Perfume Reviews by Scent Detective

Sur la Route (new) by Louis Vuitton

Leaning towards a thumbs down with this one. I got a sample from the Louis Vuitton store several months ago and I'm finally wearing it today...smells like synthetic cedar with some citrus to me. Honestly, it has a similar vibe to something else I've worn from Louis Vuitton previously...possibly Orage with the citrus and cedar vibe. And, while I didn't mind Orage when I wore it years ago, they both wouldn't be mistaken for a fragrance with many or "any" naturals in them...synthetic smelling to the core.

I don't mind synthetics in perfumes if they don't completely dominate the fragrance, but unfortunately the LV fragrances smell like perfumes an android might wear for a night out on the town. Yeah, I've finally come to it on this one...thumbs down for me.

Also, this perfume like all LV perfumes will fill a room and choke people out if you overspray.

St. Kitts for Men by Tommy Bahama

St. Kitts is sort of okay...a synthetic semi interesting fragrance that is none the less kind of depressing. Why depressing? Because I was hoping to like it more based on the reviews I've read. You can't really complain too much based on how cheap this is at discounters, but I guess my Tommy Bahama experience has gone from best to worst, at least with what's available. I've not smelled Tommy Bahama for Men, (The original one), and I understand it's the best from this house, but I have tried:

St. Barts: This one is actually quite good for a cheapie.
St. Martinique: This one is also not too bad...lots of lavender, which I enjoy.
St. Kitts: Salty and synthetic to my nose, but still better than the next one...
Tommy Bahama for Him: Straight up calone to my nose...don't care for this one at all.
Maritime: I just tried this one and enjoyed it a bit. I'm going to have to smell it again.

Anyway, hit and miss for me with Tommy Bahama fragrances, and a neutral so far with St. Kitts

Tommy Bahama for Him by Tommy Bahama

This is a calone bomb. Synthetic, with the projection of nuclear fallout. Caused me to gag right away, which was disappointing. I had used the body wash at a hotel several years ago and enjoyed it, so I was hoping I would also like the fragrance, but it is just too synthetic and calone filled for my taste.

I would absolutely love to smell some of the other listed notes. Tangerine, pear, ginger, Sandalwood? Yes, PLEASE!!!! But no...there is only calone...salty watermelon dime a dozen designer dreg.

Definitely a thumbs down from me...

Ébèné Fumé by Tom Ford

Interesting...very heavy on the cade and it lasts forever...in fact you'll need a good scrub brush if you decide you don't like it and want to remove Ebene Fume from your skin, as it will hang around until the next day and possibly the day after that.

There is a carmelized sandalwood along with black pepper and incense and the cade that ever so slightly makes me wonder what TF was going for with this one. It's sort of a spicy presence that doesn't smell like cumin per se, but made me think for just a split second about Santal de Mysore by Serge Lutens. (Fans of Santal de Mysore, don't throw tomato's at me please).

Santal de Mysore is an incredible fragrance, and I wouldn't say that Ebene Fume, is an incredible fragrance, but as I mentioned, there was just a moment where I thought of SDM during the evolution of Ebene Fume, which may just be my nose and a scent memory association. I'll have to wear a small drop of both on either wrist and see if they really are anything alike or if I was just having a moment...LOL.

Anyway, I've definitely smelled much worse fragrances than Ebene Fume...I don't mind it.

Juniperus by Pineward Perfumes

Lemony opening with bright juniper and slight rosemary.

This is definitely EDT strength, which I think is excellent for this composition. Juniper can be piercing to my nose in some fragrances, (real oakmoss can also overwhelm my nose depending on the fragrance), and Juniperus is not pushy or overpowering. It wears comfortably for not only the wearer, but also for those around them.

Perfect for spring and summer...in fact, this is an all weather fragrance IMO. Lavender is peaking out slightly as well in the early stages.

Another beautiful Pineward addition to my collection! This fills a wonderful spring/summer spot in my coniferous rotation! And, as a card carrying Conehead, I've needed a bright spring like conifer to swap into instead of another citrus based fragrance.

I've been wearing Juniperus a lot this spring. It's been so hot lately, and Juniperus is bright and refreshing, and helps perk up my mood when I'm out sweating in the yard. The dry down is so nice...sage and lavender with the freshness of the lemon still peaking around the edges in the dry down...mmm...mmm. Very nice!

Cologne De La Terre by Bortnikoff

A beautiful, fresh, eau de cologne profile from Cologne De La Terre by Bortinikoff. Opening reminds me somewhat of Acqua Di Parma Colognia, but with more depth from natural deer musk, and real ambergris. Saffron is also peaking out from this fresh fragrance and I love this one a lot. If I can get it for a decent price when I have the funds, I'd jump on this one. An excellent eau de cologne!

Mandala by Masque

Mandala was a pleasant surprise for me as I had zero expectations when I sprayed this perfume on.

I was immediately drawn into the top notes of nutmeg and angelica with their spicy and green notes respectively.

As a lover of incense fragrances, that was the main reason for me trying Mandala, and the mids brought the incense and it smells wonderful. Cardamon does it's smoothing thing and cinnamon and cloves bring their zing. I love the heart notes in this perfume and the way Mandala is blended is very, very nice to my nose.

The base notes bring the woody finish from resiny labdanum, cedar, and sandal, and finally oakmoss and ambergris. I don't really get much oakmoss or ambergris to be honest, but this fragrance is a gem and FB worthy in my book. Two thumbs way up from me for Mandala.

Russian Tea by Masque

Ahh, Russian Tea by Masque Milano...so refreshing, so classy, so calming, and comforting. This fragrance is all of these things to me and more. It starts with a brisk mint and raspberry, followed by pungent black pepper and black tea. The birchy/leather comes next, but it's a soft glove leather as opposed to a heavy, oily leather note and blends extremely well. I get more faint raspberry after that, and this beauty just glides me off to sweet dreams if I wear it closer to bed time. Longevity is okay on my skin...nothing spectacular, but decent enough. Sillage is pretty close to the skin on me after about 20 to 25 minutes, but that's okay as this is a comfort fragrance for me and I'm fine with it only projecting in my own little personal scent bubble. Two thumbs way up from me for Russian Tea.

Mates-la-Jolie by Astier de Villatte

Mantes la Jolie by Astier de Villatte has received quite a bit of hype online so I decided to find out if it is as wonderful as some seem to think. I've both heard and read that it is very "green" and not very floral...that it is minty and green as well as bright and clean. While I can agree that it definitely has some greenness to it, I do not agree that it is not also a floral perfume as well.

On my skin, Mantes la Jolie opens with mint and some citrus, which quickly shifts to a green, "nettles" type smell. This nettles smelling note is not very long lived, but it reminds me slightly of L'Occitane's Herbae, which has a similar type of greenness, but whereas this greenness lasts throughout the wear with the L'Occitane perfume, it is short lived in Mantes la Jolie. Some might call it a "tomato leaf" greenness, which could be accurate for some noses, but to mine, it smells of nettles. Once this greenness settles down, Mantes la Jolie moves into a melange of smoothness from jasmine and fig. The fig sweetens the jasmine in a diffused sort of way so that the jasmine isn't as indolic as normal, but it is still there on my skin and I definitely feel like Mantes la Jolie is more of a floral on my skin than it is a green fragrance just based on how long the jasmine/fig heart notes last on me. MLJ then transitions slightly with the addition of mate tea in the dry down and base notes and it stays there until it fades to a skin scent.

Overall this is a thumbs up for me as I like the perfume, but it isn't what I was expecting, which was a green fragrance and I definitely feel that it is more of a floral overall based on how it performs on my skin.

Cologne Officinale by Heeley

Cologne Officinale is not an Eau de Cologne at all...it is a Fougere. Begins with a heavy dollop of oakmoss, then basil and sage join the chorus, bringing a musty herbs edge that some might not care for, but I like this fragrance. I like the blending...yes, it is a bit of a "stew" in the beginning, but it smooths out nicely and I actually like the interesting nature of the opening. Coniferous smelling rosemary also peaks in as does lavender which brings a feeling of mintiness, and then slight galbanum joins the fray. Mmm...I love me a good fougere and Cologne Officinale is a good fougere. With the basenotes comes the aforementioned smoothing out of this fragrance. I don't really smell the amber per se, but as this becomes a skin scent in the dry down the green and the soapiness retreat until Cologne Officinale becomes a very nice smelling second skin. Two thumbs up for Cologne Officinale.

Bonne Chauffe by Frapin

Bonne Chauffe is gorgeous. A peppery, fruited cognac with slight malted barley underpinnings. There is also a wonderful oak woodiness that builds a foundation for the more etherial notes. Plum and davana give this the beautiful fruited note and benzoin brings it's resinous vanilla like smoothness that helps blend the pungent pepper into the fruited, woody, cereal notes. I also get a hint of patchouli as well.

This is just a beautiful fragrance...full bodied and satisfying, but not over the top in projection. Bonne Chauffe could be overpowering if it projected more, so this is a plus in my book as it projects perfectly on my skin. Definitely one to at least sample IMO. Two thumbs way up!

Anachronism by Havenhollow

Wow...I absolutely love Anachronism. It is soulful, deep, rich, stirring, and satisfying to wear. In fact, when I wear this perfume, I find that I sometimes get lost in it a little...like stepping back in time...like Richard Collier in Somewhere in Time, Anachronism is transportive and like Elise McKenna, stunningly beautiful. I will treasure this perfume and I'm so happy it was made! Thank you Eric!

Cochise by Havenhollow

Been wearing Cochise from a sample. Beautiful red cedar used here that reminds me of the red cedar in The Red Room by House of Matriarch, which is a huge compliment coming from me as I absolutely love The Red Room. Cochise is different than the RR, but it is also a wonderful fragrance and one that I would love to have in my collection...gorgeous perfume.

The longevity and sillage are not as amazing with Cochise as they are with both Bramblesap and Anachronism, but I have a sample that may be an earlier iteration than the final perfume...not sure. Regardless, Cochise is outstanding and I definitely need this in my collection.

Bramblesap by Havenhollow

Been wearing Bramblesap from a sample. It is an achingly beautiful fragrance...golden autumn saps and conifer saps that held me in their beautiful grasp like the idyllic autumn day, spent roaming through red/gold/orange/champagne/green forests and golden rolling meadows...this is a must have fragrance for me. Pure bliss.

The Longevity and sillage are both excellent and last beyond 12 hrs. on my skin. Highest recommendation for Bramblesap from me.

Sayat Nova by Bortnikoff

I bought a decant of Sayat Nova after all of the rave reviews when it first came out. I wanted to see if it was as good as some people were saying. Well...it wasn't something I cared for much at all when I first got my decant and I thought it smelled strange and medicinal.

In fact, I took to calling it Sayat "Novocaine" as it's fumes felt sort of like medical anesthesia when I wore it the first time. If I was doing this review at that time, I would have given it a thumbs down...but it's grown on me some.

I can wear it now and feel more like the apricot is a fermented apricot and not an apricot scented knock out gas, so I've come a long way with SN. Is it my favorite from Bortnikoff and Balkrishnan? No, definitely not my favorite, but it is unusual and intriguing and I've come to appreciate it more with time.

Clubguy by Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements

Clubguy is Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements tribute to Pinaud Clubman Classic aftershave lotion...and it's better than the Clubman by a 300 yard drive straight down the fairway and in the sweet spot. This shave soap and aftershave combination is excellent. Refreshing, slightly powdery, but not in any problematic way, it smells classy and clean with slight citrus, lavender, geranium, tonka, some oakmoss kick, and a mild spearmint as well. Smells like an excellent shaving cream and wears much better on my skin, scent wise, and as a soothing aftershave than classic Clubman. If you're looking for a wonderful, refreshing shave soap and aftershave splash, look no further. Or, at least give it a sample to see what you think before you buy. Two thumbs up from me.

Born To Be Unforgettable by Kilian

Should this be renamed, "Born to Be Forgettable", or, "Born to be Unwearable"? I bought one of these at Sephora based on the initial spray on card and skin. It smells very nice indeed for the first 10-15 minutes. Then it dries down into something that smells like a thousand other bottles of department store dreck...unwearable on my skin...perhaps you'll have a better outcome.

Attaupe by January Scent Project

Finally getting my nose on Attaupe because of a kind sample from one of the best people on Basenotes...thank you my friend.

This fragrance is special. Mmmm...what a pleasure.

My first thoughts are, "This is a woody, floral, gourmand"! Hard to pin it down as it has so much character built into it's DNA. There is a floral aspect in the top notes mixed with this wonderful caramelized woodiness. This is warm, comforting, and just a joy to wear on skin. This is a fragrance that I think smells very good on a card, but smells even better on skin. I'm noticing with Attaupe how the warmth of my skin is bringing more nuances out of this wonderful mixture than at room temp on a tester card. The tea note fits in so nicely with the tree resins, labdanum, and patchouli. Wow...I'm very sad that I missed this one as it is very special. Amazing fragrance by Mr. John Biebel. Two thumbs up and highest recommendation.

Haunted by Clandestine Laboratories

Haunted is truly a beautiful offering from Clandestine Laboratories. This is very close to competing with Silver as my favorite from the line...just gorgeous in a very lifting and satisfying way.

The fragrance opens with the amazing "blond woods" and the secret "floral heart" mentioned in the marketing notes from Mark. To me, the floral notes are of the custardy/banana ylang ylang variety and combined with the woods give of a Nirvanic fume that is truly intoxicating. When I first smell the opening, there is a shear almost pear note, but it is in fact the woods mixed with the ylang, or at least that's how my nose reads it. Haunted also brings the orris out, but it is so very well mixed that I don't get any of the nose "numbing" that I can get from orris if it's too far out in the mix. Sandalwood and frankincense are also here but as with the orris they are blended so well into the mix that Haunted is an example of the parts combining to make a much better whole, and is just a joy to smell and to wear from beginning to end. This either becomes a skin scent or I become slightly anosmic to it after about 1.5 hours. I can still smell it well when I place my nose to my wrist and I can smell it on my shirt for about 24 hrs. I would say the longevity on my skin is approximately 6 hrs. overall, and an amazing 24hrs. on clothing as mentioned.

I love this fragrance very much. Another beautiful composition by the talented Mark Sage. Two thumbs up as high as I can reach!

Sandalwood by Brooklyn Perfume Company

A very nice sandalwood fragrance that also features a noticeable vetiver note. There are also spice notes from a slight cumin, but it's not problematic or overpowering on my skin. An easy and enjoyable wear if you like sandalwood and vetiver. Two thumbs up from me.

Douglas Fir by Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements

Ohhhh, man! This stuff is spectacularly beautiful! Bright fir and pine ringing like the best song ever written for an old Conehead like me! Crisp, clean, and totally coniferous...so gorgeous!

I'm in love and I'm not afraid to tell the world! LOL...seriously folks, this aftershave/cologne is so beautiful that any self respecting conifer lover should get their nose on this quick! PAA sells samples and I would definitely recommend at least sampling this fragrance.

I just put it on, so I can't speak to it's longevity yet, but I'll update on that as soon as some time has passed. All I can say at this point is, this has one of, if not the best conifer opening I've smelled yet! Highest possible recommendation based on the opening of this fragrance. Bravo Mr. Smythe!!!

Spring Water and Fir by Cremo

A forgetable fume that smells like a thousand other cheap dime store fragrances. Super strong, sharp opening that is headache inducing. Although I bought this on the cheap, I was slightly disappointed as I had heard it wasn't too bad, unfortunately, I don't agree with that assessment.

Grove by Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements

Grove is a great fragrance from Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements with a bright cranberry note, some pleasant woodiness, and some mossiness. I enjoy the opening and mid notes especially. Wears very well all year round, but also has a slight holiday vibe that lifts my mood. Great job by PAA on this one.

Targhee Forest by Rogue Perfumery

Disappointed by Targhee Forest. It doesn't smell like any forest I've ever been in. The metallic taste of real oakmoss is prevalent as it is in Rogue's Mousse Illuminee, which I can't tolerate either because of the metallic taste in my mouth that both of these fragrances produce. There is also a powdery nature to this perfume that feels odd and doesn't represent the forest's I hike through either. Sadly, this is a big thumbs down for me and I was hoping to love it.