This is an older review and consists of two reviews added together. I apologize for the lengthy review but I believe this fragrance is worth the attention I'm giving it.
PART 1 - My first impression, one day after
When I first read about this perfume I really wanted to try it. Soon after that I tried Zirh's Ikon, which I liked except for one note. It gave it a strange vibe, making it unwearable to me. Somehow I thought it may have been the cloves, which scared me a bit to try this fragrance.
Yesterday though I sampled this for the first time. Man, was I surprised! I really liked it, rom the fresh citrussy opening to the heartnotes where you are greeted by cloves and cinnamon. The cloves are clearly present but it's not as if you're dipped into a jar of cloves. They blend really well with the cinnamon actually. It's a very warm, spicy scent. The only thing I had some mixed feelings about was the base that revealed itself after 5 or 6 hours.
It's longevity is amazing, I applied it to my wrist at around 6 PM, even washed my hands a few times with water, but when I took a shower this morning at around 11:30 AM, I could still smell it on my wrist. Usually my skin tends to eat fragrances a little bit, but I was really impressed.
This perfume may not be a real crowdpleaser, but I think a lot of people would like this particular fragrance. Then again, taste will always be personal. It most certainly got my attention and I will definitely try this again, maybe even buy a small bottle for winter.
PART 2 - A live report
The first spray, here goes.. BOOM! It hits you right in the face! I couldn't really pick up on any citrus notes but the cardamom was REALLY apparant. But, only for about 20-30 seconds, after that it starts to settle in. The cloves come through and a few minutes later they're joined by cinnamon. It's soft and warm, very comforting. I used to hate cloves as a child, my mother had a small jar of cloves in the bathroom, along with some potpourri. I could never stand the smell of it, it was so loud and present. But this perfume? Nothing like that. The cloves give CNH its depth, but it's not the main character at the heart of this beautiful perfume. Cinnamon plays the lead role, but is greatly supported by the cloves to create a smoky or balmy feel. After the heart notes have faded, I am left with a warm resinous smell that comes from the labdanum and is supported by the sandalwood. Slightly sweet, but only slightly.
My initial impression stays, this is a wonderful perfume. Even for those that don't like cloves, like me, this can be perfectly accesible. The comparison to Comme des Garçons is one that I can understand, especially during the first few minutes. But this perfume is a lot softer and much less pungent than CDG, which was more medicinal and heavy. I find CNH more versatile and more crowd friendly. It kind of reminds me of the holidays, don't know why though, but it does.
As I already experienced the first time I tried this, this things lasts and lasts and lasts! And sillage, powerful. But not overpowering or intrusive because it's bit of a soft scent. It can get heavy if you smell it up close right off the skin, but the sillage trail this leaves is very soft and warm. A few words of advice though, be easy on the sprayer. If you overspray this, it may get really intrusive and overpowering.
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