https://www.jomashop.com/xerjoff-unisex-naxos-edp-spray-3-4-oz-tester-fragrances-8033488155100.html?

Tauer is one of those houses I think you almost have to respect if you really get into perfumery, even if every fragrance isn't necessarily something you want to wear. Andy Tauer is basically the definition of an independent perfumer. This isn't some giant luxury company pretending to be artisan. The fragrances have a very recognizable personality, and you can tell there is an actual perfumer behind them making decisions instead of a marketing department trying to hit every current trend. And that's probably the biggest thing about Tauer for me — the fragrances smell like Tauer. There is often this dry, resinous, woody, spicy, slightly rugged character running through the house. You get amber, incense, woods, leather-like effects, spices, and those almost desert-dry textures that can make a Tauer fragrance immediately recognizable. L'Air du Désert Marocain is obviously the fragrance most people associate with the house, and deservedly so. It's one of those fragrances that helped put independent niche perfumery on the map for a lot of people. Dry spices, amber, woods, and incense with this hot-air desert feeling around it. It's artistic without becoming completely unwearable. Au Coeur du Désert takes that general idea and makes it feel richer, denser, and more polished. If you like the DNA of L'Air du Désert Marocain but want something with more body and depth, this is probably the one. Tauer also does florals extremely well, although I think some people overlook that side of the house because the desert-style fragrances get so much attention. PHI Une Rose de Kandahar is a great example. It's a darker, textured rose rather than some clean department-store rose fragrance. What I really appreciate about Tauer is that these fragrances don't feel designed by committee. Sometimes they're strange. Sometimes they're challenging. Occasionally I smell one and appreciate it more than I actually want to wear it. But I'd rather have that than another niche house pumping out ten sweet amber-vanilla fragrances because that's what's selling.

Trying to get some organization going. I bought these tiered shelves off Etsy. I haven’t organized them yet. But I’m thinking about 1 shelf for colder months and 1 shelf for warmer months. I’d love to hear your thoughts please.

Burberry’s flagship men’s fragrance. Released in 2021, created by Antoine Maisondieu, the perfumer behind Montblanc Legend, Dior Homme Sport 2021, and a long line of reliable, well-balanced designer crowd-pleasers. Point of interest: this is one of the few modern fragrances designed entirely around a single, dominant heart material, the Cedarwood Trio, three distinct cedar essences blended to create depth, texture, and massive presence, rather than layering it behind heavy florals or unnecessary sweetness. It’s Aromatic Woody, stripped back, confident, and built around that core woody spine. It opens with Bergamot Essence, a bright, sparkling, crisp citrus that’s pure quality: zesty, fresh, and immediately uplifting. It’s a clean, precise opening that doesn’t linger too long, just enough to set a fresh stage before the real star takes over. The heart is where this lives and breathes: Cedarwood Trio, three cedar varieties working in perfect harmony: smooth Virginia cedar, dry Texas cedar, and rich Atlas cedar. Together they create a multi-layered woody core. Its clean, polished, slightly resinous, and incredibly persistent. This isn’t a thin cedar note, it’s rich, textured, and unmistakably the backbone of the whole scent. The dry-down wraps it all with unexpected simplicity: Black Pepper & Juniper. The pepper adds a warm, aromatic, spicy edge that cuts through the cedar’s smoothness, while juniper brings a cool, resinous, aromatic depth that circles back to the opening’s freshness. It’s a clever, circular structure: bright citrus, massive cedar, spicy-aromatic woody finish. Nothing out of place, nothing overdone. The performance is exactly what you’d expect from a well-made EDT. On skin I’m getting 4+ hours. Its respectable & reliable. With the monster bottle I have topping up throughout the day is not a problem. Projection is moderate for the first hour, then it settles into a tight, confident scent bubble that clings beautifully to clothing. This is an everyday signature, not a statement piece. It works everywhere: office, meetings, dates, casual days out, spring, summer, autumn, it simply fits. It’s safe, polished, and inoffensive. It’s one of the best modern designer examples out there — honest, well-crafted, and exactly what it claims to be.

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?