...Ernest Stavro Blofeld only because he's a fictional character and Karl Lagerfeld is a real life freak-a-zoid who gives me the heebie-jeebies. Lost or Twin Peaks?

...Cryptic:Ahem. Maybe the diabolical logo was made by someone with an irreverent sense of humor as opposed to an actual hater. :twisted:Hmm, 7 billion people on planet earth... I wonder who that person could be? :lol:

...Sleuth:haha ROFL! :) Go ahead and take it Sleuth! Name those frags! :D

...Apicius:Maybe it is worth ordering a small amount of Iso E Super from Perfumer's Apprentice instead, just to find out.I have a sample from Perfumer's Apprentice and it seems pretty clear that Iso E is at the heart of Terre d'Hermes. There are other essences used to boost it but Iso E is the dominant note.Last week I spritzed on Terre d'Hermes from my 2-3 year old bottle and was surprised to find the citrus notes had all but disappeared. :( Then I thought I ought to check my summer favorite Pamplemousse Rose to make sure it was OK. Same thing, no citrus. Iso E? Just fine. Yes, I stored them well but it's just part of the transitory nature of our obsession with volatile substances. Sigh...

...Cryptic:The smell of woodsmoke or the smell of rain?This may be the most difficult either/or choice so far but I'll have to go with the smell of rain, specifically petrichor. It's so ephemeral. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PetrichorMary Ann or Ginger? (I suppose the other gender choice might be The Professor or Mr. Howell/looks vs. money)

...Perfect excellent! Maybe the note mirabelle was too much of a hint. Hey, puzzlers, we're playing again so get yourselves in here! :P

...Greysolon: Iso E is such a beautiful, complex essence that it can almost stand on its own as a complete scent. Almost. Actually, you can get it in a sort of...

...Scraping the bottom of the limerick barrel...First name (hyphenated) of the perfumer and one of his fragrances...There once was a nose named ___________ - ____________,whose talent with scents made him god.He mix’t mirabelle and plum,an idea not dumb,so ____________ smells not at all odd.

...Just... wait. I'll have a puzzle in the morning. :wink:

...Cryptic:Is anyone still interested in playing?"Just Me"by Montana...because it seemed to answer the question.I was surprised to learn all the perfumes that start with "Just" from different houses using the same name. No flankers and almost every perfume is from a different house:Just Me x 3Just Oud x 3Just Gold x 3Just Black x 2Just Pink x 2

...Sleuth:Either a shower gel with a clearly noticeable oud smell,or a 150 ml perfume with a shampoo-ey shampoo smell (it's a gift, you to empty it) - ?Those are some nasty choices...perfume with shampoo smell?Pick oneBetty or VeronicaorReggie or Archie

...I think it's a matter of, "Familiarity breeds contempt." I'm not saying there is anything inherently wrong or substandard with aroma chemicals; actually it's just the opposite problem. Iso E's beauty and complexity have caused it to be a victim of its own success. It's sort of Pachelbel's Canon in D of the fragrance world. It's everywhere! Using Pachelbel's music as an analogy, most people don't realize his (in)famous work imbues the form of the canon with a degree beauty and complexity rarely achieved. Think Freres Jacques on steroids. It's really miraculous. But it's hard to fault someone for thinking, "Oh dear lord, not this piece of crap again!" when they hear the Canon played at yet another wedding.The same hackneyed overuse of Iso E (and calone) is also true. Iso E is such a beautiful, complex essence that it can almost stand on its own as a complete scent. Almost. Once an Iso E based fragrance hit the jackpot other houses jumped in with their own setting of this novel aroma chemical. My feeling is that these remora flankers are intended to draw in the casual consumer with a scent that is perceived as smelling just like, say, Terre d'Hermes. Since Iso E is the obvious, novel note/accord then the last thing these wannabes want to do is confuse shoppers with anything too complex. So they try to let the Iso E melody stand on its own without any canonic counterpoint to muddle an impulse purchase.As curious as I am about my friend's perfume, I'm not asking. He's not one to take criticism well and I have a feeling my face would belie my extreme dislike for... whatever it is :cry:

...topic, Greysolon.I'm not really pro or anti. Generally speaking I like it when perfumers have a big palette of ingredients to work with. That's how I see Iso E Super...

...Dogwoods and azaleas are making our neighborhood over in a riot of color. But the best smelling flowers in bloom right now, Carolina cherry laurel, aren't much to look at. If Mother Nature made a designer label, fruity/floral fragrance this would be it.

...Flaconneur:I'm tired of waiting, so I'm going to take Pandasmom up on her invitation.Clue number 1 - It is pretty clear that this flower has no power.Wallflower by Vinolia/Blondeau et Cie......and this is where Flac says, "No!"Could it have anything to do with "shrinking violets"?

...Just waiting for you to post Greysolon. :lol: Don't really like either, white I can keep down.Elevator or steps :?:"...keep it down."? How much wine are you drinking?! :shock: :wink...

...waiting for you to post Greysolon. :lol: Don't really like either, white I can keep down.Elevator or steps...

...Cincy:Traditional pinks, nudes and redsPine straw or Mulch for flower beds :?:Cincy:Traditional pinks, nudes and redsPine straw or Mulch for flower beds :?:Cincy! Where you been? Mulch. Pine straw is a pain in the rear end maintenance-wise. Long trips: by car (train) or plane?

...On the "Off Topic" forum there is a fun thread call Either/Or. One reader will post two choices; say, "Which do you prefer, red M&M's or blue M&M's?" and another reader chooses their preference. Our friend Cryptic posted an interesting Either/Or poser: Iso E Super: inspired invention or chemical horror?The aroma chemical Iso E Super is probably best known for striking commercial gold as the strong, dry cedar accord in Jean Claude Elena's creation, "Terre d'Hermes". Elena has also used Iso E in several other Hermes fragrances. I find his use of Iso E successful because he typically pairs it with equally strong yet contrasting essences, especially citruses. Unfortunately, success breeds imitators so it's not surprising that the smell of Iso E has become ubiquitous. An acquaintance of mine wears some fragrance -I don't know what it is- and the main components are Iso E paired with a very strong animalic accord. It is the definition of the perfume insult, "It smells like a hamster cage." To make matters worse he often wears the same clothing for a couple of days in a row so things get a little ripe. Now I can't get that smell out of my head so I rarely wear any Iso E fragrances. So, Iso E Super: inspired invention or chemical horror?

...Oops, I forgot to ask the either/or question! Thanks for bailing me out, Sleuth. I'll still take the Belgian chocolate. Beef: Grilled or BBQ?