Il Mondo di Odore

  I’ve spent years searching for a true sandalwood soliflore -  a fragrance that does justice to Mysore, one that places sandalwood front and center, unadorned and unapologetic.  Don’t get me wrong: there are many great fragrances with sandalwood. Égoïste , Samsara , Santal Noble  - all excellent in their own right. But none of them are really about sandalwood. Égoïste is a study in spices. Samsara revolves around jasmine, rose, and ylang-ylang. Santal Noble is, at heart, a patchouli fragrance. In all of these, sandalwood is just another player in the orchestra - important, yes, but never the soloist. And then there is Floris Sandalwood . This is it. A true sandalwood soliflore. There are supporting notes - violet, iris, perhaps a touch of jasmine — but they seem to know their place. They hover briefly, add a little polish, and then quietly step aside. After an hour or so, all that remains is sandalwood : creamy, dry, meditative Mysore, glowing from the sk...

  An old post. But topical.  Etat Libre d'Orange : Like This A perfectly timed fall release, it hard to find something more seasonally appropriate than this; it even lists pumpkin it its notes. To my nose it's like a dense, moist gingerbread held together with a non-sweet molasses and vetiver, and washed down with a glass of spicy ginger beer. It couldn't be more right for this day. SCARINESS FACTOR: ( Harmless and child-friendly. ) Bvlgari: Black Black is certainly one of the oddest fragrances to enter the mainstream - an accord of tar and truck tires over powdery, incensey vanilla. But for all that, Black is more seductive than weird - a pretty, fairly normal girl who just happens to be in a kinky outfit. SCARINESS FACTOR: ( More charming than alarming. ) Comme des Garcons: Guerilla 1 It's hard to know just what the target audience is for this one. Mechanics who love flower arranging? Who knows, but its combination of champaca flower with something strange, ...

   Arsène Lupin — the legendary “gentleman thief” created by Maurice Leblanc — was a master of charm and disguise. Guerlain’s Dandy and Voyou pay tribute to this elusive figure. I like to think Dandy is what Lupin wears while mingling with Parisian high society, and Voyou when he slips into the shadows to steal their jewels. Like its namesake, Arsène Lupin Dandy is a chameleon. It opens with a sharp, green bitterness — galbanum, cardamom, and a hint of cumin wrapped in incense. Then it reveals its suave side: leather, patchouli, florals, and olibanum glide forward, evoking the elegance of an old salon. Finally, it settles into a smoky, powdery iris — refined yet a little dangerous, as if the gentleman has vanished, leaving only his cologne and a calling card behind.   There’s a whisper of Habit Rouge and Héritage in its DNA — perhaps a formula that strayed from either and found its own roguish path. Whatever the case, Dandy lives up to its name: elegant, complex...

My first Slumberhouse. I had high expectations with this one. The top is the best — incense + animalics + sweet resins. Loved it. There’s a hint of oud at the back, hidden up top by incense and cumin. I suppose the cumin-oud-musk combo can be called leather (think Dior’s Leather Oud ). To me it’s predominantly an incense + cumin + resin fragrance. What I like most here is the balance and blending — very unlike the others (Norne, Baque, Sova).     And yeah — somehow this really is giving 6-7 energy. Mysterious, moody, looks better the more you stare at it, and no one can quite explain why it hits that hard.

   Leave it to Slumberhouse to make a gourmand that doesn’t play by the rules. Sova carries the same syrupy resins that Josh Lobb is known for — thick, rich, almost tactile — but this time, there’s a twist. Beneath the sweetness lies something savory, unexpected, almost culinary. People have compared it to Indian curry, and they’re not wrong. To my nose, it’s closer to Punjabi mango pickle  - that intoxicating mix of mustard oil, onion seed, and anise used to preserve green mangoes. The resemblance is uncanny: sharp yet rounded, spicy yet oddly comforting.     Somehow, Josh has tuned that accord just enough to keep it from tipping into pungency. The result is bold, strange, and oddly addictive — a perfume that smells like memory and madness in equal measure. A brilliant experiment. I just can’t wear this pickle.

   Amber is one of the most versatile notes in perfumery. It fixes, warms, and illuminates — the quiet backbone behind so many great compositions. Add vanilla and you get an oriental; weave it through woods and it glows from within. But in almost every form, amber carries sweetness — a molten, honeyed weight. Until L’Air du Désert Marocain . Somehow, Andy Tauer managed to make amber dry — parched, sun-baked, and resonant with heat. That, I suppose, is where the Désert comes in. This isn’t the soft, golden amber of comfort; it’s the kind that shimmers off sand and stone. The spices — gentle, windblown, never sharp — add texture and movement, evoking the hum of a souk at dusk. It’s both intimate and vast, familiar and otherworldly. The name fits perfectly. The fragrance, even more so. Andy has released a few flankers of the original. Coeur, Intense and the solid perfume. I have tried the solid and the Coeur and you cannot go wrong with any of them. 

  Proteo Profumi created something remarkable with Pandora Pour Homme , originally released under the J. Casanova label. It never caught on, so a few years later they tried again, rebranding it as Mediterraneum by Proteo. Some even claim it was reborn yet again as a Versace fragrance — though I’ve never seen a bottle to back that up. Most likely, that’s just one of those fragrant myths that grows legs on the internet. The juice, however, remains unchanged — and it’s simply amazing . Pandora feels like a bridge between two eras: it sits neatly between Balenciaga Pour Homme and M7 . Not as loud or animalic as Balenciaga, yet far more complex than M7’s clean restraint. There’s a shadow running through it — something dark, resinous, a little dangerous. The rumor mill says Balenciaga contained oud, and that M7 sparked the era of modern “faux oud.” While oud isn’t listed here, I’d wager Pandora hides a touch of it — that’s what gives it that woody shimmer, that polished darkness...

  This is an incredible fragrance crafted in true vintage style. It immediately brings to mind Femme Rochas in its original formulation — though, dare I say, it might even surpass it. While the vintage Femme aimed to capture the scent of a woman’s well-worn leather handbag, Carthusia achieves that vision with greater finesse. The balance of aldehydes is spot-on — effervescent yet smooth — and the interplay of peach and iris lends a soft, suede-like texture that feels utterly luxurious. Chanel like but better. This bottle, too, came to me through Quarry . Even now, it feels touched by her presence. It still smells, somehow, faintly of her kindness. What truly astonishes me is that Carthusia managed to create something this rich and evocative within modern IFRA restrictions. If they can pull this off, one wonders why so many other houses can’t.

Andy started Tauerville to do the things he could not — or would not — do within his main line. It was his playground: a space to be more playful, more experimental, more free . The FLASH series was born from that spirit — a collection of bold, soliflore-inspired creations that distilled an idea down to its essence. And among them , Rose Flash was my favourite. I’m not sure why I didn’t buy it back then — I was still a bit of a newbie and thought it would be around forever. Perhaps Quarry knew better. After she was gone, this bottle found its way to me — as if she had sent it from somewhere unseen, one last fragrant gesture of friendship. I can almost imagine her smile, knowing I’d finally fallen for it the way she always had. Andy never wanted this flash rose dissected or analysed — and I won’t. Some perfumes are meant to be felt, not studied. Rose Flash is one of those rare fragrances that bypasses intellect and goes straight to the heart. It’s a beautiful, sweet, jammy ROSE ...

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 shifted towards AI-driven creation ? For those unfamiliar with these recent Chanel releases, Comète is a modern interpretati...

I tried Comete by Chanel today and wanted to write about how Chanel is going by the way of Roger Dove - copying old masterpieces. I did not know where to post that and then I realized I have been neglecting this blog. When I logged in I saw an unfinished post I wrote a year ago about Teatro Alla Scala by Krizia. Teatro is the best full bodied floral - better than any Chanel or Patou. Even better than Gucci L'Arte.  A brief background: Teatro Alla Scala is an Opera theatre in Milan. The bottle's design is an homage to the theatre and the perfume an homage to its sophisticated patrons. I wanted to write a symphony for it. Maybe some day. For now here are few notes I wrote comparing EDT vs EDP.  And if you don't have Teatro, your wardrobe is incomplete Rose, Jasmine, Tuberose. Jammy berries (more in EDP) . Honey note listed is probably the jammy part Vetiver & moss - more in EDT Rose and carnation is more than jasmine and that is what separates it from other florals like J...

 I have been meaning to post more here but just have not been able to. I think it is the fear of not coming close to what Dave did here. I will have to cross that bridge soon. In the meantime, please enjoy these last few reviews that Dave was working on. They were written in 2021. Some were posted and then taken off the blog. These are the reviews of the Yellowstone Parfums line. I heard about this line in 2021. The smell description and artwork reminded me of Dave. I thought he was the person behind it and so I got a sample set.  It turned out that, while he was not the nose behind it, he was involved. Helping his friend with this venture. Unfortunately, I don't think the Yellowstone Parfums are in business anymore. 

  Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Cinnamon, Coffee, Myrrh, Amber Vanilla. The first thing I have to say about this particular fragrance pertains to the Coffee note. I've owned multiple releases of MPG's Santal Noble, over the years and a few had different renditions of a coffee note implemented. I love Santal Noble and still have a bottle of the original release. It's like a Holy Grail frag to me. Enter Sandalo Cafe. This version of a coffee note is intriguing to say the least. It's immediate straight out of the bottle and to me, it smells like a Cinnamonized Mocha Latte layered with Sandalwood. It's one of those eccentric openings that I keep sniffing. The amazing thing for me is that this "opening" stays around for quite awhile. It's like Sandalo Cafe has 2 accords instead of 3 and from the initial spray, you get what I just described until the dry down commences to reveal a pleasant woody Van-Amber. Even as the Sandalwood note dissipates during the course of...

  Orange, Bergamot, Rose, Jasmine, Vetiver, Castoreum, Oud, Agarwood, Saffron, Birch Tar, Cedarwood, Amber, Labdanum, Benzoin, Leather. Anzar's opening is a cacophony of notes. I detect Oud, Agar, Citrus, Woods and smoke from Birch Tar. Within minutes, there's a leathery element attaching itself to the accord. To me, this is masculine all the way and this aroma is what stays with me for almost the entire wearing. I say almost because at the end, Amber makes an appearance due to the other players finally dissipating. In the past 10 years, I've owned numerous Ouds from Niche and Designer alike. The two I have really liked were niche releases ( Oud for Love by TDC and Mona's original Oud before her untimely passing ).  The designer Ouds were okay, but nothing special and I sold them off. Anzar wears more like a Niche Oud, but it's nothing like the aforementioned, luxury ouds ( as I like to call them). Anzar is like a masculine cousin from a rough neighborhood. Now, do ...

Bergamot, Green Notes, Spices, Floral Accord, Woods, Oakmoss Absolute, Patchouli, Smoke, Vetiver. Gentleman surprised me in the sense that I "expected" a Patchouli driven vehicle due to my ingrained connection to Givenchy's vintage release of the same name. Not so Grasshoppa. The opening of Yellowstone's Gentleman is a herbaceous, green accord that manages to stick around for basically the life of the scent. It's more along the lines of Homme de Gres, but denser and longer lasting. The top accord, on my skin, is very durable and lasts much longer than most. You can detect the other players underneath supporting this fresh green aura, yet during my wearings, they never truly conquer the opening. It's as if Gentleman blows out of the bottle fully developed. That's fine by me because I like this accord and the fragrance has good longevity. The listed "Green Notes", Oakmoss and Vetiver are the dominant DNA players in Gentleman. Together, they are her...

  Lavender, Atlas Cedar, Sandalwood, Musks, Amber, Vanilla Bean, Benzoin, Tolu Balsam. Two things come to my mind when I spray this on my skin. The first is that this is a strong top accord in terms of projection. The second thing is that this reminds me of a particular release from a certain designer house back in the 1980's ( I'll mention no names ), but this isn't a replica by any means. It shares DNA and to be honest, I like this better. The combination of Lavender with an outspoken Vanilla note is a love it or hate it marriage. I've always either liked it or was indifferent to it, depending upon the overall scent. Pour Lui seems to have captured the right amounts of listed notes to settle on this beast of an opening. It calms down within 5 minutes and retains a friendly posture that has good longevity and just smells good. It's very uncomplicated and I think that was the point. It's fully developed right out of the chute. The only things that changes on my ...

Dark Patchouli, Woods, Citrus, Amber, Labdanum, Vanilla Bean, Musk, Incense, Castoreum. I'm a self avowed sucker for Patchouli. I pretty much like them all and the ones I presently own and no longer have consisted of varying interpretations of the note. I admit to finding redeeming qualities in basically all of them. Yellowstone Patchouly is no exception. There's a noticeable Orange note in the opening salvo and even beyond. I like this combination. This particular citrus note is married to the Patchouli and I find it well integrated. For the first 5 minutes or so, it's all about a smooth Patchouli infused with orange. After the 5 minute mark, I can begin to smell the mild resin and Vanilla making their appearance. This is not loud or boisterous. Even the opening volley has manners. I say that thinking of Bois 1920 Real Patchouly, who barnstorms the wearer with their opening accord. Make no mistake, I still own Real Patchouly and actually like it more now than when I bought...

  Atlas Cedarwood, Musk, Floral Note, Fruit Note, Vetiver, Oakmoss Absolute. Yellowstone Parfums is new and they have 8 fragrances listed on their site as of now. I'm going to systematically review half of them because they feature predominant notes I've always gravitated to. Cedarwood is one of those notes, however, as much as I like it, the one problem I've had with a few I've owned (for example Tumulte PH and Gucci ) is that they smell great, but have poor longevity on my skin.  Cedre opens with a bracing shot of Cedarwood and some sort of anonymous smelling heart note. Perhaps it's the fruit listed, but it compliments the in-your-face woods. I like it and I like that this rendition of the featured note is front and center, not to mention rough around the edges. Nothing here to smooth out the opening for the first 5 minutes. The Cedar note stays center stage for about 10 minutes on my skin before softening enough to permit the accompanying notes to augment the he...

Sad news folks. After battle with cancer David passed away earlier this month. He was a great friend and a guide and I will miss him. He loved fragrances, especially vintages and even at the very end all he talked about was fragrances - the batch variations of Lapidus, difference between Opium PH EDP vs EDT, and the sorry state of current perfumes. The only other thing that made him happy was his music. He was a guitarist and if you are interested, you can check out his songs on youtube . He was at peace with himself at the end. In his own words -   I'm in a good place bro. I've always believed in the saying "Don't get caught dead without Christ" Rest in peace bro and keep smelling awesome.  

When I started my fragrance journey, I got a bunch of these from Target to give as gifts. I liked the shape of bottle and its name. It smelled decent though a bit old school. With time, as I tried more fragrances, I thought this is a knock off of other aldehydic florals. Stopped caring for. A few years ago I came across vintage version on eBay for cheap and snapped it up. And I am glad I did cause this version is simply amazing.  You can smell the whole floral symphony with 3D effect. But that is not even the best part. The drydown is where you see its beauty in full. Soft, powdery sandalwood. It is hard to describe how good this is. I have Arpege, No. 5 and Joy in vintage formulation and I find First to be superior. Arpege is too indolic, First goes low on indoles and uses civet to add the funk. Arpege and No. 5, both blind with aldehydes while First uses it for a shimmering glow. Joy is a great white floral but it is overpowered by Jasmine. Lacks the evolution First has.  Al...