CivetOnly

Iris has been a hit-or-miss note for me. Usually, it either leans too make-upy or too greasy for my preference. ÔIKB adds an earthy, carrot-like facet, ranging from juicy to carrot skin. And as we all know, beta-carotene is good for our health.

There's some rooty sweetness to it, akin to orris root (violet). It's lush and refreshing with soapy lavender and spices creating a zingy, almost metallic nuance. Hyraceum starts out slightly bitter and animalic, but quickly calms down. Eventually, it behaves like immortelle on my skin - hay-like, herbaceous, perhaps even honeyed.

As it starts drying, ÔIKB gets more powdery, but nothing like make-up or an overdose of tonka bean. It reminds me of a dusty cocoa base, except carrot is the leading actor here. The dry aspect is further accentuated by cedar and coumarin. This works splendidly with immortelle, pushing the dried grass envelope. I can't pick up any leather.

That said, it isn't too dry or powdery, which could be attributed to an implied leather note. Once hyraceum starts blooming, it strikes me as more musky than leathery. The drydown unveils a smooth interplay between sweet, woody earthiness and creamy, musky warmth. Performance is good; 8-9 hours of longevity, 3-4 hours of loud projection.

Another selling point: Santi Burgas is the most generous brand I've dealt with. For example, white collection discovery set costs 40€ and contains 21ml of juice. They offer free shipping, while throwing in two extra samples and a 15% discount for your next order (no time limit). Oh, and pressurized atomizers. What's not to like?

Bull's Blood is a benchmark in evocative perfumery. It tells a vivid story and the blend itself is incredibly smooth, full of transitions. The performance is remarkable, and as such, this is a huge achievement for Josh Meyer and Imaginary Authors.

Since it manages to deliver on the bullfighting imagery, it's a frangrance aimed at the more advanced users. The opening can be considered as challenging. On top of a metallic blood accord, I also get a saffron nuance. Not the almost culinary kind, but the damp and slightly rubbery one. This is further accentuated by an earthy, spicy form of patchouli.

Once the bull bleeds out, you're left with a medicinal aftertaste. As you stand victorious, your traje de luces soaked in blood, the ravished crowd throws sweet roses at your feet. Geranium is a jack of all trades here. Its metallic undertone makes the blood note more convincing; and its citric, floral, green qualities complement the rose.

Eventually, an opulent labdanum takes over the composition. It could be a combination of black musk and tobacco, but it strikes me as a leathery resin. Animalic, smoky; this leather facet dominates the drydown. There's a pleasant sourness to it, reminding me of red wine. A matador drowning his sorrows, or perhaps celebrating? Who knows.

Animalic, metallic, medicinal and earthy, yet blended so well it puts me in a trance. Careful with the sprays! Bull's Blood easily fills the whole room and sticks to your skin for 10 hours. While it's not for everyone, it plays many roles to a flawless degree. A rose-patchouli scent; a smoky tobacco scent; a sour leather scent. Pick your poison.

For a perfume that's supposed to be bold and challenging, Kouros is surprisingly fresh and evocative. It's a bit pissy and sweaty, but when you combine bodily fluids with soapy florals reminiscent of clean bedsheets, the scent suddenly becomes deeply sexual.

Bottles with silver shoulders from 2000-2008 are the sweet spot. Current formulation dials down civet in favor of freshness, losing some of its magic. On the other hand, older bottles are too dense for my liking. Top notes are mostly dissolved, pissiness and powderiness are amped up. I would pay up to $200 for a 2000-2008 bottle in good condition.

You can expect moderate to soft projection for 3 hours before it dries down to a skin scent. Depending on year of production, longevity ranges from 7 to 10 hours. It's not too loud and can be worn all year round for any occasion. Yes, even at the office.

With formalities out of the way, we can get to the fun part. What does it smell like? I think it's magical from the moment you spray it - the opening isn't rough and you don't have to wait for the drydown. Animalics are accompanied by flowers and honey, while aldehydes, citruses and spicy herbs create plenty of breathing room.

30-40 minutes into the wear, pissiness starts moving to the background, staying present as a tantalizing undertone. At this point, florals are blooming with their clean, soapy, powdery facets. This combination transports me to the bedroom and reminds me of going down on my SO. In the deep drydown, I can notice velvety leather and more warmth.

In my opinion, Kouros is an artistic masterpiece. It's not animalic for the sake of it - tasteful amounts of civet and musk paint a vivid picture. Some people might not be able to connect the dots and some might even find it offensive, but given how notorious and impactful it is, one thing is for sure: you have to try it!

When wearability and quality ingredients take precedence over attempts at rocket science, a minimalist masterpiece like Bracken Man is born. Perfumed by two maestros hailing from Grasse, the French capital of perfumery, it only makes sense for the final product to be the embodiment of "less is more."

As I sniff the atomizer, I'm greeted by soapy lavender, sweet spices and pleasant warmth. With each wear, green, earthy and musky nuances become more noticeable. There aren't any bitter herbs, animalics or pungent notes. That said, it still packs enough of a punch to keep your attention, making it both versatile and inviting.

The opening is aromatic, as the myriad of spices intertwine with lavender. Citruses offer light zinginess, while cypress adds uplifting conifer freshness to the scent profile. Sweet cloves and nutmeg are the bread and butter of this fragrance, with dusty cinnamon and cedarwood laying the foundation of a woody undertone.

While Bracken Man initially leans soapy and slightly rose-like due to geranium, it ventures into a creamy direction in the drydown. Sandalwood, coumarin and musk accentuate the warm quality and patchouli provides a hint of earthiness. Overall, it's a wonderful balance of punchy spiciness, dry woodiness and muskiness.

Don't expect it to perform like the usual Amouage beast - the projection is as understated and sophisticated as the scent itself. However, it sticks around for a long time; I usually get at least 8 hours on skin. I understand the discontinuation, since such a simple and likeable release doesn't necessarily fit into Amouage's catalogue.

Is this elusive fougère worth the detective work and a big amount of money? Only if you're a die-hard fan of the genre, with appreciation for French elegance. I started searching for it after putting my nose on a couple of older perfumes and realizing that cloves and lavender never fail to put a confident smile on my face.

Like many of you, I'm sick and tired of Aventus and the trail of synthetic clones in its wake. While Risvelium adapts the idea of combining citrus, pineapple, oakmoss and musk, it has Mr. Gualtieri's signature written all over it. Each ingredient is dirtier, sexier, more intense. The end product smells nothing like the original - think of it as the adult version of Creed.

Risvelium opens with a blast of invigorating, sour citrus - I would say it's a combination of grapefruit and lemon. It's worth mentioning that sourness sticks around forever. If you're looking for a long-lasting citrus, this is a clear-cut winner. The opening has a sweaty twist. Not animalic, but a musty combination of citruses and spices.

There's an undertone reminiscent of green chilli or California Wonder pepper if it packed some scovilles. The opening accords lean fresh, sour, spicy and dirty. Moving further into the wear, the scent profile gets harder to describe. Not because Gualtieri doesn't provide official notes. This blend is a chameleon and a gift that keeps on giving.

Something is off about the fruitiness. It's enjoyable, but it's more of an overripe pineapple. Easier to notice as the green and spicy notes fade away, especially in the deeper drydown. Simultaneously, earthy and smoky facets make themselves known. I get gaiac wood, birch tar (or cade oil) and an oldschool oakmoss note.

Once the musky fixatives kick in, sweatiness is more pronounced. At that point, sourness is accompanied by the fruity nuance and powerful, warm musk. It doesn't strike me as overly artificial or difficult to pull off, but it's what gives the perfume its nuclear quality. You might go noseblind, but trust me, it's still projecting.

In fact, Risvelium is one of the best performing fragrances I've tried. It lasts forever on skin and fills an entire warehouse. I've got comments on it 8 hours after applying, so wearing it feels like scorched-earth policy. I definitely wouldn't recommend it as a blind buy. This isn't your typical citrus freshie. It will send shivers down your spine.