Starting another Monday, and going with Burberry Hero EDT. The freshest version with nice citrus off the top but strikes quickly into that known cedar foundation. The EDP is still the best in the line to me, but this is more of an every day wear.

This one’s such a clever addition to the line, my latest addition to my Replica collection, and it nails its brief perfectly. Launched in 2022, Fellow Irish native Meabh McCurtin is the nose behind this one. It’s meant to capture that quiet magic of lying out under a clear Namibian night sky – that cool, crisp air, the smell of dry earth, and that sense of calm that comes when everything falls quiet after dark. It’s not a loud, showy scent by any stretch; it’s atmospheric, moody, and feels exactly like the moment it’s named for. It’s a big shift from the bright, fresh summer picks, but it’s got that same thoughtful, memory‑driven design that makes this range stand out. First spray hits you straight with a slight combo of black pepper & cinnamon leaves. It’s sharp, aromatic, and has a faint cool spice, not hot or fiery, just crisp & bracing, like the air dropping the second the sun dips. No citrus, no florals, just that clean, spicy kick that feels like nightfall settling in. As it settles, cypriol & Virginian cedarwood take over. Its dry, rich, earthy woods with that dark, almost smoky warmth, grounding the whole thing and giving it that solid, quiet weight.The dry-down is where it shows its real character: labdanum, oud infusion, and that soft leather accord. The oud is muted and smooth, the leather clean and polished, and the labdanum wraps it all up in a soft, amber-like warmth that lingers nicely. Performance is typical of the Replica line – I get around 5 hours on skin, with soft projection for the first couple of hours before it settles close. It’s not built to shout across a room; it’s the kind of scent people catch only when they’re close to you, which fits its quiet, intimate vibe perfectly. It’s not for sweltering midday heat, but it’s ideal for warm summer evenings, late walks, or any time you want something that feels calm and grounding. It’s understated, sure, but it does exactly what it sets out to do – and for me, that’s where it shines. My Rating: 7/10

Week 5: Finalizing the Build Hey guys, Joe A. here with another one for ya’! Welcome back to Shelf Control, where one man attempts to bring order to a fragrance collection that clearly stopped respecting boundaries! So now the brackets are up, the shelves are in, and the empty shelves are officially in position. In other words, the construction phase is largely done — which is both exciting and slightly terrifying, because now the wall is just standing there waiting for several hundred bottles to show up like it knows something I don’t!! For the shelves, I ended up going with birch panels instead of oak. And no, before anybody starts connecting dots, this was not an Aventus nod. I chose birch because the lighter white wood works beautifully with the blue tones in the room and keeps the whole space feeling clean, open and airy. Since I’m down here in Florida, I wanted the design to have a little bit of that bright, fresh, coastal feel without turning the room into a Tommy Bahama clearance rack. The shelves are roughly 4 feet long and 16 inches deep, mounted on heavy brackets, and you can clearly see the acrylic tiered displays fitting in nicely! Right now, everything looks clean, calm, and suspiciously under control, which means the bottles clearly haven’t arrived yet. The structure is there, the spacing is set, and the garage office wall finally looks like it was designed to become the Joe Average Fragrance Library! Next up is the big one: The Great Bottle Migration, when the collection starts moving from around the house into one central location. The stage is built. The shelves are ready. Now it’s time to see if Shelf Control can survive first contact with the actual collection. #EnjoytheJourney Week 6: The Great Bottle Migration (Part 1)!

I Will by Giorgio Armani “ Giorgio Armani I Will. And that name combined with that dark bottle fading from black to amber is already giving strong, confident energy before you even spray it. Bergamot, Madagascar vanilla, lavender and violet leaf open it up - that's a really interesting combination. You got citrus, floral, herbal and something green all happening at once. The Madagascar vanilla right up top is unusual and it gives this warmth from the very first second. Then woody and leather close it out and that's where it gets serious and masculine. Woody, leather, fresh spicy, vanilla. Six notes total but they paint a complete picture. This is the kind of fragrance that smells expensive without trying to explain itself. The leather and wood base sitting on top of that Madagascar vanilla opening is what makes this different from every other Armani fragrance. It's warmer, darker and more confident than what they usually release. Unisex but this is leaning masculine for sure. The person who wears this doesn't need to announce themselves - people just notice.” Top: Bergamot, Madagascar Vanilla, Lavender, Violet Leaf Base: Woody, Leather Price guess: $130-$180 Best season: Fall and Winter. This is a power move fragrance for cold weather. @chrisdaceo | Christopher Lee Fragrances

Went in to my preferred dept store in the city today. Was considering adding the long covered Terre d'Hermes edt or picking up a Beach Walk replacement. Well plans did not quite go so well. Got chatting with a girl at the Maison Margeila counter, who slipped me a sample of the yet to be released Lost Eden. Had a great chat an had my nose on a truckload of their fragrances. Celestial whispers was a stand out for me but was sadly not I stock. Then I got introduced to their fragrance expert, a lovely young French lady who had only just finished an in house master class. I did get an invite to the next one though, super happy with that. Ended up grabbing a bottle of Under the stars. Ok it's not exactly a heat friendly scent but it is more of my personal vibe, with it I got a wee 7ml of their latest chasing sunsets. Oh yeah and a small bottle of Terre d'Hermes. Super stoked, what an extremely productive day. Next week I got some delivery's due from Memo Paris & Mancera. With my new French friend no doubt I'll be exploring more houses from the area soon.