Citrico has a punchy opening of lemon and bergamot then the tell tale lemon blossom and neroli chime in and make for a classy citrus/white floral combo. Not quite as long lasting as I had expected for something that smelled so strongly of neroli as it dried down but then became very tame and close to the skin. A lovely smelling thing then if this sort of scent is your bag, it's not really mine but I would recommend anybody to try these as yet again CDG deliver the goods.
If you like white floral and citrus combo's then look no further than this collection from CDG they are the pinnacle of this type of fragrance and have to be considered great value for money. I love Anbar because the mandarin is prominent, the citrus is sharp and spiced with cloves and lavender and musk which give the whole composition more depth and defintion than citrico for example. Yes the white floral element of lemon blossom is strong in here but sits in the middle as part of a warmer composition. Anbar is my favourite of the 3.
The first icy blast of the top notes from this fragrance remind me of a bracing, ice cold Gin & Tonic. Juniper and quinine, thirst quenchingly then immediately dry. That's literally the first second of application then it becomes a combination of bright pine, dry cedar and sappy cypress, with earthy peppery qualities of vetiver. This woody combination makes for an uplifting, cerebral, incense like scent which stays close to the skin in a peppery laid back drydown. These are all fairly common elements in perfumery but when brought together in such a way they sing, it's a very good achievement, akin to writing a hit song from three common chords. I didn't get huge projection or superb longevity from this fragrance but I enjoyed it for what it is and will be sampling again properly soon.
My oh my I've fallen hard for this fragrance. The opening is like a turbo charged, sweet candied cherry and cinnamon which is absolutely to die for. Then it hits you with the sharpness of resins, some fresh olibanum type then my beloved labdanum being prominent. The drydown is expected due to the name but the top notes hide the amber accord to come very well. That drydown consists of a complex sweet, amber accord of styrax, maybe a hint of vanilla and tobacco? This fragrance is wonderful...such a great opening so sweet and then a very nice incense and amber smell in the drydown. I need this in my life...I absolutely love it! Update: The amber accord goes on strong after the top and mid notes have faded away it's cozy and long lasting. I'm so glad that one of these fragrances is a winner because the flacons from this Swedish house are magnificent and I will definitely be getting this.
This is an odd one for me..I'd never tried it until recently and wondered how a Boss fragrance had escaped me but I just figured there's so many that I'd just missed it. That's when I realised it wasn't for Men. I was at a friends house and used the bathroom when I scoped out what I had assumed to be the man of the houses fragrances. In a neat line on the cabinet was Cool Water, Drakkar Noir, D&G's The One and this...so you can understand my confusion. Another (Deep)Red flag for me was the EDP concentration when I read the bottom of the bottle, surprising for a mainstream masculine fragrance I thought. Anyhow, I had a tiny little try of Deep Red and I have to say I was impressed. I am a bit of a sucker for soft fruity, creamy scents and this one satisfied me. It's rich, warm fruity berries and a definite orange vibe which is both woody and spiced. The base of sandalwood and vanilla is creamy but spicy at the same time which make this less of a light feminine fragrance and more of a sexy nighttime thing or even something a guy could wear. I was certainly tempted by it although I think it would smell better on my girlfriend. An interesting discovery and a good outing from Boss.
Hats off to CDG for Vettiveru it's a very good Vetiver, opens a bit green and fresh along with citrus, then a clean, calm drydown which is peppery and very pleasant indeed. The key here is to judge the longevity by concentration and when you take that into account it is okay. Same goes for the price considering how much juice you get and it should be used in an accordingly liberal fashion. The scent itself is great but by no means the best vetiver I smelled..It's what I expected really...another great fragrance from Comme des Garcons.
Same story as the original scent but with amped up top notes and all together heavier touch...which is exactly what an 'Intense' version of any fragrance should supply. Despite reviews here, it's presence and intensity I would not describe this as a quintessential amber by any means. Scent intense is all about wonderful fruity, exotic floral top notes and naturally non-cloying sweetness. I'd wear it but again I'd be happier to smell it on a lady. Great scent though and very good longevity for something I figured might fade quickly but doesn't.
My oh my is this a sweet floral! Not as sweet as it's 'Intense' version but pretty damn sweet. The automatic response this triggers is feminine just because it's so sweet and floaty but rest assured I would wear it no problem. The jasmine is stunning and mixed with exotic, fruity notes of hibiscus. The Tea is minimal giving a slightly dry but lovely quality and a really light amber base. for me this fragrance is all about the beautiful wafting floral top notes. This one has more of the tea and 'pencil shavings' quality than the Intense version which is more of the top note but turbo charged! I like this a lot...I would wear it as I mentioned but I would prefer it on a woman...I'd be pretty smitten with her too!
This is what I love about Comme des Garcons they have a signature throughout their fragrances without ever being boring or a one trick pony. This to me has a blast of green, vegetable like top notes which then evolve into a fruity, sweet, spiced resiny beauty which has both facets of heat and icy coolness. The cherry note is hugely dominant and again I identified this straight away, without any prior knowledge of the note make up of this fragrance. However while being 'tested' by my girlfriend I was reluctant to say cherry, but did and felt vindicated knowing it was really in there. I often Identify that note in perfume and it's not listed examples like TM Pure Havanne, Burberry London and coSTUME National. Red actually shares the same transparent uplifting feel as coSTUME national but without the bitter souring of musk. Some hot, sharp notes from cinnamon and saffron works well with the cherry, the heart is incense like but subtly sweet with tolu and myrrh. It's nice but lacking a strong long lasting base maybe some stronger powder of geranium? or woods something just to give it more dimension. I really like Red though it's a lovely fruity smell which remains that way throughout only get down by longevity which isn't that bad but borderline acceptable. Worth checking out if you like anything coSTUME National and especially ladies who dig coSTUME National scent(Intense) this is along similar lines, without being the same at all.
Such a good opening to this fragrance...a wonderfully realized citrus in the shape of sharp grapefruit which is spot on...really natural. Then a perfect orange note and clearly defined from the grapefruit this is juicy and exudes the flavour of a ripe orange and that freshly peeled white stuff on the inside...gorgeous. Oh yeah...I love rhubarb but I don't get it here really...perhaps an unsweetened 'green' rhubarb that's still growing?...Flash back is tart and sharp but I wouldn't describe it as smelling of Rhubarb and I've sampled it a few times now. The drydown is almost a little warm and that could be the amber listed here although its more pink pepper (which is strong) vetiver and musk which work perfectly with the fruit. I have gotten excited about a few citruses recently (that's because I've tried some very good ones.) but as a rule I don't get to enthusiastic about them...Olfactive studios Flash back is worth it though. Great opening, nice dry down not complex but delivers simplicity very well, my only minor criticism is that it doesn't last very well...otherwise I'd buy this.
Oh Akkad!!! What a stunning resinous oriental juice this is from Lubin. I've got a strange, inexplicable, soft spot for this house even though I've only tried a couple of their fragrances, and they weren't world beaters if I'm honest. Sometimes you come across fragrances which put a smile on your face and redefine a genre for you. I mean I love lots of amber and Oud, incense accords but even if a scent is appealing or good quality it's a rare thing to find innovation anymore but when you do it's refreshing. It's like every so often in music when you think you've heard every mildly derivative guitar outfit, then suddenly something excites you. I wouldn't quite call Akkad a 'Game changer' (hate that cliche anyway) but it is an amber with balance, sweetness, warmth, creaminess, not cloying and has refreshing fresh incense top notes...what more could I ask for? It starts out with a fresh transparent blast of bergamot, frankincense, elemi and labnadum, transitioning into a kind of benzoin, styrax... ancient powdery amber drydown which is thickened and sweetened with vanilla throughout. Akkad seems to manage both elements of resin slightly cool and uplifting to warm, cosy and authentic in the base. This is great juice however, I can't help but think the top notes should last longer before it dries down to what is quite a standard amber accord. That's harsh criticism because if you love resins as I do you won't care and at least those top notes are there in the first place...however fleeting.
Anyone else think it smells a little more like a rose/iris combo in the opening? It might just be because it's SO powdery but this is not a straight Iris and not really an enjoyable scent for me. It smells quality sure and has the longevity you'd expect but for me it's another uninspiring super powdery scent. I like Iris but not in this fragrance I get an almost suncream vibe too which I associate with myrtle. I wouldn't wear this...no complexity and not woody in the way I like...I'll give it a miss. Update 06/01/23 How dumb is the above review? I can scarcely believe I'm talking about the same fragrance I experienced yesterday, but it is the same one, the very sample I got at the time, so no danger of reformulation or anything. For starters the Iris in this is powdery and vegetal but it has a unique character and the way it's been paired with the woody notes in here, (Zebra wood/sausage tree whatever) is a revelation!!! To be honest I DO get that twang of patchouli/saffron and something distinctly resembling an oud/rose perfume after the initial Iris calms, but never goes away and that's the element which softens and brings the whole composition together. I think it's a case of similar materials giving those effects, and coming together to resemble something familiar but still elevating it somewhat. A very good, progressive perfume, I loved it! 2014 me is a fucking moron!
Wow! Pretty blown away by this fragrance. I knew this Andrea Maack line had potential to give me something to smile about and Coal has been the one to do it. It's not like anything I've tried before it has true dimension, because the smokey/earthy coal effect is like a veil of smoke sitting in front of the 'real' composition behind. A clever perfumers illusion and the olfactory equivalent of Dolby 5:1 surround sound. The opening is quite fresh with juniper and papyrus and just to mention that many fragrances which contain papyrus(with sandalwood usually?) are a turn off for me. Coal however is really nice and interesting and somehow does evoke the smell of coal. The intense pepper grows out of the opening and you get a kinda smokey effect but the drydown to me is a kind of patchouli and very spicy gorgeous sandalwood and maybe some ambery resin too...it's slendid! Longevity is good and coal projects for a little bit before retreating. This fragrance is nothing short of show stoppingly good and you have to check it out. I want a bottle.
Opens boozy and dense which a touch of spicy ginger and almost seems quite sweet. This subsides and as it settles you get the spice and an arabian culinary feel. One thing I can't stand is the strange buttery, honey like floral smell of Immortale. It's very distinctive indeed and if it's not really your cup of tea then you won't enjoy Fareb. The smell reminds me of something but I just can't place it? It connects to some deeply hidden olfactory memory from my childhood which has been repressed. It kinda smells a little grubby which maybe is what the 'leather' note is all about, because I wouldn't describe this as leathery, certainly not in anyway I find appealing...It's maybe slighty woody even? I want to hate this and I'd never dream of wearing it with so many excellent fragrances out there but something about it intrigues me. As it becomes a slight skin scent in the drydown it smells so natural and thought provoking that I can't help but have some 'carcrash' response which keeps me sniffing. It's the uniqueness I expected from Huitieme Art. Update: I know what it reminds me of now and it's a real childhood smell...WAX CRAYONS.
Yes Craft is instantly reminiscent of incense fragrances such as Cardinal, full incense, Avignon...etc...etc However the top notes of aldehydes make for a truly cold blast which I find to be even more minimal and metallic at first...but that could just be my imagination. When It dries down a little and this coldness subsides slightly it's pretty much exactly the same elemi/frankincense/cedar vibe of the aforementioned fragrances. I've said it once and I'll say it again....How many times does this fragrance have to be replicated??? The same could be said for many combinations of notes and similar fragrances but this just seems to be one I notice more. I'm not nay saying either because I love the smell of this fragrance and I'd definitely wear it...just spoiled for choice as to which one to get? I can't base it on longevity or projection because they're all very similar in that department too...It will have to be purely based on priced.
There is something of the Hotel about this, namely a soapy texture and clean towel vibe...it's very bathroom anyway. The opening is a mixture of a slightly powdery, talc like geranium and lavender with citrus. The fruit is sharp and jarring against this backdrop at first and almost fools you into thinking this might just be a fleeting citrus scent. Well the citrus is fleeting but Amorvero Uomo then develops into a tediously, clean well blended Fougere. Nothing stands up to be counted note wise and you're left with something nice but not even as classy as some similar niche classics. I don't doubt there's all these notes in there but they just seem to constitute a pleasant amalgam, not offensive just not that great unfortunately. This is something for the true gent who doesn't want to stand out or really let people know he's wearing fragrance, just smells uber clean. Update: Well I never the drydown was totally unexpected a deep musky scent which is a superb finish to what I had considered a bit of a lost cause. Just goes to show it's not all over until the drydown. Musky, warm and although totally inconceivable earlier, a pronounced and fairly robust tobacco note. A surprise finish then, maybe a touch of too little too late but it definitely makes this scent more than your average fougere and more meets the eye, worth checking out!
Anyone else smell beer? It's like a malty, hoppy, fermenting real ale to me. I don't know if this 'sucre' or sugar has turned into alcohol, because that's what I get from this fragrance. As it dries down it becomes a heavy benzoin accented fragrance with a base of wood and some real sweetness now. It's a gourmand which masquerades as a foamy pint for a while then boy does it get yummy...? In fact...Sucre d'Ebene is pretty gorgeous when dried down. The opening is a bit strange though, it's like any fragrance with a wheaty note (Serge Lutens Jeux de peau) it takes time to get used to. Sits very close to the skin but smells very sexy.
Opens with an odd incense accord of spiced resin and something like firey ginger beer...seriously! That fades quickly mind you and hints of the tea and liquorice are there, I had to re apply to be sure as I didn't get anything to begin with. The main element which sweetens up the whole composition (too much so perhaps?) is Vanilla which takes any rough edge off that the myrrh might of possessed in the drydown. I think this effect leaves you with a vague, ambery, approximation of resin...I mean it smells like myrrh but more focused on the antiseptic quality with non of the sweet sharpness. I've tried several 'cold' myrrh fragrances recently which have real metallic and tea notes which are complementary this however is very warm and cosy for me. I'm not mad at it but it's not the best thing I've smelled from this house. To be fair this is a house I was expecting big things from and perhaps something more unusual. That vanilla sits close but lasts...and although pleasant enough, not one for real Myrrh lovers IMO. Update: Actually the drydown is pretty nice and longlasting, I found it much better when it settled down a soft amber/vanilla which is slightly dry and dusty.
This is some dark perfumery here. Just starting with the name it evokes a coven of witches in a damp Forrest stirring up witchcraft and of course...their cauldron. It's the fithiest of filthy soil tinctures and moss, which goes far beyond normal acceptability and actually into a realm I find interesting. It's a further place where fragrance goes and runs the full gamete from horrid all the way back to exquisite. Patchouli lovers with like this because it's dank and soily but green and grassy almost figgy in the top notes. As it dries down there's a slight wet wood and a little peppery spice in there too. Great longevity on me...doesn't project all that much which is probably a good thing as it's not exactly a crowd pleaser. Bizarre stuff but not all that unpleasant...still wouldn't wear it though...maybe on Halloween?
This fragrance is special. Somehow captures all that sicilian juicy, fruitiness a lemon which is not at all sharp but superbly realistic. It has the cooling effect of a summer breeze lightly spiced with cardamom and somehow a touch of those wild flowers. Green tea is a perfect companion for this light, perfect scent...reminds me of Iced tea and Lemon. I'm head over heels for Carthusia Mediteraneo just the remedy for hot weather. I've smelled a few citruses which have made me rethink this entire olfactive group recently but this one is a real achievement. The longevity is not great and it doesn't have any surprises underneath in terms of base notes and as such, is pretty linear affair. Not so good...but I still kinda wanna add it to my collection, it's that good.
All these fresh wonderful and beautiful things in one fragrance. The opening IS a Mojito the greenest freshest leafy mint note and accurate lime citrus I've smelled. It also goes a little figgy for a second then the juniper freshness, settling to a straighter more herby vibe...which to me is tea. The heart of this fragrance smells like black tea, elemi with clean earthy vetiver and prehaps some cedar. I love it! I think sometimes they get the names of fragrances muddled because yet again Comme des Garsons have made a scent which truly is Amazingly green. Oh well I suppose this is called 'Green' to be fair. The drydown is different again it's oddly sweet the elemi possibly coming out again? It has this meditative incense kinda thing of CDG and a little of the Amazinggreen about it too. Major let down is the longevity...few hours at best and despite good initial projection it fades quickly. Can't fault the smell though it's excellent, sparkling and refreshing juice with a touch of earthy edge to it.
I'd describe Takis as a creamy/herby/floral scent which is dominated in the opening by one note...Vanilla. It's that combination with a strong white musk and herbs, thyme and sage which make that sickly and vaguely reminiscent combo of lavender/musk/vanilla from things like JPG Le Male or MDCI Invasion Barbare. The top notes are an unmistakable ylang ylang which can be divine or awful dependent on composition and luckily in this case its okay. For something so creamy and vanilla like it dies a quick death on my skin, which is not that disappointing because I'm not fully on board with this sort of scent anyway. It's a well blended piece which doesn't offend me but doesn't ignite a spark in me either. If I had the option I'd get Histoires 1725 or Invasion barbare instead.
Got my girlfriend to test my note knowledge with this one and I impressed her when she picked it out of a bag of samples I was yet to try. To be fair this was a really easy test as the scent was pretty clear to me. I really enjoy the yesty opening right away I identified the juicy sharp bergamot and then petitgrain. The base is a slightly herbal mixture of a very subtle patchouli and a more pronounced moss. At first I didn't get the mint but it's there as it settles down. Classic, elegant fragrance reminds me of something my dad would've worn. Mediocre longevity but all in all a good fragrance.
An attack of white florals which is so potent in the opening it comes across almost animal like a feral musk! Waxy, orange blossom, ylang ylang and sweeter jasmine are dominant in the beginning then becoming a more powdered geranium type vibe. There is the tiniest hint of clove in there too. The scent for women who enjoy this traditional floral fare and not for this man to wear at all. The saving grace here is the jasmine in the top notes otherwise I really wouldn't like Gelsomini di Capri.
Wow! Pretty amazing jasmine dominant perfume, but I found it came off incredibly masculine (whatever you make of me saying that?) on me and immediately reminded me of more 'men's' florals like geranium or carnation (just to note if definitely doesn't smell of either of those) but this is an unapologetically flouncy, Erol Flynn blouse of a floral. It's quite Italian too in that it has that fresh, amalfi coast citrus sort of thing and a general attitude to it. (Helpful I know!) I didn't find it very stinky or indolic but I've had 100% negative anti-compliments so yeah, not popular in the workplace, but fuck um! What's very curious is that it's lush, green banana and hefty and quite tamed and beautiful jasmine accord is then tinged after several hours with a fizzy orange powder, not all the way orange blossom but definitely complimenting the jasmine and ylang. I mean to say this is not my usual jam is an understatement but I happen to have really enjoyed it today. A solid perfume from a super old sample I found. Update (from yesterday) I mentioned that it wasn't indolic, clearly a good jasmine accord (which I consider this to be) will be somewhat indolic, but what I meant was that I only get the sweet, heady flowery effect with little skank. Well fast forward to today and the remnant on my clothes tells a slightly different story, there's a dirty, poopy, indole nestled among what is still a pretty nice exotic floral smell. Just to note that after about 18 hours or something, smelling that relentlessly of jasmine had started to take it's toll, and this perfume is not what I'd consider the most full blooded floral I've ever worn, but it's hefty enough, nevertheless.
