SeloBera

After some research, I found out that Indult was originally founded by Francis Kurkdjian. However, for several years now, he has completely distanced himself from the brand, and not much has come from the house since then. They are trying to initiate a potentially new era here, but whether they will actually succeed, I still doubt.

Now let's turn to Cuir 404. It starts off really promising. Citrus notes and cardamom create a fresh and elegant opening (Gentlemanlike). Very high-quality and unique. After a while, the clove and, unfortunately, the suede come into play.
This is where the fragrance starts to become problematic for me. What began as high-quality now feels synthetic and biting. On my skin, it creates an association that makes no sense at all. Wax candle?! It didn't develop that way on the scent strip. I am extremely surprised and have to admit that it simply doesn't work with my skin chemistry. This wax accord also lingers deep into the drydown. This makes it completely unusable for me...

The longevity is around 6-7 hours. The projection is rather weak, giving the impression that it was intentionally designed this way to avoid high intrusiveness.

In conclusion, I would recommend everyone to test it on their skin to form their own opinion. A lot of potential, but unfortunately not in harmony with me as a person.

After a long time, I decided to dive into the depths of the niche world. Sooner or later, you will come across the name Francesca Bianchi. She is a woman with an extreme presence, strong character, and an almost slightly intimidating aura. The best prerequisites for creating perfumes. Several of her creations were on my list. For a start, I chose The Dark Side and her The Black Knight. I will report on the latter separately.

Now let's get to the fragrance that is the focus here and now. The Dark Side is a leather scent! At first, I sensed something reminiscent of Dark Rebel by John Varvatos, but this faded after a few seconds. Then the fragrance takes a completely different turn. The iris comes to the forefront, along with a creamy incense note. The incense is slightly powdery and gives the fragrance a pleasant depth. The fresh honey adds a natural sweetness that feels fine and elegant without being sticky. Over time, sandalwood mixes in, which plays a leading role in the DD alongside the iris. The incense recedes and leaves the younger notes the stage.

Looking at the H/S, it is clear that it is initially very potent and radiates quite well; however, it is not room-filling.

As for the bottle, it arrived exactly as seen in the pictures. Simple and unremarkable. The sprayer, on the other hand, is above average.

In conclusion, it can be said that it was a really good start into a dark world that I want to learn to love more and more. I have indeed entered “The Dark Side”!

The Burlington 1819 is inspired by the opening of the Burlington Arcade in London in 1819. That was also the only information I had before the blind buy. It doesn’t take much to convince me (usually works out well?!), but when it comes to a gentleman's fragrance, I'm always in.

When I first sprayed the scent, I actually felt relief. Finally, I had found it. My all-rounder, which is perfect even in the height of summer. Those were my first thoughts as I perceived the fresh and zesty citrus notes of grapefruit and lime. The ginger adds a refreshing sharpness to the whole composition. Shortly after, woody and earthy notes emerge in the form of patchouli, cumin, and cedarwood. This progression remains constant for the first 2 to 3 hours. In the drydown, a pleasant sweetness unfolds. I mainly perceive amber, labdanum, and a hint of cinnamon.

The sillage and longevity are quite satisfactory for a freshie. After 3-4 hours, it is closer to the skin, but it remains well noticeable for 6-7 hours.

Let’s return to the main topic. The gentleman. That is exactly what this fragrance embodies for me. An elegance and quality, typical of Mr. Dove, that takes your breath away time and again. It radiates luxury and a certain arrogance, perfect for a suit wearer who knows exactly what he wants in life. Just like the gentlemen of that time, who strolled through the exclusive and luxurious Burlington Arcade in the 19th century.

I have had Xerjoff's Richwood on my list for years, but I never dared to smell it. Given the price, it's hard to just go for it. If it lives up to its promise, it’s almost impossible not to buy it.

During my last vacation, I finally, quite by chance, came into contact with this fragrance. You can hardly believe it, but in Tirana, Albania, there is actually a niche perfumery called Maison de Parfum. They had a pretty good selection, and to be honest, I was looking for Sospiro fragrances. (They seem to have disappeared in Germany!?). When I then made my way to the section with the Xerjoff fragrances, I spotted it and knew from a distance that today is the day, today I will test you!

I sprayed it on my skin and was shocked! I had fallen in love with a fragrance again after a long time. The first thought that came to my mind is quite easy to describe. "I know exactly why this fragrance has this name!" Rich wood, that’s exactly what I thought. Incredibly elegant and high-quality.

The bergamot combined with the mandarin peel opens the fragrance and provides a fresh, citrusy accord, but very quickly the high-quality sandalwood comes through, even though it is not listed here, I can clearly smell the finest sandalwood I have ever encountered, combined with patchouli. It exudes a pleasant warmth that envelops you, and I must say that Richwood is wearable all year round, apart from the peak summer. The rose stays more in the background; it is the labdanum that increasingly comes to the fore. In the drydown, Richwood becomes sweeter, softer, and creamier. Here I distinctly perceive amber and musk.

As for the longevity and sillage, I can only say that it is typically Xerjoff. I get a longevity of 8-10 hours and a very good projection that ensures you are definitely noticed.

As you can easily see, I then bit into the "rich wood" and decided to purchase it as soon as I returned to Germany, and although it is not a summer fragrance, it will always remind me of this summer vacation and the beautiful beaches of the Albanian south coast.

I have heard about this fragrance for years, but I was never able to smell it since it was not available in Düsseldorf. When I finally visited the Parfümerie Meister in Hamburg, in search of the Oud Maracujá, which was unfortunately already sold out, my gaze fell upon this very Ganymede by Marc-Antoine Barrois. When I sprayed it, the beautiful saffron decided to enchant my sense of smell. The subsequent mandarin added a refreshing note to the fragrance. A freshness I had never perceived in combination with saffron before. After purchasing it, I wore it for the first time today, and it is just as beautiful as I remembered. What stands out now is the outstanding projection. Incredibly strong, even after several hours. H/S are generally at a very high level. In the drydown, I perceive a sweet leather note despite the absence of leather. Overall, Ganymede deserves a clear 10/10 and is definitely one of the best fragrances I have ever smelled!!