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08/02/2021
Balticsea
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Balticsea
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Dark Cherry & Amber vs. Tobacco & Tonka Bean - Fight of the Bananas - and the eternal discussion about niche and designer
Moin dear Parfumos and Parfumas,
today we review two fragrances from Banana Republic, which in my opinion get too little attention.
But before we get to that I would like to briefly address the last part of my headline.
Just yesterday again, I read somewhere in a comment that you can never buy a designer again once you're immersed in the world of non-fragrances. "Designers are not bad, but if I then wear a Xerjoff again, then I just realize why I prefer to spend 150.00 € more for a fragrance." was written there, among other things.
I am always amazed how much non-fragrances for many but become a religion and just these people after their "enlightenment" no longer come crawling out of their niche. (Forgive me my puns :-D)
I've never lived through this obvious confession, and I'm honestly also glad that designers also fascinate me every time. Of course, many perfumes in the designer sector are trimmed to mass appeal and mainly want to please. But that is nothing bad. Especially in everyday life - e.g. in the office - I appreciate uncomplicated (but still great) fragrances very much. However, these pleasing scents also exist in the niche world. Aventus, Layton, Naxos - to call times three draught horses.
Also, "niche or designer" often says nothing about the quality of the fragrances. There are designers with great quality. On the other hand, there are very modest non-fragrances. Also, synthetic is often criticized with designers. And yet there are enough fragrances in the non-scent segment that even consciously work with synthetics. (Bond No.9 and Montale z.b.).
Also the price is not decisive for a high quality. That show especially Arab fragrance houses again and again. Here you can find in such high numbers fragrances that cost under 50.00 € but smell after 200.00 € and perform 2 days. Ultimately, everyone must decide for themselves. Personally, I would find it a pity if my journey through the fragrance world would take place only exclusively in Nichebekistan (I'm sorry!). For one thing, I'd be broke, because a month without new fragrances wouldn't be a good one ;-) And for another, I would never have been able to get so many unbelievably good scents under my nose. Like the two fragrances we're talking about today. Two designers. Two really cheap designers!
So let's get started.
Flacon: DC&A 9.0 - T&T 9.0
(Here I rate both bottles in one text, because they differ only in color)
The packaging was surprisingly good. A noble-looking box adorned the bottle. On a small tab, you could pull the fragrance out like from a book cover. Chic, almost niche presentation. The bottle itself is also very nice. Very simple, elegant design. Solid glass. Only the sprayer gives me a bit too little fragrance per spray.
Fragrance: DC&A 8.5/10 - T&T 8/10
We start with the Dark Cherry & Amber - and here the name is really program!!! Because "you get what you see"!
The fragrance starts with an overripe, black cherry, which is very present especially in the first seconds. Shortly thereafter joins also already a tart-sweet, dark chocolate note (praline?) without gaining the upper hand. And then the amber is already there and wraps itself around the cherry. The scent is sweet, but not a bit overloaded or sticky. Quite the opposite - it always stays a little dark and finds a perfect balance here. When I look at the twins listed here, everything is right, but somehow nothing from the list is right either. A little Lost Cherry but much darker. A little Baccarat Rouge but much less pungently sweet. The scent stays absolutely linear after 5 minutes but is still complex. He fascinates me just therefore totally.
Short form: ambered, overripe black cherry with a thin layer of bitter chocolate. Especially the amber sets the tone here after a short time! Great cinema. Could also be Niche!
Now to the Tonka & Tobacco Bean.
This is also very linear and still has a certain depth. Here, however, the name is only so half program! The fragrance starts directly with the full broadside of sweet, spicy tonka bean. Very quickly joins a good portion of vanilla and remains until the end. Mirabelle and pear I do not perceive in detail, but have in between again and again a fruity association to what is at the core of a Nimm2 candy. Sounds strange, but smells great. Coconut? Accompanied at most. Tobacco I perceive (unfortunately too) little! Doesn't detract from the scent though. Also this fragrance here is great. Also this has Nichencharakter!
Short form: Uniques, sweet-spicy tonka-vanilla monster with short, light fruit (candy?) impacts
Shelf Life: DC&A 6/10 - T&T 6/10
Both last about 5-6 hours with normal spraying. No revelation. Too bad!
Sillage: DC&A 6/10 - T&T 6/10
Again, both on the same level. The first hour are both also perceptible beyond an arm's length. Then in hours 2-3 still enough to be noticed in a hug or in an elevator. After that, however, it becomes skin deep.
Wearability: DC&A 7.5/10 - T&T 7.5/10
Almost always wearable, although I would wear both more in autumn/winter. Office, leisure, date? Goes everything. With both! Unisex? In any case! My wife wears both just as gladly as I.
Compliments: DC&A 8/10 - T&T 8/10
Both fragrances I have consciously and sufficiently tested at work. Here I always get incredible feedback. (Open plan office, 80 colleagues, everyone knows my Parfummacke and knows that I wear a different fragrance every day)
Both scents were almost universally well received. DC&A was the favorite among the men, T&T among the ladies. And yet both parties didn't find the other one wrong either. :-)
Price / performance: DC&A 10/10 - T&T 10/10
Both fragrances you get around the 30.00 € (75ml). For this price, you get here but two fragrances with an incredibly great quality. Both fragrances are unique and have almost Nichencharakter! Quite big cinema! Since you can also overlook the modest H / S, because Nachsprühen does not cost much! ;-)
Conclusion:
We have here two exceptionally great fragrances from the house of Banana Republic! The designer house has shown here about the packaging, the bottle, up to the fragrance, that it is always possible to discover extraordinary even in the designer sector for little money. Only the H/S leaves a little to be desired. But I look at the overall picture smiling away. Because these two fragrances are very, very great cinema! I would blindly recommend both fragrances. I like the DC&A a tiny bit more. My wife the T&T. Both are great! And so I will continue to test scents from each division. Because surprises are everywhere!
Just last week, I unexpectedly experienced a pretty big one when I got to smell a fragrance I ordered blind for my wife. This will also shape my next review.
Especially the (sweet tooth) ladies should watch out then. It will be about a fairly unknown, Arabian madness fragrance for 20.00 €, which has completely knocked my socks off. So be curious. :-)
Until then, always stay open to new things, never stop discovering and laugh as much as you can!
See you soon and as always hanseatic greetings ⚓
today we review two fragrances from Banana Republic, which in my opinion get too little attention.
But before we get to that I would like to briefly address the last part of my headline.
Just yesterday again, I read somewhere in a comment that you can never buy a designer again once you're immersed in the world of non-fragrances. "Designers are not bad, but if I then wear a Xerjoff again, then I just realize why I prefer to spend 150.00 € more for a fragrance." was written there, among other things.
I am always amazed how much non-fragrances for many but become a religion and just these people after their "enlightenment" no longer come crawling out of their niche. (Forgive me my puns :-D)
I've never lived through this obvious confession, and I'm honestly also glad that designers also fascinate me every time. Of course, many perfumes in the designer sector are trimmed to mass appeal and mainly want to please. But that is nothing bad. Especially in everyday life - e.g. in the office - I appreciate uncomplicated (but still great) fragrances very much. However, these pleasing scents also exist in the niche world. Aventus, Layton, Naxos - to call times three draught horses.
Also, "niche or designer" often says nothing about the quality of the fragrances. There are designers with great quality. On the other hand, there are very modest non-fragrances. Also, synthetic is often criticized with designers. And yet there are enough fragrances in the non-scent segment that even consciously work with synthetics. (Bond No.9 and Montale z.b.).
Also the price is not decisive for a high quality. That show especially Arab fragrance houses again and again. Here you can find in such high numbers fragrances that cost under 50.00 € but smell after 200.00 € and perform 2 days. Ultimately, everyone must decide for themselves. Personally, I would find it a pity if my journey through the fragrance world would take place only exclusively in Nichebekistan (I'm sorry!). For one thing, I'd be broke, because a month without new fragrances wouldn't be a good one ;-) And for another, I would never have been able to get so many unbelievably good scents under my nose. Like the two fragrances we're talking about today. Two designers. Two really cheap designers!
So let's get started.
Flacon: DC&A 9.0 - T&T 9.0
(Here I rate both bottles in one text, because they differ only in color)
The packaging was surprisingly good. A noble-looking box adorned the bottle. On a small tab, you could pull the fragrance out like from a book cover. Chic, almost niche presentation. The bottle itself is also very nice. Very simple, elegant design. Solid glass. Only the sprayer gives me a bit too little fragrance per spray.
Fragrance: DC&A 8.5/10 - T&T 8/10
We start with the Dark Cherry & Amber - and here the name is really program!!! Because "you get what you see"!
The fragrance starts with an overripe, black cherry, which is very present especially in the first seconds. Shortly thereafter joins also already a tart-sweet, dark chocolate note (praline?) without gaining the upper hand. And then the amber is already there and wraps itself around the cherry. The scent is sweet, but not a bit overloaded or sticky. Quite the opposite - it always stays a little dark and finds a perfect balance here. When I look at the twins listed here, everything is right, but somehow nothing from the list is right either. A little Lost Cherry but much darker. A little Baccarat Rouge but much less pungently sweet. The scent stays absolutely linear after 5 minutes but is still complex. He fascinates me just therefore totally.
Short form: ambered, overripe black cherry with a thin layer of bitter chocolate. Especially the amber sets the tone here after a short time! Great cinema. Could also be Niche!
Now to the Tonka & Tobacco Bean.
This is also very linear and still has a certain depth. Here, however, the name is only so half program! The fragrance starts directly with the full broadside of sweet, spicy tonka bean. Very quickly joins a good portion of vanilla and remains until the end. Mirabelle and pear I do not perceive in detail, but have in between again and again a fruity association to what is at the core of a Nimm2 candy. Sounds strange, but smells great. Coconut? Accompanied at most. Tobacco I perceive (unfortunately too) little! Doesn't detract from the scent though. Also this fragrance here is great. Also this has Nichencharakter!
Short form: Uniques, sweet-spicy tonka-vanilla monster with short, light fruit (candy?) impacts
Shelf Life: DC&A 6/10 - T&T 6/10
Both last about 5-6 hours with normal spraying. No revelation. Too bad!
Sillage: DC&A 6/10 - T&T 6/10
Again, both on the same level. The first hour are both also perceptible beyond an arm's length. Then in hours 2-3 still enough to be noticed in a hug or in an elevator. After that, however, it becomes skin deep.
Wearability: DC&A 7.5/10 - T&T 7.5/10
Almost always wearable, although I would wear both more in autumn/winter. Office, leisure, date? Goes everything. With both! Unisex? In any case! My wife wears both just as gladly as I.
Compliments: DC&A 8/10 - T&T 8/10
Both fragrances I have consciously and sufficiently tested at work. Here I always get incredible feedback. (Open plan office, 80 colleagues, everyone knows my Parfummacke and knows that I wear a different fragrance every day)
Both scents were almost universally well received. DC&A was the favorite among the men, T&T among the ladies. And yet both parties didn't find the other one wrong either. :-)
Price / performance: DC&A 10/10 - T&T 10/10
Both fragrances you get around the 30.00 € (75ml). For this price, you get here but two fragrances with an incredibly great quality. Both fragrances are unique and have almost Nichencharakter! Quite big cinema! Since you can also overlook the modest H / S, because Nachsprühen does not cost much! ;-)
Conclusion:
We have here two exceptionally great fragrances from the house of Banana Republic! The designer house has shown here about the packaging, the bottle, up to the fragrance, that it is always possible to discover extraordinary even in the designer sector for little money. Only the H/S leaves a little to be desired. But I look at the overall picture smiling away. Because these two fragrances are very, very great cinema! I would blindly recommend both fragrances. I like the DC&A a tiny bit more. My wife the T&T. Both are great! And so I will continue to test scents from each division. Because surprises are everywhere!
Just last week, I unexpectedly experienced a pretty big one when I got to smell a fragrance I ordered blind for my wife. This will also shape my next review.
Especially the (sweet tooth) ladies should watch out then. It will be about a fairly unknown, Arabian madness fragrance for 20.00 €, which has completely knocked my socks off. So be curious. :-)
Until then, always stay open to new things, never stop discovering and laugh as much as you can!
See you soon and as always hanseatic greetings ⚓
7 Replies
KathrynA66
GeorgeReid
