Alyssa Ashley Men's Musk (new)
Alyssa Ashley (2001)

This review is effectively for Alyssa Ashley Men's Musk new reformulated version dated 2001. Never tryied the original discontinued version dating back to 1990. This is a clean, talky-aromatic very comfortable fragrance for man, with a note of talky violet standing out in the middle of the woody-musky general powder. This fragrance is less complex than the more articulated and nuanced classic unisex Alyssa Ashley Musk and definitely less dirty than the warmer, denser and more soapy-animalic Original Musk Kiehl's. The aroma is less "oily" and probably less musky than the feminine version which is more oriented towards a sensual floral muskiness while the men's version is pending much more towards powder (a sort of baby powder with all its charge of subconscious childhood memories of comfort and cleanliness), aromatics, woods and violet. The violet is not a leafy or grassy one but smells like something smooth and talky with just a tad of medicinal provided by hesperides and ylang-ylang. The opening is kind of by soon musky, classically hesperidic (just a minimal touch of it) and aromatic with petit-grain (very notable) and further aromatics but this stage last just a while since the smell slides quickly in to a very sharp "violety" and vaguely medicinal powder. Ylang-ylang (connected to aldehydes, galbanum and hesperides) provides a tad of retrò chypré feel while the muskiness is delicate and controlled. Dry down is muskier and more restrained with hints of amber and ylang-ylang. I don't detect in particular any jasmine's presence. A pleasant comfortable fragrance with an intimate soul and a classic vibe.