...PepdalI love ...Anat Fritz ClassicalThis is a great one that I too love. I will add Les Nombres d’Or Vetyver and Turtle Vetiver Front to the list of greats.

...I have tried them all briefly on skin, and while I wish I could expound on what I thought they smelled like, it has been too much time since I tried them to do so without reapplying the samples. All I can remember is none were terrible, but unfortunately also none were attention-worthy. Too bad, really, as I had high hopes for a couple...

...Portrait of a Lady (original formula)

...I haven't sniffed Wild yet, but of the others I too prefer Potion. Another standout is He Wood Rocky Mountain Wood. The brand makes quality stuff generally, IMO.

...My three favorites are (most sadly discontinued):Le Parfum Denis Durand CoutureYellow SeaWhite Sea

...Unfortunately if you are looking for current offerings featuring oakmoss that ship has sailed... I *will* say that I concur with the Chypre Mousse recommendation (Chypre Palatin did not have enough of the stuff to capture my attention).I would also recommend seeking out Azemour by Parfum d'Empire. I found a significant quantity still in that composition and it smells quite good on the whole.If looking for vintages with oakmoss the options are endless, but my reference is vintage Captain by Molyneux. That composition is *loaded* with the stuff.

...Well, with the last offering worn today I wrap up my time with Chaboud. I want to again thank MiaVonTrost for the opportunity to try the house...My final verdict I am afraid is not very good. There are a couple standouts, however, as Fleur de Figuier and Lait Concentre while both not my kind of compositions are indeed very well put together and smell quite good. That said, there is just too much of a super-sweet focus to most compositions in the line, and none are innovative, IMO. I guess I just like my compositions with a bit more spunk, excitement (and less sweetness) than these.Now that I am through with my samples I would be happy to pass on the whole set for someone else to try and post their own impressions. If anyone is interested, please PM me and I will send them on to you (US based preferred to avoid potential customs issues but I will mail anywhere in the world except the UK due to mailing restrictions). Whoever PMs me first gets them, with the hope that they too will forward to another when finished.Edit:The first responder was Sweetgrass, so I will send the sample set out to her shortly.

...The final day of sampling has arrived... and with it Etoile de Lune. The notes on this one sounded up my alley so I probably had the most hope it would impress, but alas it doesn't early-on. There is a sweet and powdery mild amber coupling with synthetic smelling light musk making its way to the open to additionally join very faint dull rose and supporting orange blossom florals. The end result... baby oil. "Johnson's and Johnson's" baby oil is a heck of a lot cheaper at about $2 a bottle, and smells at least as good (which isn't saying much). Highly unimpressive early... Again, we will see as the day goes on if this pricey baby oil concoction develops into something more substantial.Edit: Now after finishing up the day with this one on skin I can honestly say things never get much better until the very late dry-down and even that is pretty mundane.

...Up today is Lait de Biscuit. Early on I get a very gourmand sugary sweet vanilla crossed with a supporting baked sugar cookie accord. Not enjoying this one much... I wish the perfumer would give up on the utilization of sugary sweet vanilla in her compositions as it smells really annoying, IMO. I guess we will see if this gets any better in the late dry-down...Edit: Well the dry-down got better, but in the end this one is a fail, IMO. It poorly captures the scent of Speculoos biscuits, and there already is a reference quality gourmand on the market that perfectly captures the best aspects of their aroma in Speculoos by L'Antichambre. Why buy this composition that is 1/10 as good as that one?

...MiaTrost:Thanks for the impressions and your excellent reviews, Drseid. I hope Fleur de Figuier will be some fun to sample at last.That one is today's sample. I actually tried Fleur de Figuier out on skin for an initial read yesterday night, and it was a much different presentation of fig -- fruity and aromatic instead of the near coniferous fir greens from the leaf... And a much better one I might add. Today I will get a chance to see how it develops...Edit: 12 hours in this is probably tied as my favorite along with Lait Concentre so far (with only 2 samples to go). It is a very nice moderately sweet fleshy, fruity fig that turns slightly green as time passes before melding into a nice cedar wood finish. Very good longevity for a fig composition. Very good stuff, though I confess to not being much of a fig fan...

...After a couple days respite wearing my usual favorites I am back for the next Chaboud offering... Today it is Vert d'Eau. On first application this one is a pleasant watery citrus and grassy greens concoction that fits right with the name. Too bad it quickly turns into a suffocating almost fir-like fig leaf bonanza with a huge amber undertone. The relatively dry amber undertone just completely ruins the composition for me... Not a good one, IMO.Edit: One additional item of note now after a full days wearing... This one had absolutely outstanding tenacity on my fragrance-friendly skin. I got in excess of 14 hours! Too bad the composition disappoints.

...Up today is Innocent Fragilité. This one is a very light white floral concoction. Early on I detect a prominent jasmine and orange blossom tandem... And there may be a synthetic white musk base that works pretty well with the florals so far. I like this one, though it has a bit of a laundry detergent fragrance aspect to it, as many compositions using white musk do. Still, I can see this one as a good option for when one wants to wear white florals that tend to be heavy, but needs something more subdued for the office, etc. One issue of note is longevity for this composition is relatively short-lived... Probably the most brief of all the offerings from the house I have tried so far...

...OK, I am cheating today by wearing another Chaboud composition on my other arm. This one is Lait Concentré. The descriptor on the sample packet immediately scared me, as it indicated I was in for more of the same caramel focused sweetness I just encountered/suffered through with the last one... Thankfully, I actually find this more of a straight forward melted sweet creamery butter gourmand. It smells very realistic, but I don't know if melted butter is something I would want to smell like. That said, if you love the smell of gently melted creamery butter and always wanted to smell like it, this is the definitive composition for you!

...Today is Lait de Vanille. Nothing much to say on this one... It is the sweetest vanilla I have ever encountered... And I don't mean "sweet" as in "amazing" either -- instead, I mean super-sugary sweet. This is definitely just about as far from how I like my vanilla compositions as possible.

...Next up is Mysterious Oud... My initial impressions are that this one smells pleasant, but similar to compositions like Royal Oud by Creed real Oud seems to be missing, instead swapping in likely synthetic Oud, supported by peppery angelica and waxy iris with a bit of a jasmine-like floral undertone. Certainly easy to wear, but again not wowing me. Edit: There is a nice sandalwood in the dry-down that was a nice addition to the earlier development...I am beginning to think this house just is not to my taste... That said, I will soldier on through the rest of the samples with the hope I am wrong. I really *want* to find one I love, but alas, nothing so far.

...Up today is Chic et Bohème. This one early on is coming off as a super-sweet syrupy vanilla infused Ylang-ylang driven floral with mandarin orange support. The sweetness is *way* overdone and does not work well with the florals. I guess one can only hope the late dry-down improves because so far this one is a big miss.Update: Things improve considerably after the horrific open. The sweetness comes back down to earth, leaving an excellent Ylang-ylang heart accord. It is a real shame most (rightly) won't make it past the sugary floral open. Taunt pi!

...Thanks to Mia, I have the opportunity to sample most if not all the offerings from the Chaboud line. I will post quick initial thoughts in this thread as I sample one a day. Longer reviews will be posted in the reviews section.The first sample I have tried on skin is Eau Ambree. This one is a rather polished mildly spiced light slightly sweet and powdery amber and bergamot citrus combo composition. The composition is pretty linear with little projection and only decent longevity. I find it interesting that it is described as an Eau de Parfum, as I find it pretty weak, just above Eau de Cologne strength on my fragrance-friendly skin. All-in-all a nice lighter take on amber, but far from groundbreaking...

...Tried it on a tester strip in Las Vegas yesterday at their boutique. On paper it comes off as a slightly sweet chocolate hazelnut concoction with an iris-like silky smooth texture. Very refined, subtle and polished. I do get the comparisons to DH and DHI (two compositions that I dislike though respect) but strongly prefer the Valentino... At least on paper. I can't stand the gaudy bottle it comes in, but while this kind of style is not really my thing, I was impressed enough with the juice inside to definitely seek it out again later for a full skin test and possibly a purchase. Those that enjoy the style of DHI should absolutely get their nose on this one as it is a different composition completely, but has a similar vibe stylistically.

...I'm afraid it was a big fail for me. I think it is a lazy composition that is quite boring. One that will never be in my collection.

...I can't say I am too excited at the Nagel news as I have not been a fan of her compositions. That said, maybe there is hope if some of Ellena's influence rubs off on her. As for Bel Ami Vetiver, I am particularly excited to smell that one... I am a little apprehensive after reading the vetiver used is sweet, similar to that of Vetiver Tonka (representing the rare occurrence of a vetiver composition I dislike). Still hopeful though...