Perfume Reviews by odysseusm

Bois d'Hiver by Ex Nihilo

This is a fresh yet somewhat warm scent, lightly woody. Gentle, on the off-dry side of things. A nutty or toasted note is evident. Having grown heliotrope, I only a muted aspect of it here. Heliotrope flowers have a rich, somewhat vanilla scent. Perhaps it is best that it is toned down here. The scent settles into a light musk dry-down. I don't find this particularly exciting or interesting. Nothing wrong with it, I am just neutral on it. Not woody enough to be "Bois" and not cool enough to be "Hiver" (Winter).

Drone by Ephemera by Unsound

Starts with a fresh, airy and somewhat lemony note. This is following by some fresh green coniferous noes. The scent is cool and low-key in style. Hints of a wood grain. The scent is admittedly minimalistic and artificial, yet it is pleasant. The juniper is a good evocation of the berry. Vetiver is grassy in profile (not earthy). Worth a try.

The Peradam by Apoteker Tepe

Initially, a smell like wet cardboard. This quickly burns off somewhat, though it lingers in the background for a while. The exotic note of jasmine appears, with a bit of cool metallic edge perhaps due to the silvery iris. There is an interesting earthy note, perhaps it is the lily. The sandalwood is muted. For me, the scent is interesting but I don't share in the rave reviews.

Costa Azzurra (new) by Tom Ford

I'm ambivalent about this reformulation -- not that I was a fan of the previous version either.
This brings together an intriguing array of notes and clearly the intent is to convey a sea-side but not aquatic (ozone) sort of scent. To that extent, it succeeds.
However, I find it a bit brash, clangy and "elevator guy." After about an hour, it is slightly headache inducing for me. Not sweet, just kinda loud. And that's with just one spritz.

Rainforest by Silvestre

This is OK, not as bad as I'd feared having recently tried Underwood which I found very harsh and unpleasant.
This is cool and fresh, with a hint of peppery spice. Some citrus at first. Hints of lavender and wood. Given the list of notes, I'd expect something better.
An unremarkable scent, but it is not problematic.
Bears no resemblance to the original Pino Silverstre, and it is not so distinctive or original that I'd seek it out.

Underwood by Silvestre

I'm happy to provide the first review of this flanker to Pino Silvestre. This scent, called "Underwood," is part of a collection known as Pino Silvestre True Essence of Woods. The blurb on the box says that the collection, "... revisits the tradition of the Original fragrance, interpreting the wild style of the forest in a new, modern and stylish way." The blurb goes on to say, "... the collection is enriched by exploring the world of the forest undergrowth, resins, mosses and all of the other most fascinating elements that Nature has to offer."
The notes indicate a citrus opening, a coniferous-herbal heart, and an aromatic wood base. How does it deliver?
It is quite different from the original Pino Silvestre. This unfortunately is a rather generic, fresh sort of man's scent. A bit loud and certainly not nuanced. I don't get much in the way of natural scents. Everything seems amped-up and artificial. It certainly lacks the verve of the original. I can't really see any reason to recommend it.

Zizanie by Fragonard

I have a little bottle, certainly vintage, which I found in an antique shop. It is labeled aftershave but it still very powerful! Despite being aged, it still has a good smell. Very aromatic. Creamy sandalwood and spicy patchouli. Rather sweet.

Brut by Brut Parfums Prestige

I scored a mini bottle in an antique shop, so I suspect it is somewhat vintage. Very green, powdery and fairly sweet. Still, it is distinctive, with a pleasant soapy and aromatic quality. I get the herbal notes and definitely geranium rose. Bit of vanilla or coumarin. Creamy sandalwood in the dry-down. This was a mass market fougere in the day.

Hai Karate Oriental Lime by Leeming

I found a bottle about half full in an antique shop. I have always been curious what this is like. This bottle is labeled as aftershave. It has a pleasant, slightly spicy green quality. Bit of a peppery finish. Don't find much citrus or lime, but given how old this is I wouldn't expect those notes to have lasted.

Acqua Colonia Lime & Nutmeg by 4711

This has a pleasant, zesty lime opening. Very refreshing and cool. Softens and warms with a bit of woody nutmeg and a soapy finish. That's about it, but it works well as a summer spritz.

Acqua Colonia Blood Orange & Basil by 4711

A refreshing spritz! Doesn't have the depth of Hermes Orange Verte, but I wouldn't expect it to. I don't get other notes apart from the orange and basil. The basil is green, light, herbal and a bit dusky.

Dunhill Signature by Dunhill

Here's a charming scent. Smooth, with a classy, barbershop spice of gentle wood. It has a dry, cool, airy aspect suggestive of white shirts -- hence very suitable for office wear. Everything is toned-down or buttoned-down and yet enjoyable. The elements are well blended, nothing screams for attention. Understated elegance. Has a slightly fresh aspect, in line with scents of the early 2000's.

Black Jade by Lubin

Sweet opening of plummy bergamot and spices. The spices deepen into the woods and resins. Opulent and rich. Much too sweet for me, but I'm not the target market. It is a well made scent with good notes. The patchouli and vanilla are not overdone, thankfully.

Akkad by Lubin

Disappointed and a bit surprised. I thought the amber (not a favourite of mine) would be the problem. But, it is the vanilla. This is like a sweet sugar cookie. It almost has a fizzy quality, like biting into sugar crystals on top of a cookie. When this initial blast of sweetness burns off, I detect the good resins and incense. Many would like this Oriental, it certainly is in the conventional comfort zone: sweet and the incense is relatively tame. But it is not what I seek in a scent.

L'Eau Neuve (new) by Lubin

An attractive cologne style scent. Good herbal notes and bright citrus work well together. Some gentle, peppery spice lurking in the background. Easy to wear and refreshing, both men and women would enjoy it. Nothing remarkable or innovative here, but a pleasant scent.

Nuit de Longchamp by Lubin

A charming and traditional scent. Lovely floral notes. Aimed at the sophisticated female market. Projects a confident, mature air. The violet adds a haunting, old-school vibe. I like it and would enjoy meeting someone wearing it!

Corallo / Coral Shell by Ortigia

Resinous and dusky. Gets powdery and somewhat sweet. The balsamic herbs are a fairly heavy note. Some spices. Also get fennel and mint -- reminds me of organic toothpaste, something that Toms of Maine might do. One tiny little spritz is ALL that is needed. Would be overwhelming otherwise. The powerful note burns off quickly but parts of it linger. Kind of a roller-coaster ride. Interesting scent, not a particular favourite.

Au Coeur du Desért by Tauer

Smooth and attractive. Has some green notes at the beginning, perhaps the patchouly is displaying mint-like qualities. Subtle spices and wood tones. Ending gets a bit sweet and battery. Low-key, and probably most people would like this.

Freetrapper by D.S. & Durga

One of the more mild-mannered of the line. Herbal and a bit grassy at first, with a hint of smoke. Light woods and incense, and a mossy dry-down. Very pleasant, not heavy or sweet.

Bakhoor by Montale

I like this a lot. It is very dry, and has a haunting, evocative and exotic character. Peppery spice notes, dry green resins, resolute woods, and sophisticated, non-threatening oud. Reminds me of Tom Ford's Sahara Noir, but this is not so in-your-face. It is more subtle and elegant. Everything is perfectly balanced, and it wears well throughout the day. Oriental Woody. One site suggests it has olibanum in it.
From the Montale site:
"Bewitched by an ancestral perfumed ritual which comes to us from the nomadic Arab tribes of the Middle East, Pierre Montale has created BAKHOOR (pronounced BAROUR), a raw and wild creation, inspired by the traditional incense, burned to release the scents of resin, sandalwood, perfumed wood and natural oils. A wisp of smoke that rises to the sky, an invitation to discover mystical scents of the Orient, both intriguing and fascinating."

Outrageous by Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle

Dusty spice and bright citrus notes. Shifts intonations distinctive wood note: ghostly, like a distant echo. Metallic underpinning. Interesting scent, not my style. Very modern.

Eau de Minthé Eau de Parfum by Diptyque

Green, herbal, refreshing. The mint is NOT like toothpaste, and is not really very minty in style; rather, it is green leaf herbal at the beginning. Pleasant scent, settles into a light brown patchouli accord. My one complaint is that it is not terribly interesting. When I think of classic mint scents, Creed's Sélection Verte or L'Artisan's L'Eau du Caporal come to mind. In these, the mint is more identifiable yet is not compromised. The dry-down is gorgeous -- a throw-back to a classic fougere of the 80's but with a little lighter touch.

Music For a While by Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle

Good lavender note up front. Interesting to combine it with pineapple -- not quite sure about that combination but it cashes in on the pineapple craze started by Creed Aventus. Sugary notes give a rather cookie/foody aspect which I am not really enamoured with. Fruity notes bubble in the background. Bit of leather from the patchouli. This is OK, but really not my style. Gets quite buzzy in the dry down.

Dawn by Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle

My comment is based solely on a spritz in a shop -- I am unlikely to purchase it (given the price). Some reviewers talk of a shocking, animal oud note. I found it to be rather mild-mannered: definitely oud but not shocking. Dried into a light, pleasant woody-incense. The word I was thinking throughout was "subtle." Perhaps a large application would yield more depth and facets. Given the price, the shop was doling out single spritzes.