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!

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)