“Just as we might give into a staggering impulse too strong to resist, it declares its urges, teasing tension to the breaking point, until one brush turns into a tidal wave of sensuality.” House Jovoy Paris Origin France Fragrance Incident … Continue reading Pandora’s Box Reopened
“A highly revered, resinous extract from the forests of Vietnam and Laos, Agarwood has been used for devotion and meditation in Buddhist temples for centuries. ‘Agarwoud’ combines notes of Bulgarian rose, amber and benzoin to create a surprisingly contemporary, clean … Continue reading Under Its Spell
“Described by Jovoy François Hénin as his ideal Oriental scent, he continues that it is “the archetypal parfum de sillage: it leaves a distinct trail while remaining consistent over time.” Earthy, elegant, and stunning, Private Label is sure to appeal … Continue reading Forest Echoes
“The Orange Blossom is a symbol of fertility, of abundance—because Orange trees produce flowers and fruit at the same time—of innocence and marriage by excellence. It is also the emblem of love. It is an orange blossom note wrapped in … Continue reading Scent of a Woman
“Call it the primal scream of perfumery. Coumarin was the very first molecule that allowed perfumers to cut loose from the past and venture into modern abstraction. First used in the groundbreaking 1882 Fougère Royale, this synthetic marvel ignited a … Continue reading Serge Lutens³
MANCAVE REINVENTED: This is not about glamping, though it’s not roughing it either. There’s something overtly masculine in this “testosteronic” gem. One of the headturners for me this year Montecristo from the Italian house of Masque Milano has a rugged, … Continue reading EP 74: Off The Grid
FROM THE DEPTHS: A fragrance that takes its sweet sweet time to open into something extremely complex. Ambra del Nepal was released by I Profumi di Firenze a full three decades back! If this isn’t amber, where does it come … Continue reading EP 73: Follow Me Into The Dusk
ALL THE BUZZ: This blends spices, and ooey gooey dripping essences au nature with a mad science lab. Penhaligon’s now decade-young Sartorial tippy toes between the past and present so fluidly. Well, it is a fluid after all. But this … Continue reading EP 72: Hive Minded
FRESHLY SHORN: When I went in to review these, live, there was nothing especially connecting these two except a masculine sense of good grooming. That seemed enough. Though I realized these were more disparate than I imagined, not 100% night … Continue reading EP 71: Ready, Set, Groom
If you purchase only one fragrance this season, if you are a lover of all things smoky and infused with warmth, with incense, please go for this one. This is the work of the venerable house of Naomi Goodsir Parfums. … Continue reading EP 70: Up Up and Away
OUD SCHOOL: This is a tricky oud, that lies in switching the signals on the note altogether, developed for a real ‘now’ sensibility. This may be the first time we’ve dived into the house of Maison Francis Kurkdjian, but it … Continue reading EP 69: Ooo Ooo Oud
A fragrance that took me by surprise. It’s nice to go in with no expectations whatsoever, and to come out the other end knowing that you may have just found a regular pleaser. This one is about its elixir of … Continue reading EP 68: Magnifique Mysterio
