ScentedSalon

A cask of spicy rum is the inspiration for this "legendary" fragrance. I blind bought it just because I love Treasure Island and pirate stuff but it is actually a great scent!

First to the packaging: very thick, sturdy wooden barrel with metal hoops and an old-fashioned look. You pop the well-fitting top and inside is a cocoon of wood. The cork-topped bottle is waiting like a bottle of black spiced rum. The name is written on a little plaque with a old-timey ship. Very attractive.

And rum is the prominent note in this scent: warm, ambery, a little sweet and comforting. Great for both men and women. The lasting power and sillage are quite good and for such a reasonably priced fragrance, one can't ask for more. Very beautiful portrayal that creates a mood of discovery and mystery.

Bois d'Iris is what I wished Iris Ganache had been: woody, slightly sweet, irisy and creamy. Though Iris Ganache has a better quality iris note, it is so strong that it overpowers everything else. Bois d'Iris has room for all the ingredients. There is some sugar and cream, but not too much. The woods are earthy, dry and calming. The iris note is almost an afterthought and I wish it was a little more prominent. The opening reminds me a lot of Eau Duelle with the frankincense, and this incense is gooood.

Bottom line, this is a dupe for the impossible to find Iris Ganache if the iris was toned down and a bit of Eau Duelle was mixed in. Love the price and bottle as well.

Dame Perfumery never ceases to enchant. There is something to be said in this day and cynical age about small handmade perfume companies and their service. Small touches DO make a big difference and when the perfumes are affordable and damn right beautiful, you naturally become a fan and supporter.

Dame perfumes are not amateurish: they all show a great deal of sophistication and craft. For me, the best part is that they do tend to last and project a great deal on my skin, and that with my skin being a notorious scent-eater. Not only that, my sense of smell is not the best so I usually over-spray everything but no need with Dame. His Mexican Vanilla is probably the best all-around vanilla perfume I have ever smelled. I have been on a long vanilla journey for years and have smelled hundreds of vanillas but this simple bottle provides an edible, well-rounded, slightly sweet and barely flowery vanilla that just lasts and lasts. I spray my sheets with it, I spray myself, I spray the car, etc etc. It is just such a magical perfume, creamy yet not overwhelming, that I believe it is my top vanilla ever.

Important too is that this small brand is local and developed an artistic vision and aesthetic that can compete with hundreds of stuck-up perfumeries that make one percent of what this house can make in terms of quality. Jeff's father being the artist is pretty awesome. I love the dry, deserty themes of the art. That art, as well as some of the perfumes, have a Native American spirit that really draws me in. I look forward to many new perfumes to come from this excellent brand.

The first thing you're taken by is the filligreed heavy glass bottle. There is no plastic here (I'm looking your way Armani and Aerin) and the heavy magnetic cap clicks into place smoothly every time. The dark amber liquid shows through the golden metal filigree like an expensive liqueur.

Next comes the smell: the most artfully blended vanilla with candied praline and a hint of rose. The oud is an abstract concept here: there is the appearance of a woody darkness but it is not the typical medicinal or strongly-pungent oud. It's a touch. The main concept here, as is illustrated on the other side of the beautiful bottle, is rose praline. This new Oud Bouquet is nothing like the unpleasantness of the old version with the same name.

I see no drawbacks in price, longevity, sillage or appearance. Kudos to Lancome for creating an amazing array of fragrances in the Grands Crus collection.

I am very confused by the EDT version of Shalimar as all the websites list the exact same notes as the EDP but the scents, while similar, are not the same at all. It is not just a matter of concentration: the EDT smells more vanilla-y without the overpowering and disturbing skank in the original. Normally, I am a huge fan of skank but in the EDP and Ode a la Vanille versions it puts me off completely. I've tried for years to love Shalimar, as Guerlain is my very favorite perfume house, but only till now have I found a version I love.

The EDT is all vanilla and powder with a tiny citrus at the top. It projects very well and lasts moderately. It is very much a feminine, non-vintage kind of oriental with a tiny bit of iris and smoke in the drydown. The opoponax is a lot more prominent as well, giving this a resinous quality.

Finally, I can say I am in love with Shalimar!