review | The Scented Hound

February 22, 2016
by The Scented Hound 8 Comments

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

WHAT 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.

Bone Rating: 4 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Leather
Nose: Christi Meshell
Classification: Masculine, but could easily be worn by a woman
Expense: $330 for 50 ml. Available exclusively at Nordstrom or via the House of Matriarch website.

Sample courtesy of House of Matriarch. Opinion my own.

February 15, 2016
by The Scented Hound 25 Comments

New Release: Rendezvous by DSH Perfumes

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.

WHAT 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.

February 10, 2016
by The Scented Hound 7 Comments

New Release: This is Not a Blue Bottle by Histoires de Parfums

WHAT I SMELL: This is Not a Blue Bottle opens with vibrant aldehydes tinged with a bright and sunny orange which is more energized than juicy. Quickly, a warm honey seems to envelope the perfume and takes the bright and sunny to the warm and serene. The perfume then moves towards a sweetened patchouli with hints of sugar. But after another short period, this delightful sugared patchouli is met with a light musk that is warmed every so slightly with a woody amber. This is Not a Blue Bottle is about an effortless and easy of wear of a perfume as there is.

From the Histoires de Parfums website:

For its latest publication, Histoires de Parfums is releasing a blue page representing freedom
of expression for all. This time Histoires de Parfums is not telling a novel, nor citing a tale or poem.

This blue page is yours to write as no one else can do it for you. It’s up to you to be the author of your story.

Top Note: hypnotic aldehyde, electric orange

Heart Note: metallic geranium, polar honey

Base Note: magnetic amber, ethereal musk, attractive patchouli

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Life is good!

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE THIS IS NOT A BLUE BOTTLE: easy, versatile, delightful

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THIS IS NOT A BLUE BOTTLE: Pierre de Nishapur

BOTTOM LINE: This is Not a Blue Bottle may be a concept perfume, but beyond the concept, the fragrance itself is a nice and easy to wear and pleasant every day perfume. In other words, This is Not a Blue Bottle is a no muss, no fuss perfume with an added dose of great positive energy. As an added bonus, the pricing is perfection!