Uncut Gem is not so much of a gem, more of an abrasive mess of gingery aromatics. It opens initially with fresh bergamot and mandarin with a zingy ginger, however rather strangely combined with a rooty, herbaceous Angelica which simply does not have a place here and seems to stick out. From here a harsh and untamed leather emerges alongside spicy nutmeg and resinous olibanum, resting on a base of earthy vetiver. The notes in here don’t look too bad on paper but on skin just come across like a jumbled mess. I don’t doubt Maurice Roucel’s skill as a perfumer, after all he created Musc Ravageur which is a masterpiece - I also can’t deny the quality of materials here is very good. However, the scent itself is abrasive and lacks direction I feel.

Cédrat de Diamante is a fairly simple perfume when looking at the composition, however I have to admit the quality and blending of the materials is fantastic. It opens straight away with a hyperrealistic combination of juicy grapefruit and sour lemon, before a woody base of cedar and vetiver emerges. I cannot deny that the lemon in here smells fantastic, in fact one of the best I’ve come across however at the end of the day it’s still a simplistic citrus fragrance and I cannot see why this costs £320, despite the quality. Overall this is a very pleasant and well made fragrance, potentially worth it if you’re a die-hard fan of lemon; but otherwise I cannot see any need for this fragrance to cost as much as it does.

Wulong Cha has got to be one of the most beautiful citruses out there, it’s exceedingly delicate and gentle whilst being perfectly blended throughout. It opens with a gorgeously soft bergamot and mandarin combination, with a unique note of litsea cubeba which adds an earthy lemon accord. From here a subtle breeze of earthy, steamy oolong tea makes up the heart and blends amazingly well with the citrus. In the base there’s a slight fruity touch of fig however this isn’t particularly prominent. This is a brilliant citrus fragrance and one of my favourites for summer, the quality and blending is fantastic and despite having a simple structure it’s so addictive. Will definitely be looking to add this to my collection soon.

Encens Suave is one of the best incense fragrances on the market, while simultaneously being one of my favourite ambers at the same time. Right from the first spray you’re blasted with a powerful incense note which is strong, smoky, dark and slightly bitter. The incense persists as the star of the show here yet develops a beautiful amber accord in the base to sweeten things up - vanilla, benzoin and labdanum are used to create this classic accord. While coffee is listed, it’s not detectable at all, I find it likely adds to the smoky bitterness of the incense and that’s all. The incense isn’t old, churchy or dirty at all - it’s dark, brooding and dry but the sweetness of the other notes balances this perfectly. Matiere Premier presents a main singular note in all its glory with each of his releases, and he has perfected incense here while also releasing a fantastic Amber into the market.

Grand Soir is probably the most praised amber on the market and for good reason. It perfects the classic Amber accord and presents you with something relatively simple in terms of notes, but with so much depth and alluring captivity. In the opening I’m greeted by a very powerful, earthy labdanum with a touch of aromatic lavender. This is short lived however as fizzy, resinous benzoin and sweet vanilla join the party to create that classic amber accord. After about 30 minutes the scent stays relatively linear, maintaining its warm, cosy, sweet and delicious nature for a good amount of time. The quality of ingredients here is fantastic, this is simply one addicting fragrance and it’s perfect for evenings out or to warm yourself up on a cold winters day. Grand Soir makes a great reference fragrance to those that want to experience pure amber in all its greatness, with very little else getting in the way of that.

No.1 by Clive Christian was the most expensive perfume in the world upon its initial release in 2001, and while it’s no longer the most expensive out there, it’s still hideously overpriced despite being a lovely scent. Initially it opens quite aromatic with a green artemisia combined with warm spices of nutmeg, cardamom and pimento. This is paired with a strikingly contrasting lime and mandarin which are juicy and tangy. A soft floral heart joins this odd medley of notes - namely orris, ylang and lily-of-the-valley. As the citrus begins to dissipate, the warm spices linger and begin to blend very well with the powdery florals - before a soft, creamy base of sandalwood and sweet tonka bean begins to emerge. This is a beautifully masculine and gentlemanly fragrance which does indeed exude wealth and power, however it’s a fairly strange blend of notes which won’t be for everyone and I really can’t see why this is priced so highly apart from being a publicity stunt.

I recently got a vintage bottle of Chanel No. 5 EDT (pre-1976) to go alongside my extrait and EDC. As you would expect the scent profile doesn’t differ massively, I would say it follows closely more so to the extrait than any of the other flankers. It opens with the same iconic combination of soapy aldehydes with powdery orris and ylang, but here the scent is made much brighter with some additional focus on neroli, lemon and bergamot. I also find the Jasmine and lily-of-the-valley to be more prominent here, overall creating a much brighter and softer scent profile. To me personally, the notes of civet, patchouli and oakmoss are all completely undetectable in the base - this scent is more focused on bright airy florals. This is a magnificent scent which is perfect for spring, however I find the longevity is very poor - with my bottle at least.

Gladiator is a very powerful fresh and masculine fragrance with intense fruitiness and aromatics. As soon as it’s sprayed you’re blasted with an intense note of peppermint which is quite harsh and abrasive, before an array of juicy fruit notes emerge - most prominently pineapple, apple, grapefruit and lemon. There’s a gentle touch of white florals in the heart which aim to balance out the rest of the notes, but everything seems to be dominated by the mint. The base is woody and masculine with hints of earthy vetiver and patchouli, alongside a bitter orange. But again, this is overpowered by the mint. While it’s not listed, I get a strong note of ambroxan coming through - this fragrance reminds me a lot of Sauvage and smells like a niche version of it. There’s a lot going on and it smells like a bit of a mess, but if I’m honest I’ve never been a fan of mint notes so this cannot be a love for me. It comes across as a synthetic mess of notes jumbled together carelessly.

Encelade is without a doubt the best release from Marc Antoine Barrois in my opinion, and one of the most addictive fragrances I’ve ever smelled. To put it simply this is a rhubarb and vetiver based fragrance - the sweet, sharp, tangy and juicy nature of the rhubarb pairs beautifully with the green and earthy vetiver to create something truly unique. There’s a hint of sweet woods and tonka bean in the base which intensifies the masculinity in here. I also seem to notice very subtly, the iconic metallic violet leaf base used in Ganymede and B683. This solidifies it as a MAB creation and ties it in beautifully to the rest of the line. Rhubarb is such an underused note in perfumery and it’s been executed perfectly here. The projection and longevity is incredible as usual from this house, it’s such a unique scent profile and will have you smelling yourself constantly. I truly believe this is a masterpiece.