The TPG #8 Review Compendium · Brotherhood Of Scent

The TPG #8 Review Compendium

These are my own brief impressions of the 8th TPG sample set. Feel free to visit his channel for a traditional review. Our tastes often diverge. Sebastien has it really bad for gourmands and patchoulis. I'm sure he would tell me off for saying that. He appreciates pure expressions of notes. I tried all of these blind and revisited them to confirm a few notes. All wears were full unless I had to scrub them off. The scores are completely facetious. Like usuaI am going to be glib about some of them, but as fair as possible. If I hate it but they're good for you, I have made that apparent. Those of you that share my tastes should have a good idea of what you'll like.

Tobacco Maniac - 10/10

Tobacco, honey, more tobacco, and a little patchouli and vanilla to anchor it. It's like cured Brazilian tobacco. *Photorealistic tobacco.* I can't tell the difference between Maniac and the end of this cigar. If you want to wear a CAO Cameroon this is it. Very linear, and happily unisex. I think women underestimate smelling like something men already love. It is beastly and it's going in my tobacco pantheon. This is up there with the Guerlain, Zaharoff, Amouage, Versace, Dior, and Precious Liquid. Top five.

Hydra Figue - 8/10

Aptly named salty aquatic fig fragrance. It has a slight vegetal smell. The white florals and sandalwood push this into feminine territory. There is a nice but subtle ginger and saffron. Good performance with an ambroxan base. I'm not wearing it but this would be great for a woman. I recommend guys stay on the leathery wood side of figs.

Gleam Cocco Bello - 2/10

This smells like banana pudding and cosmetics iris. There are better smelling hand lotions. This set is bananas and this is the worst of the three nanner releases.

Yod Beer Siam - ?/10

Sharp like vinegar on spraying. It smells tart like sticky chestnuts or ginger sauce with lime juice. It's balsamic. It goes from astringent to smelling like Thai grilled food. It's a bizarre honey gourmand that reminds me of sitting at a sake bar. Actual notes are orange, coriander, honey, barley, chocolate, caramel, and benzoin. It's a 10 if you want to smell like you just ended your shift at a tiki hut. It's a very original gourmand. How does one rate a work of art?

Adamo Eden - 3/10

A very familiar old style floral with a heady pollen note. It smells like classic 80's to me. There is a bitter quality to it and a minimal waxy fruit. I'm disappointed. This is a $300 niche that smells like a vintage Chanel. Nobody needs to smell like this until after menopause. An 80 year old chauffered widow at the Kentucky Derby smells like this.

Essenzamare Acqua dell Elba - 5/10

You got your Megamare in my Erba Pura. Salty Floral blast to the back of the sinuses. I might be sick. My first scrubber but this could be somebody else's grail fragrance. It's like a highly developed Acqua di Gio with fruit.

Gritti Eclectique - 8/10

I've come to appreciate the quality of Gritti fragrances. This smells quite lovely. There is a strong white musk and a radiant citrus to this that isn't-quite-berry fruit. The jasmine/amber/vanilla is going to be familiar to anyone that dabbles in women's perfume. 9/10 on my girlfriend. This is one of those instances where something is very clearly dileniated as a Woman's Perfume. The benzoin-like musk is very arousing and nostalgic. It's just a very high quality Armani Mania. They aren't busting down doors with a 20 year old smell, but it's a classic and it still clearly works on me. Saved for a future gift. I tried this on another woman with fragrance sensitivity and it was still well-received.

Fil D'Or No1 by Laurent Mazzone - 10/10

Dense and peppery cinnamony oils like it's Christmas. My first thought is it's Honey Aoud's posh cousin. There is a monster herb down in the base that wants to come out, like timur or caraway. It's oakey with myrhh. This is a delicately balanced amber spice fragrance that could have slipped to either side and been a totally different animal. As it is I think I love it. The atomizer dribbled this out so I might be missing some lift. This is the most complex thing I've smelled in a while. It's layered like a baclava. Reviewing this, the Rum and osmanthus give it that cinnamon spice feeling. I just looked at the price online... nevermind. The 5ml sample I just put on is worth as much as this whole box. It's filed under dream fragrances. If you're a Clive Christian fan you might want to give Mazzone a chance. The hype was earned.

Ormonde Jayne Vetiveria - 9/10

I enjoy this brand. But when I read the name I was expecting more Man. Something a bit like Grey Vetiver. This is the sexiest vetiver I've ever smelled. Citrus, spice, juniper, and then a clean javanese vetiver holding it together. It's brilliant. This is what I wanted Lunar Vetiver to be. The only downside is the 4 hour lifespan (or the price). I will be hunting for this one.

Bellini by Venezia 1920 - 4/10 It was pink so I should have known what was coming. Nectarine and white peach. Vanilla. FRANGIPANI. It smells less artificial than most of the girly fragrances in this category but it's very light and receding. This combination is like a power drill through my head. Fortunately my skin destroyed this fragrance in 30 minutes like an immune response. This is why I wear tobaccoes. Uh, no from me. Just get a Narciso Rodriguez or Carolina Herrera for your wife.

Loumari Aomak - 5/10 What the hell am I smelling? It smells like it has cumin in it. Well that's the pepper, sambac, and rose. I gave up and looked at the notes. This is a little old school. It was on my radar because it was compared to 1861 Renaissance. Mint, orange, neroli, musk, cedar... this doesn't smell like a Xerjoff to me yet. I can't decide who it's for, so unisex. This smells like a country club tea garden.

Montale Oud Sapparot - 5/10

If you want to go from a beginner to a pro you need a Montale. No A in this oud so it isn't as loud as normal. It is very fruity. Passionately fruity. I think I know where the idea came from. It's pineapple pretending to be Maracuja. It takes an hour for the fruit to let the birch tar through. The saffron is dense and mimics leather. It is chaotic and harsh, with no merciful blending. The drydown is not smokey, enticing, or nuanced. It is sugary like spilled pineapple juice on a leather seat. This is a club fragrance. Maybe Mancera will release a finished version.

Kierin Pier NY - 3/10

Figgy, but like ice cream. The mimosa gives this an edible smell. It has a little of a saltwater taffy vibe. It's woody and odd. The drydown is a pickled cork and dill smell. I know everyone in NYC is overwearing Santal 33 but this is not the answer.

Pacific Rock Flower, Goldfield Banks - 6/10

A very nice sunscreen scent. Feminine and powdery, coconut heavy. I hated wearing this in public. It feels like I should have on a sun dress with it. Performance is good for a GaB.

[Noya Acqua Collezione]

This six pack of parfums is the real highlight of the box for me. Noya was founded in 2023 and I only recognize the glazed glass and gemstone branding. Three of these are very impressive but they are all good. What I notice the most is that the perfumers are relatively new talents. Each of these has its own style.

1. Jungle Serenity- 8/10

Aquatic cypress with sandalwood. This is very subdued and familiar. Or I thought it was. This turns from a babbling aquatic into a blaring green siren over the course of an hour. It's the complete reversal of what I expected. This is a sleeping patchouli dragon. It's the 90 lbs opera singer that's about to break your crystal. This is a clever composition by the perfumer, Carole Calmettes. She is relatively new and is responsible for many new French Avenue releases. It's not made for men in my opinion. I think we run too hot for this and it becomes too powerful. One spray on my upper arm is flooding the room for hours. Female reviewers believe it is more subdued. This is extrait concentration and performs like one.

2. Oceans Luminescence 9/10

This is like a breath of fresh ocean air. It is a powdery, subdued saline aquatic with a finish like water lily. There is a fresh floral grass sweetness in direct sunlight. It's mouth-watering. One note is "pearl", which is some new nonsense, so I'm guessing it's a fresh release like ambrox super. I only see the chemical popping up now. This is an edgeless aquatic. No calone stank, no harsh mineral component, no thorns to the florals. It may be too refined for men that want a deep bass note in their aquatics. This is all harps and silks. Fantastic aquatic for a woman so take note. Extrait strength without the kick of a Megamare.

3. Abyssal Odyssey - 10/10

Now we're talking. Animalic Amber Aquatic. This smells so clean and rich at the same time. Beauty in simplicity. There is sweetness, flowers, and saline notes balanced into a tropical foliage scent. The final effect of the fragrance is a mix of Acqua di Gio and Y EDP, with a little musky bite. This is a great place to look if you want to get off the beaten aquatic path but you don't want to wear seaweed.

4. Citrus Coast - 6/10

Lemon, juniper, amber. These are coastal citrus things. This one is basic until you get it in the sun. Otherwise it just smells like limoncello. The performance is tepid. After about 7 hours I can smell this breaking down into the calone watermelon smell.

5. Azure Reverie - 6/10

Wow is this spicy. It smells like cinnamon alcohol when you spray it. It's unbelievably dense in oils. The top notes are pink pepper, cardamom, mandarin, and lemon. This smells like crushed pink pepper. And it has a ton of other notes, but this really isn't changing. Miroslav Petkov made this. He's known for pungent Arabian fragrances. There's seaweed here but it's completely drowned out. That peppery burn never fades out. This is a difficult wear. I could only take a few hours before it turned my stomach.

6. Ancient Currents - 10/10

Aquatic and sharp, but also cypriotic and dry. Elemi dense with saffron and patchouli. This is what I expect out of a niche aquatic; an olfactory interjection. 7 hours in, this is still projecting elemi and patchouli. This is a thick green tree of a fragrance, wrapped around saltwater. It's brilliant. Without the aqua this would be a suffocating vetiver, cedar, patchouli, and cypriol. Now it's something beautiful. I might have to buy it. This is a Paul Guerlain fragrance. This is like Encre Noire Extreme as an aquatic.

Vanille Carbone by Atelier Materi - 5/10

Lots of vanilla pod, zero carbon. Severe disappointment. The vanilla is so thick it smells like pudding. It's banana when you spray it on because of the other notes. Sebastien must love banana perfume, but 99% of us don't. This has incense, leather, and pepper. It's just funky. It isn't sweet, which would make it unpalatable. I admit this might be a dream combination for a few of you. Just don't expect a charcoal note.

Thoo L'Explicite - banana/10

"Banana? I am." Breadier than Gleam. Smells like a Panera. This is an all-day concoction too. I've been trying to scrub it off for 10 hours. It's another artful gourmand that only five people will unironically wear. On its own merits I think it's an accomplishment.

Akro Breathe - 7/10

Aldehydes, linalool, helional, bergamot, galaxolide; that's what I smell at least. This is such a straightforward perfume that it is practically an archetype. Imagine the first 5 minutes of Versace pour Homme but condensed into one scent. It's the definition of Fresh. The lifespan is going to be measured in minutes instead of hours. It is suitable for mornings you want to smell like Snuggles the laundry bear.

Läckerli by "nvrnagn" - 6/10

Another Swiss brand where the pretentious marketing got way out of hand. This must be the brand launch because nobody has heard of them. This is supposed to be a city-inspired pastry gourmand. It is rich and dense, intensely spicy, boozy, and deeply floral. It comes off as eye-watering incense as well. It's positioning itself adjacent from Clive Christian Blonde Amber or an Initio. I don't know, this is a tough wear for me and nothing about it is a revelation. I can tell you what this actually smells like: A less ashed Terenzi Ecstasy mixed with grenadine. For a gourmand that's a huge miss: To land on Communion wafers instead of the bakery.

Jeroboam Kun Amo - 8/10

Another $350 BR540/Erba Pura mashup. It has the strongest elements of both. That extra saffron also means I enjoy it a little more than Erba Pura. The first two hours of fruit are too strong but it settles into something special. It is absurdly loud and unisex. The house was deceptive with the notes they chose to print. There's a little more happening here than ambroxan, pear, musk, maltol, and "wood." Do you like those two fragrances? Well this is what you've been waiting for.

Les Eaux Primordiales, Amber Supermassive. - 7/10

I think the name says it all. This is as far to the edge of a powdery amber as you can get without smelling like fish guts. The performance is moderate. The spices are rotating around rose absolute. The fruit and cinnamon is a subdued, dehydrated smell. This is unisex but it doesn't have the visceral punch I had hoped. If you want an amber rose I think you can get something more interesting.

Sarah Baker Prism Head - 2/10

Yuck. Hippie patchouli, cannabis, shiitake mushroom, lemon juice. Smells old in the worst way, like a 70 year old burnout with a hemp shoulder bag. It's a musty herb spliced with foundation powder and talcum. It also has a grassy ground vine leaf and dirt smell. Up close it's the powder from under my grandmother's bathroom sink. Points for art? You will smell *dirty* wearing this. If you miss being a clerk at the vegan co-op this could bring back memories. 4.00 out of 5 on fragrantica with 90% negative reviews. I can't roll my eyes hard enough at the community. People 'love' this but review bombed Bad Boy Parfum for having a green note.

Electimuss Moroccan Medjool - 3/10

Citrus, rose, date, caramel, vanilla, moss... this smells gross. This stuff doesn't fit together. It has that butterscotch candy funk with flowers in it. It gets a little sweeter and ambery but never improves much. After a few hours it smells like caramel macchiato. You can just buy Caramel Macchiato from Fragrance World and save yourself $200. Oh, now I get it. This is my first Electimuss experience and the bar was set too high by reviewers.

Cave White Amber - 7/10

White florals, amber. It has some smooth gourmand elements in the heart to keep it from being E. Taylor White Diamonds. Remember White Diamonds? Jennifer wore it in 1996. It's a little like a floral white chocolate cookie. I like it when it fully settles. Not a very masculine choice, but it made my bed smell yummy.

Affinessence Safran‐Neroli - 8/10

Well this is different. The base is black tea. Safran adds a leathery element, neroli and ylangylang makes it bright, and davana adds a green touch. It's happy-spicy and I like it. The drydown gets heavy on neroli and smells a little like Reflection Man or Guilty with all the woods stripped out. It's the most original thing I've smelled in a long while. Fully unisex and a very interesting side option for a spicy neroli.

And that's 30 samples. I had a good time with this box. The whole thing purchased separately is probably over $150. You do get some very odd gourmands but I can respect that. A dive into niche is going to come with oddball food smells. No surprise poo bombs. If everything was the same middle of the road unisex perfumery, what would the point be? This gives you plenty of directions to stretch your palate and smell where the industry is leaning this year. What I notice the most is the decline of musks and the resurgence of heavy ambers. Unisex florals are getting a little more creative. Niches are trying to deviate in a few fun ways away from established designer choices and older classics. Banana perfume is NOT going to catch on so stop it.

Feel free to post about your experiences with these fragrances or ask questions about them.

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