Okay so... is this going to spellbind anyone? I doubt it! It's very reminiscent of many Acqua di Parma's really, fresh citrus and fruit in the top with a super clean, delicately spiced woody dry down. I found the opening to be very citrus and green too but pleasant and then the slighty rusty vetiver underneath is revealed. I get a slight tea vibe and some cardamom too. To be honest, contrary to reviews on here the first time I tried it I found the vetiver quite earthy. On wearing it for a second time it's much cleaner and more reminiscent of Jo Malone vetyver, or 154. I think it's common knowledge that I like a good perfume like this when it's well done. I'm not sure what this retails for but I'd imagine it's expensive so in that case I'd say go with an alternative. I will say this... it has good longevity. Update: 31/01/23 Wow Nearly ten years since I reviewed this one. Have I got much more to say on this? Nothing earth shattering to add but I like the use of vetiver here, it's very functional in that if you like root like, dry, smoky vetiver this is perhaps not for you, but paired with citrus in this context it shines beneath all the fresh stuff making a woody, musky, wooly sort of feel. It's paired back, understated but has a certain quality and power to it, and not a trace of ....oh ISO E SUPER or Ambroxan...yada yada is propping it all up, at no time does it retreat into a single aroma chemical or boring base, it's blended right to the bitter end. Underappreciated I'd say. Thoroughly enjoyed wearing it today.

Right!!! So for the authentic effect, I decanted some onto a bent spoon and burned it a little before injecting and let me tell you it smelled awful! Okay what's with everyone going on about the name? If you think about it most china (ceramic) is white and paint hues are named 'China White' without any intended drug references to street names for smack! Where do you think that came from anyway? What would people rather it be called....'Snow White'? Which would have ridiculous fairytale and still further drug connotations! RANT OVER! As for the smell of this it's BIG and BOLD! Nasomatto don't know how to do anything else. Even with a scent like this which is powdery and floral it's an industrial Iron fist in a velvet glove. I get lots of animalistic musk from this which under normal circumstances I wouldn't like especially in a floral scent but this is intriguing to me. I have to say I quite like china white not for me to wear but I can definitely appreciate it. It has a unique edge and I can't think of many scents like it.

Again the name is very deceptive here...not a Oud centric fragrance at all but hey I think you've got to look past a simplistic name like simply 'Oud' as a creation with a base in Oud. (I'm sure it's in there somewhere?) I love saffron, styrax and Myrrh and was hoping this would deliver something special and it kinda does? I truly haven't made my mind up on this yet. I hate to label things with a sex but I'm going to anyway haha! Something about this leans slightly more toward the feminine as I felt with Casbah. I know, I know it's strange but that's the impression I got. This being said It's not too feminine to dismiss me wearing it and that is the usual gauge I use to determine how much I like it. The fir and saffron in top of this fragrance make for a bewildering opening that soon subsides to reveal an almost rusty, very dry resinous vibe. Although I quipped about the oud at the top of this review it is present but lends a harder quality possibly from the combo with guaiac wood. This is a strange one for me didn't hit me as instantly as Bois noir as a keeper but definitely worth another sniff especially if like me, you love Myrrh.

Something I left out of my review below is that this fragrance opens with masses of balsam fir which comes across very menthol and strong then the resins kick. I like this fragrance still not for me though.

I don't know what it is about me a fig based scents but we seem to be drawn to each other like some sort of fatal attraction. Strange really despite the usual feminine association. Interesting that the review below compares this to Fico di amalfi and naturally who wouldn't make the connection. However as somebody who has the ADP and loves it I must admit Figuier Eden is better. Not that I see this as 'high end' compared to the Fico in truth most of the Armani Prive line are pretty lackluster for the price. The opening of this scent is really good, fresh, juicy and bursting out of the bottle, with the addition of iris which to me really makes the fig pop! Fico is a little watery and subdued in comparison, to me more suited to summer, where as I see the Armani as being a little more versatile. The drydown of Figuier is more powdery and you definitely get the iris contributing to a longer lasting scent on the skin. The verdict is good...very good if you like figs you could do a lot worse than this but arguably better too.

Okay so I'll comment briefly on this as I didn't consider it for myself but rather my girlfriend for her birthday. Now that I've bought this and peony blush I have decided to give them to my mum for Christmas instead as they're probably more up her street. I had a discussion with the lady in the Jo Malone boutique and she said this was not a big seller and judging by the comments here I'm not surprised. Personally I thought it was lovely. For me it doesn't have the sweetness of jasmine or the waxy, soapiness of white florals like tuberose or orange blossom but something about it was really gentle and soothing. Perhaps it's the freshness of the mint which is easy to perceive without being too minty and makes this fragrance pleasant. I like it for a woman and even a man could pull this off if he wanted...not me though. Great scent and underated in the Jo Malone collection in my opinion.

Oh Lanvin Avant Garde how you've ducked under my radar all this time. I've been aware of this fragrance for ages now and I've had the opportunity to try it on a couple of occassions and passed it by. At this point I'd just like to add that I'm not sure why I didn't want to try it because I love to shoehorn in the words/phase(?)"Avant Garde" into conversation and the presentation of the product is very good so you'd have thought it would be of interest to me? Anyway... Thought I'd check out the notes on here and when I did, I didn't hold out much hope...beeswax and tobacco...hmmmm? I love tobacco but there's many variables within that accord and I straight just don't like beeswax unless in some very special circumstances. Well... These are very special circumstances indeed! Love this fragrance it's a smooth, dark, resinous masculine juice which combines a very good rich tobacco with the quality of beeswax and the combination is such that I actually like the beeswax! It just works this one, very warming and great for winter. Avante Garde is a stand out juice at a great price can't recommend this stuff highly enough.

Ambre Nuit is an absolute knockout! The opening is wonderful and then it just gets better and better in the dry down. I adore it! I've sniffed many amber scents in my time and this one is an instant favourite...surpassing the likes of Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan, Annick Goutal Ambre Fetiche and Tom Ford Ambre Absolute. Ambre nuit is so well put together it genuinely had me hooked and constantly smelling myself because it's so divine. Really unexpected from Dior too. I was honestly thinking...'Here we go again...I'll probably like it but it's yet another amber...' boy was I wrong! The nostril stinging sensation that I usually get from potent niche amber's is just not apparent with this creation, it's smooth from start to finish. A very subdued and gentle amber which has the perfect balance of sweetness and spice. The rose is so well blended it offers up beautiful qualities without once smelling like rose...if that makes sense? It's no projection or sillage monster but the longevity is pretty good. This scent stays close to the skin and is so natural it's almost a skin enhancer...if that makes sense? Although if I knew anyone who smelled like this naturally they'd probably have a perminent harem of folks following them around trying to sniff them. Great fragrance...well done Dior.

At first when sprayed this had me excited a dank, mouldy Oud woodiness with almost sweet top notes that are perfectly complimentary. I thought this had the quality and balance of MFK Oud but sadly as it develops past the opening couple of minutes or so, it shows it's true colours. It's not bad as such but just very weak and longevity is poor. This is odd because I would've thought they'd use the same quality of Agarwood for all this collection (with the gold stoppers) and Oud royal is good and Myrrhe imperiale (although doesn't have Oud) is a favourite of mine. The leather in this is there but not very pleasant and luckily not very strong when it emerges, nor does it stick around for long. Cuir noir is certainly not smooth or luxurious and does evoke more of a rough tanning vibe which is supposed to be Armani's intention. This fragrance is not bad just lacking in originality and strength at this price point. The dry down is subtle but pleasant if you like Oud...That's all I can say really.

Okay brief re-review as I've started on my second sample. I pretty much agree with my original sentiments a great smelling, resiny, Oud opening, quite sweet actually, which matures to a rough leather and vanilla this could be so fantastic if only it lasted. I must say I'm really enjoying the second wear this sent is right up my street and I'd even put up with the longevity & projection issues if it was significantly cheaper.

Great, great opening on this one I was drawn in from the very first sniff, strange really as I like patch (I mean who doesn't?) (Ps I am aware some people don't I was being rhetorical.) But I'm not crazy about it and don't often consider fragrances with patchouli in the name. Also, this is my first delve into this collection from Dior and it's off to a good start let me tell you. It has a menthol almost medicinal vibe in the opening and a little fruit not really what I expected but very pleasant. The patchouli becomes really chocolaty in the dry down like cacao & sweet leafy soil mixed with truffles or something? So not sweet gourmand chocolate just that lovely dark thing patch does when it becomes like chocolate. This is a good blend and the whole vibe puts me in mind of Tom Ford Noir or like an uncluttered black orchid...in other words...heavy on the patchouli as you'd expect. My verdict was initially this was my favourite until the amber one I tried dried down and I really how gorgeous it was. So this is no slouch its a good, extremely well made fragrance and the price is pretty reasonable considering the amount of juice you get. Oh...just one minor criticism of this line. Dior have taken a minimalist approach to the packaging on these but in my opinion they look cheap and nasty. The bottles displayed on the Dior counter are bright (crazy juice colours)and easily recognisable but they look to me like cocktail syrups or soda stream flavours or something...not high end perfumes.

Okay well this one is a strange combination of pungent Lavender, deeply spiced with pepper and nutmeg. A great fragrance and although this should be right up my street I just fail to see how I could pull off wearing it. The lavender is as accurate a lavender smell as you can get, totally natural and extremely fresh like pure lavender oil. Comparisons to Luna Rossa from Prada are obvious due to the dominance of this note along with the spicing. In my opinion though this is more traditional, medicinal and reminiscent of aromatherapy oils than the more contemporary Prada. It's not just that though, the whole look of the bottle and branding give the impression of a old apothecary style product. As it dries down it mellows slightly but you do get a strength from this juice that is unrelenting then disappears. I get this fragrance I really do, unfortunately as I mentioned I just couldn't wear it myself. Very good though.