This goes against nearly every instinct I have but when you like a fragrance...you just like it. This is the first I've tried from this collection and the first from the house for that matter and I'm oddly impressed. This is perfectly described here (as not many are) as a Floral woody musk for me the emphasis is on musk in the opening it's strong but not overpowering and just sour enough to be interesting. Then the bouquet of assorted florals peeps it's head out, not that I can tell specifically but apparently freesia, ylang ylang and violet leaf. I'll go with that, I can definitely get a bit of the violet leaf actually and these are florals I can live with. Then there'e the base and I can't say I can detect oud but there's something there which is woody and grounding this entire scent. My first fear was that this would be too feminine but I'd actually say it leans toward the butch side of unisex. The musk and woods actually conspire to make this a very fresh but manly scent, I really do. Oh and before I forget, The first time I tried this fragrance on my hand, I didn't get any spice but upon actually wearing it the very opening, W11 does indeed have a spicy pimento note. It seems to dissipate quickly but perhaps it lingers and combines with the musk to create this very manly, Greco-Roman wrestler vibe I get from this scent. The more it dries down and the florals calm down the more I like it, I can't think of what it smells like but this is by no means original. In fact has a very old skool feeling to it like a stripped back Quorum or less animal Kouros...I just can't place it. I like it...and I'm really surprised because I had some preconceived Ideas about these scents. Longevity is okay and you can tell it's quality stuff but could do with a little more of the umph from the dry down in that flowery opening. Update; Scratch that 'Longevity is OK...' nonsense...Longevity is legendary on this. The scent stops projecting and dies down but doesn't disappear for a very very long time. The drydown is clean but still slightly animal...I really really like this perfume...who'da thunk it?
hmmmm...Not my bag I'm afraid. I knew nothing about this fragrance or house for that matter before I tried this. I had a sneaking suspicion from the juice and it's thick amber hue that it might be something heavy, and I wasn't wrong. This is a dark patchouli fragrance which is moody and dense in the opening, slightly burned and rubbery. Then a huge dose of positive cacao, not patchouli masquerading as chocolate but the definite and deliberate attempt to make this fragrance a gourmand. In fact as it dries down and settles the cacao is the main player with one added kicker...an animalic quality which is potent and raw in the opening but again settling to a bassline hum far too quickly. Three distinct notes which in perfumery terms are actually very complimentary and for those who enjoy this sort of thing Bond T is probably a really good fragrance. However, on the flip of that patchouli lovers maybe alienated by the chocolatey feel and castoreum lovers will likely crave more power. I don't know if it's my changing tastes after sampling so many niche fragrances that have a patchouli base but there's something here. Still I wouldn't wear this and after a strong start projecting heavily, Bond T has petered out pretty quickly.
Let's get this straight, I think comparisons to lesser tonka bean fragrances are wrong because the designer, warm, vanillin base which serves as tonka beans is just not that accurate. Guerlain Ideal is a prime example of this...don't be fooled Dior have a quality scent here, yet again. Feve Delicieuse is high quality both in terms of the tonka element and the vanilla opening up very sweet and I think possibly excluding those of us who don't have a sweet tooth and are not really gourmand fans. Luckily, as it happens I am... and I absolutely loved this fragrance from the first sniff. I had perfume on at the time and subsequently got my girlfriend to put it on her skin and see how it went. Well chemistry does matter but really not that much in my opinion, so I interpret the smell on her to be what it would be on me. I get a very warm, boozy, caramelized praline smell which is reminiscent of Amaretto, strange though because there's no almond just an effect coming from the tonka beans with a wonderful blend of that Guerlain double vanilla essence and a hint of cooca. My girlfriend really didn't like this BTW it was far too sweet for her and I can see why although I thought she would begin to like it as it mellowed and dried down...but no ...still too sweet. I'm pretty sold on this fragrance but I will need further testing to reach a conclusion...is it worth £165 for 125ml? That is in the eye of the beholder but it's certainly up there with top gourmands I've tried. Update: Having worn this a couple of times now I can safely say the quality and performance are right up there. I've had a shower since yesterday and I can still faintly smell some vanilla goodness on my skin. As far as a sweet gourmand goes this is easily one of the best, It's reminiscent of that 'custard' vibe I get from the Guerlain L'Art et la Matiere line but this is even better performing generally.
When the moon is in the seventh house... and Jupiter aligns with Mars... ...Anyway yeah! Age of Aquarius is a curious perfume opening with a very fresh, sweet, exotic floral accord. Truly all I really get from this is citrus, loads of orchid (which is really nice) and a light musk. The whole thing has a freshness and lush green notes. The drydown is woody but still with the flare of that orchid note and not what I would consider a traditionally mossy note but it could be there as that bright bouquet is tempered somehow? I like it...it's okay. One reservation is that the opening is slightly more on the feminine side, however does dry down to just a clean unisex scent. I would wear it but I suspect many men wouldn't. It's definitely an uplifting experience and another positive for Tokyo Milk which are turning out to be a very good collection. Let the sunshine in!
I hadn't come across this brand before so thought I'd take a punt on this fragrance. It's an interesting one, goes on very subtle and sweet with masses vanilla masking a woody undertone. This is similar to a fragrance I tried from Tokyo Milk recently, in that it's woods under vanilla not that this really pulls it off to well. I say that because it kinda doesn't sit right for the first couple of hours, it has changed by now though and I'm actually getting at what the fragrance probably intended in the first place. I was racking my brain I knew it smelled familiar but I just couldn't place it. Finally I got it!!! This is a much more subdued and slightly confused Chergui. There's a rich honey in the dry down that only rears it's head after an hour or so on my skin. A few hours in and timid vanilla scent, slightly resinous amber which is close to the skin but I do occasionally catch a whiff of myself and it's pretty pleasant. Perhaps I'm being a little hard on Old Bourbon's performance because I'm quite congested today? It's not a bad fragrance and I should really enjoy the fact that this perfume has a toned down honey note (not my favourite smell) and I kinda do. However the fragrance lover in me just wants to say "Get Serge Lutens Chergui because it's much ballsier and better performing!" and that's the truth really. Update: In hindsight this actually performs very well, I can still smell it vaguely after 12 + hours I think that's more from my clothes than my skin but still. Not bad. Update 05/11/21 : I love reading back reviews and thinking how wrong I was! haha. Elements of the above review are actually spot on the money, certainly the reference to Chergui but that's only part of the tale and I guess that's why I feel compelled to share further thoughts here. So the phases are coconut dipped in chocolate, (for all my UK peeps a red Bounty bar) which is very benzoin atypical, but the coconut is not cheap, it's big chunky, realistic, fresh, squeaky flesh. Then it's mildly floral, amber-ish, vanilla, then the honied effect of Chergui, perhaps a little coumarin but way less hay than a chergui. I think it's actually a great fragrance on balance, and a vanilla (ish) perfume I actually quite enjoyed wearing.
Well finally I got my nose on this new scent from Amouage. First sniff and it transported me back to my childhood and some kind of sweets (candy) I used to enjoy. Not even that maybe just the smell in the sweetshop? I'm not sure, I've had this effect a couple of times in the past 2 weeks or so, trying fragrances. I think it's amazing how your mind stores all this subliminal, unconscious information only to be accessed years later by an olfctory trigger. Anyway enough about that... Sunshine opens with... a ray of sunshine! A very sweet and wonderfully bright, intense smell of fruits and candied florals trying to pick out notes in this is difficult. There's certainly vanilla and tonka bean which actually work well with the obvious main player in this fragrance, Lavender...although I think the Immortelle could be adding some of that familiar quality in the opening. Okay so the lavender is strong and perhaps over stepping it's bounds by upsetting fans of the house by just being far too linear and not challenging the senses, something which Amouage have done with most of the line. When I say it's strong it's not in the way lavender oil or L'occitane is but rather a much more likable interpretation, this is the kind of lavender I could happily wear all day and not get annoyed by. That same lavender that is soothing and calming rather than sneezy and overpowering. The fact it does last all day is another reason why I think this Amouage is better than the likes of Caron un Homme which has the same vanilla base but doesn't last on me. So when all is said and done this is an enjoyable fragrance and has me enjoying lavender in the same way Dior's Eau Noire does but in a completely different sense. In fact these two are polar opposites, one dark and this being quite literally a ray of Sunshine. I don't see it as being on par with other creations from Amouage but it doesn't jar, it's still in keeping with the brand just not to my taste. I'd say if you're in the market for a high quality, easy going, long lasting lavender fragrance and you're prepared to part with the cash, then go for it.
Stop the hate! It's kitsch...well ultra kitsch to be fair. Hey it's not big or clever, just mildly amusing. The scent itself is actually quite nice. A very inoffensive, citrus, aquatic type perfume which allowed to dry down actually becomes more floral. In the similar way the last release 'Toy' was in offensive and above all, not cheap smelling so is Fresh Couture. Don't get me wrong the fact I'm defending it illustrates that I'm on board with the concept but I will say this. I was almost railroaded into buying because the SA knows I bought the Teddy bear last time and pretty much I'm a sucker...and she saw me coming. The way I viewed it was as a daft item for my collection and the kind of scent I wouldn't normally be incentivised to buy, so it serves the purpose of giving me a fresh light summer scent I wouldn't of otherwise had to wear when that time of year rolls around again. Oh and the bottle is much cooler when you see it in person a picture might not do it justice.
A little bit of a strange milky musk in the opening which is soon tamed and tethered to the ground with quite deep woody tones. Considering this series is called dark and the striking names and images on the bottles, The two I've tried have been very soft affairs. I like this juxtaposition of the creamy tonka or vanilla/ coconut smell with the density of ebony and cedar. The combination actually conspires to make a good perfume. The way this dries down is lovely, really mellow and actually is reminiscent of the smell in a friends house as a child. Strange how your olfactory system can trigger random memories you would have never known were there or thought of other wise. Certainly a likable fragrance and also reminds me of a couple of scents from the house of ODIN. What my reviews boil down to are 'Would I wear this fragrance?' and the answer will have to be a resounding 'yes...I would.' Nothing else in my wardrobe like this so it might even make it onto the want list. Longevity is average and stays very cozy and close to the skin but that suits this scent.
If this scent smelled of anything it would be extremely high quality. Gentile is a ridiculously opulent piece of work but at the same time very simple, stripped back and Italian in it's essence. The opening is very green indeed but still with a thickness and touch of warmth backing it. Despite not being listed I think there's a hint of resin in there like a galbanum or olibanum, labdanum just very, very subtly bringing it all together. It's mainly the geranium and vetiver in this scent which are the back bone and hints of metallic basil and herbal/floral tones chime perfectly around that strong base. It definitely has a masculine Italian feel about it and reminds me of several Italian houses. I audibly sighed with pure satisfaction when I first got a whiff of this but after a few minutes started to question if It would be something I'd wear. However, in the dry down I think I was convinced that I would wear this for sure. It settles down very nicely and nestles into my skin getting a touch dirtier. I really like this one, it's a perfectstart to my exploration of this house. Longevity and projection were good although it sits quite close quite soon but I can live with that. Update: Longevity is very good on this one and I have to say any doubts I had about it subsided the longer the dry down went on. Thoroughly love this perfume and will no doubt be going on my want list.
I can't wait to get my nose on this.Comme des Garçon are brilliant and the notes look like my wet dream. Seriously everything in here is my favourite...Labdanum, plum, sandalwood, incense, pink pepper...I've gotta have this...I just hope it's not awful.
My oh my! This is stunning. I had a feeling I might like it but wow...I'm blown away by it. Started out beautifully enough with a strong plum note which even my girlfriend identified (I'm finally rubbing off on her...not a euphemism..) it's like aspects of my favourite perfumes rolled into one, then released by one of my favourite houses. Floriantal is a perfect storm if you like and it had to happen sooner or later. I'm giddy with excitement about this perfume...anyway as I was saying that lush plummy opening is mixed with the sweet spice of pink pepper and incense. I was thinking if this just has an Ambery warm dry down it will be great...but it's better than that folks. Now that this has dried down its pure Labdanum/myrrh and high quality sandalwood it smells very much like Aramani Myrrhe imperial...seriously. What a transition though because as great and incensy as the opening is I didn't think it would end up here? It's like a two (or more) for one! Really this is not just mindless hyperbole....I adore this fragrance!!!!! All this is a fragrance called floriental and it has almost nothing to do with flowers!!! Well actually no, the heart and top notes do have an exotic floral essence in there and this reimagining of a flower (reminiscent of some kind of blossom like plum Japonais) actually works really well. I'm going to say it...masterpiece. Pure and simple...I'm fairly easily pleased but don't take anything away from the high praise I'm giving this fragrance because it deserves it. It doesn't quite have the devestating power of Blue Santal but even has a little bit of the same feel throughout and performance is excellent...truly excellent. Please do yourselves a favour an check out this fragrance it's an ultra modern surprise package which I am more than happy with....as you can probably tell.
If ever a scent had an appropriate name it's this one, neither an Amber nor a woody fragrance...wait so maybe it's a totally inappropriate name then??? I'm confused... What I'm getting at is if you are expecting an amber or precious wood based fragrance then you maybe disappointed because this could be conceived as missing both marks. I bought this one because I really liked it and it was cheap but frankly had it been more expensive I may not have done. It has an aloofness in the opening, then warms up with resinous beauty to a pretty dirty spiced amber, I found it very appealing. This backs off slightly in the base and the rest of the fragrances progression is a spicy sandalwood and birch smoke. I'd say the major base component of Amber Wood is sandalwood but it's not the best quality (understandably)and not really that dense creamy wood but very subdued, after the more resinous notes die down. This is excellent value and I can't argue with that, the performance is okay but sits close, again which is fine. Not as much wow factor as the 2 Ouds or the Leather but a solid outing I feel and actually something which fits into my wardrobe nicely. It's a quality fragrance which isn't too loud and can be worn casually, while conserving a niche amber or woody fragrance for special occasions. Amber Wood gets the thumbs up from me.
I could've sworn I'd reviewed this one already...oh well. I'm wearing it today and I have to say this is exactly my kind of scent. It's a resinous, warm but slightly dirty perfume which definitely embodies the heavy tones of amber/booze/tobacco vibe which is both sweet and sour. Sticky prune in the top as it settles a bit. There's a definite earthy, vegetable vibe from the angelica root and patchouli but perfectly balanced with the rich labnanum and general balsamic feel of Les Jeux sont Faits as a whole. All in all, a well balanced scent which is a nice blend of notes. Personally I felt the performance let it down slightly and not because I was expecting a longevity and projection beast more because a heavy scent like this deserves to shine. I must say I like Jovoy's own creations they definitely have something about them, without setting the world alight.
Okay so this line is impressive however you stack it up. For the Oud/Rose lover this has to be a worth while fragrance to check out because despite lacking the depth and intensity of some, it delivers the basics in a very concise way. The opening rose starts out very jammy and sweet, very intoxicating for the first few minutes. Then it starts to settle and become darker, less sweet with the oud becoming more prominent. Rose Oud is reminscent of countless others but I would definitely say more on the side of rose. This makes it not really a fragrance for me, it's straight up floral and straight up wood which despite intensity progression in terms of smell is quite linear. What I mean is that despite drying down to a very warm, gorgeous, cozy light rose and woods it takes several Rose dominated hours to get there and I'm not sure I want that. I like a bit of patchouli or creamy sweetness even vanilla with my rose just to lift it. I prefer the Noir de Noir or Rose d'Arabie's of this world, that sort of thing. This is more one for a true rose lover, actually darker than I expected with a growing synthetic oud note. Yeah other than lacking a little bit of quality compared to high end stuff this scent is very, very impressive for £22. The longevity & projection was very good, beastly even at first but then fading and not matching the calibre of Montale, Mancera etc... But really not far off and what do you expect? Great value and really worth checking out if you want an Oud/Rose combo on a budget.
Oh lordy this is nice! The opening is such a powdery, musky, amber which is so smooth and warm it really does envelop the senses telling you that this is a real special piece of work. PA has a wonderfully natural amber and not an overly musky ambrette accord because as it settles down it becomes all about precious woods. I'm pretty sure I detect oud in here but nothing like the Indonesian Oud in the same Zegna collection, this is a smooth subtle wood. That combination of lightly spicy cashmere and darker Guaiac wood give Peruvian Ambrette a sublime drydown quite like a creamy sandalwood vibe, not dissimilar to Armani Prive Oud Royal. So....a stunning woody scent to add to an already excellent line from Zegna. Truly, these fragrances cover every olfactory angle and do so with a simplicity and remarkable clarity. I think £108 (although still expensive) is quite good value for 125ml's of impressive fragrance. Longevity and performance are good but it's not the strongest juice in the world the drydown stayed close to my skin giving me a warm, woodsy glow. I love this...Will definitely consider adding it to my collection.
Wore this one last night and it's a solid outing from Robert Piguet. The opening is turbulent and floral to me, no idea what I'm smelling here maybe the lilly/rose/orris? Whatever it is, it immediately airs on the feminine side for me...I made the mistake of buying Visa on a whim and regretted it having to give it to my partner. That's not to say Alameda isn't unisex because all the while there's a sense of dense base notes surrounding the florals. This density and sticky, balmy, sweetness is coming from a (getting ever stronger) amber accord, which is slightly dry and dusty. When coupled with the patchouli comes off dirty yet creamy and makes for an enjoyable scent. Not my bag this one though, something too grown up and feminine for my tastes, strange really because it's basically just a very good oriental amber fragrance of which I have plenty. Just something about tipping it over into the realms of the unwearable. Silage and Longevity were average.
I like to try to maintain a healthy relationship with local sales assistants and in this instance By the fireplace made them feel a compulsion to beckon me over excited to show me what it had to offer. I think it could be because they thought I'd be impressed by the concept, instead I'm a little uninspired by 'Smokey vibes' only because it seems to be quite a fashionable thing at the moment. By the fireplace opens with a smokey woody flavour and instant sweetness. It is a very nutty smell, very much a roasting chestnut vibe but not as accurate and therefore not as enjoyable. There's a cocoa hint in there too and maybe a little maple syrup with a touch of the earthy too? I like it don't get me wrong and for a moment in the opening thought it could tip into that molasses or BBQ sauce type thing of something more savoury I smelled recently and the name escapes me. (Imaginary authors perhaps?) Anyway..by the fireplace stays with the sweetness as the smoke dies down and dries down to an interesting tonka bean/woods sort of thing. I hated to disappoint the SA's who thought this would be right up my street, and it is but maybe my tatses have evolved past it? Maybe I have to many smokey perfumes and I'm looking for something a bit different? Jury is out yet again but I will be trying it again and it's certainly worth a sniff because there is individuality there. For someone who likes the juxtapostion of sweetness with woody, smokey notes. Performance was okay smokiness lasts well into the drydown and projects quite well first hour or two but inevitably becomes a skin scent fairly quick on me. Update: I wore this again the other day and it's sometime after my first experience with it. I have to say I feel exactly the same about it. Interesting themes and hints in the smokey opening but then slightly uninspiring tonka drydown but I still like By the fireplace overall. A notable comment is that I thought the performance was much better than I had remembered, a decent days worth was achieved.
Who'd of thunk it huh? That I would love a composition based around Rose and honey? But I do!!! Don't get me wrong I kinda like both in their own way ...but together? I was dreading it. I needn't of worried as It was in the safe hands of Guerlain and Francis Kurkdjian. (Having said that FK did make the horrendous pour Le soir using too much bee produce but that's a personal taste thing.) Rose barbare is just that then, mainly a very beautiful, semi dark rose and boozy but not over powering with a perfect balance of honey. A hint of patchouli just to ground it in a thicker, earthy vibe as it dries down but again in total moderation. The opening I perceived as quite feminine, not dated but something a more mature lady might wear perhaps? When I say this don't think I'm excluding men from this experience because RB is a very strong and bold perfume which could easily be perceived in quite the opposite way. In fact the dry down on me is very woody and sensual and almost masculine. Good, classy stuff yet again.
Smells to me as if the bubblegum note wasn't present this would be a half decent fragrance. Sadly it's the dominance of this synthetic, sickly element & lack of finesse in the other notes which makes EaB a disappointment. I do smell a kind of faint frankincense vibe and something which smells like a couple of the CdG incense series in the opening then it goes downhill rapidly. I've toyed with the idea of a bubblegum smell and frankly I just don't want to smell like that. Lots of other fragrances achieve this effect by mistake (I imagine?) rather than actually embracing it the way this does. This is even more annoying than James Heeley Bubblegum chic which is at least powerful, a blessing in disguise that EaB doesn't last all that long. You have to take your hat off to Etat Libre d'Orange for thinking outside the box. It's just sometimes what's IN the box will do just fine. They've out quirked their own quirkiness threshold for me this time.
This was my first review (written ages ago but not posted for some reason??) of Roja Dove and Aoud was good but having tried the range I'm somewhat a fan of these fragrances. Well, well, well Roja Dove fragrances! Hyped and bashed in equal measure. I'm going to try to get to the bottom of this and hopefully bring some clarity to proceedings. I've only tried two from this exclusive line and Aoud was the first one. The reason I didn't hurriedly put pen to paper (or finger to iPhone) to document the momentous occasion will become apparent. The sample vile looked extremely inviting, containing a thick, oily, dark, dark amber goop. As soon as I tried it on my skin I got a smoky ploom of woody Oud reminiscent of fragrances from countless houses but Zerjoff sprung to mind due to a distinct 'diesel' quality. This is backed with hints of resins and tiny florals peeking through. It's nice...very nice. I made the mistake of thinking that Aoud was a lovely thing which oozed quality but was linear and somehow lacking in depth other than the great Oud and labdanum. It's only now that I've tried it a couple of times that I can appreciate the subtle complexities, which almost makes me want to rethink and revisit several fragrances, to see if I change my mind on them. As I said I tried RD Aoud a few weeks ago now and haven't thought a great deal about it since, until I got it out for my girlfriend to try. She loves strong orientals, Ouds as well as quite feminine florals so she's pretty well rounded. I should maybe have given her no prior knowledge about the fragrance but I decided to give her a quick bio of Dove and the price of this juice. Her reaction was wild! She absolutely couldn't get enough of this scent. I bore/bombard her with allsorts of fragrances on a pretty much daily basis and normally reactions are fairly blasé but this provoked a BIG response. I then did something I never do, post trying a fragrance myself. I proceeded to look at other reviewers on YouTube etc...just to see what the buzz was. I came across one guy who seemed very balanced and knowledgable about perfume and the process of perfumery in general, who was offering up his opinions. Have to say his description 'Stale Newport cigarette's and the cheapest feminine drugstore perfume.' I just don't get? To say that this fragrance gives NO hints as to the quality of ingredients used, shows a fundamental lack of understanding about perfume. Whatever you think of the composition or what your tastes might be you have to give credit where it's due. I did appreciate his point about the use of 'finest ingredients' and what people mean by that and 'Can you smell it?' I thought he was missing a trick slightly assuming that people think 'fine quality ingredients' mean 'naturals' then going on to make the point that Amouage readily use synthetics. Well the truth is, majority of houses do regardless of price and I think it's a bit patronising to assume that other frag heads don't know this. when I say something smells 'synthetic' I don't mean it in the literal sense, same with 'cheap' or whatever? It's difficult to explain and for another time perhaps? The point is Roja Dove Aoud is a very opulent and strong scent which delivers what I expected. Anyone who is looking for the holy grail of fragrances will probably be a little disappointed because high price and exclusivity don't guarantee anything. Aoud is very, very good...even great for me. It's by no means that original or groundbreaking and if you think it's worth the money then good for you, there's a ton of fragrances to get before this one would figure on my list....but eventually I think it would. Great projection at first, great longevity as you would expect.
Love at first sniff!!! What a fragrance!!! I feel a bit vulgar trying to break it down but here goes. There's definitely patchouli in here and that might account for the chocolatey vibe. I also get a cocktail of sweet balmy incense elements of ladnaum, Myrrhe, opoponax just about everything I love. The Oud is present but not that prominent at first but comes on stronger and stronger in the drydown which is sublime. It's an interesting mixture of Carner cuirs, jubilation 25, black Afgano, Duro, Myrrhe imperial, bois noir but with the patchouli of Hindu grass. This fragrance might even surpass some of my alltime favourites, Pardon is quite simply a revelation, brilliant and something I would wear in a heartbeat. Despite vague similarities across the board, the more you discover about perfume the more you refine 'exactly' what it is that you're into. Pardon delivers it...what it can't do is recapture the enthusiasm or the sense of discovery the first time I smelled certain types of perfume but it has a damn good try. By some strange miracle Pardon is not that strong...yes you heard me right. Of course it's strong, it's a Nasomato perfume for gods sake but in my experience this is not as strong as Black Afgano or Duro. A top top fragrance no doubt and has that signature Nasomatto thing about it.
Immediately to my nose it's a bright start quite crowd pleasing, certainly I liked it! The odd mixture of elements which is a signature of this houses slightly wacky but innovative creations. That juxtaposition of slightly green, almost aldehydic opening which settled to a kind of vetiver but with a developing vanilla behind, shouldn't work but just does. The first thing I noticed as it settled was the resinous nature and real quality at that, myrrh and opoponax creating a hint of a medicinal vibe but then mixing well with a creamy and nutty gourmand element. I'd describe the top notes as 'foreground' because just as you've zoomed into the heart of the picture, the main theme of resinous vanilla, it forces you to step back slightly and reveals something sharper (nearly metallic) green and fresher from the beginning. Sure it's a bit weird (didn't you expect that?) but very interesting as it develops. This like many Etat Libre d'Orange fragrances just works! Fat electrician is to me yet more three dimensional perfume very well executed. Much like some of their others I've given a rave review but I'm still unsure whether I'd want to wear them on a regular basis...such an odd thing...the focus being a chaotic nature which is obviously a huge contradiction...that's Etat Libre d'Orange for me. I appreciate the artistry but could I live with it? Possibly not.
Being one who's late to the party when it comes to certain Hermes fragrances, I'm unaware of the joys of the original formulation for many of these creations. I'm having to settle for apparently pale modern approximations which sometimes don't even capture the essence of the original. Well...these originals must have been something very special indeed because I love Bel Ami, Equipage and Rocabar in their newer guises! Rocabar is a complex nutty, woody scent which is entirely manly but soft around the edges at the same time. The blending is supreme to the point where it becomes more of a singular experience rather than a journey through notes. I'd say you pretty much get a linear but rich scent from start to finish and for me that is the sign of a real classic fragrance. Cypress and cedar are noticeable floating on a resinous base with a classical spicy puff of carnation. I absolutely love this fragrance, superbly wearable and with a touch of class but nothing showy, performance was okay... Great stuff.
I echo many of the sentiments expressed below about this fragrance and Marly in general. They are all pretty excellent fragrances minus a couple just for taste reasons but like any house they do have a style and it seems to tend towards the warm and oriental. I found myself stuck between this, Oajan and Herod (eventually opting for Oajan) because they were all very good. I suspect like with Oajan secrets and extra nuances will be released on further inspection I've no doubt but even without that insight, I instantly fell for Kuhuyan. Helitrope and I don't really get on but this is a delightful blend of an almond/vanillin/suede and woods...probably the best way to describe it. The heart notes are pleasantly floral and slightly powdery violet and base is tonka and warm amber and again...probably oud? This is a true composition with nothing over stepping it's bounds and actually making for quite a tame fragrance. These elements don't spring to mind as being my favourite but undoubtedly work together. Quality is good, longevity is a bit lacking but I'd definitely like to try it again.
Apart from childishly giggling at the name, this fragrance has a lot to offer. I tried it in Fortnum & Mason and was impressed by this juice. A curious blend of woody notes which opens with a blast of lime citrus and pink pepper then a masculine body of cedar, guaic wood and vetiver. I've no doubt there's oud in there but I'd call this more of a blend of complex woods rather than a straight forward oud based scent. This is a lovely blend of notes to create a very wearable scent which without blowing me away was clearly of good quality and lasted well on my skin. I'd love to get hold of a sample and wear this again properly because I'm sure it would grow on me and go from a like to a love.
