Match #60 completes the main-bracket Quarterfinals with two fragrances from completely different worlds: Boss Bottled Absolu versus Giorgio Armani Acqua di Giò Profondo EDP. Boss Bottled Absolu is darkness. Spices, leather, patchouli, incense, myrrh, and woods create something rich, smoky, and complex. It's built for cold weather, evenings, and those occasions when you want your fragrance to have some presence. ADG Profondo is almost its mirror image. Fresh, clean, aquatic, aromatic, and citrusy, with marine notes, bergamot, rosemary, lavender, and that mineral quality running through the drydown. It's exactly the kind of fragrance I want when the temperature climbs. And both are extremely well done. So how do you choose between two fragrances designed to accomplish completely different things? There's almost no crossover here. One belongs with sweaters and jackets; the other practically demands sunshine and short sleeves. Maybe my decision is being influenced by the calendar. We're heading into autumn here in the U.S., even if the weather hasn't quite gotten the message yet. Or maybe it's simply that the Boss has one of those fascinating drydowns that keeps me smelling my wrist. Whatever the reason, by the narrowest of margins: Boss Bottled Absolu advances to the Semifinals. Acqua di Giò Profondo EDP drops into the second-chance bracket—and I'm very glad it isn't finished yet. That completes the Quarterfinals. Our main-bracket Semifinalists are set: Chanel Allure Homme Sport Eau Extrême, Terre d'Hermès Eau Givrée, Tom Ford Ombré Leather, and Boss Bottled Absolu. Four fragrances. Four different personalities. And from here, the decisions are going to be brutal.

These are some of my favorite fragrances. I haven't ranked my fragrances in a while and this is encouraging me to do an update. Also wish I could add Mike Paynes fragrance to Parfumo, it's such an interesting blend.