Il Mondo di Odore

I needed to review this particular scent for a few reasons. One is because I find it semi-maligned by others and I used to wear this quite a bit in the early 1980's. I liked it then.....and I still like it enough to have just scored another bottle at TJ Maxx along with 1-12. 30 years ago, this used to sell for approximately $40 per bottle if I remember correctly. I picked up a 125ml 1-12 and a 75ml Z-14 for $9.99 each at the Maxx because they smell really good, have decent longevity and make economical work frags. Z-14 is a 1976 Citric Leather Chypre and on me, the citric comes front and center. The opening is a volley of very good spice, citrus and wood. There's a slew of good ingredients here and one of my favorite basil-bergamot combos is implemented. The cypress is a spicier woody and while it doesn't dominate the accord, it sure embellishes it. Lurking nearby is the heart of cedar, cinnamon and coriander. It seamlessly introduces itself along with very subtle flo...

Lemon, Lime, Basil, Artemesia. Carnation, Thyme, Rose, Orris Root. Patchouli, Leather, Moss, Castoreum. Davidoff is a penetrating and diffusive masculine. It's color appropriate, but the light green hue belies the presence this fragrance actually possesses. Not long ago, it was pointed out to me that Vermeil for Men in the tan bottle that's shaped like a cigar lighter was exactly the same as Davidoff.  After numerous side by side comparisons, I agree there are many similarities. However, Davidoff is clearly the superior fragrance in both fullness and aroma. Vermeil for Men is akin to Davidoff Lite. Davidoff opens with a deep and tangy citrus accord that embellishes a degree of heaviness. There's hints of herb, resin and even a wispy mint-like note all wrapped up in the bold, citric top. Regretfully, this only lasts a few minutes and is quickly supplanted by a herbaceous, tobacco tandem that's quite bold. Leading the heart is carnation interwoven wi...

I have finally gotten around to picking up a full bottle of this fragrance untried. The reviews I have perused , coupled with the economical price in EDP strength, were the determining factor. It has proved to be a very good hunch and an outstanding addition to my wardrobe for the warmer months. Is it possible for this bargain-basement masculine to be as good ( or dare I say better) than its formidable namesake....Gucci Nobile? Let's face it, Gucci Nobile is a legend in this hobby and pulls down some extraordinary prices. I have owned it and thought highly of it. I won't say it's as good as prices dictate, but good is good. Before the value versus availability got out of hand, Gucci Nobile was one helluva purchase. Enter Nobile Royalty by da Costa. I paid under $10 for 100ml sans shipping for an EDP formula and no sooner I received it at the P.O., I sprayed some on my hand. 10 minutes of analyzing made me realize a side by side comparison had to be done. This smelled to...

Grapefruit, Rosewood, Aldehyde, Bergamot, Lavender, Lemon, Mandarin, Plum, Tarragon. Carnation, Cinnamon, Balsam Fir, Honey, Rose, Ginger. Amber, Benzoin, Cedar, Musk, Oakmoss, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Styrax, Tonka Bean and Vanilla. For a masculine that has no listed civet note, there sure is a very nice facsimile of one in Romeo Gigli per Uomo. Whether an omission or the combination of note ratios giving me this effect, I am appreciative nonetheless. With that said, Romeo Gigli opens with a tart citrus and lavender. It's of the substantial variety with a precursor of Tonka already rising from the base and lending a powdery texture to the top accord. It's here I get the mystery civet and what I smell is slightly similar to the rendition in Ungaro II. The heart is a smooth transition yielding a soft spice and balsamic resin. This is seemingly done in the absence of a floral accord. The carnation and rose are too blurred on my skin and make a minimal contribution. Ro...

Thierry Mugler: A Travers Le Miroir This is in no way related to Tubereuse Criminelle , despite a number of people noting a similarity to the Lutens fragrance. To my nose, its closest relative is Caron's L'Anarchiste , due to a shared cedar-leaf accord. In fact, I'd say this considerably out-does L'Anarchiste in the metal L'Anarchiste is famous for ( I've always felt L'Anarchiste's copper stopped at the bottle ). The entire thing is dominated by a searing metal tang that's is very edgy but not that uncommon. There are certain chemicals often used in cheap men's products that have a harsh metallic edge, and whatever they are, there's buckets of them in here. It's the olfactory equivalent of biting down hard on a quarter. Tuberose? I can't smell tiniest hint of floral sweetness, buttery richness, or floral headiness that makes tuberose what it is. It's not even some weird, alien tuberose like Caron's Tubereuse . I ge...

Aldehyde, Jasmine, Clove, Sandalwood, Labdanum absolute, Vetiver, Amber. First, allow me to say that I thoroughly enjoy Laurie's creations and I've yet to wear one that wasn't good. There's a particular strand of DNA that runs through Sonoma Scent Studio. It's a very identifiable marker and naturally it's outwardly apparent. Champagne de Bois is certainly no exception. This is viscous and has serious presence. When I hear the word "Champagne", I can't help but think of frivolity and a certain degree of lightheartedness. You will not get either with Champagne de Bois. What you will get however is a terrifically tenacious scent reeking of ambery dew and spicy wood. The aldehyde in the opening is extremely effective in clarifying the accompanying notes. There's also an underlying waxiness to not only the top accord, but the entire composition. This is a substantial introduction and one I love every time I smell it. The clove rendition ...

This 1978 Jovan release has me baffled as to its name. A "Sport Scent" brings to mind a certain genre and construction. This is anything but a "Sporty" type masculine. Allow me first thank our friend xmen for his generosity. Henry always surprises me in each transaction with one or more completely obtuse masculines as freebies. He didn't disappoint in our last deal as Jovan Sport was one of the few extras he threw in to keep me confused. My initial impression of this scent is Bruce Jenner wearing Leonard Pour Homme. Sound insane? I cannot help imagining that. The green notes and lavender in the opening accord are immediately joined with the rest of the culprits. The lavender runs point with the green becoming more submissive each passing minute. This is soapy lavender and is caught up with a barely perceptible cardamon, sage, honest-to-goodness oakmoss, patchouli and tobacco. This is very old-skool masculine, but how in the world does it get the tag of ...

Perry Ellis released this Fresh Woody Chypre in 2003. It has been compared to Aqua di Gio, but I really don't see the similarities that others seem to. I have previously owned ADG and promptly traded it away as I saw it as over-rated and generic.  360 Red for Men however is a superior fragrance IMO and better constructed. It teeters on aquatic, but isn't one at all. THAT.... is a pretty neat trick indeed. 360 opens with a spicy citric accord that seems to border on overload. I say that because as light and fresh as this scent is, the topnotes have sustain and give 360 that "Fresh and borderline aquatic" aura. I can only assume the opening accord was deliberately given gravity for this purpose. I have recently received a few compliments when wearing 360 Red for Men, yet I become anosmic after 10 minutes and am amused that others can detect what I no longer can. I have to give props for the use of lavender in the heart. It's in perfect balance with coriander an...

I spent part of my day going through my collection and it struck me how many I have on hand that are very good, yet never got the props that were really due them. To me, most of them are superior to what passes for modern masculines today. For example.....I went through some samples and decided to wear MCM Twenty Four Morning last night. Yea....I know....wearing morning in the evening.......anyway.......I used about 3 small sprays on my arm and turned my attention to other things like figuring out a lineup for this weekend's tournament. Biggest tourney of the year, missing key players for a few of the games, I'm becoming aggravated, you get the idea........ Enter Mrs. Aromi. She has been a long suffering wife and fragrance guinea pig for quite some time now. I spray her with all manner of juice and wait for her opinion. I have her smell every exposed part of my body when I'm in a sampling frenzy.....and she has plodded along with this insanity with a smirk on her face a...

I will say one thing for this house. They make a habit of pushing the envelope and they most certainly "dare to be different". I also like the concept of animalic teamed with sultry. Vierges et Toreros seems to have its fans and detractors....which is in keeping with this house's vision of creating "outside the box". With the exception of Secretions Magnifiques, I seem to fall into neutrality when sampling their scents. The opening is citric with a slightly spicy leather and a bit of camphor. The leather seems to come front and center and by the time a sweetened floral accord arrives, there's some bite provided by a pepper note. I cannot say the floral heart dominates, but I will say the tuberose is playing point guard. It seems to go back and forth with the leather. The leathery pepper combo is one I find interesting in this fragrance. It is the center of gravity in Vierges et Toreros; along with the gritty tuberose note. There's also a mild smoke...

L'Arte di Gucci is a 1991 discontinued gem that places emphasis on rose. Yes...that's right....big, round rose with dew on it. This is an excellent floral chypre that has passed through my hands courtesy of our resident Rose-Meister himself.......Galamb. This is twice now in the span of one week that I have sampled an excellent rendition of rose. It was Sonoma Scent Studio's "Vintage Rose" a few days ago.....and now L'Arte di Gucci throws me a curveball. What is exceptional about LAdG is that I don't detect a fake or counterfeit aroma. I liked Vintage Rose for the same reason. The rose isn't dry or dusty. It's as if there's a slight dew or moisture on the rose note and the smell is round....full bodied if you will. There's a multitude of notes in the top and heart of this fragrance, but from the initial application, the rose is an unadulterated diva. She isn't taking a backseat to anyone. A little citrus of the sparkling variety, ...

This 2006 release by Etat Libre d'Orange is only incendiary because what other house would financially back a "fragrance" that supposedly mimics the aroma of what a human torso secretes? They get props for that.......and absolutely nothing else. I understand that there is a very small group of people who genuinely find arousal or some other form of pleasure as a result of the unpleasant odors that emanate from the human body. I have nothing to say to that except my happiness that none of them contribute to an aroma blog. I find Secretions to be a gag-reflex conglomeration of stale body sweat and dried blood. It is vile and I would surely get as far away from someone as I could who smelled remotely similar. There's no more reviewing of this abomination. It smells very unpleasant...because it is. It takes a large set of balls to put $$$ behind a sure-fire loser like this. It must be nice to have $$$ to burn.

Lots of leathery reviews lately.....and it seems 90% of what I've been sampling lately is some sort of leather chypre.......which brings me to Cuir d'Oranger by Miller Harris. My first impression of this fragrance is ( surprise...surprise...) that of orange leather. I seem to correlate color with every fragrance I smell. It doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the color of the juice itself or its name. It's simply the way my mind works with olfactory stimulation. The opening of Cuir d'Oranger on my skin is a bitter, but very enjoyable rendition of orange peel, light floral and a subtle but perceptible leather. As Cuir d'Oranger progresses, a background violet note and what seems to be a hint of white pepper augment the leathery orange. This is 15 minutes into the accords and the leather is coming to the fore....however it's not a cheap, aggressive leather note. This could pass itself off as a brushed suede that's been lightly sprayed with the...

Anise, Artemesia, Basil, Bergamot, Lavender, Neroli. Aldehyde, Geranium, Coriander, Clary Sage. Amber, Leather, Moss, Musk, Vetiver, Cedar. Il Lancetti has been around since 1991 and only in the last 3 years have I purchased a bottle. It was one of the fragrances that had to grow into my sensibilities. It's not that I didn't care for it at first. Let's just say that I wasn't quite ready for it's understated "terrificness". You will also learn that I reserve the right to make up words as I go along. My being on the fence with Il Lancetti in the past had a lot to do with my predilection for powerhouse scents at that time. I needed to step back a bit from those in order to not only appreciate ones like Lancetti, but to continue my affinity for the strongmen of the perfume world. What I like most about the opening of this masculine is the interaction of anise and lavender. This may be the best pairing of these two notes I've ever smelled. From th...

First, thanks for the invitation to "relieve myself of my opinions" on this blog, I appreciate the opportunity and feel I'm in quite good company. Juliette Has a Gun is a perfume "indie label" that was launched in 1996 by its creator, Romano Ricci. The JHAG line of five scents is targeted (yes, puns will live here) at an audience who appreciates perfume as an art. Ricci has a reputation as a bit of a dandy... and has the distinction of having collaborated on the house's first two perfumes with Francis Kurkdjian. The three other JHAG perfumes are sole creations of Ricci. I've tried only one other JHAG scent, Midnight Oud, which I find intriguing and may talk about in a later contribution, but the try today is Citizen Queen. I chose a very warm day to test this and was frankly a little worried it would be too much. CQ starts off aldehydic, floral, quite strong and powdery- irisy… with hints of the leather to come. Never too sweet, not reeking of aldehydes,...

Laurie seems to have a skilled hand when it comes to employing labdanum. It's a theme running through the line and continues to give substance and heft to each creation. This tobacco oriented release is as good as the others in her line that I have sampled and reviewed. I enjoy tobacco scents, but in truth, there aren't that many that have that certain something it takes for me to wear them regularly. That is....until I tried this....... This reminds me of a full bodied tobacco that is perfect for autumn and winter. Do you like pipe tobacco? Imagine sitting on planks of hewn cedar and you are downwind from a cannister of unlit pipe tobacco that has wispy cherry overtones. This aura dominates the entirety of the composition, but is made possible with the assistance of oriental and earthy notes. Once again, the normal heavy hitters I am accustomed to overtaking a transition, stay in stand-by mode and assist only in giving the composition fullness. The tobacco theme that unfo...

Image courtesy of MiniaturePerfumeShoppe. Be Bop Pour Homme by Parfums Kesling is a 1992 release I believe. This is a spicy  aromatic masculine that is off the beaten path. I find it reminiscent of Dali and Sud Est, but both were  off-putting to my nose, Be Bop veers away from being overloaded with spice and piercing, yet  finds a way for the spices to co-exist. The opening is citric and spicy. The aromatics from basil,thyme and lavender work well with lemon, tangerine and bergamot. It's different...it's a little weird.....yet I keep sniffing my arm. Within minutes, the spice works its way to the top and stays there. The heart and base consist of coriander, cinnamon, clove, vetiver, cedar, patchouli, opoponax and musk. This fragrance is chock full of goodies, but that doesn't necessitate it being a superior or underrated release. What Be Bop is simply translates into an acceptable spicy aromatic masculine. Probably more valuable due to its discontinued and hard to f...

Bandit was originally created in 1944, discontinued and then resurrected again 1999. The decision to DC this scent was probably due to it's assertiveness. Brutal is a strong word. I don't conclude Bandit being a brutal scent......but tough as nails would be more accurate. Bandit starts off dark and stays that way. I cannot say I like the reformulation. This rendition of leather smells a bit raw to me. Originally classified as a Chypre of the fruity variety, I get none of that in this sample wearing. Whatever florals are in here are severely pissed off with what I believe is Rose stirring up the pot. There's also a bit of earthy animalics present, but there's no transitions that would make this rendition of Bandit interesting. Sampling this was an experience, but not one I would want to endure for hours as a result of a full wearing. When I need a dose of "tough", I won't go reaching for this. I have others that fit the bill and are a more comfortable w...

Chanel is a pretty terrific designer house. Their track record attests to this fact. Pour Monsieur Concentree was released in 1989. It is an excellent citric oriental that is very different than the 1955 Pour Monsieur version. It's not a concentrated version of the original. It's simply a different fragrance. There isn't a slew of designer masculines that employ petitgrain, cardamon, nutmeg and opoponax in their accords. The woody floral aspect of petitgrain alongside the balsamic woodiness of Cardamon is enough to win me over here, but the opoponax augments the composition with a vanilla tinged spice that's the clincher. The nutmeg is a nice touch and there's just enough of it to enhance the spicy aspect of Pour Monsieur. There's no doubt that this scent is a winner and all scentophiles should wear this masculine at least once in their lifetime.

For some odd reason, I have been sampling quite a few leather scents lately....and not by design. I'm not a fanatic for the note, nor a detractor. Samples magically pass through my hands from the generosity of enthusiasts and Cuir this and that have been finding their way into my sample box. I am NOT COMPLAINING. It is actually exorcising my nose and I'm grateful. Galamb graciously sent me Kolnisch Juchten recently and I admit to being completely ignorant of this release except to what I've read on basenotes. I think I am part of Galamb's diabolical plan to drag me out of the depths of designer hell and add to my fragrance addiction by getting me strung out on niche and obtuse releases like Kolnisch. He is an evil man...........lol. This particular fragrance is HUNDREDS of years old. Well....the formula is anyway, but there's no telling how old the juice is that I'm sampling. Juchten opens with tanned leather and a slight tar aroma. Very different, but pleas...

This 1984 Fresh Chypre from Lacoste opens with a terrific spicy citrus with lavender. The more I wear this fragrance, the more I like it....especially the opening. There's a very deft use of Clary Sage here and is indicative of the period. The heart is a slightly spicy floral accord that is the perfect amount of "green". This comes courtesy of Galbanum and the mysteriously listed "green note" usually found in accords. Basil jazzes this up just a hair to keep the edginess going. It takes my skin awhile to give up the base of amber,cedar,vetiver,moss and musk......and it maintains a low volume in comparison to the initial accord progressions. In other words, the fresh and lively opening accords are a bit louder and project more than the bottom heavy hitters. It's a formula that works well with Lacoste Original. Big thumbs up for this underrated 1984 masculine.

Revlon's Fire and Ice for Men is one of the few fragrances that offers no accord information anywhere. As such, I will attempt to articulate what I smell and list notes I believe are in the mix. This is a 1994 release that straddles the fence pertaining to gender. During the wearings, I am certain that this could be worn by both genders. I own an original bottle and it still can be had at rock bottom prices. My best guess at implemented notes is : Bergamot, Mandarin, Lavender, Plum, Carnation, Geranium, Orris, Amber, Rosewood, Sandalwood. My very first impression of Fire and Ice is that it's synthetic. However, there's good synthetic and then there's bad. Fire and Ice is very acceptable and the more you wear it, the better you adjust. The amber is apparent immediately and as far as I can tell, it is this particular note that gives me the synthetic aspect. It may be attributable to Acetate and Ambrinol. That, however, is an educated guess. The opening is remi...

Quickly becoming a favorite house of mine, Sonoma Scent Studio's Vintage Rose has accomplished pleasing me with a Rose fragrance....and THAT.....is a feat since I have yet to smell a dedicated Rose scent that I thought had any real merit. Let me rephrase; I love a rose note in quite a few masculines. When it's in tandem with other complimentary notes, I find rose to be an awesome addition and complimentary note to the composition. The same goes for feminine fragrances featuring rose that are blended with other notes. As a dedicated note, I cannot say I like soliflore's. Rose, by itself, always seems to come off smelling fake or even plastic-y to my nose. Even numerous Rose dominant scents ( feminines) that aren't soliflore's have this effect on me, but not so with Vintage Rose. Sonoma has tempered the note with sweet and gritty additions of plum and amber, labdanum, sandal,cedar, vetiver and tonka. None of the additions steal the limelight from the star, they si...

I admit to avoiding this house since an unpleasant blind-buy a few years ago turned me off to CDG. That's really not a valid reason to avoid sampling its other releases, but that is as honest as I can be about it. I simply have not had the spark to try their juice. 2 Man is only the 2nd scent I've tried and I looked at at the listed notes before I applied it. I wasn't too motivated after reading the listed accord, but there's no way to decide unless you wear it. From initial application to 30 minutes later, 2 Man doesn't seem to unfold into any type of transitions. It stays the same on my skin from the opening and what I get is a slightly smokey vetiver with a hint of leather. The listed woody aspect escapes me, but all in all, 2 Man is a fairly pleasant ride. I would wear this scent, but I'm not moved at all to purchase it. It's not inspiring or comforting, it's just "there" smelling adequate. The saffron restrains this fragrance from havi...

The discontinued giants of yesteryear garner a lot of attention it seems by being compared to the more current releases. Some threads I read boast lovers of these mega-colognes while others, of course, believe they should stay extinct. Personally, I thoroughly enjoy the Powerhouse masculines. Naturally, they are indicative of a time gone by, yet quite a few of them are timeless and will no doubt come back into style in some fashion. This is the circle of life and even new releases will undoubtedly follow this course ( and are doing so ) while using modernized ingredients and working around restrictions to accomplish the goal. To be truthful, both powerful and more sedate fragrances are necessary simply for the sake of disparity. I would not want all masculines to be along the lines of Kouros or Lapidus simply because I like strong cologne. Their testosterone is evident due to the existence of all the other genres. On the other side of the coin, the fragrance world would be very shallo...