Perfume Reviews by rum

Allure Homme Sport Superleggera by Chanel

The Superleggera scent itself is not very different to the Allure Homme line. There are elements of the original Allure Homme EdT in this and plenty of the cashmeran-origin "fresh" accord of the Sport EdT flanker as well. At first spray it comes across as a slightly sweeter smelling combination of the two, perhaps leaning ever so slightly towards the Sport EdT. As it wears on, there doesn't appear to be that much of a difference: it doesn't dry down like the Sport however; instead it finishes at a half way point between Allure Homme and Allure Homme Sport EdT.

I see no justification to comparisons with the Eau Extreme flanker, which contains boat loads of soapy-musky tonka ad nauseum. Superleggera is a much cleaner take on the accord.

That said, it's hard to see how such an unimaginative flanker (albeit one that's a limited edition) can be justified both on the scent itself and at its current price point (£130 for 100ml, August 2024). To those who perhaps haven't discovered the Allure Homme line it might be worth it, but for the majority expecting a "new Chanel men's fragrance", it will be a disappointing release.

Endymion by Penhaligon's

Not being a Penhaligon's fan (the brand has recently become associated with a tourist souvenir shop, targeted at people who have never visited the UK before) - and detesting powdery scents - it took me a while to appreciate Endymion.

Endymion falls bang in the 'clean' domain, but it does the 'clean' accord in a different way to any other scent I know of. There is no explosion of citrus or neroli here; instead lavender is the backbone of the scent. It is woven with bergamot in the opening and a faux coffee and geranium in the heart. I say faux coffee because I haven't come across a scent that does coffee just how it smells (to my nose) in a coffee cup or from a freshly opened bag of beans. That said, the coffee note here is impressive and works better than say MFK's Amyris Homme duo.

The opening can be a bit of a challenge, so I always go easy on the trigger with this one. Once the scent is settled in to that complex base, it really shines. This is especially true in the cooler months and specifically at night, where the resins and spices come to life, but do not become overpowering (unless you've done too many sprays). The current bottles project moderately and last a working day; the scent does not need to be topped up.

All in all, Endymion is quite a masculine creation, fresh/clean and yet spicy, with an adequate (not too bitter, not too sweet) incense in the base. A great cool weather 'pick me up' for longer nights and when a citrus-laden freshie just won't do.

Viking Cologne by Creed

One of the better releases of the new Creed age, Viking Cologne is an aromatic fougere that works really well in warmer weather or climates.

First of all, its name is a little misleading. It should be seen as a completely new scent; the association with the 2017 release "Viking" (also by Creed) is nothing more than a recycled name.

Viking Cologne is a much fresher take on the the former. As the name suggests it's more of a 'cologne' scent. That implies freshness, citrus notes and with boat loads of lavender. However, instead of oakmoss, the dry down sports a frankincense accord. Whether or not note comes across as an authentic incense is up to the individual. To my nose, the composition starts off very aromatic and fresh, it moves to the base relatively quickly, but makes for a muted woody base, delicately spiked with some aromatic herbs. Fortunately, it does this with zero sweetness, which to me is a major advantage.

Lovers of the more traditional fougeres, scents like Ralph Lauren's Safari for Men (1995) and Terre d'Hermes (2006) will fall over backwards for Viking Cologne. Conversely, those who liked the original Viking may be in for disappointment with Viking Cologne.

Constantinople by Penhaligon's

Any other brand that came up with a perfume named after the Queen of Cities would have at least done their homework on the city's history before coming-up with Constantinople as a name for this genre of fragrance. But as it is a Penhaligon's scent, this is no surprise.

One would expect at least some notes of the time to be in the blend - thyme, nutmeg, some amber or even something resembling the many waters surrounding the great city. Penhaligon's however, had to provide us with yet another rose-oud combo (because the world clearly could do with another!) and give it a name of a city that has no connection to the notes.

At least if this had been constructed to resemble modern-day Istanbul, perhaps a spicy scent that represents the infamous Egyptian Bazaar, or an aquatic resembling the Bosporus and Golden Horn, or something simpler than that reminiscent of the rich cuisine the City has inherited over the centuries - rahat lokum has been done in the past, for example.

Unfortunately, this is a scent from a brand that lost touch many years ago. It hit rock bottom several decades ago. Now it has started to dig. A total disappointment.

Jubilation XXV Man by Amouage

Arguably the best Amouage ever created and a remarkably easy-to-wear frankincense.

Frankincense (incense) is not an easy note to wear. In its pure form it can come across as astringent, lemony or even urea-like. Of course, incense of any kind is not meant to be applied to skin; instead, it is burned to give off its enchanting, unique aroma. Amouage hit the bull's eye with this creation though.

Jubilation XXV Man (not to be confused with Jubilation 25, which is another scent by Amouage marketed to women), is a complex scent, built around frankincense and wrapped in a fougere accord. It does not smell harsh or synthetic, yet is not your average, crowd-pleasing, designer scent.

Jubilation XXV opens with a unique accord of berries, supported by a delicate orange and davana (both are barely discernible notes). This aspect appeared more authentic and bolder in older bottles; however, it does not last very long. The frankincense begins to project from the get go and constitutes the backbone structure of the entire scent. As the scent progresses, a gentle sweetness emerges, which could either be the opoponax or 'honey' note. Interestingly, the note pyramid claims an oud note, but I cannot detect it.

From a distance, Jubilation XXV turns a few heads (including your own!), as the curiosity to get a whiff of "that smell" quietly calls for your attention. The incense here invokes memories of an Eastern or oriental church somewhat, but the complex blend make it quite wearable. The gentle sweetness removes any perceived harshness from the incense and comes across as calming or even meditative. It won't fill a room with its projection (it was never intended to), but it projects remarkably well and easily lasts a full day on skin and clothes, if not longer. Just be sure to stick with fewer sprays, otherwise it can become a bit of an olfactory mess. One or two sprays at most.

The most recent bottles begin with less than average projection and longevity, but once they've been used a bit and allowed to mature over time, they do improve dramatically. The non-magnetic cap bottles would last past 12 hours and even survive showers. Current bottles are very long lasting though; just be sure to purchase a Made in Oman version.

Gold Man by Amouage

As the first men's fragrance by Amouage, Gold Man set the scene for just how revolutionary Amouage's scents would end up being.

A completely new theme for a men's scent in the early 80s, Gold Man bears a close resemblance to Chanel No. 5, at least in the opening stages. But do not be fooled by the development of this scent, which is so drastic, it could easily be classed as 3 scents rolled into one.

The opening is full aldehydes and florals. Jasmine makes an early appearance whilst slightly veiled by the aldehydes, but the rose that introduces the middle stages takes the scent into a completely different direction. It's almost as if the Chanel No. 5 has been spiked with roses. Some more powdery notes enter at this point, before musk and frankincense join to create an opulent and long-lasting dry down. Older bottles had a nuclear civet note from about the mid point, which contrasted beautifully with the rose. This has been neutered in more recent bottles, but the overall aldehydic, soapy, floral-musky accord is largely still intact.

A scent that is sure to turn heads (sometimes for the wrong reasons), it is one that simply must be sampled thoroughly before committing to a bottle. Ladies should not be afraid to wear this one, as it is largely unisex, perhaps leaning more to the feminine side of the spectrum.

Spanish Cedar by Czech & Speake

A clear and obvious predecessor to the more recent Perfecto Fino by the same brand, Czech & Speake Spanish Cedar is less about the tobacco and more about the woodier aspects. It also has more zing throughout its development due to the bergamot and berries; the colour theme of the bottle/packaging is most appropriate as a result.

In its deep dry down, Spanish Cedar leans quite masculine with the alluring and warm birch tar note. The scent projects surprisingly well, yet it does not overpower or get cloying at any time. This makes it ideal for year-round wear, including the warmer months.

What is most commendable about this scent is the lack of any sweetness whatsoever. This is not your run-of-the-mill designer scent of the post-2010 era. Instead, it stands high above current trends, as have most of Czech & Speake's scents.

All in all, a high-end, long-lasting niche chypre, sans any sickly-sweet accords. Worth sampling at the very least.

Colonia Futura by Acqua di Parma

Colonia Futura is very much a well thought-out, smooth vetiver scent, so not your traditional colonia based on citrus or soapy neroli notes.

The opening is a bit misleading and comes across as really harsh. In fact I’m not even sure the citrus in the opening does the overall fragrance much justice. Luckily that aspect doesn’t last.

Once the heart notes start pumping out, the fragrance smooths considerably and turns very green. The sage and lavender provide this part which is where things turn quite pleasant to my nose. There is also the gentlest of sweetness at this point supported with a faint hint of woodiness below it. It stays very green. In fact by this point, you may wonder if you’re dressed in camouflage or lying in a herb patch.

The vetiver enters with some moss, but these aspects simply underpin the green sage and lavender accord which sits on top throughout. The whole accord makes for a herbaceous, aromatic green scent.

I can’t wait to put this on in the warmer months, but even in the winter it has proved unique, vibrant and uplifting. In my opinion it’s everything that the hash-up known as Colonia Club should have been. My faith in AdP may just be restored with this scent.

Cuba Eau de Parfum by Czech & Speake

Without having spent much time with the cologne version of this scent and not being a huge tobacco fan, the Eau de Parfum's note breakdown came as a pleasant surprise. It is also longer lasting and more wearable than the cologne.

Right from the top, the scent comes across as quite camphorous (perhaps due to the peppermint), delicately sweetened (though nowhere near as sweet as the typical sugar-syrup designer scents of recent times) and evidently 'dirty-fresh' (that could be an effect of bergamot and the other notes).

The cloves are quite prominent from quite early on, which to my nose make up the backbone of the scent. Nothing overpowering here, nor are we talking about cloves a la a 1980s dental surgery, but it provides a spicy woodiness throughout. In the heart, the cloves are joined by the bay leaf and a rose accord; this provides supporting floral-freshness rather than taking centre stage.

As the scent evolves to its dry down, the woods are quite prominent, but held back by the incense which at this stage is still surprisingly camphorous, calming and meditative. The incense is hard to single-out, but it is there; just nowhere near as prominent as incense-heavy scents such as CdG, Tom Ford and Montale. This is nonetheless a positive point as the whole scent has a lot more going on.

As per its name, Cuba, the scent is a celebration of the Caribbean island's heritage and culture. As a result, a tobacco note is mentioned in the literature, but this is very carefully woven in to the base. It is by no means a sickening overpowering tobacco (I'm looking at you Tom Ford!), but instead it almost plays 'hide and seek' with the incense and woods.

Not necessarily a 'refreshing' scent in my books, but a long-lasting woody-spicy scent with some interesting combinations of notes. Czech & Speake, you have my attention!

No. 88 Eau de Parfum by Czech & Speake

Despite No. 88's reputation as a "dark" scent (mostly a misconception due to its unique black bottle), No. 88 is a masterfully crafted floral-chypre with a fougere structure, that is both long-lasting and projects very well for the best part of the day.

The cologne version in its current form comes across as quite powdery and packed full of geranium. The rose and woods play a supporting role here. In the more recent Eau de Parfum, the geranium and powdery notes are toned down and allow the rose and woods to come to the front much more. This is reminiscent of the vintage version and it results in a much smoother fragrance overall. Both versions have a touch of sweetness due to the frangipani. To me the cologne is a like, whereas the EdP is a love.

From experience, the Cologne works well in warmer weather - the opening freshness from the bergamot and accompanying florals (geranium and rose) make for a welcome change to the traditional citrus-chypre warm weather scent. Conversely, the new Eau de Parfum works well in the cooler months due to the more pronounced woods, but either can be worn so long as they are used in sensible quantities.

All in all, a unique floral-chypre fougere, centred around rose, with a classy character that is totally unisex.

Oxford & Cambridge Eau de Parfum by Czech & Speake

The 2021/2022 Oxford & Cambridge Eau de Parfum comes at a time when well-established fragrances are being released in a new concentration (EdP, Parfum) for no apparent reason other than marketing, at the expense of the scent being 'tweaked' - something us fragrance freaks find quite insulting.

Fortunately with Czech & Speake, this is not the case. Their existing "Cologne" concentrations suffered at the hands of regulation, with some being weakened or diluted. The result is the overall scent deviating from its original formulation. The current Eau de Parfum revolution at C&S began with its signature No. 88 fragrance, which - to everyone's surprise - matched the original No. 88 accord much more closely. This has now been followed by Oxford & Cambridge and Cuba.

The modern version of Oxford & Cambridge cologne suffered from poor longevity/projection and its dry down did not feel quite right. Despite being one of the nicest herbal lavender fragrances currently on the market (dare I say a benchmark lavender fragrance) and having a genuinely calming and soothing nature, some may have hesitated to get a bottle.

The new Eau de Parfum, however, has once again turned the tide and the result is a fragrance that remains true to its original accord, subtle and (thankfully) does not vanish after 30 minutes. Most importantly, the dry down (which is the part most will end up smelling) is much more pleasant, woody, yet herbaceous, with the lavender accord sitting nicely on top. In keeping with the overall theme of this lavender concoction, projection is moderate but not monstrous as some might expect.

The progression of the Eau de Parfum is no different to its Cologne counterpart; it opens with some mint and rosemary, somewhat camphorous, but quite herbaceous before the lavenders kick in. The overall scent is supported by a delicate oakmoss, which is ever so slightly sweetened, but is by no means thick or syrupy.

Ultimately, this is a scent that you wear to stay close to you and in any season apart from in the extreme cold. There's nothing 'dressy' or fancy about it, but I suppose it can come across as sporty. It's very laid-back though and will work equally well in smart-casual wear or your typical jeans and t-shirt.

One final point. Given how calming this scent is, it's one of the best to put on when you are not sure what to wear, if you're having trouble sleeping, going through a period of stress, or are just not feeling well. Totally inoffensive and unobtrusive. Attention seekers need not apply.

Turn 1 by F1 Fragrances

A rather strange scent compared to the marketing blurb and how it actually smells.
Turn 1 is apparently a 'fresh and mineral fragrance that evokes the tension of tyres racing on wet asphalt'. From this description, I would expect a scent that is similar to Dior's Fahrenheit, but alas this is none other than a clone of the more recent Dior Sauvage!!
I get no wet asphalt or racing tyres as such. The opening is a fresh out-of-the-shower scent and the association to Dior Sauvage is so strong that it is impossible to think of this scent in any other way.
The scent does last quite well on skin and has the spices toned down compared to the Dior. However, the price is way too high for a clone scent, therefore this is a thumbs down for me.
Move along please - nothing to see here.

Dior Homme Eau de Toilette (2020 version) by Christian Dior

Dior Homme (2020) has had quite a bashing since it was released, solely due to the marketing department at Dior having made a big mistake: using the exact same name of an existing popular fragrance, based around the iris note, originally released (by Dior) in 2005. The name confusion is no excuse really, as the 2020 version is a very good scent on its own and should not be confused with its predecessor, now known simply as 'Dior Homme Original'.

Dior Homme 2020 is a fresh and invigorating, masculine, woody scent that is a no-nonsense, versatile fragrance. Although it opens with bergamot and pink pepper, it takes many twists and turns before it dries right down, which bring to memory many other modern fragrances. Dior Homme 2020 contains a number of long-lasting synthetics such as ISO E Super (the cedar, 'pencil-shavings' note), a touch of ambroxan (ambergris, amber) and cashmeran (cashmere woods). The nearest related scents to my nose are Escentric 01 and Escentric 02 by Escentric Molecules. It contains very little if any sweetness or powdery notes (a big plus for me). Some have drawn parallels with Terre d'Hermes in the opening and even Aventus in the far dry down. The entire scent comes across as something quite familiar, yet it becomes something hard to pinpoint.

Prospective buyers should not be put off by any of the notes/ingredients mentioned above or the scent's misleading name. The whole fragrance is totally inoffensive, office-friendly, can be worn dressed up or down and remains a crowd pleaser that never becomes overwhelming or cloying at any point.

This is quite the contrary to Dior's other recent chemical waste release, known otherwise as Sauvage, which was too overpowering when sniffed up close (yet surprisingly pleasant when smelled on others from a distance). Dior Homme 2020 feels entirely natural and airy. It blends well with skin chemistry and it lasts remarkably well on both skin and clothes. It was its 'pull factor' that had me smelling my arm after applying it.

All in all, a very appealing aroma that screams masculinity, class and sophistication. Just don't judge it by its label!

Gentlemen's Cologne by Castle Forbes

Gentlemen's Cologne is arguably the signature scent in the not-very-well-known Castle Forbes range, along with 1445 perhaps.

The opening is easily one of the most breathtaking there is and it is just so simple. The combination of the three "L's", lemon, lime and lavender, conjure up a majestic accord that creates a resinous-pine effect. The woods join the party not very long after, making this scent one that is firmly centred at the masculine end of the spectrum.

It's not a very long lasting scent as you might find from most designer scents with their bucket loads of synthetic molecules. Instead, Gentlemen's Cologne feels very natural and easy-going.

The similarities with 1445 are definitely there, though Gentlemen's Cologne is the easier one to wear and has much more citrus overall. It does cross a few paths with some other scents: Patrick by Fragrances of Ireland and Acqua di Parma's Colonia Futura for their luscious greens; to a lesser extent Aramis Tuscany for the woods and Azzaro Pour Homme for the lavender.

All in all, this is a bargain everyday scent for any vintage or wet shaving enthusiast. The 100ml size is an EdP strength and should last a while.

No. 88 by Czech & Speake

Despite No. 88's reputation as a "dark" scent (mostly a misconception due to its unique black bottle), No. 88 is a masterfully crafted floral-chypre with a fougere structure, that is both long-lasting and projects very well for the best part of the day.

The cologne version in its current form comes across as quite powdery and packed full of geranium. The rose and woods play a supporting role here. In the more recent Eau de Parfum, the geranium and powdery notes are toned down and allow the rose and woods to come to the front much more. This is reminiscent of the vintage version and it results in a much smoother fragrance overall. Both versions have a touch of sweetness due to the frangipani. To me the cologne is a like, whereas the EdP is a love.

From experience, the Cologne works well in warmer weather - the opening freshness from the bergamot and accompanying florals (geranium and rose) make for a welcome change to the traditional citrus-chypre warm weather scent. Conversely, the new Eau de Parfum works well in the cooler months due to the more pronounced woods, but either can be worn so long as they are used in sensible quantities.

All in all, a unique floral-chypre fougere, centred around rose, with a classy character that is totally unisex.

Oxford & Cambridge by Czech & Speake

Did someone say lavender? Yes! Lavender is actually a very common note in men's fragrances.

As a fan of the fougere accord, I've been wearing scents containing lavender quite a lot - without even knowing it! It was never my intention to wear a lavender scent on its own. But that all changed when the heavenly accord of herbaceous mint, rosemary and mossy sandalwood combined with peppery lavender entered my nostrils.

Oxford & Cambridge does not immediately come across as a sporty fragrance; Lavender is after all a light herb and is never overpowering at any stage - overspray this to your heart's content. The mint freshens it up, giving it a rather spring/summery feel, whereas the mossy sandalwood base creates a smooth, yet light woody finish to this nostalgic potion. There is also a very gentle sweetness from the heart through to the base that takes away some of the herb's bitterness in the opening.

The name Oxford & Cambridge is quite fitting (as is the blue bottle!) and exudes a certain elegance reminiscent of the English country side, perhaps an outing to either of the famous cities on a rare spring Bank Holiday.

To me, this is the ultimate calming fragrance: one to unwind with, wear on a lazy afternoon, on a picnic, a walk in the countryside, or even to bed!

Déclaration d'Un Soir by Cartier

The entire Cartier Declaration line needs to be sampled. Based on the success of the original, there are some hidden gems here waiting to be discovered.

Declaration d'Un Soir is quite a way off from the rest of the line. It does have a good rose note that mixes really well with some other interesting notes like nutmeg and woods.

The opening feels like they threw in the whole rose bush: petals, stems, leaves, thorns, heck even some of the soil (I'm guessing that's a patchouli-like note). The whole opening feels like there are some berries in there too (raspberries perhaps?). But a lot of the greens fade away as the scent develops, almost like the rose is blossoming. It doesn't come across as 'feminine' at all, but could easily be worn by both men and women alike.

I agree with the comparisons to Paestum Rose. In fact I can see this as a 'poor man's Portrait of a Lady', given how similar the rose blends with the berry note.

All in all this is a great floral masculine that could work for both men and women in all seasons.

The One for Men Eau de Parfum by Dolce & Gabbana

The One EdP for Men has to be one of the most addictive scents I have ever come across. I have never liked sweet scents, but fortunately The One EdP is not excessively sweet by any means. Instead, it has become a really classy dumb-reach during the cold months.

The largely amber accord is accented with hints of ginger, grapefruit and cardamom which creates a heavenly mix of spice and ever-so-delicate sweetness. Tobacco, Orange Blossom and cedarwood complete the party, though I find these notes are not the loudest in the composition. The cardamom and ginger/grapefruit are much more pronounced and remind me of the same notes in Chanel's Pour Monsieur EdT (for the cardamom) and Creed's Original Vetiver (for the ginger/grapefruit). Obviously, being an amber scent The One EdP does not smell like either of these scents in their entirety; it does share these common notes.

Regarding the tobacco note, I have noticed many commenting that The One is a tobacco-themed scent. I largely disagree with this; the tobacco may be there but it is sooooo delicate, practically drowned-out by the other notes, that it may disregarded. I certainly wouldn't class it as a tobacco scent and get much more of a spiced amber accord than anything else.

Now to address the elephant in the room: longevity. As with any scent, if you are constantly putting sprays all over yourself, you will go anosmic to it very quickly. I got introduced to this fragrance through a generous decant. As I do with every new scent that I am trying out, I wore a maximum of one single spray each time and I never lost the scent trail once. Once I went through the decant, I quickly realised I hadn't had enough, so I knew it was time to buy a bottle - a huge 150ml size to be exact! I wasn't afraid to spray a bit more from the large bottle and quickly realised that a couple more sprays won't ruin it for me, so long as I am spraying away from my nose (i.e. not on the neck/chest area). The optimum number is 3-5 sprays. Surprisingly I get around 10 hours longevity and projection is a good couple of feet with my young children often telling me I smell nice before I get really close to them.

What a delightful, feel-good winter comfort scent this is! I can't believe it hasn't been on my radar sooner. It has become my 'go-to' scent for this winter season and I expect to be able to pull it off on summer nights as well.

Tom Ford Noir Anthracite by Tom Ford

It's rare in this day and age that I review a Tom Ford-branded fragrance and conclude on a positive note. The entire Noir range for example has been a let-down to put it mildly, often reminding me of the cheap opoponax note that has been so frequently done in both cheap and niche scents alike (Jovan Sex Appeal, Chanel Coromandel, etc). Noir Anthracite is fortunately the exception and stands out from the pack like a brightly-lit Christmas tree in a dark street.

I initially sampled the scent blind and my immediate comment was that it reminded me of a bracing green gent's aftershave from the 80s. I can't quite remember what it was, but the peppers and galbanum bounced right off the spray patch. I don't detect much bergamot in the opening, but the green galbanum is very prominent, as are the peppers and spices of the mid. The dry-down is magnificent - long lasting woods, just like a classic 80s powerhouse after shave.

I managed to grab a bottle not long after, as I enjoyed my sample immensely. Of course, Tom Ford had to discontinue a perfectly good scent, just like he's done with his greatest creations sold under his brand - the original Italian Cypress and Sahara Noir. I suppose that explains why this one is such a departure from the rest of the pack. I only hope I can find more bottles of it in future.

Pasha by Cartier

A crisp, clean aromatic fougere with the traditional structure as you'd expect from a 90s scent. The lavender is quite prominent and nicely blended, as are the woods in the base.
Pasha is very much on a par with Safari by Ralph Lauren. Instead of the Caribbean spices, it uses mint and wraps the fougere accord around that. Others have rightfully drawn similarities with the now discontinued VC&A Tsar and YSL's Jazz. I would also extend the Venn diagram to overlap with Boucheron Pour Homme and Cerruti 1881.
I am not sure how 'mossy' Pasha is in 2020, but formulations from about five years ago when I last wore this scent were OK. Pasha is not a projection monster or as long-lasting as one might expect of a modern day ambrox chemical bomb, but long lasting and acceptable enough for the average working day. It's not a skin scent by any means.
All in all a traditional aromatic fougere available at ridiculously good prices if you know where to look. A surprisingly low-lying scent. Beware of the flankers: stick to the original Eau de Toilette.

Perfecto Fino by Czech & Speake

Rarely does something this good turn up in 2020. Love the likes of Bel Ami, Knize 10, Quorum, Sycomore and Polo Ralph Lauren? Smoke & leather powerhouse fragrance lovers, this is one new scent that you need to at least sample.

Perfecto Fino opens with what is quite possibly the most enormous thump of (birch) tar, ever used in a fragrance this side of the Millennium and the new age of ingredient restrictions. Smokey as a smouldering camp fire, it calms down after a good 30-45 minutes or so, releasing its tobacco, leather and woods combination. The extreme dry-down is smokey woods, likely vetiver, representing what remains of the preceding fire.

The simplistic and quite cheap-looking bottle doesn't do the fragrance justice, as what is inside is unique and very nicely woven together. Even the packaging which is supposedly similar to a Central American cigar-box is very elegantly crafted. The bottle however resembles a potion bottle that was hastily put together in the back room of a very questionable medieval pharmacy.

The scent is long lasting and projects well throughout the day. Its progression is very noticeable - you won't mistake this for a 'linear' scent. Pricing is a bit of a joke; it is considerably more expensive per ml than any other scent in the otherwise venerable C&S range.

Amyris Homme Extrait de Parfum by Maison Francis Kurkdjian

Despite trying quite hard to research what Amyris actually is (a plant? a herb?) the best information I could find is that it may also be known as American or Jamaican sandalwood. My review of the EdT of 2009 describes it as a woody scent, with accents of iris and tonka (coumarin).

Both versions of Amyris Homme have common notes to other scents, but I wouldn't go as far as to call either a copy of anything. I find Chanel Allure Homme Sport (loaded with tonka bean) in any version and the Dior Homme series (based around iris) hard to wear. Not long after the release of Amyris Homme Extrait, I ended up with bottles of both the EdT and the Extrait. And I have put quite a dent in both. This says a lot - they are both easier to wear than any other similar scent.

Whilst the EdT appears light and becomes a mess with too many sprays (no more than 2-3 with this one and it lasts all day), the Extrait is more polished and has less of the harshness from the dry down of the EdT. Whilst the tonka is a big player in the Extrait as well and supports the scent throughout, the aromatic, woody accents are amplified above the iris even more so than in the EdT. Once again though, the scent is not an "in your face" scent with no single note being unbalanced. If there was a slight hint of coffee in the EdT, there is definitely no such note in the Extrait.

The Extrait is however a highly concentrated interpretation of the EdT, meaning even less of it is required than the EdT. Any more than 1-2 sprays could be too much. Projection is easily a few feet and a typical application should last well beyond 12 hours. A 70ml bottle should therefore last years.

Both EdT and Extrait share some enormous similarities and as such should be thoroughly tested before committing. I couldn't decide between either and both were a love, so I proudly own both and change between them according to season and mood. Your mileage may vary and I can probably guess most would be happy with one or the other. Another all-star creation from MFK.

Moschino pour Homme by Moschino

It's hard to believe a brand like Moschino could create a fragrance like this. But of course that was 1990, when everything was unique and manly smelled, well, manly.

Despite some harshness in the top notes (probably due to the age of the bottle that my sample was drawn from), Moschino Pour Homme smells like the love child of Hermes Bel Ami and Caron 3rd Man. Why? Because Bel Ami gives it the leathery-woody dry down (very aromatic) and the Caron has the clove/carnation heart which the Moschino maintains right the way through the heart to the extreme dry down.

Sadly, scents are no longer made like this, but the scent is reminiscent of better times - no sugary/syrup-like sweetness. Just bitter, dry, earthy/leathery goodness.

Bleu de Chanel Parfum by Chanel

In a time where one new fragrance release leads to another four or five flankers - first the EdT, then the EdP and now the Parfum - Bleu de Chanel is a welcome addition.

Having tried the previous two iterations and being completely underwhelmed, Bleu de Chanel Parfum enters as the crowd-pleaser that Chanel is so good at putting together.

Inoffensive and totally versatile as anything I have ever put my nose to, the top notes of BdC Parfum mesmerise even to this day. Some list mint, others geranium and others just call it Blue (it's not! it's Bleu!!!). Whatever the top notes comprise, I get some very good synthetics combining freshly-squeezed citrus-grade freshness with luscious woods that I can't stop smelling. Some of the citrus is clearly dihydromyrcenol (DHM), but it is so tamed here and used very sensibly so as not to offend (I'm looking at you Dior!!).

The woods and indeed the classic Chanel tonka note in the base of BdC Parfum are what sets it apart from the EdT and EdP. Yes, there is amberwood here, but no harsh "incense" (if that's what you call it), just a classic men's scent - citrus/fresh top with a woody base. Admirers of classics like Chanel Pour Monsieur, YSL Pour Homme, Armani Eau Pour Homme should pay attention and sample this, as should anyone crazy enough to want to spend on Roja Dove's Elysium.

Rarely does a scent like BdC Parfum come to the market this side of the millennium. I bought a bottle the day it was released in 2018 and received a couple of compliments from work colleagues not long after from just 1-2 sprays. Given how versatile/easy to wear this is, I doubt I'll ever be without a bottle. If only I'd gone for the largest size bottle. Top marks, Chanel!