Aramis - New West

 Although this is often called an aquatic or proto-aquatic, don't go into this expecting a fresh fougere like Cool Water, Eternity, Escape, Polo Sport, and the like. This is a dense, dark, complex, aromatic, green fragrance through and through, albeit with some touches which anticipate the 90's. This is more of a close friend of Guy Laroche's Horizon, even if it's not a close relative.

It starts off with a distinct watermelon note. I don't mean a typically aquatic melon nuance, but rather an obvious and forward melon note. It's paired with a salty aquatic note, smelling quite oceanic, but not fresh. This fruity aquatic pairing lasts for a couple of hours, and is the extent of the 90's touches. As it dries down, it becomes undoubtedly clear that this is a child of the 80's. The herbaceous and woody notes start dominating the composition. Although some mint gives it a fresh touch, the fragrance is marked by its primarily dark, pungent, bitter, and green direction. Juniper, pine, artemisia (probably what's giving the fragrance so much pungency to my nose), and leather jump at me, along with a cedar note which is more akin to cedarwood oil than to the pencil shavings note. I don't really get moss out of it, unfortunately. This is an 80's powerhouse through and through, but a very unique one.

I haven't tried the blue bottle version. The one I have is from 2014. Compares to other reformulations from Aramis, this actually has decent performance. I get maybe 8 hours from it. It projects strongly for a couple of hours before it turns into a skin scent.

Lalique - Encre Noire, 78% vs 79%

 I have a bottle of the 78% version from 2012, and one of the 79% version from 2018. Doing a side-by-side comparison, both versions do smell mostly similar, but there are some differences.

The vintage is more daring. It smells dirty - like holding a fistful of grass and dirt - and is a tad smoky. It's paired with a nutty vetiver opening, which becomes fresher as the scent dries down.

The current version smells mostly similar in the drydown, and has the nutty vetiver in the opening. Where it differs is that I don't get the dirty, inky, or smoky notes from it.

Performance also differs. The vintage isn't a beast mode scent, but it's strong and tenacious. I get 12 hours and good projection. The current version lasts for 8-10 hours. It projects well for the first hour, then seems to sit closer to the skin, though people have made comments about it to me.

The current version isn't necessarily a bad reformulation. Whether it's worse or better than the vintage will probably depend on your own tastes. If you want something strong, a bit daring, and more vetiver dominant than EN L'Extreme, then you'll probably prefer the vintage. If you want something restrained, gentle, or office appropriate, safer, cleaner, fresher, and more vetiver dominant than EN Sport, you'll probably prefer the current version

Issey Miyake - L'eau d'Issey Pour Homme Fraiche Review

After being really disappointed in the performance of the current L'eau d'Issey, I decided to give this one a try. While I cannot say that it's a replacement for the vintage version, Fraiche does fill the gap.

It does smell pretty similar; not the same, but similar. It's more sour and pungent upon initial spray, as the citrus is like a grapefruit rind, and it doesn't have that distinctive yuzu note. Nonetheless, if you're captivated by the original's opening, this is oh so very satisfying.

As it dries down, the citrus note does linger a lot longer than I'd have expected. It becomes slightly herbaceous, there's a bit of vetiver, and some musk. It mostly continues in that direction through the duration of the scent. It's not floral like the original, though I do get a slight hint of rose in the drydown which caught me off guard (in a good way).
I happen to love the original's floral character, but others may prefer this direction.

I got this during a heat wave, so I wore it while being somewhat sweaty. I can't comment on how this will perform in the winter, but this is magical in the high heat. It really shimmers beautifully, and you get these gentle wafts from the scent.

Longevity is around 8-10 hours.
Good projection for around an hour. Sits closer to the skin after that, but it lingers. Spray it on clothes and you'll get even more mileage.

Acqua di Parma - Colonia Club Review

One look at the bottle will basically tell you what this fragrance smells like. Colonia Club has the basic AdP Colonia line DNA, but it goes in a greener direction.
The primary note is a multifaceted take on mint. It's earthy, as though it is still in the ground, and is slightly pungent. It lacks the coldness of peppermint or spearmint oil, and smells more like you just crushed some fresh mint in your hand. Lavender begins to rear its head as the scent dries down, and rings true to the smell of pure lavender oil. The neroli is not as prominent as I was expecting, but it's still there, and the lemon is more forward than the voted main notes would indicate.

Performance is moderate, but that's to be expected. I get maybe 6 hours from it, and it's a skin scent by the end of the first hour.

Gucci - Guilty Absolute Review

I love Gucci's clothing and leather goods. Their products are typically distinctive, innovative, tastefully audacious at times, and although quite expensive, you do get the quality to match. I'd even go as far as saying that their horsebit loafer, although copied by numerous shoe makers, is my favorite shoe design of all time. When it comes to the fragrances which are most readily available, however, my feelings are quite different. I can't say I've disliked the Gucci fragrances which I've tried at Sephora over the past few years, but I also can't say I felt the need to have anything more than a sample. Even then, I would only finish the sample in order to get a good feel for the fragrance before writing it off. Their more enjoyable scents are, unfortunately, often discontinued or unavailable at brick and mortars.

During a routine visit last year in which I perused the offerings at some local fragrance/cosmetic chains, I saw Guilty Absolute sitting on the shelf. It is an ambery liquid in a bottle which looks sort of like Bulleit, or some kind of nineteenth century medicine. Quite intriguing. So I had to try it out, even if only to see what approach they would take with that sort of presentation. After one spray on my arm, I was left completely speechless and awestruck, which rarely happens at first sniff. "Is this really Gucci?" I wondered. That feeling stayed throughout the duration of the scent, which is even rarer. I spent hours just sniffing my arm and feeling like I was in a state of bliss.

Guilty Absolute is the fragrance for which I've been searching for years. I've always wanted a fragrance which is similar to Islay whiskies. If I was being more specific, I'd say Caol Ila 12, which is my probably favorite whisky. This is about as close to capturing the smell I get when I pour myself a dram. Unlike Laphroaig or Ardbeg, it's not a peat or smoke bomb. It's balanced with more prominent salty and iodine notes, which gives it a buttery, leathery aroma. Guilty Absolute is much like that.

Upon first spray, you get a balanced mix of medicinal iodine and smoke, which overpowers any other notes. Within about a minute, that initial accord becomes more distinctly leathery. The "woody notes" remind me of the smell of a charred oak barrel. Shortly after, some fresher nuances start to appear, courtesy of vetiver and cypress. In that regard, it should appeal to fans of Encre Noire L'Extreme, although it also has that somewhat grapefruity tone from the vetiver of the current formulation of the original Encre Noire. Guilty Absolute basically smells the same way throughout its duration. I do get some patchouli further in the drydown, but it's not really as prominent as "three forms of patchouli oils" would have had me expect. It lends a bit of earthiness, but it's not spicy, chocolaty, or minty, just a bit dirty.

Performance is really good. It projects strongly for an hour, but sits closer to the skin soon after. Then it lasts as a skin scent for 8-10 hours, perhaps somewhat longer. I would have preferred something stronger, but given how much I love this, I can't complain.

I sincerely hope Gucci doesn't discontinue this fragrance. At times, I feel like they are dedicated to mediocrity, but if they keep releasing fragrances as good as Guilty Absolute, I would be proven completely wrong. This is one of the best designer releases I've tried in a long time. It's nothing short of a masterpiece. Great job guys.

Tom Ford - Noir Anthracite Review

 The polarity of the composition is really surprising. One the one hand, it's fresh, with a really strong blast of szichuan pepper and citrus. On the other hand, it is also very dark and smoky. The smokiness is not quite as pronounced as fragrances like Encre Noire L'Extreme or Gucci Guilty Absolute, but it is nonetheless a dominant accord which may be off putting to some. The darker notes minimize the freshness, and the freshness tempers the darkness. I don't really get that dynamic in, say, Aramis, Antaeus, or Jacomo de Jacomo.

I also don't get animalic notes or moss. While there are floral notes, they're not really in the forefront either. What I get, instead, are leather, patchouli, smoke, spicy, and woody notes as the fragrance dries down.
The leather is buttery, smooth, and rich, yet also somewhat rugged. Think of the intoxicating smell of a pair of Gucci horsebit loafers, crossed with a worn out leather jacket which has spent years rested on the back of a chair in dive bars filled with cigarette smoke.
The wood is smells more like natural cedarwood oil (earthy, damp, kind of spicy, and resinous). It is not the clean, dry, and inoffensive pencil shavings of TdH.

Noir Anthracite also has that sharp texture I get from Tuscan Leather. Not an abrasive sharpness you get in some cheap or poorly composed fragrances. Rather, it's like note from TL which people say smells a, uh, really expensive stimulant.

Also, it might be worth noting, this smells NOTHING like Noir or Noir Extreme. Keep that in mind if you're expecting a powdery, chocolaty, creamy, or confectionery fragrance.

Performance is really good. It's not as excessive as some of Ford's other scents, but you'll get 8-10 hours out of it. It'll project for about an hour two before it sits close to the skin. It might not be as great a value as the other fragrances I mentioned; most of which are between 15-40 bucks for 3-4 ounces. However, I'm actually surprised this wasn't part of his private collection since it's quite daring and "nichelike" (I hate this term).

Lalique - White review

 I am sure it did not happen like this, but I am imagining Jean-Claude Ellena giving a notice of resignation to Hermes. They wonder "oh crap, now what?!" Someone in charge of finding Ellena's replacement had just gotten a bottle of Lalique White. They go on Fragrantica, find out it was composed by Christine Nagel, then call her with a job offer.

Lalique White would be at home in a tall, slender, tapered, pillar shaped bottle sitting alongside Hermes' cologne collection. Upon initial spray, I immediately notice that it has the characteristics of Hermes' unique takes on classic eau de cologne themes. White's use of the lemon leaf is somewhat analogous to neroli; dry, floral, and a tad citrusy. It has a soapy violet note, which nods to Grey Flannel and Green Irish Tweed, aiding the leaf's bracing character. I do notice the black pepper, but it's not too heavy.

The scent doesn't evolve radically as it is drying down, other than the spices, tamarind, and cedar start to become more apparent and the lemon leaf gradually disappears. The cedar and spicy notes are not at all heavy handed or dark. They contribute to the fragrance's fresh and tart qualities, but also give it some legs to push out off the skin.

Longevity is actually really good. I get around 6 hours from it, maybe 8. That's not really great by general standards, but considering the nature of the composition, it's pretty impressive. It projects well for about an hour or so, then becomes more faint. It's a pretty gentle scent, so you can go a bit heavy on the sprayer

Jazmin Sarai - Nar review

(From the Adel Emam film Al Erhab w'al Kebab)
After a long day of work, Ahmed comes home and tries to serenade his wife who is fast asleep. He sings some classic Egyptian songs from Abdel Halim Hafez, Mohammad Abdel Motaleb, and Farid el Atrash off key, while trying to make as much noise as possible to wake her up. He has no success. He pops in a cassette of Abdel Halim Hafez and proceeds to wake her up in the comical fashion for which Emam is best known. When she yells at him for making so much noise and waking her up, Ahmed reminds her that despite life's challenges, listening to Abdel Halim reminds one that life isn't so bad and they should enjoy it. Ultimately, Ahmed fails to seduce his wife, which is part of the movie's themes of accepting and making due with what is beyond one's control. Nonetheless, what he said about Abdel Halim's music is a common sentiment. He remains a figure of hope and passion even decades after his death, and his music continues to be heard in bars and concert halls among a younger generation. The deep, emotive and warm crooning of the Egyptian Nightingale stirs a burning fire in the hearts of Arabs and non-Arabs alike. Hence why a fragrance inspired by Abdel Halim Hafez is named Nar, which means fire in Arabic.

The immediate impression when you first spray Nar is smokiness. It's not the kind of smoky note associated with birch tar or incense, but more along the lines of liquid smoke. As it dries down, Nar freshens considerably with coriander and cedar. However, the smoke stays throughout the duration of the fragrance, even if it becomes somewhat muted. I don't get an amber accord out of it, even though it's in the note pyramid here. My description is short because the fragrance is straightforward and simple. However, that works to Nar's advantage, since there is clear note separation, it smells natural, and it is exceedingly smooth.

Performance is average. I get around 5 or 6 hours from it. It also sits close to the skin. It is gentle and tender like Abdel Halim's voice.
If it was inspired by someone with a voice as powerful and boisterous as Oum Kalsoum, on the other hand, I'd imagine it would make powerhouse houses like Jacques Bogart or Montale seem tame in comparison.

Jazmin Sarai - Ma're review

 This fragrance is the Mediterranean in a bottle. Absolutely gorgeous, and one of the best neroli scents I have tried.

The neroli note is stunning, and perfectly captures the smell of natural orange blossom water; which is a staple in Lebanon (and in much of the Arab world). It is mixed with a tart, sour, and dry lemon note. I'm not getting a yuzu note ala L'eau d'Issey, but I am familiar with citron fruit, which this does sort of resemble; albeit without any sweetness. These two notes drive the fragrance until the cypress starts to appear, which smells fresh and green, not particularly smoky.

I can't say I really notice arak - one of my favorite drinks, albeit one which has led to far too many horrible mornings - fig, or anything particularly aquatic, however.

Unlike, say, Neroli Portofino, I don't notice any sweetness here. Nor does it have the barbershop qualities of the Aqua di Parma line.

It is dry, bitter, bracing, and refreshing, like mixing orange blossom water and lemon juice in an ice cold glass of water, but forgetting to add any sugar. This is magical on a hot, humid day.

Its smoothness and uplifting beauty perfectly embodies the gentle tenderness of Fairuz, by whom this fragrance was inspired. Her elegant voice is as iconic to Lebanon as the cedar tree which adorns its flag.

Performance is ok in general, but superb for this kind of scent. I get around 6-8 hours out of it if applied liberally. It projects nicely for around an hour, then sits closer to the skin. By hour 3, I'd call this a skin scent.

Review of Terre d'Hermes Eau Tres Fraiche (2014) from Hermes

The most common theme for a fragrance flanker is the fresh reinterpretation of the original. It'll go by plenty of names; sport, eau, cologne, l'eau, summer, fraiche etc. It's a theme which is meant to take the original concept of the fragrance and lighten it with potent citruses or fresh spices. It's almost guaranteed to be a people pleasing scent, even if fragrance enthusiasts often hate the genre.


Personally, I'm more on the ambivalent side of the spectrum. I can't say I dislike them, but they're rarely anything I would reach for. There are exceptions, of course. Givenchy's Pi Fraiche, for example, is far superior to Pi to my nose. Claiborne Sport, Polo Sport, Roadster Sport, and Encre Noire Sport are fantastic fragrances too. Another one which impressed me is Terre d'Hermes Eau Tres Fraiche, which was released in 2014.

Terre d'Hermes is a fragrance which I enjoy, but not one that I love. It’s elegant and well composed, and I do like its use of vetiver and bitter orange. But there are some similar fragrances which follow similar themes and smell a lot better to me. Terre d'Hermes Eau Tres Fraiche, on the other hand, is a different story. Without exaggerating, this might be one of my favorite citrus fragrances that I have ever tried. It’s up there with Atelier’s Orange Sanguine in terms of how realistic it smells.

Eau Tres Fraiche is clearly related to the original Terre. However, it really amps up the citrus notes. Instead of just getting the bitter orange from the original, it’s like an entire citrus salad. You get a bright, juicy orange note, paired with the dirty bitter orange, along with a tart, barely ripened grapefruit. It’s a mouth-watering melange of freshness. I’ve no idea how, but this citrus accord is very potent for a couple of hours on my skin, and hints of it lasts throughout most of the duration of the scent.

As it dries down, I get the woody – cedar – and vetiver notes from the original. However, it doesn’t smell earthy. It’s a fresher and cleaner rendition of those.

Longevity is good for this genre. I get around 7 or 8 hours out of it. It projects pretty well for around 2 hours. It starts to sit closer to the skin after that. By the 5th hour, and until the fragrance entirely disappears, you would have to get very close to its point of application to detect it.

Versace L'Homme (1986) Review

Versace is a pretty interesting fragrance house in the designer market. I'm admittedly not a big fan of the majority of their offerings. While they smell pleasant, they don't really stand out much or do anything unique. However, oddly enough, the Versace fragrances which I found to be the most interesting and outstanding were also the ones which tend to be relegated to the bargain bins at TJ Maxx, Marshall's, Ross, or other similar discounters. I'm mainly talking about The Dreamer, Blue Jeans, and L'Homme, which was Versace's first masculine fragrance. Since I haven't had a bottle of the former two for a few years and don't remember their note breakdown or development too vividly, I can only review L'Homme.

Versace released L'Homme in 1986. As one would expect, it does indeed smell “older,” in the sense that you won't smell too many modern designer fragrances like this. At the same time, it doesn't smell like it came from any particular era. It does borrow a little from 80's powerhouses, but also has some accords which are very reminiscent of French fragrances from the 40's, 50's, and 60's. I can't think of too many fragrances which resemble Versace L'Homme beyond a few fleeting similarities, so it is also quite unique.

L'Homme starts off with a very dry and bitter lemon, mixed with petitgrain. This accord doesn't smell like a citrus fruit, but is rather more like a mix of the rinds and the citrus flowers. This is very reminiscent of classic French perfumery, such as Eau Sauvage, Moustache, Chanel pour Monsieur, or Monsieur de Givenchy. There's a green and herbaceous quality coming from the basil as well, which helps temper and sweeten what would otherwise be significantly more bitter and harsh.

The accords from the top note don't dissipate too quickly, but smoothly blend in with the heart notes. The fragrance becomes very spicy, quite powdery, and a tad sweet. Cinnamon is the most dominant player at this point, paired with a brightly spicy sandalwood and patchouli. Honey and leather also show themselves, but they don't smell dark. They provide a slightly sour, uric, and playful animalic nuance, though it mostly smells like the glove soft leather of a pair of Italian shoes. There's also a hint of florals, one of the main ones of which is supposedly rose, yet it smells like a blend of a few flowers which are difficult to identify individually.

As the heart notes transition to the base, the fragrance is given a bit of powdery sweetness from vanilla and tonka. The sweetness is tempered by cedar, which also complements the cinnamon, sandalwood, and patchouli. A tad of greenness and depth appears when some fresh, raw, unsmoked tobacco makes itself more apparent.

I don't notice any oakmoss in the drydown, even though most note breakdowns list it. Perhaps it was toned down, if not removed, during reformulations?

Although Versace L'Homme has more in common with classic French perfumery, it performs like a powerhouse from its own era. This is easily among one of the longest lasting fragrances I own. I can't even gauge its longevity, since it lasts for a while even after enduring a shower.

It's not a brash or obtrusive fragrance, since it's not all that dark or sweet. However, it still projects fairly loudly for 5 or 6 hours, and leaves behind a noticeable sillage. Even when it starts to rest closer to the skin, it never really becomes a skin scent.

If Versace is to be remembered for their fragrances, it shouldn't be for ones like Eros, pour Homme, or eau Fraiche (none of which are fragrances I dislike; I just don't think they're interesting or unique). It should be for a fragrance like L'Homme.

Review of Ungaro pour L'Homme III

Ungaro pour L'Homme III is the only one of the three fragrances in the Ungaro pour L'Homme series which is still in production, as well as the only one which I have tried. Despite having quite a following on Fragrantica and Basenotes, there aren't too many blog or vlog reviews of this one.

Ungaro pour L'Homme III is an aromatic fragrance released in 1993. Comparably to numerous fragrances from the late 80's and early 90's, it occupies a limited niche which bridges the gap between the past and future fragrances. It does not bear a lot of similarities to the aromatic powerhouses from the 70's and 80's, yet it's still really gothic and dense. It's not really like the fresh woody florals which were popular from the mid-90's through today, yet it's still really fresh, and feels like it could have been a 1990's Chanel release.

Ungaro pour L'Homme III is quite complex and well blended. It starts off with a strong orange and fresh patchouli note. The orange isn't fresh and bright, but rather dark and overripe. The patchouli focuses on the green and minty quality from that plant family, rather than the earthy or chocolaty notes. There is, of course, the famed vodka note as well. It is difficult to describe, since the vodka note is not at all comparable to the harsh ethyl smell at the opening of some inexpensive fragrances, and vodka is generally a neutral and odorless spirit anyway. Yet there it is, and it gives the impression of opening a bottle of smooth vodka. Its less than neutral booziness paired with the citrus and minty patchouli is reminiscent of a vodka based cocktail you would order at a legitimate cocktail bar.

Its floral accords start to emerge shortly after. It's a seamless transition from the top to the heart, as both phases are combined for a while. I get some jasmine (but not a fecal, indolic jasmine), geranium, and rose. The florals are sightly sweet, very dark and morose, and very masculine.
Also, I don't think this is a rose dominated fragrance. It often gets recommended for masculine roses, but it's really just a supporting player to my nose.

As the heart begins to gradually transition to the base, the earlier florals start to dissipate, and the lavender is more pronounced. The lavender and remainder of the heart notes are paired with the woody accord. I get some cedar, which is more similar to natural cedarwood oil, which is very dark and earthy, rather than the Iso E Super cedar, which is lighter and more like pencil shavings. This continues into the far drydown, which is basically lavender, musk, and a little bit of patchouli.

Longevity is excellent. This lasts 10+ hours on my skin with a couple of sprays.
Projection and sillage are moderate. It projects very heavily for about an hour or so, then starts to rest closer to the skin. After about 8 hours, it becomes a really subtle skin scent.

I also can't think of any fragrances which smell like this. It is very unique, sophisticated, sensual, and austere. At such a low price point, it is worth trying if you enjoy dark, brooding fragrances, or aromatic florals. Just don't buy this expecting it to be a rose dominated scent.