Funny how tastes can change…
So last fall I got my hands on ATH’s Hombre and man, I hated it - it’s got a clary sage note front and center that really didn’t appeal to me. I sold my 50ml bottle and moved on. Then earlier this year, I got my nose on Penhaligons The Cut, which also has a prominent clary sage note - but I kind of liked The Cut. I got a decant and it’s grown on me even more. Could it be, I’m starting to like clary sage? To find out, I umm re-aquired a 10ml bottle of Hombre and tonight I’ve got it on my left arm with The Cut on my right arm. I’m sitting in a cloud of clary and… not hating it. Hombre opens much much brighter, with a citrus zing that makes that clary sage just vibrate. The Cut opens warmer, I get maybe a bit of mint to give it a little brightness but I’m mainly getting some woodiness and definitely some more aromatics to round out that clary sage. Let’s see how they develop, 20 minutes in and Hombre is louder for sure. I seem to be enjoying both but right now I’m preferring The Cut for being warmer, more rounded and more aromatic. But I think the Hombre bottle is a keeper this time. Who knew???