Il Mondo di Odore

From what I can gather, Sensation d'Alain Delon was introduced in 1993 as an Eau de Toilette. Trying to find information on this scent was like trying to find Bin Laden. One reason this perplexes me is because Delon is relatively well known and documented. The other reason is because this feminine scent smells pretty damn good. I have never heard it discussed on the boards and searches there availed me nothing as well. Let me start by saying that this is from the 1990's and is constructed as such. The accords are a mystery to me, but the few players that star in Sensation d'Alain Delon are fairly obvious to my nose. Mrs. Aromi caught a whiff of this as I was sampling it and gave it an immediate thumbs up. It's only fair to tell you that she is partial to rose, so naturally she either likes it or doesn't hate it. I deliberately remain impartial because I have to. Sensation is a combination of aldehydes, rose, jasmine, tuberose and what I believe is carnation. I...

As soon as I sprayed Fever Pour Homme on my skin, my first thought was yet another pleasant and innocuous masculine has surfaced in my sample pile. As the wearing ensued, my impression was correct. I can safely place this fragrance in the generic zone of fresh woody with a smidgeon of incense. If you have ever smelled or worn Zara Sandalo, you need not sample Fever Pour Homme. They are much too closely related to warrant a bottle of each, much less sample them both....except if you are interested in comparing how similar they are. I own Sandalo by Zara and the only difference I can detect is that Fever is slightly more woody than the Zara and doesn't possess the slight aquatic vibe. At any rate, I happen to like the Zara fragrance and do find occasion to wear it from time to time. It's light, airy and very suitable for warmer temps or conditions. Fever PH is no different. This is a very casual and sociable frag. It will fit the bill when you want to wear scent and not be no...

I remember having owned Perry Ellis for Men in the mid 1980's and couldn't appreciate it for what it was. In my defense however, I knew basically nothing about things fragrant at that time and my "wardrobe" consisted of Pino Sylvestre  and a few drugstore masculines. Funny how what was once considered "mundane" is now "rich and complex". That serves to show how generically bland current offerings really are. Well......not ALL.....but most...... Perry Ellis Cologne for Men was released in 1985 and the feminine version in 1986. Cologne for Men is a chypre that can be deemed a leather or ambery. The subsequent releases in Eau de Toilette and the "Anniversary Edition" came later, yet the years they were actually released seem to be a bit murky. The fragrance itself was changed somewhat in the latter releases, but not enough for folks to be scouring for the original rendition. Suffice it to say that, regardless of the version you purchase, i...

My thanks go out to a basenote friend by the name of Dimitrios who recently sent me an ample sample of Richard James Savile Row. I have never even heard of this release and did a quick dab 'n' wear when the sample package arrived. I made an immediate mental note to review this one quickly because my initial reaction was that this was really good. I have, in the last few days, given Savile Row a few wearings and I believe I have now got the feel for this scent and understand it. A masculine tuberose frag? Hmmm.....Tuberose is like everlasting flower ( to me) in the sense that it can easily permeate every note within its grasp. It's a tricky one to implement and not have it dominate the entire composition. That aside, after multiple wearings of Richard James, I can only conclude that this is an elegant, serious scent for evenings out and wearing formal attire. There's quite a few classy masculines out there to be tried and had, so I can now add Savile Row to the list. I...

In 2009, I finally got around to sampling Sandalwood by Trumper and found it a very easy wear and all around good scent. As I have said before, I'm not much of a "cologne" aficionado and don't seek out many fragrances of this construction. I gravitate to stronger and denser compositions. Still......I love sampling anything that's a wearable scent and keep an open mind. A friend from basenotes recently included Eucris in a swap and I have worn it a few times to get the feel for it. Coriander is a note I like and Eucris supplied a very nice rendition of it for sure. The first thing that came to mind when I applied Eucris ,besides recognizing the Coriander, was that this is suited for someone in their mid thirties on up and would work perfectly with a suit and tie. There's not a thing stuffy about Eucris and there's also nothing playful about it either. It falls in between the two and conveys someone who's focused wearing this. That aside, it smells v...

Thierry Mugler creates quite a stir with his releases and I'm not referring to the hype machine this time. Polarizing opinions of his work are consistently forthcoming and it seems people either love it or hate it. I don't have to be a fan of his releases to admire a willingness to gamble and offend some people. This attitude in general has churned out some gems in the past for whatever house is willing to take these chances. Pure Coffee, like A*Men, B*Men and Pure Malt, has followers and detractors. Not may people sitting on the fence with these releases. That means these either polarize or are simply inconsistent. I go with the polarization since they all have merit and are quality fragrances whether you want to wear them or not. Fragrances are simply not going to work for everyone. That doesn't mean they're not well made or viable. As a coffee fanatic of the drinking variety, wearing Pure Coffee doesn't give me "coffee". I'm not a coffee purist ...

How can you not love Morabito's retro art deco bottles? They are corny cool and so far, the juice in them proves to be some interesting masculines. I have yet to obtain Morabito Pour Homme in a similar bottle, but I will.......and M de Morabito comes in the same structure; albeit all are color coordinated with what I believe are themes to the scent itself. M de Morabito is clear with a red top and the juice is appropriately amberish in color. Monsieur Morabito is obviously cobalt blue and seems to be in keeping with the aroma. There is no information anywhere about note implementation, but I've worn this enough to know it's a fougypre with marine-like overtones. It's unconventional enough to keep you continually sniffing while you sample wear this scent. It's not strange in any sense of the word, simply different. It's also very good. If you have ever smelled Horizon by Laroche, different can be an asset. Monsieur Morabito ( 1994)  is a very distant cousin to ...

I believe this fragrance used to be called 1776 Russian Leather, but I may be mistaken. Presently, it's simply called 1776. What I first noticed about  1776 was it opened similar to Jovan Sex Appeal. 1776 is sweeter and sans any soapiness, but they remain close relatives. 1776 is as economical as the Jovan, but to me, 1776 is the superior creation. I have and like Sex Appeal for Men, but had I smelled this first, the Elsha would be in my drobe instead. With that said, I could find no listed accords for 1776. So, after multiple wearings, I dissected this cologne as much as possible. I don't normally enjoy colognes much, but this one is too good not to. 1776 opens on me with a citrus, clove and cinnamon trifecta. This is spicy like you would find in Sex Appeal and KL Homme. Most people either like or eschew a combination such as this. I am in the "like" camp. After a few minutes, a birch-like note along with pepper, cedar and what I believe is fern emerge to join ...

Luctor et Emergo by The People of the Labyrinths  (Netherlands) is an odd little creature, and if I were you, I wouldn't let it anywhere near your man. It's suitable for girls, for women, maybe even for babies, but its sweetness and initial burst of cherry almond tempered with "grasses" (which I detect as hay and sweetgrass accords) is very femme indeed. This is the kind of perfume that even fans of a good many gourmand scents will shy away from, as it represents the extreme edge of foodiness. It boasts some pretty amazing packaging and lists precious woods, vanilla, fresh grasses and white florals among the notes, but don't let that fool you. The flowers are eaten by the other top notes, and the only time you will see any woods here is in the drydown far off in the distance, where a light sandalwood that could almost pass for sensual musk and a pervasive powderiness duke it out for control.  There are some days I just want a sweet scent to comfort me, but I want ...

Or... in a day how I came to love Shalimar (in honor of my late Gran, a Missouri-style Flapper or near to it). Why the flapper? Other than the fact the Twenties Flapper has been the topic today on another site, and Shalimar was created in the Roaring Twenties..it really does seem the fitting scent for a modern girl. My grandmother was athletic, sturdy, wore her hair in a bob and in all the photos I've seen had a smile on her face that hinted that THIS was one liberated girl. The youngest sister of 12, she was the darling of the family, and clearly used that status to do what she wished. That "moxie" shows in all her photos from that era, mugging to the camera, leaning on behomoth cars, living it up. Shalimar, I'm certain, was one of HER scents. I'm reviewing a vintage (the zigzag black and white box variety circa 1967-1983) EDT. Four notes: Bergamot, Iris, Opoponax and Vanilla. How complex they become, while staying light and implying sensual entanglements, a...

A Quiet Morning is a transparent, yet full bodied incense woody from Miller et Bertaux. My thanks to Carrie once again for sending me this sample as I have been meaning to get around to this house sooner or later. A "light" fragrance that has some substance is always nice to run across. They seem to work best for me in warm months or if I know I'll be in close quarters. The incense isn't a church rendition. It's like a hologram note that tells you it's incense and that it's there, but it really is a spatial note. It has breathing room and that's a good thing considering the name and theme of this fragrance. A Quiet Morning opens politely with a turmeric-saffron accord that feels damp. Moist may be a better description and there's no bitterness that I can perceive here. There's rice,palm blossom and neroli listed in the heart, but I cannot claim to differentiate them. I "feel" they somehow augment the scent for the sake of substanc...

This 1976 release by Aigner is a woody fougypre with a bracing opening accord along the lines of Leonard Pour Homme. This isn't to say that No.2 is very similar. It's a kinsman because of the Bergamot, Petitgrain and lavender in the topnotes with cedar leaching upwards from the heart. Both scents eventually go their separate ways, but both emit a similar vibe with an emphasis on molto masculinity. I can safely say that no woman I know would successfully pull off wearing Aigner No. 2 as a standalone fragrance. This scent is rough, hairy and while it does tone down some by the base accord, it never ventures into the "shared" zone. This is for construction workers and plumbers who want to smell masculine on the job. That may sound harsh, but it's my opinion and I'm sticking to it. Aigner is my favorite designer house for classic scents and I simply call them as I see them. Do I like Aigner No. 2? No, not really........but I don't hate it either. Let's...

For me, incense is the new oakmoss. Okay, that may sound rather stupid to some, but I have a reason for thinking this. Most younger males who don't care for the scents they deem "old man" or avuncular do so because of the aroma-association of frags from a certain era. It stands to reason right? Well, I have found that most of these alleged "old man" masculines implement oakmoss. Not all mind you, but the majority of them utilize this note and make it obvious in the construction. Hell, even I can smell a frag blind and pick out the ones from the classic era. They have that certain structure and usually oakmoss is unveiling itself by the time the heart accord unravels. Enter incense and what I consider the new oakmoss. In 15 years ( and if I'm still breathing), there's a good chance I'll be able to differentiate the releases of the last few years and current by simple smell-association. Incense is quietly being implemented in quite a few creations ...

Avec Amour ( With Love ) is the third sample I received in the Passion Mediterrannee series. Morabito sent approx. 4ml. worth of each, so Avec Amour ( along with the others ) was able to get multiple wearings. I'm especially glad of this where Avec Amour is concerned because I didn't like it the first time. I only spritzed once on that initial introduction, so maybe that had something to do with it.....or not...... Regardless, I like it now and in spite of this one being marketed to women, I find it terrific for either gender. My first impression is that this is a rouge offering......and while not exactly a rouge aficionado,I find I enjoy this one. I read the listed accords after my first wearing and am continually amused by Morabito's note descriptions. Being a fan of classic power fragrances, I don't run across notes by the names of Rose Gasoline of Turkey, Armoise Gasoline, Marine Agreement and of course Foam of Tree on any basis. With that said, here's t...

My thanks to Carrie Meredith for surprising me with some pretty good samples today ! I'm already putting one to good use since our weather is atrocious and I have no inkling to venture out in that mess again today. I have been curious about Wonderwood and have read comments about it on basenotes. I recall there was some hype about the release, but it didn't seem to last long. Until the wearing today, I had no preconceptions about it at all. Wonderwood ( on me) is all about sandalwood. Sandalwood frags in general aren't usually loud and Wonderwood keeps to that regimen. It's softer than some with intermingled spice and just the slightest touch of incense. With all its listed notes, I expected something a bit more robust and transitional, yet it unfolds as a linear scent and hardly an accord transition. The listed notes according to Luckyscent are : Madagascan pepper, bergamot, Somalian incense, nutmeg, cristalon, cashmeran, guaiac wood, cedar, caraway seeds, Java...

Yachting is the other masculine in the Passion Mediterrannee trio of samples I recently received. This is extremely different from Beach ( which I liked), but I cannot seem to "get" Yachting even after multiple wearings. I can say that this fragrance needs to be sampled in lieu of purchase. I know from owning a few Morabito's that this house marches to the beat of their own drummer....and that is evident to me while wearing Yachting. I guess I expected a more mainstream marine take due to the name, but it's not that at all. This is more like a strange Fougypre trying to pull off an aquatic vibe. I'm more taken aback with its weirdness than the aroma. We have cypress front and center in the opening supported by a background citrus and smidgeon of lavender. After a few minutes, spices courtesy of basil and thyme arrive and their volume is commensurate with the wood. Melon is listed, but I don't realize it....unless it was short lived in the offbeat cacop...

Hhhhmmmm.........I've never smelled this until this sampling. I scored a 7.5ml mini in perfect condition at my local thrift store. Yes....a Goodwill to be exact. It's not the first time a gem has reared its head in my direction as I scour the local thrift stores for treasures. I spray instead of dabbing if at all possible. I get a truer gist from the dispersion and that's what I did with Caleche. An immediate greeting from aldehydes and citrus with woody undertones. I get the illusion of green and there's no doubt that Caleche is a chypre. My first thoughts are that Caleche is a more mature scent, but that's a good thing here. As the opening gives way to the floral heart, the impression Caleche is giving me is one of a confident scent, yet more relaxed than reserved. This really is old school charm at work. The heart accord is an array of floral notables, but what comes front and center on my skin is a combo of rose, jasmin and violet. There's still a beatin...

I had a difficult time deciding on Cuir De Russie. I have been systematically sampling ( and purchasing ugh!) some of the more infamous leather fragrances as of late. I have tried this Chanel before, but not so much to review it and more to just smell it without having to dissect it. For me, concentrating on a scent as opposed to simply wearing it for the sake of....well, wearing it.....is a different perception. Cuir De Russie is a little more floral than I remember it to be. That's not a negative. This is the 5th time I've sampled the vial and I waited until there was none left. Going into it, all I could recall was leather with an animalic slant to it. I'm happy to say there's more to it than that. The opening is an enjoyable citric accord with a hint of shimmer and that has just a bit of bite to it. I can smell iris and carnation within moments appearing from the heart accord. It's not a dominant takeover, but it is enough for me to notice quickly. A jasmin ...

I received a sample of this from Morabito as a freebie with my order of Or Black. Ordering from France is a little time consuming and costly, but 2 weeks isn't so bad and the package arrived in terrific condition. 3 samples were included. Beach, With Love and Yachting. They are the Passion Mediterrannee trio on his website. I'm usually satisfied if the rendition of sandalwood  used is a good one and was looking forward to trying Beach. Basenotes has this fragrance being released in 2001 and naturally, there's no other information. The accord structure was taken from the Morabito site in Paris. The notes are : Sicilian Lemon, Italian Mandarin, Cardamom, Nutmeg, Guaiac Wood, Sandalwood Mysore. I can begin by saying that healthy sprays achieve the desired result. I'm not saying that the fragrance is weak or anemic, just that it is more full bodied spraying heavier than you normally would. Even the website states to use excessively with no worries. I read that AFTER...

******It seems I have mistakenly attributed this fragrance to Mandy Aftel. A big thank you to the comments section for pulling my coat on this. Allow me start over with an edit ********* I shall also do a little more digging into both houses as I have sampled a few of Mandy's scents and enjoyed them. Once again, my apologies.....and THANKS !!!************** ************************************************************ I like to read reviews before posting my own for no other reason than to see just how many people don't like the scent I am about to wear. I usually end up liking quite a few of the ones with mediocre reviews attributed to them. Orange Sanguine kind of fell into the middle ground on that respect with one reviewer stating that the citrus note ( Orange) was completely unrealistic. I disagree. The orange notes in this monstrous cologne not only give me the slightly bitter peel, but I have the taste in my mouth. It's the exact same aftertaste I have once I swal...

1987 was the year the Anne Pliska released her eponymous scent to the world, and it has languished in cult following status ever since. Many describe the scent as being sophisticated and impossibly cool and timeless, and while I agree with the last couple of descriptive terms, I do not see the inherent stern countenance in this perfume that others do.  The woman who wears this scent containing bergamot, amber, patchouli, geranium, musk, woods and vanilla  is not the one getting ready for an art opening clutching a chic black, minimalist bottle, she’s the one that’s surrounded by men at a bar.  Perhaps it’s the chic woman’s, luckier-in-love  sister? Anne Pliska is a sexy perfume, and yes, men seem to respond to it. The perfume opens with slight acidity which barely masks the smooth operating going on underneath. The soft floral notes only have eyes for the cashmere woods, amber and vanilla as they assert their presence gently, because that’s what this scent...

I have to say that I don't get any correlation between Czech & Speake's Cuba alongside Aramis Havana. To me, these are completely different fragrances that happen to use a few of the same notes in their construction. With that said, this 2002 release opens with a blast of mentholated citrus. I looked forward to enjoying the listed rum,but it's overshadowed by the dominant mint note and before I can really "get it" in the opening accord, the heart is already unfolding. There's rose, grass, nutmeg and tonka listed in the midnotes and this somehow produces an "off" accord of slightly sour oud. My opinion is that the tonka isn't jiving perfectly with the rose and spice and this "oud-like" aroma smells off balance by just a little. It's enough for me to take note and happily it dissipates after 5 minutes or so. It never completely vacates the premises, but it dies down to a less noticeable level. I have no love for this accord. ...

Juliette Has a Gun perfumer Francis Kurkdjian's dramatically-named Rose bulgare, patchouli and vanilla scent. (I had originally attributed this scent to Romano Ricci but after some research realize it's the perfumer Francis Kurkdjian, who formulated Lady Vengeance and Miss Charming for JHAG). Yes, it has cousins in Montale Black Aoud and L'Artisan Parfumeur Voleur de Roses , with major differences. Lady Vengeance is smooth, elegant, sophisticated and a seamless blend of the rose, patchouli and vanilla. I don't find LV as dark as Black Aoud, and the rose is much more pronounced in LV than it is in VdR... (of course that could be my nose, but in LV the patchouli comes forward and the experience is quite like a good patchouli-musk oil I used to wear, rather than being a story about rose.) That is not to say that Lady Vengeance isn't a little dark... it's more the dark and mystery of a confident woman in slinky black haute couture and impeccable smoldering makeup ...

There sure are stories that surround this legendary scent. Googling Jicky and you stumble upon troves of information. There is no sense in my adding heavy handed words to this ancient and terrific Guerlain. There are numerous releases of this fragrance and that is completely understandable since it was unleashed in 1889. It's pretty incredible for any product to still be in production, desired and viable after 121 years. Reformulations are inevitable, yet Guerlain has managed to keep the integrity of Jicky intact. That is also commendable. The extrait rendition I am wearing is full bodied and very smooth. It possesses none of the discord associated with the EDT in some of the reviews I have perused. What amused me about some of the EDT reviews is that despite what was considered "discord" in the transitions, the reviewers still liked it. Some even preferred it over the parfum rendition and "discord" be damned. I find Jicky so smooth and wearable that I don...