The first time I've tried this fragrance it was late August, and I was hesitant to apply it to my skin, so I tested it on paper instead. It immediately struck me with its powerful, sacred aura. Casbah takes me to an ancient church, evoking a sense of timelessness and reverence, a place lost in the distant past, far removed from modern times. It projects intensely, like an incense that’s not just for any ordinary mass but one held for an extraordinarily significant event. The incense in ths is mineral-like and slightly cold, reminiscent of the weathered stone walls of old churches. It’s a scent that demands attention. On my skin, it’s even more striking. At first, a strong smoky element unsettles me, hinting at burnt woods, but as it develops, the overwhelming pepper intensity starts to mellow out, coming off as pure subtle freshness. Despite its initial, heady blast, the fragrance evolves into something beautifully complex and mesmerizing, with a delicate hint of enveloping tobacco that adds warmth and depth to the composition. It lingers for hours, so much so that 24 hours later, even after a shower, I can still detect a faint trace on my wrist. The longevity is unmatched.
Such a delite. Sweet, tangy and pink but not at all juvenile.
I so wanted to love this, but apparently this does not gel well with my skin chemistry? While I see glowing reviews everywhere about a beautiful citrus / fruity / floral scent, for me this opens with a screechy almost minty note, with no florals or fruits in sight anywhere.
The dry down retains that minty scent, but it also morphs into something vey dry and chalky, with a bitter woody undertone. I think it is the aldehydes in combination with the wood? Not for me at all, alas!
An attractively spicy fresh ginger opening turns quickly to a pallid approximation of wood and vetiver, before evaporating entirely in a pitifully short lifespan.
Summer in a bottle for a very good price!
A very very good Afternoon Swim dupe with great raw materials (as good as the original). To my nose this is clearly a copy/paste with better performances (longevity about 4-6 hours and a decent sillage).
I do not understand why this has not caught on with more people. I know it is difficult to get in the USA but England and the EU? It's like 99 pounds for the bottle at Harrod's and at that price this is a steal. Yes, it is a vetiver and you have that running throughout the composition but the initial hit of spices (clove and cardamon?) is stunning. Even as that hit quiets down the spices still round out the vetiver in a very complete way. This all leads to a soft, woody finish that last a good bit of time. Maybe a little vanilla and a tiny bit of smoke there too. The bottle and the cap (mine is different then pictured) are outstanding also and quite heavy, just plain quality. Such an easy choice for me, especially on days I am not sure what I want to wear as this never disappoints me and I would find it hard to believe anyone would find it offensive. I have to thank Houdini and Les Oderants crew for drawing my attention to this perfect vetiver.
No this is not the most masculine fragrance in the world. I don’t care. I love every second I wear this. It’s the smell of thick knitwear and corded trousers bundled up in a coat on a really cold day or night. It’s the Harry From When Harry Met Sally Perfume. It’s inviting and personable and warm. I wore this once walking into a pub with a large open fire roaring and I felt like I was in a novel. Possibly not a GOOD novel but most people go through life never feeling like they’ve made into even a BAD book so I’ll take it. I know I’ve referenced books AND a movie in this log but leave me alone, I’m having a moment.
Sedley is a great, fresh, Sprite-type of scent. Very good for the warmer months. The woodiness is more present, but subtle in the drydown, which is fantastic. Everyone will have a different opinion on this, but it only lasts 4-5 hours for me personally, and that is with minimal projection. I find that this scent sits really close to the skin. If it was more of a 10 hour scent, this would be a 5 star. It is still a fantastic fragrance, and my personal preference over Greenley for the summer.
Oh my lord, this is lovely. I got myself a full bottle even before I had run out of my tester ;)
It opens with the most beautiful warm, rounded out, sexy, tropical citrus note. Not a screechy zingy blast, but a fragrant, tropical one. And the citrus lasts and lasts, which is wonderful for a note that is usually fleeting.
On my skin the longevity is easily 6 hours and during drydown it morphs slightly and becomes even more warm & luxureous, with a musky, sweet, slightly woody undertone. This could easily become my signature scent.
I would say this is unisex, maybe slightly leaning to the feminine side but not much. I am sure on a man this would be ultra sexy :)
Good fragrance!
Definitely a clone of Layton, beast mode as it's an extrait de parfum. I'd say a good 80% similarity, more on the dry down.
If you like Layton, or spicy/ambry/fougere type of scent, go for it!
I had hoped to love this, as some say it has a pear note, and I am always on the look for pear. I do however think that cashmeran is just not for me. I also don't like Angel Dust by Fugazzi. Both have that same slightly dusty, woody undertone which I don't like, unfortunately. Great to have tested this, but not for me.
First time trying a fig smell and wow - I had not expected to love this as much as I did. It's a beautiful green and fresh scent but warm at the same time, very lovely.
Freaking fun. My only qualm is in the final stages of the dry down it becomes a bit powdery. Otherwise the honeyed tobacco/incense is really great.
This fragrance opens with a wonderfully blended mix of fresh and warm spices. I can pick out the slightest leather and incense notes through the whole thing. It's slightly sweet probably where the cherry comes in personally, I can't pick it out being cherry or even the rose that's where I'm disappointed the most was hoping for more rose. Don't get me wrong this is an absolute wonderful fragrance truly class in a bottle. If you want to present, yourself as a man that has his shit together this needs to be in your collection.
it's not overly powerful can't speak on the scent trail but got a nice scent bubble around you for several hours.
I do feel like this will excel as a date night scent but can easily be used as a signature scent all year long
I currently live in Bremen, Germany, and recently had the opportunity to visit Köln (Cologne). Since I'm getting more and more involved in the world of perfumery, I obviously decided to stop by the Farina Museum/Store and get to know their legendary fragrance from 1709.
It was totally worth it! The fragrance opens with a very pleasant citrus, with a strong sense of the orange, bergamot and lemon combo. In the opening and then in the "evolution" I can feel a little more of this green touch and a more floral touch, but still very citrusy. I put evolution in " " marks because on my skin it really is a cologne, with low projection and lasting for about 3 or 4 hours. A very linear aroma that exudes freshness and a clean sensation the whole time I wear it. If I had bought more volume, it could become my perfume for the gym or quick outings on warmer days. Perfect in my opinion!
Just for the historical factor and the fragrance itself, I really liked it! For those who have the opportunity to visit the museum in Cologne, it is definitely worth it! Book a guided tour of the museum in advance! Additionally, for perfume enthusiasts like me, I recommend visiting the 4711 store/museum, supposedly a "competitor" at the time (1792) with a fragrance with the same proposal.
This is a fantastic, simple scent that I would consider for any occasion, at any time of the year. The opening is very citrus heavy, in a good way. After a couple of hours, the woodiness of the patchouli really becomes noticeable. Longevity is solid. I got about 5-6 hours on skin, and 7-8 on clothes, but I am a chronic oversprayer. I held off on buying this for as long as I could, for whatever reason. But, it's in my collection to stay now. Great for everyday wear.
This is a man's floral bomb opens with this wonderful semi sweet rose with lots of what percieve to be Dihydro Myrcenol. That generic designer scent in a man's fragrance. Almost like a citrus woods smell. That levels out quickly to this wonderful floral scent. My woman could smell me when I got within an arms reach and she had to stop to sniff me. Which is always a good sign
Unfortunately the rose is short lived and gets taken over by the iris/jasmine/orange blossom whatever the floral note is . I can't tell which but to me it's like a spring iris
Just a nice elegant dry down for a simple sophisticated scent. I said it can work all year but I do think this will be absolutely perfect in mid spring when all those flowers are in full bloom
Cedrat Boise is a must-try for anyone looking for a fresh yet sophisticated fragrance with great performance. It balances freshness, fruitiness, and woods in a way that feels both modern and timeless. While some may find the fruity opening a bit sharp, the elegant dry down more than makes up for it. A fantastic signature scent choice for those who appreciate citrus-woody fragrances with depth.
Cochine definitely love using tuberose in their fragrances, with Tuberose Absolute & Sandalwood being their most intense. It’s also one of their best, that is, if tuberose is a note you scan stomach - as there is no hiding from it here. The tuberose itself, thankfully, doesn’t smell like that sickly bubblegum that a lot of tuberose fragrances have, instead it is more supple and bright, favouring a dense soapy facet instead. To counter this, a copious amount of ylang is present which flattens the tuberose with its buttery, creamy smoothness, alongside sandalwood and orris. It’s all rather lovely, until that black pepper hits you in the back of the throat unnecessarily. There’s a running theme with these Cochine fragrances, that for the most part they smell great, but there always seems to be one note which I don’t get on with, somewhat ruining my enjoyment of it. They’re all pleasant, but none have been loves for me, this one included.
White Jasmine & Gardenia is my least favourite of the Cochine lineup, for reasons I find hard to put into words. Despite my love of most florals, this scent contains those few flowers I don’t warm to very well. Some may love it, but it’s not for me. Gardenia is front and centre, as you might expect, but it’s white soapy facets are overshadowed by its earthy element, which becomes overpowering as it combines with the sickly sweet gummy-ness of tuberose and champaca. Aside from this, there are but whispers of mandarin and green leaves. It’s not repulsive, or badly made by any means, it’s just one of those scents which simply isn’t for me. As a whole though, I feel Cochine is overhated on this website.
Frangipani & Neroli is summer in a bottle; it’s bright and uplifting, like the rays of the sun hitting your face in the morning, yet remains grounded and multi-faceted. A delicate dance between the sky and the earth. On one hand, you have the beautiful elements of the bitter orange tree - neroli, petitgrain and mandarin together create a clean and soapy vibrance, tempered by a dense green undergrowth. To counter this, the thick, powdery facets of violet and orris are complemented by the sweet fruity influence of frangipani. It’s a very nice fragrance, but I feel the frangipani takes away from its beauty, forming a direction which feels slightly immature and out of place. Despite that however, it’s a satisfying wear.
Tuberose & Wild Fig is a remarkably pleasant scent which does exactly as it describes; it’s bright and summery without much complexity to it, in a good way. Fig perfumes have become immensely popular and I must say, I have smelled many worse than this. Whilst the fig definitely has elements of sweet, juicy facets, it smells unripe and juvenile - lending to its green, bitter facets which is elevated by galbanum. Citrus fruits help to lift the scent, alongside the tuberose and jasmine which give it an overall delicate shine. It’s very nice actually. I don’t love it enough to justify buying a full bottle, but I will absolutely enjoy wearing my sample this summer, and I don’t think it deserves the harsh rating it’s received on Fragrantica.
Looking amongst the line of Cochine perfumes, they all seem to have terrible ratings on Fragrantica. Whilst there isn’t anything I adore from them, none of them are objectively bad; case in point, Vanille & Tabac Noir. Which I think is actually rather great. At the core of the scent is a wonderful note of tobacco blossom, which is bright and summery, whilst retaining a dry touch of actual tobacco. What really stands out to me however is a sharp, bitter note of bergamot underscored by an intensely green and herbal basil, accompanied by a flourish of nutmeg. This dominates the floral aspect of the tobacco blossom, instead leaning the scent more fresh-spicy. I enjoy this one a surprising amount. It’s not exactly a complex scent, a running them of Cochine fragrances, instead basking in the simplicity of the raw materials. It’s very nice, but I don’t adore it enough to buy a bottle.
Sweet caramel toffee smell and a little boozy vibes, a slight hint of spice of fresh gunpowder. Longevity is insane, last all day on skin. Closing the gap is slightly annoying but no dealbreaker
