Il Mondo di Odore

Rum, Coconut, Lime, Tobacco, Coffee, Cannabis Essential Oil, Vintage Musks, Vanilla, Cumin, Atlas Cedar Okay......this is a definitely a different aroma. I almost feel like I'm packed in an elevator with one part Granola crowd, one part Rastafarian and the other an assortment of suit and tie guys just coming from a meeting. The first few minutes after application, the contrast of coconut, Lime, Cedar and Ash is a bit eyebrow raising for me. I don't mean the strength, just the aroma. I don't like it, nor do I dislike it. It's weirdly different and maybe just a hair off putting. On the other hand, some of you out there may love this conflict of notes. It does calm down rather quickly and manages to integrate the coconut a bit better once the heart accord commences. The standouts on my skin are the tangy Coconut and ashy Tobacco. The juxtaposition is eclectic and this is accented with Cedar. I suppose it's simply a grouping of notes I haven't experience...

Blood Orange, Tobacco, Spices, Vanilla Bean, Sandalwood, Oud, Incense. Whaddya get when you mix 3 parts Bond-T from Sammarco and a dash of Ore from Slumberhouse? If you took a wild stab and said.......Broken Theories...???....my skin would be in complete agreement with your assumption. Comparisons aside, Broken Theories is good, especially if you're partial to the aforementioned fragrances. It's price point is also better, so that's a definite come up. Even though Cocoa is not listed, I definitely get the suggestion of it as soon as I apply it. The citrus in the opening is enjoyable, but fleeting. I wish it would have hung around longer on the skin. The other notes all collaborate and bring to life a dense, woody, semi-smoky conglomerate. Either their union has brought about the suggestion of coca, or it's in there and not listed does not matter. It's there, it's good.......and you'll like it........or not..... Broken Theories is dark. It leans m...

Spearmint, Geranium, Star Anise, Violet, Benzoin, Sandalwood, Musks. Before I ever wear a scent, I'll research it a bit. It doesn't matter if folks are fawning over something or have judged it in a negative light. I have my own opinion and after reading what I could find, I expected, well..... the spectacular. No, that doesn't set the sample wearings up for failure. I always hope everything I sample is fantastic, but we all know how that turns out. Had I never read a thing about Jade, my opinion would be the same as it is now. It's nice.......and that's about it. Jade delivers in the green department. What blooms on my skin is spearmint with soft floral accents, a hint of wood in the drydown and throughout the life of the scent, a nice contribution of licorice. That said, there really isn't any development on me while wearing Jade. This is all about Spearmint and Anise. This doesn't lean masculine or feminine. It's pleasant, non threatening a...

Vetiver, Black Pepper, Spice, Mandarin, Iris, Bergamot, Benzoin, Coumarin, Tobacco. Just looking at the name, without seeing or experiencing the notes, led me to believe this would be a feminine and seductive type scent. A masculine called Triple X??? Once applied to skin, I kind of grinned because this implements a few, dominant notes I enjoy, depending upon how they are tuned. What is noticeable on me, during my wearings, is the Peppery Citrus and Tobacco. I have no idea why they decided to call this XXX, but the scent itself is good, masculine and rather long lasting; a trait that seems to be genetic for West Third Brand. Once enough time has elapsed for the base notes to reveal themselves, I begin to detect an earthiness, along with a mild, underlying soap that fits quite well with the drydown. Not what I expected, but enjoyable nonetheless. Sometimes, two stages of development is a nice reprieve from the completely linear fragrances I've been testing as of late. Th...

Baruti's NOOUD proclaims that it smells of oud, but doesn't contain a single drop. Personally, I don't detect oud here, but if smoky and charred, leathery woods are your thing, you may really like this one. There isn't listed notes that I could find; as if it's a top secret thing. My educated guess is some Cade, Castoreum, Leather, Incense, Cedar, Sandalwood. NOOUD is an extrait and while not a room clearer, it stays very full in your personal space area. I've worn other similar releases that showcase the smoke and woods and I'll say that Baruti has done a real good job with this one. This smells niche, if there is such a thing as smelling "niche". Those in this hobby know what I'm referring to. Tenacious, well blended and perceived quality is the impression I get when wearing NOOUD, however....liking it is another ballgame. This isn't for everyone and it leans masculine. NOOUD is an Indie release that's selling for almost $4 ...

Oud, Indian Green Tea, Ambergris, White Musk. Okay......it's been quite awhile since my initial application of Oud'ish by ZARKOPERFUME and I'm still waiting to stumble upon the Oud. Playing it safe by deeming it "oud-ish" is one thing, but at least give me a facsimile of the note. Nuttin happenin folks. The cows will come home, breed, eat, crap and die of natural causes before you experience any oud-like anything here. That said and my heartfelt rant over, does Oud'ish have any redeeming qualities? Yes, indeed it does; however I wish they would have named this T'ambergris. This fragrance is linear and very uncomplicated, showcasing Tea and Ambergris on my skin. It does have a contemporary feel to it and either gender can rock this no problem. Even into the base and drydown, mild Tea, Balsam and Amber are evident at the expected lower volume. The musk that others seem to experience eludes me, but I'm not really disappointed by its lack of pres...

Zdravets, Aglaia, Massoia Bark, Olive, Cognac, Pear. So, you wish to smell like a big ass pear with woody undertones do you? If your answer is yes, then Pear & Olive should suit you perfectly. Every review I've read already is telling in its own way. Some can't wrap their head around the concept, let alone the aroma; while others simply enjoy the uniqueness of it. As for me.....well I can't say I get the same olfactory experiences others do. The greasiness is one of the qualities I simply don't get, however I do get Pear with woods and a subtle undercurrent of booziness. It's not groundbreaking, but it really is a nice rendition of Pear.....if you go for that sort of thing. The concentrations are high in Slumberhouse releases, so it stands to reason that Pear & Olive has extremely good longevity. It doesn't disappoint in that area and the sillage is above average as well. I wouldn't relegate this scent to certain temps since it smells li...

Oud, Sandalwood, Amber, Vanilla, Lavender, Iris, Orange Bitters. As soon as I sprayed this on for my first wearing, I had two thoughts. One was "I like it".....and the other was "Incense"? I hadn't expected that note, but there it is, in all its glory, wrapped up inside a fragrant tortilla consisting of mild Agarwood, Lavender, Woods and a really nice rendition of Bitter Orange. It's interesting to note that Allysa Ashley's Oud pour Lui surprised me with Incense, but it's more of a team player in R'oud Elements and balances everything out rather well. The listed notes give a good account of themselves here and the breakdown on my skin is two stages of development. Once the spicy and bitter citric accord subsides, R'oud evolves into a Woody Oriental with resin. The totality of my wearings is a positive experience. This scent is smoky in all the right ways without ever resorting to theatrics. I would have seriously enjoyed the Orang...

Sandalwood, Cedar, Vetiver, Amyris, Patchouli, Coumarin, Citrus Peel, Benzoin, Vanilla. My journey through the product line of West Third Brand continues with Old Bourbon. I'm persuaded, at this juncture of sampling their creations, that they have their own base foundation that everything springboards from. It's like the house soup. 'Bad thing you ask? Not really, since most I've tried so far are bottle worthy. I wish they would cut down on the Benzoin-Vanilla duo in the base and not use it in practically everything. It's starting to get redundant. On the other hand, it's a comfortable wear, with good longevity and price point, so what you have is a bit too much similarity come base and extended drydown. Old Bourbon however does not conjure up aged-soaked barrels of the libation on me. The coumarin implemented here, more than likely, is a sub that resembles sweet vanilla more than anything else. Old Bourbon has subtle woods and earth on my skin, but mo...

Tobacco leaves, Patchouli, Red Amber, Tonka Bean, Vanilla Bean. Well, this is the first West Third Brand offering to leave me ambivalent. I've been impressed, so far, with this house and I suppose the law of averages dictates some misses along with the hits. Voyage d'Tabac isn't a bad release. It just does nothing for me. I get a bit of all the listed notes here, but it's blase' on my skin and I can muster no excitement in my description of it. Some may find this very suitable, however I find nothing that stands out and I attempt to avoid owning fragrances that don't exude some type of energy when I wear them. Voyage d'Tabac smells pleasant enough; aside from just laying on the skin. In 10 minutes of application, the Vanilla and resin begin to rise from the base and integrate with the Tobacco that's been evident from the opening. I can't say I experience much else and the totality of Voyage d'Tabac is simply reminiscent of too many othe...

Lavender, Iris, Vanilla, Amber, Cedarwood, Vetiver, Ah ! The hype train has elevated Dio Homme Intense to almost mythical status. I speak of the original release with the silver collar. I happen to be reviewing the current formula ( black collar ), but was exposed to the original sometime in 2008. I never owned the silver collar, yet I own the current release. That's not to say I think the new is better. It simply means that years ago, I didn't think enough of Dior Homme Intense to add it to the wardrobe. My tastes have since changed and the current formula is a worthy addition. It doesn't have the cocoa note many enjoy from the 2007 version, but if I want cocoa, I have others to turn to. The anchor in the current formula is vanilla. It is dominant, on my skin, from the initial spray until the extended drydown gives its last gasp. During the course of the wearings and at different stages of time lapse, the opening accord naturally gives way to dissipation and reveal...

Lemon, Bergamot, Rosemary, Lavender, Patchouli, Geranium, Ambergris, Iris, Musk. Martine Micallef's White Sea possesses a seriously good opening accord of Citrus and spicy Lavender. While this quickly dissipating accord envelopes you immediately after application, the Iris note is already swimming to the surface for a breath of air. Like Yellow Sea, the construction is on the dense side and makes me feel like I'm wearing something well made. Most of Martine Micallef's creations are, in fact, well made and off the beaten path. That's a good thing, but the marketing is another ball game altogether. It's like professional parfumeurs make something of substance, then relinquish it into the hands of amateurs for sale to the public. White Sea doesn't remind me of the "sea", nor does it bring up images of seashores, wooden decks and the smell of brine. Personally, I could care less if a name doesn't correspond with the aroma. White Sea happens to ...

Tobacco, Anise, Orange, Cedar, Sandalwood, leather, Clove, Musk. Fans of Versace's Dreamer may just want to give this a spin. It's in that wheelhouse, but not a spot-on clone. This is one of the better clove implementations I've come across as of late and it adds a nice dimension to Marche De Tabac's opening accord. There are moments where I think I'm getting whiffs of mint, but I believe it's the way the clove is interacting with the Tobacco, Anise and Citrus notes. Be aware that this also goes on a bit oily and if you think that may be an indicator of good longevity, you would be correct. This creation is also linear like the others I've worn from this house, but I still haven't sampled one yet I've disliked. Upon application, Marche De Tabac salutes you with the house note of Tobacco accented with hints of Orange, subtle Licorice and Clove. It's a rather dense accord that stays very full with about average sillage. The projection is ...

Pear, Raspberry, Saffron, Bulgarian Rose, Orange Blossom, Oud, Patchouli, Amber, Musk. You would think, by the listed notes at least, that this offering would tilt feminine. On my skin however, I would say this is as shared as you can get; not to mention an interesting take on the genre. I have to admit that I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I do. Gucci Oud sits in the middle of the gender line and has a conservative volume and presence. The overall scent is linear and the oud is very detectable from the moment you apply it. The fruit, floral and saffron notes accent the oud note during the top and heart, only to be joined by a subtle resin and musk during the base and drydown. The Raspberry note is integrated nicely here. I recently reviewed a masculine fragrance with a well tuned Raspberry and either I have found a new note that I didn't realized I liked........or........I've been fortunate to sample two fragrances that have a well done rendition of it....

Moss, Tobacco, Cedar, Leather, Patchouli, Musk. Vintage Leather by West Third Brand is truly all about Leather. The opening spray greets you to leather accentuated by tobacco ( surprise, surprise !!! ). The extended drydown avails the wearer a supple, Aramis facsimile and whatever assists come from the other listed notes are merely props in the leather play. I suppose the most surprising quality Vintage Leather afforded me with was its longevity. From the initial spray, it didn't possess that recognizable tenacity I normally get from a scent that has serious hang time. However, Vintage Leather did not care about my opinion and decided to hang around all day after 3 spritzes. If there is a downside to this release, it's because it's a one-trick pony. To Darwin's dismay, there will be no evolution in aroma or accords. It simply is what it is and what you smell coming out of the bottle is what you'll enjoy in the drydown; albeit at a much lower volume and pro...

Sweet Tobacco Leaf, Honey, Cocoa, Tonka Bean, Tobacco Flower, Dried Fruit, Exotic Woods. Well folks, I can't say I know what Tobacco Flower is, or what exactly is meant by Dried Fruit or Exotic Woods, but I will say I like Tobacco 1812. West Third Brand is an Indie House I'm investigating as of late, due to hearing good things and their economical price point. Naturally, I don't expect every release to be to my liking, but so far, they are 2 for 2. Tobacco 1812 is sweet indeed, but not cloying or off putting. It's about as sweet as I'd want it to be without crossing the line in a tabac offering. The Tonka, Vanilla and Honey may not be integrated perfectly, but the blending is good enough. In part, Tobacco 1812 reminds of a vanilla candle. Only in part mind you, as possibly the backdrop of the fragrance. Vanilla is what blooms the most on my skin during every wearing. The tobacco, at least on me, is minimal at best, but I do get the suggestion of it. The sa...

Incense, Spices, Oud, Amber, Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Patchouli. If you happen to be on the prowl for an oud fragrance that has no rose, but is tenacious, enveloping and lasts for days, then look no further than P-100 Jubilee from the Signature Line of Schlossparfumerie. For longevity and presence, I'll give this a 10, but I gotta tell you that this is simply too much for me. Think Jack Nicholson screaming "You can't handle the Oud" !!! In my case, this is true. For my westernized sensibilities, I need a toned down and highly integrated rendition of this note. P-100 Jubilee is like getting punched in my mouth with both fists at once. I'm certain there are MANY who will absolutely love this Oud. They're tired of the watered down, synthetic wannabees that posture and position themselves in the niche market. P-100, on the other hand, is just too real for me to deal. I'll leave this one for the legit Oudies. There are obviously other listed notes here ...

Thyme, Raspberry, Jasmine, Cashmere Wood, Labdanum, Iris, Leather, Cedar, Amber, Musk. I came across this recently and decided to add it to the collection. As always, I look for information if I've never sampled it before in order to decide if I'm going to pull the trigger or not. To be honest, there isn't a whole lot out there on this scent, but what I did read intrigued me enough to go for it. Leather Oudh proved to be a good blind buy. As has been the case lately, I'm reviewing yet another fragrance that doesn't possess much movement. It's more a matter of the volume lowering over time, in order to unveil the base notes and drydown. Regardless, Leather Oudh is a nice wear. Leather Oudh opens with a sheer accord of fruity leather. It's different, it's funky and I like it. Within a few minutes, the Iris inserts itself and lends a stemmy-violet like quality to the top accord. Even with multiple sprays on the same spot of skin, Leather Oudh does...

Agarwood, Patchouli, Red Rose, Sandalwood, Benzoin, Jasmine, Teakwood, Balsam, Cardamom, Vanilla, Musk. I've decided to focus, as of late, on indie houses that are garnering some attention. I've heard some positive things about West Third Brand and decided to investigate for myself. I've chosen to begin with Oudh Noire due to oud being a problematic note for some. I've applied 2 sprays of Oudh Noire about an hour ago. The opening is bright without any heaviness whatsoever. You can smell the triumvirate of Oud-Rose-Jasmine immediately and as the life of the scent progresses, the only changes I detect are this opening accord dissipating into a personal space scent and the introduction of mild wood, balsamic and earth tones. Oudh Noire has a light nature without conceding its soul. West Third Brand seems to rely on the opposite approach taken by upcoming artisan perfumers who build their creations with density. Still, I find myself getting decent longevity. The u...

Cocoa, Castoreum, Patchouli, Tonka, Vanilla. Osmanthus. Giovanni Sammarco is a relative newcomer in the artisan perfume market. By newcomer I mean 2012 going into 2013. He is part of a slowly emerging group of independent perfumers that create substantial fragrances and ones that you won't find mass produced or marketed. Bond-T is the only one if his line I've tried so far, but it has the DNA and tenacity you'd expect from high concentrations and the use of numerous absolutes. So far, I've worn Bond-T a number of times and have no problem stating that, at least for me, this is a fall-winter scent. It has gravitas and disdains conventional "transitions" as most artisan scents I've sampled seem to have in common. What's conceded in the top-to-heart-to-base and beyond is made up for with substance and longevity. Bond-T is one of those scents that will envelope you in a shroud of aroma and still be detectable the next day. Fragrances made in this...

Apple, Bergamot, Blackcurrant, Pineapple, Lemon, Rose, Birch, Jasmine, Musk, Ambergris, Patchouli, Vanilla. I have to admit that, after my first application of Club de Nuit Intense man's opening accord, I was liking what I was smelling. I'd be exaggerating if I said I was IMPRESSED, but after all, good is good regardless of who creates it or how much it does or doesn't cost. The initial volley is on the sheer side and evokes a more contemporary feel. The combo of citric-fruit is never overpowering, yet remains front and center for the life of the scent.  There's a mild "metallic" suggestion here, but that could be just me. It's enjoyable and you may or may not detect that aspect. After all, nothing is more subjective than this hobby and this is simply one mans opinion. I do like the tuning and implementation of citrus, blackcurrant and fruit. The citric accord juxtaposes nicely with the fruit and blackcurrant and somehow manages to carry w...

Bergamot, Lavender, Lime, Lemon. Aniseed, Tarragon, Caraway, Orange Blossom. Leather, Sandalwood, Patchouli, Cinnamon, Tonka Bean, Basil, Oakmoss. As a sandalwood fan, I'm always game on picking up a bottle of something I've never owned before. That goes double for a NOS with Box. Now, if you happen to like your sandalwood slightly spicy, dry and a tad austere, you will undoubtedly enjoy this. Personally, I like creamy sandalwood interpretations the most, but I do have days where sparser is better. In spite of this being an Eau de Toilette, it wears close. It reminds me of Compania Delle Indie's Legno di Sandalo quite a bit; not only in aroma, but how it wears. For whatever reason, I like wearing classics like this on gloomy, overcast or rainy days. Chalk it up to personal quirks. The scent itself isn't depressing, so don't read too much into that. It happens to be one of those fragrances that seem to "fit" days such as that, Santal has minim...