Il Mondo di Odore

I was invited to a Christmas get together and after finding out if it was formal or casual, I started immediately thinking on what fragrance to choose. It so happens it is a casual affair with alcohol and appetizers, etc.... Not being a suit and tie type of guy anyway, I was relieved to know that my crisp Adidas gear would be perfectly appropriate. For years now, that is basically all I wear. I love clima-cool shirts and pants with ( of course) a rockin pair of Nike kicks or reasonable facsimile. Going through my wardrobe for a scent, I am amazed at how lucky I am to own so many outstanding classic frags. It gets bizarre trying to choose when there are so many great ones sitting there waiting patiently to be worn. After much thinking and looking, I decided on one that is absolutely terrific, not only for cold weather, but to go with the mood and season. I chose Aigner's Superfragrance for Men. This herbaceous take on a spicy oriental has actually replaced Patou Pour Homme as my...

Every now and then I run across a splash-on EDC through the generosity of others. I normally wouldn't seek out these scents since I prefer EDT's and stronger concentrations. Swaps are very advantageous in that you get to sample obtuse fragrances. Some turn out to be very good. Such is the case with Ambree. I love the smell of this and can only wish it had more projection and better longevity. However, Ambree comes in large bottles that are designed to pour, so it ends up being 6 of one and half a dozen of the other. This isn't so much an amber than it is a spicy orange with a phantom wood far in the background. There's also a very wispy musk note that seems to come and go at its own leisure. Regardless of the simple accords that apparently constitute Ambree, it smells great and I would be interested in having a full bottle to splash liberally after a shower. I am persuaded to believe that it would make a terrific layering base for a linear amber scent.

Modern masculine that I find banal and uninspired. Does it smell pleasant? Yes, it does, but my clean laundry does as well....and I demand more from a fragrance. This release is yet another in the ocean of mind-boggling clones that fill the shelves in every major department store fragrance counter. It's no mystery why I gravitate to the classic masculines. At least they had some gonads. This scent wishes to please the majority and offend no one. It opens with a subdued tone of synthetic citrus and a dash of ginger. I get no listed basil anywhere, but who cares? From the initial spray, the "generic" aura is imprinted all over this. After awhile, a mild blend of tonka and low quality vetiver step into the breach to bring this puppy home. It could have stayed abroad for all this scent makes me care. I have now achieved angered ambivalence. Kudos to YSL L'Homme for assisting me in reaching this milestone.

1978 brought us this leather chypre from VC&A. Do you like your scents strong, a bit brooding and super masculine? If your answer is yes, you need to at least sample this well executed powerscent. This is darkened wood mingled with leather and moss. From the opening blast of Bergamot, there's an excellent spicy wood already in your face with more wood coming courtesy of the heart accord. I have yet to run across a masculine with juniper that I didn't like. The juniper in VC&A is extremely good and in no time, it hooks up with heavy hitters such as wormwood, cedar, patchouli and vetiver. The rose note ensures this stays meloncholy and the additional florals are predestinated to martyrdom. The anamalic leather base is exactly what you'd expect from a classic power bomb from 1978. It does not disappoint. It stays dark, macho and exudes an attitude that only quality ingredients can give. Comparing this chypre to todays masculines in the same genre is like sentencing...

This 1968 fougere leans to the woody family and like Canoe, it is most assuredly retro but very good in its respective genre. Classic opening of spicy citrus with lavender and the use of subtle anise. The construction and unfolding of notes is dated, but I dare not use that term in a derogatory fashion when describing Timberline. "Dated" isn't always a detriment. In this case, it's a compliment. The heart is a team effort of wood and a dash of cinnamon, with carnation and geranium. The pine and fir are very low key, so much so that the wood dominates. The base is actually oriental in nature with tonka, vanilla and sandalwood augmented with moss and musk. Yes...there is a cologny vibe to Timberline. As my other reviews will attest, I normally shun fragrances that date themselves with similar construction, but Timberline is an exception to the rule.

This is a 1985 scent from Annick Goutal that is polarizing. I had to sample wear this more than once to get the gist of this creation. The initial spray is a jolt of unfamiliar territory. Other reviews mention maple syrup and a host of others guesses, but after 5 minutes or so and focusing on what it is I'm smelling, the dominant note here seems to be a very resinous amber with Everlasting Flower hot on its heels. It is dark, semi sweet and borderline anamalic. There is a slightly smoky pepper wafting around in this eclectic stew. Sables drydown takes awhile and exhibits a toned down sandal with a hint of vanilla that seems to subdue the floral-amber a notch or two. This duo really resonates for quite some time contributing to a scent with exceptional longevity. No doubt Sables is off the beaten path, but it seems to be one of those fragrances that, the more I smell it, the more I adjust and come to like it.

Rose #31 is an Eau de Parfum concentration, yet I don't find it has the projection of your garden variety EDP. It's sillage and longevity is acceptable however, but price point must be a deciding factor for a scent that is $2 plus per ml. With that said, Rose #31 is a masculine version that opens with rose, a hint of cumin, pepper, clove and nutmeg. These accompanying spices are well proportioned and only accent the rose note. I am a fan of rose and have a proclivity for the dark variety. This particular rose is shades lighter, but very good and very masculine. The scent transitions smoothly into a woody accord and I get a nutty vetiver note in the background which is very pleasing. A wispy green floats in and out precursing a soft amber. I cannot perceive the listed oud and I am grateful for that. If it is in fact in there, it's buried fairly deep and I find Rose #31 does not need a prominent oud note to succeed. The rest of the players are more than enough to make thi...