Part of Nordstrom’s anniversary sale. You can an extra $50 off the discount if you have an Amex card and apply the $50 back when spending $200 or more Nordy discount.

Just got a delivery of four niche decants to try out. I picked three that I haven’t tried before based on research into their notes, and one to try again (I had traded away a sample of this months ago and kind of regretted it so I wanted to try it again). Of course I couldn’t wait to test them one at a time so I’ve got two on each arm. Of the three new ones, one is a winner and two are just horrific. Like epically bad, like I hate them and wanna wash them off my arm. Right now. Luckily, I’ve learned to have a little patience in this hobby and I’m going to let the two I hate settle down to see if they get any better — but based on their opens and how my weird nose perceives certain aromachemicals, these are absolutely not gonna be for me. But I think I stumbled on a winner out of the three new ones in this batch, and the fourth one I’m revisited is definitely a winner as well, so I think this is a good outcome today! In order of how much I like them: - Day Three Desert Rain: This is a winner! Bright, crisp, aromatic and sparkly, this reminds me a bit of M Micallef GN Tonic but feels like something I can wear throughout the year. I definitely want to get to know this one, but I think it could be full bottle worthy right out of the gate. I’m not feeling super positive that this has great performance, though, it seems to be fading fast. We’ll have to see how it does. But in terms of the scent profile, it’s very good. - Blackcliff Madagascar Man: this is a winner as well! I first got my nose on this when one of my decanters threw in a free sample almost a year ago. It’s… really weird, frankly, and I ended up giving my sample away — but I kind of regret not getting to know this one better so I ordered a decant with this shipment. This has a very challenging animalic open but if you can get past that funky civet then you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful dry amber vanilla and toasted spices. It’s really interesting and gorgeous, kind of like a much more masculine, dry and less sweet but more spicy take on absolute aphrodisiac.

I own the entire Day Three lineup, and to me this is one of the most underrated American artisan fragrance houses out there. The brand doesn’t rely on hype or flashy marketing. Instead, it focuses on quality compositions, creativity, and wearable fragrances that stand on their own. You can tell a lot of thought goes into each release, and most of them have their own identity rather than chasing whatever is trending. What really stands out to me is the quality of the materials and the blending. The fragrances smell smooth, natural, and refined from opening to dry down. They transition well throughout the wear instead of feeling linear or synthetic. Whether it’s a fresh release like Frost, a gourmand, or something darker and richer, they all feel like they belong to the same house because of the attention to detail. Another thing I appreciate is the variety. There is something for almost everyone without the lineup feeling repetitive. You have fresh, tropical, gourmand, woody, spicy, and darker offerings, yet most of them maintain their own personality. I never get the feeling that the house is simply releasing flankers or slightly tweaking the same DNA over and over again. Performance is solid across the line. Some fragrances project more than others because that is simply the style of the scent, but I judge performance by how well a fragrance actually works—not whether it lasts 16 hours or fills an entire room. Day Three fragrances generally have good projection, a noticeable scent trail, and respectable longevity while remaining well-balanced. Cons No house is perfect. Because Day Three is a smaller artisan brand, availability is more limited than designer fragrances, and you won’t find it in department stores. The fragrances also carry artisan pricing, which may be more than someone used to buying designers or clone fragrances wants to spend. While I appreciate that many releases are unique, a few may be more artistic or specific in their appeal and won’t be as universally loved as a typical blue designer fragrance.

Le Sel D'Issey Eau de Parfum / Issey Miyake — decided to go with a marine aquatic today. Salty, a bit of seaweed that dries down to a nice amber/cedar. Not quite as fresh as the EDT but longevity stretches out to about 6 hours with a nice scent bubble for the first 1 1/2 - 2 hours

I always thought Naxos would be my first Xerjoff pick up but when i saw this at a great price i said “nuh-uh”. So here it is. Stuffs stronger in the bottle than the sample. And luckily it suits my skin chem. I love how they put effort into little things and details. Love when a company puts effort into things like this. To me its a sign of appreciation and valuing their customers. Unlike some other brands (cough cough Bond no.9 cough). Usually i chuck boxes in the bin but ill be keeping this.