Genesis666

Phew, quite a bold statement that Ensar made in his announcement for his latest release “EO N°3.” But anyone who has dealt with the Ensar Oud brand knows that Ensar, whose birth name is actually "Ensar Tokati," lacks neither confidence nor restraint in his descriptions, often using superlatives.

“The best…” here, “the finest…” there. The man is very convinced of his products and creations, and that is naturally reflected in the price. $599 for 30ml of “PureParfum” is now standard. Anything less is hardly acceptable - anything more quickly escalates.

Ensar reportedly had a very close relationship with Sultan Qabus (Qaboos) bin Sa’id, who was Sultan of Oman from July 23, 1970, until his death on January 10, 2020. Not least because he had a penchant for olfactory treasures alongside his collection of countless luxury cars and rare watches. The collection must have included countless treasures from all over the world. Priceless rarities like “Sinking Grade Agarwood” from various parts of Asia, decades-old, multi-kilo chunks of ambergris, deer musk from Tibet, Kashmir, Mongolia, and even the king of all musk types, the nearly extinct Tonkin musk from Vietnam. The main player in the new EO N°3, the “Royal Tai'fi,” comes from what he calls the “Royal Archive.”

The Taif rose (Rosa damascena trigintipentala), originating from Saudi Arabia, is also referred to as the queen of all flowers. The average price of a “tolah,” which is a small glass vial holding 11.7g of oil, is about $800. And that’s not even the highest quality level. The top-notch oils that have matured over the years are usually sold only to wealthy collectors and royal households, often exceeding this value by far. In the case of the “Royal-Tai'fi” from Sultan Qaboos, the extraction dates back to 1980. So one can imagine that this was quite an expensive affair. (But you can also just check the EO website to see what you need to pay for 2.5g of pure Taif oil from this collection.)

I am by no means a gullible person, but the recurring mention of names and the use of images of the Sultan on the EO website effectively eliminate any reasonable doubts about these claims. Honestly, I can hardly believe that a sultanate would tolerate the unauthorized use of the name of such a respected, long-standing head of state.

In addition to the three musk variants mentioned above, ambergris, and the royal rose oil, EO N°3 also features decades-aged Myitkyina oud from Burma. I wonder how many of you have pronounced the word "Myitkyina oud" correctly while reading this. I certainly do not belong to that group.

I could go on for hours about the individual ingredients, but before the first people drop out from boredom, I’d better get to the scent itself.

I had quite high expectations for the fragrance due to the really HEAVY announcement from EO, I must admit, and not just because of the price; I was almost a bit “afraid” of being disappointed. So I hesitantly press the trigger of the bottle encased in handcrafted leather and…. BOOM….. olfactory mic-drop… A brief shiver.
What rushes into your nose here has absolutely NOTHING to do with the typical rose-oud combos I knew until now.

The scent starts with an incredibly fine citrus note, which is probably one of the special characteristics of the Taif rose. No sharp citrus that reminds one of bergamot and the like. Much finer, softer, and rounder. Just seconds later, the rose unfolds its breathtaking aroma. You can hardly break down the profile. It’s a combination of citrus notes, pleasantly light sweetness, a cooling, menthol-like freshness that feels like taking a deep breath through the nose after eating a menthol candy. In this complex mix of impressions, you can still clearly recognize the typically luxurious character that rose brings to a fragrance. The combination of the different musk types, each with its own character - Tibetan musk is sparkling, lively / Mongolian musk is slightly animalistic, earthy, and Tonkin musk is rather sweet and creamy - acts like a kind of turbocharger for the rose and amplifies its special properties many times over. The ambergris serves more as a fixative here, providing greater longevity and projection. Anyone fearing a typical salty, slightly maritime scent need not worry at all. The oud, for me personally, only comes to the fore in the heart and base. But even here, it does not take on a dominant role. It only adds a slightly woody, green note in the background, reminiscent of oud distillations of the agarwood species Walla-Patta from Sri Lanka, giving the composition EVEN MORE depth. The other ingredients like pepper, mandarin, and nutmeg are so finely woven that you can hardly smell them individually. The special thing about this scent is simply the combination of these oils and extracts and the incredible quality they radiate without restraint. It feels like this fragrance changes its character every few minutes. Sometimes it smells sweet, sometimes fresh, sometimes warm, sometimes cool. All of this is connected with an unbelievable lightness and elegance that I have never experienced before. The rose is never heavy, outdated, or waxy, as is often the case. The scent is classic yet modern. A paradox bottled in glass and leather that leaves me with a broad grin and absolute enthusiasm after every application.

Many will now say again: “How can you spend so much money on a fragrance?” I understand that. It is a valid question. It’s a question I would have asked myself six months ago. I no longer really view Ensar’s works as perfume but rather as art. The number of days I have worn his works outside my four walls can be counted on one hand. I don’t wear them to smell good for others, as that is a matter of taste anyway. I regard them as others would a piece of art on the wall of a gallery. Is a Picasso worth millions because the color is so special or the canvas was particularly expensive? Beauty and the personal impact on the mind lie in the eye (or nose) of the beholder. That’s also why I would never give “purchase recommendations” or similar. I can only convey what a fragrance does for me and how it affects me. In the case of EO N°3, I am almost inclined to say that this is the pinnacle. I don’t believe there is any room for improvement in terms of quality and craftsmanship. Combined with the elaborately handcrafted bottle from the atelier of Habib Dingle, who also binds the St. John’s Bible for the Vatican, this fragrance is probably the crown jewel of my collection. In one of the social networks, I was asked: “How would you describe the rose in EO N°3?” I could only quote Ensar himself: “It’s a Rose to end all Roses…once and for all."

I think that hype brings both a curse and a blessing for every brand, whether it's perfume, clothing, or even in the music industry.

On one hand, hype serves as a kind of sales guarantee, while on the other hand, it can cause a lot of negativity if expectations are not met. In the case of Areej le Doré and the perfumer behind the brand, "Russian Adam," I find "The Crux with the Hype" particularly interesting - but I must also admit that it sometimes annoys me a bit how it is handled.

First, I want to emphasize that in the case of ALD, I definitely believe that the hype surrounding their fragrances is not generated by the brand itself, but by US - the consumers. The first creations from Russian Adam were indeed extremely limited - sometimes only 200 bottles - but the reason for this was not a deliberate creation of a certain exclusivity to boost demand, but the limited resources of a (then) small "one-man show." How could the good Adam have known that his creations would one day become some of the most sought-after in the niche world?

The case of "MANLY."
"Manly" is the latest creation from ALD. As with every new release, ALD provides PLENTY of information in advance about the fragrances themselves, the idea behind them, the raw materials used, and the associated prices. A Q&A is even offered.
"MANLY" was created in collaboration with Adam's younger brother. Or was it a half-brother? Doesn't matter.
It was clearly communicated in advance, "The formula belongs to my brother Aton; I merely refined it and replaced some ingredients with higher-quality variants." This MUST make it clear. IT WILL NOT BE A TYPICAL AREEJ LE DORE FRAGRANCE.
The second point: the price. The 30ml is priced at $220, which is about €180. Of course, that's a lot of money, but compared to previous creations, it's still relatively "affordable." Adam also emphasized that this fragrance is limited due to the natural, limited ingredients, but the batch is large enough so that "everyone" can get their bottle.

Now, first to the scent itself.
"MANLY" starts off slightly alcoholic for me. In combination with the oak moss and earthy patchouli, it gives me the impression of an old, peaty whisky aged in an oak barrel. The top note doesn't last too long. Five, maybe ten minutes. The laboriously hand-extracted saffron oil is also noticeable. In my opinion, the Hindi oud comes into play quite early as well. This wonderfully smoky, leathery interplay even gives me slight "Oud-Zhen" vibes at times.

In the heart, an oriental spice drawer opens up. The cinnamon clearly takes the lead! At first, it may seem a bit sharp, but over time it becomes very soft, and the tonka bean contributes to that. Normally, I'm not a big fan of tonka, as it often comes off as overly sweet. However, in this case, it makes a great contribution to rounding out the bitter notes in this creation. Now the tobacco also comes into play. Overall, one can say that the fragrance is smoky and leathery from start to finish. Sometimes more, sometimes less. The tobacco is dry for me. It reminds me more of cigars than of moist pipe tobacco. A Tony Montana in an open shirt, smoking a cigar in his overly decadent leather chair. If you don't have a scent in your nose right now, I don't know what to say. :-)

I really like the base. The vanilla and sandalwood form an extremely harmonious connection with oud and leather. No note overshadows another here. Everything is very balanced and neither too sweet nor too bitter. I must admit that I personally wouldn't have needed the cashmeran. On the other hand, I don't find it as disturbing as some others do. Maybe it's also a kind of "auto-suggestive" problem to think that this synthetic fragrance ingredient simply MUST disturb in the midst of so many natural ingredients?!

Longevity and sillage on my skin are absolutely brutal. Even after 12 hours and two showers, the scent is still noticeable. No, I'm not exaggerating. More than 2-3 sprays are definitely not necessary here. I would even say - it's inappropriate. :-D I believe that many ruin the fragrance experience in this case through their habitual "overspraying."

My conclusion after 2 days with "MANLY":
I personally find the scent really good. Is it a typical ALD fragrance? No! But that was never the point. So far, I've only received positive feedback, and my girlfriend loves it on me.

In some forums, people were "shocked" that this release was not sold out within minutes like some others and are judging it based on that, without having smelled it. "Well, it can't be anything if there are so many bottles." "Still not sold out?" "Good thing I didn't order one." The fragrance was somewhat "torn apart." If in the future we only evaluate fragrances based on their exclusivity and let our expectations, created by a hype that WE ourselves have generated, override any objectivity, perfumers will have a tough time impressing us in the future. Finding the narrow line between mediocrity and being "too far away" from the brand character with each new release is certainly not an easy task, and from my perspective, it has been well solved here, especially considering the price. I am satisfied with my purchase and recommend everyone to see for themselves and not to place too much value on the opinions of others. Not even on mine!

Monsieur. was actually the first fragrance from FM that I tested. To my shame, I must admit - so far, it has also been the only one. :-D

I didn't consciously acquire the sample; rather, I was lucky to receive it as a bonus with an order.

I had never heard of the fragrance and therefore didn't know what notes it was based on.
With completely unfounded, low expectations, I casually sprayed 2 spritzes on my wrist.
"Uff - what is this? It smells like stale Sprite?" I sniffed again and, with the words "Why would anyone wear something like this?" and probably a rather exaggerated facial expression, headed to the sink to wash it off with A LOT of soap. After that, the sample was tossed into the back corner of my "collection box."

A few days later, I really didn't know which fragrance to wear that day and, contrary to all reality, decided to wear it again. This time not just on my wrist but as SOTD at work. "Let's see what the colleagues say."

I sprayed it on... "Huh??" Looked at the bottle. No mistake, it was Monsieur. .
What happened? Why did I suddenly have this incredibly high-quality, medicinal (still a bit stale) super masculine scent in my nose? No trace of facial goulash anymore. Sprayed 2 more spritzes right away. WOW!
I couldn't get enough of the opening. Really extremely medicinal, earthy but almost tingling in the nose, like the scent that fills your nostrils when you open a bottle of fresh mineral water, mind you from a glass and not a plastic bottle. Yes, I think that makes a difference! :D

Now I had to take a look at the notes. Patchouli? How can this be patchouli? I had never smelled the herb in such concentrated and almost isolated form. Without the info, I wouldn't have identified it as such. Until now, I had only known it as a rather chocolatey, only slightly earthy note. But this is different. In a positive way! All of a sudden?!

I can't explain it, but I wore it for 2 days and HAD to get a full bottle right away, I found it that good all of a sudden.

It somehow reminds me of a walk in the woods. A forest somewhere in the mountains, misty, damp, and maybe even a bit eerie. At the beginning of the drydown, after the slightly sharp, medicinal scent has subsided a bit, I smell the cedar, the incense, but still a hefty dose of patchouli. But so perfectly harmonious that you really have to concentrate to find the individual nuances. I only perceive rum and tangerine very, very lightly. Overall, the scent is about as fruity for me as a sack of cement.

Towards the end of the drydown, an incredibly authentic, masculine but still gentle leather comes in, combined with musk. In between, you also get a slight hint of paper or old books in your nose, reminiscent of a stylish university library like the "Bodleian Library." As if I had been there before... pff. But at least I imagine it smells like that there. :D

I would describe the longevity and sillage as "good" but not "outstanding." In numbers, that means about 6-7 hours on my skin.

Do you get compliments for this fragrance? I personally have received fewer so far. But what is more important to me than compliments; it provides conversation material! This means - people often comment on the scent because it simply polarizes absolutely. And by now, I am convinced that in the world of niche fragrances, that is exactly what it’s about. To polarize and to differentiate oneself. I estimate that with Monsieur. there are exactly two camps. Those who love it and those who hate it. In between are only forested mountains... misty... damp... and maybe even a bit eerie.

I might not express it quite so harshly, but I have to say that I have never been so conflicted about a fragrance as I am with OFG.

The fact is: The scent is good. But "Great"? From my perspective, there are a few things that prevent it from truly being "Great."

The opening definitely deserves the title! It smells incredibly good. A lot of saffron, plenty of wood, complexity! Oud? Not so much. But you do get a tiny glimpse into the world of the precious "black gold." So it is definitely suitable for beginners, as there is no trace of animalic notes or anything similar. I have really had no negative experiences with the scent regarding my fellow humans and colleagues.

I am not a big fan of linear fragrances, but in the case of OFG, that would have been the characteristic that could have earned the scent a 9 or even a 10.

Why? Because I find that, as it moves into the drydown, it loses character and complexity, and thus unfortunately also its allure. After the truly exceptionally good opening, it drifts relatively quickly into a primarily sweet, almost boring direction, which for me then has no recognizability left. Unfortunately. Where has the saffron gone? Where are the woods? And where does all this cotton candy suddenly come from? After a few hours, what remains on my skin is mainly a rather indefinable sweetness that lacks the depth and darkness one would expect from most oud fragrances, and which in my opinion could also come from a good but generic designer scent.

Please don't get me wrong. The scent is by no means bad! Perhaps I simply expected too much due to the hype, or the scent just doesn't work on my skin. Because I would also describe the longevity as "OK."

I am also not a big fan of comparing scents in relation to their price, but in this case, I have to say that I would have expected more in this price range. The fragrance DNA is great for "beginners" in the niche world. The associated price DNA, not so much. :D

For a long time, I searched. Searched for an authentic coffee scent. Not one that smells like cappuccino or latte macchiato, or one that gets a floral note from rose. I tested so many but never found what I was looking for. The bitter elegance that hits you when you open a new pack of espresso beans.

After reading some reviews here on Parfumo, I finally decided to do a blind buy of "Follow." With high expectations, I pressed the spray head. FINALLY!
More coffee is not possible. Dark, bitter, aromatic, almost dust-dry, the opening hits you like a sack of freshly roasted coffee beans. No sugar in sight. The milk is also empty?! This is the espresso that’s enough to make you stand upright in bed in the morning. It smells so authentically like coffee that you don’t perceive the scent as a perfume. It feels more like you’re working in a roastery, and after 8 hours of working at the roasting drum, the resulting "mist" has permeated every fiber of your clothing.

Does it stay that way? No. I think that would simply be too much of a good thing with a longevity of at least 6-8 hours. In the drydown, the scent transforms into a softer, less intense "Wiener Melange" (which is usually sweetened with honey --> amber). So now there’s milk and sugar? Yes! But only subtly. A perfect balance that continues to keep the coffee bean in focus but is soft enough not to trigger any "linear annoyance" after 6-8 hours. In the final part of the drydown, it slightly heads towards tiramisu, which isn’t a problem since no one drinks coffee that late anymore, right?

Conclusion: If you love coffee and are looking for an authentic, unadulterated coffee scent - if you don’t mind smelling not like a perfume but like a delicacy, then you can’t miss "Follow by Kerosene."
It also layers perfectly with quite sweet scents like "Tobacco Vanille" by TF or even "Layton Exclusif" by PDM, which already has a slight coffee note. Additionally, the handmade flacons with the brass label are an absolute eye-catcher in any collection. An invigorating "pick-me-up" even for people with caffeine intolerance. :-)