TheScenter

When looking for trends in the market right now, one notices that alongside the aquatic Ambroxan waters, which are popping up like mushrooms and ending the era of overly sweet synthetics, another fragrance direction is currently thriving: sweet-leathery-powdery.
At the forefront, of course, is the original and bestselling male "powderiness" - Dior Homme Intense. With its sweet top note reminiscent of lipstick or blush, it may seem rather feminine to predominantly virile noses - like mine - yet it remains firmly in the top spots of mainstream men's fragrances (probably not least due to its appeal to female noses). Some fragrances like Valentino or Prada have also explicitly tried to hop on this DHI-DNA train and developed quite beautiful creations that each evolve into different directions after the top note.
However, it seems that none of these fragrances have managed to compensate for the powderiness and sweetness with an even more beautiful woody note throughout the development, that, for example, a Tuscan Leather fan could appreciate - if it weren't for Loewe 001 Man.

Initially a bit bored and annoyed by its DHI congruence, I eagerly awaited its development and found after a few minutes that sandalwood, with gentle support from cardamom, takes over the reins and puts a stop to the initial sweetness, which seemed rather dry and rough to me.
The puristic and simple-looking bottle expresses, in my opinion, its magnificent, harmonious, and masculine interplay of fragrance notes very well. The ingredients seem to merge perfectly into one another. The sillage is initially loud and bright and moderates over time, yet remains, like its longevity, at a very high level.
Of all the pursuits of perfection - through iteration of compensation - Loewe 001 Man has managed to come closest to this. (9.9991 = 10.0).


UPDATE 09.09.2017:
After wearing it multiple times, a very monotonous woody note becomes apparent in the drydown, which somewhat ruins the fragrance for me over time. I suspect it is a dominant sandalwood that strongly dominates the scent after 2 hours of wear. Therefore, I clearly prefer Prada L'Homme in the entire category.

A substance whose properties the Arabs appreciated early on by burning it in incense-like vessels would only find its way into the flacons of the Western world 2000 years later. However, that this substance is the resin of the agarwood tree, which is produced as a defensive reaction due to infection by the fungus "Phialophora parasitica," is known to very few. The hype surrounding Oud, now attributed to its aphrodisiac effect, is largely thanks to Tom Ford, under whose direction the original version M7 was created.
Just as the production of the original version was discontinued due to high costs and synthetic Oud “10760 E” was adopted, YSL replaced it with M7 featuring the addition “Oud Absolu” in their “La Collection.”
The top note is based on a fruity sweetness that is quickly enveloped by woody warmth. Unlike most Oud fragrances, M7OA surprises against the backdrop of its almost irritating name with the restraint of Oud throughout its entire development, which here only serves as a (additional) component. After prolonged use, it becomes clear that this restraint plays a crucial role. Oud does not overshadow other nuances in its progression but orchestrates, together with the fruity notes of the top note and the patchouli of the base note, a total work of art that impresses with its restraint and perfectly tuned projection. It evokes a multifaceted composition that can hardly be affected by my usual quick adaptation (= habituation through constant stimulus), and I perceive the scent slightly differently depending on my mood each day, discovering something new within it. The balsamic-smoky spice remains closely connected with the dry fruit of the top note.
With up to three sprays, it performs happily for 10 hours - with as little penetration as inconspicuousness.
Especially in light of the fact that the mass market will likely be flooded again with Oud fragrances this season, I give M7OA, with its subtle restraint and balsaminess, special attention again in 2016.

You are on a business trip and like to dress very well [x]
You place great value on luxury in your life [x]
You have experience with wood and oud [x]
You are rather reserved but want to make a serious impression [x]
You want to please everyone [ ]
Even in heated discussions, you manage to calm your counterpart [x]
It matters to you to show that your appearance is not just smoke and mirrors [x]
You need a few minutes at first to really get into it and take the floor [x]
Your presence is impressive - you do not distract and stay true to your line [x]
You do not expect roaring crowds, rather an attentive audience [x]
You have backbone and prove yourself even in difficult situations [x]
You place special importance on being taken seriously and treated with respect [x]
What you say has substance - you do not come up with empty phrases [x]
You are convinced that you do not need to develop further [x]
You are present and you are enough for yourself [x]
Your endurance is impressive, even an 8-hour appearance can’t harm you [x]

The evaluation:
Correlation coefficient: 0.9
Standard sillage: 8.0
Overall grade: 10

Result: B e n t l e y f o r M e n A b s o l u t e

Through its ostentatious presentation, reminiscent of an altar, TF draws attention to its Private Blend line in some perfumeries. Well-read and spurred on by the comments and reviews here in the forum, I took a closer look at some classics from this line. Alongside TL and TV, the previously unremarkable Rive d’ambre caught my eye. One probably needs to say the least about the design of the bottle, as one must immediately get a grip on the sensory overload when approaching this altar and taking the elegantly designed bottle blocks in hand. In any case, I immediately applied a spray to my wrist.
The top note appears quite simple. Very summery citrusy but still high-quality. Not a typical summer scent, but rather a carefully selected blend of green and citrus notes. Whether something like a base note will come into play at some point is difficult to say; in any case, the citrus nuances blend with a variety of other light notes that finally give the fragrance exactly what it is likely meant to embody. It reminded me in a certain way of a kind of “tea scent,” similar to Armani eau Cedre or Hermes Jardin sur le Nil. Very balsamic, calm, and above all exceptionally green. I was already aware beforehand that TF would not be working with any synthetic notes, but here he has managed to create a green freshness that is so complex and serene that, in my opinion, one cannot actually pick out a single note (like cognac or amber). The fragrance embodies style and elegance, combined with a restrained calmness and “balsamic” quality. However, it unfortunately loses points in the area of longevity/sillage, as it becomes too close too quickly after the top note, and one is left without it after a maximum of 7 hours. Even though the price/performance ratio has again gone a bit out of control here (especially regarding longevity), it is a wonderful scent for warmer days. Wearable by riverbanks, rooftop cafés, or on the beach of Cala Biriola.

Admittedly, I had paid little attention to this currently hyped bestseller until now. Not only because of its almost overwhelming advertising in numerous media, but also because I tested it shortly after its release and was simply disappointed. Since then, I left it aside and explored and exchanged through Nasomattos, Creeds, and Comme des Garçons.
Almost tired and bored from testing, I spontaneously went into the local perfumery and sprayed Sauvage on my wrist again, leaving the store with low expectations. I sat down in a café, the sun was shining and there was hardly any wind. I was quite warm. After a short time, a strong, masculine, and fresh scent wafted into my nose, captivating me immediately. It wasn't until I smelled my wrist again that I realized... "Damn, this is Sauvage!" (…)

Sauvage starts fresh and aquatic. It’s exactly the time when one can make the mistake of denouncing it as a cheap shower gel or drugstore scent. But what have we learned by now? A fragrance needs time! After about half an hour, those woody-peppery notes come into play that simply fascinate me. It is by no means abstract fragrance art, but at least a very serious and unmistakable Fougére scent. Pepper and lavender harmonize in a beautiful ratio, with the fragrance never coming across as too overpowering throughout its entire development.
Its sillage is quite strong at first, becoming a bit weaker after the intense top note, but then remains at an surprisingly stable level. Sprayed on in the morning with three sprays, it remains very noticeable throughout the day and only turns into a skin scent after about 10 hours (which I also did not expect).
In its rather simple yet simultaneously very elegant bottle, Sauvage immediately catches the eye. Especially the lighter tones that flow towards the base of the bottle make it appear very pure and noble. Since the spray button closes with a magnet, the entire bottle thus appears very compact.

You can think what you want about the scent, but for me personally, it clearly showed that opinions about it strongly depend on expectations and the respective associations. Am I expecting a Fahrenheit II or a NoName? The expectations are simply too strongly influenced, and one only compares it against other fragrances like Aventus, which, in my opinion, should not be related at all. So, for me, Dior Sauvage remains a beautiful fragrance that impresses with elegance and freshness in the best Fougére manner and has the endurance to accompany me all day long.