Il Mondo di Odore

Orange, Galbanum, Lentisque, Cedarleaf, Jasmine, Magnolia, Amberwood, Musk, Moss. I've worn Amanu three times now and I'm not sure what to make of it. It may be that it's a bit subdued for my tastes, so with that in mind, I'll attempt to be as fair minded as I can. I can accept low key fragrances and know they have a place. I become a bit perplexed when they are low key and ordinary. If Amanu was tuned louder, I would still find it on the generic end of the spectrum. The wood and musk aspect of 06 is reminiscent of Zara's Sandalo. It possesses that economical combination found in numerous, low-end creations. That statement is more of an observation than it is derogatory because I own some of these scents I'm referring to. However, I expect more from a scent costing more than $1 per ml. It's acceptable at $20 per bottle, but even the sillage and projection are sub par here. The aroma is pleasant enough even if it is unremarkable. Amanu is like...

Coriander, White Pepper, Laurel, Incense, Musk, Cardamom, Rose, Wood. Never having smelled either Costes or Costes 2, I ordered both and it sounded reasonable to me that I begin with the first release. What I noticed immediately was the medicinal camphor. I originally thought I was smelling a combination of clove and cinnamon. Even after multiple wearings, Costes gives me references of those two notes. It's after the first few minutes that my olfactory illusion gives way to the slightly spicy and aromatic compilation of notes. It's here when I can identify a leafy quality as well. The opening accord of Costes is bracing and a bit eye opening. It takes about 10 minutes for Costes to relax and permit a very soft incense note to bleed through. Spice and aromatics are still front and center, but no where near as rowdy as it was during the initial application. A smooth, balsamic aspect emerges and carries with it an overall spiciness from not only pepper, but from other note...

Saffron, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Red Rose. I have grown to thoroughly enjoy saffron. I'm glad I remembered to include this one in my last sample order. I had a hunch that Safran Troublant would be on the subdued side. It is a bit shy, but most L'Artisan's have a difficult time radiating off my skin just as a matter of course. Not all mind you, but most.............. While Safran Troublant may not have very noticeable presence, it still possesses a full bodied quality and smells extremely good. It seems to keep a close radius on my skin, but as the wearer, I am aware of the scent the entire time. I guess one can say it's tuned for politeness. As the listed notes suggest, Safran Troublant is uncomplicated and sans any real transitions. Any evolution that I do get is extremely subtle and since the fragrance smells good from the onset, it really doesn't matter. The opening is the expected saffron with understated rose hovering in the background. It takes at lea...

Myrrh, Tarragon, Coffee Beans, Incense, Ylang Ylang, Labdanum, Patchouli, Vetiver, Galbanum. Simply by looking at the listed notes, would you think this a strange brew? You'd be correct in assuming such. I almost laughed at the opening. Not because it's horrendous, but because it's truly eclectic. Not since the original Ted Lapidus ( 1978 ) have I been encapsulated in a shroud of smoke such as this. The difference here is that Eau des Iles pilfers you with a strange coffee haze that's slightly burnt and accented with an undercurrent of myrrh and incense. I like it more than I don't like it........but that aside, I tip my cap to Mr. Laporte for his prodigious output in the year 1988. Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier took numerous chances and that bravado is why enthusiasts have respect for this house. After 10 minutes or so, the smoke dissipates noticeably and signals the arrival of patchouli and vetiver. This duo was actually churning underneath from the onset, b...

Tangerine, Bergamot, Coriander, Thyme, Rosemary, Iris, Neroli, Lavender, Petitgrain, Black Pepper, Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Frankincense, Ambergris, Vanilla, Musk. Marketed as masculine, this may be the only thing I find off the mark concerning 1681. The opening is just different enough to be interesting and the onset of what I can only describe as a sweet and  fatty texture with a wax overtone is intriguing. The citric top is accented with herbal and spice tones. I won't go as far as to say it's aromatic, but there is hints of it along with shades of wood and lavender. It's an enjoyable opening accord and the ambergris takes only a few minutes to insert itself into the progression. This gives 1681 a rather unique smell which I find myself sniffing continually during the wearings. After wearing 1681 a few times, I notice the incense creeping into the progression after about 5 minutes. The top, heart and base have their own qualities and signal the changes. The heart...

Bergamot, Vetiver, Iris, Geranium, Cedarwood, Narcissus, Musk. Bois d'Iris is a polite and pleasant smelling take on Iris. It wears light on my skin and I cannot claim to experience vegetal qualities during the wearings as others do. It seems that after the first few minutes, Bois d'Iris is relegated to a close quarters scent. It may not possess great throw, but up close it manages to smell rich, full and just plain nice. The opening is a nice citric accord that falls just short of tart. Along with the citrus are well tuned earth tones and shades of violet. The violet rendition is very soft and smooth. There's no sharpness present and the narcissus-iris duo apparently work very well together. I can imagine leaf while smelling this and there is something slightly herbal about Bois d'Iris. There's just enough to notice, but not to categorize. A very deft touch was used implementing the vetiver, iris and narcissus. I find it a very balanced accord and certainly t...

Bergamot, Violet, Heliotrope, Jasmine, Frankincense, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Cashmeran, Musk. Talk about an opening. If you don't happen to like an onrushing dose of cashmeran mingled with citrus and violet, then it sucks to be you. The opening is strong, diffusive and spicy with overtones of muskiness, slight floral decay and some earthy aspects. I've noticed quite a few reviewers have remarked on the "mushroom" note they find off putting. I experience an earthiness instead. I work with food to make a living and happen to love eating mushrooms ( especially portabella ), but I find no legitimate mushroom aroma here in Dans Tes Bras regardless of it being canned or fresh. Violet can be a sharp note as it is. When merged with cashmeran, heliotrope and musk, it may startle you with some floral tenacity. There's a salty quality to Dans Tes Bras once the heart accord transitions. At this point in the wearings, 10 minutes or more have elapsed and the fragrance ...

Bergamot, Neroli, Tea, Jasmin, Leather, Tobacco, Gaiac, Vetiver. Looking at the listed notes, one may jump to the conclusion that Oolang Infini could very well be a heavy fragrance. Atelier also claims a Cologne Absolue at 15% concentration, so I admit to being intrigued with the thought of smelling tea and neroli wrapped inside some powerful hitters. After wearing Oolang Infini for awhile, I've found that this scent exhibits a calm quality while retaining substance. It's a close fragrance for the most part, yet it's always full and well balanced. This is exactly what I found lacking in my previous review of Un Parfum de Sens & Bois.  Oolang Infini seems to fit the bill as a shared scent that would work wondrously in the spring and summer months. That's not to say it can't be worn all year ( because it could ), but that it's lucid enough to shine in the heat. Even when Oolang Infini opens with a citric tea accord, it never exceeds a certain volume....

Cedarwood, Violet, Black Pepper, Elemi, Ginger, Patchouli, Vervain, Bergamot, Incense. The very first thing I noticed about Un Parfum de Sens & Bois is that it wears so light that it almost defies gravity. I have a difficult time digesting that this is an Eau de Parfum. Imagine wearing a fishnet tank top made of dental floss and then you can begin to understand the substance of this fragrance. The opening is an extremely sheer citric wood with a bite from pepper. I keep thinking I'm smelling sandal instead of cedar, but the wood rendition is tuned low as to keep me wondering. The violet rears its head soon after, but this too doesn't smell like the normal associations I have with the note. So far, I'm completely underwhelmed. For awhile now, I have come to terms with soft and  demure releases as having a place. They are periodically occasion appropriate and especially so if you are in a daily environment that dictates you wear low key scents. Un Parfum de Sens...

Musk, Amber, Cedarwood, Cinnamon, Tuberose. In the past, I have read the reviews on Cedre and recall some of them mentioning Tuberose as a complimentary note to the cedar. On my skin however, this is all about Tuberose from the initial spray. I find the name a bit misleading as I was expecting a definitive woody instead of a floral creation. Don't get me wrong in thinking that all I perceive is tuberose. It's simply the dominant note, however a very good rendition. The blended combination of musk, wood and spice really seems to accentuate the tuberose like wind to a sail. The fragrance itself leans more feminine to my nose than anything and I chalk that up to the assertively floral direction Cedre takes. The tuberose note is just loud enough to supplant the others and categorizes this Lutens as more of a spicy floral with woody attributes. After a few wearings, Cedre doesn't possess any real transitions. It opens already unfolded on my skin and that's not a ...

Rum, Lime, Bitter Orange, Cinnamon, Coffee,Cocoa  beans, Tobacco leaves, Mahogany, Caramel. I'm a fan of Pascal Morabito. His offerings are something I genuinely enjoy or  (at the least ) find interesting and quirky. Puro Intense leaves me somewhere in the middle. I cannot claim to experience a boozy quality that's noticeable in the opening, but I will say that wearing Puro Intense is akin to shifting 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears in a standard transmission. In a matter of minutes, I undergo three noticeable transitions and the shifts are rather effortless. All that is for naught however if what is changing isn't to your liking. Lucky for me I happen to be partial to what I smell. At the core of Puro Intense beats a heart of tobacco. The are other things at work here, but the gist is extinguished cigar and ash. Puro Intense opens with a suggestion of alcohol that's gone as fast as a deer spooked by the snapping of a nearby twig. What remains a minute later is a ...

Amber , Oud, Bay leaf, Cedarwood, Vanilla, Benzoin. I understand that there are different interpretations of the oud note. Mona created a very expensive, yet fabulous rendition of it, before her untimely and sad passing. The oud note in that release was different than what I had become accustomed to, but I was certainly able to identify it as oud. I cannot say however that I experience oud in any fashion while wearing Amber Oud by Kilian. Do I find Amber Oud a nice scent? Yes, it's extremely nice in totality, but I still want oud in a scent that advertises it in its name. It's also no surprise that the price is.......well........high even by Kilian standards. Amber Oud is all about amber on my skin from start to finish. It does exhibit some woodiness and has an oriental finish. It's nice, but the price point is simply too much for this reviewer. After wearing Amber Oud numerous times, I know where I have smelled this particular rendition of the amber note. Lo and ...

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...

Lemon, Bergamot, Orange. Rose, Blackberry, Figs, Spices. Balsam, Woods, Amber, Incense. This 2002 creation is marketed to women, yet I love the smell of this and believe it is wearable by anyone. Bois de Paradis opens with a very smooth citric rendition with rose and spice already intruding into the accord. The combination of rose and orange is something I find extremely well done. The subtle spice accents these two notes and it exhibits a demure yet substantial quality. The heart is just as well tuned but not as attention getting as the opening. The rose is dusty and soft with just a hint of sweet. I don't identify with the fruit notes other than the suggestion of it. The spice is still lucid and noticeable. The change of gears from top to mids isn't dramatic by any stretch, but it's smooth and pleasant. The base and drydown of bois de Paradis is wrinkle free. Just as placid as the middle accord, a slightly powdery wood and dry amber appear seamlessly. There...

Rum, Cognac, Black Grape. Patchouli, Vetiver, Raspberry. Tobacco, Coffee Beans, Vanilla. Atleier d'Artiste has an opening I enjoy very much. It's rich, substantial and morphs much too quickly into the vanilla fragrance it's destined to be. It seems to straddle gourmand and boozy oriental with the end result simply being a spicy vanilla with a twist and some pretty good presence. The description on Aedes site is a bit mind bending and amusing. Sometimes one can try too hard to set something in a certain light. I read it, smiled and then decided that we shall see just how esoteric Atelier d'Artiste really is. This Nez a Nez release is suited for the masses and I find nothing cliquey about it. It smells full and rather pleasant while eliminating polarizing properties in its composition. The top accord does possess some booze and fruit attributes that are quickly accented with subtle renditions of vetiver and patchouli. I think it's nicely done and wish it las...

Bergamot, Lime, Lemon, Black Pepper, Basil, Rhubarb, Cypress. Rose, Jasmine, Lily, Mimosa, Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Vetiver. Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Musk, Amber, Olibanum, Oakmoss. After trying Nightscape not too long ago and liking it, I thought it a good choice to sample Anvers 2. The note listing looked intriguing and naturally it smells different than I had envisioned it would. Anvers 2 opens with an offbeat citric accord courtesy of bergamot, lime and a latex glove aroma. I deduce that the rubber aspect is coming from the combination of Mimosa and Musk, but this is an educated guess and nothing more. It's more weird than annoying and I have smelled the latex note in a just a few other leather fragrances, yet Anvers 2 is geared to be a floral woody. The top accord also exhibits a mild pepper, but I can't help but be distracted by the rubber quality. I've worn Anvers 2 four times now before entering a review because I wanted to give it a chance. I also hoped I wou...

Montale BLUE AMBER (pre-2007) It has taken me a few wearings to wrap my nose around Blue Amber , which is quite a bit more complex than it seemed at first sniff. This is an excellent labdanum amber (not ambergris) perfume which tweaks the standard recipe by throwing some coriander, geranium, and patchouli into the mix. The coriander is the most marked deviation from the usual amber suspects, imparting an ever-so-slightly medicinal scent to this composition with the capacity even to clear my nasal passages a bit. It's not as dominant as the coriander in Fifi Chachnil , which I recently tested and consigned to my medicine chest for use only as a cold remedy or smelling salts surrogate, but the coriander is still strong enough to be detectable and to tinge this perfume just a smidgeon blue . I must confess that the first couple of times I wore Blue Amber , I did not get it at all. I certainly liked it, but the composition seemed to be a straightforward and very smooth “am...