Gaiac by Micallef

Gaiac should be used a little more in accords because it simply smells good. It's also a versatile note and pairs up well with other woody and oriental notes.

The first thing I noticed about this Micallef creation is that it wears more masculine than I had thought it would. That could be because the jasmin simply will not come out and play on my skin. Gaiac is still a shared fragrance, but I incorrectly assumed it would lean more feminine.

There's really nothing complicated about this release. The opening is a short lived citric with a slightly smoky gaiac note. Within a few minutes, the arrival of clove starts to spice things up a bit, but not too much. This is a well implemented clove and while not my favorite note, it blends well here. As the clove interplays with the gaiac, it slowly becomes more balsamic. The smoky aspect remains, but never gets louder.

The vetiver is subtle and quietly adds a low volume nuttiness to the wood accord. It seems to keep the clove on a leash. Vanilla leads Gaiac into the drydown and blends splendidly with the spicy and smoky wood. Even with the vanilla becoming more noticeable, this remains a very good wear for either gender.

The house of Micallef continues to put out exceptional fragrances. The quality in her work is immediately obvious. Gaiac is yet another in a list of worthy releases from M. Micallef. Thumbs up from Aromi.