Ever think you're going crazy? (update on Mat;VM)

I recently posted my enthusiasm towards my discovery of Mat;Very Male. I purchased the 1.3 oz. bottle from perfume.com for only $13 with a gift certificate. As the bottle is currently taking its sweet time in transit, I wanted to increase my anticipation for it by reading up about it on the Internet. I have to say that I'm quite shocked and worried after reading what others have commented about it. What I'm seeing and what I'm smelling are two totally different things!

Here's what I got from Very Male: A licorice opening that is a little bit cloying and similar to Kenzo Air, but it also has a fresh and subtle quality about it that is detectable at the trail-end of each whiff I take, and whatever that note is keeps me interested in the scent past the initial blast. After about 20 minutes, a blend of fruits, florals, and musk come in and carry this frag to a new level that I'm addicted to...but now I'm starting to worry I imagined the whole thing! I believe the scent on a whole was refreshing, young, and unconventional, but no review I've read describes the scent in such terms.

On the contrary, reviews I came across feature descriptions like, "smells like Rive Gauche," "good for an older guy," "a rich gourmand", "this is a classic cologne with heavy coffee," etc.


Ugh. I don't like Rive Gauche (I respect it, but wouldn't wear it), I'm not an older guy, I don't want a gourmand, I'm not often into "classics", nor am I a big coffee drinker! To top it all off, I see Very Male is recommended for "mature" men on a frag retail site. I never for a moment envisioned this for an older guy; in fact, I was considering this as a front-runner to become a college staple of mine. I'm positive I did not smell the original Mat; Male because the tester appeared to be broken and I didn't want to be accused of breaking it by trying to get some juice out of the bottle. Am I imagining this fantastic scent to be something that it's not?

Has anyone ever second-guessed themselves like this on a frag before? This hasn't been the first time that I've left a store with a positive opinion only to check it out online and have my thoughts warped by the mass consensus sites like this one provide. This is one of the few times that I wish BNotes wouldn't exist, because I have a tendency over-analyze every purchasing decision I make through this site. Sure I could just swap this or return it if I don't think it is so great after all, but I still can't get over this "big mistake" feeling like George must of felt on an episode of Seinfeld where he discovers the glasses he recently purchased and was so proud of turned out to be ladies glasses.

I'm hoping someone will say it ain't so!

Oh, I do not mean to bash, and I apologize if that attitude came across in the topic. I'm simply trying to figure out the scent because since it may be targeted for older men, I want to understand why I can't see it being for older men! I bought it initially because I thought it smelled nothing like what people are describing. With PS, A*Men, M7, D&G, etc. in my wardrobe, I always try to be well-rounded in my fragrance collection and I don't rule out any scents, young or old, just because someone tends to label them as such. In the case with Mat;VM, I bought it specifically because I was looking for something to wear in a college atmosphere, and the reviews gave me a surprising reversal that would suggest that this doesn't fit the bill - and that's simply what I'm exploring in this topic. I mean no disrespect towards any member or his/her tastes.