That was a productive day, One bottle ticked of the bucket list @arnottsdublin. Was a struggle to make a choice but finally went for the Bvlgari. Also changed my opinion of the new Sauvage extrait. Then had my nose on almost every Tom Ford not already in my collection. The Black Lacquer is very interesting.was surprised they did not have the new ombre reserve in stock. Oh and a return to @handsomescent for a new selection. I picked up a couple of their Ouds, a leather, a lemon hello and Wild Atlantic Way. Their an Irish house, they buy their oils from one of the big French suppliers. Then add the alcohol and bottle in house. .Sadly @parfumarija & @cloonkeen were closed. Will need plan better the next time 🙏

Out for a back to school dinner and gelato with my goddaughters and ended up at Bath & Bodyworks and Marshall’s. While they shopped I took a look in the men’s fragrance cabinet and found a 50mL of Terre d’Hermes EDT on clearance sale for $26!!! It’s on sale at Jomashop for $48 and retails for $120, so score! I’ve nearly used up the 10mL decant I’ve been using the last year, and was planning to put it on my birthday list, so double score! It’s such a classic and a staple for my collection. So happy to pick this up.

Been a moment since I've done a poll. Long story short, I got some free time tomorrow and two bottles that have been on my wish list forever have become available in one of the Dept stores. So off I go tomorrow, the plan Is to take one of them home for my collection, but which one. Yes I'm gonna test em both out, annoy the hell out of the staff and probably smell a whole lot more. But the goal remains. So which would you pick and why?

Brothers, here are a few standout posts from the BOS community this week. 👏 Big shoutout to @Keith Mason for "What do you brothers think?" — leaning into the clean Mediterranean look and asking the group to help him pick between French Riviera by Mancera and Torino 21 by Xerjoff. A perfect example of tapping the community's nose for a summer freshie. Post: https://www.skool.com/bos/what-do-you-brothers-think 👏 Shoutout to @Srinesh for "Falling Out of Love With Certain Fragrances" — an honest, thought-provoking thread about outgrowing scents you once loved, opening a real conversation about how taste evolves over time. Post: https://www.skool.com/bos/falling-out-of-love-with-certain-fragrances 👏 Shoutout to @Vasili Romanof for "Recommendation" — a crisp, specific ask (daytime yacht date) that drew 31 comments of solid suggestions. Specific questions get specific answers. Post: https://www.skool.com/bos/recommendation-3 👏 Shoutout to @Robert Sheard for "What's the Ideal Collection Size (For You)?" — a thoughtful discussion-starter about collection philosophy that had members reflecting on their own approach to buying and curating. Post: https://www.skool.com/bos/whats-the-ideal-collection-size-for-you Keep asking, sharing, and smelling great.

Almost every designer collector has his favorite Tom Ford, and Oud Minerale is mine. OM is unlike any of the other hundreds of marine fragrances. It does not smell like a hot summer beach. It does not smell like a crisp ocean wind. It does not smell like neroli-drenched sunscreen. It does not smell like a mid-July yacht party off the Amalfi coast. Rather, it smells like a humid salty seaweedy oudy bog on an empty rain-drenched and fog-enveloped Maine ocean shore. I live in the arid high desert, so this humid, watery fragrance is particularly invigorating in the scorching summer. This is Tom Ford at its creative, daring, non-crowdpleasing finest.