Something you said resonated loudly. Paraphrased: "I just don't know if that's where I'm at anymore." That's exactly how I feel about Aquatics lately. When Bvlgari Aqua Pour Homme was first released, I was sold and pretty much just wanted those types of fragrances. About a year ago, I smelled the new Aqua Di Gio, and thought it smelled great, but not for me anymore.
That's a tough question. If I have to pick one niche for each season, mine will be: Spring: Roja Elixir pour Femme / Ostens Jasmine Absolute (close contender), Summer: Fo'ah Parfum Mémoires d'une Palmeraie 11, Fall/Automn: Tom Ford Café Rose (the private blend edition) / Ostens Cashmeran Velvet (close contender). Winter: Amouage Portrayal Woman.
Oud Wood is great. Carved Oud is on another level. I wish I loved Tobacolor. Peach + tobacco is a great combination, but I prefer to smoke it or maybe smell it in a candle. I like Tobacolor but it isn't a favorite and a rarely wear it.
Oh wow SM Cafe has an appereance here? I've purchased it in the summer and actually had no opportunity to wear it until recently, and it's sooo beautiful. Truly a niche gem, thank you George for reviewing it a couple of years ago. By the way, Salted Green Mango is also a masterpiece for the hot days.
My list would be the following: 1. Spring - Bois du Portugal, 2. Summer - Burlington, 3. Autumn - Apex, 4. Tobacco Vanille. Overall - Burlington. So we are rather close in taste.
I think I’m one of the few people that just cannot stand Oud Wood! It smells like Ajax or Comet? And I thought I was losing my mind but when I went and read some of the comments on Fragrantica, it’s not just me.
Got a sample of Creed Millésime Impérial and it kind of smells like a cheaper version of Axe Dark Temptation. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, for Axe Dark Temptation is my all time favorite by far. But all jokes aside... 😉✌️ Millésime Impérial could have been at least one of my favourite scents if (cliché 🤷) the price was a bit lower and/or the performance better (blah blah.. 😎). My personal favorite used to be Escentric Molecules Escentric 01, but since that one, together with Molecule 01 and others in the line, got reformulated (probably about 5 years ago) I'm currently still searching for a new winner. 😌
For Burlington1819 to unseat MI even just for Summer is an achievement. I love this scent and its my first from Roja. To my nose, its just grapefruit and cumin but i recognize there are other notes otherwise how else can the citrus last and the cumin to not be that much repulsive with its body odor vibe. I really think it smells sophisticated and makes me feel accomplished. I am surprised it beat MI but made me feel happy
George, this makes me think you could do a video about how to tell a fragrance that, unfortunately, it's over. It's not them, it's you. Oh, hell. It's them.
Spring: Naxos, Summer: Nio, Fall: Layton, Winter: Jubilation XXV. Overall: Naxos. This exercise was way harder than I thought. Not sure I'd answer the same way tomorrow.
George, I respect the hell out of you, man, and I know how often you've mentioned that you think that performance doesn't matter at all that much, but...my guy. Frapin 1270 smells great at initial opening, but lasts all of 20 minutes, if that. It's easily the worst performing heavier (i.e. autumn/winter) frag that I've ever put my nose on. In the words of Jeremy, it has "[ZERO] POWAAAA!!!!"
We only have 2 seasons in my part of Australia. Hot as fuck or not that hot. If I could only afford one niche fragrance....Interlude Black Iris. At this stage I could give up my others, but this stays. Natively built for high heat in Oman so I'm loving this in our summer. It's strong though, but doesn't smell fem/unisex.
I tried both Oud Wood and Carved Oud and neither sat well with me. They smelled too cheap off my skin, certainly not worth well over £150 for 50ml. Maybe I’ve just gotten used to ATH’s use of oud…
Millesime imperial is not worth a penny anymore, lasts 5 minutes on my skin..doesn't matter how it smells at this point. If i had to pick only one fragrance it would be green irish tweed or reflection man by amouage
I would just say Creed hasn't been niche in 50 years, def not post-acquisition. Some brands are floating between masstige and mass niche - hard to compare to a brand like Andy Tauer, a dude sitting in his own lab creating by hand and figuring out distribution as he goes. PDM, Dior, etc, also aren't niche. There are very, very few niche brands available at major retailers. Niche, like luxury, isn't a stagnant category. You can depart from a niche approach very easily, but like luxury, it is very difficult to adopt a niche approach as a major distributor. Tom Ford came close, Fred Malle was for a while, and Le Labo a long time ago. Thameen is a good one.
Creed has turned to greed and sold out. The new owner appears to have watered their products down to help make their money back. Look at the box and it says the #2 ingredient is water. I just wasted my money on a new watered-down bottle totally agree with no projection even in 20 minutes nothing no projection Creed is no longer a monster as you say and you are going to light on the review of the new owners of Creed. You need to be stronger in your statements on how bad Creed has gotten so sad to see what has happened to this Iconic brand. Longevity Zero Performance Zero watered down to a zero YES Really Weak and fleeting fragrance and Yes No longer a Monster. It was a beast now just a bottle of water with a splash of fragrance Yes NO Power, No Punch, and not worth the money. Creed is taking one bottle of Creed dividing it into what must be something like ten bottles and adding water and they are making ten times the money now for the same one bottle they used to sell so they can make ten times the profit.
