Scents From Hell - The Most Beautific Perfumes

Sometimes, you come across those really extreme fragrances that in a way are absolutely disgusting - but also totally interestant and fascinating. I mean those beautific perfumes that you would probably never wear by yourself but that you cannot deny that there is something behind it.

I would like to know: what are your most beautific, perversly good, deliciously repellent, absolutely strange and unwearable perfumes?

Here are my favorites of that kind:

- "Volo AZ 686" by Profvmvm Roma - A blend of gardenia, lots of vanilla, cocos and a dark, pungent note reminiscent of floor wax, shoe cream and furniture polish. Longevity: 24+ h on skin and weeks on clothing!

- "Oudh Ma'al Wardh" by Al Haramain. Completely undescribable but extremely strange. I put it into the Arab fragrance explorer package, and I am curious what it will do to Flaconneur!

- "Intricate" by Boadicea the Victorious: The smell of a cold ashtray filled with the remains of havana cigars for the price of 520 € (660 USD)! Longevity: 24+ on skin. Had to wash my coat to get rid of it!

I would say that many of the creations of the house of Serge Lutens fit your description. Admirable, yes. Wearable by me? Very unclear.

"Volo AZ 686" is dangerous stuff! Not sure if I like it or hate it .. it's 100% black boot polish

I agree with you on SL!

Neil Morris has some excellent fragrances in this category - things which are only borderline-wearable, or maybe unwearable. Two in particular:

Cathedral - this was requested from him, to be "the smell of 1000 censers burning at the same time". That it is! Extremely powerful fragrance - possibly the most powerful I've ever smelled. A single spray on paper made my whole house almost maddening. I had to wrap the paper blotter in multiple containers to keep it from giving off its odor.

Rumi - the skankiest amber fragrance ever! The amber is dirty and animalic - it smells like somebody's underwear after riding on a camel for a thousand miles. But yet it is strangely fascinating - I am embarrassed to admit - because there are good aspects hidden in the mess. I think it's ingenious in creating the desired mood.

Oh, yes! One is the extremely aldehydic Vapor! Kankuro described it on the German Parfumo as the smell of "a bakery from outer space". I have it and I wear it maybe once a year, but I make sure I can have a shower after 2 or 3 hours!

Neil Morris is definitely worth to be discussed.

Nasomatto´s China White comes to my mind.

I think "Angel" belongs in that category, too. The manyfold discussions which can be found in forums show it is controversial to the core

Another scent which I found rather strange is "Aoud Cuir d´Arabie" by Montale. Like a dead animal, rotting in a leather armchair However, I think this might be art in some way and there might be one courageous person who can pull it off nicely.

byredos "M/mink" is facinating. I love wearing it and can´t stop sniffing my wrists. but it is definately not something you wear to get compliments
"Dzing!" is another dirty little thingy

"Parfum d'Habit" ( vintage formula ) fits this bill for me. It's terrific and yet a very formidable wear.

The opening of Shalimar

To me it's "Jicky". And not just the opening...

Fragrances can be strange. I know of a project where the smell of burning rubber was made for a hot rod exhibition with fast cars. Apparently the public loved it, but who would wear it ? Cheers, Howard, Bud Parfums.

Rubber perfumes are not so rare after all: "Bvlgari Black"! But it's not burning.

Yes, the idea was to recreate the smell of smoking tyres make when the driver spins the wheels really fast. Just like drag racers do. The fragrance was then pumped by a enviro-aroma set up through out the exhibition building, to "scent" the whole crowd.

For me Serge Lutens used to be extreme, now I'm getting used to it and it doesn't seem that extreme any more... (an exception may be MKK)...

Kamali Incense: perversely beautiful but veeeery difficult to wear
EldO: "Sécrétions magnifiques"
many find "Fat electrician" by ElDO quite weird, I don't think it is that unwearable.
"Lonestar memories" definitely belongs into this category!

I'm with you on this one, Triplex.

Much more agreeable than Dzing!, but nevertheless not wearable for me: "Messe de Minuit". I really like the smell as such, but wearing it would make me smell like I fell asleep during a long, long catholic sunday mass, I fear

"Lonestar Memories"... it's strange and fascinating and also pretty much unwearable. It's a very brave composition, excellently executed but in the end I find it nauseating (beef jerky, anyone?).

"Lonestar Memories" is even being topped by Neil Morris' "Burnt Amber": Beef jerky with plum butter!

"Oud 27" by Le Labo. Smells like a dirty bathroom but is divine and enticing at the same time.

Hello Sunshine2006 - well, I have both Tirrenico and Volo AZ 686 in my collection, and there are very rare occasions when I wear them. I like Volo AZ 686, but it is so strong it creeps into your clothes and stays there for days!