Il Mondo di Odore

Amber : What's in a name? Keiko Mecheri CRYSTAL D'AMBRE (2009) Keiko Mecheri places a big emphasis on smoothness and subtlety and is sometimes referred to as a poetic perfumer. That seems right to me. I have not encountered too many revolutionary creations among the many perfumes of this house which I've tested but, at the same time, nearly everything is very likeable and wearable, often beautiful, albeit subtle, and indisputably made of high-quality components. In general, you get what you'd expect from the perfumes of this house, as they often are literally named. Crystal d'Ambre is a case in point. Amber resin is well-known as the final destination of many an insect which has mistakenly stepped into the stuff and is then “trapped in amber” for the remaining short duration of its life—and forever after, since its dead little body becomes effectively petrified in what hardens to stone. People who trade in amber stones actually highlight the poor dead...

Bergamot, Camomile, Geranium, Cardamom, Coriander, Honey, cedarwood, Olibanum, Patchouli, Ginger, Benzoin, Ciste, Ambergris, Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Cherry, Raspberry. I am revisiting Back to Black to give it another chance after my initial review from 2010. I didn't exactly have a positive opinion of it and since I had quite a bit left, I concluded another wear was in order. Numerous people seem to truly enjoy this release and the first time around proved unimpressive for me. Back to Black's opening is my favorite part of the fragrance. Unfortunately, after just a few minutes, it evolves into ( what is to be ) the remainder of the scent. The opening of Back to Black implements a subtle citrus with hints of balsam, spice and some herbal elements. While the top accord is still developing, a dry amber merges with it and the result is extremely pleasant. This salutation is smooth, but still has enough teeth to be interesting. There's a slew of pretty interesting notes...

Rum, Dried Fruit, Nutmeg, Hedione, Cedarwood, Patchouli, Ambergris, Vanilla, White Musk. There's no protracted way of describing Straight to Heaven. It's an interesting name to say the least and in no wise does it remind me of striving upwards, onward or any direction for that matter. Rather than using the word "heavenly", I find it more accurate to say it's "down to earth ". I will go as far to say that the drydown is "Terrastic" and downright lovely in a masculine way for hours. It's one of the more superior, woody outros you'll run across. Straight to Heaven by Kilian doesn't transpire as a very boozy or spicy fragrance on my skin. I opted to pour the remaining amount of the sample out and onto my skin in order to see if it evolved differently. The only differences I find wearing it in this fashion is in the opening. Straight to Heaven is a bit more muted, but denser. I actually prefer it unfolding this way. There...

Star Anise, Blackcurrant. Galanga, Pepper. Bourbon Vanilla, Tolu Balsam, Atlas Cedar. Have you a fragrance in your wardrobe that you admire, yet don't have opportunity to wear that often? Opium Pour Homme EDP is one of those for me it seems. I absolutely love the way it smells. It's a bit zesty, very rich and spicy with tremendous sillage and longevity. I had the good fortune of owning the Eau de Parfum before ever trying the EDT. Between them, there is no comparison in my opinion. The EDP makes the other renditions feel screetchy and embodies a lushness that continues throughout the life of the fragrance. Opium Pour Homme opens with a full bodied rendition of spice and wood tones placed atop an already present vanilla base. The peppery aspect is apparent immediately and this, along with accents from anise, lend a dimensional quality to the top accord. Like a other Parfum versions, Opium Pour Homme blankets the skin with the expected denseness of an EDP and has bo...

Iron Watercress, Lime, Mandarin, Bergamot, Aldehyde, Basil, Lemon. Wild Rose, Jasmin, Coriander, Carnation, Freesia, Muguet, Violet. Oakmoss, Amber, Musk, Cedar, Vetiver. This revisement of Eau de Rochas Homme is long in coming. I am trying to slowly update truncated reviews from when the blog first began. I got into the habit of throwing up some extremely brief reviews for the sake of posting material in order to get the blog up and running. Eau de Rochas Homme is a particular scent that deserves better than a few descriptive sentences. First, permit me to say that I really enjoy this fragrance and it would work on either gender. This is a citric floral  that never evolves into machismo come base and drydown. It's clean, precise, substantial and rather uplifting. Eau de Rochas Homme opens with the prerequisite citrus. It's a marriage of lemon and lime with a metallic edge. The top shimmers just enough to project and the accord really does possess a subtle, watery...

Bergamot, Grapefruit, Pineapple, Melon, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Nutmeg, Ginger, Basil, Thyme, Lavender, Oakmoss, Vetiver, Sandalwood, Rosewood, Leather, Darjeeling tea, Amber, Musk, Vanilla, Jasmin, Violet. Looking at this list of impressive notes, I was enticed to purchase a sample mainly because I erroneously assumed Topkapi would be amber dominant. The other notes intrigued me as well and at the worst, this Pierre Bourdon creation would be intriguing. My initial thought after applying Ambre Topkapi was that it was very pleasant. I also wasn't sure what to make of it since it reminded me of a well executed designer fragrance. It reminds me of more than one and the thought of Davidoff and Calvin Klein mixed together sprang to mind. That in itself is not a bad thing. What's a bit troubling is the price point. The opening of Ambre Topkapi is a watery and metallic citrus that has spice woven throughout. It's a very pleasant and comfortable accord that leans fresh. It main...

Corsican Peach, Strawberry, Tahitian Coconut. Orange Blossom, Egyptian Jasmine, Bulgarian Rose. Incense, Vanilla, Cocoa, Benzoin, Patchouli, Cedar, Sandalwood. It's always fun to run across a scent that is not only better than you expected, but also works for both genders. I believe 1826 is marketed toward the female persuasion and I find that erroneous. 1826 opens with a combination of pastel strokes compliments of incense, fruit and orange. The feel is soft but full of substance. Depending upon what site you search on, the accord listing is very different. As usually is the case, it all comes down to personal interpretation. On my skin, the incense is apparent immediately. It's a soft version and blends well with the demure peach and orange. The blossom is tuned to low pitch and relinquishes just enough of a sweet essence to  create a very enjoyable opening. It never oversteps this barrier. The heart doesn't transition in a conventional manner. It's seam...

Amber is a metaphor in perfumery. Many casual perfume users appear to think that amber stone is somehow implicated, but it is not. Although both amber (fossilized tree resin) and ambergris (a concretized substance excreted from the intestines of sperm whales) used to wash up on the shore and so were sometimes confused, perfumers have not been able to make much use of amber stone in their work because it does not create the scent which they seek. In creating an amber effect , there is no single substance in nature which perfumers collect up to melt, distill, condense, and extract essences from in order to build a perfume. No, what we refer to as amber is constructed, often of labdanum, benzoin, and vanillin, but other components are sometimes used as well, and these may be combined in varying proportions to produce distinctive interpretations of amber. Still, there is something, a specific type of scent, to which the term amber refers in perfumery, though it is not a ...

Bergamot, Davana sensualis, Patchouli, Coriander, Cardamom, Cedar, Elemi, Leather, Labdanum. I did some cursory information gathering on the Marquis de Sade before starting this review. It's pointless adding any of it to this post. From my perspective, this was a sick individual whose claim to fame was his perversion. I'm also quite sure the Marquis did not smell anything like this fragrance. How's that you say? Since he took great pleasure in the pain of others, this aroma is not capable of enhancing punishment. If anything, it would have generated the opposite reaction. It simply smells too good. I cannot say that Marquis de Sade smells unique. It does not. It does smell deep, rich and has some aromatic qualities in the opening. The citrus in the top is melded with a herbaceous wood and balsam. There's nothing strident about the salutation even if the topnotes are a bit diffusive. The Davana, Cardamom and Elemi perpetuate a smooth, balsamic effect through...

African red iris and Zebrano wood. Lipstick. My first and also lasting impression of Huitieme Art's Naiviris. Hmmmm.......... There's a few other aromas detectable in Naiviris other than the 2 listed notes, but it stays fairly true to the iris and wood theme. The opening on me is a dry iris note sans any powder that does possess a woody undercurrent. The wood is most noticeable if I smell close to where I applied it. The rouge aspect is most assuredly giving me the lipstick comparison. It doesn't smell bad, but it's not something I honestly desire to smell like. I don't believe I have ever smelled Zebrawood before. The wood component in Naiviris is similar to a dense, hardwood that's not aromatic. By the time a heart accord would normally appear, there's a leathery quality manifesting that is somewhat better than the wood. Neither is strong or extroverted, but this aspect is nice and offsets the banality I'm experiencing wearing Naiviris. I...

Hay, Amber, Sweet Tobacco, Sandalwood, Russian Leather, Moroccan rose, Tuscan Iris, White honey. Reading up on Chergui by Lutens will permit you to find diverse note listings. Almost every site has a different set of accords and as such, I decided to list the above as none of that holds much water anyway. The proof is in the smell. Only recently have I purchased a sample, so I can assume that what I am reviewing is most likely the newest formula. I would like to start out by saying that Chergui has terrific presence and an envious swirl effect. The opening of Chergui is an excellent earthy amber that doesn't display a resinous side just yet. The tobacco integrates within a few minutes and the result is a semi sweet, decadent ambacco accord. There's a spicy aspect to Chergui that offsets the opening nicely. It's a mellow spice and its existence is realized about 5 minutes into the wearing. It's about this stage of transition that I admit to Chergui already be...

Tuberose, Ylang Ylang, Coconut Milk. This 1978 release was an extra sample that was recently included in one of my orders. It stated on the sample that it was a "retired" fragrance and collectible. For quite some time, I was having a very difficult time in sampling L'Artisans that were pleasant wears for me. Lately however, I have sampled a few that are very good, so my luck seems to be changing for the better with this house. Having never smelled this particular fragrance, I had no expectations. Tuberose, while not my favorite, is a terrific note for me when not dominant and parlayed with others. This scent is all about tuberose, so I hoped for the best. Well, this is tuberose all right. It's front, center and even behind you. As a male, I cannot pull this off nor would I want to. The question is if it smells good. I have to say it smells excellent. For an L'Artisan, I find the volume louder than most others from this house and wonder if it has to d...

Citrus, Orange Blossom, Green Leaves, Jasmine, Neroli, Laurel, Resins, Spruce resin, Vanilla. Looking at the listed notes, I assumed Dilmun would be an overtly sweet orange bonanza. It's really not that at all, although the orange is prevalent. Dilmun opens with the customary citrus and has orange leading the charge. It's a rather good introduction and right away you are able to determine that the orange rendition will not overstep its predetermined boundaries. This is actually a relief for me as I was expecting to use some emergency insulin. No worries however as Dilmun is immediately tempered with leafy wood tones. This seems to pull the reigns in on the orange notes just enough. The citrus works well within these confines and makes the opening accord rather enjoyable. It's here where the transition should be that Dilmun loses some of it's mystique. I understand if Lorenzo wanted to keep Dilmun streamlined, but I keep waiting for something.....anything.....

Rose, Orange, Lemon. Lavender, Sandalwood, Cedar, Patchouli. Musk, Myrrh, Amber. Sandalwood is a note much loved in this hobby. From austere to buttery, this note has the versatility I look for.  Naturally there are going to be those who do not care for the note in any implementation, but Etro has the capacity to potentially change their minds if given the opportunity. The drawback for Etro Sandalo is that the opening promises wonderful things but the totality lacks stamina. I wonder if the older rendition had more depth and I say that because of reviews from years past. In spite of the this drawback, Sandalo opens with an interesting citric sandal accord that is creamy. I don't know about you, but I thoroughly enjoy creamy renditions of sandalwood. The opening is fluid and has substance. It's not heavy however and manages some room to breathe. The citric sandal slowly permits a rose note to enter the composition after a few minutes, but this rose isn't a stan...

Blackcurrant, Bergamot, French Apple, Pineapple. Rose, Birch, Jasmine, Patchouli. Oakmoss, Ambergris, Musk and Vanilla. I have a  friend in his early twenties who is a passionate fragrance enthusiast. Our interactions are interesting because he is always having me try all the newer releases or recent purchases that he makes. I have him try some of mine as well and systematically, we broaden each others palette without doing it deliberately. Enter Aventus. My friend seems to have a proclivity for this house, but months ago informed me how much he detested a decant of Aventus he purchased. He recently gave it to me and wanted to know what I thought of it. I think he was hoping I'd hate it too, but he was soon disappointed. I like what I've sampled. I'll admit that the apple note isn't the most realistic rendition and neither is the fast fading pineapple, but I still recognize what the perfumer was trying to replicate. It smells good and that's what counts....

Egyptian Peppermint, Tobacco leaves and Resins. The peppermint blast from Noir Marine is striking. It's more peppermint than a mentholated accord, but it certainly gets your attention. Like a cool breeze brushing by you, Noir Marine's salutation is almost certain to satisfy mint lovers. The concept ( according to Luckyscent ) is to shift gears from cool to neutral and then to warm. Peppermint, Tobacco as the neutral and onward to warm resins. The Peppermint worked like a charm on me. I'm not a lover of the note, but I do have renditions I like. Noir Marine implements a bracing rendition, but it's very good nonetheless. The problem that arises for me is the disparaging decline in the transition to the middle accord of tobacco. There's a bit too much contrast and a discrepancy of "presence" following the opening. The idea of bridging three accords in this manner fascinates me. I'd be enthralled if it worked effectively. The Peppermint is a ve...

Aldehyde, Mandarin, Tea, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Coriander, Bay leaf, Magnolia, Cedar, Patchouli, Incense, Labdanum, Angelica, Cumin, Vetiver, Cade. Comme des Garcons2 is a provocative scent in the regard that it extracts wide ranging opinions and conclusions from those smelling it. I read certain reviews as I wore this fragrance and my opinion differs. My wife, who boils everything down immediately to the common denominator, held a polar opposite view to mine. A theme running through CdG2 is an ink accord. It seems numerous people agree that they are reminded of ink when wearing this. I admit to getting a very subtle facsimile of one and have to give the upper hand on this quality to Cartier. There is a damp version of ink that permeates CdG2, but it's not all encompassing. The aldehyde, spice, tea and magnolia create of lucid accord on me in the opening. There's something obviously floral about CdG2, yet I am unable to identify exactly what component is responsible for th...