I would describe this as a naughty green leather. The patch is overdosed here, and really showcases the darkness and depth of natural patch oil. Loads of pepper, bright citrus, and loads of dark labdanum which pairs with the patch so well. And then a dash of cast’ lending it an animalic edge. A riotous success.

Not for me, but then I’m not a huge fan of fruity notes. This opens with a heavy dose of litchi which is certainly novel. It helps drive the rose along with the sweet strawberry. I think it’s actually the apple I’m not agreeing with here, or the geranium, which is quite forward from after the initial opening. Now it’s turning more biscuity and yeah, still a no from me. But I’m certain this will be very popular amongst the crowds of people who like fruit bombs. Follow me on Instagram: @TheScentiest

Sample from Discovery set. Paper test. Curiously, an incense floral amber with a note of absinthe that actually adds suavity to the composition. A big like, particularly as it’s quite complex and I can pick out all the notes. I don’t find the incense overt and look forward to wearing it. Follow me on Instagram: @TheScentiest

Sample from discovery set. Paper test, although I have owned a bottle of this previously. It’s in the same ballpark as mfk oud Extrait. A stylish, fresh oud which zips with oodles of saffron. If you like the mfk, you should check this out too. Follow me on Instagram: @TheScentiest

Sample from discovery set. Paper test. This is a really charming rose oud and I largely agree with how HungarianGenius summed this up. Oud is low down in the profile, and this is all about the sweet, warm notes although I’d stop short of calling it a full blown gourmand. I like the hint of booze and the candied rose is sumptuous. Tonka rounds out the base and I’m excited to give this a proper wearing. Follow me on Instagram: @TheScentiest

This stuff is amazing. Sweet, syrupy citrus and green stemmy notes open the perfume before a long, ambery dry down. A brilliant and long lasting summer freshie. And the bottle is glorious too.

How long does it take to create an award-winning chypre accord? At least two years, according to the British perfumer behind the critically successful Chienoir, Amanda Beadle, @bedeauxx on Instagram. Chienoir (pronounced Shen-wah, I think) was the winner of the 2018 Art and Olfaction Awards, which celebrate excellence in independent and artisan perfume from all over the world, and it's easy to see why. For the chypre accord in Chienoir, Amanda fused opoponax (instead of the typical labdanum) with patchouli, oakmoss absolute, and bergamot, a blended quartet of natural ingredients that took over two years to perfect. Taking the opportunity to attend an event (July 2023) where Amanda showcased Chienoir, it was clear from just smelling the isolated accord just how much work had gone into balancing these four key ingredients. (Other notes include neroli, sweet orange, pink pepper, tobacco, juniper berry, and musk.) Chienoir was created to represent "the essence of an English vineyard: mossy woodland, green vines, white flowers, and the deep, chalky, downland terroir." For me, Chienoir is like standing at the top of a vineyard during the golden hour, surrounded by the wide expanse, the moss, and the woodlands. As you look down across the vines from an elevated location, the sun, setting in the distance, casts its sepia hues across the landscape, and the earthy scent of nature fills the air. The sparkling citruses of neroli, sweet orange, and bergamot create that feeling of resplendent evening sunshine. The patchouli is earthy like soil and really speaks to the idea of terroir and the mineral aspect of the earth imparting its qualities into the produce. The aromatics of pink pepper, juniper, oakmoss, and musks give it the sense of being out in the open air, of oxygen, as if all of a sudden you find yourself bathed in nature. It’s incredibly durable as a fragrance, and in testing, it has given me over twelve hours of enjoyment with a hefty sillage. I'm not sure why others are complaining about the performance; you only need a couple of sprays of this. I love the fact it retails in sizes of 100, 30, 15, and 2 ml, which gives everyone the opportunity to try this critically acclaimed perfume. Follow me on Instagram: @TheScentiest

Loving JJ’s review of this, which is written far more eloquently than this hand will muster. I tested Fundamental today, wearing it to work. Brave, you might say. However, no. I’d disagree. It’s a charming avant garde scent, with an unusual composition that also feels rather familiar. The bitterness of dusty grape skin entwines with the texture of beeswax and Tuscan iris, feeling musty like a wine cellar, or a cavernous undercroft of a church in which there has been too many accidental spillages of the Eucharistic chalice. It smells entirely odd off of paper, but on skin this thing is magic. Follow me on Instagram: @TheScentiest