...PBullFriend:I really like the CB IHP Burning Leaves. There's a Demeter Bonfire that I also really like, but I think they're pretty close, so you might not like it. Have you tried Profumum Roma Arso? I only have a little sample but I think it's quite nice.I think I should retry CBIHP Burning Leaves- have you tried 'Fire from Heaven'? Perhaps my impression was skewed because I had the whole line available at once for one day only and I wanted to try them all- I chose about 4 and 'Revelation' quickly blew my mind, so everything just dropped off my radar. I also couldn't find Bonfire anymore in the Demeter Scent Library...it's like the fragrance police can hear my thoughts! Great suggestion on the Profumum Roma Arso! I had forgotten about that one. Thanks!

...SystemeD:Sonoma Scent Studio, Fireside Intense.So I have heard...it looks like this has been discontinued atleast it's not available on their website in the US any longer :(

...Flavorite:Getting back to the original topic... I just remembered two other Niche fragrances that attracted compliments and curiosity:1. Comme des Garcons 3 Eau de Toilette2. Lostmarch Lann-Ael1. CdG 3- I was strolling around LA in an upscale area filled with boutiques on a sunny day- so people where generally friendlier and just hanging around cafes, etc. checking each other's styles out- anyway- my sister-in-law and myself decided to stop in to make dinner reservations at a trendy Japanese Restaurant (I say trendy, only because the hostess was wearing boots and a suede mini skirt that must have cost thousands- I don't think she really needed to be a hostess for the money). When the Maître D had to go back to verify they could accommodate our party, a waitress came up to the stand and said to the hostess "ooh, yummy- someone smells goo, is that you? and she said...no, I'm not wearing anything" everyone looked around- I had just been in the boutique next door deliberating over CdG 3 versus CdG White, Wonderwood and Hinoki-decided to try CdG 3 out first. Then when the Maître D returned he inhaled deeply and smiled peacefully saying "Hmmm' that 's a lovely scent, whose wearing that one?".2. Lann-Ael- I wore this to an acting class in Late November which is dismal and rainy where I live and this one guy was just everywhere I was for the whole 3 hours, he wanted to be my partner for all the exercises, and suddenly he just wanted to be best buddies, he was also invading my personal space a lot and I was just about to ask about his wife or mention my husband- never happened in the 6 weeks before or there after- awkward and amusing! But then a female friend in the class said - you smell like delicious baked spice cookies, yum!" I put 2+2 together.

...Apicius:Flavorite, I wonder where the Gewürztraminer comes from, the bottle and does not state the exact region. Possibly from the Pfalz region since this grape is not popular at the Mosel.I think Gewürztraminer is a complicated wine. If the weather conditions are not perfect it very easily gets a bitter taste. I had this experience every now and then. The more south it grows, the better. That's why I would generally prefer Gewürztraminer from the neighboring Alsace region in France.I will have to research this question a bit. It is very old and kind of like the legends of Count Dracula...dates back in some form to 1,000 A.D. But initially, I recall it comes from somewhere between the village of Tramin, located in South Tyrol, the German-speaking province in northern Italy and the Jura. My European historical geography is non-existent! A cursory internet search tells me that "It was spread down the Rhine to Alsace, by way of the Palatinate, where Gewürz (spice) was added to its name." I'll check into this tale some more.

...Sleuth:I don't know what maple leaves smell like, but when you say maple, I think of the syrup and the warm sweet 'cosy' taste. I'm not a fan of sweet scents, but I did get the same warm and cosy vibe from the myrrh in Caron's Parfum Sacré. That one has bad longevity but myrrh is great! There's also Eau d'Italie Bois d'Ombrie if tobacco's still an option.Thank you- Tobacco is always an option, I love it! But I have just spent the evening with Bois 1920 La Vaniglia and found that on my it is nothing but tobacco and vanilla- before it seemed richer and more spicy- so I am trying to find something to layer with it to ground it and make it more earthy... Myrrh has been problematic for me- I love it's smooth antiseptic quality but on my skin it turns very sweet and kind of sweaty...but I haven't really tried some of the greats like Annick Goutal, Guerlain, Serge Lutens and Keiko Mecheri's yet....So I am pretty much going off of just straight myrrhe resin oil, Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess and Rouge Hermes - as saying it's too pungent. So, I have my cherry tobacco (and I'm not a big fan of patchouli) so I thought I'd try a firewood/ burnt leaf angle or perhaps a black coffee note...Ooohh- what I wouldn't give for a complete set of perfumer's blending notes to play with!

...I didn't see this in a previous topic, so let me ask...with Autumn on it's way, what are some of your favorite smoky burning wood/Maple leaves & fireside fragrances that are not incense and not cherry pipe tobacco and more importantly, don't make people smell like smoked sausages? My knowledge is limited in this category- the only one I've tried was CB I Hate Perfumes- Burning Leaves- which was very "Hickory Liquid Smoke Flavoring" related to my nose-all suggestions are welcome, of course!

...Cryptic:Forgive me for being stupid, Flavorite, but why no cork?Ahhh, yes this is not a stupid question, not at all! This is the hottest debate in the wine bottling industry for the last few years! The old-timers/purests and snobs say it must be cork or nothing! While the new tech Vintners say, 'but with cork half of your wine will be moldy or filled with off aromas, volatile acidity and those annoying little pieces of crumbly old cork by the time you age it/open it' due to varying degrees of quality used in the cork making industry, contaminants, etc. Form over function. Now more and more practical wineries and some high-end Wineries, as well, are just going for what preserves the integrity of the wine, not the aesthetics of the bottle...similar to our issues with perfume bottles and the integrity of the fragrance, in fact. If you want to get a room full of Winemakers/Sommeliers in a total raucous... raise this issue!

...Great Topic Idea! (Says the Winemaker!):Today I propose a wine from the godfather of the U.S. Pacific Northwest wine, Dr. Ernst Loosen and grape growing movement who studied Alsace and Rheingau varietals to determine which would grow well in British Columbia, Oregon and WA State. Producing some exceptional dry and late-harvest reislings, Muller- Thurgau, Gewürztraminer and silky Vetliners. His own estate vineyards are set in slate soil steep hillsides of the Mosel Valley, which provide the ideal terroir for minerality and a complexity of character to these styles of wine, unmatched anywhere else, IMHO. In the U.S. he was a pioneer of a modern generation of Gewürztraminer growers, collaborating under various labels for the sheer artistry and overall technical soundness of the industry.I love all these varieties, but today's pick is the from the Gewürztraminer line with a flamboyant bouquet of lychees. Dry Gewürztraminers also possess aromas of roses, passion fruit and floral notes and go perfectly with warm lazy sunny brunches in the Spring Summer and early Fall with. Paired with spicy Indonesian flavors of galangal, green curries and red chili or mingled with rich Indian aromas of cumin, coriander, garlic, turmeric and mustard seeds, this chilled liquid gold will figuratively dance on your palate. Even a simple coupling with rich Roquefort stuffed figs drizzled with an aged balsamic reduction, the crisp taste and floral aromas create a seductive spell. Enjoy!

...Never before, have I had such a difficult time deciding which way to go next! My Santa Maria Novella Ginestra has not yet even arrived for the last days of Summer and already I am spending sleepless nights thinking about a Fall show stopper. Ugh! I ordered 8 samples today because I just need to try them all again- well hopefully it will be L'Artisan's Mechant Loup, A Lab on Fire- What We Do in Paris is Secret, Penhaligons' Malabah or Jo Malone's Black Vetiver Café...but who knows!

...EvaK:This.... I've seen it in real life. It's a plastic spring, I swear! http://dsbo73qgdzp2w.cloudfront.net/files/styles/news_node_image/public/news/justin-bieber-girlfriend-perfume-400.pngOMG, as ridiculous as the celeb behind it!

...OOOHHH MYYYY! You Read my Mind! I am suddenly obsessed with Cardamom too!!!Here are my favorites so Far:1. Cinq Monde- Eau de Bengalore -sheer but definitely a cardamom & vanilla celebration.2.Nasomatto- Silver Musk- Beautiful Cardamom for the first hour- then intense spicy musk- I couldn't handle the musk but OH MY did I love that first hour- like bathing in a Thai spiced rice pudding.3. Lubin- Black Jade and Lubin - Galaad - both bewitching4. Red Flower Cardamom Amber Hammam Oil- Highly fragranced- must love amber too.5.Fragonard- Vrai6. L'Eau de Kasaneka- cute bottle too7. Penhaligon's - Elixir Eau- classic spicy blend8. Comme des Garcons - Holygrace- watery spices9. i Profumi di Firenze - Ambra del Nepal- Haven't sampled yet, but is on my short list. Good luck with your cardamom quest! Please update us on which one's you enjoy the most!

...Le Labo Musc 25 has just about given me a nervous breakdown! I've gone through4 samples, but I just can't justify the ridiculous price of a full bottle...outrageous and too exclusive! Yet it won't let me sleep at night and I am buying all sorts of other substitute fragrances that are not cutting it, and by now probably almost total the amount of a full bottle of Musc 25...it is very vexing, indeed. It's a loosing battle I know, I should just admit defeat now and sign my contract with the devil...

...http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2265398/Drinking Buddies...This was very quirky and funny.

...My full bottle of Santa Maria Novella Scotch Broom "Ginestra" is on it's way...I can't wait!

...Here's the bottle just incase:http://goo.gl/ws3yhwI saw it at a store we have in the US called Kohls, which is sort of every where and inexpensive.

...This is a fascinating topic and I've been wrestling with the various sides of the debate in my own mind this whole week after discovering how much I and apparently everyone else I come into contact with) love a particular totally synthetic musk and some other totally synthetic creations. Yet, I don't want to give myself or a loved one cancer, asthma or sneezing fits over a fragrance. So then I started to research all sorts of more "natural ingredient" options from the houses of Strange Invisible Perfumes, Trance Essence, EBBA, Honore de Pres, etc. But I can't say I like any of these offerings enough to buy them- still searching for a good balance between less toxic and what I actually like to smell, so far they just don't work for me...it's quite a conundrum.

...Dolby:If you were blown away by the Santa Maria Novella, then I would go with this one.Who cares about the weather?If it smells gorgeous, then it smells gorgeous.Yep. That is exactly what I'm thinking. Thanks!

...Getting back to the original topic... I just remembered two other Niche fragrances that attracted compliments and curiosity:1. Comme des Garcons 3 Eau de Toilette2. Lostmarch Lann-Ael

...http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17956024http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19487255http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22776624http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23422234"RESULTS: Among the 1312 study participants, 3.6 % were functionally anosmic, and 18 % had olfactory dysfunction. Approximately 20 % recognized only three or less of the four tastes when presented at suprathreshold concentrations, indicating signs of taste impairment. Current smoking in general increased the risk for impairment of olfactory function (odds ratio 1.71, 95 % CI 1.19-2.47), but not the risk for taste impairment. Heavy smokers of 20 or more cigarettes/day had significant increased risks for impairment in both senses.CONCLUSIONS: Our results reveal that both olfactory and gustatory function are compromised in a significant proportion of the general population. Smoking increases significantly the risk of impairment of olfactory function. Our findings add an important detail to the large body of evidence that describes adverse health effects of smoking." -School of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Münster, Münster, Germany. [email protected] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18677645 et cetera

...Dolby:Flavorite:I feel very sorry for smokers... they just can't smell the more subtle scents anymore. So sad...I've said it before, and I'll say it again: smokers have a better sense of smell than non smokersAll this "you lose your sense of smell when you smoke is uneducated old wives' tales I'm afraid.It's true that smokers lose the sense of taste, but not smell, and that is because cigarette smoke paralyses the scent receptors in the nose, allowing the molecules to hang around longer, and therefore be smelt better.Many professional noses for some of the biggest and most exclusive houses are smokers.Oh I didn't mean to offend anyone- I used to smoke myself, that's just been my experience with about a dozen smokers I've been friends with and that is fascinating about the paralyzed scent receptors- never heard that before! Perhaps the friends that I have that are smokers, just really had faulty olfactory bulbs in the first place and liked the bold monster sillage scents. All I know is that when I was a smoker, about 15 years ago- I had chronic migraines when I would apply any of my gorgeous big fragrances and I had nearly chronic sinus problems so I couldn't smell anything personally unless it was Tuscany Per Donna or Amarige volume... so I gave up the cigs because I couldn't part with the Fracas, the Calandre and the Lumiere.