Isfarkand
Ormonde Jayne (2005)

A citrus-oriental: this would be the nutshell summary of this scent; its name betrays the oriental side - it sounds like a merger of the two famous cities Isfahan and Samarkand.
The citrus - I mainly get bergamot - opens the top notes, but soon a white pepper appears; further down he track they merge very nice in a well-balanced fashion.
In the base a woodsy undertone appears, which is soon having a cedar-like component, and there is a slightly green touch that arises towards the end.

I ge moderate sillage, good projection, and 4 hours of longevity on my skin. Overall not very complex or exciting, a bit linear but crafted solidly. Just - barely - a thumbs up. 3/5

Not too impressed...kind of an aromatic green/citrus/wood...yeah , sorta kinda a liime flavored TDH...also reminds me a lot of PDM Shagyaa...might have appealed to me a little more if the throw was better...sits very close on me...not much play...stays prettty linear...I'm bored...

Very nice indeed. Fresh and luxurious. Maybe a tad more on the feminine side but I can still wear and enjoy it. Isfarkand is definitely worth looking into if you happen to like fresh and light deluxe fragrances.

On my skin, ISFARKAND smells exotic. At least for the first few minutes. The separation between the lighter hesperidic notes and the deeper darker base seems razor thin, the basenotes bleeding right through to the top to create a big accord that smells simultaneously herbal, citrusy yet somewhat dark, with nuances of peppery woods. It continues along this linear path for most of its remaining lifespan.

Overall I find Isfarkand to be a versatile modern fragrance with a classic masculine touch. I like it and I'd wear it but I'm still unsure if I'd want a full bottle. It smells like something I already have in my wardrobe. Italian Bergamot, perhaps?

Genre: Woods

With a name like "Isfarkand," I expect a rich, evocative oriental scent, but that's not what Ormonde Jayne delivers here. Isfarkand starts out with a peppery kick, immediately followed by brisk, tart citrus. These top notes are bolstered by a bone-dry cedar and spice accord that evokes parched dunes and scorching sun. The citrus notes fade after several minutes, as citrus notes are wont to do, leaving the spare spiced cedar accord in stark isolation. Isfarkand continues in this manner for most of its duration, and as I wear it, it's simple structure begins to strike me as familiar. As I perceive it, Isfarkand parallels other dry cedar-dominated scents like Diptyque's Tam Dao and Satellite's Padparadscha. (Both of which, as far as I'm aware, are cheaper.)

Is it good? Absolutely. But it doesn't strike me as original. Try it if you like this sort of thing, but I can't work up too much enthusiasm for it.

Imagine an eau de cologne with top notes of lime and mandarin skating on a base of faux wood (courtesy of iso e super), and there you have Isfarkand.

The scent remains linear throughout. If you love the first burst of fresh lime mingled with slightly exotic and spicy pepper, vetiver and moss, then rejoice because it's here to stay. Clean-cut and reserved, but with a sensual side.

This is an extremely versatile fragrance, year around, particularly good in spring and summer, and any occasion from business to a night out to relaxing at home.

This contains iso e super just below the headache inducing level in many fragrances, so it gets a pass from me. Perfumer Linda Pilkington is extremely charming and a friend of Geza Schoen, but please, Linda, can your next men's fragrance not begin with a vat of iso e super?