A new full bottle addition to my collection that I am absolutely thrilled to finally have. Musky, iris, leather, amber, woody, spicy, and slightly boozy. Think niche-level Dior Homme Parfum 2014, with an even smoother blend and more depth. It is a crown jewel in my collection!

Boy, did this delivery ever make my day today. I’m practically giddy and have a renewed energy coursing through me this afternoon. In the past few months, I have become obsessed with Dior Homme Parfum 2014. A fragrance I put off trying for years (regrettably), until recently, due to my fear of the iris note and a bad experience I had with a fragrance featuring that note at one point. But of course, upon finally realizing my love for the fragrance, I think we all know how hard it is to find that discontinued gem these days, and if you do? Well, say goodbye to your wallet! I bought a bottle of Leather Intense from Alexandria Fragrances, which is their dupe of DHP, and while it is a GREAT stand-in, it’s still just not quite DHP. Anyway, a couple months ago, I was looking at some old decants that I hadn’t touched in a while (like a couple years) and I came across a sample of Boadicea the Victorious Harmonious that Mr. @Renato Carotti was kind enough to send me back in my early days of collecting. I remembered thinking it was ok, but it was a bit too complex and nuanced for my novice nose, that really didn’t know what to think of it at the time. “I certainly wouldn’t wear this,” I thought. As I popped the cap off of the sample (which had evaporated into a now tiny amount of syrup-like, thick fragrance oil) I was immediately struck by the similarity to DHP 2014. I sprayed (squirted) some of this treacly substance onto my arm, which seemed to never dry, as it was basically pure oil at this point, and I fell in love with the stuff just like I had with DHP. They were virtually identical! They have their subtle differences. Harmonious is smoother and a bit more nuanced, but the dry-downs are essentially the same to my nose. And the best part? It’s still in production! Now, Boadicea fragrances are not cheap either, but I had worn DHP and Harmonious enough now to know that either one would be a signature scent for me. So at this point, I was willing to pay a little more than I might normally spend on a bottle. However, I was able to find an incredible deal, and from a company that I trust very much and have built a good relationship with. So, to my surprise, it’s only the 3rd, or so, most expensive bottle I’ve ever bought.

Hey, everybody. It’s been a LONG time!! Just wanted to pop in and say hey to all my old friends from the community that I used to chat with and welcome anybody that has joined during my absence. I also wanted to post a SOTD for old time’s sake! Anyway, my SOTD today was a relatively new favorite of mine: Blue Talisman by Ex Nihilo. I really enjoy how light and refreshing it is while being a bit different from your typical “blue” fragrance. It does have some feminine qualities to it, but is still masculine enough for me with the musk and slight woodsy notes. It can be really nice when layered with something slightly more woody or something with a light leather note. In fact, there is an inexpensive, but quality, “inspired by” dupe by Arabiyat Prestige called “Kohl Opulence” that takes the Blue Talisman DNA and adds a slight leather and amber facet to the composition. This adds a slightly darker, richer, more masculine character to the fragrance that is REALLY pleasant. Cheers, everybody! —Jordan

Today I went with Blue Talisman EDP from EX NIHILO, and this is one of those fragrances that proves a fresh scent doesn’t have to be boring or smell like everything else on the shelf. Right from the opening, I get that bright, juicy pear with bergamot, mandarin, and just enough ginger to give it some lift. But what really makes Blue Talisman work for me is what happens after that opening. It becomes clean, airy, slightly musky and woody without ever getting heavy. A smooth, almost sparkling quality runs through the entire fragrance. This is modern perfumery. It isn’t trying to smell vintage, dark, or overly complicated. It just smells polished, expensive, and extremely easy to wear. Performance on the EDP is also very good for this style of fragrance. I get a noticeable scent bubble and good projection during the first few hours, and after that it stays present without becoming obnoxious. This is exactly the kind of performance I want from something I can wear during warmer weather. For Arizona, this is right in its wheelhouse. Hot weather, daytime, casual clothes, going out to lunch, or even dressed up a little at night it works. And although I own the Extrait as well, I actually think the EDP has its own purpose. The lighter, airier character is part of what makes this version so good. Blue Talisman isn’t trying to beat you over the head. It just smells clean, modern, upscale, and put together. Scent: 9/10 Performance: 8.5/10 Versatility: 9.5/10 Definitely one of the better modern fresh fragrances in my collection.

Buckle up. This is a long one! Iris Debonair is another welcome step in a new direction for Creed, which I can appreciate. I had high hopes for this scent, based on the name, as I have recently been on a bit of an iris kick thanks to DHI 2011 and DHP 2014. I wasn’t expecting it to smell like either of these fragrances, but I was expecting more, well…iris! Don’t get me wrong, the iris is there, but it might as well be the ghost of an iris flower that you’re just barely able to perceive the remnants of. Like a flower that was once there, but only the faintest imprint is left behind in its absence. I find myself really having to search for it, rather than being confronted face to face with something that says, “Yep, that’s iris, alright!” But for some people, that may be exactly what they want, or all they can tolerate of that note. It’s also a very light, airy, fresh, clean version of iris in contrast to the dense, waxy, powdery iris of the Dior Homme line. To my nose, this is not an iris fragrance. This is a fresh, clean, creamy, slightly fruity, slightly green fragrance. The most dominant notes that I detect are fig, wormwood, and citrus, with a nice creamy and juicy nature. There is sort of a gin quality to it from the absinthe, but by no means is it “boozy.” It mainly adds a fresh green character to it, alongside the violet leaf. There is a subtle lavender note that further adds to the clean, soapy nature of the fragrance. But I don’t really detect any spiciness from the pink pepper or cardamom, nor do I get any amber OR wood from the amberwood, or any musk from the ambrette. Which is sort of where this fragrance falls a bit flat for me, as I feel it would really benefit from a solid woody note to give it some backbone and perhaps some musk to add depth and more weight to such a light fragrance. As overused as sandalwood can seem at times, I feel the right type of sandalwood note could further enhance the creamy, somewhat lactonic, aspect of the fragrance, while some cedarwood might add some much needed depth.