Wow, that was an enjoyable read, and I also agree with many of those sentiments. Thanks for sharing!
- Jul 1, 2015
Master is very impressive leather. I am too much of a wimp when it comes to leather, so there is no way I could use up a whole bottle, but it is very smooth. A must for hardcore leather connoisseur.
- Jul 1, 2015
I have been trying additional samples: Ashes, Film Noir and Silver. Really like all 3 of them and it is super hard to decide which one to get first, as all of them are FB worthy for me. While I am not a big fun of florals, there is something about Ashes that keeps pulling me back. Silver is very unique and while I was scared of mintiness, I am truly enjoying. Still testing Film Noir, but first 30 mins have been highly enjoyable
- May 22, 2021
Anyone sniff Cote yet? I really like that one.
- Dec 15, 2015
This is the first time I've heard of them. Just ordered the sample set and i'm excited to try; Silver, Cote, and Racer X just from hearing about them. I see that Cote and Racer X aren't available yet, but I asked if he wouldn't mind letting me get a sample of them as well. Looking forward to trying them out!
Currently Wearing: Walimah by Areej le Doré
- Nov 17, 2018
deleted
Currently Wearing: Ninféo Mio by Annick Goutal
- Feb 12, 2019
- Thread starter
- #47
Mark has put Madrid up on the shop:
www.clandestinelaboratories.com
And Assam:
www.clandestinelaboratories.com
I sampled a pre-release batch of Madrid and found it lovely, though it's my understanding the formulation Mark has put up for sale is balanced a little differently due to changes in the availability of certain materials.
Assam is very nice, too! An Earl Grey opening with bergamot and tea gives way to a cozy, soft, pleasant, well-rounded oud/woods blend.
Madrid — Clandestine Laboratories
Madrid , now released, is one that’s been in the works for years and is bold, yet pleasant to wear. Based on the lemony-woody lit-from-within quality of the magnolia flowers in front of the Royal Palace of Madrid and an animalic-cedar men’s fragrance that was everywhere on the street there in 2015,
www.clandestinelaboratories.com
And Assam:
Assam — Clandestine Laboratories
An extremely limited release of a bergamot-oud fragrance, the original batch of which has now sold out (all 16 bottles). For years it seemed impossible to remake because the original oud oil was unavailable, but we’ve since managed to source something very similar so there is a new version. There’s
www.clandestinelaboratories.com
I sampled a pre-release batch of Madrid and found it lovely, though it's my understanding the formulation Mark has put up for sale is balanced a little differently due to changes in the availability of certain materials.
Assam is very nice, too! An Earl Grey opening with bergamot and tea gives way to a cozy, soft, pleasant, well-rounded oud/woods blend.
Currently Wearing: Colonia Leather by Acqua di Parma
I got the full set of samples minus Novochok (not a fan of cocoa scents). I'm extremely impressed with this house. Believe the hype. There was nothing I outright disliked and quite a few that I really really liked (Madrid, Assam, Film Noire, Silver, Master, and the unreleased Enigma). This is an "amateur" house akin to Fazzolari, Papillon, Kerosene, etc. that has the polish, poise, and creativity of the best pro niche houses like Parfum d'Empire and Malle.
- Apr 20, 2020
it's actutally 6x2 ml samples for $40 now
www.clandestinelaboratories.com
thanks for the discovery
only ships to US though ?
Discovery Stash — Clandestine Laboratories
Custom set of six generous 2.2ml sample sprayers (five if you choose Assam), select from the pop-up menu after adding to your cart. If you buy two sets you can sample all twelve, just ignore the instructions re Assam. Options include all released fragrances: Ashes, Assam, Belem, Certo, Dharan, Film
www.clandestinelaboratories.com
only ships to US though ?
- Oct 17, 2012
Film Noir all the way
Currently Wearing: Peak Zone by Avon
- Mar 22, 2020
I've been meaning to sample from them, this prompted me to finally order. Have silver, film noir, certo, Master, and assam on the way. Very excited 
Currently Wearing: SEZ by Mallo
- Jul 1, 2015
I am testing Novochok - an amazing dark chocolate that is slightly gourmandish and very sophisticated. This is my Hokusai grail of chocolate scent - I have not been able to find anything that is not too diabetics coma inducing before. Totally FB worthy for me.
- Oct 12, 2021
I'm glad they don't have a European seller, because you lot make me want to buy these 
Currently Wearing: Oud Monarch by Bortnikoff
- Oct 17, 2012
Sorry, not sorry!I'm glad they don't have a European seller, because you lot make me want to buy these
Currently Wearing: Peak Zone by Avon
- Jul 1, 2015
I have finished testing Ashes, Film Noir, and Dharan. All are outstanding.
While my nose is not as sophisticated as some of the people on this thread, and I am not an eloquent writer when it comes to fragrances, I have strong opinions on what I like and do not like. Something that has words like ‘clean austere and fresh’ I description would send me running for woods. Mark managed to change that with Dharan - there is something amazingly addictive that I cannot stop sniffing and is well deserving of a FB. Film Noir and Ashes are all on my FB list, I honestly have to pace myself. At this point I am scared of asking for samples - and Mark is super generous with those, because I end up liking each and every one of them. Some I like better on the second or third wearing, some result in my family wrinkling their noses at me (AMATURES!!!) but all are superb stand outs. I highly recommend trying this house.
While my nose is not as sophisticated as some of the people on this thread, and I am not an eloquent writer when it comes to fragrances, I have strong opinions on what I like and do not like. Something that has words like ‘clean austere and fresh’ I description would send me running for woods. Mark managed to change that with Dharan - there is something amazingly addictive that I cannot stop sniffing and is well deserving of a FB. Film Noir and Ashes are all on my FB list, I honestly have to pace myself. At this point I am scared of asking for samples - and Mark is super generous with those, because I end up liking each and every one of them. Some I like better on the second or third wearing, some result in my family wrinkling their noses at me (AMATURES!!!) but all are superb stand outs. I highly recommend trying this house.
- Feb 12, 2019
- Thread starter
- #56
The way it brings out the mineral facets in dark chocolate is unique (and in keeping with the broader Clandestine Laboratories aesthetic).
Currently Wearing: Colonia Leather by Acqua di Parma
- Jul 1, 2015
I had just gotten my hands on a sample of Assam and honestly I wish I did not. It is a bit more masculine than I would have liked but it is very impressive: while I think I missed the tea in the opening - sprayed it right before cooking Aglio e Olio so could not smell anything post cutting the garlic, the cedar is amazing. I would have sprung for a smaller bottle and this is a great masculine!!
- Mar 26, 2022
Wow and hello to everyone!
I've seriously debated whether or not to join in here, because I want people to feel free to speak their minds without me as your audience. However, at this point I think I've corresponded directly with most of you and tbh I've been lurking here with growing amazement at the positive responses. Possibly amazement isn't the right word, since I've always believed in my work - but it's incredible to finally have an audience and to be "meeting" people like yourselves who appreciate what I'm doing. TBH, after years of only doing this for myself and people I know, it's also addictive. I'm trying not to let it go to my head.
I mostly want to make a not-so-urgent request: please review my fragrances. Whether you love them or not, if you want to support my work please review it honestly so that other people can discover it. The intentional obscurity thing (see website for details) was true for a long time but no longer really makes sense if I'm going to make a serious go of this. It's good branding but it doesn't need to be 100% true any more; world domination is the next goal.
Thank you all.
I've seriously debated whether or not to join in here, because I want people to feel free to speak their minds without me as your audience. However, at this point I think I've corresponded directly with most of you and tbh I've been lurking here with growing amazement at the positive responses. Possibly amazement isn't the right word, since I've always believed in my work - but it's incredible to finally have an audience and to be "meeting" people like yourselves who appreciate what I'm doing. TBH, after years of only doing this for myself and people I know, it's also addictive. I'm trying not to let it go to my head.
I mostly want to make a not-so-urgent request: please review my fragrances. Whether you love them or not, if you want to support my work please review it honestly so that other people can discover it. The intentional obscurity thing (see website for details) was true for a long time but no longer really makes sense if I'm going to make a serious go of this. It's good branding but it doesn't need to be 100% true any more; world domination is the next goal.
Thank you all.
- Nov 17, 2018
Glad you are here!
Currently Wearing: Ninféo Mio by Annick Goutal
- Oct 12, 2021
Welcome Mark, nice to see you here!
Currently Wearing: Oud Monarch by Bortnikoff
Welcome to the forum!
- Jul 1, 2015
Welcome to the forum!!
I have had a chance to try a couple of newish fragrances. Sea otter and Astoria. Both are beautiful. Sea otter is somewhat of aquatic floral, in the sense that you can smell the ocean while walking along the flower field. I cannot confidently put my finger on what flowers, as everything is blended v. smoothly.
Now Astoria is something - I cannot even figure out the notes. I get mint and bergamot in the opening, it is is very sparkly and addictive. And I cannot put my finger in what the rest of notes are!!
I have had a chance to try a couple of newish fragrances. Sea otter and Astoria. Both are beautiful. Sea otter is somewhat of aquatic floral, in the sense that you can smell the ocean while walking along the flower field. I cannot confidently put my finger on what flowers, as everything is blended v. smoothly.
Now Astoria is something - I cannot even figure out the notes. I get mint and bergamot in the opening, it is is very sparkly and addictive. And I cannot put my finger in what the rest of notes are!!
- Nov 17, 2018
Those both sound like they’ll be great!
Currently Wearing: Ninféo Mio by Annick Goutal
- Jul 1, 2015
They are both great!
- Jan 10, 2021
Finally got my hands on Assam. Had to ship it to my forwarder in the US and then to Singapore but definitely well worth the wait. Mark is also extremely kind in responding to my enquiries and very generous with his samples. Great experience all around.
First impressions of Assam -
First and foremost, the sprayer is wonderful lol. With regards to the scent, this was a blind buy and I've had 2 wearing of this. I think it's quite beautiful. It opens up bright, peppery, spicy, slightly mentholated, with a very slight nuanced backdrop of oud. The opening doesn't remind me of much else, with the closest probably being Memo's Shams Oud, but Assam is still quite different and I find Assam to be infinitely better. What I really adored was the dry down, where the true, authentic oud comes to the foreground, with the scent becoming much denser and woodier.
While it doesn't have the same caliber of materials such as Ensar/AA/ALD/ASO etc, I do find Assam to be more refined and balanced, and it offers an interesting take on oud that I've yet to experience from artisanal houses. It's not your typical rose/musk/jasmine/chypre/leather/coffee-oud sort of composition so it's definitely worth trying if you're a fan of oud.
First impressions of Assam -
First and foremost, the sprayer is wonderful lol. With regards to the scent, this was a blind buy and I've had 2 wearing of this. I think it's quite beautiful. It opens up bright, peppery, spicy, slightly mentholated, with a very slight nuanced backdrop of oud. The opening doesn't remind me of much else, with the closest probably being Memo's Shams Oud, but Assam is still quite different and I find Assam to be infinitely better. What I really adored was the dry down, where the true, authentic oud comes to the foreground, with the scent becoming much denser and woodier.
While it doesn't have the same caliber of materials such as Ensar/AA/ALD/ASO etc, I do find Assam to be more refined and balanced, and it offers an interesting take on oud that I've yet to experience from artisanal houses. It's not your typical rose/musk/jasmine/chypre/leather/coffee-oud sort of composition so it's definitely worth trying if you're a fan of oud.
- Nov 17, 2018
I really enjoyed Ashes last night. Not sure what else is similar. It is a little mineralic but so much more with some dialed-down white florals. I am very glad to have bought a bottle.
Currently Wearing: Ninféo Mio by Annick Goutal
- Jul 1, 2015
Your description of Assam is spot on and mirrors mine - I am not that good with words. I am looking forward to getting a bottle once it is available.
- Jun 17, 2021
assam sounds great some many things I want to try from the house but would need to forward need to see
Currently Wearing: Meet Me on the Corner by 4160 Tuesdays
- Jul 1, 2015
For those that are purchasing a FB in the near future, I highly recommend trying Astoria (I keep confusing it with Hiram Green's Arcadia release). It has a delicious, non-sweet mojito like top note (minuteness?bergamot?). It has not been released yet, but I was able to purchase a bottle and is quite smitten with it
- Jun 17, 2021
Sounds really good for the upcoming weather
Currently Wearing: Meet Me on the Corner by 4160 Tuesdays
- Nov 17, 2018
Film Noir is amazing. Wearing it today and the dry down particularly is fantastic.
Currently Wearing: Ninféo Mio by Annick Goutal
- Oct 17, 2012
Currently Wearing: Peak Zone by Avon
- Mar 26, 2022
My next release will be Astoria, looks like. I've been trying to come up with a release schedule but things keep changing because of some difficulties in sourcing materials, plus I've been swamped trying to figure out how to account for my crazy inventory of raw materials for taxes. However, Astoria is one of my GF's favorites and she's been bugging me to release it this spring because it's a spring fragrance.
What brought me here, however, was ADR95 telling me he'd left a review of Assam, which I think it pretty accurate - thank you. My fragrances are really not about the quality of materials so much as about the qualities of the materials. In this case, the oud oil definitely isn't of the highest quality or the most expensive (thankfully) but the specific qualities of the oil are essential to the character of the fragrance. Good news: I've been assessing the oils I've acquired recently with the intention of creating a new batch of Assam (possibly with a new name to reflect the fact that it's not exactly the same fragrance) and I've finally found one that is very similar to the original.
What this means is I'll be releasing more of the original batch soon and after that the new version should be available by the end of this year. Also, the new version will be the same price; I don't believe in high-priced "limited editions" or creating artificial scarcity but even the not-super-high-end oud oils are expensive and finding this one has taken significant investment.
Once again, thank you all - and please, if you enjoy my fragrances, please please review them on the Basenotes fragrance listings so that others can see a diversity of opinions when they search for them. I'm still very much unknown to most people and would love to be able to devote myself to this full-time.
What brought me here, however, was ADR95 telling me he'd left a review of Assam, which I think it pretty accurate - thank you. My fragrances are really not about the quality of materials so much as about the qualities of the materials. In this case, the oud oil definitely isn't of the highest quality or the most expensive (thankfully) but the specific qualities of the oil are essential to the character of the fragrance. Good news: I've been assessing the oils I've acquired recently with the intention of creating a new batch of Assam (possibly with a new name to reflect the fact that it's not exactly the same fragrance) and I've finally found one that is very similar to the original.
What this means is I'll be releasing more of the original batch soon and after that the new version should be available by the end of this year. Also, the new version will be the same price; I don't believe in high-priced "limited editions" or creating artificial scarcity but even the not-super-high-end oud oils are expensive and finding this one has taken significant investment.
Once again, thank you all - and please, if you enjoy my fragrances, please please review them on the Basenotes fragrance listings so that others can see a diversity of opinions when they search for them. I'm still very much unknown to most people and would love to be able to devote myself to this full-time.
- Aug 1, 2019
Is there a way to order a single, complete sample set? I'm on a mission to wear a sample a day and review everything I wear, and these all sound promising-to-amazing, but the way the discovery sets are configured now (with Assam counting as two), I'd come up short one by ordering two different sets—never mind the unreleased stuff.
Currently Wearing: Vetyver / Vétiver by Givenchy
- Mar 26, 2022
Yes, just order two sets and ignore the instructions re Assam counting as two. I'd love it if you reviewed them all!
- Aug 1, 2019
Currently Wearing: Vetyver / Vétiver by Givenchy
- Mar 26, 2022
I like that you chose 14. Ask and you shall receive.
- Aug 1, 2019
"Faker's Dozen."
Currently Wearing: Vetyver / Vétiver by Givenchy
- Apr 5, 2019
I just went for the “full” double sample set. Sounds like a real adventure. Always love a local NY perfumer!
Currently Wearing: Film Noir by Clandestine Laboratories
- Aug 1, 2019
My sample set arrived today. I have a week to go with the sample batch in my queue, after which I’ll take on Clandestine Laboratories in earnest.
Currently Wearing: Vetyver / Vétiver by Givenchy
