fragrances
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530 reviews
Dior are known for their impeccable execution of the famous Iris and leather combination, and Cuir Cannage is easily the best of them. This is a scent which is so effortlessly refined and sophisticated, oozing class and wealth whilst remaining perfectly polite. This Iris flower accord is very light and airy, with a gentle powdery aspect about it - not like the typical thick dustiness of orris. Highlighted by buttery ylang and soapy white florals, before delving into a rich, crisp leather. This is not the rugged leather of an old jacket, but instead the crisp glossiness of bespoke Italian dress shoes. There’s a delicate aromatic greenness which blends into the background seamlessly, providing lift and masculinity. I absolutely love this. It’s bittersweet sampling it because I know how difficult it is to find. I know that my collection will never feel complete until I own this utter masterpiece, it would easily be my go-to scent to wear when I’m dressed up to the nines.
Silver Oud has built a reputation for being the stinkiest fragrance amongst all of Amouage’s offerings, which is rather brave of them to still produce it considering how mainstream they are becoming. One thing’s for certain, this is a challenging fragrance to wear. Cypriol is the most dominant note to my nose; it’s intensely rich and oily, very dense and a little smoky - almost like gasoline. The intense earthiness of patchouli furthers the darkness provided by the oud, which all in all is given this brutal, unforgiving strength through the inclusion of a slightly fecal castoreum and smoky birch. Despite all this though, there is a gentle sweetness which emerges after being given some time to settle, from the vanilla but also the vanillic facets of the castoreum. There’s so much to unpack with this scent, it’s so complex. I don’t feel disgusted by it, but at the same time I could never see myself wearing it - I can just imagine the kind of negative feedback you’d get from others around you. It’s a fantastic creation, but no one would ever need 100ml of this beast.
Ahlam is a discontinued treasure, a collaboration between Roja and the Emirati singer - Ahlam. This scent is the collision between two worlds of perfumery; east and west, together as one. This is an oud-rose, but not as you know it. In fact, there’s very little out there which smells comparable to this. To put it simply, this is pure floral powder. This dense and intensely dry concoction of violet and powdery notes are complemented by a slightly nutty almond and sweet, creamy vanilla. A whisper of dark, oily oud and a slightly salty ambergris and geranium go hand in hand alongside a supple rose. The base, furthering this powdery facet through the dusty character of sandalwood and orris. It’s magnificent, I cannot stop smelling my wrist. If you don’t like powdery scents or are even sensitive to them, you won’t get on with this one; but if you do, it’s a holy grail. The only comparable scent on today’s market is Nebulous by Boadicea The Victorious, which is far more animalic and brash whereas this is very classy and restrained.
When Roja Dove set out to create Rose Parfum, he explained he wanted to make his take on a very modern rose - if that truly was his goal, then it’s safe to say he failed, for this is one of the most beautiful and magical vintage-style roses I’ve ever smelled. With May Rose at its core, this scent is beautifully bright and supple; the rose is dewy and pulpy, with subtle green stemmy nuances in the background, likely from the galbanum and citruses. Geranium and pepper add to this, providing you with a pronounced kick at the back of your nose, with a dense and slightly salty effect which is incredibly subtle. This is a rose perfume for rose lovers. You won’t get that horrible scratchy rose water effect here, this transports you to a royal garden filled with rose bushes on a warm spring day. I’m very picky when it comes to rose, but this is my absolute favourite and I imagine it always will be.
“There are only two good Fougère’s, Jicky and Mouchoir de Monsieur - all the rest are for truck drivers” - Jean-Paul Guerlain. A bold statement from the man himself, and a clearly biased one, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that Mouchoir de Monsieur is one of the greatest Fougère’s ever made. Released 15 years after the revolutionary Jicky, perhaps to give society enough time to adjust to such an outrageous scent, this beauty was born. This retains a lot of similarities to Jicky, with many describing it as the masculine counterpart. Lavender is front and centre, alongside copious amounts of citrus, bergamot and lemon in overdose. It also utilises the same base of coumarin and vanillin to provide some sweet creaminess, but lacks the sandalwood and rosewood which Jicky has. Overall, it really does smell like a more masculine version of Jicky. It’s intensely aromatic and herbal with sharp citrus to compliment, but with the softness in the base toned down - you’re left with something much more bold and daring. It smells far more dry and almost dusty, as though the scent of an old eau de cologne lingers on a vintage suit gathering dust. Absolutely impeccable perfumery.
Whilst Fougere Royale was the first fragrance to incorporate a synthetic material - coumarin - it was Jicky which took this idea and transformed perfumery as we know it. At the time of its release in 1889, most of polite society would have worn some sort of basic eau de cologne, and so the introduction of Jicky was truly outrageous and initially was too revolutionary for many. Jicky has a pronounced Cologne style, made up of hefty amounts of bergamot, lavender, basil and bay, underscored by a dominant note of rosemary. The lack of a central heart note creates a strange paradoxical effect, as though the entire composition is made up of radiant citrus and aromatic herbal notes. But after some time, you begin to detect the softness of the sandalwood, complimented by the sweet creamy nature of the coumarin and vanillin - delicately bolstered up by hints of civet. This is the first time a perfume would become sexual, abstract, and no longer would make the wearer smell like lemons or a bouquet of flowers. I absolutely love it. My bottle is only a few years old so I can only imagine how enchanting the original formulation must have been, but smelling this truly feels like experiencing a piece of history. The first ever fougere for women, but easily unisex by today’s standards. A staple lavender in my collection.
I almost feel ashamed to say that it’s taken me this long to sample my first scent from Les Indemodables. Escale en Haiti doesn’t seem a bad place to start however, as it’s a gorgeous take on vetiver. Yes it’s rather simple and straightforward, but it’s ever so classy and graceful. The vetiver isn’t dense or earthy as some scents are, it’s actually incredibly gentle and delicate - slightly green and grassy, with a touch of dryness to it, complimented by the beautiful juicy aromatic nature of juniper. The sweet, gin-like aroma of this note, combined with dewy pink pepper is fantastic. The only issue I have with it lies within its simplicity, but it seems intended. It’s one of those easy reaches for the summer, something that smells fantastic and could never become overpowering, and so in that regard it gets full marks. But for the price of Les Indemodables, I’m unsure if this is worth picking up.
The Merchant of Venice is a house I’ve tried many of their offerings from in store, but cannot find a scent that clicks for me; Queen of the Night is no different I’m afraid. It’s a nice enough warm spicy resinous-amber sort of thing, but I just can’t help finding myself getting bored with it. There’s a definite dryness about it, frankincense and myrrh take centre stage with their gentle smoky, almost papery facets being complimented by the dry spiciness of cinnamon rather nicely. From there the dense sweetness of amber and tonka begin to pull you in closer - I don’t really get much saffron if I’m honest. If you’re a lover of resins, this is definitely one to check out. From the notes I thought I would love it, but I don’t. That’s not to say it’s a bad fragrance, it smells great, it just doesn’t scratch that itch for me.
Barénia is the newest release from Hermès, which has been the subject of some controversy online - a lot of people aren’t happy with it. It contains a unique accord of Miracle Berry, which is said to cause sour foods to be perceived as sweet, which seems to be exactly what is happening here. There is a sourness to this scent - the bergamot, ginger lily and synthetic woods create this almost scratchy freshness which isn’t awful, but thankfully is tempered by the juicy sweetness of this miracle berry accord. It’s a weird array of notes, and yet it smells very familiar - I feel like I’ve smelled this exact scent a hundred times before, but can’t place where. Overall it’s not unpleasant, I’m sure the masses will quite enjoy it. But for the price, you would expect a little more character, especially from a house with such a great heritage in the perfume industry. Pleasant, but forgettable and uninspiring.
Ombre Mercure is an olfactory delight, a sensation for orris-lovers everywhere to indulge in. To put this simply, it is a happy scent - you cannot possibly remain in a bad mood if you’re wearing this. Its delicately soft, powdery facets and sweet undertones will lift you up in an instant. Orris and Violet are the main players; intensely powdery and feminine, reminiscent of vintage face powder, complimented by other florals of ylang, rose and jasmine. In the opening it smells like Parma Violet sweets, it has a noticeable candy-like scent to it, perhaps from the inclusion of benzoin and vanilla giving it a touch of warmth. As it develops, it becomes much drier and less sweet, with the powdery facets of the orris becoming creamy with the sandalwood and ylang, whilst also presenting a touch of earthiness from the patchouli. I think this is a fantastic scent, I’m really impressed - it’s definitely going on the wishlist.
