Il Mondo di Odore

As the J. Peterman name has become a "cult thing" - mostly due to Seinfeld - and to the evocative yet not really very descriptive copywriting in the J. Peterman catalog, it's tricky to get an idea of the quality of the man's company's products. I know that they re-sell quite a few items, the Muck Shoes, the Dominica Bay Rum, etc., but the products that are manufactured for the company are often fairly unique, and appeal to the sort of person that fancies themselves unique. That said, I fancy myself fairly unique. And I have fallen for the JP line of frags. The 1903 (marketed as a woody fougere for men) is a nice scent I'll review later. Ca' d'Oro is part of the E.M. line ("who is that woman 'E.M.' to whom they are referring? Did she exist or is she fictional"... that's part of the JP mystique) of EDT for women, and is another quite good scent. The ad copy states that Ca' d'Oro is "An exotic scent with notes ...

As an Italian kid growing up in a big inner city back east, I came up Roman Catholic and was schooled in a neighborhood parochial parish with nuns as teachers. Yes....they hit me with large rulers, chalkboard pointers and whatever else may have been handy. I was a  mischievous lad who, to please my very devout mother, was an altar boy for a few years. Before I was thrown off the altar boy crew for a non-appreciated practical joke, I found that servicing weddings and funerals was lucrative for a kid my age. It was easier than caddying at the local golf course or engaging in assorted , nefarious ventures my crew seemed to gravitate to at the time. Girls, cigarettes and beer were the order of the day for testosterone filled teenagers.....and not necessarily in that order. Catholic mass and other services exposed me to incense. That familiar smell would fill the church and thin streams of smoke would spiral upwards from the incense holders. The aroma would waft its way slowly throu...

Lemon, Mandarin, Bergamot, Basil. Jasmine, Sandalwood, Coriander, Patchouli. Amber, Moss and Musk. Or Masculin by Bourjois possesses a waxy quality that I smell every time I wear it. It's not exactly a lemon pledge aura, but it's reminiscent of what surrounds old wooden furniture embroidered with leather that have just been polished. This aroma has depth and the bergamot and basil implemented in Or Masculin must be of the oil variety. I could be remiss, but they smell that way to me. Think Boys Club and paneled rooms. The coriander lends an aromatic aspect to Or Masculin and the basil note is well executed. The feel is thick and you can almost taste this. If the Donald wore this, it would be completely appropriate. It also smells excellent and would inadvertently take some attention away from the irrational hairdo that is his trademark. The people to your immediate left can smell Or Masculin emanating from my skin. They are incredulous because they expected to s...

Artemesia, Basil, Bergamot, Coriander, Lemon. Carnation, Jasmin, Orris root, Rose, Thyme. Amber, Castoreum, Leather, Musk, Patchouli. This 1984 release by Revillon is ( in hindsight ) a study in what a well tuned spicy, floral-leather could smell like. You must first realize that French Line is a basil dominant fragrance that is masculine throughout. It's one of the better renditions of basil out there and even though I already described it as a well tuned spicy floral, there's more going on in French Line than that. French Line opens with a sharp accord of citrus, basil and herbal elements. It's very full and one thing I notice immediately is the difference in ingredients used here. I'm not stating superior, just that the depth is much more obvious than what I've been smelling recently. It's a generic observation for sure, but it doesn't make it any less true. This masculine shares numerous similarities with others I've previously reviewed...

Bergamot, Geranium, Green Note, Lavender, Lemon, Neroli. Coriander, Fruit Note, Geranium, Muguet, Mace. Amber, Cedar, Leather, Musk, Oakmoss, Styrax. Etienne Aigner. I love saying that name. Every time I utter it, I use the best accent and emphasis that I can muster. Is that stupid? Of course it is........yet I will continue to do it anyway............... This 1994 masculine opens with a slightly sharp accord of citrus, geranium and fruit. The bergamot and neroli aren't exactly on the sour side, but it's somewhat astringent the first few minutes. The top also has an aromatic quality to it. The fruit note, although very noticeable, isn't a well defined variation. To me, it smells like a cross between pear and apple. Although blurred, it integrates quickly with the citrus and the result is a striking accord with presence. Once the heart accord is born, Statement feels a bit more settled. There's a woodiness appearing along with some earth tones and spice. ...

I had been waiting to wear this 1993 flanker for awhile after reading reviews on it. It seemed that the original Kouros has a knack of being off-putting to some and YSL released Fraicheur and the Sport version. Mind you, off-putting or not, the original is still selling to this day and Fraicheur is discontinued. With that said, I can see why Fraicheur would appeal to those offended by the testosterone level of its namesake. This is like Baby Kouros with simplistic citrus replacing the the growl and denseness of spicy wood and earthy florals. The opening is unmistakably Kouros, yet......there is nowhere near the gravitas of the original to be found here. That.....is not necessarily a bad thing when you think of warm to hot temps and being able to wear a Kouros wannabe. This is Kouros for the summertime folks....and it works wonderfully. The bergamot in the opening is immediately followed by a minimalistic fruit accord. There is pineapple here in the heart, but it's more toned do...

I cannot say I'm a fan of CK scents, although I admit that I haven't tried a large number of them. I don't dislike them as much as I find them truly unremarkable as a whole. I have liked a few, but so far, only a few. CK released Contradiction for Men in 1998. This spicy oriental gets mixed reviews....however....I can add this to my "like" list of CK frags. It's the dominant coriander in this that convinced me. It's reminiscent of the opening accord in Chanel PM Concentree....and.....I like PMC. Contradiction opens with a spicy citrus and within seconds, the coriander teams up with a hint of gingery green. It's borderline gritty, but well done. This accord has some hang time as well and only gives way to the heart after some time has lapsed. Geranium in the mid accord seems to lend longevity to the opening and adds a very subtle wood to the mix by way of listed rosewood. Normally, I can detect rosewood very clearly, but in Contradiction, I can on...

Laurie Erickson is someone I have come to like and respect, so I was bummed to visit the SSS site and find that she is temporarily taking a break due to severe tendon pain stemming from her wrists. All of us here at Il Mondo wish her nothing but the best and a speedy recovery. Get well Laurie and know that our thoughts are with you.

Omar Sharif was a movie star and my mom was a fan. Swarthy and handsome, I also remember seeing him in a number of films. In 1992, this leather chypre was released under his name and only very recently did I even know about it. I have no interest in "celebs" endorsing this or that, but the accords intrigued me along with the year this was made. Obviously, Omar is of middle eastern descent and ( for me) this usually conjures up images of spices, aromatics,etc....I didn't know what to expect in terms of note distribution, but once applied, I am pleased to say that Omar Sharif Pour Homme begins with a smooth, spicy green citric accord enhanced with aldehyde. This isn't mysterious or cloak 'n' dagger construction, but rather conventional and comfortable. The artemesia is subtle but augments the opening accord with substance. The floral heart of carnation, jasmin, geranium and rose is courted by cypress and this is a shrewd choice. The florals are at the same v...

Violet Leaves, Cassia, Thyme, Jasmine, Cedar, Cinnamon, Oakmoss, Patchouli, Amber and Vanilla. Bleecker Street by Bond No.9 is a limpid version of violet. If certain violet dominant scents work for you and some don't, Bleecker Street would be a good choice to sample. I'm one of these people and the ones that do work bring me enjoyment. The transparency of the entire scent and how comfortable it wears is something to factor in, but it's the violet note, front and center, that makes or breaks Bleecker Street. I'm happy to report that for me, this is a success and a nice wear. Now, is Bleecker Street something special or something I consider remarkable? No, it is not. I also don't know how the aroma pertains to New York City. I'm a born and raised Philadelphian and have been to NYC numerous times. I can never recall smelling something this pleasant on ( or near ) Bleecker Street. With that said, we all know names don't count for much and the only thin...

This 1995 woody amber is a real pleasant surprise indeed. I have had, worn and gotten rid of Jaguar original. Mind you....the original was good, but not exactly my cup of tea. Mark II retains a shadow of the original and then brings a more refined, yet simpler finished product to the table. This.....is very good. The opening is citric with bergamot and orange, with only a hint of the bitterness found in the opening of original Jaguar. Almost immediately, there's an entrance of patchouli and tonka. What's manifested is a warm and slightly bitter citrus with a powdery earthiness. It's a unique accord that smells  like Geisha Noir injected with zesty tangerine. There's a moderate wood note holding up the bottom. Sandal is listed, but it almost passes for a mahogany of sorts and accented with an ambery musk. As the patchouli fades, the tonka remains apparent alongside the woody musk and ebbing citric accord. This is a strangely attractive masculine off the beaten path a...

1978 seems to have been a pivotal year for masculines. I believe it began to usher in what we now consider to be the power-scents that defined the 1980's. It actually started before 78, but it seems to have galvanized that year and other houses jumped on board the bold masculine wagon. I say this simply from what I have purchased and sampled. It also stands to reason that staying alongside your competition was as commonplace then as it is now. Meet Oleg Cassini's Reporter. This comes roaring out of the bottle with a blast of lavenderized citrus and subtle spice with aldehyde. Old school vibe for sure, but after 5 minutes it settles down into a nice melding of notes. The lavender in Reporter doesn't exude that caustic and soapy characteristic I find in too many lavender accords. It's very apparent, but tempered by wispy herbal and woody notes. The heart settles down the scent even more. The volume is slowly turned down and as the mid notes make their entrance, they s...