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Methadone shoots
Synthetic musk fragrances for the second time, after the vintage Lagerfeld Classic really got me excited.
I saw the current version of Obsession in Kaufhof. It seemed quite soapy to me, paired with a dirty cinnamon note that was supposed to create a certain animalic quality. I didn't get any musk there. It left me cold. Was that supposed to be it?
I got a vintage miniature from a collector friend of mine, and it's quite something: spicy, fruity, slightly soapy/clean lavender in the opening, then cinnamon, clove, a fresh conifer, a berry note that - because I'm wearing it right now - could be a distant relative of Jubilation XXV. Complex, intense, awesome.
The crowning glory, however, comes in the drydown, in the form of a real musky, dark, earthy, awesome scent. For me, a real alternative to the priceless ALDs.
If you're looking for a woody, "oriental" spice bomb with a dark musky finish that you can get in its original form for just under €50 (!) on eBay, I can only recommend Obsession.
I saw the current version of Obsession in Kaufhof. It seemed quite soapy to me, paired with a dirty cinnamon note that was supposed to create a certain animalic quality. I didn't get any musk there. It left me cold. Was that supposed to be it?
I got a vintage miniature from a collector friend of mine, and it's quite something: spicy, fruity, slightly soapy/clean lavender in the opening, then cinnamon, clove, a fresh conifer, a berry note that - because I'm wearing it right now - could be a distant relative of Jubilation XXV. Complex, intense, awesome.
The crowning glory, however, comes in the drydown, in the form of a real musky, dark, earthy, awesome scent. For me, a real alternative to the priceless ALDs.
If you're looking for a woody, "oriental" spice bomb with a dark musky finish that you can get in its original form for just under €50 (!) on eBay, I can only recommend Obsession.
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Well roared
After the rather nasty Ambra Aurea, I'm now looking for an Ambre Sultan alternative in Chanel's Exclusifs range.
This lion here jumps off so feathery and smoky, as if it wanted to fly away! This cockiness - a slightly arrogant, pungent balsamic note - is immediately captured by vanilla and patchouli. A little prickly, it finally flutters onto a powdery sandalwood-musk pillow.
Even if it has something different in mind than the spicier Ambre Sultan, I would rate it as similarly refined and high-quality. The powdery-smoky drydown has a very noble effect on me and is much more pleasant than the mercilessly cardboardy Ambra Aurea.
Since the Palais Royal Ambre Sultan (I swear by it) costs at least 180€/50ml on ebay in 2025, and the Lion costs 250€/75 ml, there is no significant difference in price.
Well done, lion!
Next Amber stop: Andy Tauer
This lion here jumps off so feathery and smoky, as if it wanted to fly away! This cockiness - a slightly arrogant, pungent balsamic note - is immediately captured by vanilla and patchouli. A little prickly, it finally flutters onto a powdery sandalwood-musk pillow.
Even if it has something different in mind than the spicier Ambre Sultan, I would rate it as similarly refined and high-quality. The powdery-smoky drydown has a very noble effect on me and is much more pleasant than the mercilessly cardboardy Ambra Aurea.
Since the Palais Royal Ambre Sultan (I swear by it) costs at least 180€/50ml on ebay in 2025, and the Lion costs 250€/75 ml, there is no significant difference in price.
Well done, lion!
Next Amber stop: Andy Tauer
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Grandma's gold tooth, maybe
Ever since I fell in love with the Palais Royal Ambre Sultan (relatable), I've been looking for a more available alternative to it from time to time and soon came across Ambra Aurea while researching on youtube. Aurum is gold and gold is just good enough for a sultan, you'd think! However, the advance praise (if only they had put the Loorber from Ambre Sultan in here...) from the youtubers must be firmly contradicted here - they will certainly be heartbroken.
Right from the start, Ambra Aurea is heavy, sticky and dirty, by which I mean a rather sour note that I can only describe as stomach acid, maybe even rancid vanilla pudding. Nothing against dirty-animalic notes: I have a thing for civet, castoreum, musk and the like, but I can't stand this one, especially as the acidity in question is augmented by a smoky note as it progresses, which reminds me of burnt rubber, so I guess that's supposed to be myrrh?
As my skin is still shimmering like a ham an hour after spraying it on, I can at least emphasize the durability positively, but it is a mystery to me that it is so celebrated.
"In sum" (like Thomas Tuchel): Sultry, oppressive, sticky and as subtle as Russian harbass.
If this is supposed to be gold, then at most grandma's gold tooth.
Right from the start, Ambra Aurea is heavy, sticky and dirty, by which I mean a rather sour note that I can only describe as stomach acid, maybe even rancid vanilla pudding. Nothing against dirty-animalic notes: I have a thing for civet, castoreum, musk and the like, but I can't stand this one, especially as the acidity in question is augmented by a smoky note as it progresses, which reminds me of burnt rubber, so I guess that's supposed to be myrrh?
As my skin is still shimmering like a ham an hour after spraying it on, I can at least emphasize the durability positively, but it is a mystery to me that it is so celebrated.
"In sum" (like Thomas Tuchel): Sultry, oppressive, sticky and as subtle as Russian harbass.
If this is supposed to be gold, then at most grandma's gold tooth.
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Who never ate his fruit bread with tree resin tears
After Chergui and Ambre Sultan, Fille en Aiguilles is my third Serge Lutens, which I was able to sample here in the black monolithic Gratte Ciel bottle.
If you've never eaten your fruitcake with tree resin tears (loosely based on Pasolini, it goes in the headline), you don't know what Fille en Aiguilles smells like. The fragrance has something dark and heavy about it: smoky spruce thickets in the evening, sweetish fruit bread, earthy and bitter due to laurel and vetiver (?).
Meditative, almost melancholy - a fragrance for a Pasolini movie night.
In comparison with my other two Lutens: I like the Fille en Aiguilles best of the current formulations, the quality and longevity are also good, so on the one hand I'm happy to own the Gratte Ciel bottle and on the other hand I'm so hooked that I really want to try the vintage version now. Since I have Chergui and Ambre Sultan as vintage, and I like them much better than their current formulations, I have expectations of the vintage Fille en Aiguilles that are almost as high as the Gratte Ciel bottle.
Le fin
If you've never eaten your fruitcake with tree resin tears (loosely based on Pasolini, it goes in the headline), you don't know what Fille en Aiguilles smells like. The fragrance has something dark and heavy about it: smoky spruce thickets in the evening, sweetish fruit bread, earthy and bitter due to laurel and vetiver (?).
Meditative, almost melancholy - a fragrance for a Pasolini movie night.
In comparison with my other two Lutens: I like the Fille en Aiguilles best of the current formulations, the quality and longevity are also good, so on the one hand I'm happy to own the Gratte Ciel bottle and on the other hand I'm so hooked that I really want to try the vintage version now. Since I have Chergui and Ambre Sultan as vintage, and I like them much better than their current formulations, I have expectations of the vintage Fille en Aiguilles that are almost as high as the Gratte Ciel bottle.
Le fin
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Cambridge vs. Oxford
Since I'm a big Guerlain Derby fan (who isn't?), and the Equipage is supposed to be almost identical in drydown according to the famously infallible fragrance pyramid, I gave it a try.
I tested the 90 vintage (wooden button lid, EdT is written on the label under Equipage), the 2000 version (glass bottle printed directly, white dot on the lid) and the current version (brown label, completely black lid.)
The vintage version was actually as Christmassy as you can read here. Orange, clove, cinnamon: gingerbread.
The middle version was already less Christmassy, clove and nutmeg remain present, and has a more distinct chypre character, which gives a hint of the Derby.
The current version then shifts the focus once again towards chypre, appearing fresher and more leathery, although not as dashing and intense as the Derby.
In purely associative terms, the rowing team and Derby go together quite nicely. Cambridge vs Oxford comes to mind and will have to serve as the headline, and there is indeed a bit of Derby in the Equipage. In view of the fact that Derby is hard to come by (500€+ on ebay), I can imagine that Equipage can serve as a methadone for some people - only half for me - even if Equipage is actually being wronged by this attitude. For me, it's definitely worth a look, not least because of its relationship with Derby.
I tested the 90 vintage (wooden button lid, EdT is written on the label under Equipage), the 2000 version (glass bottle printed directly, white dot on the lid) and the current version (brown label, completely black lid.)
The vintage version was actually as Christmassy as you can read here. Orange, clove, cinnamon: gingerbread.
The middle version was already less Christmassy, clove and nutmeg remain present, and has a more distinct chypre character, which gives a hint of the Derby.
The current version then shifts the focus once again towards chypre, appearing fresher and more leathery, although not as dashing and intense as the Derby.
In purely associative terms, the rowing team and Derby go together quite nicely. Cambridge vs Oxford comes to mind and will have to serve as the headline, and there is indeed a bit of Derby in the Equipage. In view of the fact that Derby is hard to come by (500€+ on ebay), I can imagine that Equipage can serve as a methadone for some people - only half for me - even if Equipage is actually being wronged by this attitude. For me, it's definitely worth a look, not least because of its relationship with Derby.
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