The Scented Hound

Perfume blog with abbreviated perfume reviews & fragrance reviews.

Tag Archives: parfum


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New Release: Le Quatrième Parfum by Coolife

Le-Quatrieme-Parfum1

WHAT I SMELL:  Le Quatrième Parfum initially opens up smoky warm only to be quickly met with a boozy, but green sharpness.  Almost gourmand at first, the perfume rapidly begins to lighten as the air meets the perfume; as if a genie had been let out of the bottle.  For being so balsamic, the perfume is rather light and ethereal.  As the perfume continues to develop, there’s a light sweetened honey that appears as a layer to the smoky notes.  After a bit, the patchouli makes it way to the center, but it’s ever so soft and it feels as if it’s wrapped within a fruited tobacco and incense.  After some more time the patchouli continues to grow along with a coating of vanilla, but it always remains contained, subdued and at peace.  Le Quatrième Parfum is a perfume that will help you to believe that all is right with the world.

From the Coolife website:

Designed to engage with the root chakra, our most physical energy center, Le Quatrième Parfum is the fourth fragrance created by Pauline Rochas and Carole Beaupré. In homage to our ancient connection with earth, Le Quatrième is grounding, erotic, and lush. It captures passion and draws out that exquisite moment of connecting with our roots. Known as Muladhara in Sanksrit, the root chakra is the border between animal and human consciousness. Like the deep and sturdy roots of a tree, the root chakra is the stem of life, the smoldering origin of our sexuality, seated at the basal end of the spine. Le Quatrième conjures the scent of rum, an invigorating liquor blended in the heat of the islands, intertwined with smoky, organic tobacco leaves. This deep, Oriental fragrance stimulates the body at its base, with essences of Myrhh and Resinoid, Indonesian Patchouli, and Peru Balsam. Heady top and mid notes of aphrodisiac honey, vanilla, and plum intoxicate the senses, stirring a tempest within the body. Muladhara is the chakra of scent, our most primal sense. Le Quatrième manifests the power of fragrance, entrancing strangers and rapturous lovers to linger in your presence, luxuriating in romantic union. With a balanced root chakra, you are at once sensual and instinctual, magnetic and in control. Surrender to the allure of Le Quatrième and, with the energy of the earth surging through your body, you hold the key to the realm of desire.

serenity1WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  serenity

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE LE QUATRIÉME PARFUM:  calming, warm, peaceful

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT LE QUATRIÉME PARFUM: None to be found as of yet.

BOTTOM LINE:  If you’re looking for a perfume that really puts the ease in easy, Le Quatrième Parfum is an incredibly relaxing and centered perfume that doesn’t try to be anything more than it is.  And what it is, is a beautiful and peaceful perfume full of positive and calming energy.

  • Bone Rating:  3.5 out of possible 5 bones
  • Scent:  Oriental
  • Nose: Yann Vasnier
  • Classification: Unisex
  • Expense: $175 for 50 ml Eau De Parfum

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


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House of Matriarch Black No. 1

House of Matriarch Black No. 1

WHAT I SMELL:  Black No. 1 opens with a boot strap leather with hints of green cedar and fir.  The leather feels strong, thick and stiff, like the boot leather that would be worn by a lineman needed for protection from the rugged elements.  After a short time, a petroleum sheen rises above the leather which is rather metallic and sharp.  But soon enough, that metallic edge disappears and once again the perfume becomes full on leather.  After 30 minutes or so, the perfume moves from the strong leather, to a softer and lusher wooded and slightly sugared leather.  At this point, the perfume is very comforting and it feels at ease.  The best of Black No. 1 is reserved for the drydown.  In the end, the leather is soft and rather green, slightly sweetened lightly creamy and it hugs the skin…which means you’ll have to get close up to really feel it’s magic.

From the House of Matriarch website:

Recently named “SEXIEST SCENT” at the International Artisan Fragrance Awards, TOP MEN’S FRAGRANCE by Men’s Journal Magazine and BEST OF THE WEST by Sunset Magazine. This worldly and penetrating perfume contains hundreds of exotic natural essences. An unforgettable, brooding, complex, swirling kaleidoscope of a perfume which, given its notes and general dark aesthetic, is surprisingly warm and encompassing. This fragrance captivates the wearer to a deep and enchanting mystique.

Black No. 1 notes:

Top: Northwest conifers, Puget Sound seaweed, white sage

Middle: oud, cannabis, amber

Base: black leather, ambergris, hyraceum

Witchita Lineman1WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  The Wichita Lineman…very masculine, solitary and graceful in his strength.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE BLACK NO. 1:  secure, confident, understated

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT BLACK NO. 1: Perfume do Dio, Fragrance Daily

BOTTOM LINE:  Formerly branded as Blackbird, Black No. 1 really is a sexy scent in that it’s masculine without being over the top full on beast.  Instead, it has a quiet strength that would fit any wearing scenario.  I’m not a huge fan of leather perfumes, but I think I finally found one that could break my thinking on that front.

Sample courtesy of House of Matriarch.  Opinion my own.


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New Release: Rendezvous by DSH Perfumes

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WHAT I SMELL:  Rendezvous opens up as pure animal with a strong and breathtaking civet.  It’s powerful and primal and it draws you in to take you prisoner.  After a few minutes, the initial wave of animalic prowess begins to soften with a light creaminess, but at the same time a dry oakmoss begins to appear along with the most subdued of florals.  A dirtied jasmine, mixed with the animalic  makes for an interesting play because at times the jasmine comes to the forefront and a minute later the civet and castoreum come to the center stage.  After some more time however, the florals win out…still deep, rich and creamy, they provide this heady and voluminous and achingly beautiful arrangement that is wrapped up in an ambered and golden aura.  After quite some time, the perfume reveals its final treasure, a gorgeous soft rounded lightly dirty and spicy powdered floral that’s warm, intoxicating and incredibly nostalgic.

Perfumer Dawn Spencer Hurwitz:

I let my imagination go to a time and place when animalic perfumes reigned supreme.  Of course, I included the four traditional animal notes: musk, civet, ambergris, and castoreum with added elements of aged oakmoss, and botanical “animalics”; ambrette co2, labdanum, and  hyracium tincture (aka African Stone).  The heart is filled with indolic juhi jasmine, orange flower absolute, and gardenia balanced by a slightly sharp and spicy white pepper and aldehyde top note.  The result is a lush, provocative, and thoroughly sexy perfume for both men and women.

beautiful decayWHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: beautiful decay

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE RENDEZVOUS:  haunting, breathtaking, careworn

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT RENDEZVOUS: None to be found as of yet.

BOTTOM LINE:  I love it when perfumes can stir something inside your core.  Too often, new releases tend to be pleasant and nice but rather uninteresting.  Rendezvous however, evoked an emotional response in me that took me by surprise.  I don’t know if my words convey exactly how beautiful the perfume is and I don’t want my visual to denigrate its effect.  But to me, there’s a fragility in the perfume, like a magnificent beauty that has faded in time…you can see the ravages of time, but at its heart it still possesses a grand presence.  Rendezvous is a stunning perfume.

  • Bone Rating:  5 out of possible 5 bones
  • Scent:  Aromatic
  • Nose: Dawn Spencer Hurwitz
  • Classification: Unisex
  • Expense: $165 for 1 oz. eau de parfum or $295 for .5 oz parfum extrait (also available in additional sizes and strengths).  Available via the DSH Perfumes website.

Sample courtesy of DSH Perfumes.  Opinion my own.  Review based on the eau de parfum concentration.