Hi irrbloss -
Well, the opening on Jacques Bogart Pour Homme is definitely sharp and loud. The spike of bergamot is initially a little strong. The lavender is not medicinal to me - some people have felt it is synthetic. To each their own. The florals in the heart come fast (within 5-10 minutes on the skin) - orange blossom, lily-of-the-valley and rose - all of these notes (after the bergamot calms down) create a nice aromatic bouquet, but are miniscule in comparison to the base notes that waft up through the heart along with the infamous cherry pipe tobacco (that one actually first smells within just a few minutes of the wearing). So, it shows very strong in the heart - seemingly as a middle note (which you get a definitive hint of even in the top), but it lasts a good while. Going into the base, I find that patchouli shows first - it is sharp and a bit green initially. It then warms with the
huge tonka bean in here, becoming a nice earthy, green note with the light touch of oakmoss as this develops. As I have mentioned, this is tonka bean turned ALL the way up. The musk is clean (white musk) and actually lifts the scent some. As the patchouli is warming, the nice dusty cedar note enters (a note I really like in here). I actually do get 3 stages with this, but the opening is really a small part of the whole, the middle showing an early hint of the "flavors" and what is to come, but they integrate & evolve as the impressive, smoldering tonka bean warms on your skin. All of this happens within the opening 20-30 minutes, so even if it doesn't agree with you in the initial opening - it changes and has a lot of movement, quickly. Personally, I like it.
The opening being called "synthetic"...it is not to me and, regardless, not significant at all. In a 10-12+ hour wear, I don't judge a note or opening that lasts a handful of minutes as important as the 9 1/2+ hours beyond that I enjoy tremendously. And, I would be surprised if you don't find the heart phase to be very nice with the florals and cherry pipe tobacco taking center stage and patchouli entering.
A Maurice Roucel bottle that, at first, could seem out of balance to someone. However, it is actually a very cozy and comfortable scent. The strength of the tonka bean is truly impressive here. Once you wear it a couple of times, you know what to expect. I found that a layered wearing is actually the best way to wear this scent. Put on a couple of shots to the neck and chest, and one to the wrists/back of hands each. It is loud, but let it settle. At 30 minutes or so (after you're done getting dressed), just apply another shot (or two) to your neck and wrists/back of hands. This layered effect allows the tonka bean to already emerge, so the top notes that come on are immediately "warmed". Interesting effect and I find one gets a better, fuller wearing of Jacques Bogart Pour Homme. For the people who appreciate this fragrance, they love the
long dry down of smooth, warm tonka bean infused with cherry pipe tobacco, cedar & patchouli. The secondary notes eventually become more faint after a couple (or few) hours, but the tonka bean is just so nice and comforting. What Roucel created from these ingredients, in my opinion, is nothing short of remarkable. This does not get overly sweet or cloying on me.
What I find interesting is how Roucel creates a powerhouse that is comforting. A pardoxical scent - leaving a lot of people wondering, "What just happened??", about 10-12+ hours later. They are left with a nice, warm smooth skin scent that was smoldering just hours before that opened with a blast of sharp citrus, florals, pipe tobacco and followed with patchouli, cedar and musk. I find the "movement" in this composition to be incredible and it is better to "step back" and enjoy the entire wear versus picking out a single note or sharp opening that will be LONG gone and forgotten once the scent has faded. Like a blast of cold air on a snowy, cold day as you enter your home, but quickly smell of the bouquet on the table and the fire burning in the living room. Time to make a cup of vanilla chai tea, light a nice pipe with a full pinch of tobacco, relax and warm up. You can rest as you are not going out for the evening. That is the feeling this gives me. Yet, ironically, I enjoying wearing this scent out as much as at home (if not more) as it
always gets me compliments!
Please know that if applied on clothing, this scent can last for several days - very nice for a thermal shirt or cozy sweater that one wears around the house in the evenings. Remarkable.
Michael Kors (and I only have Original bottles that say, "MICHAEL") is a very good fragrance. I really like the composition and notes. Longevity is somewhat fleeting - even the original juice (but smells damn good!). I also have splash after shave bottles and the excellent after shave balm, which is incredible. Get it if you can - 150ml for a fair price can be found online here in the US. It has a lot of fragrance in it and is very rich. Plus, it extends the wearing of Michael Kors and increases projection. Probably something better for cool/cold evenings, but I always layer at least a little to get more out of it.
I hope this helps explain my perspective - Jacques Bogart Pour Homme, even with all of its power, leaves you feeling cozy, warm and comfortable. Roucel created a great bottle that, as powerful as it is, actually maintains both harmony and balance. For the price, one of the best bottles one can buy in this genre...and definitely different than Michael Kors and London by Burberry.
Cheers,
ericrico
Quote:
Originally Posted by
irrbloss 
Thanks! I already own London and really like it too, but I still prefer Michael. So if I own London and Michael, would Bogart Pour Homme be a good choice? I read somewhere that it is very synthetic, at least in the opening.
But then again I had the EDP version, maybe that's the reason?
