What fragrance are you wearing today?

(Sample)

What did you think?  This is one I like a whole lot -- my favorite vanilla/tobacco/booze scent. And I tried a whole lot to come to that conclusion.  But I seemed not to wear it as much as I might have thought last winter -- it is almost overwhelming.

(Sample)

What did you think?  This is one I like a whole lot -- my favorite vanilla/tobacco/booze scent. And I tried a whole lot to come to that conclusion.  But I seemed not to wear it as much as I might have thought last winter -- it is almost overwhelming.

Hi Lesser.  The short answer is that I bought a bottle earlier today, and obviously that will tell you something.  Nevertheless, I think the long answer will be more useful. ...

I ran across Vanille Havane some time back in this thread.  I think it was roughly speaking around last January, but I don't remember exactly when.  In any case, a question similar to yours was asked, and the response was five star positive.  Fast forward to yesterday, and I'm on my third 0.7ml sample.  It only took one sample to convince me that Vanille Havane is truly excellent.  It has noticeable but civilized sillage, long legs, and above all, to my nose the fragrance is divine.  However Vanille Havane is also very expensive juice (USD $248/50ml), and I have similar fragrances.  Two bottles in my den strike me as fairly similar - Viktor&Rolf's Spicebomb Extreme and Bvlgari Man In Black, both of which I like very much.  Spicebomb lacks the rum but has a strong bourbon note.  Man in black lacks the vanilla but has a prominent tonka note.  The prominence and timing of the notes varies too, contributing to the distinct characters of each.  

What I finally resolved is that Vanille Havane would be my first choice if I had to pick just one among the three.  So I bought it.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Simple & clean freshness to start the weekend.

Simple & clean freshness to start the weekend.

Interesting label too.  

Ungaro pour L'Homme III — GlazedBoker

Hard one to figure out without having smelled it.  At this moment, the three highest-ranking reminds-me-of scents on Fragrantica all have more down-votes than up!  Ungaro pour L'Homme III came to my attention due to some comparisons to Gucci Nobile and Van Cleef & Arpels Tsar.  The "boozy floral" description makes me wonder if there might be a flavour of Chatillon Lux La Forêt de Liguest in there.

Gus:

Could you give some thoughts on the essence and style of Ungaro pour L'Homme III?  Does it have much in common with Gucci Nobile or Van Cleef & Arpels Tsar?  There seems to be a real lack of consensus on this fragrance.

Thank you.

Ungaro pour L'Homme III — GlazedBoker

Hard one to figure out without having smelled it.  At this moment, the three highest-ranking reminds-me-of scents on Fragrantica all have more down-votes than up!  Ungaro pour L'Homme III came to my attention due to some comparisons to Gucci Nobile and Van Cleef & Arpels Tsar.  The "boozy floral" description makes me wonder if there might be a flavour of Chatillon Lux La Forêt de Liguest in there.

Gus:

Could you give some thoughts on the essence and style of Ungaro pour L'Homme III?  Does it have much in common with Gucci Nobile or Van Cleef & Arpels Tsar?  There seems to be a real lack of consensus on this fragrance.

Thank you.

Good morning to you my friend. I will say this in just my personal experience with both Ungaro, Gucci & Van Cleef. Of the 3 listed, Tsar by VC&A is the most wood aromatic with the blending of a fougere type mid that surpasses the other aforementioned two. There’s a green, soap moss type elegance that Tsar carries that is gone in today’s perfumery game. It has just the slightest bit of sweetness in the drydown that makes it gentlemanly, warm & yet bold. It’s the classic of all classic in that genre. Mobile by Gucci is along the same lines but, is geared more to an aromatic scent profile, at least that’s what I used to get out of it. The rosemary & tarragon are more prominent on my skin from top to mid before the soapy moss, vetiver and woods kick in with a tinge of tonka. On me, Nobile didnt give me a tinge of sweetness. I think I have less than 10ml.from a bottle I bought almost 20 years ago and I use it very sparingly, almost like Macassar by Rochas which is the quintessential green fougere, aromatic & woods scent that I’ve ever owned. My Father’s signature actually for the nearly last 20 years of his life, Macassar that is. Ungaro Pour L’ Homme III has very little resemblance to the other two mentioned. It has a more Rose & Vodka like accord to it that is fresher and perhaps more “wearable” in today’s fragrance climate. It has a cleaner vibe with much less greens & aromatics with a stronger emphasis on woods and a nice earthy vetiver. Not overpowering at any stage of its existence. I say this as I have the newer formulation and it’s a shadow of its former self. Tsar & Nobile are classics that we will probably never see the likes of again and procuring vintage bottles of these two are formidable at best as they are outrageously priced in the private market. I’d rather spend the coin on Macassar to be honest as this creation by Mamounas & Pellegrino is unsurpassed in its softly animalic but, brute masculinity in a bottle. It’s the Silverback Gorilla with a Brioni Suit & Cole Haan Loafers smoking a Partagas right out the humidor.

So no, I would not put Ungaro Pour L’Homme III in the same room with the other two. However, if you like early 90’s with that clean woods vibe with a flowery touch from Rose, this will do nicely if not for a long time. Vintage is best in the all black & flower box presentation. Still quite affordable if you shop around online.

. . . just my personal experience with both Ungaro, Gucci & Van Cleef. Of the 3 listed, Tsar by VC&A is the most wood aromatic with the blending of a fougere type mid that surpasses the other aforementioned two. There’s a green, soap moss type elegance that Tsar carries that is gone in today’s perfumery game. It has just the slightest bit of sweetness in the drydown that makes it gentlemanly, warm & yet bold. It’s the classic of all classic in that genre. Mobile by Gucci is along the same lines but, is geared more to an aromatic scent profile, at least that’s what I used to get out of it. The rosemary & tarragon are more prominent on my skin from top to mid before the soapy moss, vetiver and woods kick in with a tinge of tonka. On me, Nobile didnt give me a tinge of sweetness. I think I have less than 10ml.from a bottle I bought almost 20 years ago and I use it very sparingly, almost like Macassar by Rochas which is the quintessential green fougere, aromatic & woods scent that I’ve ever owned. My Father’s signature actually for the nearly last 20 years of his life, Macassar that is. Ungaro Pour L’ Homme III has very little resemblance to the other two mentioned. It has a more Rose & Vodka like accord to it that is fresher and perhaps more “wearable” in today’s fragrance climate. It has a cleaner vibe with much less greens & aromatics with a stronger emphasis on woods and a nice earthy vetiver. Not overpowering at any stage of its existence. I say this as I have the newer formulation and it’s a shadow of its former self. Tsar & Nobile are classics that we will probably never see the likes of again and procuring vintage bottles of these two are formidable at best as they are outrageously priced in the private market. I’d rather spend the coin on Macassar to be honest as this creation by Mamounas & Pellegrino is unsurpassed in its softly animalic but, brute masculinity in a bottle. It’s the Silverback Gorilla with a Brioni Suit & Cole Haan Loafers smoking a Partagas right out the humidor.

So no, I would not put Ungaro Pour L’Homme III in the same room with the other two. However, if you like early 90’s with that clean woods vibe with a flowery touch from Rose, this will do nicely if not for a long time. Vintage is best in the all black & flower box presentation. Still quite affordable if you shop around online.

Lots of clarity and insight there, Gus; thanks so much for that.  Meeting a new fragrance with false hopes and incorrect expectations would not be an ideal way to do it.

The melancholy and wistfulness about the good stuff is real.  Allegedly, Tsar is still for sale, but only in person, and you have to go to Paris to get it.  (And we thought shipping was expensive.)


New West – Aramis

Enjoyed wearing New West on what might be the warmest night and day for the rest of the year.

(Pictured with backyard Juniperus virginia leaves which are fresh, green, and bitter and are said to contain thujone, interestingly enough.)

Trying out a decant.  I love the opening, which is citrus, specifically pomelo, and slightly sharp and maybe a bit salty.  After the lovely pomelo opening and  about 40-60 minutes it dries down to pleasant quality of freshness and saltiness of some citrus over an increasing tonka base.  Then, after maybe another 30-40 minutes the finish becomes less interesting:  tonka and vanilla, primarily, almost an amber quality, that seems to me somewhat dull.  So, altogether a bit torn, as I really like the opening but that gets lost and it becomes (to me) uninteresting.  Since this is expensive juice, it's not really purchase worth enough for me just to get 40 good minutes.  I might get another decant and try it during the summer and see if my views change.