February | 2012 | The Scented Hound

February 10, 2012
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Jaipur Homme by Boucheron

What I love about oriental scents is that they make you feel exotic and propel you to far away places (or what you imagine far away places are like). A continued standby for the past few years for me has been Jaipur Homme by Boucheron. This is a spicy scent… the cinnamon, clove and nutmeg really pop. There is no dry down, there is no change as the day goes on. It is a one level scent that so beautifully feels exotic. It’s light enough in the summer to wear; mixed with a little perspiration and you feel like your walking through the streets of India. But it’s also perfect as a winter scent, the spices comes alive and adds color to any gray, cold and damp day. Whenever I wear this, I feel elegant. This is not a young man’s cologne, and it is most suited for evening wear unless you work in a law office. Jaipur has wonderful sillage and is incredibly long lasting. This is a scent for the sophisticated man…the exotic man.

Notes:

Heliotrope, Bergamot, Amber, Vanilla, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Clove, Tonka Bean

Bone Rating: 5 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: oriental, spicy, exotic
Classification: Masculine
Expense: Moderate. Available in EDP and EDT

February 9, 2012
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L’Hetre Reve by Nez a Nez

I love good surprises. I am always hesitant with scents that are comprised with elements of leather. I know as a man, I should embrace that rustic side of me, but I usually find that the leather is just too heavy. When I first applied this to my skin, the leather was clearly present, but it mixed wonderfully with the spices of cinnamon and clove. I can live with that kind of leather. As a unisex perfume, I thought at first that this was a decidedly a masculine scent; manly but warm and very enveloping. By the time I arrived at work, the magic continued but on a whole other level. Still warm, but now sweet. The leather dissipated and out came the light floral elements, a tinge of musk and a tinge of powder. I noticed that as the day went on, depending on what I was doing, sitting at my desk quietly or running to a meeting very busily, the scent changed… warm, cool, sweet, powdery, musky. It was like I was applying a new scent throughout the day. My one downside is that by the time I got home, the scent had pretty much disapearred on me. Well, I guess that just means that I’ll have to apply some more!

Notes:

Star anise, mandarin, cinnamon, clove, sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli, plum, wisteria, cedarwood, gaiacwood, jacaranda, leather, musk, port

Bone Rating: 3 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: leather, sweet, musk
Classification: Unisex
Expense: Moderately expensive – $165 for 100ml

February 7, 2012
by The Scented Hound 3 Comments

1969 by Histoires de Parfums

Yesterday, I received a lovely package from Paris (who doesn’t love mail from Paris!!!), because I had ordered a sample pack from Histoires de Parfums comprised of 6 samples of my choice for $10. A great deal considering that you can $10 off your first order. So today, I tried my first of the six, 1969. From a smell of the vial, I was expecting something heavier and more musky. But when I first applied it, the peach exploded off my skin. I was scared, I’m not the type who wants to smell like an orchard. I always have to remember to give it time, great things come for those who wait… and indeed it did. Once it began to dry, it mellowed into a lovely, calm and lightly sweet musky scent. The name of this parfum is based on the year 1969, which the website says is an “erotic year” that represents the sexual revolution. Not quite sure if it represents that for me, but what I did find was a scent that falls outside my normal preferences. I am looking forward to sampling the other Histories samples soon!

From the Histoires de Parfums website:

Top Note: Fruit of the sun, Peach.
Heart Note: Rose, White Flowers, Cardamom, Clove
Base Note: Patchouli, Chocolate, Coffee, White Musk