Two classics in their own right. One, a warm, spicy cheapie from the nose of Albert Hauck, launched in 1938. The other, a more contemporary designer, fresh spicy, from 2015 but already asserting itself as a timeless classic. Old Spice vs Sauvage The rules: Our participant has no idea which fragrance is located under which frozen waffle box. Whichever bottle she uncovers first will be considered the winner of The Ladies’ Choice Award. The loser must hang its head in shame and can’t be considered for daily wear for the span of a fortnight.

Obsession for Men OG, new, Clone, vs Alternatives. Obsession OG: The original is quite a masterpiece, and comes from an era where the note structures of fragrances were very, very complicated. If you look up the makeup of 1990’s fragrances in general, they are a conglomeration of dozens of notes. Perfumers crafted and blended to create unique smells that did not replicate experiences you found in the real world. So, for Obsession, this is no different. Detailing notes that dominate is all one can really do, because trying to tease out every note detail is impossible. Having said that, the dominant notes to my nose are the spicy, vanilla, woody, and amber notes. I’m talking cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, cedar, sandalwood, amber, and a hint of musk to make it masculine. At first spray, it is strong, and I think the top notes have degraded over time. What I mean is though this is a deeper gourmand fragrance, and I suspect when it was “younger” the citrus notes would have been more prominent. Why I believe that: for the initial twenty minutes, there is an almost unpleasant top note. I think of it like citrus that has dried out and become musty. It’s kind of like potpourri citrus, and kind of like old books. My guess, therefore is that over time the top notes have aged/decayed, leaving the fragrance deeper, richer, and a bit musty. Other than that, this fragrance seems mostly linear, except it ends a little more vanilla with creamy sandalwood at the end. As for projection and longevity. It’s not bad. I’d say 5-8 sprays will project nicely for a work setting, perhaps a few more if you plan to be outside or in a large space. This is definitely a cooler weather fragrance (winter/fall), and even now, it's a bit too much as I try it on an 85-degree day. I get 6 hours easy out of it before it is a skin scent. The more I spray, and on a cooler day, I could stretch it to 8 hours. Bottom line, I love this fragrance. It was what got me into the fragrance journey, and though others can lean in more on isolated notes and projection, this one is a very suitable jack-of-all-trades, being easy to manage for intimate, outdoor, and evening use as you modify the number and placement of sprays. Super versatile and divinely elegant.

Day two of my daughters’ cheer comp in Lexington. Day one was great as both girls got zero and my youngest daughter’s team got the highest score they had all year! Only brought one fragrance with me for the weekend because it’s the only one I need for this weather!

Here's a newish release from Lattafa, it's so hard to keep up with the quantity that they are charming out. Some better than others. But the sharp peppery opening in this one caught my attention. Unlike many of Lattafa’s sweeter, oud heavy offerings, Mishlah leans into a clean, structured freshness that feels modern. I'd consider this to be a Citrus Aromatic Woody fragrance. It is marketed as unisex but skews slightly masculine due to the sharp spices & cedarwood base. The Opening hits with a luminous burst. The bergamot is crisp, but the black pepper provides a dry, almost "friction-like" heat that prevents it from feeling like a standard gym scent. For a moment, I was expecting a spicebomb vibe. The lavender adds a calming, herbal cleanliness. As it settles into the core, the star of the show emerges. Iris, but it's not a "ipsticky iris like Dior Homme, it has more of a powdery, suede like texture. Then Petitgrain keeps it from getting too heavy by adding a green, woody undertone. The base is resinous & grounded. Olibanum provides a light smokiness, while the cedarwood & amber create a second-skin of warmth that remains clean rather than animalic. I like this one a lot, but it's not beastly as described online, performance is nowhere near the 10-12hrs claimed. I get 4hrs at best on my skin, it does gling to clothes a while longer, but be warned, with high oil concentration, avoid spraying directly on white or delicate fabrics, as the resins (Olibanum/Amber) will leave a stains until washed. Projection is moderate for about 90m after which this becomes a skin scent. It's a nice office scent clean and likeable. My Rating 6.5/10 Scent 2 Longevity 2 Sillage 1.5 Y/N 1

This was another early Middle Eastern fragrance for me. Not to be confused with the og Raghba which I still need to get my nose on. For men is Lattafa's attempt at a Green Irish Tweed/ Cool Water inspired scent. TBH it does a good job at capturing that classic, green barbershop vibe at a fraction of the cost. It's an Oriental Fourgere, but unlike the original Raghba which is a sweet, syrupy vanilla/incense bomb, this version is fresh, grassy & masculine. The opening has Lemon Verbena, Iris, & Lemon. It starts with a sharp, zesty citrus blast, that's very green crunchy, like walking through a damp meadow in the morning. At its core Violet leafwhich gives the heat a slightly ozonic, metallic, rain like quality that defines the classic Green Irish Tweed DNA. At the base notes of Sandalwood, Ambergris, Leather & Cedar. Were it settles into a dry down that becomes creamy & woody. The ambergris or its synthetic equivalent, Ambroxan gives it a salty warmth, while the leather adds a rugged touch not found in some other GIT clones. Performance will get you about 5 hours. It settles into a skin scent after the fourth hour, with a moderate projection for about 90m. You get an intimate scent trail it's pleasant & clean without being offensive in an office setting. I compared it to both GIT & CW. But how close? Vs GIT it's 80%. It lacks the ultra-natural, expensive sparkle you get from Creed’s real ambergris and verbena, but in the air, I doubt many would tell the difference. Vs Cool Water Raghba is greener & woodier, whilstCool Water is more aquatic and blue. Raghba feels more mature My Rating 6.5/10 Scent 2 Longevity 2 Sillage 1.5 Y/N 1