Private Number for Men by Etienne Aigner

Every so often, the lady luck tips her cap in my direction and this time, I walked away with a NIB 50ml Private Number for Men for the staggering sum of $.99 plus $4 shipping. Not too shabby for juice that's fetching approximately $45 per bottle.

What made this even better was that I was searching for a deal on this particular scent since Aigner is my favorite designer house......and because I had never even sampled this 1992 offering. Suffice it to say that neither the price nor the scent itself disappointed me.

Private Number is a fougere that leans fresh and has a very similar fruit note that is implemented in Aigner's Statement for Men. That note is really the only link between both, but it left an impression on me in Statement and is no surprise that it stands out to me in Private Number.

Both Private Number (1992) and Statement (1994) are aptly named. Both are fougere's that are fresh with Private Number being lower in volume and Statement more boisterous. Private Number opens with a spicy citric accord that immediately introduces green and fruit. The heart of Carnation, Sage, Fir, Jasmin and Rose take on one, blended entity and contribute a very pleasant and indistinguishable accord. The sum of its parts are actually excellent and I could care less that I don't detect a conventional transition. The volume is close and I assume that's what makes it "Private".

Once the base accord unveils itself, the volume is even lower and a mossy wood with just a dash of sweet from amber and musk evolve into a very comfortable skin scent. Private Number is nice, soft, fresh and polite. It's true it breaks no new ground.........but so what? Good is good.

Another very good Aigner addition for my wardrobe .........and a thumbs up from Aromi.

Comments

Black Suede by Avon

Nutmeg, Clove, Amber, Musk, Moss, Wood Notes. Yes.........I am reviewing one of the Rodney Dangerfield's of fragrance. Black Suede has been gracing medicine cabinets, for better or worse, since 1980 my friends. If you're expecting me to inform you ( like others may have already ) that Black Suede is a nasty scrubber, you will be disappointed. On the other hand, if you're expecting a glowing review claiming it's a diamond in the rough, you won't hear that from me either. I will say though that Black Suede doesn't deserve the hate it's received and most of that is due to snobbery aimed at Avon products in general. I kid you not when I state that a close relative to this fragrance is Cacharel Pour L'Homme. The array of spice in both ensure comparison, but the "smoother" of the two is Black Suede due to its implementation of Amber. While wearing Black Suede, one can detect a hint of "drugstore". That quality doesn't manife...

Oriental Lounge by The Different Company

Bergamot, Curry Leaf, Pepper, Red Rose, Tonka Bean, Labdanum, Satinwood. I suppose the first thing I noticed about Oriental Lounge is that as a man, this is a bit of a stretch to pull off. Since the core of Oriental Lounge is a powdery tonka and amber duo, it really does lean a bit too far feminine for me to wear. However, it would smell just as lovely on a woman and more appropriate as well. I bring this up simply because it's marketed as shared. I was wondering about the curry leaf. Actually, this "note" brought nothing to the table with the exception of possibly enhancing the pepper note just a bit. Even so, the pepper note itself was low key ( at least on me ) and both blended nicely with the citrus opening. From the onset of Oriental Lounge, it's unmistakable that this fragrance is.......well.....an oriental. From other opinions, I read some gripes about longevity, but it lasts on me quite awhile. This fragrance is uncomplicated and without much movemen...

Chanel copying Guerlain. Why?

Last month, I had the pleasure of trying Comète by Chanel, the latest addition to their prestigious Les Exclusifs line. This fragrance follows the release of Le Lion in 2020, another standout in the same collection. Like Le Lion , Comète is a beautiful perfume that captures the essence of Chanel’s refined elegance. However, both fragrances bear a striking resemblance to classic creations by Guerlain, leading me to ponder the direction Chanel is taking. Chanel has a great fragrance history. Not as hallowed and old as Guerlain but for past three decades it has far outshone Guerlain. In my view, no other perfume house has come close to Chanel’s excellence in this century. This makes their recent approach of echoing Guerlain classics somewhat perplexing. Have they run out of fresh ideas? Is Roger Dove at the helm of their fragrance division, or have they perhaps...

Il Mondo di Odore

Search This Blog