Crazy nose Nasomatto does it again with this powerhouse new release!! It's a realistic take on mossy, damp earth, but there's a touch sweetness (tonka maybe) and there's this cooling factor to it (cypriol oil maybe). Man, is it powerful too!! I'll have to spend some time with this one!!

OMG!! This one should be good!! What say you, guys?

Because I say this when I look at my collection.

Hey guys, Joe A. here with another one for ya’! So this next meetup is a pretty cool opportunity to talk with @Marcelo Oillataguerre , aka, The Niche Fragrance Collector, and since time will be limited, I personally don’t want to waste the moment asking the usual “what’s your favorite fragrance?” type of questions! Don’t get me wrong, favorite scent questions are fun. We all love hearing what someone with a serious nose reaches for. But when you’re talking to someone who has smelled deep into the niche world, traveled through a lot of brands, explored different styles and built a real point of view around fragrance, I think the better question is not just 'what do you like?' It’s more like 'how do you think about fragrance now?' Right now, one question I’m leaning toward is this: ----------“With niche fragrance becoming more mainstream and more expensive, what separates a truly artistic niche release from one that is just wearing the "costume" of niche?”---------- That one interests me because we are living in a strange fragrance era. Everything is “exclusive,” everything is “extrait,” everything has a dramatic bottle, a moody campaign and a price tag that looks like it comes with a monthly payment plan. But does that automatically make it art? Or are some brands just throwing on a velvet jacket and charging admission? The other question I’m considering is: ----------“After smelling as much as you have, what has changed the most about your own taste over the years?”---------- Because honestly, that might be the real collector question. Most of us start this hobby chasing compliments, performance, hype or whatever bottle the algorithm keeps shoving in our faces. But over time, your nose changes. Your patience changes. Your standards change. Sometimes the fragrance you've ignored two years ago becomes the one that finally makes sense! What say you, guys? If you only had a few minutes with a serious niche fragrance reviewer, what would you ask? Would you go for something practical, like underrated houses and buying advice, or would you ask something deeper about artistry, taste and the direction of the hobby? Conversely, what is one fragrance reviewer question you are absolutely tired of hearing? Love to hear from ya'!

Hey guys, Joe A. here with another one for ya’! Well, what was supposed to be a quick opportunity to ask a couple of questions turned into a great hour-long conversation with @Marcelo Oillataguerre and I’ve got to say, it was a real treat!! One of the things that really stuck with me was Marcelo’s reminder that perfume is about pleasure. Simple idea, but man, we forget it sometimes. In this hobby, it is easy to start turning every fragrance into a chemistry exam, a performance spreadsheet, or a debate over batch codes, note pyramids and whether the opening has enough artisanal Laotian oud or Cambodian oud (haha)! But at the end of the day, fragrance is a human experience! We also talked about the difference between niche and designer fragrance, and I appreciated the way he framed it. Designer fragrances often have to serve a broader market. They need to be wearable, sellable, recognizable and profitable. That does not make them bad. We all know there are plenty of designer fragrances that deserve respect. But niche, at its best, starts from a different place, a place that truly appreciates the artistry of fragrance! Of course, Marcelo also gave a few fragrances worth getting our noses on, and you know I had my ears open like somebody said “free decants.” A few that came up were Lubin Black Jade, Ramon Monegal Oud on Fire, Ramon Monegal Soul of Oud, and Varanasi from Meo Fusciuni. And honestly, that is the kind of recommendation I enjoy most. Not just “this gets compliments” or “this lasts 14 hours,” but fragrances that invite you to slow down, experience them and maybe understand the artistic side of the hobby a little better. Big thanks to @Marcelo Oillataguerre for being generous with his time and for reminding me that while we can talk notes, houses, performance and price all day, perfume still comes back to pleasure. Big thanks of course to our host, @Antonio Centeno