Il Mondo di Odore

I received a sample of this when my bottle of Patchouli arrived last month. I wore it a few times in order to form an opinion of it. After 3 wearings, I'm still not quite sure if I like it or not. Normally, I can decide one way or another by now. Overall, Nuit D'Orient is pleasant enough, but it's the vanilla rendition that hasn't convinced me. After 10 minutes, it resembles the smell of a vanilla candle that has just been extinguished. I admit to not liking the smell of any candle that has just been blown out. However, the vanilla note is fine during the opening and drydown. The hour or more in between I find it mildly irritating. Nuit D'Orient comes in a huge bottle. It's a bulk purchase of 250ml and comes with a 30ml. spray bottle from France. It lists Bergamot, Cedar, Lemon, Patchouli, Rose, Musk, Vanilla, Benzoin and Amber. Upon application, I get a noticeable citrus note along with vanilla. The vanilla rendition is slightly scratchy until the drydown w...

Recently, I stumbled across a 3.5oz. bottle of Sandalo Sandalwood by ERBE Profumi on ebay. It had 50% remaining and since I love sandalwood, I placed a lowball bid and ended up winning it. I had never heard of it before let alone smell it. When it arrived, I was anxious to try it and figured it would be a dud. I say that because I have systematically tried almost all the sandalwood scents that get any love or attention. Since I never heard of this one, the silence spoke volumes. Sometimes, what you don't hear is misleading. It didn't take me one minute of wearing Sandalo to find it related to Villoresi's Sandalo. I immediately thought it a lighter rendition, but it had the rough characteristics of Lorenzo's releases. There's nothing creamy here or remotely resembling a smooth woody. This is very masculine with edges and no apologies. It's full bodied without being loud and commits itself to being a close fragrance within minutes of application. Don't be ...

Is it fair to review a scent before you're even gotten to the drydown? Well, after reviewing a scent that I hadn't even smelled , I suppose it's almost reasonable. I have been waiting for samples of Amouage Honour for a long time.  While a few reviewers received very early samples in May, I had to wait until Parfums Raffy got them in just recently.  But as soon as they did, I was on it.  Early reports of Amouage Honour Man seemed to indicate a good dose of pepper, and I'm something of a pepper lover.  I was hoping that Honour Man might be just the thing to kick Epic Man and Jubilation XXV out of first or second place in my Amouage rankings. But even more importantly, I was interested in the art.  Many scents are produced under a creative director.  This seems to be particularly important at  Amouage , where scents are produced under Christopher Chong.  Chong is often actually referred to as the artistic director.  I'm a b...

A few years ago ( and immediately following Fendi's announcement to discontinue their line) I happened upon a sealed 50ml. Fendi for $9.99 in K-Mart. What I didn't realize was just how good this scent is. It was released in 85, but I cannot recollect ever smelling this on anyone. Of course, I purchased it and gave it to Mrs. Aromi. She wore it that night and I knew this was a terrific blind buy. It's indicative of the 1980's but in a very fashionable and classy way. I've since read some disheartening reviews that claim it smells like insecticide and generic bug spray. This aura is also found in Krizia Moods and to an extent, in Giorgio Beverly Hills. It's not a bug spray accord but instead a combination of aldehyde, citrus, cedar oil, rosewood, carnation and geranium. Insecticide never smelled so good. The way these notes are used in the aforementioned scents gives them an almost "fuzzy" texture. Fendi really smells exceptional when misted. It seem...

Allow me to begin this by saying that it is unintentional for 3 Boss fragrances to be reviewed in a row. Well......almost in a row. It's simply coincidence.  For about 2 years now I have been on the fence about buying Boss Spirit. All my research dictated I would love this and it surely would be the best Boss release of them all. I have been known to be wrong ( just ask Mrs. Aromi ), but I was pretty certain about this one. I thank God that I have become a bit smarter in my buying habits. Until recently, I would buy certain fragrances blind and naturally they would be bottles. Suffice it to say I've had my share of hits and misses, but the misses started to become very frustrating. I should add that it is probably stupid as well, but that may be a bit harsh as I do not wish to call others who may be reading this stupid. I simply speak for myself. Anyway, back to Boss Spirit. Yes, the one I would love without ever smelling it beforehand. I purchased only a mini to be on th...

Most fragrances released during the Eighties were heavy and strong, and I think this explains why so many of them fall into the "love it or hate it" category.  Boss Number One (originally simply called "Boss") is no exception.  It's not only a dense, rich fragrance, but it also has a sort of underlying dirty smell, a quality that will automatically polarize opinions about this scent. This was the first Hugo Boss fragrance, and it's so different from the rest of their fragrance line.  Whereas almost all of the Boss scents smell cheap, synthetic and devoid of character, Number One is rich, heavy, elegant and smells like it's made of quality materials. If I were to categorize this scent, I'd call it a tobacco chypre, because tobacco and oakmoss are the two most prominent smells in Number One.  From start to finish, Number One is warm and super smooth, with an overall brownish hue to its scent.  Honey and patchouli are also prominent in this scent, ...

Ah, Xerjoff. I knew we'd cross paths someday. While there seem to be dozens of overpriced niche releases, the last four-odd years have seen an explosion in scents that set one back more than two-hundred dollars. When the prices get this high, the perfumes have to be that much better to make them worth my while. Give me a great fragrance and I'll shell over a hundred dollars. Give me a holy grail in a much-loved category ( e.g. gardenias, leather frags ) and I might shell out over two-hundred dollars. Ask me for four-hundred dollars and smelling your fragrance has to be the equivalent of Apollo sticking his fingers up my nose and zapping my brain full of everlasting ecstasy. Rolling in at 635$, Richwood is begging a lot from me before I even open the tester vial, and not selling to me with its name. I know it's trying to appeal to the simpler sorts among the nouveau riche, instinctively drawn to Prosperityphallus in a bottle, but to me it's the ...