Drseid

Nemo opens with a walnut-like accord, mixed with nutmeg and cardamom spices deftly blended using a very subtle implementation. Just detectable underneath the light spices is an initially supporting cedar incense that grows stronger as the scent enters its heart phase eventually becoming the star. The woody incense is joined by a slightly sweet labdanum and supporting patchouli tandem. During the dry-down, the labdanum grows as the woody incense diminishes; giving the dry-down a resinous amber quality that dominates the now relative skin scent. Projection is below average and longevity is average.

Nemo is an incredible scent, plain and simple. I expected an 80s crude and bold powerhouse type of scent (even though Nemo was released in the late 90s), and instead got a very subtle well-blended and highly polished lightly spiced woody incense and labdanum driven scent that is much less sweet than many other have indicated, just enough to effectively soften its already smooth nature even further. The amber-like dry-down really sneaks up on you as the transition between the cedar and the labdanum is handled exceptionally well. The bottom line is this is an outstanding composition by Jean Bethouart that should never have been discontinued. While prices for the limited remaining stock are increasing by the day, Nemo is definitely worth the investment, earning a stellar rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 and an easy "buy" recommendation.

*This is a review of the original release.

Yohji Homme opens with a deliciously well-blended combination of sharp bergamot citrus, lavender and the beginnings of a slowly growing licorice-like anise and slightly sweet rum tandem that at this stage takes a back seat to the citrus. In the early heart the anise and rum take the fore as the citrus all but disappears quickly, while joined by faint hints of carnation and cinnamon. During the superbly transitioned dry-down, the anise and rum finally dissipate, revealing a leather spiked powdery cocoa-like coffee base with just the faintest additional sweetness from supporting tonka bean. Projection and longevity are both very good.

The original discontinued release of Yohji Homme is a truly fabulous gourmand. The rum note mixes with an extremely well-implemented anise note perfectly, coming off as absolutely delectable. Transitions throughout the scent's development are deftly handled to the point of the scent morphing from its boozy heart into its leather and powdery coffee base seemingly out of nowhere. This kind of structure can only be achieved by a master nose at the top of their game and I suspect as others have mentioned in other reviews that Jean Kerleo who had just left Jean Patou before its release was indeed responsible for a good part of Yohji Homme's core structure... That said, credit needs to be given to Jean-Michel Duriez who officially is the nose behind this reference gourmand. As an aside, Yohji Homme is supposed to be re-released shortly after the posting of this review, and I confess I am eager to see if it is left relatively well-intact. If indeed it is, gourmand fans (and fragrance lovers in general) can certainly rejoice, as in its original form at least, Yohji Homme is just about as good as it gets in the gourmand genre, earning a strong 4 to 4.5 stars out of 5.

Bois d'Ascese opens with a quick shot of straight-up whiskey before quickly transitioning to the key heart note of smoked cadewood incense (cadewood smells quite similar to cedar to my nose, at least). The scent is quite minimalist in its implementation, but the smoked cadewood is just about as close as you can get to standing right next to an active wood burning fireplace or campfire all ablaze. This is bone-dry and very, very smoky. While the official note list says one should expect cinnamon in the heart I confess I smell none. What *is* present to a minor degree is an underlying completely dry ashy tobacco note that supports the smoked cade through the dry-down with only a very subtle relatively dry amber adding just a hint of softness to the receding smoke at the very end of the scent's life-cycle. Projection is very good and longevity is exceptional.

Bois d'Ascese is a fine opening salvo from the house of Naomi Goodsir. It does not contain many notes and does not develop much staying linearly smoky throughout, but unlike so many smoky scents on the market that get the scent of real smoke wrong, this one is absolutely a reference scent when it comes to presenting what an actual wood burning fire smells like. I confess that smelling like a campfire is not really something one strives for on a daily basis (or at least not this reviewer), but given the right special occasion to shine Bois d'Ascese gets the job done with aplomb and is the first one I would reach for every time. I will not join the many folks that feel this is "fragrance of the year 2012," and the price point is more than a bit steep, but definitely consider me as highly impressed and eager to sample more from the house as new fragrances are released. Bois d'Ascese earns an excellent 4 out of 5 stars.

This is a review for the older formula of Green Water in the more classic-looking green bottle, with a section comparing it to the latest formula in the current fancier modern style bottle.

Green Water (older formula) opens with very natural smelling spearmint supported by a gorgeous grassy herbal lemon verbena. The spearmint stays throughout the scent's limited development, but it very slowly recedes as time passes, allowing the grassy herbal lemon to take more of the starring role with the mint now in the supporting role. Hints of other light herbs and florals add further support to the two key notes but they are so well-blended it is difficult to identify them. The only identifiable base notes are a relatively well-concealed oakmoss and light musk tandem that start to peep into the late heart of the scent through the dry-down, with the spearmint reclaiming its starring role as the lemon verbena finally disappears late. Projection is below average to average and longevity is above average.

Green Water (older formula) is a great example of mint done right. It is extremely natural smelling and outside of the substantially more expensive Menthe Fraiche by Heeley you can't do better (or even as good). The mixture of the lemon verbena and spearmint works extremely well, and the oakmoss while very subtle plays a key role in supporting the scent during its later stages. Green Water (older formula) stays fresh 'till the last, and is quite the invigorating one indeed. It may be pretty minimalist and linear in its development, but Green Water (older formula) is an excellent scent and an even better value in its older formula guise, earning a strong 4 stars out of 5. A definite strong buy on this version of Green Water by Fath.

Now for a quick comparison with the current formula in the more modern clear bottle that sells for only about $25.00 a large bottle... The two formulas open very similarly, but the spearmint and lemon verbena in the older formula are just a hair more pronounced and natural smelling. Also, while completely missing from the older formula, in the current formula a musty indolic jasmine undertone just starts to peep through into the top notes, barely detectable at this point. It is the heart notes where the two scents strongly diverge... The older formula stays pretty linear, with the main change in the early heart being the spearmint and lemon verbena swap starring and support roles, but in the current release they all but disappear, being engulfed by the now very strong musty, almost moldy jasmine that dominates with just the faintest whiff of a lavender floral undertone. The dry-down is where the scents are again quite similar where the spearmint regains the focus in the current version as the musty jasmine recedes and all but finally disappears (the spearmint never left the older formula) with both scents having the oakmoss undertone support. The main difference is the oakmoss is just a tad stronger in the older formula and the current formula never completely shakes its musty undertone... Projection is below average and longevity is poor to below average in the current release.

The bottom line is the older formula is far superior to the current formula and would without hesitation be the one I'd buy (although I now own both). The current formula gets a good to very good 3 to 3.5 star out of 5 rating in its own right and for the money is an exceptional value, but the musty jasmine heart is just not the same stuff and is somewhat unnecessarily off-putting. I really do not know why the house of Fath added that in, but they should strongly consider removing it as it ruins the great minty herbal nature of the scent.

*This is a review of the vintage juice.

VC&A pour Homme (vintage) opens with a sublime orange and bergamot tandem laced with various well-blended culinary herbs and spices. Joining the immediate top notes in the early heart and hanging around for a good duration is a very strong leather and oakmoss tandem rising all the way from the base, with patchouli and hints of easily identifiable rose and carnation in support. As the oakmoss and leather recede in the late dry-down, some of the well-concealed base notes reveal themselves including a very nice amber and sandalwood combination joining the patchouli that is slightly sweet. Projection is above average and longevity is below average.

The first thing that came to mind as I tried VC&A pour Homme (vintage) on skin was I have smelled this before... It did not take me long to realize that what I was smelling was a very similar presentation to Bijan for Men (vintage). I would go as far as to say the two could have been near-identical twins with their respective oakmoss and leather driven powerhouse presentations making themselves known from the near get-go. That said, while the similarities in the early development can't be denied, the scents later diverge with VC&A pour Homme (vintage) showing a more smooth slightly sweet and polite presentation than the ever-potent and raw Bijan for Men (vintage) that gets even rougher as time passes if that can be believed. Of the two I prefer the more dynamic Bijan on just about all levels (both subjectively and technically), but both are incredible scents that can stand with the best of the powerhouse releases of the past (let’s not insult them by comparing them to the current stuff). My primary (albeit minor) gripe with Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme (vintage) is the relatively shoddy longevity I get with it. By relatively shoddy, I am not talking a few minutes and then poof, its gone, but rather 4 to 5 hours, which on my scent friendly skin is below average. I wish it lasted longer, but while it is present VC&A pour Homme is a definite winner and a distinguished powerhouse for the more refined gentleman, earning an excellent 4 stars out of 5 in vintage form.