I've hit an expected "lull" in my fragrance journey.
I joined Basenotes earlier this year as part of a way to intensify my fragrance hunting and find some obscure gems (targeting certain subcategories I already enjoyed), and it essentially succeeded. My collection evolved a lot in 2019, with decants galore and plenty of bottles that have come in and gone back out again (and sometimes, back in, and then back out again). I'll be taking a break from Basenotes in the New Year, seeing as I've mostly "settled" on a rotation that covers my tastes well enough for my satisfaction.
As a way to summarize where I'm at these days, I thought it might be fun to take my 30-bottle collection and pit 'em all against each other in a deathmatch and see which ones make it to the end. I'll do different "rounds" over the course of a week or so (I won't give a strict timeline because it'll be an "as I have time" thing). I've tried to pit fragrances with some underlining similarity against one another; I think it's more fun that way. I've been surprised by some of my choices!
IN THE END, THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE.
ROUND ONE
1) Bvlgari pour Homme Soir (2006) versus West Third Brand Amérique (201?)
Winner: Bvlgari pour Homme Soir (2006) - The green tea makes Bvlgari PH Soir an interesting scent regardless of value. Amérique is a nice wear, and it's a distinctive offering at its price point, but if your remove price from the equation, it's outclassed, and I probably wouldn't be inclined to pick up a subsequent bottle once I use it up.
2) Aramis Special Blend (2019) vs Bentley for Men Intense (2013)
Winner: Aramis Special Blend (2019) - I'd miss the Aramis more than I'd miss the Bentley. The Bentley is rich and loud enough that it can be tough to wear outside of cold weather, and, in addition, while it's a great scent in its own right, there are many warm, spicy, sweet incense fragrances in the world. The Aramis Special Blend is a simpler composition in some ways, but it marches to the beat of its own drum.
3) Bvlgari Man Black Orient (2016) vs Rasasi Dhanal Oudh Nashwah (2011)
Winner: Rasasi Dhanal Oudh Nashwah (2011) - I find Black Orient splendid, but the Rasasi is the richer, deeper, more distinct scent.
4) Aramis Tuscany per Uomo (1984) vs Dior Eau Sauvage (1966)
Winner: Aramis Tuscany per Uomo (1984) - Eau Sauvage might be more versatile, but it's also the case that I can easily identify satisfactory alternatives (Hermès Eau d'Orange Verte Concentré, for example). I haven't tried anything that could take Tuscany's place in my heart.
5) Lalique Encre Noire à l'Extrême (2015) vs Tom Ford Noir Anthracite (2017)
Winner: Tom Ford Noir Anthracite (2017) - It's a close call, but that Sichuan pepper-and-graphite opening is irresistible to me, and I prefer its woodsy drydown to the very intense drydown of Encre Noire.
6) Cartier L'Envol (2016) vs Hermès Eau des Merveilles (2004)
Winner: Cartier L'Envol (2016) - In this case, versatility wins out. As brilliant as I think it is, Eau des Merveilles only really shines for me in the midst of summer, while L'Envol works for at least three of the four seasons.
7) Dunhill Icon (2015) vs Michael Kors Extreme Speed (2018)
Winner: Dunhill Icon - It's cleverer and more dynamic than Extreme Speed, which I still quite enjoy but does have the kind of simplicity and directness you'd expect from Tom Ford.
8) Odori Tabacco (2008) vs Perfumes of the Desert Piñón (date unknown)
Winner: Odori Tabacco (2008) - Not really "better" than Piñón, but tobacco is my favorite note.
9) Aramis Havana (1994) vs Rémy Latour Cigar (1996)
Winner: Aramis Havana (1994) - It's not much of a competition. Havana is the richer, more dynamic fragrance.
10) L'Erbolario Méharées (date unknown) vs L'Instant de Guerlain pour Homme (2004)
Winner: L'Instant de Guerlain pour Homme (2004) - More complex than Méharées, which is a bit more straight-forward in structure. L'Instant's floating cacao note is no minor accomplishment.
11) Guerlain Héritage Eau de Toilette (1992) vs Lalique pour Homme (1997)
Winner: Guerlain Héritage Eau de Toilette (1992) - The Lalique is very good, but it's got nothing on the complexity of Héritage.
12) Floris Leather Oud (2014) vs Tom Ford Ombré Leather 16 (2016)
Winner: Floris Leather Oud (2014) - I think Leather Oud ultimately strikes the more interesting compositional balance, finding an intriguing contrast between "masculine" and "feminine" notes (the leather is prominent enough that it veers undeniably masculine, for those who are curious).
13) Michael Kors Michael for Men (2001) vs Tom Ford Extreme (2007)
Winner: Tom Ford Extreme (2007) - Michael Kors may be my signature scent, but the Tom Ford is undeniably more impressive. I'd venture as far as to say that it might be the best masculine Tom Ford ever released, with a complex, rich composition that boasts some real development (it gets nicely Amouage-y as you hit the drydown).
14) M.A.C Shadescents Velvet Teddy (2016) vs Robert Graham Fortitude (2016)
Winner: M.A.C. Shadescents Velvet Teddy (2016) - This is a more complex creation than Fortitude (or even Tobacco Vanille, for that matter), and the dirty honey accord at its heart is frankly gorgeous. Leans slightly feminine due to the presence of floral notes but has more than enough dirtiness to be worn as a masculine by contemporary standards.
15) West Third Brand Tobacco 1812 (201?) vs Gucci pour Homme II (2007)
Winner: West Third Brand Tobacco 1812 (201?) - Performance is light, but I really enjoy the mint note here. Gucci pour Homme II has its moments (I really like its late drydown, faint as it is), but I've come to find that I hardly reach for it.
I joined Basenotes earlier this year as part of a way to intensify my fragrance hunting and find some obscure gems (targeting certain subcategories I already enjoyed), and it essentially succeeded. My collection evolved a lot in 2019, with decants galore and plenty of bottles that have come in and gone back out again (and sometimes, back in, and then back out again). I'll be taking a break from Basenotes in the New Year, seeing as I've mostly "settled" on a rotation that covers my tastes well enough for my satisfaction.
As a way to summarize where I'm at these days, I thought it might be fun to take my 30-bottle collection and pit 'em all against each other in a deathmatch and see which ones make it to the end. I'll do different "rounds" over the course of a week or so (I won't give a strict timeline because it'll be an "as I have time" thing). I've tried to pit fragrances with some underlining similarity against one another; I think it's more fun that way. I've been surprised by some of my choices!
IN THE END, THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE.
ROUND ONE
1) Bvlgari pour Homme Soir (2006) versus West Third Brand Amérique (201?)
A battle between two "contemporary" green scents (I use the word "contemporary" lightly, since the Bvlgari's initial opening does feel very suggestive to me of its decade rather than our current moment, though once the first few minutes have passed it feels very timeless to me in the way that most minimalist scents do). The Bvlgari was the last flanker in a line of green, citrus-y releases, and it's the most direct and forcused of them: it's essentially a green tea scent with a cool, vegetal ambiance. It's the tea note that brings me back to it: I just haven't found anything that gives that tea note such prominent presentation, and it's the clarity with which the note is presented that makes be prefer Soir to the other scents in in the Bvlgari pour Homme series.
Amérique comes from the American quasi-artisanal house West Third Brand, which I think represents a really good given the modest pricing of their offerings. This is a minimalist, cleaned-up take on the "classic green" masculine, almost like a Fougère Royale that had the lavender stripped out and had the remaining elements rebalanced. Very wearable and youthful.
Amérique comes from the American quasi-artisanal house West Third Brand, which I think represents a really good given the modest pricing of their offerings. This is a minimalist, cleaned-up take on the "classic green" masculine, almost like a Fougère Royale that had the lavender stripped out and had the remaining elements rebalanced. Very wearable and youthful.
Winner: Bvlgari pour Homme Soir (2006) - The green tea makes Bvlgari PH Soir an interesting scent regardless of value. Amérique is a nice wear, and it's a distinctive offering at its price point, but if your remove price from the equation, it's outclassed, and I probably wouldn't be inclined to pick up a subsequent bottle once I use it up.
2) Aramis Special Blend (2019) vs Bentley for Men Intense (2013)
Two very different takes on the "boozy" masculine, one an almost sour, fizzy take on a whiskey and wood from a house known for its old-school style, and a boozy rum-incense-vanilla gourmand from a designer house with a "niche" scent profile. It's hard to say which is the real winner here; I think the Bentley is justly hyped, if a bit controversial, and the more I get to know it, the more intelligently it seems to have been created. But the Aramis here is also pretty intriguing, a rustic take on whiskey and wood that doesn't try to pander to "sweet tooth" contemporary tastes at all (the drydown is a touch sweet/warm, but not in a foody way; it's the drydown I kinda wish Amouage Journey Man had). It's my kind of woody.
Winner: Aramis Special Blend (2019) - I'd miss the Aramis more than I'd miss the Bentley. The Bentley is rich and loud enough that it can be tough to wear outside of cold weather, and, in addition, while it's a great scent in its own right, there are many warm, spicy, sweet incense fragrances in the world. The Aramis Special Blend is a simpler composition in some ways, but it marches to the beat of its own drum.
3) Bvlgari Man Black Orient (2016) vs Rasasi Dhanal Oudh Nashwah (2011)
Both of these are spicy oud-leather scents, each very commendable and strong. Black Orient is a surprisingly terrific, smooth blend built around an appealingly dry Taif rose note (I typically don't like the rose notes that get paired with oud, but this one is very unusual) that blends neatly into the leather. For those who like sleek, contemporary style, this one is a winner.
Unlike the Bvlgari, Rasasi Dhanal Oudh Nashwah isn't built around the luxe-niche aesthetic, and feels more purely intended for its Middle Eastern clientele, with a three-dimensional oud, a terrific woodsmoke note, and spiced honey, which mellows into a delectable drydown. The Rasasi is richer, deeper, more distinct.
Unlike the Bvlgari, Rasasi Dhanal Oudh Nashwah isn't built around the luxe-niche aesthetic, and feels more purely intended for its Middle Eastern clientele, with a three-dimensional oud, a terrific woodsmoke note, and spiced honey, which mellows into a delectable drydown. The Rasasi is richer, deeper, more distinct.
Winner: Rasasi Dhanal Oudh Nashwah (2011) - I find Black Orient splendid, but the Rasasi is the richer, deeper, more distinct scent.
4) Aramis Tuscany per Uomo (1984) vs Dior Eau Sauvage (1966)
Battle of the old-school classics. I've sampled the vintage of each, but I only own proper, full-size bottles of the current versions, so this comparison will be between current formulations.
Aramis Tuscany is perhaps my favorite variation on the aromatic fougere. It captures the landscape suggested by its name near perfectly, with a richly herbal composition (I love herbal notes), with a delightfully prominent aniseed. I find it more interesting than its more classic cousin, Azzaro pour Homme, in part because of how prominent the herbal elements are. It's classic, but it doesn't feel fusty.
Dior Eau Sauvage needs no introduction. In its "reduced oakmoss" form, it's a bit like a lemony eau de cologne with, again, a richly herbal heart. I don't think there's a more wearable scent in existence; Eau Sauvage is always appropriate.
Aramis Tuscany is perhaps my favorite variation on the aromatic fougere. It captures the landscape suggested by its name near perfectly, with a richly herbal composition (I love herbal notes), with a delightfully prominent aniseed. I find it more interesting than its more classic cousin, Azzaro pour Homme, in part because of how prominent the herbal elements are. It's classic, but it doesn't feel fusty.
Dior Eau Sauvage needs no introduction. In its "reduced oakmoss" form, it's a bit like a lemony eau de cologne with, again, a richly herbal heart. I don't think there's a more wearable scent in existence; Eau Sauvage is always appropriate.
Winner: Aramis Tuscany per Uomo (1984) - Eau Sauvage might be more versatile, but it's also the case that I can easily identify satisfactory alternatives (Hermès Eau d'Orange Verte Concentré, for example). I haven't tried anything that could take Tuscany's place in my heart.
5) Lalique Encre Noire à l'Extrême (2015) vs Tom Ford Noir Anthracite (2017)
Two dark, woodsy, very modern (at least in materials) scents. The Lalique is the most satisfying, as far as I'm concerned, of its series, a full-bodied smoky vetiver with some nice incense. It evokes crisp leaves in autumn. Noir Anthracite is Tom Ford's nod back to 1980s powerhouses, but the composition itself is entirely contemporary with its dark synthwoods and spicy Sichuan pepper opening. Both, I think, rank among the top releases from each house.
Winner: Tom Ford Noir Anthracite (2017) - It's a close call, but that Sichuan pepper-and-graphite opening is irresistible to me, and I prefer its woodsy drydown to the very intense drydown of Encre Noire.
6) Cartier L'Envol (2016) vs Hermès Eau des Merveilles (2004)
Two unusually structured designer scents that have an atypically "transparent" quality. L'Envol is a polarizing fragrance (honey and violet, both controversial notes, are featured prominently here), with luminous, shimmering quality. Eau des Merveilles offers a truly clever take on a citrus-infused amber and woods; it's salty and woodsy and breezy, with a gorgeous orange opening, like sunlight on a woody beach.
Winner: Cartier L'Envol (2016) - In this case, versatility wins out. As brilliant as I think it is, Eau des Merveilles only really shines for me in the midst of summer, while L'Envol works for at least three of the four seasons.
7) Dunhill Icon (2015) vs Michael Kors Extreme Speed (2018)
These two might not really deserve to be paired against one another, since they're not really all that similar beyond being atypical designer scents with a "dark" edge (or at least I perceive Dunhill Icon as being dark, due to the oud, though I know it's essentially a freshie). Dunhill Icon is a neroli eau de cologne with a synthoud base, and Michael Kors Extreme Speed is a dark take on violet with a very spicy opening.
Winner: Dunhill Icon - It's cleverer and more dynamic than Extreme Speed, which I still quite enjoy but does have the kind of simplicity and directness you'd expect from Tom Ford.
8) Odori Tabacco (2008) vs Perfumes of the Desert Piñón (date unknown)
These are two relatively obscure niche/artisan scents that seek to conjure up aromatic landscapes. Both have a cinnamon throughline, though I don't think of either as particularly "sweet" or gourmand-ish. Odori Tabacco seeks to evoke tobacco fields at harvest time, and does so breathtakingly well. It's powdery and dry, with a lot of nuance (vaguely Chergui-esque, but not sweet) and a true-blue tobacco leaf note at the heart.
Piñón, from Perfumes of the Desert, seeks to evoke the pine in the midst of the desert of the American southwest. It's rich, warm, spicy, with some floral notes that help evoke the aromatic landscape of sand and the greenery that grows there. It's simple, but I haven't smelled a better interpretation of pine.
Piñón, from Perfumes of the Desert, seeks to evoke the pine in the midst of the desert of the American southwest. It's rich, warm, spicy, with some floral notes that help evoke the aromatic landscape of sand and the greenery that grows there. It's simple, but I haven't smelled a better interpretation of pine.
Winner: Odori Tabacco (2008) - Not really "better" than Piñón, but tobacco is my favorite note.
9) Aramis Havana (1994) vs Rémy Latour Cigar (1996)
Two tropical, boozy takes on the tobacco masculine, released at roughly the same time period. Aramis Havana is richly green and shadowy, transitioning into a warm-spicy drydown (shadows of a rum-and-coke throughout). Latour Cigar is a kind of drugstore classic, but the drydown is killer (a drydown that Burberry London essentially lifted, but London's version of it is less satisfying, in my humble opinion, though London has a better opening than the current Latour Cigar).
Winner: Aramis Havana (1994) - It's not much of a competition. Havana is the richer, more dynamic fragrance.
10) L'Erbolario Méharées (date unknown) vs L'Instant de Guerlain pour Homme (2004)
Two atypical gourmands. Méharées is a dry vanilla with dates-and-spices potpourri ornamentation, often compared to Musc Ravageur (though it may have existed before Musc Ravageur). L'Instant (we're talking about the original EDT here, not the Extreme/EDP) brought the house of Guerlain in line with the rich, quasi-gourmand masculines of the 00s, suspending its cacao note in the midst of a citrus-floral bouquet.
Winner: L'Instant de Guerlain pour Homme (2004) - More complex than Méharées, which is a bit more straight-forward in structure. L'Instant's floating cacao note is no minor accomplishment.
11) Guerlain Héritage Eau de Toilette (1992) vs Lalique pour Homme (1997)
Two 1990s interpretations of the classic, formal masculine, one reinterpreting an entire history of the Guerlain house, one establishing Lalique as a new player in the masculine fragrance market. Guerlain Héritage is a truly rich, spicy, warm creation, with a delicious sandalwood/patchouli/vanilla drydown. The Lalique is a bit stiffer, with a dry, powdery take on lavender and cedar that opens with a burst of grapefruit.
Winner: Guerlain Héritage Eau de Toilette (1992) - The Lalique is very good, but it's got nothing on the complexity of Héritage.
12) Floris Leather Oud (2014) vs Tom Ford Ombré Leather 16 (2016)
Two floral, formal leather scents. Those who only know Ombré Leather's 2018 form may raise their eyebrows at the "formal" descriptor, but the 2018 scent is drier and more direct than the 2016 Private Blend release, which has a softer version of the leather accord that fades into dark floral notes of violet and jasmine (vaguely reminiscent of the dark floral notes found in Tom Ford Noir Extreme). It might not be appropriate for a business occasion, but it's definitely dressed-up.
Leather Oud was part of a pair, released alongside the sweeter, warmer Honey Oud. If the Tom Ford is a nighttime scent, this one is a daytime scent, with a nice, clean leather laid upon a bed of geranium and a synthoud base. I find it like sitting in new leather chair in the midst of a solarium. It has Floris' trademark "crispness" about it.
Leather Oud was part of a pair, released alongside the sweeter, warmer Honey Oud. If the Tom Ford is a nighttime scent, this one is a daytime scent, with a nice, clean leather laid upon a bed of geranium and a synthoud base. I find it like sitting in new leather chair in the midst of a solarium. It has Floris' trademark "crispness" about it.
Winner: Floris Leather Oud (2014) - I think Leather Oud ultimately strikes the more interesting compositional balance, finding an intriguing contrast between "masculine" and "feminine" notes (the leather is prominent enough that it veers undeniably masculine, for those who are curious).
13) Michael Kors Michael for Men (2001) vs Tom Ford Extreme (2007)
Boozy masculines with dirty elements alongside gourmand elements were all the rage in the early 2000s, a trend that reached its most commercial form with the debut of the super-smooth, mass-appealing D&G The One. These two are both a bit edgier. Michael for Men has that dirty, borderline animalic tobacco alongside its rich dried fruits, and Tom Ford Extreme mingles jammy fig with earthy truffle.
Winner: Tom Ford Extreme (2007) - Michael Kors may be my signature scent, but the Tom Ford is undeniably more impressive. I'd venture as far as to say that it might be the best masculine Tom Ford ever released, with a complex, rich composition that boasts some real development (it gets nicely Amouage-y as you hit the drydown).
14) M.A.C Shadescents Velvet Teddy (2016) vs Robert Graham Fortitude (2016)
Two honeyed tobacco scents, both from relatively obscure fragrance lines. Velvet Teddy is a kind of reinvented Tobacco Vanille, ditching the "Christmas candle" aspect for a more natural, wild honey composition with supporting floral notes (iris among them), while dirty tobacco hangs out in the base. Robert Graham Fortitude is a kind of minimalistic tonkabacco with a boozy opening and a hazelnutty tonka drydown.
Winner: M.A.C. Shadescents Velvet Teddy (2016) - This is a more complex creation than Fortitude (or even Tobacco Vanille, for that matter), and the dirty honey accord at its heart is frankly gorgeous. Leans slightly feminine due to the presence of floral notes but has more than enough dirtiness to be worn as a masculine by contemporary standards.
15) West Third Brand Tobacco 1812 (201?) vs Gucci pour Homme II (2007)
Light EDT performance with a combination of green-tinged, warm spiciness. Neither are quite gourmands, but both have gourmand elements and tobacco notes. Tobacco 1812 is an earthy, green take on the sweet tobacco scent, with a bit of honeyed sweetness and mint in the opening and a unrefined take on cacao in the base. Gucci pour Homme II has a kind of "spiced black tea" feel, but there's something smooth and clean about it, too, almost streamlined.
Winner: West Third Brand Tobacco 1812 (201?) - Performance is light, but I really enjoy the mint note here. Gucci pour Homme II has its moments (I really like its late drydown, faint as it is), but I've come to find that I hardly reach for it.
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