The Montagne verdict · Brotherhood Of Scent

The Montagne verdict

I like this house. I purchased six bottles last year and have given them all a decent running. The perfumes are consistent in quality and all quite smooth after a few weeks.

But I definitely have favorites. I might order a few others but the problem is always stock availability. I'm weighing these against the originals. I have owned or sampled all the inspirations so I can do the two arm test.

I. Alcantara Supreme. This is Chanel Allure Homme Superleggera. I was actually very pleased with the Chanel limited release. The Montagne has an intense grapefruit opening with a somewhat coarse citrus wood heart. Aldehydes are the main note to me. I think this is a fair representation of Allure but it's lacking that something special from the Chanel. The clone can stand on its own though. 8/10

II. Brooklyn Jazz. It's Maison Margiela Jazz Club. I love that one. I'm wearing it tonight. Unfortunately the prices on testers doubled last year. The EDT is often stated as the downside but I get good performance and lift with it. The Montagne is an airier version that's lacking the deep rum underpinning of the MM. It's pretty close but the performance is around 2 hours. It doesn't feel like I'm wearing Jazz Club. 5/10

III. Carnal Grey Extrait. Gris Charnel Parfum, and this one delivers well. The fig vanilla isn't as creamy but the spicy tea comes through. I won't be missing the MFK with this bottle. 9/10

IV. Sicilian Tobacco (2025). The newest Naxos clone. People had complaints about the former versions. I think there are three now. This one SLAYS. It's a little less honeyed than Naxos. It's not going to replace the Xerjoff but it's fantastic. 10/10

V. Monkey Special. It's... Monkey Special from the Xerjoff Iommi line. It smells a lot like Monkey Special. I don't think it's as raw or potent as the Xerjoff and I can only get ~4 hours from it. I was expecting this one to be nuclear but it kind of leans into passionfruit over rum and leather. It's a little different than other MS clones I have in an odd way, like Coke vs RC Cola. Good but not in the same league as Xerjoff. 8/10

VI. Ciel Elixir. Sauvage Elixir. I'm going to be honest, I like the Ciel more. What it's lacking is the performance. Sauvage is like cesium isotopes. Ciel is a little happier? I smoked out the entire house the last time I put three sprays on. Ciel calms down after a few hours. The licorice spice signature is intact. This is a good release. 10/10

The rankings according to a panel of single women and a girlfriend:

Alcantara
Sicilian Tobacco
Ciel Elixir
Carnal Grey
Monkey Special
Brooklyn Jazz

On a scale of "Oh wow" to "it's nice", the top 4 are the winners. If I had to recommend one, Sicilian Tobacco. If you need a good Sauvage Elixir clone that isn't a dressed up Lattafa, get Ciel. I recommend picking these up during a sale. $30 per 50ml is high value for quality. Just don't waffle when the restock hits on Friday. If you want something like the Haltane or LV clones there's a dedicated group waiting for them to go up on the website.

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