Any suggestions for me to try based on what I like?

[hugh]

Over the last few years I've tried many dozens of sample vials from Perfumed Court and others looking for you know--"the one". I should just be satisfied with what I've found that I like so far:

Creed - Bois du Portugal
Creed - Baie de Genievre
Guerlain - Heritage
MPG - Santal Noble
Chanel - Egoiste (original)
Annick Goutal - Sables

I thought Yatagan was nice (I like stinky and tough so I didn't loose my lunch like some reviewers of that scent did). I just tried Lorenzo Villoresi Uomo today and I liked it in that I thought it was one of the best citrus/woodsy scents I've ever tried--sporty and fresh, but it didn't last. I liked Terre d'Hermes a bit (though not my favorite).

I'm still learning about fragrance but I think I go in the direction of woodsy, masculine but complex and elegant. Maybe oriental and a bit of incense. Boozy if it's interesting (Sables). I really don't like gourmand or sweet or flowery--Sables is as gourmand-y as I can get. I really wanted to like Eau des Iles by MPG but apart from the coffee and incense it was getting too flowery-candy-sweet on me. I was going to try a few more by Hermes. I also just ordered a small Basala by Shiesedo as well as Corolian by Guerlain--I'll find out if I like them when I get them. Any suggestions based on what I like so far?

More natural and less synthetic ingredients are best for me.

Thanks everyone for making this a great and fun site!

[mikeperez23]

Envy for Men by Gucci
L' Instant Pour Homme by Guerlain
Sequoia or Palisander (Series 2: Red) by Comme des Garcons
Pomegranate Noir by Jo Malone
Jubilation XXV by Amouage

[TheAttorney]

Sounds like you have good tastes already.

I second Jubilation XXV, MIke makes a great point.

I would like to add the following:

YSL, Opium EDP
Tom Ford, Black Orchid
Serge Lutens, Oriental Vetiver

If you have these 4 then I think you can have a nice collection of high-quality fragrances that will not only blow people out of the water, but will intrique people because they are not your "everydays." These are high quality niche fragrances not widely known among non-eunthauists. They are satisfying enough to please but unique enough to awe.

Additionally, I do not want to give you an exhaustive list of 15 fragrances; I think that is counter-productive and will overwhelm, but please try these 4 as they are true jewels.

I dislike Envy only for the smple fact that I think it has no evolution after it is applied and it does that designer disappearing act.

[Kevin Guyer]

Re - Laura Tonatto - Could be seen in the same vein as Sables in the sense it's very resinous.
H.O.T. Always - Bond - if you like patchouli, it's quite amazing and might be a further development of your Bois de P.
Zino - Davidoff - very close to Heritage
New York - Parfums de Nicolai - this stuff is just essential to every man's wardrobe.

[fjord]

Seems like Gucci pour Homme (original) fits your definition pretty well... If the incense in this one is too much for you, you may also want to try Rochas Lui.

[TheAttorney]

Seems like Gucci pour Homme (original) fits your definition pretty well... If the incense in this one is too much for you, you may also want to try Rochas Lui.

Jubilation XXV is the ultimate incense IMHO.

Also, Jack Black, Black Mark is a more potent and higher quality frag, similar to Gucci PH.

[Redneck Perfumisto]

Hi Hugh! Welcome to Basenotes. Three woody fragrances that I also like are:

Monocle Scent One: Hinoki by Comme des Garcons (aka Hinoki)
Feuilles de Tabac by Miller Harris (a bit like Bois du Portugal)
Un Parfum des Sens et Bois by The Different Company (cedar and violets)

A pine scent that I like is Epicea by Creed. Watch out for posts by odysseusm, our local pine lover, if you like those.

I'm going to have to try Sequoia - that just sounds great!

[Bigsly]

I like Carven Homme more than the others in that group, including Heritage and BdP. Also, I recently sampled Costume National 21 and that's worth considering too.

[genvy5]

Serge Lutens' Vetiver Oriental definitely. Also By Kilian's Cruel Intentions. Parfumerie Generale's Coze (sitting by the fireplace during the holiday season). I think also Serge Lutens' Five O'Clock au Gingembre you would dig.

[TheAttorney]

I think you have some good suggestions here, but now the burden is on you to:

1-use the BN directory to research each scent;
2-get some samples and test;
3-narrow it down;
4-create a budget; and
5-purchase.

[hugh]

Thanks everybody! I'm picking and choosing from these suggestions. I wanted to like Feuilles de Tabac but it turned weird on me--too sweet if I remember. Jubilation25 is really nice but mmmmm not grabbing me by the balls, which is what I want. (Isn't that what every boy wants?)

I love the smell of hinoki wood and Dawn Spencer Hurwitz's "Hinoki" is pretty nice. I'll have to try CDG's version. Several years ago the "EO" brand of lotions, shampoos and lotions which you can find in health food stores had a "Lime & Hinoki" scented lotion which smelled great on my body in the summer. I called them and tried to convince them to sell the fragrance but they didn't. And they've since discontinued that scent in their products.

I just ordered some Carven Homme on Ebay per Bigsly's suggestion. It was so cheap that I'm a little disconcerted (is there anything natural in it?) but I trust you guys.

Also I'm interested in Fresh's Cannabis Santal and Cannabis Rose (is the Rose really ok for men as mentioned by a few posts?--I did like the rose in Rose Poivree and Domenico Caraceni 1913) I love the smell of marahuana even though I rarely smoke it. When the plant is growing and it's warm and sunny it has a zesty minty-dirty-peppered-vetiver-y smell to my nose and when smoked it's more of a sweet tar. I think either of these aspects could work wonders for a good cologne.

Anyway, thanks everybody.

[hugh]

I think you have some good suggestions here, but now the burden is on you to:

1-use the BN directory to research each scent;
2-get some samples and test;
3-narrow it down;
4-create a budget; and
5-purchase.

I'm doing everything but #4.

[Magnifiscent]

I'm still learning about fragrance but I think I go in the direction of woodsy, masculine but complex and elegant. Maybe oriental and a bit of incense. Boozy if it's interesting (Sables)

Uhm... let me think...
Serge Lutens Chêne
Serge Lutens Borneo
Gucci PH
Gucci Envy
Christian Lacroix Tumulte PH
Givenchy Gentleman
Chanel Pour Monsieur edt Concentrée
CDG Palisander
Tom Ford Purple Patchouli
Etro Palais Jamais
Caron L'Anarchiste
Lubin Idole
...