3 bones | The Scented Hound

March 16, 2015
by The Scented Hound 17 Comments

T. Habanero by Rania J.

WHAT I SMELL: T. Habanero opens with a discordant spiced shoe leather that’s covered in dung. It’s thick, fecal and a huge slap in the face. I am hoping that the fragrance veers away from this bomb of a cow patty and thankfully after a few minutes it does. That was the strangest opening that I have come across in a long time! Thankfully after around 5 minutes a lightly woody and nutty cardamom comes to the forefront. It’s peppered and it brings the perfume from heavy to a lighter range, lifting the perfume out of the initial depths. But even though this helps to make the perfume lighter there is a darker and dangerous edge to the scent. The oud, smoke and a dirty leather make this feel like a perfume that you should wear to a back room poker game. There is nothing feminine about T. Habanero…it’s all man. After around 20 minutes, the perfume hits its’ sweet spot when it gets to its dry, woody, smoky and slightly nutty conclusion that seems to rise off of the skin like the smoke at the end of a lit cigar.

From the Rania J. website:

Tobacco Habanero is a spicy, dark & fresh black Tobacco with the Rhythm of Cuban nights… A dance on the hot and mysterious notes which combine grace and love of life. High energy and deep emotions.

Top note : Pink & Black pepper, Cardamom
Middle Note : Black tobacco
Base Note : Sandalwood, Agarwood/Oud, Incense, Myrrh, Leather

I couldn’t resist…dogs playing poker!

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A back room poker game full of smoke, sweat and grit.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE T. HABANERO: funky, dry, manly

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT T. HABANERO: Parfumistans blogg

BOTTOM LINE: The fecal opening was an eye opener if there ever was one and I’m not sure that spritzing on some funk is how I want to start off a wearing of perfume. But the fragrance settles down to a nice and easily wearable woody perfume that would work for a man who likes his fragrances less unisex and more manly without being overly butch.

Bone Rating: 3 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Woody Spicy
Nose: Rania Jouaneh
Classification: Leans masculine
Expense: $149 for 50 ml Eau de Parfum

Sample courtesy of Twisted Lily Fragrance Boutique & Apothecary

February 18, 2015
by The Scented Hound 10 Comments

Signature Fragrances Woody Conjure

WHAT I SMELL: Woody Conjure’s opening is composed of this very warm, deep and intoxicating cedar. It’s like a fine sheen of rich wood and fir. There’s an oppulance about it as if it resides within the snow covered trees in the coldest of Russia. After a few minutes, a light spice is added and just a hint of oud. There’s also a buttery quality about the perfume which adds to the elegance. As rich and handsome as this is, it remains relatively contained and I find that it’s makes for a mysterious and sexy skin scent. After another 15 minutes a woody leather emerges which helps to make the perfume grow. What began in the woods, has now moved to the confines of a classical and majestic winter house. In the end, the musk becomes more prominent leaving you with this warm, woody, musky fur blanket. The warmth and quiet power of Woody Conjure holds you captive, but with quiet resolve rather than force. Is it groundbreaking? No. But it is a nice woody masculine treat.

From the Signature Fragrances website:

RICH, MASCULINE, MYSTERIOUS, SENSUAL, SWEET

A fragrance that speaks richness and masculinity, the scent of a noble prince! This scent asserts a distinct woody note, yet is refined with exotic accents.

Top: Cedar, Lily

Heart: Sandalwood, Oud, Patchouli

Base: Amber, Palisander Wood, Musk

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: The Winter Palace, St. Petersburg, Russia

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE WOODY CONJURE: tempered, rich, honest

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT WOODY CONJURE: The Smelly Vagabond, The Perfumed Guillotine

BOTTOM LINE: Signature Fragrances debuted this past year and all of their perfumes are composed of perfumed oil and as such, a little dab will go a long way. Even though they are perfumed oils, the prices make these perfumes very accessible. And adding to the beauty of the fragrances are the lovely bottles in which the perfumes come in. Let’s face facts, a pretty bottle can make a perfume all that more special.

Bone Rating: 3.5 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Oriental Wood
Classification: Masculine
Expense: approximately $32 for 6 ml perfume oil from the Signature Fragrances website

Sample courtesy of Signature Fragrances.

January 29, 2015
by The Scented Hound 11 Comments

Guerlain Shalimar Souffle de Parfum

I love Shalimar and the intoxicating effect is has on me; it stands out in my collection as a classic and revered masterpiece. So when I reached down in my big bag of untested samples and saw the sample of Shalimar Souffle de Parfum I immediately thought to myself that I was going to hate it. I admit, that I was being prejudicial prior to testing this, but the words “souffle” and “Shalimar” together had me very concerned. Shalimar is delightfully refined and adult…I am wondering if this new flanker was mean to bring the kiddies into the big time…maybe like the perfumed Joe Camel?!

Peeps

WHAT I SMELL: Tangy lemon and then a buttered orange creme that’s surprisingly rich, lush, gourmand and inviting. I like the fact that there’s a sweetness about the opening that is rooted in the lemon, but without a high dosage of sugar. There’s also a wonderful shimmering hue that makes the fragrance sparkle. After around 10 minutes the jasmine takes center stage, it’s clean and fresh and topped by the citrus. I have to say that the fragrance thus far feels like a big chemical concoction. However, in this case, that’s not a bad thing. After another 5 minutes, Souffle (as I’ll call it from here out) starts to grown in projection. There’s a creaminess that comes forward combined with vanilla that makes the perfume feel like a cross between an egg custard and a Peep. The white musk adds a dryer sheet effect to the perfume which again, I feel like the combination of the Peeps, dryer sheets, etc. should make this a wreck. Well, it’s not. It’s just a flanker that is targeted to a younger audience and in that case, I would say that it works. In the end, Souffle is a lemony tart souffle that’s bright and sunny.

From Guerlain:

inspired by a fabulous Indian love story, Jacques Guerlain created the legendary Shalimar perfume in 1925. Now, Thierry Wasser has breathed new life into this legendary perfume, taking it to the heights of sensuality. A luminous, modern creation with notes of jasmine, vanilla and white musk.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: An Easter basket.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE SHALIMAR SOUFFLE DE PARFUM: happy, fresh, fluffy

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT SHALIMAR SOUFFLE DE PARFUM: Now Smell This, Colognoisseur, The Candy Perfume Boy

BOTTOM LINE: If you remove yourself from trying to compare this to the original Shalimar you’ll find that this is a nice light treat that’s perfect for a younger audience. And I have to say that the name fits perfectly…this is a souffle of a perfume!

Bone Rating: 3.5 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Oriental Floral
Nose: Thierry Wasser
Classification: Feminine
Expense: $100 for 1.7 oz. Eau de Parfum