Browse The Aroma Book.

1270

Frapin

Sweet vanilla, caramel and a peach-juice impression made a gourmand opening, but longevity seemed weak.

1697

Frapin

A warm sweet-vanilla scent with a touch of citrus that was simply not my style.

1725

Histoires de Parfums

Sweet lavender, citrus, vanilla and amber with a powdery feel; pleasant enough, but generic and short-lived to me.

1740

Histoires de Parfums

Patchouli, amber, woods and spices gave a mature opening, but tobacco improved the scent as the patchouli receded.

1828

Histoires de Parfums

A fresh spicy citrus-and-lavender scent with green woods and incense, classic yet distinctive and very enjoyable to me.

1861 - Naxos

Xerjoff

Very sweet, floral and vanilla-rich; the opening bothered me more than the later development.

1861 - Renaissance

Xerjoff

A beautiful, very clean citrus-woody-musky fragrance: sharp yet sweet, green in character, and essentially a classic cologne made to last.

1899

Histoires de Parfums

Very sweet, soapy and floral with a bitter edge, becoming spicier in the heart and leaning strongly feminine to me.

89

Floris

A complex citrus-lavender scent with woody, powdery, animalic and clean-laundry facets, ending on incense; interesting, but more feminine than I expected.

A Taste of Heaven

By Kilian

A sweet lavender fougère that warmed into amber before a slightly bitter herbal drydown; pleasant, but not bottle-worthy for me.

Aberdeen Lavender

Creed

A milky lavender opening quickly developed an off-putting facet that made the fragrance difficult for me to enjoy.

Absolue Pour le Matin

Maison Francis Kurkdjian

A sharp herbal citrus cologne moving into lavender, neroli, iris and violet, with a powdery feminine drydown that worked less well for me on a second wearing.

Acqua Decima

Eau d'Italie

A bright high-class cologne of citrus, herbs, neroli, woods and musk, with a natural essential-oil feel and strong summer appeal.

Acqua Viva

Profumum Roma

A classic but very well-executed citrus, neroli, woods and musk cologne, ideal for summer and clean everyday wear.

Afrah

Amouage

Basil and champaca gave way to Taif rose with oud behind it; a later wearing felt much sweeter, with a bubble-gum-like quality that changed my opinion of it.

Al Andalus

Amouage

A fresh aromatic attar that reminded me of Cool Water, but at a higher level of quality, with some Green Irish Tweed character, softened and adapted to an attar format.

Al Mas

Amouage

A very sweet fruity Arabic-mukhallat profile with a refined feel and a bitter-almond facet.

Al Oudh

L'Artisan Parfumeur

Rose, oud, animalic notes and cumin felt too spicy at first, before a sweet honeyed heart appeared.

Al Shomoukh

Amouage

Hindi oud, rose and a possible davana facet made a smooth, very good attar that leaned slightly feminine to me.

Allure Homme Édition Blanche

Chanel

A creamy, sweet lemon fragrance with a polished texture and something reminiscent of a Creed character.

Allure Homme Sport

Chanel

A familiar modern masculine profile that felt somewhat generic to me, but still very pleasant.

Allure Homme Sport Eau Extrême

Chanel

I was put off by a pronounced almond-like smell, which I suspect came from the tonka or coumarin character.

Amber Absolute

Tom Ford

A dense, creamy labdanum-led amber with touches of vanilla, benzoin and a myrrh impression; good, but not compelling enough for me at the price.

Ambre Narguilé

Hermès

Far too sweet for me.

Ambre Nue

Atelier Cologne

Orange and dry resinous amber with a cologne-like lift; pleasant, though the drydown became more feminine and less appealing to me.

Ambre Nuit

Dior

One of my favourites from Dior: classy, sweet and warm, with an amber character and a subtle ambergris-like impression.

Ambre Sultan

Serge Lutens

A dense amber that reminded me of Arabic-style amber attars, particularly those associated with Arabian houses such as Abdul Samad Al Qurashi.

Ambrette 9

Le Labo

A very light, close-to-skin musky scent with clean patchouli, aldehydic powderiness and a slightly old-fashioned feel; interesting, but a clear pass for me.

Amyris

Maison Francis Kurkdjian

A polished designer-like opening developed into woods, amber, incense, spice and sandalwood, with a strong musk signature; good, but overpriced for me.

Angélique Noire

Guerlain

A strikingly fruity opening that reminded me of Barbary fig, settling into a creamy vanilla drydown.

Another 13

Le Labo

Very light and strange up close, with woods, sandalwood, florals and faint fruit/citrus, but creating a much nicer aura after a few minutes.

APOM

Maison Francis Kurkdjian

A sweet, powdery lavender fougère that reminded me strongly of Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male.

Aqua Universalis

Maison Francis Kurkdjian

Clean, powdery and lightly citrusy, but strongly reminiscent of CK One to me and too feminine for my taste.

Aqua Universalis Forte

Maison Francis Kurkdjian

A more orange-forward version of Aqua Universalis, with a bright, slightly tart citrus quality over the familiar base.

Aqua Vitae

Maison Francis Kurkdjian

Cumin and citrus opened into a light, woody green fragrance that grew on me considerably on a later wearing.

Aqua Vitae Forte

Maison Francis Kurkdjian

A citrus opening over a warm beeswax, honey and amber impression.

Aquae Nobilis

Profumum Roma

Warm, ambery and slightly spicy rather than especially citrusy, with a bitter, dry woody edge and a feminine lean that did not work for me.

Arabian Wood

Tom Ford

A floral, white-musky and very soapy opening with an ylang-like facet that pushed it strongly feminine to my nose.

Ashfak

Amouage

Pepper dominated strongly, with possible rose and frankincense underneath; an air-freshener-like facet kept it from working for me.

Ashjan

Amouage

A sharp citrus opening moved into rose and possible neroli, but a persistent cleaning-product association kept it from working for me.

Asian Green Tea

Creed

A citrus-green-tea fragrance from Creed's Acqua Originale collection.

Asrar

Amouage

A very sweet Arabic-mukhallat style of saffron, spice, musk and amber that later developed an oud impression.

Autoportrait

Olfactive Studio

Fresh, soft pine, elemi and frankincense over green woods, with a slightly bitter edge.

Aventus

Creed

One of my favourite Creeds.

Ayoon Al Maha

Amouage

A simple rose-led attar with a possible ambergris facet; feminine to me but nicer on a second try.

Azure Lime

Tom Ford

A dry lemon-led citrus cologne with hints of orange blossom, woods and musk; pleasant but not especially memorable for me.

Back to Black

By Kilian

Warm vanilla, tobacco, almond and amber stayed close to the skin; pleasant, but too close to Herod for me and less compelling.

Badr Al Badoor

Amouage

A beautiful rose-led attar with sandalwood and oud support, plus subtler tobacco, patchouli and musk impressions.

Bahjah

Amouage

White musk, citrus and oakmoss created a polished Western-perfume style that I liked, though not enough to justify the price.

Battito d'Ali

Profumum Roma

A sweet chocolate-and-fruit gourmand with a delicious drydown, interesting and distinctive although a little feminine for my taste.

Batucada

L'Artisan Parfumeur

A fruity, floral scent with a prominent ylang-ylang impression that I found interesting but distinctly feminine.

Baume du Doge

Eau d'Italie

Incense, cinnamon and sweet resin gave it a Duchaufour/Amouage character, with a caramelised burnt-frankincense gourmand twist.

Bel Eidian

Amouage

A very sweet opening moved into white musk, rose and amber.

Beloved

Amouage

A polished oriental of amber, spice, woods, patchouli and orris, improving significantly in the drydown.

Bergamote 22

Le Labo

A bright, clean and soapy bergamot opening that I liked much more than the later bitter woody-vetiver drydown.

Bergamote Soleil

Atelier Cologne

Orange led the opening before bergamot took over, over a white-floral, musky and woody base.

Bergamotto di Positano

Floris

A sweeter, woodier take on a bergamot style, with neroli, ginger, spice, vanilla and amber pushing it away from a classic masculine citrus.

Bigarade Concentrée

Frédéric Malle

More orange-forward and zestier than Cologne Bigarade, with a stronger essential-oil-like character to my nose.

Black Afgano

Nasomatto

A very dark resinous leather-and-oud scent with incense, frankincense and labdanum, recalling Tuscan Leather and Amouage Memoir.

Blenheim Bouquet

Penhaligon's

A sharp, essential-oil-like citrus opening felt almost oxidised to me, but the piney drydown was better.

Bleu

Chanel

A grapefruit-led, polished aromatic-woody scent that I found versatile and very well executed despite a familiar designer character.

Body Kouros

Yves Saint Laurent

Vanilla, almond, tonka and possible coconut over animalic notes and a little citrus.

Bois Blonds

Atelier Cologne

An interesting vetiver, woods and citrus combination with a slightly bitter edge and a Mugler Cologne association.

Bois d'Argent

Dior

A creamy, powdery resinous fragrance with iris, myrrh and light frankincense impressions, plus an ambergris impression that reminded me of Arabian perfume oils.

Bois d’Ombrie

Eau d'Italie

Very dry woods, apple and tobacco with a shisha-like feel and a slight Fahrenheit association; decent, but not my style.

Bois du Portugal

Creed

An old-school amber-cologne character, possibly with a patchouli-like facet, dominated my impression and did not work for me.

Borneo 1834

Serge Lutens

Patchouli and liquorice dominated immediately, with an Arabic-style amber-attar association; the patchouli was simply too much for me.

Bracken

Amouage

A very old-school fougère character that reminded me of Fougere Royale and felt too mature for my taste.

Caligna

L'Artisan Parfumeur

Aquatic, salty and tea-like with violet and feminine floral facets, but it reminded me of Bleecker Street without the part I enjoy.

Caravelle Épicée

Frapin

Sweet nutmeg and cinnamon created an almost gourmand spicy profile that reminded me of Indian cuisine.

Castile

Penhaligon's

A powerful neroli-led cologne with light citrus, herbs, musk and soap, projecting more strongly than I expected.

Cédrat Enivrant

Atelier Cologne

Very green, zesty and lemony; simple but immediately enjoyable to me.

Cèdre Atlas

Atelier Cologne

A pleasant fruity impression that made me think of fig or cassis.

Cèdre Blanc

Creed

A familiar generic-masculine base accord bothered me, while a sweet rosy-geranium heart pushed the fragrance in a more floral direction.

Chambre Noire

Olfactive Studio

Labdanum and amber with a bitter edge.

Chergui

Serge Lutens

Warm honey and amber with vanilla/tonka softness and a caramel drydown; one of the scents in this archive I clearly loved.

Citiver

Dueto

A soft, fresh masculine citrus cologne with restrained vetiver, easy office wear and a drydown that moved toward Terre d’Hermès.

City Love

Dueto

A sweet powdery oriental with davana, white florals and fruit, turning synthetic-oud-heavy and unpleasant in the drydown.

City Oud

Dueto

A very synthetic-smelling, soapy oud style that reminded me strongly of Amouage Lyric Man.

Cœur de Vétiver Sacré

L'Artisan Parfumeur

Bitter orange, davana and sour fruit over woods and a very frankincense-heavy structure, with a fruity heart and bitter base.

Cologne Bigarade

Frédéric Malle

A citric orange opening led to an unexpectedly amber-toned drydown that reminded me somewhat of Trèfle Pur.

Cologne Pour le Matin

Maison Francis Kurkdjian

A classic sweet-citrus and neroli cologne made much more herbal by thyme and rosemary; I liked it more on a later wearing but still found it expensive.

Cologne Pour le Soir

Maison Francis Kurkdjian

A sweet, animalic amber centred on labdanum and benzoin, with resinous, powdery facets and a character that reminded me of a lighter Amouage Gold.

Cologne Royal

Dior

A sweet petitgrain-and-neroli cologne with citrus and mint, pleasant but not distinctive enough for me at the price.

Colonia

Acqua di Parma

Pleasant enough, but not compelling enough for me to justify the premium over inexpensive classic colognes.

Cuir Mauresque

Serge Lutens

Sweet labdanum, animalic facets, cumin, powder and sandalwood softness, but surprisingly little leather to my nose.

Cuir Pleine Fleur

Heeley

A dark leather-floral with spice, woods, smoke, incense, violet and vetiver that improved steadily through the drydown.

Daigenkoh / Great Origin

Shoyeido

A good Shoyeido Daily Incense in my current ranking.

Darley

Parfums de Marly

An unusual acidic citrus opening softened into a sweet ambery heart that eventually reminded me of a more wearable Le Male; longevity seemed weak.

Declaration

Cartier

A rose-and-cumin opening I disliked, followed by musk, vetiver and an Ellena-like drydown.

Dia

Amouage

A wearable, Western-leaning mix of citrus, frankincense, rose, amber and possible lavender that I found good overall.

Douro

Penhaligon's

A very sharp, citric lime-and-lemon opening that crossed into cleaning-product territory for me.

Duro

Nasomatto

An extremely sweet opening shifted into a traditional amber-attar character with camphor and pepper.

Eau

Hermès

A strongly spiced impression centred on cumin and clove.

Eau Noire

Dior

Dark liquorice, lavender and a pronounced immortelle-curry facet made this distinctive, deeper and more savoury than Amouage Sunshine in my comparison.

Eau Sacrée

Heeley

A simple association with Norma Kamali Incense: labdanum, olibanum and vanilla.

Eidiyya

Amouage

Citrus, rose, possible neroli and oud over a lightly spicy amber base; pleasant but not memorable to me.

Elixir

Penhaligon's

Fresh yet balsamic and resinous, with pine and woods giving it a clear autumn/winter character.

Encens et Lavende

Serge Lutens

A lavender-dominated opening with a clean, straightforward character that ultimately felt too simple to me.

Encens Jinhae

Atelier Cologne

Frankincense, rose and pepper over fruity-boozy and woody facets, developing a distinctly Middle Eastern and feminine character.

Encre Noire

Lalique

An extremely strong vetiver scent that reminded me of Terre d’Hermès stripped of its orange.

Endymion

Penhaligon's

A polished but somewhat synthetic sweet lavender fougère with citrus, musk, vetiver and a spicy-incense facet.

English Fern

Penhaligon's

A sharp green scent that read medicinal and cleaning-product-like to me.

Epic

Amouage

A frankincense-led woody oriental with amber, sandalwood, oud and musk, especially appealing in the incense-heavy opening and sandalwood drydown.

Épice Marine

Hermès

Cumin dominated strongly enough that the fragrance did not work for me.

Eternal Oud

By Kilian

A Middle Eastern-style blend of rose, oud and musk.

Extract of Limes

Penhaligon's

A lime scent that reminded me strongly of a cleaning product.

Fahrenheit

Dior

The opening could smell off-putting at very close range, but the scent cloud around it was excellent.

Fars

Xerjoff

A polished rose, amber and incense composition with a sour davana-like opening and a shamama-like drydown; well executed, but familiar to me.

Fate

Amouage

Amber, citrus and resins became heavily spicy, with caraway, frankincense and a good labdanum drydown; an immortelle impression may have been what bothered me.

Fève Délicieuse

Dior

A gourmand with a strong cocoa impression and a Dior Homme association; it improved noticeably after the opening, although cocoa-heavy fragrances may simply not be my style.

Fiero

Xerjoff

A pleasant citrus-and-neroli cologne with musk and aromatic freshness, though I felt the style could probably be found for less.

Figuier Ardent

Atelier Cologne

Dry fig and sweet tonka made a pleasant, somewhat feminine scent, though I preferred Musc Imperial.

Fille en Aiguilles

Serge Lutens

Sweet amber, gently heated frankincense and caramel made this very enjoyable, with a slight essential-oil character and a hint of Amouage Jubilation.

Five O’Clock au Gingembre

Serge Lutens

A bright, fresh tea scent with rose and citrus impressions, evoking loose tea leaves more clearly than Tea for Two.

Flash Back

Olfactive Studio

A very positive, strong cologne-style scent that immediately stood out to me.

Fleur d’Oranger 27

Le Labo

A beautiful orange-blossom-water opening with neroli, petitgrain and musk, but the culinary sweetness and strongly feminine drydown kept it from working for me.

Fleur de Portofino

Tom Ford

A sweet jasmine floral dominated my impression, with a benzyl-acetate character that I did not enjoy.

Fou d’Absinthe

L'Artisan Parfumeur

Fresh, green and summery with pepper, lavender, possible mint and cedar; strongly masculine and reminiscent of Amouage Opus II.

Fougère Royale

Houbigant

Fresh sour citrus over patchouli, resin and amber, projecting well but leaning too mature for my taste.

Fumerie Turque

Serge Lutens

A traditional amber-attar opening reminiscent of Indian shamama broadened into green, floral, mossy, patchouli and animalic facets; complex, but I was not particularly impressed.

Ga-ho / Refinement

Shoyeido

Sweet and spicy, with a clear agarwood character underneath.

Galloway

Parfums de Marly

Fresh citrus, white florals and musk with a classy cologne character; it grew on me and felt particularly suited to spring, summer and work.

Go-un / Five Clouds

Shoyeido

Agarwood is the main player, with a noticeable spicy character around it.

Godolphin

Parfums de Marly

Raspberry and leather immediately recalled Tuscan Leather, before musk and rose became more noticeable in the heart.

Gokuhin Kyara Enju

Seijudo

My favourite kyara incense so far, and one of my favourite Japanese incenses overall, with exceptionally classy packaging.

Gokujo Kyara

Seikado

On first burn, I could clearly perceive the kyara character, and I liked it a lot.

Gold

Amouage

A rich oriental of oud, patchouli, rose, musk, amber and jasmine, with a clear animalic facet that reminded me of civet. I did not enjoy it much on its own, but found it worked surprisingly well as a light base layer.

Gold Leather

Atelier Cologne

A sour opening reminiscent of davana or liquor dominated, with musk and clean powdery facets but surprisingly little leather.

Golden Boy

Dueto

A lighter, watered-down Tuscan Leather-style impression with a possible oud-like facet.

Gozan / Five Hills

Shoyeido

A strong seashell-like association stood out to me.

Grand Néroli

Atelier Cologne

A very pleasant classic neroli cologne, softer, more floral and less soapy than Mugler Cologne, but weak in performance.

Green Irish Tweed

Creed

One of my favourite Creeds.

Green Valley

Creed

A peppery, galbanum-led green fragrance with citrus, lavender and a creamy undertone that reminded me of Silver Mountain Water.

Grey Vetiver

Tom Ford

A clean, soapy vetiver that reminded me of Creed Original Vetiver and Mugler Cologne.

Habdan

Parfums de Marly

Tobacco, spice, incense and leather created a very masculine, Amouage-like cold-weather scent; the drydown became smokier and less appealing to me.

Habit Rouge

Guerlain

A mature patchouli-amber opening softened into citrus and an oddly watery effect; interesting, but not especially compelling to me.

Hakuun / White Cloud

Shoyeido

One of my top Shoyeido Daily Incense picks.

Hammam Bouquet

Penhaligon's

Musky, animalic, powdery and aldehydic with iris and floral facets, in the family of Iris Poudre or Chanel No. 22 but lighter and more herbal.

Herod

Parfums de Marly

A rich, almost gourmand tobacco, vanilla and amber scent with dried-fruit impressions; nicer than Tobacco Vanille to me, though still not really my style.

Himalaya

Creed

Bright, citrusy and fresh, but close enough to Green Irish Tweed in my impression that it felt less original than I wanted.

Homage

Amouage

Rose and citrus over a creamy texture I associated with sandalwood, with white musk underneath.

Homme

Xerjoff

A sharp resinous opening that reminded me of mastic, with spice and florals, developed into sweet leather and woods; decent, but not exceptional for me.

Homme Intense

Dior

An iris profile with a strong lipstick-like iris effect, joined by lavender, cocoa and noticeable fruitiness, leaned surprisingly feminine to my nose.

Honey Oud

Floris

A softer, fresher and rosier variation on the amber-rose-oud style I associate with Armani Rose d’Arabie.

Honour

Amouage

A fresh opening moved into frankincense, incense, spice and musk, but weak projection and longevity limited it for me.

Hoyeikoh / Eternal Treasure

Shoyeido

A good Shoyeido Daily Incense in my current ranking.

Incense Oud

By Kilian

Strong smoky frankincense and a sour davana opening over a very woody rose, oud and spice structure.

Indonesian Oud

Zegna

A classic oud, rose and patchouli combination that I found enjoyable.

Interlude

Amouage

A powerful oriental built around spice, incense and leather, with fruity, sweet and resinous facets; extremely strong in projection.

Intoxicated

By Kilian

My immediate impression was Tom Ford Oud Wood pushed into a gourmand direction.

Iris 39

Le Labo

A very powdery, floral iris with citrus, aldehydes, patchouli and a green facet I associated with violet leaf; one of the better iris fragrances I had smelled, though strongly feminine to me.

Italian Cypress

Tom Ford

Citrus and labdanum lead into a mature aromatic profile with lavender, incense and darker leather and tobacco impressions; much better to me than Fougere Royale.

Iwan

Amouage

A green citrus-floral opening of basil/petitgrain, neroli and white musk improved significantly in the drydown, though it leaned feminine to me.

Jardin d’Amalfi

Creed

Orange and spice sit over a polished fresh woody-musky cologne structure, with a distinctive metallic, cool and airy facet.

Jardin du Poète

Eau d'Italie

A green, clean after-shower scent with floral facets, pleasant and easy to wear, though too similar to cheaper alternatives for me.

Jasmin Angélique

Atelier Cologne

A citrusy, fruity jasmine with angelica and a pronounced benzyl-benzoate-like character, leaning feminine.

Jasmine

Amouage

A light jasmine-sambac-style scent with possible sandalwood; a later wearing felt less convincing to me.

Jermyn Street

Floris

A fougère with a verbena-like facet that first recalled Pegasus, then felt even closer to Histoires de Parfums 1828.

JF

Floris

A clean aquatic-cologne style that initially recalled Green Irish Tweed but felt less green, more lavender-heavy and more familiar in style.

Journey

Amouage

A pleasant tobacco-and-leather drydown in the general territory of Tuscan Leather or Amouage Tribute, though not exceptional to me.

JTC Don

Xerjoff

Cedar and lemon over a strong musky Xerjoff signature, but overall much woodier than citrusy, with oud-like and sandalwood impressions.

JTC More Than Words

Xerjoff

A more refined take on the familiar rose-and-oud style.

Jubilation XXV

Amouage

One of the richest fragrances I have tried in terms of the sheer range of notes, with amber, oud-like woods, honey, spice, berries and incense unfolding through the wear.

Karin

Kunjudo

The unburnt stick smelled very good to me; enough to make me want to revisit it and possibly buy a full box.

Kaze no Sho

Gyokushodo

Unburnt, I got strong camphor; during the burn, the balance of camphor and agarwood made this one of my favourites from that round of samples.

Kinkaku / Golden Pavilion

Shoyeido

An OK Shoyeido Daily Incense in my ranking.

Kobe

Xerjoff

A citrus and neroli-heavy opening with white florals moved into incense and a sweeter benzoin-and-tonka drydown.

Kyo-jiman / Pride of Kyoto

Shoyeido

Sweet and spicy, without much obvious agarwood; close in style to King’s Aroma.

Kyonishiki / Autumn Leaves

Shoyeido

A good Shoyeido Daily Incense in my current ranking.

Kyozakura / Kyoto Cherry Blossoms

Shoyeido

An OK Shoyeido Daily Incense in my current ranking.

L’Air du Désert Marocain

Tauer

A heavily spiced incense-and-amber opening became much more interesting once it settled into dry, woody bitterness.

L’Eau d’Hiver

Frédéric Malle

Sweet, subdued and feminine to my nose, with less projection than I expected from a winter fragrance.

L’Eau de L’Artisan

L'Artisan Parfumeur

A classic cologne structure with particularly strong herbal notes.

L'Homme

Yves Saint Laurent

Sweet candied ginger over a familiar modern-designer base, better suited to cooler weather than fresh summer wear.

L'Humaniste

Frapin

A clean, fresh citrus-cologne opening ideal for spring and summer; good, though slightly on the pricier side for this kind of composition.

L’Instant Extrême

Guerlain

Citrus, woods and a bitter cedar-like edge over the familiar Guerlain patchouli-amber signature; good, but not my taste.

La Fille de Berlin

Serge Lutens

A sweet, spicy rose that leaned feminine and struck me as very attractive for a woman.

La Nuit de l'Homme

Yves Saint Laurent

A familiar modern masculine profile, but softer, warm and comforting rather than sharp.

Leather Oud

Dior

My brief impression placed it close to Oud Ispahan, with a dark, animalic Arabian-musk character.

Leather Oud

Floris

A very sweet, saffron-led opening with light smoke, becoming more oud-focused through the heart while leather stayed relatively restrained for me.

Limes

Floris

Citrus over heavy petitgrain, neroli and orange blossom, with a slight cleaning-product association.

Lumière Blanche

Olfactive Studio

A weak musky floral that leaned feminine to me.

Lumière Noire

Maison Francis Kurkdjian

A spicy nighttime fougère with citrus, lavender and amber, plus floral and musky nuances and a drydown that reminded me of Amouage.

Lyric

Amouage

A floral, musky rose fragrance with light citrus that leaned feminine to me; better on a second try, but still not really my style.

Mahon Leather

Floris

Leather, spice and woods with sweet, smoky and floral facets, becoming more saffron-led in the heart with an almost almond-like tonka impression.

Majan

Amouage

Rose, white musk and an ambergris impression dominated; okay overall, but that facet reduced the appeal for me.

Mandarine Glaciale

Atelier Cologne

A strange savoury citrus-and-spice opening dominated by a coriander-like note that became too much for me.

Masculin Pluriel

Maison Francis Kurkdjian

A refined lavender, vetiver and cedar combination that reminded me of Le Male without the heavy sweetness; very nice, but too expensive for me.

Méchant Loup

L'Artisan Parfumeur

An odd contrast of liquorice and nuts over incense, fascinating as an artistic idea but not especially pleasant to wear.

Memoir

Amouage

A green, herbal and spicy opening deepened into amber, incense and a dry bitter woody finish that I liked more than expected.

Menthe Fraîche

Heeley

Very green, watery and minty with cucumber and watermelon, but it reinforced my suspicion that mint fragrances are not for me.

Midnight in Paris

Van Cleef & Arpels

Light, synthetic and oddly feminine at first, developing woody, plastic-leather and white-musk facets with a distinctive character.

Millésime Impérial

Creed

Mimosa Indigo

Atelier Cologne

Sweet, powdery white florals with amber, woods and saffron-like warmth, plus an unexpected coconut-like facet; feminine and pleasant but unremarkable to me.

Misho / Gentle Smile

Shoyeido

More sweet and woody than spicy.

Mistral Patchouli

Atelier Cologne

Star anise dominated so strongly that I initially found the scent characterless, though orange and possible cedar added some interest.

Molook

Amouage

Rose, oud and a very potent ambergris impression; the drydown improved considerably as it became more oud-focused.

Monsieur

Frédéric Malle

A strong patchouli and guaiac impression with a dark woody drydown that reminded me of Cambodian oud.

Mori no Sho

Gyokushodo

A simple first impression: a pleasant agarwood-focused scent.

Morouj

Amouage

White musk, rose and an ambergris impression; the latter was the main part that did not work for me.

Musc Impérial

Atelier Cologne

A very positive first impression, although the fig did not register clearly for me at first.

Musc Nomade

Annick Goutal

A feminine benzoin-vanilla musk with powdery animalic facets, bitterness and a slightly overripe/sour edge.

Musk Koublai Khan

Serge Lutens

Extremely animalic, with cumin/caraway near a body-odour edge and clear civet, yet strangely appealing despite being a style I would not normally be fond of.

Musk Oud

By Kilian

A musky variation on the same broad signature as Incense Oud, with Oud Ispahan and Leather Oud associations and disappointing longevity for me.

Myo-ho / Infinity

Shoyeido

Sweet agarwood is the dominant impression, rich and immediately appealing.

Nan-kun / Southern Wind

Shoyeido

The lightest and most airy of the premium set.

Naseem Al Janoob

Amouage

A sharp air-freshener-like opening moved into green jasmine and a more classic floral character.

Neroli 36

Le Labo

Sweet vanilla and green petitgrain over an odd aldehydic background; neroli was surprisingly secondary and the whole concept confused me.

Néroli Sauvage

Creed

A very enjoyable green neroli-and-citrus cologne with a freshness that reminded me slightly of Green Irish Tweed.

Nesma

Amouage

A very sweet Arabic-mukhallat profile of amber, rose, spice and possible saffron/neroli, eventually reminding me of shamama plus rose.

Nevermore

Frapin

Sweet grape and rose with a sharp aromatic top; good overall, though that top note was not entirely to my taste.

New York Oud

Bond No. 9

A classic oud, rose, patchouli and saffron style with more sweetness and a stronger feminine lean than Armani Rose d’Arabie.

Nio

Xerjoff

One of my favourite perfumes: bright bergamot, citrus peel, petitgrain and neroli over green spice, woods and musk.

Nokiba / Moss Garden

Shoyeido

A noticeable, blended fragrance rather than plain sandalwood; easy to enjoy and approachable.

Ohjya-koh / King’s Aroma

Shoyeido

The spiciest and least subtle incense in the premium set to me.

Olibanum

Profumum Roma

Much woodier and spicier than the name suggested, with pepper, resin, pine, cedar and smoke; more woody than frankincense-dominant to me.

Ombre Indigo

Olfactive Studio

Close to Tuscan Leather in style, but more wearable to me.

Oolang Infini

Atelier Cologne

A delicate green-tea scent that risked feeling too light, becoming more herbal on a second wearing with an Issey Miyake association.

Opus 1870

Penhaligon's

A classic, strongly masculine spicy-amber woody scent with frankincense and a leathery facet, best suited to colder weather.

Opus I

Amouage

Very floral and feminine to my nose, with the ylang-ylang likely contributing to a floral character I am not especially fond of.

Opus II

Amouage

A very enjoyable lavender opening in a classic cologne style with a delicious drydown; one of my favourite perfumes.

Opus III

Amouage

A highly floral fragrance that leaned feminine, more intriguing than Opus I but held back for me by an annoying ylang facet.

Opus IV

Amouage

Myrrh, frankincense, labdanum, spice and amber created a rich incense-resin profile, with a surprising bubble-gum/vanilla opening and caraway-heavy heart.

Opus IX

Amouage

A strongly animalic perfume dominated by civet and jasmine.

Opus V

Amouage

Strong sandalwood with citrus, florals, jasmine and musk, ending in a very appealing sandalwood drydown.

Opus VI

Amouage

A classic oriental mix of saffron, patchouli, rose and oud over amber, initially good but later developing an unpleasant burnt-plastic facet.

Opus VII

Amouage

A fresh green galbanum opening softened into lavender, amber and leather, feeling like Opus II made greener and deeper.

Opus VIII

Amouage

A lighter oriental with fruit, ylang, patchouli and citrus, but it leaned too feminine and slightly sour on my skin.

Orange Sanguine

Atelier Cologne

A very sweet, almost Fanta-like orange that leaned feminine and did not appeal to me.

Orangea

Profumum Roma

Sweet orange and neroli with a slight feminine lean; pleasant, but not compelling enough to justify the price for me.

Original Santal

Creed

Sweet and lavender-led to me, with an almost marzipan-like facet; it improved after a few minutes but still felt overpriced.

Original Vetiver

Creed

Pleasant enough, but my brief impression left me unconvinced that it offered much beyond the clean cologne style I associated with Mugler Cologne.

Oubai

Yamadamatsu

The unburnt stick smelled promising to me, but once lit the smoke dominated and I enjoyed it less.

Oud

Maison Francis Kurkdjian

A soft oud-style fragrance, less forceful than Tom Ford Oud Wood, with a sour twist that reminded me of davana and possibly some rose.

Oud 27

Le Labo

Plastic, sour liquor and rotten-fruit impressions dominated, with animalic oud/incense hints before a strongly cedar-led drydown.

Oud Alif

Shay & Blue

A slight Tuscan Leather resemblance with tobacco facets.

Oud Ispahan

Dior

An animalic rose-and-oud profile with musk, spice and leather, with a dark Arabian-musk character at its centre.

Oud Noir

Fragrance Du Bois

The only scent from the collection that really interested me, with a clear Tom Ford Oud Wood association.

Oud Saphir

Atelier Cologne

A lighter hybrid of Tom Ford Oud Wood and Tuscan Leather, with more flowers and fruit and less emphasis on leather.

Paestum Rose

Eau d'Italie

A rosy, feminine Jubilation-like incense and amber scent that settled into a familiar rose-and-oud profile; it did not work for me.

Panorama

Olfactive Studio

Green and sharp, with an artificial, cleaning-product association to my nose.

Paradis Perdu

Frapin

A concise impression of citrus, herbs, galbanum and Virginia cedar.

Pardon

Nasomatto

Green, metallic and grassy, but confusing to me; I did not clearly perceive the oud or sandalwood.

Passion Boisée

Frapin

A strange but simple combination of clove and orange.

Patchouli 24

Le Labo

For me this was overwhelmingly smoky with a little sweetness: interesting as an artistic composition, but not something I enjoyed wearing.

Pegasus

Parfums de Marly

A fresh, clean citrus-and-lavender fougère with background sweetness and a sandalwood drydown; familiar in style but high quality to me.

Perfume

Bond No. 9

A loud musky floral that leaned feminine to me, with little oud apparent.

Philtre Ceylan

Atelier Cologne

Citrus, amber and leather with possible vetiver, but an annoying cumin note dominated more than the tea character I expected.

Poivre 23

Le Labo

An aggressive pepper-and-frankincense opening over labdanum and resins; much better once the pepper faded.

Poivre Électrique

Atelier Cologne

Pink and black pepper overwhelmed me almost to the point of coughing, though the drydown revealed unusually clear cedar/pine and smoky birch-like facets.

Pomelo Paradis

Atelier Cologne

A nice grapefruit opening turned medicinal/Lemsip-like to me, though I disliked it less on a second try.

Pour Monsieur

Chanel

A lime-topped, musky-powdery classic masculine with a deeper patchouli-like character; it was not my style.

Prelude to Love

By Kilian

Sweet petitgrain and neroli with possible rose and vanilla created a gourmand-like North African association; pleasant, but unremarkable to me.

Pure Amber

Amouage

A softer ambergris-style attar with an animalic facet that reminded me of civet, but the overall effect did not work for me.

Quercus

Penhaligon's

My immediate and essentially complete association was CK One.

Rayaheen

Amouage

A beautiful, very strong Taif-rose and frankincense opening with a henna impression later on.

Reflection

Amouage

A clean, fresh floral-musky scent with citrus, frankincense and marine facets, but a noticeable synthetic character.

Rendez-Vous

Atelier Cologne

A fresh floral that leaned feminine before developing a strongly powdery, lipstick-like iris character.

Richwood

Xerjoff

A very sweet amber, rose and woods profile that leaned strongly feminine to me and ultimately did not work for me.

Rose 31

Le Labo

A clean rose that turned animalic, spicy and powdery; the cumin facet was the part I enjoyed least.

Rose Anonyme

Atelier Cologne

A citrus, rose and labdanum opening quickly settled into a familiar oriental rose-amber-oud style; decent, but I wanted another wear.

Rose d'Arabie

Armani

A polished, rosy oud-patchouli-amber style that initially impressed me but felt less compelling beside Xerjoff More Than Words.

Rose Oud

By Kilian

A very sweet, slightly fruity rose with a possible saffron facet; too sweet for me and somewhat feminine to my nose.

Royal Oud

Creed

Much greener than the name suggested to me, with freshness that reminded me of angelica and galbanum and relatively little oud in my first impression.

Royal Water

Creed

A strongly lemony opening had a slight off-note to me, before settling into a soapy woody drydown.

Ryoun

Seikado

On first burn, it struck me as an okay agarwood scent, more raw-material-focused than blended.

Safran Troublant

L'Artisan Parfumeur

Sweet notes over soft spicy, leathery-animalic facets, with an Indian-sweets association and only a trace of caraway.

Saint Clement's

Heeley

A very zesty citrus blend of lemon, bergamot, orange, petitgrain and neroli, with an orange-blossom-water feel and a noticeable terpenic character.

Salamah

Amouage

Fresh citrus and rose with frankincense emerging later; quite good in parts, though a slight essential-oil-like after-smell reduced the appeal for me.

Santal

Floris

A fresh aquatic opening strongly reminiscent of Green Irish Tweed that grew warmer and spicier through the drydown.

Santal 33

Le Labo

A striking creamy sandalwood opening shifted toward fig, woods that reminded me of cypriol and a plastic/synthetic edge, with exceptionally strong longevity.

Santal Carmin

Atelier Cologne

A very enjoyable sweet, creamy, spicy sandalwood with saffron and citrus, let down mainly by longevity concerns.

Sartorial

Penhaligon's

Citrus, lavender, green notes and a slight clove-like spice, but it did not particularly impress me.

Sauvage

Dior

A polished modern masculine with a familiar designer signature, good quality to me and notably lavender-forward.

Sel Marin

Heeley

A top-tier beach scent for me: light citrus turning aquatic, salty and marine, then unexpectedly spicy before settling into woods.

Sélection Verte

Creed

A sharp citrus, mint and neroli cologne whose opening I liked more than the quickly declining drydown.

Selfie

Olfactive Studio

My dominant impression was simply liquor.

Shamama

Amouage

Woody, ambered and spicy with henna, recalling a familiar red-amber or ambergris-style attar profile to me.

Sho-kaku / Translucent Path

Shoyeido

Agarwood comes through clearly, with a strong association to Kyara Enju.

Shun-yo / Beckoning Spring

Shoyeido

The agarwood character is apparent almost immediately.

Silver

Amouage

A very quick test that did not leave much of an impression on me.

Silver Iris

Atelier Cologne

A fruity, floral and powdery lipstick-iris style that leaned feminine and did not stand out to me.

Silver Mountain Water

Creed

Citrus, herbal tea, a metallic-water effect and the familiar Creed signature made it distinctive, but performance disappointed me.

Sous le toit de Paris

Atelier Cologne

An initially unremarkable scent improved into sweet almond/cherry, violet and leather impressions; good, though not for me.

Speakeasy

Frapin

Sweet liquor and lime with a minty heart; potentially good, but mint in perfume is usually a problem for me.

Special 127

Floris

Similar to Floris 89, but much heavier on petitgrain, neroli and citrus, with a pronounced essential-oil character and a possible rose-otto impression.

Spice & Wood

Creed

A very attractive iris-and-clove composition that later revealed lots of apple; I liked it enough to consider at a discount, but not at retail price.

Still Life

Olfactive Studio

Less sweet and fruity than Still Life in Rio, with much more emphasis on citrus.

Still Life In Rio

Olfactive Studio

Very fruity, floral and candy-like, reminding me of the coloured pieces in liquorice allsorts.

Sud Magnolia

Atelier Cologne

A feminine white-floral, musk and rose composition that reminded me of a classic maternal floral perfume.

Sunshine

Amouage

A very sweet, lavender-led fragrance with medicinal and citrus facets. It was not really for me, but I found it unusually distinctive, perhaps partly because of the Lavender Maillette character I associate with it.

Tabarome

Creed

Much less tobacco-forward than I expected; my impressions shifted from Silver Mountain Water and Green Irish Tweed associations toward Bleu de Chanel and YSL L’Homme.

Tahani

Amouage

A sweet mukhallat signature I usually struggle with, with strong davana first and much more saffron on a second try.

Tayyiba

Amouage

A fruity, feminine Western-perfume style whose drydown felt less distinctive to me, with a slight Homage association.

Tea for Two

L'Artisan Parfumeur

The strongest tea note I had encountered, like loose-leaf black tea with an Earl Grey-like bergamot facet, spice and a distinctive drydown.

Terre

Hermès

A very enjoyable orange-and-vetiver composition with a slightly old-school feel; my favourite from Hermès.

Terre de Sarment

Frapin

Citrus over a sweet amber-resin base, but the overall style was not for me.

Terre Eau Très Fraîche

Hermès

A lighter take on Terre with a much stronger mandarin-led opening.

Thé Noir 29

Le Labo

A herbal rose-and-fruit blend with sourness that reminded me of davana, subtle tea, peach/fig impressions and a slightly feminine character.

The Orchid Man

Frapin

Strongly reminiscent of Aventus to me, but harsher, sweeter and more fig-like.

Timbuktu

L'Artisan Parfumeur

Incense, resins, spice and leather, with myrrh dominating my perception.

Tobacco Nuit

Atelier Cologne

A very enjoyable mix of oud-like, amber, sandalwood, tobacco, spice and incense facets, like a lighter, more tobacco-focused Amouage Journey.

Tobacco Oud

Tom Ford

Labdanum dominated so completely for me that neither the tobacco nor the oud played much of a role.

Tobacco Vanille

Tom Ford

A chai-latte-like spiced sweetness dominated for me, while the tobacco felt surprisingly restrained.

Trèfle Pur

Atelier Cologne

A very enjoyable fresh-green scent that reminded me of Hermès Concentré d’Orange Verte.

Tribute

Amouage

A deep tobacco, frankincense and rose attar that I found exceptional and potentially interesting for layering.

Tuscan Leather

Tom Ford

What struck me most was how little it changed from opening to drydown; I did not mean that as a criticism.

Uber

Dueto

Lavender and frankincense gave an opening strongly reminiscent of Amouage that I liked, though the drydown became more generic.

Uden

Xerjoff

A more refined take on Chanel Allure Homme Edition Blanche, less creamy and more focused on citrus and woods.

Un Jardin sur le Nil

Hermès

Fresh, summery and aqueous, with orange and grapefruit impressions and a softer, more feminine character to my nose.

Vaara

Penhaligon's

An opening reminiscent of rose-and-oud fragrances shifted toward a cleaner rose, with a beautiful quince/fruity facet that leaned feminine to me.

Vanille Insensée

Atelier Cologne

A sweet gourmand vanilla/chocolate scent with a slight citrus edge and a cocoa/iris association reminiscent of Dior Homme.

Velvet Desert Oud

Dolce & Gabbana

A familiar synthetic leather-and-oud profile.

Verveine d'Eugène

Heeley

A sweet, herbal, fresh cologne of orange, petitgrain, neroli and verbena, with rhubarb and cassis adding a distinctive twist.

Vetiver 46

Le Labo

A citrusy, powdery and very woody perfume with an incense character, eventually settling into a vetiver-and-musk drydown.

Vétiver Fatal

Atelier Cologne

A beautiful combination of fruits, iris and vetiver.

Vétiver Géranium

Creed

Geranium dominated so heavily for me that the fragrance became difficult to enjoy.

Vétiver Oriental

Serge Lutens

Vetiver, patchouli, oriental amber, musk, woods and spices formed a rich profile, but it faded too quickly for me.

Vetiver Veritas

Heeley

Mostly a bourbon-vetiver style scent with something green and fresh behind it; interesting, but not worth a purchase for me.

Vetyver

Mona di Orio

Cold, clean and very woody vetiver with slight amber, smoke and dry bitter resin facets; good but not exceptional to me.

Vici

Histoires de Parfums

Citrus, pine and smoky incense with galbanum and angelica emerging later; green, resinous and pleasantly unusual.

Voyage

Hermès

A pleasant iris-led impression that leaned feminine to my nose.

Woroud

Amouage

A rose-led feminine attar with a polished white-rose character.

YVRA 1958

YVRA

A more serious citrus-cologne style built around smoky spice and a strong cedar/woody core.

Zahwa

Amouage

Sweet rose and amber with a sharp opening that improved significantly in the drydown.