Neil Morris Fragrances

[Nukapai]

I could talk about these scents all day (and want to try more of them, but have restrained myself so far because The Risk Of Wanting A Full Bottle After Sampling, or "TROWAFBAS" as it shall henceforth be known, is just too damn strong and I am on a restricted fragrance budget at the moment).

Here's the Neil Morris sample thread I stated last year about the samples I'd tried. (And I'm now a happy owner of Le parfum D'Odette; absolute love at first sniff for me and with further wears I realised that it reminded me a little of the scent of Christian Dior Icone very dry skin cream in the pink and white jar - now discontinued, sadly).

[Whiffman]

Hi Everyone!

Glad to see this revitalized thread! About HULA - you'll be surprised, Red, but there's no pineapple in it!! What you're experiencing is the effect of Papaya, Quince and Mandarin as they interact! It's an interesting illusion, n'est pas? I'm glad you like it. Haunani - I've been to Hawaii 17 times and obviously LOVE the place. I was thinking of a walk in Waimea Park on the North Shore of Oahu when creating HULA.

I also think the others you listed will be good for you to try, especially MIDNIGHT SEA. Somehow I think it will be for you, Haunani. MIDNIGHT SEA is a different take on ocean scents. Instead of a bright, sunny day at the beach with suntan lotion and ozone notes, MIDNIGHT SEA is a deep, brooding, very salty sea perfume that evokes a late summer-night walk by a dark, restless ocean.

TaraYvonne - I think Brielle's and Red's suggestions are excellent!! You may also like LE PARFUM D'IDA, ROSE OF KALI, MIDNIGHT TRYST and as Nukapai mentioned, LE PARFUM D'ODETTE.

Thanks to Red, and Brielle for the great suggestions. Anyone wishing to order samples of our new scents need only order a sample of ANY VAULT perfume and tell us in the comments section that you really want PROWL, MIDNIGHT FOREST, etc...

Fragrant Dreams, my friends!!

Neil

[Haunani]

Wow, a post from the perfumer himself! Thank you, Neil. MIDNIGHT SEA sounds amazing. I love salty fragrances. A friend here also suggested your DARK EARTH to me, too, as I like that clean dirt/mud smell. And OCTOBER intrigues me as a delicious-sounding gourmand with the name of my favorite month!

This is all helping me plan my sample purchase. Thanks to all.

TaraYvonne, you and I can swap if we make the wrong choices. It sounds like our tastes don't overlap much!

Nukapai, I will check out your sample thread. Thanks!

P.S. Oh yes, Waimea Park. That is a special place! When I was a kid, we'd go out there to hike to the falls and go swimming. Then it was commercialized. Now it's an Audubon center, and I'm so pleased to see it well cared for! I'm always happy to talk to folks who love my islands.

[chayaruchama]

Dark Season is one foir those who crave a patch-infused, coniferous gourmand- I like it better than Winter Delices- and accidentally got my nextdoor neighbor hooked on it.

If you like Cuir de Russie, you'll like le Parfum D'Ida- it may be too animalic for some, but it's spicy and creamy, too.

Rumi is a go-to for me- ambery, patchy, rosy, vanillic- not too sweet, but deeply beautiful and comforting.

Mystic Dragon is different from Borneo- but if one likes chocolate dark and smoky,this is it.

Haunani- Flick is fruity and fun, with tropical florals...it has your name on it. Trust me.

BTW- for those who enjoy Eau des Merveilles- NM's Mariner is a delightfully salty, crisp, woody scent- great longevity, not boring, and, as yet- fairly unknown.

[Nukapai]

Chaya, looking at my 'drobe, if you have time and knowledge, what do you think I should try from Neil next? I like florals (even some of the sweet and loud ones), though I'm not usually a fan of predominantly rose-based scents. Jasmine, tuberose, lily, mimosa and honeysuckle all get the thumbs up. I adore crisp, green, herbal citrus scents. I'm also partial to a good chypre, woody scents and orientals. Tend not to like some aldehydes (especially the ironing-smelling ones), at least not when they dominate the blend. And anything too spicy-sweet or chocolate-patchouli-sweet (aka Angel) makes me feel a bit queasy.

[Haunani]

.....
Haunani- Flick is fruity and fun, with tropical florals...it has your name on it. Trust me.

BTW- for those who enjoy Eau des Merveilles- NM's Mariner is a delightfully salty, crisp, woody scent- great longevity, not boring, and, as yet- fairly unknown.

Thanks, Chaya - I will check it out! Though fruity is generally not my thing at all, occasionally a not-too-sweet one can work. I really like the sound of MARINER! Thanks for that rec, and if you have the time an inclination to look at my wardrobe and suggest any more, that would be very much appreciated.

[lizzie_j]

Wow, a post from the perfumer himself! Thank you, Neil. MIDNIGHT SEA sounds amazing. I love salty fragrances. A friend here also suggested your DARK EARTH to me, too, as I like that clean dirt/mud smell. And OCTOBER intrigues me as a delicious-sounding gourmand with the name of my favorite month!

This is all helping me plan my sample purchase. Thanks to all.

TaraYvonne, you and I can swap if we make the wrong choices. It sounds like our tastes don't overlap much!

Nukapai, I will check out your sample thread. Thanks!

P.S. Oh yes, Waimea Park. That is a special place! When I was a kid, we'd go out there to hike to the falls and go swimming. Then it was commercialized. Now it's an Audubon center, and I'm so pleased to see it well cared for! I'm always happy to talk to folks who love my islands.

This thread tugs at my wallet strings. I own October and I just love love love it. If you want a sample Haunani please PM me.

I so want Prowl. Midnight Sea is gorgeous, and Zephyr is lighthearted and fun. I must restrain myself a little, but I think I might go buy me some more samples! This is such a great line of fragrances that even the fragrances that aren't quite for me, I save, JUST IN CASE (and I usually give away or sell samples that don't ring a bell right away).

[Redneck Perfumisto]

About HULA - you'll be surprised, Red, but there's no pineapple in it!! What you're experiencing is the effect of Papaya, Quince and Mandarin as they interact! It's an interesting illusion, n'est pas? I'm glad you like it.

I suspected there was some sort of mischief here, when I looked at the description and saw nothing about pineapple. But I also remember thinking during my first wear that it was actually nicer than real pineapple, and wondering how on Earth that could be!

BTW- for those who enjoy Eau des Merveilles- NM's Mariner is a delightfully salty, crisp, woody scent- great longevity, not boring, and, as yet- fairly unknown.

Oh, no, Chaya - you just pulled my Hermès string! This one sounds really nice. I'll be sampling this one for sure. I haven't found a Merveilles that I didn't like.

[RHM]

Well...I like both Dark Season & Dark Earth for the resin vibe. I just passed these on to tvlampboy for him to try, so perhaps he can tell you what he thinks of them.
My sister & I went crazy over Mystic Dragon when we last saw Neil. It was like nothing we've ever smelled, not too foody but very sexy. Neil just laughs at us but we don't mind, it's a shared joy.
I have really been enjoying Spirit of Water. It's been a real comfort scent throughout the winter for me but I do not see it as a seasonal scent. I was wearing thin during the summer as well. There's also a Spirit of Fire, very spicy, Spirit of Earth resins again, a NM strong point & Spirit of Air. My two favorites were Spirit of Air & Spirit of Water with Spirit of Water being my favorite. The waterlily & wisteria, in combination with the light jasmine & musk, are just right to smooth out all the rough emotional edges for me.
Another scent I really think you might like is Assam, from the India series. It's an ode to tea scents a la Neil Morris. Black tea, mango, benzoin (which has a vanilic odour) & oud! Who would think to put these together? And these are just some of the notes. The result literally melts on my skin. Fantastic!
What can I say...I'm a huge fan of his work.

[TaraYvonne]

Ok, great ideas everyone, Red-and thanks Brielle-you rocked those descriptions! I'm all over those suggestions. I think I'll order on payday and hope for one that takes me by the heart. I just love it when that happens

[Haunani]

Thanks, RHM, I read your recommendations with interest. I'm attracted to the idea of Spirit of Water, and your description of Assam made me put in on my list! Great photo, BTW - you two look like you're having so much fun!

TaraYvonne, I will look forward to hearing what you choose to sample - and what you fall in love with!

[Haunani]

Hello all! I thought I'd report back periodically as I sample my Neil Morris choices. These are the first five. Please pardon my lack of review writing skill/experience, but I want to share my impressions of these fascinating fragrances. For each, I have also listed the notes as reported on Neil's website.

DARK EARTH
Notes: Myrrh, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Golden Musk, Earth, Frankincense, Green Forest Note
Well, I’m learning that I like the smell of dirt in fragrances (Une Rose and Dans Tes Bras come to mind), and this one does not disappoint. I live in Northern California, where we get some hints of spring in February. This fragrance comes close to the smell I get from walking outside on a sunny late winter morning when the earth is still damp from many recent rains. I just want to bury my nose in my wrists throughout the whole beginning and middle stages. (To be quite honest, I’d be happy being an earthworm for a day so that I could burrow to my heart’s content!). Later, Dark Earth smells a little less like the natural world and a little more like a perfume, as of course it should. I really enjoy the warm musk (what IS that Golden Musk?) and the woods. The incense that seems to predominate in the drydown is a tad too heavy for my taste (though I'm going to try again with a lighter application). Overall, however, I am wowed! EDIT: I bought a bottle, and I'm still wowed.

HULA
Notes: Papaya, Mandarin, Green Tea, Plumeria, White Ginger, Gardenia, Heliotrope, Tonka Bean, Ocean Musk, Light Musk
I get a nice bright blast of papaya in the introduction, and I don’t think I’d have identified green tea, but it’s very clear when I’m looking for it! I don’t think I’ve ever smelled papaya in a fragrance! A little later, the fruity and floral elements blend in a way that makes me understand why RP thought he smelled pineapple. I can pick out the plumeria, and it smells like one of the varieties we have in Hawai’i. Nice! Later, it is soft and musky on me, retaining some of the tropical fruit and florals. I don’t wear fruit well (I don’t even eat much fruit!), but Hula is wearable for me because the fruit is subtle and not overly sweet. As a native of Hawai’i, I can verify that the perfumer met his goal of capturing a mixture of elements that evoke those islands.

MIDNIGHT SEA
Notes: Waterlily, Vanilla, Patchouli, Dark Musk, Ozone Notes
Though I’m learning that I like patchouli and other “earthy” smells, I mostly prefer air and water elements in my fragrances. It was predicted that I would appreciate Midnight Sea, and I do! I REALLY do! I especially like it just after the opening blast. Is that touch of sweetness the waterlily? This is an unapologetic, big blue briny fragrance that is uncomplicated by such hangers-on as suntan lotion and resinous shrubbery. Midnight Sea lingers on my skin for hours, and never lets me forget that the ocean is with me. This one already has a prime spot on my “need to have a bottle” list!

QUEST
Notes: Calabrian Bergamot, Ozone Notes, Cut Grass, Heliotrope, Myrrh, Patchouli, Precious Woods
I would like to know more about this fragrance. I like bergamot, but there is something else in the opening that overshadows it for me. It’s something very herbal. Is it lavender? Marjoram? Whatever it is, it puts my nose on sneeze alert. There is something that reminds me of a classic citrus/herbal eau de cologne for gentlemen, but it is clearly more substantial than that. This fragrance has me baffled, and it’s the only one of these five that I would not choose to wear again. EDIT: I'm going to try it again, because I feel I missed something the first time around.

HOLOGRAM
Notes: Yuzu, Black Currant, Violet, Fig, Sea Moss, Amber, Incense, Musk
I love the playful and slightly mysterious name of this fragrance, and I believe that it lives up to its name! There is a brightness at the beginning that must be the yuzu. Lovely! Then there is a really gorgeous plummy-juiciness that is maybe the sum of the currant, violet, and fig? Whatever that lovely blend is, it persists until the end for me. I do also get a very pretty amber in the later stages. Hologram is, I think, one of those "thinking person’s" fragrances. It appeals to my intellect, which appreciates balance, innovation, and a certain challenging complexity. I am going to give this one another full wearing, but I’m pretty sure that I need a bottle! EDIT: Did the second full wearing, and like it even more now!

I still have a bunch to try, so more later!

Heidi

[Haunani]

Hello again! Here are the next five that I sampled. I am struck by the diversity of the ten fragrances I've experienced so far.

GANDHARA
Notes: Mimosa, Fig, Geranium, Lotus, Jasmine, Patchouli, Castoreum
This is powerful! I've not been to India, but this fragrance is very familiar. It takes me back to an India Imports store that I frequented as a teenager, and evokes memories of buying jasmine and sandalwood soaps and those leather sandals with the loop that went around the big toe! Gandhara is very beautifully done. I think it would really appeal to those who like fragrances that evoke the earthier, rawer associations. A Steinbeck-style perfume, if you will. Sadly, it’s not for me to wear, but admire it I do!

CITY RAIN
Notes: Green Tea, Ozone Notes, Heliotrope, Honeysuckle, Blue Musk, Green Patchouli, Earth Note, Golden Musk
This really DOES smell like wet concrete at first! I don’t care for that, but then I’m not a city girl. I wonder if this fragrance contains Cashmeran (EDIT: The notes are now available and listed above. This is an interesting mix, isn't it!) Some have said that they notice a “wet concrete” smell in Dans Tes Bras, which reportedly is the Cashmeran. In DTB, which I love, I do not get concrete (nor do I get mushrooms), but only a wonderful fresh dirt smell. Back to City Rain... I really enjoyed the warm and earthy drydown. After the concrete left, I liked this fragrance. How about a “Country Rain”, Neil? Or do you already have one like that?

ZEPHYR
Notes: Tangerine, Papaya, Honeysuckle, Casablanca Lily, White Tea, Sandalwood, Amber, Ocean Musk
The tangerine at the beginning is bright and gorgeous! I think the tea note modulates the sweetness of the floral notes – I like that! Like Hula, Zephyr is fruitier than most of my choices but palatable because it’s not sugary sweet. The whole fragrance is quite subtle on me, and very likeable. I would especially enjoy it on hot summer days. I’m curious about ocean musk, and what it adds to the whole!

SPIRIT OF WATER
Notes: Wisteria, Water Lily, Jasmine, Poppy, Clean Musk, Tonka Bean
This fragrance is ethereally beautiful for the first few seconds (is that the wisteria?), and lovely after that. The drydown comes fast, and it’s very soft and subtle. It reminds me a bit of Jo Malone’s Lotus Blossom & Water Lily, but with sweeter florals and without the incense wood. I wonder what the poppy brings to the mix. I can’t bring to mind the fragrance of a poppy! Spirit of Water is very beautiful, but for me it needed several reapplications to make it through the day. I would go through a bottle in no time. Is it worth it? Probably!

ASSAM
Notes: Bergamot, Elemi, Black Tea, Mango Tea, Carnation, Red Currant, Incense, Benzoin, Oud, Wood Notes
At first this smells like a very realistic slightly sweetened, slightly fruity tea. To my nose, almost like an earthy cousin of Hermes Osmanthe Yunnan. This fragrance feels very “layered” to me. It gets more and more compelling until, after about three hours, I am completely mesmerized. I have rarely been so “taken” with a blend of base notes. I think Assam is just wonderful, and an absolute must-try for tea drinkers and lovers of all things exotic.

[Haunani]

Here are my impressions of the last five of the samples I tested. As before, I included the partial list of notes provided by Neil Morris.

AEGEAN
Notes: Mandarin, Basil Blossom, Lavender, Quince, Sandalwood, Benzoin, Pearl Musk
The citrus and herbs make me think of the Mediterranean. I especially like the very pretty soft drydown of this fragrance, after the lavender settles. The lasting power is very good, too! Of all the NM fragrances I’ve tried so far, this one and QUEST are the ones I think I’d prefer on a man.

STORM
Notes: Papaya, Lime, Delphinium, Purple Hyacinth, Tonka, Golden Musk, Earth and Marine Notes
I love everything about this one! The papaya and lime blend together beautifully in the beginning. The combination of the two seems like a new and different fruit - I would not have necessarily identified lime and papaya. Later, in a very distinct stage, these gorgeous purple-smelling flowers emerge. They’re stunning, and they last a long time. I’d forgotten how pretty hyacinth smells! The base notes blend is equally inspired, warm and very lovely. Like Hologram did, Storm captured my imagination along with my senses.

PROWL
Notes: Black Pepper, Honeysuckle, Jasmine Sambac, Tuberose, Patchouli, Oakmoss, Amber, Civet
Prowl reminds me of some of the classic sexy and sophisticated women’s fragrances that I have not yet learned much about. It does not capture my imagination, particularly, or suit my personality, but I found it to be quite pretty. The beginning and middle stages have a sort of minty smell that I enjoyed (green tea?). There is an indolic white floral heart. The drydown had a traditional and mellow feel.

IZMIR
Notes: Papaya, Orange, Cinnamon, Fig, Rose, Geranium, Coffee, Vanilla, Agar Wood, Sea Air, Patchouli
I enjoyed all the stages of Izmir. There is a very delicious coffee smell in the beginning that is enhanced by the orange fruit and spices. The subtle rose (a really nice rose!), and what must be the geranium (is it a rose geranium?) seem to ride out all the way through the softly earthy drydown. Izmir is very evocative. I would definitely like to hang out in a place with those smells! I plan to give it a full second wearing, to see if it could work for me as a personal fragrance.

MARINER
Notes: Italian Bergamot, Damask Rose, Geranium, White Musk, Cedar, Sandalwood
This is no yellow-slickered, bearded Mariner braving the swells of a cold gray sea. THIS mariner is wearing Dockers and an aloha shirt, and he has a flower tucked behind one ear. HIS ocean is sweet-smelling and a beautiful aqua color, and the sky above him is washed in a rosy hue. Mermaids are peeking out from beneath gentle whitecaps to flirt with our Mariner. I would sail away with him in a heartbeat. For me, a smile-inducing fragrance for sure! Edit: This is now on the Neil Morris website, and Neil describes it as his "ode to those who go down to the sea in ships." Well, my take is that this is what heaven smells like for those long lost mariners! I have purchased a bottle, and fully expect it to be a summer favorite.

This sampling has been a lot of fun. Thank you to those who posted information previously, and thank you to Neil Morris for his fragrant creations. I am a very happy new fan! My top choices so far are MARINER, MIDNIGHT SEA, STORM, HOLOGRAM, ASSAM and DARK EARTH. My first order will be one of the first three – but I’m driving myself a little crazy trying to decide. EDIT: Ended up purchasing DARK EARTH and MARINER. The others still beckon.

I still have two more to try, OCTOBER and BURNT AMBER. After a quick sniff of each, I’ve decided to wait until fall, when I’m guessing I will really appreciate them!