17. Limit how many fragrances you test at one time This is something I’ve learned the hard way: the more fragrances you smell back-to-back, the harder it becomes to really judge any of them properly. At first, everything may smell clear and easy to separate. But after several fragrances, your nose starts getting tired, and the scents begin running together. That’s when I notice I’m having a harder time picking out the differences, especially once I start dealing with similar woods, ambers, florals, musks, or sweeter fragrances. I’d rather test a smaller group and pay attention to them than try to smell 15 or 20 fragrances in one sitting and remember everything afterward. If I’m in a store, I’ll usually start with paper strips or cotton rounds to narrow things down. Once I find the ones that really interest me, I put those on my skin and spend more time with them. And when my nose starts getting tired, I stop. I’ll step away, get some fresh air, smell a clean shirt or neutral piece of cloth, and come back later instead of forcing myself to keep testing. I also like keeping the sprayed cotton rounds separated in small zip bags so I can revisit them later. That way I don’t feel like I have to make a decision while I’m standing at the counter. For me, fragrance testing isn’t about how many fragrances I can smell; it’s about how well I can evaluate the ones I’m actually interested in. Sometimes testing fewer fragrances tells you a lot more.

We finally got some legitimate fall weather. Got to pull out the clothes I prefer and reach into the other part of my fragrance options. On Saturday I went with one of my all-time favorites, Austin. To me, it says fall weekend the way VIW says summer weekend. Had me feeling good all day. Today I reached for my newest one, New Orleans, which they just released. The foundational DNA of the two are similar; this one leans into some cherry booziness as well. When City Rhythm does its holiday sale, I'll most likely add a bottle of this to the mix.

Spending the day with another round of a sample of this new for 2026 scent. It opens up nicely, very aromatic with a little warm wood feeling to it for a cold morning. Once it dries down though it seems to fade away quite a bit and not necessarily the longevity that I'm looking for. 😢 I'll try again with some more sprays a little later.

Blue Talisman is an excellent fragrance to examine from a technical perspective because Ex Nihilo specifically names three modern perfumery materials: Georgywood™, Ambrofix™, and Akigalawood™. These are much more informative than generic notes such as amber, woods, or musk. Ex Nihilo also identifies an intentionally prominent Ambrofix effect in the composition. 1. Official note breakdown Advertised notes Top Pear, Bergamot, Ginger, Mandarin Heart Orange Blossom, Georgywood™ Base Ambrofix™, Akigalawood™, Musks 2. Known and disclosed materials For this review, there are two important groups: the branded perfumery materials specifically named by Ex Nihilo and the compounds appearing in published product ingredient declarations. Material Actual smell and possible role Ambrofix™ Dry, warm, woody, mineral, ambergris-like. Provides persistence, diffusion and a modern amber foundation. Georgywood™ Dry, smooth, diffusive, ambery wood. Creates woody volume and radiance. Akigalawood™ Spicy, peppery, patchouli-like woody character. Adds texture and a darker woody contrast. Limonene Bright citrus-peel freshness. Supports the opening. Linalool Fresh, citrusy, floral, slightly lavender-like. Can connect citrus and floral effects. Citral Sharp lemon and lemongrass. Supports bright citrus accords. Citronellol Rosy, fresh, citrus-floral. Supports floral character. Geraniol Sweet rose and geranium. Adds floral sweetness. Eugenol Warm clove-like spice. May reinforce spicy character. Isoeugenol Sweet, spicy, clove-like, slightly woody. Can provide warmth and floral-spicy complexity. Benzyl Salicylate Mild, sweet, balsamic-floral. Commonly supports floral accords and improves their persistence. The branded materials are identified in Ex Nihilo's note disclosure; the other substances appear in retailer-published ingredient information for the original Eau de Parfum. Their precise concentrations and individual functions in the finished formula are not disclosed. 3. Inside the accords-Possible raw materials

The weather finally cooled down enough today that I could justify breaking this one out. I picked up Tabac 28 last week while I was in Chicago, and I’ve been waiting for the right day to give it a proper wear. There is something extra fun about that with Le Labo too. The bottle was compounded in Chicago, dated, and personalized for my wife and me, so it already has a little memory attached to it before I even really know the fragrance. 😎 And this one definitely feels like fall. Warm, woody, smoky, a little sweet, and very comforting. I’m getting that tobacco character right away, but it doesn’t smell like I just walked into a cigar lounge. It feels smoother than that — more like warm tobacco, woods and a little boozy sweetness sitting together in the background. Exactly the kind of thing I’ve been waiting to bring back into the rotation now that the weather is finally cooperating. And as someone who enjoys a good cigar, I’ll admit the name alone probably gave this one a head start. 😂 So far, I’m really enjoying it.