Perfume Reviews by Ed Wardian

Myrrh & Tonka by Jo Malone London

Myrrh & Tonka Cologne Intense opens with a rush of lavender ‘beeswaxed’ for sensory pleasure, aromatic and honeyed, hurdling towards a warm hearty balsam of myrrh, its slightly sweet, earthy, turpentine spirit, wonderfully rounded by coumarin and vanilla nuanced in an almond accent, that overall speaks a classy ‘amaretto’ inflected in tobacco. Surely, one that is inviting and intimate, sexy and sure, seamless and sleek... Lovely!

Encens Roi by Histoires de Parfums

What initially seems a fiery stoke from a raging pulpit, diverges to a smooth courtly gesture fit for coronation. Encens Roi opens with a spirited thrust of olibanum and pink pepper blessed in chamomile, channeling like a ginger root floral cola, fresh and zesty; parched heartily with strong pinches of saffron, pimento, and balsamic evergreen that simmer down for a base rounded by an interesting white cacao note that anchors the accord towards the woody ambery side of the throne; refining a dry ardent heart with an added sweet salty melt to an oriental leathery dry crest of cistus and oud, and merely distinguishing itself from its incense wheelhouse with a slight press. Thankfully, this HdP release is all regency in its presence and a gallant coating for one’s inner rex… Thumbs up!

Dehn el Ood Malaki by Swiss Arabian

Dehn el Oud/Ood Malaki opens with a sour slap of leather that wakens as a feral waft of the medicinal kind, a vapour that rears beautifully ugly with a latrine pungency, strangely enticing and morphing like a polished mahogany woodcut, ceremoniously littered in scratch and rawhide that calls out for heavenly pastures. This is strictly traditional blend of Cambodi, Vietnamese and Hindi oud strains or approximates, where respective facets of honey tinged, tarty pepper and smoky dung take the pulpit, together give off an unusually addictive leathery bark of holy wood that may be best suited as catnip for the mighty angels hovering above. Surely, this delicacy for most mortals will remain one that is curious and possibly ominous, apart from the few daring talisman who dare to understand its properties… In a nutshell, a leathery, musky, oak trunk of funk riffing for whipping ascetics and nodding monastics. Certainly, one for the initiated order!

Terre d'Hermès by Hermès

Terre d’Hermès is a mineral beat of citrus zest and cedarwood that remains poignant and cross-sectional amongst the prim of the universe. Simply a transparent, earthy, ethereal accord, highlighted by a synthetic flint note that adds a wet soiled edge to the chartreuse emanating, one dressed up by a floral note of pelargonium and its rosy green facet and primarily vetiver, shaking its rump in the exit stage with other woody humps in the base... Truly, an Ellena benchmark that continues to resonate and stands far above the rest in this young century. A fine standard indeed!

Wind Wood by Mancera

Wind Wood is a leathery aromatic that is violetly floral and patchouli at heart yet naturally one with a woody girth of textured cedar, oakmoss, amber resins and vetiver... If one has a penchant for fragrances like GIT and Fahrenheit, this posy would eagerly fit in between those treasured buns.

Azzaro pour Homme Intense (new) by Azzaro

Olivier Pescheux's 'Intense' has no resemblance to the original fougère or the '92 release apart from the label. This rendition is all about cinnamon pinches in a hearty glass of sweet brandy, shaken and stirred by vetiver and seamlessly blended for convention with the customary tonka and amber. Certainly, this is more in line with cognac, wine port, Christmas drifts, Big Red chewing gum sorts and even phantom tobacco. Here the cinnamon, sweet brandy and slightly smokey dry vetiver co-mingling offers a camphorous subtlety to tonka-fied amber that truly rounds as an inviting accord for the cooler months... A worthy snug!

Oriental Velours by Les Indémodables

A delightful balsam quality that is cool yet warm, where gummy myrrh is literally spruced by woody terpenes, rolled in earth and the flirty floral; coniferous, sweetish vetiver, jasmine indole and dry vanilla... Collectively, a dusty green ambery kind that hovers like gorgeous resinous soot of alpine spirits and saplings. Intriguing!

Fougère Emeraude by Les Indémodables

Fougère Emeraude opens like a shout-out to the golden age of fem chypres that takes a sudden barbershop segue-way towards a splendid powdery makeover, merely prettying up as a phantom fern in spirited maquillage in its end result... Interesting top note of a delightful stripped tuberose beaten down by a lavande fix, a mimosa rub, a fine tasty sage nuanced in a veneer of tonka that collectively holds down as a sexy heel of Brut Original in floral wear. Imagine that!

Vanille Havane by Les Indémodables

A finely flavoured cacao tobacco amber ‘rummed’ up and pinched in ghostly 'garam masala', ripened fruits, darkened vanilla and indole tinges that bring to mind a Porto tipped cigar waiting to be chomped on... Beautifully lit in pungency and a fluid steer away from the usual sugary vanilla in the tabac wheelhouse. Boozy, burley and buttery!

Guerlain Homme L'Eau Boisée by Guerlain

Guerlain Homme L'eau boisée puts a twist to the original mix by stripping down bare and exposing a fresh, cool woody chypre that is full on lime-light, cool mint, ghostly pepper and grassy... Certainly cool, collective with penchant for the mojito, L'eau boisée is exactly that; wet cedarwood and vetiver on a bed of green. Perfect wear for those who enjoy the unsweetened sip in their summer menu.

Salvatore Ferragamo pour Homme by Salvatore Ferragamo

A lovely imagining of Florence to the olfactory... Mediterranean hospitality, romance and subtle winks in an 'out of this world' Thierry de Baschmakoff flacon where delicious figs spiced in caraway enter a floral heart culminating in a musty strut held in check naturally by a celebrated vetiver note and a saucy sandalwood alongside peeping tidbits of sawdust, moss and musk. Simply peachy keen, tarty pickled and a creamy recipe of elegance.

Ameer Al Oudh Intense Oud by Lattafa

A princely allspice toffee wrapped in charred wood resins and vanilla, slightly fumed with a bakhoor hint that drifts beautifully cozy especially in the chill... 'Ameer' has a regional rustic DNA that is addictive and IMO above the virtually hyped comparisons! Perfect for those who enjoy measured molasses on their woody.

Guerlain Homme Eau de Parfum by Guerlain

A Wasser cocktail imitated over and over yet an ever so pleasing accord for daytime ventures that leaves one in a minty doozy, floral woozy propelled by a woody aromatic base of humbled patchouli, hinted cedar and a truly honorable bossy vetiver... A lovely creamy mojito finito for a summer’s day.

L'Eau Mixte by Nicolaï

A sparkling tonic juiced in Calabrian citruses, floating fresh mint, beautifully tinkled in urinous blackcurrant buds and floral breezes that collectively coo due to a naturally rich green base of oakmoss, musk and vetiver... Surely, an eau de cologne that is quaint, lively and blessed for summer baptism.

Calandre by Paco Rabanne

A classic floral wonder of deep green that hovers like the serenity emanating from a Dove soap of yore rolled in dewy oakmoss. This is an ethereal petal to the metal where geranium stems and rose stocks hold powdery court with iris, jasmine, hyacinth, lily of the valley in a tub of suds toweled dry in mossy green resins, musk, and a most lovely vetiver... Ahh, to sing like a nymph and streak like one too.

Cacharel pour L'Homme by Cacharel

A fashionably pronounced nutmeg whiff, wrapped in floral and zesty citruses that bounce on an earthy woody base comprised of cool fir, sharp cedar, and a tasty vetiver, crinkled in moss, amber and musk that collectively summon the phantom drift of an oily suede fume emanating from a spicy bed of flowers, particularly carnation and geranium... Truly, a beguiling beauty from the great Gerard Goupy and custom made for a seasoned gent!

Havana by Aramis

Thankfully Havana still remains a lovely back n' forth of dry and cool, of spicy and warm, of old world gallantry and new world balance that undoubtedly gets the heels kickin' and captures the sultry charm of Caribbean-Latin sensuality and gentlemanly demeanor in a bottle. Basically, a seasoned green tobacco inflection dipped in bay rum, herbs, caraway and dry woods that steers in the burley wheelhouse of Roger & Gallet Open, Jacomo de Jacomo, Montana parfum and D.R. Harris Sandalwood... Ahh, grace indeed!

Bois Impérial by Essential Parfums

Bois Impérial lives up to its billing. Here is a woody aromatic that brings the fresh tinny citrus flavour of Timur pepper to a punchy Thai basil crop that strongly vibrates like an ‘anisic’ metallic strum in its entire wearing, one that is vibed in Haitian vetiver strains, lumbered in spicy tones of cedar and akigalawood (a Givauden 'franken-note' that supposedly whiffs like a dry funk-less agarwood wrapped in leafy patchouli) and glazed in the ambroxan style of our futurismo. Truly, an alluring, breezy drone of woody reglisse and phantom allspice, and “Quentin’-sentially Bisch.

Cabochard by Grès

Cabochard emanates with an addictive bitter greenery buttered in yellow floral that remarkably entices like a Victorian décolletage permeating amply from a post-war bondage corset; equally heady, racy, and ravishing; where aldehydes perspire on leather treads, where hearty flora cushions blooming indole and velvety woods deepen with purpose; collectively exuding a finely crafted verte savon of ashened rawhide... Thankfully both 2019 formulations are riveting tributes; evolving yet retaining the willful lore of Cabochard for a new generation or one who wishes to rekindle. The team at Grès manages to fashion its stock with stoke and approximate stroke with savvy flair that induces a vintage flare… Lovely leatherette, a lovely chypre period!

Malus by Nobile 1942

Here is a worthy ringer celebrating yet another amber named frank in typically mystified fashion; one that eases into a finely rounded, seasoned woody composition... MALVS opens with a frankincense-pepper detonation lighting up like a spicy gesundheit biting into a wanton ‘apple-licious’ slice that seamlessly enters into a toasty balsamic, sweetly tinged heart of myrrh ‘incense-ified’ in Omani style, coupled with a creamy cedar flourish and an earthy, leathery nagarmotha nuance that flows harmoniously into a dry woody base of vetiver, gaiac and santal notes, whetted in musky vanilla fixes… Truly, this is an ambery ceremony of exotic olibanum and timber presses offering a savoury brush best suited for the autumn stroke; handsomely warm, effectively intimate and devilishly cozy.

Noora Onyx Concentrated Perfume Oil by Swiss Arabian Perfumery

Here is a gender bender, with a fine bit of heel, dressed as an aromatic leather that leans on the pretty green. Very much a fougère in essense; this lovely CPO lights up a mood with its lavender notes naturally wrapped in citrus zests, in herbal-spicy tendency and floral sheer that meditates in the deep dark woods; where fresh, spirited bounty illuminates like a neon bulb enchanting a mossy soul. Plainly, there is an aldehydic quality to its goo-goo eyed shade of cool of inky verdant that embraces an oriental fibrous vanilla amber that prances off the skin like a sultry, buxom 'Drakkar Noir'… A fine offering with tenure and thankfully much to hold in its fold. Statuesque indeed!

Fat Electrician by Etat Libre d'Orange

Perfumer Antoine Maisondieu takes an audacious turn to stuffy vetiver convention and brings a welcoming droll and roll with a truly compelling outcome... Here the vetiver strain is royally massaged in a savoury marron glacé and aired in olive leaf that merely enriches the nutty facet with the silvery, alongside balsamic incense gums that chew on a tasty vanille; ultimately delivering a musky 'gourmet' that manages to retain vetiver’s essense/presence yet adding a magnetism to what is a generally brooding note... Despite the adage to fading beauty or waistlines, Fat Electrician is anything but the contrary; guilelessly evoking a dreamy, sweet, vibrant re-wiring of the classical bespoke Givenchy Eau de Vetyver style crossed with a caloric gloss of confectionery icing that is delivered with a wide wink of whimsy, tasty delicacy yet amazingly with both simple and court curtsy... Delightful!

Noora Onyx by Swiss Arabian Perfumery

Here is a gender bender, with a fine bit of heel, dressed as an aromatic leather that leans on the pretty green. Very much a fougère in essense; this lovely CPO lights up a mood with its lavender notes naturally wrapped in citrus zests, in herbal-spicy tendency and floral sheer that meditates in the deep dark woods; where fresh, spirited bounty illuminates like a neon bulb enchanting a mossy soul. Plainly, there is an aldehydic quality to its goo-goo eyed shade of cool of inky verdant that embraces an oriental fibrous vanilla amber that prances off the skin like a sultry, buxom 'Drakkar Noir'… A fine offering with tenure and thankfully much to hold in its fold. Statuesque indeed!

Bois Blanc by Frapin

Truly one that celebrates timberland with plume. Bois Blanc opens with zesty mandarin and bitter orange notes seasoned in the herbaceous camphor aroma of rosemary, eucalyptus and ginger that illuminates a corpulent heart of creamy Virginia cedar hinted in the customary sycophancy of violet leaf and sage that takes the spruce half towards the beautifully charred, the tempered warm dry tarmac of guaiac and cade, adding an arcadian touch to a plush composition, that is naturally dry yet richly inviting. Overall, Bois Blanc has gentlemanly traditional aura alongside a timeless vogue; one that emanates with maturity, quietude and politesse… Simply, elegant!