Latest User Reviews

I'd say I get more guava and mango in the opening than pineapple and that is a massive positive...I love a tropical, fruity perfumes and I was waiting for Xerjoff to give me the best I'd ever had, transporting me to a paradise...but Cruz del sur II doesn't quite pull it off. I'm not sure what it is? The quality is undoubtedly there but no 'shade' could be the issue here, this beach needs a palm tree. To say it smells like a glade home fragrance is a little unfair, Cruz del sur II does have a great complex opening. The milky, vanilla base is interesting and does feel like a positive 'milk' note, but equally comes off as coconut against those tropical fruits. After they die it's a very feminine, soft and one dimensional, creamy powder of a fragrance with a lot of pastel, exotic floral notes coming through. It's not for me.

I was looking forward to trying Cruz del sur I & II but neither have really met my expectations. This one opens very strangely indeed and has a signature Xerjoff opulence about it, I don't find the mixture of an animalic, but modern IBQ driven, leather accord, boozy fruits and smoky resins appealing at first but as this thing progresses it gets much nicer. After about five hours it's now a boozy, rum and minced fruit cake of loveliness, with hints of the animal leather and sharp labdanum and myrrh but much tamer and easier to handle now. Rewind to the opening and it was knocking me sick with it's spiced diesel fumes and stinky animal musk but with all the nice things I've mentioned too, all at the same time.... Cruz del sur I is an insane, statement fragrance. It's no joke and reminds me of loads of different fragrances non of which I can recall right now due to the sensory overload I'm experiencing. Full of intrigue this one, great performance and if you can wait out the initial harshness, a blissful drydown. When I say it reminds me of other fragrances, it totally does, but has so many phases and notes that it is unique in a sense as well, and who doesn't like a fragrance that is multifaceted even if you probably wouldn't wear it and definitely couldn't afford it.

I'll just start by saying that I'm a massive fan of this house, I respect the refined range, the fact that a small outfit got an exclusive with Selfridges and has since branched out (I think?) and just generally love the perfumes Noble Incense and White Leather are brilliant. Even if they were all just tried and tested formulas and rehashings, I'd still like them because the quality is undeniable. Bella Bellisima's range isn't that though, they are memorable and different scents, I think Vetiver Spice is the best Vetiver I've ever smelled, and no one seems to be aware of it. Anyway....against that backdrop of my obvious bias I have to say that Precious Amber is equally brilliant as well. However, I would add there's nothing very new in here but it can be forgiven just for being so damn lovely. I did try it in store when this lie was first introduced and thought it was a hugely sweet resinous rose perfume and it turns out I still think that, but I had to get a recent sample to make sure. The opening isn't so lovely a very chemical, burning, harsh representation of resin and the jammiest, sweetest rose note which truly has a fruity, sugary nature to it. However, as it dies back becomes a very rich amber rose which constantly changes throughout, lightly spiced and definitely on the feminine side. My favourite part is when it has completely dried down to almost nothing, a subtle skin scent of the most lovely variety...I adore it at this stage. If you're a big rose fan this would worth checking out, It's full of amber but not conventional in that sense so amber fans might look elsewhere. Despite Precious Amber's initial potency it's not that much of beast and lasted very well but disappeared completely after 8 hours, still a respectable innings. Undeniable quality yet again from Bella Bellisima.

I haven't even looked at the price but if you have to be concerned about such things....you can't afford it, and I can't afford it. I usually wait until I've worn a fragrance a couple of times or at least until the latter stages before even contemplating a review but this one had me excited. I let out an audible, semi orgasmic sigh of absolute satisfaction when I first sprayed this. Roja Dove's London is supreme, the reason for this is clear right from the start...possibly my favourite ingredient...Labdanum. London screams labdanum, the opening is sharp, making your nose tingle and the intense resinous nature is immediately apparent. The opening is beautiful and combines a host of other notes clove, cardamom saffron but frankly they are short lived and the life of this fragrance is in the incense. It's a heady mixture which changes all the while from effervescent olibanum/galbanum to darker chunkier more spiced tones of tolu balsam and then the dry, dusty benzoin. I think that's just the wonderful nature of labdanum, it's kinda all those things at the same time. The base is soft deep deep woods I think there's even a hint of vanilla in there just to round out what is an excellent fragrance. The performance was good as expected and opening aside, the transitions even within an accord of resins just speak to how complex they are in their own right. I loved Roja Dove's London and if money was no object I'd buy it tomorrow.

Finally received this in the post after being intrigued for some time and yes at first sniff it does resemble NdN but that's not quite the whole story. Tom Ford's Noir de Noir was a scent that was never a big deal to me and I genuinely couldn't see what the fuss was all about at first...It was just a very nice rose based perfume. However, after several wears over the years and a mini I occasionally dip into, I grew to understand that it was a pretty special fragrance, not too rosey but enjoyable and uplifting even. So the prospect of a cheaper alternative became very appealing and Club de Nuit Intense smells a hell of a lot like it. Crucial difference being after it settles the patchouli is more prominent, more quickly. Some would argue that's not much of a difference but try them side by side and you will notice what I mean. Other than that the opening is pretty much Identical, I'd say NdN seems a little jammier and sweeter in general but it really is slitting hairs. Also the choclately element a little cacao puff in both is present but as I mentioned the CdNI seems to be a little earthier patch. They both evoke Turkish delight and velvety, purple evening wear. I'm really glad I got this, because although I have rose fragrances I've nothing quite like this. Now I've never found NdN to be a big performer and this seems to sit low in exactly the same way, which I'm happy with to be honest because there's nothing worse than being choked out by your own rose perfume. A brilliant blind buy thanks to the reliable folks in the fragrance community bigging this one up now for some time.

When I read the notes for this I was thinking what will an Arabic take on a fruity scent be? It's pretty much what I expected in some respects but I'm also glad there's not a hint of rose or oud or the usual stuff that despite not being listed, can loom large. The opening is a turbo charged explosion of fruits, mainly plum, dark berries and blackcurrant but some exotic smell too, perhaps coming from the ylang ylang and jasmine. Layali is a upbeat and uplifting scent which instantly reminded me of my childhood and specifically a leisure centre where I used to do martial arts. It wasn't the sweat, rubber mats and chlorine though but maybe some sweets I had in the foyer or the slush puppy machines and canteen area...I don't actually know? but it's always fascinating when fragrance can transport you back to a time you'd buried deep in your subconscious. Anyway...the thing which makes this fragrance is the olfactory nosedive it takes as it settles down, very clever and totally needed to counteract the heady nature of the oriental flowers and strong fruity notes. The element I'm talking about is cumin or a curry spice note which just pokes it's head out, deep into the composition and frankly without it this scent would be nice but nothing to get excited about. It's the same way a fecal or animal note adds to a perfume just giving some shade to all that brightness. Hugely strong to begin with but I actually found it not too strong in the end and performance was good. Layali put me slightly in mind of Enchanted forest and Byredo Pulp due to the blackcurrant and plum notes respectively. Very good stuff though and a excellent flacon, an interesting blind buy that I thankfully don't regret because to me it's not a perfume taking itself too seriously. Layali is a bit of fun.

So many reviews to do, so little time. It's tragic that I've only just gotten around to pen my thoughts about this stuff. I don't know whether I'm just having a Eau de cologne renaissance but I really am in love with this kind of fragrance at the moment and it's not even the weather for it. Maybe that's the beauty of this sort of classic perfume...it's versatile and timeless. In any case my respect for Guerlain couldn't be higher and this really is a gem, despite the obvious comparisons with a million other similar fragrances. The opening is like a cool breeze of luscious, bright citruses and lemon verbena which often gives a little fizz to proceedings and although in broad terms, not a long lived perfume, the citrus does last throughout. This might be due to how Cologne Imperiale, superbly transitions into white florals but they are very light and delicate. The drydown has a hint of creaminess like a woody vanilla but so subtle and barely registering as such. It's brilliant! I really like it. This type of perfume can be quite boring but this has something about it an air of class and robust heritage. I have tried it through the years and this latest formula doesn't seem to have lost anything. I didn't expect decent performance and as such was pleasantly surprised when the longevity was okay, low lying but perfectly acceptable.

I’m disappointed with myself for not posting my review of this scent when it came out because I really liked it then and nothing has changed really. The citrus opening is lovely and with the edition of a positive and superb lemongrass note, is kinda herbal and zingy. Then it does become this thing we imagine old shave products to be like when they possibly were much harsher and full on as other reviews have mentioned. I get a classic cologne type mix but also a manly, herb Fougere, I’ve no doubt lavender is playing a part but it’s not pronounced to me. What I do think is I’m there is a vetiver like, earthy clean note, sometimes causing Bayolea to lean toward a kinda lemongrass Terred’Hermes. This could also be due to a zest of the tangerine note in here, especially in the opening. The drydown is lovely, clean, clear, concise...(maybe another C word I can’t think of right now?) and absolutely satisfying. I don’t think it’s groundbreaking, but Bayolea gets a thumbs up because performance was agreeable at 6+ hours so one of these days I might just get a bottle.

Whenever I see the word Bourbon I automatically think whiskey rather than vanilla, strange really as I’m clearly a fragrance fan but I’m obviously more of a whiskey fan so there you go. Well, who knew I would’ve been eerily accurate in that assumption, the opening is boozy and not in a good way, the base alcohol in this seems to take an age to disperse, which can happen with some (even the best) vanillas because they are so subtle and take time to develop. Then you get the other type which are just poorly executed and sadly that’s what E&J Nirvana Bourbon is, a meek, woody perfume which is an oak note, again subtlety conveyed and a vague booziness which is quite nice and then barely a flicker of the main player vanilla. It’s a shame because I can tell there the basis of a good perfume in here but it’s so patheticly mild it comes over like an anosmic, single woody molecule that quite honestly....bearly registers. I like the bottle and the branding though...they look pretty cool.

I really wanted to love this fragrance, I was extremely excited at the prospect of another AdP Colonia and one based on Ebony wood sounded delightful, unfortunately Ebano misses the mark. It starts very well, the opening is really superb, the red pepper note hits upfront, both fresh and spicy and then the unmistakable ebony note is among the best I’ve smelled, owing to the fact that it is the true focus but with touches of vetiver and other cleaner woods. Totally masculine, on the darker side with a dusty, dry feel and a hint of patch earth too. The thing which lets this perfume down is the drydown, it dries down, to creamy woods quickly and Is just a bit flat. Ebano is something which could’ve been so good and even glimpses greatness briefly but I’ve come across this before with this kind of woody scent. The drydown is passable but very boring and like something bog standard from the designer realm, I feel a bit bad giving it a hard time because it’s okay but could’ve been so much better. I’m not too bothered about the performance but it is a low lying hum as can be expected from an ebony/woods fragrance with little silage but still unusual for this line as they are usually strong. In conclusion then, I loved the opening and thought I may have hit on a holy grail of old skool, peppery, masculinity but that excitement was too short lived. I’d recommend anyone to try it but Ebano didn’t meet my high expectations.

I tried this in Birmingham a few years ago and all the way home (stuck in traffic for hours!) I was totally intrigued and intoxicated. (I don't mean I was drunk) It was one of those where I knew EXACTLY what this reminded me of almost immediately. I say 'almost' because the opening is such a strong, chaotic, swirling of notes that it's really difficult to discern what's going on. Then when it's settled sufficiently it's basically Tom Ford's glorious Black Orchid. Again...I say 'glorious' but I gave my bottle of Black Orchid away to a friend of mine as I thought she'd appreciate it more than I did. That's the main problem, although dark, exotic and with gourmand facets which one could argue are the epitome of unisex, I still find it too feminine. Because of the glaring comparison this is the case for Oud 24 I'm afraid. It has a sweet but a little smokey oud opening, then chocolate, cacao, patchouli incense and exotic florals pour out from what is a BIG fragrance. I don't go in for this being an exact clone of BO, put it this way I think I could tell them apart from the opening in anycase. This has more of a middle eastern feel, it's woodier and more raw, becoming even more complex. Yes I know than Black Orchid a massively complex perfume in itself, a statement that shouldn't be possible, but Oud 24 Hours manages it somehow. I still found the floral aspect way too much for me and it grated in the same way as Black Orchid. So is this a cheap and viable alternative? I'd say so, the performance was very good but I also remember that being the case for the TF too. If you like BO it's worth knowing this stuff is out there.

I bought Seville a l’ Aube (Seville) when it launched. It was around the time I discovered Grain de Musc and Denyse was commenting on her upcoming release of the Perfume Lover and the scent. The storytelling got me hooked; if anyone has visited Seville in Easter/early spring, there’s an unmistakable orange blossom (azahar) smell that permeates the entire city, becoming intoxicating at night when the heat surfaces from the streets. And make no mistake, Seville captures not only that smell, but also the smoke from the cathedrals and the sweat of bodies as they touch. This is a highly charged orange blossom, that retains a certain cologne freshness, so loved in the hot Spanish summer with the use of petit grain and lavender. What starts as a morning stroll around the city, ends in a random encounter with a beautiful stranger and a hot one night stand. The beeswax, the jasmine, the resins, all add up to the carnal and slightly animalic base that ends up smelling narcotic and highly sensual. Orange blossom has many facets; fresh, clean, honeyed, dirty; Seville slowly showcases all of them, ending at an orange grove at night, where the blossoms are in full bloom, accompanied by the smell of incense burning, all the while retaining an amazing sparkling freshness till the end. Sillage and longevity are amazing, and the juice as it ages becomes a deep amber color, gaining more sensuality. Stains light colored clothes so take that into account. Denyse has captured the feel of the city and the passion of the book in the fragrance, making one feel like the Perfume Lover. Excellent, especially on men as it gains an even darker quality!

I’ll start by saying that yes, Oudh Infini is one of the most realistic and natural smelling Oudh’s around. Blue cheese, goats, smoke; it’s all there as a natural facet of the oil, but done very finely. After the opening it doesn’t standout as Oudh, but rather like an animalic note. The smell of Oudh here reminds me slightly of Oud Palao, but apart from that it’s like comparing Mysore with synthetic sandalwood. The note shines on its own and really puts to shame many other Oudh’s with its authenticity. Just sprayed on skin, it opens with a stunning blood red rose, jammy and opulent just like it was in former Amouage creations; bold and bigger than life, incredibly beautiful and smelling as if a bouquet was under your nose. The Oudh shows right from the start all the facets that people either adore or loathe. I really enjoyed smelling the dirtiness and the side that is usually restrained in other Oudh centered creations but I know most people don’t really like the cheesy goaty smell. To me it’s an extension of animal notes and it was a real pleasure. Up until the mid notes it’s simply a rose/oud combo; well done but eventually something that’s been done before and I struggled to find a reason to justify the enormous price tag that accompanies the fragrance. But when the heart and base notes start to show, I feel like I’m not smelling an oud perfume anymore; the oud along the civet (poooooooootent!) act like a catalyst that transforms the fragrance into an animalic chypre oriental. It’s not about oud anymore, it’s rose and animalic notes and a stunning Mysore sandalwood that harkens to perfumes of yore. It’s ‘vintage’ done ‘modern’, it smells like a million bucks, and it strongly reminds me of the perfumes not longer being made. There’s this stage in the long long drydown that reminds me of the base notes of Salome; animalic, engulfing, like the smell of skank on a fur coat. And here, Pissara has used the oud and the civet to create a chypre sans oakmoss and patchouli and bergamot, but that somehow smells more chypre and balsy and elegant than most ‘chypres’ nowadays after reformulations. Smelling is believing. The quality is superb, strong and long lasting with just one spray. The development into something different than what first appears is worthy of praise, and the quality of the ingredients used is evident from the start. What convinced me is Pissara’s ability to use current notes and materials to create something else, and at the end of the day it’s an homage to past perfumes. But, having so many vintage chypres and orientals, choc full of the ingredients now banned or restricted, do I really need an updated version of those? Bogue did it with MAAI, Papillon does beautiful ‘vintage power’ inspired scents, and Vero Kern is simply my diva. All bring something different at affordable prices. At the end of the day, if I have to pay Roja Dove prices, I want and need something out of this world, and as much as I loved trying Oudh Infini, it’s not worthy of its price, to me. Beautifully well made but something I can live without. My travel spray will do, when I just want to luxuriate in its richness. Maybe some day, when I’m filthy rich!

I'm always fair to Beckhams fragrances but this one is not great. Not only is it behind the times stylistically (not always a bad thing) but Respect's tired and synthetic opening doesn't excite. It then settles a bit to a really sad, melon/ cheap aquatic, mildly derivative of loads of scents but exceeding non of them. Sorry Dave...I'm not a fan of this one.

I quite enjoyed the original and I'd even sniffed out CR7 (the release that came out after this one) before I got my nose on this and I gotta say, I'm a little disappointed. Private edition is a bit like I imagine the man himself to smell, brash, over the top and sickly sweet. I don't mind a sweet fragrance at all and the thought of maple notes gets me really excited but this don't do it for me I'm afraid. The opening is an intoxicating cloud, a kind of dirty vanilla blob, which put me in mind of that tonka bean craze of a few years back. There's an amber warmth but it's very cheap smelling and I've not idea what other notes are there because frankly it's a bit of a mess. One thing I will say for it, Private edition is in keeping with the line and does have a certain unique quality (maybe it's that maple? I'll have to wear it again) which will be striking to some and is what I liked about the original. However, It's not unique in a good way, it's more a 'who can make the ickiest, gourmand chemical bomb on the market?' kinda way and that's not big or clever. Sorry Cristiano, I don't hate this and I will try it again but my gut says thumbs down and I don't think that's gonna change.

The problem with Giorgio is that it suffers from what many older fragrances suffer; over application to excess, in a time when fragrances where not only applied heavily, but were equally potent as well. Everyone’s view varies, but I would have loved to live that era and live the glamorous life of Giorgio Beverly Hills. Fortunately I can live it today with my 1981 bottle of extraordinary spray cologne. Upon first spritz, what greets me is one of the most beautiful and honeyed orange blossoms I have smelt. It doesn’t smell dated, but incredibly lush and sunny. In a way, feelgood and happy. The orange blossom stays for the entire duration but the tuberose doesn’t take long to show up and steal the show. Along, you get the juiciness of peach, which in a way reminds me of the peach accord later on used in Tresor, but here it’s more neon and less formal. It all feels yellow like the stripes on the box. It’s a happy bombastic fragrance chock full of white flowers and a sunny disposition for the first couple of hours. But as the heart notes start to show up, it all gets a bit more serious, the make up packs on, and the tight fitting dress compliments the high hair. Giorgio starts to show a bit of oakmoss and suddenly it feels like a chypre. The ylang makes it smell more carnal and ‘oily’ and there’s a slight bitterness which adds to the chypre feel. A few more hours in and the drydown feels powdery as if there was Iris as well. And this is the thing that probably made Giorgio so popular. A powerful white floral that becomes more serious and perfume-y as it warms on skin. It’s loud at first, and loud afterwards, and what starts as an overwhelm of the senses develops to a beautiful floral chypre. It smells recognizable; if you smell it once you know it when you smell it, lasts from morning to next morning with incredible sillage for hours on end, but I don’t think it’s cheap. It might be in today’s formula, but the vintage smells expensive and would probably be more liked if it wasn’t used so heavily in the past. But hey, if people abused it’s because they probably loved it like I do. And back in the 80’s, I’d probably be banned from restaurants too. A nice discovery that I’m happy to have made, and in general a lovely, misunderstood fragrance. Rock it like it deserves; heavy handedly!

Usually marketing blurbs annoy me but 'sophisticated' and 'easy to wear' are incredibly apt descriptors in the case of Essence Aromatique. I've worn it once and sampled it a couple of times since and I'm still arriving at the same conclusion...this is a very decent effort. I like the original, the Intense, and have only recently tried the parfum and don't feel equipped to comment on that one but generally I enjoy them all, so it wasn't a surprise that this one was good. What was a surprise however was the seemingly different vibe of this compared to the original and subsequent flankers, it really is a totally different animal. A modern and clean, citrus and almost fougere opening which gives way to a more earthy, spiced and moss and wood heart, finally finishing on a deep but mellow bed of patchouli and cedar. I'm so glad that Bottega Venetta didn't phone in a weak aquatic which I feared when looking at the name and packaging. Now apparently this is an EDC concentration and while it isn't stong, I think considering that, Essence Aromatique lasted okay. This is well executed and it's just really nice to see that there's still care being taken and respect to tradition observed, when making new releases. Although this isn't earth shattering stuff it ticks boxes for me, overall originality? tick. Great opening? Tick. Enjoyable wearing experience? tick. Nice drydown? Tick. Not one dimensional? tick....and Is performance acceptable? Tick. Despite never owning it, I have had about 25 (not exaggerating) carded samples of the Pour Homme and worn it loads because I find it highly original and this isn't bad either. Maybe I should get some Bottega Venetas because I like them.

Cards on the table, right off the bat for Quercia....This is a really, really good fragrance. Not only does it adhere to tried and tested ideas but it has some suprising extra depth and quality to elevate it that bit further. Opens with a signature AdP freshness, petitgrain/citrus/verbena but immediately let’s you know that this is a woody fragrance, with earthy tones and plenty of oakmoss, lending a wonderful masculinity. So far so straight forward but the quality of the woody base really does keep giving throughout, those lime top notes lasting well into the drydown and at the heart of this fragrance there’s cardamom and geranium, all giving a kind of Italian vibe. The most surprising thing for me is the very deep drydown after many hours...there’s the soft vanilla notes which I’m assuming is from Tonka Bean. Faceted, brilliant, strong and long lasting but not invasive...I’m pretty sold on this superb Chypre type fragrance, Bravo Acqua Di Parma.

I’m in two minds about this fragrance. On the one hand I love the opening, the depth, the sheer quality and middle eastern vibe of this fragrance in general. However that is one of things I don’t like...it’s intrusive...invasive even strong heavy projection and a unrelenting smell which I can only take for a short period without nasal fatigue. This is the problem with many UAE frags oils and attars I have, they bang too hard. I also have a slight problem with this being called santal...suggesting sandalwood which is clearly in the mix and might even save this scent somewhat, but it’s undoubtedly an oud. The oud is loud, proud and has that sharp, dankness which reminded me specifically of AdP oud calonia a fragrance I kinda like but actually gave to a friend for the same reasons I couldn’t wear this one. In fairness to the Guerlain composition here oud, musk, rose, citrus and resins are handled absolutely perfectly and combined much more lovingly to create a smoother, much less clumsy and more rounded scent. I like it, I think it’s brilliant in fact, and couldn’t help sniffing it throughout a long wearing experience but for me it becomes a little too much. This is just personal preference because I’m quite amazed by the opening and just how much oud potency and carefully finessed surrounding notes. Another stunning scent from Guerlain but definitely one for unapologetic oud lovers. Update: The deep, deep, deep drydown (approximately a week later on my coat sleeve and a sample card) and I'm absolutely amazed at the smell. Not least because it's still there but because it's warm, soft, complex and truly outstanding. It's not just a base trail either there's mainly oud a soft sandalwood left sure, but it even the subtle heart notes still remain. Crucially it's not harsh at all. Maybe this is the key to having this scent? Spray it on clothes you're going to wear in a weeks time.

I have to say I thought this was a reasonably good fragrance. The opening is nice, interesting, clean and fitting of the name modern leather...probably the modern bit more than the leather. It has a powdered leather which is much more subtle and something you might find in a more feminine and lighter fragrance. The main notes are basil and geranium to be honest, and that’s fine by me as it’s tempered with a edge of masculinity from a oakmossy type note. That’s it really. It has dried down very nicely and actually reminds me a touch of Tom Ford for Men, if it’s available heavily discounted in a few months time then I’d definitely consider adding it to the wardrobe because this is wearable stuff for me.

This is a decent scent and I’m not just saying that because of my usual enjoyment of all things Penhaligons, it really is. Starts out with a new approach which is typical of the house, complex yet understated and apart from fruity top notes and a tobacco/Tonka general nature, it’s something I hadn’t really come across before. However, after the first few minutes it settles and completely changes to a honied, more powdery but ultimately the same scent as TF Tobacco Vanille. I haven’t got a problem with this and even less so for two reasons, it’s not exactly the same and that it has a different opening and drydown, which we will get to in a moment. The problem is that on the whole is this a better fragrance than TV? I don’t really think so. It doesn’t quite have the same balls out strength although the longevity was excellent to be fair. The drydown was much more Tonka bean and a sweeter more playful vanilla than the Tom Ford. So in conclusion interesting opening which fools you into thinking it’s not a clone of TV, then the heart of it IS TV, then the drydown reminds you it isn’t with some softer, refined tones. A good effort, worth trying but I won’t be buying it.

For me the Ideal accord has certain ‘Goldilocks zones’ where it works and this version might just be a departure too far. Here’s the history of my option on Ideal and it’s flankers, I didn’t really like the original, I found it disappointing, sweet rubbish. Then the EDP or deeper version, for some bizarre reason I quite liked even though it was possibly sweeter and even more icky, but sometimes it’s a case of...if you’re gonna go there might as well go all the way. Then the ultimate plateaux was Ideal Cologne which mixed the original accord with more fresh notes, I really liked it and perchased, and actually wear often. Ideal Sport still has vague glimpses of the almond base but they are much more distant now and the top notes and main vibe are that of a generic, aquatic. I find it boring but not unpleasant it’s fresh and when dried down smells a bit more interesting than the hundreds of aquatics it smells like because of that Ideal pedigree. Is it something I’m interested in? Not really performance was fairly good though. Update: I can’t believe I was So blasé about this fragrance, upon sampling again its actually a brilliantly well realised aquatic. It’s a class act, reminding me a touch of amazingreen, classic cologne type fragrances, modern aquatics and a touch of the gourmand basis of the original. I really like it.

I could either write a massively long review or a super short one for this, reason being it's not straight forward but then again it is....let's see how it goes anyway. The opening was a surprise, much more masculine and earthy than I expected but then modern does of the generic cleaness and freshness there to keep L'Insoumis relevant, But is 'relevant' really what we want from a perfume? Personally I'd like them to reflect back on 80's powerhouses or classic fougeres, it's about time they had a renaissance in the mainstream. Lalique kind of do this but also fall short quite a bit. Don't get me wrong I love the house, they don't really play along or dance to the tune of the mainstream and I think this avoids that too by being classy, retrained and in keeping with the brand aesthetic. This being said I don't think they have any real masterpieces among their repertoire. Oh just reading a few comparisons to Sauvage, style wise...I don't entirely disagree but smell wise it's nothing like...could there be a hint of ambroxan in here?...I'd say yes but it's low in the mix and likely the other elements of Sauvage that remind people of this scent. The style is very much in the mould of a Sauvage or even an Aventus, fresh fruity top and smoky, earthy base, a classic men's combo. The clary sage, vetiver, pepper and all conspire to make a clean, modern yet earthy brew. The note I get prominantly is patchouli from start to finish and with that clary sage it's the right balance of masculine dirt and modern, powdery, clean, This is a tightrope walker of a fragrance. It's carefully measured style could easily be mistaken for the mundane but when you've been around enough fragrances you can tell what is accidental or bandwagon jumping and what is deliberate, and L'Insoumis falls into the latter catagory. I enjoyed it and found it very wearable the performance was pretty god, subtle but present drydown and the bottle looks nice. All in all I'm glad I blind bought it.