Mefisto

The headline already describes it. Bonded is an incredibly successful composition and doesn't necessarily smell like a perfume; it rather portrays a personality.

Imagine a beautiful, photorealistic, alcoholic note that is unmatched, shaped by the oak barrels in which the bourbon whiskey has matured, slightly sweet, soaked with oak moss that gives it this shaving cream and fougere touch. The tobacco rounds it off with a distinctive masculine note, and the oud floats in the background, pleasing yet present, contributing to the masculine character.

Bonded truly left me speechless. It is truly great art that Cross has performed here. Often, fragrances with massive performance are described in such a way that they "would wear you instead of being worn." With Bonded, the performance is great, but it is the character that this scent uncompromisingly embodies-a very classically masculine man who smells of fresh shaving, clean whiskey, and tobacco, and does so in an alluringly pleasing way.

And therefore, one rightly asks the question: "Can I wear this? Will people buy it or will I make a fool of myself?" Because this scent signals exactly this type, yes, archetype.

The creator behind this creation did not care about trends. This is not a hundredth Tyger or Layton clone. There is nothing cute about this. This is quite a statement fragrance, niche, unique, and yet so successful and attractive as it dances on this fine line. You find yourself wanting to smell it again and again. Thank you, Manuel Cross, for creating such fragrances even today.

Important backstory: I was actually quite happy with my updated collection, having tried countless samples until I really filtered out the cream of the crop for my taste. Only to realize that a fougere or a proper barbershop scent was missing from my collection. I had given away Platinum Égoïste Eau de Toilette and Beau de Jour Eau de Parfum a while ago, somehow lost interest in both of them, or was particularly bothered by a certain note in the PE, especially in higher temperatures. Then I tried Beau de Jour again and found pleasure in it once more. Perhaps it’s the season. Then I thought: Why limit myself to just Beau de Jour, maybe there are other fougères out there. So I tried all sorts of things. The masculin Pluriel was unnecessary because I have the Signature pour Homme Eau de Parfum and find that much better. The Scandal Parfum Cologne did not convince me at all, no special DNA, poor performance. I find Invasion Barbare quite good, but not good enough to shell out 250 euros. I didn't like New York Intense at all, I find it not modern, rather old-fashioned with a sharp, unpleasant note. I think Fougère Royale (2010) Eau de Parfum is quite good, soft, elegant, nice, but still not quite what I was looking for, and I don't find it better than Beau de Jour. So the search continued through the fougères and barbershops...

Then finally I received the Bonded Perfumery Sharing samples, many thanks to VeritasAUT at this point. Bon Monsieur and Bonded another masterpiece, for which I will also write a review. Bon Monsieur is already very fresh and bright in the opening, a transparent high-quality scent that, as previously described, is not really green, more like a modern shaving foam, almost shower gel-like but not blue. I could try to describe nuances here like some YouTube influencers and pretend that I could really pick out the components. I can't really do that. The patchouli in Beau de Jour is noticeable, especially in the drydown, but not here. I can smell lavender and definitely the oakmoss, but they are beautifully rounded out by all these other components. It remains an elegant, masculine, classic yet very fresh and relatively linear, modern barbershop. One radiates a permanently freshly showered, shaved, and well-groomed vibe. A scent that makes you want to slip into a suit right away. It is pleasing, yet a bit sharper and more distinctive, as well as more performant than, for example, the Houbigant Fougère Royal, which is softened by chamomile and comes across as gentler.

I must also honestly say, I have longed for such a scent. I don't want to smell like honey or cotton candy, I don't like to scent like vanilla ice cream and candies. I have searched for a truly classic masculine yet modern scent for so long. Only a few manage to achieve this: Signature pour Homme by Zaharoff, Bon Monsieur, Beau de Jour, which others? Bonded, also by Rogue.

Back to the paradoxical headline: King of the classic modern fougères. Yes, after testing so many others, definitely. Bon Monsieur takes the top spot, alongside Beau de Jour. Hats off, Mr. Manuel Cross!

Actually, it was the nostalgic search for the lost Boss Bottled in the perfume forum and the advice there that led me to Ehsas Khas. Thank you for that. After I had used up the sample and tried countless other samples over the months, I decided to get a bottle. I must say that I have become very picky after having tried an estimated hundred to two hundred perfumes and only buy those that I absolutely like. Ehsas Khas is now one of the few bottles that has made its way back into my collection after quite a while. Others from the same house will follow (Sultani, Amiri), which puts Arabian Oud on the same level for me as Xerjoff or Mancera, who also produce an average number of very good perfumes.

So how does it smell? There is indeed a strong similarity to Boss Bottled, only the ingredients smell of higher quality, more natural, fuller, stronger, with a unique twist. The apple is the most beautiful apple I have ever smelled in a perfume. I lack the knowledge of the oils available on the market to assess why this apple is so much more beautiful. The manufacturer states: "Rose apple: Exclusive ingredient from Arabian Oud, a very lush, fruity note with a hint of rose. Green apple: Fruity, green, and refreshing scent." So it is a combination of two different apple scents.

The apple is embedded in a beautiful vanilla, which is light, transparent, and sits perfectly on the woody notes. The musk can only be detected at slightly higher temperatures, adding a masculine tone. And then either from the combination of the components or perhaps it is a standalone perfume oil (maybe the geranium), there is an enchanting additional note that one cannot get enough of. The entire composition is so intense yet transparent and light. Overall, the DNA is a top-notch 1A, 10/10 for my taste.

How does it compare to Boss Bottled? I would compare it the other way around: Once you have smelled and worn Ehsas Khas for a few days and then smell Boss Bottled, the latter seems rather synthetic in comparison, has a scent note that bothers me, and never reaches the strong longevity and sillage of Ehsas Khas. And that was another important criterion for my decision. Opinions may differ, but for me, the H/S is important. I do not want to spend 100, 200, or 300 euros on something that neither I nor others can perceive. The very good H/S combined with this DNA also leads to this very high overall rating. Ehsas Khas is also very versatile, suitable for daytime, nighttime, leisure, or business, warm (except in strong heat) or cold seasons; I always find it very pleasant. It resembles Boss a lot, but it is a standalone, great perfume.

Bergmask, a very polarizing scent, so I hope to bring a little balance with my review and address the most important questions. I hope to encourage those who are contemplating a sample to at least give it a try and not be deterred by some descriptions.

Bergamot

Bergamask opens with bergamot, not too citrusy bright or fresh, rather sweet, as if the peel has flowed into the scent, refreshing yes, but more like a sweet orange or grapefruit juice. It is a truly very beautiful bergamot, one that you want to smell again and again, very appealing and attractive. The perfumer aimed to create the longest-lasting citrus scent, and considering that Bergamask definitely lasts a good 12 hours, he has succeeded. The longevity and sillage are, of course, dependent on temperature and air quality, more on that later, as it is an important aspect.

The Musk

Then the musk comes in, along with a sandalwood molecule, Javanol, which Alessandro Gualtieri uses very generously in his fragrances, thereby boosting the performance. The musk combined with this enormous projection and longevity is also what makes Bergamask so polarizing and results in the quite contrasting reviews. Therefore, I want to specifically address this.

At this point, I find it important to mention, to give a better perspective on my review, that I am not a fan of so-called “challenging” scents. My top 10 consists of very pleasing fragrances like L'homme YSL, Percival by PDM, or Imagination by LV. Yes, I see no point in annoying others with my perfume or being perceived as having an unpleasant scent. Cleanliness and grooming are important to me. Do I wear more mainstream-acceptable scents? Yes, and that is perfectly fine for me.

Why do I mention this? Because I can find no truly repulsive elements in Bergamask, as described by some reviewers. Bergamask is indeed a very masculine-smelling perfume; I cannot find anything feminine about it, no matter how hard I try. If a woman wants to wear it, that’s fine, but one should be aware of that. Bergamask does indeed smell somewhat animalistic, but not dirty or unkempt; there is nothing disgusting in it, in my opinion.

The musk note also smells different in the air than on a paper strip, rather light, transparent, although piercing, but more clean, not disgusting. Does it smell like sweat? Possibly, but then it would be very clean sweat and not an unpleasant body odor. It gives the perfume a masculine lightness when smelled in the air. Therefore, you have to wear it properly to understand it; sniffing a little on the arm or on paper will not help here.

Is it pleasing or too challenging?

Yes, Bergamask balances on the edge of being pleasing. It has made it into my top 10, among all these easy-to-like fragrances; it still has to find its exact place, as I have only been testing it for a week. My girlfriend loves it and ranks it above fragrances like Percival or Imagination, which are indeed easier to like.

Would I wear such a scent when meeting clients or in the office? Probably not, but otherwise yes. It is not a blind buy! Test a sample and decide for yourself.

Longevity and Sillage - Temperature Dependency

Here it is very important to mention that Bergamask survives where most fragrances quickly give up: summer and hot weather. Of all my fragrances, only Imagination has truly passed the vacation test; it could cut through the warm air for hours, while all other perfumes give up. Bergamask can do that too, and its enormous projection is tamed, resulting in it coming across more moderately and pleasantly in a climate where other perfumes go unnoticed. Therefore, I think that the reviews are influenced by the season. At 30° C, even Bergamask capitulates much faster.

On a slightly warm spring day in Germany, however, it can quickly fill a room and may be perceived as penetrating by some.

Although Bergamask is more of a synthetic perfume, it is made so well that it really doesn’t matter or weigh heavily.

Conclusion

After I was able to test a sample, a bottle of Bergamask will be joining my collection and will also represent the only somewhat polarizing scent in my collection. That is exactly what Bergamask is for me, on the edge of being pleasing. Provocative? Yes. Sexy and alluring? Yes. Unpleasant? No. You really have to be able to wear this scent; otherwise, it will wear you. Here too, one must consider that you can dose well with the sprays how much you want to stand out. Personally, I am glad to have a perfume where I don’t have to constantly reapply.

I believe what makes Bergamask so special is a certain aspect: While other perfumes are perceived by people as sprayed scents, they might confuse Bergamask with the wearer’s body odor, a very masculine, attractive scent.

You wear highly rated, truly great niche fragrances with decent projection and longevity all summer long, but within a few days receive the most compliments because you pulled out a bottle of L'Homme from the back row.

Why did it end up in the back row? Well, not because of the scent, which is simply flawless. Numerous women have confirmed this to me; L'Homme likely represents the ideal fragrance for a man from a woman's perspective. Something about this fresh ginger composition radiates a casual, laid-back class. I might be the only one who smells more of a light, fresh apple instead of citrus fruits; the violet contributes to this freshness. Tonka and vetiver provide the foundation and class. Nevertheless, the description of the individual components doesn't really help in getting an idea of the actual scent while reading. It is very rounded, and it's quite difficult to pick out individual elements. There are indeed parallels to Chanel's Allure. Without saying that both fragrances smell very similar, they do head in a similar direction; both are flawlessly composed, both rely on ginger and citrus. L'Homme is more playful, more casual, and a bit fresher. Allure is somewhat more mature, sweeter.

Compliments came during dates, while hugging, sitting next to each other. Women apparently love this scent DNA. A friend also mentioned it to me, not for himself, but his acquaintance wanted to know what I was wearing that day when I ran into them on the street.

On all these occasions, I had reapplied with a small spritz, always after about 1-2 hours. This brings us to the biggest weakness of this perfume: longevity. The sillage is still mediocre when sprayed and is actually enough to delight people nearby with this wonderful scent here and there. But after 2 hours, that's clearly over. If L'Homme had a stronger projection and lasted 4-6 hours, I don't know what else I would wear in spring and summer. So, one is left with the option to keep reapplying. You can't overspray here; it never becomes overwhelming or too strong; it's in the nature of the scent.