Il Mondo di Odore

I quite often read threads about Holy Grail scents and the intense search some go through to find it. Personally, I don't want to find it since the fun is in the journey. The above image is my current drobe. I don't wear these for work, but have others for that task. I know the image sucks...and that's because I suck as a photographer. That aside, 90% of these could be a Holy Grail for someone other than myself. Almost every one of these fragrances is a terrific rendition of what they represent. In spite of this, there is no way I could ever settle on just ONE and declare it to be " THE ONE " . Yes....some of these are downright awesome for their genres....but " THE ONE "??? Patou PH ? Best designer I ever have come across, but a Holy Grail? Aigner Superfragrance is just as good, maybe even better, but it too is not a HG. No scent is " THE ONE". At best, it could be the most superior creation in your artillery, but think twice before you s...

I periodically like to sample citrus scents....especially with the warmer months looming up ahead. I own some excellent designer and niche renditions and have sampled some very good ones that I'll never get around to owning. Profumo di Pantelleria is yet another fresh and more than adequate rendition. What is slightly different about this one is its lack of woodiness that usually accompanies scents of this ilk. This isn't a ground breaking fragrance. It's very pleasant and clean smelling. Implementing good ingredients seems to have that effect. This is an opening with dominant lemon and a secondary orange on its heels. It borders on sharp, but doesn't stay edgy very long. The floral heart is more of a backdrop that softens the citrus than it is a transitionary accord. It's there, but only as support and stays passive. A wispy rendition of basil and thyme alongside a more noticeable lavender augment the citric accord and succeed in giving it some substance. Amb...

I enjoyed L'Air, so I decided to sample this Tauer creation as well. This is a strange duck and falls into a category of like-dislike, depending on the accord transitions. As a former Chef, I have used untold amounts of liquid smoke to make sauces. The smoke in Lonestar is reminiscent of this ingredient, albeit mixed with a spiced up leather. Lonestar opens with this tandem and the smokiness is over the top for what I consider too long a time frame. This finally begins settling down into a woody incense underneath an aura of mildly burnt leather belt and singed sage. I can't say I detect vetiver or tonka and it may be due to olfactory fatigue from the monumental smoke offering of Lonestar. This Tauer creation is polarizing and I'm quite sure there are some who will find it incendiary. As for me, it is a bit too eclectic and smoky for pleasurable wearing.

Where is thy victory O lofty noble? For $5 per ml, I expected to be sampling one helluva rose dominant scent. What I sampled is a fragrance not worth 50 cents per ml. Bergamot, rose, vanilla and patchouli. You would think at these prices and looking at the linear accord, this would be a bomb. Yes...it is a bomb.....but a derogatory one for sure. The bergamot is the ONLY redeeming note here. The rose is the worst rendition of a dedicated note I have come across. Fake, synthetic and smells like it was aged for 14 years in a pourous plastic container at 72 degrees. Nice job Boadicea. I say nice job for the sly way you packaged and marketed a scented nail polish remover for big bucks on an unsuspecting and gullible niche community. Mrs. Obama needs fragrance training.

Good old Pino was created in 1955 and is STILL a viable scent today !!! Not many can boast that feat. Pino, along with Acqua di Selva, were the 2 culprits who unwittingly got me into this hobby circa 1980 or so. Pino Sylvestre is a fresh fougere that opens with a blast. The citric lavender is a very herbaceous and spicy accord  due to juniperberry and thyme. It is aromatic, but settles down in a few minutes and from the very beginning, pine needle is in the middle of the action. This masculine is herbal and green and gives justification the to the term "fougere". The initial accords last quite some time before giving way to a more subdued, mossy wood base. As the drydown continues, a very subtle amber-tonka duo make an appearance. You have to search for these two since the green theme is dominant and doesn't leave much room for anything sweet to survive. Pino is a very good, very economical and refreshing GREEN fragrance that can be easily worn in any season. If you...

My first impression of this amber rendition is that I like how the amber is borderline sweet and slightly resinous. Plush and anamalic at the same time is a pretty neat trick that I never tire of. Ambra Nera opens with a dominant amber that leans sweet from an interaction with vanilla and a very transparent eucalyptus. The warm and cold of these notes works very well and within a few minutes, the amber starts turning darker, fuller-bodied and has a slight bite to it. The cypress is a well chosen supporting note as is the vetiver. Together, they provide an earthy wood. It's as if the cypress is too young and not ready to be used. This effect must be from the benzoin and vetiver playing off the wood. I cannot discern patchouli in Ambra Nera even though it's listed, but there's already an earthy resin in the mix balanced very nicely with vanilla. This is a very respectable amber rendition and yet another release from this house that is totally good to go.

I am curious as to how the name Black was placed on this 2006 release by Bijan? There's nothing black about this fragrance and I probably only get 30% of the listed notes. Bijan Black is a citric lavender with a musky sandalwood. In truth, this is an innocuous scent, but it falls on the pleasant side and could work rather well in an office environment or other close quarter situations when you want to smell "okay" and at the same time not offend with sillage. There's no statement to be made with Black. It smells like hundreds of others that implement that modern day sandal-musk base accord. I am amused since this is the same house who created and released the original Bijan for Men. THAT is a scent where you better apply intelligently or ELSE. Black, it seems, could be over-applied with no ill effects. I picked up a 75ml bottle with no box for $7 at TJMAXX and plan to wear it at work during the spring & summer months. I am ambivalent to its scent, but it wil...

The more I sample old and new, I find myself at a loss as to why so many modern releases actually sell as many as they do. Even more bizzare is when I read ( too often I might add) that a really proven masculine has that "old man" smell. Granted, I understand why the younger generation correlates certain names and smells with their fathers, grandfathers, etc...but I keep thinking if the physical perception of the name, year and house were removed and they had no idea whether they were smelling classics, modern or niche, would they still be able to differentiate? I sample with focused attention. Not all classic era frags are good. Some have no redeeming qualities whatsoever, but most, I have found, are classic for a reason. They stand much taller than most of the current  creations, yet remain maligned from young fragrance enthusiasts due to negative associations. I am seriously considering conducting a voluntary and completely blind vial sample test. I am intrigued to s...

This release by Acqua di Parma is only a few years old and different than its namesake. There is an increased balsamic and aromatic nature to Intensa and I assume that was the point. Intensa opens with an aromatic rendition of citrus and a hint of ginger. The cardamom is a key player here and the top accord will get your attention in a good way. Within minutes, the heart makes an entrance with its woodiness compliments of guaiac and cedar. There's a lighthearted mint and herbal accord in there as well that's transparent with the wood bleeding through it. There's a listed neroli note, but I seem to be missing it. The base of Intensa is a relaxed leathery, earthy musk and remnants of citrus with a volume that is indicative of EDC strength formulas. Another nice release from this house.

This Woody Oriental-Gourmand was released a dozen years ago. Hard to believe it's already been that long ago. I have read reviews of HM and the complaints of it being overtly sweet. I don't believe this is a cloying fragrance. The opening is a very good citric lavender. There is sweetness apparent from the initial spray, but it's not over the top and the lemon is well executed. In spite of the listed notes, the floral heart consisting of iris, jasmin, muguet and rose only introduce jasmin on my skin. Normally, I am very aware of iris, lily or rose, but I cannot detect them here. I get a balanced jasmin note that integrates itself with the citrus and lavender. The result is a very nice accord in spite of what I consider the missing florals. The same thing happens to me with the base accord. I detect the arrival of chocolate and then shortly thereafter a very subtle vanilla along with it. It's not until the extended drydown there is a feint and wispy woody amber. I ...

Aldehyde, Bergamot, Lavender, Rosemary. Carnation, Cinnamon, Cypress, Green Note, Rose, Honey, Geranium. Cedar, Fir, Labdanum, Leather, Moss, Musk and Tonka Bean. First, please excuse the image since I took it and photography is not my strong suit. I am camera impaired to say the least and to find an online image of this has been an unfruitful task. I like Alain Delon Plus and it is a variation of the original Delon Classic. Both feature a terrific rendition of oakmoss and that is the theme in Plus. This is a mossy and woody gem that has always been overlooked. AD Plus opens with a shimmering citrus and lavender that's borderline spicy. The rosemary is evident immediately and balances out the top very nicely. This accord is excellent; albeit a little on the old school side. The opening subsides within about 5 minutes and the moss has already been creeping into the transition. AD Plus has taken on the green, mossy woods aura and this is where AD Plus shines. The ro...

This fragrance has to be one of the most misleading names for a masculine I have come across in quite some time. Wood? Oh...wait a minute....maybe while blending this fragrance they placed the finished product within 20 feet of vials that contained woody notes....and it's the "20 foot" rule that allows them list this as a wood dominant scent. This should be called He Iso-Violet. Yes....steroided violet thrown on top of a subtle aquatic accord with just a hint of pepper and packaged in a faux veneer bottle that has WOOD plastered across the front of it. Ah yes.....allow me to thank the marketing dipwads who came up with this misdirection for wasting a half hour of my life I cannot get back. You guys need to be slapped......and very hard I might add.

This 2006 release from Trussardi is a woody if I had to classify it. Inside for Men opens with a spicy citric accord that is soon followed by a fairly good rendition of pepper. I've smelled enough pepper notes that were out of balance and disproportionate that this particular note is even keeled and complimentary. Once again I'm faced with a newer release that implements their version of a coffee note. Once again, I get no coffee. Allow me to say that I am an AVID coffee drinker and drink far too much of the elixir. I love the smell and taste of it, yet these releases that list it as a note must be using an extra-terrestrial version that I have yet to come across in my travels. Anyway, I would have liked to smelled this note in Trussardi Inside, but the teak wood, suede note and subtle musk more or less compensate for it's absence. There is also a listed tobacco note that I cannot discern, but it may be that it is more subtle that I can detect. I admit to being accustom...

The word that comes to mind after sampling Essential for Men is INNOCUOUS. Not good, not bad...completely unoffensive with the ever-present commonality that is seemingly pandemic in today's releases. Essential opens with a synthetic citrus-fruit accord that adds a glimpse of violet after a few minutes. There's listed cinnamon and coffee, however I get neither, but I do get a wispy spice note. It's simply not cinnamon as I know it. I don't know if an obvious coffee note would have lent an assist to Essential since it is ( overall) a banal scent. What may or may not be passing itself off for coffee is the violet and fruit duo. Cedar, which seemingly is the most overused note in modern masculine history is present and accounted for. It's more or less background noise in this Schlesser release and becomes a bit more apparent in the drydown. Essential is one more in an extremely long line of forgettable releases. I think I'll pass on this one.

Previously having read the mixed reviews on this, I was determined to keep an open mind as I sample wore this scent. I have grown ( over the years) to enjoy amber and have found most to my liking. The amber is apparent in Scent Intense from the very beginning, but doesn't completely dominate the accords until the others have had their say. There is an underlying woody characteristic since it is amberish and as it unfolds, it morphs into a resinous note. It starts out much smoother and leaving room for a very subtle jasmin and tea accord, it co-exists along with habiscus. Scent Intense is an amber dominate floral-tea fragrance and is actually quite pleasant as long as you enjoy this note. I found the scent acceptable and the amber in its drydown was reminiscent of Zara's rendition. Because of this, I did a side-by-side with Scent Intense and Zara Amber and found that Scent Intense was a bit more passive and slightly more diverse. Zara was more resinous and completely amber d...

I recently recieved an extremely well kept bottle of vintage Tsar from xmen and the entire accord progression is intact. Sweet !!! I have not had the opportunity to sample the reformulated Tsar, so my opinion is reserved for the original. This is a 1989 Fresh Fougypre from VCA and since most are familiar with Pour Homme, Tsar seems to be somewhat overlooked. I love the openings in 80's style Fresh Fougere/Chypre fragrances and naturally, Tsar does not disappoint. Tsar opens with a slightly aromatic citric lavender made slightly edgy and bitter compliments of artemesia and neroli. It is a smooth accord and gives off a subtle damp or moist aura. I only get that in the opening and as the scent unfolds, it becomes more relaxed and dry. The heart accord is what differentiates Tsar from others of its ilk. The use of juniperberry is adept and lends the perfect volume of herbaceousness to a spicy floral combo. The heart is actually impressive and utilizes carnation, jasmin, muguet, ...

This 2008 offering from Guerlain is a hard one to figure. At first spritz, it almost smelled Creed-ish, but after a moment or two, that impression was gone. I sampled this multiple times to see if I'm missing something here. My subsequent samplings have differed from my original opinion ( which was done hastily I might add). The last few wears have resulted in this review. The opening accord is a citric floral that's actually pretty good. Too bad it doesn't last more than a few minutes. The listed notes don't jive with what I am smelling....and this is why I sampled it so many times. The heart accord seems to be an ozonic floral with a dash of musk. I get no listed licorice or amber as some other reviewers have, nor bay leaf or violet. What I get in totality after the opening accord is a transparent ozonic floral that has a wispy musk and a hint of green. It smells a tad cheap....which shocks me since this is a Guerlain....and is basically a boring scent that smel...

Aoud seems to be the flavor of the year, so why not include it in this new release from Dior?  Absolute is a different scent than its namesake and should not be considered a more concentrated version since it's a different animal. We start with violet. I find this note to be a tricky one, however the rendition used here isn't off putting. It's spatial more than it is transparent and feels like a canopy that the other notes seek cover under. There isn't very many notes implemented in Absolute and it relies on Aoud and myrrh with a low volume smoke from incense to not only reach its potential, but to do it within minutes. I sampled this months ago and didn't think much of it at the time. This time, I gave it a proper sampling and took my time considering it. I am not a fan or detractor of Aoud in general. I simply like to sample them one at a time since they are all different renditions and I find Absolute to be a nice, new release. The violet subsides considerabl...

This is only the 2nd fragrance I have sampled from Profumum. The 1st was the original version of Santalum ( dark, oily) and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Patchouly is as well made as Santalum and that is to be expected from a house that implements a price point of $2.40 per ml. Profumum Patchouly is a heady brew of earthy patchouly and amber in the opening accord. The amber is deep and not of the sweet variety. It's a very good, resinous amber and compliments the earthiness perfectly. The accords are very uncomplicated and after a short wait, a subtle smoke arrives and augments the dynamic duo. The incense is a nice addition and the triumvirate it produces is really all this fragrance needs. Sometimes keeping something simple results in a superior creation. Profumum succeeds with Patchouly in every way. The drydown is a smoky, amber patch accord that utilizes a very subtle wood to finish off a terrific release. Now.....if they can only get the prices down a notch and release these...

Imagine a recently felled Christmas tree laying on its side atop an earthen mound that is neither dry nor moist. Sprinkle this tree with a very small amount of finely crushed nutmeg, clove and a dash of spearmint. Take a deep whiff. Do you smell the combination of piney wood mingled with spice? No? Is your nose working properly? Inhale again.......yes?.....ah.....you're getting it now aren't you? Wait......is there bergamot nearby? I'm smelling something similar to it in the near vicinity....yes.....I think it is.....and it is good..... I could smell this all day long and not tire of it...yet...I'm not an aficionado of "green" per se. The "Conehead" mob from basenotes should sample this puppy. This is one terrific green fragrance with the smoothness you'd expect coming from the house of Mazzolari. A "no question" winner and worthy addition to any scrutinizing greenhead's wardrobe.

I purposed it in myself that ,starting this year, I would begin to explore numerous niche releases that have already garnered good reviews or have been deemed polarizing. L'Air du desert marocain has enough devotees that I really needed to see what the praise was all about. After wearing this Tauer release for over an hour, I'm reminded of just how far modern designer fragrances have fallen. There's a spicy richness to L'Air and the overall feel and execution are somewhat reminiscent of the parfum version of Opium Homme. No....they are not the same....it's the totality  that is similar. L'Air is substantial and God knows I love substance in a masculine scent. A slightly smoky amber with spice and woody undercurrents opens this frangrance on me with a mild citrus relegated as a background accord. Even the florals take on a woody characteristic. I like the boozy amber interplay in this; especially when vanilla makes a passive appearance. There's a very g...

Indonesian Patchouli, Spices, Hints of amber, Honey. Mazzolari Patchouly is a decadent rendition of Patch. The listed "Hints of amber" is a tad misleading due to the prominent representation of the note and resins. I'd be willing to say that this is in the top 5 of Patchouli dominant releases that I've sampled and owned. Patchouli isn't the easiest note to give a luxurious feel to. The formula seems to be adding the correct ratio of amber these days and it works to perfection here. Mazzolari bridges the gap between hippie and the here 'n' now. It's a very timeless scent that doesn't lose sight of the note and its origins. The opening of Mazzolari's Patchouly is exactly what you'd expect. A blast of patchouli with hints of soil and subtle camphor envelope you in a mist. Its dispersion is incredible to be honest and you really need a deft touch on the trigger. If there are any genuine hippie moments to be had in Mazzolari, it...

Anat Fritz is (IMO) a very eclectic rendition of vetiver. This is not a complicated fragrance with numerous notes. The site lists lavender, vetiver, patchouli, cedarwood and sandalwood. I actually like the vetiver used in this scent. It has that nutty quality I love in certain vetivers. I read nothing but negative reviews of this, yet I am persuaded to believe the people reviewing this scent expected a wood-dominant scent with lavender in the topnotes. This is a vetiver with cedar and a background lavender. On me, the vetiver is right up front with cedar as a reinforcement. The lavender quickly expends itself  within the first few minutes and then resigns itself to be a phantom note. This is very much a masculine scent and cannot foresee many women taking to this, unless of course, they simply enjoy vetiver. Anat Fritz is a bit quirky, but if you're a fan of (let's say) Corinto Vetyver, you may want to give this maligned masculine a sample wear. The vetiver stays up front...

Released in 2004, this scent has been outside my radar until recently. It was recommended I try this and after reading some good things, I picked up a sample from LS. From reviews, incense lovers rejoiced over this fragrance. I like a well blended incense as much as the next guy, but my wardrobe doesn't possess many since there aren't many to my liking that use the note harmoniously. It seems the reviews on Josef Statkus are accurate. This is an EDP and it manifests itself in accord gravity instead of being a sillage and longevity monster. The accords, in their entirety, are smooth and have seamless transitions. I get a coriander and patchouli duo in the opening that are immediately followed by incense and a hint of wood. The balance of note strength is what makes this successful. The jasmin seems to wait for the proper time to appear. It too is in perfect balance and lends a fullness to an already successful accord. The drydown isn't a letdown and proceeds to bring f...

Released in 2006, I have just recently sampled this fragrance. I  procrastinated since I am a fan of vintage Equipage and Bel Ami and this release is fairly new. I haven't fared too well with newer masculines, but I'm always hopeful. Terre D'Hermes EDP opening on me is a mild citrus with patchouli. This is an earthy patch and gives whiffs of moist soil. If I smell very close, I get a very sublte pepper, but I can't discern any floral notes in the heart accord. The drydown is a wispy cedar that's not very noticeable in the midst of the citrus-patchouli duo. Musk, flint, geranium and vetiver that are listed escape me in this scent. The pepper becomes more apparent as Terre D'Hermes goes into extended drydown, but I find this masculine unremarkable. There's nothing wrong with it, however it doesn't move me one way or the other. I have other passive patch scents I prefer over this. I have read some glowing reviews of this masculine and truly, I don...

Cannabis Santal isn't what I expected. By no means is it a disappointing fragrance. Actually, it smells fairly good, yet it combines facets of masculines already done before. Does is smell like weed? Not at all. It is reminiscent of tobacco accords like Zino, but of a lighter nature.It is an EDP selling for approximately $.74 per ml, so that isn't too bad. If I never smelled the likes of Zino and its tobacco counterparts, I'd probably pick up a bottle of Cannabis, but the others smell just as good or better. They are possessers of deeper accords. They also are much cheaper. That aside, Cannabis Santal opens with a citric fruit combo with the already apparent patchouli. The volume is polite and pretty much stays that way from start to finish. The patchouli-rose duo blended with citrus and fruit give off a pleasant tobacco accord. The base is an uncomplicated vetiver-musk. There's chocolate listed in the basenotes as well, but I find it to be hiding behind the other s...

This is indeed an oldie. It certainly meets the requirements being made in 1792. It is a classic Eau de Cologne in construction and smell. I picked up a bottle dirt cheap a few months back for reference purposes. As you already know, I'm not an Eau de Cologne guy, but that doesn't mean I dislike every one. On the contrary, there are some already reviewed I perceived as pretty good releases. After digging up some info on this fragrance and also perusing reviews, I find the info interesting and the reviews polarizing. I laughed as I read about Napolean literally dipping sugar cubes into this scent and eating them. From what they say, he would go through substantial amounts of perfumed cubes to enhance lucidity. Apparently it didn't help his demeanor or assist him in growing an inch or two taller, but he must have had great breath before the advent of toothpaste. Ill tempered midgets aside, this scent doesn't possess great note clarity or obvious transitions. It does...

This 1987 release from Alain Delon is a no holds barred perfume for Men.  Iquitos is androgyny personified and is indicative of the 1980's for its boisterousness. Suffice it to say that Iquitos is not for the feint of heart. Coriander, Fruit note, Green note, Lemon, Mace, Pimento, Mandarin. Aldehyde, Ginger, Honey, Jasmin, Muguet, Orris root, Rose, Ylang Ylang, Cardamom. Castoreum, Cedar, Civet, Leather, Moss, Musk, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Vanilla. The kitchen sink mentality is alive and well, living inside the juice named Iquitos. About 3 years ago, I recall saying this was a nuclear Jasmin that came out of the bowels of Chernobyl. It has been awhile since I've donned Iquitos and did so to revise my review. Funny how some things just don't change.......mostly because they are incapable of it. Am I lambasting Iquitos?  No, I am not. I am however being truthful that, by saying that this is a bit over-the-top, I am keeping a clear conscience. The secret to succes...

This scent is somewhat of a paradox to me. Can it be good and I not like it? Yes, I believe this is the case with Geir Ness. The first things that came to my mind after applying Geir was that it reminded me of Creed and Cool Water. No, they are not the same. They share similarities in that it possesses that soft, generic and almost banal accord-balance and note implementation. This isn't quite as crisp as Creed nor is it as chemical as Cool Water. Banality bothers me more than I like to admit I guess. In and of itself, it's not a crime nor does it constitute an inferior fragrance. Actually, it's development and use of ingredients is modern and that's why I am left unimpressed. It's not that Geir isn't good....it's simply unremarkable. It's a sign of the fragrance times. There's citrus with subtle spices, a muted green floral accord and the current rendition of woods. The sillage is low to medium with pretty good longevity......and it bores me t...

First, allow me to apologize for the image. I couldn't dig up a pic of Sandringham and truth be told, I didn't search high and low. This fragrance was created in 1873 and from what I could find, was discontinued in 2002. This ( to me) is a Fougypre with an expert use of lavender and moss. What strikes me the most is the use of Muguet oil to balance the accords and soften them as well. Sandringham opens with a well executed citric lavender that defies being dated. Flat out good is flat out good. Lord knows I'm not a fan of all things "cologny", but Sandringham is above that. The accords are uncomplicated and implement streamlined thinking. The florals are in perfect balance and harmony with oncoming moss and an underlying wood. I continually detect a background pepper note that is barely perceptible from the heart accord onward, but it could very well be a combination of all things Sandringham. This is a timeless classic cologne that rises to the top in this ...

Agarwood, Tonka Bean, Amber, Musk, Vanilla. Many folks state that this particular fragrance is barbershop. Hell, even my barber does. He has it in his shop. He's also recognized it on me during one cutting session. I wore it deliberately that day and he immediately knew I was wearing Black Elixir. Hmmmmm. I never have correlated #1581 to barbershops. I have others that give me that impression. Black Elixir smells too rich and substantial, yet is extremely economical, so most shops can afford to lavish it on whom they will. To me, Black Elixir is still not barbershop and I will go against popular opinion in making that statement. I find it nice that my barber keeps it on hand because I truly like it and have gone through enough of it to prove it. The rendition of agarwood here is really scaled down, but it contrasts well against the quiet oriental notes. Black Elixir opens with an alcoholic agar that's heady and gives the impression of dark. I find that the bottle a...

Can someone please tell me why I would need ( or want) a "starfish" note in the opening accord of any fragrance? I could do without the cuteness of some of these modern notes. It's not that I get a fishy aroma here. Blandly generic is more accurate and once again, I sound like the vintage snob blasting a contemporary masculine. Be that as it may, it hasn't taken me very long to tire of these wimpy, unoffensive imposters. Crave for Men has spices, woods, tonka and vetiver and when put together smell like a conglomeration of blah. Yes....a non descript, unassuming mish mash of notes with no fragrance character whatsoever. I have put an A.P.B. out on Calvin Klein's balls. Whoever finds them, would you please have them restored to their original volume of courage before returning them to the rightful owner. If you rather not, I completely understand.

I give all fragrances the benefit of the doubt. That is, of course, until I actually wear it. This Italian release is better left for more undiscerning noses. I don't say that in a derogatory fashion. Most people don't focus on or disassemble a fragrance once they apply it, nor keep an eye on notes and transitions. That's fine by me since this hobby isn't for everyone. Lamborghini's first moments aren't half bad, but very soon it becomes apparent that this is a generic citric woody with inferior blending. The scent is angular and could have done better using notes that would have smoothed it over. Lamborghini loses me at the heart accord and the drydown is especially cheap and unfinished. I almost get the feeling that a phone call came in while this was being created and the nose behind it decided the call was more important than the creation.

Azzaro released this fougere in 1978. To my knowledge, I do not recall ever smelling the original formulation and what I am sampling is from a bottle I purchased in 2008. The opening of Azzaro is acceptable. No more, no less. There's nothing remarkable here and I don't want to denigrate this fragrance. The opening is a very conventional spicy citrus with a nod from lavender. The woody heart of Azzaro is on the subdued side and is secondary to the topnotes. These transitions are where I usually find reformulations deficient, however having never smelled the vintage, for all I know this version is better....but....I doubt that highly. Reformulations and bottle changes are a cost-cutting maneuver for houses and rarely bodes well for the scent. The base accord is a pleasant enough fellow, but lacks character. Subtle moss and wood notes with a hint of amber once the drydown is in full swing. While Azzaro Pour Homme is decent enough, there are far superior fougeres out there to...

This 1992 aromatic fougere from Leonard is a throat clearer for me. I make no hesitation in saying I do not like the execution of sage, coriander and lavender in the top accord. There is simply too much sage for my tastes and the addition of basil isn't helping this for me whatsoever. I normally like sage and basil, but not in Monsieur Leonard. It may be I simply don't care for this house. Leonard Pour Homme does not work for me either, but I have to call them as I smell them. The heart accord in Monsieur Leonard is seemingly lost at sea under the pounding of the topnote waves. I cannot discern the floral heart at all, but it may be due to olfactory fatigue from the opening. The base is basically an amber-chypiental with amber, vanilla, tonka, cedar, patchouli, moss and musk, yet with all these heavy hitters you would think this accord would lasso the top, subdue it and turn this fragrance in another direction. Not on your life. The basenotes are a tad more perceptible than...

I believe Molinard released this fragrance in 1993. As a fan of patchouli, I have grown to like this quite a bit over the past year and reckon it to be one of the best $20 purchases I have made. When I first started wearing it, I was more or less complacent about it, but after comparing to many others in this genre, I am impressed. There are expensive niche patches that aren't this good. I have also received numerous compliments when wearing this patch rendition. Molinard is unadulterated patchouli from start to finish, but is edified with a few other players. The citric accord is actually very nice and gives Molinard a spaciousness. This "airy" quality I have come to appreciate and it seemingly dominates the simple and subtle floral accord. The opening has tremendous longevity and subsides as a matter of course. The base is oriental and subtle as well. A touch of wood, another dash of vanilla and presto !!! You have a very good masculine patch with unheard of bang fo...

I buy what seems to be an inordinate amount of classic masculines. Because of this, I said to myself, "How can I shamelessly plug my favorite seller and HTF connection"? After all, in my mind he deserves a thread. Why, you say? That's fairly simple. It's because of who he is, what he has and his prices. Yes....the big 3. I can tell you he is an honest individual and a gentleman. I can tell you he goes out of his way to give a great deal to repeat buyers. I can tell you he communicates during the transaction and always seems to go that little extra. I can tell you his package arrives with everything just like it's supposed to be with superb packaging and the interesting add-ons he throws in there. Sure......I can tell you all those things.....and I'd be telling you the straight up truth. I can also tell you his prices for rare and discontinued frags will be extremely hard to beat. I have begun to buy nearly all my vintage juice from Henry because he is a sup...

Sometime last year, I picked up multiple bottles of this from an ebay seller. The price was excellent, so the blind buy wasn't a dangerous one whatsoever. What I got for my troubles was a very good floral woody that's suited for the female persuasion much more than for men. There are times I still wear it because it actually is relaxing, but my recommendation is that this is a feminine fragrance and a very pleasant one to boot. Time to Relax opens with a borderline strawberry and balsam with what I perceive as green apple. There is a listed avacado note and this may or may not be the reason for the green apple vibe I get, but it's of no great consequence. The accord is transparent and lends the composition a softness which is in keeping with the theme itself. Don't misconstrue "transparent" as a lack of presence. Time to Relax is an EDT and has more substance than that. There is soft woods here as well, lurking underneath and always remaining polite. The...

I'm not sure what to make of DSH parfums exactly. The site and its information give me the impression of what niche should be. Also very nifty are the 30ml bottles in EDP concentration. My fascination seems to end there however. Now, to be fair, I have only owned 1 bottle ( Inspiritu Sandalo) and sampled a handful of other offerings, but I am left wanting. I found Inspiritu to be "imbalanced" and frankinscence overkill, while The Vert is transparent and on the anemic side. Amateurish blending may be crossing the line by being verbally harsh, but this is what I think of when smelling offerings from this house. The Vert is pleasant enough, but have no idea how this can be considered an EDP strength fragrance. What I get from it is a phantom tea note that wanders across a foundation of subtle bubblegum. The tea note comes and goes while the bubblgum stays put. This is not a strong accord....and it's the ONLY accord I get. No other transitions. The drydown is simply a...

This is what I went through in 2009......and there's approximately 6 bottles not pictured. Damn !!! Did I actually smell this good? Well....yes....of course I did. How else can I live up to the Cologne Mafia Don rep? My poor, longsuffering wife stopped asking me about the different packages coming and going quite some time ago.....and yes.....she thinks I'm an extremely unbalanced individual. I can only imagine that she probably has a point, but at least I smell really good while I slowly drive her crazy with this hobby. That is the least I can do. From left to right starting with back row : Ricci Club Haute 100ml Molinard Patchouli 100ml Carlo Corinto 100ml Carven Homme 100ml Chevignon 100ml    Tristano Onofri 50ml      Moschino Pour Homme 50ml        Gucci Pour Homme ( 1976) 30ml X 2      KL Homme 60ml       Lauder for Men 50ml       Mediterraneum 50ml     ...

Aramis 900 is a 1973 chypre that opens with an aromatic accord of Orris, Coriander and rosewood. In essence, 900 is a woody violet masculine, but there's more going on here than that. The accompanying citric accord is overwhelmed here. Lemon tries to occasionally push its way through, but they are only periodic attempts. The floral heart lends geranium, rose and carnation to assimilate with the topnotes and just when I think jasmin won't arrive, it makes a covert entrance. Aramis 900 at this stage is a woody floral. The base has an all star list of conventional heavy hitters. They are fashionably late in getting to the party. They also are nowhere near as dominant as the initial two accords and I am sure this was done by design. By drydown, the florals have relaxed and this makes room for a subtle mossy vetiver. Sandal has a way of hiding under stronger notes until the time is right, but the listed amber, civet and patchouli don't ever rear their heads on me in Aramis 900...

I have been sample wearing Black Aoud for well over a year now. Aoud, in general, seems to give me a hard time and it takes multiple wearings for me of each Aoud. I know good when I encounter it and it doesn't really matter if it suits me per se. Black Aoud ( and basically the entire line) is well made and has extraordinary longevity with very good sillage. The rose is big, dark and of the soft variety and when combined with this labdanum, the accord becomes warm. After a half hour or so, I smell an intermittent and deep amberish note. I don't know if it's an olfactory illusion, but no matter, the Aoud is ever present underneath a prominent rose and well behaved labdanum. This is a strong fragrance and make no mistake about that, yet the volume seems to stay inside acceptable levels and that is remarkable. The more I sample Black Aoud, the more I am coming around to its unfamiliar charms. I seem to be inching closer and closer to a bottle purchase.