EDP | The Scented Hound

July 20, 2013
by The Scented Hound 11 Comments

Paradis Perdu by Frapin

WHAT I SMELL: Paradis Perdu opens with citrus and bergamot that’s not bright, but instead is sour and slightly biting. The galbanum quickly then becomes evident; its mossy green and very direct and the fragrance remains sharp and biting. After a bit, the green becomes more hay like and Paradis Perdue becomes a bit dryer and more woody; it’s sheer and light and completely meh. This is basically where the development of the fragrance ends.

From the Frapin website:

Created with the vitality of Art nouveau, Paradis Perdu is an ode to the vineyards around the property. The perfumer, Amélie Bourgeois, drew her inspiration from the expanses of land, conjuring effervescence with curved lines, somewhere between gushing and encircling.

Paradis Perdu Notes (from Fragrantica):

Top notes are Bergamot, Grapefruit, Citron, Yellow Mandarin, Leaf Blend (Basil, Spinach, Vine, Ravensara), Galbanum, Elemi, Paradisamide, Vetiver, Hay, Virginia Cedarwood, Rosewood, Labdanum, Precious Woods, Mosses, Musks

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A yawn.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE PARADIS PERDU: boring, sour, dull

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT PARADIS PERDU: I couldn’t find any other reviews for this 2013 launch.

BOTTOM LINE: Being underwhelmed may be an understatement.

Bone Rating: 2 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Woody Aromatic
Nose: Amélie Bourgeois
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $145 for 100ml EdP

July 14, 2013
by The Scented Hound 21 Comments

M/Mink by Byredo

WHAT I SMELL: Cedar chips and cat pee; that’s M/Mink’s opening to me. It’s incredibly urinous and surprisingly I’m not offended. There is a bit of honey that tops off the cat pee…maybe that’s what keeps it from being completely repulsive. After a good 20 minutes or so, M/Mink begins to mellow and the patchouli brings a bit of sweetness in. There’s also a tinge of incense that is ever so light that it seems to fade in and out. Beyond that, M/Mink doesn’t develop all that much. I don’t love it and I don’t hate it…this is one of those fragrances that you really have to be in the mood to wear.

M/Mink Notes:

Top: Adoxal
Heart: Incense
Base: Patchouli Leaf, Clover Honey, Amber

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A cat’s litter box that has been sprinkled with litter box freshener.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE M/MINK: urinous, curious, modern

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT M/MINK: Smellythoughts, The Scent Train, I Smell Therefore I Am

BOTTOM LINE: M/Mink is dichotomous in that in sniffing it part of it feels warm and cozy while at the same time there is something very remote about it. M/Mink is also what I call a fighting scent. That means that I would wear something like this when I don’t want to be messed with cause I’m just not in the mood!

Bone Rating: 3 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Oriental Woody?
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $220 for 100ml EdP

July 10, 2013
by The Scented Hound 19 Comments

Tabacca by Costamor

WHAT I SMELL: Sweet cherry pipe tobacco, covered in syrup. It’s sweet and slightly gourmand. Quickly, a light leather emerges in the background which evens out the sweetness of the opening. Tabacca continues to mellow and becomes a bit dryer. The tobacco remains coated with a light apple and rose which is pretty and surprisingly muted. After this point, Tabacca stays in this woody, slightly sweet tobacco haze tinged with just a hint of amber. It’s not strong and it’s not weak and I fear that I really like it, but that over time I would probably get tired of it if I wore it too often.

From the Costamor website:

The evening sun paints the sky crimson and periwinkle; an intoxicating breeze blows through, beckoning you deeper into the night…

A sultry, feminine spin on one the prized crops of Costa Rica – tobacco. Grown in the volcanic highlands and cured with the care of fine winemakers, this is tobacco destined for excellent cigars. Tobacca uses both the raw leaves (green, fresh and sweetened with a subtle hint of apple) and the richly aromatic dried tobacco and blends them with a deeply romantic rose tea. Velvety amber and soft precious woods add luxurious, cashmere-like warmth to this hypnotic, seductive fragrance.

tabacca notes – aromatic spices, apple peel, jasmine, rose tea, raw tobacco leaves, dried tobacco leaves, rare woods, amber

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: The remnants of sweet pipe tobacco on a sweater, one day after it was worn while smoking.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE TABACCA: comfortable, easy, balanced

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT TABACCA: Scent for Thought, From Top to Bottom – Perfume Patter, Confessions of a Perfume Nerd

BOTTOM LINE: Tabacca is a tobacco fragrance for those who typically don’t like them. It’s subdued and slightly sweet nature make for a wonderful companion to reading a book by the fire on a cold winter or rainy day. The Costamor website says this is a feminine spin on tobacco. I have to disagree as I see this as a perfect unisex fragrance. Tabacca is an unexpected pleasure!

Bone Rating: 4 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Woody Aromatic
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $75 for 50ml EdP