Son Venin – Santal Super – Sure does hit with a heavy dose of Iso-E Super. Ultimately, your reaction to this one will boil down to your tolerance level to the ingredient. Usually, I’m ok with ISO-E Super finding it enjoyable in scents such as Poivre Samarcande from Hermes. However, the blending in Santal Super was something I could not tolerate. I couldn’t wait to wash it off. Not for me.
Son Venin – Posthume – The spicy, cinnamon opening hints at the gourmand, although there is only a touch of vanilla and tonka in the base, so it never becomes too foody. Instead, leather, tobacco, and a smoked accord link with dashing elegance, giving Posthume a well-rounded feel that is surprisingly versatile. Posthume won the independent category of The Art and Olfaction Awards in 2020, beating out Masque Milano Love Kills, Ganymede from Marc-Antoine Barrois, and Bee by Zoologist, amongst others.
As I mentioned in my previous post, I recently sampled a slew of designer fragrances. Today’s thumbs down and thumbs up are for the men’s releases.
Thumbs down
Paco Rabanne – 1 Million Parfum – Synthetic tuberose, weird salty notes, and a considerable dose of sun-tan like monoi oil combine to create what I can only describe as an unwearable mess. The original or Prive version remain the standouts from this series. If you’re looking for a good summertime tuberose, check out Carnal Flower from Frederic Malle.
Burberry – Mr Burberry Element – I like this line. Unfortunately, this flanker is nothing but an Invictus wannabe.
Gucci – Guilty Pour Homme EDP – The savoury opening of salt, pepper, vinegar, and rose is promising but what follows is disappointing. Generic woods that recalls early day Guilty flankers. Absolute remains the pick from this line.
Dolce & Gabbana – K EDP – Smoother than the original EDT but still fails to rise above a drugstore deodorant level.
Jean Paul Gaultier – Le Male Parfum – Vanilla and lavender ensures the recognisable Le Male DNA remains intact. However, sadly the mint is gone, replaced by a modern cardamom and powdery iris heart. It doesn’t add anything new to the legacy of the original. Here’s hoping JPG deliver something new for men in the not too distant future.
Thumbs up
Narciso Rodriguez – For Him Bleu Noir Extreme – Convincing icy citrus top, with an elegant woody base. Head and shoulders above the other “Blue” scents. Terrific work from perfumer, Sonia Constant.
Givenchy – Gentleman EDP Boisee – My favourite men’s designer release of the year. Boisee borrows much from scents like Dior Homme, Valentino Uomo, and the like. Powdery iris, velvety cacao, pleasant spicy pepper facets, and a well-judged woods and patchouli base. This Givenchy line is well worth checking out.
Calvin Klein – CK Everyone – CK Everyone won’t change the world or shake the foundations of perfumery like the original classic, but it is a well-composed scent from Alberto Morillas. A fizzy, zingy orange, tea, and ginger scent that wouldn’t look out of place in anyone’s gym bag. CK Everyone is a simple, not overly challenging spritz and go scent for a reasonable price. A hard one to dislike.
Have you tried any of these releases?
Note: Bottle images courtesy of Fragrantica. Samples purchased by the author, or tested in-store.
I haven’t tried any of these. The CKone sounds nice! Great overview!
Thank you very much, Tetê. I’d say for the price, it’s a good release.
Great round-up, Daniel. I’ve tried all of the designers you give the thumbs-up to. All worthwhile scents, in their own different ways.
Thanks for reading and commenting, Rich.