Found this sample of Enchouku, a Barrett clone of Tom Ford’s Plum Japonais I’ve never tried. The fragrance breaks down like this: Top: cinnamon and saffron Heart: Japanese plum, plum blossom, liquor, cypress, camellia Base: Oud, benzoin, fir, vanilla I really like this fragrance. It’s warm and woody and really smells different than any fragrance I have. Tom Ford’s scent is discontinued so I’ll never have the opportunity to try it. Have a good weekend everyone. Anyone family with the OG from Tom Ford?

There is a slow approaching chill in the air and I was vibing this amazing classic. Needs no introduction to be fair. A 2013 release, created by my favourite perfumer Alienor Massenet. She's the woman behind most of the early Memo Paris line, responsible for some of the finest leather fragrances outside Tom Ford's. This still hold a spot on my top 10 all timers. Designed to transport you straight to a 1920s Manhattan speakeasy: smoke curling through the air, worn leather armchairs, and rum cocktails on every table. Its always had an uncanny nostalgia/comfort for me. This is not a typical Boozy scent. Its sweet, warm, and undeniably masculine. It opens bright and fresh: lemon and neroli cut through first, with a pinch of pink pepper adding just enough spicy kick to wake things up. But this scent truly comes alive in the heart. that's where the magic sits. Boozy rum and rich tobacco take centre stage, softened by clary sage lending an herbal, aromatic edge. Beneath it all, a subtle leather note. Exactly the smell of that well-worn club furniture. As it settles, it warms into a smooth, creamy dry-down: vanilla wraps everything in comfort, vetiver adds an earthy depth, and benzoin leaves a sweet, gently smoky finish. Beautifully balanced, nothing screams, nothing fights. Now for the honest truth. My opinion or understanding here has changed. I used to think that it's lack of performance was it's stumbling block. Back then if it didn't project like a mofo, it's was a bad thing. Now I see it a little different. I can appreciate it as it was created. I enjoy the subtle moments it creates. It only lasts about 5hrs on skin at best, before it retreats to a soft skin scent. Projection is polite, never loud enough to fill a room, just a warm, intimate bubble. Its noticeable only to those close enough. And for that? Expect to pay about, €146 for a 100ml. Which ain't so bad for an entry level niche. Most designer frags come in at that pp or higher As it stands? A stunning cold-weather scent — perfect for evenings, dinner dates, or indeed a night out in a jazz club.

Chanel's regular designer line is polished, refined, and incredibly consistent. Les Exclusifs is where Chanel shows you what the house can really do. This is the collection I look at when I want to understand Chanel as a perfume house rather than simply Chanel as a designer brand. After going through inexpensive designers, clones, niche houses and artisan perfumery, I've gotten to the point where I'm looking for more than just something that smells good. I want character, construction, quality materials, and something that feels like there was an actual idea behind it. Les Exclusifs gives me much more of that. This isn't a collection built around chasing compliments or producing the loudest fragrance possible. A lot of these fragrances are about texture, elegance, and composition. Some are immediately beautiful, while others are the type of fragrances you appreciate more after spending time with them. COROMANDEL is probably one of the best examples of what this collection does well. Rich patchouli, woods, incense, and that almost chocolate-like warmth without turning into a typical sugary gourmand. It has depth and sophistication while still being wearable. LE LION DE CHANEL goes darker. Amber, leather, labdanum, smoke, and citrus come together in something that feels powerful and classical. This isn't the clean, safe Chanel people know from Bleu de Chanel. Le Lion has teeth. SYCOMORE is one of my favorites stylistically because it shows how Chanel can take something like vetiver and make it feel incredibly polished without stripping away its character. Dry, woody, smoky and earthy, but still unmistakably Chanel. BOY goes in another direction entirely. Aromatic lavender, musk and woods with an almost barbershop quality, but done with far more refinement than the typical modern fougère. Then you have fragrances such as BEIGE, 1957, GARDÉNIA, LA PAUSA, MISIA, 31 RUE CAMBON and CUIR DE RUSSIE, which show just how broad the collection really is. Florals, musks, aldehydes, leather, iris, woods — Chanel isn't locked into one modern commercial DNA here.