Sharp Masculine

Howdy Sir, day 2 on olifant... 

I Will give it time but thus far, I'm confused... 

I get dry incense and that's about it. 

Immediately reminds of Rien intense incense... 

I'm a hillbilly country Boy, literally grew up on a farm in the mountains, so I know what animals smell like. 

Don't get even a HINT of animalic. Not a hint.  Smells like no part of any animal I know, not on a farm and not in a Zoo. Been to the zoo a plenty. The lions enclosure, or panthers, or leopards,, etc pp... Doesn't smell like this. 

And this smells nothing like them. 

Hmmm.. Will keep testing but am not sure how this one can turn around into anything approaching animalic... 

PS like I said I'm not blaming you, of course. My blind buy, my risk.

But I just don't get it. Could it be possible... That noses/skin chemistries can differ SO much that the same perfume smells entirely different to two different  people? Seems out there but slowly I begin to think this is the case... 

Must be different perception and skin chemistry. With Olifant, I get a definite shitty smell opening which goes away as it dries down. 

Figment Man

Is more animalic to my nose

Ambré Oud

Is like a Horse stable... Even though that's a cheap designer, plus it lasts...

Dahn Oudh Al Shams

Is quite barnyard animalic in the opening..

Hyrax

Is way animalic.

Hm...

I gonna give This one time.. But I can't believe that I literally don't get ANY animalic from this, not even the slightest nuances... Nothing at all, literally nothing. Incense plus some mild floral in the background is literally all I'm smelling. Weird weird weird...

No 'sex panther' here, unfortunately... 😬😬😬😬

BTW, I don't really find it sharp either... I mean, maybe the incense is a lil sharp, but not really...

I think from here in out it's samples only and I stick to Aoud Musk in the meantime: my Numero Uno since the beginning. WHAT a perfume. If it were 1.5x as strong, it'd be the Ultima Ultimorum.

In spite of that, its strong alright. Lasts a looong time and projects.

Maybe IJust get a Few backup bottles and be done with it

But what's the fun in that?  😉

@Edelwolf Dry incense sounds about right, but I also get juicy/oily leather. And the dryness comes from castoreum, so also an animalic tinge.

Since you're mentioning ouds, maybe sample the two Amouages we mentioned earlier and see if that's sharp enough for you.

Opus XIII - Silver Oud

Opus XV - King Blue

BTW if Afrika-Olifant doesn't open up and grow on you, I'll be happy to buy the bottle from you. Customs and all. To my nose, it's good enough to warrant a backup bottle.

Howdy Sir and thank you for the generous offer. I think that might be a real option since, in my experience, a perfume intensifies with time, increases in performance, but doesn't really change its character or scent profile, per se...

So I might take you up on that.. 😁 💪🏻 💪🏻 😎 ✋🏻

Ok doke thank you Sir for the suggestions, I look into them!

Heeheeheee.. I see your point. The thing is... This olifant experience has pissed me off now. First the 'Search' from amouage (what a joke, no WAY worthy of the amouage name!) and now this. It really makes me think that reviews and even advice from knowledgeable people is simply useless if it is indeed the case that Perfumes can smell completely different to different noses. 

Out of curiosity. Do you know of another truly, unabashedly fully animalic perfume? I mean literally lion/leopard/panther enclosure at the zoo. That type of thing. At least that it's IN there, somewhere. Doesn't have to be disgusting, you know, just well applied...

.

I personally actually always found that scent rather interesting and intriguing, rather than revolting. But I'm a Country Boy, grew up that way. On the farm, in the forest. So for me, most of that stuff's totally tame.

How about this one? Hard Leather

Or this Goat

Or Untamable

And finally Tyrannosaurus Rex

Thank You in advance! 😁

@Wusubi are you there Sir? 😁

I've been looking everywhere for a sample of Hard Leather without any luck. To expensive to blind buy. I had a couple of people say it's very animalic.

T-Rex was a disappointment to me. It struck me as a smoky-plastic-floral. No death and destruction or whatever else the hype is supposed to be.

Untamable is supposed to be good. It's on my list to sample; haven't gotten there yet.

Varuek has a definite wet fur accord but not really animal cage smell.

I'd suggest sampling the 4 Marlou fragrances. Their 4 sample set is only 9 euros plus shipping. I'd like to sample them this year.

Howdy Sir and thank you for the reply!

This saves me from focusing on varuek and t rex, thanks!

It's funny, haven't you recommend marlou before? I looked at it and wasn't so sure.. But now, I rediscovered it through my own 'research', lol 😅

Looking especially into ambilux and carnicure.

Youre right, samples are the only way in this hobby..

Have a sample of Beach Hut Man on the way, because it SOUNDS right up my alley, BUT. Burned child, and all that.

Samples all the way now, no matter customs etc etc pp

PS I might get a sample set of marlou as well, can update if and when I receive it..

Even though the usefulness of such is, as we found out, limited.

Maybe it's more skin chemistry than the nose, because my Wife also didn't find olifant animalic at all whatsoever.

So maybe it's my skin?

BTW I found people online calling rien intense incense animalic?? Do they even at all know what they're talking about??

PPS I assume Musc Ravageur Eau de Parfum and Muscs Koublaï Khän et al are more on the tame side?

The other possibility is you have a fake. Did you buy it from a reputable source?

I was also thinking about reformulations, but for such a niche product, I doubt it.

Then again, Amouage reformulated some of their Opus line, so you never know for sure. 🥲

Yessir as far as I know it's a reputable website and seller, I don't think fakes are a thing there... Pretty sure. 

It's ilmvatn.net 

Also the quality and effort that went into the packaging of olifant alone would be too expensive for some fake stuff I'd say... 

Wouldn't  that be something? If my Amouage 'Search', my Montale Dark Aoud and my olifant were all fake and suck for that reason... 

But I highly doubt it. Case in point the elaborate packaging plus post card and everything on olifant, and Montale Dark Aoud giving the exact same result to a colleague of mine in the states, who has a similar nose and taste as I do. 

True, in my opinion reformulations are the perfume crime of the century and should be punishable by slow drowning in cool water 💦... 

But.. I mean it lasts OK, nothing beast but longer than some cheap knockoff would I'd guess. 

Plus the scent Profile seems to synchronize with your experience? But a reformulation? THAT could be.. To satisfy that one retard who thinks Bogart one man show is too animalic...🤣😂😅🤣 

I mean can you believe it. BTW have you smelled intense incense? Is there anything animalic in that at all would you say? Not to my nose there isn't... 

Doesn't look fake to me... 😁 

More importantly, was the box sealed in plastic wrap?

Yes SIR! 😁 

BTW the Marlou samples are on the way. 

@Smirky what worries me somewhat is that nearly EVERY SINGLE review on these marlou frags is from some female... 

Gotta be something wrong with this juice... 😁

PS see the screenshot. Marlou samples cost including shipping. Then our friends from the customs office with their bill. Nearly identical. Nearly 100% on top for nothing at all. 

The total isn't all that significant, the outrageous theft though, very much is .. 

@Wusubi

@Smirky 

For what it's worth, I finally got around to testing the 1st Marlou sample. 

It's the supposedly most polarizing one, by the name of Ambilux.

First off I'd say it's strong, definitely stands out and is very noticeable.

Personally wouldn't call it animalic, per se.

Or at least not barnyard - as in manure -

Or pissy - as in urinous.

But it's certainly dirty and very interesting.

A lil cold ❄️ (not warm and aromatic) and quite dirty.

Not typical masculine like a fougere or something. Not floral or anything so not a women's perfume either, per se.

I'd say more masculine though.

So far so great, very interesting, 

UPDATE

Next day, same application (far drydown) 

Damn this stuff is strong 💪🏻

Put on the equivalent of maybe half a spray yesterday. Still. Pumping.

And how... 😁

Dunno if I can recommend it, it's definitely animalic.

I'd say masculine, plus I'd call it old school because in them days of old surely this was used a lot, but it's definitely one of those 'less is more' situations.

Also surely a love or hate thing.

Veeeery hard to describe.... 

Sorta cold, though less cold in the drydown and DIRTY.

Sensual? Yes, I'd say so.

Sexy?

Yeah...

But less is more.

Animal fur, maybe a Wolf's fur. Plus assorted animal pheromones.

I'd NOT call it sharp, per se. Not exactly like a panther enclosure at the zoo. No sharp urinous note, per se.

No manure note like some ouds.

Maaaybe a SLIGHTLY sweet faint urine note?

But not the sharp type, like I guess you get in Oud Isphahan...

Fairly linear, though somewhat changing but always of the same character.

It's interesting, you sniff your wrist, intrigued... And then you've had enough. 

Apply with care. Small dab behind the ear, maybe 

A True Perfume. 

Verdict: I'm impressed, leaning towards buying this. MORE testing first. 

But beware: I like challenging stuff, mainstream perfume is usually way too boring for me. You MIGHT hate it, so... As smirky mentioned, Marlou samples are pleasantly fair priced. I'd say there's not many Perfumes where the 'try before you buy' principle applies more. 

UPDATE 

Lasts 24 hours plus as a light skin scent. Less offensive in this veeeery far from drydown. So. Easy. Just apply 24h before going out, lol 😂 

Interesting take. I'll be in the same boat - yesterday ordered the Marlou sample set too. Don't know how long it will take to get to the US.

The Marlou perfumer says something like the scents are supposed to blend with your own natural body smell to create something unique for you. Sounds like wishful thinking to me. hahaha

Hi,

thanks for the report.

I also ordered the samples set form Marlou. But I didn't test it properly yet. It's stupid but the mini splash vials make me "think" before testing it, it's less straightforward than sprayer for me. I just tried Ambilux and Poudrextase I think. i found it pleasant (not the Behemoths I thought it would be) and my lady liked it (But she is Ok with Afrika-Olifant or Opus XIII - Silver Oud too).

I could dodge the shipping costs of the Marlou discovery scent by shipping it to my parents' place in France, which then sent it to Belgium with all the Christmas gifts I couldn't take with me with a low cost shipment service. It's within Europe so it's affordable. But I get also frustrated when I see the shipping/customs costs from US, Oman or UK...

@Edelwolf I’m glad you’re enjoying it!

I’ve received a bottle of Unutamam today.

It’s certified beaver juice, so life is good.

Heeheeheee indeed! Unutamam is one of those rare ones.. First thing I did was get a backup, heeheeheee... 😎 💪🏻 💪🏻 ✋🏻

The opening reminds me of shoe polish wax, the hard wax in the cans for leather shoes. White or black wax, smells divine, lol 😂

AWESOME Perfume!