This fragrance is absolute filth! In a really good way though. The opening is chaotic, headbangingly strong and conflicted, floral, animalic, musky, a bit metallic, sickly sweet with heavy spicing. When it’s settles it’s a brutal musk, surrounded by indistinct florals and a fruity note, tinged with bubblegum. As it dries down though it becomes really interesting and a cuddly warm, spiced amber scent develops, deeply, deeply resinous. To be honest I was really in two minds about that opening but when settled, even though it still smells of musky and sweet even skanky notes I love it. The complexity is something to behold, becoming exceptionally woody, balmy even a touch smokey. This is not a typical powerhouse in the way the other one man shows are, this has eastern almost oud like vibes about it. The projection in the first 20 mins of applying is nothing short of nuclear, but does die down respectably, performance is good and im a big fan of how ridiculous this is already. Blind bought it as well so it’s extra impressive, a stonking good romp of a fragrance, probably not for everyone though.

A soft, woody fragrance in terms of impact it's not much to write home about from a brand I'd not come across. Having said this, you just don't smell many (newish) fragrances like this, it's classy and understated. The opening is watery and fig like with a very subtle anise like to my nose, developing into a kind of buttery floral but with something inherently woody and masculine about it. The drydown and wearing of this was slightly inconclusive because it was a hot day and even the best fragrance wouldn't of lasted on me but the card I additionally sprayed it on, still has a soft and rounded vanilla/heliotrope/violet smell about it. The main thing that makes me like this is the price. The price is really reasonable and if I see it (I won't go out of my way) I might add uomo to the collection for a bit of obscure (in a brand sense, not smell wise) fun.

As this stuff wore on, I really started to warm to it. Vince Camuto is not a brand I'm familiar with and having tried a few of the mens line I'd say they don't have anything particularly original or standout. I liked the warm, slightly powdered, musky, woods in the base underneath a happy, light hearted citrus and mandarin orange note. Clean and warm creating a lovely soft skin scent but it is just that a not very good performer. I liked the drydown the best though and if I saw this cheap I might buy as an inoffensive clean and functional scent.

For me this is Amouage in a return to form, not that there was much of a slump to be fair because I liked Braken, Beach hut was hugely interesting, I think it's just Sunshine and that purple one that was a rare miss step in my opinion. The name of this is a little weird and I can only deduce it would have negative connotations when applied to perfume. Why would you want to be an Imitation? There's probably deeper meaning and a positive spin to be found in the marketing bumf...I've no doubt. Also I respect the reviews of Nick Zee but I don't agree with him on this one. I can say categorically that Imitation doesn't even smell remotely similar to Dior Homme parfum. Okay so the opening is very floral and fresh but clearly has masses of depth and an obvious orris root base right out of the gate. This milky, creamy, leathery powdered nature defies the adjectives I just used to describe it because I might say that about a designer fragrance with an orris/iris base but this is clearly a higher calibre and that's evident straight away. I love how soft and floral this scent is with violet and just the suggestion of roses. It has a classy base and I'm no doubt there's some myrrh in here to keep in with the Amouage, incense aesthetic. The point is, individual notes are blurred by a wonderful chypre type concept and masterful perfumery. I really didn't get patchouli from it but I have only sampled once and sprayed on a card which I kept for a week or so and it still smells fantastic if very faded now. This might be an Amouage I just can't be without, I thought the smell was majestic, and for the man who has no regard for M/F fragrance paradigms. The performance is good and perfectly acceptable at a high price (not sure what the price is but I'm sure it's not cheap!) I love it.

Exquisite! That one word could easily be the sum total of my review, but it wouldn’t be like me not to waffle on. The Santal royal in this collection has a very prominent, sharp and skanky, resinous oud note which is completely in contrast with this stuff, a pure tonepoem of luxury and perfumery excelllence. This is a purely indulgent smell with no one one note dominant, but a smoother resin, saffron and leathery oud smell of giant proportions but delicate and modest execution. I was told by the SA that sprayed me(with perfume;) at the Guerlain counter that it was made with access to ingredients other houses don’t (which I’m inclined to believe as it’s guerlain) and also he was big on the fact that I could keep it for years and years and it won’t spoil (again which is my experience of most perfumes ...kept correctly of course) Oh and also he was encouraging me to layer other scents on top of this, which I don’t do but I see how this emorphous, classy bed of woods and resin would enhance even the worst fragrance you sprayed on it. I love it. I think it’s incredible and an oud to get excited about, it’s not groundbreaking and I’ve smelled similar before but I think it’s a perfect storm this one, a perfect oud for ANYONE to wear and enjoy. It’s soft and retreats to a skin scent after hours of solid projection but then easy lasts 10+ hours and probably weeks on clothes. I want this.

It’s not often these days I’m conpletely bowled over by a fragrance, especially one I definitely should’ve already tried. However, Camille Intrapide is utter magic from start to finish. It has a similar subtlety to something like Santal Carmine from this house, soft buttery, with classic perfume touches that elevate it to something beyond the average. Citrus opening then turning to a delicate floral smell, with a iris/orris smoothness. This is where the drydown becomes one of the nicest, softest, most realistic and well realised leather notes I’ve had the pleasure of sampling. It reminded me of cuir sacre from Ann Gerard but much more unisex and generally more appealing, certainly lasting longer too. I’m surprised not to see sandalwood listed in the notes, not that it’s prominent but it has a creamy woods to it. The leather smell is so good, I sprayed a card as well as myself and I can still smell the gorgeous, soft, buttery leather on there....this fragrance is quite something I definitely want a bottle for sure.

Nothing from this line has blown me away, but again it’s a nicely constructed fragrance of real quality and substance but no wow factor at all. Rêve de cashmere starts out in a very minimalist way, the opening notes, milky, creamy and washed out with vanilla. However the accord starts to build and you get the warm cahmerean the vanilla and sandalwood creeping up on you in a slight but in the end very good performing fragrance. The over all feel is one of a delicate leather with some resinous, balmy qualities too. Very nice indeed but lacking that one note, or little spark and pop of spice or something unexpected to bring it all together and inject some life into the perfume. Otherwise solid and some of my favourites from the line.

I get the comparisons to TF FF I really do but this stuff is a much more straight forward gourmand fragrance, lacking the edge or interest that the Tom Ford had for me. Don’t get me wrong this is a sensual vanilla/tonka with lashings of almond milk in a sweet, luxurious mixture. It’s of great quality and lasts well, but not a fragrance of interest for me personally.

Tried this today after being accosted by a sales assistant who picked the wrong guy to talk fragrances with! I tested her kung fu and it was pretty poor, she was very nice though and didn't pretend to be knowledgeable after she realised she was dealing with a fragrant OG!!! ;) I found it slightly underwhelming in truth. I'm a big fan of this brand for some reason I say that because not one fragrance wows me but there's some good solid stuff in there. Burlington Arcade was the highlight of recent releases from this house, Mint & tonic does open with a refreshing lime citrus, settling to a cleaner, aquatic type fragrance with a sharp hint of ginger. I was expecting something of the G&T or mojito from the name but instead a modern, clean affair which only has a hint of mint and no juniper which the tonic suggests. It's a clean, cool citrus musk of good quality, with some vetiver and cedar in the base but that's about it! Performance was average to poor on me.

A very interesting twist here. This is a fragrance for those who love a dense leathery, herbal but stinging opening, with an absolutely well realised tobacco note up front. I genuinely think that tea is a big player in this fragrance as it simultaneously reminded me of three different L'artisan perfumer fragrances namely... tea for two, Dzing! and dhronkha (probably not spelled right but you know the one I mean) Maybe the fresh, green tobacco leaf and tea share common traits which I suppose they kinda do. It's got that dry vetiver note but also a bit synthetic and something Bertrand Dauchafour would definitely have come up with. The clary sage and moss give it that effect too I suppose and the top notes are peculiarly original. I liked it but Tobacco reserve is not going to be for everyone, I like that it's not an easy going or creamy, gourmand tobacco. Instead this has roots in the masculine original formula. Worth a sniff for real.