The bottle looks great...really fantastic! The notes however don't look very appealing to me but everyone of the prive's I've tried (which is pretty much all of them now) whether feminine or not are really well executed. I'm such this won't be an exception, can't wait to try it and find out.

I wrote another review of this then misplaced it and obviously didn't post it here, let's try to remember how it went shall we??? What a let down! Something like that...I don't know what I was expecting from this new 'Intense' He Wood but needless to say it didn't even live up to my non existent expectations. Come on DSquared2 this is lame! I have He Wood which in it's self took a while to charm me and if I have a collection purge at the end of the summer will likely be one of the first out of the door. Don't get me wrong I quite like the strange ghostly violet and wood combo but I just don't love it enough to wear frequently. Tried this side by side with the original and the similarities are obvious as you'd expect but I have to disagree that it's 'stronger' than He Wood certainly not in sillage/projection or Longevity terms. Deeper? perhaps yes and less powdered violet which in essence does make it woodier but not nearly enough to warrant the name. All this being said I think I prefer this version due to the top notes not quite being as intrusive has He Wood but still I'm a little irked at the rehashing of a tired formula when they could've given us something new. Instead all you end up with is a slightly tweeked juice in a more boring bottle than the original He Wood.

Opens like a classic Oud rose fragrance with the balance tipped toward rose, my thinking was this might be a little too sweet and rosy for me. Do not be fooled by the opening though I don't feel this fragrance is similar to Montale or other Oud/roses when you take it in the context of a whole fragrance from application to deep drydown. Neverless it oozes quality from the get go, the first couple of minutes and I started to detect something else sweet and powdery like a violet. The frankincense then starts to kick and although subtle changes the nature slightly. This progression continues and the scent becomes utterly unpredictable something I wouldn't have guessed from such a clichéd opening, the complexity of dark Saphir becomes more apparent. Don't get me wrong Oud, rose and incense are the main vibes but other subtleties rear their heads and it starts to seem like more of a heady journey scent. This journey doesn't stray too far from a well trodden path but most importantly for me goes from something I think is okay to something I'm fond of at the end. The drydown is subtle hints of patchouli, vanilla and labdanum dark Saphir was a surprising gem. If you love your rose scents (and let's face it you've plenty to choose from) this is really worth sniffing out.

Clean, fresh, feminine and ultimately uninspiring! There's something inherently cheap about this fragrance it's not bad just the same kind of floral, fruity fair you smell a lot in female focused perfumes. Opens with an apple and slightly exotic fruit vibe before a hint of sweet floral and neroli but it thin and non of these elements really take effect in creating a lasting impression. I've already spoken far too much about this perfume...it's a damp squib! But hey I'm a man what do I know? If you like knock yourselves out because I've smelled far worse.

I absolutely love this! Contrary to most peoples thoughts (judging by the reviews here) I actually think Cristalle eau verte is quite complex. Starts out with a refreshing blast of bergamot and lemony citruses, the clean strength and lasting power of neroli. It then becomes quite green and fresh to me, I also swear I get a hit of black pepper...seriously I do, although no such spiciness or seasoning is present. A base of musk which is present throughout the entire transition finishes off this fragrance. This oozes Chanel class and for me could easily be a unisex fragrance, I wouldn't bat an eyelid about wearing it. I love how different this is to the original which is too bold and old Skool feminine for my tastes. I may well get this for summer.

Nonplussed is a nice word and probably the way I would describe my feelings towards this fragrance. It's not at all bland but rather a bit stale perhaps? I love incense fragrances and believe they should be heady & rich but sometimes come off as weird and this is one of those occasions. I had expectations of love for this juice but all that I felt was disappointment compared to the brilliant Ambre Fetiche. Will any other Annick Goutal fragrance reach those dizzy heights again? I hope so. Heavy on the smoke and pepper in the opening Encens Flamboyant doesn't do much in the way of freshness. The fir becomes apparent and just makes it darker if anything. I'll be honest this could be a slow burner and may well require some more time to get my head around.

I've tried Mandragore a few times now and I have to say it's unique. A herbal, spicy fragrance that opens with citrus then becomes all about a heart of aniseed, mint and pepper. The mint is very menthol like and darkly medicinal in it's feel. I can't help but feel this fragrance is like something from a bygone era, almost a medieval potion mashed in a pestle and mortar by an apothecary. I love the smell of star anise and the combination with mint and sage just in essence but not something I'd consider wearing on my skin also the longevity of this juice is not up to scratch for the quality I've experienced from this house in the past. An interesting fragrance this one, worth sniffing out.

If ever a house carried a definitive signature it's Acqua di Biella and Ca Luna is no different. So similar to the rest of the line but different in so many ways this is a super delicate blend of resins doesn't come off as heavy at all. Ca Luna has a clean shaving soap vibe with does evoke a masculine, barbershop type feel while having a slightly herbal quality and greeness. This is a perfect mixture and comes together well and pretty suited to my skin like Baraja was. Every note mentioned here is in such harmonious balance that it's hard to pick out individuals the Ivy note is interesting and natural then mastic, galbanum and pepper at the heart with musk and sandalwood in the base. It's nice, really nice and I'd wear it. not sure I need it though...maybe a couple more wears and I'll be sold on it.

Sweet? You weren't kidding! My girlfriend works for a duty free company and had tried this some weeks ago, she told me about it as she knows my love of sticky, sweet gourmands. First just let me comment on the bottle, it's a cool concept but somehow came out a bit clunky. It's okay but resembles an overweight and distinctly poisonous looking butterfly as much as a cute bow. That aside the scent is sweet caramel and inherently feminine peach and jasmine. That initial sweetness does settle after a minute or two and reveals a slightly (very slightly mind) more mature fragrance. This being said Bonbon is too sweet and would get on my nerves (on anybody) after a while, it would be a while too it has great longevity. Bonbon is certainly not suitable for this man to wear. This could've been a triumphantly bold gourmand fragrance but it just sadly lacking something for me and falls into the realms of a sweet fragrance for women who like that sort of thing but nothing spectacular.

Before I had encountered truly beautiful Vanilla fragrances this is pretty much what I imagined they all smelled like...gentle, musky, feminine and pretty lackluster. Okay so I've given the game away from the beginning, this fragrance lacks imagination and some complementary notes which could make it sing. Vanille Insensee isn't bad at all, very pleasant citrus notes in the opening which lead into a vanilla musk scent which perfectly wearable. I just didn't feel the same degree of enthusiasm as the lady who was showing me the Atelier range. She couldn't wait to have me try this vanilla and while it's really nice I think I'll pass on it. I think I like my vanilla to be heavier, more gourmand and with bolder elements to make it pop. On the positive side it lasted well and I've not smelled anything bad from this house, so far every outing has been a solid one.