unisex | The Scented Hound

June 29, 2016
by The Scented Hound 6 Comments

La Manufacture Cologne Rare

WHAT I SMELL: Cologne Rare initially shines with a fresh citrus and bright bergamot opening. But there’s a little surprise with the addition of a lightly herbal and sharpened green note. In all it’s like a sun filled herbal garden surrounded by several lemon and lime trees. The freshness and sparkle from the opening starts to warm on the skin and there’s a light sugared tartness that adds just the modern uniqueness to this rather traditional scent. As the cologne continues to develop, a sweetened patchouli that feels topped with lavender, pulsates off the skin. In a short while, the patchouli becomes the centerpiece, but the woodiness of the note seems to be wrapped around a citrus tinged vetiver. And just when you thought the perfume had found its resting place, it instead continues to deepen like a golden elixir. This is one nice cologne.

From the La Manufacture website:

A breath of bergamot and basil

Under the intense sun, one seeks out the scarce shade beneath the dungeon’s stone vault. You can sprinkle yourself with a spirited freshness.

Bergamot collides with basil, peel meets leaf. Notes full of character cross steel in an exchange of green… The green tartness of rhubarb yields to the somber green of patchouli and vetiver, giving rise to full-bodied base notes. A breath of coolness lingers, weaving among heightened wood notes.

“I chose bergamot from Italy for its lavender and pepper undertones. The basil from Egypt, with its singular anise note, makes the transition from citrus to green heart. The green is darkened by a smoky-leather note specific to vetiver from Haiti.

Carla Chabert, perfumer

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A stroll through the sun warmed Italian countryside.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE COLOGNE RARE: comforting, easy, delightful

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT COLOGNE RARE: No additional reviews were found.

BOTTOM LINE: Cologne Rare is the perfect antidote for the heat of the summer. It’s an uncomplicated, yet modern, version of a classic citrus cologne with a tangy herbal edge. It’s bright, sunny, easy to wear and it can’t help but put you in a good mood.

Bone Rating: 4 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Citrus Aromatic
Nose: Carla Chabert
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $125 for 100 ml cologne

June 27, 2016
by The Scented Hound 13 Comments

New Release: Mona di Orio Bohea Bohème

WHAT I SMELL: Bohea Bohème initially sings with a beautiful leathered bergamot covered in a swath of cardamom, with hints of sweetness and brown sugared florals. Incredibly exotic and lightly warmed, the perfume pulls you in and holds you captive as soon as it touches your skin. After a few minutes, the perfume adopts of light creaminess and the sugared flakes turn more to a muted lotion. There’s a haze that emanates from the cream, like smoked incense. There’s also a tea note that emerges, but instead of dominating the perfume with a watery thin high pitch, the tea is rooted and thickened as if it’s made up of a reduction of warmed tea leaves in a bottom of a cup. As the perfume continues to deepen, it seems to develop as if its a sheet that is unfurled and a dreamy sandalwood takes hold as the perfume seems to darken in color and depth. Bohea Bohème ends its journey quietly with a radiant breath that’s softly spiced and completely exotic.

From the Mona di Orio website:

Bohea Bohème captures the smoldering delicacy of the distinctive tea cultivated in the Wuyi Mountains of China. The precious Bohea Tea, fumed with pinewood, is prized for its complex aroma and rich character.

Notes: Italian Bergamot, Cardamom Absolute, Florentine Iris, Blue Chamomile, Poplar Bud Absolute, Fir Balsam Fraction, Boxtree absolute, Geranium Absolute, Black tea oil, Smoked Juniper, Oakwood absolute, Sandalwood India, Beeswax Absolute, Bay leaf Absolute.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A snake in the most beautiful sense of being…the perfume doesn’t develop as much as it slowly glides through the most subtle of movements revealing small nuances as it wraps itself around the wood and green.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE BOHEA BOHÈME: gorgeous, mysterious, exotic

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT BOHEA BOHÈME: CaFleureBon, Colognoisseur

BOTTOM LINE: When I found out that the new Mona di Orio perfume was tea based I have to say that I was not excited as tea based perfumes are one of my least favorite genres. However, Bohea Bohème broke the mold for me…it’s absolutely breathtaking in its originality and the tea note is just one amongst all the notes that blends seamlessly to create this skin hugging mystery. Perfumer Fredrik Dalman has created something very special here.

Bone Rating: 4.5 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Woody Spicy
Nose: Fredrik Dalman
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $245 for 75 ml eau de parfum

May 31, 2016
by The Scented Hound 16 Comments

New Release: Geisha Vanilla Hinoki by Aroma M

WHAT I SMELL: Geisha Vanilla Hinoki opens with a bright bergamot that’s soon met with an exotic blend of lightly sweetened spices; which then quickly moves to more of a sweet and sour spiciness. There is something that is rather familiar to me in the opening and the only thing that I can think of is Lemon Pledge without the full on “lemon.” But that soon dissipates and the perfume begins to soften, but I still can’t get out of my head this association of some kind of cleaning wipe, be it a much more subtle and softer one. After 10 minutes or so, a lightly sugared lavender comes to the forefront along with a bit of creaminess. The cleaning wipe is now gone and you now have this really soft and comforting perfume that is topped with a bit of sugar and spice and it’s oh so very nice. As the perfume continues to develop, it becomes more woody with lavender becoming more powdered and radiant. At this point, the perfume has a rather masculine barber shop vibe and it reminds me of the paper neck wrap that old school barbers put on you prior to cutting your hair. Geisha Vanilla Hinoki is all warm fuzzies to me at this point. As the perfume continues to develop, the barber shop association really takes hold and the perfume begins to grow and become slightly smoky. In the end, Geisha Vanilla Hinoki is all comfort. Very nice.

From the Aroma M website:

Vanilla scents tend to have a cloying, candied effect. But not Vanilla Hinoki. Its key ingredient is a woodsy, smoky vanilla found only in Morocco.

As for the other ingredients: They kick off with light and sparkling bergamot combined with spicy, wake-up clove, cardamom, and nutmeg. These segue into more soothing mid-notes: cedarleaf, soft bergamot, and lavender. And finally the lingering drydown: exotic, animalic leather; incense-like patchouli; tropical, evergreen amyris; and cleansing, envigorating cedarwood.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: An old school barber shop; very comfortable, easy and relaxing.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE GEISHA VANILLA HINOKI: soothing, reassuring, retro

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT GEISHA VANILLA HINOKI: CaFleureBon, The Non-Blonde, Now Smell This

BOTTOM LINE: Maybe you need to be a man from my generation when barber shops were where you got your hair cut, not Great Cuts. There was a very comfortable masculinity in the atmosphere that was laid back without any stress. You went in feeling a bit messy and you left feeling like a million bucks. Geisha Vanilla Hinoki brings back all the sensory aspects of this now fading business.

Bone Rating: 4 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Oriental Floral
Nose: Maria McElroy
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $90 for 50ml Eau de Parfum

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