New Release | The Scented Hound

March 21, 2016
by The Scented Hound 6 Comments

New Release: Commes des Garcons Dot

WHAT I SMELL: Dot opens with a juicy, fruity and tangy orange that’s fresh, but quickly moves toward a flattened and slightly bitter orange. The perfume feels voluminous in so that when you take a breath of it in, it fills your lungs with an expanse of air and there’s a layer of musk that seems to be painted on to a soft osmanthus. To me, Dot feels incredibly manufactured as there is nothing remotely natural about the perfume. But that’s not a bad thing because the perfume has this otherworldly freshness about it. The soft florals have a slight vegetal tinge rather similar to a carrot leaf. As the perfume develops, the fragrance doesn’t morph all that much, but it does seem to grow in projection. In the end, Dot is all about the osmanthus. It’s soft and lightly fruited, but here it’s topped off with a little powder that feels like it’s sitting on a warmed cotton ball.

Notes: Leafy Greeness, Bitter Orange, Pepper, Osmanthus Absolute, Olibanum, White Amber Woods

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Maybe partly because it’s getting close to Easter, but this reminds me of a carrot eating fluffy rabbit.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE DOT: sunny, easy, effortless

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT DOT: No reviews found, besides comments found on Fragrantica.

BOTTOM LINE: Dot is a feel good perfume that radiates an uncomplicated positive energy. I like that!

Bone Rating: 3 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Floral Fruity
Nose: Lucas Sieuzak
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $130 for 100 ml Eau de Parfum

Sample courtesy of Twisted Lily Fragrance Boutique and Apothecary. Opinion my own.

March 7, 2016
by The Scented Hound 2 Comments

New Release: Années Folles by La Parfumerie Moderne

WHAT I SMELL: Années Folles opens with a sugared lavender, almost gourmand in its goodness and with a rather chocolate edge. In addition, there’s an incredibly warm thyme and nutmeg that is quite creamy and lightly spiced. What started off as cuddly and reassuring begins to lighten significantly and the perfume moves from the gourmand to somewhat woody as a lightly spiced geranium adds just a bit of crackle to a vetiver base. But soon enough, the woody turns to more of a ambered benzoin once again moving towards a deeper and warmer state of being. In fact, the perfume has a rather mentholated character at this juncture…and it just feels so easy and perfectly proper, yet comforting. A half hour or so into the wear, the patchouli makes it way in, but without dominating the perfume. Instead, like the progression thus far, it quietly enters in a seamless and graceful manner. In the end, the perfume moves once again more towards the woody, while still maintaining the right balance of radiant warmth. Années Folles is a return to classic perfumery and I couldn’t be more thrilled.

From the La Perfumerie Moderne website:

“Années Folles” swings like a mysterious aromatic melody on a warm pulsating amber rhythm.

The powdery and woody insouciance wake of a festive atmosphere calls the tune until dawn from the open windows of this proud hotel overlooking the Mediterranean.

Fragrance Notes: Lavender, Thyme, Nutmeg, Geranium, Vetiver, Tonka Bean, Benzoin, Patchouli

Edward VIII

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A quiet sophistication…Edward VIII later in life.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE ANNÉES FOLLES: proper, warm, urbane

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT ANNÉES FOLLES: CaFleureBon (with link to Looking Feeling Smelling Great video review)

BOTTOM LINE: Années Folles was a wonderful surprise. For whatever reason, I was ambivalent about this perfume line, the look of the bottles; maybe the “moderne” in the name. In any case, Années Folles is an incredible perfume; one that’s perfect for today’s modern man, while paying homage to the modern man of the past.

Bone Rating: 4.5 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Woody Aromatic
Nose: Marc-Antoine Corticchiato
Classification: Unisex, but leans masculine
Expense: $220 for 100 ml Eau de Parfum

Sample courtesy of Twisted Lily Fragrance Boutique and Apothecary. Opinion my own.

March 2, 2016
by The Scented Hound 7 Comments

Limited Edition New Release: Stones by Atelier de Geste

WHAT I SMELL: Stones opens with a bright, dry and uplifting galbanum. It’s beautiful and earthy, very vegetal and pulsating with life. There’s a great deal of movement with the perfume as it seems to breathe, move and dance across my skin. The perfume resides in this lyrical state for quite some time which is just fine with me as it’s incredibly beautiful. After around 20 minutes or so, the perfume adds an additional earthiness of moss. A woody vetiver, which was there from the beginning, starts to take root at the center of the perfume. Still very radiant, the perfume continues to feel very alive as it adds a minty ginger to the composition. After some more time, the perfume begins to dry and become more powdered, but still ever radiant. Stones is an incredibly beautiful perfume.

Notes: Galbanum, Geranium, Physalis, Tomato, Pine, Ivy, Lotus, Ginger, Vetiver, Moss, Lichen (nightshade), Vetiver root, Muguet flowers

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A mossy and earthen forest that’s tinged with rays of cooled sun.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE STONES: lively yet serene, earthen

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT STONES: None to be found.

BOTTOM LINE: Stones is the more earthy cousin of Chanel No. 19. The opening is breathtaking and it ends up as this equally as pretty earthy powdered beauty. Stones is a limited edition of 200 hand painted bottles, each which is numbered and signed. Stones is easily full bottle worthy.

Bone Rating: 4.5 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Aromatic
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $125 for 50 ml Eau de Parfum

Sample courtesy of Twisted Lily Fragrance Boutique and Apothecary. Opinion my own.