Again I'm no expert on florals...far from it in fact! To me this is a scent which is like a exploding bouquet of strong floral notes to the point of unpleasantness and one which I thought would remain that way. To my suprise the drydown is very pleasant and has a woodiness to it, you still get the florals but they tone down to a lovely realistic and soothing flower scent. It's like the smell of walking past the door of a florists on a damp day...or the plant section of a rainy garden centre. Not really for men this one I certainly wouldn't wear it. It's long lasting though I put a tiny amount (and I mean tiny) on my wrist about 4 hours ago and its still going strong.
An other worldy scent! By that I mean it genuinely takes you away on a magical journey. I'm keen on the very occasional cigar and the tobacconist shop I go to has the same wonderful quality as this fragrance. It has a kind of dark cherry thing to it as well although I don't know if that's imagined because I used to get black cherry and vanilla flavour tobacco from there too? (when I was a habitual smoker.) This is a faltless composition from Tom Ford...I haven't tried many of the private collection but this was one I knew I'd love...and I wasn't wrong. There's a little spice in there too not too much though... it's super smooth and creamy all the way. This stuff is to die for...don't be put off because its pricey, its well worth it! Update: Wore this last night own on the town and got masses of complements, I swear this stuff had the ladies creaming...and a few dudes too!!!!
Well it took me a while to get around to reviewing AMen and can't really add anything that hasn't already been said can I? Sweet, oriental, spicy juice that is definitely worthy of its legendary status as a classic modern mens fragrance. I think it's success is due to it's orignality and signiture of quality which runs through the Mugler range. Also I think when this came out it was so different to the other designer fragrances available at the time, aquatics, fresh citrus and sport ones etc... I had a bottle in the late nineties and liked it but never rebought it. I got a load of sample vials recently and this was among them...I'm wearing it today and it's transported me back. To be honest the mixture of spice and caramel is a bit sickly at first, even for someone like myself with such a sweet tooth. It sours just after the initial sweetness and gives me something odd, I can't say I'm keen on it. I like the drydown because it mellows but only slightly with coffee notes coming through and the patchouli gives it great longevity but might also be what makes it a little hard going for me. My conclusion is that I get why people love this fragrance. It deserves praise for being mainstream but also being very interesting from the unique look of the bottle to the brave use of notes. It's the kind of fragrance that I would appreciate smelling far more on someone else...I would think they were cool and had good taste.
Absolutely out of this world!!! Love at first sniff and it just gets better and better as it drys down. A wonderful fragrance that is very similar to Dior Fahrenheit due to that violet note but there's so much else going on its quite different and somehow fresher...like a sparkling champagne Fahrenheit almost if that makes sense. Lalique have some very impressive and complex fragrances amongst their range. I think YSL L'Homme Libre cologne tonic has a similar vibe but paler by comparison. Update: Woo hoo! 8 people concure with my YSL comparison in 12 hours...They truly are close and have a real quality, when you try them side by side you realise the differences...but both are niche quality compositions and if you like violet and want a change from Fahrenheit these are the best two out there. I still prefer this though it just has an added magic.
Weirdest thing! Been wearing this for a while now and saw the oud note on here but never detected it until now. Bam! There it is..a really subtle oud note behind the sparkly violet and musk and a sweeter nature I've never picked up on before. A hint of tonka prehaps too? This stuff was highly prized in my collection anyway but I have a new found appreciation for it. I'm really surprised I could pick up on more in this fragrance after so many wears I really thought I'd gotten to know it. Just goes to show it can happen at anytime.
I Love this!!! No words really... I liked X and thought that was my favourite but I had it confused with this one. C is special...magical...enchanting. I took the plunge and bought a bottle regardless of the price because I just had to have it never smelled anything like it. Tom Fords Tuscan Leather is superb and definitely very similar but I prefer this as it just feels less heavy and more uplifting to me. Genius!
Here Here @HAL9000 eloquently put! I see the resemblance but as you quite rightly put they are also very different. This is one of my ALL TIME favorites and Tuscan Leather doesn't even really feature on my radar, despite being a fan of the TF Private Blend line. If they were that identical you'd think I'd hold Tuscan Leather in higher regard? Again just my opinion you should make up your own mind.
Tried this on a card at first and quite literally couldn't smell it. The Lady was trying to convince me it smelled like snow...hmmmm...I think she's heard too much marketing bullshit and it's poisoned her mind! To me it smells exactly, exactly like my mum used to when i was a child, after a bubble bath (not in a weird way) on a Sunday night and I'd give her a hug before I went to bed...so it conjures a comforting vibe. Powdery, soft and lovely on the skin really clean. The neroli is present but not at all massively floral it's an obscure, beguiling, mutated mixture. Not sure what the molecules bring to the party but it certainly has good longevity for something so subtle and slight. A bit feminine but fresh and I would wear it. Update: Ah ha it's Ambroxan doesn't smell typical to me I'd assumed it was some obscure molecule. I bought this shortly after my review(I've barely worn it in truth) but I love it! What a wonderful take on minimal construction...And this is a real strange one for me as I adore deep dark woods, resins and incense this couldn't be further from JHG Anyway. It's just great!
Well, what can I say about this one? I love amber and this fragrances other notes compliment it splendidly, pushing it to the forfront and adding a sweet wearability. By that I mean many of the other perfumes I've tried from this house are real occasion fragrances and not something you'd wear on a regular basis, this is the exception to the rule. Not sure about the 'reverse drydown' thing? although I've only tried in once I did notice that I instantly liked it and it required no time to settle on the skin before giving me enjoyable, heady waves of good vibes. This was a extra sample vial thrown in with the Achtung range along with Alpha and Coco blanc, I knew that alpha was a male and Coco a unisex beforehand so I'd just assumed this was a female fragrance. I was glad to discover this too was a unisex as Alpha is frankly awful. This however is brilliant...I'm no authority on amber scents or how close to realistic it is, all I know is it smells very good.
So I've reached number 5 in the series and this one has been suprisingly good. Not that I didn't look at the notes on here first and think 'hmmm...interesting?' but I wasn't sure I'd like the soil tincture element which in some perfumes I find hideous. I'm not sure whether its because I'm not used to pure purfume concentration but this was awful when I opened the bottle and first applied it...really awful...extremely earthy and unpleasant. Takes a little bit to even appreciate what it is? but then the gourmand accords of chocolate and vanilla shine through, with the smoothness of Amber, oud, and vetiver underneath. Its dark (not too dark) and sumptuous with a lovely dry down, it's nice. An interesting fragrance.
Holy moley!!! This is simply awesome beautifully woody and gourmand exactly the right combination to keep you nose interested. The ingredients are all natural and give such a real edible chocolaty quality without becoming too sweet or over the top with it. Beautiful milky buttercream and white chocolate give way to a more mature woody heart that sits gorgeously just above the skin and doesn't become too vanilla feminine. I love gourmand fragrances but sometimes think to myself ..."would I want to smell like that?" and in this instance the answer is a resounding YES! It's one for wearing in bed with your lover...yummy! It's a must have for either a man or a woman.
Woah!!!! This is not for that faint hearted...a MASSIVE incense fragrance that is dominant, pungent and just insane! It completely overwhelmed the other sample vials I got and the bag they came in all smell of this fragrance. Honestly, I understand the appeal of these ancient, opulent spiced frankincense & myrrh perfumes but this is frankly unbearable when first applied, no wonder they recommend 24 hours (yes!! 24 hours!!!!) to let it dry down!! Well I applied the tiniest amount and I do mean tiny and I can't believe how potent it is...I really understand the comparisons to some of the Amouage fragrances as they are very heavy with things like incense, myyrrh and ambergris too. At first it seemed clumsy and harsh despite the fact this one (and sexmagic) was the one I really couldn't wait to try. I love this kind of scent but without the complexity of other juxtaposing notes you get from the likes of Amouage Interlude for example, it's just a bit to linear. The dry down is special and plain epic...but unfortunately not that much evolution you get the same thing throughout but it definitely gets better as it ages on your skin. You can't help but marvel at devotion, it definitely achieves what it sets out to do, a blend of classic notes to create something that would've been revered throughout history.
This one is very green indeed and has that lovely watery subtle cucumber which is a achievement in what is quite a strong scent over all. Reminds me a bit of TF Neroli Portofino but with more spice...which is a huge plus for me. This one is one of my favourites having tried (but not yet reviewed) all 8. I think this is one I would wear along with Sexmagic because this one has depth and truly complementary ingredients which make for a beautiful journey. Again this has unisex appeal as the neroli will shine on a woman's skin and the woods and spice will be maximised on mans. I like it.
Well, this was the one I figured would be the most feminine of this collection and it is. At this point I think I should mention I was drawn to this collection for a few reasons but non more so than the artwork on the bottles which is fantastic. I have a love of symmetry and geometric artworks so this was right up my street. The litterature described this as a 'floriental' As a mans man who doesn't know a lot about florals and blends of floral notes, I have to say that although I wouldn't wear it myself its borderline for me because it is pleasant and definitely just within the realms of unisex. This is probably due to the wood in the base which would probably be excentuated on a man and generally grounds it a little and stops it getting too, overly flowery. The only thing I can detect for sure is jasmine in the top. Tuberose is interesting to me as I seem to like many fragrances which contain it. For me it creates a realistic flower accord, almost like a lily nice at first then goes a little sour. All in all a good outing for this house and an interesting fragrance but I shall give the sample to my girlfriend.
Right, so I'm starting with this one from the Achtung range because I knew I'd love it judging by the notes listed on frgrantica...and boy was I not dissappointed! In fact it was the publicity and features on this site that even made me aware of the house of matriarch in the first place. So, Sexmagic...what a cool name for starters any fragrance thats named after half of a RHCP album is alright by me! This fragrance is sexy, smouldering even and you can detect the different wood notes which exists in a kind of creamy oud spectrum. To be honest I'm not familiar with Buddah wood, Ghandi root and damiana...they're obviously great ingredients. What I do know is that this is a deliciously well concieved scent and a great start to my sampler from this collection and this house. It's smokey, dark and strong things I'm not usually mad on but this gets it right by striking a good balance. This will be one I'll be getting a bottle of for certain.
The original Aramis is not really to my taste anymore as I found out when I purchased it again after more than 10 years. Too dated and harsh in the opening and doesn't change in the drydown to redeem it. This however (to my nose anyway) Aramis Gentlemen is definitely evocative of the original but also quite different in it's own right. To me this is not much more than a cooler and more paletable version of the original, which is manly yet not overtly so, cool but still spicy, and quite muted instead of brash...so apropiately named Gentlemen then! Not the sort of thing I'd wear myself, nor does it really capture my imagination but a nice mature smell for a proper man.
This is a re-review as I have changed my position slightly on the first. I'm not quite sure what others are smelling here judging by the reviews but I think Gentleman is a good, solid fragrance. Yes it's more appealing to a younger crowd than it's predecessor but that's not a negative because to my my nose it carries enough of that classic, masculine vibe to work. Opens with a lemony sharp citrus, pepper and ginger then dries down to a hinted at original Aramis, moss, suede and a touch of patchouli. This is just a backdrop for the ginger & spices which are present but not invasive. The problem with a scent like this is that folks who like a good strong masculine fougere or aromatic fragrance will find it toothless and weak. Whereas those of us into more modern fare might find this not inspiring or different enough...so Aramis Gentleman can't really win either way. The reason I enjoyed Gentleman so much was because I fell out with Aramis some years ago, finding it to be a clumsy sledgehammer of a fragrance and some of this flankers just seem more focused and this one is no exception. When I put it in perspective I think I prefer it to the likes of Dior Homme Sport which has similar notes but couldn't be more different in delivery. Good news for this one then, smell wise. Unfortunately the longevity isn't there and it stays close to the skin but I still want a bottle.
Well to me this fragrance is the epitome of old Skool, super strong, masculine to the point of butch and not really to my taste. However, I understand the appeal because this fragrance takes one back to an era between the 60's and 90's where all masculine scents were...well frankly exactly like this. I remember trying this years ago and feeling it was dated even then but after clearing out some of my dads old stuff I found a bottle of this juice and when I tried it again to my suprise enjoyed the dry down but the opening is still too harsh.....I don't hate it though. Seeing as its sort after and hard to get hold of now (by all accounts) I have a bottle I'm probably rarely going to use so get if touch if you're interested. Update: The drydown of this fragrance is sublime you get lots more than you expect it's really very nice. I still have more than 3/4 of a 100ml bottle if anybody wants it let me know.
Wore it for a while so I think I've got the gist of it now. I think the review below is spot on describing it as a Lime version of Terre d'Hermes. It has the same signature mojito accord as the other L'Homme's which I love, so fresh and uplifting but with the woodiness that I love and crave...its more piced and peppery which is great. It has a slightly more longevity too compared with L'homme Intense for example probably due to the woodier base. I actually got it for my friend for his birthday as I figured it would be suitable for him as he likes woody scents and mojitos so it's a match made in heaven.
A lovely fragrance beautifully warm yet its light and refreshing at the same time. Theres a really unique feeling to the composition and its quite a different amber fragrance and a great alternative option to the usual high street designer fragrances for men.
It's truly knocked me for six how shockingly good this fragrance and the new comer Interlude really are. They're so complex it's thought provoking trying to pinpoint the notes and ultimately a fruitless and demanding task. The usual suspects in Amouage, sandalwood & incense, rich resins... frankincense are obvious as well as Oud in this one. The rest are an apparent mixture that is ever changing and gives you little bits like a revolving fragrant curry sampler...it's remarkable stuff. This too has more than a touch of nobility about it and makes you feel a sense of importance when wearing it. It's king juice really. My only regret is that I never gave this a proper trial or I'd probably be as in love with this one as I am with interlude. Interlude is just madness and a bolder than this effort which is marginally more refined.
Very brief second review now I've had a bit more time to get to know Epic. It's stunning! Heady and easily the most masculine of the Amouage I've tried so far it has a real gentlemanly dignity about it. The opening is great once more, complex lots & lots going on...pepper, Oud, spices. It's a very dark smoky outing too which continues to get smokier on my skin, also with a slight petrol/diesel vibe to it as well which when subtle is actually really enjoyable. It's developing really nicely now and I have a real appreciation for this instead of comparing it to interlude...which for me was the benchmark due to being the first Amouage I tried. If I had the money this would be on my list...it's definitely short listed for the future. Update: Wow!!! Just when i thought it had given up all its secrets, Deep into the Drydown the smoke completely clears then you're left with a really sweet, woody scent, the real heart with no smoke wonderful.
Awesome fragrance! A very classy, gorgeously woody, musky, heady Oud scent. For me I couldn't justify the purchase as I wouldn't wear it often enough. I can't claim to be an authority or anything but you can't go far wrong with Creed I'm so impressed with their range on the whole.
Here's a re-review for me and I'm just going to comment briefly on how refreshing and bright the citrus is in the top of this fragrance, it really is gorgeous and long lasting. This fragrance should not be compared with other Oud's because although the oud is present, it's not what makes this scent great that dries down beautifully. For me it's a fresh, woody fragrance that is not a priority for the collection as it's so expensive but I'm sure I'll get it one day.
Citrus, fruit, some greens & pepper wonderful stuff again from Creed highly wearable and very nice...these guys know what they're doing. Not my favourite Creed but I fail to see how you couldn't like it.
I'd wear this. It depends what is surrounding vetiver to make a good composition...and this is just that. I think having vetiver in the name makes people expect a lot of that note but it all depends how it comes across, for me there's more vetiver heavy fragrances out there that really showcase and compliment that element. However, that doesn't stop it being a clean and green (they got that bit right!) fragrance that is as balanced and enjoyable as any other in the Creed line...just not one of my personal favourites.
Oh my word!!! This is a splendid fresh fruity/musk scent...one of my favourite combo's. Every time I think there's good alternatives to Creed fragrances out there I realise that they pale in comparison. I tried MI a while ago and loved it. Then during the summer I managed to get hold of Love & Luck by Ed Hardy which from memory I thought was a very good cheap version. I love the Ed Hardy fragrance but when I've tried MI recently I instantly smelled the difference. There's certain similarities sure but MI is another triumph from Creed in my opinion and I will definitely add to my collection at some point.
I really hate this...very very boozy and awful strong beeswax aroma...and the intense is even worse...which I didn't think was possible! Don't understand why you'd want to smell like this? Each to their own I suppose but this is the sort of scent that repels me in the extreme. No disrespect to Kurkdjian.
I'm a big fan of Jo Malone and this one is a another great combination. I find some of the unisex ones a little feminine more so than this but hey! I'm going to get it for my sister for her birthday as I think it's exactly the kind of thing she would enjoy.
