Einfachich

Part 2 of my Gravel Experience. Today Across the Ocean was allowed to touch my skin and try to seduce me. Did he make it? You'll find out later.
I start quite untypically times with durability and Sillage, that makes it more exciting.
The shelf life is definitely a good 6-7 hours, the fragrance is full, then it becomes weaker and close to the skin.
Sillage: Perfectly suited to the scent. Not killing and room-filling, but well perceptible at an arm-length distance.
The bottle is the typical Gravel bottle with the stones. Unusual due to the river pebbles, otherwise rather plain.
Now to the fragrance. He starts with a short flashing citric, into which a quite dominant rose immediately mixes. She's come to stay and she's gonna push her claim through to the end.
The Zitrik doesn't want a fight and goes home.
Oud briefly tries to outdo the rose, but pulls the shorter one and stays insulted in the background without being annoying.
Tonka looks at it for a while and then speaks with her sweetness, but can't keep up with the rose either. So she later calls vanilla and wood for help and tries to ally herself with them against the rose.
Oud will make it too childish and will crumble.
The wood can't really decide to whom it should stick and tries to intervene by mediating, but it is not really heard.
So in the end the rose, tonka and vanilla remain in play until it's time to go to bed.
Now for the opening question. Did Across the Ocean manage to seduce me? A clear no. This Gravel is not badly made and can certainly play along with the "big ones", but it lacks independence and a recognition value. In the end it is one roseoud among many and reminds me of another one from the direction, I just can't think of which one.
The rose unfortunately has this typical rose synthetics, which can be found so often.
Why the fragrance was called Across the Ocean is not clear to me either, because dozens of other roseouds on this side of the ocean smell almost the same.

A Man's Cologne surprises me with timeless elegance. Since we like to abbreviate here: AMC not only stands for kitchen utensils, but also for another "men's toy" with timelessly elegant works such as the CJ series, Ambassador, Javelin and the Rambler Marlin.
And this scent in turn is made for the driver of one of these vehicles, which have as much power as this scent, but in appearance rather reserved seem (like the Gravel)
The Man's Cologne starts with a beautiful mineral orange, which gets a fine tart touch from bergamot and lasts quite a long time. Gradually Tonka prevails, whose sweetness is kept in check by Patch and does not make the Patch musty in return. In addition, I smell lavender, and that's not too close. Something woody joins in and creates a perfect counterpart to lavender.
In the base a breath of incense is added, which envelops the vetiever and enters into a wonderful symbiosis with him.
The base reminds me then strongly of the base of the Pour un Homme de Caron, only less sweet.
This Gravel plays very skilfully with contrasts, which unite perfectly and complement each other. I feel it creamy and powdery at the same time.
A Man's Cologne is as versatile as the AMC models, a timeless classic that suits every occasion. Straightforward, straightforward without getting boring.
This is also reflected in the bottle, which convinces with its clear shapes. But then the river pebbles make something special out of it.
The shelf life is not bad at all. 6 hours well perceptible, afterwards however still quite close to the skin present. The Sillage fits perfectly to the fragrance; not killing, but noticeably present.

It's a hot morning in Havana. Our three protagonists have made themselves comfortable on the roof terrace of the Hotel Ambos Mundos, perhaps also at the tables in front of Hemingway's residence. (Room 511 is still unchanged and belongs to the Cuban Hemingway Museum). The sun burns on the asphalt and the ordered cafecito of serrano beans is served. The typical coffee aromas spread immediately. Those who expect the Melitta man or Jakobs Dröhnung will be disappointed, because Cuban coffee is something very special. Therefore at this point a short digression to the topic:
Coffee is grown in the middle of Cuba's mountains. The soils here are very rich in nutrients, and the climate is somewhat colder than in the "classic" coffee-growing regions. This means that the plant grows more slowly and has less acidity and bitterness than the varieties sold in Europe. At the same time, the coffee is milder, more intense in aroma and much spicier. The Serrano variety, for example, has an aroma reminiscent of smoky tobacco with a touch of vanilla. Turquino has strong notes reminiscent of raisins, nuts and tobacco.
However, the slower growth is also the reason why Cuba can only produce around 70% of its demand. The rest has to be imported and is often served to tourists.
Traditionally, the coffee beans in Cuba are roasted very darkly, which enhances the aroma even more and enhances the roasted aromas. Also the way of the preparation is completely different than we are used to it. As a rule, the freshly ground coffee grounds are mixed directly with sugar, so that the water runs more slowly through the grounds and thus provides for an over-extraction of the aromas and thus for the typical intensely spicy, sweet smell and taste.
But back to our trio.
The Cafecito is drunk slowly, one leans back, enjoys and talks about God and the world. From the nearby harbour, slightly resinous citric nuances blow over. New coffee beans are roasted dark in the hotel kitchen. As the morning progresses, it gets even warmer. The air is dry, slightly dusty and not a trace of rain. The wooden terraces, chairs and tables exude their woody notes in the heat, mixing with the coffee aromas.
Slowly it is time to move on and consume the first alcoholic beverages. They agree on a ramble through the bars, starting with a Mojito in the Bodeguita del Medio and then Daiquiris in the Floridita. Before one sets out, the words of Me Gustas fall: Like it.

Zolty's Me Gustas is very good for Cuban coffee. But is it portable? Yes! Not always and everywhere, but it fits very well on a warm day in the street coffee or to "smoky" evenings with whisky, gin or rum like whiskey tastings or a whiskey reading. Durability and Sillage are good. One is perceived without filling the space, whereby Me Gustas never becomes intrusive.

A fragrance that almost leaves me speechless. Hard to find the words that can do him justice. 1898 is extremely exciting and versatile. Rarely have I experienced a fragrance that changes direction so completely several times and is actually like the flight of a dragonfly. Sometimes he stays quietly on the spot, only to abruptly change direction in the next moment, return a bit and then do something quite unexpected again.
It starts with spraying on. The fresh bergamot is about to appear, but somehow it also has a transparency that is very unusual for bergamot. The fig leaf conceals further nuances waiting to be discovered. With the passing of the leaf, which smells of cinnamon, a light jasmine appears, which shortly afterwards gives way to the rose. The rose remains on the spot and has a golden shimmer. And the fragrance always remains transparent.
In the next change of direction the bergamot flashes once more behind the rose and then in 1898 changes completely to vanilla, which is grounded with patchouli and thus prevents an exaggerated sweetness. Cedar adds slightly woody nuances. So this flight then also passes, with short flashes of the rose.
The whole thing is cool-warm, juicy-dry, sensual-dravengeful, full of complementary opposites and never really tangible, which makes 1898 not boring either.
The flacon is another piece of Laliquescher glass art that has no equal.
The price has now fallen to below 200 euros in the offer, which makes the fragrance even more attractive.
A clear test recommendation from me.

you don't need to say more about this, but I will do it.
Bel Ambre apparently runs a little under the radar, but I feel this fragrance as a very noble looking Immergeher, which is very balanced and not too intrusive.
The start with lemon, bergamot, pepper and juniper berry is perhaps a little unusual for such a fragrance (especially as all the notes are well perceptible), but is also the charm of Bel Ambre.
The opening does not last too long, but the "white flowers" appear slowly but surely. I couldn't name each one now, because they are interwoven for me and form an overall picture. I don't notice caraway, rather the flower of wild caraway, which grows in my garden. But it also blooms white and therefore belongs to the "flower carpet" ;-)
The juniper berry is still somewhat preserved and gives the flowers a nice spice, which is not too dominant, but allows the flowers to come first.
In the course of the base, amber joins and gives the fragrance a beautiful warmth and closeness. Leather and musk then form the finale, which here rather discreetly stay in the background and rather underlay and reinforce the amber. Bel Ambre is not too sweet, the sweetness comes rather from the flowers and is nicely attenuated by the juniper berry seasoning.
Overall, Bel Ambre is a very warm, sensual, seductive fragrance, which is suitable for every occasion and still within reasonable price range. All nuances are very harmonious and at no time are they disturbing or intrusive.
There are light prints in the B-note, because durability and sillage could be a bit better but are OK.
Who is looking for a warm, sensual seducer will find it here.