I’ve spent the last two days at Day Three Fragrances with Michael Paul and a small group of people he trusts, going through finished fragrances that will be released over the course of the coming year. I’m limited in what I can reveal right now, and I’m going to respect that. No names, no note breakdowns, and no giving away fragrances that haven’t been announced. But I can talk about what I experienced, because this is something very different for Day Three. Michael has already shown us two sides of himself through his perfumery—the Dominican-inspired fragrances and the American stories that have become such an important part of the Day Three identity. Now he has connected with another group of fragrances and, just as importantly, the stories behind them. He has decided to introduce what I would call a third line, or third dimension, to the Day Three lineup. And after spending two days smelling through this work, I can tell you that this is a side of Michael Paul that none of us in that room had really seen before. That includes me, and I own his entire lineup. I tested no fewer than six upcoming fragrances, and figuring out which one was “the best” became almost impossible. And I truly mean that. These fragrances were exceptional. Not exceptional because I was sitting there with the perfumer. Not exceptional because I got to smell them before everybody else. And certainly not because somebody expected me to say they were good. Anybody who knows me knows I’m not a yes man. I was brought in because Michael wanted an honest opinion. I take that seriously. My integrity with the fragrance community means far more to me than being invited into a room or getting early access to something. The last thing I would ever want is for fellow fragrance enthusiasts to question whether I’m giving them my real opinion. If I don’t like something, I’ll say it. If something needs work, I’ll say that too. But what do you say when the perfumer puts work in front of you that is genuinely superb—and the fragrances go in so many different directions that comparing them almost feels unfair?