My Montale discoveries

[Old Factory]

Figured I'll post my experience with the Montale discovery sets and update the thread for any interested as I try them one at a time.

First was Arabians, from the Best of Aouds discovery set.

Not at all a fan. The dry down is very decent, but not much for potency and the opening is gut wrenchingly grandma. It's too bad because the base really is quite nice, being mostly woody to my nose. I'm curious what others think of this one...?

[hednic]

I'm curious what others think of this one...?

I personally like it.

[sjg3839]

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[Old Factory]

I personally like it.

Any idea what it is about the opening I might not be liking? I'm trying to familiarize myself with notes and how they smell to me so I can recognize in the future, before purchase, what I'm inclined not to like, but seem to be failing miserably thus far.

[hednic]

Any idea what it is about the opening I might not be liking?

Perhaps it's the cardamom in the opening that is not to your liking.

[Old Factory]

Perhaps it's the cardamom in the opening that is not to your liking.

Hmmmm I'll have another look at the notes but I think I recall really liking a couple of other fragrances with heavy cardamom. Okay I'll look more into it. Thanks much for your time and thoughts.

[Old Factory]

Aoud Forest: yup, extremely feminine. Remind me much of my mom's favorite perfume when I was a kid. Este Lauder of some sort, can't recall it now but clearly remember the scent and this is damn near identical. A good smell for sure, for a lady in her 50s/60s. Gave the samples to my fiance but am going she never wears it when I'm around... Not attractive at all.

[Old Factory]

Aoud Amazing: wow! Tom Ford Black Orchid anyone? Truly Gourmand! Delicious! Like Graham crackers, honey, chocolate and fresh flowers! Truly to die for, but, just like black Orchid, very feminine! Gave this one to the fiance!

[Old Factory]

Fougeres Marine: Tommy from the 90s! 100%! Just like it though this fails to last or have any silage on the skin. I'm going to try it on my shirt now and test again. Really love this scent!

[Old Factory]

Wood and spices: reminds me a lot of a fragrance I sampled long ago which was highly touted and praised but I really didn't like, thinking Givenchy Pi or something along those lines, really dislike it. Feminine for sure, maybe a little powdery and kind of like bubblegum. Not a fan! Giving to fiance and hoping she wears it at home alone without me around.

[Old Factory]

Santal Wood: finally another good scent! Only 2 so far, the rest falling clearly and squarely in the female yuck section of the pie chart. Yes that's a technical term and your welcome to quote me on it, just cite your sources. This one also had what could be considered a slightly feminine quality to it, but one that is tamed down and brought back to earth, literally with a gentle woody undertone. Beautiful scent and again, reminiscent of something else I've sampled some years ago but can't put my finger on it. In any case, this I might be tempted to buy a bottle of, if it actually has some life to it, unlike Fourges Marine, which lasts about 15 minutes then is a barely a skin scent from there. Too bad because it's my favorite smelling without a doubt!

[Old Factory]

Starry Night: really dig this one, although it's somewhat feminine, it's not terrible off-putting, and yet, it's enough so that I'm not inclined to purchase a bottle. It really reminds me of TF Black Orchid. I'm wearing one on each wish and while I cannot identify what it is in each that seems so familiar with the other, I also cannot say that they are anywhere near identical. I think Starry Night is more fruity where Black Orchid is more floral, but both have this edible, confectionary like base to them that makes me link them together. I need to test further with both I think.

[PrinceRF]

I'm curious what others think of this one...?

Haven't tried it but would like to give it a sniff.

[PrinceRF]

I appreciate reading your thoughts on these so far. I'm guessing that they would not be to my liking, but I'd be open to trying any of them nevertheless.

[hednic]

Starry Night: really dig this one, although it's somewhat feminine, it's not terrible off-putting, and yet, it's enough so that I'm not inclined to purchase a bottle. It really reminds me of TF Black Orchid. I'm wearing one on each wish and while I cannot identify what it is in each that seems so familiar with the other, I also cannot say that they are anywhere near identical. I think Starry Night is more fruity where Black Orchid is more floral, but both have this edible, confectionary like base to them that makes me link them together. I need to test further with both I think.

Keep going. You only have about 220 + left!

[Old Factory]

Black Aoud: horrible sharp alcoholic citrus smell, like floor cleaner and grandma perfume mixed together. Huge gigantic no for me.

Arabians Tonka: nice, woody, confectionary, really dig it. It's not a power house but it seems like it might perform decently. I'll sample it again with a couple squirts and see.

[Old Factory]

Sorry double post

[Old Factory]

Black Aoud: horrible sharp alcoholic citrus smell, like floor cleaner and grandma perfume mixed together. Huge gigantic no for me.

Arabians Tonka: nice, woody, confectionary, really dig it. It's not a power house but it seems like it might perform decently. I'll sample it again with a couple squirts and see.

Okay so I'm wearing Arabians Tonka today for work (I know it's not a work scent), and this thing is a monster in performance. I did 3 shots and now wish I'd stopped at two! Wow! Really love this scent, however, as usual, it reminds me of something else much cheaper and just as good or at least good enough given the cost difference. It's got a really Graham cracker/cotton candy vibe to it, but it's almost or base notes, no top or middle. I love it don't get me wrong, but it reminds me of Thallium, the blue juice, without the top notes. And I think I'll just still with Thallium, given it costs a fraction the price tag as anything Montale does.

[Old Factory]

Fantastic Aoud: wow very interesting! Again, reminds me of something else I've smelled before, but definitely a great scent. Perhaps slightly on the feminine side of things but really masculine enough to be considered fairly unisex. Might actually have found one I'd want a bottle of.

Aoud Leather: actually not bad at all, truly smells like a leather watch strap freshly cut and sewn hanging on my wrist. It's a lot more mild but that could be from the weak spray it sputtered out upon initial use.

[Old Factory]

Dark Aoud: delicious!!! Again very confection like, chocolaty same sweet with a woody undertone. Very very nice!

Dark Aoud: grandma garbage again. Rose is repulsing entirely.

[Old Factory]

Okay so I'm thru my samplers now and I'm extremely disappointed with Montale. They basically have two different scents in different very slightly variable variations... Extra sharp and off-putting grandma garbage and Amber based Oud. I have no other way to describe their fragrances. I like a few for sure, but there's nothing even remotely different or ground breaking here.

[Fernaldo]

Black Aoud - Bring on the bandaids! The opening is straight up bandages to me. I own a bottle of this. Every once in a while I'll break it out. It does come of a little grandma. It's a sharp opening for sure but damn I love the dry down. You're definitely not slayin' em with this from Montale!