Off the Beaten Path

What kind of fragrances do you prefer?
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never2close
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Off the Beaten Path

Post by never2close »

My frag journey (that's with an "r", not that there's anything wrong with that) has taken me through all the usual frags. Looking for recommendations of colognes with excellent longevity that are very well made and are more of a niche fragrance. My tastes have broadened in recent months so I welcome the input.
Ken
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druphus
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Post by druphus »

Ken, what have you tried and what have you liked? Do you have any perfume allergies?
Regards,
Andy
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Post by bernards66 »

Ken, Check with Sam...that's his bag and he's tried I don't know how many scents of that genre.
Regards,
Gordon
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Post by never2close »

Andy, for many years I was only interested in Citrus fragrances, then it expanded to Lavender based scents; and, in recent months its' been very broad. I have my collection divided into four categories. Day and evening, then subdivided into warm and cool weather. Of the four sections, where I need the most input is cool weather day scents, but I'm interested in any worthy recommendation. Currently, favorites in that category are Trumper's Spanish Leather, Knize Ten, Brooks Brothers 1818, and Carrolls Royal Briar.


Gordon, I'm looking forward to Sam's input. By the way, your posts have been most helpful.
Ken
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Post by druphus »

Ken, you should check out Le Labo, and Serge Lutens. Each makes many nice choices.

I wish I could wear New York by Parfums de Nicolai, check it out. Unfortunately, I have to "get by" with Creed Bois du Portugal, which is much less complex.

I like a few of Andy Tauer's offerings – Incense Extreme/Lonestar Memories/ and L'Air du Desert Marocain; unfortunately, many of the others smell "fizzie" (artificial) to me.

Because of my perfume allergy anything with too much oakmoss or any of the fern fragrances (some of the best) are out for me - however what with "reformulation" - this seems to be less of a problem. There was a time when everything Guerlain made used oakmoss as a binder, now it isn't even listed as an ingredient, and the stuff really doesn't smell as nice as is once did! I hope this doesn't happen to New York by PdN.

The reformulation thing is huge in the Frag industry and many of the classics are mere shadows of there formerly great past, which contributes to much misunderstanding, because what your fragrance smells like is likely a product of what version it is! Unfortunately, perfumers don't list versions on the packaging like software developers.
Regards,
Andy
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Post by Nate »

One of my favorites is Santa Maria Novella's Cuba, great for the coming cool weather. I have only ever tried a sample, but if someone buys my Feather All Stainless off the BST, I might just spring for a whole bottle.
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Post by never2close »

Nate wrote:One of my favorites is Santa Maria Novella's Cuba, great for the coming cool weather. I have only ever tried a sample, but if someone buys my Feather All Stainless off the BST, I might just spring for a whole bottle.
I like SMN. I sampled Cuba before I broadened my perspective and I think it is worth another smell. Thanks.
Ken
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Post by never2close »

druphus wrote:Ken, you should check out Le Labo, and Serge Lutens. Each makes many nice choices.

I wish I could wear New York by Parfums de Nicolai, check it out. Unfortunately, I have to "get by" with Creed Bois du Portugal, which is much less complex.

I like a few of Andy Tauer's offerings – Incense Extreme/Lonestar Memories/ and L'Air du Desert Marocain; unfortunately, many of the others smell "fizzie" (artificial) to me.

Because of my perfume allergy anything with too much oakmoss or any of the fern fragrances (some of the best) are out for me - however what with "reformulation" - this seems to be less of a problem. There was a time when everything Guerlain made used oakmoss as a binder, now it isn't even listed as an ingredient, and the stuff really doesn't smell as nice as is once did! I hope this doesn't happen to New York by PdN.

The reformulation thing is huge in the Frag industry and many of the classics are mere shadows of there formerly great past, which contributes to much misunderstanding, because what your fragrance smells like is likely a product of what version it is! Unfortunately, perfumers don't list versions on the packaging like software developers.
Andy, I have Bergamot (Le Labo) and Ambre Sultan (Serge Lutens) both very nice scents. Any others from either house that you like? I intend to try New York by PdN based on your recommendation. Thanks.
Ken
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Post by bernards66 »

Ken, Well, I'm very much of a traditionalist when it comes to men's scent and beyond that I, for whatever reason, seem to go mainly for the English perfumers of that genre. I like some of the SMN colognes and a very few of the ones from Creed but for the most part it's old fashioned top shelf English stuff. Not that I've totally ignored the current 'boutique' perfumers, I have sampled some of the more contemporary lines, Frederick Malle, and stuff like that on my trips to NYC but I've not found anything along those lines that I personally really liked. And a lot of those type scents are uber expensive to boot. But Sam has wound up getting very into that whole trip so, hopefully, he will respond here. And, of course, Mr. Bargepole could write a book on the subject....hell, maybe he has and I've just missed it.
Regards,
Gordon
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Post by TRBeck »

Ken,

Based on your tastes, I recommend you try three from Lorenzo Villoresi:

Uomo (classic gentleman's scent, lavender-driven and great for all seasons)
Vetiver (old-school fougere with a vetiver emphasis, rooty but gentlemanly)
Sandalo (a bit stark, but a brilliant dry sandalwood nonetheless)

I think, too, that you ought to give Comme des Garcons 2 Man a sniff for cool weather daytime wear. Distinctive without being overbearing, it was a favorite for some time for me.

Sam does need to stop by this thread, for sure. I'm sure more recommendations will be forthcoming, too, and I may think of a few more if I can get some sleep and clear my head.
Regards,
Tim

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Post by never2close »

Tim,
Thanks for the input, I hope to find a store the carries LV and do a thorough investigation.
Ken
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Post by Sam »

How did I miss this thing? Ken, I found basenotes.net before the shave forums. Michael (Bargepole) has a gift for writing and he can describe things and put into words those things that I can only grunt to get out. I am the worst at trying to describe how I feel about a scent.

Im not all that much into the super expensive fragrances. There is a scent called Puredistance M that is a darling at basenotes. One website where you can read reviews and get an idea of pricing is called www.luckyscent.com. That store and a store in New York (I actually have been to it) called Aedes Venturas, sell samples so that is how I usually go. Aedes has a website, just google it.

Nordstroms and Neiman carry some niche stuff, like the Kurkdijians I have in another thread.

Some I have worn:

CDG 2 Man - not all that expensive, and a neat scent. Woody and a bit medicinal in the same breadth. Since I do not like to have too many choices, I sold this but I dither on whether to get this back or not. Tim wears it (trbeck) and I did for a yeaer)

Villoresi - Piper Nigrum was my first foray into niche. Lots of compliments. Yerbamate has a hay/cut grass note that is nice, but got powdery on me. I wore it one summer and sold it. Uomo is nice but lavendar is a scent I spray on my pillows or bathe with, but as a cologne note, does not work. That is why Nicolai New Y ork did not work for me. I almost got Dilmun rather than Yerbamate. I think there is a website called Lafco that sells it, and Caswell Massey carries some of this line.

Penhaligon - this line is not a niche line, but can be considered it because of limited availability in the US. Try English Fern for old school, Sartorial, LP 9 for men and Elixir.

Lutens - ah, a very, very nice house. Fumerie Turque is a favorite, the only time I ordered a bell jar from Europe and had a purveyor in England take delivery and send it on because they did not at the time ship bell jars to the US. Pipe tobacco, not ashy, with a hint of cherry sweetness. I find it was copied to a degree by by Kilians Back to Black, but wow, Fumerie Turque took me for a ride. Ambre Sultan was nice but did not catch me, nor did Arabie. Some like the Gris Clair, a lavendar done nice. Chergui is a basenotes darling and with many scents, there is talk that the the regulations from 3 or 4 years back made it redone, and it was not as good. More hay, but it is a quality scent.

Le Labo Rose 31 is their most talked about for men scent, nicely done, and so is the Vetiver and one other.

Montale - when they came out with Oud, or Aoud, it was the buzz. But he has turned out so many scents that, well, you have to pick and choose. Black Aoud was the first wow scent, rose and oud. Of the rose and oud variants, I liked Damascus Oud. I wore Red Vetiver a lot, spicy summer scent with a higher pitched spice, not like anything else, and it has Haitian Vetiver.

Tauer - Lonestar Memories was like burning rubber on a campfire. I dont do burning rubber, so Bulgari Black did not work. But oh, the love for L'Air du Desert Morocain is deserved. I need to find a guy selling it cheap and get some more!

Maitre d Perfumer Gantier Eau des Iles - the best coffee note scent I have found, so good in winter.
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Post by Bargepole »

Nice list, Sam. I didn't notice any grunting... 8)

A heads-up on Patricia de Nicoläi's New York: it's fallen victim to IFRA and the rest of the oh-so-sensitive industry gobshite. Even Miss Nicoläi couldn't save it. Damn. But there it is.
Michael

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Post by never2close »

Thanks for the insight Sam. I have several of the frags that you have mentioned and I will drop by Neimans to sample the Kurkdijians.
Ken
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Post by joe mcclaine »

Histoires De Perfums are worth looking at.

1740 - Leather & Immortelle
114 - Amber
1969 - Rhubarb & Lipstick
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Post by never2close »

Thanks for the help Vinny.
Ken
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Post by raffijian »

Ken:

I would also suggest Slumberhouse.

Very left-of-center company and very niche. Based out of Oregon.

They have a sample kit available for purchase.

Rafi
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Post by never2close »

Thanks for all the suggestions. Made several purchases, now I'm done for a while.............
Ken
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Post by never2close »

Rafi, Slumberhouse's Baque gets excellent reviews. I would like to give that one a try. Thanks for the suggestion. I was done for a little over 2 days. One more wouldn't hurt........
Ken
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