05/17/2022
MrHonest
111 Reviews
MrHonest
6
How to ruin a pineapple accord.
Step 1: Create a decent but overly sweet and synthetic pineapple JUICE accord.
Step 2: Take the sh*tty dirtiness from Al Haramain's Detour Noir and synthetic oud-saffron combo from miriads of middle eastern BR540/Oud for Greatness smell-alikes.
Step 3: Mix them together. Et voila. This.
Honestly, if they would've just left that dirtiness out, it would've been ok. Not good, not great, but ok. Instead what we have here is the one-eyed, one-legged cousin of Detour Noir that never left the clean room in the basement of a hospital laboratory. Somewhere between pineapple-flavoured Flintstone vitamins wedged in the over-heated plastic dashboard of a 1983 Honda Civic, and fresh babyfood vomit. Clearly someone was in a hurry...
Although I don't get any Aventus vibes whatsoever, I'll admit that something in the mid does remind me of a single accord from the original Club de Nuit Intense edt. But for the first hour, it's that awful saffron-oud mix that dominates. Medicinal and with a powdery and crystalline sweetness. Definitely vibes of Oud for Greatness, although nowhere near as woody or spicy. There's a bit of Ameer Al Oudh Intense Oud too but without the whole By The Fireplace feel. If I were to place it in a genre, it would be a relative or distant neighbour of BR540.....ish. Absolutely nothing smells anywhere close to natural in this; and although the blend does get better with time, I find myself becoming more annoyed with each sniff. What can I say. The style just isn't for me.
On the plus side, if you're a fan of the whole super sweet dentist office oud-saffron craze, this could be right up your synthetic alley. The pineapple juice thing is really the only twist. Otherwise, it's far more modest than say, the MFK or Initio variety and could be suitable for more intimate environments.
As for the bottle, cheap cheap cheap. Clearly an aftermarket half-quality Sauvage cap and crappy, coated square bottle with a CLEAR seam running down the entire side. Atomizer is the standard misty puffer you'll find on other Lattafa fragrances; but the whole presentation just feels underdone - less weighty, less quality and rushed. Not worth the 22€ I paid and nowhere near as good as some of the other offerings from the brand. But hey, I suppose that's what happens when you trust the ratings and reviews....again. Sigh. Gambling's a bitch.
So yeah, count me disappointed with this blind-buy. Not an awful fragrance, but definitely overly synthetic and cheap smelling to me. And clearly a middle eastern creation. So if you're looking for a more refined designer vibe, you won't find it here. Tons of better fragrances in this price bracket. And if you're not a fan of powdered pineapple flavouring, flintstone vitamins or the whole BR540 fad like me, I might advise you to stay away. Aventus clones are a godsend by comparison.
Step 2: Take the sh*tty dirtiness from Al Haramain's Detour Noir and synthetic oud-saffron combo from miriads of middle eastern BR540/Oud for Greatness smell-alikes.
Step 3: Mix them together. Et voila. This.
Honestly, if they would've just left that dirtiness out, it would've been ok. Not good, not great, but ok. Instead what we have here is the one-eyed, one-legged cousin of Detour Noir that never left the clean room in the basement of a hospital laboratory. Somewhere between pineapple-flavoured Flintstone vitamins wedged in the over-heated plastic dashboard of a 1983 Honda Civic, and fresh babyfood vomit. Clearly someone was in a hurry...
Although I don't get any Aventus vibes whatsoever, I'll admit that something in the mid does remind me of a single accord from the original Club de Nuit Intense edt. But for the first hour, it's that awful saffron-oud mix that dominates. Medicinal and with a powdery and crystalline sweetness. Definitely vibes of Oud for Greatness, although nowhere near as woody or spicy. There's a bit of Ameer Al Oudh Intense Oud too but without the whole By The Fireplace feel. If I were to place it in a genre, it would be a relative or distant neighbour of BR540.....ish. Absolutely nothing smells anywhere close to natural in this; and although the blend does get better with time, I find myself becoming more annoyed with each sniff. What can I say. The style just isn't for me.
On the plus side, if you're a fan of the whole super sweet dentist office oud-saffron craze, this could be right up your synthetic alley. The pineapple juice thing is really the only twist. Otherwise, it's far more modest than say, the MFK or Initio variety and could be suitable for more intimate environments.
As for the bottle, cheap cheap cheap. Clearly an aftermarket half-quality Sauvage cap and crappy, coated square bottle with a CLEAR seam running down the entire side. Atomizer is the standard misty puffer you'll find on other Lattafa fragrances; but the whole presentation just feels underdone - less weighty, less quality and rushed. Not worth the 22€ I paid and nowhere near as good as some of the other offerings from the brand. But hey, I suppose that's what happens when you trust the ratings and reviews....again. Sigh. Gambling's a bitch.
So yeah, count me disappointed with this blind-buy. Not an awful fragrance, but definitely overly synthetic and cheap smelling to me. And clearly a middle eastern creation. So if you're looking for a more refined designer vibe, you won't find it here. Tons of better fragrances in this price bracket. And if you're not a fan of powdered pineapple flavouring, flintstone vitamins or the whole BR540 fad like me, I might advise you to stay away. Aventus clones are a godsend by comparison.
2 Comments