old school | The Scented Hound

April 30, 2012
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LP No:9 for Men by Penhaligon’s

I love the LP No:9 (Love Potion Number 9) name. I like the fragrance. Clean, fresh and spicy is how I would characterize LP No:9. This is the first Penhaligon’s scent that I have tested, and I’m assuming that my thoughts about LP No:9 is how I’ll feel about this line. LP No:9 is complex in its composition, but somehow that complexity doesn’t translate to having a great deal of depth. It’s nice and somewhat old school, but in the end just not that exciting to me. Bottom line: fresh floral and spice, sophisticated and easy to wear.

From the Penhaligon’s website:

HEAD NOTES
Mandarin, Bergamot and Rosewood

HEART NOTES
Jasmine, Orris, Rose, Ylang Ylang, Clove, Cinnamon, Pepper and Nutmeg

BASE NOTES
Vanilla, Patchouli, Musk and Amber

Created in 1999, LP No. 9 for Men casts a spell of powdered darkness with its complex heart of ylang-ylang and spices. The fresh top notes of mandarin, bergamot and rosewood soon give way to the unusual floral and spiced heart. The seductive base notes are led by sweet vanilla and earthy patchouli with whisps of musk and amber creating sensual layers of warmth and mystery.

Bone Rating: 3 out of 5 possible bones
Scent Type: Oriental – Spicy
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $120 for 100ml EDT

March 11, 2012
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New York by Parfums de Nicolai

Fragrances have a tendency to take you back in time. Memories of your past can come rushing forward with just one whiff of a smell. New York by Parfums de Nicolai is one of those scents. This is a scent that takes me back to my younger days when I was just discovering my love of fragrance. I couldn’t afford the best, but always had a few bottles on my shelf. I don’t know which fragrance this reminds me of, but it reminds me of the early 1980s. Clean, fresh and masculine this scent opens with a rush of citrus. It doesn’t take long for that to move into a very gentle woody spice. But the citrus continues throughout as the dominant note. This is a fragrance for those men who like to feel comfortable in a scent. It won’t offend and will probably lend itself to comments of how wonderful you smell wearing it. Unfortunately it doesn’t have a “wow” factor. Overall a nice scent, just not an adventurous one.

From the Parfums de Nicolai website:

Top note : fresh, citrus, lemon, bergamot, aromatics note, lavender
Heart : spicy, woody, pepper, patchouli and cedarwood
Base : vanilla, leather and amber

Bone Rating: 3 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Woody, Oriental, Citrus
Classification: Unisex, but leans masculine
Expense: $115 for 100ml EDT

February 4, 2012
by The Scented Hound 5 Comments

Bel Ami by Hermes

Today we’re going old school. I rarely find an Hermes scent that I don’t love, and this is not an exception to that rule. Bel Ami is a man’s cologne. There is nothing feminine about this scent. And when I say that its old school, it conjures up images in my head of Cary Grant wearing a tux on the Riviera. It is one of those scents that is distinctive, long lasting, powerful and one that I always get comments on when I wear it (all good). So what’s so special about it? I think it’s the wonderful combination of the patchouli and leather that really stick out. Which is funny, because I am typically not a fan of either in most scents. But add the cardamon and amber and something magically happens. I highly recommend this for men who love real manly man men’s colognes. Just remember, a little goes a long way with this scent.

From the Hermes website:

Irresistibly charming and masculine. An audacious mix of cardamom, amber, patchouli and leather.