I've been intrigued by Sartorial for a long time, and it all started with a description that I couldn't get out of my head when I heard a brother here describe it as a freshly pressed white business shirt. I've been trying to find a decant for quite a while, and thanks to Joe A.'s Decants, I finally got the chance to wear it. And now that I have, I understand why that description stayed with me. Sartorial is immediately fresh, crisp and airy. The lavender and aldehydic character gives it that almost freshly pressed quality, while beeswax, leather, woods and a soft muskiness give it warmth and depth as it develops. The closest I've ever come to the image I get with this is Prada L'Homme. Unfortunately, L'Homme is very iris forward, and I've never been a fan of iris. Sartorial gives me that same image without the iris getting in the way. There is something very masculine about it, without it being dark, loud or aggressive. And the musk is important here. The freshness gets my attention, but that soft muskiness is what keeps drawing me back to my skin. It gives the fragrance a warmth and sensuality that I really enjoy. As an EDT, it projects predictably in an alluring way. The sillage is moderate and noticeably softer as it dries down. The longevity is more about how it returns to you in your own scent bubble with a muskiness that give hours of pleasure. A genuine thank-you to Joe A.'s Decants for helping me finally get my hands on this one. I've been chasing Sartorial for quite a while, and Joe came through when I couldn't find it anywhere. He was also generous enough to include a couple of other samples which I will also be posting about after the wears.

Released in 2021, by Pierre Montale, the nose behind the entire Mancera line. This is the heavier, richer evolution of the original 2011 Cedrat Boise. The one point everyone should be talking about is that opening, some say it's comparable too Creed Aventus, but I'd pick this any day over the Creed. Here Montale took a bright citrus-fruit DNA and cranked it up with leather, oud and some serious woody depth, so much so that this is effectively a different fragrance entirely. Also worth noting: despite being labelled Eau de Parfum, it’s bottled at Extrait-level strength, which goes a long way toward explaining why it performs the way it does. You can tell with just a few sprays on the back of your hand. Note the oily film it leaves. That's a sure sign. It opens loud and proud, with a bright, zesty citrus hit alongside juicy, tart blackcurrant, with warm spices underneath so it never reads thin or sharp. If you’re here expecting a straight Aventus clone, hang around: that fruit burst fades faster than you think. Within 45 minutes it darkens up considerably, smooth leather, creamy white sandalwood, and soft Cambodian oud bringing a gentle, refined smokiness rather than anything harsh or medicinal. The jasmine is polite and well-behaved, just a touch of elegance, while patchouli leaves add a clean, earthy-green anchor that keeps it grounded. By the dry-down, warm vanilla, polished grey amber, wild oakmoss and that signature Mancera white musk wrap everything up. Its luxurious, rounded, and surprisingly balanced. The leather and oud don’t scream; they just give the scent real weight and maturity. Performance is surprisingly closer to the 8hour mark than I expected. With strong projection for the first few hours, then a solid, noticeable trail that clings to clothes and lasts well into evening. It settles beautifully and is also noticeably sweeter and heavier than the original. Fantastic in cooler weather, evenings and autumn/winter, but far too dense and syrupy for scorching summer days. And yes, the hype is largely deserved. It’s not perfect, and it’s not cheap, but if you want serious performance and depth rather than just flashy marketing. This is the one.

Chose Armaf Club de Nuit Milestone on a very warm day in the office. The crisp aquatic notes off giving find a metallic nature that turns some people off. I like it as a change to my normal wears.