Most worn: Acqua Di Gio because I have 6 ounces of it lol. Royal Mayfair is a close second.

Biggest surprise was Pure Malt unfortunately. A* Men and Ultra Zest are better

Scent of the Day: D.S. & Durga - Cowboy Grass

das it mane... das it.

[QUOTE=Papillo post_id=1568986981]Lol!!! sorry fellas, crazy day at work. Here is key for the last 5:

6. is Armani Prive Cuir Majeste. I think you smelled and reviewe that one in the first batch you reviewed.
7. Roja Dove Taif Aoud- sad that one leaked bro. Wanted you to compare it to Taif Aoud to see if it was a bit more tolerab
8. Boadecia the Victorious- Empire
9. Royal Crown Rain- LMAO at the reaction to this one.
10. Le Labo Mousse de Chene 30


I'm a bit confused as you describe it as light brown.

[img]https://i.postimg.cc/jjrZJrdz/papl.jpg[/i]

looking at this pic. No 11 is the third from the right, and the one with the smudged top is "X" and that is the second from the right between no 11 and no 2. Ok back to identifying, you guys were on the right path, no 11 is a Guerlain:

11. Guerlain Encense Mythique D' Orient

There was one labelled X. (the amber colored one ) and that one is Dua's version of Italian Leather aka Cuir de Milano. In for your thoughts compared to Italian Leather. Is this the on you like, or the Guerlain? great job smelling and describing these blind. I definitely would not be able to do this. I am surprised that you found No 9. synthetic as the one i thought you would have deemed too synthetic is the le labo. It is also very possible that i mixed both up when i wrote them down and 9 is Mousse de Chene while 10 is Rain especially since you found it "green". (Rain smells pretty similar to Green Irish Tweed)[/QUOTE]Mind completely nuked. i fudged up some of the vials and misplaced 11 all together. now what i could do is be a frauding ******* and claim that i thought 11 was the Guerlain. Come to find out i just overlooked that one completely, and the one that blew me away was the cheapie DUA.

While i'm shocked, it's not entirely out of the realm of possibility. I owned DUA Casino Royale Nights . (540 extrait clone) and I wore that one like it was my job over the summer. It didn't smell synthetic but the smell was dense and very "rich", which could be interpreted as cloying but I didn't get that. So i'm not gonna sit here and front like i really meant the Guerlain, the one i mistook for 11 was in fact the X marked bottle and was the $55 DUA Cuir de Milano ayyyyyy lmao.

Another thing of note to laugh at was my hate for the Royal Crown Rain. Went to fragrantica and the top two categories are 1. Aromatic 2. Fresh Spicy. lol @ how strongly my nose picks up this genre of frags and hates them. Frag going for $500+ on ebay. Number 7 the Roja Taif I wasn't able to get a spray out of, but i unscrewed it and was able to wet my forearm with some of it. In my opinon the Roja Aoud dna overwhelmes the taif too much. I far prefer Areej Le Dore's Malik Al Taif. Yes it's got a bit of saffron in it, but the rose is front and center whereas i don't feel like this differentiates enough from the standard Roja Aoud.

So I took a ton of time to paper test and then put some on skin, my personal picks of the 12 would be:

[b]Spoiler![/b][SPOILER]
1 - Ormond Jayne Taif: Rose but fruity in the heart notes as well. This would be a much more intriguing summer freshy. I had traditionally held this spot for Virgin Island Water/Hawaii Volcano, but the rose opening makes it a little less “predictable” and more of a fun summer unisex wear. Wouldn’t mind a 5ml decant for summer.

4 - Roja Dove 51 London: This is just the textbook definition of what a signature scent should be in my opinion. It rides that extremely fine line of being unique but also very versatile and wearable in numerous situations. I went back and wore this next to Roja Dove 51 Pour Homme and it’s really a coin toss of what you want out of a signature scent. More maturity/grown man (51) or more versatility (London). Ironically I think the 51 pour Homme is more suited for men 50 years old an up. London is 10ml worthy simply off “dumb reach” appeal.

10 - Le Labo Mousse de Chene 30: This one isn’t particularly mind blowing, but I’d want it in my collection simply because I don’t have anything else like this. It’d serve the same purpose as green Irish tweed in most peoples’ collections. It’s a soapy vetiver with the slightest touch of citrus in the middle. Definitely going for that “barbershop” vibe but for me it’d make a great office scent in hot humid weather. Just smells really fresh and mature. 10ml worthy buy

8 - Boadecia Victorious Empire: Simply because I think this would be the biggest compliment getter in the group by far. This is the one I said I’d imagine being a room candle with the aquatics/floral blends. A man would have to be careful on the spray with this for sure because it could turn from panty-dropper to human repellant with just one spray too much easily. Full bottle wish list.

X - DUA Cuir de Milano: Can’t hate just because I found out it’s a cheapie. Fuk just realized I have a sample of Memo Italian Leather to direct compare. This is gonna sound ridiculous but I actually like the DUA clone more than the OG. The OG has an “aromatic” note which we know I’m adverse to. The DUA has a darker, more gourmand scent profile that’s more enjoyable to my nose. That’s just hilarious.[/SPOILER]

[QUOTE=Coal Man post_id=1568993441]Stopped reading there. How u expect us to take dis review srsly?[/QUOTE]First of all you should know by now all of my post are only pseudo-serious. I’m a snob but I’m the son of a tradie so all of my snob-based posts are drizzled in former brokeboi douchebaggery.

Secondly lol @ being okay with “this makes me want to sing 90’s RandB and touch myself” but where you drew the line at was “because I’m sexy like that”. HOW DARE THIS MF’er HAVE CONFIDENCE IN HIMSELF. lulz

[QUOTE=sloop post_id=1569025161][b]As the year comes to a close, what is everyone's:

- Most worn fragrance of 2018
- Most surprising fragrance of 2018[/b].[/QUOTE]Most worn fragrance of 2018 would have to be Areej Le Dore - Russian Oud. I had all my SOTDs but there have been many evenings where I’ve showered after work to enjoy a glass of whiskey and a movie and I’ve done two sprays of Russian oud on the neck to enjoy alone. Also been many nights where I’ve done one spray to the chest before climbing in bed. SO glad I snagged a backup bottle this year. Most worn for SOTD was probably Bortnikoff Bonheur

.

Most surprising is Roja Dove Kuwait or Saudi Arabia. I’m accustomed to them now and have less reverence for them, but both initiated a “I MUST HAZ DIS” response the first time I sampled. Also honorable mention to Valentino Uomo Noir Absolu. That's that FRAGRANCE fragrance.

Solid reviews bro. I glad you liked some of them. I agree the oud in Roja's taif aoud overwelms the taif rose. I would easily pick Areej's malik over it 10/10, unrotunately, i dont like how quickly the Taif note dies down in the Areej.

Someone else has told me that they found Empire a bit on the feminine side as well. Once it dries down, it gets more masculine tome. If you like fruity fragrances like Sospiro Erba Pura, you will like Empire. Mousse de Chene is another fragrance that i had a own once i smelled a sample. Its the only le Labo that i like as i find a lot of them overwhelmingly synthetic (for lack of a better word). This is a synthetic take on oakmoss that works for me.

London is about my 2nd favorite Roja after Amber Aoud. Not surprised to see that you like that one too. LOL at the dua. It smells good period. That's why i threw it in there as i wanted a blind smell of it without any preconceived notions. I am not surprised that you liked it. Prime example that you do not need to spend major $$ to find a frag you like.

SOTD Tobacco Vanille.

Heading back down to southeastern VA sunday. There is a Zara on the way, hopefully i can sneak in for some RWA.

Have you tried any of the other Roja? Like Bahrain, Oman, Saudi, Kuwait, uae? Gotta get my nose on amber aoud

Yes. I am lucky to have a Neimans within driving distance that carries Roja, so I've tried pretty much all of those that available for purchase in the us. (with the exception of the new Chypre Extraodinaire which is a Bergdof exclusive). I like most of the ones you list in the gulf collection, well except for Bahrain which I was not a fan of when I tried it a while back.

I've gotten my nose on Kuwait and Qatar and they are both beautiful. Someone on here game me some samples of each. Forgot who, but I definitely enjoyed them. I have a decant of Roja Creation-E coming. Looking forward to that. I still need to get my nose on Amber Aoud.

Terre D Hermes. Was smelling great and only had to use 1 or 2 sprays.

Most surprising: Hope I find one before the year ends!


SOTN: Lacoste Noir

Do any of you brahs have a special fragrance you "unwind" with? I'm finding this where my hyper niche "howler monkey in the rain forest" frags really shine.

Just finished a late night 1.5mi/2.4km treadmill walk with a 15degree incline at 3mph/4.8kph. Wore a hoodie so was sweating balls. Walked into my shower feeling high from the endorphins. Ice cold shower shocked me even more and made me rush to scrub down and get out. Poured myself a short glass of vodka from my freezer, and did 3 sprays of Areej Le Dore - Russian Oud. This little ceremony is heaven on earth for me. I'm going to cry a thousand grown man tears when i get through my stash of Russian Oud.

You brahs trippin. Amber Aoud is the Baccarat 540 Extrait of Roja frags. Miscing out tremendously. Git yourselves a discovery atomizer for Christmas (https://rojaparfums.com/fragrance/amber-aoud). It's 7.5ml but trust me, that's more than you think. I took a 5ml decant of Roja Aoud on a two week vacation. Used it as a daily driver and only got through 3/4 of it spraying daily for 2 weeks.


Speaking of which... yo @Pap, which discovery atomizer should i go for as a christmas gift for myself? Great Britain or Chypre Extraordinaire?

SOTD : Bond No 9 - Manhattan

New acquisition!

Amouage Interlude Man fragrance and shower gel.

The shower gel is interesting... it's a little bit herbal and a little bit sweet but quite a lot smoky (just like the fragrance). Quite a weird feeling using a shower product with "smoke" in it.

Heyo boyos... well, as expected... the famous/infamous "Panda Puke" shirt hath struck again. It got me 2 (two) unsolicited compliments yesterday. One from a babe in HR and the other from a dude on the dev team. Neither one of them said so much as a peep about the mushroom cloud of Byredo Pulp surrounding me... but the $30 shirt from PacSun... killer. This game is rigged bros.

SOTD: Pear & OliveMonica.Looking back... 2018 was somewhat of a quiet year for me, what for the time I spent in Perfume Jail and all. I think I had 67 new pickups YTD, though I may nab something up on NYE.

Most worn:AdG Profumo, Escentric Molecule 01, Bond Eau de New York, Boss Bottled Intense
Most surprising:Dior Poison Girl EDP, Slumberhouse Grev, Byredo 1996, Bond Liberty Island
Most son I am disappoint:JV Artisan Pure, Bleu de Chanel parfum

SOTY 2018:Dior Poison Girl EDP. No motherfuking contest.

Yo Papillo you are tripppppppin bro. I decided to scavenge my random sample/decant drawer for my scent of the day. I found mostly full samples of Roja Dove - Sultante of Oman and Kingdom of Bahrain. SoO is kind of gross and old man smelling, but KoB???? That's that FRAGRANCE fragrance bro. This MIGHT be up there with Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

Scent of the Morning: Roja Dove - Kingdom of Bahrain.lmao can't believe we forgot the infamous Most Son I am Disappoint category. Bleu de Chanel Parfum was actually one of the nicer surprises, but then again I was able to test it head to head with the EdP and I'm a sucker for quality.

for meMost Son I Am Disappoint:Areej Le Dore - Baikal Gris, Dior Homme Intense, ASQ Safari Incense and Safari Incense Pour Homme

IMO, BdC parfum is my least favorite of the lot. I too have all 3 and I'm with you that the EDP is definitely the standout.

Is anyone gonna get in on that ******* Jeremy's Kickstarter to preorder the BEST FRAGRANCE OF ALL TIME IN THE UNIVERSE EVER EVER EVERRRR OMGGGGG???????

I can't help but lol at all the #fragrancearmy #strength beta cucks all on his dik on Insta about this chit. I mean, dude has/had the (daddy's) money to lease a used Ferrari 458 for a few months, and was able to collab with a famous perfumer to come up with the formula and chit... but now he has to rely on Kickstarter to fund the chit? Nig'ra please.

I'm not taking this bait. I could, and write a 500 word essay, but i'm bowing out kindly
He doesn't have to rely on kickstarter, but he can because of the first bolded. Why spend your own money to create a product when a bunch of timothy's will give you their money. I'd do the same thing if i had thousands of betas wishing they were me.

It's actually pretty smart by him, like W1LLW explains. People are handing their money over to him. Can't hate on that part.

I will probably do that. Have you tried Roja's Elysium? Been wanting to try that one as well.

Lol "Thousands of betas"...... nailed it! So many dudes swinging from his nutsack, surprised it hasn't torn off yet.

Yea i usually wear Roja Sweetie Aoud or Guerlain Cuir Beluga for unwinding purposes. Both are relatively soft and i often choose other things to go out with, so this is a way to wear them as well.

I second the discovery atomizer or getting decants. that 7.5 ml does last quite a while especially if you have a rotation of frags you go through.

For your Christmas gift, i havent tried Chypre Extraodinaire so i cant speak to that one. Great Britain is interesting, is a pretty decent leather fragrance that is a bit creamy but still not too smooth at the same time. I am not a chypre fan, so thats what i would lean towards from those two. If you are purchasing from Alan Berdjis, see if you can get a decant of PDNL2. I think that will be up your alley since you like Creation E.Mirin. That was the only other one i wanted but Notino never had it in stock when i got the others (jubi, lyric and epic). Their shower gels are money.haha Oman i didnt like the first time i tested it as it had a bit too much incense for my liking, and i think Amouage does incence better. I am slowly coming around to it though and an SA layered Oman with Elysium a few months back and i really liked how it turned out. Ive been on the lookout for a deal on a partial. Bahrain i just remember had a plasticky smell to it that put me off. Will give it another shot again the next time i am at Neiman.

SOTD: Started off with Spirit of the Union, but testing Bond Sandalwood now.

I've actually never tried Elysium. I always see it pop up in those Jeremy Fragrance-esque youtube reviewers as "BEST FRAG TO GET WOMEN" or "TOP 5 COMPLIMENT GETTERS OF 2018!" and it makes me cringe and roll my eyes. If I wore frags strictly for compliments I'd just accumulate a bunch of DUA and Alexandria Fragrance clones that project like a MF'er, save myselfhundredsof dollars in the process, and call it a day.Noted, I'll see if i can work a deal out.


lol'd at this rant on PDLN2 on fragrantica

"Let’s talk price. The ridiculousness in price is akin to the Starbucks tip jar for drive-thru customers. I’m a high end kind of guy but I’m not HIGH. There’s bargains then there’s bullchit. Take a guess of what side of the tracks this lies on. This is a concoction created for the inner sybarite in you. There’s a certain expectation when you spray a $1400 fragrance on your arm. I want to see a ray of light shine upon my body, I want to see turtle doves fly over my head, I wanna hear the trumpets of Galilee”

lmao. I wrote up a rant similar on basenotes first time i smelled Roja's Nuwa. I was like "is this brew real stew?"

Get a sample of the Elysium parfum extrait (Gold bottle). That one has more depth and longer lasting than the blue Elysium cologne. I didn't like the blue bottle but when I tried the gold bottle, I was amazed and I want a bottle now

Can I just clarify if you mean the Eau Extreme or Cologne Sport edition?

K brah so allure homme sport is fresher which makes it better for the occasions you described. I personally prefer eau extreme but it has some added sweetness and depth that while it can still be used for those occasions, I prefer it for an evening setting.

They're close in smell, but if you want an everyday scent get the allure homme sport.

Chanel is on the expensive side though. If you want something that's more bang for the buck, I HIGHLY suggest Versace Dylan Blue instead. You can get a big 200ml bottle for what, 60 bucks or less? That way you can actually use it every day with no worries, a bottle will last you a long time. Also it gets great reactions with ladies. It has a fresh shower gel vibe but also has some depth that makes it smooth and sexy for a date. I suggest going that route for a daily beater. And yes I have a 200ml of it.

As to the post about spraying on a fragrance on an evening to unwind. Tbh I never do that. Maybe if I'm testing something about a frag but otherwise, after my nose is bombarded all day with a particular scent...... When I'm showered in the night before I chill and sleep I just like to smell nothing and let my nose chill out too.

Thank you very much, appreciate the advice.

Not a problem brah. Hope you enjoy whatever you choose, you can give us a mini review when you do.

SOTD: Sauvage EDP

First time trying it...it's definitely a lot less aggressive "in your face" than the EDT so it's much more wearable for me.

sigh. going to sell both bottles of my black beard's delight. Creation-E.

ebbs and flows of the perfume game. don't know why, but it's not clicking with me anymore. even for running errands.

SOTD was Hugo Boss: The Scent - Private Accord.



Basically Polo Double Black, with a chocolate note added. Very good frag.



https://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/...ord-50874.html

SOTD : YSL - Lhomme Parfum Intense

My grandfather wore a cologne called English Leather for like 50 years, I swear this YSL smells just like it.