If you’re fairly new FragTown, you might not know that seasonal fragrances are of relatively recent vintage. I began collecting fragrances in the early 80s, and there was no such thing as a summer or winter fragrance. We wore the same fragrances year-round. I wore the masterpiece pine-heavy Polo (now Polo “green”) in the heavy heat and humidity of northern Ohio summers, just as I did Aramis and Kouros. Everybody else in the fragrance game did also. There were no blues, “freshies,” or gourmands. I’m very happy with the multiplicity fragrances today – let me correct that: I’m very happy with the multiplicity of good fragrances today and abhor the multiplicity of bad fragrances today. I can assure you that not just numerically but proportionately there are many more bad fragrances today than there were in the 80s. The idea that some fragrances work better in different weather and climates and seasons is (mostly) a constructed category. It is true that, say, amber-heavy fragrances might radiate off your skin better in cold weather, but this doesn’t mean they should be limited to the winter. Nor does it mean that if you love Bleu De Chanel EDT or Tom Ford’s Neroli Portofino, you should not wear either when it’s below zero. Fragrances are seasonally inappropriate only when we have bought stock in the constructed reality of seasonal fragrances. Sometimes we hear that winter fragrances worn in the summer are “cloying.” But that, too, is a constructed category. It is cloying only to people who think it is cloying. And if people around you think it is cloying, remember they may dislike your fragrances for a number of reasons, not merely because they are not “seasonally appropriate.” Of course, fragrance houses benefit from fragrance seasonality. After all, they can then make fragrances for unique seasons, and, therefore, make more fragrances, and, therefore, sell more fragrances. In fact, this logic ranks right up there with their endless flankerdom. Bottom line: if you’d love Dior Homme Intense (or Creed Oud Zarian), wear it on the hottest summer days. If you love Acqua Di Gio EDT (or Roja Oceania), wear it on snowy days.

Just got a delivery of four niche decants to try out. I picked three that I haven’t tried before based on research into their notes, and one to try again (I had traded away a sample of this months ago and kind of regretted it so I wanted to try it again). Of course I couldn’t wait to test them one at a time so I’ve got two on each arm. Of the three new ones, one is a winner and two are just horrific. Like epically bad, like I hate them and wanna wash them off my arm. Right now. Luckily, I’ve learned to have a little patience in this hobby and I’m going to let the two I hate settle down to see if they get any better — but based on their opens and how my weird nose perceives certain aromachemicals, these are absolutely not gonna be for me. But I think I stumbled on a winner out of the three new ones in this batch, and the fourth one I’m revisited is definitely a winner as well, so I think this is a good outcome today! In order of how much I like them: - Day Three Desert Rain: This is a winner! Bright, crisp, aromatic and sparkly, this reminds me a bit of M Micallef GN Tonic but feels like something I can wear throughout the year. I definitely want to get to know this one, but I think it could be full bottle worthy right out of the gate. I’m not feeling super positive that this has great performance, though, it seems to be fading fast. We’ll have to see how it does. But in terms of the scent profile, it’s very good. - Blackcliff Madagascar Man: this is a winner as well! I first got my nose on this when one of my decanters threw in a free sample almost a year ago. It’s… really weird, frankly, and I ended up giving my sample away — but I kind of regret not getting to know this one better so I ordered a decant with this shipment. This has a very challenging animalic open but if you can get past that funky civet then you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful dry amber vanilla and toasted spices. It’s really interesting and gorgeous, kind of like a much more masculine, dry and less sweet but more spicy take on absolute aphrodisiac.