This is one I sampled many moons ago, and wanted to give it a decant level look. I was off from work today, running some errands, and BIR Intense seemed like a good choice. This smells magically fantastic for the first hour and a half to 2 hrs, with its beautiful smooth, sweet, woody, floral, vanilla open with some powder, a touch of aromatics and pinch of warm spice. It settles down to a very nice, even airy, blend of all its notes, with mild, stable sillage that lasts a good 7 hours. I thought a little heat might activate the aroma, and it certainly did. It's in the 80s in South FL today, and the warms provide some extra energy to keep the sillage pumping. This fragrance is not heavy at all, and I'm curious how it would respond to even more outdoor heat? We shall see. I'm giving Haltane a first wear tonight, and I'm excited to see where it goes. Keep smelling great brothers!

I posted earlier today about a video I watched and would like to break it down in a different way since most will not watch the video, so I wanted to throw some "unpopular opinions" out there to see where everyone stands. We all love the hunt for the perfect scent, but are we falling into some of these traps? 1. The "Beast Mode" Tax is Real The obsession with performance is actually hurting our wallets. Brands have realized they can slap an "Extrait" label on a bottle, pump up the Ambroxan, and charge us $400-$600 because we’ve been conditioned to think 12+ hours of longevity is the only metric that matters. Are we losing the artistry of subtle perfumery? 2. Buying isn't a Hobby—It’s an Addiction We’ve all seen the "rate my collection" posts with 100+ bottles. A huge realization for me lately is that learning about notes and history is the hobby; the act of purchasing is just a shopping habit. If your collection can't be finished in 3 years, are you actually enjoying the scents, or just the hit of dopamine from the delivery? 3. The "Paper Strip" Delusion It’s wild how many people still buy a full bottle based on the first 30 seconds at a counter. The opening is just the "pre-game." If you aren't living with the dry-down on your skin for at least 4 hours before committing, you aren't actually buying the fragrance—you're buying the marketing. 4. Subjectivity vs. The "Spectrometer" Scent is the most subjective thing on earth, yet we argue for hours in the comments about whether a note smells like "pickles" or "luxury woods." We have to admit that our memories and associations (like the "makeup bag" Iris in DHI) color our perception more than the actual ingredients do. 5. The Clone vs. Original Rivalry Clones are great for people who don't care, but a trained nose will almost always spot the 10% difference. Does that 10% difference justify a $300 price gap? For me, sometimes the "inspired" version hits the itch, but other times it’s like a sibling—close, but definitely not a twin.

My office Christmas party will be happening tonight at a conventions center. I’m testing 7 fragrances that might suit my needs tonight (I need heavy artillery.) Which of these you would pick?

I love this bottle, but beware of fakes. I was buying gifts and bought one from a whatnot. I wanted to share my experience. The Fake box is nearly impossible to detect the difference, but once you get it home and open it --- SURPRISE... Its Fake! Here is how to tell you have a fake bottle similar to mine: -- The glass bottle is black instead of clear -- When you take off the sprayer cap it has a straight tube (the sprayer tube should be fluted) Along with Mega, there are also fakes of Odyssey Candee, Tyrant, Limoni, Spectra, and Mandarin Sky that I have seen as well. In every instance, no matter how good or bad the fake, these always have the straight sprayer tube that gives it away. Every original Armaf Odyssey bottle (all 22 of them) have fluted sprayer tubes.

Got a decant in from my go-to spot Scent Split for today’s testing of Encre Noire by Lalique. This one has been around for a minute, launched in 2006 by perfumer Nathalie Lorson. This is a beauty of a fragrance with a minimal note breakdown, and one I enjoy quite a bit. It’s a dry (not sweet or sugary) fougère-style fragrance that can easily be worn year-round as someone’s signature scent. Very versatile, non-offensive, but still full of character. Not going to bore you with opening, mid, and dry-down because this one is pretty linear from start to finish, with only subtle shifts in the opening. Think of a cedar cabinet, or a cedar plank that you press your nose against and take a deep sniff… that’s what I get for the most part. With the cypress/vetiver blend, you get that same vibe but obviously much better than sniffing a dry ol’ piece of wood. It’s beautiful and bright, but still a tad dark. In the background, there’s a mossy quality—almost like wet forest moss. Overall, it’s a beautiful, woody, slightly metallic fragrance that punches far above its price point. To my nose, this has similarities to Terre d'Hermès and an upscaled Cypress Cedar by Banana Republic. Now I definitely want to try Encre Noire À L’Extrême. For the price point, I think this is worth checking out if you enjoy woody vetiver. I give it a 7.5/10 and would gladly welcome it into my collection, though I’m not rushing out to hunt a deal… if that makes sense. Have a smeltastic day, Brotherhood, and if you can’t have one… create one! Top: Cypress Mid: Vetiver Base: Cashmere Wood and Musk