Either my original review has been thumbs downed out of all recognition (If that's possible?) or I just imagined writing it. In any case Nasomatto Absinth has peaked my interest once more so here's what I think. Opens strangely, quite subtle and understated but then hints of an earthier, dirtier patchouli type of a vibe comes into play. It doesn't smell 'like' patchouli but that herbal, green slightly grubby smell. The absinthe element is distinctly lacking if I'm honest, I do get it a hint in there of something a bit aniseedy and at times a bit like licorice. It's an interesting outing from Nasomatto I wore it to bed last night and found it struck up the right balance to be calming and natural. I like this but prefer L'Artisan's Fou d'Absinthe to get my fix of wormwood. Also compared to Duro (which I have) and other Nasomatto's I've tried like Hindu grass, Absinthe didn't seem to last as well for an extrait de parfum. You certainly get a good few hours from it but they're usually so enduring it was a bit of a disappointment.
I've Kinda warmed to 4160 Tuesday's after being very cynical at first about the name of the house and some of the creations. Well...actually...the quirk factor has drawn me in to try more and what other place to start than sunshine and pancakes. This to me opens with a very strong lime zest and curry smell similar to some caraway or cumin? I'm so surprised that those notes are not listed because they are so apparent, positively pungent in the opening. This bizarre to me. I don't know about pancakes but S&P reminded me straight away of LIME PICKLE! That's right the condiment you get in curry houses with your poppadoms! As it dries down it becomes less invasive and quite close to the skin retaining some citrus but not impressive enough at this price point. Just to give some insight into my reviews I write them in lots of different ways. This one was one I wrote in draft form a while back and then re-wrote now. I sometimes write a review over time after sampling heavily, sometimes I don't need to. Sunshine and pancakes is so out of wack I think I need to resample it incase there's been some huge mistake.
Before anyone kicks off...I did the note votes and yes I have tried this fragrance. I have to say Chelsea is insanely high quality juice you can tell from the moment you apply it that it is industrially strong. As such the opening is a mental mixture of dense woods, the first of which is Oud and it hits you straight away. Baring in mind I had no idea what to expect or what any of the notes were going to be and oud and vetiver became instantly apparent. Such an unusual combo along with a little citrus spices of cardamom and resinous ambery vibes Chelsea is nothing short of exquisite. Opens quite harshly and remains that way for a couple of hours or so, then becomes more gentle and addictive in the heart then deep into the dry down it's warm & woody. Longevity and projection are epic. Despite the praise this still isn't quite my cup o tea but I would definitely wear it. The quality is undeniable and it was an olfactory experience I will not forget in a hurry. Perfume lovers you need to try this!
Xerjoff have disappointed me time and time again with their repertoire but something about this one with it's strong opening told me things were going to be different. Modoc comes straight out with a sweet woody opening which is nothing short of beautiful. Iris and vanilla create almost like a very soft leather I was thinking at first. The powdery Iris accord is massive in this fragrance and coupled with vanilla becomes turbo charged in it's creamy sweetness. Almost to the point of turkish delight...even a hint of rose in there perhaps? This is tempered by woods & musky hints as it settles down though. To be honest it's a little much in terms of powder but I can't help but be intrigued by Modoc. This is my third time sampling it before reviewing and the previous outings just served to confuse me. When it dries down however it looses it's charm those opening few seconds promised so much but sadly Modoc doesn't deliver.
Not much to dislike about this one at all and very different from the original TdH to my nose, which is a good thing. That's not to say I dislike TdH, far from it in fact but it's just good to see a flanker which goes in a moderately different direction. The path doesn't deviate that far and it's a good scent and definitely wearable but nothing to warrant too much excitement. Clean sharp opening citrus which is a lemony/grapefruit type vibe to me. There's cedar coming through too and an aquatic note which is very well handled, not overly salty or synthetic smelling. The citrus gets decidedly more orangey as it dries down but it's not sweet mandarin type orange nor is it as bitter an orange as the original. The dry down is a clean woody cedar which works well and last okay on my skin. Personally I prefer Terre de Hermes mixture of interesting dryness, vetiver and bitter orange to this one. Eau Tres Fraiche is a quality citrus and a solid outing from Hermes nonetheless.
I'm excited can't wait to try this.
L man is an overwhelming pepper + citrus opening which is dominated by petitgrain. Something about the whole vibe, the whole delivery (if you like) is sharp but complex and somehow even oily. It's a strange combination of notes in here but I think coming together as a fragrance it works. Then dries down to a Oud and earthy but clean vetiver like, woody, diesel, petrolly smoke vibe of something from Xerjoff. 8 + hours later and I can still smell L, it has developed very nicely and is now nestled deep into my skin and I have to say its impressive in one respect but so it should be from CC. I can't say I've ever smelled anything similar before, it's a worthy addition to the line it's nothing too fancy that it can't be worn on a regular basis.
Cuir canage Well I was really anticipating trying this fragrance I'd actually walked past the Dior counter several times since this has been out but didn't try it. Finally got around to it and hadn't actually read the note breakdown beforehand. All I knew was... 1) This is a boutique Dior and as such is probably great. and... 2) That 'Cuir' means leather which makes me automatically very curious . Anyway 1) I was right there, this is a classy and well put together fragrance to add to the rest of this collection. 2) The leather note is well executed and softer than is anticipated. I was expecting the slap in the face of strength like leather Oud but it didn't come. The opening is a mixture of leather and powdery iris which I was taken with in the beginning, That leather note seemed sweeter and more appealing. As Cuir canage dries down it becomes increasingly more floral and the waxy white and yellow floral accord comes on strong. I seriously didn't detect any neroli in the opening but around 10 mins later it was growing and growing. It's clever though because it has the sweetness of jasmine the clean waxy strength of neroli and the signature of ylang ylang. The leather element is softer now after several hours (about 7) but still distinctively present and reminiscent (is spirit) of something like Midnight In Paris. Personally, I'm not sure I like leather and white florals in combination but I can't deny it's very well balanced in this composition and I can understand how many would like this fragrant offering. Truly a blend of the masculine and feminine and remains complex for hours. Quality is superb, longevity is excellent and has good sillage and projection but I'm not feeling it because of those florals which are a bit sour for me to the point where I wouldn't wear it. I've enjoyed the experience of wearing it this one time though.
Can't be bothered scrolling down to find my original review of this, but upon it's release I found it a kind of sickening, mangled waxy floral, leather with that Cuir 174500 base (Knize etc) but far less palatable. Now unless the formula I've just sampled again recently is significantly different to when it came out, I friggin' love Cuir Cannage!!! And paradoxically I would change a thing about my description above! It is a knize,waxy floral with a fruity, sugary, nectar sweetness in the opening, drying down to a very traditional, powdery floral musk and leather flesh. I think it's hindsight, knowing that Demachy didn't really make anything of note after this point, or it could be my taste (most probable) or it could be that reformulation thing, I remember it being harsh and, unforgiving. lumpy. It's none of those things, I enjoy it. Shame it's discontinued but the friend who's bottle I tried might be selling it, so could still be on the cards yet.
Honestly I'm in two minds about this new Opus. On the one hand I'm not the biggest fan of white florals and the Opus range in general are hit n miss with me. Opus VIII for me has enough spicing, woodiness and incense to give it Amouageness and a completely different feel from your average white floral. It has an undeniably upscale and complex feel to it. Jasmine is sweet and orange blossom and ylang ylang can be great when sparingly used and thankfully that's the case here. The opening is nice it dries down to a nice scent and thankfully there's enough going on with the balancing act of elements to make this a decent fragrance. I really would like a sample of this as I have samples of all the other Opus scents (which I could do with revisiting)Given a proper wear I think I could grow to like Opus VIII one more, it is quite floral and could be perceived as a little feminine perhaps? The main thing that detracted from it was the fact I tried Journey Man on the same day and that dwarfed this scent. Considering Journey is pretty unstated too that doesn't say a lot for VIII but as I've mentioned I think it might be a grower, it's certainly safer than VII which was Amouage spice madness!!! Needs revisiting for sure but nothing repulsed me.
@SDavis93 & @PaulDJ there is a EDP version of 'The One' but prepare to be disappointed, it's not much better than the EDT for Longevity and projection. I like Bleu it's a nice fragrance, I'm not a massive fan but I can see why it's considered as a modern classic. I Don't know how much different this is going to be?...maybe a little tweak here n there and truly make it stronger, I'll be convinced to get it. I will be disappointed if it's not much different to the EDT because otherwise why bother Chanel??? Oh yeah MONEY!
Well...I finally got around to trying it and first impressions are that this eau de parfum version is vastly different from the original to my nose. That was my first impression from the opening and then it was validated when I got home and tried both EDT & EDP together. I have to say I'm not the biggest advocate of Bleu anyway, it's alright a perfectly good fragrance, complex well executed just never bleu me away! (Sorry I had to!) This EDP then...? Well it starts out thicker, denser whatever you want to call it but it's everything I would expect a parfum version to be, in simple terms an amped up version of the original. The unfortunate thing here is that it's to Bleu's detriment in my opinion. It's not in question that the projection and longevity are miles better than the original but at the cost of subtlety and elegance. This version starts out uncompromisingly spicy, which comes across as a big combination of ginger, nutmeg & mint but somehow strongly of cardamom too. I know it's not listed among the notes but that's how it comes out to me. The ginger and mint are larger than life much more so than the EDT. The drydown is long lasting, and I have to say okay when settled but possess less subtlety and freshness and dare I say it seems a little cheap and reminiscent of lots of other recent releases in that regard. I should love this...in theory it is just what I like strong spices and a deep base, great longevity etc...but I much prefer the EDT...a fragrance I'm indifferent about. My appraisal is that the original is lighter, brighter and more nuanced despite lacking the obvious strength compared to this one. This is not the first time a EDP has disappointed, Terre d'Hermes springs to mind. I don't know what people are expecting, myself included but If you simply want better performance it's here but at the cost of smelling quite different to the original EDT...worse in my opinion. Not a bad fragrance but really not a good one either and gives me a whole new appreciation of the EDT.
Great stuff this I've tried a few citrus/white florals recently for summer additions to the collection and this one is pretty good on the whole. First of all the opening is purely lemony petitgrain and a bergamot which goes from a sharp citrus to a more mandarin type smell. This ties in perfectly with the discrete mixture of white florals at the heart of this fragrance. Orange blossom and neroli which is not too strong waxy or soapy partly due to being sweetened up with Jasmine and a base of musk. A really pleasant fragrance if you're looking for white florals and citrus, this is good stuff.
Three distinct fazes with this effort from A Lab on Fire the first is a bergamot lush and almost green. Then comes the geranium which is the accord basis for this fragrance and builds well, complimenting the base. The base is a soft powdery leather or suede but still fresh all the time. I don't necessarily agree that it's minimal because it has a distinct opening, heart and drydown which progress. L'Anonyme has well balanced and complimentary ingredients which kinda is minimal but hints at other sweeter notes. I like it, it's very wearable pretty good longevity, projection is okay at first then dies down. Check it out, there's not a great deal here not to like.
Every note in Nio is exquisitely crafted and the quality is apparent right form the get go. The opening is bright wonderful bergamot so natural but not at all sharp and with a leafy green nature prehaps with some galbanum too? reminiscent of Ninfeo Mio from Annick Goutal. It then goes very much into the white floral territory with waxy, clean neroli coming to the forefront in the next few minutes. Then the florals get sweeter with jasmine which completely makes this fragrance better than the neroli alone. I smell a warm base in the drydown and the subtlest hint of cardamom. Still a very good effort from Xerjoff, Nio is a superior citrus/white floral to be sure, definitely among the best I've tried but if you're not that keen on this sort of fragrance it still doesn't quite convince me enough to love it. Longevity and projection are pretty poor too.
I sampled this way back and couldn't remember what it was like which usually doesn't bode well at all. However, this is really special stuff and not your typical rose at all. I'm used to the heaviness of amber or oud with rose but Lyric adopts an entirely different approach. It opens with a transparent fresh citrus lime zest which then instantly becomes a subtle powder and musk with rose infused gently like rosewater or something? It has the galbanum and resiny incense feel of Amouage with a tiny tiny hint of smoke. The way this scent then works is a complex swirl of tiny hints of notes which change throughout the experience, so much so that I need desperately to get hold of some samples and wear Lyric properly. This is an enigmatic, distinctive and beautiful fragrance well worth checking out.
The feminine Amouage fragrances I've tried so far (bare in mind I've not tried them all) have all been pretty uninspiring in comparison to the Men's stuff which is in another league from anything you could find elsewhere and especially in the designer realm. I'm not being a snob here I just mean from a value point of view. I could wage the critism that some of the womens ones (fruity/musks etc..) could be found elsewhere cheaper. Journey however ooozes quality despite being a playful and upbeat, fruity, floral scent. There's no way I could wear this but on my girlfriend it smelled fantastic just kept getting waves of apriot, yellow florals and spices. The main thing I noticed was jasmine a scent which I adore especially in the context presented here. So this is a fruity scent with a base of musk but with hints of heavier and warmer notes of honey, nutmeg and maybe tobacco although I didn't get a great deal of it. I spent an entire day smelling it on my girl and thought it was great and projected really well and lasted as you'd expect an Amouage fragrance to last. Top marks for this one from me although it's a definite one for the ladies only in my opinion.
I was so excited to try this fragrance...so bloody excited I could barely contain myself!!! A new Amouage fragrance and I didn't have to wait that long for it either....and the verdict! Journey is absolutely magical! Amouage and Christopher Chong have nailed it yet again! If recent releases seemed a little tame (Beloved) or too brave with spicing (Fate) Journey gets the balance of accessibly mainstream and signature Amouageness just right. Opens typically turbulently with a wonderfully complex swirl of amazing smells which are not instantly recognisable except for one... Sichuan pepper! Heavy in the opening until it disperses then the true nature of this fragrance comes into play deep Cypriol, frankincense, a strange fruity nature too and woody notes. The tobacco is not typical it's very sweet natured so if you're expecting a tobacco fragrance please don't be disappointed because I don't think it's that prominent. Maybe a combination with Tonka beans make it sweet n creamy? I don't know to be honest, it's complex stuff but smells absolutely amazing. I really love Journey I was so prepared for disappointment (don't know why to be fair EVERY Amouage fragrance has it's merits) but this is another triumph and just as wearable as Jubilation XXV not too spicy, very alluring and comforting. This is an instant favourite and I need to add it to my collection, hopefully I can get hold of some samples next week (as the store had none left) and try it on my skin for a few days at a time to make sure. Longevity is spectacular but not quite as long lived as strong incense perfumes like Interlude. I think if you love Jubilation you will adore Journey because it's still Amouage but in an amazingly acceptable and markedly safer fragrance than some of their others. Safe in this instance means faultless.
Lots of gushing and praise among the reviews here and do you know what? I'm going to join in! This is simply one of (If not 'the') best amber scents I've ever tried. Stunning!!! It's absolutely divine the first time I tried it several months ago I fell in love instantly Ambra Aurea is incredible. Upon reapplying today It has confirmed my initial feelings. It doesn't seem to develop like any amber I've come across but rather the constant and complex amber accord is so multi faceted it changes under your nose reverting from dusty libary, to ancient incense to sweetness and creamy vanilla then labdanunm and myrrh then back around again. This one is not as sweet as Fiori d'Ambra which I also thought was excellent quality but more floral and sweet. The quality is evident here and I've a real love of amber fragrances and this has an undeniable purity about it. Love it!
Well I've tried a few from Olfactive studios now and on the whole I'm impressed. This was one that's been lurking among the samples in my cupboard for a while and despite tying it at the time it didn't stick in my mind. Upon wearing it properly today I have to say that I've been treated to a wonderful, heady scent full of incense and a definite prune smell. The mixture of this dimension with a hint of vanilla gives a slight feel of honey to me something which I don't usually care for but it's so subtle and this is such a interesting creation that I enjoy it. Chambre Noire opens with the same weird watery papyrus and sandalwood that I didn't really like from Le Labo's Santal 33 but somehow works here probably due to the other notes and the fact it's dissipates quickly. The patchouli takes a while to come on but when it does, is the right side of balanced. That mixed with delicate leathery notes that exist from the very start, drydown to a gorgeous skin scent. This perfume is not heavy that's what I love about it, some leathers just try too hard! This one is very light from the start but projects well in the first couple of hours when the patchouli really beams out but after that it's mellow. Great scent this one I've thoroughly enjoyed wearing it today.
This is a small addition to my original review, a caveat perhaps because I still really love this great smelling fragrance. I hadn't tried Bentley Intense before Chambre Noire and upon sampling again recently thought'oh yeah I can see where people are coming from.' The opening on a card in store was effectively the same and immediately conjured up the luxury car scent. However, I've warn this today as I did a few years back when I wrote the review and got the same amazing, boozy , prune oriental I got then. It's totally distinguishable from Bentley Intense which has a much more spices and the dry sandalwood (think L'air du dessert Marocain to my nose) where as this is rich in a more gourmand way. Without disappearing too far up my arse or into the abstract... I would say the texture of Bentley is matt and this is more satin...if that makes any sense at all? I applaud the fact they are different and both great in their own wonderful ways, this makes for another fragrance worth having... for sure. I'm wearing it today and couldn't be happier.
Lubin Itasca...I was looking to try this one for a while as the bottle looked interesting and the themes seem right up my street. Man was I right! Itasca opens with a perfect breeze of citrus, masculine pine, woods and vetiver, and resin fresh but earthy and perfectly evocative of lakes flanked by forrest. This is in a typical mould of woody aromatics leaning toward the masculine on my skin but absolutely unisex by the same score. It's not a deep sledgehammer of a fragrance and has a subtle classy feel to it without being intrusive in any way. The drydown transforms the heart of pine into a resinous, amber which is very slight and close to the skin but smells amazing...almost leathery. Longevity and projection are not all that great but Itasca is worthy consideration...I enjoy it!
I first tried this fragrance more than a year ago (on a card mind you) and thought hmmmm...it's not bad. It certainly didn't repel me by any stretch and was not as horrendous as the original Joop Homme. All I can say is... I tried it again giving it a proper wear on my skin and I have to say the initial spray opened with interestingly fruity, boozy and chocolatey top notes. I'm thinking okay...then It starts to get really, really cloying and even more intrusive than Joop Homme which I never thought to be possible. It turns more and more awful every second and so overbearingly fake and synthetic. I've no problem with that in perfumery but not a lot in this fragrance resembles anything you'd find in nature and perhaps it needs that balance? How can something be SO SWEET and SO BITTER at the same time? I have to say that is an achievement of sorts. I hate it though and had to scrub it...problem is typical Joop it's very hardy and withstood a good scrubbing. I think they sacrifice quality for ridiculous longevity and choking projection just to stand out in the marketplace. It doesn't come from careful crafting or luxurious ingredients that's for sure. Who cares about longevity if you smell like this...? I was embarrassed wearing Joop! Homme Wild because I knew it would get me noticed at not necessarily for the right reasons, You gotta be brave to wear this one. Unfair to compare 1 Million to Wild as the Paco Rabanne is marginally better and certainly more wearable.
Ahhhh...I got this lil' beauty today. What a stunner...I love this fragrance so much! Love it like a child of my own! I'm almost protective over it. I couldn't hear a bad word about it without immediately jumping to Blanc's defence and there's not many fragrances I feel that way about. Anyone who follows my reviews or whatever will know I'm a bit of a niche snob these days so when I lavish praise on a lowly designer fragrance please take my word for it that it's great! Unique and like nothing I've tried elsewhere. Also...I already have it! Oh course I do. I'm someone who thinks it's a bit silly (but still cool if your a collector) to bring out limited editions or the same scent in numerous different bottles...naming no names 'cough 'cough..Le Male..'cough!! I got this though because I felt an obligation to because of the special place it has in my heart. The neon Croc looks cool and the bottle is a great minimal design anyway. OOOOH...and I got a free gift... A 3 pack of Neon Lacoste Tennis balls which was an extra incentive. If you haven't tried this fragrance get it because its beautiful and better than any other aquatic or fresh citrus fragrance in the designer market place. Eau de Lacoste Blanc...Houdini4 salutes you!!!
So...Tried this the otherday as I always jump at the chance to try Kenzo fragrances because they're so scarce in UK these days. I only found this one in a clearance store with older and discontinued perfumes. So L'Eau par is alright you know...A bright citrus which is aquatic and watery without any overly synthetic marine accords or salty notes. I Like this, hint of lotus and a base of white musk it's delicate and thoroughly pleasant.
When I heard Tauer had an Incense fragrance I was keen to try it and it's taken me until now to do so...shocking really! Incense extreme is what you'd expect from a quality perfumer like Andy Tauer and a fragrance with 'Incense' in the name. However although I don't entirely agree with my pal @'Roge's review because I don't think it's entirely the purest olibanum I've smelled. It is pretty linear though the resin is a complex note itself the only other thing I got was pettygrain in the very opening and that's about it. Maybe some cedar?? I do concur that this is a tame effort from Tauer considering his calling card is originality. So this is not a bad perfume, far from it infact. I'm an incense addict and especially frankincense and this has huge appeal for me, it's a mixture of the delicate and cerebral CdG Incense series (as many have mentioned) it's a little like Avignon and Zagorsk which acts as a huge endorsement. It's not quite another ringer for Avignon/Heeley Cardinal etc... etc... but it's in the same ballpark. It's translucent enough to be refreshing and light but not deep or earthy enough to be a great frankincense...So nothing extreme here just a good fragrance. Longevity is average and doesn't really project but it's one of those fragrances that you will enjoy for yourself. If you're lucking for Tauer magic and originality check out some of his other fragrances.
Wow!!! I'm happy. So reading the review below as I post this and I got a bit of a green note in the opening too but generally this is thick with resinous spicy Myrrh and sandalwood. It's exactly what I'd pictured in my minds eye/nose so in that sense linear and predictable to a degree. I for one am glad, too often I look forward to a fragrance simply named after a note and it doesn't deliver that note as expected. Great dry down, superb quality only negative thing is that it's pricey stuff for something that isn't a complex composition. Only minor criticism really because I love Olibanum and any other incense resin lovers will love it too.
This one fizzed up out of the bottle at me and demanded that I took notice of it. I love this house and everything I've tried has been a total knockout! I tried several from the new range majestic cedar, a lime based citrus one and a sandalwood one.(can't remember the names of those two) and I was a bit miffed that they're not in the database. Anyway...my girlfriend convinced me to buy this as SHE fell in love with it straight away, don't get me wrong I was on board but not going as crazy as she was. To be honest this is like no other citrus I've tried in that it's probably closer to the apple type smell of things like Tommy Boy or Lacoste Play (the red one) but done far better and very classy. The juniper is apparent too, dry yet distinctive and refreshing like a gin fizz! I really don't know what to tell you? I bought it on the spot because my girlfriend said it would be "the perfect summer fragrance." Shouldn't really admit this but I don't often take her advice however on this occasion I was compelled to. I did have some mild second thoughts but after the fruity, bubbly, champagne of an opening it does have a backbone of woods and an unmistakable carrot seed note that you don't seem to get in anything other than high quality fragrances. So in essence this is a magnificently summery fragrance that just when it starts to remind you of a cheaper designer one takes on a more refined air of quality. It's quite a simple composition but what we have here is a knockout fragrance which has very good performance and moderate projection. More people should try it because it's so clean yet sophisticated, I suspect it will be a crowd pleaser.
