I’m nothing less than disappointed with the two latest releases from Eight & Bob. Unfortunately, and for two different reasons, they fail to impress.
Eight & Bob – Agneta – Agneta begins with an interplay of spices. Cardamom, nutmeg, and pepper give this extrait a decent punchy opening. However, it quickly unravels. The middle phase becomes very safe. The oud is too friendly and synthetic. The coffee note is subdued. The incense is barely detectable. And lamentably, something annoyingly sweet and sugary lingers in the background.
Worst of all, though, is the dry down. Everything becomes subservient to a hefty dose of amber wood. Nothing else can assert itself as the overly harsh base takes hold. It’s long-lasting and loud, and if you’re into scents such as Halfeti or anything by Parfums De Marly, you’ll love it. The ambery woods overstay their welcome, and so does Agneta for 8-10 hours. I’m not keen on it at all.
Guéthary, on the other hand, is quiet. Too quiet. Soft suede, hedione, and inky/salty notes are difficult to detect. It’s far smoother than Agneta but less assertive. The fresh scent is unlikely to offend or draw attention to itself, as no one will smell anything. Perhaps, the inky salty combo is reminiscent of Squid by Zoologist. However, I recall that one is far more robust. Sadly, Guéthary’s subdued seawater vibe doesn’t excite me.
So, it’s hard to recommend either of these extraits, especially given they retail for 400 Australian Dollars for 50ml bottles. Indeed, not worth it in my book. Instead, if you’re looking for something from this house, go with Nuit de Megève, an excellent vetiver perfume. Specifically, the suave scent blends the best parts of Hermes Vetiver Tonka and Dior Vetiver. The vetiver, tobacco, coffee, and tonka combination is in my top 10 vetiver fragrances. And it’s also far cheaper than these two new perfumes.
Any favourites from this house? Have you tried these two new releases?
Note: Bottle images from Fragrantica. Nuit de Megève image is my own. I purchased both samples.
