Quorum Silver
Antonio Puig (2005)

I wore this to a party last night, and got three compliments on this. I don't wear fragrances for compliments, and I don't often get them, so this was unusual. One woman said that I smelled good and clean. Another woman said that I smelled like fresh linen. Another one just sort of purred.

I have always loved this stuff, masculine but not heavy or old school. I truly don't understand the comments below about smelling like CK, and while this won't be your longest lasting fragrance, you will get a solid 5 hours out of it. You can get this for about $12 on fragrance net right now, and I like it more than most niche fragrances that are 20 times more expensive. At these prices, and with Puig just being purchased, I'm guessing this is going to be discontinued soon as it doesn't generate multinational conglomerate profits, so grab a bottle quickly.

This cheapie blows most niche attempts at spiced woods out of the water. Excellent quality for around the same price as you can get Encre Noire (about $20 at your preferred discounter).

It opens with the most realistic cedar, bright and searing, like the inside of a newly carved jarana (a ukelele-sized string instrument carved out of a single piece of cedar, used for playing Son Jarocho in Veracruz, Mexico). A combination of warm and fresh spices keep it sunny throughout, featuring primarily a crisp, almost candied ginger and a floral lavender, as well as the nicest nutmeg accord I’ve come across. The pink pepper sparkles and the guaiac wood in the drydown is a heavenly, semisweet balsamic stick of palo santo.

The effect is remarkable: it goes from bracingly refreshing to soothingly warm, all in one fell swoop. And it’s delicious, start to finish. (Incidentally, the sprayer pumps out copious amounts of juice in a finely distributed mist; another great feature you don’t expect from a cheapie.) There’s a reason why I keep coming back to it, despite having pricier niche and designer classics in my wardrobe.

A veritable mood lifter that’s office friendly and lasts easily through the workday. Fantastic.

On my skin I don’t get any cedar. Just soft spicy meh, that becomes a soft clone of CK one.

It's cedary and bright. I like it a lot. Unfortunately it's but a fleeting memory by the time I arrive at my destination. This has the worst longevity of any cologne I own.

For the price, just get it! Smells so good. Fresh and woody with a dash of spices. Instant mood enhancement. Supremely versatile. Dressed up or down. Day, night, office, club, office party, Christmas party. You name it. Get yer cedar on!

Quorum is one of the great uber-masculine scents. With its patchouli, pine, leather and tobacco, it ticks all of the right boxes, and the jasmine plays much the same role as the gardenia in Z-14—floral, but manly. Quorum’s Silver flanker shares some of the same notes with its parent (Artemisia and Bergamot in the top notes and amber in the base notes and patchouli) but it is really what makes it different that makes this the wonderful scent that it is.

Quorum Silver opens with fresh, slightly metallic notes reminiscent of Safari for Men and Halston Man/Amber. The dry, spicy heart notes are soon apparent which bring Catalyst for Men and Poivre Samarcande to mind. The real star of the show—a strong and clean cedarwood underscored by a realistic Guaiac Wood—steps onto the stage and stays on to take the last bow.

This is an uplifting scent, more wearable by today’s standards than the original but just as manly and a little more discreet, a little bit drier and brighter but very masculine all the same. I have worn the original Quorum aftershave followed by a few sprays of Quorum Silver which work very well together.