The feminine Amouage fragrances I've tried so far (bare in mind I've not tried them all) have all been pretty uninspiring in comparison to the Men's stuff which is in another league from anything you could find elsewhere and especially in the designer realm. I'm not being a snob here I just mean from a value point of view. I could wage the critism that some of the womens ones (fruity/musks etc..) could be found elsewhere cheaper. Journey however ooozes quality despite being a playful and upbeat, fruity, floral scent. There's no way I could wear this but on my girlfriend it smelled fantastic just kept getting waves of apriot, yellow florals and spices. The main thing I noticed was jasmine a scent which I adore especially in the context presented here. So this is a fruity scent with a base of musk but with hints of heavier and warmer notes of honey, nutmeg and maybe tobacco although I didn't get a great deal of it. I spent an entire day smelling it on my girl and thought it was great and projected really well and lasted as you'd expect an Amouage fragrance to last. Top marks for this one from me although it's a definite one for the ladies only in my opinion.

I was so excited to try this fragrance...so bloody excited I could barely contain myself!!! A new Amouage fragrance and I didn't have to wait that long for it either....and the verdict! Journey is absolutely magical! Amouage and Christopher Chong have nailed it yet again! If recent releases seemed a little tame (Beloved) or too brave with spicing (Fate) Journey gets the balance of accessibly mainstream and signature Amouageness just right. Opens typically turbulently with a wonderfully complex swirl of amazing smells which are not instantly recognisable except for one... Sichuan pepper! Heavy in the opening until it disperses then the true nature of this fragrance comes into play deep Cypriol, frankincense, a strange fruity nature too and woody notes. The tobacco is not typical it's very sweet natured so if you're expecting a tobacco fragrance please don't be disappointed because I don't think it's that prominent. Maybe a combination with Tonka beans make it sweet n creamy? I don't know to be honest, it's complex stuff but smells absolutely amazing. I really love Journey I was so prepared for disappointment (don't know why to be fair EVERY Amouage fragrance has it's merits) but this is another triumph and just as wearable as Jubilation XXV not too spicy, very alluring and comforting. This is an instant favourite and I need to add it to my collection, hopefully I can get hold of some samples next week (as the store had none left) and try it on my skin for a few days at a time to make sure. Longevity is spectacular but not quite as long lived as strong incense perfumes like Interlude. I think if you love Jubilation you will adore Journey because it's still Amouage but in an amazingly acceptable and markedly safer fragrance than some of their others. Safe in this instance means faultless.

Lots of gushing and praise among the reviews here and do you know what? I'm going to join in! This is simply one of (If not 'the') best amber scents I've ever tried. Stunning!!! It's absolutely divine the first time I tried it several months ago I fell in love instantly Ambra Aurea is incredible. Upon reapplying today It has confirmed my initial feelings. It doesn't seem to develop like any amber I've come across but rather the constant and complex amber accord is so multi faceted it changes under your nose reverting from dusty libary, to ancient incense to sweetness and creamy vanilla then labdanunm and myrrh then back around again. This one is not as sweet as Fiori d'Ambra which I also thought was excellent quality but more floral and sweet. The quality is evident here and I've a real love of amber fragrances and this has an undeniable purity about it. Love it!

Well I've tried a few from Olfactive studios now and on the whole I'm impressed. This was one that's been lurking among the samples in my cupboard for a while and despite tying it at the time it didn't stick in my mind. Upon wearing it properly today I have to say that I've been treated to a wonderful, heady scent full of incense and a definite prune smell. The mixture of this dimension with a hint of vanilla gives a slight feel of honey to me something which I don't usually care for but it's so subtle and this is such a interesting creation that I enjoy it. Chambre Noire opens with the same weird watery papyrus and sandalwood that I didn't really like from Le Labo's Santal 33 but somehow works here probably due to the other notes and the fact it's dissipates quickly. The patchouli takes a while to come on but when it does, is the right side of balanced. That mixed with delicate leathery notes that exist from the very start, drydown to a gorgeous skin scent. This perfume is not heavy that's what I love about it, some leathers just try too hard! This one is very light from the start but projects well in the first couple of hours when the patchouli really beams out but after that it's mellow. Great scent this one I've thoroughly enjoyed wearing it today.

This is a small addition to my original review, a caveat perhaps because I still really love this great smelling fragrance. I hadn't tried Bentley Intense before Chambre Noire and upon sampling again recently thought'oh yeah I can see where people are coming from.' The opening on a card in store was effectively the same and immediately conjured up the luxury car scent. However, I've warn this today as I did a few years back when I wrote the review and got the same amazing, boozy , prune oriental I got then. It's totally distinguishable from Bentley Intense which has a much more spices and the dry sandalwood (think L'air du dessert Marocain to my nose) where as this is rich in a more gourmand way. Without disappearing too far up my arse or into the abstract... I would say the texture of Bentley is matt and this is more satin...if that makes any sense at all? I applaud the fact they are different and both great in their own wonderful ways, this makes for another fragrance worth having... for sure. I'm wearing it today and couldn't be happier.

Lubin Itasca...I was looking to try this one for a while as the bottle looked interesting and the themes seem right up my street. Man was I right! Itasca opens with a perfect breeze of citrus, masculine pine, woods and vetiver, and resin fresh but earthy and perfectly evocative of lakes flanked by forrest. This is in a typical mould of woody aromatics leaning toward the masculine on my skin but absolutely unisex by the same score. It's not a deep sledgehammer of a fragrance and has a subtle classy feel to it without being intrusive in any way. The drydown transforms the heart of pine into a resinous, amber which is very slight and close to the skin but smells amazing...almost leathery. Longevity and projection are not all that great but Itasca is worthy consideration...I enjoy it!

I first tried this fragrance more than a year ago (on a card mind you) and thought hmmmm...it's not bad. It certainly didn't repel me by any stretch and was not as horrendous as the original Joop Homme. All I can say is... I tried it again giving it a proper wear on my skin and I have to say the initial spray opened with interestingly fruity, boozy and chocolatey top notes. I'm thinking okay...then It starts to get really, really cloying and even more intrusive than Joop Homme which I never thought to be possible. It turns more and more awful every second and so overbearingly fake and synthetic. I've no problem with that in perfumery but not a lot in this fragrance resembles anything you'd find in nature and perhaps it needs that balance? How can something be SO SWEET and SO BITTER at the same time? I have to say that is an achievement of sorts. I hate it though and had to scrub it...problem is typical Joop it's very hardy and withstood a good scrubbing. I think they sacrifice quality for ridiculous longevity and choking projection just to stand out in the marketplace. It doesn't come from careful crafting or luxurious ingredients that's for sure. Who cares about longevity if you smell like this...? I was embarrassed wearing Joop! Homme Wild because I knew it would get me noticed at not necessarily for the right reasons, You gotta be brave to wear this one. Unfair to compare 1 Million to Wild as the Paco Rabanne is marginally better and certainly more wearable.

Ahhhh...I got this lil' beauty today. What a stunner...I love this fragrance so much! Love it like a child of my own! I'm almost protective over it. I couldn't hear a bad word about it without immediately jumping to Blanc's defence and there's not many fragrances I feel that way about. Anyone who follows my reviews or whatever will know I'm a bit of a niche snob these days so when I lavish praise on a lowly designer fragrance please take my word for it that it's great! Unique and like nothing I've tried elsewhere. Also...I already have it! Oh course I do. I'm someone who thinks it's a bit silly (but still cool if your a collector) to bring out limited editions or the same scent in numerous different bottles...naming no names 'cough 'cough..Le Male..'cough!! I got this though because I felt an obligation to because of the special place it has in my heart. The neon Croc looks cool and the bottle is a great minimal design anyway. OOOOH...and I got a free gift... A 3 pack of Neon Lacoste Tennis balls which was an extra incentive. If you haven't tried this fragrance get it because its beautiful and better than any other aquatic or fresh citrus fragrance in the designer market place. Eau de Lacoste Blanc...Houdini4 salutes you!!!

So...Tried this the otherday as I always jump at the chance to try Kenzo fragrances because they're so scarce in UK these days. I only found this one in a clearance store with older and discontinued perfumes. So L'Eau par is alright you know...A bright citrus which is aquatic and watery without any overly synthetic marine accords or salty notes. I Like this, hint of lotus and a base of white musk it's delicate and thoroughly pleasant.

When I heard Tauer had an Incense fragrance I was keen to try it and it's taken me until now to do so...shocking really! Incense extreme is what you'd expect from a quality perfumer like Andy Tauer and a fragrance with 'Incense' in the name. However although I don't entirely agree with my pal @'Roge's review because I don't think it's entirely the purest olibanum I've smelled. It is pretty linear though the resin is a complex note itself the only other thing I got was pettygrain in the very opening and that's about it. Maybe some cedar?? I do concur that this is a tame effort from Tauer considering his calling card is originality. So this is not a bad perfume, far from it infact. I'm an incense addict and especially frankincense and this has huge appeal for me, it's a mixture of the delicate and cerebral CdG Incense series (as many have mentioned) it's a little like Avignon and Zagorsk which acts as a huge endorsement. It's not quite another ringer for Avignon/Heeley Cardinal etc... etc... but it's in the same ballpark. It's translucent enough to be refreshing and light but not deep or earthy enough to be a great frankincense...So nothing extreme here just a good fragrance. Longevity is average and doesn't really project but it's one of those fragrances that you will enjoy for yourself. If you're lucking for Tauer magic and originality check out some of his other fragrances.

Wow!!! I'm happy. So reading the review below as I post this and I got a bit of a green note in the opening too but generally this is thick with resinous spicy Myrrh and sandalwood. It's exactly what I'd pictured in my minds eye/nose so in that sense linear and predictable to a degree. I for one am glad, too often I look forward to a fragrance simply named after a note and it doesn't deliver that note as expected. Great dry down, superb quality only negative thing is that it's pricey stuff for something that isn't a complex composition. Only minor criticism really because I love Olibanum and any other incense resin lovers will love it too.