First spray was around 10:30 a.m. I checked back in around 10:44, and on my forearm the fragrance was already very heart-forward. I’m not getting much of the citrus pop from mandarin or bergamot, and the ginger isn’t giving me that fizzy lift I usually notice in other scents. Instead, saffron is clearly the star, with soft white florals supporting it. It feels warm and refined rather than bright or zesty. I did a fresh spray from a little farther back and that made the structure even clearer. The saffron comes through even more strongly, mixed with what I’m guessing is orange blossom and jasmine, but they’re blended together and hard to separate. The overall effect is warm and cozy, not spicy like pepper or cardamom, more like depth and softness. Projection is better than I expected. I tried a trick @Lon Chaneyfield mentiined and sprayed on my knees to estimate projection. Standing upright, I can still smell it clearly. The distance from my knees to my nose is roughly 2.5 to 3 feet, so that’s about where the scent bubble is sitting right now. So far, this feels like a heart-driven parfum where saffron leads and the citrus stays in the background. Really enjoying the profile and curious to see how it develops as it continues to wear. Update: It’s about 11:07 a.m. now, and something interesting just happened. As the heart settled in, I’m actually starting to pick up the mandarin a bit more. It’s not bright or fizzy, but a softer citrus warmth coming through underneath the saffron and florals.

Travel day vibes: Arizona to Oregon via California connection, all planes and airports. I wanted some holiday smell good vibes so I decided to spray on Addicted from the house of Aaron Terence Hughes. It went on at 8am this morning and has been the perfect cozy companion in the dry, recycled cabin air of an airplane and the neutral smell of the airport. Addicted opens with a rich, boozy cognac kick that’s both warm and inviting, like sipping something indulgent at 30,000 feet. It then settles into a delicious honeyed cinnamon with hints of chocolate. The drydown is a creamy chocolate vanilla tonka, smooth and comforting without being cloying. Beast mode performance as expected from ATH, which I’ll admit I was a bit worried spraying on as I knew it would still be projecting hours later. It’s Christmas season, however, and I effectively turned my cramped cabin seat into my own little cinnamon gourmand bubble. No complaints from row mates or those seated in front or behind me on either flight, but did get a subtle “you smell great” from a flight attendant during boarding. Success. For those that may not be familiar with Addicted, let me draw a couple comparisons to other fragrances you may be more familiar with. Addicted shares the boozy cinnamon gourmand DNA with Angels Share (that iconic cognac, cinnamon, and praline vibe), but feels less oaky and nutty and has more chocolate in the mid and dry down. Versus PDM Oajan, it’s less heavy on straight honey osmanthus spice and more chocolate forward in the base, with cognac adding a liquor edge that Oajan hints at but doesn’t fully commit to. Overall I’d say this is a solid choice for winter and holiday travel. It’s warm, uplifting, and very addictive indeed. Be warned, however, that the frag will stand out if you’re wearing this fragrance, especially if you choose to wear it while cramped in a metal tube at 30,000 ft. It may not draw a ton of comments, but rest assured it is very pleasant and everyone around you will smell you.