Saw this elsewhere and thought it might be fun: Describe your favorite fragrance without listing any of the notes. Can we guess what it is? I’ll go first and keep it to something more familiar: Sitting at a table in a gentlemen’s club with a glass of something strong in one hand and a cigar in the other.

I believe almost every fragrance is inspired by something. It may be inspired by another perfume, a classic perfume family, a raw material, a place, a memory, a trend, a cultural style, or even a business idea. Very few perfumes are created from absolutely nothing. Perfumery has always built on what came before: fougères, chypres, ambers, barbershops, leathers, aquatics, blue fragrances, gourmands, musks, and so on. So for me, the question is not “was this inspired by something?” The real question is “how much did they transform the inspiration?” If a fragrance only changes a little — maybe it is louder, sweeter, cheaper, more synthetic, or has one extra note — then it still feels like a clone or close copy. The identity is still borrowed, cloned, or inspired by. But if the perfumer takes a familiar idea and gives it a real twist — a different mood, different texture, different note balance, different structure, different drydown, or a different purpose — then it starts becoming its own perfume. Inspiration is normal in perfumery. The difference is how far the fragrance travels from the source. If it only changes 5–10%, it feels like a clone. If it changes 30–50%, it feels like an interpretation. If it changes the whole mood and direction, then it becomes its own perfume. For example, Terre d’Hermès Eau Givrée still connects to the Terre d’Hermès world, but it pushes the idea into a colder, brighter, more icy citrus/mineral direction with citron, juniper, Sichuan pepper, woods, and mineral notes. That is more than just “make Terre fresher.” It changes the atmosphere. Same with Prada L’Homme Intense compared to Prada L’Homme. The original is known for that airy, clean iris/amber/neroli style, while the Intense version adds more depth with leather, tonka, sandalwood, amber, and patchouli. It keeps the Prada iris identity but makes the mood darker and richer. That is a twist with purpose, not just a lazy copy. This is also why some flankers are respected, and some are not. A good flanker keeps enough DNA to be related, but changes enough to justify existing. GQ made this same general point in a recent flanker article: the better flankers are not just cash grabs; they can be creative reworks that adjust notes, concentration, or mood enough to become serious perfumes on their own.

Was chatting with a friend recently who told me he only buys scents when he goes through duty free. So on recent trip I thought it would be a good opportunity to sample some Creed frags. I had never smelled them before. The staff were great giving me lots to try...and had a pot of coffee beans to reset my nose (is that a thing?) between each sample. I thought there were some nice scents, but Aventus on cardboard strip isn't the best thing I have ever smelled. I enjoyed the Aventus Cologne more. But seeing as I don't own any Creed, I thought Aventus was the right choice. Now that I've sampled it directly on my skin...I have to say it's absolutely fantastic. I'm amazed that just a few sprays in the morning seems to last all day - longevity unlocked. Started with a 50ml bottle. It was only when I got home and checked the receipt, that I realised what people mean when they say Creed is a bit more expensive 😆 But it's so good. I going to be wearing and appreciating this one for a while!