Blue North Pour Homme by Michael Germain

Bergamot, Verbena, Coriander, Sage, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Saffron, Sandalwood, Cedar, Amber, Musk.

The few reviews found on this particular release ( and I mean a FEW) didn't exactly inspire me to try this. What propelled me to purchase it was the whopping $7 NIB price tag for a 100ml. bottle. I own a few other Germain releases, and while not "go to" fragrances, they have relevance; especially for their price point. My initial reaction to applying Blue North PH was that it reminded me of the ever expanding Nautica line. I could hit you over the head with the worn out terms of "Innocuous and Generic". I'll refrain, in spite of them being appropriate.

On the flip side of "Uninspiring" and even longevity-deficient, I actually enjoy the aroma of Blue North PH. Yes, the blending of notes is muddied, but I do experience ambiguous renditions of lemon-orange in the top. Also present is what I perceive as woods, subtle fruit and a low key aromatic quality in the first few minutes.

The heart and base seem to be one and the same. Once the opening dissipates, a contemporary and inoffensive woody musk digs in and has no intention on vacating the premises. There's a herbal element attached to this accord that accents the outro of this fragrance. All in all, not bad for the peanuts I paid for it and I also can't imagine this scent being inappropriate for any venue.

Sillage is very moderate with longevity approximately 2 hours on me before needing reapplication. Neutral rating from Aromi for Michel Germain's Blue North Pour Homme and as always, a sample wear is highly recommended.

Comments

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...

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...

Paco Rabanne Pour Homme

I am reviewing the original Paco Rabanne Pour Homme ( circa 1973 ) thanks to a generous basenoter who sent it to me recently in a swap. He also sent me the current formulation in order for me to do a side by side comparison. The side by side resulted in what I had already imagined would be the case. Not that the newer formula is terrible by any means. The original version simply is better by being deeper and a bit more masculine. No......you shouldn't go to ebay searching for the vintage formula and paying stupid prices. It's simply a notch or two better than the current and noticeable by comparing the two in real time. Rabanne Pour Homme opens with a slight shimmer in conjunction with lavender, spices and a subtle woodiness. It's an old school introduction, however a good one. The lavender takes about 5 minutes to raise its volume and evolve into a soapy rendition. I dislike when a boatload of soapy lavender takes over a composition, but here it doesn't go over t...

Il Mondo di Odore

Search This Blog