woody musk | The Scented Hound

Let me first say that I have avoided Bond No. 9 fragrances. I don’t know what it is, the plastic looking bottles with garish and bright colors? Or could it be that they seem to be like rabbits wherein they breed and multiply as quickly as you can turn your head. In any case, I really have had no desire to check them out. But as it would happen, a lovely friend sent me a nice size sample of New York Musk, so of course I had to check it out.

WHAT I SMELL: New York Musk opens with juicy black currant tinged with a slight citrus. It’s not quite edible, but extremely pleasant, yet seems somehow manufactured, like a smell that is part wood and part plastic like the inside of a shipping container…no, it smells a bit like a new outdoor jute rug…no, kind of like the inside a tweed coat. Whatever the case, it didn’t last all that long. I was expecting the opening to be overwhelming, but instead it’s relatively subdued. After a few minutes the patchouli really starts to flourish along with a hint of cocoa. At this point, New York Musk is nice and soothing. After around the ten minute mark, the fragrance starts to build in projection and the patchouli boldly takes center stage. The vetiver woodiness keeps the patchouli in line, not allowing it to completely explode. What I like is that there is a just a hint of nutty sugar that sits on top that makes it slightly gourmand. However, I do think to myself that if it stays in this state wearing it could tire me out. But after around an hour, the gourmandish patchouli makes way for the linen like musk which tends to flatten the overall fragrance, and also gives a slight wet and dirty tube sock finish. Unfortunately, in the end you’re left with a pretty pungent sour musk.

New York Musk Notes: grapefruit, black currant, osmanthus flower, green lilies, nutmeg, musk, patchouli, sandalwood and vetiver

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A wig. Why? Because this sits on top of your skin, it’s pleasant, adds some dimension, and like the right wig, it adds a nice finish to your ensemble. But then a wig can also sit on your head slightly askew and that means it’s just not quite right.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE NEW YORK MUSK: dichotomous, innocuous, semi-sugared

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT NEW YORK MUSK: Scentrist, CaFleureBon

BOTTOM LINE: I can’t really figure out what’s going on here. I like part of it, don’t mind some of it, and am left scratching my head with the dull dirty sock like finish. In other words, I’m not running to the Bond No. 9 counter any time soon to check out more of the line.

Bone Rating: 2 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Floral Woody Musk
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $260 for 50ml EdP

This review is based on the 2013 Nocturnes release that is part of the Caron La Selection collection of fragrances.

WHAT I SMELL: Nocturnes opens bright and beautiful and very similar to one of my all time favorites, Givenchy Ysatis. It’s bold with florals highlighted by gorgeous ylang-ylang and warmed rose with hints of pepper; although this is perfectly blended so that notes are hard to distinguish on their own. Soon enough the Ysatis like boldness upon first application starts to retreat and you start noticing the tuberose a bit more. But it’s a soft tuberose and one that’s rather comforting and pretty. The fragrance doesn’t change much after this except that the vetiver woodiness becomes more prominent. Nocturnes is pretty, close to the skin and an overall lovely surprise.

Nocturnes Notes: Top notes are orange, rose and neroli; middle notes are jasmine, tuberose and ylang-ylang; base notes are sandalwood, vetiver and musk.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A lilting melody.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE NOCTURNES: uncomplicated, pretty, endearing

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT NOCTURNES: Perfume Shrine. I can only find additional reviews for the older version of the fragrance.

BOTTOM LINE: I can’t say how this compares to the older version of the fragrance, but this is really quite pretty, but nothing groundbreaking. Nocturnes is the perfect fragrance for when you just want to feel content and happy as there’s nothing dark about this at all. It would be perfect for the office, or running errands in your jeans. I have read some complaints about the new Caron bottles that are part of the La Selection collection where people thought that the bottles were too boring and masculine. I think they’re better in person than in pictures. They’re simply designed, heavy in weight and the cap is magnetized so that it won’t fall off of the bottle. For me, the new bottles definitely work!

Bone Rating: 3.5 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Floral Woody Musk
Classification: Feminine
Expense: $126 for 100ml EdP