Perfume Review | The Scented Hound

September 21, 2015
by The Scented Hound 7 Comments

Marlowe by Jardins d’Ecrivains

WHAT I SMELL: Marlowe opens with an almost stinging tuberose note that quickly turns to a big and bursting soured floral. I can’t say that it’s pretty, but it’s intriguing in that it feels like there’s some measure of decay involved. In a few minutes, the perfume starts to powder and blend with a dried osmanthus. Soon, all of the moisture is sucked out of the perfume making it incredibly dry. Past this point, and for the first few hours, the perfume radiates substantial layers of powdered florals that seem broken down and aged.

From the Jardins d’Ecrivains website:

This scent is dense, heady, feral, and theatrical. The top notes feature the poisonous nectar of the tuberose blended with opulent osmanthus. The middle notes of dried flowers evoke tragic poetry. Hints of powdered leather with chypre make up the base notes.

Bilbo Baggins, Alexandria, VA

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Bilbo Baggins restaurant, Alexandria, Virginia. OK, let me explain…Bilbo Baggins is a restaurant in the town where I live. The interior of the restaurant feels like it has not been updated or cleaned since 1975. It’s dusty, tired and someplace I will not return to if I can help it.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE MARLOWE: labored, tired, burdensome

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT MARLOWE: Kafkaesque, The Non-Blonde, Colognoisseur

BOTTOM LINE: Marlowe is a complete miss for me. There’s something about the tired and powdered florals that just weighs it down, like a forgotten sachet in the back of your mother’s “delicates” drawer. Only hours into the wear does it soften to a point of actually being amenable.

Bone Rating: 2 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Floral
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $110 for 100 ml Eau de Parfum

September 9, 2015
by The Scented Hound 8 Comments

Solid State Cologne by Solid State

Why should women have all the fun with being able to refresh their fragrance throughout the day with a perfume lift? Of course most men don’t carry purses or bags, so this new line of solid perfumes from Solid State is just the answer to what us gentlemen need for all day perfumed freshness. Solid State, a new venture from Australia, kicked off their line with three different offerings just for men. Each is unique, but all are compact in size and perfect for carrying around in your pocket.

VOYAGER

WHAT I SMELL: Voyager is radiant. The combination of the rose and the leather provides this sweetened tinge to a dried and smokey and incensed boot leather. It’s masculinity with a measure of mystery due to the rose. And the projection is incredible; as it warms on your skin, the perfume really illuminates. A little gloss of Voyager goes a long way so use sparingly. Voyager rates 3.5 bones.

Voyager notes: leather, rose, white musk

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A sexy cowboy.

JOURNEYMAN

WHAT I SMELL: Journeyman is quiet. The perfume is light, soft and subdued and is very much a skin scent. This perfume would be perfect for hot summer days when you want to feel fresh and breezy. There’s an ease and warmed salty crispness that makes Journeyman an easy wear. Journeyman rates 3 bones.

Journeyman notes: warm, cedar, vetiver

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A warm summer day on a breezy ocean coast.

WAYFARER

WHAT I SMELL: Wayfarer is spicy. The perfume feels as if there’s a top layer of chili peppers on top of a base of tobacco. There’s a bit of sharpness which seems to stem from an unrefined vanilla. Journeyman, like Voyager projects rather large and as it wears and melds with the warmth of your skin, the spiced vanilla really comes front and center. Wayfarer rates 3 bones.

Wayfarer notes: spicy tobacco, vanilla, cacao

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: An ivy league college football day tailgate.

BOTTOM LINE: Solid State Colognes are a no brainer. They smell great, are affordable, easy to carry in your pocket and easy to use. I can’t wait for my next trip…now the question is, which one to take?!

You can purchase Solid State Colognes via the Solid State website for $24 each or $62 for all 3.

September 7, 2015
by The Scented Hound 4 Comments

Tigre du Bengale by Malbrum

WHAT I SMELL: Tigre du Bengale opens with a sweetened juniper which very quickly moves into a lightly incensed and peaceful labdanum. I was expecting a leap from a tiger at first application. Instead, the perfume moves in like a cat ready to lie down for a nap; all comfy and cozy. The perfume is relatively close to the skin and a bit powdery, but as it starts to develop it becomes a bit more exotic with a slightly urinous note that sharpens the original softness, but not too much. There’s a light leather note that wraps itself around the perfume, just as this strange dirty feet smell comes into play. Thankfully, it’s not overpowering, but it does add a bit of funk to the mix. Soon enough that bit of funk exits the mix and the perfume becomes more woody, with just a lightly sweetened edge of patchouli. And it once again moves from a bit of sharp to the more serene and smoky. And as soon as I say that, a salty note enters along with a light cream. Wait….now we’re back to a serene and smoky dry leather. It seems that there a lot of twists and turns with Tigre du Bengale, and there are, but these twists and turns morph and change like the walk of a jungle cat, slow and steady with in an incredible prowl.

From the Malbrum website:

The Bengal tiger uses its claws to barkstrip trees and urinates on the pile of woodchips as a monument of territory. The scent of this tribute transmits highly complex messages to other tigers about its sex, size and social status. This spicy leather fragrance opens with a dry-aromatic “coke” accord, gradually turning into a liquorice accord, with the heart of myrrha and labdanum absolute leading to a soft erogenous balsamic dry down.

Synthetic notes:

Toscanol, Safranal, Nimberol, Ambrofix and Suederal

Head: Juniper, cardamom,

Heart: Myrrha, labdanum

Fond: Castoreum, burley tobacco, patchouli

Gloria Swanson 1920s

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Tigre du Bengale is less tiger, but more vamp.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE TIGRE DU BENGALE: sultry, mysterious, come-hither

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT TIGRE DU BENGALE: Colognoisseur, What Men Should Smell Like, CaFleureBon

BOTTOM LINE: Tigre du Bengale is one of those perfumes that each time I bring my wrist to my nose it smells different. Sometimes, it smells more like incense, other times it’s more leather. At other times it’s a bit sweetened. In any case, the drydown is a winner and I can see this being a perfect fall and winter fragrance. And maybe come the cool months, the tiger stripes will once again change and morph into something else that I have yet to experience.

Bone Rating: 3.5 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Aromatic Spicy
Nose: Delphine Thierry
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $170 for 30 ml parfum extrait

Sample courtesy of Twisted Lily Fragrance Boutique and Apothecary