Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Maxims Pour homme


Maxims Pour homme: have you ever heard an SA say "this scent has a BURST of freshness?"… All the time eh...but never convinced with what you sniffed?? Enter, Maxims Ph.

Powdery sweet accords of intense green notes with an equally intense accord of "refreshing" white florals, which by the way is not really able to shake that color green out of my head...all with a cool breeze of sandalwood. The powderiness, needless to say, stays thruout the entire progression of this scent. One aspect, which really grabbed my attention was this persistent accord of steel to this whole equation..it was Like smellin this accord thru a sterilized, perforated space age steel tube... this feel gives this scent a somewhat unique, fresh in a very shiny, sophisticated kinda way.

The base notes is lush, mossy, powdery with hints of patchouli but mostly mossy, woody with hints of leather. Did I say it stays fresh throughout? They don’t make scents like this one anymore.

Balenciaga Pour Homme


Balenciaga Pour Homme: I cudnt smell anything when I first sprayed it on..coz my senses went numb on first whiff (same thing happened with Furyo btw)..isn’t that how you feel when you have morphine..? So i have heard... Civet…Civet overdose with a spalsh of aldehydes, and honeyed floral notes... i simply loved this one. When i first received it, it was in a splash format (mini)...i splashed a decent amount on my palm and dabbed it on liberally around neck and forearms...whoa! For those who have tested this would know exactly how gritty it is. It’s a experience to say the least. Very intense notes of honeyed floral accords and aldehyde with a liberal dose of vanilla (not pods...more like the ice cream itself) with an strong overdose of civet giving it a "bite". The notes may sound like it's leaning towards gourmand, but it's surprisingly not! It stays on pretty gritty for the first hour or so thereby turning into a remarkably soft floral with a unique combination of Sandalwood, Vanilla, Incense and civet. It was/is an experience indeed and I enjoyed this scent every last bit where is my back up bottle!!! wouldn’t ever wanna be without this one.

For a quick reference, it smells like Ted Lapidus for men mixed with Kouros...the base notes is more like Lapidus pour homme than kouros. This is for someone who likes scents like Lapidus Pour Homme and YSL Kouros.

Balenciaga - Ho Hang Club



Balenciaga Ho Hang Club: A straight ahead, no non-sense Patchouli based scent (smell of earth) with a very powerful accord of florals combined with a powdery extract of spices and woody notes. The base is mostly musky, mossy green with hints of incense and mild touch of leather acting as a comforting anchor retaining its powdery accords with amazing consistentcy. Wish I had the vocabulary to go on and on about this gem…

This one is for people who admire scents like Cartier Santos, Trussardi Uomo & Van Cleef & Arpels ph. not to be missed at any cost. 80's at its best!!

extremely hard to find*

Jaques Bogart Furyo


Jaques Bogart Furyo: Yes, it;s the very same bogart..we identify this company by a release called One Man Show. With Furyo, Bogart created a landmark of sorts..so they did with One Man Show. but unfortunately, what we get today is a reformulated juice with just thelabel of One man show, it;s still good, but not the way the orignal used to smell. One needs to experience the kind of quality Bogart put in early on. Furyo is one eg. on that. it a long discontinued release by Bogart and almost "impossible" to find. it shows up on ebay sometimes and it gets snatched for some $500+. This has to do with the rarity aspect and also, the scent that Furyo is. Furyo contains very high concentration of Fig Tree Leaf Oil and Juniper berry oil making it a scent with high concentration of natural elements. It's quite clearly, the niche scent of 80's. If i have to make a reference, then Costes by Hotel Costes was clearly inspired by Furyo. Maybe coz of its use of Laurel, but that where the similarity stops... Furyo opens with a very "sharp", "arid" accord of laurel, bayleaf and note like rose sherbet...think costes like opening notes, only this one is sharp in approach and has that red feel to it...after an hour or so, this turns up the woody accords with a strong hand of civet. Civet as in, Kouros. Only thing, it doesnt smell anything like kouros apart from the civet reference...Civet in it gives this one the trademark powdery touch. Scent stays sweet, powdery, animalic &pretty linear from here on settling into soft notes of musk (primarily)

Notes listed behind the bottle are: Fig tree leaf absolute, juniper berry oil, Laurel, Vetyver, Tabac, Patchouly, castoreum, Amber and musk. Isn’t it surprising to see essential oils of Fig Tree Leaf and Juniper Berry in its composition?

This is for someone who admires scents like costes(for red spices, laurel and bay leaf), Kouros(for civet), although, this smells radically different as a scent. extremely hard to find scent*

Roberto Capucci - R de Capucci


Roberto Capucci’s R de Capucci: R de Capucci was probably the coolest dude back then. It has this powdery, fresh out of the barbershop with a nice after shave cologne kinda feel to it. It undoubtedly comes across as a green scent…not gritty, but intense, more like holding a bunch of freshly sprouted leaves against nose...doing so, the leaves would give off a slightly bitter, almost citrusy feel…my point is, the citrus doesn’t take ones attention away from the lovely green accord, it's anything but restrained and classy and it wants to make an impression as an well mannered, remarkably fresh and green scent without smelling dated or lemony. Surprisingly, after 15 minutes of application, it gets a bit powdery and the green notes gets a bit more intense, here it reminds me of the structure of the Chanel classic, Pour Monsieur. If anything, this could've easily become Pour Monsieur Concentrate...would have been very apt. Notes of lemon gleams now with a glow to it, giving this gem a breath of freshness and zest and making it more versatile. Floral accords adds to the charm and gives it the signature accord of an era it represented…basenote are pretty soft, mildy powdery, sweet, mossy with lots of fresh vetiver, vanilla like sweetness (and powderiness) with trademark hint of patchouli..

This is for someone who admires Chanel Pour Monsieur type scents

Roberto Capucci - Punjab


Roberto Capucci ‘s Punjab: Getting hold of this scent is as good as getting hold of shalimar. extremely hard to find vintage by the house of Capucci.
Punjab is a no holds barred, vegetal, herbal, amber based scent with a unique touch of floral. I do not get the connection with Leonard Ph but, I can very safely say it has a lot in common with Nina Ricci's Phileas. Only slighltly lighter than Phileas in the vegetal herbal department, nevertheless, not for the light hearted.Would be an overkill to have both in the same wardrobe, saying that, if you like these kind of herbal scents, then it cant get better. Punjab opens with a very warm, powdery smooth note of amber and dust. Very soon the herbal overtones are pretty clear...it stays pretty warm and herbal for an hour or so before moving into second phase where the herbal accord is slightly toned down to make way for exquisite floral accord coupled with cinnamon (the cinnamon init quite clearly reminds me of Creeds seminal release, Baie de Genievere)..the floral elements along with the touch of spice gives this scent a sense of contrast (against herbal notes)…this also helps form the heart notes of Punjab and never falls into the trap of being a one dimensional, herbal scent. What we get towards the base notes is where scents of this era shines...luxurious accords of amber and incense spilled on used leather kind of feel. Such soft use of incense in the accords, very visible, yet, never taking the center stage. The herbal feel is quite toned down by now and makes Punjab a scent which is quite versatile. In the sense, its developments are seamless and enjoyable at every phase.
It’s pretty obvious that Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan derived it's structure from Punjab...and by saying so, I salute SL, for releasing a scent which offers its customers top quality. Although, Punjab smells much more opulent in the amber department..Even Tom fords Amber absolute kind of pales in comparison...which goes on to show the kind of quality that went into this scent.

This is not a pleasant scent, people who don’t like (vegetal) herbal scents can safely stay away from this release but, if you like Nina Ricci's seminal release Phileas, then definitely give this one a shot.

Lancome Sagamore (1985, Vintage edition)


Lancome Sagamore: My First impression of wearing this scent was that of wearing a talcum powder, which wasn’t very sweet. The only hint of sweetness are in it's opening notes where soft notes of (dry) lime peel and herbs peek thru the dense, powdery accords of Lavender..A lavender so rich, one could feel its grittiness, feel it sway, almost taste it. There is a very raw use of Civet here which cuts off any hint of freshness in the scent. kinda gives it a very masculine accord. As the lavender tones down a bit, the notes of lime are much more clearer, although, it's not bright, or sparkling, it smells like dried lemon peel. The framework of this scent is quite obviously like Chanel Pour Monsieur, which makes me think of the Impact Chanel PM had on the perfumery. Sagamore continues to be a green, citrus based chypre in it’s heart notes reminding one of Chanel PM, the only difference, it's not as bright and fresh if you may. Sagamore settles down to a much more relaxed note of vetiver with hints of patchouli and lovely accord of sandalwood towards base...oh how i miss such accords in basenotes..Especially the use o.f sandalwood. Longevity is not exactly what I expected, but a few sprays extra might help JThis could very easily be a daily wear and is not as gothic as one would imagine. it’s a gritty, citrus base woody scent which is dirtied up a bit, yet, Smells a million bucks or more.
People who like Chanel Pour Monsieur type of scents should definitely put this one on their wish list

Monday, July 6, 2009

Gucci Nobile


Gucci Nobile: Crisp green scent with great transparency. Transcends all era and is timeless. For a change, it’s not a green scent which reminds one of Chanel PM. Nobile has to be the inspiration for scents like Malle’s French Lover…not in the use of civet but the juicy, fresh feel of tender, light green colored leaves. It turns a bit floral by mids but still retains it’s green character with a touch of gourmand (burnt sugar?) like accord. The base is a luxurious blend on musk, vetiver and sandalwood. Musk adds to the bite, keeps it fresh, vetiver keeps it green and sandalwood adds to the soapiness, keeping this a fresh scent all the way. A lovely scent for daily wear and a kind which with each wear reveals one secret after other. Incredibly well blended and a top notch composition

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Tom Ford Private Blends



Tom Ford, as we all know is the man who turned around Gucci from a loss making, almost bankrupt fashion house into one of the most profitable and respected Fashion house in the world today. Tom Ford ultimately left Gucci to form his own line (creative/corporate tussle/interferences). In his time with Gucci, one of the many things he did was, he revived two classics by Gucci and created one new scent. Scents created under the creative direction of Tom Ford were Gucci Ph, Rive Gauche Ph & M7. all hailed as classics already and are best sellers. So, when Tom Ford decides to do his own perfume line? We can expect the best and only the best.

So, i finally got to sample four offerings from the Tom Ford Private blends today. Each scent had the quality and theme to go with. However, some scents strongly reminded me of other scents, so in that perspective, i didnt smell something entirely new, but then, i found the quality of TF offerings excellent. Tom Ford Private blends sells for around $180 for a 50 ml and $500 for the 250 ml(pictured below are the 250 ml jugs)

Tuscan Leather: if there is any scent..and i mean any scent, which can compete with Knize 10, it's Tom Fords Tuscan Leather. straight out of spritzer, it has leather written all over it. With Knize ten, i always had this image of spanking new leather product, polished, toned and finished to perfection, at the same time, i used to get this vibe which is very green. With Tuscan Leather, i dont get any green notes. if i had to set a color to represent tuscan leather, it has to be deep brown. i get the smell of a newly tanned leather sheet. it's supple and soft, ready to be moulded into a wallet or a jacket... i tried hard to find other accords in this scent...but, all i could smell was leather, leather and "only" leather. made me wonder, is this one note frgrance..? coz if it is, then this has to be one of the best scents around which is linear. But, when i say linear, it doesnt mean it doesnt have any other tricks in it's bag. it probably has to do with the quality if ingredients that went into it... This one has a mesmerising sillage..and i mean "mesmerising". close to skin, one could smell the finest leather accord you could possibly sniff and away from skin, this scent swirls up in the air exuding different shades of brown and yes, a comforting warm halo of leather. by mids to base..a shiny tanner..almost tar like note appears and lingers on till the end. amazin scent to be worn in winters and or as one may please. a definite must have for anyone who is looking for a good quality, genuine leather based scent.

Noir de Noir: by now, everyone knows Noir de noir is a story abour Rose, saffron and Oudh...the recipe atypical of Montale offerings. i approached this scent with the same expectation, only to find it doesnt have the oudh bite of montale at all. i mean, there is oudh, but not the way Montale does it. I could draw parallels to Amouage's Lyric in terms of the beatiful accord of rose used in this. it also reminds me of L'Artisan's seminal offering Voleur du Roses. in other words, this one has a very enchanting take on rose. it's extremely pleasant yet has that dark bite of Oudh in it. There is a eerie chilly nature to this scent which makes one wonder whether this has frankincense in it's composition. what one gets in the end is a rose prominent scent sufficiently backed up by saffron and spices with the breath of Oudh and incense. im inclined to say Amoauges offering Lyric is far more suprior to this in many aspects and so are many of the Montale's offerings. yet, this is for someone, who isnt necessarily looking for a oudh promninent scent like montale and is ok to overlook the divine accord of rose in Lyric and settle for noir de noir only because this ones cheaper than the amouage. bottomline, it's not a must have, maybe a decant..im more of the Montale types and i love Voleur du roses as well...i wish i cud add Amouage Lyric to this list, but it is simply out of my budget. btw, this one stays pretty close to skin..disappears after couple of hours.

pictured above: 2 ml Samples coffret of the entire Tom Ford offering (2ml each). Rate: $180.

Moss Breches: whew..what a scent. it reminded me of (wet version) of Thundra in the opening notes followed by No.88 kinda accords (of course, minus the rose)...Today i happened to dab a lot more of Moss Breches and what struck me the most is the way patchouli is done here. very wet, sloggy patch i must add. not as dry as in thundra or Ingrant patchouli. this has a very wet forest floor kind of accord. it's clearly visible upon application, almost watery quality, within 5-7 minutes it slowly takes the backstage for other accords to follow in... i have stated elsewhere that i get this vibhuti accord in No. 88, which is white ash, it is very camphory sweet and dry in smell..and exudes a white incense like accord. i could also distantly relate it to an intense version of Chanels masterpiece, Coromandel(could be the patch playing tricks with me). it's pretty spicy in it's opening...but, where SL's Ambre Sultan exudes a color which is golden.. Moss Breches exudes the color white for me. so, it's spicy, but not in the spicy amber type scent we know of. maybe there is Angelica in there that gives it this "white" feel... that said, i dont get that image of Moss from it until i reach the mids to base section. whne someone mentons Moss, the firsts scent that springs to mind is Leonard Ph...however, the mossy nature of this scent is clearly expressed and it's not the smell of wet moss on stone after rain..it's more like dry, golden hued moss over stones...lovely! Patchouli indeed holds this scent and forms the core. but theres a lot of other things going on which doesnt make it a patch exclusive scent. this is a must try for anyone who appreciates C&S's No.88, Creed Angelique Incens & Chanel's Coromandel, and also Leonard ph to an extent (i dont mean to imply all these scents smell similar to each other, it;s just a reference, that im sure we all can relate to).Along with Tuscan Leather, this one has really enchanted me.

Amber Absolute: well, for those who say Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan doesnt have amber..should smell this one for reference. in it's openign accords it reminds one of mid notes of Ambre sultan minus the extreme spicy notes. within 10 minutes it morphs into another scent we adore so much, which is Parfums d'Empire's Ambre Russe. ofcourse minus the leather and herbal accords....so, what that leaves us with is a smoldering accord of glowing amber. it's so powerful, it has the capacity to turn someone warm by merely smelling it. no wonder it's called amber "absolute". this is a straight ahead, no-nonsense, smoldering amber based scent. a definite must have for someone who admires Ambre Sultan and Ambre Russe. isit worth ahaving all these three scents in one wardrobe...? depends. i do have amber sultan..so, i dont need this one. just for our info, this has more in common with Ambre Sultan than with Ambre Russe








Friday, March 27, 2009

Dawn Spencer Hurwitz - Sandalo Inspiritu


Dawn Spencer Hurwitz - Sandalo Inspiritu is a resinous-woody scent with a lot of subtle yet, distinctive developments. a spray (each) on wrist left a oily layer on skin (not as oily as a profumum though). The overall mood of Sandalo inspiritu is (mildly) spicy, (majorly)woody, (to a great extent)earthy, and animalic with the heart of rose+incense over a earthy base of amber & patchouli. Opening accords are pretty blunt and spicy and, to an extent, herbal.. There is a (persistant) wax like accord which gives the opening blast of spices and citrus elements a very smooth, rounded texture, I would like to say civet, coz it feels quite stuffy and creates a (dirty) fur like sensation and taste in upper throat/nose (like Ungaro II). Further up (30-45 mins), the way this scent wafts up in air is almost magical; with those dusty, earthy accords melting into rose, along with dense woody notes of (sandal+rose)wood with spices sprinkled gently over it...all this on a resinous base of Incense, patchouli oil and amber. Patchouli literally breathes in this one and it's presence is only felt alongside it’s wonderful ambery drydown. Rose plays a very important part and essentially forms the heart of this scent giving the sandalwood lot of character(rose never takes the center stage, but is present as a strong note complimenting rosewood and sandalwood)...it also adds to the animalic nature in a broader perspective after couple of hours... the overall wax like accord is omnipresent..But then, that adds to the charm of SI's sillage.
At a certain level, there is a slight resemblance with Parfumerie generale’s L'Ombre Fauve, Ungaro I, II & Tauer's Incense Rose. This scent would remind one of some or the other aspect of those 4 scents. i recall users commenting on this scent being linear, short lived, close to skin, I must respectfully disagree. Close to skin, it smells quite crowded & dense but, away from skin, it's sillage is mesmerizing, it creates a halo of aroma around you. I’d like to refer these kinda sillage as the “aura”..other scents with “aura type” sillage would be Dior Homme, Issey Bleue, Guerlain L’Instant et al.


It's now 8+ hours and this scent is still going strong and has settled to a lovely base of amber and woods. i would now look forward to sample it's parfum extrait, if avaialble...must be some sniff . at $70 for a 30 ml (EdP), it's not cheap..matter of fact, is very close to a lutens or a profumum. the good news is, it's available in 30ml format, therefore, is much easier to procure. DSH also offers .25oz bottles at a very competitive price. Though the quality of ingredients doesnt comes across as a Profumum or a Mazzolari still, this one holds it's place in offering something unique in terms of it's theme, which is very bold and it's ingredients, which comes across as natural and very, very, well blended. some talent this lady.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Ungaro I & II



Ungaro I: One of the first things that one would notice when they apply ungaro I is it's smoldering quality. The definition of "smoldering" fits this scent so perfectly that i cant really associate any other scent with that word. the definition (of smoldering) by the way is "to burn slowly and gently, usually with some smoke, but without a flame". How apt. i think it's patchouli oil along with woody resins and lavender which gives it this smoky, wax like feel and heat.



This scent opens with a very warm note of lavender melting into a wax like note of rose, smoldering on patchouli oil and woody notes. By mid notes, this wax like accord gets more blunt and sorta envelopes the wearer. The interplay of woody and floral notes gets more airy on a base of earthy notes with each passing minute, all this while still retaining the core essense of the opening accord, which is it's damp earth like warmth and "polished with wax" smokiness of lavender, rose and woods. it's sheer in nature, never failing to amaze. amber holds the base with lovely notes of sandalwood well rounded off with soft notes of tonka bean..which smells like vanilla pods...it's in a way a prequel to III, or may be III was inspired by I. There is a reason why this is hailed as a classic and it's quite justified. comparing it's quality (of ingredients and composition) with Patou is only obvious.


Patou Ph & Prive, Havana, Havana Reserva, Ungaro I, II & III(yet to try the original formulation of III), Morabito OR black+more... - get these while it is still available...the quality of these scents has had me gasping for more...im sure it'll find more suitable admirers...
Ungaro II: Opens with a powdery blast of citrus with hints of rose. 10 minutes into this scent and boy! this one turns into a Stuffy, fur like, Animalic scent! smells of cat fur up close. this is a "CIVET" prominent scent with loads of lavender and musk thrown in. by mids-basenotes, this scent gets even more sexier with the addition of absolutely divine notes of sandalwood. to me, this is essentionally a civet based scent with heart of lavender on a base of musk and lovely notes of sandalwood. in short, Civet, Lavender, Rose and Sandalwood are the true stars of this gem smells very classy and complex all the way from top to bottom.. i'd almost eat myself up when wearing this one. TOP Notch scent!! i'm rushing in for a back up bottle as i'd never want to be without this one. a bold release from the house of Ungaro.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Balmain Ambre Gris


smooooooo - th notes of pina colada greets me with light touch of florals and a smoky touch of woody notes. I have come across fruity scents...but, I can safely say, non like this. It’s beautiful and elegant in its composition; the blend is just perfect, like a harmony. The mood is undoubtedly dark (grey) and mysterious…the progressions, definitely exciting and ever-changing. By mid-notes, the fruity notes (think rich pina colada) melt into a smoky and velvety smooth accord of woods. The smokiness of this scent is the beauty of it, along with it’s lovely blend of woods (the smoke is not as intense as black tourmaline, nevertheless, is a distant relative of the same) all this on a base of warm notes of amber and musk along with resinous notes of incense and woods (think M7). The quality of amber and incense is very smooth and well rounded off leaving no sharp edges… It’s a blend which is very opulent and rich. By base notes, I feel I’m wearing a smoked, woody(intense), leather based scent with touch of incense. The best part is, though it may sound dark, it’s still beautiful and would smell great for both formal and casual occasions.

To sum it up, it's not fair to label it fruity scent; this is "much" more than that. It’s been 10 hours now and still, this scent is evolving, not many do. Close to skin, it still smells beautiful and mysterious; which goes on to show the quality on this scent. Very easy to get addicted to this one. a big assed picture and a thumbs up!

Friday, January 16, 2009

Miller Et Bertaux, Mazzolari, Creed, Serge Lutens, the different company



Miller Et Bertaux Spiritus Land #2: #2 embraces skin with sparkling notes of tender juicy herbs and a deft hand of spices and citrus. it's almost like Franceso Smalto Ph to an extent. only with #2, the quality and smell takes it 30 levels further interms of quality. The tranparency with which this scent exudes it's shimmering quality is purely remarkable. The way spices have been handled in this one is not a step shy from being a masterpiece. i dont detect any prominent notes of thyme or ginger..well, call it a unique blend. However, the image that it evokes for me is " light green" especially betel leaf blended with lovely notes of woods...the scent progresses to harmonize and blend with the skin in a way i have never (and i mean never) experienced before...the soothing quality, the serene nature...and the unique set of progressions makes it 3 different perfume in one. The Top Notes smells nothing like it's mids and the mids nothing like the base notes. just to give a hint, the basenote smells like a refined version of Costes by Hotel Costes. smooth notes of sandalwood treats you with deft touch of incense by mids to basenotes (the quality of incense? non parellel). i'm overwhelmed to say the least. This ones a must have or at least, must test.


Mazzolari Lui: wow! this ones a cracking slap for someone looking for animalic scents with leather/patchouli/cedar(pencil shavings) combination. Lui smells like a dusty fur coat scented with aged patchouli, notes of cedar (pencil shavings) and was probably left near a campfire. extremely classy and would really shine thru during winters. the smell is something that could be distantly related to Gucci Ph(for reference...ohh but this is wayyyy mor than that). The treatment of patchouli is quite tempered, never taking the front stage so is the way the smoked cedar has been treated. the basenotes exude earthy notes of vetiver and sandalwood with hints of patch. it's smoky, dusty(in a very attic kind of way), animalic and mysterious to say the least.


The Different Company Un Parfum des Sens et Bois: my fourth TDC, and im thinkin..wow, this house is indeed doing something very differently DSeB lands on skin with very controlled(never too loud), smooth and rich notes of florals (violets) and bergamote with ginger lurking not very far behind, the key to this scent is the way violets have been treated (think of it as a refined, super light version of Boss Selections for reference). There is indeed a watery quality to it, which makes you think wheather it's getting lighter and would disappear in 15 minutes, but, thats when this scent takes shapes and adds a soft cotton like aura of woody notes embracing the floral beauty of violets. by mid notes, pepper/ginger combo adds to the bite of the scent and gives it a dark shade of what was until now very tranparent, almost aquatic note. this accord (pepper and ginger) is quite familiar and is used in various other scents like for eg. Rochas Aquaman. the "difference" is the treatment in this one. the way it balances between clear, almost tranparent notes of woods and violets and on the other hand the spicy nature of pepper and ginger...the mids are truly enjoyable as this accords shifts to a more airy accord...as if what we sniffed until now was dream, lovely notes on (light, mild)incense creeps in and almost gives every note a airy accord. The scent changes it approach in the most seemingly smooth fashion. lovely scent to the last note. the quality is there and the scent, beautiful serene..


Serge Lutens Chypre Rouge: hey now, it's not as bad as the reviews make it sound i was totally prepared for a ultra sweet concoction, but it surprised me in that department at first. it's no way as sweet as say cedre (i enjoy my cedre btw). it's very resinous to say the least, the openin accords are muted , fruity, smoky with a vegetal accord. the honey/vanilla combo kick it up by mids with the fruity gum accord still present. i think it's this fruit gum accord which didnt stick with many. patchouli though listed is not a prominent note..if anything, just a whisper. it's definitely ambery sweet with hints honey and moss towards the base with the "frutiy accord" still whispering on...
its no ambre sultan, gris clair, daim blond or cedre, yet, it's a "fun" fragrance. and my first (fun frag) with serge lutens i must say. there is nothing serious about it. it's a beautiful concoction by every means but, i would not recommend this as one of the top 5 scents from this line to anyone.. wear it over to a barbeque, or summer outings..im sure it'll fun.



Creed Original Vetiver: opens with a controlled and refined freshness. it didnt remind me of Mugler cologne for a second but, it did remind me of Adolfo Dominiguez Vetiver Hombre. only this one being much smoother and refined. where one would hesitate to over apply Vetiver Hombre in the fear of gasping, this one serves you just right.
OV has tremendous longevity on my skin, 8-10 hours plus. The midnotes are quite controlled and has that trademark soapy note which makes Mugler cologne the scent it is, however, i would strongly prefer this over mugler for all the extra creed has packed in. something about this one is (dare is say) natural. The surprise element for me was it's drydown. the basenotes evokes smell of dry vetiver leaves (crumbling), not like the soapy fresh one i encounterd from opening to mids. it's quite intense in the base too and adds to the soapy nature of vetiver in a very unique (dry) way. this scent has a very distinct phase , right from the opening notes to mid to the base. thumbs up! summer, here i come!!!



Creed Baie de Genievere: intense note of juniper berry greets the wearer with sheer intensity. intial thoughts would be..hmm, dated? well, subsequent wearing shrugs of any such thoughts and you simply get addicted to this one. dark, broodingly intense notes of berry seemingly flows in to delicate and lovely accord of cinnamon leaves which just opens up the midnotes with hints of spices. the accord is definitely dated and has that trademark barbershop colognes smell to it, only this ones mighty potent with raw amber embracing the accords with hint of musk and loads of vetiver. lovely scent which may not impress rightaway, but will slowly work into your olfactory appetite. Bon apetite! (perfect for winters and spring)