Tomkleins

Chandigarh Express opens cool and clinical. Primarily cardamom, immediately followed by light floral components and a leather accord can be perceived. Unfortunately, this combination, especially in the top note, smells rather sterile and generic.
Once the top note settles, it becomes more exciting and complex. The leather accord merges with the woody, smoky, resinous base notes, surrounded by light-infused floral components. All components flow seamlessly into one another, remaining transparent and elegant.
An intriguing development and definitely a fragrance I will test again.
One point of criticism on my part, besides the opening, is the purchase price of Chandigarh Express. However, this seems to be a recurring theme for me with Ex Nihilo. I see no extraordinary quality or similar factors here that would justify the price.
Test before you buy. ;)

I had previously written a rather scathing comment about "Art Collection - Sidra Wood | Al-Jazeera / الجزيرة," but I hereby retract it and write a new comment. ;)
It took me time and a second test to understand and appreciate the fragrance.
"Art Collection - Sidra Wood | Al-Jazeera / الجزيرة" can be categorized as a modern leather scent. The signature of Quentin Bisch is clearly recognizable. There are a few reference points to guess how "Art Collection - Sidra Wood | Al-Jazeera / الجزيرة" smells. Here, one can find a similar, slightly fruity and spicy Ambroxan-leather accord. However, this is distinctly more powerful, underpinned by a base of labdanum and vetiver. What must not be missing: Akigalawood. Akigalawood gives the fragrance a surreal, light-filled character and a sparkling texture. Somewhere between woody, leathery, fruity, bright, and dark, "Art Collection - Sidra Wood | Al-Jazeera / الجزيرة" finds its place.
A pretty wild mix that comes across as powerfully modern and is definitely worth a test.

A new fragrance from Louis Vuitton and the excitement is high. Countless shares fill up almost by themselves.
Here is my first impression of the new Extrait.
Myriad opens quite boldly with Oud - real Oud with a pleasant bite. The Oud reveals itself here in its leathery, woody aspect and is definitely more tolerable than the Oud in Pur Oud.
Quickly, the fragrance becomes softer, particularly with Ambrette, synthetic musk, and a cocoa-sweetened, bright red rose making their presence known. Distantly, (oak) moss can be sensed, which becomes more prominent as time goes on. Myriad oscillates between red rose and green moss, framed by generously dosed Ambrette & musk. Oud provides body, depth, and a hint of animalic notes.
All in all, a very fluffy, rounded fragrance that reminds me of Fleur du Désert in its texture.
One could categorize Myriad as an oriental chypre, composed with French refinement.
Longevity and sillage are above average, a spray lasts on the skin for a day, on clothes for several days.
I’m still not quite sure whether I like Myriad or not, but it is well made.

A few seconds after my first test, I had written off The Moon. Eye-catching, but not for me. Too loud, too overloaded, too sweet. The test strip goes in the trash.
After a few months, I found myself again in a well-known luxury department store in Berlin testing fragrances. I want to give The Moon another chance. I keep the test strip with me for a while while I test other scents. The Moon gradually calms down and becomes quite intriguing, but the squeaky raspberry note is still a struggle for me. The test strip ends up in the trash again.
More months pass, and I find myself back in the aforementioned department store. The Moon. Should I try again? Alright, one last attempt.
My perception of The Moon slowly began to change; the test strip started to appeal to me more and more. Let’s put it on skin, let’s give it a try.
I leave the department store, the sun is shining, the mask can finally come off, I smell my wrist. Damn, somehow it’s good.
Shortly thereafter, The Moon was allowed to move in with me.

The Moon opens with overdriven Ambrox berries that have a slightly fermented sweet-sour effect. Not listed as a note, but definitely quickly noticeable is cumin. In my opinion, cumin is wonderfully dosed here and is not too sweaty, but forms a great physical counterpoint to the synthetic berries.
Especially in the heart note, I can perceive a pleasantly dirty-smoky oud when taking a deep breath, again excellently dosed and embedded in the overall composition. Frankincense acts as a light lift to the already mentioned notes, while rose is rather in the background.
The berries remain present and practically dance on the oud base; every breath tingles. The Moon feels particularly uplifting at this stage and is a true experience. Julien Rasquinet skillfully shows how contrasts can playfully yet harmoniously come together.
The base of The Moon presents itself as creamy, slightly leathery, and almost powdery. An impression that lingers on the skin until the next day.

A few final words.
In my opinion, The Moon should be applied sparingly; one spray is more than enough. The scent projects crazily, especially in the first hours, and lasts until the next day as mentioned.
Particularly oud purists and critics of synthetic ingredients will likely find their worst nightmare here.
However, those who approach The Moon without prejudice and with a bit of patience can look forward to a playfully multi-layered fragrance that is more nuanced than one might think at first glance.

Sometimes it doesn't take much to impress me.
Ghala is a straightforward rose-oud fragrance that skillfully shows that rose-oud is not just rose-oud. Ghala shines through exceptionally high-quality raw materials and a finely tuned composition.

In the top note, there is a green-tinged citrus-spicy Taif rose, as well as Indian rose, closely followed by an aromatic Indian Kalakassi oud.
As a reference, one can draw parallels to Malik Al Taif by Areej Le Doré. The opening of both fragrances is indeed comparable, although Malik Al Taif contains a much more animalistic oud.
Ghala is more elegant here, less demanding, and the oud is rather softly animalistic.
In the heart note, one can sense incense and cedar, but the fragrance remains green-citrusy-spicy on a shimmering bed of oud.
In the base, Ghala develops into a wonderfully creamy sandalwood-patchouli-vetiver-oud blend and loses a bit of its sprightliness.
Ghala feels very festive, uplifting, and bright to me throughout its development, with beautiful depth from the Indian ouds used, without being heavy or overwhelming.

With Ghala, you get a perfume that is wonderfully balanced and whose natural quality you can smell.
Longevity & sillage are excellent due to the 25% fragrance oil content, without being overpowering.
The price of 350EUR for 100ml is, in my opinion, more than reasonable.

Ghala is, in my opinion, worth your time & a test, even if you already own one or more rose-oud fragrances. :)