf note. Woods quickly appear. They stay close to the skin but are very well done. By that I mean they are ‘true’ to type, in particular the cedar smells very natural. The mastic tree note is a gum which has a leafy-resinous character. The fig elements start in a low-key way and get bigger (but never out of control). I think this is the ‘biggest’ of the three Hermès Jardin scents, the one with the largest presence. If you are a fan of fig scents, you’ll probably like this. I’m still neutral on them but I have to admit this one is pretty good.

Un Jardin Après la Mousson: a lovely name, a beautiful bottle, an excellent concept… a failed product. This was a disappointment for me. I like its sibling scent, Un Jardin sur le Nil, very much and I looked forward to trying Mousson. The opening of peppery spices and a brief blast of melon was attractive. That lasted for about ten seconds. Then things turned unpleasant. There was a salty-stale marine chord which evoked the image of a salt-encrusted pier with barnacles and seaweed. Also, there was an odd kind of toasty note, like rancid sesame oil and dodgy old melon rinds. And that is where it stayed until I washed it off. This is a unisex scent that can be disliked by either gender.

It is interesting to note how Megumi performs on my (male) skin. The fruity notes are not prominent. Similarly, the florals are lovely yet not too sweet. For me, the peppery spice notes lead, supported and softened by florals and light fruit. I call the opening phase “green aromatic,” and it is very attractive and dynamic. Then, mysterious oud starts to blossom, and it provides a very intriguing segue into the lower notes. At first it gives a bracing edge to the fuzzy moss. Then it combines with vetiver to give a smoky wood/grass chord. Finally the oud itself takes centre stage, but now it is supported and modulated by all the previous notes. I think this is another brilliantly designed green scent by Ayala. I also think it would be an excellent introduction to oud for the uninitiated. Sometimes oud can be overpowering or highly distinctive; here it is marvelous and very attractive. This can be a unisex scent, I like it a lot.

I’ve tried Polo Black four times, and I like it less each time. Enough! It has some elements (sage, armoise, aka. artemesia) that have the potential to be appealing. But all these “green effervescent accords” and “lush liquid accords” and hedione translate into an overly-synthetic and irritating scent. It is a shallow scent: airy-fresh with no redeeming depth or character, something like smelling cool air blasting out of a freezer full of frozen green things.

Additional fragrance notes: (top) apple, lemon, bergamot; (mid) mimosa, pepper; (base) opopanax, sandalwood. From the Villoresi site.
Incensi is interesting. It has resinous incense notes at each level, yet it is not an incense-heavy or dryly resinous scent. Its final effect is cool, contemplative, slightly detached or even melancholy. In other words, you are not in a daytime church service experiencing chanting, colorful vestments and smoky incense. Rather, you have wandered into a cool and silent cathedral in the evening. Ghosts of prayers and incense linger and outside, there is silvery-cool moonlight.
With that impressionistic image, I’ll analyze the scent. It has a great galbanum opening. There are those spicy-green celery leaf and dusty stones notes which I associate with galbanum. To me this is a very attractive stage. Then it changes to a gentle spice accord, with a bit of powder. I find the spices to be subtle, a seamless mélange rather than clearly identifiable cinnamon or pepper. The dry-down becomes cool and powdery. The myrrh adds a slightly sweet, softly aromatic and perfumed note. Normally I don’t like powder but this has a haunting restraint that works for me. Wearing this on a warm day gives a cool sensation. I like it, it is different.

D. R. Harris’s Sandalwood has some attractive elements but it is BIG and spicy. It is woody, somewhat dry but also a bit cloying and heavy. It smells like an old wooden chest that has had spices stored in it for a few decades. It evokes the glory days of the original Old Spice sort of scents… definitely old-school. Powdery dry-down, with amber, clovey spice and sweet musk. Not my style but certainly a classic.

Romane’s Chancellor is irritatingly fresh. It is VERY minty and a brash, budget-frag sort of green scent. A severe blast of spearmint, like toothpaste or a Lifesaver mint! We can do better than this sort of thing.

Fragrance notes: aromatic herbs (laurel, bay leaf, coriander/cilantro), sap of fruit wood, “garrigue,” white jasmine, “assertive woods” (cedar, vetiver), verbena, musk.
Miller & Bertaux’s Green-4 is very distinctive. It simultaneously offers fresh green and woody notes. It opens with a verbena blast (lemon/basil/freshly-baked bread) and then segues into a dry yet fruity wood. Aromatic, green, very refreshing; all is excellent.
A note on “garrigue” – it is a Provençal French term for the smells of wild resinous herbs (e.g., thyme, lavender, rosemary) as they grow in the hot baked earth. Many wines from this region, are described as having a garigue aroma and flavor. Garigue literally means a thicket or bunch of low bushes. So whatever the garigue is in G-4 it is certainly green, lively and intriguing.
The wood in G-4 changes from fruity to cedary, and it intensifies. In fact, for me this becomes a woody scent with green supporting notes. It is distinctive, as I’ve said, and oddly satisfying. If I were to compare to a Hermés scent it would be Le Jardin sur le Nil. Jardin is more lemony and has an interesting ethereal paper/reed note; whereas G-4 is woody and earthy. However, the two seem like cousins to me.

Foetidus said somewhere that one sign of an exceptional fragrance is the way it evokes polarized opinions. That seems to be the case here! I like this scent very much, and don’t get any of the so-called synthetic, metallic or problematic elements. To me, it is a luxurious and beautiful scent. It is not heavy nor sweet, there is no vanilla (thankfully) and its powdery elements are restrained. I find it to be masculine and suave. I think it would work well as a date scent: it has exceptional sillage (as some have noted) and women love it! I think one reason that women like it is that it does project a ‘masculine’ aura. Having just read the excellent article “What Makes a Scent Masculine?” by Ayala Sender [ayalasmellyblog.blogspot.com/2007/06/what-makes-fragrance-musculine.html] I agree with her point that the natural smell of a man’s body includes elements which have a similarity (inter alia) to cumin, wood and vetiver… precisely what we have in this scent. This starts with a brilliant overture of all its elements: there is smoke and incense, spice, a creamy power/leather note, and very good dry wood. The scent settles into a dry spicy-wood vibe that is very enjoyable. The cumin is noticeable but IMO well-modulated, restrained, and combines well with the wood. I find the incense to be a minor note, lovely but not as mysterious and evocative as that in the CdG Incense line. Excellent!

Thierry Mugler Cologne is one of my favorite scents. It has an aromatherapeutic effect for me, always evoking a happy childhood springtime vibe. I’ve thought about why this is the case, and concluded that the lovely orange blossom and musk scent is similar to spring bulb flowers such as hyacinth and lily. Some reviewers below find TM Cologne to be citrusy, I don’t. The orange blossoms are much more floral and delicate than any straightforward lemon or orange scent. There is also a slightly sharp green scent (especially at the beginning), and there is a fresh aspect throughout the development. What could be giving that aspect? Ladies and gentlemen, I submit that the mystery ingredient ‘S’ is spearmint leaves, delicately rendered as a freshening element. The bar soap in this fragrance has a noticeable minty aspect which led me to this conclusion. This is an absolutely beautiful scent: light green floral, fresh, lively. It really is the best of this sort of thing on the market. The lightly spicy musk drydown is excellent.
Additional note -- my latest theory on the so-called "mystery element" S is fresh sage leaf. I had a meal in a restaurant which was garnished with this leaf. Its scent exactly matches TM Cologne. Fresh sage seems to me a bit minty and green-leafy (totally different from dried sage!), so my original guesstimate wasn't so far off.

Bulgari Blu is wretched stuff. Like some others below, I find it to be simplistic, powdery-sweet and cloying. It is powerful, excessively "fresh" in a synthetic manner, and quite obnoxiously headache-inducing in a budget-frag sort of way. Ughh, a total scrubber.

I sampled this in a hat store (a logical, if unexpected place to find it) and was unimpressed. Cloyingly sweet, floral and musky, simple. Not classy like Borsalino hats.

“…inspired by the exhilarating crispness of mountain air and the purity of cascading alpine streams…” (Creed site). I find this to be a cool, even frosty scent. Citrus and green tea in the opening, lots of green tea. The blackcurrant buds give another green note. For me this scent is all surface, showing glittering sparkles but having no depth. Indeed, I find it tiresome after a while...like breathing air from a freezer. Much nicer cool-frosty scents are Blenheim Bouquet and Fath's Green Water.

This is a very interesting and distinctive scent. It is perky, quirky, minty citrus-green. The opening is very citrus-y, then it settles into an earthy-green chord. A peppery mint, or peppermint, whatever you please, is evident. This is a very GREEN scent which gets more substantial as time goes by. It develops sappy, juicy notes. I am a big fan of green scents – and yet I’m of mixed mind about this one. Perhaps it is just so distinctive that I need to become accustomed to it. A sweet floral note emerges, the so-called “sweet pea”. I’ll try this again sometime, and I urge all greenies out there to give it a try… see what you think!

Well, for me this was a disappointment. I love "churchy" incense scents; ones that are resinous, dry, and woody. They evoke a haunting, mysterious quality. The fact that this scent was revived for the occasion of Pope Benedict's visit to the USA led me to think AA might be something along the lines I've described above. But, as many have noted, this is a very sweet, musky, vanillan and floral scent. It has only a passing acquaintance with incense. Creed's Cypres-Musc is the sort of thing I had been expecting, and certainly Comme des Garcons' Incense line delivers the goods. This is another pot of incense, and not my style. Doesn't smell masculine to me at all. Thumbs down because what the promotion suggests, and what the product delivers, are two different things.

Palisander is a complex scent. It has a lovely woody opening, with a fresh green note. Some heady hints of myrrh and saffron start to emerge. The aromatic incense notes dance with the cedar wood notes. The myrrh continues to develop. It is a bit sweet and powdery, but that just adds an elegant note to the wood. The dry-down is lovely. I like this a lot.

I have substantially revised my earlier review. In order to understand Sequoia, you need to understand and appreciate the contribution of agarwood (aka oud). Oud is a tricky, complex scent: it can be tangy, medicinal, earthy, sharply pungent. Sequoia is a really interesting combination of sweet booze, cedar, and oud. These three elements appear and reappear throughout the scent’s duration. The red rum gives a tipple-y note. The cedar is excellent: it is very woody and true to type. Cedar chests and old forests come to mind. Oud gives a bracing, heady, at times other-worldly quality that is unique. Other sites say that opopanax also is an ingredient. That is a resin with musky, juniper-like tones. All in all, this is a fascinating scent!

Corps et Ames is a scent in Parfumerie General’s Private Collection. The rose is dominant, and thus the scent is more floral than I usually like in a man’s fragrance. But this is not overly sweet. It is fresh, invigorating, and attractive. There are interesting light wood notes. This settles into a pleasant peppery-floral-wood scent that is light and breezy. I’d say it is good, but not essential.

As many have noted, Mark Birley is a lovely, delicate scent, as light as a feather. On me, it had a dominant orange note. I thought it might be like Hermes’ Eau d’Orange Verte – nope! EOV is positively bold in comparison, and of course is much greener and zippier. MS is a citrus and light musk scent. It is fresh and perky, and stays very close to the skin. One has to get quite close to appreciate its subdued beauty. This scent would be best in intimate encounters. It is of the “one’s own skin, but better” variety... and thus advantageous for such episodes. I’d say it is OK but not a wowser.

Querelle is a scent in Parfumerie General’s Private Collection. I’ve revised my review, and given it a slight downgrade. It is pretty good, but I’m not as keen on it as I was at first. Qurelle has two phases. The first is dark and spicy. It is deep, complex, quite tangy and intriguing. The dark spices and incense are a bit sweet but not problematic. Ambergris gives a balsam-vanilla note. All these rich ingredients are balanced by the tangy note from vetiver. In phase two much of the complexity burns off and what is left is a vetiver-centered scent that gets even tangier and more than a little soapy. This is in the Guerlain mode but better. I don’t like vetiver done that way, I find it too heavy and soapy. But if you like vetiver, then by all means give this a try and see what you think.

Top – mint, lemon, orange, lavender
Mid – floral, blackcurrant, cedar, wood tones
Base – tobacco, vetiver, oakmoss
The opening is aromatic and herbal, with a hint of grass. I’ve tried this several times and only get a tiny bit of mint and lavender. The wood tones are fairly faint. Mostly what I get is a somewhat fusty tobacco leaf note, followed by a mossy and musky drydown. Grass is the dominant theme, a fairly sweet one due to the tobacco and supported by the vetiver. This is an OK scent, not brilliant in my opinion.

This is a boozy, leathery scent. It has old-school style: it is rich, smoky, powerful. There are lovely notes here. Normally I’m not a fan of leather scents but this has clubby charm. Likewise with the tobacco leaf. The incense notes are intriguing and dusky. Apply in small doses and wear in cool weather, this generates its own heat. Lovely dry-down.

This has an excellent cedar up front: piney, even a bit minty, almost like eucalyptus. A good wood note, though unfortunately it is brief. The honey is like lovely beeswax, making this a very rich scent (in my opinion). The spices are a tight blend, I couldn't pick out the individual elements. The opopanax gives some musky green notes. The florals make this rich too. In short, this is opulent. It is not my style, but I think it is beautiful.

Your love is more delightful than wine.
Pleasing is the fragrance of your anointing oils,
your name is perfume poured out.
Song of Songs 1:2-3
In Jewish tradition, the Biblical book 'Song of Songs' is classified as wisdom literature. And there is wisdom in this scent, the evocation of love in its various kinds. We have the beauty and sensuality of love, in the lovely deep rose notes. We have the quiet contemplative (even yearning) aspect of love, in the introspective incense notes. The incense has an interesting treatment here. It is not rich and sweet (as in a typical oriental) nor is it dry and turpentine-like (as in some Mediterranean men's fragrances). This takes a third path, one I struggle to describe: something like steeped herbal tea. We sense the smells and the thoughts associated with a cooled cup of tea as one waits for one's beloved...
This fragrance is very interesting since it uses fragrance elements known since Egyptian times, many of them mentioned in the great love-poem of the Bible, Song of Songs.

Lemongrass is the centre of this scent, exerting its strong lemony – grassy presence. Hay absolute combines with the lemongrass to create a sweet, “hay field in the sun” chord. Some aromatic notes from the clove bud, lavender and juniper berry add interest at the beginning, but they quickly make way for the lemongrass.

Top: dew drop green, orange blossom, green lime, carrot seed
Mid: white peach, freesia, waterlily, rose, jasmine, davana
Base: cedar, vetiver, sandalwood, basmati, musk, amber, moss
This is a lovely scent, full of peach fruit and richly sweet flowers. It is not unisex, it is a feminine scent; and it would suit a lovely young lady.

L'Écume des Jours is an exceptional fragrance. I urge those interested to go to Ayala's website & read her comments about the link between this fragrance and the novel of the same title. Her intent was to create a slightly "melancholy" scent. Without knowing that, I had already characterized this as having a haunting, contemplative character. The opening is very interesting, aromatic and spicy-green. I find the florals to be subtle, they slightly soften the dry elements but are not foreground. The salty-briny note from seaweed is really interesting. The elements here, and the mood they create, are first-rate. This must be tried to be understood; words fail to capture its effect. Ayala has a real understanding of green scents. Speaking as a fan of green scents, I never fail to be pleased with her creations. This is listed in Basenotes as a feminine scent but I can assure you that many men will love it, this one does!

I have revised my review. In the earlier note, I was working off a sample, and talked impressionistically of "burnished gold tones." Now I have a bottle, and a different take. Chevalier has a beautiful citrus-spice-herb opening. It is a complex scent, with so many ingredients. The middle is a dusty sort of spice, light and airy. The middle is not sweet, but there are florals and a restrained sort of powdery aspect. The base has pine and a dry incense note. The base is very dry and airy: cool, aloof, very intriguing. This is dry and light enough to wear during the day. It is interesting and complex with character, so it is also suitable for evening wear.

Absinthe (wormwood), “African stone tincture,” angelica, bergamot, broom (genet), deer’s tongue (liatrix), galbanum, “green cognac,” guiacwood, hay absolute, jasmine, neroli, rosemary absolute, yerba maté
What a fascinating list of ingredients! On her site, Ayala says, “coumarin is the soul of Gaucho” and I certainly agree. This is a very grassy scent, meant to evoke warm breezes coming off the pampas plains of Argentina. It is intense, amazingly tangy, dry... a grassy green rather than a leafy green or a forest green. It is so dry and bold that I think any man could wear it. I find the floral elements (jasmine, neroli and guiacwood which has rose qualities) are very background. There are many grassy or hay-like elements here and they dominate: broom, hay absolute, and of course the coumarin from the deer’s tongue. My research reveals that deer’s tongue was commonly used to scent tobacco, which is why this fragrance very much reminds me of my father’s tins of pipe tobacco. This is a completely unique sort of scent, nothing at all like the amber powdery fluff-ball of Yerbamate by Villoresi! Try it!

I find Egon Oelkers (eo 02) to be a spicy-woody-ambery sort of scent. It starts with good spices and brief citrus notes, and a bit of aromatic galbanum. I searched for the very interesting heart notes but they eluded me. This very quickly settles into alternating notes of cedar (excellent) and rich amber (well done but not to my taste). If you like buttery amber you’ll probably like this. I feel it could have been so much more. I’m neutral on it, a bit disappointed given the great potential of its ingredients.

This has an excellent aromatic green-citrus opening. It is very lemony and invigorating. Grassy-hay notes emerge, contributed by the vetiver and coumarin (from the tonka bean). I think Ayala is an expert on coumarin, she can always get excellent cut-grass notes when she wants. The blond tobacco leaf adds an intriguing variation on this grassy theme. It reminds me of my father’s old pipe tobacco tins. This is a lovely daytime scent. I don’t find Sabotage to be ‘macho’ or ‘stinky.’ The grassy notes are quite distinctive, but that is part of this scent’s charm. Ayala’s site says that she created Sabotage to be “a parody of classic masculine scents.” I like it.

Allspice (pimento berry), balsam tolu, bitter orange, fir absolute, frankincense, jasmine, juniper berry, myrrh, orange blossom, absolute rose maroc, virginia cedarwood
I am revising my earlier review. I have compared this scent to its earlier version (Fete d’Hiver) and also have a greater understanding of scent issues, in particular frankincense and pine.
Bois d’Hiver is striking! The opening is very aromatic, green and bold. I think it is fabulous. Orange and other citrus notes are in the background, as are florals and peppery spice. The pine note is brief. The frankincense quickly assumes centre stage, with a bit of myrrh. These incense notes give the scent a round, rich, exotic quality. It is slightly sweeter, more dramatic and luxurious than its earlier version. This is a complex scent. Ayala has upped the ante here, not only adding more elements but in some cases increasing their quality (e.g., using absolutes). Thus we have a very memorable, special scent. I am growing in my appreciation of incense-oriented scents, and this is excellent.

This is a lovely scent. Ayala has discontinued this and developed a slightly different scent called Bois d’Hiver. I have a sample of FdH and I can compare it to the newer BdH. I find FdH to be sharper, a bit drier. It is a slightly simpler scent, and that gives it an airy, somewhat translucent quality in comparison to the more complex and dense BdH. The pine is a bit more noticeable here, and I can also pick out the florals more. Nutmeg and allspice combine with the orange to give a very pleasant “Christmas spice” chord. This seems a bit woodsier, with a very nice sandalwood note. The incense has a lower profile than in BdH. The drydown of the two scents is similar.

This is a take-no-prisoners fougere, and frankly too much for my taste. Azzaro starts off strong and becomes overbearing. It is deep, dark and rich; and for me the pungent and musty smell of patchouli gradually took over and overwhelmed all other elements. Perhaps in micro-doses this could work, but I won't attempt that. I find Armani to be a brighter and much more enjoyable example of this type of scent. Gucci Nobile is another wonderful 70's/80's scent.

Equipage by Hermes is an airy, dry aromatic scent of spice and wood. I find the dominant and persistent notes to be patchouli and vetiver: at times a bit leathery, at times grassy and slightly musty but always pleasant. Jasmine and rosewood notes soften, and carnation and pine provide a crisp balance to the rich base notes. I think that the spices (not listed) are clove and black pepper. This is really dry and aromatic, I like it a lot. It is a masculine, assertive, classy scent.

Le 3ème Homme is the ‘third fragrance’ of Caron for men, and is situated between the pretty, powdery Pour un Homme and the hyper-masculine Yatagan. The opening is dry and aromatic, with hits of lavender, herbs, anise. There are good woody spices in the middle, clove and coriander. Clove gives this an old-school, confident barbershop vibe; and as it grows it puts this next door to Rive Gauche pour Homme. I think this OK but I’m not enthusiastic about it.

The opening has a sadly brief aromatic lavender-rosemary chord which gets overtaken by powdery notes. Then I find a really weird chocolate-rubber thing happening... like the smell of a rubber glove with talcum powder in it! Hmmm, don’t like it. The vanilla may be reaching up into the early stages. There’s a hay-like middle, probably from clary sage but this is not green or dusky enough to interest me. The dry-down is somewhat better, with bits of cedar and an airy amber-musk quality. But that doggone powdery note persists throughout. Vanilla and moss give this an old-school fern scent. I’d say get rid of the vanilla and powder but they are the essence of this scent and without them there’s not much left. A scrubber for me, I’m sorry to report.

A lovely, lovely scent. A lot like Eau Sauvage, perhaps a little for floral/sweet. Also a lot like Jean-Marie Farina, more lemony. In other words, a classy aromatic citrus. A feel-good fragrance with an elegant, white-shirt formal vibe balanced with sensuality. Invigorating lemon opening. Light herbal notes are softened by florals, likely rose. The base is also attractive, with well-done sandalwood and mossy musk. Excellent!

This is a marvelous scent in the aromatic, spicy-wood line. It starts with citrus and warm spices, with hints of smoky incense. The elements are well blended, so it is a bit of a challenge to pick them out. However, I can say that the jasmine softerns the resinous incense and enriches the woody spices. Hints of patchouli add tangy complexity. Dry woods emerge, along with some grassy vetiver. Hey – no vanilla at all here! Excellent! I like this sort of scent and this is very, very well done. Much better than Corolian, and not as barber-shop/clovey as Rive Gauche. And I find Virgilo to be SO green and basil-y that I don't see the resemblance.

Acqua Mirabile Odorosa di Firenze is the full title I have. This is a lovely sort of scent. Though it is a bit more floral than is my usual preference, it is neither sweet nor heavy. I don’t think the green notes are *very* green, they fill in the spaces around the two floral notes, iris and honeysuckle. Iris is the emblem of Renaissance-era Florence so it an appropriate element in this signature fragrance. Here the violet-like qualities of iris root convey the fresh and transparent aspects noted by many. Honeysuckle gives a warm, rich quality, suggesting to me jasmine with a hint of vanilla. I find this to be pleasant, but I’m not wowed by it.

This has a nice aromatic opening of lavender, green herbs and fern notes. Then there is a tiny whiff of pine. Sandalwood emerges as the dominant element here: it gives soapy, brisk woody notes. In the drydown, the wood is supported by vetiver. This is a dry scent, competent but not distinctive. Just OK.

This is very good for many reasons, and here is an important one: it is distinctive! If the character was obnoxious or problematic that wouldn’t be a good thing, but that is certainly not the case here. Jardin is very attractive. The opening is freshly-tart, with citrus and green fruit. This moves into an interesting floral heart that is aromatic, green, with a green-straw quality. I attribute that to the calamus, a reedy plant : this is what papyrus might smell like in a perfume. Then – very cleverly – the scent develops its sycamore note. This compliments the calamus so well! Sycamore seems birch-like to me, with a clean woodsy aspect. Together the calamus and sycamore give a quiet, haunting aspect to the green tones. This combination is striking and so might seem ‘synthetic’ to some, but I find it utterly natural and quite appealing. A minor quibble: the frankincense is very light, not a distinct element at all though perhaps a supporting one. But perhaps the strongly green and resinous notes of too much frankincense would overpower the excellent notes above. Jardin is interesting! It is not an oriental at all, as one might assume from its Egyptian connotation. It is a lovely fresh chypre, an airy green scent. Great stuff! Quite suitable for a man to wear.

I like this a lot. Herbal-pine scents are a favorite style for me, and this is a good treatment of that. There is an excellent aromatic opening of pine and artemesia (here spicy and tarragon-like) with other herbaceous notes. Very green, dry, and full-bodied with real appeal and vitality. A hint of cloves gives spicy-wood depth and a tangy quality. Lingering in the background is the whiff of burnt wood and ashes... the traitor is burning his bridges behind him. Then another tangy note emerges, a chord of patchouli and leather. Not excessive but certainly assertive. At times this chord reminds me of Christmas spices or an orange with spices stuck in it. This has good longevity and a very satisfying dry-down. It is similar to Yatagan. I’d characterize the two as follows. Eloge du Traitre has more pine and greener notes in the opening. The dusky and ashy notes are distinctive. The patchouli-leather notes are more pronounced. It is a more outdoorsy scent, a bit drier and more austere. Yatagan is beautiful in its 80’s old-school way. A smoother, richer green. More aromatic and darker, richer and more suave. Each scent is fantastic.

I’m new to the world of oud so I’m exploring my reactions to this new sensation. This is intriguing. It has a haunting, elusive quality that appeals to me. It is piercingly ‘clean’ but not synthetic or ‘fresh’ in the current style. It is bright and yet dark at the same time. Bug spray... band-aids... rubber... medicinal... I sort of agree and yet I find this appealing. It is not an industrial nouveau, edgy sort of scent. It is in the old Arabian tradition of rare perfume, a world of scents perhaps unfamiliar to modern sensibilities. Many have said that this is not a big powerhouse scent, and I agree. Applied lightly, this has restraint, artistry, a quiet sort of power. I find it to be coolish rather than warm. It is not woody (except for a sharp sandalwood sort of tone), not very spicy, not very leathery. I agree with Vibert’s profile, particularly the powdery-sweet and vanilla aspect. And the fact that I like this amazes me, normally I detest such elements! At times there is the hint of something like chocolate liqueur or creme brulée. Certainly there are ambery notes. I can only account for my approval in the sheer artistry and subtle panache of this. The drydown is a very subtle, second-skin scent.

This has a lovely and all-too-brief neroli opening. The middle dominates for a long time. It certainly is intriguing. It is fresh, tangy, metallic, a bit medicinal-minty, and conveys (in my opinion) a cool, stylishly distinctive and slightly aloof tone. I attribute the green and minty note to the cedar leaves, and the sharp tang to sandalwood which can be rendered in that style. This is not a warm wood nor a particularly spicy scent, at least as I find it. I agree that cedar notes are not evident. Latterly, the musk warms it up a bit and gives a bit of romance. At times, the freshness reminds me of Erfola, at other times the coolness conveys a mood like Blenheim Bouquet (although the scent itself is quite different).

Fragrance notes: citrus, ginger, “oriental flowers”, musk
This is an attractive eau de cologne, very much in the R&G style. In my opinion, that means a somewhat under-rated performer, quite competent if not brilliant. R&G’s in my experience don’t have a lot of initial flash but with a couple of sturdy applications they quietly maintain well all day. The florals here are lovely and so is the musk dry-down. There is nothing so pretty or sweet here that keeps me from wearing it. My one caveat is that there is nothing “gingery” about this scent. No spice, no crisply acidic tones or tangy wood notes that are found in freshly-sliced ginger. I think that is a hard note to render in a scent but it would be great to find.

Top: bergamot, lemon, lavender, tarragon
Mid: cinnamon, geranium, sage
Base: oak moss, sandalwood, musk
The Galimard site gives these additional fragrance notes. This is a very good woody fougère. I really like this sort of scent and this is good value and quality. There is a lovely opening of lemon, with aromatic lavender and herbal notes. Spice and herbal aromatic notes continue and develop. Excellent “ferny” notes are here, very well done. And then it settles into an attractive light wood. I find that the longevity is not great, but this is inexpensive enough to have reapplications without guilt.

Lem... odd name, vaguely sci-fi in tone. Lem is a competently rendered fresh aromatic green scent. It is big, smells a bit budget. Fresh and green, fresh and green, on and on. Hello, I am a green creature from the planet Lem. It is hard to pick out individual elements, in particular I searched for pine (my obsession) but couldn't find it. This is a lot like Grafton by Truefitt and Hill, perhaps not quite as good.

Forest Rain by Scentsational of Huntington
“Lush and green like a tropical forest.” (from Scentsational website)
I’m sampling an oil-based fragrance, so it is mellow and persistent. Forest Rain has an exceptionally lovely opening: very green, somewhat spicy. What do we have here: galbanum, clary sage, basil? It is round, no harsh edges, rich without being heavy. The drydown is dusky, slightly sweet. Clary sage may be combining with blond tobacco leaf or some other hay note (perhaps vetiver). The drydown continues to get more mellow and sits close to the skin. This is a chypre, it reminds me quite a bit of Sous les Vent, a limited edition scent by Guerlain. Quite nice.

Top: Mediterranean citrus fruits, melon, watermelon
Mid: ginger, nutmeg, sea breeze, jasmine, lily of the valley, lavender, geranium
Base: leather, iris wood, ambergris, musk (from Rancé website)
This is an attractive, modern-style scent with a hint of history. Like others, I doubt that this is what Napoleon would have worn. The summery-fresh-marine note is very contemporary. The opening has citrus and melon fruit notes which are pleasant, not sweet, classy, and well blended. The melon adds quite an interesting aspect. Then some woody spices emerge and combine effectively with various floral notes. At this point the scent is complex, and it is difficult to pick out individual elements. The drydown has a restrained and sophisticated treatment of potentially rich ingredients (leather, ambergris, musk). These gradually deepen and have a lovely, even haunting quality. It is this last phase that has the best claim to historical roots. What we have here is an intriguing combination of new and old. I like it.

Aomassi by Parfumerie Generale starts like a beautiful dessert, with delicious caramel, nut and vanilla scents. If you like sweet foody scents you’ll love this. It then develops a tangy aspect from aromatic vetiver and a bit of wood, as well as a dried-grass smoky aspect. This is a complex scent, with the tangy and sweet elements alternating. Ultimately the sweet wins. The promised resins and woods are under-developed in my opinion. This is a lovely scent, I’d like to encounter it on a woman (or encounter a woman wearing it...). But it is of no interest to me to wear, it is not my style.

I'm probably the wrong person to review this. I dislike foody,vanillan, sweet, ambery scents. Yet a friend gave me this, so I thought I'd give it a try. It has some very interesting top notes which are slightly dry and smokey. Hence the "narguile" (water pipe). Ayala has a very apt description below, when she talks of dry, leathery notes which morph into round, sweet, fatty amber. Plenty of vanilla here. If you like a uber-opulent oriental, try this. It's just not my style. Very persistant, very sweet.

Boucheron pour Homme Edition Bleue is excellent, much better than the regular version in my opinion. I won it at a perfume shopping night, and am very pleased! It is slightly opulent yet fresh, a citrus and spicy-wood scent and is very classy. The opening is very citrusy, lemony and aromatic. The aromatic notes develop in the middle... some sort of woody spice (perhaps coriander) softened by a light floral note. The patchouli is very restrained and blends with the cedar to give a fresh, slightly dusky wood tone. I like this very much. It settles close to the skin and purrs. Worth checking out, regardless of what you think of the regular BpH.

Serge Lutens Arabie. Very exotic, a real Oriental and probably the way perfumes smelled in the ancient world. I was interested to try it for that reason. It is not my style: I’m not a fan of foody scents. Smells like Christmas fruit cake with dried fruit and spices. So I am glad to have sampled it, and out of respect for an interesting venture I give it a neutral rating.

Villoresi’s Uomo! This is mind-bogglingly good. It produced an immediate DNA-lock on my system. Do you ever try a scent like that? You try it and say, “that’s exactly right! It is so satisfying, so ME!” Well that is what I’ve found here. There are two phases, each of them is excellent. The first is a very green/citrus tone. Both the top and mid notes have citrus and herbal components, and they are complex, invigorating and very appealing. They meld into phase 2, the base notes of vetiver and sandalwood. At first woody sandalwood appears, and it is dry and exotic. Then superb vetiver concludes the show, aided and abetted by musk and a bit of patchouli. I classify this as a vetiver scent, and I’d say it is one of the best I’ve tried. It captures the spicy-grassy “comfort zone” of well-done vetiver.

Lavendula has a peppery initial blast, followed by deep and smoky lavender which is surrounded by lily of the valley. Pretty good so far. Then there is a light vanilla and amber-musk drydown. A nice scent, but in my opinion not compelling. I like a very dry, aromatic lavender... and this isn’t quite that.

Aromatic and dry lavender... obviously. This is a green-herbal lavender scent, and the opening is very good. Lavandula has basil, canella (white cinnamon bark) and black pepper, and since EdL has a spicy-wood aspect perhaps they are here too. Perhaps also clary sage which is a musky green scent. Actually, this becomes more green-herbal and less lavender as it develops. Then oakmoss and musk emerge, with a bit of vanilla. This has a fougere-style ending. Nice, quite old-school. The musky moss dry-down gives it a Victorian aura, charming but a bit dated. And it is discontinued.

Eau sans Pareil has a very interesting, aromatic opening. It is dusky green and herbaceous, tangy and a bit minty. Just what you’d expect from a combination of sage and artemesia. The scent settles down into a dry, refreshing, slightly soapy and mossy chypre. This is very attractive, it is a shame that it has been discontinued.

The opening of Quercus has lemon-lime and green basil notes which are refreshing and lively. The floral notes are effectively used for a man’s fragrance: they soften but are not sweet and do not dominate. There is an attractive moss base, with a tiny bit of spicy green galbanum. A bit of sandalwood peeks through as well. This is a medium-toned scent: it is attractive in a low-key way. I find it pleasant, but not compelling or distinctive. Maybe there is tad too much patchouli/musk at the end, and the green and crisp notes fade into a conclusion that seems fuzzy and a bit muddled. I appreciate Quercus but wouldn’t seek it out.

Penhaligons’ English Fern – what a lovely scent! It has a very bright, crisp opening of lavender and green notes. The clover is a brilliant touch, giving a fresh-field scent. Very quickly that clover combines with a pure light oakmoss for the signature “rubbery” clean scent that is so attractive and desirable in a great fougere, in my opinion. The patchouli is done just right; giving a light spicy richness to the scent. Sandalwood adds a good woody note, and the latter two elements give a wonderful dry-down. This is a true classic. It has a slightly cool and distinctive “edge” that is typical of Penhaligons’ style (see also Duro and Blenheim Bouquet): it is assertive, confident, and masculine. It is more complex than the also very worthy Trumper’s Wild Fern.

Racquets Formula, in my opinion, is both mis-named and mis-classified. “Racquets” suggests a summery-crisp green scent, a sporty tonic to be splashed on after a tennis match at Lords. Penhaligon classifies Racquets as a citrus scent. Having tried it, I would say it is a semi-oriental with minimal citrus. It has rich spices and an equally rich amber/powder backbone. There is only about 5 seconds worth of citrus at the beginning. Those citrus notes are immediately softened and immersed in the florals. Lovely spices and pleasant wood notes are noticeable, in particular the frankincense interacts well with the cedar. It is a complex and lovely scent, with many layers and stages. The dry-down has beautiful moments, as the vetiver mingles with musk and incense. But it still retains a powdery-amber aspect, thus it is a little too rich for my liking.

A lime-citrus opening which is very attractive, green, zesty and bright. This gradually changes into a light woody/sandalwood scent which is beautiful and mild. The dry-down is creamy sandalwood and light musk, with a lingering hint of lime; and is charmingly Victorian in style. A lovely scent, a shame that this has been discontinued.

Victorian Posy is a floral chypre, with a touch of green. It is aromatic, heady and rich; but not cloyingly sweet. It has violets, and pure violet can be sharp, even piercing (in my experience). Here that is softened by jasmine and roses. Amber and patchouli in the drydown give a touch of vanilla and power, with an aromatic pungent note. Everything is in balance, and elegant in an innocently charming sort of way. Evokes a romantic image of English gardens. Feminine, not unisex... something I can appreciate but not wear.

This is a very good Lily of the Valley scent: very accurate and pleasing. There is a fleeting citrus opening. The Penhaligon site characterizes this as a “sweet, fresh and graceful floral” with a “creamy white heart.” I can’t improve on that description. The muguet is aided and abetted by a charming jasmine note. The dry-down is charming, the florals persist and are supported by light moss and sandalwood. Yes, this is a floral scent, and it is sweet and lovely. As a man, I wouldn’t normally wear this sort of thing (though I’d enjoy it on a woman). But I just love the scent of Lily of the Valley flowers, so once in a while I might put a little on and have a whiff of spring. Those flowers are so lovely, so brief in their season.

It is interesting to read the comments about this scent, it seems that I am experiencing something rather different. I see no similarity to old war-horses like Aramis or Trussardi Uomo. I find the spices to be light rather than deep, the wood to be fresh rather than resinous. I agree that Woods is fresh, clean, even a bit soapy. This is not the woodiest log in the pile, by any stretch of the imagination. It is a pleasant, subtle, mildly rich citrus-spice-wood experience. I enjoy it but don't expect the earth to move when I wear it.

Fragrance notes: citrus, lavender, wood, spices.
The fragrance notes suggest exactly what is here: this is a simple, light, refreshing scent. There are green notes which are herbal, grassy, perhaps with a bit of mint or rosemary for freshness. Like morning sun on a dewy putting green -- HAH! Nothing profound or complex here, didn't expect that. It smells like a competent, pleasant, budget green scent. For collectors of green scents, but don't bust your "balls" to get it. A lot like Greenergy. A bit of sweetness, perhaps from a touch of patchouli.

Fragrance notes: sicilian lemon, spice, vetiver from Java
There is lovely lemon and spice here, combining in a warm accord. The vetiver is a bit sharp but is attractive, refreshing, woody. There is also a green-leaf aromatic note. So far this is a refreshing summery scent, substantial but not heavy. Gradually the lemon burns off and the vetiver becomes more focused. The scent settles into a good vetiver, not heavy and soapy. Linear and straightforward, but pleasing.

Fragrance notes, citrus and green notes (probably galbanum and clary sage), spices (perhaps some combination of cloves, nutmeg, coriander and cumin), vetiver, sandalwood
Mazzolari has a deep, spicy green opening. Herbs (especially basil) are noticeable, along with other subtle notes. They are very attractive. Then there is a lovely spicy wood tone that is extremely attractive and romantic. Everything is blended together well. The drydown is lovely and big. It has aromatic cedarwood and tangy sandalwood. I consider myself senstive to scent and I don't find this to be a challenge. But I am huge fan of aromatic woody green scents so this definitely pleases me.

Trussardi Uomo is big, spicy, complex, and dark. A spicy-leathery 80’s warhorse, though more refined and classy than scents like Azzaro or Aramis. It is rich and it certainly has the potential to be heavy if not applied lightly. The drydown is a bit powdery and sweet, but it has a lovely spicy and venerable quality. Not my cup of tea, but I respect it.

Top: orange, lemon, basil
Mid: frankincense, myrrh
Base: sandalwood, cedar
Several reviewers have mentioned lavender, but I don't get that note. There is a good basil-herbal aromatic note which goes well with the lemony-citrus opening. The frankincense and myrrh are well done: dry, resinous, slightly sharp. There are good wood tones, sharp and dusky sandalwood. If you like a dry, aromatic woody-incense scent then I think you'll like it. It is exotic but not heavy, not the usual rich oriental style. No vanilla or amber here! In fact, to my mind this is a perfect austere oriental.

Fragrance notes: orange blossom, rose, sandalwood, patchouli.
This is classified as a woman's scent, but in my ignorance I purchased a bottle at a discount store. The very cool white flask evoked a Jay Gatsby vibe. And in the end, I don't regret the purchase. After all, the two reviews so far are from a male perspective. This is an interesting scent. It only has a few elements in common with Trussardi Uomo and in my opinion is only somewhat like it. Trussardi White (as I call it) has a sharp, tangy, antiseptic-medicinal note that appeals to me once in a while. A peppery spice, a rubbery tang, a perky-edgy note... whatever it is, it is oddly compelling. The mood is somewhat like Arlington, another perky-aromatic scent. The rose and neroli soften it a bit but not too much. Probably here we see the distinctive rendition of cedarwood and patchouli. It has good longevity. Smokey, a bit sweet (but not excessive), at times creamy and subtle and at other times sharp. Perhaps it is an acquired taste, but I appreciate it more with each wearing.

Top: lemon, lime, mandarin
Mid: sandalwood, cedarwood
Base: musk, amber
Unappealing. Not much citrus or wood. An odd pongy scent.

Top: orange, mandarin
Mid: basil, oakmoss, pine
Base: clove, patchouli, amber, vanilla
I like forest, pine, herbal and mossy scents... they are my favorite elements. I didn't find this to be any of those. Quite a tepid opening, and an excruciatingly bad dry-down of amber and vanilla. Yuck.

Top: petitgrain, lemon
Mid: tarragon, lavender
Base: vetiver, clove, patchouli
I was expecting an interesting chypre. All I found was a very citrusy dry opening. and an unpleasantly heavy patchouli-clove drydown.

I don't see this as being at all in the solid, trademark Victorian style of Geo. F. Trumper. It seems like an accomodation, and a rather pallid one, to currently-modern tastes for synthetic/marine/fresh scents. I don't care for it. A rare disappointment from the excellent House of Trumper.

Starts with a soft, gentle citrus... a lovely scent. Develops into a kinder, gentler version of Arlington (a bit sharp and aromatic). There is the distinctly tonic note of quinine which lends an interesting aspect. Not long-lived.

A bracing blast of lavender and mint! I find this to be very good lavender: dry and aromatic. The scent develops well into a nice sandalwood, light patchouli and mossy base. This has the trademark Geo. F. style. It is quietly bold and assertive; masculine, aromatic and quite enjoyable.

Ho Hang... what a surprise! It is delightful. Easy to overlook this one. As others have said; it is a fresh, woody Oriental. The elements are very well blended and create a lovely accord. The only clearly distinguishable notes are citrus at the beginning and lovely cedarwood throughout. The vanilla is not a problem here (it usually is for me). This is not a rich or overly spicy scent; it is sprightly, invigorating and enjoyable. Excellent dry-down. I’d say HH is in the same mood-camp as Worth pour Homme or Jil Sander Man Pure (Original) & I like it!

Bois Blond is a scent in Parfumerie General’s Private Collection. It is a beautiful, slightly haunting scent. It starts with a very good cedar note mixed with some sweet grassy notes. There is also a sweet blond tobacco leaf note which is tangy. BB has an elusive, shifting quality that is intriguing: it is sweet and yet tangy, rich and yet dry. At times the amber notes deliver the usual vanilla-coconut tone (which is a little too rich for me), but then marvelous cedar reappears and I love it. At the end of the day there are drier cedar scents which I prefer; but I appreciate the quality, charm and artistry here.

Spazio Krizia Uomo is a strange, sweet, rather ‘precious’ scent. It is quite powdery, with vanilla and musky notes. NN is correct in comparing it to Moustache and Etiquette Bleu, odd scents all. Not something I’d wear. Not a masculine scent, and I can’t even imagine liking it on a woman. Deservedly obscure, in my opinion.

Luten’s Chypre Rouge certain polarizes opinion! Well, this isn’t the strangest fragrance I’ve smelled, and I certainly don’t get the ‘red jello effect’! It has a very sweet, honeyed opening that is perfumey and rich. It changes a bit, and some herbal notes and pine needles peek out. This is a complex scent, and hard to get a handle on. It gets a bit woodier, but remains sweet and fragrant. I don’t find this to be an obnoxious scent at all. Indeed, there is much to appreciate: the herbal notes interact well with the various mosses. It is just too sweet for me, that’s all. And the vanilla notes in the dry-down are the usual deal-breaker.

Luten’s Vetiver Oriental is a lovely, velvety scent; it is vetiver with all the edges smoothed and polished. And therein is its strength or weakness, depending on your perspective. I like a vetiver that is a little leaner and edgier than this. I appreciate the beautiful rich notes here but they don’t quite suit me. I find that the benzoin lends its usual vanilla-balsamic notes and they are the deal-breaker. There are hints of wonderful woods but they are not developed to my satisfaction. For me, this scent is the usual case of, “I’d rather meet the woman wearing it than wear it myself.”

Fougere Bengale by Parfum d’Empire is a big, dramatic scent in the style of Eau des Iles. It has a very aromatic opening that is intriguing, deep and likeable. There is lavender and a bit of roasted coffee. Despite notes I’ve read here and elsewhere this is not a really foody/gourmand scent, in my opinion. Then leathery, animalic notes (probably from an unnamed synthetic) contribute a slightly wild, savage note which has good staying power. There are interesting, complex spices here. They are done with a subtle hand and are not curry-ish at all. Finally, a honeyed hay-tobacco note emerges, and this too persists. A hay note is to be expected in a fougere, but this is sweeter and more substantial than usual. This is a sensual scent, suave and yet a bit dangerous. It is not quite my style (a little richer than I really like) but I have to admit it is attractive and enjoyable.

I can see why people like Gramercy Park. It is a lovely, spring-like green scent. Although it has different fragrance elements from Mugler Cologne, it evokes a similar happy mood in me. The green-leaf aspect is amazing: it is very crisp, cheery and distinctive. Gradually, very light wood tones infuse and mingle with the green notes. This is a very interesting, sheer scent. I think of a stained-glass window, with translucent shades of white, light green and light brown... and the sun shining brightly through them all. Somewhere outside, a bird is singing.

Baby power and sweet hay – that’s what Yerbamate by Villoresi is for me. I don’t find it to be complex, dry, smoky or woody; or even very green. I do find it very sweet and ambery. Ayala captures it so well, I’ll quote her: “heaps of dried hay and powdery coumarin... extreme indulgence in powdery ambery feathery fluff bordering on the dessert kind.” Exactly. I washed this off. Villoresi can make superb fragrances, I love Uomo. That is excellent!

Fragrance notes: mint, galbanum, lavender, jasmine, spruce, cedar, geranium, tobacco moss, amber benzoin, labdanum
Nicolai pour Homme has two contradictory phases. I tried it for the first phase, and for an all-too-brief period the icy mint and spicy galbanum were interesting. Then NpH does a 180-degree turn and warms up too much! There are very, very ambery tones: balsam, vanilla, coconut, leather, butter. The amber, labdanum and benzoin make an ambery brew that is ponderously rich. Not woody enough to interest me, too sweet, not my style at all. A disappointment.

Oliban has three phases. The first is amazingly good, the second is OK, and I don’t care for the third. We start with a frankincense/cedar opening. It is deep, dark, woody, and very impressive. Excellent! This changes into a tangy tobacco/rose chord. Smells like a tin of pipe tobacco... charming in its own way. The third phase is a powdery, vanilla amber note which grows with the passage of time. Here’s the thumb goes sideways. I just don’t like that aspect. That’s why I prefer a leaner, more austere incense scent like Bois D’Encens or Bois D’Orage or some of the Comme des Garçons line. I’d characterize Oliban as being in the style of old-school late ‘70s male powerhouse scents: dark, rich, assertive.

Fragrance notes
Top: verbena, bergamot, lemon
Mid: clary sage, nutmeg, pepper, clove
Base: cedar, vetiver, tonka, musk
L’Homme by Comptoir Sud Pacifique has a lovely citrusy-aromatic opening. The verbena is well done, with its typical lemon-basil-baked bread notes. This gives a nice transition to the green spice middle, which is an appealing concoction of dusky clary sage and peppery spices. The clove is prominent and gives a brisk and assertive character. L’Homme winds up being as an excellent vetiver/spice/wood scent. Every element develops and interacts in a very satisfying manner. A warming cool-weather scent.

I see why there are so many favorable reviews for Chene. It truly is a wood-lover’s dream come true. The birch and cedar are dry and aromatic, very accurate and completely satisfying. This is an exceptionally well-designed scent. The rich elements (tonka, rum, beeswax) support and enhance the wood, rather than compete with it. I’m usually wary of vanilla, but those notes from the tonka bean are just right here. The dry-down develops lovely herbaceous notes and is very complex and subtle, with a distinctive beauty. The thyme is very mellow, not at all like salad dressing. (I’m thinking of the thyme in Baïme, which in my opinion detracts from the other elements.) This has great staying power. If you like wood, seek this one out... you won’t be disappointed. The wood, earth and herbs evoke a mood of contemplative contentment.

Concentrée d’Orange Verte has a heavier, darker opening than Eau d’Orange Verte. It is mellow, and not as green/leafy. It has an elusive, restrained, even enigmatic quality in comparison to its more up-front sibling. It sits closer to the skin. It is woodier, and the soft florals make it a bit more classy and refined. Based on reviews below I was not prepared to like it... but I find that I do! I like green scents so I really enjoy the basic Eau d’Orange. But the concentrated version is a successful scent in its own right. At times it reminds me of Roger & Gallet’s Extra Vielle.

Eau d’Orange Verte is marvelous. It has a beautiful, even ‘yummy’ lemon-orange opening. It is crisp, fruity, tasty, invigorating, and refreshingly acidic. The citrus mellows with the floral and green tones which follow. It drys into a lovely light moss, with mint and bergamot. There is also a light wood tone with a hint of patchouli. There is also some kind of very tangy green note in the dry-down that I can’t identify. It may be due to the patchouli/moss interaction. It is something like celery leaves: a nutty-sweet aspect, slightly tangy. Eau d’Orange Verte is not as herbal or complex as Eau de Rochas pour Homme or O de Lancome pour Homme, which are other citrus-chypres. But it is much greener and crisper than Concentrée d’Orange Verte.

It took a while, but I came to appreciate VC&A’s Pour Homme. Before trying it, I knew it was a brown-hued powerhouse from the late 70’s. I wondered if it would be too strong or rich for me, and in its middle phase it does get pretty big! In the end, it is a lovely scent and I endorse it fully. It has an excellent green herbal opening, one which I enjoy. The middle is spicy and powerful, with rich patchouli. The wood notes are (to my taste) quite subdued. In the initial phase of the base, the scent is leathery. The castoreum adds a spicy oriental note. This is the love-it-or leave-it phase. But phase two of the base is where it all comes to rest, and delightfully so. Ultimately it becomes a gentle, mossy scent. It retains lovely notes of leather, with spices, amber and musk. If applied with a light hand, and with patience, we find something that is very attractive, very romantic, a quiet charmer.

Notes: clary sage, galbanum, labdanum, neroli, oakmoss, patchouli, rose otto, sage
Ayalitta is another charming scent from the Ayala Moriel line. I think that Ayala really has a knack for designing brilliant, distinctive and very classy green scents (others being Rainforest and Bois D’Hiver). Ayalitta is one of the loveliest chypres I know, it is just delightful! The galbanum and labdanum are vibrant without being overwhelming. The dusky clary sage adds a further green note. All these green notes are very enjoyable and true. They are softened wonderfully by the florals, yet the scent remains dry enough for this man to wear with great pleasure. It is a mellow and appealing scent. The drydown is a mossy treat. Ok thumbs... start pointing upward!

Rive Gauche pour Homme is a BIG scent. One squirt is enough for me. It is rich, potent, and lasts a long time. It starts with a spicy-mint lavender note, develops a woody-patchouli chord, then drys down into a classy and sensual blend. Women like it on a man. It has that old-school, barbershop assertiveness from its clove and patchouli. I appreciate it and enjoy it occasionally. It makes a statement!

Fragrance notes
Top: grapefruit, Italian lemon, mandarin orange, Brazilian lime, mint, eucalyptus
Mid: clove, nutmeg, black pepper
Base: Atlas cedar, patchouli, Siberian pine, vetiver, incense, amber, white musk
I wanted to try 1828 when I read the ingredient list, which I think sounds marvelous! Having tried it, I’d say that this is a good but not great scent. I feel it doesn’t live up to its woody/pine potential. The opening is very good: it is green, aromatic, refreshing. The citrus blends well with the mint and eucalyptus, and the latter is refined and not like Vicks. The middle is an adequate expression of peppery spice. There is very little pine or wood, which I find disappointing given that the ingredients are ‘named’ (e.g., Atlas cedar, Siberian pine). Instead of interesting woods the base quickly becomes a patchouli-amber blend that at times reminds me of coconut. The wood could be woodier, the vetiver and incense could have much more character. The base gets more ambery for a while and then finally and pleasantly settles down. Don’t over-apply 1828 based on its light top notes, you’ll regret it! This is an OK scent, I like it but am not raving about it. Histoires de Parfums has a line of scents named after the birth years of French authors. 1828 refers to the year Jules Verne was born. Other masculine fragrances are 1725 (Casanova) and 1740 (Marquis de Sade!).

Bois D’Encens is fantastic! It joins my Cyprès-Musc and Bois D’Orage in a ‘holy trinity’ of perfect, dry resinous scents. I love that kind of fragrance and Bois D’Encens is tremendous. The promotion for it boasts of only five ingredients. That simplicity gives the scent what seems to me to be a virile confidence that is very attractive. Resinous incense dominates this scent. It is bone-dry, sappy rather than smoky, unadorned by any softening elements (e.g., florals, vanilla, amber), and quietly BOLD. Those who detect vanilla are probably detecting a balsamic note to the resins. The austerity (in my opinion and to my taste) makes this succeed where Avignon fails. Other elements (pepper, vetiver, and probably cedar) play a very low-key and supporting role to the majestic incense. Yes, this style is niche, expensive, and may be hard to find. But I find it well worth the effort. Wearing this makes a statement of uniqueness and character that makes you stand out from the herd. I think that this is the most masculine (by far) of the Privé line. Fabulous, haunting, evocative... I can’t say enough about this. It is cool and warm at the same time. And, as noted, the presentation (bottle, wooden box, cardboard cover) is excellent. This is why I collect and wear scents. Any day will be improved when you wear it. Every thumb I own is pointed upward for this.

I am open to the mystique and romance of the ocean! I wish I could report that I had the same marvelous seaside fragrance experiences as some of the reviewers of Erolfa. I don’t dislike it... I’m just not bowled over by it. It has a great opening: very citrusy, sharp, salty, briny, tangy. It is quite invigorating. After that, it settles into what seems to me to be a rather basic ozonic note. It is pleasant smelling in a fresh way, but its synthetic character does not appeal to me greatly. It smells like a lot of commercial and inexpensive ocean-style scents and soaps. I wonder how Creed achieves that ozonic note. I read somewhere in Basenotes that the Victorians rendered the note through a combination of geranium and mint; but I don’t get either of those here. That “fresh” scent seems quite synthetic to me, and thus out of character for the Creed emphasis on high-end natural elements. The sandalwood is quite muted as a woody note, and presents the sharp tangy quality sometimes found in extracts of that wood. The amber is dry and restrained, not powdery at all. This is not a comfort scent – it is austere and cool. I like that style (e.g., Blenheim Bouquet or Green Water) but I’m neutral on ozone. I don’t get any green or coniferous notes. This seems entirely “blue” (marine) to me. Oh well, this will be a fun fresh thing once in a while, just not a go-to scent.

Although ArbitRary can be a unisex fragrance, I like to think it has a masculine ‘sensibility’, and it is one that I greatly appreciate! It is quite lively and refreshing, but it is not at all floral or sweet. I also think it is a very well-designed fragrance. By that I mean that the transitions from top to mid to base are sophisticated and effective. Specifically, the fresh and appealing basil of the top is continued and developed in the basil-lemon notes of verbena in the middle, and those herbal aspects reach a culmination in the grassy hay and moss notes of the base. This is a great modern take on the classic chypre; which I understand to be a citrus and grass sort of scent, like the breeze wafting through the lemon groves and fields of Cypress. A romantic image to be sure, but the appeal of a good scent is so much in romance and connotation. This is a very attractive, Mediterranean style of summery scent... I love it!

Woods of Windsor for Gentlemen is a striking sort of scent. It is distinctive – and I would say commendable – for NOT having any softening or often heavy elements so often found in men’s fragrances. There are no florals, nor is there any vanilla, patchouli or amber. What results is a classy and very dry spicy-wood scent. It is earthy and robust, but it is not sweet or heavy. The initial citrus phase is brief. The next phase is a citrus-spice mélange. The spices are peppery (nutmeg) and sharp (clove) and give a charming, old-school ‘barbershop’ vibe. These aromatics blend well into the third phase, a spicy wood. I can’t identify the particular wood; it fills a supportive rather than starring role. Despite being inexpensive, it has good quality and is thus very good value. And it comes in a variety of related toiletry products. I think it is worth seeking out if you like a dry, spicy wood scent.

Top - Pimento, Galbanum, (spices: Nutmeg, Cardamom, Pepper, Clove)
Middle - Cedar, Incense (frankincense), Angelica
Base - Vetiver, Oakmoss, “White Musk” (synthetic musks: karamal, ambroxan)
There is a lot of chatter about Bois D’Orage. If you like a “bone-dry, aromatic chypre and incense scent”, then you will love this one! I’ve amended the fragrance notes to reflect some of the things I’ve read about this marvelous scent. Some of the notes below are very erudite and I agree with them. There is a wonderfully aromatic opening. It is very typical of galbanum (spicy green). The middle is excellent. It has very true cedarwood and a lovely dry, lean and resinous frankincense accord. This is the equal of Cyprès-Musc or Bois D’Encens (two of my favorites of this type). This is substantial, but not heavy or rich. I tried this last night, and then also detected at times another phase, what I would call “scent of a man”. It is something in the style of Cumming, a vague sort of male odor that probably comes from the synthetic musks. Karamal apparently has an ‘animalic’ quality. I didn’t get that third phase today so it may be an intermittent thing. Finally, Bois D’Orage settles into a lovely dry resinous woody musk. For me, the dry resin dominates more than its initial moist green qualities... herbal, vegetal, forest. It is striking due to its lack of softening agents (floral, vanilla) – hooray! I find it very satisfying and attractive. My fullest endorsement for this! Lots of thumbs up.

Fragrance notes for Eau de Campagne
Top: bergamot, lemon, basil, wild herbs, galbanum
Mid: tomato leaves, lily of the valley, jasmine, geranium, plum
Base: oak moss, patchouli, vetiver, musk
“A brisk, spirited green fragrance... dynamic, original.”
Well, this green scent lover is a happy camper today. Eau de Campagne is a wonderful, distinctive scent. It has a very zesty, invigorating opening. The herbal notes are very well done; and the tomato leaves are a stroke of genius and are also very accurately rendered. This is a stroll in my vegetable and herb garden. The florals soften the greenery but are not a distinct element. The drydown has an emphasis on vetiver and musk. This is an excellent tonic pick-me-up. Highly recommended for green fans!

Fragrance notes: Black pepper, Chili pepper, Oak, Cedar, Musk, Chinese Moss
Thanks to Ayala (below) for these fragrance notes, it is hard to find concrete information about the Hermèssence line. I agree with comments which characterize Poivre Samarcande as delicate, subtle, and transparent. I would add to the list of terms: light, mild, restrained, low key, barely there. There’s a nice citrus sort of opening, followed by a light spicy wood accord. There’s a fresh herbal note that I like, probably due to lime leaves (which I read somewhere are in here). In my opinion, the pepper is very muted. For a scent named “Poivre” I was expected something spicier, with more fire or tangy bite. I guess it is attractive, and it nicely sits quite close to the skin. But there’s not enough oomph or distinction here to make me interested. Not problematic... just not wow.

Fragrance notes: clary sage, basil, lavender, cypress
I am a huge fan of coniferous scents... I like them all! Bring ‘em on! Yes, Tuscan Cypress is more delicate than Creed’s incredible Cyprès-Musc (a great favorite). But TC is a very worthy bottle in my collection. There is a marvelous green-herbal opening: excellent basil, a hint of dry lavender, and a good dollop of musky clary sage. The cypress note quickly develops and has a lovely piney wood tone. This is a tonic fragrance, it is meant to be straight-forward, clean, bracing, invigorating. It is an excellent day and summer scent. I appreciate the way that the basil persists and settles into the green accord; it interacts very well with the other elements. At first, the basil was so apparent that I wondered if TC was a re-vamped version of the discontinued Fogile di Basilico, also by Blu Mediterraneo. A comparative spritz settled the question. FB is very green with a strong fruity note from bergamot. TC has a much more aromatic quality due to the clary sage and cypress. I like it very much.

There is some debate as to which is the original cologne, 4711 or Jean-Marie Farina (aka Extra Vielle) by Roger & Gallet. Here are my notes of comparison. 4711 is very lemony and refreshing, with a bit of rose and a hint of rosemary to freshen. It has a tiny bit of musk, and no wood that I can detect. Its lemon persists an amazingly long time for a citrus note – I give it credit for that. This is a simple fragrance. (For an amazing lemon-musk, try Eau Sauvage.) JMF is similar but at the same time is darker, deeper and more interesting. It has more depth and complexity, in my opinion. Carnation gives it a bit of clovey spice. It is a bit drier and spicier than 4711, and I like it better.

Top: bergamot, green mandarin
Mid: saffron, rose, jasmine, lily of the valley, nutmeg, cinnamon leaf
Base: patchouli, cedar, sandalwood, musk
Well, I will offer a very enthusiastic endorsement of Safranier! I think this is a marvelously dry and slightly spicy wood scent. The citrus opening is lovely but for me, quite brief. The middle is what I would call a spicy floral (emphasis on the spice) and is well integrated. The spices are dusty, dusky, woody and quite attractive. They blend together well. The base starts with creamy sandalwood. That remains at the centre, and is supported by dry and restrained patchouli. A bit of cedar freshens and adds complexity, and musk softens. But the sandalwood endures, and is excellent and not sharp as it sometimes is in scents. I like this very much.

Top: lemon, bergamot, papyrus
Mid: baie rose, violet leaf
Base: patchouli, filao wood, amber, white musk
I tried Bois de Filao because I am interested in woody scents. This is not particularly woody.
The opening is nice and citrusy. Don’t know what papyrus smells like but there didn’t seem to be any dry leafy/paper-like smell here. A hint of wood peeks out from time to time, but it is drowned in a sweet accord of patchouli and powdery, vanillan amber. Don’t care for this one at all!

Fragrance notes: “marine oak,” carnation, mint, cedar.
Marine Oak has a lovely and bold opening. It is herbal and woody, a real “brown” sort of scent. Note: marine oak is not wood at all, it is a kind of seaweed. The wood note comes from the cedar. Carnation and mint spice up and freshen the herbal-seaweed fragrance. This was designed to be a tonic scent: thus it is bracing and quite aromatic. It is a different sort of scent – it is powerful, so don’t over-apply. I like it.

“Base notes of leather, peat fire, highland mud, burnt rubber and white truffle ground the scent with rugged sensuality, while the core notes of cigar, heather, Douglas fir and rubber contribute to its sharpness. The fragrance is completed with spicy top notes of bergamot, black pepper, Scotch pine and whiskey.” (from Cumming website)
I’ve included the product blurb in order to probe the issue of hype versus reality. At the outset, I can say I kind of like this scent; however it is very different from what the ingredients or the promotions suggest. This is not a rugged romp in the moors, nor is it an industrial noveau scent à la Comme des Garçons. It is a soft, coy, almost pretty scent and... depending on one’s perspective, a bit precious. I tried Cumming because I am interested in anything containing pine. That, plus all these oddball elements, intrigued me. The opening is not “spicy.” It is unusual, I struggle to categorize it but would call it toasty-nutty-gourmand. At times it is a bit like marzipan (sweet almond paste). The core is not “sharp.” Tiny, tiny micro-bits of pine might be there, to freshen the scent. Also there’s a very mild whiff of a distant cigar. At times there is a briny, creamy aspect. The dominant element in the middle is heather, a light floral scent. Finally the base does not have “rugged sensuality.” It sits very close to the skin, and is subtle and low-key. It lasts a couple of hours. I don’t think this would offend anyone, and it might smell quite nice on women. Really guys, there is nothing macho here so don’t expect otherwise.

Head: grapefruit, wood sap
Heart: cumin, tobacco leaves
Base: cedar, tonka bean
L’Occitane’s Cedar is a very pleasant new scent. The reviewer below has provided such an accurate analysis that at many points I simply echo what he’s said. There is a fresh citrus and resinous sap opening which is very invigorating! It is excellent, and it is my favorite part of the scent. The tobacco leaves have an interesting, creamy green-leaf aspect. The cumin is tangy but not excessive. These two elements combine very successfully. The tonka bean smoothes well. I have a sensitive radar for tonka and vanilla so I find that this does give a very slight oriental aspect (but not a problematic one). The cedar starts slow and stays low. It is a mellow, gentle wood tone; not like pencil shavings (e.g., Maestrale) or a strikingly woody scent (e.g., the superb Méchant Loup). This is a cheery Mediterranean style fragrance, like Essenzia di Zegna but with a more interesting woody character. It would be great on a summer day or for daytime/work situations.

(oops, I posted this on the women's version, here is where it should be!)
O pour Homme is green, fresh, a bit floral but not sweet. It develops a grassy character. This is a light chypre. Some have called it cold, harsh, sharp – I don’t find it so frosty. It is cool and quiet. It may have rosemary and vetiver in it. I don’t detect any ginger. Nothing extraordinary here, but it is pleasing.

Corteccia di Pino fragrance notes: orange, bergamot, lemon, mint, thyme, wild pine, lavender, sage (Borsari product pamphlet information).
I specialize in woody/pine scents so I had to try this magnificent and hard-to-find scent, sadly discontinued (as are many in the fascinating Borsari portfolio). I got a cute little mini bottle in a set, and it was worth the effort. This is one of the woodiest scents I’ve tried! It is like Pino Silvester, but much woodier and with a haunting antique patina. Also it’s a bit like Victor’s Silvestre, a similarly aged and yet still very evocative scent. This is an excellent pine wood scent, a bit herbal/green, with lovely deep forest smells. There is an aged quality about it, like brandy (which is the old alcohol base). I enjoy CdP very much, and wish it was still in production.

I don’t understand what all the fuss is about, concerning Yatagan. Some call it a wonderful walk in the woods, others talk about its uncompromising sharp/masculine character or having some kind of esoteric initiation-ritual aspect. To me, this simply fits into the late 70’s/early 80’s old-school scents of Quorum, Trussardi Uomo, and Jules. It reminds me of those: powerful, spicy, intent on making a statement, torpedoes-be-damned. It has a very tangy, herbal spicy-green opening that is quite interesting. The middle is patchouli (tolerable, not excessively sweet) with only the very faintest hint of pine. The base is a fairly attractive spicy leather tone that reminds me a bit of Equipage or Chevalier D’Orsay. A cold-weather scent, and applied in micro-doses it is OK.

I am a huge fan of fern-like scents, and I find much to appreciate in 1920 Extreme. It combines notes of fern, gentle spice and wood (although neither wood nor spice are listed as elements). The beginning fern notes are beautiful and aromatic, and are very satisfying. My one reservation here is the ending flourish of tonka and vanilla. I can see that these add a richness and depth dimension to the moss. At times I enjoy them, at other times I find them just a bit too much. Normally I can’t stand vanilla notes so my guarded endorsement shows how well-made this scent is! If you like fern with a dollop of vanilla, then you will enjoy this. For fern scents without the vanilla, try Trumper’s Wild Fern or Penhaligons English Fern, each are magnificent classics, absolutely brilliant. But 1920 Extreme is pretty good.

I find that Green Valley has three very distinct phases. The first is a very distinctive opening of very berry fruit and perky green leaves, with a little freshening mint. Patchouli takes over, and it is big, tangy and sweet. It dominates for a while, and I like this phase the least. Then the patchouli burns off and one is left with the most marvelous sandalwood/musk combination. It is lovely, with fine wood notes. This is such a beautiful scent, and I’m sure it would be enjoyed by both men and women.

Zeste Mandarin Pamplemousse has delightful opening notes. The citrus is really fresh and complex. It is not long-lasting, and that is to be expected in pure and natural citrus elements. The white flowers are an effective cushion for the acidic citrus; they soften it and give it depth. When the citrus runs out, there is a beautiful, haunting note that remains (on me, many hours later). This is a lovely, innocent fragrance, in the same sort of spirit as Mugler Cologne... perhaps even more gentle and shy.

Crown Park Royal fragrance notes (from Anglia website)
top: Sicilian lemon, galbanum, cedar leaf and rosemary
heart: lavender warmed by a touch of nutmeg and clove
base: patchouli, amber, moss and precious woods.
I think it is important to note that these elements differ from the Basenote list. In particular, eucalyptus is not listed; rather there is galbanum and rosemary which could account for the spicy green and slightly minty scent (though galbanum is quite different from eucalyptus). Park Royal has a lovely brisk opening, very aromatic and green. The middle likewise is aromatic, a bit of lavender, mostly woody and tangy spices (cloves and nutmeg). I don’t find the cloves to be problematic. There is a substantial difference between dried cloves in a spice jar and what we find here: these are modulated and not pungent. Admittedly they bestow an assertive air to the scent. The base has carefully controlled patchouli and amber; they are not sweet nor heavy. I like this scent, I find it to be a delightfully warm spicy wood. It is not particularly mossy, certainly not in the green-moss Trumper/Pehaligon fern style. This reminds me of R&G’s Open or YSL’s Rive Gauche.

I’ve tried L’homme sage three times. It is an interesting, complex scent with attractive features, and I wanted to give it fair consideration. Bottom line: this is probably the loveliest patchouli-amber scent I know. My problem is that I find those elements to be rich and sweet, and I am not greatly attracted to them when they dominate a fragrance. This is a spicy, rich scent: aromatic at times with some very good wood notes. The incense has a good resinous quality. This is not a business or day scent, quite frankly it is a date scent and probably works quite well in that regard. My taste is more austere than this style, so I admire it but only give it a neutral rating. But I can see why it is popular.

Top: petitgrain, lemon, bergamot
Mid: coriander, cumin, jasmine, geranium, cistus (labdanum)
Base: bourbon vetiver, cedarwood, vetiver, vanilla, patchouli, amber
L’Air du Desert Marocain – what a beautiful name! The scent too is lovely, yet I only give it the sideways thumb rating. It may be a bit churlish for me to complain that this lovely oriental is exactly that, namely a scent with exotic spices on a sweet amber base. Vanilla and amber are present at every stage, and surround everything in a velvety brown cloud. Vanilla is a deal-breaker for me, unfortunately. This has superb resinous notes, excellent cedar and vetiver, and good dry spices. If you don’t mind vanilla then give this a try!

Top: lemon leaf, italian bergamot, mandarin, basil, violet leaves, ginger
Mid: orange flower absolute, black pepper, tobacco leaf absolute, grapefruit flower
Base: deep amber, cedarwood, virginia patchouli, vetiver, oakmoss, leatherwood resin, cypriol root.
Well the Ford website has lots to look at and you can play with the image of the bottle to get the above information. In my opinion – all hype, no substance. All these rare and specific products jumble together into a vague, sweet, powdery, slightly stale cloud. The only good thing about this is the brief orange opening. Everything after that is yawn and yuck: yawn over what we’ve seen in so many other current men’s fragrances, yuck over the awful vanilla note that is headache-inducing. So many interesting ingredients! So poorly executed! Try the Ford-designed Rive Gauche for something interesting, avoid this lame product.

I find Rainforest to be an amazing, bold scent! I have a completely different experience than the reviews below which suggest the scent is light or gender-neutral. I agree that it is a very green scent, but I find it to be dark and brooding, primal and powerful, and to my mind quite masculine. The image of a Green Man from ancient mythology comes to mind, with tendrils and leaves framing a face of nature personified. Another connotation – appropriate to this Vancouver-based company – is of the marvelous paintings of West Coast painter Emily Carr, who depicted dark forests and spooky totem poles. Rainforest starts with a very sharp, almost rubbery opening. BAM! This is as bold and distinctive as the old war-horse Fahrenheit, though not weird or obnoxious. Rainforest is different from anything I’ve tried; likely this is due to healthy doses of galbanum which give a spicy-green, resinous tone. Florals emerge which slightly soften the opening. Phase two is hay and moss, slightly sweet and grassy, and the scent settles into this aspect for the dry-down. Phase two is quite enjoyable, but Phase 1 is incredible!

Top: blackcurrant, leafy green
Middle: bourbon vetiver, precious woods, jasmine
Base: sandalwood, musk
Route de Vetiver is a dark and very tangy vetiver/sandalwood scent. The blackcurrants give a very-berry opening. Quickly the pungent vetiver appears: it is not creamy and mild. It has a bracing quality: sharp, aromatic, somewhat medicinal. I’d say that at this point it is more interesting than pleasant. Mind you, it is not ponderously rich like Guerlain’s vetiver, so it is an improvement in that way. Similarly, the sandalwood is tangy and woody, almost incense-y and resinous. Sandalwood aficionados may appreciate this, but I prefer a more mellow sandalwood. I don’t think this is for me, but I do appreciate its striking and no-compromise character. Every once in a while it does emit a beautiful note.

Spiced Limes is a very satisfying, classy scent. The opening citrus notes are aromatic, with an amazing depth, substance and longevity. My comment (not a criticism) is that the notes are citrus-y rather than simply lime-y. The spices are woody and very well blended. The spices interact with the vetiver, deepening and mellowing and becoming richer as the scent develops. The vetiver is not dominant, it simply supports the spices. The transition from citrus to deep (not heavy) spice gives a shift from day to night; cerebral to sensual.

The photo here is of an aftershave, and that is what I am reviewing. This is a very pleasant, light scent, containing mild green herbs, woods and moss. It is Aqua di Selva's nice younger brother. It is a very classy aftershave... doesn't last long but one wouldn't expect it to do that.

Notes according to Jo Malone: amber, French lavender, myrrh.
The expert nose of Ayala also detects sage, cloves and oak moss – and this seems exactly right to me.
The opening is a lovely dry lavender, deep and slightly smoky as the best lavender should be. There are some herbs and green notes. Spices? Yes, cloves. Incense? Yes, the myrrh. The clove and moss combination is what gives this its clean, soapy, barbershop vibe. It reminds me of YSL’s Rive Gauche – it has the same sort of virile, no-nonsense and deliberately retro soapy-spice character. Lavender + oak moss = traditional fougere and this is a striking one, though not as mossy as some. The amber gives it an oriental twist. It gets a bit powerful in the dry-down, so start off lightly and see what works for you.

This has been revived in 2007 as West Indian Lime... and is excellent.

1805 has a citrus/weak tea opening. Then there is a sudden shift, quite noticeable, to a floral oceanic. This too is a bit mild or weak, nothing either problematic or commendable. Some have called this ‘salty’ – I don’t get that. It might be due to the clary sage but for me that is muted. I don’t even find this to be very oceanic, I think it is more green/fresh. Finally there is a light wood-musk base. Nothing very adventurous or exciting here. Another Aqua di Gio clone, kind of bland and boring.

Here’s an excellent new scent! The Italian fashion line has just launched this fragrance. They say that it captures air, water and wood elements in an harmonious accord.
Air: silver fir, vegetal amber, musk
Water: violet leaves and blossom, and “transparent watery accord”
Wood: vetiver, cedarwood.
The opening has lovely notes of pine and musk. These quickly are followed by a floral/aquatic tone. This is not the overdone marine-fresh scent, and it provides a gentle softening to the first and third stages. The cedar emerges, and this is very well done. It has a lovely cedar chest scent. The amber is also well done, it is NOT sweet, cloying or powdery. This is a superb, light, refreshingly clean wood scent. Suitable for all occasions.

Bon Zai is interesting, but I am of mixed mind about it. I love the dry-down, which is one of the most satisfying sandalwood-vetiver combos I’ve encountered. It is beautiful! The wood is sandalwood, not agarwood as indicated above. Getting to the finish line is another matter. Nothing problematic in the journey, but it was not what I expected. The opening is very fruity (tangerine), and then it quickly shifts to a kind of toasty, baked-good aspect. Some have called that like hay or grass, but I think it is the shiso oil which apparently can be like sesame. I don’t find this to be a green or spicy scent at all. Nor do I detect any cedar or juniper notes. Verbena or rose likewise are not readily apparent, at least to me. So kudos for the last phase, but I’m neutral on the initial phases.

I don’t care for Clubman. I agree with zztopp and others. The synthetic/oceanic note here is not pleasant, and I find that it muddles the other elements. There is a pleasant citrus opening. The mint is not as strong as in Freshman. The woody musk is probably the nicest element, but that doggone ‘plasticky’ element ruins this. I’m not sure what this is supposed to be: it is not fresh enough in a nice way to be a fresh scent, not woody or spice enough to be that sort of scent, in the end it is nothing much at all. T&H has some great scents (Grafton in particular, also Trafalgar) but this is not one of them.

“A fresh marine fougere fragrance with top notes of bergamot, lemon, orange blossom, mint, coriander and rosemary; with a heart of clary sage, geranium, lily of the valley and jasmin; all resting on a base of precious woods, amber, moss, and musk.” T&F info
Freshman is the godfather of the fresh scents, it seems. 1815 – amazing that they had this sort of thing back then! The opening is very citrusy, a bit sweet, and then becomes the classic ‘fresh’ scent (minty, edgy-green). The mint never really goes away. It becomes softened by florals and herbal green tones. As it dries down, moss and musk hover in the background. But this is a minty fresh scent all the time. I appreciate it but wouldn’t buy it. It just isn’t my style, but it is a classic. Burberry’s Weekend is very similar to this.

I’ve tried Trafalger for two days in a row and I like it. The blue colour is a bit misleading, since it – along with the name – suggests a marine/fresh type of scent. Nothing of the sort! As the T&F blurb says, this is a spicy wood fragrance. Ah, but what kind of spice? Various theories have been suggested below. The prevailing theory to date identifies the spice as cardamom, for me a sweetlyh delicate spice...I don’t think it is here. One person suggested cilantro; however this is properly classed as an herb since it is the green leaves of the cilantro plant. These have an extremely piercing and strong quality, like parsley on steroids. Anyone who has tasted these in a curry or Mexican food will remember that experience! No one suggested coriander (the dried seeds of the cilantro plant), which could be part of the mix with their peppery yet delicate scent, which is slightly nutty and woody. However, my leading suggestion is cumin, a bitter spice which in shape and profile is a bit like caraway. I definitely smell that here, perhaps with a bit of coriander. Other elements... the citrus-lime opening is very nice, fresh, a bit salty. The base note of cedar is remarkable, just like pencil shavings (in a pleasant way). Others have remarked on the jasmine, for me it is a background/softening element rather than something noteworthy in its own right. As I said, I like this, it is an interesting scent. Cumin may not be to everyone’s taste. However, Trumper’s Eucris is another cumin scent, and it is exceptional!

Notes: bergamot, basil, sage, clove.
Blu Mediterraneo Basil is a bracing, citrus/herbal tonic. It is a great summer and daytime scent, with an attractive Mediterranean vibe. The bergamot is very citrusy. The basil has a licorice note, to be expected in true basil and rather nice. In fact, I’d say this is one of the most accurate and pleasing basil scents I know (I'm thinking of Baïme, Vigilo, even the very good Basile Uomo). Thankfully the sage and clove are restrained notes. This is a unisex scent, and because it doesn’t have sweet or floral notes I consider it quite suitable for a man to wear.

Knize Two is very distinctive. The aldehyde really intensifies the floral stage, and gives it great longevity. This is a linear scent with three stages: aromatic green, complex floral, dry wood. The opening is very spicy and green, suggesting leaves, plant stalks, and pea pods! The florals are powerful but not too sweet. The wood is dry, mossy and musky. This is a different, slightly quirky scent. In its middle and final stages it reminds me a bit of Arlington, without the citrus notes. It has a persistent aromatic, almost soapy quality. I like it but will wear it only once in a while.

Spirit by Anthony Logistics is part of a “body spray” line. That designation is a bit of a misnomer, since for me that suggests a light, short-lived spritzy type of scent. Spirit is powerful and has lasted more than 12 hours on me. It starts with fresh green herbal scents from the artemesia and basil. It is dry and completely non-floral. It moves from fresh to substantial, acquiring leather and musk notes, the musk in particular is somewhat powerful yet pleasing. Woody tones also emerge, and in the end we have a woody-musky scent that is quite satisfying. I’d say this is excellent value: it is not expensive, classy and different, and widely available.

Creed Citrus Bigarrade is a beautiful orange scent! It is full-blooded and invigorating. With no florals, and its sharply bold opening it is certainly very suitable for men. It has some interesting green leaf notes. There is a lovely dry-down. The citrus remains, but a green and woody element emerges that is enchanting, and a bit creamy. hirsch is probably right, this is santal (aka sandalwood). While the scent is short-lived this is typical of good quality (non-synthetic) citrus scents.

See my review of Basile Uomo original, I don't think my recent bottle differs from the original formulation.

I am filing this review under the ‘original’ category. My recently purchased bottle looks exactly like the one in the basenotes photo except for having white rather than gold print. The scent is definitely 1980’s. Whatever this is, I don’t think this is a new version (i.e., a changed formulation). Basile Uomo is an 80’s scent with an herbal flare. I disagree with the review below – it is both big and long-lasting. The citrus-basil opening is assertive and refreshing. The floral mid softens the deal somewhat. Juniper and pine give a crisp, almost minty edge. Basile is a bigger and less vegetal version of Diptyque’s basil green Virgilio (or Virgilio is a modern, minimalist interpretation of this sort of scent). I enjoy Basile. The usual caution for 80’s scents applies here: don’t over-apply! I really like the basil and pine notes which keep popping up, they are a refreshing aspect to an otherwise big and rich chypre. They make it interesting and distinctive. Basile has a dry-down a bit like Equipage or Chevalier D’Orsay (beautiful leather/amber/musk).

“They’ll never tame an irish moss man... Masculine, with a fresh moss character” product blurb.
Sir Irisch Moos is a delightful old-school cedar chypre. Despite its name, it doesn’t have much of a mossy aspect (at least not in my bottle, which is vintage). Cedar gives a fresh vibe and at times the tang of pencil shavings. Coriander adds woody spice. This is brisk, invigorating, fresh, and enjoyable. It is a simple scent, not big or heavy. It dries down close to the skin. I like it.

Acqua di Parma is an old-school cologne, in the style of 4711 or R&G Extra Vielle. AdP is a bit sweeter, heavier and more floral than those other classic scents which project a citrusy personality. Here the rose dominates, and makes AdP too floral to suit me. It is a beautiful, classy scent... just not my style.

“Warm and spicy, Grafton has a fresh herbaceous opening combined with a spicy floral heart, leading onto a rich, woody, amber background with a hint of leather.” (Truefitt&Hill site)
I like Grafton. It has a zesty green-citrus opening, something I prize. Galbanum may account for the spicy green, leafy and dusky initial notes. Herbs of some sort (basil, tarragon...) also lend a welcome greenness. The lavender is blended into the herbal aspect. Cedar may be lending a fresh note, and that segues into lovely wood tones which include sandalwood. There is a hint of patchouli which is dry, restrained and effective. Grafton is elegant, refreshing, classy, excellent and worth seeking out. Since T&H are shaving specialists, there are other products including a nice aftershave balm. An observation: there is no oakmoss listed as an ingredient, so I wonder if this can be called a fougere. I think it is more properly termed a woody green scent.

I’m neutral on Lacoste Elegance. It has interesting ingredients, some of which are reasonably well done. In the final analysis, it is too sweet for me, and not distinct or interesting enough to make me want to seek it out. Its best parts are the opening and middle. The opening is aromatic in a fresh way due to the mint and juniper. The citrus (tangerine) is very muted and not effective. The middle has good woody spices (nutmeg and cardamom) and is enjoyable. The drydown is sweet, ambery and musky and rather boring. There is a slight gourmand element but I can’t say the chocolate is noticeable. To me it is more like vanilla, which is due to the amber. This is a competent scent, with smoothly attractive features. It is not my style however, so the thumb goes sideways.

Top: lime, mandarin, bergamot
Mid: basil, white thyme, lilac, iris
Base: patchouli, vetiver, costus
Lime, Basil & Mandarine by Jo Malone is excellent! I disagree with the negative reviews. This is a lovely scent. It has a very good lime-green citrus opening which persists. The herbal-basil notes are likewise exceptional. The thyme which can be overdone (see Baïme for an example) is just right here. People complain about the basil notes, but LB&M is a pussycat. Try Basile Uomo or Virgilio for a heavy-duty hit of basil! The florals are muted and gently soften the citrus and herbs, rather than stand out in their own right. Up to now it is a light summery splash and is quite refreshing. Then it develops a delightful light grassy tone, due to the vetiver and a pinch of patchouli. This phase lasts for hours on my skin and I enjoy it. Don’t be put off by the nay-sayers. If you like these ingredients, try it and see for yourself!

Fragrance notes: Lavender (high altitude mountain lavender from France, galbanum, fir balm, bergamot, rose absolute, frankincense, ambrette seeds, orris, vetiver, tonka beans, oakmoss, vanilla, ambergris, sandalwood and cedar wood.
It is interesting that so far it is men who have reviewed this scent. I can’t speak for the others, but my initial interest in Reverie au Jardin ran along the following lines. “Lavender, fir/pine, frankincense, moss, wood tones... sounds promising.” I hoped that the florals, vanilla and amber would be in the background. Alas, everything I wanted is absent and everything else is too prominent for my taste. Yes, this is sweet and powdery from beginning to end. The green note was far too short. Equally brief was the incense. Powdery florals (especially the orris/iris) kept popping up and gave a note that I find annoying when it is as prominent as it is here. Then tonka/vanilla loomed into view, another irritating scent when it dominates. Wash-off time. In my opinion this is not a unisex scent, it is feminine. Not my style.

Montana pour Homme has a zippy green-citrus opening that is very perky and fresh. The artemsia gives this a green sparkle. The middle is good, a bit floral but not too sweet. I can smell a bit of powdery iris but it is not heavy. In fact, I’d say this not really powdery scent but rather a soapy green scent. The wood tones are very light. The drydown is light too, pleasant musk and amber. This is a good daytime scent. It is a little bit like Guerlain’s Mouchoir de Monsieur, but more modern in style. Also a bit like Liz Claiborne for Men but more subtle. I like it.

Fragrance notes: incense, pepper, nutmeg, clary sage, wenge, musk, vanilla, labdanum absolute, kashmir wood.
Ouarzazate (pronounced war-za-zat) has one of the best openings I’ve ever smelled. It is green, strikingly resinous, dry, sparkling, spicy and invigorating. There is a sweet balsamic tang, and the incense character of this scent remains throughout its development. Clary sage gives a green dusky-herbal note that is very complex and attractive. Ouarzazate is very classy, slightly reserved in character, dry, elegant, green/woody... my idea of a perfect scent. I’d say it ranks with Bois D’Encens by Armani as a great resinous incense fragrance: in some ways it is more interesting due to its herbal notes, and it is better value. It is my favorite of the Comme des Garçons incense line.

Head notes: lavender, bergamot, verbena
Heart notes: rose, jasmine, neroli
Base notes: fern harmony, patchouli, vanilla, iris
“Refined, elegant, subtle”... from the Guerlain site
Mouchoir de Monsieur is indeed an old style of scent... the scents and scentsibility of a bygone era. The opening is so brief that I missed it. The heart notes are quite floral and powdery, and I don’t particularly care for this phase. However, when the florals burn off, MdM dries down to an interesting, dry fern and patchouli accord. The patchouli here has a light wood tone, and the fern is very attractive. The shift between heart and base is so different that I sprayed it again... it is two different scents. Interesting! There is very light vanilla in the dry-down. Normally I don’t like that but it is restrained here and it works.

Scent notes for Sous le Vent: bergamot, basil, lavender, tarragon, carnation, jasmine, oakmoss, iris, woods, patchouli.
This is a green, dusky, dry chypre. The bottle (most attractively packaged, in a splash format) has a pamphlet with a charming story of how this was created for the noted Parisian cabaret dancer, Josephine Baker. I read a blog which called this “the best feminine to be worn by men” and I agree (as do other reviewers below). There is nothing here to keep a man from wearing it. SLV has some floral sweetness (a bit of powdery iris, some fragrant jasmine) but it is in essence quite dry, even austere. Great... my favorite style! It is very interesting and quite complex. Initially it is very green, even a bit sharp, and it makes an incredible first impression. Then, it develops interesting wood notes, further complexified by patchouli... the result is a slight roasted-coffee effect. This is excellent, really different stuff. It is only available at Guerlain boutiques and it a limited edition sort of thing, so good luck finding it!

Arlington has a VERY citrus-orange opening. It settles into the perkiest fern note I’ve experienced! This fern gives a very fresh, pleasant scent: it is rather soapy with a barbershop vibe. The fern perkiness persists, and so does the orange (its duration is unusual for a citrus note in perfume). There’s not much wood here, in my opinion. This is an interesting scent, I like it once in a while and it is like nothing else I own.

O pour Homme is green, fresh, a bit floral but not sweet. It develops a grassy character. This is a light chypre. Some have called it cold, harsh, sharp – I don’t find it so frosty. It is cool and quiet. It may have rosemary and vetiver in it. I don’t detect any ginger. Nothing extraordinary here, but it is pleasing.

I’m happy to be the first to review b. green by Brooksfield. It is a very classy, refreshing scent; quite successful and enjoyable. It has a nice opening which is crisp, fresh and green. Lots of lemon-lime citrus here. Mild woody spices (cardamom and nutmeg) and little hints of pine freshness keep things perky and interesting. There is a good clean middle of light florals and cedar wood. The base has rich elements but is not heavy. The amber and musk are well-modulated and do not develop a powdery aspect. The leather and tobacco are restrained accents. The final dry-down is also good. It gets a bit bigger as the musk and fig leaves have their last statement, but the impression still is light and breezy. I like this and will wear it often. It is not easy to find, but it is worth the effort. The bottle design is interesting in that there is a green “straw” that surrounds the atomizer siphon which has the words: Piacere/Fun, Liberta/Freedom, Benessere/Balance. A good motto!

Green. Powerful. Attractive. Trophée Lancôme is a very good chypre: spicy-green, grassy and mossy. It is big but pleasant, not heavy or synthetic. It conveys a powerful, masculine aura. The opening has lots of lemon and little lavender. Grassy tones dominate the midpoint. It then develops a light musk tone which compliments the mix and brings things to a satisfactory conclusion. This sort of scent is classy and should come back in style. Out of production but it is worth seeking out. If you can get it at a good price, try it.

Claiborne for Men is an interesting scent, and for the most part I like it. G23riel and foetidus are right, it is fresh and green and bold. There is a honeydew melon sort of opening, quickly followed by crisp green and citrus notes. Basil-like aspects emerge, although basil is not listed as an ingredient. Juniper and carnation give a brisk zip to the proceedings. It settles into a rather unique soapy-detergent profile that is assertive but to my mind pleasing. This quality is probably aided and abetted by the ozone. To my mind this is a more successful fresh/ozone fragrance than Caswell-Massey’s Greenbriar. There is a little bit of a woody cedar note in the dry-down but that is not a big deal.

Eau de Rochas pour Homme is splendid! Pluran and scenteur have excellent reviews, and I agree with their statements. What I find striking about this scent is the absolutely linear yet exciting way it reveals each element in turn: citrus-lime, lightly grassy herbs (basil, artemisia), woody spice (coriander), pine needles, lightly musty oakmoss and vetiver, good cedar. I can sit and check off each one and say “yes, this is natural and true.” Despite the linearity there is interplay between the elements as well. I’d compare this to truly great jazz music, which is ‘transparent’ – you can detect each instrument/player and yet the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. The citrus/herbal combo gives this a superb Mediterranean flair. I’d say this starts off similar to Eau Sauvage but ends up in its own delightful pine/cedar grove. Refreshing and classy, things don’t get any better than this!

Creed Chevrefeuille has a sharp, interesting opening. The honeysuckle is rich, floral, somewhat smoky and tangy. I don’t detect mint as a separate element, but there is a sharp freshness that is probably from that. It takes a while for the herbs to develop, but when they do they are very good... basil and perhaps tarragon. I appreciate the ‘pastoral’ qualities they give. The honeysuckle floral continues, and as is usual for a Creed, gets a bit rich. For me, this is not a must-have scent, but I can appreciate it.

Fragrance notes: Roman chamomile, cistus oil, elemi, frankincense, myrrh, vanilla, patchouli, palisander, ambrette seeds.
Avignon is the flagship scent in the exotic and well-conceived Incense line of Comme des Garçons. I admire it, but like it the least of them. It has a very true-to-form frankincense opening: it is sweet, almost fruity, powerful and pungent. It gives a very high church atmosphere, more than a little gothic in its intensity. It is brilliantly evocative of dark cathedrals which have seen much incense and prayers. It is just too rich for my taste. Others in the line (Zagorsk, Kyoto, Ouarzazate) are more restrained and I find them haunting and attractive.

“Grapefruit, Bergamot, Mandarin and Lemon top notes with a heart of Cedar, Sandalwood and Vetiver and a base of Musk and Ambergris.” (Creed website)
I’ve tried Himalaya three times. The first time I found it interesting but didn’t care for it. The second time I enjoyed the wood tones a bit but found it to be sweet and powdery. This third time I find it to be very sweet, heavy and cloying. I think the musk and amber dominate at the expense of the potentially good wood tones. To my taste, many Creed fragrances have too much richness (the excellent and dry Cypres-Musc and Epicea are the exceptions).

“A crisp aromatic fragrance revealing lavender, geranium and cedarwood.” (Trumper website)
Marlborough is a nice, classy fragrance. It has a zesty aromatic opening of lavender and light spice (sort of like cloves, from the geranium). It develops a soapy/barbershop aspect that is masculine and attractive. As the Trumper notes say, there is cedarwood (rather than sandalwood) in it. I agree because I get the definite scent of pencil shavings... distinctive and to my nose quite pleasant. The drydown is gentle and spicy.

“A subtle fragrance that blends musk with complex top notes including Rosemary and Neroli.” (Trumper website)
Well, as usual Trumper plays its fragrance note cards close to the chest. What can I detect in what I smell in Wellington? There is a very brisk citrus opening, quite lemony. Then there is a minty green freshness, from rosemary but perhaps also eucalyptus. I question whether there is any pine here, the rosemary could be giving that impression. Then a nice woody spice tone appears. Pepper may be giving some ‘bite.’ Perhaps caraway gives that woody tone. Neroli oil itself is spicy and flowery so we must take that into account. A grassy tone emerges, probably some vetiver is involved. Overall, I’d say this is a minty-lemony scent with remarkable longevity. As well, throughout there is a distinctive and interesting “dusty” aspect that is difficult to identify. At times it reminds me of the smell of old books, at other times I get the idea of a dusty old jar of lemon drops. These are not unpleasant images for me, they are rather charming and so is Wellington. It is an interesting, brisk scent which warms up a bit in the dry-down but retains its cool character.

Having recently tried Cyprès-Musc I can compare it to Epicéa. I like coniferous and resinous scents, and I enjoy both of these Creed products. CM is drier and has a much more prominent resin note than Epicéa. The impression I get from Epicéa is of the smoke from a campfire made with pine logs and needles. For me, the smoky aspect gives Epicéa a contemplative, at times slightly melancholy air... not unpleasant, rather quite distinctive and enjoyable. Orange and mint notes open the fragrance. Pine and spice follow and provide a lovely accord. I don’t find the herbs in this to be prominent, for me they are very much in the background. Some slight resin appears at the end, but it is tempered by the spices. Epicéa has a bit of the trademark Creed richness. I think this is excellent.

“A wonderful green and woody fragrance with fresh top notes of Spanish bergamot, woody cypress on a base of oakmoss, ambergris and musk.” Creed website
Cypres-Musc is the fragrance I’ve been looking for! It is superb. There is a good opening blast of bergamot (not just a basic citrus, this really has the ‘Earl Grey’ tone). Very quickly, incredible cypress resins emerge, the best I’ve encountered. They are green, coniferous, woodsy and give an incredible nature/forest smell. They have a deep, haunting quality that is irresistible. This scent makes me lose sense of time and be caught in the moment. It is very distinctive and dry, but it is not heavy and stays close to the skin. The resins are softened but not tamed by soft musk. This is not as turpentine-y as Eau D’Hadrien or Eau Trois (excellent dry scents in their own right). Enjoy its brilliant moments, and re-apply as needed. I am a huge fan of coniferous and woody smells, and this is one of the BEST!

I find Virgilio to be more of a hay-like scent rather than “green.” Admittedly there is a very green opening, like freshly cut grass. Then some lovely, fresh and attractive herbal notes emerge. What comes to dominate is what I think is a tarragon note which accounts for the hay-like quality. There may be light thyme and sage here, the basil is rather low-key in my opinion. I don’t get any cedar. This reminds me of Bronnley’s English Fern, but it is better. Not so sweet, and without the irritating almond nut aspect. But both have a strong and somewhat sweet hay character which is distinctive and is probably an acquired taste. In Virgilio, the hay burns off eventually and one is left with a pleasant pastoral scent. I like it, but I like Eau Trois better.

Xeryus is interesting, very interesting. I like the exotic woods and the artemisia. They give a very exotic, slightly bitter-woodsy character. Ultimately however, the amber gives (to my taste) a too much powdery sweetness. Worth sampling, it is different from much of what is out there.

Lomani surprised me! Sure, it’s available at discount counters everywhere. But it does everything well, and in some ways it excels. It has a good lemony-lavender opening, followed by spicy wood notes of coriander. Lavender, and later juniper, provide a refreshing briskness that is very pleasing. This is a big, friendly 80’s scent, but it is dry, restrained (if applied in modest doses) and well-made. The dry-down is very good. Grassy vetiver, dusky patchouli and oakmoss blend together very well and give a really attractive foundation. I’m not a fan of heavy, sweet patchouli, but it is done very well here, in a low-key and effective way. Don’t be a snob, try this and see what you think! I think it out-performs many expensive designer scents.

There is old-school and then there is really old-school! Jean-Marie Farina is one of the earliest of the modern colognes. It is worth checking out for its history alone. It is a delightful classic EDC. It has excellent lemon-bergamot notes, bolstered by the green freshness of rosemary. Phase one of the scent is sparkling green citrus. Phase two is a slightly spicy dry floral. The carnation gives a hint of clove and a fresh ‘bite’. The orange blossom and rose are gentle flowers, not too sweet. The rose drydown is very good. This is an excellent unisex fragrance, certainly one that any man could wear and enjoy without qualms

Pino Silvestre is a true classic of its type: an herbal-pine concoction. Admittedly it is not for everyone because of its bold herbal qualities (especially thyme), as some comments below indicate. The North American market may not always appreciate something different that is in a distinctive European style. But really, pine and herbs do exist outside the realm of cleaners and salad dressing! I find PS to be delightful, distinctive, crisp/cool, very green and dry. I can’t improve on monsieur foetidus’ description, he is exactly right. An advantage of this type of inexpensive Italian fragrance (another is Malizia) is that there is a full range of associated bath and shaving products.

Well, of the three scents in this line, here is the only one with any pretense to a wood tone. The wood is ok, but as with so many scents it is overpowered and thus ruined by vanilla. Hansel and Gretel were walking through the woods and left sweet little cookie crumbs to find their way out. Is this what you want to smell like?

A sweet, light floral/powdery scent. More could have been done with the rosemary to give a brisk edge. Too sweet for my liking, and not distinctive enough to be noteworthy.

I like wood scents but the wood is mostly in the name (Bois). The honey is a dominant aspect. It makes for a pretty sweet (and I suppose pretty, sweet) fragrance. It is far too sweet and powdery for me to like at all.

L’Eau Trois is superb. Admittedly it is not to everyone’s taste – it is very dry with distinctive herbal notes. There is no citrus in the opening, which is unusual. There are no florals to soften this scent. It is uncompromising, and yet beautiful in its confident, natural aura. Resin appears even at the opening, giving me the impression that I’m savoring the lingering taste of a shot-glass of retsina. Herbs appear: they are well blended, dry and aromatic. Thyme leads the charge, but it is much better handled here than in MPG’s over-the-top Baïme. Hints of pine lurk at the edge and add to the interest. I love dry scents, and this is one of the driest I know. It is in the Mediterranean style (others that come to mind are Eau D’Hadrien and Borsari’s Aqua Classico) and I find it brilliant!

We have a fairly complex list of ingredients here, and my overall impression is that they are carefully fused together into a relatively seamless presentation. Here are my impressions as the scent unfolds. A slightly sweet, light green opening. It is very pleasant and fresh... a natural sort of ‘fresh’, not the synthetic type so common these days. The florals are tightly melded together. The tea note is distinctive. Spices (cardamom, pepper) give some interest and ‘bite’. Light amber and musk reach upward and enrich all the phases. This is very pleasant and enjoyable, good for office/day wear. It is light, refreshing and interesting. It has a good woody dry-down. The tea note grows more sweet as it combines with the musk. As is often the case with some scents, I prefer the dry opening to the richer and sweeter conclusion. But this one is pretty good, and the tea note does give it a distinctive aspect.

Top – bergamot, lemon, orange leaves, lavender, clary sage, basil, juniper, thyme, oregano
Mid – clove, evergreen
Base – cedar, sandalwood, oak moss, amber
Eau de 4 Voleurs (“The Four Thieves”) is superb! 4 Voleurs has a brisk opening, with citrus, substantial lavender and light green herbs. L’Occitane does lavender very well, usually in a deep, dry, smoky fashion. The interesting herbs give transition to the pine middle. The pine is EXCELLENT – a real woody pine, quite an amazing rendition of this difficult-to-capture scent. 4 Voleurs is in the style of Pino Silvestre (a herbal pine) but it is more complex, warmer, woodier, not as austere and chilly. It does have some dry, slightly ‘medicinal’ and cool aspects, but they are balanced by warm woods. If this sort of profile appeals to you, try it. I cannot recommend it highly enough! L’Occitane fragrances are excellent value.

Gucci Nobile is a lovely, old-school scent. I find that it develops in surprising ways. Reviews below suggest that it is a strong scent... and that is true, it does have a substantial late mid and base. However, I found the opening to be light, a pleasant beginning of citrus, lavender and spice. Mild green notes and light florals then appear. The mace adds a very attractive interesting spice note, like nutmeg. That spicy aspect is complimented by the carnation, which contributes to the clove-like briskness. Up to now the scent has not been powerful. Suddenly, it picks up vigor. Coniferous scents emerge, and the scent gets much bigger. It develops a really classy, dry, refined aura. Clove, vetiver, fir, sharp sandalwood, and cedar are all there, and they make an intriguing, complex scent. The dry-down is spicy and musky. At times Nobile reminds me of Worth, or the warm spicy woods of Eucris or Astor.

Eau des Îles has a BOLD smoky aromatic herb opening. The myrtle and tarragon really deliver a punch...‘medicinal’ perhaps, but quite intriguing and to my taste, attractive. This is a really interesting scent: different from most of what’s out there, distinctive. After that incredible opening, dark green resinous notes emerge which are slightly softened by the ylang ylang. This has an old-school quality about it, reminding me of the discontinued Victor’s Silvestre in its piney depth and charm. There are some rich incense notes and also patchouli and vetiver, which in the early going are rich but mostly dry. I find that the coffee lends support but is not identifiable by itself. The incense gradually takes over and makes the dry-down a bit sweet and musky. I’d call EdÎ a very classy green herbal-tinged incense fragrance.

Fragrance notes: cypress, larch, incense, “pine tree gems”, coriander seeds, patchouli leaves, opoponax, blond tobacco
As we see, there are very interesting ingredients in Encens Epice (“Spicy Incense”) – and those ingredients deliver an intriguing, complex fragrance. I’m baffled by comments below about the synthetic nature of this scent. To me, it is very natural. The opening is slightly smoky and aromatic. It also has a clean, slightly rubbery smell that is not unpleasant. I have the impression of coniferous and resinous woods (which is what those “gems” are I suppose... resinous beads of sap). The scent is dry but very aromatic and full, with no florals. The wood tones continue to develop, and I really appreciate the cypress which is haunting and evocative. As the incense and patchouli develop, the scent becomes richer and sweeter. Ultimately, I like the front end better than the finish of this scent. I like the beginning dry aromatic aspects. The dry-down is lovely, honeyed and rich, with a faint balsamic/vanilla note. A bit sweet for my taste but many will appreciate it.

Top – Sicilian tangerine, Californian green lemon, Italian bergamot, basil
Mid – Lavender, clove
Base – Sandalwood, oakmoss, cedar
(These notes are a combination of what the Armani website says and the basenote profile.)
Armani is brilliant! Along with Worth and Tsar, it is one of the best of the 80’s fragrances. It opens with a good citrus blast that is very lemony and natural. It smells like the oils expressed from squeezed fresh lemon skins. The citrus develops green notes due to the basil. Then, the bracing aspect softens and opens up, with hints of lavender (lovely) and clove (warming). Gentle woody and mossy notes take over, but for a long time they are given a freshening counterpoint by the amazingly persistent citrus. The final dry-down is warm and attractive. Here is a go-to scent, it always satisfies. It is widely available and has a associated products for layering. Guys looking for a classy and mature alternative to the vapid and sweet junk out there should check this out. I think this has good longevity. It is a citrus-dominated scent, so expect to re-apply as needed.

Smalto is heavy, sweet, and leathery with an oppressively powdery dry-down. Absinthe can lend an interesting herbal note in some fragrances, but here it just is odd and sharp. The chamomile gives an unpleasant hay field note; I’ve never cared for that particular fragrance. Honey, vanilla and tonka bean are a combination that is too rich for me, and they out-muscle the faint wood notes. Don’t like it.

Malizia Uomo Vetyver by Mirato is an excellent budget fragrance. Like Pino Silvestre, I get it at my Italian deli. Here’s the philosophy of the Mirato’s product line (which includes several fragrances): “Malizia Uomo is a complete range of products targeted for Men, to satisfy the specific needs of modern men, who are increasingly concerned about their daily grooming. The range caters for the dynamic and active man with a strong personality, and includes Shaving foam, After shave, Shower shampoo, Soap, Body deodorant spray, and Eau de Toilette with a distinct masculine and intense fragrance.” So what is Vetyver like? It is a good, grassy vetiver fragrance in a Mediterranean style. It has a lemony opening. Then there is a bit of spice, perhaps pepper and/or cardamom. There are aromatic woody tones which lead to the vetiver and light musk finish. The vetiver is solid: grassy, earthy, at times a bit rich like patchouli but basically dry. I like vetiver and I like this one.

Eau Sauvage is a true classic, in the lemon and light herbal Mediterranean mode. The fragrance notes above are the only ones given on the Dior site, yet the simplicity of these few things creates a very effective and pleasing result. The citrus notes are excellent, fresh and natural. The rosemary, basil, and orange leaf give a green tinge and complexity to the lemon. Light vetiver provides a pleasing grassy foundation. This scent conveys effortless enjoyment. It is intended to be a summer splash, so apply it in a carefree manner throughout the day and enjoy! (I advise avoiding the ES Extreme, which is totally different and quite obnoxious.)

On paper, 1881 by Cerutti looked promising: herbal heart tones and woody base notes. On me, it has a tired, dusty-stale smell. I find it to be bitter and irritating.

I agree with the negative reviews of Eau Sauvage Extreme. ES basic is a wonderful classic. The Extreme version has different elements. It is NOT citrusy. The cistus (broom) has a strong smell, one not my liking. That plus the cistus (a source of labdanum resin) give the Extreme version a heavy profile, somewhat aggressively powdery like Trussardi Uomo. I don't like it.

Zagorsk fragrance notes: white incense, pine, pimento berries, violet, cedar, iris, hinoki wood, birch wood
Zagorsk is a very special fragrance. It has incredible wood tones of birch and pine, emphasis on the birch. It is what Cartier’s Déclaration wants to be when it grows up! Zagorsk has a sweet nutty opening (pimento berries). Then, haunting smoky wood appears; an exceptional treatment of this scent. Florals (violets, iris) are a minor note, slightly softening the wood. The effect is one of austerity, dryness, restraint. The mood evoked is loneliness, melancholy, and yet at the same time satisfaction and contentment. Finally mild white incense appears and takes the fade-out. Zagorsk is subtle, with only a few notes that are very well done. It doesn’t have great longevity, but such moods (and scents) are of the moment anyway.

For one of the most profound reviews you’ll read on any scent, see Columbina/Marina’s blog entry for Zagorsk in Perfumesmellin’ Things, http://perfumesmellinthings.blogspot.com/2005_10_01_archive.html

Kyoto fragrance notes: incense, cypress oil, coffee, teak wood, vetiver, patchouli, amber, everlasting flower, Virginian cedar.
Kyoto is a quiet coniferous/woody scent, with a hint of incense. It is restrained, simple, and evokes a contemplative mood... a Zen-like experience if you are open to it. The opening is sweet, with coffee and a prelude of the patchouli and incense which will be the base. These quickly retreat, and a lovely cedar and cypress wood accord emerges and sits very, very close to the skin. Light incense gently softens – but does not entirely remove – the austere dryness of the wood. I find this to be a very well designed, attractive scent. It is for interior moments rather than public statement.

Top – black pepper, bergamot, lavender
Mid – nutmeg, cinnamon, anise
Base – tonka bean, cedar, “burnt wood”, musk
(expanded list from L’Occitan)
L’Occitan is a deep, dark, fall head-over-heels in love with lavender scent! This is very romantic style of lavender: mysterious, slightly brooding, sensual. The floral combines very well with peppery and spicy notes, and lovely cedar wood tones. The tonka bean and musk are dry, restrained, an effective background. The dry-down is excellent. The cedar develops very well, and there is great longevity. This is a natural scent, deeply satisfying and very classy. It is well-designed; the elements work well together and compliment each other. Shower gel and aftershave balm in this fragrance are excellent. Even if you don’t usually like lavender, try this! It has something extra, and it is superb value.

I started liking Eau des Baux but in the end can give it only a neutral rating. The vanilla basenote spoiled the smoky wood and incense which I had been enjoying. The opening looks interesting on paper but I couldn’t detect it. The mid took over right away. And what a middle –hauntingly evocative wood and incense. Mysterious, romantic. The wood is really well done: smoky, dry, resinous. The incense gives a rich and substantial quality. So far, I’m thinking that this is an amazing scent, and such good value. Then the vanilla kicks in and becomes quite strong and sweet. I just don’t like that sort of ending. I find it cloying. So the thumb goes sideways, sadly.

“A woody, vegetal and mineral eau de toilette” (from Hermes website)
Terre D’Hermes opened with a very strong and synthetic lemon blast. It developed a sweet wood note (cedar? birch?). These two notes ping-ponged back and forth in a tiresome way. It became big and rather obnoxious. This did not appeal to me. I like woody scents and appreciate good citrus notes; this had neither in my opinion.

Top – lemon, grapefruit, clary sage, basil
Mid – green tea, star anise, fig, lentiscus
Base – maté, blackcurrant, tarragon, liatrix
(from L’Occitane product information)
Badian is a crisp, very fresh scent. Pleasantly sharp and energetic, it reminds me of T&H Freshman or Burberry’s Weekend. I like Freshman better, but this is a reasonable alternative.

A notorious cat burglar, known only as “L’Occitan Vetyver”, gained access to Guerlain and Prada and took their best jewels. This is a dry yet rich vetyver, fragrant with incense. Ultimately, this is too rich for me. Comments below about short longevity puzzle me. My experience is that it lasted and lasted and... lasted. It got richer, more haunting and compelling. This is a magnificent fragrance. It is much better than the irritating and soapy Guerlain; more interesting than Prada. I give it a neutral because it is not my style, but I’m sure that many will enjoy it.

Top – mandarin orange, lime, golden alyssum
Mid – rhubarb, raspberry, blackberry
Base – coriander, musk
(from R&G’s site)
These fragrance notes are different from the Basenote profile. Further Basenote says it is discontinued, it is not... it is still in production and available. Looking at R&G’s site has made me slightly revise my opinion on Bouquet Imperiale. I had wanted to complain that it was too light and ephemeral. Now I realize that this is designed to be a light, breezy warm-weather splash. It is that! The good Baron’s picaresque anecdote conveys an air of faded and slightly decadent opulence. Other reviews speak of very fruity, flowery and sweet notes. I get none of those things. For me, it starts with a bright citrus burst – really excellent and interesting. Then it beats a hasty retreat. Hints of dusty flowers (alyssum) lurk at the edge. I don’t get ANY fruit... I see the fruity ingredients listed but I can’t smell ‘em. The dry-down is a lovely quiet spicy musk. I think this is a delicate scent, unisex in style. The soap has a stronger presence, and I wish the scent did as well. I like what I smell, I just wish there was a bit more of it.

Top – cumin, coriander, blackcurrants
Mid – jasmine, muguet
Base – sandalwood, musk, moss
(from Trumper’s site)
Trumper’s Eucris is a treasure of lovely dry peppery wood. I am confused by discussions (below) which mentions citrus and/or vetiver. Neither of these is listed as an ingredient, nor do I detect them in my sample. Eucris has a peppery opening that is very crisp and assertive. That opening amazingly persists throughout the life of the scent, a welcome and enjoyable experience. The cumin is NOT overdone; one has the pleasant impression of peppery woody spices rather than the sharp pong of cumin. I find that both the blackcurrants and florals soften and mediate the top and base, rather than impose themselves as a distinct phase. The base is particularly lovely, of warm wood with gently dry musk. The sandalwood has a mildly pleasant tang. This is a well-balanced scent, offering brisk and sensual elements together. EXCELLENT!

Worth pour Homme is one of my favorite scents. I have found few scents which so successfully achieve what I consider to be an essential feature in a great scent, namely balance. Some fragrances are light, others are rich; but WpH combines these two polarities in a lovely, interesting manner. Brisk elements (lavender, rosemary, carnation, pine) provide a welcome contrast to rich elements (geranium rose, leather, amber, musk). The whole is held together by mediating mossy woods (fern, oakmoss, cedar) which add interest. Everything is substantial but at the same time subtle. This fragrance is utterly beautiful and yet completely masculine. Jil Sander Man Pure (original formulation) is similar but WpH has its own crisp superb character. This is an incredible 80’s scent, unusual in its lightness and charm. I feel great every time I wear it, my mood lifts – what more do we want in a scent?

Annick Goutal’s Eau d’Hadrien is a superb masterpiece. Many thanks to scentimental for the diligent and erudite review below. This has a dry citrus opening, followed by herbal tones. So far, it reminds me of Borsari’s Aqua Classico in a more powerful version. Jasmine-like florals (the ylang ylang) are a subtle compliment to the emerging wood. And that wood is excellent! Here we have cypress in all its glory: slightly resinous, almost grassy, green, a bit smoky and hauntingly evocative. Those looking to know and understand cypress, look no farther! I like EdH very much. It is simple and yet has such satisfying depth. It is classy and elegant, restrained yet very substantial. The highest praise goes to this one! It is so different from the innocuous, fruity/fresh pap flooding today’s market. "Unisex" perhaps, but I think it is mature and masculine.

This site lists Bronnley’s English Fern as a feminine scent, and I agree. I am a big fan of fern or fougere scents. R& G’s fern soap, Trumper’s Wild Fern and Penhaligon’s English Fern have the most marvellous green, mildly “rubbery” scent. I thought I’d try Bronnley and see what they did with it. I am reviewing the Body Splash Cologne. This is an odd scent (to my nose), not anything remotely fern-like about it. Initially it is sweet; like candy, chocolate or almonds. It then settles into a sweet hay scent. It is impossible to get information on the fragrance notes, but I’d guess they are mint, light moss, sweet musk, maybe some patchouli. There is almond oil in the soap and this splash, that also adds a sweet nutty aspect. The soap has a more pleasing, grassy smell than the Cologne. Final verdict – too sweet for me.

Speaking as a fan of woody scents, I say that Agraria’s Balsam is marvelous. It is essentially a one-note development of the theme of balsam. Thus I would not term it ‘complex’ (i.e., with many layers) but rather ‘interesting’ in how that note evolves. The cedar-balsam opening is resinous and dry. It is very realistic and natural, reminiscent of green sap, oozing out of a freshly cut tree limb. Then the scent shifts, and for me evokes the scent of a cedar chest. The scents are dry, but so full that they are satisfying. Finally, Balsam settles into a mellow balsamic note (like vanilla but drier, not cloying, more interesting). I suppose it could be termed ‘feminine’ in that it is not heavy, spicy or leathery. But I find it to be quite masculine, because it has a simple and reserved elegance, and is dry with little floral aspects. There are also bar soap and shower gel available, and the products are good value.

I agree with the reviewers who find Z to be a bit generic, blah, unexciting. This is a basic brisk, crisp, dry scent. No problems: not sweet, not annoying... but not much of anything. I can’t think of any reason to seek this out when there are more interesting scents out there. Maybe if I work my imagination hard I can detect interesting green-wood or bamboo elements, dusky florals from the iris, etc. It finishes on a vaguely unsatisfactory note: green stalks, slightly metallic. Nothing to get upset about, nothing to endorse. Thumb firmly sideways here.

Journey back to many aeons BC – before Charlus. We see the monstrous Tyrannosaurus Rex surveying his hapless prey. Should he kill it with his razor-sharp teeth or his powerful feet? His lizard brain recognizes one fact: he has something even more deadly in his arsenal. He slaps on Aramais (admittedly a difficult task with his little front paws). The poor prey didn’t stand a chance, it was dead in an instant. The brutish and excessively sweet, rich, heavy, leathery Aramais had once again claimed a victim!

R&G L’Homme and Open start off as very similar scents. My initial notes didn’t distinguish enough between them, so I have resorted to the tried-and-true ‘two wrists, two fragrances’ strategy. L’H is a woody spice, Open is a spicy wood. Open is a bigger scent, with more sillage. L’H is more subtle and stays close to the skin. The wood in L’H is cedar (dry, a bit resinous), the wood in Open is sandalwood (brisk, soapy).
This is an excellent scent. Although I also like Open, I prefer the quietly dry cedar notes of L’Homme. Ylang ylang lends a slight jasmine softening to the cedar. The amber is restrained and not powdery. Quiet spices lurk in the background. This is a classic masculine scent, excellent and very enjoyable.

R&G L’Homme and Open start off as very similar scents. My initial notes didn’t distinguish enough between them, so I have resorted to the tried-and-true ‘two wrists, two fragrances’ strategy. L’H is a woody spice, Open is a spicy wood. Open is a bigger scent, with more sillage. L’H is more subtle and stays close to the skin. The wood in L’H is cedar (dry, a bit resinous), the wood in Open is sandalwood (brisk, soapy).
Open is an interesting scent. The R&G site speaks of mandarin orange, sage, cardomom, and aromatic wood. A squirt of freshly-peeled orange starts the show. Pepper and cloves (carnation?) give it a brisk ‘kick’ of energy. There are also woody spices (cardamom, perhaps nutmeg). Those qualities are good, because they give balance to this rich aromatic scent. A soapy aspect emerges from sandalwood, a minty-creamy aspect. This compliments the spices very well. A slightly sweet, ethereal dry-down follows. Normally I’m not a fan of that sort of thing, but it works here. Everything is generous and yet it has classy restraint. It is very masculine, with pepper, wood, leather notes... but it is not obnoxious. Elegant, charming, it approaches Chevalier D’Orsay. It is more peppery and woody than Equipage. This really shines in cool temperatures, it might be a bit heavy in warm weather.

Pavane pour une parfum défunt (with apologies to Maurice Ravel): a song to a deceased scent. Crown Fougere is an amazing, lovely green-fern fougere. It is a tragedy that this is out of production. I’d place CF on a continuum. At the greenest end is the lovely Wild Fern by Trumper. At the sophisticated warm spicy wood end is the superb English Fern by Penhaligon. And CF sits comfortably in the middle, combining each of those aspects. The wood tones are really noteworthy (sandalwood, cedar). In addition, this has incredible longevity. Lovers of fern scents would enjoy this one. The world would be a better place with more scents like this!

Here is my estimate of the components of Acqua Classica Borsari:
TOP – citrus (lemon, orange)
MID – herbs (sage, thyme), geranium, spices (pepper, cardomom)
BASE – sandalwood, leather, oakmoss, vetiver
This is a superb, classy light Italian chypre. The opening is lemony-brisk, natural not synthetic, and has great lasting power. Green herbs emerge which are fresh and lend a sophisticated Mediterranean character. Pepper and other spices give this a mild ‘kick’. Then light wood appears and the faintest hint of leather. Even those who avoid leather can enjoy this classic; everything is balanced, controlled and yet makes a very attractive statement. This is a great warm weather scent, it stays light. There is an extremely satisfying dry-down of moss and grassy vetiver. This gives an instant infusion of Italian suave! Bellissimo!

“The force that through the green fuse drives the flower/ drives my green age...” Dylan Thomas.
Trumper’s Wild Fern is poetry and nature in a bottle. It is vibrant, full of energy, and fresh. We are part of nature, though that feeling often is attenuated. WF puts you back in touch with that reality. Other very green fougeres may be more complex with woody-spice notes (e.g., Penhaligon’s English Fern, Crown Fougere), but Wild Fern has a purity and innocent simplicity that, in my opinion, makes it the benchmark of a fern scent. This is a glittering green emerald of a scent; its cheery notes glitter and are mood-altering. The opening is lovely, crisp and green; with lemon, light herbs, and green grass. This is the greenest scent I know! Oakmoss, light musk, and very mild patchouli emerge, and I’m pretty sure there is vetiver here as well. WF always maintains a bright, fresh quality; it never becomes heavy like some mossy scents. It is lovely, and my words don’t do it justice. Trumper products are good value. This scent was first made in 1877 yet it is timeless, as fresh and renewing as nature itself. If this sort of thing appeals to you, try it. You won’t be disappointed!

Top: lemon, mint, lavender
Mid: celery seeds, myrtle, fir
Base: vetiver, musk, sandalwood.
Grain de Plaisir is really interesting, in my opinion much better and more successful than its sibling Baïme. Both are herbal scents, but in Baïme the thyme dominates, is linear and not particularly attractive in and of itself. Here, the celery seed is surprisingly subtle, mysterious, and blends well with the other ingredients. A lemony-lavender opening quickly is augmented by complex herbal notes. They are dry, aromatic, and slightly dusky. There is a hint of celery, but it is mild and nutty, more like celery heart than strong bitter old outer stalks. Myrtle gives green aspects, and there is the hint of something coniferous. Later, vetiver emerges with grassy dusky elements. There is also a nice mild wood tone of sandalwood. This is a DRY scent, no florals here at all. The amber is used well, to give a resinous rather than a rich or sweet tone. GdP is dry... but not bitter! I don’t find it challenging at all, I like such dry and aromatic scents. Admittedly, this is not what everyone is wearing. It is distinctive, an outdoorsy scent that works well indoors because of its subtlety and freshness. Very good!

Top: lemon, basil, clary sage, origanum
Mid: carnation, patchouli, cinnamon, geranium
Base: Castoreum, oakmoss, labdanum, musk
It took a lot of sleuthing but I found the components of Jil Sander Man Pure (ORIGINAL), a discontinued treasure. A friend wise in the ways of scents suggested it to me. I’m grateful, because this is outstanding! I’ve not found anything quite like it. At times, its rich beauty suggests Worth pour Homme; at other times its elegant note of leather reminds me of Equipage. However, this stands on its own. It has an ethereal loveliness that is easy to appreciate but hard to describe. I’ll try, but words fail to fully capture its appeal. JSMP has an opening that is rich and yet brisk. Herbal and floral notes quickly emerge. When done well, as it is here, clary sage is a complex element that can evoke amber, neroli, lavender, muscatel grapes, light vanilla, and balsamic resin. Origanum lends herbal notes like thyme or marjoram. This is well-designed: it is sweet yet dry, substantial yet light. Despite its richness it has a cool, clear aspect. It is old-school in its mossy tones, beauty, and substance. This is a great chypre, it is lovelier and less grassy than many. I recommend this one highly, it is worth hunting for!

Well, I’ll weigh in to the spirited discussion in progress! First, a visit to the Carlo Corinto website (a particularly well-designed one, BTW) revealed a fragrance pyramid different from that here in Basenotes. Here is Corinto’s list:
TOP – bergamot, basil, thyme, lemon
MID – sage, cedarwood, olibanum, raspberry
BASE – patchouli, vanilla, leather, vetyver
I suspect this represents a current tinkering with the 80’s formulation; the fruity note in the middle (a feature of all CC’s current line) suggests that is the case. Given that, the bottle I have may be the previous version. Here’s what I found. First of all, let’s have some common sense and approach these old-school scents with caution. Apply it lightly, and writhing on the floor and banishment from the workplace won’t happen. Even in small doses, this is powerful stuff. I find it to be a cool-weather scent: it really came alive when I went outside in the early morning and worked in the garden. In hot weather and in an office, it might not be the best choice. There is a brisk citrus-herbal opening. The middle is excellent, containing good pine notes with woody spice. Everything smells fresh, natural, and balanced at this point. Discretion pays off in the dry-down, which gets rich and substantial. Leather, patchouli, amber notes are there. The cardamom interacts well with these for a while. In sum, I liked the opening and middle best, the dry-down is OK. I like CC, but will carefully pick the times when I wear it.

Baïme is an interesting scent. I should like it much more than I do. In principle, I really like the idea of a classy, dryly herbal scent for men. Basil is probably my favorite fresh herb: it has a wonderfully invigorating green scent that always lifts my spirits. So why am I neutral on Baïme? I have tried it twice and each time the result is the same. What I find is essentially a one-note thyme/oregano fragrance. Thyme and oregano are much stronger and more aromatic scents than basil, and for good or ill they do have a ‘salad dressing’ connotation. The majority of reviewers praise the basil, but I simply cannot find ANY. Further, although jasmine and exotic fruits are promised (and would lend interesting notes), only one reviewer comments on them. I suspect they are in short supply, I certainly can detect nothing of the sort. There is an intoxicating and all-too-brief lavender blast at the opening. At the end, grassy vetiver lurks at the margins. But as I said, I find Baïme to be a linear thyme/oregano fragrance. Given the price, I do not think it is good value. But try a sample, my reservations may simply be how it works with my skin. I wish that I got all those nice notes that some others found. For a very classy lavender – herb – sandalwood scent, try Penhaligon’s Duro/Lords. Trumper’s Curzon is a nice chypre that also fits the bill.

Fahrenheit is like nothing I have yet encountered. Its centre almost defies description, and it dominates for a long time. First of all, I’d like to disabuse people of the notion that Fahrenheit has any claim to being a green scent. Folks, there is nothing – and I mean NOTHING – green about it. No freshly-cut grass, no green herbs, no oakmoss. Fahrenheit is, in my opinion, a weird sandalwood/floral scent. The combination grabs you by the throat as a rubbery, sharp and really odd scent. It is so unusual that categories of like/dislike, attractive/obnoxious hardly seem to apply. Puzzlement may be your reaction, it was certainly my reaction! That this sort of quasi-industrial scent would be designed is surprising, but look at the fringy appeal of the later generation of Comme des Garçons synthetic line. But that such a scent was a mainstream success in the late 80’s is nothing short of astonishing! An anthropologist could do a dissertation on it. I suppose that the purpose of this odd centre is sillage, as others have suggested. “I’m here!!!” is shouted as the person enters the room. If you have survived the initial onslaught, a couple of hours later the weirdness burns off and one is left with a pleasant and close-to-the skin sandalwood scent. But as the Grateful Dead have noted, “what a long strange trip its been.”

Once again, monsieur foetidus has nailed it. Paul Smith for Men is at best a competent but rather bland offering. It is a green and somewhat sweetly floral scent with no particular distinguishing elements. It winds up as a very light grassy vetiver. Greenergy by Givenchy is similar and better: it is drier and more interesting. And as for comparisons with Fahrenheit... ??? Chalk and cheese, my friends. Fragrance notes are totally different, and the infamous ‘motor-oil’ centre of Fahrenheit makes it (for better or worse... worse in my opinion) unique.

Greenergy fragrance notes include: lemon, tarragon, vetiver, oakmoss.
Like others, I am always interested in well-made green scents. Greenergy is exactly that sort of fragrance. It has a cheerful, crisp opening, with a bit of lemon. Green notes appear, first from tarragon and then vetiver. They combine to project a freshly-cut grass smell that is not floral but is dry and quite pleasing. The lemon/grass combo makes this a chypre. Moss stays in the background and mellows things out a bit. I’d classify this as a clean, effortless vetiver-based chypre, an easy introduction to the type. I will register disagreement with the good Baron (below): having tried Paul Smith for Men, I prefer Greenergy. While the two scents are similar, I find PSfM to be too sweet and floral for my taste. This is a good daytime and spring/summer scent.

Having recently sampled Weekend, I find it to be very similar to Truefitt & Hill’s classic Freshman. However, I think Freshman is a much better and more complex scent. Freshman (1815) is a brisk and comfortable classic. Weekend is simply a modern version of that. I’m surprised no one has made this comparison. At points Essenza di Zegna has the same vibe.

L’Artisan Parfumer has some kind of genius when it comes to compelling woody scents (also see Fou d’Absinthe). Méchant Loup is one of the best cedar scents that I have smelled. It leaves Rocabar and Tuscany in the dust! I think it even exceeds the very worthy Opus 1870 of Penhaligion (no small feat). Here we have spicy wood that is only a bit sweet and thus is not cloying. There is a hint – and only a hint – of the gourmand style in the opening. I found the hazelnut to be a very minor element, and the licorice and honey are also restrained. I can’t believe that I’m endorsing something with licorice and honey, normally such things send me to the washbasin to scrub the scent off! But here, these elements add interesting supporting notes, they do not dominate or compete with the excellent cedar wood. The initial sweet blast very quickly settles into a superb, warm wood tone. This is an attractive and sensual evening scent. Bravo!

Brilliant, absolutely brilliant! And rather different from what I expected! I was expecting a somewhat boozy firecracker of a fragrance. Instead, in Fou d’Absinthe I found a warm, utterly attractive scent that combines woods and herbs in a way that I’ve never seen before. The opening has two parts: the first is aromatic and herbaceous, the second is aromatic with cedar and resin. The absinthe (wormwood) and angelica have stated their case, and done so in a unique and striking manner. Then, a spicy-cool middle appears, as promised. There is a hint of licorice (anise) but it is very minor and adds just a note of interest. Then... magnificent pine and balsam appear... dry, authentic, deep, compelling, and WARM! Many pine scents have a ‘chilly’ aspect, but not this one. This is one of the best pine notes I’ve experienced, and I’ve tried Knize and Blenheim Bouquet. The dry-down is very attractive, and generates quiet heat. This is a complex, sophisticated scent. It is dry and classy enough for day wear, but sensual and intriguing enough for the evening. L’Artisan Parfumer has a magic touch with woods (see also Méchant Loup).

Penhaligon’s Castile is an incredibly beautiful, truly lovely scent. It is a bouquet of blossoms (orange, rose): floral but not excessively sweet. There is a high degree of rose here, somewhat unusual in a man’s fragrance. This is rich and verges on luxury, but remains balanced and is even ‘restrained’ compared to the opulent Hammam Bouquet. No crisp notes here, all is soft and lovely. Woody musky notes emerge and the drydown is very satisfying. I would not call this a compelling scent, but it is very enjoyable.

Crabtree & Evelyn’s Lavender Water is indeed a simple one-note fragrance... and a brilliant one. It is natural, beautiful; a true lavender scent. Sometimes the best things in life are very simple, this is one of them. Lavender can be a floral that is suitable for men: it is dry and slightly herbal, with bracing and uplifting qualities, and an outdoorsy feel. This one is classy, not heavy (thus an excellent daytime scent), fun and cheery. It is superb. And it is not expensive! What more can we want? Thumbs are pointing very high here!

I like R&G Vétyver. Some vetivers, such as Guerlain, develop a ponderous soapy note that I find oppressive. As others have noted, R&G remains bright, fresh and green throughout; and this is exactly what I appreciate in this sort of scent. A crisp citrus opening quickly gives way to a new-mown hay scent. The outdoorsy feel of this, and the fact that it is not floral or sweet, make it masculine in my estimation. I will concede that it can be unisex to the extent that it is fresh and bright. Others find it to be short-lived; I disagree. While it gets very subtle and stays close to the skin after about 45 minutes, I keep getting whiffs of it several hours later. The crisp and subtle qualities make it a good candidate for day/professional wear.

Trumper is reticent about revealing the fragrance pyramid of its scents. As others have noted, the company blurb simply says, “slightly spicy overtones add to a light chypre note.” A generic chypre formula would be: TOP (bergamot, lemon), MID (rose, jasmine), BASE (moss and patchouli, often with labdanum and clary sage). So we expect a citrus opening, a floral middle and a grassy-herbal base, and that is basically what we get. Curzon has a lemon-lime opening: there are pretty good citrus notes here, realistic and persistent for citrus. The floral middle is quite ‘pretty’, and gives this a somewhat feminine personality. Then the mossy base emerges, with good quality moss and herbal sage notes. These elements return the scent to the masculine realm. As stated, this is a light chypre. The dry-down is grassy, mossy, attractive.

Calvin is downright unpleasant! Its brackish-brown heavy notes indicate a clumsy and heavy-handed mix of patchouli, vetiver and musk. It has a very sweet powdery dry-down and oppressive leathery notes. This is a sibling of the obnoxious Acqua di Selva and the wizened Azzaro. The 80’s produced some good scents, but this is not one of them. The thumb is going way, way down here.

Blenheim Bouquet is brilliant! Admittedly, it will not be to everyone’s taste. It is the polar opposite of Hammam Bouquet (chilly rather than warm, austere rather than rich). Yet as with HB so with BB – they are each history in a bottle and stylishly convey an image and a period that is classic. I have been seeking good pine scents and happily report that this is one of the very best (Knize Forest being a chief rival, but somewhat different in style). BB has a very fresh, invigorating opening. The lemon here is real: not only the juice but the pith – it has substance and depth. It is not synthetic, and people who think it smells like chemical cleaner need to come in contact with the natural world of real lemons! There are woody spices and pepper which gives a ‘bite’ to the proceedings. NO floral notes, NO sweetness here. This probably bucks every current trend in male fragrances and I cheer it on! Then, truly superb pine scents emerge: they are noble, expansive, and utterly natural. Both green pine and woody pine combine with some elusive herbal notes. BB *never* becomes warm, it always has a reserved, cool quality (the closest analogue in my experience is Fath’s Green Water, but BB is truly in a class by itself). Twelve hours later, a beautiful wood accord lingers that is subdued and haunting. If this sort of thing appeals to you, try it... you won’t be disappointed. And leave the sweet Lifesaver candy fragrances to others!

Hammam Bouquet is quite an experience! It is a Victorian-era oriental, and seeks to convey all the exotic splendor of that realm to the curious Western world. I think Creed admirers