I feel I shouldn't be so critical of this because to most people, it's probably perfectly wearable, however I find something about Scuderia to be jarring. I get a positive lemon more than lime and I can see why it might me described at metallic because it's oddly futuristic but I've definitely come across more shiny metallics in my time. I think it's the clary sage and lavender coupled with a vaguely aquatic nature making for a confused if not unique smelling perfume which I didn't find remotely pleasant to wear. I hate to be so reductive as to compare it to cleaning products or what have you but this definitely has shades of a scented baby wipe or something? I also mentioned it was unique, so it's not your average bit of citrus and lavender... so it's an enigma but an enigma I have no interest in unravelling. Lasting power was okay and I have to say the remnant left on my clothes actually smells better the following day but still not enough to win me over. I have tried some other Ferrari fragrances and I must say I was pleasantly surprised but this Racing Red ain't for me.

I'll keep this brief because Noble Incense needs little introduction or explanation and my constant gushing will have people thinking I'm some kind of shill for Bella Bellissima...well I'm not just a vocal cheerleader. Noble Incense starts out with that oriental, balsamic spice vibe in which you get lightheaded, as if walking into an opium den complete with the punctuating twang of exotic, harp like instruments...well I did anyway. It's got the labdanum and other resins I love a solid woodiness infinitely complex and although a domiinatant note, so much better than the straight forward olibanum other houses seem to churn out. I can get that there's great sandalwood in here and even papyrus than I'm not so keen on usually but frankly this fragrance can't and doesn't put a foot wrong. It lasts ages, projects and is simply briliiant. There you go!

FINALLY!!!! Fragrantica have added the odd few Bella Bellissima fragrances they had missed from the database. Quite simply Vetiver Spice IS the greatest vetiver fragrance I've ever tried. It's a triumph, a complete knockout comprising all the best things about vetiver fragrances and packaging them in a high quality and incredibly long lasting package. The balance of this composition is perfect, opening with citruses, retreating into peppery spices, with clean aromatic cardamom at the back. Even more interest is injected into this one by the hint of absinthe and even a bit of a creamy texture (maybe the vanilla?) The main thing is that the vetiver is truly enhanced, taking centre stage and not being overpowered by interesting surrounding notes. Right into the drydown you get a smooth, slightly smokey woods it's absolutely brilliant! I'm no huge vetiver fan, I like it very much in various guises but wouldn't list it as one of my favourite notes/accords/materials. Please, please believe me if you are a vetiver fan this has to be sampled because I'm sure it will be appreciated by everyone from the grey vetiver lovers to the Encre noire fanatics this has something for everyone and above all quality Vetiver that will last 10-12 hours easy. Sublime, yet more reasons why Bella Bellissima is one of my favourite houses.

Okay... so... I went into Zara today to try the new oud perfumes. Unfortunately they didn't have them in my local store, not sure why but I decided to try another one that has been released recently. Seeing that it had tobacco in the title I thought I might discover a deep and relatively cheap fragrance of good quality judging by some of the other Zara scents I've tried. However, this fragrance is not dark or masculine in the slightest! Not necessarily a bad thing though, in fact I quite enjoy the smell...momentarily. It starts out with a very sweet, fruity, thick, syrup type texture, which is more of a gourmand thing than tobacco to me. Although playful does have an air of quality to it and I'm usually a sucker for childish, overly saccahrine scents like this but I need to put my sensible reviewers head on in this case. As it dries down it becomes the most candy, cupcake, vanilla fragrance imaginable and where it starts smelling very much like the strawberry shortcake doll of the 70's 80's. I don't know if anyone remembers those? Yeah so kinda, dolls head plastic and a vanilla... strawberry. This does mellow further becoming less sweet and has some subtle woods creeping in but if you're expecting tobacco prepare to be disappointed. It could be there in the very broadest and vaguest terms perhaps more so in the opening? but I'm totally reaching there because I certainly didn't detect it for sure. I like the smell but is this really a great men's fragrance? Not really. I have to say it projects a lot to begin with and is generally a good performer, worth checking out but something which actually began to become cloying and a bit annoying in the end.

I agree with BurtReynolds (not a sentence I thought I'd ever say :)) in that I don't understand folk who vote to dislike without having sampled the fragrance. As some point out, the fragrance is made available pre-release to people in the industry but lets face it I doubt they are the ones voting.

Oh I also just wanted to say that although there has undoubtedly been a decline in originality on YSL's main designer lines since the likes of M7 and Rive Gauche, Being part of L'Oreal doesn't make them incapable of making a decent fragrance. Those High end leather & rose ones they've made in recent years (despite being stupidly expensive) were pretty good I thought. People shouldn't cling to the glory days forever and at least try to show a little optimism maybe? It might be good, can't be any worse than that Ultime one. Oh and another thing...folks moaning about 'Yet another L'nuit flanker' I don't get it? L'Nuit doesn't have that many flankers does it? Unless we are counting the L'Homme line as well...then they might have a point. This will be the 4th one... 3rd If you don't count the Parfum which was not great but okay, The Frozen one which I quite liked and the L'Intense which was pretty poor... I'll give you that. L'electrique might just be good...you never know and that's the beauty of being into fragrance...the surprise of having your expectations exceeded.

The juicy citruses come off in the opening notes as a sharp grapefruit to my nose. Then it's a combination of cedar, and vetiver, pepper which makes for a glorious combination under that citrus. The opening is actually a little reminiscent of a fragrance I acquired a few weeks back, which unfortunately isn't in the Database, Lange Orient Treasure. The thing that sets this apart from Terre d'Hermes although it's very, very similar (especially when dried down) is the hint of florals in the middle of this fragrance. It's a very slight effect and could be due to the violet but is definitely identifiable as geranium, which is actually very in keeping with the overall tone of the Infinite and keeps things masculine. Overall my opinion is that Bentley Infinite a very good citrus vetiver fragrance and when you enter that realm it is hard not to smell like Terre d'Hermes. Even the grapefruit, distinctly different in the opening becomes more like a bitter orange, the florals are not pronounced enough to make a significant difference to this fragrance, especially after the first hour or two. I was encouraged by the SA in the shop to buy the EDP which was not available to sample although she assured me it was 'Stronger and longer lasting' well if my experience with TdH EDP & EDT is anything to go by I'm pretty sure the opposite would be the case. In summary, There's not quite enough here to make me want it due to having TdH but that's not to say everyone will agree. There's flashes of something there...a new kind of masculine twist on the Hermes formula maybe with some tweaks, amp up the pepper, geranium and violet and perhaps we'd have a really good alternative version of TdH but sadly this is just slightly lacking. Still a good fragrance though and pretty decent performance but nothing outstanding.

To say I want this perfume more for the bottle than the fragrance itself, might make me appear fickle and diminish the status of what is a very lovely smelling thing. However, we must face facts...the stopper on this bottle is awesome and seeing the bottle in real life is no disappointment, it really is that cool. The fragrance itself displays the typical restraint you get in most Penhaligon's, trading off truly deep opulence with genuinely wearable appeal. They might not always (in fact rarely) reach dizzying heights but they consistently release fragrances I believe to have been steadily crafted and considered, Lord George is no different. It opens with a boozy amber, instantly warm and likable which settles to a exotic wood/vanilla vibe. It's undeniably sweet but offset by it's grown up booziness and some of that bitter, coffee type element from tonka bean. Lord George isn't a full on gourmand such as other recent Tonka releases like Feve delicieuse. Instead it's focused on the woods and amber to give it that more male emphasis. I enjoyed it tremendously, opens great and just gets better in the drydown due to some great notes which complement each other well. Lord George is the definition of more than the sum of it's parts and like the other one's in this range, has some notes or qualities that are hard to place. It is quite long lasting, especially on clothes but nothing monumental and showing the usual lack luster performance of the brand. (although I found it completely acceptable) This is where most people take issue with the brand and if you're forking out this much then you are entitled to moan. However, If you do decide to buy you will be treated to a nice smelling winter fragrance and a wonderful bottle to adorn your perfume shelf. I will probably get this one at some point.

Quick review update here, while backtracking slightly on my initial appraisal, I will both agree and take issue with some of the things said by Nick Zee. I don't know if it's just the fact that I actually like ambroxan but I kinda expect modern compositions to contain it and this didn't immediately scream it to me. However upon wearing it on Christmas day I will concede that the shaving cream element is that soapy, clean, ambery, musk that some people might consider cheap or doesn't belong in a high end fragrance like this one... I don't agree but I notice it more now I've had a few proper wears I think it's unfair to slate the perfumer for this as I still think it's a very interesting composition and worthy of the Penhaligon's name. I also agree that this stuff is overpriced and the performance is a bit lacking. It's strange because I did sample it extensively before I got the full bottle, maybe this one is a little style over substance but I made it clear I was getting it for the bottle mainly, something I never do but this one was too good to miss.

A perfect compliment to the Men's fragrance but not because it's contrasting but rather, very similar. The approach and base are exactly the same sort of thing...a milky, vanilla/sandalwood which is really very nice, the key differences being this no balsamic or incense notes which are so prevalent in This is Him and has more playful, feminine top notes. Something in here reminds me of a Tokyo Milk scent, slightly floral but generally creamy, I really like the subtlety of this one. It's very understated and lasts longer than you might expect but don't think it's going to project hard, these stay close. I really like it to the point I was trying to encourage my girlfriend to get it to wear in solidarity with mine. Please don't think I'm tight, I would buy it for her but frankly I spoil her as it is and she doesn't appreciate fragrant gifts as much as I would. Oh and they have those gimmicky Armani style bottles (whatever that fragrance was called?) that fit together and look like they are embracing each other. Z&V have two kinda jagged, climbing walls that interlock which is much cooler. I forgot to say that crucially, I would wear this one myself.

Really interesting set of releases from Penhaligon's this one having a similar nature to the feminine focused rose one but in truth I think all four are unisex. This is due to the careful blending of notes in each composition and it's no mistake that Penhaligon's fragrances have this quality across the board, regardless of perfumer. Another thing I've noticed is that all of these four have an explosive opening the Duke being no exception. I really like the smell, it's kinda got a vibe of Dior's sublime Amber nuit about it, a kind of fresh, clean but still warm balsamic rose. The key difference is rather than amber you get pepper, woods, leather coming across but with that quenching vibe of a G&T. This also gives it nods to the Liquides Imaginaires line in that there's a boozy champagne/wine sort of quality to these four creations too. It reminds me of Bloody wood a touch also. The drydown of this is a sensual woody rose which is top quality and although not massive in silage and I thought at first longevity either ...this quietly lasted. I never actually asked how much this was but without hesitation or the usual rigmarole of begging, I was furnished with some samples, Thanks to my local Penhaligon's shop for that. I believe further wears are necessary but I doubt I will be buying for this price. Despite all the positives I see in this fragrance as a novelty stopper or bottle at best but despite the comparisons to great fragrances I own, I think Duke would still have a place because it's refined and different enough in it's own way. The only restriction for me is price and the fact that if I had to own one of these it would be Lord George because of the amazing stag head stopper...The fragrances are both very enjoyable.

Tea for Two is one of the more scarce L'Artisan perfumes it seems. Even the most comprehensive stockists seem to be out of this stuff in recent years. I had tried this a long time ago and then got hold of some samples a few months back, which reminded me that T4T was on my radar. I was very surprised to see it in TK Maxx where I picked it up for a very reasonable £25 for 50ml. It's clearly not a fragrance for everybody but as a tea enthusiast I'm always keen to expand my tea fragrances and this one represents a distinct difference from the norm of cutting metallic, freshness coupled with citrus or fruit. This is more like a proper cup of tea with milk in(not too suggest it's creamy in anyway) blended with tobacco it's got a freshness but it has the signature 'challenging', offset, darkness of other releases like Timbuktu or Dzing! It's got the spicing of a chai tea, plenty of cinnamon which is spicy hot but not sweet, and clove representing an old cologne vibe. I'd say that there's vetiver in here and a leathery vibe but sort of clean in a traditional manly way like a knize Ten. To me the drydown is like a very old type of soap that you just don't get anymore and somehow is indicative of the 1960's (not like I was around then!) It's like the kind of toiletries a really, manly man can admit to using. You know...not Dior or Chanel it's the sort of purely functional moisturizer made famous by Icelandic fishermen or something? (So it's totally okay to use and not gay!) Tea for Two is never going to appeal to everyone and I'm almost one of those people, despite buying this fragrance. It does challenge me though and sometimes I enjoy that in a fragrance.