Perfume Reviews by Drchrisnicol

Suqraat by Lattafa

I discovered this after the demise of the much respected AdG Profumo. I tried the Parfum successor but somehow it failed to appeal in the same way. After being tipped off by a YouTube influencer, I forked out a very modest £15 or so and took the plunge, with considerable misgivings, I have to say. Since my bottle of AdG Profumo is long gone, I have to comment from memory, but to my nose this IS AdG Profumo. Light and citrusy it is perfect for a summer’s day. I find it to be somewhat more linear perhaps than its original, but then again, I’m writing from memory. You DO need to be generous with your spraying to reach any level of longevity since the spray is miserly in its output. If you are keen on this DNA, you might like to try the equally successful but marginally cheaper Jazzab from Ard al Zaafaran.

Jazzab Silver by Ard Al Zaafaran

If you were a fan of AdG Profumo and are not exactly taken with the Parfum successor, it might be worthwhile forking out around £15 for this excellent clone. True, the spray is reluctant to part with the juice, so you have to insist on more sprays than you would normally need, but at this price, who’s complaining? Light, citrusy it is the ideal summer’s day fragrance. Lattafa with their Suqraat (Socrates, in English, I believe) offer another marginally more expensive but equally successful dupe.

Hunter Intense by Armaf

It’s been around since 2018, but it’s only recently that I’ve been made aware of its presence by an increase in the buzz around it from influencers.
Its note breakdown makes it a useful daily driver in warmer weather:
Top: Bergamot, Mandarin Orange, Pomelo (there’s a novelty!)and Lemon.
Middle: Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Tuberose and Geranium.
Base: Black Pepper and Cardamon.
The clean citrus opening (maybe briefly a trifle synthetic) soon gives way to a calmer lavender that is perhaps this fragrance’s main attraction but the sterner spiciness of the black pepper base keeps it from any danger of cloying and safely in masculine territory.
If any of these notes begin to strike a cord with readers it may be because this fragrance is generally held to be a marriage of Dior Sauvage and Invictus. Yes, there are other touches added by Armaf but the DNA of these two stalwarts of the trade is definitely in the foreground.
True to form, Armaf, masters of the tacky presentation, have come up with an abomination of a bottle that puts even Ventana to shame. But the product is damn good with sillage and longevity not exactly beast mode, but certainly decent. I got a compliment on the first day wearing it. But pomelo….?

Miss Dior Eau de Parfum 2021 by Christian Dior

I blind bought this for a French lady ‘of a certain age’ who was celebrating a milestone birthday. We both were aghast when she tried it: ‘Mais c’est le parfum de Barbie.’ I had to apologise for it was dreadfully…….pink. So sweet it gives bubble-gum a bad name. Puzzled as to why Dior ever let this out.

Club de Nuit Intense Man : Limited Edition Parfum by Armaf

When I first took an interest in the fragrance community, this CdN IM Limited Edition was the go-to clone for the much discussed Creed Aventus. Since then, the world of the CA wannabes has expanded dramatically : Afnan, Supremacy Silver; Al Haramain, L’aventure; Reyane Tradition, Insurrection II Pure . Even Zara, with Vibrant Leather, has had a weakish stab at it. And these are only a few of the myriad clones, dupes, versions of the big daddy.
But this EdP from Club de Nuit still wears the crown as far as I’m concerned. Why? Well, it comes very decently close to the original in that it captures and blends well the smokey, leatheriness of the OG. But whereas the pineapple sings out confidently in the Creed, the opening here is somewhat over-lemony, some would say harshly lemony.
But it does the business honestly enough as it dries down, with truly great performance. At nearly £300 for 100 mls, CA is beyond many pockets. This Limited Edition (105 mls) is not exactly cheap at around £88 but it is a very respectable substitute.

Grey Vetiver Parfum by Tom Ford

I am no great lover of the over-hyped, over-priced Tom Ford ranges. When the few items I possess finally go, I am not particularly sad to see them depart. Tuscan Leather and Beau de Jour sometimes even got me looks from friends which suggested I had inadvertently passed wind in their presence. I make one major exception to a generally negative view of the house and that is for Grey Vetiver. It takes the rather metallic edge off Guerlain’s Vetiver, adding a luxurious creaminess which reeks of Jermyn Street chic. This is the fragrance you wear when you test-drive a Ferrari at HR Owen in Berkeley Square. Reeks of understated wealth.

Asad by Lattafa

My bottle of Dior Sauvage Elixir is, sadly, long gone, but my hankering after the heavy, heady DNA lingers on with me. So when Lattafa came out with a much-touted clone, I was interested but suspicious. Could a perfume house produce anything decent for around £25 for 100ml when the original markets at around £183 for the same quantity?
Writing, admittedly from memory, I have to confess I am almost totally fooled. I remember perhaps a hint more creaminess in the OG’s opening, and there seems to my nose to be a tad more emphasis on vanilla here than in the Dior, but that’s fine by me. All in all, huge kudos to Lattafa for producing a very fine alternative indeed to DSE which is olfactorily as impressive as it is financially friendly.
7/8 hours longevity on me. Projection equally impressive.

Mauboussin pour Lui In Black by Mauboussin

It says much about this discreet, almost self-effacing, scent that I have owned it for a year and only now am getting round to writing a review. When it arrived, ( blind bought, but YouTube recommended) , I tried it, thought it pleasant…. and then forgot about it!
Only now am I realising how really well-constructed it is in its subtle non-shouty way. I was hasty to dismiss its shy demeanour. The mandarin /mint opening rapidly gives place to the caramel/violet/ woody vibe that envelops you in a warming, comforting way for a good part of the day. It does not go in for loud sillage but hugs you like an old friend. If you want a more extroverted caramel companion, go elsewhere. In colder weather it’s gourmand charm is a real day brightener.

Bound for Men by Sapil

Good bye Armani Code Profumo, hello Bound for Men Sapil. OK, OK, I’m not saying it’s a 100% dupe, but given ACP has long left the stage, it’s a useful substitute for those of us who like the general DNA. Initially, on its arrival, I was dubious: it seemed harsh and a tad abrasive, but the magic of maceration worked wonders. The citrusy/ apple opening calmed into a creamy orange blossom/lavender heart, warmed by tonka and a hint of leather. Performance is not great but decent enough to be a handy daily driver in cooler weather. And at this bargain price, what’s not to like?

L'Iris by Santa Maria Novella

Bowled over last summer by the immersive experience at Santa Maria Novella in Florence itself, I was determined somehow to bottle the experience. Despite plenty of self-pampering products in the period but revamped showrooms, the eaux de parfum choice came down to only 4. Raised eyebrows when I inquired which one was for men. Frostily, ‘They all are, sir.’ I eyed up Bizzarria, Gelsomino, Magnolia and L’iris.
I finally plumped for L’iris, iris being the lead note in Prada L’homme, a favourite of mine. With some lingering doubts about its truly unisex credentials, I bought. I think a man can get away with it, but it’s borderline. I love the neroli top note which sometimes threaten the iris, but the melange of the two is intoxicating. Floral heart notes weave a heady miasma that head off in a rather feminine direction, but the pepper top note keeps it some way sharply in masculine territory. Presentation box is a total work of art on its own.
The downside of the natural ingredients is that for an eau de parfum, the longevity is a little disappointing. Helpful synthetics were sadly not around in 1221….

Sportivo by Tonino Lamborghini

The current version comes in a snazzy Lamborghini red bottle rather than the dull black displayed here and it really looks the business. But it is the most frustrating fragrance in my collection. After an admittedly rather synthetic opening ( par for the course with cheaper scents) the drydown envelops you in a glorious mellow halo of orange and lavender. Could this Lamborghini be my new daily driver?
Alas, no. Despite soaking myself in the stuff as advised by reviewers elsewhere, it raced away from me faster than any V12 Lamborghini, almost before I could even savour the base notes of cedar and vetiver. It is normal to exaggerate in these circumstances, but, in all honesty, the longevity could not have been more than half an hour.
Given that there are some excellent ‘car’ fragrances out there (Bentley, Jaguar, Ferrari) Lamborghini is trailing well behind the leaders and could do with a pit stop for some much needed reconditioning.

Craze for Men by Armaf

The notes, top, middle and base , are identical for Craze and for PDM’s Pegasus. But there has to be a difference, surely? Today on Amazon I see Pegasus at £299 and Craze at £26. So can they be identical? Well, yes and no.
From memory, the opening heliotrope and bergamot of the Pegasus come across less harshly than in the Armaf opening, but that said, only the most finely developed nostrils could claim to register offending differences come the dry-down.
What both fragrances offer is a truly glorious phantasmagoria of accords that brighten the dullest day. With heliotrope, lavender and vanilla well to the fore, the scent could risk being overly floral, but with bitter almond, amber and sandalwood pinning the whole together, the result is one of the best amber fougeres around. A joy to pick-up in the mornings. One which hangs around me for the best part of the day with a sillage that hangs around in my office lift for a fair time, too. And at a tenth of the price of Pegasus!

Emerald Desert Sultan by Ard Al Zaafaran

Puzzlingly, this is a fragrance seemingly unknown by the Fragrantica community. With its top notes of iris, musk and vanilla heralding warm heart notes of leather and palm leaves, it makes for a very useful yet unusual daily driver. Great for lovers of left-field scents.

Prada L'Homme by Prada

Prada L’homme is one of the few fragrances worth growing older for. Yes, it is unequivocally for the established, successful sir. But let’s hear less tosh about it being an ‘office scent’. A 3-star Michelin restaurant (or as another reviewer has suggested, a 5-star hotel) is more its natural habitat, such is its capacity for creating an ambience of opulent luxuriousness. For lovers of iris/amber (and floral notes in general), this is a must have. There is a lot going on, pleasantly enough, in that opening, but its real joy erupts in the iris, violet and geranium that sail out in the dry down. All of this is pinned down in masculine territory by lurking amber and sandalwood. A triumph of blending from Daniela Andrier. Wear it to the office if you must, but that seems a terrible way to treat one of the great aristocrats of the fragrance world.
Longevity on me is about 6 very self-indulgent hours, though others find fewer to be the case.
Rumours of its demise abound, so I am buying it up wherever I find it.

Shaghaf Oud Abyad by Swiss Arabian Perfumery

This is said to be a fair clone of Interlude Man by Amouage. Not being familiar with Interlude, I cannot comment on the similarity or otherwise. I blind bought on a You Tuber’s recommendation. First reaction? Mildly disappointed. The opening is distinctly synthetic with the top notes of pepper, oregano and bergamot getting somewhat lost in a chemical fug. BUT an hour later, I was blown away by a cloud of smokey incense grounded by sandalwood and leather. This opulent scented cloud trailed behind me for the rest of the day. Be warned: it is distinctly attention seeking in a warmly seductive way and is probably not for the office. But, boy, does it make you feel good about yourself!
At the time of writing, I see Amouage’s Interlude Man is on Nottino for £320 (100ml). This version by Swiss Arabian is also there. For £33 (75ml).

Ventana by Armaf

Hats off to Armaf for a highly successful clone of Dior Sauvage. Yes, the bizarre plastic radiator casing of the bottle is low-rent, but the contents are a very fine tribute to the house blending team. My memory of DS is still quite fresh, yet I simply cannot pinpoint any deviation from the original, although, of course, better noses than mine may disagree.
Where it falls slightly short of DS, however, is in performance and sillage. I can get to just past lunchtime after an early start, but at £25 for 100 ml, everybody can afford an extra scoosh or two come the afternoon.
This interpretation of DS is what gives clones a good name.

Uomo by Roberto Cavalli

It was the note list that got my interest first: violet, honey and lavender amongst others. With a note pedigree like that and Christophe Raynaud in charge, what’s not to like?
I blind bought. No regrets whatsoever.
The rounded honey wrap holding the florals and cedar wood together creates an opening burst of summer to warm the coldest winter day.
The dry down is highly seductive in its mellow honeyed miasma and gives me as much pleasure as any niche perfume in my collection. This and Jacques Faith’s Lilas Exquis are the ones I reach for for romantic outings. Performance is good.
Can’t understand why this passes under so many influencers’ radar
Search around and you can obtain it for less than the fairly high mainstream asking price.

Classic Gold by Jaguar

This is a fragrance that punches way above its price point. The apple and lime opening lead into an orange blossom and musk miasma that gives a freshness that stays with you all day. The last time I used it was early morning in downtown Budapest. After a long busy day and a flight that got in to Edinburgh around midnight, my partner’s first remark was, ‘You smell nice.’ I did, and at a fairly modest price, too.. In fact, it is the only fragrance which has led me to buy a second bottle.

Niche : Oud by Armaf

This one is something of a misnomer all round: its modest cost rules out the ‘niche’ of its name and there is no Oud note in it. These self-inflicted contradictions have brought out savagely differing opinions from commentators. Personally, I struggle with it. I get the spicy, amber and, in particular, the pepper notes, but the iris seems utterly overwhelmed. This leaves you with a kind of TF Tobacco Oud( with which it has often been compared), but this is not what I signed up for. I eye it up on my shelf and feel I have to get round to wearing it since it is staring me in the face accusingly, but I have no real enthusiasm for it. True, it is well put together, with decent longevity, but I am permanently at a loss as to when to wear it. I usually settle for cold winter days when I have nothing important to do or interesting people to meet.
Hardly a full-blooded endorsement. Definitely not a blind buy.

Ana Abiyedh Rouge by Lattafa

Now, I have never sampled the much hyped BR540, but, cannily, wanted to try out something similar before I took out the second mortgage for the original itself. Simply to see if I liked the general scent of this amber floral frag.. I noticed at once the much commented on medical/dental opening on both original and clone and then…….well, nothing really. I waited for the saffron, almond, cedar wood, musk to creep out out of the surgery but to no avail. I appeared to be wearing absolutely nothing all day. No passing, transitory wafts to tease the olfactory senses, no ‘What’s that you’re wearing?’ from friends and colleagues. Just nothing.
Maybe my nose is on wrong. Or maybe it’s just a case of the emperor’s new clothes?

EDIT:
Five months on, I’ve gone back to the bottle gathering dust … or is it macerating strength?.... .in the dark recesses of the bathroom cupboard. Yes, the surgical opening is still there, but after that comes a much more powerful fruity/ caramely halo that with a fair few squirts can be made to last the whole working day. Mirabile dictu, I even got a compliment on its second launch!

Fath's Essentials : Lilas Exquis by Jacques Fath

I was initially somewhat apprehensive of a fragrance with this name being a unisex scent. But the sample in the Jacques Fath tester pack was persuasive. As were reviews on another fragrance site.
One of my best buys ever! The hyacinth and lilac opening (not at all synthetic seeming) transports you to a spring garden and the sturdy performance keeps teasing your nose all day with their interplay. Magnolia later adds to the richness of the experience.
This left field combination is a winner if hyacinth and lilac appeal. And it has drawn highly favourable comments from men and women alike.
If I had to ditch my collection some day, I would make sure this one got kept somehow.
If the Jacques Fath tester pack still exists, it has other largely unknown winners. Try LE and Blue Curacao for starters.

Mutamayez by Swiss Arabian Perfumery

French and Italian fragrance houses really need to look to their laurels these days. The rise and rise of Middle Eastern perfumers have seen to that. No longer can they be dismissed as mere clone zones. When I look at my own modest collection which includes all the old faithfuls- PdM, TF, Hermes, Chanel et al. - I more often than not find myself reaching for an Armaf, an Aard al Zaafaran or, as here, a Swiss Arabian.
Here the perfumer’s art has created a supremely well-balanced original blend that announces itself with bright orange and pine notes that proceed to warm up with cedar wood, cardamom, musk and Oud. This is a quiet masterpiece that I use on colder days but it’s versatility is such that it is a great all-rounder that makes its presence felt wherever it goes.
I get a great performance that sees me comfortably through the working day. A great tribute to the perfumer and the house.

Oud 24 Hours by Ard Al Zafraan

This is said to be a clone of TF Black Orchid, but that may not be strictly true. Oud 24 Hours is much less of a bulldozer than its upmarket original. Less aggressive and yet more masculine. Sure, the jasmine, gardenia notes are waiting there to greet you but the darker sandalwood and incense smoulder away insistently on the dry down. But all is done in a more well-mannered blend than the shouty TF. Mark you, this does make its melismatic presence felt in any gathering.
Its credentials as a valid substitute for the pricy Tom Ford Black Orchid are plentifully extolled here. But it is also a valid alternative to the even more expensive Black Afgano by Nasomatto. Not an exact dupe, of course, but if you are after that heavy, smouldering miasma, check this out. Can’t believe how this can be done so well for this modest price.
It is a performance beast, too, lasting all day in the coldest of weather and hours more on your clothes. And ,with a free body spray thrown in, it is the cheapest fragrance in my collection. Black Orchid, eat your heart out.

La Yuqawam pour Homme by Rasasi

Hailed as the most pukka clone of Tuscan Leather out there, I blind bought this, knowing the original relatively well. But I was puzzled by the comments here touting its strong performance. I note, however, that some reviews date from 2019. My 2021 batch is far from beastly. In fact, by lunchtime I’m wondering if I put anything on at all.
As for notes, I’m getting lot of raspberry which elbows out somewhat aggressively the faint traces of leather/wood that cower in the dry down.
I use it on cold days when nothing else springs to mind, but I won’t be buying a second bottle.