Tom Ford Lavender Extreme** – Everything old is new again at Tom Ford. Following on from last year’s fougere Private Blends, Tom Ford releases his take on the aromatic note of lavender, with the new Private Blend scent, Lavender Extreme. A clean, sweet take on the note that mixes in tonka and cinnamon for a modern touch. The violet in the background provides a powdery touch. Neat, long lasting work. Not sure I’d wear it though. The price tag is somewhat over the top.
Amouage Portrayal Woman** – Nicely done smoky jasmine that sits quietly on the skin. There’s a vanilla sweetness, mixed in with elemi that provides a long-lasting backbone. Despite its lack of sillage, I can still detect this on my skin 12 hours later. Fans of Tobacco Vanille and Jasmin et Cigarette may want to sample this one. I much prefer this one to the men’s counterpart.
Amouage Portrayal Man** – Fresh take on violet leaf that mixes with leather, vetiver and a woody base of cade oil. The violet leaf here immediately made me think of the late 80’s classic Fahrenheit. This, like the women’s sat close to the skin. Very well blended, like all Amouage scents, but ultimately doesn’t rise above the pack to compete with classics such as Interlude, Epic and Jubilation.
Maison Trudon Medie* – The first 5 fragrances from Maison Trudon were a joy to wear. Medie comes 2 years after the debut collection. A fresh, citrus scent of grapefruit, green mandarin and jasmine on a smoky, woody base of cedar and incense. Medie, though uplifting to wear, unfortunately falls short on longevity, I couldn’t detect it on skin after a couple of hours. I’d be going with the fig leaf and green notes of II (Deux) if I was seeking out a fresh scent from Trudon.
Les Liquides Imaginaires Desert Suave* – Excellent rendition of an oasis in a parched desert environment. Dates, roasted sesame and clove immediately transports the wearer into a foreign environment, but the mandarin and orange blossom keep proceedings approachable. Cardamom provides a cooling touch. Superb toasty dry down. Excellent work by Quentin Bisch and Nisrine Grillie.
Les Liquides Imaginaires Tapis Volant* – Another superb scent by Quentin Bisch and Nisrine Grillie. Dreamy cloud like iris, mixed with carrot seed, aldehydes, jasmine and sandalwood. Spices provide bite and tonka provides sweetness. The silky, musky, woody dry down is wonderful.
Penhaligons Cairo* – Masculine spicy rose from Penhaligons Trade Routes Collection. Cairo is a complex woody spicy, herbal, aromatic scent. Rose, vanilla and woods dominate. This scent reminds me of the Armani Prive Rose d’Arabie. I do think the Armani perhaps projects more than Cairo though. The vanilla in Cairo makes this a sweeter scent, and the addition of saffron and labdanum provide a nice leathery touch. Cypriol oil and patchouli add further body and complexity. A very solid scent for the cooler weather.
Room 1015 – Yesterday and Atramental*** – Yesterday is a fresh and aromatic barbershop style scent inspired by a picture of the Beatles hanging out in a hotel bathroom shaving. A clean, airy scent punctuated by geranium, lavender and vetiver. Notes of thyme and basil add an herbal touch. Cardamom and tonka provide a surprising sweet touch to the scent. A very easy enjoyable wear.
Somewhat more challenging is Atramental, an unusual, metallic scent that evokes tattooed skin, ink and leather. Resins and saffron come to the fore. The castoreum note, thankfully remains in the background. The backbone of the fragrance recalls the scent of antiseptic wipes. There is a clean freshness that permeates through as the fragrance dry’s down. Very interesting work that won’t be a crowd pleaser, certainly different for those with even the largest collection, but ultimately something that could be difficult to wear.
Note: *Tested at Libertine Brisbane **Tested at David Jones Brisbane ***Sample obtained by author