3.5 bones | The Scented Hound

The opening of Querelle is really lovely and very understated. So understated that I almost felt like I had to bathe in the scent to get it to stick to my skin. Funny, it’s not until this is worn for a while that the scent actually comes to the surface. But let’s get back to the opening… Querelle opens with a mild citrus and black pepper spice. This would be considered a vetiver scent, but a vetiver without screaming “I am green!”. The citrus disappears quickly and you are left with a dryness which pushes out a mild incense. The incense, pepper and a bit of amber keep this fragrance in a place where few others go. What I mean is that at times it feels like a remote and distant scent, but at other times, it swirls around up to your nostrils with an engaging warmth. And every time you lift your wrists, you’ll note that you smell something a bit different. I really like fragrances that take you on a journey. Querelle is a different scent for me and I’m surprised that it falls into my lane of liking it. This scent feels masculine to me, but it is considered unisex. It hugs close to the skin, but had great longevity. I will be visiting this scent again!

Querelle Notes: citrus, Iranian black caraway, myrrh, cinnamon, Haitian vetiver, incense, oakmoss, ambergris

Bone Rating: 3.5 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Spicy Oriental
Classification: Unisex, but leans masculine
Expense: $100 for 50ml EDP

When I woke up this morning, it was raining and humid and I was feeling a bit ornery. I pulled out my untested samples and thought that Muscs Koublai Khan would be the right scent to match my mood as I wasn’t set for something light and airy. Of course, being one of those days I managed to spill most of the fragrance from the vial, but managed beforehand to dab myself with this interesting fragrance.

Muscs Koublai Khan went on quite sweet. The sweetness was surrounded by rubbery musk. I found it sexy and heavy. But after a time that heaviness leveled out and it turned into a familiar scent. I have been wracking my brain all day to figure out what scent it reminded me of. To this point I can’t answer that, but I do know that it goes way back. It reminds me of some powerhouse scent from the 80s. As the drydown continued, I also noticed that it has a bit of a barber shop smell to it, something similar to Brylcreem. In other words, it has a bit of a musky chemical smell.

I’m waffling on this fragrance, I have read comments where it has been compared to Frederic Malle’s Musc Ravageur, but Muscs Koublai Khan is much more subdued and doesn’t have ooomph, that Musc Ravageur hits you with. That’s not a bad thing, but it doesn’t make it quite as exciting for me. Maybe it’s just my mood… being ornery and writing a review doesn’t fair well for any fragrance!

Muscs Koublai Khan Notes:

Vegetal Musk, Roots of Costus, Labdanum Rockrose, Grey Amber, Vanilla, Patchouli, Ambrette Seeds, pure Moroccan Rose