I have received a nice package from them containing their range of scents along with a nice booklet on the fragrances. Below is my take on each one.
No 88
This opens up very rosy and soapy to my nose which does remind me of potpourri that you can buy in a supermarket, The soapy rose smells constrained and stuffy and more like roses that are withering. When this settles down upon the skin the scent reminds me of a rose joss stick that has been taken out of the packet and smelled up close.
NEROLI
This scent is very refreshing and light and smells of orange blossoms. It comes across as a barber shop scent that you would not be surprised to find in your room in a top class hotel.
A most delightful inoffensive uplifting scent to spray on after a shave before you head out.
FRANKINCENSE & MYRRH
I was quite unprepared for the menthol/detergent attack to my senses on the opening, I have not smelled anything like this before in a cologne. I can see what they were trying to do as I have smelled real Frankincense & Myrrh incense resin before. And I can smell a little of that in this though done much lighter.
Unless you re tune your olfactory senses and have a base line for what the real stuff smells like this will come across like a sweet smelling cleaning detergent. I luckily can get past that association to get the Frankincense And Myrrh experience with this scent. But only just.
DARK ROSE
This is a beautiful refined rose scent and I only wish the rose in No 88 smelled like this. It reminds me of Lyric Man by Amouage but where the rose scent there is soapy and untidy this is pure elegance and it behaves and does not let itself go as Amouage's offering.
A rose of class and elegance that can be worn by either gender, very good indeed.
OXFORD & CAMBRIDGE
This is a very refreshing herbal take on lavender with a peppermint which is blended in so well. This scent reminds me of those lavender aromatic bags you can buy to freshen up your wardrobe. As it drys down I can smell the rosemary more in the composition. This is the best lavender scent that I have smelled so far. Thumbs up
CITRUS PARADISE
Wooohhh the grapefruit is very sharp in the opening with this one and it smells like something you would clean the bathroom with. I do not like this one at all the more I smell this scent the more it smells like a urinal with urinal cakes. Horrible.
MIMOSA
A ladies jasmine type floral that smells dated a type of scent you could imagine a old lay would wear in the 1950's.
CUBA
I have a full bottle of this and the best of the line up. Like everyone says on first application you get a strong opening of mint and lime. Then you get a dirty note like you have just pulled a geranium plant up from the earth. Then a strong sweet rum animal musky tobacco note takes hold as time goes by. Great stuff.
IN CONCLUSION
The winners for me are Cuba, Neroli, Dark Rose and Oxford and Camebridge.
No 88
This opens up very rosy and soapy to my nose which does remind me of potpourri that you can buy in a supermarket, The soapy rose smells constrained and stuffy and more like roses that are withering. When this settles down upon the skin the scent reminds me of a rose joss stick that has been taken out of the packet and smelled up close.
NEROLI
This scent is very refreshing and light and smells of orange blossoms. It comes across as a barber shop scent that you would not be surprised to find in your room in a top class hotel.
A most delightful inoffensive uplifting scent to spray on after a shave before you head out.
FRANKINCENSE & MYRRH
I was quite unprepared for the menthol/detergent attack to my senses on the opening, I have not smelled anything like this before in a cologne. I can see what they were trying to do as I have smelled real Frankincense & Myrrh incense resin before. And I can smell a little of that in this though done much lighter.
Unless you re tune your olfactory senses and have a base line for what the real stuff smells like this will come across like a sweet smelling cleaning detergent. I luckily can get past that association to get the Frankincense And Myrrh experience with this scent. But only just.
DARK ROSE
This is a beautiful refined rose scent and I only wish the rose in No 88 smelled like this. It reminds me of Lyric Man by Amouage but where the rose scent there is soapy and untidy this is pure elegance and it behaves and does not let itself go as Amouage's offering.
A rose of class and elegance that can be worn by either gender, very good indeed.
OXFORD & CAMBRIDGE
This is a very refreshing herbal take on lavender with a peppermint which is blended in so well. This scent reminds me of those lavender aromatic bags you can buy to freshen up your wardrobe. As it drys down I can smell the rosemary more in the composition. This is the best lavender scent that I have smelled so far. Thumbs up
CITRUS PARADISE
Wooohhh the grapefruit is very sharp in the opening with this one and it smells like something you would clean the bathroom with. I do not like this one at all the more I smell this scent the more it smells like a urinal with urinal cakes. Horrible.
MIMOSA
A ladies jasmine type floral that smells dated a type of scent you could imagine a old lay would wear in the 1950's.
CUBA
I have a full bottle of this and the best of the line up. Like everyone says on first application you get a strong opening of mint and lime. Then you get a dirty note like you have just pulled a geranium plant up from the earth. Then a strong sweet rum animal musky tobacco note takes hold as time goes by. Great stuff.
IN CONCLUSION
The winners for me are Cuba, Neroli, Dark Rose and Oxford and Camebridge.
