Please Rate my samples!

The only one I own or have tested are the following:

Diesel Fuel for Life For Him
Horrible and synthetic - 1.

Acqua di Parma Colonia Intensa
I'm not sure on this one, I sampled it once. It was really good, but I got the original version over this. I would give this 7-8.

CB I Hate Perfume Burning Leaves
Tried it a couple of days ago. Smelled like barbeque. It was an interesting scent, but I would never wear it. I'll give it a 3 because it's not wearable.

Creed Millesime Imperial
One of the best Creeds I have tried. But I'm not sure what I think about Creed anymore. I have found so many other houses I like better. I'll give it 6.

Creed Green Irish Tweed
Some days I love it, but most days I don't care about it. I'll give it a 4.

Dolce & Gabana The One for Men
It's ok, but sometimes it's far too synthetic. I'll give it 5.

The Diesel frag is the only wrong choice you've made in your list IMO.. it is a BAD frag. Maybe you can use it as a room spray ..if you can stand the way it smells, that is.

I've tried Creed Himalaya, GIT, and MI. I love all three, but to my nose, Himalaya is really something special. The drydown is really great on me. GIT earns a 7, MI an 8.5, and Himalaya a 9.5.

JPG Fleur du male did nothing for me - I give it a 3.

Haven't tried any of the others.

Congrats on the purchase, and congrats again on having someone that shares your passion. Have fun with the samples - I hope you find a few that you love, spending that much on samples. :P

Wait...that much money? That equates to about 9 dollars per sample - isn't it usually like 3 or 4? Well, anyways, you pretty much got some of the best Creeds from the house. I'm not really as familiar with the CB brand though...I would say that most of what you got was really good. If your a newcomer to niche, I would suggest checking out the houses of Montale, L'Artisan, Creed, Amouage, Malle, Lutens, Bond, and maybe Diptyque to start. I'd also suggest to try and email or call them, as you would be suprised at the amount of companies that will send you samples free of charge.

Whoa! $190 is insane for 21 samples!

With a little bit of digging, you probably could have found basenoters to provide you with half of those, most likely even free of charge!

You've got some wonderful sampling to do, and you'll probably understand more about your own tastes once you get to know all of those.

I'll comment about the ones I know (sample or have):


[Sample]
Its good but has a modern "synthetic" smell that may be off putting. Great great fragrance and not too expensive - this one and Estee Lauder Beyond Paradise for Men taught me that the modern "marine" and "fresh" accords can make a good fragrance - it just has to be done right! [7/10]


[Wife owns, I have sampled]
When I wear it I smell TANGERINE and not much else. A really really linear tangerine, too. I much prefer the first in the series (Mediteranee) - though that isn't nonlinear either, the herbal stems and leaves smell with hints of other things is more pleasant on me!

This can go on a man or woman. If one of you tends to being out woodiness in a fragrance, the Jardin sur le Nil will have a great opening.

[can't rate this one, because your skin chemistry is going to make or break it for you - the top notes in this one make the frag!]


[I own]
Neroli! I love this (though lots of folks do not) - it opens in blasts of strong flowers, white flowers. While there are "better" and "more authentic" smelling white flowers, this one is wonderful in and of itself. I love that it dries down and you can practically smell the flowers wilting as the perfume spends itself.

Easily worn by a man or a woman, but about 100x more exiting when worn by a man.
[5/10 woman, 7/10 man]



[sample]
Well ... this one is a classic mens fragrance. Its smells terrific! I almost bought it, but I have a few nice male classic style frags. You won't be sorry about this one. [7/10]


[sample]
I can't get away from a Bar-B-Que smell for this one. It does not smell like the sweetness that is musk. It is a little bit sweet and then gets into a sweaty cooked meat smell.

I'd be interested in hearing what you think.

[4/10]


[I own]
I love this one - the top notes are citrussy and sweet fruity then it dries down ... oh, that dry down. wonderful wonderful wonderful! Luca Turin's comments are spot on in my estimation, though I would have rated it higher than 3 stars. (4 stars, but not 5)
[7/10 until the dry down which is a 9/10]]


[sample]
This one is a marine accord done right. A less expensive alternative is Davidoff Cool Water that is about the same as far as smell (well they are kissing cousins). [8/10]

This and Diesel ought to show you the Marine accord handled with skill makes a great fragrance. I am now convinced the marine accord is not a "bad accord" but just one a lot of folks don't know how to use to make a good fragrance.


Its a lot of money for anyone, but you did pick some nice ones! You will have a lot of fun, I predict!! Despite a lot of criticism a couple threw at you, I would say that the "one stop shopping" in perfumed court is worth it to me - I am a regular customer.

Anyway, don't take my numerical ratings too seriously - since your tastes and skin [dry, oily, somewhere in between?) and the type fo day (hot, cold, dry, humid, sunny, cloudy) will affect these by a lot. Also, if you and your GF have fun with it - the experience itself could enhance things!

1. Acqua di Parma Colonia Intensa 8
2. Bond #9 Silver Factory (Andy Warhol Collection) 8
3. Bond #9 Union Square (Andy Warhol Collection) Not smelled
4. Courvoisier L'Edition Imperiale Not smelled
5. Diesel Fuel for Life For Him 2
6. Dolce & Gabana The One for Men 4
7. Frederic Malle Le Parfum de Therese Not smelled
8. Hermes Un Jardin Sur le Nil 10
9. Jean Paul Gaultier Fleur du Male 8
10. Tom Ford for Men 5
11. CB I Hate Perfume Musk Reinvention absolute Not smelled
12. CB I Hate Perfume Black March 10
13. CB I Hate Perfume Burning Leaves 10
14. CB I Hate Perfume Fire From Heaven Not smelled
15. CB I Hate Perfume Memory of Kindness Not smelled
16. CB I Hate Perfume Wild Hunt Not smelled, but I heard its fantastic!
17. Creed Himalaya 4
18. Creed Millesime Imperial 5
19. Creed Silver Mountain water 9
20. Creed Acier Aluminum 6
21. Creed Green Irish Tweed 0

More importantly - welcome to Basenotes DutchSmell. Remember - wear and buy what YOU LIKE. Take the Basenotes members into consideration, but whats most important is what YOU like. Interested to hear your thoughts on these.

It is not as bad as a lot of folks think. While it does smell highly synthetic, it is synthetic done right, and it smells pretty good.

Enjoy it - and let your nose be the guide!

And also ... Perfumed Court is a great "one stop shop" - but don't forget Basenoters and the manufacturers themselves!

1. Acqua di Parma Colonia Intensa 7
2. Bond #9 Silver Factory (Andy Warhol Collection) NA
3. Bond #9 Union Square (Andy Warhol Collection) NA
4. Courvoisier L'Edition Imperiale NA
5. Diesel Fuel for Life For Him 3
6. Dolce & Gabana The One for Men 5
7. Frederic Malle Le Parfum de Therese NA
8. Hermes Un Jardin Sur le Nil 7
9. Jean Paul Gaultier Fleur du Male 7
10. Tom Ford for Men 6
11. CB I Hate Perfume Musk Reinvention absolute NA
12. CB I Hate Perfume Black March 2-8 t is just weird.
13. CB I Hate Perfume Burning Leaves 6
14. CB I Hate Perfume Fire From Heaven 8
15. CB I Hate Perfume Memory of Kindness 9
16. CB I Hate Perfume Wild Hunt NA
17. Creed Himalaya 4
18. Creed Millesime Imperial 6
19. Creed Silver Mountain waer 7
20. Creed Acier Aluminum 9
21. Creed Green Irish Tweed 4

Now for some good advice. one, next time, don't do this. Easy or difficult as it may seem to believe asking [us] for our opinions will influence yours, its always the case and I think for the most part you're doing yourself a disservice. I think you want to do a thread like this AFTER sufficient sampling so you have your own ideas in mind, reflect on ours and revisit and review your selections.
Also, lately with niche fragrances one or two bottles is gonna cost you. $190 and if you don't love one it is annoying to sell it and then ship it, probably internationally, maybe at a loss.

Sampling is good but there are many good and generous folks here who I know would help a fledgling basenoter in an effort to if nothing else give expansion to this great hobby, so ask around. Maybe they'll charge you shipping at most. People here are good, as you'll find.

Also, definitely email mobtale and ask for some samples. Don't expect a reply but rather expect generous samples of red and black aoud and maybe some others. I have yet to try my blue amber sample.

Finally I am immensely jealous of your girlfriend's likeminded penchant for perfumes. Well done.

Welcome!
I think you've made a good decision, to the best of my knowledge sampling will decrease the costs for a perfume lover!
Anyway I've tried(or have) these ones:

5. Diesel Fuel for Life For Him: [4/10]
8. Hermes Un Jardin Sur le Nil: [5/10]
9. Jean Paul Gaultier Fleur du Male: [3/10]
10. Tom Ford for Men: [8/10]
17. Creed Himalaya: [9/10] (I love the scent, but the lasting power is...)
18. Creed Millesime Imperial: [10/10] (One of the best scents I've ever smelled!)
19. Creed Silver Mountain water: [9/10] (The same as No. 17)
21. Creed Green Irish Tweed: [8/10]

I think you made a lot of great decisions. I can't wait until you try Wild Hunt. It really smells like rain fallen on hot concrete to me with hints of forest... WEIRD but cool... And that's the kind of sampling I like to pay for... that is, things that aren't readily found in department stores. My favorites of your list are Silver Factory, Millesime Imperial, and Silver Mountain Water. Silver Factory is soooooooooo gorgeous. LOVE... IT!

Mobtale? OMG, that made my day. They make "Capone's Caress"

Great - let us know when you receive them!

Speak for yourself. Awesome scent. Every single time I wear it, I get at least 2-3 compliments. Fuel for Life is the single biggest compliment getter you could ever own. Gotta remember OP, a lot of people here ride band wagons and hate on certain frags

Hey, let me know what you think of Straight to Heaven. It's my favorite of your samples so far.
I see your maybe a vanilla person. Best vaniilla on earth is Note Vanille by M. Micallef at Four seasons.

I generally avoid Bond No. 9 scents, but they really hit it out of the park with Silver Factory. It's ingenious - a rare thing for a BN9 scent.

Your new samples look really good - I think you've made great selections Dutchsmell. I lovelovelove Spirituese Double Vanille!

[sample] Pine and Vetiver - really nice and dry as a bone. VERY masculine. I'll eventually buy a bottle, I think! 9/10 from me!


[sample] Powdery Musk - A lot of folks love it. I am on the fence. prolly 7-8/10


[bottle] LOVE love love it!! Vegetable stemmy - wear it on a warm day and it picks my mood up and itsn't too sweet (though there is some citrus that burns off right away).


[sample] I was disappointed. I found the spices to be sharp and rather synthetic smelling. I think this is when the perfumer tried to go *too* simple (each aromachemical trying to do too much). See what you think - it smelled better on a friend than on me! 6/10


[sample] Conjured up memories of being by the poolside in the 1970's - the smell of Coppertone with hints of water. CB does not fail to disappoint, though the stuff is more for wearing around the house. If they had put in a chlorine smell and aquatic with the coppertine you could have called ti "Bromo poolside 1974")(unrated)

Out of those, I own AdP Intensa which I think is absolutely delicious and easily one of the best scents in that list.

I also own Sur Le Nil, which when applied correctly is fantastic and I disagree about smelling like a tangerine. The trick with Sur Le Nil is to under apply it and you will smell delicious all day. It's a wonderful fragrance.

The Tom Ford I've tried and yes it is nice, but there are lots of other manly fragrances out there which do the same thing and last longer - maybe you should have a look at the Tom Ford Extreme as well?

D&G The One for men is, I think, disappointing. The female version is lovely and my soon-to-be-ex-wife-No2 smells wonderful in it. What a shame they couldn't deliver a great male fragrance to respond to it.

Which ones will you be FBing? Thats the important thing

Full Bottle (buy)ing.

I see you'd like to explore the MPG's? There's this guy on eBay who sells the complete line as 2ml samples in one pack. http://stores.ebay.nl/Guardian-Merchant

And a lot of the other stuff you're looking for can be found here: http://www.ausliebezumduft.de/