I make this post partially humorous but also to seriously ask you what your biggest pet peeves that beginners or people not as invested in this hobby as us are. I say outsiders carefully as not to say it in a clique kind of sense. Because I’ve unlocked a pet peeve that’s so weirdly specific, to anyone outside of the bubble, I look psycho! So asking you guys, what are yours? And do any of you relate to this specific one that I have? My biggest, most frustrating issue is so irritating to me because of how ridiculously widespread it is, and it comes with the misconception of cologne, perfume, and gendered fragrances. It strikes a positively DISSONANT chord within me when someone refers to all men’s fragrance as “cologne”. Makes me like unreasonably irritated. Crazy right! But hear me out. One of the biggest misconceptions in fragrance is the idea of A), gendered fragrance, and B), men’s fragrance is all “cologne”. Traditionally, cologne is a concentration of alcohol to oil, and actually one of the weakest concentrations. Most fragrances nowadays for men aren’t colognes at all but Eau de toilettes and Eau de parfums! They don’t wear cologne! They wear perfume! Gendered fragrance in and of itself is a western marketing construct used by companies to get men to start wearing it, to make the market less intimidating and fit in with the stigmas and social values at the time. Along with that, the word “perfume” had a largely feminine connotation, and men at the time did not feel comfortable wearing something with the name of something that sounded so well… feminine. Considering there WERE popular men’s fragrances that were cologne concentrations like from Acqua di Parma, and the word “cologne” sounded rugged, masculine, and less feminine, so it became synonymous with all men’s fragrance. Now as to why this particular stereotype and misconception bothers me so much, I’ll get into that. A), I hate the word cologne. Always have. When I bought my first Versace my girlfriend at the time was like “how’s the cologne?” And bro it bothered me. I wasn’t mad at her or anything lol, but I associate the word with the absolutely terrible chemical bomb my dad would wear with his axe body spray. So when I hear “cologne”, I think of that. Even I look at my older posts and see myself use that word and I criiiiiiinge

I will continue reviewing clone, designer, niche, and artisan fragrance houses so newer brothers—and even some of our older brothers—can get a better understanding of what each house offers. The goal is not to shame anyone for what they buy. It is to help the brotherhood make better-informed decisions and separate genuine quality from hype. Montagne Parfums is an American-inspired fragrance house based in New York City. Out of the clone houses I have tried, I consider Montagne one of the better-quality options. Their fragrances are freshly compounded to order, and they generally come across as smoother, cleaner, and more refined than many inexpensive Middle Eastern clones. The openings are usually not as loud, harsh, or overly synthetic. They also tend to do a better job of maintaining the original fragrance’s structure throughout wear. With many cheaper clones, the opening may slightly capture the original, but the fragrance eventually falls into the same generic sweet, woody, amber, or musky closing. Montagne usually gives you better transitions and a more complete wearing experience. I also think Montagne deserves credit for attempting fragrances that are difficult to duplicate. Some of their interpretations get surprisingly close to the scent profile of the original, especially in the air. The materials often smell better than what you normally find in cheaper clone houses, and many of the fragrances do not have that rough opening that needs 20 or 30 minutes before becoming wearable. However, I still would not automatically say that Montagne replaces the original fragrance. Capturing the recognizable scent profile is not the same as reproducing the exact quality, texture, depth, and transitions. Sometimes Montagne captures the opening well but becomes flatter in the dry down. Other times, it gets the overall smell right but comes across as denser, sweeter, sharper, or less transparent than the original. And sometimes it captures everything. Performance can also be inconsistent. Some Montagne fragrances last extremely well, while others are much softer or shorter-lasting than the online hype suggests. Citrus-heavy fragrances can still disappear faster, regardless of how closely they resemble the original. This is why every release should be judged individually instead of assuming everything from the house is automatically excellent.

It opens very fresh, citrusy, a bit sweet and aromatic, quickly transitioning towards a “nutty/licorice/powdery” nuance that gives the scent a sophisticated touch, that continues strong throughout the dry down, where the mossy and woodsy notes also get their space to shine. This is a very easy to wear scent, compliments getter, casual day time and warm weather appropriate, with average projection and longevity. Very delightful. Website official notes: Top notes: bergamot essence, aquatic accord, lavandin heart. Middle notes: geranium, sunflower seeds accord, clary sage essence heart. Base notes: Haitian vetiver, sandalwood essence, patchouli sustain heart.