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Have you tried Czech and Speake fragrances?

post #1 of 37
7/23/10 at 11:24pm
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Are you familiar with any of the Czech and Speake fragrances? What is your opinion?
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post #2 of 37
7/23/10 at 11:31pm
Why of course!
I own and love No. 88.
I also enjoy Neroli as I think it's the best and most masculine-wearable to me. Runners up will be Oxford & Cambridge (Lavender) and Cuba. The rest are good too but these are my favorites. Quality for sure.
They have (had?) a free sample program through their web site. Check them out.
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post #3 of 37
7/23/10 at 11:52pm
Yes, #88 is odd and enigmatic but in a good way. Does that sound strange? Give it a sniff!

Cuba is an A+

Neroli is an A but should be worn in spring rather than on very hot summer days. Great citrus.

Frankincense and Myrrh? --I'd rather take the gold. But it's not bad by any means.

Dark Rose would be great on Emma Peel in The Avengers I'm not sure if Steed would wear it, unless it rained (What! Rain in England? ) It seems more suited for diabolical masterminds--or classical male composers suffering from melancholia.

An underrated house worth exploring.

Cheers,

Mario
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post #4 of 37
7/24/10 at 1:37am
Hmmm, I find them a bit too loud and somewhat rude. No. 88 is too much on the verge to roomspray or bugspray for my taste, but is special and definitely a must-try. I like Dark Rose as it would be a nice alternative to Black Aoud, but without the Aoud I just haven't felt I really need it, therefore pulled the trigger and bought it. Cuba and Oxford & Cambridge put me quite off. I personally doubt they all really smell of quality (ingredients).
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post #5 of 37
7/24/10 at 4:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Renaissance_Man View Post

They have (had?) a free sample program through their web site. Check them out.

I just ordered the sample set a couple days ago. No longer free, with shipping it was £5.75.
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post #6 of 37
7/24/10 at 4:25am
Liked:

Neroli
Citrus Paradisi
Oxford & Cambridge
No. 88

A good house. the contemporary alternative to Penhaligons. Classier than Trumper or Truefitt by a noticable margin.
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post #7 of 37
7/24/10 at 4:35am
Not a fan of all their offerings, but all of their offerings smell of quality and I believe use far more naturals than many niche houses. They actually list evernia prunastri (oakmoss extract) in the ingredients of scents that have an oakmoss note listed. Kinda sad that that actually - to an extent - "proves" quality in this day and age, but there are a number of scents that either use tree moss or have no oakmoss listed, despite it being in the notes list (and oakmoss, as an allergen, needs to be listed on the box if it is present.)
Oxford and Cambridge is the best lavender scent I've come across. I also really like Dark Rose - a great and refined blend of rose and oud - far more wearable and refined than the heavy handed approach of Montale. Neroli is a great neroli oriented scent, but a bit linear and one-dimensional to me. Still - if you are looking for a neroli soliflore, it's one of the best.

I only really dislike Mimosa (weird dirty bathroom smell), and Citrus Paradisi (excessively tart grapefruit + noxzema + sweat).
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post #8 of 37
7/24/10 at 5:03am
Hadn't known about their sampler pack. Thanks for the information, I just ordered it.
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post #9 of 37
7/24/10 at 6:29am
Your note catches me as I'm re-sampling their line.
I own Frankincense and Myrrh -- my favorite of their offering. A wonderful dry incense scent.
I own Cambridge and Oxford -- excellent dry lavender/pine.
Cuba is interesting but I can't quite commit to the tobacco note.
No. 88 is distinctive, but to me it is like a slightly sweeter D. R. Harris Arlingon with its rose and oakmoss note. And I prefer Arlington.
Dark Rose, is a pretty good oud and rose combo.
Citrus Paradisi is just so-so for me. Kind of a "dirty" citrus scent, but nothing remarkable. Needs more herbal notes.
Rose is not so great. The rose note is lost in a bunch of other stuff.
I haven't re-tried Neroli but I remember it is as being pretty good.
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post #10 of 37
7/24/10 at 6:35am
I have tried them all ,they are not bad but I find they are a bit heavy and intense for me ;there are a lot of other brands I prefer ! The Neroli is the best in my opinion
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post #11 of 37
7/24/10 at 6:36am
Oxford & Cambridge is quite a good lavender and I liked their Neroli as well.

Rose and Dark Rose were far better before reformulation.
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post #12 of 37
7/24/10 at 6:47am
I own Dark Rose and is a really good rose and oud combo as mentioned before.
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post #13 of 37
7/24/10 at 6:51am
Tried them all from purchasing a full sample pack. I didn't like any, they all had a nasty odour on my skin, that made me rush to the bathroom to wash it off
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post #14 of 37
7/24/10 at 7:02am
This is one of my favourite houses. Dark Rose (vintage - haven´t tried the reformulated) is in my top five, and No 88 top ten. I also own and love O & C and Neroli. I am not so sure about Mimosa, it can be a bit cloying, and it is one of very few my girlfriend complained about me wearing.

I sold my Cuba and don´t care for F & M.
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post #15 of 37
7/24/10 at 7:02am
Great house.
My favorites are:
Frankincense and Myrrh,
Neroli
Citrus Paradisi
Oxford & Cambridge
BTW, what's with Luckyscent's inflated prices on C&S?
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post #16 of 37
7/24/10 at 8:54am
I've tried them all and only found Cuba FBW and that was after getting over thinking that it was just a chaotic mix of notes I like. Actually, I still think it's chaotic and not well blended, but I decided I enjoy it very much anyway. I agree with an earlier poster who thinks that No. 88 smells more like a room spray. I think Oxford and Cambridge is very nice if you want a lavender/peppermint combo. Most of them didn't make that much of an impression, but they are interesting enough to merit a sampler set IMHO.
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post #17 of 37
7/24/10 at 10:04am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by b3t0_1972 View Post

I own Dark Rose and is a really good rose and oud combo as mentioned before.

+1 fan of Dark Rose, i still have about 8ml of decant

Cuba is great refreshing but smells like "Amol" peppermint + something, its medicament that you add to boiling water and sniff to unblock your nose rly same top notes i feel wierd while wearing it

Oxford and Camb. is great on lavender, really refreshing

No 88 is gothic dark rose, really really nice and strange, i get confidence boost while wearing it

Neroli, Citrus Paradisi are great after shower scents

F&M is incense nothing so great average

i DO appreciate C&S for being niche and creating fresh scents pretty uncommon in niche category
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post #18 of 37
7/24/10 at 10:41am
I really wanted to like No. 88, but I am one of the people who gets a horribly foul note out of it. Same is true with Cuba.

When I wear No. 88, the foul note periodically pops up and makes me regret wearing it. I've seen in threads here and other forums that this note occurs for some, but not the majority with many C&S frags.
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post #19 of 37
7/24/10 at 11:01am
I had, years ago, No. 88 and Neroli. At that time I liked Neroli a lot... not sure I'd so much, today. No. 88 seemed very "central" and gentlemanly.

They both "turned" bad (or at least worse) quite quickly. More quickly than any Creed I've had. (Less than two years methinks.) The difference between the fresh C & S and the "turned" version was not subtle. It's possible they use a proportion of naturals comparable to Creed's (at least my memory of Neroli says so), but are less expert at "fixin' " them for better shelf-life.

I wonder whether this explains the "foul note" some speak about.

I'd say that a fresh, in good shape C & S doesn't have any foul note.

Oh, I also had a very nice candle from C & S... a house which is not among my preoccupations anymore but I have preponderantly good memories of.
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post #20 of 37
7/24/10 at 11:04am
No 88 is a fantastic dark rose scent

I enjoyed Cuba for about 5 years, and will get a bottle when next in London.

Dark Rose is a beautiful rose/oud frag, which is certainly wearable by a man. Would have purchased if i didnt already have M Micallef's Aoud Homme.

Frankincense and Myrrh is on my wish list.
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post #21 of 37
7/24/10 at 12:17pm
I can't believe only one person (so far) has mentioned the infamous sh#t note in C&S fragrances. I have heard that some people experience it and some don't (me being one that does, unfortunately) but once I noticed it, I just couldn't shake it. To me, it's noticable in all of their frags. More power to the folks who enjoy them, though. I'm jealous...
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post #22 of 37
7/24/10 at 12:31pm
For me, the majority of their line smells more like room fragrances than personal fragrances. O&C and their rose based scents are the exceptions.
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post #23 of 37
7/24/10 at 12:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sirsmellzalot View Post

I can't believe only one person (so far) has mentioned the infamous sh#t note in C&S fragrances. I have heard that some people experience it and some don't (me being one that does, unfortunately) but once I noticed it, I just couldn't shake it. To me, it's noticable in all of their frags. More power to the folks who enjoy them, though. I'm jealous...

It's a quirk. I've seen many discussions here and in another forum about this. It either hits you and can't be ignored; or you make no note of it at all and are completely baffled by what people are talking about.
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post #24 of 37
7/24/10 at 12:54pm
Yes I've tried them all and the only two I do not recommend are: Rose and Citrus Paradisi.

No. 88, Neroli, Frankincense & Myrrh, Cuba, Dark Rose and Oxford&Cambridge are all well done if you like that sort of thing.
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post #25 of 37
7/24/10 at 1:59pm
Just ordered a sample pack. Hope I don't get the fecal note. Even though I wear what I like because I like it, I also hope that other people around me don't get the fecal note. That wouldn't reflect well...
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post #26 of 37
7/24/10 at 3:35pm
I really enjoy No. 88 and Dark Rose; I like Cuba; I feel ambivalent towards Neroli and Oxford & Cambridge. I don't like the others. It's a very hit-and-miss line for me.
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post #27 of 37
7/24/10 at 3:47pm
Vintage 88 is a gothic masterpiece. The current formulation is decent, but not great. I haven't really been interested in their other stuff, though some recent threads have made me think about revisiting O&C.
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post #28 of 37
7/24/10 at 4:44pm
Dark Rose is a lovely rose but I get a little bit of plastic on my skin from the oudh. The oudh is not overpowering but for a very short time I get that annoying plastic whiff. Otherwise, excellent rose.
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post #29 of 37
7/24/10 at 7:30pm
I tried them all, found the line ranging from 'okay' to 'nice, but not for me' , and only got excited about Cuba. I like the nostalgia it evokes and the overall quality.
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post #30 of 37
7/25/10 at 6:58am
C&S was one of the first houses I sampled, thanks to their convenient sample pack.

Out of this line I like Cuba, Citrus Paradisi and No. 88 the most. These three do have a slight foul note to them, which is blended well to give the fragrances depth. O&C, F&M and Neroli are also quality scents, very dignified and straightforward, but ultimately a little dull. Rose, Dark Rose and Mimosa don't work for me at all.
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post #31 of 37
7/25/10 at 7:33am
I tried their sample pack as well. The only ones I really liked were Oxford & Cambridge, and Frankincense & Myrrh. I'll probably get a bottle of Oxford & Cambridge at some point.
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post #32 of 37
7/25/10 at 12:33pm
I own Citrus Paradisi but wouldn't buy it again. It has a foul aftersmell in my opinion. It is certainly extraordinary but so many scents are - and not in a good sense. And it was quite (= too) expensive. I don't care for Oxford & Cambridge and No. 88, either. But I don't like the Creeds either, so I probably have no taste.
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post #33 of 37
7/25/10 at 12:43pm
Just picked up Dark Rose again, man I love this stuff smells just like a lighter Black Aoud.
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post #34 of 37
7/26/10 at 7:04am
Great house - excellent fragrances. But I don't think they will appeal to the Acqua di Gio crowd.
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post #35 of 37
7/26/10 at 7:14am
Good House,
I enjoy No 88
Oxford & Cambridge
Dark Rose
and Frankincense and Myrrh

However I find that their fragrances seem to suit certain occasions that don't often occur regularly. For that reason I doubt I would buy any of the scents, I prefer more all round perfumes at this moment in time.
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post #36 of 37
7/26/10 at 7:22am
I tried the whole sample pack a few months ago. Absolutely wretched! None of them lasted an hour on my skin, not because the scent faded, but that's the longest I could go before washing it off. The samples were little application vials and i only used a couple swipes of the tester stick. I couldnt image a full spray of this stuff. I really wanted to like the stuff because the company seems top notch, but just couldnt.
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post #37 of 37
7/26/10 at 9:17am
I finally broke down and bought the Neroli, although I have umpteen neroli frags. It was so totally worth it. It's pure but not simple - has facets that surface and display themselves slowly.
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