Ok so I went a little crazy again getting decants. I’m not even counting the dozen or so I got through decant trades (they don’t count, right?). I had said I wouldn’t blind buy more decants in January because I’ve had such a run of bad luck finding anything I would ever wear, but clearly I have a problem sticking to my resolutions. In fact, looking at the list, I clearly rebelled against my own resolution. For what it’s worth I’ve been doing ok this month finding things I don’t hate, and even found a bunch that are full bottle worthy! Decants / travel sizes on the way: - Superz Lake Balaton - Bulgari Man in Black Parfum - Amouage Material - Azzaro Forever Wanted Absolu - Coach Black EDP - Nikolai New York Intense - Creed Oud Zarian - Maison Margiela Never Ending Summer - House of Cosmo Polaris and Lunar Minerale - Hoping to get Legend Noir, Requiem and Boss Bastard at the ATH restock tomorrow - Umm and I got a full size bottle of Curly's Gentleman's Code, coming tomorrow Recent decant purchases: - YSL 6 Place Saint Sulpice: Good god yes, fbw for sure. This is basically a perfect scent for me - warm rich lightly spicy with an ever so light hint of sweetness, a leather I actually enjoy, it just makes me feel warm and happy. The only drawback is it needs some heavy spraying to project, and even then doesn't last more than a few hours on my skin. I'll need to battle this vs. the Calcologne dupe coming soon but I think I need one of them to replace the bottle of Blonde Amber I'm selling (yep - BA isn't for me after all) - D&G Velvet Zafferano: Hellz yeah, fbw. Beautiful and elegant warm amber lightly saffrony spicy, projects softly for a few hours. The only drawback is it's a bit linear to me. I have this or D&G Velvet Incenso in my sights for a bottle - Dior Ambre Nuit Esprit: Oh yeah, fbw. Wonderful rich warm spicy amber. The only drawback is the big red gum cinnamon blast at the open and early mids, not sure I can get past that. - Rayhaan Aquatica: This might be fbw. Wow. Very nice lime creamy coconut soap vibes. I'm not usually a fan of coconut but here it isn’t overwhelming, it's like coconut milk not dried coconut or sunscreen coconut. Very nice. Projects for hours. Is this what VIW is like? - Moncler Sunrise: Almost fbw. Very nice blue. First minute has a vegetable smell but it dissipates. Aromatic softly citric, very pleasant, vaguely Blue de Chanel vibes. But like zero projection - 1/2 hr into it and I can’t smell it and neither can my son - Moncler Pour Homme: Almost fbw. Interesting woody aromatic, like a pile of freshly cut pine logs. But like zero projection. Almost worth getting at discounters just for that gimmicky bottle... - Loewe Esencia EDP: Almost fbw. Crisp mossy aromatic dry fougere, very enjoyable -- but it’s too close to Aventus and so is redundant in my collection - D&G pour homme: Almost fbw. Bright sparkly citrus open with some aromatic richness from sage and lavender and a hint of richness from a tobacco note. But I had to spray like 8 times to even smell anything, and it has a note that’s offputting (not sure yet what it is, maybe the choice of tobacco note) - Nishane Papilefiko: Almost fbw. Sparkly citrus open but instantly smooth warm aromatic and woody. Kind of like Blazing Mr Sam but without the body odor opening. Slight pencil shavings but that’s not a bad thing. But... it's not blowing me away.

Team, let me get your thoughts. For the discerning man over 50 in a professional environment, fragrance is not an afterthought but a final, deliberate touch to his "new uniform." The goal is to project quiet confidence and gravitas, not to announce one's presence from across the room. Therefore, classic woody, fougère, or subtly spicy scents are often the most fitting choices, as their inherent warmth and earthiness convey maturity and sophistication. It is crucial to select a fragrance with moderate, rather than overpowering, projection to maintain a respectful presence in the shared office space. Ultimately, the right scent is a personal signature, one that whispers of experience and refined taste without ever shouting. It should be discovered, not announced, becoming a subtle hallmark of his professional identity.

Still going through a sample of this. Its a quality scent - the blend leans maybe a fraction too much to the sweeter end of the spectrum for me to adopt this one frequently, but overall its nicely balanced (if not over sprayed), and I would agree that compared to some of the other offerings in the Jo Malone range - the longevity is more favourable on this one. Its chilly, windy, and wet in my part of the world today - so that lavender/tonka/vanilla combo evoking a sense of the 'cosy' - is welcome indeed!

Also referred to as Turathi Homme Brown, this is a bold, luxurious, woody, and spicy fragrance that comes in a 90ml edp. I'm getting some Tuxedo vibes from this one. It is super good, even got compliment from my 2IC in work today. It's a Spicy Amber that strikes a sophisticated balance between warm spices, earthy richness, and a surprising aquatic/ozonic freshness. You really gotta get your nose on this. I actually picked this one over Oud Al Maleki? The opening is often described as rich and deep, immediately setting a luxurious tone with warm amber and earthy patchouli, but it is unexpectedly lifted by ozonic (airy) notes, preventing it from becoming too heavy. At the heart a combination of Fresh & Warm spices such as cinnamon, black pepper, or coriander are balanced out with creamy, comforting vanilla. The dry down features a resinous, sweet balsamic warmth. The inclusion of rose here is key, adding a certain elegance rather than a heavy floral scent. And the aquatics give a refined airy lift. Performance aint too bad either, your looking at 6 to 7 hours with a strong performance for almost half that time. A good solid all rounder that can be worn by the ladies too. A great option for any ocasion My Rating: 8.5/10 Scent: 2.5 Longevity: 2.5 Sillage: 2.5 Y/N: 1

Odd today at 50 degrees feels like a fall so I decided to go slightly fresher with Aura. Fresh and slightly boozy citrus. Fantastic. Be well all.