Verde Ajmal 2020

Funny how your brain can be tricked sometimes. The bottle of this perfume is green and upon spraying I'm like: yep this smells green allright! Thick like resins in a pine forest.

However, looking at the notes, the black pepper and galbanum combi makes sense. It's a combination that Filippo Sorcinelli uses in "that perfume with the insanely long name" (which has a red bottle by the way!) and yes Verde does remind me of it.

Verde does come across as more synthetic though. It doesn't shout as much and it doesn't last as long. It's more wearable so to say. On the other hand it lacks a bit of character. Spray it on and that's it for the length of a regular working-day.

Super fun fragrance though. I bought it blind for the price of a happy meal and that's a great deal.

In the corner of the garden, an underground pipe has sprung a leak and green and bitter gabalnum grows there in the cente of a permanent pool of rusty water. Someone stands close by, chain smoking. He is wearing leather chaps and little else. On seeing you watching, he sprawls on a nearby wooden bench and winks at you in a "come and get me" kind of way. You notice he is wearing a heavy gold medallion, which hangs midway down his noticeably hirsute chest.

A supposed clone of Thom Ford's Noir Anthracite, which in turn was a distinct nod to 70s barbershop fragrances, this really occupies 'inspired by' territory, as opposed to being an out and out clone. It very green, brash in its opening, but its really that ash-like metallic note that elevates it.

Inexpensive, long lasting and, ultimately, a really good scent. An overlooked gem in amongst the multitudes of overhyped middle eastern perfumes, most of which seldom match the level of attention gven to them.

Namely, creating fragrances that have little to do with "Orient." Instead, they have much more to do with a door hidden behind cool flowers, leading into a mysterious garden. Citrus trees bloom, "Bauernjasmin," lily of the valley, colorful carnations, and many more. Sun-drenched, yet with one or two shady corners. There, under freshly green conifers like arborvitae and cypress, ivy and periwinkle entwine with wonderfully blue flowers.
In the midst of the well-tended yet natural garden, a fountain is fed by a flowing brook. And in great warmth, it spreads a very pleasant coolness.
The robust scents of the woods from which the paths are made, the trees and shrubs, and the mild-spicy aromas of the floral variety together create a truly beautiful fragrance experience.
It does not need to hide behind niche brands or the fragrances of "luxury designer" Tom Ford. And it is certainly not everyday. Unless, of course, you live in close proximity to such a "secret, magical" garden.

Due to the promising reviews, I managed to get a sample of TFNA and its Arabic reincarnation called AJMAL Verde.

While TFNA can deliver an uncompromising pepper spray in the opening, its oriental half-brother is more gracious - fresh and giving away bergamot. However, this is minimal and in the heart note, it almost turns around: TFNA has a balance of galbanum and flowers, with the tuberose creating an interesting mix. AJMAL, on the other hand, transforms into a mossy little man and puts on a gold chain. It's not bad, rather an old-school barbershop with a pleasant drydown.

And that's roughly how the DNA is. I can't find a threatening T-800 here, rather I have the impression of observing freshly shaved mustachioed men with mullets beside me on a Saturday morning at the shooting club. In the background, MDR Sachsen is playing, and I know that after lunch there will be a walk through the greenery of the Pitralon cedar forest with the family. I like.

Anyone who can appreciate Boucheron Homme will be well served here, especially since the drydown remains nicely woody and doesn't drift into mustiness.

Verde is truly green. The green and woody notes come through very well.
If you're hesitant to venture into meadows and forests because of ticks, you can buy this scent for very little money.
I don't know any green fragrance that achieves this for so little.
And the bottle is also beautifully green!
The triage is interesting. Bergamot and ginger come through nicely, no trace of pepper. It seems to be meant as a supporting note. Jasmine also comes through very beautifully. Lily of the valley isn't included, but they manage to convey that.
And the leather is very pleasant. But it's definitely a unisex scent.
Wonderful! Like a walk in the woods or wandering through fresh meadows. The fragrance works in every season.
Finally, a green scent that deserves the VERDE!!