This appears to have been launched as a 'new' fragrance in the UK despite the fact that I was positive I'd tried both this and the pour homme before. Anyway, this is an interesting vetiver blending the expected citrus top notes with a slightly green, earthy vetiver. The difference here is that the citrus gives way quickly and focuses on a more unusual marriage of benzoin, which lends a different dimension from the typical vetiver scent. (if there is such a thing?) The base is joined by other dry woods and a definite cedar note. It still has enough of those 'typical' qualities however for a vetiver fan to really enjoy it. I found that after than fresh clean opening and first couple of hours the scent turned darker, very sour and woody. Oddly I found this quite appealing and either an extra layer in the composition or just a bad interaction with my skin...one or the other? Lasting power was an acceptable 4-6 hours, sitting quite low on the skin. Worth checking out and creates a bit more interest than some vetiver out there...a wild card perhaps?

I enjoyed the original and looked forward to seeing what this one would be like. Well, I didn't have to wait very long to try it as I only learned of extremes existence last week. If anyone ever wanted an 'Extreme' version to do exactly what the name implies then you're in luck. I found this fragrance to be a heighting and amping up exercise which opens with a strong bitter juniper and violet accord which is stronger but just as mystical and aloof as the original version. The base has a musky leather quality and as it settles starts to give an occasional bitter slightly earthy kick of vetiver in the heart. It just seems immediately denser than the original but still overall very similar, if you're expceting something vastly different...it isn't. That's kind of a good thing because although I haven't trialled them side by side I do still have plenty of samples, I think I instantly prefer the extreme version, because the elements that have been 'turned up' make it slightly more appealing. I also got the pine and incense elements slightly more and at times this reminded of comme des garçon Zagorsk but sweetened up. Lasting power is good I can still smell it after a 8 hours. The silage is moderate, to low but from memory the originals longevity wasn't to bad either. I have to say I really like this fragrance and actually enjoy wearing it.

I can see the comparisons to MFK Oud, a scent which I am inexplicably in love with. Seriously I'm not even sure I like the smell but I find it additive it's the oddest thing. Anyway...I find Aoud Melody maybe slightly more complex and in truth quite different to MFK Aoud which just seems like similar notes but from different sources making for a more bitter medicinal delivery. This scent is one of the lighter, brighter aouds from Montale, it has playful top notes sing like...well like a Melody. Somehow this fragrance evoked the colour pink. Maybe it's the combination of rose and jasmine that does it? Again they are subtle and by no means big players but this opening makes me think this is a perfume better suited to a lady. Perhaps it's that 'pink' feel, exotically floral with a beautiful clear rose and heady incense. This juice is uplifting. I think the elemi which is a lighter almost plastic resin smell and the waxy exotic addition of ylang ylang. Sandalwood is in the base for sure another note which can air on the fresh/spicy side then become creamier later on. (which it does here and similarly with saffron and elemi) This is for certain a perfume in which these notes in peticular develop in the drydown. The fragrance has the kind of longevity you would expect from Montale but is all together a very subtle affair and make no mistake the drydown smells SO GOOD! I have to say I fell in love wit AM after several hours...it became very low in the 8-10 hour mark but the smell that just clung to my skin was pure labdanum, amber and sandalwood magic! I'm tempted to get this fragrance, I really am. There's quite a few perfumes I want with stark (and a bit off putting) openings but great drydowns that I want but can't say are a priority.

This fragrance is absolutely outstanding! I had just managed to track it down and was actually looking to test the popular Rose one in this calligraphy range but somebody had broken the tester bottle the day before, according to the SA. So I thought I'd try the saffron considering it's one of my favourite notes and I had recently revisited Jo Malone's saffron which is very good. Calligraphy saffron is a tale of two halves.. Horrendous opening. Majestic drydown. When I say 'horrendous' I mean strong, sharp, earthy but sweet and even boozy. I found it smelled strongly of the marigold and styrax and when combined with a very real, fiercely strong saffron comes over a little like honey. Actually more accurately beeswax and amber and I thought....'oh no! It's MFK pour le soir like.' Then as it settles the saffron and styrax get more creamy, more opulent, less earthy but still with balance and luckily this process is fairly quick. This being said the transition is long going from good to great on my skin. Some may not like the soft skin like scent it becomes after that powerhouse opening but I'm glad of it. Projection is subtle but longevity is very good. I can't convey how much I loved the drydown, it's incredible...saffron is just magic.

Wonderful review below! I have to say it has the same effect on me. I first tried this when the cologne intense range were launched and despite living it, saffron kinda got lost in the mix as the Oud & bergamot still shines with a unique clarity. Upon re inspection this fragrance is a lot more up my street, very warm oriental and natural. It sits on the skin so well, enhancing a kind of natural skin aroma without being animal. That's the scentual quality of saffron, and it really is one of my (if not 'the') favourite notes in all perfumery. I had previously overlooked Jo Malone saffron as starting out very earthy and rough, super accurate basically. It soon settles though to a familiar soft and gorgeous saffron aroma which smells to me like its blended with various woods, mainly creamy sandalwood and a hint of vanilla. It's absolutely beautiful stuff...very long lasting and subtle projection which last very well indeed on clothes. I can't fault it and I think I may have to get it to satisfy my saffron fetish.

As Sawira was a greatly anticipated fragrance for me but has failed to deliver slightly just based on the note breakdown I was expecting. I should've known really with Penhaligon's scents it's all about the blend and they are seldom heavy with one note. I was hoping for tons of saffron, myrrh, oud, amber etc... and although it contains these rich ingredients they are blended into obscurity. Don't get me wrong this is a great smelling fragrance, really, really excellent and I would be lavishing praise on it had I not smelled and subsequently bought Levanthium at the back end of last year. They are just different enough, but still extremely similar I get a mixture of florals and rose with oud and woods. Very elegant and delicately put together and vaguely reminiscent of Tom Ford Noir de noir. The main difference here is that the woodiness and oud has been amped up slightly and the whole thing just comes over slightly more masculine and oud focused that Levantium. If they were the same price I might have been kicking myself that I didn't wait for this one (had I known they would be quite similiar.) however I feel slightly vindicated as this is considerably more expensive at £150 for 100ml's. For this reason I don't think you are getting quite the value compared to other oud/rose and high end luxury scents that are out there for the same price. I can't fault Penhaligon's on the fragrances themselves because they smell great and are inventively blended (especially the men's) but this one has let me down slightly just because I was expecting something magical and the results were just okay. Lasting power is good but so is Levantium I'm happy with that and it's slightly more herbal, sourness.

When I read the notes on the news page I was excited at the prospect, now I'm looking here and there seems to be quite a bit of white florals going on...neroli, orange blossom and jasmine. This is obviously not going to be a true reflection of the fragrance, these notes could be minimized and I kinda hope they are. The kulfi comparison is intriguing, I hope this one will be a delight...I have a good feeling about it already...roll on May!

As many have mentioned it's not even remotely like Noir, which I had already guessed months before it's release due to the COMPLETELY different notes. Many don't like Noir personally I'm a fan but I was even more tantalized by the prospect of Noir Extreme and some super sounding notes. Frankly I'm a bit disappointed after all that waiting...here's why. The opening spray evoked an instant 'quality' and EDP sensation that you get with something of real potency and I have to say I was impressed. A luxurious blast of almost leathered, gourmand and spicy creamy, rich earth from saffron and cardamom. I'd say the nutty kulfi, vanilla and nutmeg are instant crowd pleasers...was for me anyway and I could of knee jerked and bought this one. I'm glad I allowed it to develop though before committing to that decision. I don't what Tom Ford does in terms of briefing a perfumer but he loves to build up a dense complex base with florals poking through the mid in total opposition to the over all creaminess of the fragrance. It's actually quite clever to be fair and Noir Extreme exhibits this quality in abundance...think black orchid. There's a sweet tropically exotic note of orchids and jasmine which (as much as I love it) makes the whole composition a pretty feminine affair. I don't think Noir Extreme is overtly feminine and due to it's gourmand quality, just on the cusp of wear-ability for me. I'm telling you guys there's a reason women will be keen on this fragrance, it won't be because they find you irresistibly macho it's probably because they aspire to smell Noir Extreme and will steal it from your wardrobe given the opportunity. It's unisex at best and this is coming from a guy who wore black orchid unashamedly for a long time. The drydown is very vanillary, it lasts and projects little poofs of fruity flowers at you from time to time. The more I sniff at the drydown I can still get the nuttiness, spices and sandalwood which works with my skin incredibly well. I said I was disappointed at the beginning of the review and I still am but have to confess, I actually love the smell of Noir Extreme but I know that similarly with Black Orchid I will tire of it quickly. Perfume to me is about making a challenging fragrance with depth which is reminiscent and familiar but throws in a few surprises along the way aswell. In fairness Noir Extreme does that...it's just not for me. I would ADORE it on a woman. update: Had this on for 10 hours now and it lasts well although very faint but hasn't disappeared at least. The saffron has really come out to play in the deep deep drydown transforming this fragrance yet into another dimension and one I have to say I love. It smells very much like My beloved Versace Man now creamy but Earthy and close to the skin, Noir just playing an extra warm cozy trick before it dies a death entirely. I'm going to sample this again and wear it more extensively before I absolutely make up my mind. Tom Ford's normal or designer range of fragrances tend to be more interesting than the private blend which process undeniable strength and quality but tend to rely on fewer notes, whereas the likes of Noir and for Men (also a host of ladies frags) have a symphony on notes and truly complex compositions.

Citrus top notes in here are very well rendered and pleasing much like the majority of Creed fragrances. I have to say that the cedar and woody notes are not nearly as dry and prominent as I had anticipated but definitely a big factor and come over slightly clean more like vetiver. The opening is all about the delicate interplay of sharp citrus and that bay leaf note and a white floral/blossom type smell which is just freshens proceedings up enough, without overbearing or becoming too floral. The third factor in that opening is the greeness which is achieved through the use of Galbanum, and not to be understated, again a major factor in this scent. The drydown is a really pleasing and lasting citrus which sits on a nice light woody base. This is quality stuff but not exciting in anyway to me. Lasting power is okay and I suspect might even be one of those which last longer for others than the wearer...if you get what I mean? 'Not bad' is my verdict.

This fragrance has received quite a luke warm response by the looks of the other reviews here. Maybe I would feel the same way had I got a sample to try at home or whatever and I conduct this review having only sampled this fragrance the once. I tried it at Jovoy Paris and that might not be the best setting for clear thinking either due to fragrance overload or being swayed by the unfamiliar and slightly romantic setting. Anyway I was pretty blown away by this fragrance at first, although I didn't feel it was special enough to warrant a purchase so perhaps I agree with the consensus here? The opening came off as a superbly warm, boozy, woody musk with masses of spicing but still not too in your face I was very impressed. This was one of the few I actually tried on my skin and The drydown was more of the same but with a slightly drier, smokey, incense turning to a natural musky, amber. I loved it, however my search was for something unique and although I couldn't site anything this smelled like off the top of my head, it just didn't wow me as much as MiN Moon Dust the fragrance I eventually purchased. Noir Obscur is great, a long lasting and high quality fragrance containing all the elements I love in perfumery...can't fault it really.

Oh Versace Dreamer! This was another one deeply buried in the vaults, the dark recesses of my olfactory memory. I remember trying it years ago and not being blown away, I just thought it was a JPG Le Male clone and it kinda is. I also have vivid and turns out slightly rose tinted memories of the Versace Jeans fragrance range, fondly remembering the quirky packaging and not the quality of the fragrance. It has taken me an age to get Dreamer but I decided to take a risk and order a bottle and the truth is...it's paid off. Just aesthetically, Dreamer is very pleasing great name, great flacon. It has a very synthetic feel from the get go, the lavender, sage, the milky haze of vanilla and tonka beans, to the classic element of spicy, powdered carnation. I think dreamer is an appropriate name just from the point of view that nothing feels real but not at all in a negative way. Also there's a main difference between this and classic vanilla/lavender, oriental/fougere's and that's the slightly darker edge of tobacco which again doesn't smell very accurate or strong but instead sits quite nicely with the tonka bean. Somehow this combination works incredibly well on my skin and that is a major difference between Dreamer and Le Male which turns horrendous on me. The Dreamer reminds me of an old flatmate who used to regularly wear (douse himself in) Le Male and the trail he left behind when he had gone would be quite pleasant but even that became nauseating after a while. Not that The Dreamer does mind you, it's a little unsettled to begin with but soon mellows. Once it does settles the cheapness kinda fades away and you're left with something which seems classy and elegant. After wearing this a few times now I have to say I really like it, I think it's a brilliant composition which has an elegance about it. For me I'm quite happy which a budget fragrance like this to satisfy this genre. Lasts okay, projects subtly and I received an instant compliment from my partner...she loved it! If you enjoy the likes of MDCI Invasion Barbare or By Killian A taste of heaven or even Amouage Reflection but want something on a shoestring the Dreamer is worth a sniff.