Perfume Reviews by Funwithfrags

Black Tea Musk by Odore Mio

A definite thumbs down here, although not for the usual reasons of trend-following, poor quality, or cynical design. This one simply seems to have been released half way through its development cycle. Black tea and musk are notes that should have many Basenoters rubbing their hands in anticipation. BTM, though, starts with a piercing, unpleasantly sharp note of camellia (I recognise it from the garden), alongside a collection of some of the other stated notes. It dries down to a musty, not musky, something-like-vetiver accord. The overriding image is of a tea chest left to collect dust in a basement over the years as vines and other flora invade its space. I will admit a proximity to Chinese black teas that I have smelled recently. However, photo-realism aside, it's up to perfumers to make things that smell good. BTM for me is a challenge with no prize at the end of it. I'd welcome a reformulation and re-release, but at the moment this is so far from a completed composition that, as a mere punter, I wouldn't know what to suggest.

Sandalwood by Odore Mio

A strangely compelling and well-designed Sandalwood cologne. This description also fits a similar scent - Trumper's Sandalwood - as it is also designated at cologne strength, and successfully showcases its main ingredient in a characterful, approachable, and long-lasting composition. The Odore Mio effort goes on lighter, with more evident top notes in the form of citrus, but dries down in comforting fashion with a touch of benzoin or incense through to a sandalwood accord with a touch of vanilla and other woods. If you can do sandalwood well, you don't need too much adornment. Odore Mio have resisted any temptation they might have had to guild the lily or give the composition a daft name. Solid design, good longevity - one of the best from the house so far, at least in my reviews.

D600 by Carner Barcelona

A bare thumbs up here. All in all, pleasant, but of a muchness with various Histoires, Guerlains, and hundreds of other such masculines that purport to start spicy and hesperidic, and end with iris, woods, and vanilla. If anything I'd take Homme Ideal over this, for perhaps 40% of the price when the grey market is involved. And the tag-lines about "capturing the Mediterranean spirit of Barcelona" - please - don't reduce Barca to this good but identikit scent. The Carner originals are not a patch on the Black Collection, to my nose.

Dark Knight by Odore Mio

I wrote a much longer review when testing DK on holiday, but I don't think it warrants all the detail. So: dries down nicely to a tonka and sandalwood conclusion. Opens with a rather cynical pineapple-aquatic-fougere effort to key into the main USPs of other fragrances that we need not reference. The name is an utter mystery. That's all you need to know.

Natural Vetiver by Odore Mio

This is indeed a "natural" take on vetiver. It's also a seemingly non-committal take on it. It's fresh, and the notes are there - other than the top notes of "citrus" - but it doesn't do much. It has poor lasting power, sure... but more important, it gives me nothing to write about. Really, a composition where ostensible faux-naif pretensions signify actual, genuine naivety. In a world of vetiver contenders, there is little to recommend here.

English Forest by Odore Mio

Time for my annual holiday list of sampling and reviews. This year, another name best not directly translated: Odore Mio. The first thing I notice about this range is the off-putting naming regime. "English Forest" seems to be aiming at a fern / fougere / aromatic conceit, perhaps pine and coniferous-leaning, with hints of wild flower and other thematic accords. Perhaps with Pino Silvestre as a point of departure, but with some retrained, "English" notes.

In my experience, this overt evocation of the "forest" can easily be done badly, not to say cheaply. Astringent, cleaning-product notes can easily dominate. In this context, EF is really much better than I expected. There isn't really a silvan contingent of notes here; rather the name is dedicated to the floor-level florals that can still readily be found in what is left of the British woodland, with a decent contribution from the colognic aromatics that are more associated with cultivated, rather than wild, flora. The final stage has little to do with the forest in my understanding, but with sandalwood, musks, and iris taking their part, it's a familiar take on English perfumery (as well as pretty much every other western tradition).

So, not so much a photo-realistic re-creation of English forests - which really remain only in placenames - but after a bit of deconstruction, more of a take on showcasing some unconventional florals that are here put into the context of an otherwise fairly conventional structure. And, enough of the concept and on to the evaluation - it's done rather well. Cologne-style top notes arrive at a familiar dry-down via unusual, native florals. It takes a little while to see what is going on, but it pleases at every stage. Highly wearable, even in the Italian heat, or the English mug, where I am now.

Memoirs of a Trespasser by Imaginary Authors

In The Guide II, genre is given as "vanilla woodsmoke", which is fair enough. However, I think MOAT deserves a bit more than the derisory two-line review thereafter. The woods here are varied, as with stablemate A City on Fire (review to come). Imaginary Authors clearly do these smoky incense notes extremely well. Perhaps it's suggestion, but I think I can detect the individual woods here. Similarly the gourmand / vanilla aspect. This is not just vanilla, it's boozy vanilla (pace Marks & Spencer). I find MOAT substantial without being bloated, a bit gourmand-y without being sickly, and smoky without being overpowering. I would say, what's not to like; but I guess that this genre is divisive. For me, not as good as ACOF, but really rather good.

001 by Bon Parfumeur

Simply: a basic European style cologne with the designated notes in strict order, and no more. The good quality that I'd now used to from this house is present, but it's little different to a hundred other such scents. Contrary to the famous directions, if seeking a cologne of this type "I *would* start from here", but if I was happy elsewhere I wouldn't necessarily make a bee-line for the 001 co-ordinates on the map. It's good, but it is what it is.

901 by Bon Parfumeur

At the moment, I'm picking out what are for me some real winners. Latest is the unheralded Bon Parfumeur's 901. For me, this is either a fougere mascarading as a musk, or the reverse. Certainly the note profile and the scent itself are notable by the absence of lavender and oakmoss. However, it's clear from the "The Other Website" that there is a disagreement going on between those who see 901 as a masculine only monster, and those who see it as a dandyish, wear-it-if-you-dare powdery affair. As usual, there's a hint of truth on both sides. There is distinct nutmeg and spice on the 901 journey, very little almond to my nose. It occupies that soft end of the fougere spectrum (Histoires, Houbigant), but also has an element of the taut astringency brought to the table by patchouli and other notes. Tonka and vanilla round things out, but never by occupying the space of spices, aromatics, and "white woods". So it never becomes cloying or too dandyish - it's rather contemporary in feel. In short, another BP win in my short acquaintance with the brand. I like it a lot - just good, strong composition.

303 by Bon Parfumeur

I'm quietly impressed with this offering from Bon Parfumeur, with a slight side helping of self-congratulation for evidently ordering the right samples from London's Bloom boutique. If I don't know my own tastes... well, there have been some blinders. This one is another musk-heavy offering in the manner of the Tom Ford Noir series, but I like 303 more than any of the Tom Fords. This is more unobtrusive, but has long-lasting quality and a strong development that has spicy chilli and cardamom present throughout. The vetivers and musks take over but you never lose an element of freshness that accompanies you to the end of the day. This is, I would admit, niche perfumery for the timid, or those who are mostly comfortable with designer offerings. However, it's a step above many comparable compositions. It's not a genre I need to consider at the moment, but to do "mainstream" this well is something of an achievement, albeit a minor one.

Replica At the Barber's by Maison Margiela

This won't take long: I love a good fougere, and RATB certainly falls under that heading - although perhaps "love" is a bit strong in this case. It does have that metallic edge. It also packs a punch with its aromatics. Comparisons to Rive Gauche are on point. It dries down nicely, and although assertive in the early stages it has a friendly vibe. This won't intimidate as may something such as Azzaro. To use one of my usual thought experiments: I would not buy more than the 10ml travel size I have now, but if someone bought it for me, it would be used, enthusiastically.

Bulgari pour Homme by Bulgari

Interested to see this at a continental (European) airport in the last few days, and made a beeline towards it on the suspicion that it will be the replacement to my long-admired PH Extreme. I think this must be the case, and those who try Bulgari will smell the similarities. However, after much aerial sniffing and mulling-over, I can only conclude that the new EDP is much inferior. It does not have the sour-flat grapefruit note of Extreme, nor the tapestry of woods, tea, and musk. The new EDP is made up of basic blocks of scent - yes, the tea, yes, the musk - but it's a cleaning product compared to the sophistication of its predecessor. Those who love smelling just-washed will have a new friend here. Those who aspire to a level of complexity and mystery, won't. Extreme smells like you're smelling it on someone's skin a few hours after application, pre-aged if you like. The EPD ramps things up for the masses.

Drakon by Carner Barcelona

Black Calamus from the same house became an instant favourite after testing. Would stablemate Drakon live up to its billing?

There is no shortage of fougeres to compare this to. A few that come to mind: Gentleman, Quorum, Arquiste's El, the latter now discontinued. Drakon in fact goes on light, but sparks to life like Smaug after noticing, thanks to the equally light hands of Bilbo Baggins, that he'd be losing the no-claims bonus on his home and contents insurance. After a minute of wear, black pepper and cypress snap to attention as if bound in a bundle and lit - perhaps the intention? Orange leaf, perhaps blossom, then late drydown oakmoss and a touch of leather feed the flame. A note of sandalwood adds subtlety and a sophisticated edge. Drakon lasts all day, has a terrific engine without being overpowering, and nods both to the fougeres of yore and to modern wearing habits. If Carner were designing and pricing this to appeal across the board, then they've succeeded - the substantial price-tag notwithstanding, of course. Could I have done with a touch more sillage, proper wyrm-like presence? Yes, although I must note that, as with many sample providers, the bottle that serviced me will already have been sprayed once. Nit-picking from within the scales.

In short: maybe not beast-mode, but dark and monstrously good.

Black Calamus by Carner Barcelona

I've been looking forward to sampling some of the Carner range, with Black Calamus and Drakon being top of the list. For the first time in a while, I'm genuinely excited to try some specific scents. And I have gone a little out of my way to do this - Carner being one of the fragrance companies who make it very clear that the obstacles they meet in providing samples are due to B**xit. SOme companies won't post to the UK, some are obliged to make it prohibitively expensive. These are simple facts. Thankfully, there are some ways of getting around some of this, not least thanks to West London's wonderful Bloom boutique, which has a good range and excellent sampling propositions.

Black Calamus lives up to my expectations. In many ways this is an Occidentalised oud-rose combination, but with all manner of detailing and ornaments. There is discernible vanilla, resins, labdanum, a papery / papyrus note, subtle spicing and perhaps the merest hint of leather. It starts off with an assault of many accords that quickly gives way to the rubbery, plastecine accord of fresh resin notes, and then dries down to a comforting and smooth conclusion that lasts all of the day. Various notes bob and weave in and out the mix and the "development" is more of a vortex - but you do, as I say, arrive at a highly sniffable blend of accessible oud, hardly-there florals and spice, and vanilla in just the right amounts. Very good, sadly very expensive, but there are answers here to the question, "what am I getting for the money?"

Orange Sanguine by Atelier Cologne

Orange Sanguine - blood orange, of course. But more tangerine and mandarin as top notes, and that early stage is very good indeed. After that... nothing much happens. There's a touch of musk, a whisper of wood. It disappears before it can develop, and the promise of geranium and then cedar are not delivered. Longevity is low and it dies away to a whimper. Crisp, clean, and orderly while it's with you, but I was expecting more, and it's up against scents of the same price and genre that will deliver.

Tel Aviv by Gallivant

It's taken me a little while to understand Tel Aviv. This is perhaps my third wearing. Early wearings, juxtaposed with powerhouses worn on previous days, made for a frustrating experience, all lightness and ephemerality. Now, I do detect blackcurrant, the light musk is evident, and the florals bind beautifully with the whole (reading back my own previous reviews, this seems to be a trick that not everyone can pull off). As a composition it comes together, the whole and the parts work in harmony, and it does the trick as a gentle reminder of warm Mediterranean days near the beach. Gallivant can do these evocative fragrances as well as anyone when they want to. It also shows the benefit of dwelling on these reviews, sometimes. I'd say leaning more towards the feminine, but accessible to all, in principle. It probably helps that I'm seeing a bit of sun today.

Agua de Colonia Collection 6 : Agua Flores by Claus Porto

The last of my reviews (I think?) of this stable of colognes. Having worked through the others, the family resemblance here is clear, especially to the Vetiver version. In fact there is some vetiver in Agua Flores, as listed, although as the name suggests this is all about the floral components. The florals are a little overpowering for my nose, but the scent dries down nicely to a dry, woody, almost cocoa-musky edition of vetiver, and this late and welcome transition moves AF into - barely - the thumbs up realm.

Ginepro Nero / Black Juniper by L'Erbolario

A very good, low-cost aromatic with strong Italian credentials. A terrific way to spend the last 25 Euros of holiday money at Lake Garda last year. Looking back at old threads in heritage Basenotes, I can see myself complaining about the additional expenditure involved in buying it in from continental Europe (no doubt the B word implicated in this), so I think I made the right decision.

The scent itself: described as an "airy Terre d'Hermes" in that old thread, and it's as good a description as any I've found. It is lighter than Terre, which I like but sometimes feels a little oppressive on my skin. Here, there is a freshness that dries down to a light wood, persistent without ever getting in the way. This is an outdoors fragrance in the same way that Bottega Veneta PH is. Good as a brainless spray on a warmer day, but I also think well of those who like it. Not massively complex and you can see where money has been saved on packaging, but as juniper and orange, and then a touch of resin and wood goes, the value for money is excellent.

Agua de Colonia Collection 4 : Agua Clementina by Claus Porto

A pleasant enough scent. However, this of all the Agua de Colonia collection is supposedly driven by aromatic accords. Frankly, a strong contender in the cologne genre is going to do more with aromatics than there is evidence of here. The opening provides a nice rendition of small orange fruit, to be sure. The short longevity is again a generic feature and not necessarily a deficit.

Los Angeles by Gallivant

Two days of testing, two days of wishing I was back with my core wardrobe. Los Angeles seems to include few if any of the listed notes. Not only is it unrecognisable from the description, it's also singularly one-toned and very much not to my taste. I can imagine sage and woods working well, even with a touch of sea breeze. Here we get sickly-sweet florals, syrupy, with what I call the molten jelly baby accord. Who exactly is this for? I've been a proponent of this house, but this one is a big pass for me. Hey ho, they're bold enough to experiment... you can't knock off a coconut every time.

Amber by Rook Perfumes

An odd experience, this. Rook clearly have some kind of house accord that does a job also in Undergrowth and Suede. Here, we get the same leather workshop / concrete / resin / vegetation accords, but without any of the adornments that make the abovementioned scents so interesting. An amber scent should include some smoky, possibly sweet notes. That is all missing here, and I can't help thinking that on this occasion, more would be more. There is an unfinished mien to Amber that I can't get along with.

Iskander by Parfum d'Empire

An unusually varied testing performance from this seemingly well-thought-of conventional chypre. Some days favoured the labdanum and the whole accord can be seen as a bit sweet and flabby; on others, there is an excellent citrus opening rich with spices, and a tone redolent of the classics in the genre. Not as intriguing (and simply not as good) as stablemate Azemour, and less original. However, Iskander throws up food for thought, and at its best it is pleasant to wear. I can't keep testing it, so this will not be something I spend money on, but I can see the attraction. Iskander therefore earns a highly provisional "thumbs up" rating.

Tabac Tabou by Parfum d'Empire

After my previous PDE testing, this is a bit of a disappointment. An ash tray contains the remains of some novelty flavoured cigarette dog-ends - perhaps cherry, or some other fruits, perhaps rum. There are some nice woods in the manner of Declaration (in fact preferable to that) but not enough to redeem this scent for me. I find tobacco scents to be divisive, in the sense that for me they're at their best when they evoke the excitement and freshness of lighting up and the slow burn of leaves - not so much when you have to clean up the cold and stale aftermath. As you will see, TT falls very much into the latter category for this reviewer and while I can imagine that some will enjoy it, it's not for me.

Fougère Bengale by Parfum d'Empire

As might be inferred from the name, FB can be understood as an attempt to meld a fougere structure with oriental notes - perhaps along the same ines as the Guide describes Yohji Pour Homme as an attempt to "bolt on" a liqourice accord to the fougere. Unlike the Yohji, this only bears a faint resemblance to a fougere thanks to the fleeting presence of coumarin, and peer-behind-the-curtain sense of lavender. The rest is all smoky-hot curry leaf and cumin, for that "Bengal Tiger" kind of vibe. In fact, there is a distinct similarity to Eau Noire here, and checking the newly returned BN databse, it's gratifying to see that many others have come to the same conclusion, contrary to the published notes. The key missing ingredient here is no doubt immortelle.

I find DB to be linear, but approachable, providing good performance, and masculine in a friendly but interesting way that drives a line betweeen austere and opulent. I don't think it pulls off the "East meets West" conceit that it's trying to communicate. However, it's certainly a high quality masculine scent in its own right. If you enjoy immortelle accords then you will be in for a treat. If you get on with the kind of orientals that we got in the 70s and 80s, this is several steps up and would be recommended sampling. For me a pass as I like a more obvious heft to the fougere structure, but FB certainly has its merits.