Yatagan is aptly named after a type of short-sword native to Ottoman Turkey, a fitting name for a scent which is as sharp and cutting as a fine blade. I had long been looking for a fantastic pine fragrance, and this is the one - an utterly spectacular aromatic woody scent which will certainly put hair on your chest. As I said, pine is at the forefront of this perfume, and what a wondrous note it is - piercingly sharp, furthered by the pairing of lavender and mint, you’re blasted with this dense green accord which is at once bitter, herbal and fresh-spicy. From here a pronounced woodiness makes itself known, with a resounding musky dryness. Yatagan is one of the most outright masculine scents I’ve ever encountered, it is unapologetic in its confident strut, as it shouts during the first hour of its life. Despite how perfect this smells however, I find the longevity lets it down slightly, which is a shame. Still, for the price I think it is a must-have.

Centre Stage is one of the latest releases from the house of Thameen, a house I’m not too familiar with if I’m being honest. This is an interesting scent, one with facets I really enjoy, but also ones I absolutely detest - it presents me with a bit of a dilemma. This overwhelming surge of lavender hits you in the face upon first spray, with particular focus on the dry, peppery facets of this flower. There’s almost a classical, powdery aspect coming from the orris and white florals, which I find myself really enjoying. However this seems all but brutally ruined in the most barbaric way by an unwelcome overdose of amberwoods. If these amberwoods were not present, I’m confident I might even love this scent, but unfortunately they are - and so it remains only a like. I don’t understand the thought process, to boost longevity? It’s not worth ruining what could have been a beautiful scent.

I have long since been a lover of Cartier’s Oud Vanille, and so it’s high time I explore more from this line. Continuing with the theme of simplicity, Oud & Pink is all about oud and rose. I find it’s more focused on the rose aspect, with the oud being more of a whisper in the background. This rose note is surprisingly bright and pulpy, with a sharp, almost salty nuance as though there were a presence of geranium. It has the effect of a gentle, sweet rose-water; is unknowingly easy to wear, with only a touch of bitterness to suggest the subtle presence of an oud accord. Whilst I do enjoy this scent, I do wish the oud was more present. I don’t love it the way I do Oud Vanille, for the simple reason this is not the sort of rose I tend to gravitate to, as it is a note I’m rather picky about. Smells great though.

The Moon is a fabulous representation of a fruit oud perfume. Raspberry is one of my most hated notes of all time, in fact I hate almost all raspberry fragrances and could probably count the ones I do like on one hand - this is one of them. Whilst it’s not my favourite of the Desert Gems, it is gorgeous. The raspberry is intensely sweet and ripe, almost sugary like a purée, accompanied by other red berries and forest fruits. This sweetness is made velvety and exotic by an overdose of jammy saffron and rose, before developing into its thick, dark, almost powder oud and leather base. It’s not as bold or daring as The Night, which may be a relief to some, but that stinky-ness was a characteristic I loved. I would say this is my least favourite from Malle’s Desert Gems collection, but that doesn’t take away from the fact this is an absolutely stunning perfume.

Rose Incense sort of does what you’d expect it to, however I do find it seems to be lacking slightly on the incense part - it’s just rose on top of rose, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I find the scent pleasant and enjoyable, but it doesn’t smell like it costs hundreds of pounds at all, which is a bit of a let down. This bright, dewy note of damask rose comes across very light and airy, yet up close becomes more stemmy and a little peppery. Dry resins give the scent this almost leafy feel to the rose, thickening up the scent profile, but it doesn’t actually smell of incense at all - there’s no smoky facets or anything. Overall this is a straight up rose-water scent, it’s very basic and straightforward, and for those that adore rose this could be great, but for me it lacks depth and journey; I wouldn’t buy this personally.

Madame Rochas is the masterpiece of the great Guy Robert, a stunning creation which will be forever remembered as one of Rochas’ greatest perfumes. It takes the aldehydic floral theme of Arpège as its starting point but plays on the base which is warmer and more sensual. The scent opens with this great airy aldehydic accord alongside hesperidic citrus notes, alongside a gentle leafy green facet. The heart is composed of a classical floral harmony which is delicately fresh and soapy, whilst the base achieves that sensual effect through the use of sandalwood, musk, benzoin, coumarin and oakmoss. The result is something beautifully soft and leathery, a perfect example of French luxury and refinement. The sample I have is of the vintage EDC, and I already know I need to seek out a full bottle of this - it is utterly stunning and a must-have for any lover of classical French florals.

I have no experience with the original Absolue Pour Le Soir, and so unfortunately cannot make comparisons. What I can say however, is this is a beauty - I have often made it known I do not hold much respect for Kurkdjian as a perfumer, I find the majority of his work uninspired and dreary, but this is gorgeous. An overwhelmingly sweet and sticky note of honey blasts you in the face upon first spray, quite a realistic honey accord I must say, as it’s at once syrupy and sugary, but holds a certain bitterness. This sweetness is elevated by a standard Amber accord, the sappy facets furthered by an increase in labdanum, all intertwined by a guttural punch of cumin - which comes off satisfyingly filthy. For those that struggle with cumin, this will be an absolute no-go. But for those who crave an element of eroticism in their perfume, you will find it most welcome. I always found Grand Soir a little too boring, and this seems to be the perfect remedy.

Tea at BG is Roja’s final creation before his departure as the credited perfumer of Roja Parfums - of course it is a horrifically overpriced publicity stunt limited to just 130 bottles. Tea is a note Roja has not tackled before, and I admit he seems to have accomplished well, however I do not find myself thinking this smells like a thousand dollar scent. Ripe, juicy figs and dewy blackcurrant are actually at the forefront of this scent, sweet and refreshing in their partnership with citrus fruits and a whisper of basil. The tea is dry and slightly earthy, with soft grassy facets amplified by hay, alongside a pronounced peppery kick. The scent is significantly dry, but thankfully the fruits balance this rather beautifully. I enjoy this scent, it’s pleasant, but it doesn’t feel like a Roja creation - it lacks the signature flair and characteristic ‘sparkle’ of his better offerings. Who knows if he really is the perfumer behind this, or if he ever was for anything, but this perfume certainly signifies a change in the wind for the house; one I do not find comforting or reassuring.

Carnal Flower is a beautiful medley of white florals, and one of the more popular releases from Frederic Malle, for good reason. Despite my enjoyment for this, I don’t find it absolutely lives up to the idea of what I imagine a ‘carnal’ floral to smell - it lacks filth and lust. A heavenly concoction of heady white florals lead the way, namely jasmine and tuberose, countered by this dry, slightly green, nuttiness likely coming from the coconut and eucalyptus; it’s a very interesting and unique smell. There’s a presence of sweetness, not only from the tuberose, but this delicious whisper of melon. It comes together beautifully. This is not a fragrance for those unsure about white florals, you have to adore them to love this. And whilst I do, love this, as I said I find it’s lacking enough filth to be labelled as carnal - some addition of animalic facets would have made this perfect.