First of the Herba London line and I'm excited to see what they're all about. I've only sprayed this on my hand briefly and don't usually conduct a review after such an insufficient wear. However I did diligently pay attention to how this fragrance progressed and judging it as I did when I read the name...there can't be a lot to it. There isn't really. However there's some nice surprises in here. The bergamot note is clearly from some high quality naturals because the smell is divine, constantly switching between lime, lemon and petit grain and is up there with some of the finest bergamot/citrus fragrances I revere such as Aqva viva. Bags of depth and a real pungency for the first few minutes, projecting wildly. As it settles though it goes in a direction I wasn't expecting, a very soapy accord develops and it's not the waxy, white floral, neroli I was expecting. This is more of a nondescript cleanness, almost powdery but muting the citrus quite substantially, then this subsides and the neroli starts to kick, becoming more what I'd suspected it might. So what is bergamot then? It's a very competent and nicely presented citrus, which has a lush, memorable opening and a good heart and base, lasting fairly well. I will be wearing it properly soon but they're off to a good start.
This was a completely new fragrance experience for me when I first tried it and should be praised for capturing some of the jungle and fruity essences which perfectly evoke the Macaque. I wasn't at all surprised when I saw who the perfumer was because Sarah has a habit of making these concept heavy fragrances with her own brand. I was a little cynical at first thinking they were novel for the sake of it, but you have to embrace someone who is willing to move things forward and not just produce another chypre, oriental etc... (not that there's anything wrong with that either) challenging our noses with strange combinations and progressive fragrances. All this being said....I hate Macaque! haha...nah only kidding, but I don't like it particularly, it's just plain odd. Many of the Zoologist line are this way, rendering them unwearable for me. The green top notes and almost transparency of this fragrance are very nice but coupled with a feeling of under-ripe fruits and dry tea and a animal musk doesn't make for a pleasant wearing experience. Alhtough I will wear again to be absolutely sure. I'm glad this exists, that Sarah is putting these Ideas together and that some people are loving & wearing it. Scents like this truly does make me happy, because these are art-house films being showed in high street cinema chains. I say that because Zoologist isn't some underground indy line, it's a mainstream reviewer, hypetrain especially recent releases. I don't know if this is psychosomatic coz of the monkey link but I get a slight banana smell, it's just odd and not for me.
Let me just start by saying.... Wow!!! This fragrance is an absolute wet dream for me, a perfect storm of notes character and power. I will also start by saying that the notes listed here don’t accurately portray what I smell so I’ll tell you what they are shall I? A show stopping saffron note, brutal, raw and unforgiving if you don’t dig saffron, but thankfully it’s one of my favourite notes and frankly as potent and prominent as it is comes off, this is more oriental and amber like. It Does have the rough,earthy, sharpeness obviously but it’s not nearly as saffrony as MFK Oud or even that Aramis saffron one that’s not to say I don’t think this has equal merit to those two excellent fragrances because it does. The saffron is joined by a really, curried spice of cumin/caraway but even more complex than that, it dances to and fro almost animal in nature. The drydown is curious because then it develops an intensely resinous, woody smell with a subdued note of rose reminiscent of an oud/rose perfume. It’s quite stunning, projects massively almost intrusively so when first applied but persian saffron is intriguing, unique, spicy and deep I love it! Do I like it enough to shell out £120? Yeah I think I do!
So...I get a slightly peculiar effect from this perfume, but I think it's pretty good on the whole. Hyacinths are something I have grown up with and my mum always has them in the porch as you enter her house. Sometimes (in fact most of the time) the smell is overwhelming, very 'wet floral' I like to call it and pretty unique, instantly recognisable in perfumes I find. My dear friend at the Mugler counter challenged me to guess what the floral component of this perfume was, possibly thinking it was hard to guess and was pretty astonished when I got it right. It's clearly there, especially in the opening but frankly it's not the most hyacinth heavy fragrance I've ever smelled by a long chalk and I'm glad to be honest. The balance of this fragrance is great because the base comes through right from the start, making supra floral, less floral in eventuality. Now although oud is a broad church and there seems to be an obsession with calling out fragrances for not having oud in them when stated in the notes etc...when in actualy fact it manifests quite differently depending on the many factors. I thought this has the dry smokey vetiver, earthy patchouli and licorice quality sometimes I associate with oud. I had no idea what the notes were before trying or wearing but noted that it smells quite a bit like the blackcurrant/licorice combo I get from Versace Man, Versace Oud Noir and CdG Wonderoud. Without an overt resinous or 'barnyard' oud I have to make assumptions from the associated perfumes that there is indeed oud in this. I get the peppery spice and clearly the colour purple is evoked by this fragrance which perfectly matches the long lasting and quite pleasurable floral offering of hyacinth, which mellows throughout. It's a good perfume, well thought out, a little hair raising at first thinking I smelled what I associate with being feminine, but that soon subsides and supra floral become more woody.
So It's pretty crazy that the first of this line came out nearly 5 years ago and I'm only just sampling them now. The idea of an exclusive line is fine but don't make them so exclusive no one gets to sniff the bloody things. The exclusive period for Harrods (I think it was?) in the UK was insane and I've only just got to try them now. Woodisime is an extremely likeable fragrance with the sweet, fruity opening completely appealing to my sweettooth but countered enough with a decent base to make it not cloy or annoy. The body as it settles is probably the soft fruity osmanthus blossom and then into a peppery wood, slightly resinous which if you tell me is oud, then I believe you. The main effect and base is one of a soft, creamy, slightly powdered, sandalwood. It's nice...the quality is clearly there I thought it wouldn't last and although slight, Woodisime has lasted all day, lightly projecting. Good start to the line for me.
I remember sampling this in a Lush store a few Christmas's ago and not taking much note, however trying a fragrance in a Lush store is pretty futile as you get a massive headache within the first minute of being in there, like a bathbomb to the cranium! My friend was wearing this last night though and boy does it smell good on him! A real tonal mixture of dirty, spiced vanilla and patchouli, cementing my feeling that Lush do indeed have some fantastic fragrances, this is one of them.
The opening smells exactly like malt whisky and I’m not just talking about the initial blast before it settles. Even after that it has a sharp boozy warmth and definitely evokes the resinous qualities of oud. It’s sharp to the point of nose tingling and even unpleasantly cutting, however when it dries down becomes very much like a leathery, peppered wood and resin, maybe even a bit oaky. I liked it. No idea what it cost but didn’t have enough impact for me, I’m more of a bourbon man that single malt and really didn’t like Atelier cologne’s gold leather at first, but then grew to absolutely love it and there’s something of that to this fragrance. So maybe I could this too in time.
Nox is one I tried ages ago but have revisited because it’s taken time to make my mind up about. It opens with a ozonic blast of bitter, herbal notes and a hint of minty, eucalyptus which I attribute to the combination of hinoki, cedar and wormwood. As it settles the salty sea breeze accord comes into full effect, almost but not quite rendering Nox a washout, Nox isn’t short for noxious as many of the salty sea accords can be. There was the softer sweeter surprise of vanilla in the drydown. This was surprisingly subdued and short lived considering the evident quality. I thought it was okay, bracing start made me think...granted mainly think ‘this isn’t my cup of tea’ salty sea vibes are tonally correct for the composition, with other nice stuff peeking through but not enough to excite me I’m afraid.
Let me put my mark in the sand and say...”Toot...toot! HYpe train starts here!!!” If I cared about being one of the first to declare that shit!!! In fact I actively don’t want people to like it therefore making it more exclusive and just for those in the know, and being part of the Opus line that’s where I suspect it will remain, in relative semi obscurity. I could be wrong though, because it’s so excellent it deserves high praise. Opus XI Opens up with a wet flint/stone almost dewy sensation of lush greens but you can instantly tell that is the calm before the storm and there is an awesome, dense base lurking underneath. Already it’s sharp and cutting yet somehow smooth and meditative. Basically the combination of a huge styrax note which is INCREDIBLE serves as a The darker more enchanted side of resins, which can usually run the gamete between cerebral or uplifting incense or leathery and sharp or dry amber to warm cuddliness. Styrax and oud In Opus XI are the perfect marriage for each other creating a highly medicinal and cutting fragrance but one which has a ton of depth even with the relative simplicity. I absolutely loved this stuff! Bold and in your face but balanced and refined too the best way to describe its vibes if you’re not familiar with this sort medicinal/resinous/oud smell is that of Gucci guilty absolute pour homme. Not just the almost antiseptic feel (Opus is way smoother and better BTW) but a natural sense, true resinous power delivered in a unique package. There’s something raw yet refined about it and it lasts and develops for many hours. I’ve always been a fan of the Opus series, they are kinda deliberately overlooked and more obscure than the main (his/hers) releases. The first six books if you like, were nice enough but the additional volumes have just got better and better, I remember describing Opus VII as like something Al Pacino would wear in that movie ‘Devils advocate’ (although I may have stolen that from someone who said it about a different fragrance & will still not be credited
I’ve only really tried the ‘main’ FM’s but I’m steadily working my way through the ones that have been out years but I didn’t get to yet. My main objection to this is the name...because it’s not outrageous is it? I mean notes like cellophane, pebble, dew drop, or squid...now that would be outrageous, this is just meh. It’s a synthetic, musky citrus accord with that classical edc element of white florals which are non typical but still not outrageous, on a cedar type base. I didn’t think much of it after the okay opening, then when it settled I actively wasn’t much of a fan but then (and this is usually the case with many perfumes) when dried right down to faint basenotes, I thought mmmm...that’s really nice actually. Outrageous averages out to be OK that is all.
Outragous! then. Well, on a personal level, I love technical elegance in perfumery and it would be hard to deny that Sophia Grosjman doesn't epitomise that. Her commonly used collection of woody, floral, musk and ionone materials creating a signature accord is akin to taking a well established three chord progression and crafting a hit song out of it. What's Outrageous about this perfume is perhaps that it takes some of that approach and applies to a high end art brand, rather than a more modest and affordable high street one. So...The price is Outrageous basically. I'm joking of course, value in perfume is certainly not judged that way in this camp, and for a moment there I honestly thought I'd fallen in love with this perfume, but on reflection, I can't quite justify the expenditure, even at a reduced price. Outrageous smells bright and such in the opening, it's not very analog as expected, it's a fruity powder for the digital age. What I do like is just how minimal and uncluttered it is. The apple note is not annoying, the orange blossom is so squeaky clean it barely has any of the naturalism which makes orange blossom so interesting, the wax and animalic indole or even the pairing with spices like caraway or cumin from perfumes like Serge Lutens, Fleur d'oranger for example. Yet this sanitised version of orange blossom (that's what dominates to me) is somehow satisfying and not lacking, because it's providing me with something else I crave, a perfume which allows me to wear and enjoy and almost switch off any kind of critical thought or deep emotion, usually something I'd say a perfume needs to have, but the lack thereof is what makes Outrageous (ALMOST) special. hmmmm...I think I need to continue this at some point.....
I can’t help but feel this fragrance is for the most flamboyant, brash, peacock feathered, show off imaginable...but I absolutely love it! There’s something dark and brooding, even a bit dangerous about it despite the seemingly playful, sweetness, it somehow evokes crushed purple velvet. I can’t help myself, and reading the concept behind it, (I did not realise the psychoactive component!) I like it even more and the addictive, narcotic nature, this perfume clearly possesses. I loved the opening clearly very floral and sweetly resinous but genuinely unlike anything v I’ve tried before. The heliotrope becomes more eveident as it settles lending a gourmand vanilla/almond backdrop to the whole composition, it’s very creamy and with the exotic, heady florals from jammy rose and ylang ...and with the resounding Myrrh and sandalwood adding to proceedings, this stuff sings. Now it’s pretty feminine and I do say that with a clear unbiased, ‘wear what you want’ attitude...but I’d only feel comfortable wearing this in certain situations. Sad as it sounds, watching the boxing in a packed boozer full of proper blokes and I’d feel self conscious as if I might as well just have walked in with my full Rupaul get up on! For real. Only tried two from this brand, the other one was nice but performed poorly but they made up for it with this...I think I want a bottle.
Well I put a big fat 'Dislike' on this without even posting a review which is not unusual for me as I'm super forgetful. I actually think Akaster is a good answer to those who say that PdM is a 'jumped up clone house' full of it's own importance, exclusivity and high prices but actually just ripping off well known perfumes with no originality. A claim which might have a touch of merit but is also slightly unfair, because like most things, it's more complicated than that. I say that Akaster is different from many perfumes because it's pretty stark and actually quite awful! However, I'd love to have the bottle to wear something like this, so off the wall and animal. Akaster has a cheese and barnyard stink to the the oud note which I just can't get passed. There's a rose in here too but that doesn't do any good just adds to the unpleasantness, like a toilet sprayed with air freshener to mask a particularly foul smelling dump! Now, I like some skanky perfumes, animal, civet, powerful middle eastern attars, genuine oud accords etc.. even the manure tones of tobacco or tanning leather...basically I'm no shrinking violet or olfactory prude but this stuff really didn't agree with me at all. What I think makes it worse is the seeming attempt to cling to the 'Marly line' the continuing preppy, Creed like narrative which might not even be deliberately fostered by the brands creator but is still evoked for me. Examples like Pegasus, Carlyle and of course Layton are 'designerish' if that's even a thing? And Akaster has clean elements and something accessible but a heart of absolute crazy, unpleasantness. Like the sterile, cleanliness of a hospital but with the smell of illness and various bodily secretions vague, but ever present. For all it's oud gurth there's something light about akaster. An example of something with dirt and skankiness but that owns it and see's it through from concept to effect on the user, is Imaginary authors Bull's blood. Another perfume I'd say I don't like but for different reasons. This stuff was certainly a talking point for me.
While I agree to some extent with the two reviews below and the appraisal of the brand as a whole, I can't help but be slightly more optimistic about Supernova. Honestly I don't know what's up with me lately, where has that gnarled, cynical me gone? If Supernovas are distant events we can observe but don't have a great deal of impact on us then, it's quite a fitting name. Sure this perfume is of little consequence and laughably so if you look at the original retail price, but if you get it for a steal in TK MAXX (£20 which I did) then in context it's a very bright, citrus fragrance and something my collection lacks. The opening to me is a very green affair, shades of Goutal's Ninfeo mio, a galbanum like almost fig leaf vibe, obviously with a ton of bitter lemon and grapefruit. When this settles though there is a clean slightly soapy note of cardamom & thicker touch of woods at the back and more of the kaffir lime/petitgrain that is promised in the notes which is actually very pleasant indeed. Now before that happens It does smell a bit like some cheap lemony, cleaning product but genuinely that association goes quite quickly. Which brings me to performance because it all goes quite quickly if I'm honest, still not without merit and when some comes around I will happily cake myself in it.
This is probably the most beautiful woods-based fragrance I own and have ever smelt. Sugi, as with anything minimal, is actually really tough to describe. The opening is a sharp, angular lemon cypress note that sticks out quite vividly and sets the tone for the dry-down. There's a tiny bit of spice from pepper, but it's not strong and doesn't last very long before it sits way, way back in the overall fragrance. As the top settles in, a creamy Iris that feels a little old skool and soft cedar dominate, whilst the lemon cypress just rests in the background. The pine is there throughout giving the whole thing a lovely coniferous vibe but the vetiver is very minimal. I love vetiver but here, it's no bad thing that it's not at all dominant as I feel like it might have been way too heavy for this fragrance if it was stronger. For the most part, that's due to the lightness of scent 03, it's simple, traditional but modern and extremely ethereal. That's about it really. It's extremely transparent and minimal and that may sound boring, but it's anything but. It's pure class in blending. I have to admit, there are very few fragrances anymore that move me the way this one does. Utterly beautiful. In an effort to be objective, this is far and away from anything "beast mode", so if you're looking for that, you'll leave disappointed. It's a very light fragrance. Whilst it does project quite well, it isn't dense or bold in any way. It also doesn't last very long, three, four hours tops. Very safe for office wear and possibly one of the best work fragrances available. I'd also dress it up for the evening, though I think it works best during the day. It's expensive for it's poor longevity, but I still love it.
Tom Ford ain’t half bangin’ out the Fougere fragrances of late. I remain optimistic in the light of the other two not exactly spellbinding me, this stuff has very promising notes and no one is rooting for Beau de jour more than me. However, I want something with depth, with something new about it or if it can’t manage that... just be classically good. Main thing I’m looking for is for it to be STRONG!
Oh well...I'm so often surprised by the fact I haven't reviewed certain perfumes, when I'm sure I appraised them long ago, this is one of them. I've been a proud owner of this for years now and despite not trying the original DK, I think Fuel is a magical perfume. To me it has all the beauty and subtleties of the very best sandalwoods, because afterall that is the dominant note in Fuel for men. It is joined by the warmth and depth of amber and what can only be described as powdery notes, with a floral touch evocative of the feel (but crucially not the smell) of iris or orris root and a satin, buttery, suede. This reminds me of soft pencil shavings, and crayons but with a sweeter nature, and a refinement and quality that is pretty staggering. Other softies like this which have subsequently been released have caught my heart like Atelier Cologne's Santal Carmin or Xejoff's Ivory route. 'Santal Secree' I've coined them, things that are strong but barely in the realms of existence to some noses, certainly in terms of announcing themselves. However, when you them breathe deeply and imbibe, have masses of depth. Not strictly for men, soft and feminine enough for women to love too. I'm using my bottle sparringly as it's rare stuff now.
Mon Parfum Cheri, Par Camille! A wonderful tribute to Annick by Camille, just like Annick created years before Eau de Camille for her daughter. One, playful and young, for a little girl. The other, dark and nostalgic, a late tribute to one of the pioneers of the French niche scene. Mon Parfum Cheri is a tribute to patchouli with the aid of violet (one of very few fragrances where I actually love the note), Iris, plum and heliotropin. Underneath, the famous Prunol base which harkens back to wonders like Diorama and Femme de Rochas. All three could stand proudly together, scenting the black and white Hollywood movie stars of the early 30’s. Glamour like you don’t see anymore, in dark purple hues and heavy velvet drapes. MPC opens, shifts and ends with patchouli; raw, rich, earthy in full glory, avoiding hippy associations but instead showcasing notes and accords that accompany the note. Violet, a note I don’t particularly enjoy, lends its ozonic quality to provide bursts of freshness along the ride. There aren’t citrus notes like in so many fragrances; instead, violet provides the glass of water to this rich chocolate cake. Plum, a succulent and erotic fruit, provides juiciness and warmth, accompanied by peach and coconut lactones that together make the fragrance become creamier as the day progresses. Instead of sweet notes, these here provide the softness and slight sweetness that comes and goes, making MPC more approachable and less stoic. There are hints of cardamom, a cool spice, that provides hints of warm spiciness. Could there also be some cumin? The fragrance is slightly animalic; the smell of warm skin, lost kisses, embraces. Cumin is definitely there. Heliotropin, with a slight almond nuance provides the forbidden, the mystique. A fragrance that is dangerous is always more intriguing. Femme Fatale, Homme Fatal. Passionate and sensual. Iris, profound and solemn, rich and fatty in its orris butter facet, is threaded throughout the evolution. At times powdery, at times dark and rooty but always beautiful, Iris evokes the softness of a lovers kiss. Velvet gloves that are slowly removed to caress a peachy cheek. Softness and strength. MPC is a fragrance of emotions. More chypre in feel although not technically one, it is both heavily charged with associations of past creations due to its complexity and heft, but also because of the tribute behind it. Simple notes that are easily identifiable, deft in their combination and masterful blending. Evolving and evoking of loving memories, rich nuances and strong presence; it lasts easily a whole day with ever present sillage. And this is the edt! For me, one of the best Annick Goutal creations and one I was smart enough to buy 2 bottles of as soon as it was launched, fearing it couldn’t last too long on the market. Unfortunately, I was right. My ruby red bottles with black lace bow will have to last me for ever. Thankfully the 2/3 sprays one needs to stay fragrant for many hours will help achieve this. Lovers of vintage perfumes; absolute must try!
Something about Man in Red is redeeming it and pulling it back from falling into the gaping precipice that is my wrath. It escapes it's fate in the yawning chasm for one reason...it goes straight for my inner child and more specifically that child's sweet tooth. I can't believe that vanilla isn't listed because it dries down very soft and creamy. (Just noticed Tonka is listed) The opening however made me really dislike it with that mundane fruity apple vibe and fruity woods. The accord does grow on me after a while as I said and it's pretty in explicable because I really shouldn't like it but I do. I get the comparision to the red Dunhill one but this is even sweeter and softer.
I think it was a good thing for Tom Ford to make a 'designer' mainstream, leather fragrance, something which was usually only afforded for the niche fragrance elite. What a shame then that it seemed to take an age to come out in the UK. I was nagging TF reps for months trying to get my hands on it, and they didn't even know what I was talking about. Same old story... Well now it's even in Boots the chemist so everyone can and should get at it, because it's really nice. The opening is luxurious, kinda sweet and slightly resinous, nodding towards Tuscan leather but with a definite jasmine floral leaning edge making the leather buttery and even a bit iris or orris like. It perpetually sways back n forth between a sweeter TL leather and a more feminine, powdered leather. I really like it. Hang on a second though because I'm getting deja vu here. I remember the release of the private blend version of this Ombre leather 17 a few years ago and as nice as it was, was met with a bit of sigh from me. Well I must not have been the only one and maybe the redundancy of that fragrance as a private blend addition, allowed Ombre leather in it's most recent incarnation, to be born...who knows? And now it is here and is good...makes Ombre leather 17 even more redundant. I mean it's still not exactly cheap or anything but it's excellent value compared to the private line 50ml being about £75 and the 100ml is about £110 Tom Ford needs to keep things reassuringly expensive after all. I can't argue with the performance, although dying to a skin scent after a couple of hours I found the longevity very satisfactory.
This fragrance does its best to replicate the wonderful Gucci PHII and in the opening it doesn’t do a bad job but almost as immediately you can tell it doesn’t process anywhere near the depth. I get the zing of bergamot, the spicy clove even the floral musk and woody base of cedar all popping, maybe even slightly replicating the darkly metallic tea notes of GHII but it’s such a poor and weak imitation and sweeter too and I genuinely hate to be so reductive and bring it all down to a comparison because I like Ted Baker as a brand and desperatly want to see good perfumes from them. I even like the precious metallic concept and branding/packaging, the shiny flacons which look a bit like hip flasks, and the very wallet friendly prices but the truth is Au is weak, doesn’t last long and despite glimpsing the spirit of GPHII it’s no where near as musky, spicy or aloof.
It's not often I venture into the women specific, designer scent world but something compelled me to pick this bottle up. Now it isn't due to a lack of interest more that there isn't enough hours in a day to sample everything out there. My Burberry Black was actually a quality piece of work but the overall vibe is very Femme (rightly so) and as such not something I'd wear. I don't even feel it's that original in approach but for one crucial thing, It doesn't smell cheap. The base of amber and woods anchors what is not strictly an oriental perfume, perhaps more of a fruity Chypre hybrid but with that classically peachy, jasmine then a pleasing, warmer drydown. Nice.
A beautiful, fresh citrus aquatic that dries down to a kind of sea breeze and vaguely feminine, soft fuzzy peach. If you like your aquatics very salty this isn’t for you has a kind of light fruity nature, don’t get me wrong the sea is certainly evoked but it’s very much in the background. You can tell the ingredients are quality and the blend of notes is good, just not the most inspiring piece in the world for me. Enjoy the smell though, lots to like.
This is an amazing scent no doubt, one of the main reasons is the top notes are positively fruity and exotic, unmistakably guava crucially not listed in the notes here. The development then takes a turn for the familiar in the shape of a gorgeous vanilla then it became obvious what this smelled like...and it’s one of my favourite perfumes ever...Bella Bellissima’s White Leather. However, as quickly as you can make the association you realise that, firstly it not nearly as lush or intense but it actually changes becoming much more floral. It’s a lovely mixture of iris, soft powdery leather and overtly fresh orange blossom/neroli and maybe some freesia or something. The main basis of star of the season is a soft sandalwood accord which again is similar to White Leather. You can still smell the exotic fruit and vanilla way in the background too but it’s such a different scent as much as it’s familar maybe even more complex but certainly not backed with the strength of oud or the rich, long lasting power of BB. It’s more feminine too and I’d definitely recommend it to those who like the tropical/fruity/floral with an oriental type base.
If you like vetiver, this is one of the best in my opinion. On first spray, you get quite a strong vetiver that fizzes on the skin. This slows down and for a while is accompanied by an oily, gently rubbery guaiac wood. I usually struggle with Guaiac wood in fragrances if I'm honest, but it's okay here. I'm not sure I'd be so happy with this if it hung around, but after about 30 minutes, it fades right out to the backseat of the composition, replaced instead by possibly the most beautiful sandalwood I've ever smelt. It's dry, warm and fresh, more like a wood shop than any incense. This is also alongside the emergence of a rich, dark chocolate. The chocolate to me is more abstract than I was expecting. I feel like throughout the wear, it's more of a suggestion of chocolate rather than an obvious, gourmand chocolate. There are some ever so slight, gentle florals, and a hint of a powdery iris note that shows up briefly, but for the most part, they don't crowd the stage and bow out after a couple of hours. At this point, for me, the scent is more or less linear, with no great changes, all chocolate, woods and vetiver, with some balsamic, ambery sweetness to keep it interesting. But that description is far, far too simple. This fragrance has an incredible duality, whilst remaining completely wearable throughout. It is at once dry and sophisticated and sweet and playful at the same time. It flits between the two faces wonderfully and not in a typical "unisex" way, as in the fragrance as a whole takes on the particular gender, it literally swings between masculine and feminine depending on which notes catch you in the air. It's really something special to experience. It's strictly black tie only but can be total rock and roll, constantly subverting itself just when you feel like you have the measure of it. When it feels black tie, it almost makes me feel bad for wearing it in a pair of jeans and when it flips and feels more relaxed, it just kills it, feeling like pure casual class. The blend of these two faces is really something special here and elevates it beyond your average vetiver fragrance. I think the way it wears like this, it is appropriate for any occasion, though it still feels a bit too classy for casual wear for me. This is more for a dressed up affair, whether that be work or play. It would absolutely kill on a date night, but I don't know if I would wear it for a first date as it has quite a unique character, it would really depend on the situation. As far as gender goes, the subtle oakmoss, woods and vetiver nail this hard as masculine, but as I say, it flips equally feminine with soft, rich chocolate and balsamic notes. I think it can be unisex and I also think this would be very sexy on a woman, but you'd want to be pretty confident in your style. As long as you own the fragrance and don't let it dominate I think it would work. Honestly, I think that applies to both male and female here. Performance is INSANE. two sprays are enough, will net you a decent sillage and won't be overpowering, which honestly I think could be easily done. I sprayed this on at 10am before heading to work and went straight out when I finished, I got home at 3 in the morning, crashed out on the bed and woke up the next morning at 8am and I could still smell it like I just sprayed it. Even after I got out of the shower after waking up that morning, I could still smell it. Mental. I could go on, but I won't. Unbelievable scent.
