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Sniff Fest - Hubby's Collection

Sniff Fest - Hubby's Collection 9 years ago


Hi, guys. This is my first visit to the men’s forum. A sniff fest through hubby’s collection has been on my to-do list for a long while, so I thought I’d do it here. Too many times he’s put something delightful on, asked me to sniff, and I found myself unable to identify the fragrance—even when I’d given it to him as a gift. Time to educate my nose and improve my guesses. His is a small collection (33) of mostly staggeringly beautiful (IMO) fragrances ranging in price from bargain basement to let’s-not-mention-it. (Btw, if anything smart-aleck or scandalous gets said in these sniffs, it’s not me. It’s my bad girl alter ego, ScentGal. I’ll try to keep her in line.)

Here goes, in alpha order by brand.

Acqua di Parma
"Colonia Oud / Colonia Intensa Oud" |

In my early perfumista days a clerk had me sniff it and I was sunk. Let’s see how it strikes me now, almost two years later. Wow, on paper it’s a heady knock-your-socks-off citrusy, oudy, woody, wonder. Musk adds allure and by amyris I’m thinking they must mean the intoxicating balsam called Elemi exuded from the stems of the flowering plant. Elemi could make dirt smell good. From experience we’ve learned this scent does not wash easily off, so before applying it make sure you adore it. I do. Putting some on skin, the elemi/oud/cedar are pronounced. I just can’t stop smelling my hand. Not only is longevity incredible, so is projection, i.e., sillage. A whiff of this and many a female will look around for the alpha male who must be near. It’s a bit loud, I suppose from the cedar and oud, but I adore it.

Berdoues
"1902 Eau de Cologne Premium Collection - Vetiveria Herbacea" |

Saw this fresh and economical darling mentioned in a forum topic. The simple combo of tangerine, vetiver and woods creates a clean and delightful, almost herbal, scent as vetiver mellows the fruity tangerine. It’s a very inviting, even intoxicating, and distinctive spring/summer fragrance.

Bottega Veneta
"Bottega Veneta pour Homme" |

This quite sophisticated male scent will work in any setting. Bergamot and labdanum lend beauty to the intensely male pine, juniper, fir resin, leather and patchouli. Clary sage soothes. Pimento adds a bit of freshness. If Acqua di Parma Colonia Intensa Oud is the CEO, this fragrance is the sauve chairman of the board, while Berdoues 1902 is the extrovert V.P. of Marketing.

Coty
"Musk for Men" |

Hubby bought it blind and this is my first test of it. I like the women’s vintage Coty perfumes, so I’m optimistic… Well, to me, this scent isn’t on the executive floor. It’s that new guy in acquisitions trying to seduce all the young women. Mind you, the ambery, woody, muskiness is all right, if a bit pedestrian. Lemon helps a bit. Not sure I want to smell it on my guy.

Creed
"Aventus" |

Come the Creeds. I know I’d better have something good to say about Aventus or else. Oh, wow. Distinctive fresh pineapple with apple, black currant and bergamot announces something special about to come and sure enough, the woody-floral, junipery middle doesn’t disappoint. All are supported by my kind of base: oakmoss, musk, ambergris, sweetened with vanilla. Aventus is the CEO of a top competitor who hopes to trounce the Acqua di Parma CEO. More laid back and sophisticated, Aventus thinks the AdP CEO is too loud and intimidates people. Everyone likes the sharp and open Aventus guy, but is he tough enough? This is a not-to-be-ignored heck of a perfume, managing to be fresh and elegant all at once. It deserves its fame in perfumedom. Longevity is great.

"Millésime Impérial"|

However, this is the first one to close my eyes in pleasure. What’s in it? A trio of luscious citrus for a top note, Iris in the center with fresh and watery marine notes, and a classic amber, musk, sandalwood base, here not ordinary like in the Coty. It has a certain quirky complexity that speaks to my alter ego, ScentGal. It makes her think of that good-looking genius in R&D with all the patents, who makes guitars in his spare time. Maybe she’ll take him some sinful chocolate chip cookies, see what he’s inventing now. Whereas Aventus inspires admiration, Millésime Impérial captivates. Unfortunately, its charms don’t linger as long as those of Aventus. Soon enough the R&D guy is back in his lab, being mysterious again.

Re-sniffing all…there’s not a clunker in the group, though the Coty is on the lightweight side for me, compared to the rest. Otherwise, they’re head turners all.

To be continued…
Last edited by ScentFan on 01.07.2016, 15:24; edited 1 time in total
9 years ago
Creed (cont)

"Original Santal"|

The first time I went to a Creed counter and smelled the men’s perfumes, one caused such a reaction I’ll let my alter ego ScentGal tell about it. {CENSORED} Sorry, I can’t repeat that. Here’s the rub — not only did I ignore my reaction, I didn’t write down the name of the perfume! Ever since, I’ve been trying to find it. Was it this? Not sure. Was it just a fleeting moment, never to be matched? Original Santal obviously has sandalwood—mysore, thank you very much. The heart is lavender/herbal and the base rocks—cedar as well as sandalwood, ambergris and musk with vanilla and benzoin. All I know is the first sniff left me defenseless, like continued sniffing on skin almost does now. Eyes close. Thought stops. ScentGal returns and I have to censor her once more. The man who wears Original Santal is no seducer of young women. Women of all ages flock to him because he is fascinated by the fairer sex, adores their femininity and charm, wants to take them on his yacht and sail away. More’s the pity for just one yacht and just one lifetime.

"Silver Mountain Water" |

Opening with indolic citrus, this is definitely a marine scent made interesting in the heart with green tea and black currant bud, which soon becomes the strongest note, supported by a simple base of sandalwood and musk.

For me, Silver Mountain Waiter is the least of these four creeds, the black currant bud too strong. Aventus and Original Santal share first place—depending on the agenda.
D.S. & Durga
"Sir" |

I did a D.S. & Durga sniff fest, bought this, then gave it to hubby it’s so obviously male, like its name. Sir is a gorgeous chypre that holds its own with the best. It definitely has something in it besides the listed notes because an animalic element I call “the zoo” comes through, if not enough to spoil the sheer beauty of a bright citrus top, gorgeous floral center, and oakmoss, patchouli, labdanum thrumming the base. Who’s wearing this? Maybe the U.N. Secretary General though he might hold out for sniffs to come.

Davidoff
"Cool Water" |

With tobacco, geranium and lavender in the mix, this smells like an old-fashioned barbershop. Not unpleasant but not modern to my nose. It makes me think of my dad.

Dolce & Gabbana
"Dolce & Gabbana pour Homme (2012)" |

Whoa! This one’s definitely not my dad. The bright citrus top balances the tobacco/tonka/cedar base and allows the odd middle of lavender, pepper and sage to shine. An intoxicating perfume, bright but manly. Love, love. Wear this to an interview and you’ll be hired, to an evaluation and they’ll double your raise. It’s a scent made for business success—appealing without going over the edge.

"The One for Men (Eau de Toilette)" |

Nice, but for me not as appealing as pour Homme. It has a slightly soapy note rising from the sweet spice and no musk or animalic to balance the sweetness intensified by orange blossom. Grapefruit in the top helps, but not enough, nor does tobacco and cedar in the base. I’m sure this is the one for some, but not for me.

Fueguia 1833
"Jorge Luis Borges and Friends - Otro Poema de los Dones" |

So gorgeous, not sure I’ll find words to describe it. Unbelievable that three mere woods could smell this fantastic. Buddhawood, oud, cedar — the forest primeval, before all the the saws came, before Paul Bunyan and his axe, before civilization cleared the ancient virgin living timber, so thick only a ray or two of sunlight penetrated the canopy above. It must have smelled like this—deeply alive, mesmerizing, comforting. The scent improves on skin and becomes even more intriguing as the cedar mellows. Recently I thought Serge Lutens’ Chêne was the best woody perfume I’d ever smelled. Not so. It’s a different genre, given it’s non-wood notes. THIS is the best woody perfume I’ve smelled. One who wears it doesn’t hang out with ordinary mortals, or suffer confinement by steel girders and glass walls.

Standouts for me in this group are: Original Santal, Sir, pour Homme and the amazing Oto Poema de los Dones

To be continued ...
Last edited by ScentFan on 01.07.2016, 15:32; edited 1 time in total
9 years ago
Houbigant
"Duc de Vervins" |

Saw it on hubby’s wish list and got it for him (he does the same for me). Personally, I don’t love it because of its strong lavendar note, but that’s just me. This is a bracing, fresh herbal scent which oakmoss does a lot to mellow. Love the bergamot/lemon top and the patchouli/oakmoss base. The middle is a bit loud for me with geranium, rosemary, cumin and nutmeg added to the lavendar. It’s akin to Davidoff’s Cool Water to my nose, but better. Hubby doesn’t wear it much, which is fine with me.
Jacques Bogart
"One Man Show (Eau de Toilette)" |

This, OTOH, is just spellbinding! If he wore nothing but One Man Show, I’d be just fine…well, assuming I hadn’t smelled the Fueguia 1833. One Man Show is actually a textbook chypre and that profile emerges right away from the bergamot at top and labdanum/cistus base, but its one of those “good chypres” as Luca Turin calls them..”complex as a fragrance can be without losing the plot, and their principal qualities are richness and balance.” That’s One Man Show. Turin says the finest example is Chanel’s Pour Monsieur. Not sure I’ve smelled that or that I need to. One Man Show reeks of well-managed indolic florals in the top, coupled with green basil, galbanum and rosewood. The heart thrums three fabulous other woods and resinous frankincense, nutmeg and cascarilla…looking it up…used in voodoo ceremonies to cleanse and ward off evil. It must simultaneously attract archangels, because this perfume is divine. And it unfolds from the already-fabulous chypre envelope. Can’t believe I found it for nothing at the discounters. Any man wearing this would surely be considered well-bred, well-read and worth getting to know.

Joop!
"Joop! Homme (Eau de Toilette)" |

Okay, these are my fault. I loved Joop! Femme (a superior woody-oriental) so much in the years I wore it that when I saw these on sale, I just bought them. A mistake, possibly. Joop! Homme is nice, very nice, don’t get me wrong, but for me it’s too sweet for a guy. Yes, the grape-like Heliotrope and swamp-like lily-of-the valley in the heart, the patchouli/sandalwood in the base do rescue it from saccharin sweetness, but this scent just doesn’t activate “guydar" (at least not mine).

"Joop! Homme Wild" |

Definitely more interesting. Pepper, Fougere Accord (coumarin, lavender, geranium, moss, woods), Rum, Blond Tobacco, Woods. Notes aren't very descriptive, but I do like the result better than the previous one. To me it’s more male, clean-shaven, but with a detectable set of abs. It doesn't improve on skin, though, whereas Joop! Homme does.

"Joop! Jump (Eau de Toilette)" |

This says “young guy” to me. Stubble is barely appearing on his chin. The vetiver and the grapefruit, the herbs and lack of woods don’t give enough heft to imply maturity. Again, it’s a pleasant scent, but if hubby never wore it I wouldn’t care.

Juliette Has A Gun
"Vengeance Extrême" |

We both bought this fragrance! Vengeance Extreme is simply one of the better rose ouds out there. Not sure I’ve ever compared to my reigning rose oud, Dior’s Oud Ispahan, though. Here goes. Ah! No comparison. Oud Ispahan is just a swoon-inducing star of clarity and elegance. But Vengeance Extreme with its muskier, ambergris-like base is no slouch. I find it compelling, in fact. Truly genderless, it says gutsy woman and great-smelling guy, too. At least to me. OTOH, he doesn’t wear it a whole lot, so guys maybe take a cue from that. Hmmm OTOOH, I note Oud Ispahan is labelled male/female. Not sure why Vengeance extreme isn’t, too!
The Houbigant improves during the drydown as does Joop! Homme.

To be continued…
Last edited by ScentFan on 01.07.2016, 15:39; edited 2 times in total
9 years ago
All stars in this group, IMO.

Le Labo
"Oud 27" |

Early in my perfumista journey I went to Saks, I think it was, and was greeted by a Le Labo counter I hadn’t noticed before. My newly-awakened nose immediately detoured to the seats at the fragrance bar. I lingered and smelled them all and, entranced, came away with Oud 27 and Rose 31. I think it was the first oud I’d smelled and it just bowled me over. I had hubby’s name put on the label (well, my pet name for him) and mine on the Rose 31. Two years later and I still think Oud 27 is terrific. So does he. To me it is a triumph of oud and animalics, woods, amber, vetiver and the only floral, rose. Haven’t sorted out aldehydes yet, so can’t comment on their contribution. The magic here is in the blending so that potentially offending notes don’t. Oud 27 allows a nose to enjoy what’s good in all of them, without inducing any ewwwws. Well, if you’re just not into potent scent, I suppose it might be off-putting, but if you want to dive into the animal kingdom and still smell like a gentleman, this oud could be for you.

Maison Francis Kurkdj
"Oud Velvet Mood" |

To my nose, this says oud, amber and cedar, however I am completely wrong. This is oud with fancy versions of cinnamon, saffron and balsam! Hubby liked it, but didn’t buy because of the price (never mind the fortune he was spending delighting MY nose). Of course I got it for him for his birthday (if our starved bodies are ever found in the woods, surrounded by empty perfume bottles, you’ll know why—just kidding. [I hope]). This oud is a beauty! Subtle spice and exotic resin mimic other familiar scents and the result is seductive, mesmerizing. Worth every outrageous penny, assuming your refrigerator’s already full. It’s among his favorites. Mine, too.

Naomi Goodsir
"Bois d'Ascèse" |

He wore this to our wedding. How was that possible, a person might wonder, when it was only created in 2012? Here’s the quick and dirty: married 24 years, we decided to divorce, but it didn’t take. So we remarried in 2013 after hanging out on Skype every night for two years like teenagers. I wore vintage L’Heure Blue. He wore this amazing incense perfume by the Australian, Naomi Goodsir. It has a boozy-tobacco top note, a luxurious amber-labdanum heart spiked with cinnamon, and the base is a to-die-for combo of oakmoss, cedar and frankincense (ladies, here pass out unconscious on the floor). The drydown only multiplies the beauty. At first I bought it for myself and rarely wore it because it seemed so male then he smelled it and fell so head-over-heels I had to give it to him. No prob, since I now get to smell it on him. In my sniff-fest of 56 incense perfumes two years ago, it made the mens (to me) finals in the company of the likes of:

Amouage Interlude Man
Armani/Prive Bois d'Encens
Commes des Gardons 2 Man
Commes des Gardons Avignon
Norma Kamali Incense
Robert Piguet Casbah
Slumberhouse Norne
Tom Ford Amber Absolute

Nasomatto
"Duro" |

I started to buy this for him, but he beat me to the punch. Duro is a cedary marvel of oud, spice, resins, leather and woods. It’s a take-no-prisoners-beast. It’s the rider in that childhood poem whose name I can’t remember that used to scare me half to death because he slung nice young girls on his horse and rode them around all night. Terrible! Of course, a grown woman might not mind, especially if she knew the horseman and he was cute. Smelling this, she might even wink as he rode by and if he stopped, climb out the window and hold up her arms to be hoisted onto the horse. Just saying.

"Pardon" |

A class act. Oud in the base with sandalwood are massively civilized by a food-like middle (chocolate, tonka, cinnamon) and floral top. The result is tremendous. I could sniff it all day. Let other girls ride off on horses, I’m staying home with this guy. Everyone trusts him. He takes me to 3-star Michelin restaurants and the symphony.
Paco Rabanne
"Paco Rabanne pour Homme (Eau de Toilette)" |

Years before I became a perfumista, I gave this to hubby, having no clue that scent obsession was in our future. I still like it. It’s a fresh, herbal-lavender thing akin to Davidoff’s Cool Water, except here the throbbing amber, oakmoss, honey, musk base is strong and rescues the fragrance. Not having mint helps, too.

To be continued ...
Last edited by ScentFan on 01.07.2016, 15:42; edited 1 time in total
9 years ago
Just realized that Paco Rabanne pour Homme, Davidoff’s Cool Water, and Houbigant’s Duc de Verin are all Fougères, a genre I haven’t explored—fresh, green fragrances with a distinct note of lavender. Michael Edward’s Fragrance Wheel calls it “the universal fragrance family, with sexy cool-warm notes of citrus and lavender, sweet spices and oriental woods.” Luca Turin says it’s “herbaceious, green, inedible, soapy” with lavender on one end and coumarin on the other. He calls Paco Rabanne pour Homme, “the finest early example” of an Aromatic Fougère. Creed’s Original Santal may loosely fall in this category. I like them both.

Now to the final seven:

Ramón Monegal
"Agar Musk" |

Neiman’s keeps running out of Agar Musk. When I went back to buy it for hubby after taking a sample home to him, it was gone. The clerks said it happens a lot. So I went online and hunted for it. First of all, I think the entire Monegal line is tremendous. My personal fave is Kiss My Name and I wear it all the time. Agar Musk is hubby’s Monegal drug. The fragrance exceeds its notes: Ambroxan, Leather, Musk, Nutmeg, Oud, Vetiver. Well, maybe it simply presents them right. Imagine these notes in perfection then blended. That’s Agar Musk.

Slumberhouse
"Norne" |

I tend to write superlatives for Slumberhouse perfumes, think superlatives when I open them and feel superlatives when hubby comes near wearing one. Norne is his favorite. Mine is all of them. If I’d first smelled Norne on a stranger I would have stopped him and asked him what he was wearing—unless he looked like a character on a night coach in a Dickens novel, which he probably would. Then I wouldn’t ask. I’d just follow him a while and try to figure out whether this scent was from earth’s first day or (shudder) its last day. Norne's not ordinary. It doesn’t resemble other scents. Norne was made by a genius and you’d have to be one to wear it—IOW, my kind of guy.

Ted Lapidus
"Lapidus pour Homme Black Extreme" |

Can’t remember how this one came into the collection. It’s lovely, though, and about as sweet as I want my man to smell. Must say the lemon, black pepper, violet leaf top note is spectacular. Labdanum and tonka seduce from the base, saffon beguiles from the heart, with orange blossom in this truly fabulous-smelling scent.

Versace
"Versace L'Homme (Eau de Toilette)" |

This fragrance came out 13 years before a madman shot Gianni on his own front steps. It’s a classic 80’s oriental for a guy. To the core oriental accord—bergamot, jasmine, amber, vanilla, musk—Gianni’s perfumer added green notes and lots of lemon, woods and spice then leather, oakmoss, labdanum. Talk about a universal fragrance! Great longevity and sillage, of course. I’m usually not much for a strong lemon note in a fragrance, but this one is a dream.

"Versace Man Eau Fraîche" |

Gianni’s sister Donatella took over after Gianni died and presided over the creation of this aquatic. I saw a youtube review of it and grabbed it for hubby blind. Glad I did. The musky, slightly green freshness is irresistible. Odd notes, too. Starfish. Who would have thunk!

"Versace pour Homme (Eau de Toilette)" |

A fresh, soapy citrus. The geranium (also hyacinth?) is too strong for me. I’ll pass.
Yves Saint Laurent
"La Nuit de L'Homme (Eau de Toilette)" |

A mild and pleasant fragrance, sweet with cardamom in the top. Bergamot, lavender and cedar in the heart add beauty and the amber, caraway, vetiver base is interesting, though the caraway does remind me of cabbage. Don’t love or hate it. It’s okay.
CONCLUSION

I beg apologies to Joop! Homme which I have come to respect from a prolonged wear. It’s an interesting and accomplished fragrance. Though sweet, its complexity deserves to be taken seriously.

Also, I searched among my decants and found Chanel’s Pour Monsieur. Luca Turin thinks it’s a fine example of a chypre stretched to the limits, but the notes in our database don’t show the classic chypre accord, which Turin himself in a preceding sentence defined as bergamot-labdanum-oakmoss. Pour Monsieur has only oakmoss, yet Turin calls it a chypre. Personally, I wish he hadn’t because the chypre accord is distinct and exceeds oakmoss alone by a galaxy or two. If you’ve ever smelled Coty de Chypre you know the haunting signature chypre smell, hard to find these days because of the restrictions on oakmoss. One Man Show has it because it has all three components of the accord and otherwise beautifully expands the chypre genre to its limits. That said, 1955 Pour Monsieur is indeed a sophisticated and elegant fragrance, a classic in its own right. It begins with Lemon and Verbena, like male scents had for centuries, adds orange and neroli in the top, puts sweet spice in the heart along with basil then turns the base over to oakmoss, vetiver and cedar. The scent is familiar because so many men have worn it. I have it on my left hand and One Man Show on my right. No question. Pour Monsieur is a wonderful rendition of powerfully simple ideas that would suit most men on the planet who want to smell great, but it’s not a chypre. One Man Show is absolutely a chypre and to my nose exceeds Pour Monsieur by a galaxy. Like all true chypres, it is heady and voluptuous (the labdanum). Pour Monsieur is not. It’s well done, too, mild and refined. Great for business. Sniff and learn. Maybe it’s my next gift to hubby. Nah! Too tame.

Finally, which of hubby’s fragrances do I love the most? If I never smell these again, it would be okay: Coty Musk, Creed Silver Mountain Water, D&G’s The One for Men, Davidoff’s Cool Water, Houbigant’s Duc de Vervins, Joop! Jump and Joop! Homme Wild, Versace pour Homme. The YSL isn’t a favorite, but I don’t hate it either.

The rest are fabulous.
———————

p.s. Turns out the lines I remembered in the Nasomatto Duro review are from a lyric by Noel Coward performed in London in 1924! Not a poem. (I was a girl when I heard it decades later. Long story.) He hung out with Gershwin, wrote Rhapsody in Blue, and hundreds of songs and lyrics for musical theater.) This one’s called “HE NEVER DID THAT TO ME”

Though I find the hero charming,
I prefer the more alarming
Man who plays the villain’s part.
The things he does to nice young girls
Aren’t easy to forget;
He never minces matters,
When he traps them in his net.

He never did that to me;
He never did that to me;

He binds them across his saddle tight,
Regardless of their shrieks of fright,
and carries them upside down all night,
He never did that to me.

(Scary, right? I think London banned it.)
Last edited by ScentFan on 01.07.2016, 15:49; edited 1 time in total
9 years ago
First, thanks ScentFan-Dahlink. Nicely done!

We are (per usual) very much in sync with our likes/dislikes here.

I used to be able to pick my top five scents but with this bunch its pretty hard to do now.

Oud Velvet Mood is tough to beat. Duro is too.

Norne and Bois d’Ascese are beyond perfect, as is Aqua d Parma.

Love all the Creeds I have and wear them lots.

Sir by D.S. & Durga and the Jorge Luis Borges and Friends - Otro Poema de los Dones are both just incredible and seem to be my current go-to picks.

Oud 27 and Agar Musk are from another planet that I want to live on. Would get on the rocket today.

My old stand-by Paco Rabanne is forever great.

Thanks again ScentFan for this post and thanks for all the scents you have introduced me to.
I will be forever appreciative and smelling good.

ScentSir
(...binding ScentFan across my saddle tight…)
9 years ago
LOL!!

ScentSir:
ScentSir
(...binding ScentFan across my saddle tight…)
7 years ago
Time to update this thread with hubby's later acquisitions. When he pulled them all out to facilitate my sniffing, he announced that he didn't need more perfume. He claimed 43 was enough. In some homes, perhaps. Very Happy

There's one more to add if I can find it. While I was exiting a hotel elevator in L.A. recently, a man walked by to get on. His perfume was so gorgeous that I stuck my head in the elevator and, holding the door, asked what he was wearing. I thought he said, Lalique's Pour Homme. Only later did I discover that several begin that way, which means I need to get to a Lalique counter and sniff until I find it. Update: It was Lalique Pour Homme Equus EdP.

Meanwhile, let me tell you what I bought hubby (belatedly) for his birthday other than Neil Morris' Aegean. Oh, I've already reviewed it. Roja parfum the "Sultanate of Oman". At the moment I think it is the best male perfume in the universe. He didn't complain one bit at the time. His other new ones are:

Chanel "Bleu de Chanel (Eau de Parfum)"
Chanel "Pour Monsieur"
Creed "Himalaya"
D.S. & Durga's "El Cosmico"
Guerlain "Eau de Fleurs de Cédrat"
Guerlain "Héritage"
Lalique "Lalique Pour Homme Lion (Eau de Parfum)"
Lalique "Lalique Pour Homme Equus (Eau de Parfum)"
Montblanc "Individuel (Eau de Toilette)"
Myrugia "Yacht Man - Metal"
Neil Morris "Aegean"
Olympic Orchids "Blackbird"

Sniffing begins tomorrow.
Last edited by ScentFan on 06.10.2017, 17:24; edited 1 time in total
6 years ago
It's not serious, but things decided to go aft a-frigging-gley again. No respect for my sniff-fest intentions. Back soon, hopefully.
6 years ago
Hi, Folks

Time to update hubby's scents. Pulling out test strips, scrubbing hands and arms. Getting started on his new acquisitions in alpha order:

Chanel "Bleu de Chanel (Eau de Parfum)"
On paper, synthetics in the top note tickle my nose and warn me to stop smelling or else. On skin it's a bit more bearable but not something I can tolerate long. The top is supposedly citrus, but pepper or some kind of chemical makes we want to sneeze. What ought to be a smooth drydown isn't because notes that are normally mellow aren't. Certainly one of my least favorite. Not a good blind buy. Must wash off to have any hope of smelling the others.

Chanel "Pour Monsieur"
He has two versions--the 1955, EdT and the 1989 EdT Concentrée. First, the 1955. On paper, this grand achievement in perfumery flies up my nostrils. On skin, its lemony orangey top practically makes love to the mellow spices in the heart—cardamom, coriander, basil, a deft dash of ginger. Then both embrace the oakmoss, cedarwood, sandalwood base. This says maleness in sophisticated perfection—just short of causing swooning, because that wouldn't be dignified.

Now to the 1989. On paper it's a bit stronger, has a tad more bite but it's also beautiful. Now in the top we find lavender and petitgrain instead of lemon; cardamom in the heart, nutmeg added but the others gone. No woods in the base now, just oakmoss with opoponax, vanilla and vetiver added. On skin it's still spicier but so nice. They're not the same fragrances and the 1955 is superior, IMO, but somehow it's okay that they have the same name. In comparison to these two, Bleu is close to a crime.

Creed "Himalaya"
On paper, the lovely citrus top and warm undertone promise wonders to come and, sure enough, on skin it's an intoxication of sandalwood and spice with Juniper strong from the heart; Musk, Ambergris and Tonka mellowing from the base. It's initially a brighter perfume than the previous two, stronger, appealing, but not more beautiful than the '55 PM and perhaps equal to the '89.

D.S. & Durga's "El Cosmico"
Well, immediately on paper you know you're in for something different because Creosote fairly shouts from the heart. On skin, you're in a cabin on the plains of Texas surrounded by oak, pine, bushes, sand and herbs. If you long for the Texas outdoors, this scent will take you there. You just have to get used to the tarry-comforting smell of Creosote. It can't be compared to the previous two.

Guerlain "Eau de Fleurs de Cédrat"
On paper every aspect of this perfection of Bergamot, Cintron, Verbena and Cedar is evident, with Citron the strongest note. Hubby says he'd like to take a bath in it. On skin its fresh, astringent deliciousness expands, without lasting long. It's a toilet water, an EdC, meant to be splashed on throughout hot summer days. It's also an outdoorsy scent, though not El Cosmico's Texas outdoors and not the strongly aromatic Cedar of Aqua di Parma Colonia Intensa Oud. Jacques Guerlain was inspired by the smells of the Mediterranean in creating this.

The remaining eight coming soon.
6 years ago
Wow ScentFan - I love reading about your sniff fests and this one is exceptionally brilliant! What great descriptive writing and I enjoy so much the little snippets of insights into your life and memories relating to the perfumes - How wonderful that you two split and then decided to re-marry - that's just adorable, it bowls me over!
After reading this there are definitely a couple that I will be getting hold of to sniff myself; the Naomi Goodsir and the sandalwood Creed for sure.
Did you get a sample of Annette Neuffer's Tabac Santal for him to try, or is it not his thing? I got a lot of lavender from it on my first try - probably because I was not expecting it, but it dried down into a gorgeous, non-sweet, supple suede like leathery thing and I love it now.

Happy sniffing and happy days :-*
6 years ago
Hi, Polyanthes

I forgot I was such a blabber-mouth, but glad you like the sniff fests. We should have known divorce wasn't the answer because once having agreed on it, we filed our own papers without lawyers. He drove me there and back and afterward we went out to dinner. We're both electrical engineers and can be a bit too logical at times, I think.

He hasn't smelled the Nueffers yet. Will take Tabac Santal downstairs to him right now. Smile

Have a good.
6 years ago
FINAL INSTALLMENT

Guerlain "Héritage"
Our site says this was Guerlain's first men's fragrance and it's by Jean-Paul Guerlain, who has left the firm and launched beautiful new perfumes as My Exclusive Collection. I just love the clarity of his designs, in this case lemon, bergamot, lavender, coriander and pink pepper in the heart with patchouli in the base, all no doubt atop the signature Guerlinade developed by Aimé Guerlain and said to contain, at minimum, bergamot, rose, jasmine, tonka bean, iris, and vanilla. It's a distinctive perfume most men could wear—solid, sophisticated, full of class.

Lalique "Lalique Pour Homme Lion (Eau de Parfum)"
I found this while on a search for the next one, so I'll tell the story there. Assuming the EdP has the same notes as the EdT, this beauty gives a blast of freshness from the citric-herbal top note then beauty from its jasmine-iris-cedarwood heart and luxury from the woody-animalic-vanilla base, starring oakmoss. On skin it remains boldly fresh and beautiful in a manly way.

Lalique "Lalique Pour Homme Equus (Eau de Parfum)"
This mesmerizer caused me to follow a strange man onto an elevator and stand in the doors, asking what he was wearing. Understanding me fully, he answered quite seriously but all I heard was "Lalique Pour Homme" before I stepped back and let him get on his way. Bad manners, yes, but there are worse things—like never finding out what this was! I panicked when I discovered that Lalique Pour Homme comes in versions: Lion, Horse (Equus), Deer (Le Faune), also Cristal which includes Panther, Bouddha and Athletes.

Off I went to the nearest Lalique counter, to no avail except narrowing it down to this and the one above because they weren't in stock. I ordered them both from an online discounter and, voila! The elevator man was wearing the intoxicant, Equus. It has Juniper, mainly. Also cardamom and citrus zest in the top. Violet leaf, Mace (mace? oh, the seasoning) and Sequoia wood in the heart. When I put the test strip to my nose, I don't want to interrupt smelling to take it down and do a skin test. On paper, my nose loves it as much as faves of this group: Pour Monsieur and Heritage.

Okay, skin test. Yum to the max. I love this fresh, appealingly bracing scent. My nose does twitch a tiny tad, eventually, so there may be an aromachemical in there, but not enough to close a nose like so many do.

Montblanc "Individuel (Eau de Toilette)"
Be careful of this one. I bought it for hubby because I read it smells like Creed's Santal, which I love. What it has that Creed Santal doesn't is aromachemicals that make my nose twitch just a bit and caused his chest to break out in a rash. If you're sensitive to synthetics, beware. It smells somewhat in the territory of Santal, but the latter takes the cake.

Myrugia "Yacht Man - Metal"
The company put out a series of perfumes called Yacht Man and and this one, Metal, features citruses, spice, musk and woods, per Fragrantica. Neither of us can remember how it came into his collection. On paper, it starts out strangely to me, the citrus tickling my nose. Nothing inspires me to test it on my skin but this is a sniff fest, so … Well, it's okay but I wouldn't call it beautiful. More like nondescript. There's something off-putting in it but not so much I feel I'll have to sneeze. I see how some might like it.

Neil Morris "Aegean"
I ordered his Signature Collection Sampler, and this was among them. Joint sniff fests being one of our favorite things, hubby smelled them too and exclaimed so about Aegean that I bought it for his birthday the next month. (I purchased Summer of Love, but Neil kindly included more samples with our order, resulting in my owning a total of 5). For hubby, Aegean is enough. On paper it's instantly swoon-inducing—Basil blossom and Mandarin in the top, lavender and quince in the center, benzoin, musk and sandalwood in the base. Absent going to the Aegean, smelling this will take you there. I just love it.

Olympic Orchids "Blackbird"
Ellen Covey is another designer whose perfumes I fell in love with. I have 9 of her marvels and I once owned this. During one of our sniff fests, hubby stole it from me! He claims I gave it to him. Perhaps, but that's unlikely because this is a drop-dead gorgeous perfume. As proof, I offer the evidence that this haunting, woody-resinous glory has Elemi in it. I don't give away perfumes that have elemi, much less black currant, grass, leaves, cedar, resin, amber fir balsam and musk! I'm thinking of taking it back! One of us needs to be wearing this and he seems preoccupied with all his other fabulous scents. (I understand. I get preoccupied, too). If she still makes it, do get Ellen to send you a sample. You'll probably swoon, too.

Paloma Picasso "Minotaure (Eau de Toilette)"
This one was an unexpected find. On another website, someone who assumed it was unavailable asked how he could pay a perfumer to reproduce it. I wondered what kind of perfume could cause that kind of yearning? Finding it for him still on sale online, I blind bought it for hubby. He's glad I did. Paloma Picasso's now bargain-basement creation flies up the nose unhindered, to take its place among the best. On skin, it's a sweeping oriental with the classic accord of Bergamot, Jasmine, Amber, Musk and Vanilla. Tarragon, Galbanum and Coriander in the top make it male as does playing down the florals in comparison with the rest. It's a dream.

Roja Dove "Sultanate of Oman"
The moment I smelled it at the perfume counter, I knew I had to buy it for hubby in thanks for the many stunning perfumes he's bought for me. (High price. Gulp. No problem. Choke.) There could be no more worthy resurrection of the ancient Omani perfume industry than Roja Dove's noble marriage of the best Frankincense and the finest woods, the most beautiful florals and citrus. This is a scent for a sheikh, a prince and, in terms of his spirit, I'm married to one. He's not perfect (there are no perfect folks), but for 31+ years he's shown me what it means to be loved. Come what may, I was going to get him this.

Conclusion
Other than our Blackbird dispute, hubby and I see eye-to-eye on perfume and will probably continue buying it for each other, eating into our "retire and travel the world" savings. Our noses will in any case.

We got up at 4 am to watch the wedding of Prince Harry and the now "Rachel, Duchess of Sussex," aka Meghan. To us it was a nearly flawless event. We'd also watched the TV movie about them which showed their links to Botswana and the magical encounters with a lion that seemed to represent his mother, Diana. That sealed it.

Hubby and I were already obsessed with the new royal couple because they're so in love and, on the surface, hubby's like Harry and I'm like Meghan, if both of us quite a bit older. When we learned about the lion, we knew they were meant for each other because we've had magic happen, too. It conspired to keep us together even when we tried to part. Hint: never divorce if you can't stay out of touch for a full 24 hours.

Floris of London, sole possessor of a royal warrant for perfume, designed something unisex for the wedding, based on "Bergamotto di Positano." I hope the day comes when we get a bespoke perfume designed for us, too. While divorced, we kept a marriage license handy in case one of us started to croak so we could rush and remarry, ending life like we should. What pushed us back together? It's a long and just amazing story. Not a lion, but in the end our parents from heaven—his father come to us in a portentous dream and the final marriage license the dream prompted, in which the first day we could retie the knot was my mother's birthday.

See? Magic.
Thanks ScentFan 6 years ago
Thanks ScentFan for completing the manly sniff fest detailing the ones I have.
Impressive and very much appreciated.

I’m left in a quandary as to what to spray so I am just going random with it.

My challenge is to be able to say what I have on if asked:
(Practicing) “(Sultanate of Oman, Sultanate of Oman, Sultanate of Oman, Sultanate of Oman …..”)
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