Daffy089

I know, I know. Controversial title. But when the upscale department store Ludwig Beck in Munich practically throws a fragrance at you, something must be off with the perfume. Or is it?

To be precise, Bernadette Margaret Evelyn Theresa is currently sitting there for 60 euros, which is half the original price. Additionally, there was a 20% discount last week, so you could take home the bottle for 48 euros. It's actually unbelievable for such a niche fragrance.

But why didn't I take it home, especially considering that I actually rate it quite highly? In short: it smells too funky for me to wear in my daily life.

I really thought about it for a long time, but I couldn't come up with a suitable everyday wearing moment. My acquaintance, who accompanied me that day for the sale sniffing, said it reminded her of the temples in her homeland of Bali. Since I've never been to Bali, I can't relate, but I can imagine it with the mix of woods, cinnamon, cloves, and patchouli.
To me, it smells like dried fruits with a certain animalistic note that slightly reminds me of zoo and circus scents. However, that fades quickly, leaving the fruits, cinnamon, and flowers. And that lasts for a very long time; I could still perceive the scent on my arm even after showering. Time and again, I caught myself smelling it throughout the day. I kept wavering between "wow, that smells awful" and "I absolutely have to go back to Ludwig Beck today to buy it."
I've never experienced something like this with a fragrance. At the same time, it pushed me away while also drawing me in.
The scent cloud that I dragged behind me on the S-Bahn ride home must have been enormous. Perhaps I sparked wonderful memories of their time in Bali for some people. Others probably had to think of their visit to the Hellabrunn Zoo. I still think about the scent and its price. Bernadette Margaret Evelyn Theresa - you are worth so much more!

...(at least at the Nishane stand).
Maybe also in the Xerjoff Lounge on the sixth floor, probably next to Floraiku. But definitely at Nishane. I've been to Harrods three times to try the Harrods exclusive fragrance Favonius at the Nishane stand. Always found it brilliant, but never bought it due to the rather steep price.

In the last few days, I was back in London and this time I did it. It hardly hurt at all (the credit card bill will come in a few days, and then the tears will probably flow). For now, however, there were only tears of joy. Joy over this fragrance, which for me not only belongs to Nishane's best but is probably one of the most beautiful rose-oud combinations you can buy. If it weren't so expensive and complicated to purchase (only at Harrods or by ordering from Istanbul), I'm sure it would be Nishane's flagship. As it is, it remains a little secret of the brand.

When I first tried it, however, it was not love at first sight (more like "at the first sniff"). That day, I had done a little perfume tour through London, and not only were my legs exhausted after 40,000 steps, but probably my nose as well. However, I caught myself sniffing Favonius again and again from all the test strips I had received in the following days. Back in Munich, I left the tester in the car at first. The next day, I was greeted by the full inhalation of Favonius when I got in. That probably says it all about the fragrance's performance. It lasts easily a week on clothing, and on the skin, it radiates all day.

So what does it smell like? Somehow, I still can't say exactly. I smell cherry and berries, even though there aren't any according to the fragrance pyramid. You might catch a whiff of incense and definitely the bouquet of flowers listed. Rose and oud come more in the combination known from my dearly loved Oud Satin Mood (just in a less intrusive way than with Maison Francis Kurkdjian). Thank goodness it's not cheesy and musty like Oud Silk Mood; that would drive me away.

All in all, perfectly rounded and balanced, probably unisex (at least I, as a man, am now diligently spraying it on) and somehow a shame that it gets so little attention. But maybe this will drive some of you to Harrods now - they also have great juices and sandwiches that don't strain the wallet as much as Favonius. Maybe you'll see me on the sixth floor at Xerjoff or Favonius. But definitely at Nishane on the ground floor.

...not worth the money. Unfortunately, that's the first thing that comes to mind about this Roja. Fortunately, I got it in the post-Christmas sale at Fenwick in London for a very good price: 180 euros for the 100ml including an 8ml travel size. However, looking back, I must say: for me personally, it's still not worth 180 euros.

It's a great scent, no question about it. However, whether it deserves to be in the Top 14 men's fragrances here on Parfumo, I am more than unsure.

Elysium is a lovely fragrance in both concentrations for warmer days, featuring everything that the citrus fruit world has to offer in the top notes. There's also a bit of apple (probably the reason for the Aventus comparisons that one occasionally reads), and in the base notes, a few ingredients are packed in that are supposed to provide some oomph and longevity. The emphasis is on "supposed to".
Unfortunately, the biggest criticism of this Roja (and its even more expensive version) lies here: the performance. I've given the scent and its performance a 7/10 for this, but in reality, it's even a bit worse on some days. The joy of the truly beautiful smell is unfortunately quite short-lived for many of the fresher Roja perfumes. Given the price, I expect a bit more. The now unavailable "Oligarch" manages to perform for hours with a similar ingredient list. With Elysium, one can only dream of that - a very short dream. More of a power nap than an 8-hour sleep.

Crystal Saffron smells like Baccarat Rouge, just without the sweetness!

You often hear or read this sentence in reviews when it comes to Crystal Saffron. I would say that this is too simplistic. Perfume lovers read saffron and immediately think of Baccarat Rouge. Essentially, this speaks in favor of Francis Kurkdjian and his bestseller, that an ingredient is so strongly associated with the fragrance. I can't think of any other scent where this happens in such a similar way, maybe with honey/tobacco and Naxos.

But does Crystal Saffron resemble Baccarat Rouge? Not really

Unlike other "saffron scents," I can understand the association with BR540. Somehow they do have a commonality. Since I have little to do with saffron besides paella, I attribute the plaster and hospital vibes that Baccarat Rouge has to the yellow spice. And I also get that association with Crystal Saffron. The significant difference is that the scent from Maison Francis Kurkdjian, with its cotton candy sweetness, masks the clinical note more strongly.
Crystal Saffron does not offer that. It has the medicinal-smelling saffron, a pinch of incense (which I don't smell), and a lot of chemistry (Habanolides = musk and Ambroxan = amber). If Baccarat Rouge is the sweet dessert after the almond surgery in the hospital, Crystal Saffron is the cool ice pack you hold against it afterward.

Nevertheless, Crystal Saffron is a great scent, but in my opinion, it is quite niche. I can well imagine that it might seem a bit strange to those around the wearer. There are certainly fragrances from the house that are a bit more accessible. Nevertheless, Crystal Saffron is definitely in my top 3 from Matiere Premiere (alongside Encens Suave and Radical Rose). In an interview, I once heard that the scent is on its way to becoming a bestseller for the house. This would be supported by the fact that I couldn't find the scent at either Selfridges or Harrods in London. Understandably! Regardless of whether one likes the scent or not. The sillage and longevity are fantastic. Additionally, I believe the brand is still relatively fairly priced for niche fragrances.

So, Crystal Saffron does not smell exactly like Baccarat Rouge, but it is on its way to possibly becoming as successful as its Hansaplast idol.

Oh, it’s not about Ozzy Osbourne at all. But somehow it is. Tony Iommi is apparently the guitarist of the band around Ozzy.
Yes, but why is he making perfumes now? I’m still not quite sure why he was allowed to create a Xerjoff special. But I’m grateful that he did.

From the pure fragrance pyramid, I probably wouldn’t have bought it. Rum and leather often seem too rough in perfumes, and as an absolute unisex fragrance lover, they usually come off as too masculine for me. Balkan stork's beak doesn’t mean anything to me either, but at least it sounds funny. Otherwise, patchouli, which is a "fifty-fifty" thing in fragrances. Sometimes fascinating, but in some scents, it has more of a cat urine charm. Then there are the usual suspects: bergamot, vanilla, amber, musk. That’s the standard men’s fragrance.
But what has come out of this fragrance pyramid is nothing less than one of the best scents of recent years. Incredibly interesting opening (in a positive sense), along with an even crazier interesting drydown. Brutal performance like Ozzy in his best bat days. Plus, a sillage like rock and roll - rough and right in your face.

I’m eagerly waiting for a possible Ozzy Osbourne bat special. Until then, all I can say is: Simply brutal this Tony!