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.
Warning: this is technically not a review, but rather a very long love letter/tale/diary page where I reminisce on my ongoing experience with this scent, as well as a high praise to competent, patient, insightful, and knowledgeable sales assistants. Proceed at your own risk. ;) I happened upon it some years ago, by accident. Picture this: one cool sunny winter late morning in Rome, the air is crisp but the sun has a touch of warmth, we're close to Christmas so decorations and lights are on and the atmosphere is festive. I was walking on a street full of shops when I suddenly marched into an old, slightly upscale, and very well-known perfume shop, went to one of the sales assistant with a request: I told him that I recently tried Prada Infusion d’Iris, liked the cleanliness and soapiness of the scent, but was very let down by the appallingly poor staying power (especially when compared to the price). Would he be able to recommend a similar perfume that wouldn’t be gone after an hour? He asked me a few questions, I mentioned, incidentally, that I tried and liked a lot Bas de Soie by Lutens in the recent past but that was not quite what I had in mind. If by this time you’re thinking how on earth can you go from Infusion d’Iris to Teint de Neige that have almost nothing in common but the iris note I would agree, but bear with me. I cannot praise enough how the sales assistant read me and listened to me, because he not only took in my appearance - brunette, mid-20s, red lipstick, cat eye, minimalist dark clothes, red wool coat - but also saw deeper than that. I have some friends that jokingly call me Diva, which I am anything but by the way, it’s just I am a little aloof when you first meet me but then I warm up. Anyway, he anticipated my needs and introduced me to something I didn’t know I liked myself: powder. I mean, I knew and I even loved the smell of talc powder, ten years before as a teenager I had briefly been obsessed with Bvlgari Petits and Mamans, what I mean is that I was not aware of my love for powdery scents on a conscious level. He said after a while that since I said no to Bas de Soie, which was one of his first choices for me (he definitely picked on the aloofness there), he was going to go on another route. We talked a little and eventually reduced the samples to three: Lutens Daim Blond, Teint de Neige and a third scent that for the life of me I can’t remember. After smelling them on the strips I discarded the forgotten third and spritzed the other two on the skin. At first I liked them both but almost immediately got the apricot in Lutens and I’m not really a fan of fruity perfumes, so that was more and more a no every minute that went by. On the other hand, with Teint de Neige, in addition to being love at first sniff, the infatuation grew with the passing of time. I didn’t buy it that day, the very competent shop assistant advised that I spend the day with it and see how it evolved on my skin. Not only it evolved beautifully, I could still smell it the next day after a shower. I went back a week later and got a bottle. Now it’s become my signature, I wear it almost every day, in winter and also in summer because I don’t believe in the seasonality of scents (sorry not sorry for the people around me), and although I refrain to perfume during daytime in summer it’s not really out of concern for the others, just for fear of the perfume reacting with the light. I am vain and selfish like that! ;) Sillage and staying power, for me, are huge to the point that the more aware people recognise me by it, like I went to a party at a friend’s house and the hostess, that knows me quite well but didn’t know I had arrived, asked from another room if I was there only because she recognised the trail of perfume in the house. Christmas time a couple of years ago I went back to see my parents and at night, when my mother hugged me at the airport said she missed my perfume (as well as me lol) which I applied in the morning, and then she said she smelled it again the next morning when I walked in the kitchen for breakfast. A lot of people commented on it when I enter a shop or on a train carriage. In conclusion, this perfume now it’s become me, I inhabit it, it’s a million things to me, like lace lingerie under a comfy cashmere jumper, it’s old and new, a silk vintage dress worn with a leather biker jacket. I’m not saying it’s a complex perfume, or a revolutionary concept, I think I feel this way because I identify with it so much by now. And even if I know it’s ridiculous I feel like it’s mine and mine only, also because I’ve never walked past anyone else who wore it. I think I also like it so much because it compensates my aloofness, as if with its powdery sweetness told other people that I’m not the Ice Queen that I might seem at first. Ultimately I think that was my unconscious reason for writing off Bas de Soie from the start, that’s one perfume I like a lot but probably fear it would play too much into my perceived standoffishness. One last thing: yes it’s true, Iris by L’erbolario, which I would have loved to love since Villoresi is not really in my price range, is almost the exact copy, albeit much flatter, but compared side by side with Teint de Neige smells so cheap and chemical and plasticky it literally hurts. Back when I still lived in Italy it was not unusual to walk past women doused in the knockoff, it was very popular for a while but, dear oh dear, the headaches that I got smelling that!
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.
I'm a bit shocked to discover that this is intended for men. I actually wasn't sure if it was a unisex but I'd figured L'Envol more like a feminine fragrance from the EDP concentration, the overall look of the packaging and the initial smell. I say initial smell, because I began to think it might be a unisex or aimed at men and if it is... wow is this brave and pretty classic, the Shalimar comparisons being very well founded. I think it opens up with a figgy sort of smell (although that could be the wet, earthiness of patchouli), coupled with honey and a floral musk and a civet type element. For the record I'm not a fan of this combination of animal, floral, honied notes most of the time but as a perfume fan I can't help feeling it screams a certain amount of quality. Cartier have made something classical from the last 100 years of (largely feminine) perfumery and squarely aimed it at modern man and they have to kinda be admired for that considering this goes against recent trends but I suppose everything comes in cycles and this sort of thing was perhaps due a renaissance. I mean puritans might say that this IS indeed, modern rubbish and not comparable to the likes of Shalimar but in essence that is what I took from it. The great thing about it too was L'Envol's ability to mellow and grow on me in the dry down, becoming a much warmer and more resinous iris and patchouli skin scent. Just a brief comment on the bottle, I thought it was a little gimmicky at first especially for Cartier but after being initially striking is really quite a thing to behold when you look at it for a minute or so. That design is not really something I've seen although mildly reiniscent of the recent CK release this is a much classier affair. Sadly I don't like enough of this fragrance to wear it but I take my hat off for Cartier reimagining men's fragrance with an interesting release which does eventually enter territory I enjoyed but only after several hours, which I suppose just speaks to the good longevity. I have a feeling this one will have folks divided but please do try because you never know L'Envol might just surprise you.
I dunno what happened here? I must not have given the EDT a fair crack of the whip because I dismissed it as a vaguely honey covered fig, a sort of non event of a fragrance really. Except for the bottle which is truly a unique thing to behold...in a picture. I'm afraid the execution leaves something to be desired, I think it's the plastic outer which I accept has to be made of plastic but just makes it seem a bit cheap and I'm no snob. Anyway this EDP was actually really nice opens kind fresh, floral and not immediately knowable. Then the violet and iris accord grows and it's classy, doesn't quite have the satin, cosmetic feel orris or iris can but hints at it. Couple that with a overt violet note and even a slight petrol tinge...can you see where I'm going with this? There's a classy powdered leather and yes It resembles Fahrenheit. However the sweetness and greek, honied fig and perhaps some vanilla? takes it more into Fahrenheit parfum territory but L'Envol EDP is less heavy and more aerated. I liked it, developed too just becoming a nice warm skin scent. This is better than many designer releases which is kind what Cartier do isn't it? Longevity was acceptable wouldn't call it good.
I believe this is a layering perfume oil, as it is a very faint and skin close scent. Musky and clean. I have not tested it in combination with other perfumes, but I believe it's more interesting layering it, than wearing it on its own.
I adore this fragrance because it plugs into a primal need I have for baby sweet, soft fragrances which serve to calm as much as serve any other purpose. This doesn't mean that Rogart is devoid of sophistication because it's very grown up in it's approach. It's the softness and comfort I like about it and perhaps even bordering on the more feminine. The opening is really sweet, I don't know about Juniper berries (which I find quite bitter) Rogart is more like a synthetic blend of fruity berries just for that initial minute or so. Then it becomes clear what this fragrance is all about and it's creamy, woods. The unmistakable signature sweetness of maple is a welcome addition to this fragrance and works perfectly with guaiac wood, it really is a marriage made in heaven. Along with angelica and what I perceive as vanilla, these are the major players throughout the heart of Rogart and long into the drydown. Elemi is listed as the resin in here but I honestly think this comes off warmer and more of a benzoin/amber type smell as it settles out too. This is very interesting and rewarding fragrance, who's creamy woods is reminiscent of very high quality Guaiac and sandalwood fragrances. The main ones Rogart reminds me of is Donna Karen Fuel and Atelier Cologne Santal Carmin. I've worn this a few times since I purchased it earlier this year and I have to say the performance and silage seemed average. However, today I've been complimented on it, told 'your dog smells of your perfume...it's very nice' (obviously rubbed off when cuddling him) and I can noticibly smell it quite strongly on myself. This is due to a heavy application and is often (not always) the answer to a weaker performing fragrance...spray more! Another great from Molton Brown.
This fragrance was a blind buy (will I ever learn?)and it instantly reminded me of something. It's a complete dead ringer of another designer fragrance but I can't for the life of me place what it is? It's really frustrating actually. It has the weight and sensuality of a real heavy hitting oriental but with a cheap and synthetic nature, all at the same time. I kinda want to reel off a load of fragrances it resembles, none of them being THE one it actually smells exactly like... but first, the notes. The opening is a hint of bergamot but you can forget that within a nano second, Chambre Rouge is about a ton of powdered spice and a massive dose of sweet amber, loads of benzoin, loads of vanilla, musk and woods. I'd say the guiac and sandalwood are most prominent, just adding to the powdery nature of the santal/vanilla drydown. I have to admit I like it and my girlfriend absolutely loved it. It's almost sickly a slightly odd a beguiling mixture of The One, Le Male, Mont Blanc Individuel, and elements of the unnatural kinda plastic from Henae Mori or Versace Dreamer. I will update this review when I finally remember what this is essentially a clone of, after kicking myself. The facts are though, despite this fragrance having it's flaws it actually lasts well and for those who like Chambre Rouge, it would be quite easy to end up loving it especially at this price. I mean the bottle isn't bad, kinda reminds me of YSL Jazz but the tacky, slightly askew printed label with a font borrowed from a 1991 Terminator 2 poster just serves as a reminder this is a bargain bucket fragrance. I couldn't wear this fragrance often because I find it a bit too cloying but for occasional Autumn/Winter wear it's worth having in my wardrobe. It's a pleasant surprise which makes me want to delve into what else Pascal Morabito has to offer, some of which are not on the Fragrantica database.
It's taken me a while to come around to reviewing this fragrance and it's largely due to the fact I'm not that keen on Jay Z himself. This era and ethos of hiphop largely passed me by and despite respecting the fact he is a global star, and artists I do like, seem to respect him but I simply don't like his music. If I had to list greatest rappers of all time he definitely wouldn't figure, in fact he wouldn't even figure in top rappers from Brooklyn. Anyway...That aside I did try this fragrance not long after it's release and I initially liked it. I wore it properly the otherday and I'm not surprised to say I still really like it. The opening reminds of some kind of sweets from my youth and it changes from a sweetened orange/mandarin vibe, sharp grapefruit and that unmistakable blueberry note which without doubt makes this stuff memorable. It's kinda like when you get six different flavours of skittles in your mouth at the same time. The base is powdery so I can accept there's violet leaf present (although I don't smell it directly) it's more of a white musk, vanilla and maybe a bit of cardamom? It's pretty elegant but has a sports vibe to it and comes off like a summery, antiperspirant. That is in no way belittling Gold because I think it's one of the better sweet, fruity fragrances on the market. The performance however is not good, it doesn't project at all and is gone within a matter of an hour or two, even so I still think it's worthy of merit and would even go as far as to say I'd add it to my wardrobe if I saw it for a dramatically reduced price.
This is a fine, fresh aquatic fragrance very much in the mould of the Nautica Voyage and Versace Man Eau fraiche etc... Blue goes on with a heavenly opening which being someone who's perfume awakening (so to speak) was during the 90's I can't help but love and reminisce about. The aquatic, violet, citrus and white musk is nothing short of lovely in the opening, with hints of the patch and clary sage grounding it ever so slightly especially as it settles on my skin. The main issue I had was the emergence of a cucumber type note after the first 10 mins or so. Perefectly inkeeping with the fresh feel but also threatening to spoil this juice slightly. Luckily that goes away and this fresh scent plows on regardless into a very long lasting drydown. This is effectively a much better option for many people looking to buy similar scents, for the simple reason, it's better. Great stuff from old golden balls yet again!
I first tried this and marked it as a love earlier in the year and thought I had reviewed it already (obviously not) but don't let that fool you, it wasn't because Oud shamash didn't make an impression on me...this stuff is magic. The different company has always intrigued me and despite dipping my toe into them, in store I haven't really extensively sampled them. Oud shamash is totally tailored to my tastes as I get mainly incense and balsamic tones of tolu balsam, Labdanum and exotic fruits and pink pepper in the top. Then a boozy sailor Jerry spiced rum, on a bed of Oud which is unsurprisingly sourced from Laos, seemingly the Mecca of rotting trees. A curiously warm, rich, Amber Oud which is manages to be uplifting and light on its feet in that olibanum type way, fizzy and nearly green and mashing up these disparate concepts is no mean feat to achieve. It really reminds me of a high end and much deeper more complex version of Paul smiths Portrait. This comparison just speaks to how good Portrait actually is, because I absolutely love Oud shamash. The deep drydown mutates into a different fragrance it's a very deep, woody creamy, Amber Oud with only hints at what came before. You can tell the quality and the care that went into making this heavenly juice. Lasting power is great and I wore a very small amount and silage and projection was good. I'm getting a bottle, it's as simple as that.
oooh waves of hate here by the looks of the votes at least. I thought this was inoffensive, designer piffle at worst with glimmers of hope at best. Yes, it has that modern, chuck everything at it and it still comes out bland sort of effect. A mildly ambery base but I wouldn't say ambroxan is prominent and despite what some say it's definitely not like Dior Sauvage. The body of the fragrance is a bleu de chanel type affair of fresh notes with minor hint of some spice but very boring in truth. The main feature of this scent for me is the minty, menthol top note and the earth of patchouli, which in my opinion is the saving grace of what could be a very poor effort from Versace. I believe it's unfair to label this one as bad or a dislike but I won't be buying it that's for sure.
I can't say I think Zara have any stand out fragrances, at least not the ones I've tried in any case. However they appear to have jumped on the oud train, arguably too late but they are on it, so I will reserve judgement. Something they have done with this one is entice me to sample it with a great looking bottle...I mean look it at it!!!
I remember the old version of this with that walnut gear knob stopper, I'm sure my dad wore it at a point in time, being the Jaguar fan he was. Nostalgia aside, I had never owned this one myself but had a pretty good memory of the smell, something which wasn't my scene in the 90's. However, due to the lack of masculinity in modern releases, one does tend to come full circle steadily becoming our fathers and this is the sort of thing I can't help but dig. The opening is a little strange, borderline unpleasant but makes for something more interesting than Quorum, RL Polo or Krizia Uomo. It does have elements of all of these fragrances and after a turbulent start settles down to be much more subdued and classy...A fine, clean, gentlemenly soap. I'm utterly, loving wearing this something I can't always say about Krizia for example which can become grating as the drydown relentlessly churns on, rather than Jaguar which smooths out, getting nicer and nicer. I mean it's pine, oakmoss, leather, fir, sandalwood, methol, citruses, carnation...the list goes on but crucially the blending here is of the highest order and even the modern formula bottle I have is excellent. The longevity is good, not a patch on older formulations I suspect but good enough for this not to be a shadow of it's former self. Yes, it's like many, many other scents of the 80's but stands out due to a crazy opening which smells like nothing else and worth trying even just for the shock of the first few minutes. I love this fragrance so glad I got it cheap because I will be wearing it.
My local store which stocks all things Scent Story, usually at great prices never seemed to get this when it came out, yet the oud editions they were all over. However now they are well and truly old hat, I find this one in a bargain bin marked down so I thought why not have a punt? 24 Live another night is very similar to 1 Million, brimful of youthful energy. An opening of tangerine then the familar modern cocktail of the sweet and slightly cloying, with a warm, chemical edge of amber. Cinnamon spiced amber with the soapy element of Cardamom and creamy woods. What I like about this is that although a brazen & unashamed copy, it's not quite as brash as 1 Million but on the flipside doesn't last as long or develop as well as a result so it's a trade off really. For those who like the smell of the Paco scent without wanting something as in your face, this might be a viable option considering also that it's significantly cheaper. I have it in my collection now and although I'm not crazy about it, I'm wearing this today and it's okay. One small comment about the bottle, I figured these scents looked a little tacky presentation wise but the bottle is actually quite nice (exception being the cheap nasty stuck on label) the stopper is uber heavy and a nice touch.
First of all I'm not the biggest fan of Diesel fragrance but I don't hold any grudges and I'm always welcome to being surprised but this I'm afraid is more boring nonsense. Bad? Nah I wouldn't say it smells bad as such but when combined with the fact that from the notes at least, it had the promise of bucking a trend of mediocrity in designer releases lately, sadly Bad doesn't do that. Instead it is a mildly noxious cocktail of the good the BAD and the en vogue. I have to say it has that modern feel of an Invictus, single handedly trying to be everything to everyone a bit of freshness here, some aquatic masculinity there and shades of thick clunky oriental all around. The only two things that stand out are a kind of amber scent, with lavender and sage vibe with some darker tones of tobacco. There's critically no caviar but there is that bit of calone or aquaticness which could nod towards it I suppose? However, in my view has no business being mixed with tobacco. It all just messy and I can see why there's comparisons to Just Cavalli which is similar but perhaps a bit better? I'm not a fan of this and although it's perfectly okay fragrance It's not for me and is just too mainstream for my tastes. I will wear the samples I have and I have any further thoughts I will add them, can't see my mind changing though.
This was very nice in many ways, a spicy yet clean scent with the right amount of depth but still incredibly accessible and crowd pleasing. I think due to the relative boldness of Icon Absolute I was expecting this to be even more luxurious and some how even louder but it isn't. Reserve is the key to this and it plays it's hand well. The opening is mysterious, clean masculine woods very subtle, vetiver and some peppery spice with a smooth cardamom vibe. It's very much a raw stripped back L'Nuit de Homme and definitely more in the vein of the original Icon. It dries down to a heart of deep and satisfying woods (which is apparently ebony) and it's really lovely there's also a creamy sandalwood at the base. So all in all a decent fragrance, well it's not without it's issues. The facts are this scent is very subtle, the quietest so far in the Icon line and longevity was not great. However, I have only worn once and I really didn't spray much at all, so I could be being unfair to Icon Elite. I really need to try this fragrance again because I definitely liked it, wouldn't go as far as to say I enjoyed it but I'd definitely give it another go. Update: Having given this another go I have to say it really resembles Paco Rabanne XS or Creed Himalaya but crucially with a more amped and soapier focus on cardamom. This is the heart of the fragrance but there's hints throughout at a softer drydown, which last time revealed that exotic wood and santal vibe I liked let's hope it does the same now I'm wearing a proper application. I have to say this is a pleasant masculine scent which I have a soft spot for because of the assoiation with Paco XS, a scent from the 90's I'm coming to realize, I really miss. Good but not great, more palatable to my nose than the other versions, although I'm okay with them too.
