Vintage SOTD Thread for December 2022

[RCavs]

It's time to revisit this amazing, dry, slightly bitter, herbal and spicy fragrance! 😋

 

[Professor Value]

I appreciate your response! I have Gianfranco Ferré For Man. I’ve never tried Bracken Man but need to! I’ve read lots of good things about it and I own several other bottles from Amouage.

Regarding the smell of ferns, in general there’s not a smell that they really admit. However, in contrast to Luca Turin I’ll respectfully say that there is a distinct light, cool, damp, green foliage smell to ferns that I’ve perceived in some temperate forests. House ferns, no smell I’ve detected. I’ve been told that what I was smelling was the moss but that’s not it. There exists ferns in nature that if you smell them, or even break them in your hands to smell them, you can absolutely detect a light green foliage and almost green hay-like accord. If your house fern is smelling, it’s probably not a good thing. @pkiler uses a fern that he harvests for his fragrance Ere. (Which reminds me that I need to get more. Lol.) That fragrance has a distinctive smell which is very similar to why I refer to as a ‘fern’ smell. Perhaps, he would be polite to weigh in. Maybe it’s my brain really associating fern-smell with the sum odor of the area they exist naturally.

Thanks again for your response, Nosey! I always appreciate feedback.

Before you try Bracken Man, having an open mind may help. I went in with high expectations and they were dashed. But @tspencer will be quick to tell you otherwise. 🙄

 

[JON RODGERS]

 

[PStoller]

Before you try Bracken Man, having an open mind may help.

Or an open window.

No, no, it doesn’t smell bad. Just kinda dull.

 

[aero58]

Azzaro Pour Homme

 

[nosey74]

Before you try Bracken Man, having an open mind may help. I went in with high expectations and they were dashed. But @tspencer will be quick to tell you otherwise. 🙄

Yes it’s very strong with intense clove but mellows quite nicely if you like that kind of thing.

 

[nosey74]

That looks old in a very good way!

 

[WarmJewel]

That looks old in a very good way!

It certainly does and matches the textured wallpaper!

He's @JON RODGERS certainly got some stonkers* hasn't he?

*English slang for 'rather splendid'!

 

[Professor Value]

With temps finally on the rise in NE US, I'm reaching for some vintage niceness. #SOTD 💛

VERSACE L'HOMME

 

[Redfish365]

I appreciate your response! I have Gianfranco Ferré For Man. I’ve never tried Bracken Man but need to! I’ve read lots of good things about it and I own several other bottles from Amouage.

Let me just chime in here and say that Gianfranco Ferre for Man is an absolute essential, to-die-for fragrance and I'll never be without it if I can help it.
Bracken Man by Amouage however is an entirely different beast. I was very excited to smell it when I blind bought a 3.4oz bottle of the stuff. And I did my research so I kinda knew what I was expecting so maybe it was more a ”legally blind" buy but not a really, truly blind blind buy.
Bottom line though is I've been massively disappointed in it. Too much vanilla, no moss, very modern smelling. I've got 4 other Amouage fragrances so I get the Amouage vibe and like other Amouages Bracken is long lasting, powerful, tenacious. But it doesn't smell like it's from the 70s or 80s but has its feet firmly planted in this 21st century... unfortunately.

 

[Redfish365]

Monsieur Rochas by Rochas.
Note - Layering the Eau de Toilette atop the Eau de Cologne.

 

[Ali AD]

 

[hednic]

Monsieur Rochas by Rochas.

Excellent vintage selection!

 

[Diddy]

Let me just chime in here and say that Gianfranco Ferre for Man is an absolute essential, to-die-for fragrance and I'll never be without it if I can help it.
Bracken Man by Amouage however is an entirely different beast. I was very excited to smell it when I blind bought a 3.4oz bottle of the stuff. And I did my research so I kinda knew what I was expecting so maybe it was more a ”legally blind" buy but not a really, truly blind blind buy.
Bottom line though is I've been massively disappointed in it. Too much vanilla, no moss, very modern smelling. I've got 4 other Amouage fragrances so I get the Amouage vibe and like other Amouages Bracken is long lasting, powerful, tenacious. But it doesn't smell like it's from the 70s or 80s but has its feet firmly planted in this 21st century... unfortunately.

Greatly appreciate the feedback!

I may need to revisit Epic Man, as it was more of a green fougere. When I originally tested it, it was in the middle of the summer and it seemed too tenacious for my tastes. Kinda like they were making an intense version of Tsar, which also made me avoid it because I already have original release Tsar and it's perfect as-is. IDK.

At any rate, thanks again!

 

[RCavs]

View attachment 316404

Wow! I didn't know there was a concentreé version! how do you compare it? A "same smell" but longer lasting version?

 

[N.CAL Fragrance Reviewer]

Hermes Bel Ami

 

[Bavard]

Let me just chime in here and say that Gianfranco Ferre for Man is an absolute essential, to-die-for fragrance and I'll never be without it if I can help it.

That's a lovely tribute. I'm oddly somewhat on the fence about the bottle of Gianfranco Ferre for Man I have. I like it fine, but choose not to wear it. In these cases, I give it time. I'm not going to do anything rash and sell my bottle.

 

[Ali AD]

Wow! I didn't know there was a concentreé version! how do you compare it? A "same smell" but longer lasting version?

Hi! Yes, it is longer lasting (not that the EDT is a slouch!) but also denser and woodier.

 

[RCavs]

Hi! Yes, it is longer lasting (not that the EDT is a slouch!) but also denser and woodier.

Thanks, Ali AD! Seems fantastic!

 

[speedyrabbit]

BOOM

 

[nosey74]

Bethco on the right today and it is smelling absolutely amazing!

 

[hednic]

SOTE: Racer by Pacoma

 

[Varanis Ridari]

Varanis, how does it smell like? Is it a Cool water clone?

People back in the 90's used to compare this more to Polo Sport, but it's barely similar past the opening 20 seconds.

My affinity for it is due to the fact Noxell was a local company in Baltimore (makers of Noxema), and this scent was -everywhere- in an around town.

This one where vintage really does 100% matter, as once you get past the original Noxell (then New Dana) bottles with the paper back label, vertical white stripe on box, and solid blue caps, the formula was destroyed.

The majority of negative reviews in the directory are judging newer "Dana Classic" bottles, which smell sour, thinned out, and have no performance. The original is a monster, and has castor oil in it for some reason 🤣

 

[Ken_Russell]

Guerlain Vetiver in the parallel striped bottle version

 

[N.CAL Fragrance Reviewer]

Chanel Antaeus Sport

 

[Ali AD]

 

[PStoller]

SOTE: Bernard Lalande - Bleu de France pour Homme

 

[Puma]

NOCTURNES by Caron

 

[Jean-Sté]

View attachment 316493

On my to-buy list...

 

[Ali AD]

On my to-buy list...

Go for it! I'm sure that you're gonna love it as well

 

[Varanis Ridari]

Eau de Guerlain (1974)

 

[WarmJewel]

Pierre Cardin - Pour Monsieur, post barcode from the 90's. Tsumura Inc. distributor version.

I'm never ceased to be amazed at just how good this fragrance is. Vintage ones from the 80's and 90's can still be picked up for very reasonable prices that will (in my opinion) outperform many current designer fragrances costing 4 or 5 times the price. Decent longevity and sillage too even in After Shave. A veritable vintage bargain.

 

[perfaddict]

Tuscany - Aramis

 

[RCavs]

View attachment 316494

SOTE: Bernard Lalande - Bleu de France pour Homme

Do you know when It was released? The real "Bleu" ?

 

[RCavs]

 

[aero58]

Guerlain Mouchoir de Monsieur

 

[Professor Value]

Seeing this in threads lately motivated me to choose it for my #SOTD 💛
(Sprayed from the right.)

AZZARO POUR HOMME

 

[Redfish365]

View attachment 316507

Pierre Cardin - Pour Monsieur, post barcode from the 90's. Tsumura Inc. distributor version.

I'm never ceased to be amazed at just how good this fragrance is. Vintage ones from the 80's and 90's can still be picked up for very reasonable prices that will (in my opinion) outperform many current designer fragrances costing 4 or 5 times the price. Decent longevity and sillage too even in After Shave. A veritable vintage bargain.

This always transports me back to 1983, 1984, 1985...I wore this a lot!
T'was a "compliment magnet" amongst the teenage girl set...and as I was a teenage boy there wasn't anything creepy going on, just those a-raging hormones!

 

[cologne connoisseur]

Arrogance PH

 

[Redfish365]

Antaeus by Chanel.

(From the modern iteration on the left to the vintage representations in the middle and right this is a gorgeous leather and so much more.
Of course the vintage bottles are superior but the modern one isn't too shabby and proof that Chanel generally doesn't screw around when reformulating classic, well-loved fragrances. I have no doubt they aren't perfect and that there are legitimate claims of Chanel doing harm to a fragrance thru reformulation but by and large I think they do ok. Of course my preference would always be to leave things well enough alone! But when you allow your product to be dismantled by unelected bureaucrats in Brussels and the big brains of IFRA don't be too surprised by the Frankenstein monster your beloved fragrance has become.

Most important of all I must thank pstoller for the kindest gift I've received in eons in generously gifting me the 19ml bottle in the middle.
I can't thank him enough and I shan't forget this act of pure kindness.)