Kiki extrait opens on a strongly aromatic, balmy and invigorating lavender note that slowly reveals fruity and woody facets, to end in a- slightly burnt- caramel and patchouli base that reminds...
This fragrance rocks..!! Out of the bottle you get a successful blend of fruit, citrus, veggies (yes, cucumber is a vegetable), and aqua... There are similarities to other summer fragrances, but...
when i first smelled it, it was a dead ringer for chergui but that quickly morphed into a minted light suede/leather, hay (wheat?), very dry lavender and a faint boozy wood. it goes through three...
While Pure Havane doesn't smell at all like straight tobacco or cigars a la Cuba Red, a tobacco product it does smell uncanilly like is shisha. If you like to smoke hookah, you owe it to yourself...
Maybe this was created as a practical joke. My wife thought it might be made for pre-teens who have not yet reached puberty but want to smell like they have. This was the worst smelling cologne...
I'm normally a big time sampler but bought Umbra by Ramon Monegal with the quickness. The fact that I had a NM store credit could have something to do with it but I'm very pleased none the less.
Got it home, thought "What the hell did I do that for", stuck it in a wardrobe for 4 years, and then came back to it with much greater affection and appreciation.
I remember at least CdG 2 Man (from Almeria, Spain, a "suvenier" ) was an instant buy, smelled it for the first time. As well Joop! Rococo, it was in a tax free shop of a cruise ship on Baltic Sea.
But not many of my scents are bought as "love at first sigh". I tend to consider quite a lot and sample many times.
Blind buys? Yes, but not often. Buys to get a free gift? Yes, once or twice. But I can't remember the last time I bought a fragrance based on top notes alone. I usually sample them first or wear them for a few hours.
if i get the chance to smell it before i buy it, i always wait a few hours. Many a time has a perfume started off wonderful, only to turn boring, unpleasant, or vanish altogether within a few hours