WHAT I SMELL: London Funk opens with a fresh basil and bergamot with an interesting cardamom note that quickly slides right in. It’s fresh and inviting and really full of life. Soon, the perfume begins to warm and it feels like it’s beginning to sugar, like a concentrated sugar reduction as it’s not sweet, but rather vibrant and somewhat thick. And a short while after, a little bit of the “funk” begins to roll in. It’s just a slight undercurrent of something that I can’t distinguish that seems to be simmering under a woody note. It’s not unpleasant, but it’s almost as if you smell a little something off under the outside decking of a local pub. By this time the initial top notes have made their way out of the door a woody vetiver has entered becoming the main attraction. London Funk at this point really projects with hints of leather and herb (cannabis?) which seems to grow as I write. But the perfume never gets too funky and instead rides this high impact and slightly bitter woody mix that seems very familiar without being able to exactly put your finger on it. Overall, London Funk is a very tenacious perfume that keeps on giving for a very long time.
From the Vilhelm Parfumerie website:
The slap of a wood bat on a leather ball, followed by intense giggling and the sound of fabric rustling. It’s five o’clock at Biba in London and Jim Morrison is leading a young Debbie Harry astray with a Long Island Iced tea, and a game of cricket in the stock room. Can you smell all the possibilities that curled into a trippy London afternoon in the Seventies? They certainly could.
Top notes: Juniper, Basil, Cardamom, Bergamot.
Heart notes: Blackcurrant Bud, Driftwood.
Base notes: Vetiver, Yerba Maté, Cedarwood, Amber Gris, Sandalwood.
WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Like the back deck of the Atlanta Eagle bar. A mix of wood, leather, beer, smoke, plastic, sweat, cologne and lots of other bar related smells.
THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE LONDON FUNK: bold, vibrant, familiar (but how, I’m not sure)
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT LONDON FUNK: No written reviews found.
BOTTOM LINE: London Funk is more funky than funk. In reading what I have written about “What I Smell” my descriptors are pretty obtuse. But that’s because I find that London Funk is a perfume that’s hard to describe or categorize. What it is however, is a perfume that is not for everyday use and I wouldn’t recommend it for the office. It’s not that it’s not a pleasurable perfume, but as it has a large personality and I’m not sure one’s coworkers would appreciate it. But as for a night on the town at your favorite club…absolutely!
- Bone Rating: 3 out of possible 5 bones
- Scent: Woody Aromatic
- Classification: Unisex
- Expense: Starting at $90 for 20 ml eau de parfum
WHAT I SMELL: Basilico & Fellini opens with a warmed, sparkling and zesty dragon fruit that is incredibly uplifting in its tanginess and its freshness. The basil comes in quickly to add this great mix of herbal goodness to the tangy fruit. It’s gourmand, but from the garden with the fruit and herb. After a bit, the dragon fruit begins to make way for a soft violet mixed with a fuzzy fig. There’s so much freshness going on here that is so refreshing, delightful and positive in its energy. All the notes within this concoction seem to take turns coming to the surface, from fruit to herb to flower as if they’re involved with a whirling and twirling dance of happiness. This dance continues for quite some time, but it finally slows down to quietly end with a warm and comforting fig infused hay. Basilico & Fellini is a delight of a perfume that’s perfect for warmer weather as well as those winter days when you want to be transported back to the sun-filled splendor of the garden.
WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Fig and basil garden goodness. So much so that I thought I would include a recipe for a delicious fresh salad.
WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: 
The Scented Hound 