Reviews – Olfactive Studio – Rose Shot, Iris Shot, Violet Shot

Dominque Ropion's three floral scents for Olfactive Studio's Sepia Collection are well-constructed compositions. I enjoy them more than Leather, Vanilla, and Chypre Shot by Bertrand Duchaufour. Though, Vanilla Shot was more enjoyable when I revisited it recently. Rose, Iris, and Violet Shot were released a couple of years ago, and there's one clear standout for … Continue reading Reviews – Olfactive Studio – Rose Shot, Iris Shot, Violet Shot

Reviews – Acca Kappa – Muschio Bianco EDP

Acca Kappa - Muschio Bianco - Gin and Tonic Musk - 7.5/10. Founded in northern Italy (Treviso) in 1869, Acca Kappa is a brand that initially specialised in making hair brushes. Their founder Hermann Krüll plied his trade as a bristles merchant in Venice before moving into a brushmaking working partnership in Treviso. The company … Continue reading Reviews – Acca Kappa – Muschio Bianco EDP

Mini-Reviews – Frederic Malle – Music For A While, Synthetic Jungle

Frederic Malle just released a new perfume. Well, mid-last year. But it only just landed here in Australia. Interestingly, Uncut Gem has received mixed reviews. I'm yet to try it. However, it's always an event when the storied French house releases something new. And this new perfume, Uncut Gem, is by Maurice Roucel, so I'm … Continue reading Mini-Reviews – Frederic Malle – Music For A While, Synthetic Jungle

Review – Estee Lauder – Beyond Paradise For Men

Estee Lauder - Beyond Paradise For Men - Synthetic Tropical Garden, 6/10. I nearly fell off my chair when I saw Luca Turin had given this Estee Lauder scent five stars in his Perfumes The A-Z Guide book. Although it's a solid masculine, I'm not sure it's as good as the classic Hermes, Terre d'Hermes, … Continue reading Review – Estee Lauder – Beyond Paradise For Men

First Impressions – Jovoy – Fire at Will & 21 Conduit St

The two newest perfumes from Jovoy are under the microscope this weekend. Jovoy isn't a house I speak about often, but their latest two are worth a sample if you're a fan of their respective genres. Jovoy - Fire at Will - Putting the silly name aside, I enjoyed wearing this scent. Undoubtedly, it could have … Continue reading First Impressions – Jovoy – Fire at Will & 21 Conduit St

First Impressions – Eight & Bob – Agneta, Guéthary

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 … Continue reading First Impressions – Eight & Bob – Agneta, Guéthary

Weekend Walkabout with Cyber Garden

My weekend scent is Cyber Garden from avant-garde Italian fashion house Costume National. Even though they're a designer, their scents are anything but mainstream. For Cyber Garden, Antoine Lie borrows from the past, and perhaps through a little creative marketing from the brand (a supposed vinyl note), they create the slightly left-of-centre Cyber Garden. The … Continue reading Weekend Walkabout with Cyber Garden

First Impressions – BDK – Gris Charnel Extrait

Picture courtesy of BDK. I tested quite a few BDK fragrances towards the end of last year, and sadly most of them had one nauseating common denominator - woody amber dry downs. Velvet Tonka, Pas Ce Soir, Ambre Safrano, and Villa Néroli featured such harsh base notes that within 30 minutes of testing each, it's … Continue reading First Impressions – BDK – Gris Charnel Extrait

Review – Chanel – Paris – Deauville

Reviews - Chanel - Paris - Deauville - Herbal Fresh Patchouli 8.5/10. Chanel debuted their Les Eaux de Chanel line in 2018. The initial line of three perfumes, including Paris - Biarritz, Paris - Venise, and Paris - Deauville, has now expanded to six. These six fragrant interpretations tell the story of Gabrielle Chanel's journeys … Continue reading Review – Chanel – Paris – Deauville