Skip to main content

Encounter by Calvin Klein

Mandarin, Cardamom, Rum, Pepper, Jasmine, Patchouli, Cognac, Oud, Cedar, Musk.

Okay, so I'm guessing that the designer houses feel the need to add the oud note in their accord listings these days. The "oud" in Klein's Encounter is reminiscent to barbershop implementations the likes of Black Elixir. To be honest, I prefer this type of oud rendition than I do the boisterous versions found in most high end releases. They tend to be permeating beyond reason, but there are exceptions. The more low-end the oud, the more balanced it seems to be to me. One must take into consideration that the barbershop "ouds" I've tried smell nothing like niche versions. I'm not certain it should even be called oud, but that's another argument.

Encounter by Klein opens with a peppery citrus and balsam. There's a herbal element here lending a polite,stem-like aspect to a safe top accord. Nothing groundbreaking, but pleasant is better than the alternative. It seems so may new releases ( including this one ) embody a borderline chemical vibe and cautious approach. Gone are the days of shock and awe, so for the time being, we will have to become accustomed to a more generic totality.

The Agar rendition is akin to some barbershop products like I mentioned above, but it's balanced and has an acceptable interplay with the implementation of Musk. The Earth and Wood tones are downplayed on my skin, but quite possibly may perform better on others. They accent what's already been described, in spite of being blurred representations. Overall, Encounter is an acceptable masculine for today's sensibilities, but just don't expect anything other than a very ordinary scent. Sillage is average with longevity approximately 4 hours or a little better on me. Neutral rating from Aromi for Clavin Klein's Encounter. A sample wear is highly recommended.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

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...