SlyFox1985

I am one of four proud owners of the newly launched Bentley brother on Parfumo. And I don’t quite understand it. Because this fragrance definitely deserves more attention - for its quality, its great price-performance ratio, and the absolutely perfect complement to the already very fragrant Bentley series. So not like this, friends of fragrance *wink* :) A good reason for me to check back in. Wishing you all a happy, fragrant, beautiful new year from my side!

This fragrance was a Christmas gift chosen by me from a dear person, as I have been a long-time owner of the Bentley EdT, which I highly appreciate and enjoy using. A rich scent full of assertiveness, sweet and noble, perfect for cold times. The younger brother is now arranged a bit slimmer, but despite the not-so-great overlaps on paper (pepper, citrus, patchouli), it fits excellently with the original. It’s not really surprising considering that both fragrances are crafted by the well-known and highly regarded Nathalie Lorson. And she has clearly put some thought into how to meaningfully expand the portfolio, looking at the result. What did we have so far? Aside from the rather overlooked Azure (which I don’t know yet and is not from Firmenich), very rich, sweetly heavy sillage hammers. And well-executed ones. Do we need more of those? No. So what do we have here?

The fragrance starts elegantly citrusy, much more citrusy than its big brother, even slightly soapy. Also more than the big brother, although no musk is mentioned in the fragrance pyramid of Infinite, for example. The soapy, slightly green-tinged freshness, thanks to violet and cedar leaf (leaf? Shouldn’t it be needle? But I believe needles are technically also leaves), is kept in check and underpinned by subtly noble, sweetly tinged undertones that remain consistently present over time. This prevents a drift into the soapy-fresh blandness of many modern men’s fragrances. Citrus accents disappear as usual quite quickly - towards the base, light, strategically placed woody notes give the fragrance the necessary backbone, while the overall green-tinged character shifts from fresh to more earthy. Throughout, I detect quality; the synthetic nuances are indeed present, but this fragrance is significantly further away from the common drugstore scents than it is from the premium league with Amouage and Co.

The whole performance lasts about a good average of 6 hours, slimmer, lighter than the Big Brother, nice also for the warmer seasons. The sillage is present but unobtrusive, always perceptible, but never too much of a good thing. And the bottle is beyond any doubt. For me. Anyone who has the big, rounded brother at home knows how noble it looks, and the little guy is no less impressive. In line with the fragrance concept, it is simply designed to be a bit more delicate, not so bulky. Fits!

This Bentley is a gentleman in every respect, a gallant, noble fragrance, much more puristic than the Big Brother, leaning more towards understatement, finer, almost a bit British, slightly distant, but still clearly masculine with subtle woody accents. Not one for the big stage. But Bentley already has that. Infinite, on the other hand, is wonderfully suited for elegantly highlighting fine attire, more versatile in use. And the beauty is that despite all the differences, a kind of Bentley signature emerges here, which, in my opinion, should definitely continue in collaboration with Firmenich.

Finally, a little call to action for a test, give this fragrance a chance :) I quote roughly from a comment by the highly regarded Leimbacher. He wrote about another beautiful fragrance, 2Man by Comme des Garcons, that any man wearing it proves more taste and style than 90% of all other men. I believe this also applies to this Bentley. And for the good price, you get a truly valuable product. Hats off!

Regarding the black panther, the internet states:

"In the eyes of the Native Americans of North and South America, the black jaguar [see next section, note by the author] was considered powerful and magical. It climbs, runs, and swims - better than the tiger. Therefore, among Latin American Indians, it became a symbol of immeasurable power and mastery over all dimensions. The Tucano Indians of the Amazon region believed that the roar of the jaguar was the rumble of thunder, and thus the black panther was also a god of darkness for them and could create darkness by swallowing the sun."

Often, there is confusion in everyday language regarding the naming of big cats. A quote from the online encyclopedia Wikipedia helps us out and provides clarity:

"A black panther or black panther is a leopard (Panthera pardus) whose coat has a uniformly black coloration instead of the usual black rosettes on a gold-yellow background. Under favorable lighting conditions, the actually spotted coat pattern is still recognizable. [...] In addition to these, black jaguars (Panthera onca) [...] are also referred to as panthers."

On the occasion of a special comment about a special scent, I searched for associations. As so often, the very first is the best. The panther. Why, I will come back to that later.

In the meantime, I have hunted down the "black Afghan," my arduous hunt is thus over, although it did take some time. My first encounter with this rare representative was already a few weeks ago. I was, as usual, navigating through the urban jungle of Cologne, my now well-trained sense of smell sharpened and ready to storm rare fragrances. It's a bit like Pokémon...you go to a specific, unknown place, eager to see if you can catch a glimpse of the rare creature, all senses highly concentrated.
Well, I (did) come, I saw, but did not conquer. Because indeed, the rare scent dared to emerge from its hiding place on a high shelf, but the subsequent olfactory experience triggered a flight reflex in me. The first parallel to the black panther, by the way, which would certainly quickly scare off the less experienced seeker (let's assume for the sake of animal protection that the goal is a sighting, not capture). In fact, I had exactly this association; my very first thought was that the perfume smells like an animal. Later, I tried to differentiate "animal" and came to "cat." I was a cat owner for years, but this cat is large and black, a panther, with a strict, animalistic, herbaceous spicy scent. At that moment, too much of a good thing for my nose. The friendlier Duro prevailed, but the "black Afghan" has burned itself into my brain, lodged there. End of the first sighting. A "feather sighting," by the way; the store in question uses these as sample objects. There was no skin contact! And yet it was clear that I would return...

...which happened this week. I came to hunt a Duro, which I managed without much effort. Duros are relatively easy to tame; they are wild, rough, and loud, but manageable. With a little time and dedication, a Duro can even become tame, depending on how much effort the wearer invests. I managed that.
But a "black Afghan"? I sniffed it again that day, I dared to touch it, and there it was again, that animalistic-herbaceous dark cloud. It was as if the panther was staring at me with its yellow-green eyes and asking me: are you strong enough? Can you handle me? Partly! This time I took a trace of the black essence with me. Still, I wondered if I could handle this beast of a scent, if my abilities were enough to at least keep it in check. Taming a "black Afghan," no, I find that difficult. It will always retain its will, have a mind of its own, never be a follower. House cats are known for this, and panthers even more so...but that was also the reason I kept a house cat for years. I like characters, character animals, character scents. The transformation came the next morning, and then everything happened very quickly.

I want to limit descriptions of scent developments here - most perfumistas who have reached this page probably know more or less what is in the bottle. However, I return to the quotes with which I began the comment. In the light of the next morning, I looked at the remnants of my "black Afghan," and I could see the gold-yellow base of its "fur." I perceived what fascinates many about this scent. What seemed to me on the first day like a heavy, overpowering black cloud, hardly penetrable, suddenly revealed unimaginable facets. It was as if the scent rewarded me for my patience. There is so much. Green herbs, roasted coffee, facets of incense, always accompanied by a slightly animalistic base characteristic, finely spicy and anything but dull or loud. From the right light, the initially pitch-black panther reveals its true coat pattern like a mosaic of scent notes. But still densely intertwined, one note disappears while the next fleetingly appears in a beam of light, connecting with another to create something new. Sometimes more intense, then again fleeting. But always fascinating. Long-lasting. Powerful.

On that day, I packed my little backpack with everything I needed to hunt a "black Afghan." I figured him out, analyzed his tactics. He roars loudly. Very loudly; it is like the rumble of the jaguar. If he feels disturbed, he becomes dark like the night, swallowing any brightness. But those who endure find the light at the end of the tunnel. And succumb to his fascination, for once he has gained trust, he binds himself like no other. Almost magical, loyal, faithful. He runs, climbs, and swims better and longer than any other scent I know. He has strength and endurance - and yet, attention is always required, for he is not a Duro. Sometimes he hisses, scratches, bites, only to snuggle up again in the next moment, almost warm and purring flatteringly. A master of transformation.

The hunt for the "black Afghan" was also the hunt for the last percent for me. This was only decided today. Black Afgano has inspired my imagination to write like no other. This scent has, to put it bluntly and without imagery, everything a good perfume must have. It shows edge, makes a clear statement. It possesses an unmatched presence and longevity. It is versatile and continually shows me new sides. It smells high-quality and not synthetic. The scent notes used are among my favorites, and despite its harshness, it is neither vulgar nor cold. Animalistically wild, yes. Vulgar, no. That is a big difference. Thus, with the 25th comment, earlier than expected, the 100% falls.

By the way, regarding the brilliance of the bottle with its unique cap, I need not say another word, right?

You? Yes, you! You don't know Black Afgano? Test it!

Some comments need time to mature. If you "pluck" them too early, they are inedible, colorless, and empty. This one was like that for me, as I needed a little while to sort out the puzzle pieces of this beautiful fragrance in my nose and my head. Once I was done, the headline came to mind. An alternative could have been: "noble drop clouds my little head." While that also describes my experiences with Colonia Oud, it is somewhat less informative and nuanced... ;)

I tested it more by chance, as when I was shopping for one of my absolute must-haves, Duro, at the Apropos ConceptStore in Cologne (which carries many beautiful niche brands), the obviously fragrance-savvy saleswoman included this second scent related to the theme of Oud as a sample. It should be noted that I am (still) not an expert regarding this exquisite fragrance note. However, I have now tested several fragrances in this direction, all very different (Red Aoud, Oud Save The King, Duro, Black Afgano, and of course Colonia Oud), and can therefore at least roughly categorize what has been done with the Oud in this fragrance or how it has been attempted to be staged. So, onto the scent.

At the beginning, it does something that I have come to appreciate: it shows edge. This may apply to many Oud fragrances, but not all (see Oud Save The King). A quality I appreciate about Oud. It shows where the hammer hangs, tells me, here I am. Unmistakably. The citrusy Cologne characteristic into which the Oud is embedded here takes the same approach in my eyes, rather than dampening it. The base tone is sharp, rather shiny, silvery, herbaceous but not medicinal, less fresh thanks to the Oud, yet still citrusy. Striking and characterful, complemented by spicy notes that provide little warmth, in this case rather just dabs, at least on my skin. Yes, and then there is the BMW leather. Back to the headline.

I must confess that I have not read all the previous comments, so I do not know how you feel about the leather in this fragrance. It comes to me quite quickly, actually directly in the top note, and intensifies in the heart note. I am a big fan of leather; I love Tuscan Leather or Cuir d'Ange. But there is also a type of leather that I do not like, and I always noticed it when I got to sit in my stepfather's latest company car: a large BMW limousine with the finest leather seats. This leather note always had both bright-piercing and stuffy notes for me, which lead to headaches. I could also perceive a slight synthetic quality.
The leather in Colonia Oud has a similar characteristic for me, although it is rounded off a bit by the Oud and the spices. Still, a very bright, not warm, somewhat scratchy leather base tone. Noble drop clouds my little head. The little mouse doesn’t bite off any threads here.

As the fragrance progresses, the citrusy characteristic, as expected, diminishes, while spicy notes increase a bit. Thanks to strong but not overwhelming sillage and above-average longevity, the fragrance provides us with its lightly resinous, bright leather, spiced base accords for many hours (I think 8-10), which is very positively noteworthy since Colognes are usually sprinters and not long-distance runners. The bottle is classic, simple, valuable, less innovative, but absolutely fine.

Speaking of Cologne, what is this fragrance actually? What does it want to be? A Cologne? An Oriental? Here I come to the point that fascinated me the most about the fragrance, namely this fine, balanced blending of both sides, which actually complement each other much better than I thought. As mentioned above, the oranges take the Oud by the hand, lead it, support it, until the tables turn and the Oud, in turn, goes its own way hand in hand with leather and spices. The transitions are fluid, fine, harmonious, every craft touch is spot on. I owe a lot of respect to this fragrance for that.

Unfortunately, that does not change the fact that it does not suit me. I miss something in this fragrance, something essential. I miss the warmth. Duro, by comparison, is a wild beast, without a doubt, untamed, rugged, but the fragrance also radiates warmth and friendliness that makes the nose dance with joy.
Colonia Oud is much more distant, more composed, rather cool-shiny, smooth despite its strong character and prominence. But also much more elegant than, for example, Duro, two sides of the same coin. However, such fragrances do not suit me; I simply do not like to smell like that. I like warmth, friendliness. I like a BMW limousine with leather seats to cruise around in from time to time; it’s fun, everything is perfectly tuned, joy of driving. Colonia Oud is joy of smelling. But both give me headaches too quickly, and I return to Duro; or to use the comparison again, to an M-Racing version with sports seats without leather. Untamed and rough. Chapeau!

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Uproar within the fragrance community "Parfumo". Currently, the latest release from the Arabic perfume house "Amouage", namely "Sunshine", is causing widely differing opinions among its members. There seems to be little middle ground between absolute approval and equally strong rejection, as reflected in some clear statements and comments. Troubling times for the noble new fragrance in the luxury bottle. Where it will ultimately go is currently uncertain, as recent information indicates a slight decline in its rating trend. Cause for concern? As soon as new information arises, we will of course inform you immediately.
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So or something like that could be a report about this very ambivalently perceived new fragrance. Although it is largely received positively in the comments, there are also statements from (at least as I perceive it) some more experienced members that suggest complete incomprehension. I can understand that well after my test. However, I was still excited by Sunshine Man, as it is truly unusual. Now to the scent.

My first thought, believe me, right after spraying it on was: Summer! It smells so damn much like summer! But only at first. After that, the more than powerful combination of immortelle and lavender blew my olfactory bulb away so much that I had to turn away for a moment. Wow. In combination with alcoholic, tipsy notes and sweet, overripe orange, referred to here as orange brandy, I have never smelled anything like this before. It is so special, so unique, it could perhaps only come from Amouage. It has a wonderful natural flair; the "orange brandy" is wonderfully executed, nothing smells like plastic.
After this slight olfactory shock, the scent initially remains quite heavy and sweet, but also sharp; I even mean to detect notes reminiscent of mint. Does juniper smell sharp? I am (still) unsure. But I could imagine that it fits. The sharpness, by the way, sets a counterpoint to the slightly alcoholic sweetness, which thus feels absolutely non-sticky. And there it is again, summer! But what kind of summer? Not a shallow, tame summer with a lounge chair on the beach, no, Amouage brings us a different summer.

CUT +++ I let my thoughts wander a bit and feel transported to Brazil...Samba rhythms fill the streets, dancing people around me in front of a glowing red fireball setting in the evening sky...a heavy sweetness hangs in the humid air, cocktails are sipped, a light scent of tobacco and alcohol accompanies the exuberant, cheerful atmosphere... +++ CUT.

Brazilian Summer, that is Sunshine Man for me. And with that, I can clearly define its area of use, as it fits neither in winter, nor in spring, nor in the summer or autumn midday heat...for me, this is a going-out fragrance as it should be, for summer and autumn parties and lively evenings.
Speaking of which, yes, the further development, I had gotten lost in reverie, please forgive me. What happens to the scent next? Quite easy to explain, the sharpness recedes, the sweetness remains. It unfolds a bit over time, the alcoholic-orange notes are grounded by subtle sandalwood accents and slightly refined by tonka bean. At this stage, the scent lingers for a long time and fades out like this, but only after many hours. It is always clearly perceptible, so both longevity and sillage are in the upper to highest range. And the beautiful thing is that the wonderful orange brandy accord carries through to the base, thus preserving the scent from the perhaps feared standard vanilla-tonka dry down. It smells special until the end.

What can I say about the bottle? I think it looks fantastic. A great class in how the elegance of the proven bottle has been combined with summery freshness.

Conclusion, yes. Conclusion. A very special fragrance, anything but 08/15, and above all not a typical summer fragrance, as it is too sweet for that, despite well-placed counterpoints. Nevertheless, I have rarely smelled something so summery lately; as is often the case with Amouage, the whole is much more than the sum of its parts. Hardly anyone blows summer in your face like this. And yet, I believe it lacks the complexity to become a true great. Its construction is too linear, too puristic in the selection of notes. This will continue to spark discussions, as the creations I have encountered from Amouage so far have all been exceedingly complex, multifaceted, and intricately woven. But the purism displayed here also contributes to the enormous authenticity of this creation. You get what is on the bottle, and that to an extraordinary degree. I suspect it will settle in the mid to lower seventies here on Parfumo.

Thus, in several respects, new paths have been taken in Oman, not only in the selection of notes but also in the scent structure; both do not follow the usual concept. By the way, I would be interested to know who is actually responsible for the scent. Nevertheless, this is one of the most extraordinary and beautiful summer (going-out) fragrances I know, and, to stick my neck out a bit, perhaps even on the market. Therefore, an absolute recommendation to test. I would definitely like to buy it, but its limited usability, the cold season, and the exorbitant price are currently preventing me from doing so.
Not yet...

My first fragrance from this brand, or, no, not quite. I briefly tested Sartorial, but only so briefly that it doesn't qualify for a judgment, let alone a comment. Sartorial is, of course, absolutely incomparable to No. 33. Number 33 is a kind of anniversary scent for the (strangely) 145th birthday of the British traditional brand. See Interesting Facts. I'm curious about what will come for the 150th... but now, briefly to what Penhaligon's announces for Cologne No. 33: the fragrance is said to connect the brand's heritage with its enduring nature, linking tradition with modernity. Whether it achieves the former is somewhat beyond my judgment, as I would need more overview of the house's creations. But perhaps my detailed impressions can contribute to what you and we can expect here, and maybe also whether it leans more towards tradition or modernity (I already have quite concrete ideas here that may not please everyone). So, onto the scent.

The Cologne starts fresh-citrusy, soapy, with a lightly spiced sweetness that hints at what has been impressively captured in the fragrance pyramid. I say "hints" deliberately, because when I look at the pyramid, I actually expect to be overwhelmed by a tapestry of spices and flowers. The fragrance does not do that; it presents itself rather delicately; still, it is irritatingly fresh. I know the clary sage, among other things, from Antaeus, where it already gave the Greek demigod warm, slightly bitter herbal notes. Here it is also quite detectable, but a bit cooler in presentation, somewhat more distant. However, it does provide a pleasant counterbalance in the top note to the fresh, synthetic soapiness, which actually comes from where exactly? A question for the experts among us. It goes beyond citrus fruits, but I can't quite categorize it.

Speaking of which, as is often the case with citrus fruits, they don't last too long. For about 30 minutes, the citrus hints are still discernible, then a subtly spiced, blue (I absolutely agree with Rivegauches' statement) and only very subtly floral heart note appears, which is really difficult for me to dissect olfactorily. Flashback to the last paragraph: if everything listed under the heart note had really been added in proper measure, the resulting mixture would probably have checkmated even the Roadrunner. Lavender, jasmine, rose, lily of the valley, saffron, pepper. That would be the floral-spice overkill par excellence, heavy and stuffy. In the heart note of No. 33, I can at most detect a hint of rose and lavender. A lavender that comes across as very well-behaved and sweet, English and tidy. But it fits with the rose, which is also a fine and delicate one, only to be sensed. Pepper, on the other hand, I usually recognize at least 3 km against the east wind - it is one of my favorites. And it hides somewhere here, where the proverbial pepper grows. The same goes for the saffron, which I recently got to know better in 2Man.

The transition from the heart to the base note is just as subtle as the whole Cologne is subtle. It becomes a little less sweet, but remains blue, somewhat soapy, fresh, perhaps very minimally mossy, but not woody or smoky, as one might assume. I must admit that it displays something fine, sublime throughout its entire course, which I can definitely associate with British understatement. The fragrance also fades away in a similar manner.

The sillage is just as restrained as the longevity, but anyone buying an Eau de Cologne expects nothing else. After a maximum of 3-4 hours, it's all over. The bottle, yes, I find it beautiful. With a pretty ribbon, as is fitting for the English P. I definitely want to have one like that on my shelf. But...

...then it probably won't be No. 33. That has subjective reasons as well. I consider the Cologne as a whole to be a fine, delicate, almost (!) harmonious scent. Of the many listed ingredients, most are probably only added in homeopathic doses, leading to a fresh, lightly spicy-sweet, very finely woven but also somewhat distant olfactory impression. But why is it actually so artificially blue? That's what I don't like. Okay, let's stay objective; I'll try to touch on the topic of tradition vs. modernity. Here I find, purely objectively, that Penhaligon's has achieved its goal. English fragrance tradition, I don't know it too well yet, but I perceive the fine nuances, the distance, and distinction of the fragrance as very well fitting. And modernity is indeed geared towards synthetic freshness, towards "shower gel notes." Whether one finds that good or bad, the fragrance has it too. In this respect, the concept is already coherent.

If they had toned down the blue soapiness a bit, I would have reached my 70%. More than that, I wouldn't have given it subjectively, as I prefer strong, sillage-heavy fragrances. But I don't like the shower gel base. I don't want to wear that. Nevertheless, purely from a craftsmanship perspective, I find the fine composition to be rather above average.