This has had some fanfare...I mean Malle fans going crazy about Ellena releasing a new Editions de Parfum. The Ellena retrospective at Pitti this year, Malle himself doing a IG Live Q&A about this release, seems like it's been everywhere recently. So unusual how different people perceive fragrances, I get much less geranium or a geraniol rose than the votes here suggest other people do. It's not quite jammy sweet either, but combined with Ellena's signature fruity vibes gives a strawberry/red berry smell which is light and playful. Now couple that (or Juxtapose it?) with the Isobutyl Quinoline which BTW you can smell right from the opening, giving this a dry, leather like accord. It's actually well handled as you'd expect from Malle with a master perfumer at the helm but what is this obsession with fruity/fresh tops and leather bases? FM Promise is exactly the same concept and maybe it's just me but I'm not feeling it. I mean it's okay, I'm not trashing it and the concept of leather and roses is a good one, but I just had a feeling Ellena wouldn't do a Morillas Gucci Guilty Absoulte PH. By that I mean come with some uncharacteristically 'balls out' heavy rose & Intoxicating leather smasher like a Portrait of a Lady or Carnal Flower, instead opting to produce something much more inkeeping with his style. That's what he's done here, a cheerful rose perfume with a hint of leather that feels modern and evokes red, transparent cellophane in my mind. There could be those that think this is great and I can't argue taste, but I found it a little disappointing considering the hype.

I hate commenting on new 'female' releases as I figure my opinion is less valid as they are clearly not aimed at me and I should just remain in my wheelhouse. However, it's not in my nature to do that, and I thought Libre sucked...HARD! No only kidding, but have YSL created a perfume so bland and (hate this cliche but...) crowd pleasing that I couldn't even focus on it for a second? Reminiscent of that episode of Father Ted with the Priest with the most boring voice in Ireland.:) I love Orange blossom (now) and I can't say that this has the waxy majesty, but there you go. The opening is a orange/fig sort of citrus, aldehyde, into a white flowery heart which I never felt had a great deal of intrigue. The drydown was light with a mild sweetness, not too sweet and inevitably butched up on my skin compared to that of ladies no doubt. I'd have to test Libre again to assess the sheerness and feminine vibes but NOTHING about this perfume grabbed me and I'm someone who has a history of enjoying YSL's femme roster, Rive Gauche and Cinema being case in point.

Here's the lowdown on Teddy. It's not very good. I'm sorry Penhaligon's I'm a fan of the brand but many of this line are poorly conceived, poorly executed and not up to the standard of the regular line. Taste wise this fragrance is well up my street though. I impressed the lady in the store when identifying pink pepper in the opening. I don't know why she was impressed it's so blatant it's unbelievable, and as a schinus molle enthusiast I should be jumping for joy, especially in a broadly modern, unapologetically unnatural type of composition...but something about this isn't that great. Teddy lacks depth, it's that simple. The opening is a spicy, incense accord and for all the pink pepper and actually a cumin/caraway character creeping in, it feels a little flat and lifeless. Teddy didn't last very well on my skin either. I'm sorry because the Rhino stopper is one of the coolest so far. I have a sample so I guess I'll wear it again properly but I doubt my opinion will change. UPDATE: Let this serve as a reminder not to judge to hastily based on a spritz on your hand in store. To be fair I did state that I loved pink pepper and incense and that Teddy smelled great in the opening, but like some 'bro' Youtuber I got all fixated on 'performance' and value for money. I stick to what I said about the line and Penhaligon's pushing out the releases as if they are on some treadmill, but Birsch's efforts here are decent and Teddy is a fascinating, sparkly pink pepper and incense accord which smells remarkably sweet airy, with a hint of leather tinged smoke, smooth but with some jagged angularity to it. It's fresh and uplifting to me, not quite as much as some (cruely) Olibanum based incense because it has slightly more heft, Labdanum and frankincense being prominent. Truth is I'd rather have this than the one I own Lord George and I'm reasonably fond of George so that's praise indeed.

I remember when these came out not so long ago and I tried them in store. They clearly didn't burn into my permanent memory banks because I'm revisiting them now but I recall this was a favourite. Also a friend of mine sent me a picture message out of the blue of a bottle of this saying how much she adored it and that I must try it. Well she was right! Kensington amber is as far up my street as you can get, beautiful sharpness in the opening of honied sweet resins and oriental goodness. Then a piercing cinnamon note giving more warmth but definition, highlighting the edges of the amber. A lightly hay like dryness and vanilla of tonka bean plumps out an already heavy smell. Like all good ambers it dries down to vanilla, either from the vanilla nature of Styrax benzoin itself or even more quality vanilla underneath? Obviously I love fragrances like this, they're my bread n butter but does this really have that je ne sais quoi? ALMOST it does but not quite. I will have to wear it more extensively.

Okay so this fragrance is nice, but it's in the vein of lots of the fragrances mentioned in the 'smells like bit...' in fact it reads like a who's who of what I was thinking. Say what you like about Penhaligon's performance or fragrance that aren't particularly noteworthy, but they are almost always complex and original. Marlybone wood simply isn't and there's nothing wrong with that, it's more gourmand and not quite as dark as a blcak afgano but that is the yardstick really isn't it. This is more inline with Carner Cuirs, again a fantastic fragrance which comprises than playdoh element, resins and oud with a hint of hashish to create a remarkably sticky, icky fragrance. This has the Labdanum upfront that Green Bubble by Jusbox also possesses, so good spot whoever else voted that but really is this anything of note? I'll pass it by thanks. I'm never one to say that a fragrance is completely redundant and this 'style' isn't oversubscribed yet...but it's heading that way. However, with my positive hat on I'd say it's because it's a popular theme.

Tricked my nose a little to begin with I got a smooth vanilla, synth orris maybe even ambrette/musk mallow sort of vibe? Then a wool, warm cashmere woods, and the second time I applied it Pierre was much sharper and more straight forward in the opening...it's a tricky fragrance. Definitely a kind of synth woody amber and that milky sweetened fougere vibe of a Le Male/Reflection man starts to creep in as it dries down. It's okay, not great though.

This fragrance had me excited after the Incense and Amber ones...I'm not actually sure this is part of that slightly elevated line being instead just a 'normal' flanker. That's the smell too, quite normal for a Miyake. The opening transported me to the nineties,(in a good way) the top notes of grapefruit are vivid, bitter, long lasting and a signature citrus spikiness of L'eau d'Issey. Wasn't surprised to see that among the notes here. Then there's the woods which come on in the drydown to a very dry, driftwood type of effect for me. It works with the citrus in the same way a lemon and tonic water works with gin. I do get a vaguely juniper like nuance from this giving it an edge of the GnT. However, I found it disappointing, the opening is nice but generic, the drydown has the character I mentioned, but it's not enough for me, something saps all the pleasure out of this fragrance until only a dry husk remains. It's okay but not all that good.

This fragrance is simply an abomination. Why? Why does it exist? I know how fragrance pricing works and the cost of manufacture but they're not even trying to hide the fact it's a dud because it's brand new and hit the shelves at bargain basement prices. The awful look of the bottle should've repelled me but I'm so curious and such a glutton for punishment I never dismiss anything....Imagine if it had have been amazing? I think to myself... Wishful thinking I'm afraid, Ungaro 'Art' is a monumental stinker. Now I'm not completely apposed to this kind of chintzy vibe, the playful hubba bubba undertone and hot pink hue and screech, but COME ON!!! Speaking of Screech the bottle 'artwork' if I dare to call it that looks like someone ate a 'Saved by the bell' & 'Fresh Prince...' back2back VHS tape and projectile vomited upon it's vulgar canister. I have to assume the name is ironic and the people who produced this god awful, noxious, fugg had their tongues firmly planted in cheek at the time. 'Art' ??? I mean it's an age old and thankless philosophical concept to unravel and I often come down on the liberal interpretation...everything is art. It's a problematic label though and while I might struggle to tell you what art is, I can much more easily tell you what it isn't. This fragrance is NOT ART. It takes this kind of stink to snap me out of my hippy fence sitting on the subject. I'd rather toke a bong of sarin gas or eat landfill to be honest. Everyone involved with this fragrance should be truly ashamed of themselves. Okay breaking character for a moment it's big, over sweet, bubblegum, tonka, thing which opens offensively but dries down...well... pretty offensively. It's not got the fairground charm or vaguely interesting theme's of Ultra Male. It's a low rent, cheap version of heavy 'night' scents with tonka or turbo coumarin, also Joop fragrances like the new Wow! and others but again makes them look accomplished. Is it really that bad?....no...but like come on? Are people really out there liking this? I mean there must be but why? I'm more annoyed with the lazy, cynical, anti artistry of this fragrance. I know, I know, it's not some artisan fragrance, (it's 'exclusive' in Superdrug FFS!) it's cheap and cheerful and not aimed at me...all that stuff but I'd like something in this category not to pander to trends and make something that's not just a big, sickening, soup for a change....is that too much to ask for?

This fragrance is superb and troubling. Ozonic in the opening it's complex metallic structure is certainly reminiscent of a wet stone for sure. Mineral rich, watery but earthy, and distinct maybe a touch of vetiver creating that smoky, flint effect representing the stone? If it was just all weird like this I'd dismiss it as an unwearable art piece but there's clearly a long lasting an pleasant citrus accord right from the get go. There's additionally the 'wet' part with a fixative, pleasant sweetness and unsettled synthetic ambergris note in this fragrance, adding to the warmth & naturalism but somehow conversely contributing to it's stark mininalism. It lasted FOREVER on my skin but isn't invasive by any means. It offered a bit of a challange for me as did all three of the White bottles in this line. Less so that the Vetiver and Hinoki ones though this is much more tame, hence why I elected to wear it. I mean...this is ok, it grew on me more in the drydown. If it was about half the price I might consider it?

Oh me....oh my, this fragrance is lovely. Incredibly warm, with a fruity, floral and even feminine aspect, with a light caramel/fudge accord in which the florals seem suspended. It's not a cloying, Mugleresque, big, heavy floral/gourmand Widian V is judged to perfection in a similar way to Widian II (I recall that's quite sweet?) This isn't the whole story though because it's dries down to a light musky accord and even a little woody and leathery on my skin (perhaps sandalwood?) with suggestions of that powdered apricot and vanilla sweetness but not dominated by them. I thought it was pretty impressed by it, lasted very well too.