Il Mondo di Odore

Records have this being released in 1941. Carroll & Company now have this scent along with another house brand of their own design. This is vintage right out of the bottle and you need to let the top burn off for a minute or so. At first smell, it's reminiscent of Shalimar. Not exactly the same, but the tenets are surely related. This is balsamic, slightly resinous and has a green hue. At the same time, it's heavily floral and has an old world vibe to it. Within 10 minutes, there is a transition of a very mild spice working its way into the accord. The tenacity has subsided somewhat and the scent has relaxed into a floral with the mild spice note and possibly olive. The base adds a light opoponax and wood tone without altering the previous accords. Nothing made today smells remotely similar to Royal Briar. If you're a fan of old world creations, you should at least sample this masculine and relive what others used to smell like. You may want to smell like that tod...

This is an edited review ( January 7,2011) of M de Morabito I initially completed in 2009. The review was scathing and only now do I know that my first review was courtesy of a "bad" sample. I am sure of this because I recently ( an inadvertently) acquired a bottle of this vintage juice. When I saw what I had done, I thought " Oh God, no......", but......it was too late and the transaction irreversible. Well, surprise, surprise......when it arrived, I was naturally in dismay and looked at the bottle. Not daring to spray it because of memory's sake, I sniffed the sprayer. My eyebrows scrunched up and I thought, " Some of this is familiar, but only some....." So.....I manned up and shot a huge spritz on my arm. I was at home and the sink was close by to scrub it off, so why not...... I immediately remembered the powerhouse aura from the turned sample, but instead of an old-man, musty smelling skankasaurus, this was completely intact and apparently ha...

Finally an Iris that's understated and used as a mere compliment to leather than an equal. This is not a bad ass leather rendition. Think uptown. This is plush leather from the get go. The opening is a sophisticated aroma and for once, the old chair comparison is accurate. For me, there is hint of iris and a fleeting, light smoke note. These compliment the accord and enhance an already dominant leather. After about 10 minutes, an amber starts creeping into the accord adding a touch of sweet resin to the leather and bolstering the insence. There is a very light dusting of powder present along with a thin mocha note. The drydown for me is a leather-amber duo with a nod from this phantom mocha aura. I admit to not getting woods or vetiver, but I don't feel shortchanged at all. They are listed, but no matter.....Cuir d'Iris is upscale leather with a nice amber and a nod of gourmand. This is a very good release.

This Eau de Parfum isn't exactly mainstream in it's construction or vision. What bellybutton has to do with this fragrance is beyond me. Niche is sometimes flat out weird. I guess looking for an edge in marketing is to be commended. I am a fan of patchouli. This rendition isn't incendiary nor is it uninspired. It's acceptable. The opening is a jolt of good patchouli with a shot of table pepper. Yes...black pepper for your dining experience as well as your olfactory voyages. The sillage is moderate to good and on me, the patch and pepper combo are dominant from the initial application. My skin seems to deny the opoponax, bergamot and vetiver that's listed to come to fruition. After some time, there is a very wispy amberish tone and also what I believe is carrotine, but sadly, they are subdued. I am left with a simple patchouli rendition that hints at peppered amber. Nombril is a good scent, but since it's patchouli dominant, I would opt for the less pricey Pa...

This mid 1980's creation unsettles me every time I sample it. I cannot bring myself to ever wear it. This is a spicy woody-amber to me and the way the scent is constructed, pertaining to individual note volume, I would like nothing more than to remove it from my skin. At the same time, it's not a "scrubber". I know that sounds like a contradiction. This simply is not for me and does not suit my tastes, yet it's well made. Dali opens with spicy citrus and a noble attempt on lavenders part to keep the zestiness under control. On me, it fails and the combination of topnote spices and geranium in the heart have an unpleasant effect to my nose. The remaining florals of jasmin and muguet can't salvage this accord being as submissive as they are in Pour Homme. The initial two accords last an unreal length of time as far as transition time is concerned. The base is full of my favorite hitters, but the van-amber, leathery wood and patch can't seem to get out ...

Bergamot, Spruce Resin, Cardamom, Tarragon, Star Anise, Thyme, Coriander. Pipe tobacco, Incense. Patchouli, Plum, Sandalwood, Dried Fruits. This 2001 masculine is one of the more commendable designer releases of the past decade. Kors for Men is chock full of goodies and you actually experience what's listed in the accords. The opening is a spicy citric accord. It's slightly balsamic and  aromatic with just a hint of pepper. It has a thick quality to it and within a minute or two, it brings forth a smooth and lucid licorice note. The heart of Michael Kors is a combination of the top accord becoming denser. The realization of wood and tobacco effectively solidify this as a definitive masculine. The tobacco note is actually very good and sans any harsh aspects. Ten minutes into the life of Kors, what I can only describe as accord perspiration comes into being. It's a damp quality but without any connections to human sweat. It's as if the fragrance itself has be...

Black Jeans, like quite a few other masculines, has taken me multiple samplings to "get it". Any scent with iris seems to do that to me. One wearing simply wouldn't be enough to give an accurate opinion. It seems Versace has this thing for orange in the openings of his fragrances. I have to say that I don't mind a bit. The opening is semi-spicy citrus with lavender, but the iris is there as well, not willing to wait for the heart accord to begin. The floral heart of jasmin,rose and carnation are most assuredly secondary to the iris note and that's where Black Jeans either gains a fan or a detractor. I'm on the fence with this one, due to not being an iris lover by any means, but this Versace is still a viable fragrance. It's simply that damn violet. If only the rose was dominant with a nano-smidgeon of iris........oh well......... The base, as a whole, is a subtle spicy leather with a hint of wood. I cannot find tonka or vetiver in any of the wearing...

May the new decade bring all of you health, prosperity and peace. Enjoy the New Year celebrations and be safe. Also....please smell great while you're doing it !!!

Here's a 1981 woody that's has been "under the radar" to me for quite some time. I'm amazed that this scent has escaped my attention, but because of my arrogant view of this house in general, I never gave Calvin a moments thought. I have shortchanged myself by never sampling this fragrance. I am sitting here smelling this and kicking myself in the proverbial ass. Why? Because Calvin is a winner. I should have been "cued" by the date alone that this may have potential. What's different is the slight changes of accord arrangement in Calvin. It opens with a floral citrus and a spicy floral heart with fruit. Both accords hit me at once and are righteously blended, yet there's enough air between them to differentiate personalities. The 1980's style base is lifting itself up after only minutes and allows the top two accords to dance above it. The patchouli and vetiver are fitted together nicely with a wink from musk and sandal. The drydown is o...

This is a strange and polarizing scent. Some love it, some can't stand it and some could care less. An ozonic patchouli with spice and vanilla? An eclectic brew for sure. I don't get the iced coffee accord spoken about. To me, it's an ozonic nutmeg duo with a very wispy patchouli woven in the center of it. It's not good or bad. It is very different. The thin patchouli note remains throughout the life of this uncomplicated scent. For such a lightly constructed fragrance, the longevity is actually pretty good. I love most patch scents, however, I'm not a fan of most aquatics or ozonics. That leaves Ice Men in total limbo with me. I have sampled Ice Men 3 times now and I haven't grown to like it more. I also don't like it less, so Ice Men ( for me at least) will spend its life in Fragrance Purgatory along with the others that simply can't quite make the cut.

This 1987 release by Tacchini is one I could never decide whether or not I was indifferent to or downright disliked. I waver between the two each sample wearing, but Tacchini will never get more than that......a sample wear. There is something borderline scratchy and/or caustic in this masculine. I know it's the combination of lime, bergamot and styrax used and it seems that just the right amounts of each were used to make this an unpleasant experience for me. This is considered a woody and I guess if any house uses miniscule amounts of cedar and sandal, it could then be categorized as such. I get no wood in this and I'm not sure if it would help. It may be that my olfactory is simply overwhelmed by the strange citric accord that I cannot smell anything else. Regardless, this smells cheap and I can see this sitting in bargain bins for years to come.

Basil, Bergamot, Green notes, Lemon, Petitgrain, Pimento. Carnation, Cedar, Cinnamon, Jasmin, Patchouli, Rose, Sandalwood. Amber, Labdanum, Leather, Moss, Musk, Tonka bean, Vanilla. Versace L'Homme is the only fragrance that my boss ( a woman ) compliments me on every time I wear it. Mind you that I wear scent every day and that she isn't exactly what you'd call an enthusiast. She has certain sensitivities to fragrance, but never does she give me a hard time about what I wear. I give her props because there are days when I wear some crazy !@#$. After initially wearing the reformulated version of this, I scored a bottle of the vintage in 2009 and have kept some ever since. None of the three versions that I know of are spectacular. That includes the original I'm reviewing, but I will say that there's that special something in this one that keeps me wearing it in cool temperatures. Intangibles have to count for something. Versace L'Homme opens with a ...

This 2001 offering has potential that it will never realize. How is it that you can create an EDP complete with no sillage or longevity? Is this an olfactory magic trick? I may have to look in my fragrance for dummies book and find the answer to this. While not stupendous by any means, Lalique PH opens with a very nice citrus accord that is immediately followed by a very smooth wood and spice. I believe an orris note makes an entrance next and then the volume, which was not loud to begin with, starts to lower noticeably. This has only been alive minutes and it is winding down already. Note **** I have edited my last paragraph of this review since I was angered by this fragrance more than I should be. If your nose isn't glued to your skin, you will have missed out on the barely perceptible musky wood drydown. I am flabbergasted that this is represented an an EDP strength formula. EDC concentrations have more gusto than this. Lalique starts out with promise and ends quickly with ...

This is a 1992 woody amber fougere from Joop that is like a 2nd cousin to Ted Lapidus Pour Homme. This is due to the pineapple note running through it, although in Nightflight, it's more subdued. Almost every single note listed in their respective accords for Nightflight is also in Lapidus PH's respective accords as well. Lapidus has more notes at each transition, but the dominant players are the same. Nightflight is Lapidus Lite. I won't go through detailed transitions since Lapidus is already reviewed. I will say that if Lapidus was a tad strong, Nightflight will probably be a better fit. I don't know if Joop is flattering another fragrance, that they ran out of ideas and "borrowed" some or if it's simply coincidence. I guess it simply is what it is.

This is a 1992 Fougiental that doesn't seem to garnish much attention. It also defies conventional categorization, but that's such a small matter. What matters is if it smells good or not. Well, it just so happens that it does smell good. The first thing that comes to my mind when experiencing the opening of Minotaure is how similar it is to quite a few modern releases. A little generic perhaps, but I think that's due to a pronounced fruit note at the core of this scent. Muguet in the heart supplies a roundness and softening of not only the galbanum, but of the floral accord as well. Minotaure only hints at green, but never fully commits. The fruit notes ensure this and the residual florals of rose and geranium have only bit parts at best. A subtle woody accord ushers in the basenotes with amber and tonka keeping it fresh and semi-sweet. The transitions are smooth and the drydown also gives up a smidgeon of musk. Minotaure could be released today and wouldn't raise ...

E ven though my Basenotes blog, "Red's Lumberyard", was named on the spur of the moment, it's not much of an accident. I have had a passion for wood for as long as I can remember. I've been attracted to everything about wood. The wonderful colors, for instance. Yes, it's hard for some people to be passionate about brown, but it's hard for me to be passionate about anything else. The textures. From the natural roughness of bark, to the unbelievable smoothness that the skilled woodworker can attain. And when I was old enough to work wood myself - the odors. And even before that. I remember my toddler brother and I grabbing discs of pine that my father would shave off the bottoms of Christmas trees. Perfectly useless, but for the moment, our most prized possessions. Little wonder that when wood-loving insectoids took over Earth in the godawful Bruce Campbell Sci-Fi Original Movie Alien Apocalypse , I had half a mind to root for the hilarious ...

This 1990 fougere from Lagerfeld has quite a few powerscent fans. I could never get the love from Photo in spite of many wearings and remain neutral due to its synthetic qualities on my skin. It is smooth, but chemical smelling and that's where Photo loses me. The aldehydes with green and lavender isn't a mainstream opening, but it's different enough to be good. It has a thick feel to it and the marine aura from the heart is readily apparent. The thyme and laurel in conjunction with cyclamen seem to dominate the mids and at least with my bottle, I don't get much honey or rose. I would have much preferred a dark honey aura than marine, but that's me. The base accord is a mossy wood and a sucker shot of tonka. Once again, I wish there was more tonka than the wispy and fleeting note implemented in Photo. Regardless of all this, Photo is a well made masculine that simply isn't for this wearer. It does have good sillage and exceptional longevity. It also is most ...

As a fan of certain vetiver renditions, it has taken me multiple wearings to conclude that I simply do not like this version in any way, shape or form. I generally like Maitre Parfumeur offerings, but no house can please everyone all the time. I know there are fans of this particular fragrance and I surmise that only diehard vetiver fans could appreciate the earthy and dirty medicinal qualities Route du Vetiver brings to the table. There is an overshadowing tincture methiolate aroma hovering over this scent that is very off-putting to me. The combination of black currant, green notes and bourbon vetiver give off a resinous dirt that, to me, isn't attractive for purposes of scent. Others may and have disagreed with this assumption, but it is only one mans opinion. These notes shut out the listed jasmin on my skin. I believe if the jasmin was more pronounced, it would have taken this accord into a positive direction. The sandal is usurped here as well, but what it seems to acco...

Here's wishing everyone a terrific and safe Christmas. Peace and God Bless to you and your families from Il Mondo di Odore. May the new year bring you health, prosperity and some outstanding fragrances as well.

I have sampled this more than once and keep coming to the same conclusion. As much as I love cooking spices, I don't want to smell like a cacophony of pasta sauce herbs. At least not in my fragrance. One or two will do spread out over accords, but this is an over the top culinary spice rack in a bottle. The only missing ingredient is marjoram and possibly a surprise visit from Tony Garganonza looking to collect on an old debt....or vendetta. Gigli somehow puts it all together and makes it work, but for me, it's simply too many herbs and spice. The citrus in the opening and woods in the heart and base are lost behind a torrent of herbal warfare and become the first casualties in this La Bistro police action. If you really, really, really dig Italian herbs and spice in liquid form, buy a bottle of this, wear it and then strut through the Italian market in South Philly. I'll lay odds you get invited to supper at Luigi's within minutes.....and yes.....he has a daughter ...

I have been way more fortunate than other fragrance enthusiasts I know purchasing vintage scents from ebay. My luck continues with my most recent purchase made yesterday from a good hearted seller who shared the holiday spirit with me.....a total stranger. My ebay search for vintage Versace L'Homme started about a month ago. Within a week of perusing the listings, I spotted the digital image of L'Homme I was looking for. After getting the confirmation from the seller that yes, this is indeed the exact item in the listing, I placed what I determined to be my highest bid. The bottle was a 50ml and my predetermined ceiling was $1 per ml. I truly thought it would be enough....especially with Christmas only a few weeks away and everyone strapped for cash. I was wrong. Within 24 hours, someone outbid me and I was unwilling to go higher. After all, my ceiling price is just that. Bummer for me, but there's always tomorrow..... On the 22nd, lo and behold, there is another vinatge...

This 1965 release from Gres is still available......and still a good masculine scent. Do you like polite fragrances that lead with lavender? If the answer is yes, then you need to sample Gres Pour Homme. The fragrance is an understated fougere from opening to finish. There isn't a rude accord to be found. It's no secret that I gravitate toward impolite masculines frequently, but there's something to be said for having a subtle masculine in your arsenal. I find Gres PH to be a very pleasant wear. Gres opens with citrus, petitgrain and a dominant lavender note. This particular lavender isn't the harsh variety by any means. It's soft and transparent ; followed by an uncoventional woody heart that possesses a green halo. I don't get the florals or patchouli for that matter, but the rosewood and cedar with fern are lighthearted and harmonious. The anamalic leather, moss and tonka in the base are gentlemen as well. This is in keeping with the overall volume from...

Last Friday I attended a Christmas party. It was held in an administrator's recently purchased home only a few miles from where I reside. Who knew houses of this magnititude were located this close to my humble abode. This house was literally something out of a magazine and no doubt could have been used as an awesome bed and breakfast. As a wood lover, I was in absolute awe as we toured the house when we first arrived. My scent of the evening was Superfragrance for Men by Etienne Aigner and I never realized just how appropriate the Super would be. Anyway......back to my fragrance. I was present at this party for 3 hours. Two different times I was approached and told how good I smelled from normally reserved people. One woman gave me a hug, let me go and then pulled me back into her for an encore hug. She actually whispered in my ear about my scent and demanded to know what cologne I had on. I told her what it was, but naturally she did not care about that. She simply loved the ar...

This particular fragrance from i Profumi di Firenze is most difficult to obtain any information on. I even used an image of Dolce Amaro instead of taking a digital picture of the actual bottle. I can only assume it is no longer available and that is a shame. This is a very strange rendition of patchouli. It is eclectic and very Italian. This is an EDP version and it has very good sillage and longevity, yet the patchouli note is literally swallowed up by what has to be anise. This is an outstanding anise however and it reminds me of the Anisette and Zambuca my Italian family would always have on hand during get togethers. That is how strong the licorice note is in Dolce Patchouli. It literally smells like an alcoholic beverage. Dolce does border on sweet and is very linear on me. It is exactly the same from initial opening to drydown with no transitions and no abatement from the anise. I actually love this smell and it has to be the best anise dominant fragrance I have come across. ...

Aroma M released this Eau de Parfum in or around 2000. As I love certain sandalwood renditions, this was certainly going to be a hit or miss. I have moved away from austere sandalwoods and find myself thoroughly enjoying rich, full bodied renditions that place as much importance on the accompanying notes as the sandal. Geisha Noir did not disappoint. Black Amber, Sandalwood and Tonka Bean. Its feel is dense but not heavy and each note shares the spotlight. The amber and tonka bring out the best in each other and illuminate the sandal with the just the right amount of presence. This is marketed toward women. I say that's tough *@%! because I'm going to get a bottle and wear it as a masculine. Men could pull this off no problem and smell terrific doing it. Very good fragrance from Aroma M.

This may be blasphemous to some, but I find Modern Reserve superior to the original. The OG Polo, after some time, became abrasive and caustic smelling to me. As always, fragrance is subjective, but I believe my opinion has some merit. I do not care for the vast majority of modern masculines and I also believe the days of terrific designer fragrances is well past us and never to return. With that said, Modern Reserve is designed with smoothness in mind. While both Polo's are leather oriented masculines, there are huge differences in notes and accords. Modern Reserve is based on different types of leathers with one being suede. There are subtle whiffs of basil, vetiver and jasmin, but the myrrh eludes me and patchouli doesn't show until well into the drydown. Even then, it is very subtle. The vetiver increases as the scent goes into the basenotes and becomes prominent. All in all, Modern Reserve is a pretty decent leather masculine. The quality of ingredients may be slight...

The infamous Knize Ten is a leather classic with a slew of devotees. As for me, I detest its petroleum, rubberized faux leather aroma. Knize contains a list of my favorite notes, but it's no consolation to me here. I applaud Knize Ten for being polarizing at least. We need more masculines that accomplish either love or hate. The alternative is the slew of faceless synthetic wonders that are marketed and pushed by ill informed sales associates at your local malls. Knize Ten has a face. It's a face only a mother can love in my opinion, but I believe one mans trash is another mans treasure. This should never be a blind purchase since you may not care for its version of leather. I surely do not.

Can niche be too niche for the sake of being niche? Anyone who is really in this hobby / lifestyle is aware that niche can be a two edged sword like its designer counterparts; albeit they cost a lot more. I have tried to like this house, but eclectisism for the sake of itself is simply unacceptable to me. Dzongkha is an amalgamation of aged fruit and dusty floral set atop a slightly spicy tea note. Is this supposed to be innovative? I think not....especially at these prices. Dzongkha is not horrid, but it isn't good either. It's simply a strange brew that falls short of the mark. Very short. I would love to see L'Artisan cease and desist trying to be so different ( just for a moment at least) and create something incendiary along the lines of a classic tried and true power scent using the quality ingredients that they have at their disposal. Tried and true ( with a twist) would not be such a bad thing...........

Anise, Bergamot, Lavender, Lemon, Marjoram, Tarragon. Carnation, Cedar, Cinnamon, Geranium, Jasmine, Patchouli. Amber, Leather, Moss, Musk, Sandalwood, Tonka Bean. This 1980 creation fetches some pretty fair prices on the bay. Over the years, I have had numerous bottles of it in splash, spray and concentrate. I systematically sold them all, then picked up a 100ml spray about 6 months ago with a low-ball bid. I didn't think I'd win, but placed the bid anyway just in case folks were unawares that day. There were and I won a terrific masculine for peanuts. Charles Jourdan Un Homme is a study in classic lavender-floral construction. It's essence is soapy lavender accented by carnation and geranium. These are the mainstays of Un Homme with the others accounted as a supporting cast. This is a clean smelling masculine that may or may not be too mature for those under 30 years old. I'm not referring to it as dated, but the aroma will no doubt be associated with a ...

Basil, Bergamot, Wormwood, Juniper, Lavender Cinnamon, Carnation, Aldehyde, Geranium Amber, Benzoin, Cedar, Honey, Moss and Tonka bean The first thing noticeable upon applying Delon Classic is that it genuinely is classic. There's no mistaking this woody fougere for anything else. Some of the younger set will likely call this dated and that it smells like "dad". In spite of there being some truth to that statement, your dad should be so lucky as to smell this good. Celebrity scents are releases I usually ignore because I have found them to be mundane overall.  Alain Delon is an exception and has put his name to more than a few excellent creations. The ones I own are quality fragrances that possess good throw and longevity. Classic opens with a short lived citrus and hints of spice. An extremely clear accord of Juniper, Lavender, Carnation and Aldehyde immediately follow. This accord is the fragrance's signature. The lavender only asserts its qualities once...

Here I have a masculine that is a complete mystery. Manufactured by an Italian company Paglieri Profumi in a 100ml EDP version. I have tried and failed to garner any intelligence on this fragrance, but did find the company and it's current offerings. Maree Du Nord looks, feels and smells like late 1980's or early 90's. It opens with a citric lavender and quickly morphs into what resembles a marine fougere. Monsieur Morabito and Chez Bond share eery similarities in overall aroma. There is a tea note and muted florals buried in the heart upheld by a sandal base. I find it pleasantly neutral and also like the fact that I have never heard of it, yet it is similar to more well knowns. I guess I have a neat collectible on my hands.

Lemon, Bergamot, Grapefruit, Thyme, Geranium, Carnation, Vetiver, Cedar and Musk. The vetiver note. It is a definitive, masculine marker in most fragrances. This isn't to say that it doesn't or cannot transcend gender barriers. It does and it can, but I cannot help but associate it with masculine scents. Some like it as a dominant theme and others like it as an assistant note in the base accord. I'm in the latter camp, yet I enjoy Corinto Vetyver enough to own a few bottles. One of the neat olfactory illusions Vetyver gives me is the clean, soapy aspect. The vetyver in Corinto possesses a slightly nutty quality. It even leans just a bit on the sweet side and that makes this a very different rendition than you will normally find in other vetivers. It must be a combination of vetiver ingredients to culminate into this. Missing is the root and soil aromas and replaced with a buttery, sweet herbal effect with, of course, the creamy nuttiness. This is good stuff folks...

Givenchy's Xeryus Rouge is a borderline synthetic scent that does project a somewhat red aura, albeit it's a passive redness. Rouge's accords are slightly unconventional to me, but different isn't always a bad thing. This is a woody whose overall distinction is clean with unknown entities. There is Kumquat and cactus that are the unknowns I refer to. I don't pretend to have olfactory experience with these two notes, but if what I am smelling layered over a light cedar is this, then it's a pleasant concoction. The red pepper is far too subdued and the same goes for the tarragon. Ever so slowly, an accord of sandal, cedar and ambergris merge into the opening accord. I only get 2 transitions in this fragrance.....and they are blended in such a way as to make it difficult to tell when one accord passes off to the other. If I wasn't sample-reviewing this, I would have missed it completely. I wore and reviewed Xeryus Rouge well over a year ago and find it su...

I am amazed at the audacity of fragrance enthusiasts who slam Kouros for its alleged urinal cake note and nothing is ever mentioned about the urinous theme running through this mess called Magazine Street. On my skin, that is what this scent is; an absolute vile conglomeration of kitty litter that's well saturated set atop a decaying floral arrangement. Epidermal chemistry plays a huge part for both Magazine Street and Kouros. They are completely different fragrances, yet for all the complaining I hear about Kouros, I experience a very good masculine while others yelp about cat piss. Well.....I'm yelping about feline urine now. On me, this scent is atrocious and my recommendation is try b4 you buy. Maybe you'll be lucky......and maybe you won't.

Hard to believe that Colonia has been around for approximately 80 years. The scent itself is retro, but very pleasant. It is most definitely "cologny" and for whatever reason, I have a low tolerance for this style masculine. However, I also know a good fragrance when I smell one and my preference is put aside to review this. The listed notes are as follows : Sicilian citrus, lavender essence, jasmine, rosemary, vervain, Bulgarian rose, amber and white musk. As soon as you smell it, you can envision the template of this old school genre. The opening comes across as a hybrid lemon that has been submerged in a very soft lavender. Within a few minutes, jasmine marries these two to produce a well blended floral-citric accord on a bed of silky lavender. Quite nice and if only the rose and spice were more pronounced !!! The amber and musk are low key with the musk a notch more apparent initially. The amber is not resinous or of the anamalic variety and when it does manifest, it ...

Montale's Attar is a simple formula of Oud, Rose and Sandalwood. To me, Attar is a masculine rendition and the only Montale I own. Please don't take that as an affront on Montale. If anything, it's a compliment to Attar since I'm not an aficionado of the note. Oud and I have had our differences, but in the process of skirmishing with each other, I have inadvertently stumbled upon a few that work wondrously for me. If I have a problem at all with the house of Montale, it's the seemingly endless tweaking of the same thing released in a slightly different bottle and a different name. On the other hand, I'm quite sure I'm guilty of liking and buying numerous "Classics" that follow a similar script. With that said, Montale's Attar is a more streamlined attempt at rose. Toned down is the astronomic sillage and legendary longevity. Attar still smells dense and substantial, but this one isn't of the "otherworldly" va...

No matter how many times I try this or what mood I happen to be in, this smells like a combination of cookie dough and play dough. It's really disconcerting and makes me wonder what the hell J.C.Ellena was thinking when he gave the go-ahead on the final version. I've tried only a handful of L'Artisan fragrances because they seem to be overpriced and over-rated. When I sample one I've never smelled before, I always have expectations of it being a winner. I want more from a niche house with high-end price points than what I've been sampling from L'Artisan. I cannot even bother with the listed notes. This is vanilla cookie dough that's been stored in a play-dough container.

This is a mysterious type of scent. On one hand, you can smell that it is executed fairly well and it exhibits nice sillage and longevity. On the other hand, it comes off serious and inanimate. Lifeless would be a harsh term, but for lack of a better description, I shall let that stand. This simply doesn't move me in spite of it being good. The opening accord is a staid aroma of orange and bergamot with a nod from pepper. The orange is of the brackish variety and feels thick. The honey-tea essence is apparent to me immediately from Immortelle rising from the base accord. Cardamon, cedar and vetiver are role players present for support purposes. They perpetuate the Immortelle through the life of the scent. I get no listed oak moss anywhere in this; not even in the drydown. I don't count this as a loss however since all the actors do there respective jobs well. The totality of Declaration Essence is substantial and borderline meloncholy due to the lack of frivolity. I could s...