Smooth, semi-sweet, spicy, coniferous, incensy, everydag frag???

[Point Blank]

Ok, in the hunt for the holy grail it looks like I've been able to narrow it down to this:

- Smooth
- Semi-sweet
- Spicy (preferably peppery)
- Coniferous (preferably resinous)
- Incensy
- Suitable for everyday wear

Some of what I've tried for reference, with great guidance from basenoters:

- Boss Bottled is smooth, semi-sweet, spicy and suitable for everyday wear. Close in general style to what I'm looking for. However, apple note annoys me and it lacks peppery and incensy notes that I love.
- Floris Santal gets close to meeting all criteria. However, I got a problem with the milky/creamy note I get from this...
- Armani Privé Bois d'Encens gets the pepper/incense right on but is too simplistic/puritan, lacks complexity and sweetness.
- Villoresi Piper Nigrum gets very close with the drydown but is just too chaotic and wayward in getting there. Hard time meeting the everyday wear criterium.
- Monocle Scent Two: Laurel also gets very close but is too literal in the laurel treatment. It smells like you've been eating spicy food.
- Tom Ford Italian Cypress - love this scent intensely with its resinous conifers but it is ultimately too dated/old school...

[Sensual]

Ahhh, it is a holy journey looking for the grail. Your quest begins on Basenotes.

Voyage (Hermes) -- I smelled this AGAIN on my woman. It has many of the qualities you require. Unfortunately, I didn't smell much or any pepper.

Tommy Bahama -- Worth checking out for that pepper note.

Good luck!

[PaulSC]

Burberry London for men seems to fit all your criteria.

[Jock_With_Scents]

Terre d'Hermes EDT
Montale - Red Vetyver
DSQUARED2 - Rocky Mountain Wood
Nemo - Cacharel
CDG - Jaisalmer
L'air du Desert Marocain

[BradW]

For an inexpensive frag, I believe that Hummer H2 actually fits your bill as well.

[ubergeek]

Aramis Devin, although its spiciness is in the form of cloves and cinnamon.

[odysseusm]

I'll invite you and others to check out the "Coneheads" social group here on Basenotes, which specializes in commenting on coniferous scents.
I love coniferous scents, but I don't like smooth and semi-sweet ones. I like them dry, even austere. For example, I enjoy Bois D'Encens.

However, check out:
Monocle One: Hinoki
Any of the CdG Incense line, they are all good (although the Avignon is a little too sweet for me).
Frankincense & Myrrh by Czech & Speake
Bois D'Orage (aka French Lover) by [Armani Prive] oops, that's Frederic Malle
Pino Silvestre! Really.
And for a step up from PS, (if you can find some) 4 Voleurs by L'Occitane en Provence.

[jenson]

Penhaligons Raquet Formula

[Point Blank]

I've tried Terre d'Hermes once - my impression was that it was too heavy/unrelenting on the citrus. I didn't particularly like Red Vetyver - overly sour/tart and "oudish"/"rosy"/something? I also tried Burberry London but in a haste and didn't expect much but was drawn to it but it was soon gone - I need to revisit this one. I've also tried Kyoto and Avignon from the CdG incense line - I loved Kyoto but maybe too "austere" and "cold" while I didn't enjoy Avignon that much - too damp - Armani Bois d'Encens was a much better version of the same theme but lacking that moist almost moldy part that makes Avignon hard to wear imo.

I will try all the other ones suggested here!

Btw, French Lover isn't that Frederic Malle?

[odysseusm]

Thanks, Point Blank. I've corrected it.

[Sugandaraja]

I'll add my recommendation for my pine favorite, Serge Lutens Fille En Aiguilles. I'm pining for a bottle...

[Point Blank]

I'll add my recommendation for my pine favorite, Serge Lutens Fille En Aiguilles. I'm pining for a bottle...

Adding this to the shortlist. How does it compare to Tom Ford Italian Cypress??

[Point Blank]

Thanks, Point Blank. I've corrected it.

I will try this one - I've come across the name to many times now

Btw, why is it also called Bois D'Orage - it only seems to say French Lover on the label? Indeed, I wish it said that instead, "French Lover" sounds a but ridiculous...

[Bigsly]

I would reach for Montana Parfum d'Homme, because I don't like such frags if they are too woody. The pine in MPd'H is clear, but otherwise it's not woody. Not sure of any incense, but for that I currently prefer Oscar Pour Lui (which is not sweet, but does have pine).

[Sugandaraja]

Adding this to the shortlist. How does it compare to Tom Ford Italian Cypress??

Nothing alike. Tom Ford Italian Cypress is mostly a cool, green, rather generic cedar-y fragrance; I'm not a fan. Fille En Aiguilles is a warm, sweet, spicy, incensey, slightly ambery fragrance focused on pine. It starts out quite sweet, but develops into something increasingly dry as the day wears on, and I find it very wearable.

I just adore Fille En Aiguilles, and it's not like any other pine I know.

[ChuckW]

How about Aramis Havana?

[Point Blank]

Nothing alike. Tom Ford Italian Cypress is mostly a cool, green, rather generic cedar-y fragrance; I'm not a fan. Fille En Aiguilles is a warm, sweet, spicy, incensey, slightly ambery fragrance focused on pine. It starts out quite sweet, but develops into something increasingly dry as the day wears on, and I find it very wearable.

I just adore Fille En Aiguilles, and it's not like any other pine I know.

Ok. I havn't been enamoured by any Lutens scents I've tried but I do like the general texture - I gotta try this...

[ChuckW]

Gucci Pour Homme (copper/brown color in heavy square bottle). Very woody and peppery. The Tommy Bahama suggestion was a good one, as well.

[Point Blank]

How about Aramis Havana?

Isn't this discontinued or near-impossible to find? Maybe I'm mixing it up with something else...

[LiveJazz]

Check out Chevignon.

[perfaddict]

Jack Black Signature Silver Mark

[Point Blank]

Check out Chevignon.

Which Chevignon?

[Primrose]

I seem to be recommending this quite a bit lately, but I would say try L'Occitane's Eau des Baux.

It it is an oriental with a sweet, incense-y scent with cypress wood and spice. At under $50 USD, this might work for you.

Top Note: Pink pepper, Cardamom
Middle Note: Cyprus, Incense
Base Note: Vanilla, Tonka Bean

[Point Blank]

Sounds good Primrose, it's already on my shortlist as I saw it recommended (maybe by you?) in another thread...

[ebear]

Ormonde Jayne Man fits your criteria very well!

[Bigsly]

I found these notes for MPd'H:

Top notes are aldehydes, cinnamon, lavender, mandarin orange, tarragon, pepper, bergamot and lemon; middle notes are carnation, jasmine, sage, nasturcia, rose, pine tree needles and geranium; base notes are labdanum, leather, sandalwood, patchouli, oakmoss, vanilla, incense, cedar and ambergris.

[Point Blank]

I found these notes for MPd'H:

Top notes are aldehydes, cinnamon, lavender, mandarin orange, tarragon, pepper, bergamot and lemon; middle notes are carnation, jasmine, sage, nasturcia, rose, pine tree needles and geranium; base notes are labdanum, leather, sandalwood, patchouli, oakmoss, vanilla, incense, cedar and ambergris.

What is MPd'H??

[Bigsly]

The Montana I mentioned ("red box"). It's not "smooth" in the opening but after an hour or so it's not rough.

[Point Blank]

Ormonde Jayne Man fits your criteria very well!

Ordering a sample.

[ebear]

Ordering a sample.

Excellent idea. Do post on how you like it - and the others you try, of course. OJM strikes me as offering precisely the notes & attributes you listed.