I'm revisiting a ton of fragrances from the classic designer houses at the moment namely Hermes and Chanel to reassess things that I really should own by now. Gallop was one I came across that I never got to upon it's release but the bottle definitely intrigued me and I've only just realised that it's shape is supposed to be that of a stirrup. duh! haha Anyway, I'm someone who gives the accord of leather such a broad ranging spectrum I'm inclined to incorporate even the least leathery, 'leather' into it. However, I'm not sure Gallop can be included? but if it was... maybe it has a vague undercurrent of floral/leather? If I said Knize Ten that would be misleading but I'm burying my nose into it to get what the kind of leather could be? It's more that than anything but if you have to stretch that hard to find it, the accord is clearly not prominent enough. So the main body is the opening notes of what I was going to describe as a watery fig like note, but not fig and apparently what I'm smelling there is quince, so there you have it. There's a light whisp of rose and a hint of powdered florals. I wasn't hugely taken with it, but Gallop is fresh, clean and doesn't seem to resemble much I've been exposed to so it's worthy of another try I think.

I'm sure I remember this one from back when my sister used to work for Lush? Anyway Himalaya has been released in the exclusive line once more and to me it's an absolute triumph. Himalaya smells like a Lush fragrance, heavy, Indy-like, challenging and super high impact in the opening. I'm not sure if the notes listed on Fragrantica quite reflect what's happening in this perfume but it's certainly a woody, sweet oriental with a hefty floral opening. That waxy floral is apparently Ylang....it's like no YY I've ever tried but I can go along with that because it's in the category of unusual/exotic/heady floral. Heavy woody notes are enmeshed with a sweet vanilla/tonka quality, drying down sweet but a little hippy like. It's not a soft vanilla or a creamy one, it's pretty dirty, I like it though, a bold fragrance full of interest.

Now I'm not one who is apposed to a bit of wackiness in perfume, testing your olfactory limitations and what IS or ISN'T perfume but by the same rule I'm not on a quest to find the anti-perfume vibes and preach about their virtues, just to be contrarian for the sake of some hipster, cool brownie points. My tastes are very 'pretty' at the moment, Chanel Chic and light musky business so this was a bit of dig back into the indy dirt and I must say I don't get the vitriol? Now I did try the 'new' exclusive version, re-released and stocked at Lush's giant and beautiful new Liverpool store, so it could be different from the original. I was treated to a dark fragrance well and truly deserving of the name, earthy but not too soiled or dirty with sprigs of tarragon anise/metal and that deep licorice in the dry down, I think this fragrance is INSPIRED! I don't get any sourness or mildew? There's more than a hint of the salinated seaweed vibes going on, but they just add to the outdoor effect of this fragrance. It's a mystical outdoors though, perhaps a found footage, Blair witch forrest? Or I picture a Damp, foggy, evening in early winter, hoards of 'local folk' in white robes, burning torches led by a Baphomet figure. This is that fragrance. Now I didn't wear it properly before conducting this review and that's not the usual practice for me but I felt it needed a bit of a positive spin, because to my nose it's a really naturalistic, really decent and innovative scent. I loved it.

Sublime, soft, musky sandalwood that imparts a gentile spice found in epices and musc from this line. In fact this has the same degree of care, attention, and good breeding that those two have. Cedre was snapped up for a steal of a price along side them too and represents real value for money because the blends are great, comes highly recommended from me. I never really got pencil shaving from any cedar material but I can see how blended with sandalwood how that effect is achieved and I would describe this a 'balsa wood' soft, smooth and supple, but with a agitated surface of fine, splintery, rough hairs on the surface. The sweet spice chimes in throughout giving a discreet edge to what is primary a laid back woody musk. I love it, can't decide which is my favourite of the three I own??

They've done it! Dior have done it. They've made a parfum version of the divisive Sauvage and it's going to split opinion in the way the original and EDP did...but perhaps for different reasons? For a start, what is this modern obsession with having different concentrations of popular fragrances? Well trading off of the name and well.... MONEY... but what other reason? I know what you'll say...look at Guerlain or the women's arena in general, they've been doing this for years and I get that. However there seems to be a modern 'arms race' by two giant French brands to mimic each others production and a meticulous and cynically planned agenda to suck money out of punters without a great deal of concern for making something of value. However a friend pointed out to me that he owned all the Parfum versions Dior have created in recent years, Eau Savage, Fahrenheit, Homme and now this Sauvage Parfum. When I thought about each one for a moment you realise that they do have merit. Eau Sauvage Parfum, best one in my opinion. Fahrenheit Parfum, a tough following act like 30 years after the orignal but is very enjoyable and was largely a success if not commercially but generally with enthusiasts and even gnarled, cynical, purists like me who adore the original thought the Parfum was decent. Then there's Dior Homme Parfum which comprised elements of DHI and the Original to create something (again IMHO) better than both of them! Which brings me to Dior Sauvage Parfum. This opens for me, much brighter and with more citrus zing and feels less scratchy than the original or EDP. It then drops a subtle sandalwood effect, being closer to the skin and more sensual not projecting an permeating, aroma chemical cloud the same way as the EDP and way less harsh than the EDT. Simply put, they've dialled down the Ambroxan. I hate to just mention that one AC because there's a misconception that Sauvage's crimes are purely down to ambroxan when it's a mix of tenacious, choking base chemistry. The parfumm is still very long lasting and even a day later I can smell it on my hand and it does indeed smell of Ambroxan but it's a nice non scrathy one, no where near as cloying or projecting as the other two. The key with Sauvage is don't overspray and you'll have an enjoyable experience. I never got the hate for it, it's got lovey fresh tops, a powdery, slightly harsh but masculine, modern and minimal base. So they've made another parfum that is excellent join the ranks of the others. Few caveats to that....This version is £40 more expensive for what some will perceive(and in reality IS) a lighter version of the original. Seriously Dior that's quite a price hike! Then I started to question my appraisal, sure they (Dior/Demachy) perhaps listened to feedback about the choking effect of the other two and decided to reign it in to bring in customers on the fence about Sauvage? However, in doing so have they removed it's USP? Of being the big dominant unashamed, unabashed, chemical brute? A beast mode, bro down, staple of the modern designers, with it's aggressive Abroxan calling card? I don't know??? Blander version is maybe a little harsh because like I said, this is the best version. I bought the EDP because it was less harsh than the EDT but now this one is here I kinda wish I'd waited but on the flip...I wouldn't pay the retail price...so yeah it's a conflicted positive review.

So I had a huge rant about this on Instagram today and a lot of my creative juices flowed into thinking of innovative ways to insult and besmirch D&G for making this perfume...so basically I haven’t got much left. Needless to say you’ll get an abridged version here. Campaign/concept/falcon stopper design ALL hideous and not D&G at all. Not that they’ve ever been the Kings (pun intended) of understatement (think By D&G Zebra & Leopard print) but this is just out of sorts & the wrong tone when you look at The One campaigns for example, adopting a more kitcsh/chintzy almost to the point of slapstick parody or Jeremy Scott type approach. It’s rubbish and the opening had me sighing....about what another boring genetic fragrance it is but despite this indistinct nature, and crowd pleasing, lack of ambition, I ended up liking it quite a lot. It’s not in your face, it’s not a chemical mess and feels subtle and reasonably well judged. It’s sort of a citrus opening with that gingery kick, and spice from the pimento and a clean, woody musk, and not the positive patchouli others are describing. Perhaps a sanitised and more well behaved, synthetic type patchouli, but wouldn’t have immediately called it that. I like it though and perhaps it’s a blessing that it’s so ill judged and hideous so it might just be in the bargain bucket before long, because if it was very, very cheap and I could immediately remove the crown cap and skim it in a lake or something then I might (in a moment of madness) just buy this?

Sailor stories somehow managed to make a concept or genre that I can't abide into a really quite a pleasant thing, It doesn't make me as hard as a sailor's wang on shore leave, but I actually got some enjoyment from it. I'm not sure how Miguel has achieved that? Now I have made something reasonably similar to this called 'Seaside skanque' which was incredibly well received by others who tried it, even if I wasn't crazy about it myself. This clearly has more deftness of touch than mine and a natural feel of aquatic saltiness as you'd expect. The composition is eerily similar to mine too, Citrus top with white florals (I used jasmine-like Aroma chemicals, Hedione and neroli) he has used a jasmine like tone, which is creamy and lightens up the swashing, seashore accord of seaweed. Now he likely used seaweed absolute and mine was a combo of Ambergris tincture and traces of calone but I think the effect is kinda similar. Maybe there's calone in this too? or some other marine molecule? Basically it's creamy and warm with a salty kick, and the review below mentioning Antoine Lie is spot on that is the kind of vibe, perfectly encapsulated here. My least favourite from Miguel's four but I wouldn't wear it for taste reasons really but as a one off, I still like it. Sailor stories shows restraint and the ability to make something which is somewhat treading familiar territory and still narrowly avoids going horrible like a Secretions or a Sel Marin, Laboritivo Olfattino Salina.

So the kindness of a Instagram acquaintance allowed me to try this fragrance as he very graciously sent me a bucket load of samples. The notes he described had me interested but the actual execution left me a bit cold. I don't hate Promise nor do I find it a wild or raw experience as some have decribed. The combination of jammy rose and apple, I thought would be magic but it turns out makes a strawberry/raspberry leaf smell to me. This on top of a dry, cade like, crude leather accord which for me has some depth, because sniffing for long enough you can pick out stuff you like, but the whole thing seems to be distinctly lacking character or likeability. It reminded me of the effect of La Yuqawam Tobacco blaze, like the unpleasantly dry and pale wrapper of a bad, or imitation Cuban cigar, coupled with an ashy, staleness, stagnant and lacking vigour. It's clearly better and more rounded than the rasasi fragrance and it does have the fruity element, against the woody dryness, which usually works. It's unique anyway. I'll pass on this. Oh at this point I'll just say that my partner...she went wild for this absolutely loved it, so what do I know huh?

I try to block out all the noise I hear about certain fragrances and perfumers but it's hard to consume your favourite blogs and reviewers without Pissara coming up somewhere. I was curious about the Oud and Splendiris which were both good and very different but not until I dig into the proper florals she is famed for, do I get a true impression of what Dusita perfume is about. A friend very kindly sent me a comprehensive set of the samples I hadn't tried and this one was the first I sampled and I have to say it's pretty special. I get three main elements, but this is a fragrance that twists and shimmers with different looks, moist then dry, light then dark, fragrant then almost dulled down. This is my kind of experience...a trio of vibes, spring from this one. Orange blossom/neroli, going from herbal and bitter green edged neroli material, to perfumed, waxy, citrus orange and fleshy, orange blossom type of white florals. Then bam!!! where did all this dryness come from? It smells like summer as child, straw fields and the substance of hay absolute. I also get a milky tea, it's not hugely metallic or quintessential green or black tea, at least the way it's conventionally used in fresher fair. None of which is listed in the notes here!!! haha (Apart from the hay) Okay so... Lilly of the valley is likely giving all the white floral effect, there's gotta be some citrus even if it's not that pronounced? The hay is very strong and obvious in the heart. The clary sage/petrigrain and moss, account for the bitter herbal edge, and perhaps the tea effect too? Vanilla could be the milk in the tea and sweetness lend more sweetness with the hay? Very interesting stuff and superb quality and clarity of concept. As much of a contrarian as I like to think I am I have to admit that Pissara's sorcery is very really and I think it's working on me?

From Monday's Scent of the day which was something I initial liked but has fallen out of favour to something which perhaps has done the complete reverse of that, in Issey Miyake's L'eau d'Issey pour homme Or Encens. This is a cracking little perfume which I wasn't sure about at first due to the connotations with that Bleu Issey one, which I initially hated then years later when I saw it was no longer on shelves, panic bought thinking it was something I might be into now...it wasn't... but I have to say I didn't hate it as much. This has much more of the authentic incense about it than Bleu but it's still a bit of a throwaway designer fragrance by the same token. There's a leathery, incense accord which is not without roughness, but generally smoothed out by a sweet but not overpowering rose and creamy woods of synthy santal, but never milky and with some rough n tumble texture. It's like someone re-imagined Kilian's Incense Oud for the designer market or took the oomph out of Dsquared2's Potion Royal Black...but also, it's like neither of those. I think Raynaud's efforts for Miyake of late are both really worthwhile perfumes and inject a much needed classy edge into what is quite frankly a tired line. The nuit ones aren't too bad but some of the recent sideways-flashing, flankers have been appalling to my nose, all the chemical nastiness and none of the appealing melon, yuzu or kiwi aspects that kept L'eau even slightly wearable.