Decided to steer away from the MM set as I ordered a new one to do a side-by-side and check if my set was faulty. While I wait for the parcel, I thought I’d dive into some older unfinished discovery sets. I stumbled upon the Maison Crivelli ones and randomly picked Hibiscus Mahajád. This was one of the four from Quentin Bisch in the set, so that got me excited. A very linear fragrance that doesn’t develop much. It has notes of hibiscus, blackcurrant, Damask rose absolute, hibiscus tea, vanilla absolute, ambrette seed absolute, leather, vanilla, cinnamon, pomegranate and spearmint. The tea and spearmint disappear once it dries down, so it becomes more of a proportion shift. Beautifully blended with enough space to smell the individual notes. It’s a beautiful fragrance that wraps you in a pink cloud. Very well balanced and high quality. It definitely has that Quentin Bisch influence. This man has me in a chokehold. One unfortunate thing about Maison Crivelli is the performance on me. I’m jealous when people say they get 10-12 hours with massive sillage. On me, it’s a modest 6-hour fragrance and stops projecting after 90 minutes. Compared to other MC fragrances, this one lasted and smelled better on me. Funny enough, my duvet that caught a hint of the perfume had better performance, as I could still smell it after 9 hours. Maybe using it as a fabric scent makes more sense for me. Even with “bad” performance, it’s still a solid option for many. If you like Delina or its flankers, you should try this. If anything, it almost makes it redundant if you already own Delina. Both by Quentin Bisch, maybe that’s why. I can rock unisex or even 60/40 feminine fragrances, but this one is a bit outside that. Around 65/35 in my opinion, so it’s a pass. Now I need to strategically make sure my girlfriend likes this so I can buy it for her and still get to smell it. All that said, I would still give it an 8.3/10. On my skin it didn’t shine the way it was supposed to. It smells like a high-quality version of a generic designer “pink” fragrance. Beautiful, but not groundbreaking or inspiring. If your partner loves rose, they should try this.

Another standout fragrance from the Niche Emerati line. They really do seem to be attempting to bridge a gap between the middle eastern & the western niche perfumeries. This one was an early 2025 release with a close resemblance to PDM's Althair. But unlike the popular alternative, Liquid Bruhn, this is not a direct clone, Yes it does have some of that gourmand DNA, it goes off in a more leather/Spicey direction. All in a rather pleasant twist. The opening is an immediate statement. It hits with the warm, metallic tang of saffron & the aromatic punch of green cardamom. The cumin adds a slight earthy, skin ike warmth while the violet gives an airy, powdery softness that keeps the spices from becoming too heavy. As the initial spice settles, the heart reveals its true character: Suede. This isn't a harsh leather; it's a soft, velvety, brushed suede. The osmanthus adds a faint peachy- loral sweetness that smooths out the edges of the cloves & nutmeg, giving the fragrance a textured depth. The dry-down is where the Stone in the name makes sense. It feels grounded & solid. The ambergris provides a salty, mineral shimmer, while the woody notes & oakmoss give it a classic, masculine-leaning backbone. The musk ensures a clean, lingering trail that stays on the skin for hours. This will last you at least 7hrs on Skin, and it will stay on clothes until they are washed. Projection is solid too. It creates a noticeable bubble around the wearer for the first 3 hours without being cloying. It is best suited for evening wear, formal events, or cold weather daytime use. Its spicy-leather profile makes it a perfect companion for a leather jacket or a sharp suit. Think a bottle is needed for my shelf. My Rating: 9/10 Scent: 3 Longevity: 2.5 Sillage: 2.5 Y/N: 1