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?

My son got Baptized today and went with my favorite scent in my collection JPG Le Male Le Parfum The Opening: It kicks off with a warm, punchy burst of cardamom. Rather than leaning harsh or synthetic, the spice feels rich, upscale, and instantly inviting. ​The Heart: As the spice settles, a velvety duo of iris and lavender emerges. The iris adds a soft, buttery, slightly powdery touch—giving it a sophisticated "classy modern gentleman" edge without ever straying into makeup-bag territory. ​The Dry Down: The star of the show. The base dissolves into a warm, cozy mix of oriental vanilla and subtle dark woods. It’s sweet, but expertly balanced so it stays seductive rather than cloying. ​Performance ​Longevity: Excellent. Easily yields 8 to 10+ hours on skin and lasts for days on clothes. ​Projection: Moderate to strong. It projects loudly for the first 2 hours, then settles into an irresistible, intimate scent bubble that draws people in rather than choking out the room. ​

Moved by my brothers Stephen DeMent & Edgar Mertins curiosity on my SODT yesterday, I decided to wear it today. It opens very fruity-fresh and spicy, where the apple is very prominent, along with the clove, enveloped by leathery, woody and resinous nuances. (For some, this opening might come across too heavy, naming “cloying.”) As it dries down the spiciness tones down while the apple remains prominent, accompanied by rich-woody accords. The brand claims they used natural oud. However, it doesn’t have any funk or animalic nuances. Rather, comes across as heavy wood accord. While the opening hits powerfully, it smoothens a lot while transitioning to the dry down. It could be dressed up or down, cooler weather appropriate, with good projection and longevity.