So there's some very good things and some very bad things about this release from CD & Demachy, but it's far from a simple story or boring, so I guess it deserves some props for that. I feel duty bound to preface this review with some thoughts on the background and my pre exposure to this fragrance. As part of the 'fragrance community' whether I like it or not I'm exposed to other people's perceptions and opinions on a regular basis and let's just say some of the circles I've been mixing in recently are not fans of Demachy, in fact the vitriol is borderline disrespectful. So I'd heard bad things but even the most ardent critic actually had a few positive things to say about Tobacolor and in honesty this is how I feel about it....mixed. Firstly the SA at the Dior counter was lovely and she sprayed the card for me, I felt a palpable sense of trepidation at smelling it due to the preconceived notions I had from others talking about it (something I really hate to have when sampling a new perfume) and at 12" or so away I was like "oh no!!! it's that god awful played to death, fruity, sweet, insipid, 'tobacco' bullshit which I could forgive way back when Mugler did it for a fraction of the price, but I just really didn't want tobacolor to be that!!! Thankfully it isn't! Let it settle for a moment and engage your secondary 'slower' more reasoned brain functions and Tobacolor is a triumph in some senses. The first that the fruity top is not cherries or 'dried fruit' and although equally amorphous, is actually really well done, giving what I perceive as a berry like, resinous, sprakle to proceedings, giving respite from what is a big hefty, lumpen, perfume. Another being that it actually smells of tobacco absolute, which most tobacco fragrances don't in my experience, I've no idea if this is natural or an accord? It matters not. I'm not even saying it's good to smell like tobacco absolute (personally I love it) because I guarantee most people probably prefer the impressions a perfumer creates of tobacco, than necessarily what it actually smells of. Who's to say that a tobacco fragrance should smell like the absolute or natural material? That might not be the vibe you're going for, a bit like oud or amber, anything goes and that's all fine. What I am saying however is that it's a fine accomplishment to use probably a tiny amount of a natural material (inevitably it would be) and get the most out of it as a perfumer. (If indeed this is what has happened here) or equally worthy of merit would be creating an accord which to me is one of the most reminiscent I've smelled of the real McCoy.(Kudos to Demachy) Natural perfumers and artisans might use the stuff in their potions but they are not as long lived and well handled as they are here, and that's just facts. However.... (and this is a BIG however) They are not long lived enough, and a big crime of this perfume is that it smells great on paper but not so good on my skin. On skin the 'gourmand' qualities just sort of splat it out into this murky, grim, sweet, caramelised base, therefore a bad perfume. (Fuck Demachy!!! LOL) no it's actually 'dark' ish and reasonably okay to wear after the top notes and tobacco have all but gone. No, I think the worst crime is that after a time, it really starts to smell of the two materials which make up the majority of the accord in Baccarat Rouge 540. Ambrox Super and Ethyl maltol. I'm not one to willy nilly accuse fragrances of copying or smelling the same as BR540 (which I find annoying if they don't really) or whatever, please I hope you know me by now. Neither do I dislike or moan about the smell of ambroxan in it's various guises, but here it just feels like all the interesting and perhaps 'should be' heaviness of woody, tobacco base, just sort of lifts off after a few hours, to reveal a mothership structure holding the whole thing together, which is essentially, light weight, balsa wood, hollow plastic tubes, and sticky back plastic, it's kinda odd. This makes for a tenacious drydown and the sensation of looking around for spilled ambroxide because that's what I can smell. Perhaps credit should be given for veiling this undercarriage so well? I don't know. The upshot of all this is that I like elements of the fragrance and for these it should be praised but for the tropes of gourmand sweetness and perhaps not as well finessed experience as it could be. I've also got to take into account the high standards and expectations I have of Dior and especially this prive line which is hit n miss to say the least, with a definite trajectory towards the gutter rather than the stars.

So I hope I’m wrong about this but I found my brief encounter with this pretty horrific. I clearly don’t get on with the ‘watery notes’ I don’t really get violets, other than a slight haunt of them. En passant it is not. Not a fan, not sure taste wise I ever will be but I will persevere and try this properly, hopefully so I’m able to extend this review.

Cynical people (myself included) scoff at the mention of Solar notes, however both these new Aqua Allegorias are like… okay. Solar notes. Fine. Fine. No problem. Solar notes, I get that. This is a really lovely floral emalgum. It’s not a traditional magnolia nor is it an orange blossom, it’s a lovely blend. I wish I smelled honey, but I don’t, what I do get it an ambery warmth emanating from the base, it makes the perfume frankly. Yeah so I like it Though, I thought it was very good. This review needs an update at some point because it was an initial take, a very positive one at that.

Thankfully I don't detect coconut in this. I think it's being evoked by it's generally 'beachy' vibe. To me it smells of wet hair. Sounds bad right? but I mean perhaps hair that has been shampooed with some fancy shampoo that smells a bit tropical and then perhaps later in the day the lady (because it is a lady I'm picturing) goes to the beach and has a swim in the sea. This smells like kissing her on the head, and the result is salinated hair, shampoo remnant and light jasmine like hedione or such. So yeah it's 'mineral' it's not as fun and games as some of Tom Ford's beach affairs (some of which I do like) I think this has less sweetness overall and I think Demachy shouldn't be done too dirty for this one. It's not bad. It's balanced and minimal. It's just completely irrelevant to me, and I don't like it from the offset. Doesn't mean it's a bad perfume, I hope you'd trust me to say as much, even if I liked it and it was a bad perfume.

Thank god for Chanel. I have been on a bit of a hiatus from sampling new releases what with work and COVID etc.... and a couple of highlights when I finally returned to sampling duties, were this and Le Lion. So Edinburgh is an interesting inspiration for Chanel and the Les Eaux line, which I haven't really gotten along with, I know it's not their intent to be as bold and rich as the les exclusifs or even the regular line but I found them really quite boring, I shall have to revisit. Edinbourg though is very much my sort of flavour. It's a green, mossy, fresh fragrance. The juniper is massively present but what is interesting is that it doesn't smell piney or woody like the EO, (woody notes come from cedar in here) it's very much like the gin process of botanical, infusion and distillation. It has a lightness and true juniper character, unlike so many effervescent, dry Gin & Tonic perfumes, this is very well fleshed out in true Chanel fashion. It is only light of course, it's a Les Eaux after all but it's still very present and I think it's decent value for money considering what a lovely perfume you are getting. Yeah I really like it. I actually want a bottle. Update: 25/06/21 So inevitably I got it. I prioritised this purchase over what I would consider more historical or pressing desires because, it’s just perfect for the season and I want a big bottle of something fresh which I can apply liberally and not think too much about. A couple of things spring to mind… one being, this is a bit like if Pino Silvestre had some class, or if Green Irish Tweed wasn’t produced by maniacs! It has a signature ‘Chanel’ thing to it, soft, subtle, despite being all quite pointed woody notes, it smells of exactly Cedar, juniper, cypress, pine, perhaps a touch of lavender but all balanced and softened beautifully.

This is a really old Malle and usually something I wouldn't be interested in particularly but if you contrast this with the other 'Roses' in Malle collection then this is much more up my street even than the seminal Portrait of a lady or Une Rose, both of which are great for what they are. Lipstick rose is quite outrageous really and even though I remember a time when cosmetic products and lipsticks did have this kind of hyper powdery smell, it can't help reminding you of femininity and probably your mum. However, I think the 'lipstick' of the title is merely an evocation, a mental picture to enjoy your olfactory art with. What's great about Lipstick rose is that it's not really a rose fragrance, although it does have a jammy, fruity, raspberry rose note upon application. It's also not an Iris, but has the thickness and dominance in that powdery, opulent direction, but it's not a iris or orris either. It's probably more accurate to talk about violet, because this has a pervasive, powdery violet quality which I love and no ghostliness which violets can sometimes hav, this is a perfect balance. There's vanilla at the base and it becomes almost edible, but sort of mildly bubblegum...but not the kind you chew and spit out, it's not disposable or cheap. It's the kind of stuff you might buy in Fortnum and Mason or Selfridges tea room. It's a little fragrant cake of a thing. It's kinda popcorn, popart, popculture, but also classy. It's playful but sexy in that deep 'red' way the bottom of a Laboutin shoe or a really red lip and a bit of cleavage gets this helpless, hetro, male in heat! However strange it is (having said that then) that I completely love wearing this fragrance! It's an absolute revelation to me. Puts a smile on my face, I had to add it to my FM collection, which is becoming quite comprehensive.

Vanillic, floral, leather. I’ve smelled it elsewhere before, not sure where? It’s very nice. I think the creaminess of it is really something, with the bite and warmth of resin behind it. This is a very good line from VC&A and this one continues in that tradition. I’m not especially excited by it though.

I'm going to try to make this a short review, but Patchouli Intense is quite a complex animal and I could get locked into an incoherent ramble about the sensations and vibes I get from it. Let's keep it simple and stick to the basics, there's a comparison to Incense Oud by Nicolai a fragrance I purchased at the same time from the brand, and while it's true, they are quite different as well. Also my perceptions of this were not patchouli at first, I mean I didn't even like the fragrance but as it wore on I because more conscious of patchouli and the growing sense of a men's masculine framework of yesteryear. The opening is now peppery woods and heavy patchouli, but it's not dank, wet, hippy, it's dry and unique if I'm honest. I smell rose (and apparently geranium) but it's very low in the mix, I like it though it lends, depth and opulence. It's smooth and rounded can't say the basenotes listed here come through, accept of course for sandalwood. This is the curious blend of milky and edgeless and spicy, rough, woodshop working, sandalwood. It's BRILLIANT!!! I don't even feel I've run the full gamut of emotions where this fragrance is concerned and so far it's been a mulicolour rollercoaster, of love and hate, that is clearly an emotive fragrance, this is what we all want, Pat has achieved something here, and it's not even immediately apparent. I think I've said this in other reviews that there's something stuffy and traditional about Nicolai, something which never quite elevates them into perfumes you long for. However, across the board they are SOLID, and if you love perfume you can't help but admire them.

Wow! This is a fascinating brew from Pat! Not really Fig nor is it tea but the feeling and spirit of tea definitely comes through, same with fig I mean it's an unconventional fig, it's no stemone bomb but I think the fig accord is carefully entwined with the peachy osmanthus note which I think dominates this perfume. It's fresh, fruity, exotic and floral. The opening is like a big, cheerful peach/orange hybrid, after the initial juice phase it becomes drier and chalkier. Yet again Nicolai puts that sour mossy quality to juxtapose all the pleasant, well behaved and sweet stuff, it's almost like bittersweet caramel, bisabolene or something when it's settled down. Also the tea effect gives a sparkly metallic quality. It dries down to a completely different vibe, a bit less playful, more grown up. It's good. If you like fruity, florals check it out.

Revisiting Malle and as always stuff like this, en passant and eau de magnolia have this sense too as well as some I don't like as much like the Angelique one and L'eau d'Hiver is just conceptually superior (although seemingly simple) and perfectly executed. There's something very present about these Malle's they don't feel like they are respecting tradition but nor are they future facing trying to break new ground, or be the next trend. They are more accurately a moment, simply captured, and to me there's something comforting and liberating about them. It's as if the perfumers were recreating the beautiful head-space of a flower, what I mean is that there's a sense of 'air' a feeling of atmosphere, space, whatever you want to call it. Lys Mediteranee is carried to you upon the breeze, it's lovely. Smells oceanic, the ginger listed here actually is just perceivable ever so slightly, as well as a green tint to the florals, which are both exotic and familiarly wafted from various summer blossoms. I bought a small 10ml just to test the water, I see this as a functional, hot weather fragrance, to cool me off. I'm always going on about how perfume should be complex and 'do' lots of stuff well these are the exceptions, they don't do much, they are not really multilayered experiences, but rather zen calm, aromatherapy which allows you to clear your head. In fact this scent would be ideal for meditation. Despite all the praise it's far from my favourite Malle, but if you like lilies and florals in general this is so nice and light as a feather.