The Scented Hound

Perfume blog with abbreviated perfume reviews & fragrance reviews.

Tag Archives: 4 bones


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Ambre Fetiche by Annick Goutal

This past week has been exhausting and crazy busy.  I feel like I haven’t had a chance to really give fragrance a 2nd thought with work and now with preparing for Hurricane Sandy. But I finally had a chance to kick back a bit and I pulled out a sample of Ambre Fetiche to coincide with the cooler temperatures today.  At first I didn’t think I would like this  fragrance, but…

WHAT I SMELL:  Ambre Fetiche goes on with a plasticine rubberized strong artificial blast.  It’s amber wrapped up in air that was let out of an old tire.  It’s strong and very heavy and plastic and more plastic on top of a spiced and smoked amber.  I can’t say the opening is pleasurable because a little goes a long way.  Just a couple of spritzes managed to clog my throat as it coated and choked me a bit.  It’s not until the drydown takes place that this really becomes special.  In the end you’re left with a warm blanket of amber tinged with what to me is almost like hints of brown sugar topped with a light vanilla incense.  Curious, the notes list “leather” but I am not getting that at all!

From the Annick Goutal website:

Captivated by the Orient and its mysteries, Camille Goutal and Isabelle Doyen lead us, through the fragrance Ambre Fétiche, on a journey to the lands of precious essences, of shisha smoke and of marvelous opulence.  A stroll through oases, desert sands and spice markets. Ambre Fétiche belongs with Myrrhe Ardente, Encens Flamboyant and Musc Nomade to the “Orientalists” Collection. These four fragrances, equally suitable for women and men, can be worn alone or combined.

Olfactory family: Amber, Vanilla, Leather (Frankincense, labdanum, styrax – Benzoin, absolute of iris – Vanilla, geranium, patchouli, Russian leather)

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:   Starts off as a bear.  Ends up like a lamb.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE AMBRE FETICHE:  bold, strong, unwavering

 

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT AMBRE FETICHE: Olfactoria’s Travels, This Blog Really Stinks, I Smell Therefore I Am

BOTTOM LINE:  I have the feeling the next time I wear this, it will wear differently on me.  Additionally, I also have the feeling that this could get a bit tiresome to me.  Maybe it’s just because I put a little too much on and it overwhelmed me.  Remember a little goes a long, long way with Ambre Fetiche.  Oh, after about an hour after I put this on, my better half told me I stink!

  • Bone Rating: 4 out of 5 possible bones
  • Scent: Oriental
  • Classification: Unisex
  • Nose:  Camille Goutal and Isabelle Doyen
  • Expense: Varies online


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Mon Patchouly by Ramon Monegal

Thanks to the wonderful Penny Lane Perfumes and their generous shipment of samples from the Ramon Monegal line, I was finally able to test their Mon Patchouly after reading Victoria’s wonderful review of this fragrance on EuaMG.  She was right, this is the loveliest of patchouli scents.

WHAT I SMELL:  Mon Patchouly opens exactly with what you expect, patchouli.  It’s rounded, a little bold and ever so lightly sweet.  I can smell the jasmine dancing in the background which creates a light floral breeziness to the rather bold beginning.  After a bit, the amber note creates a warm base that makes the scent rather creamy.  Once you think that Mon Patuchouly is ready to settle down, out comes a bit of sour, which I believe is the oak moss as it makes this much more earthy.  In the end, you’re left with a soft and mysterious light patchouli creamy amberish warmth with just a hint of powder.

Mon Patchouly Notes:  Indonesian patchouli, oak moss absolute, incense, bourbon geranium, Egyptian jasmine, and vegetal amber

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  This is heaven-sent, but grounded to the earth and slightly mysterious and otherworldly.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE MON PATCHOULY: comfortable, grounded, semi-bold

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT MON PATCHOULY:  EauMG, Perfume Shrine, Parfumistan’s Blog

BOTTOM LINE:  I have only recently discovered that I love patchouli.  This helps to solidify my feelings for this note.  Am I ready to buy a FB of this?  I think I have some more patchouli’s to test to commit to one just yet, but this is lovely.  And please note, as you wear this it does open up, so a little goes along way.  I can’t wait to test some of the Ramon Monegals because this was a great opener.

  • Bone Rating: 4 out of 5 possible bones
  • Scent: Oriental Woody
  • Classification: Unisex
  • Nose:  Ramon Monegal
  • Expense: $185 for 50ml EdP


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Anima Dulcis by Arquiste

WHAT I SMELL: I was worried as I applied this and my better half said that I smelled like a cup of Starbuck’s Caramel Machiatto.  I guess that’s as good as a description as any as Anima Dulcis goes on strong and sweet…very sweet.  It’s sharp vanilla and thick chocolate goodness surrounded by smoky light incense.  I didn’t see this as going in the right direction, but as time goes on and as it dries down Anima Dulcis hugs close to the skin, it’s spiced cinnamon vanilla infused cocoa is ever so slightly sweet and very comfortable.  The overpowering sweetness at the beginning, makes way for a light and pleasant layer that seems to sit a millimeter off of your skin.

Anima Dulcis Notes:  Cocoa Absolute, Mexican Vanilla, Cinnamon, Chili Infusion

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  What a great coffee/chocolate store in the old world was like as you could smell the wonderful foods mixed with the old smell of the building with wide planked wood floors and the rich sweet tobaccos smells that that were wafting in from the crowded streets in town.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE ANIMA DULCIS: old world, gourmand, aged

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT ANIMA DULCIS: Bois de Jasmin, Australian Perfume Junkies, Now Smell This

BOTTOM LINE:  I do have a bit of a hard time with the initial phase of this fragrance and how it’s just so sweet at the beginning.  But after 30 minutes or so, Anima Dulcis really does become a beautiful fragrance and one that might end up on my FB list as it’s so different from anything else that I own and may be my perfect new cold weather companion.

  • Bone Rating: 4 out of 5 possible bones
  • Scent: Oriental Vanilla
  • Classification: Unisex
  • Expense: $165 for 55ml EdP