J1ndujun

Strolling through the streets of the Sicilian capital, I enjoy my coffee. Looking at the Porto di Palermo on a mild summer evening. The scent of blooming citrus trees, nestled among the alleys of picturesque leather craftsmanship, I settle down in front of the Teatro Massimo and observe the people. Under palm trees, the sun-warmed woods paired with the flying spice of cardamom, a hint of coriander caresses the nose, supporting like a soft leather couch, while Italian bergamot helps the orange-lime tandem lift through the streets of the Ballarò market. A touch of cedar and patchouli gives character to the Byzantine mosaics. As I put on my sunglasses, a final citrus rush before I drift towards the sunset on the Mediterranean. A summer masterpiece.

I’ve long thought about giving a fragrance by Jeremy a chance, but to be honest - his prices are off-putting! I have nothing against expensive niche fragrances; some of them certainly justify their price, but over 300 euros is quite steep - Fragrance One is definitely not at the top of the list when I consider buying a fragrance for that kind of money.

That said, the scent reads quite well on paper. However, after it has etched itself into my wrist for almost half a day, I allow myself a first judgment. Can a shoe factory for leather shoes smell good? That’s for everyone to judge for themselves. Longevity and sillage are adventureously strong, but otherwise "Black Tie" reminds me of something old, leathery, a bit musty. In my mind, scenes from 19th century London play out after I enter a shoe factory in summer with my top hat, and the craftsman is just peeling his mandarin for lunch.

Is it formal? No. Is it obnoxiously loud? Possibly. Is it unique? Certainly not. Encountering a person in a suit with this fragrance reminds me more of a second-hand clothing collection than Hugo Boss designer. In the heart, there’s too much wood and in the base, too much patchouli for me, which overly overshadows the citrus freshness of the top note. Overall, it’s too unbalanced. So, not a fragrance by Jeremy after all.

I wander through the streets of Tokyo, thoughts swirling in my head, unique Japan. I want to explore the landscape, I board the train towards Mt. Fuji. Nature rushes past me. It is spring, cherry blossom season and the Hanami festival. Japanese gardens are famous for this fragrant, delicate display of flowers. In addition to cherries, other stone fruits like apricots, plums, and peaches also bloom during this time.

The first blossoms are those of Prunus mume, the so-called Japanese plum or apricot. A native and distinct species in Japan. Since their flowers appear on bare branches as early as January or February, they are considered a symbol of the will to survive and promise happiness.

I dream, sitting alone in my train compartment - what do Japanese plum trees smell like? No one here. I get off in the city of Atami in Shizuoka Prefecture and breathe in the fresh air. I grab a bike and take a little ride around the city. The scent of spices lingers in the air, maybe saffron? A light sweetness. Delicious. Vanilla and cinnamon. I pass by cheerful people in bars. Alcohol is in the air. In the distance, I can already see them, plum trees and the beauty of blossoms. I get off my bike, finding myself in the plum garden of Atami. Beautiful. Light pink, white trees, a natural spectacle, waterfall, small streams, narrow bridges - the sun is shining and a gentle breeze is blowing. I dream along the path. Plum liqueur. I wonder how this smells when dried? I remember. A perfume in my backpack, I take it out, standing on the bridge surrounded by plum trees. A spray, sensuality. Perfection. Tom Ford Plum Japonais. I knew it, a fragrance carried by angels. Ume blossoms and ume fruits have always been omnipresent in daily life, as well as in the art and poetry of Japan. The scent combines fruity plum with a hint of liqueur, unobtrusive sweetness underlined by mature spiciness. Minute by minute, the sillage slips into a dreamy mix that cannot be described in words. I continue along the narrow paths, catching a whiff of this fragrance again and again, forced to close my eyes and enjoy. I believe I am in paradise. I never want to leave here.

“Plum Japonais” reveals the extraordinary beauty of the ume plum by combining it with an unconventional mélange of exotic Asian ingredients. The fragrance is rich and luxurious and possesses an irresistible complexity.

I head back, get on my bike, and dream towards the sunset. Still in my nose is the scent of plum blossoms. It will likely linger for a long time - this is how angels must smell.

So far, I have never really warmed up to Aaron's "taste." Onyx is too animalistic for me, Boss Bastard is too stinky, Ozone feels too heavy and more like a body cream that overwhelms you. I can also hardly relate to Amber Extreme. Neon smells like toilet cleaner.
For 2020, he rebranded and reformulated some fragrances, including Blood Orange.

Sounds great, right? Blood Orange was my last desperate attempt to find a fragrance of my desires from his collection, and I must say that for me, it is the "best" and most tolerable scent. It opens really super fruity fresh with orange and mandarin, and the jasmine note beautifully complements the top note. However, what really bothers me is the longevity. Maybe it's the sprayer, because I have to go within millimeter distance just to get something on my skin, instead of just spraying an overpriced room fragrance. It was better with his 50ml bottles, but still not outstanding. What he has done with his 10ml decants is an absolute outrage.

In this respect, the fragrance quickly rounds off into something musky-sandalwood before it completely disappears. On me, this scent is a notorious so-called "top note blender," even though my skin chemistry is not at all receptive to fresh scents, as all summer-fresh-citrus fragrances vanish from me after a few hours. However, this one runs away from me as if I had stolen the blood oranges from the tree.

The only thing you can say in favor of the fragrance is that it really smells natural and not synthetic at all. It's still too expensive.

M7 Oud Absolu had been on my wish list for a long time. A few weeks ago, I was finally able to trade for the fragrance here on Parfumo. Recently, I have been exploring the entire range of spicy fresh scents that might last longer than 3 hours on me. With the upcoming autumn and winter months in mind, I was very curious. To start: I was not disappointed!

At times, I couldn't really relate to Oud and couldn't imagine what it was like. M7 Oud Absolu opens with an omnipresent and distinct citrus explosion of orange and mandarin, under which a clearly heavy Oud and patchouli note quickly blends in. The top and heart notes do not fade away during the drydown; instead, a hint of vetiver and myrrh emerges, rounded off by creamy musk.

I believe this fragrance is excellently suited for mature men aged 25 and above who want to stand out from the crowd. Of course, it has been around for a few years, but I rarely smell it or not at all. Longevity and sillage are absolutely fine for an EDT. For me, this fragrance was the gateway to other Oud scents, including those from Tom Ford and other brands. Highly recommended!