Il Mondo di Odore

Yes........the image is that of the most over-the-top comic book, wrestling character of all time; Macho Man Randy Savage. No.....I am not a wrestling aficionado and never have been. However, I have a sister who, in years past, would actually fist fight you if you mentioned the word "fake" in conjunction with her wrestling heroes.........but that's another story altogether....... Macho Man is pictured here because with cool weather imminent, I am forced to delve into the warchest and bust out the lovable, but gnarly classic powerhouses that exist for cool to cold temps. Of course, they are wearable all year round since there are no "rules" for scent, but to keep collateral damage to a minimum, I try and wear them seasonally......or as much as is within me to do so. I sometimes fail and cave in to the need for Kouros and his ilk during the simmering summer.....but.....I implement a judicious hand when relapsing....... As I sift through my fragrances that have...

Since I have forgotten to review Or Black by Morabito while I still had some on hand, I do have some Or Noir to sample wear. I must say that all the Morabito's I have worn, owned or tried have been striking in some fashion. All completely different one from another........but all possessing gravitas. Or Noir seems to follow that pattern to a tee. First impression is that this offering is strong. In spite of its floral-chypre background, a man can pull this off and certain women may find it a bit too butch for their tastes. This is my 3rd wearing of Or Noir....and I admit to not liking it the first time, but it grew on me after I gave it a second wearing. This fragrance is almost exclusively floral. I said almost. There's a smidgeon of citric fruit and a bigger dose of moss, but all the other players are floral that I can tell. I'm accustomed to this many floral notes being either too sweet or too soft-feminine, yet Or Noir walks on the dark side and even manages a wis...

There is no doubt in my mind that Dior's 1985 release of Poison would rival ( or out-muscle) any of the masculine Powerbombs that I own from the big 80's. The bad rap this fragrance has garnered is because it's been criminally over-applied......and I assure you....this is NOT something you want to do with Poison. I have not sampled the EDT rendition, so my opinion is reserved for the parfum version. This is actually an extraordinary scent when dabbed on in miniscule amounts. The neck, cleavage and wrists with one dab each would produce enough sillage to propel a windmill at 50 paces. Okay, okay.....I'm exaggerating.....but not by much. Two to three dabs of this will produce collateral scent and last for half an epoch. The opening blast of Poison is all Jasmin with some berry and tuberose blended in the mix. It's synthetic and only unpleasant if over-applied. The masculine doppleganger to this is undoubtedly Iquitos by Alain Delon. It takes my senses about 15 min...

The original Violette Precieuse was released in 1913. Damn......almost a century old and thought of highly enough to reissue a new formulation. That is very complimentary in and of itself. My thanks to MimiGardenia for the terrific samples she so generously sent !!! Violet has always been a tough sell for me, but I have found ones I think highly of. In Precieuse, the iris in the top is contrasted with the raspberry in the base accord. The opening is a coordinated effort from iris, orange and raspberry. It's an accord that seems familiar, but I believe that has to do with the iris running point. The raspberry is a different touch here, albeit a nice one. Once the jasmin catches up to the other players, this leans too far feminine for me to wear, but it still is a pleasant take on violet. The fruit is a positive augmentation and the overall aura is a comfortable, feminine floral. There is vetiver in the base accord and it comes into play once the heartnotes die down some. It'...

I would have never thought to sample this had not a friendly basenoter been generous enough to send me a very healthy sample. Thank you arwen_elf !!! I have said numerous times as I will again that, there's no humanly way possible to sample all the potentially good releases....unless you are foetidus......but that's another story and besides.....he's a review-legend that I have been trying to bring on board for the last year. Suffice it to say I may be wearing him down and with any luck, he will join us down the road....... Back to Pour Le Soir......Benzoin.......yes......Benzoin out of the bottle with wispy puffs of floral, fruit and what seems to be an intermittent vanilla note. But wait.......what's that?......a rose dipped in sweet honey? I get fleeting rose and then.....yes, honey....but a rounded honey note and very unlike the edginess honey produces in quite a few of my classic masculines. This accord is smooth. The initial two accords are spatial and have ...

Caron released this EDT version of Poivre extrait in ( I believe) 1957. For lovers of clove...especially clove openings....this is a must try fragrance. Naturally, this was marketed as a feminine, but from what I am smelling, this would be "shared niche" in today's market. After wearing this only a few minutes, I can almost see where Diptyque could have derived some inspiration for their spicier renditions. This is the first I have come across this Caron and have never noticed it on another person to the best of my recollection. Caron is a very reputable house that I have, for the most part, never gotten around to really exploring. Sure, I have worn a few of their classic masculines, but that about sums it up. Coup de Fouet is an impressionable scent and more than likely it was incendiary for its time. Clove roars out of the bottle with pepper hot on its tail. Giroflore and a spicy carnation give Coup de Fouet its jazzed up signature.  This peppery clove is the main...

Today, while perusing my local thrift store as I am wont to do, I came across an armful of new additions to their fragrance cabinet. Most of the time, the juice they acquire from donations ranges from terrible to terrific. Of course, the "terrible" is the majority and it's rare to stumble upon something worth picking up, but I do find keepers from time to time. Naturally, the counter girl brought all the new acquisitions out and placed them on the counter. As soon as they see me, they know......and I immediately got to sniffing. The first 4 I sampled ranged from absolutely bland to downright nasty scrubbers. One in particular was even hair raising for me......and that's a feat. The last one was Rondeau Pour Homme by Durall. Now, I have heard of Durall before, but I couldn't tell you why. I don't recall if the name pertained to cigarettes or fragrance, but no matter........this Durall is a masculine EDT and as soon as I sprayed it on my arm, I told the coun...

I'm feeling a little retro today, so I dug out my mini of Faberge's Macho that was sent to me courtesy of my good friend and vintage seller extraordinaire XMEN. I don't believe a more tacky, phallic bottle could have been conceived to advertise this 1976 Fougiental. It's cheeky cool and absolutely 1970's. I also own bottles of Cellini and Turbo.....and I'm sure I'll get around to them this winter, but for now, Macho has my attention. The scent itself is pure 70's as well and indicative of not only the time, but how masculines were constructed and expected to smell. Macho opens with a cologny blast of citrus mingled with spice, herb and a healthy dose of lavender. Dominant lavender of the soapy kind seems to have the market cornered in this era. The rendition in Macho isn't over the top, but very apparent. It's not caustic like it is in some other retro offerings....and for that I am grateful. The accord is actually pretty good, albeit dated. ...

I read many reviews before or after I do my own and I seem to be at complete odds with the house of L'Artisan. I have previously said on basenotes that for me, L'Artisan Parfumeur is the most over-rated house I have come across. La Chasse Aux Papillons Extreme does nothing to sway that opinion. Yet another linear, floral dominant scent that does nothing to stir me up or inspire me in any way. This house has "pleasant" nailed down to an art form......but damn...can't we go beyond that? The only attempt at polarization so far has been Dzongkha ....and I found it a jumbled mess. At these prices, move me, anger me, hate me.......but please don't bore me. Extreme in a nutshell is a toned down tuberose with assorted "blossom" thrown in the mix. Is it bad? No, it's an acceptable floral scent that's very timid and just lays on my skin smelling like....well....a toned down version of tuberose with blossom this or that added to it. I'm almost a...

Tolu is a spicy oriental with floral leanings. The overall aroma is a sensual one sans any dramatic transitions. It smells more linear than it is....and that is something I chalk up to blending. The ingredients are certainly top shelf ....albeit polite. The opening is a slightly woody citric accord with spice added courtesy of clary sage. As soon as I smelled it, I knew I would like it no regardless of where it led to. I have a "thing" for smooth....and also for juniperberry. As I enjoyed the opening, the floral heart started to make its escape upwards ; slowly but surely unfolding its wings and spreading a subtle signature onto my skin. The combination of orchid, rose and muguet displayed itself quietly and manifested a gender indifferent accord. So far, Tolu is a dignified scent, but not a stuffy offering by any means. It also is a shared fragrance for those who like their orientals with nary a ripple and a dash of spice. There's no obvious discord in Tolu and any...

Is it me or are Ormonde Jayne's releases all on volume control? Personally, I prefer to control my own projection by spraying accordingly. I'm finding the "midrange" a little stingy on these samples, but other than that, the scents are quality and well put together. The opening of Orris Noir is a semi muted conglomerate of high grade iris and a smidgeon of coriander and pepper. It's a sophisticated accord that sticks around for quite some time. These 3 players are intertwined and smell almost as one. I, for one, don't see the citrus putting in much work here, but the blending may be the reason that the bergamot doesn't get much visibility. Or....it could just be me. The davana note in the top becomes apparent in the middle accord and lends a woody-fruit aroma to juniper and bay. It's a nice transition and a very smooth one at that. The fragrance deepens here in the heart accord and emits a richness that is very satisfying. The jasmin seamlessly app...

I feel retro today after reading various posts on basenotes; especially about Halston's new release and it made me grab my bottle of 1-12 and spritz away. I actually sprayed Z-14 as well on my other hand simply to compare. These are both released the same year ( 1976) and the first thing I noticed about both were that, as economical as they currently are, they are truly well made masculines that deserve more respect than they get. For me, 1-12 is a little more laid back than Z-14 and seems to perform better in warmer temps. 1-12 is chock full of goodies that current releases don't ( or can't) implement. Look at the accords....... Top : Basil Oil, Bergamot Oil, Galbanum, Green Note, Lemon, Mandarin Heart : Carnation, Jasmin, Juniperberry, Lavender, Pine Needle Base : Amber, Cedarwood Oil, Labdanum, Moss, Musk, Oilbanum, Tonka, Vanilla 1-12 smells as good as the accords look. This 1976 offering is at a lower volume than say releases a few years down the road in th...

The first thing I noticed about Champaca is how subdued the volume is. This EDP could never get loud enough to become annoying. I also noticed how "shared" this fragrance actually is and possesses a comforting aura from start to finish. The Ormonde Jayne site describes Champaca as a pale, orange flower from India. The scent actually does emit a subtle orange......almost like the orange in a rendition of sherbert. There is a creamy texture like the site describes as well......and they give credit to the Champaca absolute. Whatever the source of this wispy, cream like texture, it still reminds me of the aroma orange sherbert gives off while I am imbibing. If nothing else, it's pleasant enough to enjoy it. There's listed neroli, pink pepper, bamboo, freesia absolute, basmati notes, green tea, myrrh and musk. I do not recognize most of the listed players except a hint of pepper and the same goes for tea. The drydown exposes a background musk that's nice, but this ...

Saffron, Bulgarian Rose, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Exotic Wood, Amber and White Musk. A sample wearing of Dark Rose in 2010 resulted in a full bottle added to my wardrobe. I recall it being marketed to woman, but we all know how that works these days. To me, Dark Rose leans more masculine than anything, but it would smell terrific on anyone regardless of gender. Czech & Speake has created a rose-saffron scent for the masses. This is westernized oud  ( I speak in generalized terms here ) with a woody and resinous base. The spicy and edgy quality I always seem to get from saffron works its magic in Dark Rose. The opening of Dark Rose is just that. It feels velvety on my skin and the combo of rose and saffron is deep and spicy. I have been a fan of the rose note for years and thoroughly enjoy the numerous interpretations that are available. This one however is one of better ones if you happen to be looking for some zest and wood to go with it. The patchouli isn't ev...

Parfumerie Generale quietly releases some well done fragrances. I don't own any yet, but I have sampled some here and there and find the quality impressive. The reason I don't own any of this houses releases ( or others just as good) is because I simply have way too much of everything already. That is one of the downfalls of this hobby. Too many bottle worthy scents and not enough time or money to wear them. I have become comfortable with iris and truly like it when it's paired up with a nice leather. I cannot say that Iris Taizo is dedicated to showcasing the iris note per se, but it is evident through the life of the scent. It "shares" the spotlight with the others.....and this makes for a very comfortable, non-gender fragrance. Iris Taizo is powdery, but it's at the perfect pitch. The sillage and longevity are very good and the projection never exceeds good taste. It opens with an obvious iris teamed up with a hint of leather and wood. There's a bac...

Diptyque's Philosykos is one of the most linear scents I have tried......and liked. Olivia Giacobetti has created a winner in this release and I can imagine this scent at its most effective being worn during the daytime in spring or fall temperatures. Philosykos is supposed to be all about fig and some wood. I intermittently get the fig leaves and soft cedar, but I also get phantom whiffs of anise and coconut. The 3 listed notes of fig tree leaves, wood and white cedar create a larger totality. This accord is the entirety of the scent, but what a terrific fragrance for the correct occasion and weather. I happen to be of the Italian persuasion and this has Sono Italiano written all over it. I can picture myself wearing this in an Italian garden with fig trees close by.....along with freshly tilled earth and on my table that awaits our meal sits an open bottle of Zambuca and a wooden cigar box. I have previously owned Eau Lente and it also had Italian overtones due to the use ...

For a year or so, I had been wanting to sample this scent from looking at it on Luckyscent's site. I thought the truncated accord would be interesting; especially since I like all the listed notes. Upon application, I was greeted with a spicy orange note and black pepper. No sooner I am pondering this opening, a dry, dusty cedar emerges and dominates the accord. After 2 minutes, I have a peppery cedar with a very wispy and fading orange note. There aren't many other notes listed, but I was keen on their introduction. Amber, musk and sandal would've made for an interesting transition....especially since the dry top accord could have used an infusion of a sweetened resin with a dash of musk. The sandal too would have been nice and could have given an assist. This was not to be however. I never noticed anything but the peppery cedar and that is exactly how this linear fragrance remained throughout its life. Padparadscha is marketed as an EDP, yet I have stronger EDT'...

Patchouli by Reminiscence was released in 1970 and from my understanding, this is a continuation of that initial offering. Elixir, Patchouli Homme and Eau de Patchouli are offshoots of this fragrance......and all of them bring something to the table for patch fans. Patchouli's opening is an earthy patch....slightly moist and immediately followed by a wood accord dominated by cedar. It's a very good accord and only patchouli lovers will appreciate it. This is not for folks who prefer their patchouli to be submissive and/or buried underneath a multitude of other notes. This is out front and in your face. I dig it....but then again.....I love patchouli. This isn't a fragrance with obvious transitions. I get the opening accord ,then it slowly and smoothly transforms into a softer patchouli with a sheer, musky amber. It's uncomplicated and yet an excellent scent. One doesn't really need a lot of movement as long as the present accords are well executed. All of Remini...

Every now and then, a blind buy goes according to plan. I absolutely love patchouli when it's accompanied by certain notes and in the right distribution. I have tried ( and liked) Reminiscence Patchouli's and especially the Elixir Patch with its spicy amber and musk undertones. Reminiscence has manifold releases featuring different variations of Patchouli. It's as if they are trying to specialize in extraordinary patch scents and the one I did not get to try was Eau de Patchouli. I pulled the trigger on a blind buy after searching the accords and mulling over how good their other renditions were. It turns out it was a good decision on my part. As soon as I received it, I spritzed twice and was rewarded with a cool blast of dark, heady patchouli. Many patchouli dominant scents I have had or presently own have a similar introduction, yet it only took Eau de Patchouli about 2-3 minutes before unveiling a round, spicy wood and labdanum. No waiting until the drydown for the ...

I have sampled this 1995 floral release from Amouage at least 3 times now. I have concluded that I would truly enjoy smelling this scent on a woman. There's an edginess here that is alluring and there's just enough of it to keep it interesting. Quite a few floral creations have a way of lulling me to sleep. That doesn't mean they're not good......just unremarkable. They are either too soft with no grit or overpowering. I appreciate a floral that has other components vying for the spotlight as well. Ubar is a rose dominant release that is extremely well blended with civet and vanilla. The opening of citrus isn't bold on me. It's combined with muguet and that seems to restrain the manifold rose notes from going postal. A deft touch is used here and I think it is very well executed. I either love a rose accord or find it unsettling....depending on its volume. The triumvirate of rose implemented in Ubar is rich, deep and in balance with everything else utilized ...

Allow me to thank MimiGardenia for sending me this extremely extravagant sample of Amouage. I don't even want to go into the price of a tiny vial of this except to say it would make your hair curl ( if it wasn't already). Very, very precious juice to say the least and extremely concentrated. Mims.....you are a true sweetheart and I am grateful for the sample more than you know. I haven't gotten around to this house, but I have read opinions and reviews. I am glad to have opportunity to sample and review this fragrance since most opinions are glowing. I have to cast my lot with the "glowing" crowd. Allow me say this is an occasion scent.....unless, of course....you have the resources to wear this on a regular basis. That, however, would be an injustice since this is special and should be worn as such. I have not become an Oud fan nor do I see that ever happening. My Western tastes are too ingrained, but I do take opportunity to try certain oud releases that g...

I'll say one thing about Guerlain; they know how to do seamless accords and produce exceptionally smooth scents. Iris Ganache doesn't deviate from this pattern and puts iris front and center stage with this rendition. The past few years has seen iris getting some recognition as a theme note from quite a few houses. I cannot say I like iris enough to build a creation around it, but Guerlain has chosen to do so and the result is Iris Ganache. There are some interesting notes used in this fragrance, but it comes off on me pleasantly floral with intermittent vanilla and musk weaving in and out. For a very short period, I did think I smelled a wispy chocolate note, but it's fleeting and I cannot say for sure. The iris is the star player here and manages to constrain the listed amber and patchouli. It even usurps the cedar note....and I was hoping this note would come to fruition. A woody patch accord would have leveled the playing field somewhat and transformed this into a s...

First.......allow me thank our resident Perfumista MimiGardenia for the outstanding samples she recently sent my way. Mims....you are generous to a fault and I am thoroughly enjoying testing these wonderful fragrances. You are the bomb!!!! I have been meaning to sample Double Vanille for quite some time and have never gotten around to it.....that is....until I got a surprise in the mail. As much as I respect the House of Guerlain, I have never been moved enough to purchase.......except for a select few. I have a few of their masculine classics in my drobe and truly enjoy Chanel's Coromandel for its similar smoothness, but there's just something that always holds me back long enough to where I end up buying something more dangerous or edgy. ****( This paragraph has been edited due to temporary stupidity .....and needed fixing......)**** The first thing I noticed about the opening in SDV is that slightly off kilter, borderline urinous aroma very similar to a few other incense...

Just returned from a short vacation in the high desert of Colorado and wore absolutely no scent for the trip. Which gave me the opportunity to test the scent memory. Craig, Colorado sits in the high "cold desert" lands between the Wyoming border the Yampa river, and the native plant life is cottonwood trees along the aquifers, junipers and spruce, rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus), sagebrush, and a good amount of prickly pear cactus. It's an area rich in minerals, and the air at times carries the aromas of all of those plants as well as the aroma of the dusty desert soil. In monsoon season, the sweet grasses are also fragrant. The evening air is often redolent with a combination of those aromas. My father keeps horses up on a pasture on a mesa near town, so there is also a hay and leather scent in my particular scent memory catalog of the place. Caron's Yatagan is a scent that evokes that place quite well with its dryness, its heat, resinous woody smells and then the warm ...

Hhhmmmm......Labdanum......one of my favorite notes. Of course, that's contingent on how and to what degree it's implemented. L'Occitane released this in an EDP version and to my knowledge, the EDP is what I received in a generous gesture from a basenoter by the name of arwen_elf. Voyage En Mediterranee opens its uncomplicated accords with a spicy citrus. This doesn't possess the depth of most EDP formulations I'm accustomed to, but I believe the objective of this scent was to keep it buoyant. It falls in between light and heavy....and from the birth of it on skin, one can tell this is a shared scent regardless of marketing strategies. In 5 minutes or less, the amberish labdanum, spiced up from the initial accord, makes its appearance. This is the entire heart accord....labdanum and only labdanum. This note isn't sweet and to me is borderline dry with a slight resin quality to it. The volume is very respectable and unobtrusive. I find the opening and heart...