Perfume Reviews by Steppenwolf

The Orchid Man by Frapin

I am a fan! I think this is a highly likeable and versatile fragrance.

I used to be an Aventus believer for quite some time, but I've started noticing a rather screechy quality about it the drydown, so it fell out of favor with me.

Frapin introduced a much more agreeable interpretation of the theme - it dries down beautifully without too much smoke or any other "noise".

NeroUno by Montegrappa

This is pure class. Wears comfortably and lasts a really long time. I would say this has a traditional vibe but is still extremely versatile and anyone can pull it off. It is a rich scent and is very, very close to VINTAGE Dunhill Edition. I bought it without ever testing it under that assumption and I could not be happier. Niche-like quality. A+

Benjoin 19 by Le Labo

I love wearing Benjoin 19 in the cooler weather. I agree that the resins play a major role in this one. I would also point out that to me it also has a definite leathery feel. Overall a very robust composition. Expensive - yes, but I do not regret getting my mini bottle last September. Easily 5/5.

Géranium pour Monsieur by Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle

I have been holding off rating this fragrance for quite a while - until 4th wearing to be exact.
The reason being that this scent is somewhat "shapeless" and chameleon-like. As I was sampling it I have found myself thinking that I am just not able to grasp what the scent is about... A highly elusive smell for sure. Mint and geranium are both present and the latter becomes more prominent into the mid and base of the scent, yet the entire composition is so ephemeral that I found it very difficult to enjoy. But again, not because it smells poor, but simply because it is so confusing and plays hide and seek throughout its moderate lifespan of about 6-8 hours. In the end, I am giving this thumbs up but only barely, with a final rating of 3/5. Personally I much prefer Heeley's Menthe Fraiche in the mint game because to me that one is a much more successful rendition of the theme.

Spice and Wood by Creed

Spice & Wood has a Creed House signature all over it. I personally cannot fault it on any level - it's just that good. Although expensive, I predict that my smaller bottle will still last quite a bit given the scope of my collection. It just won't be an everyday type of scent (and neither it should be).

How would I describe it? Definitely a top quality juice, smells very rich and has a characteristic "creed elegance" a-la Aventus. Performance is excellent as well. Got some extremely favorable feedback on it after a long day at work, more than 8 hours after application.

Cologne 41 by Abercrombie & Fitch

This is very nice and easy to wear. A fresh scent that features high doses of white musk, some cucumber-melon accords and a touch of sweet modern amber in the base. Non-complicated, likeable and great smelling scent all around. Fit for all seasons, although only casual scenarios. Would be completely out of place for a formal event.

A&F got it completely wrong for discontinuing Cologne 41.

Dries Van Noten par Frederic Malle by Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle

I revisited this fragrance recently and was surprised by how much I liked it. I had a brief encounter with it when it first came out, but at that time I moved on to other things and kinda forgot about it.

This time around, I got to wear it a little bit and found it very interesting and different, but yet within Frederick Malle's range, if that makes sense. A great scent! A little on the formal side and is definitely capable of making a solid statement on behalf of wearer. I really enjoy the vanilla-clove accord here.

Rose 31 by Le Labo

I have always found rose based scents difficult to pull off. Rose 31 is one of the few scents with prominent rose that I decided to add to my collection.

The gender related ramifications are possible with this fragrance too, but it is also one of the very few instances where the quality and the "feel" of a fragrance are sufficient to override any sort of doubts. It is so addictively beautiful that nothing else matters, really.

The balance of rose and spices here is exceptional. You get both early on, including a generally formidable cumin note, but they create a very unique balance and synergistically enhance each other. One of the few scents that I literally cannot stop going back to wanting to smell over and over...

But as with many other scents, there is also a time and place for Rose 31. I do not see this is as a good choice for a football game at a bar with your mates, but it would be a fine choice for a cool summer evening with a loved one.

Tam Dao Eau de Parfum by Diptyque

This fragrance is RIGHTEOUS. I'm a huge fan of woody scents and this one feels like home. Moreover, it's subtle quality makes it a good choice for when I'm looking for something quieter in my collection. yes, there are situations where I don't want to attract much attention but would still enjoy wearing something uplifting. This is it!

Burberry London for Men by Burberry

I used to be a huge fan of this fragrance until not that long ago. Really enjoyed it last winter and also wore it during the warmer seasons. But as my experiences advanced and my personal fragrance arsenal expanded I have found this scent marginalized. The problem is that I have started picking up this slightly nauseating note in Burberry London that kinda ruined it for me. Not sure exactly what it is but it makes it difficult to tolerate this fragrance. This almost headache inducing property leads me to suspect that London is not the most "natural" composition out there. But there really shouldn't be any surprises in that regard, either...

Fahrenheit Absolute by Christian Dior

Opening is very promising with some rich blasts of freshness similar to the original Fahrenheit. Soon thereafter it ventures into a very dark and unpredictable territory where it starts playing tricks on the wearer. Sometimes, the wafts of the scent seem quite pleasant, other times all I get is malorder/body sweat that could be fairly disturbing and off-putting.

I tried to enjoy this scent and made every reasonable effort to appreciate it for what it is... but it simply doesnt work for me and I got rid of my bottle.

Overall to me this is a result of very unfortunate note combinations. The persistent rumor is that it is no longer made. I can certainly see why. For any scent to stick around in the Dior line it has to be a little more appealing than Absolute (with all due respect). Looks like it is destined to become a legend on basenotes, but in the real world this one is an under-performer.

The One for Men by Dolce & Gabbana

I do not have a longevity problem with this scent. However, I tend to just "let go" while applying it (roughly 6 sprays total). Usually lasts me all day. Sillage may not be the brightest, but its there. I think this scent is so good that it is just never enough of it and it quickly causes olfactory fatigue.

Wonderful blend of all things I appreciate in mens fragrances - tobacco, amber, coriander with a solid cedar finish. Drydown makes me think of GPH 1 for some reason. I think it has more woods in the base than people give it credit for. No, of course it does not literally smell like GPH at all, but the overall seductive ambience is not unlike the one in Gucci.