My previous post as practically a love-note to Armani SWY Absolutely, especially as my cold weather signature scent, still stands. While I sadly have to put it away until Autumn rolls around (and either Hawas Tropical or Lattafa Qaed al Fursan dominate my summer), I recently acquired a sampler of Powerfully. Cherry fragrances intrigue me, especially paired with orange, and thought it would be an interesting twist on the SWY DNA. While it's sadly still not summer-friendly, figured I'd give it a try. It's nice... but Absolutely still wins by light years to me. I guess I'm just a sucker for more gourmand fragrances as I count the days until the first leaf change, dancing downward in the gilded earlier sunset on a crisp breeze. That, and ASWYA has the davana flower to add that personalized chameleon note, along with the seemingly ever-lingering balsamic note I still smell on my saxophone neck strap since March. As a final note, maybe it's just my nose, but I smell the Mandarin orange far more prominently than the cherry note. Maybe that's a good thing, as many cherry fragrances lean too sweet, like candy. Whereas this cherry is a heavier undercurrent. Thoughts?

Sauvage Extrait - Really synthetic smelling and sort of dirty floral/green earthy note on strip. The smooth Lavender of the Elixer was toned down and I think an almost lactonic animalic leather note trying to assert itself. I think I'm going to have to give this one another. Try on another day as it may have just cooked my nose because it was too strong and I may need to spray it on strip and wait 30 minutes to even get to know what it's like. Again, it felt really jumbled and almost chaotic and again that might have been overspraying the strip. Given how aggressive and rough it was I didn't want to put it on skin unless I was going straight home. This one is getting a pass for now with a caveat that I'm going to smell it again on another day when it's not as warm. Armani I Will - This one seems intriguing. Smelled after the one above it sort of was washed out and again one that I think I'm going to sniff again. Maybe in slightly cooler weather because the woodsy vanilla got sort of washed out in the same way that BDX Vanilla Caviar is one I love in the winter but just falls flat for me when it's warmer. Again, another one that is getting a curious to try again. Ralphs Club New York Parfum - Of the three I tried today this one was the initially most pleasing, opened with a very satisfying, spicy warmth. This is the only one I kept the card from to get a sense of how it smelled throughout and my only critique is once that initial warmth and spiciness wore off as it was sitting in a fairly warm car while we ran errands. It filled the space quite nicely, but also in the base was sort of sweet caramel that reminds me of a lot of other sort of designer fragrances like the Most Wanted, etc. So in the end my initial take was it smells really nice and is very pleasing, but I'm not sure if I don't already have a few that smell just like this in my collection. I often say that though about Ralph Lauren fragrances, especially Polo 67. If it was my first fragrance. It's a banger if it's your 50th or 60th likely isn't going to move the needle. Much in the safe designer space. But like all the Ralphs club very well constructed for what it is. It's very smooth. And the sort of sweet caramelly base is probably one of the smoothest and best blended of all of the designer fragrances that kind of sit in the same scent space.

That was a productive day, One bottle ticked of the bucket list @arnottsdublin. Was a struggle to make a choice but finally went for the Bvlgari. Also changed my opinion of the new Sauvage extrait. Then had my nose on almost every Tom Ford not already in my collection. The Black Lacquer is very interesting.was surprised they did not have the new ombre reserve in stock. Oh and a return to @handsomescent for a new selection. I picked up a couple of their Ouds, a leather, a lemon hello and Wild Atlantic Way. Their an Irish house, they buy their oils from one of the big French suppliers. Then add the alcohol and bottle in house. .Sadly @parfumarija & @cloonkeen were closed. Will need plan better the next time 🙏