Ramon Monegal, Barcelona: A New Line - Page 2

Mate, just do a little research and read the story of Ramon Monegal, so you can easily picture for yourself how it could be possible to start with 14 fragrances and that there's no conspiracy behind it...

...

Why, thank you Mr A is for amazing! Yes, isn't the treatment of these materials really interesting? I said something about that in a previous post. There is a transparency, even in the basenotes. A nice alternative, kind of unexpected?

Thanks to you I'm now wearing Mon Cuir, and bloody hell, this stuff is gorgeous! I mean luckily I don't live in a hot country so it's not an issue, but if you live anywhere warm and miss your Leathers in the summer then this could be for you. It's light, even heady, somewhat soapy and floral/vegetal up top, but with a big bang of REAL (slightly dirty) leather behind all that. Haven't smelt anything else by this house but if this is anything to go by then they're more than worth a sniff. Mon Cuir's on my to-buy-list.

I tried a couple of them, they didn't particularly impress me - less for the price they're asking for...

Thanks to Foustie's enormous generosity I am working through some samples I am sharing with Hedonist that just arrived and have now given Umbra a whirl for my first experience with the house... Here is my just posted mini-review of it:

Umbra opens with a blast of fresh clean vetiver, before giving way to a peppery geranium tandem. The scent then takes a sweet turn by adding a large dose of tonka bean to the vetiver and geranium adding faint hints of oak moss and other woody aspects. The combined overall vetiver, tonka and woody accord reminds me somewhat vaguely of the sweet woody scent in Micallef's Gaiac (not that Umbra smells like it, per se). Projection and longevity are both below average.

I really enjoyed the vetiver opening to Umbra as it is quite fresh and invigorating. The geranium is also done quite well and relatively discrete, not calling too much undue attention to itself while melding with the pepper, but ever-present. The part of Umbra I have the hardest time with is the prominent use of tonka bean in the heart notes that turns the scent quite sweet. This somewhat makes the woody aspects of the scent a bit less desirable to my personal taste. Still, while I would say Umbra is not my kind of woody scent, I can still appreciate it as a good composition and give it a "good" 3 out of 5 stars.



- - - Updated - - -

Here are my thoughts on the second sample of RM... Dry Wood. In short I found this one acceptable, but disappointing. My review follows:

Dry Wood opens with a nose burning blast of citron before quickly calming down to allow the lemon-like citron to smooth out, joining with just a touch of black pepper to dirty it up a bit. The citron and pepper remain into the early heart notes, where a strong woody accord presents itself. This wood contains hints of cedar, but there is some other wood in there that I am having a hard time identifying. In the mid heart an extremely strong bay leaf note emerging from the base takes the fore and dominates everything else completely through the base notes. Projection and longevity are outstanding.

This one is a scent on paper that I should love, but I confess I don't. The opening citron blast was quite the shocker that really could clear sinuses and I mean it. Things got off to a disappointing start but began to right themselves as the citron calmed down and allowed one to really appreciate it. It actually meshes with the woody accord quite well and I started to enjoy the scent... Then the bay leaf completely spoiled things in my mind as I kept likening it more than a bit to the dry-down of Havana by Aramis (a scent I love) but the bay leaf is much stronger here and less desirable smelling, IMO. On the whole I don't dislike Dry Wood and it has some nice strengths at times, but at the kind of prices RM charges, a scent has to really impress and I don't think Dry Wood lives up to the standard. I personally would stick to the much better Havana at a fraction of the price of this one. My rating is a very average 2.5 out of 5 stars.

Same here drseid. Exactly. This one is an odd one for me. It doesn't seem to be in keeping with the rest of the collection. It doesn't have the signature the transparency, the elegance. If you compare it, for example, to Entre Naranjos.... well, there is no comparison.

I couldn't "get" Dry Wood. It just seemed like a very strong, very oily, vetiver - like, but not vetiver to, me. Very "raw". Having said that I think that it might appeal to those guys who like a raw powerhouse vetiver/petroleum fragrance, so I would highly recommend that they try it. But for me, no.

Hi Hilaire! Loved your leather reviews! I hope that you actually get some summer to wear your Mon Cuir!

Thanks for the heads up, and all the abstracts contained herein.

Next up for my sampling binge is White Musk. This one is not really my kind of scent, but I did think it smelled good... Probably I would prefer smelling it on a lady, but that is just me...

White Musk opens extremely gardenia heavy with a vanilla undertone that is ever so slightly powdery. The super-powerful gardenia remains well into the heart notes, now joined by a very clean light musk emerging from the base that adds nice support with just the faintest hint of rose present well in the background. Pretty much that is all there is as the scent is very linear. Projection and longevity are excellent.

White Musk is a very competent composition that is rather minimalist but well put together. My largest gripe with it is its heavy (I could argue too heavy) reliance on gardenia which really overpowers a lot of the rest of the notes. I find it a bit tough to wear as a man due to the gardenia coupled with its heavy projection, however I do not mean to imply it is *not* wearable by folks of both genders. If you like clean musk scents this is a good one, but make sure you like gardenia as well, as you will definitely need to in order to fully appreciate White Musk, IMO. Even though this is not my kind of scent, it is worth a sniff and I award it an above average 3 out 5 stars.

I've just tried Entre Naranjos and L'Eau de Rose - and I liked them both. They seem very sophisticated - in part due to their "less is more" approach. I'm looking forward to more wears of both, as well as trying the others. I should note that one of the remaining ones leaked just a tiny bit in transit. No loss of volume, but the smell of the package was heavenly when I opened it. I'm dying to find out which one is responsible for that amazing aroma!

I just recently received my samples from the lovely and generous Foustie. Yesterday I tried out L'Eau de Rose. It was a really hot, muggy day, which means that perfume tends to 'burn off' rather quickly. I was delighted with how well L'Eau de Rose lasted. It is a very clean, light fragrance, but it definitely stick around. I kept thinking it was gone, and then I would gesture or move my hair and promptly get another whiff of it. A friend of mine complimented it a full 8 hours after I had applied.

The rose scent was very light smelling, and lasted throughout the entire day. About 15 minutes in, I started getting Patchouli, too, and it was another hour before I could really smell the musk. I loved how much these two were supporting players - the rose really was the star of the show. My general impression of the scent was that it was sophisticated without being stuffy, simple, light, and wearable. I could definitely wear this in a business or informal setting. I'm still trying to get my husband to try it, so we''ll see how that goes, I am quite curious as to how it would smell on a male.

Today I tried White Musk, and after an initial blast of gardenia, it swiftly died out. I'll be out of town tomorrow in a totally different climate, so I will try it again and see if I have a different impression.

Aw Boo! We don't like leaks! I am going to bet that "heavenly" smell is the Iris!! We will see!

Here are my thoughts on Entre Naranjos... Bottom line is this one is over all too soon, but is superb smelling while it lasts and is easily my favorite of the four I have tried so far.

Entre Naranjos opens with the main star of the scent, orange blossom, coupling with a green-like invigorating herbal bitter orange and petitgrain combo. The herbal bitter orange recedes in the early heart notes, but the orange blossom remains throughout slowly melding with mild amber from the base. Finally all but just a trace of the orange blossom disappears letting the amber take a bit more of a role in the fleeting base before the scent disappears entirely. Projection is average and longevity is well-below average.

Entre Naranjos is a beautiful composition that deftly melds the floral aspects of orange blossom with bitter orange to create a great fresh and natural smelling pick-me-up. The petitgrain also adds a bit of a "green" vibe to the composition, adding to its allure. The scent is very natural smelling and the bitter orange in particular is extremely well-done. The only problem with the scent in my mind is its relatively brief longevity (something that plagues many citrus scents to be fair). That said, longevity aside Entre Naranjos is easily the best of the four scents I have tried from the house to date and is a very strong entry in the citrus category by Monegal, well-deserving of an excellent 4 out of 5 stars.

I am not, only having tried Charles Street from that house...

That is a good thing in my case, as I disliked Charles Street... I'll add a sample on with my next LuckyScent order. Thanks for the tip...

Nice impressions of L'Eau de Rose, Windblownhair! No disagreement whatsoever. This rendition of rose attains a really invigorating freshness without being either cliche or unnatural. I would say at this point that it's tied with Entre Naranjos on my Monegal bucket list. I agree that it's versatile enough to be worn in anything from the most formal to the most casual circumstances.

It's not bad on a guy, either - it's not so overly feminine (light floral, woodless) that it couldn't be mistaken for a very fresh masculine rose scent. If you stole the rose out of Creed Windsor, and made it younger and just a touch more feminine and modern, you might land close to L'Eau de Rose.

In fact, overall, I'm getting the impression that Creed lovers (but not only Creed lovers) will enjoy this house. I feel like these compositions are distinctive without being unconventional. An while they don't feel dated, they feel respectful of tradition. All of that adds up to stuff which Creed fans can go for.

Up today is Cuirelle... This is a very nice frankincense scent with suede-like leather accents throughout. A good one for sure...

Cuirelle opens with a suede-like smooth and creamy leathery accord sweetened with traces of patchouli, before segueing into its waxy honeyed frankincense laced leathery heart with cinnamon and mild woody cedar accents providing support. The frankincense and cinnamon hang around though the dry-down as the suede dissipates leaving the scent slightly sweet during the base notes. Longevity and projection are both average.

Cuirelle is definitely not the leather scent I anticipated it to be. It rather is more of a slightly sweet frankincense fragrance with suede leather supporting it throughout. Honey to a greater extent and patchouli to a lesser one play significant roles in sweetening the scent while not altering it primary nature. I find myself truly enjoying this take on frankincense and leather and feel Cuirelle is a fine addition to the Monegal house. Hardcore leather purists may be somewhat put-off by it providing more of a "spirit" of leather presentation rather than a "straight" presentation as is usually found, but I find it rather intriguing and refreshingly different. Cuirelle is very good smelling and earns a strong 3.5 out of 5 star rating.

Nice!

I like this one, too. This may be my top pick of the six I've tried.

It's a very interesting leather - it has some aspects that give it a very classic feel, but others (like the style of the sweetness) that add a modern, somewhat feminine vibe, but without detracting one bit from the sophistication. This may actually be my favorite leather at this point. I'm not normally much of a leather fan, but this one is really attractive to me.

I like the way it has the gravitas of the old leathers, but real youth. I want to spray it all over the T-Mobile girl, now that she's lost the dress and gotten on the motorcycle.

Before reading this impression, I thought Monegal may be somewhat similar to Heeley's approach to fragrances. Now I am definitely intrigued.

Dear Alfarom,
Where can we get in touch or buy the stuff. ??
Have they any an email..???
Do they sell samples./?
tks
al

Sample, sample, sample, Oh Yeah. Sample, sample.

This is the kind of review that gives you no choice but to go to the said fragrance and smell/wear it. I think that Cuirelle is gorgeous. There is a little sweetness there but there is also enough dryness to counter that. It suggests suede, not leather per se. Soft, sweet skin on skin. Very sensuous. Very beautiful.

The dry wood edp and Agar Must edp sound tempting..

I'm not really familiar with Heeley - I've sniffed them, I'm sure, but don't really remember much. So Heeley may be a better fit, overall. But Monegal seems to merge aspects of the older, stiffer Creeds (BdP, JIE) and more modern ones (Acqua Fiorentina) in the same fragrance. Cuirelle is a perfect example.

I'm pretty sure a bottle of Cuirelle, Eau de Rose, or Entre Naranjos will end up in my collection. Agar Musk is nice, too. The only one that's not floating my boat is Lovely Day, and even that one grabbed my attention initially. My wife loves Impossible Iris, too.

- - - Updated - - -

BTW, I will bring my samples to the Las Vegas BN meet-up in 3 months. They're big enough for everybody to sniff, and for everybody to pick out one to wear.

White musk, take 2.
I tried this scent 2 days ago, but as the temp was 110, it burned off really quickly. Yesterday I was in a much more temperate climate, so I tried the white musk again. It definitely had much more longevity yesterday.

The opening was still quite strong on gardenia, but this time I also got a liberal dose of vanilla. The combination of floral and sweetness was quite nice. As time passed, I really got a lot more musk and wood, with still a touch of sweetness from the vanilla. It lasted for probably about 6 hours, and the scent was strong throughout the 6 hours.

Compared to L'eau de Rose, I wouldn't call the White Musk magical. There wasn't anything about it that was surprising or outside the box, but it was still a very nice and balanced scent.

Interesting interview with Sr. Monegal, here:

http://eyelineronacatblog.blogspot.com/2012/07/perfumer-interview-series-exclusive.html

I tried Impossible Iris today. What a surprise!

I should start by saying that I looked at the notes and did not particularly expect to like this fragrance. I don't really like the powder smell. So many of my students douse themselves in sickly sweet raspberry vanilla sprays that I am no longer a raspberry fan. Ylang-ylang was the only note that I was looking forward to. And then I tried Impossible Iris. Wow!

The powder + the cedar is a wonderful combination. When I am really paying attention, I can pick out both notes, but otherwise they combine to make an almost peppery smell. The iris was quite natural smelling and light. And the raspberry added sweetness and tartness. It went very well with the cedar. On my skin, the scent was a chameleon. Sometimes I would smell more iris or ylang-ylang, other times more wood or powder, but the scent kept shifting all day, and just when I thought a particular note was gone, I would smell it again. Here it is, a full 12 hours since I applied it, and a powdery pepper is tickling my nose, with iris singing in the background. I can't help but picture an old fashioned armoire with a sachet of iris tucked away in it, or an amazing handmade soap bar.

Impossible Iris is going on my list next to L'Eau De Rose as Monegal I'm going to need a full bottle of.

^Nice report! I can definitely see Impossible Iris as being one of the big winners out of this series.

I tried Cuirelle last night on skin - and in about 1 minute, I was terribly bummed that it was totally ruined by my skin. Just destroyed all hint of suede or leather - it was horrifying. It was like a completely different scent! I would be forced to wear Cuirelle on clothing - which I do have to do with some scents. Anyway, the more I think about it, the more I'm in love with L'Eau de Rose, which did wonderfully on both skin and clothing for me.

This is great. Thank You!

windblownhair. I am delighted that someone else is enjoying the Iris as much as I am. I find it to be absolutely gorgeous, and it wears beautifully. I bought a full bottle. But you know it must be a shapeshifter indeed, because I don't find it at all powdery. (But that could be because I have other Iris fragrances which are more powdery? Maybe?) I find it to be a "sparkling" Iris, which delights me no end! I am now thinking that as well as the Iris, Raspberry, and Wood, it may have rose and peony notes as well? I don't know. It is so unusual for an Iris.

It would have been nice if Mr Monegal had said something about it in the interview, mind you he did comment on the Iris on Cedar material.

I agree with Red. I think that this is going to be the real star of this collection. But we will see......

After reading Windblownhair's great review of Impossible Iris I just had to give it a go even though I can't stand iris based scents as a general rule... Here are my thoughts on this one...

Impossible Iris opens with a considerable amount of ylang-ylang before almost immediately transitioning to its iris heart. The iris here is not as powdery or as waxy as one might expect, but instead you get the true nature of the iris in all its glory with just the right amount of slightly soapy powder. The iris is well-supported by prominent jasmine and just the slightest amounts of raspberry and mimose balancing the composition with an almost hidden cedar in the base. Projection is average and longevity is excellent.

I am not a big fan of iris compositions in general, so I went into smelling Impossible Iris on skin with very low expectations... It would apparently be near-impossible for me to truly enjoy just about any iris composition, but I can definitely vouch for the scent's name being legit as I absolutely love Impossible Iris! Monegal achieves the unthinkable in letting the iris come through unobscured by the usual characters, while complimenting it rather brilliantly with just the right amount of jasmine and raspberry to let the iris shine while underpinning it with just the right support. The cedar in the scent is hidden so well that I really have to concentrate to smell it, and frequently just enjoy the iris without thinking about it being there at all. Finally an iris composition I really want to buy, earning an excellent 4 stars out of 5... An "Impossible Iris" indeed!

Nice review, drseid!

Hello, everyone!

I have finally received my package (US postal service, BOO) from a very generous and wonderful Foustie. Being the Iris nut that I am, I predictably went straight to Impossible Iris.

I am afraid I don’t have an experienced nose of Basenotes Maestros participating in this thread or the skill to write undulating heart tugging passages (very beautiful, drseid ), but I will try to give it my best... So here goes:

In the opening it reminds me of Iris Pallida, then Iris Silver Mist; but as it progresses it is definitely a happier Iris closer to Iris Poudre. However, while Iris Poudre is a bit full of itself, Impossible Iris is less serious but no less sophisticated. It is very uplifting, but not in a cheesy rainbows and unicorns way. The surprising use of raspberry is very well done so it never tips it into Hello Kitty territory. I could smell ylang-ylang very prominently too, and I think it lends subtle sexiness, while iris adds maturity and class. I don’t get any powder either: on my skin it is very airy and very femme. As Foustie mentioned, the cedar is barely there, but adds to overall effect without weighing it down.

In short, I think it is very well done; I am surprised to find an Iris fragrance that is so happy, yet elegant and sophisticated. I am usually drawn to gloominess in Iris fragrances, but Impossible Iris managed to steal my heart by making me happy - I will take it over Iris Poudre anytime of the day. I think the reason why irises in general are so interesting is that they have an ability to cut straight to the heart, but what is amazing about Impossible Iris is that it does that too, but instead of bringing you down, it lifts you up. Now I know why you like it so much, Foustie…Well done, Mr. Monegal!

I haven’t tried the rest of Monegal line yet, but judging by Impossible Iris I don’t think it is as restrained and understated as Heeley.

- - - Updated - - -

Mr. W got home from work and his first reaction was "OH, WOW". I guess, it is decided - I need a bottle for myself as well.

I love that so many people are enjoying Impossible Iris, but its something a little bit different to everyone. That sort of thing makes me wonder if it has to do with skin chemistry, or temperature, or just individual noses. Or a combo of all 3.

I thought it was a fairly well-balanced thing. So many irises just blast you, or barely register. This one has a lot of instruments in the band, and they're all easy to hear. So I'm going with your last idea - all three. I think that any of a list of influences can push this into a different feel.

Wow! Nice one Alfarom!

Can I make a special request? I really do think that Impossible Iris is fantastic. Incredible Iris, Irresistable Iris!! Very special Iris. Everyone who tries it seems to be enchanted by it. Will you specifically ask Mr Monegal about it please?

I also think that the current collection is very variable, in my humble opinion. On the one hand, perhaps there is something to suit everyone, but on the other hand, personally, I think that there are absolute standouts, and there are less interesting ones, even accounting for personal taste.

I am really, really looking forward to your interview. Most of all, enjoy it!!

Foustie was so kind as to share her Cuirelle and Impossible Iris- o.k. if I contribute some ramblings?

Been wearing both a lot- today is the truly Impossible Iris. Created for the perfumer's wife, you say Foustie? I think this was the impossible part- how to convey love and tenderness with a typically cold and aloof iris note. Somehow this perfumer found success; I think it's the warmest iris I've tried. Very elegant, full of emotion- a very poetic perfume.

Have been reading all I can find on iris scents, I am a diehard iris lover and have tried many. I noticed a certain blogger who made the statement that iris perfumes can NEVER be floral, which is utter nonsense. Would love to have that blogger come sniff my actual iris blossoms, then give II a wear. Iris de Nuit could also prove that statement wrong. Impossible Iris for me is a perfect blend of the floral & rooty (not terribly earthy, though) aspects of iris. Real iris blossoms (the scented ones, not all are) have a grape-y vibe that I'm definitely picking up here. The raspberry must be helping to create that impression; what a genius use of a berry note! I love ylang ylang and iris together, very well done here. Jasmine is not dominant to my nose. Does come off a bit as an iris oriental. Nothing heavy, though- agree with Foustie's assessment of it as "airy". Not fleeting or insipid, either- this has real substance and tenacity. Makes a gorgeous, iris-y cloud around the wearer.

Also agree with you, Foustie-gel that there is no powder here. None at all to my nose. A must try iris for those who hate the powder puffs. I think the closest relative to Impossible Iris is Iris Silver Mist. But I have no love for ISM, it just leaves me cold. Impossible Iris has far more heart and soul than ISM and none of the metallic notes (though I do like some metal in my perfumes). I'd take a bottle of Impossible Iris over many iris scents out there. When I finish my generous decant, this well may be added to my wishlist. Thank you Foustie!

Will be back tomorrow or Saturday with thoughts on Cuirelle, which I'm also loving. Alfarom, can't wait for that interview!

It's a great review, and makes me truly curious to try Impossible Iris. It seems to be getting everyone's approval here.

Regarding that point about iris not being floral, I believe that blogger's point was about iris (as commonly described as a note or ingredient) very more often than not refers to orris root, and not the flower per se. Very few fragrances purport to represent the floral note. When bloggers, BNers etc. talk about iris, they sometimes conflate or confuse the two, thereby confusing readers further. So, when someone talks about the iris note, is it the smell of the orris root made from the orris root, or is it the smell of the flower made from the orris root, or is it the smell of the flower made from other ingredients (since iris flowers do not produce commerically viable extracts)? That is the problem...

Absolutely agree with you, PerfumedLady. Impossible Iris is much more soulful than ISM and manages to be pretty and happy at the same time. Quite a feat!

Thank you, Maque! I hope you do get to try it soon. There really isn't an iris I know that conveys happiness the way this one does. As Whitefluffy said exactly- "Quite a feat" it is!

RE: The confusion about iris- I think you are exactly right. The root and the flower are distinctly different scents. Both have been represented in perfumery quite well. The flower doesn't seem to be played up as a note often in advertising, though one fragrance that did just that not too long ago was Prada's Infusion d'Iris EDT. Was created specifically to be more a floral iris than is the EDP. You may well be right about that blogger's intent, too. I may have interpreted it as a sweeping generalization when it was not intended as such. At least, I hope that is the case!

The next one on my list is Umbra. I had to try it on Mr. W skin as I think it leans more masculine. Let me tell you, I was blown away by this one. What a unique composition. I am not a big fan of geranium as it tends to invoke grandma closet moth ball associations for me, but in Umbra geranium is dark, fresh, and dangerous. It grabs unsuspecting soul by the ankles and drags him through wet forest floor, after which it devours its victim under huge pepper tree. I had hard times detecting vetiver; it must be very well blended where it does not overpower the composition: there is just enough to give Umbra an earthy vibe. I do get the sweetness to which drseid referred to, but I didn’t find it excessive. I really liked cool camphor like feeling that was present throughout and must have been contributed by pepper, geranium, and fir.

I think it is the best masculine I smelled in a long time and I put it up there with my favorite Rose 31. I would give Umbra 5 out of 5. I could see now how it’s been mentioned that Monegal line will appeal to those who like Creed, but I think Umbra has more to say that many Creeds out there in my humble opinion. I would really love to get this one for Mr. W.

Mr. Alfarom, could you please ask Mr. Monegal about Umbra too if you get the chance? It is intriguing, what served as an inspiration for this scent?

Wow! Hi Perfumedlady. So nice to see my scent sister here. Hiya. I have been kinda holding my breath to see what you would say about the Iris. I was so sure that you would like it, but you never really know.......and you do. Hurrah! Hi windblownhair and whitefluffy!

Well guys, see what happens whan the girls come over? More fun! I love the variety in the reviews.

Aw Maque, I would really like to help, honestly, "the more the merrier", but I've drained more than half my bottle of Impossible Iris sharing it out to get this party going. That said, if you have trouble getting some and you are really interested, do say so. I'm sure that someone can pass some on. Meantime Aus Leibe Zum Duft does samples and someone said that they are coming to Lucky Scent. I don't know if that is any good for you in Singapore?

Thanks for a side mention of my curious comparison to Heeley's approach.

Up today is Mon Cuir... in short, this one disappointed, but in all fairness I like my leather more tame than the kind used here...

Mon Cuir opens on skin with a nicely done orange blossom note, before slowly receding giving way to a very strong animallic, even semi-camphorous birch leather note that at first combines with the orange blossom in the early heart then outright overtakes it (and everything else) afterwards. The leather is supported by a barely detectable nutmeg and musk, but there is never any doubt as to who "the star" is in Mon Cuir. Projection is average and longevity is slightly above average.

I am afraid Mon Cuir is really not to my personal taste. Its animallic leather nature is not the kind of leather I enjoy and I feel quite uncomfortable wearing it. I really did like the opening orange blossom and I think it could have been used more skillfully with a different kind of leather than the animallic stuff used here, but once the leather took the fore it was the beginning of the end for my enjoyment of Mon Cuir. It is interesting having previously sampled Monegal's Cuirelle, that I find the suede-like more soft and gentle approach used in that one as a much more appealing leather that I find far superior and much more accessible. That said, Mon Cuir is more of a "leather purist" kind of leather and may appeal to folks that like their leather more raw and wild than I. As for me, I'll stick to Cuirelle. "Mon Cuir" is not *my* leather and gets a below average to average 2 to 2.5 stars out of 5.

Yeah! No, it's not curious. It's a great question actually, but quite hard to answer. They could be seen to be somewhere in the same galaxy in my opinion, an uncluttered, restrained structure, and most have a transparency. But that is as close as it gets, different houses, different perfumer, you know what I mean.

Foustie, you are so kind! But no worries! I will find a way to get my hands on a bottle! Haha... I do love reading all these reviews to help me make more informed choices, even if I do not get to sample them and eventually blind-buy them. The kind of delivery costs and postage to Singapore is a little too high for me to sample a bit at a time... Or I can hope that Ramon Monegal somehow makes its way to a store in Singapore!

I know I took too long, so sorry my dear! I wanted to be sure I had gathered up all my thoughts on this one; it is a very special iris. I don't just like it, I love it! If money were no object ATM, it would be on its way to me already! It's right up there with my 4-5 or so favorite iris scents I've tried. Was thinking I could even forego a couple of the others I really like but don't own yet in favor of Impossible Iris. Can't believe you have shared so much of your bottle already (poor gel!) but am very grateful that you did!

Maque, I have already used much of my Impossible Iris decant and have promised a dab to another iris lover. Am very likely to purchase this eventually, though- I won't forget you. In fact, may be my November birthday present to myself this year- maybe check with me around then!

I agree with you that they are in the same galaxy, great choice of words, but not that close. I think what particularly sets them apart is that some of the Monegal's tend to have sweetness to them, while I haven't smelled any Heeley with even a trace of sugar, so far.

Up next Quirelle and I will compare it to Heeleys Cuir Pleine Fleur. To be honest, I wasn't awfully impressed by this one, although I was expecting quite a bit after reading beautiful review by drseid. I can't add much to everything said before - sheer, sweet, understated leather. It is well done, but rather falls short on the originality factor - after Umbra and Impossible Iris I was expecting more. Longevity on me is below average and it sits too close to the skin. Frankly, for the price point I much rather get Cuir by Lancome which is to me more interesting dry sweet leather.

Now to compare the leathers between Monegal and Heeley - which convinced me that these two houses very little alike. Both leathers are understated and both bear a signature of their respective houses: Monegal - sweet, soft, chic. Heeley - reserved, intellectual, distinctive. While there are other leathers that Quirelle reminded me of, Cuir Pleine Fleur stands out on its own.

Just in case you couldn't tell, yes I am very partial to Heeley.

Foustie - It is so sad that you had to drain so much of your Iris to share with us. And so generous. Can I send you some Iris Pallida to make up a bit for that?

...And finally we come to the last of my borrowed samples, Agar Musk, before I send the lot on to Hedonist for his thoughts... In short I find it good but not great and I highly question its name as I get plenty of Agar, but little or no musk...

Agar Musk opens with a nice transparent vetiver that is slightly nutty before the agarwood emerges in the heart of the scent and takes center stage. At first the vetiver noticeably remains with subtle spice in the early heart, but shortly afterwards the agarwood completely dominates and retains its dominance for the duration. Despite the name "Agar Musk" I do not really detect much musk (if any) in the composition, with only the faintest hints of a belated leather influence tempering the extremely strong woody nature of the scent. Projection is above average and longevity is outstanding.

I really enjoyed the nutty vetiver opening of Agar Musk and in the early heart notes I felt the wood and the vetiver really worked well together. Once the vetiver receded and the agar dominated I began to grow tired of the composition pretty quickly as I have smelled this many times before. I will give Monegal some credit in not making the scent as overbearing as some of its competition, but even the leather occurring later-on does not cut the dominant agar enough to really shine through. I also need to restate that I am somewhat puzzled as to the name "Agar Musk" used here. There is plenty of Agar, but no detectable musk of any consequence to my nose at least. Maybe Agar Vetiver would have been more apropos. Despite its shortcomings, I do mildly like Agar Musk and I recommend a trial, but I personally do not consider it worth a purchase. Agar Musk earns a "good" 3 out of 5 star rating, primarily for its opening and early heart notes.

My final thoughts on the house from what I have tried is it is very "hit and miss." It is somewhat interesting that even though I usually am a sucker for woody compositions, in this case the scents I loved the most were the non-woody ones like Impossible Iris and Entre Naranjos. In any case, I thoroughly enjoyed my time sampling the line and I want to again thank Foustie for her enormous generosity in giving me and others the opportunity. Now off to Hedonist these go...

You're all doing such fantastic reviews! It's a little embarrassing to pop in with thoughts on Cuirelle- I'm afraid I can't add much.

I love this one, too (Foustie, wth are you doing to me?!). Agree that this will not satisfy hardcore leather lovers- probably won't impress Bandit or Cabochard fans. But it is a perfect leather to me, I like leather for sissies. Can't do barn-yardy leathers very well. You guys have already nailed it; Cuirelle is a soft and slightly sweet suede. The impression of sweetness I get is more closely related to a fine pipe tobacco than to candies or cakes. Definitely not a confectionery sweet. This is so smooth and grows on me more with each wearing. Reminds me a bit of Piguet's Visa in style, though Visa is fruitier and its leather is a bit more in the background. But they wear very similar on me. Cuirelle is addictive to me, can't stop sniffing it. Foustie, you found yourself some real gems!

Next up Mon Patchouli – It opened up rather promisingly: light transparent amber/patchouli scent. I am leery of scents like that as they can be quite overpowering but Monegal impressed from the beginning with its sheerness. Unfortunately as it progressed on my skin a fresher note appeared which I would imagine is oakmoss/geranium combination, and it rather smelled synthetic to my nose. The drydown was reminiscent of Dior’s Dune which I can’t stand.

I think Monegal made a valiant attempt at a fresh take on patchouli/amber fragrance, but failed as it smells more designer to me than niche. In addition, Angel, Visa, and Coromandel sprung to my mind; though much heavier than Monegal, each of them, I am sad to say, is far superior. Mon Patchouli is not a bad fragrance, just not that great. I would give it 3 out of 5.

- - - Updated - - -

Ambra di Luna – is the sheerest and tamest amber I have ever smelled which makes it much more wearable than powerhouses like Ambre Sultan and Ambre Russe. It is well blended and restrained, sandalwood does not overpower, and jasmine is not buried too deep. I can see Ambra di Luna appeal to the fans of Chanel N 5. I think it is a good fragrance except for the longevity issue on my skin. While its elegant, sheer, and chic is still wouldn’t hold my interest for too long; however, I can see some people liking it quite a bit.

Entre Naranjos – I must say, I am not big fan of citrus fragrances at all, and was putting it off until last, but was pleasantly surprised by this one. I really liked the balance between patchouli, und full use of citrus plants: fruits, leaves, flowers. I think it gives Entre Naranjos more natural feel while patchouli grounds and adds earthy vibe to the overall impression of the citrus orchard. I think it is perfectly unisex and I actually wouldn’t mind a bottle of this for myself. 5 out of 5

I think after experiencing six Ramon Monegal fragrances I can see the signature of the house: sweet, sheer, well balanced. In my humble opinion:

5 out of 5 – Impossible Iris, Umbra, Entre Naranjos
4 out of 5 - Ambra di Luna, Quirelle
3 out of 5 – Mon Patchouli

On Monday I will ship the package to Kalli. Thank you, Foustie, so much for this great opportunity, it was very fun!

That's great!

Oh wheesht! Wheesht! Would people please stop thanking me? Please! It's embarrassing. It is my privilege and my pleasure! Honest. I love these sample shares, or threads like the O'Drui where there quite an intense level of involvement and the discussion is focused. Love it! We should be thanking Mr A for hosting! There are some other sample shares just now. Our very own whitefluffy is doing a Rosine one (which I am thinking about gatecrashing ), Cacio has a fruit one, I think jujy has one too, and recently there was Hillaire's incredible chypre one.

Whitefluffy you have been such fun! I have learned lots fom your appraisals.

Perfumedlady Dearest gel. I swear that we must share DNA!