Basti87

Now comes the number of the Balmain series from the creations of Quentin Bisch. Actually, this perfumer is to blame for me purchasing the sample set consisting of 8 fragrances. Of course, I now want to report in detail about the last remaining scent. Givaudan is also on board with fragrance materials here, and it simply harmonizes. I just love these edgy creations that clearly have a signature and also resonate quite well with the masses. Even with the Les Éternels Collection, Mr. Bisch impresses me with his consistently good creation, and he remains true to his style. The only similar scent listed is Ganymede, which I cannot agree with. It reminds me more of a spicy version of "Hermann à mes Côtés me Paraissait une Ombre | Etat Libre d'Orange," which is also by Bisch. But the target audience for Ganymede is not entirely off, as you do get a robust spiciness. I find it significantly underrated, but it is also a matter of taste.

Here, too, there is a uniform price of €180 for 50ml, which is quite expensive, but it is also quite niche, and the quality is convincing. These bottles are also charming and great with this wonderful look. Really well done.
The scent of this EdP is not as blue as the name suggests; rather, it is quite fresh. However, what stands out here is a very strong spiciness that creates an edgy appearance and is less suited for those who like to blend into the crowd. The lichen gives a spicy and slightly woody touch with pleasantly green notes. There is also a peppery spiciness that is well dosed and appears quite interesting. Of course, there is also that Akigalawood note that Bisch likes to use, spreading this synthetic-woody charm here as well. Fresh notes like sage and green, mossy notes are also present. Aquatic undertones are fitting to the name but never take center stage here. Since the spiciness is quite aggressive and loud, one should enjoy very spicy fragrances. The first 3-4 hours, the spiciness is almost overkill, but it also has that charm that Bisch likes to use. Additionally, the scent is quite linear but becomes noticeably softer and more pleasant after a few hours. It is wearable in everyday life and also in leisure time.
Performance is consistently good for all works of Quentin Bisch. Longevity reaches about 12 hours, which is fantastic for a relatively fresh scent. The sillage is also very dominant and great for people who want to make a statement.

Overall, a scent that will not appeal to everyone, which is also reflected in this rating. It definitely matches my taste, and the performance is convincing.

Continuing with a Lattafa fragrance: the Fakhar, here in the Extrait version. At least that's what this flanker is called, as it is an Eau de Parfum. Extrait sounds nice since it appears extremely intense and powerful. This unisex scent is an independent release that has nothing to do with the other Fakhar's from the brand. It is quite precisely a dupe of the "1 Million Parfum | Rabanne." Whether this was intentional or not, who knows. This flanker from Paco Rabanne didn't really take off, but I quite liked this release. Here at Lattafa, you get this DNA for a third of the price, and it is perfect for small budgets, with quality that is quite good as is customary with Lattafa. As with Paco Rabanne, tuberose takes center stage, which means this DNA is not too masculine. You get soft, smooth notes that linger in memory and are quite suitable for everyday wear, but also for the evening.

The bottle comes in the usual Fakhar shape, here in bronze. Quite pretty and well made once again for this price range. The packaging is also consistently good.
In this fragrance, tuberose clearly dominates, providing a sweet-floral note. The tuberose here is somewhat tamer compared to the "Fakhar Lattafa Women / فخر لطافة للنساء (Eau de Parfum) | Lattafa," which, like many tuberose notes, tends to lean towards bubblegum. Here it is well balanced, adding a cozy touch. In the opening, you get a zesty grapefruit note along with a spice mix of cardamom and pepper. Tuberose naturally comes in early and is also a main player for much of this fragrance. After 1-2 hours, this scent becomes noticeably milder, and the solar note adds some warmth. The base nicely rounds off the sweet-floral creation with silky cashmeran, warm amber, subtle rose, and also soft leather, which, however, stays more in the background. Overall, a harmonious creation that may not appeal to everyone. Tuberose is indeed a love-or-hate note. I like this scent almost as much as the "version" from Paco Rabanne. It is best worn in leisure time and in the evening, possibly also in everyday situations.
Performance is decent and impresses with a longevity of at least 8 hours. Sillage is really good for the first 2-3 hours, then becomes milder but still remains good.

Overall, a great sweet-floral tuberose scent that is not always easy to wear. The fragrance can be a bit edgy, but it is still quite pleasing (especially due to this soft & smooth dry down). Recommended at this price.

I have to report on this great Armaf as well. I've had this Sillage in my collection for several months, and I can absolutely recommend the scent, especially if you like the original from the brand Creed. The Club de Nuit line features several Creed alternatives, with the most famous being the alternative to Aventus. However, the Silver Mountain Water DNA should not be underestimated when it comes to appealing freshness that doesn't drift into the 0815 direction. My favorite with this DNA is the "Casamorati - Mefisto | Xerjoff," but overall, there are many alternatives available that go in a very similar direction. As usual, this is in the cheapie category, and you can get this bottle for under €30. I can absolutely recommend it, especially because it performs really well and presents a great overall picture. A fantastic cheapie if you like this wonderful fresh and cool DNA.

The scent comes in the usual bottle, here in silver with a transparent pattern. A great solid bottle that looks valuable and also has the little sparkling stones.
The scent is extremely close to SMW, which can be quite well copied since it is not too complex. Armaf manages this quite well, like most of their attempts. The fragrance starts with this wonderful cool metallic note and a really great freshness that stands out nicely. It fittingly reminds you of fresh mountain water with its clear, fresh, and cool nuances. Fresh citrus notes of lemon, bergamot, and lime meet a subtle ginger spice, and black currant adds an interesting touch. This freshness has, as mentioned, a metallic-cool touch like the original. This subsides after 1-2 hours, and the scent becomes noticeably softer. In the heart note, floral notes of rose, jasmine, and iris emerge. However, these notes are not dominant but add gentle nuances. The clean base is really great with soft notes of musk and ambroxan, along with a woody blend of cedar and sandalwood. The base is simply thoroughly pleasant and conveys this wonderful clean freshness with musk and many woody notes. Everything is very rounded and pleasant, making it a top scent for everyday use.
Performance is surprisingly good, and I get 10 hours of longevity, maybe even more. The sillage is also quite impressive, and you will be noticed. In terms of quality, it may not quite match the expensive niche counterparts, but this is really well done, and I don't notice the significant price difference.

With a score of 7.3, I find this scent underrated and a top everyday fragrance for a smaller budget. It's worth treating yourself, as the scent progression from top to base completely convinces me.

Next up is the fragrance Awake from the brand Akro. I can absolutely recommend the brand's sample set as it offers many different and exciting styles created by perfumer Olivier Cresp. He is known for fresh and uncomplicated compositions, but he can do much more, as he demonstrates with the Akro range. Awake is, of course, true to its name, as it serves up invigorating coffee that, in my opinion, has been well executed. This time, it doesn't feature overly sweet gourmand notes, but rather leans towards the spicy side. This Awake is best suited for autumn and winter, like most coffee fragrances, which could also work well year-round. The pricing for Akro is quite fair at €160 for 100ml, and there are some discounts available in certain shops. For fans of spicy coffee scents, it is worth a try.

The bottle and packaging are also quite good with this brand, as the bottles come across as stylish and modern. The packaging is appealing and fits into a solid overall package.
The scent of this EdP is not too complex due to the limited number of notes. However, the spicy coffee note is not overly pleasing, and coffee can be a challenging note for the masses, at least if it is not overwhelmed by excessive sweetness. This is not the case here, as the authentic spicy coffee note is accompanied by cardamom, and a lovely lemon is at work in the top note. The cardamom is very pleasant and harmonizes well with the coffee note. As the scent develops, it becomes noticeably softer and more pleasing with some gourmand-sweet notes that do not become sticky. Towards the drydown, some earthy vetiver comes through along with a soft woody note and light gourmand touches. It is very pleasing and unique.
The performance is quite solid but not spectacular. It lasts around 8 hours with a great sillage from the cardamom-coffee start. The sillage is pleasant over long distances and not too intense, as one might expect from some coffee fragrances.

Overall, a great coffee scent that feels cozy with the cardamom note. It is unisex and suitable for everyday wear, but also works well for the evening. I can recommend it, especially for true coffee fans with a preference for cardamom.

Continuing with the Les Éternels Collection from Balmain. One can already categorize it in the "Private Blend" direction due to the price and this elegant presentation. I have already reported extensively on two of them, here number 3 once again with the involvement of the good Mr. Quentin Bisch in collaboration with Givaudan. A perfumer who convinces me every time, sometimes more, sometimes less. Hardly anyone talks about this Rouge and overall this line, probably because it hasn't been hyped by anyone so far. The Rouge in question has completely convinced me, and therefore there is an extensive review here with an absolute recommendation, especially for women due to the floral sweetness. It is not completely unwearable for men, but one must like the DNA. The only downside is the price of €180 for 50ml, which is a bit steep, so one should wait for discounts like now during Black Friday. This year, Rouge Eau de Toilette was also released, which is a bit cheaper and offers 125ml for €175. I can't comment on the similarity as I haven't tested it, and it is also not included in the sample set.

The presentation of the packaging and the bottle is top-notch. Artistically well done with this angular bottle and the great design. I really like it and it looks fantastic in any high-end collection.
Quentin Bisch's signature is clearly recognizable, and it slightly reminds me of his earlier work for Maison Crivelli in collaboration with Givaudan: Tubéreuse Astrale. Due to the absence of tuberose, it doesn't lean too much in that direction, but this striking floral sweetness does convince me and has that slightly mysterious yet seductive vibe. As in most of his works, the scent progression is rather linear without much development and without a ton of fragrance notes. The floral-sweet notes of magnolia and osmanthus stand out prominently throughout. Thanks to this wonderful osmanthus note, delightful fruity nuances also come into play. Overall, a really great vibrant floral accord that is simply very pleasant to smell and comes across as quite rich. Lily and ylang-ylang also contribute floral and creamy notes that work not only in summer and spring. Moraea Ciliata means nothing to me, but overall this floral combination is very worthwhile and quite catchy. Additionally, the synthetic-woody fragrance ingredient Georgywood, which I always quite like, is present here as well. Soft and towards the dry down, a pleasant woody note. Whether all the fragrance notes have been completely disclosed is questionable. It seems that some sweetness has been added to the floral notes, and a subtle spiciness lingers as well. Really very harmonious, and I am somewhat surprised why this fragrance scores so moderately here. Overall, a great scent that can be worn in everyday life as well as in the evening. Despite its likability, the fragrance is extremely unique and stands out from the crowd like much of Bisch's work.
Performance is also really good, lasting around 10 hours, and the sillage is commendable, so one doesn't fade into the background.

Overall, a fantastic floral-sweet fragrance that one should definitely not buy blind, especially not as a man. It has completely convinced me and is definitely a very interesting scent.