SmellGoodGuy

After hearing about this, I went into the D.S. & Durga boutique in Manhattan and asked to sample it. I tried in vain to procure a sample vial but, considering the pricetag and availability (only 7pcs made), I understood why they couldn't.

Upon spraying this on a blotter card, I fanned it about, pulled my mask down and smelled it. My initial reaction was I must have sprayed the other side as I couldn't smell anything.

I flipped it and smelled: nothing.

I went into the light to see if I can see the spray mark. Ah, there it is.

Sniffed: nothing. Sniffed again. Now I get it, but it's faint.

In it's defense, I was wearing 3 sprays of Nefs by Nishane and that was at full blast. Even that late in the day. So it had competition and it may have been distorting my sense of smell.

But what I did smell, I liked. A lot.

So I put it in my wallet and waited until I got home where I can smell it again.

Upon smelling it again, it was more distinctive but yet still very mild. But it still confirmed my strong like for the scent profile. In fact, I can't associate it with any oud or scent I've smelled before.

It has a slightly animalic, but smooth profile. Also something mildly leathery, which could perhaps be attributed to the licorice and styrax.

I wish I could offer an approximation of what this smells like but I can't think of one thing. I can say, however, this smells high-end niche.

I would love to try on skin to see if it brings out other facets with the interplay of my chemistry. Perhaps even better longevity.

What I can say is, considering the pricetag and overall quantities made, this is definitely targeted towards collectors and rich people who love exclusivity.

Anywho, take my assessment with a grain of salt and try for yourself. If it's still available, that is.

Folks, idk, I REALLY enjoy this one. I liked it from day one when I first bought it, maybe, 2-3yrs ago?

I've never worn it outside the comfort of my home, so I can't tell you how other people will react towards it. What I can say is this was conceived in an era where indoor smoking was permissable and clubbing "cologne" was brought to market with that reality in mind.

They wanted something to cut pass the fog of smoke and yet not become too clash-y with the smokey environment. And if you smell this and consider what I just said then you can imagine this THRIVING in that environment.

However, natural smelling wasn't part of the brief. And I think this is the ultimate reason why folks are getting an air freshener vibe from it. That's what it kinda did anyway, right?

So, for this reason, I'm hesitant to actually wear this in public in today's environment. I mean, people still smoke but gone are the days where smoke filled public spaces are the norm. So there's nothing to conceal the fact that, on it's own, this is kinda industrial smelling.

With all that being said, I keep spritzing this and wanting to wear it. Again, I REALLY like it.

My favorite amber. Not too sweet, not too loud... Perfect.

Smells exactly how you would think amber would smell, not as a perfume but, as an odor. At least how I would conceive it.

MUST try on skin. Smelling it other wise may come across too animalic or even too sweet (to some). On skin you'll find the sweetness is solely there to counter the animalic notes.

Also it's persistent. So altho it's never in your face (loud) it does linger into your nostrils as you go about your day.

Do NOT over spray. Doing so will only ruin the experience.

Upscale. Masculine. Unique.

10/10 for me.

This smells of frankincense and fenugreek. Maybe if I took my time, smelled it a bit more, I would get tobacco and perhaps other notes, but, on it's face, this is 100 percent frankincense and fenugreek.

I say fenugreek not because I'm familiar with this note, but because of how everyone else described it and, yep, I get it. Discursively, adding it was quite brilliant. It works beautifully with the frankincense.

So while this is not a bad fragrance, it's not what it promises from the tin. You see "tobacco" and "Amouage" and you begin to conjure up fantasies of dense, rich, opulent tobacco. And when that expectation is met with a wildly different scent profile, it's rather anticlimactic. Albeit a good fragrance.

A musky-floral, manly, concoction.

If you're a modern sharp dressing person, you'll definitely get a few compliments.

I wear it once in a blue and when I do, I enjoy it.

I was reading on another site how this smells like an old man. Sure, it's a DNA that is moved on from and the people who wore it then are now older. But no fragrance on earth will make you smell like an old man if you are not an old man. Just like there's no fragrance that can make you smell like a young man and you're not a young man. They're just older DNA's and contemporary DNA's. The contemporary DNA's of today will undoubtedly be criticized as smelling old 10yrs from now when new DNA's start to take hold.

Bottom line: If you like it, wear it. If you're old then no amount of shying away from stuff like this will mask such an obvious fact.

Personally, I like older DNA's and shy away from newer ones, because they smell different and remind me of some of the attributes of men who used to wear it when it was new. Attributes like responsibleness, being established, putting food on the table, etc..

Try it. Wear it with confidence. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.