Wow! I got this fragrance instantly and that's saying something because it goes on a distinctive journey. Opens with lavender and lemon with a soapy spice of cardamom which remains but settles back after a minute or so. Then waves of boozy coconut, nutmeg and black pepper. Then the kick of the spicy woods in the base with some olibanum in there...it's awesome! 'Sandalwood done right.'... is my opinion on this, it's just a masterful composition which clicks with me. I have to say it's instantly similar to Gucci Envy, a scent I sorely miss but Floris Santal might just be even better. It's not strong and performance is pretty average but I can live with that. It seems a little classier and more refined to my nose but I'm going off memory as I haven't smelled Envy in years now. I certainly wouldn't pay Ebay prices for a bottle these days, just get this. I'm getting this, no doubt about it.
My very first Olfattivo and I thought I'd go for the more masculine sounding of the samples I received. Cozumel opens well enough with a tiny hint of citrus and clary sage but is quickly populated by a dominant sandalwood. It comes over a bit like a milky, herbal brew which sweetens with tonka bean...It's wearable and everything but doesn't excite me strange really because I like sandalwood a lot. I think it's too subtle and not spicy enough nor does it have good enough notes surrounding it to bring out the creaminess. The drydown is very descrete and hints at getting a little bit dirtier but is still just quite pleasant. Not all that sure what to make of this? It definitely smells like some other scents I've tried so doesn't score well on originality either. Don't get me wrong though, it's a like not a love and performance was okay although it sits very close very quick.
A brilliantly blended citrus aromatic from a true pedigree perfume maker. The blend is perfect for me, Special 127 is a realistic, juicy, citrus which isn't too sharp, petitgrain and a hint of lavender. There's a white/yellow floral hint in there from ylang and neroli which adds a bit of body without being dominant and a hint of musk. This is a perfectly balanced classic cologne (well EDT) fragrance which is light and effervesant. I can't really speak to performance because I hardly applied any and it lasted about as well as I'd expected...by that I mean...not very. I'd say it's average juice but the citrus lasts quite well not just as top notes and changes on my skin. Floris make some good fragrances and the price is very reasonable, I'd recommend 127...it's nice.
I usually concur with Originaldeftom's reviews (from memory) but I have to say I had quite a nice experience with this. Now I've tried nearly all of this range in store at some time or another over the past few years and only the amber one stuck in my head. Now I have samples of the main ones I wanted to revisit and although this fragrance is named 'cuir' I take that with a soupcon of sodium chloride these days. The opening to me was sweet and flowery, a kind of raspberry amber and immediately crying niche and feminine. Then a light suede develops and that sweet jammy smell like a mixture of jasmine and rose (although not listed and probably not in here!)or something? The floral I can definitely smell is iris giving a woody powder. Although not prominent I've no doubt saffron is in here too because Cuir blanc has a soft, earthy cream to it. If you take nothing else away from reading this review the main thing I want to say is... CUIR BLANC DOES HAVE A BASE IN LEATHER. IT'S A SOFTER SWEETER AND MORE FEMININE VERSION OF TUSCAN LEATHER. However it doesn't have the lasting power or depth of the Tom Ford, only baring a passing resemblance and does have some lighter top notes. The performance was okay and I actually really liked it, despite being what I perceive as more feminine leaning.
A fragrance without balance is no fragrance in my book and Bull's blood does a very good balancing act. I deliberately try not to read too many reviews before I try a fragrance for the first time. This one kept it's allure (except for a few mentions in the Cobra/canary reviews.)until I eventually did wear it, I honestly didn't know what to expect. I think the 'skankiness' is overstated but definitely present in the first couple of hours anyway. Opening is bright and metallic at first but dirty at the same time and quickly Rose and costus are dominant. The rose becomes full bodied, deep and darkly sweet but offset with something slightly unpleasant. It is a barnyard type fecal note but nothing too bad. Reminds me of the slightly manure like smell you get with a nice cuban cigar...so tobacco although not obvious might just be in here? Perhaps a rose that's been fertilized with Bull's shit (not lies) rather than Bull's blood? You know what though? I'm actually not complaining because it offers up a very interesting nasal conundrum...do I like this or not? Well I think it's very clever and captures what I think Josh Meyers intended. So if you are a lover of impassioned, animal or rose fragrances this will be right up your street. I would draw a parallel with my love of red wine. I was always somebody who enjoyed the mid bodied, fruity wines and saw nothing wrong with a nice Merlot or cabernet sauvignon. As your tastes develop though you start to enjoy more full bodied affairs like Spanish Rioja. It's much the same with fragrance. Bloods blood is quite brave but not too carried away, it's refined enough to appeal to a wider range of people than you might first expect. The opening is okay but I'm not the biggest rose guy at the best of times and although I find it interesting I wouldn't wear it. However, I will say of the deep drydown (after 8 hours or so) that it is one of the most beautiful skin scents you could imagine. This is much like Montale aouds the strong rose and oud takes hours to become a lovely creamy remnant. I think it must be the patchouli/rose and musk which remains with none of that unpleasantness. Bulls blood is worth checking out.
Personally I can smell the quality divide between bois secret and Givenchy Pi...but for that it is very similar as it dries down. I like Pi and wear it often at night unfortunately it has a odd bitter edge to it which cheapens what is a lovely creamy sweet fragrance this fortunately doesn't have quite have that. The opening is different smelling more like a spicy sandalwood and nutmeg but then getting sweeter and sweeter which killed the initial interest in minutes. The Tonka beans in here, essentially smell like an almond/vanilla coming across too sweet and perhaps not to everyone's taste. I certainly don't find this to be a masculine flavour except for sitting on a woody base, and was surprised to see it classified as such. I wouldn't wear this fragrance but if you like this sort of thing and are prepared to pay for it this Evody is a more refined and slightly longer lasting Pi. Not for me.
This is the first fragrance I've tried from Imaginary authors and I have some preconceived ideas about what I'm going to get from them. Well TC&TC confirms them. Imediately I'm reminded of the strange but uniquely interesting fragrances from 4160 Tuesdays. I think it's the hippified 'hay' note in here but it makes me think of brown envelopes or that rough sugar paper you used to get as a kid in school. Coupled with that is top notes of sharp lemon and a smokey approximation of leather and woods. It seems like a balance is struck between them as it dries down but certainly not in the opening, that just serves to have gut punch impact. This gets better as it dries down to be fair, the lemon is less sharp the hay settles to a woody skin scent a bit like vetiver with hints of patchouli and tobacco (well more like ashtray) gently smoky and tar like. Personally I don't like it and can't really understand a desire to smell like this but... is it 'bad'? Well, not really. It's kinda okay and a odder composition just made for the sake of it. I look forward to trespasser and bulls blood.
Loved this fragrance. Right from the off it's a fruity floral musk of the highest quality. Hints of sweet jasmine and iris with the greener more floral quality of hyacinth but never dominant. However the main theme I get is more fruits, pineapple, musk and later woods. The base is warmer with hints of amber and the patchouli coming on stronger in the drydown. This is a perfect summer scent and I'm surprised it's 'for women' because very much appeals to me. Not bad performance too for this kind of scent. Accento is good stuff from Xerjoff and quite different to the others of theirs I've sampled. Also I'm a sucker for the ridiculously opulent purple velvet flacon and heavy gold Xerjoff stopper. A good effort.
I've been waiting to try Jeke for a long time now...too long! I honestly thought I was being conspired against, first of all it was difficult to find a sample (would be the only slumberhouse out of stock) and when I did eventually order a sample from Luckyscent they missed it off my order! (not that I'm dissing Luckyscent they provide an excellent service the majority of the time.) I thought I was destined to never try this one but I managed to get a sample over the weekend and wow! Wow...in a bad way (to begin with) the opening is atomic!!!! The juice stains your skin with a hefty, smokey onslaught of bangin' resins, the darkest patchouli and forest smoke. It's very nearly too much even for me and I was anticipating Jeke as being a holy grail of sorts. It kinda reminds me of both le labo Oud and Patchouli fragrances, (both of which I don't like) so oily smokey and dark. Then it settles down and becomes nicer. Then Jeke dries down properly and becomes a real "wow!" fragrance. This is what I was looking for from the notes. What I love is the benzoin and labdanum so sharp but smooth at the same time and this is a premium quality example of that. Really settled in now and the benzoin is like a dusty library book amber but without any softness of vanilla, just raw and unadulterated. The smokiness remains but subdues very nicely into a kind of pipe tobacco and patchouli, it's as thick and dense as you could possibly imagine but sits quite close to the skin, other than occasional wafting reminders. Conclusions are that I do in fact think Jeke is a superb fragrance and not totally unexpected but still not quite worth adding to my collection. I have to say I prefer the pine smoke of Norne and that's odd because I'm a total resin fanatic. If Slumberhouse's trick (or niche) is smokey, dark, unusual or uncompromising fragrances which it undoubtedly is, then I'm more than happy with that effect I get from Norne.
Woah! What to say of this? A new exclusive house from the UK and worth a sniff let me tell you because Electimuss have some tricks up their sleeve with this range. I'm due to get a sample of this in the post imminently but have tried in store and was compelled to write a review. If you like incense and freakishly strong industrial solvent type smells then the opening of this will knock your socks off! I was quite taken aback by it, I think this is due to the extrait concentration but even still Incitatus feels like its so concentrated it might eat into your skin, like strong acid. The opening is the sharpest imaginable citrus and frankincense bubbly and effervescent but you know has a serious base behind and even hints of smoke. The bay note is quite prominent too but then as it starts to settle becomes a lot more manageable, revealing a leather (type) accord and more synthetic, nostril burning resinous fun. For the first ten minutes it's a bit like like sniffing a permanent marker or something? You know it's probably not good for you and it's getting you slightly high but you do it anyway. Atomic longevity and just gets better as it dries down revealing more ambery qualities of oppononax but never soft. If you don't like your resin medicinal then this is perhaps not the scent for you but Incitatus also has unmistakable fresh qualities for the frankincense devotee too. Very special fragrance and unlike anything I've come across before on my travels...do give it a chance to charm you after that whirlwind opening.
Generally impressive, Micallef as a house have been on my radar for sometime now and I managed to get my hands on a comprehensive set of samples. This one had been recommended by a fellow fragrantican who afterwards proceeded to send me, foul and abusive messages direct to my email when I didn't respond quickly enough for his liking. This psycho behavior aside and although perhaps slightly tainting the scent before I'd even tried it. Thankfully, Emir's reputation proceeded it and I was actually really looking forward to trying it. This is a fairly dark, herbal, oud scent but I just wasn't inspired by the composition. The opening is a peppery orange, which retreats into a woody, dirt of patch and woods. It's not bad, not bad at all and certainly quality juice but left me very nonplussed. My reaction was muted when I was expecting to be blown away. Maybe I'm not getting it? but I desperately want to geranium, oud, pepper and patchouli sounds great but didn't translate for me on first inspection. Longevity was excellent and the more it dried down the better it got...one to revisit in a few months I think?
Undoubtably a spice lovers fragrance. This is briming with spices from the opening to its last breath. The opening to my nose is a bizarre combo of sharp citrus, petitgrain, incense resins Peru balsam, olibanum and thick green notes almost to the point of patchouli and a TONNE of mint. The settling transition is so interesting as it gets drier and more peppery then reveals unmistakable pepper, aniseed and the main player in my opinion cloves. It's a very traditional scent to me, quite bold and almost medicinal in its approach. It's something I'd imagine a rich Parisian putting on a handkerchief and using it to block out the stench of the streets. It mellows slightly and the base seems resinous and call me crazy but when it sits very close smells a bit like cola. All in all...spicy, incense like...very interesting opening that second by second I could pinpoint all the notes I mentioned but it's over to soon and then the fragrance is dominated by those strong cooking spices. Good longevity but surprisingly subdued after no time at all.
Oh Regarding the hanky comment I didn't feel it necessary to specify 'like a couple of hundred years ago' I thought that was obvious.
Great use of Wikipedia but I think you're being a little pedantic about this. I don't wish to perpetuate any myths about the French. The facts are that big cities smell bad even today and I wasn't aiming criticism specifically at Parisians.(or any criticism actually?) I used it as an example because the city of Paris is undoubtedly the apotheosis of Perfume. Now lets not clog up the reviews section with this kind of beef...save it for the forum.
For me this fragrance is a fairly late discovery and had my habit of lovely, warm, sweet orientals not been on a bit of a hiatus at the minute I would of no doubt purchased it. (That being said I did get Oajan) The reason being it opens like something vaguely familiar but in no way a doppelganger of anything. Spicebomb? nah not really...it's a sweet spicy fragrance with a heart of tobacco and vanilla. Ah ha so it's Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille then? Well no actually it isn't. It's more mellow and refined, and to my nose smells much better than the sledgehammer that is TV. I judge it on how quickly I perceive a similarity and if it takes several hours then it can't be that noteworthy. The opening is more like incense, labdanum and soft spices of cinnamon and cloves to he point it smells quite different to how it eventually ends up. I have to admit the dry down becomes more vanilla like and soft tobacco and vaguely reminiscent of TV, but I like the Tom Ford once it's dried right down but with this you get that effect and more for a lot longer. I'm not talking longevity terms because I found it very good but average for a strong niche brand. Herod is more edible and the vanilla is sweeter, custard like and all together more playful. The spicing is subdued but quality and lasts throughout the life of the scent...truth is I vastly prefer this to tobacco vanille and would happily swap it for a bottle of Herod any day.
I haven't done a gushing review for a while so it's long over due but this is a sublime fragrance. I haven't had the pleasure of seeing the MDCI bottles complete with their bust stoppers in the flesh before. I'd always got little sample vial of the ones I've tried so far so actually spraying one from the bottle was nice. I'd avoided this one for testing purposes due to the name 'Chypre' not that I have anything against that classification but I've far more olfactory priorities like 'orientals' 'balsamics' etc... Woah was I wrong? This is a masterpiece from Duchaufour opens with a wonderful warm but sharp floral, balsamic, slightly green aroma which then gets sweeter and is joined by a sweetness of vanilla and animal notes of musk. It's an absolute knockout! The drydown has a lovely quality of resin with my favourite labdanum in there and a complex woody floral base. I Can't really say much about the composition because it is so complex that it becomes simplistic and all I would say is try it for yourself. I had almost written of MDCI as a niche house which under delivered, although I like Invasion barbare and adored Cuir Garamande I couldn't justify the price. This one however is magic! I'm mystified as to why I didn't buy it? I think I was so stunned and over whelmed by it and it wasn't until I let it drydown and release more secrets hours later when I got home that I was fully convinced.
I've sampled a few times now and gushed out a review (see below) already so I'll keep this short. I got another sample to make sure that I'm definitely in love with this fragrance as its a big commitment (because you've got to get the bust one) from a financial point of view. Anyway, I neglected to mention how much of that clementine note comes through in the opening its splendid, then the Labdanum and an almost ginger beer sharpness and fullness of tolu balm/benzoin and styrax. This fragrance is a knockout...so so good.
Noooooo! Say it ain't so emjayen84??? I've delayed buying it for too long and it's been reformulated. I'll have to try it again and see if what it has lost.
I blind bought the modern version of this, I'm not familiar with the original and can't comment of the mossiness or lack thereof. I will say this though it's satisfied my recent desire to put some masculine powerhouses back in my wardrobe, as I realised this was an area I'm sadly lacking. Sure I've own polo/kouros/pacorabanne etc...in the past but I was hoping this might be a bit like VC&A Tsar or something but it isn't really. Neither is it like Azzuro pour homme or Quorum which was a relief. I find it softer and more manageable than any of the aforementioned fragrances but don't be fooled this is no slouch and I think can still quite easily be referred to as a powerhouse. I'd say it's a sharp and pungent opening of lemon and aldehydes which settles to fern and pine with a heart of spiced powdery geranium and carnation, not too musky but with facets of oakmoss and animal qualities. I like the way it dries down too, changing all the while and settling (after several hours) to a quiet skin scent. For me this is a good example of the aromatic fougere and more wearable and toned down than it's counterparts. Good longevity too even from this new formula, so all in all a pretty good blind buy.
Praline gourmand! Angel 2.0 for the ones that cannot tolerate Angel, even though they are nothing alike. The opening is blackcurrant with its slightly pissy undertone, and what feels like bergamot. This manages to cut down the sweetness of the drydown, which isn't all that sweet actually. Where others get sugar I get milk chocolate. Creamy, smooth and actually well made. Even though it's a mainstream cloud pleaser, the noses behind know their stuff, and it never goes into death-by-sugar territory. As for the famed iris, well it's there; powdery and slightly yeast-y, but not so prominent as we are made to believe. I just wish the sour opening would last longer, though that would probably scare potential customers. My guilty pleasure, my trashy indulgence at home under a blanket. Among the gourmand fruitchoulis around, one of the best. Not too sweet, beast sillage, longevity until summer. NOT like Flowerbomb, though it might appear so at first, this is more powdery and milky. Bottom line: powdery milk chocolate, orange blossom sweetness, slightly pissy opening that I wish was more prominent.
I wrote a review already on LVEB, and almost 6 years after it’s release, it still feels respectful to its users. By that I mean that it hasn’t been noticeably reformulated or ‘re-orchestrated’ like they tend to say now. It sounds better than ‘we totally f***ed it up’. My bottle is nearly 5 years old, and it’s probably missing 3-4 ml out of 100. A single spray has 1980’s power so I don’t feel the need to pack it on. Plus, I use it 3/4 times a year tops; it’s still everywhere, on everyone, so it makes it redundant for me to smell like it also. But now, after some years and some appreciation for it, I do think that in the future many will seek it out just like I seek 50’s and 60’s and 70’s perfumes today as if they were liquid gold. Because they are, and 20 years from now, LVEB will be someone else’s liquid gold. And I’m ok with that. LVEB still sells well, it’s flankers have been more or less successful with the same strength, and it might end up being the Angel of the 21st century. As long as Lancôme doesn’t ruin it. While many brands charge gold for Eau de colognes, and most reformulate even after 2 years, (Poison Girl, looking at you) here you have extrait strength for reasonable prices. As long as you enjoy gourmands. I’m simply hoping that the new Lancôme pilar, called Heroine and launching sometime next year steers away from the gourmand while maintaining the same strength, sillage and room filling. And let it not be filled with the crappy aromachemicals that plague department store counters, noticeably ambroxan. Here’s to hoping.
I'm having a YSL reformulation appreciation week and Rive Gauche is a fragrance which I've always had love for. It is quite simply one of the greatest aromatic/fougere fragrances ever created, and I don't say that lightly. My only minor criticism of the original formula was the oakmoss coming on a little strong when first applied. However, there's no such problem here with the modern version as you'd expect but this does make it somehow a paler brew, longevity is definitely effected. Other than that, this is every bit as good in terms of the soft lavender, powdery geranium and woods with a hint of star anise it's pretty special stuff. Progressing well you get a few stages as it dries down revealing some hidden depth, problem is the few times I tried it I found the longevity okay but certainly and notably not as good as the original. Still brilliant and well worth getting if you want to glimpse the spirit of the original. I'm in the market for Rive Gauche (Intense/Extreme?) partly because I've never tried it and I think a spicier hit would be welcome.
Either this reformulation is off the mark or or my memory is because this seems different to the original. When I say 'different' I don't mean vastly but after a couple of wears I'm starting to perceive those differences. I did have Jazz many years ago and enjoyed it but this new version is amazing. Well maybe that's going a bit OTT or perhaps just appealing to a fickle taste fad I have at the moment for masculine aromatics? Anyway... I love this! The corriander and geranium are obvious but I don't get any of that minty vibe from the original formula. (I'm not getting confused with Live Jazz honest.) It's a herbal, refreshing brew of patchouli and cypress but surely with some citrus top notes...No? Never sharp and very classy stuff kinda reminds of RL Safari (another thing the original didn't do!) but less obvious. This is a top scent and good lasting power too, can't fault it I'd rather smell like this than many newer releases.
Interesting review below. I'm saying something similar but perhaps a touch more gung ho! I think this new version is very similar to the original to the point I wouldn't waste money on a vintage bottle for the mistake of rose tinted nostalgia. Not a criticism of anyone that does mind you, I'm guilty of it all the time. I too owned this during the 90's (perhaps not the original formula anyway) but I'd say it's pretty much as I remember. I think the references to Pasha and Tsar, Safari or New west etc... are valid in the drydown especially, it's a kind of open, light, resinous, 'leather' if you like. However, key differences in the opening is the cooling, soapy effects of geranium and the quite pungent, obvious spice hit of coriander, which persists as a top note for the first hour or so. Making it completely valid as a different option to the ones I mentioned above and not redundant next to them in a wardrobe. (I have all tjose perfumes and still revisit this with glee!) Is it as powerful? Well I genuinely recall all those perfumes of that era as being stronger but this... I'm not sure? It's mellow. I'm wearing plenty of sprays on skin and clothes today and the volume is pitch perfect. I think it's underrated in the scheme of vintage men's perfumes, it smells fantastic and something I wish to wear.
I blind bought this very cheaply, purely out of curiosity as I heard it smelled like D&G's The One. Well, it does and it doesn't? When I first sprayed it didn't think it opened the same but then sure enough a similarly sweet warm vibe starts to develop. For this reason Villain might just be a little more complex as the opening is bergamot freshness and an almost green quality (like galbanum) which The One doesn't have. Villain hints at a warmer amber and vanilla base much like Rochas man but with that citrus and greens to trick you a bit. Which actually has the effect of making it smell a bit cheaper (which it is) and less 'sexy'. (as The One is often labelled) Again all this was from memory so I tried them against each other when I got home and The One is so much warmer sweeter and more vanilla like right off the bat and in actual fact superior to my nose. They do dry down pretty similar though and I certainly enjoyed the experience, maybe this is what The One Sport should been like? Anyway lasting power is a similar story to D&G not great but passable really. There's been a bit of a backlash against the Ed Hardy brand especially among tattoo enthusiasts who perhaps don't the sell out, commercial aspect to what used to be quite an exclusive group, fast becoming mainstream. Unashamedly, What I really do like about this scent is the packaging. The tattoo design on the bottle is a bit of fun and there's not quite enough of it around for my liking.
A strange enigma for me this one. It's somehow very classic and also blazing a new trail. I can't quite work it out? The opening is citrus and an aloof violet accord leading you into a herbal heart which apparently is sage?...something I'm quite familiar with and I can't say it's immediately evident just what it is. Herbal is about the best description I can give. The base and main theme of this scent is a creamy sandalwood and clean vetiver with a spicy hint of nutmeg. It's such a well blended concoction that is the best I can do to pick out the notes aided by having the notes in front of me. The flacon is superb and very striking what with the reintroduction of the vetiver in the same style bottle, I really liked that. So all in all not a bad scent, just not for me, I can imagine wearing this would get on my nerves slightly. You might think that is a bold statement considering my review is largely positive. However, this is purely based on a first impression of the aroma, I'm going to have to revisit it but I just have a hunch, anymore than an hour with this scent and I'd be sick of it.
This appears to have been launched as a 'new' fragrance in the UK despite the fact that I was positive I'd tried both this and the pour homme before. Anyway, this is an interesting vetiver blending the expected citrus top notes with a slightly green, earthy vetiver. The difference here is that the citrus gives way quickly and focuses on a more unusual marriage of benzoin, which lends a different dimension from the typical vetiver scent. (if there is such a thing?) The base is joined by other dry woods and a definite cedar note. It still has enough of those 'typical' qualities however for a vetiver fan to really enjoy it. I found that after than fresh clean opening and first couple of hours the scent turned darker, very sour and woody. Oddly I found this quite appealing and either an extra layer in the composition or just a bad interaction with my skin...one or the other? Lasting power was an acceptable 4-6 hours, sitting quite low on the skin. Worth checking out and creates a bit more interest than some vetiver out there...a wild card perhaps?
I enjoyed the original and looked forward to seeing what this one would be like. Well, I didn't have to wait very long to try it as I only learned of extremes existence last week. If anyone ever wanted an 'Extreme' version to do exactly what the name implies then you're in luck. I found this fragrance to be a heighting and amping up exercise which opens with a strong bitter juniper and violet accord which is stronger but just as mystical and aloof as the original version. The base has a musky leather quality and as it settles starts to give an occasional bitter slightly earthy kick of vetiver in the heart. It just seems immediately denser than the original but still overall very similar, if you're expceting something vastly different...it isn't. That's kind of a good thing because although I haven't trialled them side by side I do still have plenty of samples, I think I instantly prefer the extreme version, because the elements that have been 'turned up' make it slightly more appealing. I also got the pine and incense elements slightly more and at times this reminded of comme des garçon Zagorsk but sweetened up. Lasting power is good I can still smell it after a 8 hours. The silage is moderate, to low but from memory the originals longevity wasn't to bad either. I have to say I really like this fragrance and actually enjoy wearing it.
I can see the comparisons to MFK Oud, a scent which I am inexplicably in love with. Seriously I'm not even sure I like the smell but I find it additive it's the oddest thing. Anyway...I find Aoud Melody maybe slightly more complex and in truth quite different to MFK Aoud which just seems like similar notes but from different sources making for a more bitter medicinal delivery. This scent is one of the lighter, brighter aouds from Montale, it has playful top notes sing like...well like a Melody. Somehow this fragrance evoked the colour pink. Maybe it's the combination of rose and jasmine that does it? Again they are subtle and by no means big players but this opening makes me think this is a perfume better suited to a lady. Perhaps it's that 'pink' feel, exotically floral with a beautiful clear rose and heady incense. This juice is uplifting. I think the elemi which is a lighter almost plastic resin smell and the waxy exotic addition of ylang ylang. Sandalwood is in the base for sure another note which can air on the fresh/spicy side then become creamier later on. (which it does here and similarly with saffron and elemi) This is for certain a perfume in which these notes in peticular develop in the drydown. The fragrance has the kind of longevity you would expect from Montale but is all together a very subtle affair and make no mistake the drydown smells SO GOOD! I have to say I fell in love wit AM after several hours...it became very low in the 8-10 hour mark but the smell that just clung to my skin was pure labdanum, amber and sandalwood magic! I'm tempted to get this fragrance, I really am. There's quite a few perfumes I want with stark (and a bit off putting) openings but great drydowns that I want but can't say are a priority.
This fragrance is absolutely outstanding! I had just managed to track it down and was actually looking to test the popular Rose one in this calligraphy range but somebody had broken the tester bottle the day before, according to the SA. So I thought I'd try the saffron considering it's one of my favourite notes and I had recently revisited Jo Malone's saffron which is very good. Calligraphy saffron is a tale of two halves.. Horrendous opening. Majestic drydown. When I say 'horrendous' I mean strong, sharp, earthy but sweet and even boozy. I found it smelled strongly of the marigold and styrax and when combined with a very real, fiercely strong saffron comes over a little like honey. Actually more accurately beeswax and amber and I thought....'oh no! It's MFK pour le soir like.' Then as it settles the saffron and styrax get more creamy, more opulent, less earthy but still with balance and luckily this process is fairly quick. This being said the transition is long going from good to great on my skin. Some may not like the soft skin like scent it becomes after that powerhouse opening but I'm glad of it. Projection is subtle but longevity is very good. I can't convey how much I loved the drydown, it's incredible...saffron is just magic.
