Fragrance Review: New Haarlem Revew (Bond No. 9)

via [ Drexel University  ]

 

 The only Bond No.9 worth paying full price for. There are other good ones like China Town and Brooklyn...but just good...not lavish.

Group: Sweet Oriental

Smells like: The pleasure one's mouth receives upon eating a sweet Turkish delight or Baklava, while immediately emulsifying the dessert with a coffee with light cream and sugar.

Rating: 9/10

This stuff is amazing. Forget about the deliciousness and the mouth watering aspect of this fragrance. There is so much complexity to this fragrance despite only having about 5 to 6 notes.

Only my man Maurice can do something like this. What Roucel has done here is take a simple note, Coffee, and turned it into a fragrance that evolves into the various stages of a wonderful time in New York City history: old school Harlem!

In the era the fragrance tries to depict...Harlem was a "New" Haarlem (that's how it was spelled back then with two a's)..and that's what the fragrance is portrays...the evolution of a wonderful part of Manhattan that was slowly becoming inspired by speakeasies that play Miles and Coltrane in the background...jazz clubs with a smokey airiness of coffee is it clashes with the sweet perfumes of the waitresses mingling with the woody colognes worn by cats in fedoras and suits and canes and tie bars...who, after a long night of snapping fingers and dancing and playing cards, would step out, woman in hand, letting all the aromas inside their beloved joint to succumb to what's left of the nature in Manhattan.

Coffee with Lavender is hard to picture...but throw in the sweet earthiness of Pathchouli and a light cedar base..and Roucel not only created the perfect combination of Coffee and florals, but so well blended that anyone who embarks on this trip is sure to be pleased.

New Haarlem is very sweet, but EXTREMELY tolerable...and ready?...waitt for it...YES..tolerable EVEN in the SUMMER (long as you go light on the trigger). Most will tell you that this is a cold weather scent...true, but I don't think it's exclusive to cooler moments. The reason is, New Haarlem is this phenomenal airiness to it..overtime the coffee mellows out, and the patchouli/lavendar/vanilla begins to rise - the gorgeous thing about this evolution is, in the cooler periods..one will say "Wow, this is perfect for the winter..what a cozy and warming scent but sweet enough to distract my senses."..During warmer moments, catching whiffs of this gorgeous scent one will think "wow...what a crisp, sweet, coffee'ish, airy scent."

Very versatile.

Longevity: 9+ hours (12+ on clothing)

Sillage: Mesmerizing scent trail. "I want to eat you alive.." type compliments to "what...is...that...fragrance...I can't stop sniffing you!" ...thank god I got all day ;-) I wore this in Miami once, yes, Miami...two sprays, one on each forearm, and catching whiffs of this was such a delight while walking along Ocean Drive, letting the breeze from the Atlantic carry this composition around me.

Projection: Not a MONSTER in the sense of Godzilla...but let's call it Bigfoot...will get the job done should one stumble upon it.

9/10

Will always be a part of my collection. Always.

Fragrance Review: L'eau D'Hiver by Jean Claude Ellena for Editions De Parfums Frederic Malle

(via Southbayview.blogspot)

This fragrance to me is art...not something I would wear as a signature or as part of my daily rotation. I wear this when I want to remind myself of how a scent can truly reflect the world and all its oddities. I wear this when I am in the mood to reflect.

With that said, for many this may not be such a great reference..but just try your best to picture it...because this fragrance took quite a while for me to fathom...when I finally did come to some conclusion, I realized the genius that is M. Ellena: 

In an unshaken snow globe, picture Central Park covered in snow.. In the center lies a patch of flowers..heliotrope and iris...untouched by snow...but brushed only by a gentle, cool, tranquil breeze. The light winds capture the floral essence and carry it with them. Drizzle honey around the patch. Vaporize a handful of almonds and unleash this air into this kingdom of serenity. Shake the globe, as best you can and watch all the notes fall onto this patch.

The genius here is how the notes not only give rise to varying temperatures but those same notes have a warming effect later. The Heliotrope and Iris truly do bring about this cool yet melancholy sensation..very introspective. The honey warms the concoction extremely well. The almond adds to the sweetness but also gives an airiness to the fragrance. Magical yet realistic. Strange but inviting. Complex yet comprehensible. Cozy.

Give this a try because every interpretation is unique and requires one's own experiences. Again to me this is not something I would wear often. It can be worn in any season, so extremely versatile. To me it is the perfect compliment to a cool spring day or any moment in the winter. I wear this for myself, and could care less if others notice. (note: no one will notice because projection and longevity are not good at all..at least on my skin and clothes..even with lotion)!

As an art piece: 10/10
As a fragrance for mundane use: 5/10

Fragrance Review: Musc Ravageur by Maurice Roucel for Editions de Parums Frederic Malle

DON'T PANIC! This IS NOT a Polo Black review...it is a review for Musc Ravageur! So you might ask then,  what is the guy from the Polo Black ads doing in a Musc Ravageur review? Well...what I like to do (and I will do this for women's fragrances when I start reviewing them) is to put a picture of the type of person that, to me, the fragrance represents. I may even put pictures of scenes or moments that a fragrance reminds me of. When I see Nacho Figeuroa (the man in the photo - a polo or rugby player from Spain I think), I think of Musc Ravageur. This guy fits the bill, no lie.

Musc Ravageur, though complex in every way possible in evolution, can be described very simply: "Sexual Tension in a Bottle."  'Nuff Said.

This stuff is sexy as all hell. Imagine the sexual frustration of a 14 year old boy in his first Rated R movie which just so happens to be...I don't know...Eyes Wide Shut. Apply that to an adult who is refined and cautious with the ability to let his or her self-control go...put those traits in a bottle...and you have this raunchy yet exalted scent created by the legend himself, M. Roucel.

Now, the only caveat here is the opening which I will get to later.

Major Notes: Again, I won't write all the notes, and I will focus on what dominates and what I get. So...Cinnamon, Cloves, Bergamot (VERY fleeting though), vanilla, guiaic wood, musk, sandalwood.

Opening: I don't get much lavender, I do get the bergamot but it is very fleeting. I used to wear Dolce & Gabbana pour home and if there is a fragrance that will make certain your nose knows what bergamot is, its D&G PH. So I get the bergamot. Imagine taking a boat load of cinnamon, half the amount of cloves (you have to know what cloves smell like...it is abundant in indian curries and marinades so I know this stuff far too well).. flood all that with vanilla, and sprinkle some musk powder all around it, and that's what you get. A cinnamon/musk that really reminds many of "old men." That's what my sister calls it. She hates the opening. I love it. You just have to try it out to experience it - no other way around it. Hit or Miss.

Mid-Dry: Okay..here we go. the middle notes basically make the entire concoction sweeter. Fine. Then comes the dry down. God have mercy y'all. In Eyes Wide Shut...you guys want to know what Stanley Kubrick sprayed in that orgy room to get everyone going? He doused the room in Musc Ravageur 7 hours before everyone arrived. Once they smelled the dry down...all hell broke loose. The end of this fragrance is a milky..extra CREAMY extra FROTHY vanilla-bean, with cinnamon drizzled on top, musc  lurking in the background trying to make its way up but having a hard time...and a touch of spice. A dry-down that makes every morning-after worthwile, and the walk of shame thereafter, shameless.

Projection/Sillage/Longevity: From the opening to mid notes..this stuff projects for sure. After about 4 hours, it becomes a skin scent - and I think that was the intention behind this fragrance - meant for intimate moments (to ravage the mind and security of the one to be intimate with) and to free the wearer (to ravage one's own sense of innocence). Sillage...when it does leave a projecting scent trail, it is magnificent. Pure bliss I must say. Yet, it rarely does so (for me) and for those who wear it and walk by me. (My friends and family always..i mean ALWAYS use my fragrances so I have a good idea of the sillage and projection of most fragrances). Longevity...this is phenomenal. This stuff lasts for days..on my skin it lasts 9+ hours which is godsend because my skin sucks. On clothing, it will last until you wash it..and then some.

Versatility: Eh..not the best.  It is a nice scent and you can use it whenever you want...much better for cooler weather as it definitely gives a chilling sweetness to the colder air versus warmer days. In my opinion, it just works better in the evening and cooler days...for laymen, go ahead and use as you please..doubt you'll kill anyone AS LONG AS YOU GO VERY LIGHT...because in the end..it is just a nice smell.

Compliments: I have worn this a lot...MANY TIMES....I have gotten compliments..BUT not many and hose received were in the juice's initial projection phase...so this is attestation to the fact that people do enjoy the opening...but as far as the drydown..no one has had the pleasure of smelling that phase on me so I don't know. All I know is, if that drydown projected, the world would notice. For a fragrance deemed the "holy grail" at times, you'd think more compliments, right? No..not really! Interesting....

Overall: 8/10.  Very nice scent, extremely complex, and changes each time you wear it. Problem is, it is VERY close to the skin for those of you who enjoy fragrances that need to be noticed. This is intended to be a skin scent, and quite honestly, I've tried every Frederic Malle, and though unisex, only a few (and to me those few are ALL feminine ie Noir Epices, Lipstick Rose, etc) are projection and sillage giants.

I hate using the word Panty Dropper...because honestly, it is one's charisma and wit that truly captivates the object of seduction...a fragrance only amplifies this suave aura. Gun to my head and crotch...if I had to use this vile term to describe one scent..it would be Musc F'n Ravageur..no doubt.

It is  potent, but only initially. However, should some lucky soul happen to stumble into your arms during the dry-down phase of this scent...then consider your body the pole and he or she Flick's tongue in that memorable scene from A Christmas Story.

Fragrance Review: L'instant De Guerlain Extreme Review

via (Larisa Lovely)

Classy Cocoa.

L'instant de Guerlain Extreme (LdGE) is a fragrance for the sharp man.

This is a fragrance for a man who knows his way to his destination without hesitation.

This is a fragrance for a man who is sheltered by class....

and exudes elegance.

See the man above in the suit? He sprayed some LdGE. As a woman stands by the door waiting for the doorman to get her a cab, she acquires a whiff of his fragrance...she sees him climb down the stairs...halt in front of the door...put on a pair of shades...fix his pocket square...and walk through the doors..making his entrance into the world.  she will remember that fragrance. As the sillage vanishes from her nose and climbs into her memory...she notices the man crossing the street...but wait...he's dressed differently...holy shit..he's really wearing this....

via pinterest

Not that that's a bad outfit...but it's certainly not a sharp Paul Smith suit....

That's what L'instant does ;-)

This is a mirage of a fragrance. It becomes you. It changes you.

This is for the man who does not need to say much...his eyes and demeanor speak for him.

This fragrance only carries him to new heights.

Major Notes:  Cocoa, Citrus, Anise, Hibiscus, Jasmine, Cedar, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Neroli

Opening: A classy cocoa. Period. Cocoa - Dark and brooding, mysterious, yet elegant.  Cocoa that has been refined by citrus accords with a tea like ambience set forth by the hibiscus, and a floral element produced by the Neroli and Jasmine. A gorgeous opening that is sure to be noticed.

Mid to Dry Down: As with all Guerlains, the end marks the beginning of the genius of this house. If this were a drink...the cocoa now becomes the background..digging into taste buds that are all around your mouth..everywhere except your tongue. On your tongue, though, is a sweet orange tea like note. Put all this together with a splash of vanilla, gulp it down, and feel your senses roar...

Sillage/Projection/Longevity: Gorgeous sillage.. This will garner compliments like "whew..you smell TOO good." Beautiful scent trail that will turn heads. This stuff projects purty damn good. Longevity is great...I can smell this on my skin at the end of the day. On clothing, I will catch whiffs of this stuff when I wake up. Definitely smells better, IMO, on clothing! Something about my skin makes it a bitter cocoa versus cloth which tends to keep the sweetness there.

Compliments: Through the roof. I don't see how any one can not like this fragrance. I have received compliments from EVERYONE..women..young to old. EVEN dudes would come to me and say "hey man where'd you get that shit from dude  it smells good..no homo." 

Versatility: One of the most versatile fragrances out. For such a classy fragrance, it does the job EVERYWHERE. No need to wait for special occasions...spray this on as you please, anytime of the year...this fragrance is halfway between the lightness of the original and the heaviness of a fragrance such as Dior Homme Intense. It is just perfect. Even hot summer days, one or two sprays on your arms and you'll give off this pleasing aroma that will surely give a gentle airy touch to the humidity. The perfect signature scent!

Overall: 8.5/10  Beautiful fragrance. Versatile - this is a elegant scent that gives off the illusion that you are a mysterious "man in black" yet has a very light playfulness built into it (blueprints from the original) that will welcome all those around you. MUST TRY fragrance!  (I hate promoting blind buys..but I will say this...if asked 'should I blind buy this'  I would hesitate and say....'I'll get back to you.') That's how good it is!

Fragrance Review: Le Parfum Signature!

Okay, so I have a lot of writing and stuff that I was going to start my posts with. However, I decided to commence by doing  a new fragrance review. My goal is to hopefully get these reviews noticed in the fragrance community. So what better scent to choose than my almighty signature scent.

Aah..the signature scent. The holy grail of one's aromatic pleasures. The fountain of youth in the fragrance world. The search for the signature scent is an everlasting quest for olfactory certainty and I have been on this quest for quite some time now. The journey, at times, lasts so long that one eventually just...settles for a fragrance - that's what I did. I went from Terre D'Hermes to L'Instant de Guerlain Extreme to Musc Ravageur to Dior Homme Intense back to Terre D'Hermes...it was a vicious cycle. I would wear the fragrance for weeks calling it my Signature and before I knew it, I was bored. For the fragrance fanatic (an indirect shout out to a fragrance reviewer, Al, on youtube whose Street Scents series I love), I believe the search for a signature is redundant at best. That is what I came to grips with.

Then came the day...

After exhausting my supply of olfactory receptors a little nice smelling birdie told me that one of my favorite fragrance houses was launching a new and final fragrance to end a particular line that the founder created (hint). So one day, during a stroll down fifth avenue, I stopped by Saks (hint hint). I went over to this brand's counter in the center of the beauty department where it sat alone, empty, as if shunned by the Chanels, Bonds, and Goutals. No sales associate was present so I decided to search for the fragrance I came to sample before I snatched and pocketed a bottle and ran out of Saks faster than Thierry Mugler releases A*Men flankers (jk). Kleptomania aside, I sprayed this juice on my left forearm, right wrist, and shirt. The first words I uttered were "Holy F***n Mother." Apologies for the English. Two hours later as I caught whiffs of the gorgeous sillage of this fragrance, I uttered again "Holy F***n Five Thousand Hindu Gods." (I'm Indian by the way).

What I look for in a signature scent is an aroma that conjures the warmth of a moment I wish was everlasting. For me, such moments have the strength to carry the heaviest of burdens off my shoulder so I can walk freely again. Such moments suppress energy that lowers my spirits, leaving me with nothing but a refreshing bolus of optimism. Autumn in New York, having dinner with my beautiful girlfriend in a cozy restaurant during summer in the Upper West Side while the dimming sunlight kisses her face for me, or a brisk stroll through Madison Square Park on a walk to one of my clinics after spending two stressful years in Erie, Pennsylvania studying the foundations of medicine - the list goes on and on. 

These are the types of memories I hope to return to while enjoying a scent I hope to call my own.
These are the very sentiments I return to when I experience Sweet Redemption by Kilian.

 With that extra long intro finished (and I promise, future reviews will be far more succinct...yet, for this fragrance, being my signature, I am purposely being verbose) ..without further adieu...Sweet Redemption by Kilian.
 

The Notes:  Orange Blossom, Benzoin, Vanilla, Myrrh, Opoponax, Incense

The Opening/The Scent:     I will try to make this as simple as I can. Imagine having a palette and a canvas in front of you. On that palette you have three things:  Orange Blossom,   A Medicinal quality,  and Sweetness.
Now I hate scents with medicinal qualities but holy shit Sweet Redemption does it well. Take a stroke of the orange blossom and put it on the canvas. Then take a small dose of the medicinal feeling and gently brush it on top of the orange blossom. Now add sweetness equivalent to the Orange Blossom. Sniff that and you have your opening. 10/10

Scent Evolution:  Every hour, go back to your canvas, and take some more Sweetness and dab it on. On your little finger, swipe some Myrrh and Incense, and gently stroke the remains on the canvas.  The fragrance is fairly linear in that the Blossom and the Vanilla form the core of the fragrance but as the fragrance gets sweeter, the myrrh, incense, and opoponax act as a buffer to prevent the scent from becoming overly sweet.  10/10

Sillage: Enchanting. This is a scent trail that demands followers and it does its job rightfully so. This is not the type of sillage like Musc Ravageur which points to you with sexy undertones luring you in. No. This is the sillage that will stop you in your tracks and you'll wonder "why can't most things in life smell like this." It is purely inviting. If hell smelled like Sweet Redemption then the 40 virgins waiting for me in heaven can kiss my ass ;-). 12/10

Longevity: Forever. This shit lasts forever. I remember spraying a shirt two times from a sample. Two weeks later, as it hangs from a rack (unworn by the way), I catch whiffs of the drydown, further corroborating the magical sillage and excellent longevity. On my skin I get 12+ hours. A little blurb about my skin: It fucking sucks. If I were Godzilla, fragrance molecules would be the citizens of Tokyo. Kilian's scents are the only ones that last forever on my skin and Sweet Redemption keeps the trend going. On clothing, this shit lasts days. On skin, I can smell it the next day projecting off my arms while I work out (before showering). It is not a projection monster like Egoiste or A*Men, but it does an excellent job. 10/10

Compliment Factor: Phenomenal. I have received all sorts of compliments, all positive. Now then again people might not like it and not say anything, but I can't see why anyone wouldn't like this. After all, what most people smell is the sillage and that is far less potent than the actual smell. For the fragrance hounds, I can see why this scent would have "flaws." Yet, most people in this world are not that into fragrances and your layman only cares for one thing - does the juice smell nice when someone walks by -  answer: HELL YEAH. I've received great compliments from people in all ages from 24+ and my 16 year old cousin who said "You smell so nice. What is that? CK?" (so much to learn..so much to see).
A question often encountered is "will this fragrance get me laid" aka "is this a panty dropper." I don't believe in game or pick up routines and lines and referring to a fragrance as a "pantry dropper" only adds to that gimmick. I will say this however. No, this is not a panty dropper, assuming panty dropper refers to a fragrance where men with absolutely no personalities douse themselves in to help them relieve a woman of her clothes. Will women enjoy this smell? Hell yeah. This is the type of fragrance that will only further intensify the existing charm, wit, and charisma that a confident man carries with him while adding a touch of comfort. No woman is going to get close to you if she doesn't feel comfortable. This fragrance will compliment anyone very well while adding that aura of coziness to you.  12/10

Versatility:  In my opinion (and many will disagree), this is truly versatile. I see it befitting for all occasions ranging from college classes, to work, to dates, mundane use, and even clubs. Yes clubs. I am not saying it is perfect for clubs (there are better scents designed for that use in particular, enter Paco Rabanne's One Million), but it can be worn. In fact, body heat enhances the sweetness and the incense notes - thus leaving a far more intense scent trail, that is sweet enough for the club, but again buffered by the biblical ingredients to ensure tolerance. In summer, I think if you go light on the trigger, it will get the job done - in the hot weather I notice it to be very airy and free spirited. So I have worn this in numerous settings and I have received nothing but thumbs up to keep wearing this! (One person even said if I run out she'll go and buy me another bottle). 9/10

Age/Sex: College and up. Now it's marketed as unisex. Now, as far as sex...assume I have the vision of an 85 year old with glaucoma and cataracts...okay? Now I can see this being feminine. What I mean is..VERY slightly...it can be..but if a man wore this, people would enjoy it and I doubt would say "isn't this for women?" Unlike Sweet Redemption's sugar leiden counterpart, Love Don't Be Shy, this truly has masculine components, and is very unique in the masculine genre. 

Overall: 10/10.  A truly beautiful scent, versatile, long lasting, unique, and extremely inviting. A pleasure to wear, and now officially my signature scent ever since it's release. I wear this often and have never grown tired of it. It is a scent that demands admiration from those who are given the privilege of experiencing it and a constant euphoria for the one who bears it on his or her skin. Pure magic in a bottle. I will never, I repeat, never promote blind buys...I think trying is a must for anything. So definitely a MUST try.