Unforgivable Multi Platinum (Sean John)

By Thomas

This name is too much work to pronounce or type. So, in the spirit of P.Diddy/Puffy/Sean Combs, I’m renaming it UMP. That’s catchy. Sean John Puffy Combs should be taking notes right about now. If the scent were catchy, that would be a bonus.

Unfortunately, UMP does not live up to the advertising hype. Normally I let these things pass, but not this time. The hype machine claims that UMP is visceral and unrestrained. Now, really? Seriously? UMP is visceral and unrestrained like last year’s tax code. And – this is the “luxury” version of Unforgivable (whatever value that adds…)

UMP opens in the manner of a dry Asti Spumante – tart, sparkly, and a hint of sweetness. The sparkle fades to reveal a synthetic watery orange that remains tart/sweet, amid a sparse array of spices to give it (not quite enough) fullness.

As things progress, the orange remains but seems to have pear-like qualities. The spices – clove and nutmeg – appear and give depth to the orange/pear, but by this time I would have liked more balance, the orange is still more shrill and synthetic than I like. Eventually mossy notes join in (still the orange sticks out!) and the whole thing fades out in a few hours.

All in all – not bad for a celebrity scent, probably best for a night out clubbing. Visceral? No. Unrestrained? Like a pack of accountants, maybe. Memorable? As memorable as a P. Diddy song. What does he sing again?

Year: 2007
Perfumer: David Apel
Notes: Lemon, Italian Bergamot, Green Mandarin, Moroccan Tangerine, Grapefruit, Juniper Leaves, Birch Leaves, Champagne Accord, Mediterranean Air Accord, Tuscan Basil, Florentine Iris, Clary Sage, Lavender, Cashmere Accord, Australian Sandalwood, Amber, Tonka Bean, Rum

He Wood (DSquared2)

By Dane

I admit, I had low hopes for He Wood...the ugly bottle, the cheesy play on words, what could this possibly be but bad? Well, I'm pleasantly surprised.

He Wood starts with a lovely, dewy violet accord. A green violet leaf note follows, and to my surprise, the volume remains at an acceptable level, never hitting you with the cheap, synthetic amber that most new men's releases rely on. Coming from the likes of Dean & Dan Caten, the homegrown Canadian Keeblers, a quiet floral was a bit of a shock. I half expected Rihanna's 11-foot legs to squirt out and put me in a choke hold, but the composition is smooth, subtle and crisp (although not very woody).

It all made more sense when I saw that Daphne Bugey created the composition. Between Le Labo's Neroli 36, Kenzo's Amour, and the perfume in question, Bugey's style is understated and elegant, and is quickly becoming a name to watch.

Year: 2007
Perfumer: Daphne Bugey
Notes: Violet, Violet Leaf, Vetiver, Cedar, Fir, Amber, Vanilla, Musk

Cedre (Serge Lutens)

By Dane

The release of Cedre from the house of Lutens was no surprise to anyone, seeing as much of his work is based on the ingredient. What no one was expecting though, was a tuberose-laden scent with only the slightest hint of anything woody.

Cedre starts off with a powerful, mentholated camphor note. Not nearly as shocking as Tubereuse Criminelle, but still quite the sucker-punch. Immediately evident are the spices - clove, cinnamon, and the usual suspects for a Lutens fragrance. Tuberose is clearly the main player in the scent from the beginning, although it softens somewhat as things progress. Cedar does makes its way in eventually, although not nearly enough to warrant a star-spot in the perfume's title. Cedar's typical raspy character is felt more than any obvious woody presence.

The drydown reveals something much more interesting though - a dirty musk! Up until that point, things are a bit cloying, a bit on the sweet side, and very much full of clove (not my favourite thing in the world), but the musk note is an intriguing touch.

I can see how Cedre would blend in with the rest of the Lutens export line, but it its challenging composition makes it more interesting for those looking for something out of the ordinary.

Year: 2005
Perfumer: Christopher Sheldrake
Notes: Tuberose, Amber, Cinnamon, Cedar, Musk, Cloves

New West (Aramis)

By Thomas

I recall the ad campaign like it was yesterday. I was tired of Paco Rabanne and Pierre Cardin, and here comes this splashy, L.A.-cool ad, advertising New West Skinscent for men. Not a perfume or cologne or any of that macho/pansy/flowery water. This was a Skinscent! New! Different! Exciting! Sign me up!!!

I was easily marketed-to in those days, but the smelling strip captivated me and I had to have a bottle. I used it faithfully until I fell in love with a young lady who liked more-classical scents, and eventually New West fell off my radar. I grew up and moved on.

I have a bottle again, and it’s like the fountain of youth - young, fresh, energetic, fleet of foot. At the opening, New West sparkles with an accord I can only describe as rosemary and blueberries. The blueberries might be Calone, which is prominent in New West. The wet/astringent accord is well-balanced so that neither overtakes the other. There is some sweetness as you might find in a sweet-tart candy – just enough to be palatable.

This accord lasts for hours and never gets old for me. Bergamot and juniper slowly make their way in but the overall balance remains the same. Into the drydown there’s a salty hint of anise and ozone that keeps things crisp and engaging.

One morning, storm clouds gathered above me as I was running. As I passed a neighbor’s herb garden, I stopped and smelled the air. It was pure New West – different, exciting, clean and invigorating.

Year: 1988
Notes: Aldehydes, Artemisia, Lavender, Sea Notes (Calone), Mint, Caraway, Bergamot, Pine Tree, Coriander, Juniper Berries, Bay Leaf, Jasmine, Watermelon, Geranium, Leather, Sandalwood, Amber, Patchouli, Musk, Oakmoss, Cedar

Kenzo Amour (Kenzo)

By Dane

What would you expect when seeing these brightly coloured, biomorphic bottles? I thought maybe something wacky, something daring...I was wrong. What you get is the beautifully subtle Kenzo Amour.

Amour is an interesting contrast of edible and inedible notes. I'm not typically drawn to vanilla scents, they either veer towards the candy-sweet (Comptoir Sud Pacifique) or the boozy-bitter (Guerlain Spiriteuse Double Vanille). Amour is different. Opening with a faint floral note, followed by a slightly chemical, plastic-like vanilla and amber accord, then drying into a sweet musk, not unlike something you'd smell in a dryer sheet, Amour is unlike any other vanilla scent on the market (although Gaultier2 comes close).

Sound appealing yet? It didn't to me either, until I read the advertised notes. There are notes that will always appeal to certain people, whether or not they're actually incorporated into the scent. I've always loved rice pudding, and as soon as I read the word "rice", everything about Amour made sense. The milky texture is what first flew over my head, but now that I recognize it, it's the highlight of the scent for me.

Kenzo recently release Amour Le Parfum, an extrait version of the original. Is it the same? No. Is it better? To me, no. The raspy amber notes are intensified, which to some is a dream come true, but to me, lost the plot of the original entirely.

Year: 2006
Perfumer: Daphne Bugey, Olivier Cresp
Notes: Rice, Musk, Frangipani Blossom