DSportello

In my opinion, this fragrance ekes out an existence on the fringes of the perfume community (holistically, not just meaning Parfumo). It gets attention, it's not really recommended and it doesn't appear in any lists of YouTubers, even though they produce a new video every week: Top Designer, Top Herbt, Top Winter, Top Gourmands, Top P-L Crackers, Top Tuesday Fragrances etc. No Pi Eau de Toilette .
So after 1.5 years of Parfumo's existence, I actually tested it in a large store that operates quite well on the intermediate level between a perfumery chain and a drugstore
And I was immediately convinced that it was a special fragrance.

The fragrance is from 1999, and we know that age is no reason to be talked about and coveted in the perfume community. So my beloved Platinum Égoïste Eau de Toilette pops up in the ticker almost daily. Fortunately.
But why has this fragrance been more or less forgotten?
Is it because of the bottle, of which we don't really know what Givenchy is trying to say? Is it because the marketing of G in favor of the Gentleman range and the Gentleman Society range puts this fragrance on the sidelines? Then again, Chanel is no longer marketing Platinum Égoïste Eau de Toilette and Égoïste Eau de Toilette. We perfume lovers are like truffle pigs and find what's good. We don't really need marketing. I can't figure out why this fragrance isn't a community treasure.
But I don't want to exploit this astonishment too much. After all, the fragrance is currently rated 7.9. That's more than decent. This corresponds to the rating of Fahrenheit Eau de Toilette and Allure Homme Sport Eau de Toilette. A fragrance like Dior Homme (2020) Eau de Toilette, which is rejected but at the same time celebrated (including by me), i.e. polarizing, is also mentioned on a daily basis.
However, there are 59 reviews and over 2000 perfumers have the fragrance in their wardrobe. That doesn't sound like a forgotten fragrance, even if I don't notice it being mentioned, discussed and coveted.
Anyway, just out of a sense of justice, I wish the fragrance would get more attention and even more. The even-more follows below.
Now to the fragrance:
The fragrance starts warm, stays warm, but also has cooling and light aspects that ensure that it does not become too heavy. I can't tell you exactly what this fragrance smells like, as I can directly identify mint in a Guerlain Homme Eau de Parfum and iris as the main player in a Gentleman Givenchy Réserve Privée. However, the search term "benzoin" gives me the description "warm, sweet, vanilla-like". Then it must be benzoin as the main accord. The fragrance remains linear, which is not an oversight if, like me, you love what you smell. You can also identify the four scent notes, but with this fragrance in particular, where the composition is decisive, it is pointless to say that I smell this or that. Overall, this is a warm, woody and yet restrainedly sweet companion that can somehow be considered a mixture of cuddly fragrance and office fragrance. The fragrance is suitable for both occasions.
I don't know the DNA. My first association was only that this fragrance is the more serious, less loud older brother of The One for Men Eau de Parfum. But you can't say that they smell similar. It reminds me of the D&G, the community seems to see it differently.

Those who use very loud fragrances will probably find it too quiet. This is also the transition to my next wish:
When I think of sticky, sweet fragrances like Emporio Armani - Stronger With You or 1 Million Parfum, I wish that this fragrance would catch on. It is an enrichment to have sweet fragrances alongside green, spicy, fresh and woody men's fragrances. We have the pioneers Joop! Homme Eau de Toilette and Le Mâle Eau de Toilette to thank for establishing sweet men's fragrances. But as is the case, there are also imbalances and exaggerations when entire subway carriages in major German cities smell of funfairs and candy floss all year round. A fragrance like Pi Eau de Toilette should set a precedent in that sweet fragrances can also be different: Restrained, elegant, with a certain woody note and without smelling like km.

If you don't know this fragrance, we recommend giving it a try before it disappears from the shelves forever.
I am very happy about this find. A bottle that I can't do much with aesthetically, because it reminds me of my grandma's bottles back then, now adorns my perfume wardrobe - permanently. Thank you, Givenchy!

This fragrance! This scent, this scent, this scent!

Well, fragrances that are discontinued or difficult to obtain eventually take on a life of their own. They are discussed from the point of view that they are not easy to get. They are measured by the prices on the secondary market. But they are still fragrances and should be discussed here as such.

Except for the cap, the bottle is simple and elegant at the same time. Both the quality of the glass and the color scheme suit the fragrance.
The fragrance is a very warm, oriental amber scent that never becomes too sweet.
The opening starts with a striking saffron note, which is accompanied by green, herbaceous and spicy elements. You can clearly smell the leather after a few minutes at least. Fragrance notes such as vetiver and cedar ensure that this fragrance does not become too dark and heavy. But it always has pep, warmth and (character) strength. The main protagonist, amber, is joined by its sweet brothers vanilla and tonka, although these are kept in such a way that the sweetness is not too sticky, as in the Armani SWY range, or too youthful in the JPG Le Male or Paco Rabanne 1 Million Gold Bar. L'Eau d'Issey pour Homme Noir Ambré remains the fragrance of a grown man who takes the cold days as an opportunity to emphasize the elegance of his clothing and his entire aesthetic attitude with a coat and leather shoes.

The fragrance remains relatively linear, which is by no means a problem, because it is a beautiful amber scent with leather and saffron. When done really well, i.e. not too sweet and shrill, I love this category. And this one is really well done. Alongside Eau d'Ombré Leather and Oud Save the King Eau de Parfum, this Issey Miyake is one of my favorites for the cool days, or perhaps rather the cool evenings. What does the evening mean to us, let's go into the night.

It's 11:02 pm. In winter.
There's snow outside, it's the days before Christmas. How nice that it's snowing. The apartment windows are freezing outside. You want to go to sleep, but a good friend calls. He needs you. He wants you to listen to him. There are no major problems or worries in his voice. "Perhaps a glass of beer?" You can tell that everyday life is weighing a little on his soul. He needs you to listen to him for a while. Maybe an hour. You say you'll be at the bar where you always sit together in 20 minutes. You put on the black cloth trousers and the dark gray turtleneck sweater. You throw on your brown coat and slip into your brown leather boots.
At the fragrance shelf, you look at Oud Wood Eau de Parfum and L'Eau d'Issey pour Homme Noir Ambré . If it were 6 p.m., you'd probably reach for the TF. But it's night. You need a fragrance that cuts the chill on the way to the bar. You want to walk. That's why you have good leather boots. You have to walk. Walk, watch and always walk. You also need a scent that radiates security, familiarity and trust when you arrive at the bar. Your boyfriend should be able to tell you what's on his mind, because he believes that these little burdens are in good hands with you, because you are strong. So you reach for L'Eau d'Issey pour Homme Noir Ambré. Once outside in the snow, you realize that sometimes you have to help yourself to be the person you want to be. It's the night of Issey. It's your night too. Issey lends it to you. So now you are who you want to be.

If moss smelled like this, I would buy this villa right on the beach, which is always offered to me in my dreams for a symbolic euro.

Goldfield & Bank does a lot of things right for me. I am currently enjoying my blind purchase of Ingenious Ginger. I had tested it, really liked it and bought it.

If Pacific Rock Moss smells like moss, it smells like domesticated moss or moss under water. In any case, it does not smell of salt, sea or beach, because it is too soft for that. It smells very light and green, a refreshment that is rarely found.
Pleasantly refreshing at this level, without being too harsh, I only know Allure Homme Sport Cologne and Dior Homme Cologne (2013). Pacific Rock Moss has a whole citric. If you often get cleaning product associations with citrusy scents (which I don't; I love my citrusy bad boys like Dior Homme Sport (2021) ), you might be happy here as the lemon is really very tame. The scent otherwise smells like a cold green tea (no tea included) with no bitters, but with cedar. The rose geranium smells beautifully floral and makes the fragrance seem unisex. Perhaps 52 percent is feminine and 48 percent masculine, but I find it extremely wearable as a man. Sage (also gentle and not as striking as in 7 Cobalt) rounds off the whole thing in that the fragrance is not too flowery, soft and boring. So we have a very subtle tartness.

Conclusion: Another direct hit from Australia. Pacific Rock Moss is an ideal companion for the beach, strolling around the old town of Seville at 38 degrees and for the infamous office where we all seem to work. (We do, don't we?) The sillage is a light breeze, but it is clearly perceptible and eye-widening. Who is strolling through the sun and wind here, it is the pleasure-seeker, more moss is not necessary.

Unlike the other fragrances from Goldfield & Banks, I wasn't able to test this one in the store. When I saw that there are now 10 ml travel sprays available, I ordered the blind with Pacific Rock Moss.

I have to say, the G & B brand really delivers for my taste. I already know Desert Rosewood and I think it's a great warm fragrance that is quite (sufficiently) similar in drydown to the much more expensive and soon to be discontinued Bois d'Arménie. And that for the price. I also liked other fragrances that I tested very much. One exception is actually Bohemian Lime, which is surprisingly too sweet. Given the name, I would have liked it to be refreshing and clear.

Now the blind ordered Ingenious Ginger . I have to say that I was expecting a completely different fragrance. I was expecting a very bright, citrusy and spicy fragrance for hot summer days. A bit like Terre d'Hermès Eau Givrée . And I can always wear "something like that", i.e. a refreshing fragrance. Hence the blind buy, although I no longer order blind.
But as is so often the case, the fragrance defies all my expectations and that's a very good thing, because I have now unexpectedly discovered a great fragrance that I could wear to work all year round. And how it is again: without knowing it, I got a fragrance here that I had actually been looking for before, namely a quieter Marzocco Eau de Parfum. i don't know Le Gemme - Tygar, Vibrato, Turathi (Blue), Théorème pour Homme and others, but the "colleague" here is so good that I think I should have got 100 ml. I will certainly do that later.
About the fragrance:
The ginger here starts off warm and medium-spicy, like in a tea with fresh ginger. With an elegant sweetness. There is no refreshment like in Terre d'Hermès Eau Givrée; instead, the fragrance is not only very unique and pleasing from the start, but is almost spicy. The spiciness actually increases in the first few minutes. I find that interesting, because in most fragrances, aspects of sharpness or freshness tend to decrease rather than increase due to the citrus. The woods quickly join in. The fragrance also quickly takes on a gentle sweetness and becomes creamy. We also have floral aspects that brighten up the fragrance. As it reminds me of a softer version of Marzocco Eau de Parfum, I also have an association with dry, beautiful and fruity pencils. However, the sillage is more airy than in Marzocco Eau de Parfum.
The amber and vanilla provide the warm aspect of this fragrance, while the citrus elements keep the balance at all times.
What floats through the air here is one of the most beautiful and wearable things I have ever smelled. A wonderful fragrance that is a little reminiscent of high-quality fruit sweets, but without making the wearer look silly or too youthful. Fragrance notes such as amber, musk and rose ensure this.
The sandalwood here is very reminiscent of that used in Desert Rosewood.
And I actually also have associations with Afternoon Swim. With the Marzocco Eau de Parfum, that would be 3 more fragrances whose aspects I find here.

I can clearly perceive it on me for a good 5-6 hours. The longevity is therefore completely appropriate. The same goes for the sillage: it is perceptible without, however, offending innocent noses in the vicinity.
As usual with G&B, the bottle is high-quality and stylish.

Conclusion: For me, this is a perfect fragrance that can be worn both in leisure time and at work. It is pleasant, but also special enough. Apart from the fragrances mentioned above, it is independent. In any case, there is nothing similar to this fragrance DNA in the usual perfumery chains that cater to most fragrance wearers in the country. So, apart from the perfume bubble, a wearer of Ingenious Ginger | Goldfield & Banks would be someone who smells very different to the vast majority of men.
Someone who could actually be Signature.

If things continue like this with the direct hits from G&B, I have to ask myself: what's going on? Are the Australians starting an aesthetic revolution and secretly ensuring that a Montmartre and or Saint-Germain are created somewhere in Australia?

That's exactly what I thought: the most popular Givenchys for men on Parfumo are Gentleman Givenchy Eau de Parfum and Gentleman Givenchy Réserve Privée. I would love to have them both in my collection, to wear and enjoy them, but they are both too heavy for me. The EDP quickly becomes too sweet for me, while the Gentleman Givenchy Réserve Privée quickly becomes too boozy and too heavy. I think this one in particular is a masterpiece and I actually want to like it and force myself to wear it. It's on my winter list to try again. When I smell it on others (this has happened twice), I immediately recognize it and want to sit down with them. When I smell it on myself, it reminds me strongly of leaving a glass of leftover whisky in the living room and smelling it the next morning when I walk into the living room.

But the program offered by Gentleman Givenchy Eau de Parfum Boisée is completely different. I've had it in my collection for a year now, as a 12.5 ml travel spray in a chic format. With a certain number of bottles, it's a good size, which is really enough.
The Gentleman Givenchy Eau de Parfum Boisée starts off as a woody, herbaceous fragrance with a perfect booziness that I don't know where it comes from. Coriander and pepper are clearly noticeable, the iris quickly joins in, the cocoa is really nice and dry and works very well with the otherwise playful booziness. The fragrance has everything I need on some days: it has a certain freshness that doesn't come from citrus, but from the coriander, rose geranium and iris. But it also has a seriousness in the development due to the woods and after 2-3 hours a warmth due to patchouli and sandalwood. It is also slightly smoky. I can understand the associations with The One for Men Eau de Parfum, whereby Givenchy is the older brother of D&G, who pursues an important and well-paid job and makes his parents proud, while The One for Men Eau de Parfum tries to realize his life and pursue his passions. A gentleman who knows that the art lies in being both an aesthete and fulfilling a certain social responsibility. You sit in a club chair in the Gentleman's Club after work.
After 3 hours, Gentleman Givenchy Eau de Parfum Boisée has the beautiful DNA of Gentleman Givenchy Eau de Parfum, only not heavy and oppressive, but tamed, wearable everywhere and beautiful.

Conclusion: The Gentleman Givenchy Eau de Parfum Boisée is wearable both at work and in the evening to enjoy. Even though it has no coffee, it reminds me of the aesthetics of a good espresso with a piece of dark chocolate - for me, the epitome of pleasure in everyday life. There are fragrances that are like a full ice cream sundae. Then there is Gentleman Givenchy Eau de Parfum Boisée, which is an espresso with dark chocolate. I drink it with a well-fitting gray suit and get up, aesthetically charged and ready to devote myself to my tasks, but not forgetting the pleasure. Just like a real gentleman (in the modern sense).