The Scented Hound

Perfume blog with abbreviated perfume reviews & fragrance reviews.

Tag Archives: fragrance


by 10 Comments

Intrigant Patchouli by Parfumerie Generale

WHAT I SMELL: Opens almost medicinal and like Vick’s vapor rub which then moves quickly to a civet and castoreum phase… I am hoping to God that this gets better.  Finally, this moves to a honeyed ambered patchouli that is not too sweet, but not my cup of tea.  How come this reminds me of Tauer’s Orange Star?  Both have patchouli in them but not other similar notes but somehow the combination just hits me wrong in the worst possible way. I could go on with descriptors but I think you already got my point:  I don’t like it!

Intrigant Patchouli Notes:  ginger, animal patchouli, Mysore’s Sandal Wood, Benzoin, Amber and Musk.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  What I envision Courtney Love early 90’s to smell like; dirty and grungy and trying to smell like a 60’s hippie (don’t get me wrong, I love Courtney Love and Hole big time, I just don’t want to smell like her).

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE INTRIGANT PATCHOULI:  scrubbable, strong, wrong

 

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT INTRIGANT PATCHOULI:  Fragrance Bouquet, Smellythoughts, Pour Monsieur

BOTTOM LINE: I am finding that I do like patchouli as a note.  However, this takes patchouli down the wrong path for me.  Uggghhh, I need to go wash this off now as it’s making my stomach turn.

  • Bone Rating: 2 out of 5 possible bones
  • Scent: Animalic Chypre
  • Nose: Pierre Guillaume
  • Classification: Unisex
  • Expense: $100 for 50ml EdP


by 12 Comments

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


by 8 Comments

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