Neil Morris Fragrances

Okay, folks -- After being a lurker regarding Neil Morris Fragrances (I've known of him as a Boston-area custom perfumer for years, but couldn't find his stuff commercially nor justify a custom-frag for myself.... Yet...) I recently discovered that he's got a retail line started. So, I'm posting a separate thread for his stuff. Personally, I am hooked!

Anyone else: www.neilmorrisfragrances.com Sample program is part of the deal. hurrah!


Below (over the next several days), I'll review each of the scents from his retail line, including the two 'new ones' they're apparently releasing later this spring (one of which is a definite full-bottle for me!). Please, anyone else who's tested Neil Morris' stuff, weigh in here, and let us all know your thoughts!

Starting with yesterday's SoTD, "Quest," which I've described as one of my newly acquired "comfort scents."

According to the NMF web site:" Quest is a deep blend that begins with Top Notes of Calabrian Bergamot and fresh Ozone Notes followed by Heart Notes that include Cut Grass and Heliotrope, leading to warm Base Notes of Myrrh, Patchouli and Precious Woods." WOW!!! I love this one. Warm, easy to wear and delicious, IMO. NEED a bottle of this stuff.

I get lots of frankincense and sandalwood, with subtle grass and lovely woody notes. One very astute BNer described NMF as having a bit of a "sweet tooth," which I agree with (fine with me!), though not entirely, since "Aegean" (which I wore today) is almost completely green and sand notes, though there's still a bit of sweetness. Okay, I'm getting ahead of myself.

Who else wants to weigh in? Maybe we can get Neil Morris to chat with Grant and do a bigger sample-fest for all of us!!

Two days of NMF to update here:

First, Aegean. Described on the Neil Morris web site as a "sun-drenched Mediterranean fragrance" based on Morris' fantasy of traveling to Greece, the notes listed are: Top notes of mandarin and basil blossom; middle notes: lavender and luscious quince; and base notes that include: sandalwood, benzoin and pearl musk. This is another one I think I need to own -- simultaneously light and intense, with breezy herbal/woody and marine notes on me.

Aegean starts with a light citrus note on me, though I initially thought it was lime rather than mandarin, must've been the "green" of the basil kicking in (clearly the blossoms, not only the leaves - cool!), then I get cinnamon/peppery note from the lavender and sandalwood --the combination somehow smells like clean, wet sand, and driftwood!

Yesterday I gave a full wearing to Clear. Initially I couldn't understand why anyone would want to wear a scent that didn't smell like anything. But yesterday was warmer than it's been all spring, and while Clear is very subtle (and hence probably not something I would wear frequently ), it's definitely there, and refreshing, too. Top notes: pink grapefruit and linden blossom; heart notes of balsam and mint; base notes of cedar and clean musk.

On me, I don't get linden (and don't know exactly what linden smells like) Clear was mostly mint, ozone, and a tiny touch of citrus on a very light sandy base. I'm hoping to wear it again on an even warmer day and see how that goes.
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For today's Fruity Sniff & Speak I wore Neil Morris Fragrances Coral, which was sent with my sample pack of all six currently available NMF scents (the folks at NMF say Coral will be released on the web site later this spring). No description currently available, but for me it is a tropical fruit bonanza, and while I don't like tropical fruit, this is still a nicely constructed scent, IMO.

I am flying blind here, but here's what I smelled: an orange/other citrus opening, that almost immediately was accompanied and then overtaken by something that might or might not be passionfruit, then mango/papaya, and coconut! Like suntan oil coconut. I also get some vanilla, palm fronds, possibly sandalwood, and at one point, I swear I smelled lime jello (fleeting).

To me, Coral is sheer tropics, with lots of palm trees, tropical fruits and suntan oil. Summer vacation (for some) in a bottle!
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Okay, I seem to be the only person posting here for now, but as promised, here's my take on Afire:

As expected from the description, Afire is an extremely sweet, elegant gourmand. I found the orange at the opening a little overpowering, but can see how it's needed to balance the caramel/ berries and vanilla to keep them from becoming cloying. As it dries down, the blend is delicious (as with some other intense gourmands, wearing this makes me feel a bit like a dessert - would probably only wear this for a specific occasion, like Valentine's day). No surprise, I prefer Afire once the "foody" sweetness tones down just a bit and the frankincense note comes up.

Wonderful, but not a "must own" for me.

Today was my beloved Storm, which I reviewed for the floral Sniff & Speak last month. Storm really blew me away.

At first I got what I can only describe as watery notes. Then... there are flowers! Everywhere. It's late May or early June, and my skin has transformed into the middle of somebody's flower garden immediately after it's rained, and you can tell that those flowers are wet.

I would describe it as 'antique flower garden' flowers -- hyacinth and delphinium, maybe some mimosa. Also, a particularly delicious cinnamony patchouli that ends up bringing in a very subtle wet soil base with the occasional civet note. Definitely full-bottle worthy. David (the NMF principal, whom I have been hounding and who is being very gracious about my increasingly demanding questions, even if I *am* getting samples) says "Storm" will be released sometime later this spring. Wonder if we all beg _en masse_ if we can get them to release it sooner rather than later!

Tomorrow is the last of my sample batch, "Midnight Flower," by which time I hope some others will have tried the scents (or start to) and let me (and others) know their thoughts. Feeling a bit lonely out here!

Okay, gang, we have an Ava Luxe week going on in October, and the guys are considering a "scent synchronization day" also in October.

I would like to suggest a "Neil Morris Day" for ALL Basenoters in early November... Your choice of any one of the 6 (plus Storm and Coral) NMF now in production, and/or perhaps Mr. Morris would offer a couple of samples of his "vault" scents if we ask nicely.

Please, Neil?!?

Works for me!

Mike, can you post this on the Men's board, and Moderator, can we please have a sticky? Either board, whichever makes the most sense, or is easiest!

I'd love to see participation from all interested!

I'd say go for Aegean, Quest and/or Coral, and if you get a chance, get onto Neil's site and e-mail the man himself about whether he could recommend one or two from his "vault" for you to try. I'm willing to bet he'll find something for you in time for the NMF Day!

I do find the frags to run on the sweet side, but especially if you specify non-sweet, I bet you'll get something that fits the bill.