Decided to do a side-by-side today since @Henry Clay asked the question in a recent post. The two often get mentioned as having a similar DNA. I sprayed three sprays of Oud for Greatness on my left arm and three sprays of Haltane on my right arm. First spray logged at 12:38 p.m. ~12:40–12:45 (opening): Right away, Oud for Greatness felt brighter and sharper. There was more pop and a noticeable metallic lift from the saffron, with a bit of aromatic sharpness. Haltane, on the other hand, felt softer and rounder. Early on, it had a slightly creamy, almost milk-product type texture. Not literal milk, but a padded, cushioned feel. ~12:48 (about 10 minutes in): At this point, the two actually smelled very similar. The saffron and lavender took over on both sides, giving that familiar metallic, aromatic push. The early creaminess in Haltane faded here, and the differences were very minimal. This is the moment where I can see why people say they share a similar DNA. ~12:50: Things started to separate again. Haltane leaned more into the aromatic saffron, keeping that metallic brightness alive. Oud for Greatness began to feel drier and woodier, with the sharp pop calming down and more of a resinous, woody backbone showing up. ~12:53: The difference became clearer. Haltane started showing a soft caramel-like sweetness, not gourmand or sugary, just a warm, rounded sweetness coming through. Oud for Greatness stayed drier, more muted, and more woody, with no sweetness to cushion it. So far, it feels like they briefly overlap in the saffron-lavender phase, then head in different directions. Haltane warms up and rounds out, while Oud for Greatness becomes more austere and wood-focused. I’ll keep tracking how they develop as they move further into the drydown.

This was meant to be a no buy month for me. @Steve Louis the “good luck with the self imposed challenge” did not last long indeed. At least you are not alone @Aditya Choksi 😂 Notino is genuinely a great place to pick up official samples for cheap. I got 10 niche samples for £26. Most decanters sell 3 for around £20. I honestly stumbled upon them by accident because they do not show up when you search in the app. You basically have to be chronically online like me to discover them. From Notino, the list is: PDM Layton PDM Layton Exclusif PDM Haltane PDM Greenley PDM Sedley PDM Castley PDM Herod Initio Oud for Greatness Initio Side Effect (I actually ordered Narcotic Delight) Loewe Esencia Elixir I also picked up a few more from a new decanter. Lovely packing and a sweet card. From them I got: Afnan Turathi Blue Afnan Supremacy CE Kilian Angels’ Share Paradis MG Counterplay MG Opera Mate MG Lionora MG Prodigy PR Phantom Red I will be testing Phantom tomorrow and will let you guys know what I think about it.