Aglianico

The Reflection Man by Amouage is a phenomenon.

On one hand, it is the men's fragrance that I would personally describe as the "most pleasant-smelling" of all those I know. As a pure scent, it would be a solid 10 due to its flawlessness, impressively showcased in the typical Amouage bottle. In online reviews - which I approach with caution - many associations such as "rich," "luxurious," and "wealthy" are drawn. Somehow understandable, because: The Reflection Man smells of deliberate perfection with its smooth-elegant-sweet-powerful-soft aura. Not overwhelming, but like an olfactory silver veil of enormous volume. Compared to many other strongly diffusive and long-lasting potent scents, it does not overwhelm or suffocate the wearer (like some ambered "powerhouses," for example). No, it is balanced. Pleasing. Very few people are likely to dislike it; most will find it at least pleasant-smelling, if not "absolutely genius-smelling." As I said, a phenomenon.

No "on one hand" without an "on the other hand."

The Reflection Man does not work for me despite its apparent perfection. I enjoy smelling it, but I almost never wore it when I still had a "cheap" bottle. It didn't suit me. And I still puzzle over why not. Perhaps it was my impression that it was too heavy for an everyday scent (in my opinion) or an all-rounder; or too elegant for most occasions; or perhaps too long-lasting (8 hours plus, forever on fabric) and present; or... Perhaps its DNA was also too opulent for me as a person. Maybe one day I will solve this riddle. It is relatively common to read here that it is often loved but sometimes hardly worn.

What does it smell like?

I struggled for a long time with a description until I first had a sandalwood oil blend (not original) under my nose. Yes, the dominant note is a warm, beautiful sandalwood that is definitely not natural, but probably a mix of aroma chemicals like Sandela, Sandalore, and whatever else they are called. Added to this are white flowers (jasmine, neroli, or substitutes like Hedione, Nerolin, and co.), without smelling too floral, and some other fragrance materials that provide volume, body, and longevity. Additionally, there is a slightly metallic note that makes the Reflection Man at least a distant relative (anything but a twin) of fragrances like Pegasus or - with a bit of imagination - Fucking Fabulous. The resemblance to Le Male is unmistakable, but in my opinion, the RM is a more refined version, and only in the late drydown would I say: "same difference." The next known twin is Hartley - a perceived 95% similarity, so one probably doesn't need both unless one is a collector.

Conclusion: You get a lot with this fragrance - I recommend testing at least 5 or 10 ml before purchasing, preferably over several months. Maybe it will suit you. Unfortunately, that was not the case for me.

I have been circling around this fragrance for quite some time, somewhat undecided, somewhat hesitant, but still interested. A bit like the dating behavior of Generation Y (Z, ...), perhaps. A sharing then navigated the well-known and often asked LV Gretchen question, which is: Is it worth its price? (Answer: No, but ...)

What made me hesitate at first? In particular, circulating comparisons and pairings with Dior's bestseller Sauvage, that Ambroxan powerhouse that makes no prisoners and, with all due respect, is just too much for me. How much does L‘Immensité have in common with Sauvage? About as much as tzatziki has with strawberry yogurt. So a little bit, but really not much. I even doubt now that Ambroxan alone is responsible for the Sauvage-related punch that shapes the scent impression of L‘Immensité after the initial, affected grapefruit - slightly biting, but not too strong, slightly synthetic, but pleasing to my nose. No, L‘Immensité is more balanced, multifaceted, quieter, and for me significantly more pleasing - despite or perhaps because of this dominant note.

We are dealing here with a fresh all-rounder that reliably does its job even in winter. (By the way: I've always found the label 'winter fragrance' a bit suspicious: as if most people spend the winter predominantly outside in the cold or don't heat indoors.) It is striking, certainly thanks to the Ambroxan, but perhaps also due to a certain ginger sharpness (or the illusion of one). The longevity is good to very good, even comparable to some heavy oud fragrances on clothing. Of course, the lab may have helped a bit with that.

If I had to choose between the grapefruit fresh fragrances I know, I would go for this one in everyday life, including at work. Tygar and Arrakis are quieter, the former is way too quiet for me (although I actually like quiet), the (very) distantly related Midsummer Dream and Elysium Cologne are more complex, making them less suitable for everyday use for me (very subjective, of course). Even lighter 'grapefruits' like Vetiver Pamplemousse or Pomelo Paradis are pure summer fragrances.

Since we are already on the topic of comparisons: How does L‘Immensité fit into the lineup of LV men's fragrances? While Orage and Sur la Route are special fragrances that stand out clearly and pleasantly from the mainstream, and Au Hasard and Nouveau Monde are rather monothematic fragrances that one must like, L‘Immensité, alongside the new Météore, is a tribute to the desire for pleasantry and the predominant everyday nature of all existence. More toilet paper than handmade paper, so to speak. I like that, because I enjoy 'wearable fragrances' that don't require much thought. But I understand anyone for whom that isn't special enough. For those individuals, Parfumo currently lists 135,757 other fragrances that might better suit their - always subjective - taste.

It is sprayed, once, twice, three times, and after the alcohol mist has dissipated in the vast space, the velvety lemon steps onto the stage. Powdered, molecularized peel, oil dispersed in cloud form. Its specialty is the paradox of extroverted silence. It is “blurred,” hazy, indistinct, smudged. Olfactory watercolor art. Yet everything is far from murky. Simply softened. Stripped of sharpness and sourness in favor of cozy softness. Beautiful! A touch of green-spicy-herbaceous notes creates a counterbalance to the citrus vivacity with its unobtrusive presence, as if to prove that harmony does not exclude a certain complementarity. Delicate scent veils of perfectly balanced ingredients linger in the air, enveloping, surrounding, caressing the wearer, whether in the early morning when the cities lie in pale light or in the evening after a hot day. Soft, so soft, the ingredients whisper in your ear, softly we want to embrace you. And one wonders: Is this perfection? Understatement in gentle embrace with elegance and style. Filled in a slender, unobtrusively beautiful bottle, with a name on it that hints at history and incurs costs, if desired. Or one has succumbed, unable to resist any longer. A fragrance that is little, wants to be little, small, and yet is great in its own way. A scent that carries the quick escape in its DNA. A fragrance like a transient phenomenon that wants to teach us about finitude and the elegance of the ephemeral. Not a rock, but a long moment. One can ponder this. Or sniff around.

There are fragrances that are not groundbreaking, but good. Fragrances that you like to spray on in the morning. Fragrances that make you think not of 'perfume', but of 'just smelling good'. Fragrances that don't hurt your wallet, to which you don't set high artistic or other expectations. Except for those: to smell good and to feel comfortable. Burberry for Men is such a fragrance. Once quite well-known two and a half decades ago, it seems to have disappeared into obscurity now, in my impression. Unjustly!
In this brief commentary, I will not recite the fragrance pyramid or search for the claimed components in the scent. To my nose, we are dealing with a fruity all-rounder that becomes wonderfully soft in the base and also a bit - in wine terms - sweetish, without being genuinely sweet. The initially well-projecting and quite intense fruitiness gives me an abstract/synthetic impression, but not in the sense of those terrible chewing gum and candy aromas that are currently circulating. More in the sense of: individual fruits cannot really be identified. Let's say: core fruits. When the fruitiness has slowly 'evaporated' and become softer, I can detect a wonderfully mossy component, in my opinion. The longevity is very good according to the Aglianico test: spray it on a tissue in the evening before going to bed, enter the bathroom in the morning and sniff. If the scent still 'lingers' well in the air at around 20 degrees Celsius and I have since become 'unadapted', it must be a long-lasting fragrance.
To conquer the deeper regions of my heart, this fragrance would need more character. But then I would probably wear it much less often. A paradox that many perfumers might know...
Test recommendation for anyone looking for a work or everyday scent without pretensions and who can also bring themselves to wear fragrances under 30,-. They can be very good too.

To label “Illusione” by Bottega Veneta as an unknown fragrance is somewhat puzzling, given its 127 reviews and 54 owners about a year after its release. Nevertheless, somehow it seems to me that despite its potential, it hasn’t really “hit” here, almost dissipating as if it glides quietly along the edge of visibility.

“Illusione” resembles its somewhat more well-known predecessors in the men’s segment from BV (the pour Homme line and the - male - Essence Aromatique), AND yet it fundamentally differs from them. This too requires explanation.

Similarities exist in the resinous components - somewhat the hallmark of BV men’s fragrances, even more so than a partial leatheriness (which is absent in “Illusione”). Such resinousness is central to my nose in “Illusione,” without being unpleasantly dominant. An abstracted (needle) woodiness. Furthermore, a beautifully integrated citrus note connects all the mentioned fragrances, although I believe this is significantly more pronounced in the Essence Aromatique. In “Illusione,” it hides behind fir needles and soft-warm woodiness. One should not expect a clearly recognizable, standout lemon like in some classic colognes. And there is another connecting element: BV men’s fragrances “match” incredibly well with the brand’s design presentation. A visit to a store is recommended for this - where the wonderful Parco Palladiano line can also be tested.

However, there are also differences. “Illusione” has a “non-vanilla,” unobtrusive sweetness that I personally really like and that I prefer over the pseudo-leathery base of the pour Homme line. The vetiver indicated here is something I can truly smell, as a very subtle, soft component that “grounds” the resinousness. And then the mentioned soft woodiness wraps around all of this... Not spectacular, not avant-garde, but very beautiful and very easy to wear, especially from spring to autumn, at work, but also just for casual wear. Somehow the average rating here is justified: “Illusione” does not stand out, is not an aha experience, but simply a well-made “mainstream” fragrance. And perhaps that is why it has become the fragrance I wear most often.

It is also...
… more Arvo Pärt than Andrea Bocelli.
… more tango in Finnish forests than Italian tarantella. However, in summer under a blue sky.
… more suited for suit wearers than “casual.”
… more less than more.

A walk, lost in thought, dew freshness in the early morning, clarity, groundedness. Unpretentiousness, understatement, simplicity. Allerseelenruhe. A “business fragrance” like Prada L'Homme yet entirely different.

I commend BV for not cutting into its own flesh with a release overkill like some other houses (even though I am aware that it is now merely a brand within a performance-oriented large corporation). Five men’s fragrances in the “mainstream area” in seven years - that is pleasantly manageable.

I admit that each spray pierces my olfactory heart, as I already know in advance that this beautiful scent will not last long unless I get close to myself. But hope dies last: Perhaps one day “Illusione” will be available in a more intense, longer-lasting version like the original pour Homme. The bottle is definitely already a real eye-catcher.