I'm wearing L'Heure Bleue and I'm thinking how things change. I used to consider it a sad and melancholic perfume, one that I enjoyed but wasn't comfortable wearing. Time and trial made me enjoy it for what it is. A glorious ode to a feeling. One so strong that only a perfume could capture it. L'Heure Bleue is a gorgeous powdery spicy scent. Heliotrope, iris, lilac, a flowery heart with carnation as counterpoint to balance and add a spicyness, and a glorious drydown that lasts forever, without falling into cliches; this is the mother of powdery perfumes, angel dust, spices and flowers creating a piece of art. It doesn't make me sad anymore. I don't feel uncomfortable wearing it. I enjoy it. I feel that if something so magical like the moment when the sun and moon meet is captured inside a bottle, the feeling couldn't be more soothing. Under the powdery halo, there's a strange coolness that makes you more aware of everything. That everything gets better. And now I enjoy it and even crave it at times. You have to like powder, as there is tons of it here. And it's the most angelic one. But don't give up on the first try, it takes time to break the ice. And if and when you do, the sense of calm is beautiful. And nothing could capture that beauty better than L'Heure Bleue!
Wonderful review below! I have to say it has the same effect on me. I first tried this when the cologne intense range were launched and despite living it, saffron kinda got lost in the mix as the Oud & bergamot still shines with a unique clarity. Upon re inspection this fragrance is a lot more up my street, very warm oriental and natural. It sits on the skin so well, enhancing a kind of natural skin aroma without being animal. That's the scentual quality of saffron, and it really is one of my (if not 'the') favourite notes in all perfumery. I had previously overlooked Jo Malone saffron as starting out very earthy and rough, super accurate basically. It soon settles though to a familiar soft and gorgeous saffron aroma which smells to me like its blended with various woods, mainly creamy sandalwood and a hint of vanilla. It's absolutely beautiful stuff...very long lasting and subtle projection which last very well indeed on clothes. I can't fault it and I think I may have to get it to satisfy my saffron fetish.
As Sawira was a greatly anticipated fragrance for me but has failed to deliver slightly just based on the note breakdown I was expecting. I should've known really with Penhaligon's scents it's all about the blend and they are seldom heavy with one note. I was hoping for tons of saffron, myrrh, oud, amber etc... and although it contains these rich ingredients they are blended into obscurity. Don't get me wrong this is a great smelling fragrance, really, really excellent and I would be lavishing praise on it had I not smelled and subsequently bought Levanthium at the back end of last year. They are just different enough, but still extremely similar I get a mixture of florals and rose with oud and woods. Very elegant and delicately put together and vaguely reminiscent of Tom Ford Noir de noir. The main difference here is that the woodiness and oud has been amped up slightly and the whole thing just comes over slightly more masculine and oud focused that Levantium. If they were the same price I might have been kicking myself that I didn't wait for this one (had I known they would be quite similiar.) however I feel slightly vindicated as this is considerably more expensive at £150 for 100ml's. For this reason I don't think you are getting quite the value compared to other oud/rose and high end luxury scents that are out there for the same price. I can't fault Penhaligon's on the fragrances themselves because they smell great and are inventively blended (especially the men's) but this one has let me down slightly just because I was expecting something magical and the results were just okay. Lasting power is good but so is Levantium I'm happy with that and it's slightly more herbal, sourness.
When I read the notes on the news page I was excited at the prospect, now I'm looking here and there seems to be quite a bit of white florals going on...neroli, orange blossom and jasmine. This is obviously not going to be a true reflection of the fragrance, these notes could be minimized and I kinda hope they are. The kulfi comparison is intriguing, I hope this one will be a delight...I have a good feeling about it already...roll on May!
As many have mentioned it's not even remotely like Noir, which I had already guessed months before it's release due to the COMPLETELY different notes. Many don't like Noir personally I'm a fan but I was even more tantalized by the prospect of Noir Extreme and some super sounding notes. Frankly I'm a bit disappointed after all that waiting...here's why. The opening spray evoked an instant 'quality' and EDP sensation that you get with something of real potency and I have to say I was impressed. A luxurious blast of almost leathered, gourmand and spicy creamy, rich earth from saffron and cardamom. I'd say the nutty kulfi, vanilla and nutmeg are instant crowd pleasers...was for me anyway and I could of knee jerked and bought this one. I'm glad I allowed it to develop though before committing to that decision. I don't what Tom Ford does in terms of briefing a perfumer but he loves to build up a dense complex base with florals poking through the mid in total opposition to the over all creaminess of the fragrance. It's actually quite clever to be fair and Noir Extreme exhibits this quality in abundance...think black orchid. There's a sweet tropically exotic note of orchids and jasmine which (as much as I love it) makes the whole composition a pretty feminine affair. I don't think Noir Extreme is overtly feminine and due to it's gourmand quality, just on the cusp of wear-ability for me. I'm telling you guys there's a reason women will be keen on this fragrance, it won't be because they find you irresistibly macho it's probably because they aspire to smell Noir Extreme and will steal it from your wardrobe given the opportunity. It's unisex at best and this is coming from a guy who wore black orchid unashamedly for a long time. The drydown is very vanillary, it lasts and projects little poofs of fruity flowers at you from time to time. The more I sniff at the drydown I can still get the nuttiness, spices and sandalwood which works with my skin incredibly well. I said I was disappointed at the beginning of the review and I still am but have to confess, I actually love the smell of Noir Extreme but I know that similarly with Black Orchid I will tire of it quickly. Perfume to me is about making a challenging fragrance with depth which is reminiscent and familiar but throws in a few surprises along the way aswell. In fairness Noir Extreme does that...it's just not for me. I would ADORE it on a woman. update: Had this on for 10 hours now and it lasts well although very faint but hasn't disappeared at least. The saffron has really come out to play in the deep deep drydown transforming this fragrance yet into another dimension and one I have to say I love. It smells very much like My beloved Versace Man now creamy but Earthy and close to the skin, Noir just playing an extra warm cozy trick before it dies a death entirely. I'm going to sample this again and wear it more extensively before I absolutely make up my mind. Tom Ford's normal or designer range of fragrances tend to be more interesting than the private blend which process undeniable strength and quality but tend to rely on fewer notes, whereas the likes of Noir and for Men (also a host of ladies frags) have a symphony on notes and truly complex compositions.
Citrus top notes in here are very well rendered and pleasing much like the majority of Creed fragrances. I have to say that the cedar and woody notes are not nearly as dry and prominent as I had anticipated but definitely a big factor and come over slightly clean more like vetiver. The opening is all about the delicate interplay of sharp citrus and that bay leaf note and a white floral/blossom type smell which is just freshens proceedings up enough, without overbearing or becoming too floral. The third factor in that opening is the greeness which is achieved through the use of Galbanum, and not to be understated, again a major factor in this scent. The drydown is a really pleasing and lasting citrus which sits on a nice light woody base. This is quality stuff but not exciting in anyway to me. Lasting power is okay and I suspect might even be one of those which last longer for others than the wearer...if you get what I mean? 'Not bad' is my verdict.
This fragrance has received quite a luke warm response by the looks of the other reviews here. Maybe I would feel the same way had I got a sample to try at home or whatever and I conduct this review having only sampled this fragrance the once. I tried it at Jovoy Paris and that might not be the best setting for clear thinking either due to fragrance overload or being swayed by the unfamiliar and slightly romantic setting. Anyway I was pretty blown away by this fragrance at first, although I didn't feel it was special enough to warrant a purchase so perhaps I agree with the consensus here? The opening came off as a superbly warm, boozy, woody musk with masses of spicing but still not too in your face I was very impressed. This was one of the few I actually tried on my skin and The drydown was more of the same but with a slightly drier, smokey, incense turning to a natural musky, amber. I loved it, however my search was for something unique and although I couldn't site anything this smelled like off the top of my head, it just didn't wow me as much as MiN Moon Dust the fragrance I eventually purchased. Noir Obscur is great, a long lasting and high quality fragrance containing all the elements I love in perfumery...can't fault it really.
Oh Versace Dreamer! This was another one deeply buried in the vaults, the dark recesses of my olfactory memory. I remember trying it years ago and not being blown away, I just thought it was a JPG Le Male clone and it kinda is. I also have vivid and turns out slightly rose tinted memories of the Versace Jeans fragrance range, fondly remembering the quirky packaging and not the quality of the fragrance. It has taken me an age to get Dreamer but I decided to take a risk and order a bottle and the truth is...it's paid off. Just aesthetically, Dreamer is very pleasing great name, great flacon. It has a very synthetic feel from the get go, the lavender, sage, the milky haze of vanilla and tonka beans, to the classic element of spicy, powdered carnation. I think dreamer is an appropriate name just from the point of view that nothing feels real but not at all in a negative way. Also there's a main difference between this and classic vanilla/lavender, oriental/fougere's and that's the slightly darker edge of tobacco which again doesn't smell very accurate or strong but instead sits quite nicely with the tonka bean. Somehow this combination works incredibly well on my skin and that is a major difference between Dreamer and Le Male which turns horrendous on me. The Dreamer reminds me of an old flatmate who used to regularly wear (douse himself in) Le Male and the trail he left behind when he had gone would be quite pleasant but even that became nauseating after a while. Not that The Dreamer does mind you, it's a little unsettled to begin with but soon mellows. Once it does settles the cheapness kinda fades away and you're left with something which seems classy and elegant. After wearing this a few times now I have to say I really like it, I think it's a brilliant composition which has an elegance about it. For me I'm quite happy which a budget fragrance like this to satisfy this genre. Lasts okay, projects subtly and I received an instant compliment from my partner...she loved it! If you enjoy the likes of MDCI Invasion Barbare or By Killian A taste of heaven or even Amouage Reflection but want something on a shoestring the Dreamer is worth a sniff.
This is not my usual cup of tea at all a super floral scent for folks who love that sort of thing and you know what? To my surprise I can appreciate it too. The opening is a naturally musky scent which is far too off putting for me but still screams quality. My mum often keeps hyacinths in her house when she has trouble with the drains, hoping the pungent smell will mask it but I think it just combines and makes it worse! They always smell very 'wet' with a kinda bittersweet bouquet which is not entirely unpleasant but teetering on the brink. There's a hefty dose of green notes in here too initially, supplied by the galbanum and that wetness and musky natural floral is both accentuated and balanced by the powdery iris. The saving grace here is that the drydown is really good and works alright on my skin. I also sprayed some on a card and could smell it clearly, upto a week later. I was surprised how much I actually liked it in the end but the opening and scents like this are just not my cup of tea. If you're a lover of florals I think this is another excellent composition and well worth checking out.
This one is yet another blind buy for me and I was intrigued enough to get this and the original because of continued mentions on this site. I can't believe that Tea isn't listed among the notes here because Him is an obvious ringer for GPH II. With the exception of the opening 15 seconds or so it might as well be the same scent...but maybe nano-hint warmer. Right off the bat though it opens as a very hot spicy amber more towards V&R spicebomb with pronounced cinnamon and tonka bean. This subsides to unearth fresher notes of violet and tea which give it a more dry, mellow, metallic and woody drydown. Just like the Gucci this one always keeps all that spiciness at the back, becoming a very subdued theme in the end. Personally, I love it but I'm a little disappointed with just how similar it is. On the upside there's not that many copycats of this type of fragrance out there so enjoy if you're finding it hard to find GPH II (and vice versa.) Update: Upon wearing this fragrance properly I've deduced that there is indeed a difference with this and GPH II. It wears heavier and more oriental, warmer and sweeter with less bitter aloofness than the Gucci. It's worth having both at your disposal I'd say. Projection and longevity are working well so far. Re:Update: I tried this side by side with GPH II last night and as I suspected although similar are not dead ringers at all. Gucci is cooler fresher, more musky, less sweet more aloof where as HiM is warmer, cozier and thicker. It actually gave me facets of yet another sexy, spicy scent Lancome Hypnose.
Wow! I can't believe I hadn't tried this one until now and it took something I thought I'd got passed (blind buying) to do it. I have to say that although it's reminiscent of a few flavours I could happily reel off, HM for men is unique enough among scents of this type to have real alt-classic status. The combination of a definite blackcurrant and sharp lemon/grapefruit smell in the opening is very sweet, tropical and quite synthetic, giving an almost jelly baby type of smell. Luckily I enjoy that and it does settle rapidly to something more refined. Just while we're still on the top notes there's a hint of lavender and even a detectable touch of white floral, perhaps the jasmine and iris which all together makes for an interesting opening and heart. The drydown is generally a creamy base of tonka bean, touches of vanilla and white chocolate. I actually really like the soft development of this fragrance into a sweet and calm skin scent. One thing I can't make my mind up on is the quality or refinement of this juice? On the one hand it seems cheap but still quite captivating and wearable on the other. So not bad then lasting power is average and projection dies down after the first hour to a cosy skin scent. This was a good blind buy and I suspect I will wear it.
Wrote this review ages ago and have only just got around to posting it...I think that says it all really. Was I blown away? Not really, because this is more reminiscent of Full incense/Avignon/Cardinal etc... with a bright, sparkling white frankincense note. Don't get me wrong here I adore the smell, it's a wonderful thing It is like the scents I mentioned above but just different enough to be unique, deeper well rooted and less floaty. I certainly wouldn't describe this as amber and spices though, a complex church incense fragrance is more appropriate. It has that fresh uplifting thing but with a heavier wooden base which gives it good lasting power. The opening to gives a stronger sense of woods and resins, perhaps not 'amber' (which I associate as being a warming benzoin/vanilla) but a something sharper. So yet again Armani's prive range has taken a traditional perfume in a slightly different direction and come out with something which is mildly derivative and by no means 'new' but still more than worth having.
This kind of milky lavender fougere is an elegant and lovely thing but ultimately I find it a little boring. I can't understand why people rave so much about Caron Homme? Lavender is a lovely smell, especially when it smells natural but that perfume is far too linear and I don't get the comparisons to this. Luckily this outing from Creed follows more in the footsteps of Invasion Barbare or a taste of heaven, just smelling expensive & warm without any need for heaviness. Well, firstly...wow! This might even be my favourite Creed fragrance in first impression terms...Aberdeen Lavender is nothing short of stunning. The opening is magnificent, almost smokey lavender which is so well balanced and with slightly darker appeal to it, similar to Dior Eau Noire. This is typically well presented in the style of a classic fougere but has elements of citrus/herbal/leather/resin/vanilla/musk everything but blended to perfection. The fleeting very top notes of bergamot and lemon turn quickly into a natural and almost perfect lavender. The lavender and rosemary have dare I say, a slightly minty quality at first which freshens up proceedings further. This instantly combines with a soft, yet deep, leather heart note which is the main theme of this perfume. I honestly thought the longevity sucked as it does die down rapidly and actually turns to a very subdued skin scent but is still there. The base turns out to be a kind of ambery vanilla, supporting the soft leather and in the end longevity isn't too bad. I couldn't ask for more than a fougere fragrance with a oriental base, this stuff is smart and I really like it. However, I think it's the kind of fragrance most will think is okay and nothing more but something about Aberdeen lavender really speaks to me personally. I'm not sure whether I can justify this as a purchase priority because it's not a powerhouse in longevity or projection, however those attributes are not always synonymous with quality, because that's what you have here... A quality scent. I definitely think it's worth a sniff because I was pleasantly surprised.
I just gave a sample away for christmas to a female friend of mine and thought, that prompted me to try my sample again and I loved it. Really fresh opening of watery melon with sweet florals, jasmine and magnolia. Usually I'd think something like this was nice but ultimately feminine, thin and lacking depth and quality but this is Amouage and Maurice Roucel we're talking about here. The slightly ambery base and drydown of sandalwood is classy and adds a bit of warmth to what is a fresh and flyaway type of scent without it. Don't get me wrong though this is not something I'd wear and maybe those woods come out a little more on my skin than they would on a womans? Still if you're a fan of lightly floral stuff that's a cut above in longevity and projection terms then look no further.
I still have this down as a 'dislike' on here from a brief flirtation with the idea of it a couple of summers ago. The reason I came to that conclusion was Joop Splash is a syrupy, synthetic, fruity scent which annoyed me, the way it lured me in at first just to realise it had many shortcomings. The primary one being longevity, very poor and with no depth or base notes to speak of, just a sickening and short lived, generic and ultimately cheap accord. However I have to concure with the superb review below from teadot...There's something I liked initially about this fragrance despite the fact that it's a Joop and as such can almost be dismissed off hand. On a cruder note I remember seeing a vile documentary a while back about 'Dogging' (for the uninitiated or americans that's people who meet for sex in public places, car parks, truck stops etc...) Anyway, one of the masked participants being interviewed said he swore by 'Lynx' (Axe) or 'Joop' (Homme probably?) because 'It's drives the ladies wild' I'm sorry but the kind of 'ladies' (pfffft!) we're talking about here are not exactly fussy judging by the state of the depravity and the quality of men involved and I can't say I wholly trust their judgement on fragrance. Anyway...It's that kind of sigma which makes me even more wary of Joop but nevertheless there's something so ugly about the brand that I kinda want to like at least one of their fragrances in a guilty pleasure sort of way and Splash comes the closest for me. The top notes are a strange candy/fruit kind of almost tropical vibe on a generic bed of semi aquatic 'blah' but nearly likable. The bottle is brilliant as well to be fair giving me hope that one day Joop might actually make a half way decent fragrance.
Okay so upon purchasing my first (and I suspect my last) Roja Dove fragrance I insisted on getting some 5ml vials filled of the other scents seeing as I shelling out so much on Enigma. Thankfully I got them in the end, I'm quite familiar with Fetish and Danger already so these were the other two I wanted to wear properly and review. This yet another triumph! Honestly, although my recent reviews may tell a different story, I'm not a cheerleader for Roja parfums. One thing however cannot be denied, they are of supreme quality and transcendentally deep. This has a classic manly aromatic nature to it, doesn't last well and the pricing is quite frankly stupid...but I still adore it. Surely that is testament to how good this stuff smells? Quick mention of the name...This seems to be a theme of similarly provocative adjectives used in Roja's line like Scandal, fetish etc...and I have to say there's nothing Scandalous about this one. I accept he can't very well call it... "Fairly generic late 80's/90's masculine fare which is very pleasant and well made" aside from the fact it wouldn't be very dynamic, it won't fit on the bottle. To me this one opens with a trademark bergamot & some lemon verbena then into fresh spicy herbal type territory, something I love. There's a fruity sharpness about it and maybe even a slight rhubarb note? There's certainly labdanum and the warmth of woods, oakmoss and sandalwood... it's brilliant. This is one that just keeps getting better and better as it dries down, with more nuances coming through. I'll be honest upon application in the first few minutes I made the mistake of thinking... yeah this is some standard stuff. Not too awe inspiring, a very good masculine and like a upmarket Pasha de Cartier or Ralph Lauren Safari. Then it develops further and you realise it's so much more. I remember seeing a Youtube video review asking...'What is quality? and can you smell the difference when the best quality ingredients have been used?' Well it's a pertinent question and I'd be the first to admit...maybe not always. However this is a case in favour of the likes of Roja parfums and Xerjoff etc...where in this instance you DEFINITELY can. Does that mean I want it? Well I still feel a bit hard done by on the performance front but I except that it's not everything. I have the parfum version and it lasts several hours which is more than acceptable but I don't think it's too much to ask for to be nothing short of astonished by the performance, certainly not at this price. I'm starting to think that the EDP's might even be better on the performance stakes (My Enigma EDP is excellent for longevity) and if that's important to you, perhaps avoid the parfum versions and save yourself substantial money for twice the juice. Scandal is great smelling and luckly I have enough left for another wear at some point.
This fragrance is absolutely Majestic. Not many words are needed to describe this one, it needs to be smelled to be believed. It's a very strong, complex, indulgent musky scent which has hints of sweetness masses of animal quality and a hint of the floral. The opening is of citrus top notes but as with many Roja's they fade very quickly and you're in no doubt that this is a heavyweight fragrance. Never over bearing Musk Aoud is very refined indeed, I just wish I could afford it. If I'm honest Amber Aoud is more my kind of scent but this is equally as good quality and showstopping. Brilliant!
My oh my! Just got this one today and I have to say I'm more than happy with it. Has more than a passing similarity with Gucci pour homme II with a couple of crucial differences. This has a fearsome opening of complex notes which are sweeter, sharper and then dry. This smell of sticky dates and the overall intensity is totally different but the combination of citrus, tea, and Vetiver is very similar. The tea in this is gorgeous, metallic at first then wonderfully aromatic and slightly peppery. There's subtle stuff in this one it has the animalic qualities of tibuktu, a slightly smoky, earthy vetiver and then even a hint of violet, wormwood and maybe olibanum? The Drydown is a much softer affair settling down to a pleasing and slightly deeper GPH II. It's a stunning fragrance and that sweetness with the tea gives a great new dimension to a very well blended fresh fragrance. This EDT performs okay too, nothing rather shattering but a worthy purchase.
I'm making a point of trying 212 flankers because I'm sure some will be okay and I still like the original despite it getting little to know rotation these days. This fragrance goes through a odd transition starting out at a generic, salty aquatic vibe which reminded me quite a lot of Aqva Toniq but not quite as seaweedy. I just plain don't like this Calone business despite enjoying L'eau D'Issey and AdG. However as this settles after a few minutes it becomes less about that and more of a powdered musky vibe which isn't all that bad. I can kinda see after a couple of hours how this chocolate note appears, for me it's still just powdery musk but slightly resembling a hint of cocoa powder maybe for a moment. I thought this was the case without ever knowing the notes.) The drydown is much the same and maybe one for the masses but fragrance heads will see this for what it is, a cheap smelling long lasting scent with no stand out qualities for me.
Shay & Blue are such a surprise package with some really, really good fragrances expected to be linear but then have unexpected notes. This is a fragrance I would describe as being a citrus that could've been done by Amouage...well not quite but almost. You think mmmmm...Sicilian Limes nice... If the blood orange was anything to go by this is going to be zesty and accurate, and it is. The opening is sharp and does have a realistic lime feel but it's not quite in the league of something like Jade from Armani prive. The citrus is joined by a herbal note which works well with it and then a kind of cedary backdrop, no surprises there then. However that isn't the whole story because the main theme of this perfume is the early onset and progressive development of a curried cumin type note. This actually turns a bright zingy scent which appears all fun and games at first, into a pretty spicy affair. This works perfectly with the lime too, like lime pickle you serve with poppadoms or something? I can get why people wouldn't like this the drydown is very masculine and spicy in my opinion and also a bit sweaty like L'Artisan parfumeur Timbuktu. I liked it a long lasting citrus that dishes up more than I had bargained for.
Right! Well I was excited to try this flanker as the original was excellent despite not being my thing so maybe an intense version won't be either? The top notes are a little deceiving, quite smokey but not in a heavy way at all, high end spicy sandalwood, some bite, pink pepper and loads of Rose. To me at least the rose feels a bit different to the original, it's still light but no where near as bright. This rose is slightly powdered and even comes across as violet/iris like at times. Great trail off this and very long lasting, so all in all this truly is an amped up version of the original and worthy of the 'Intense' moniker. Despite this overall positive review, I'm not that taken by it, Cartier have played it quite safe with this flanker probably figuring that they want to remain in keeping with the original. Worth checking out...you could do a lot worse.
This one is undoubtedly the best of the three in my opinion. The top notes are interestingly fresh I find that tomato leaf note is more the greeness of galbanum but I can see how it comes over that way...after all what's more Itailian than a tomato? There's sweetness and sharpness from orris root and labdanum. The leather is a little spicy, resinous, peppery and even medicinal I can smell myrrh in here quite heavily as it settles. That opening is very good, a touch green but warm and resinous too, never strong or overbearing. The drydown is different again with a soft ambery vanilla developing at the back of all this. Italian leather is interesting from the point of view of a progressive scent which delivers what I consider a more masculine leaning fragrance. The perfomance is pretty good...it's worth checking out this one.
I mean these are big bottles (probably 200ml) but I was a bit shocked by the price...£335!!! I previously tried Irish leather and although I found it did deliver a kind of leather note, it was a bit too niche for my liking. This shares similarities but again is quite different, the smell immediately reminded me of something but I can't place it just at this minute. This is a delicate floral scent which is the least 'leathery of the lot and listing suede on here is probably more accurate as it's a lighter more powdered effect. The juniper and citrus in the top notes are characteristic it would appear and the pink pepper, rose musk and vetiver are all present as it dries down. This has quality ingredients no doubt but the lasting power and silage are average and even disappointing at this price. I like the smell don't get me wrong and Memo perfumes certainly have a signature going on but this one isn't for me.
The combination of violets/rose and absinthe, especially in the top notes make for an intriguing brew. Levantium is pretty triumphant and I'm someone who loved Lothair from this collection as well. A perfect mixture of sweet and sour has a slight earthiness mixed with very luxurious and full bodied florals. The opening for me is quite musky but like everything from Penhaligon's totally under control allowing the wormwood and rose to shine but with a hint of clove and spices. The body of this fragrance is those woods oud and sandalwood to be precise and in the dry down are more prominent turning this juice very woody and almost animalic with musk after the first two hours. That floral combo in the top and heart notes reminds me for a moment of Tom Ford Noir de Noir but this is less deep and sensual but far more complex and less crowd pleasing. That floral woody base does have a slight 'off' note to it perhaps the oud but I find it a welcome and balancing dimension to Levantium. If yours expecting a strong oud fragrance this isn't it Penhaligon's (in the main) are all about combining lots of notes to create something which seems simple and effortless this fragrance is no different. I bought it on the spot because I was really taken with it but by the same rule it will never be my favourite fragrance. It has okay performance too.
Having tried the vast majority of Roja Dove fragrances I can honestly say that them being triumphantly brilliant, I still have this odd stigma that they're going to be disappointing. I thought to myself 'what's he gonna do with amber?' Many of his fragrances whether chypre's or Fougere's however he chooses to categorize them still contain a rich, warm body of labdanum/benzoin. I'd describe this as a musky, gourmand amber like the kind of wonderfully light accord you'd find in a designer fragrance but very natural and of much higher quality. IF you're expecting the typical, hot, sticky orange elixir or the dry, dusty old library then prepare to be shocked and amazed by this. I absolutely love this fragrance and if I could afford it, even at half the price... I would consider getting it for sure. The opening is fresh with orange and citrus notes then the powdery gourmand wave of chocolatey cacao, soft vanilla and spices then a very good base of amber. Just because it's called Amber do not make the mistake of thinking its linear or like something you have in your collection...it more than likely isn't.
