Met up with @Ben E, and we went to get more samples of Creed Wild Vetiver and some samples of Guerlain. We have a friend at Dillard's in the fragrance department, well, Neiman Marcus and Creed were a hit. I was surprised at dilliards usually go in and kind of criticize some of the new releases in the designer realm can you say 2 out of three Y Iced and Polo 67 extreme are extremely safe blind buys the opening of the Zy was wonderful and the rest was good Polo 67 Extreme had a very good opening and the drydown with the caramel and leather makes thi great with the citrus opening for cooler weather and evenings as far as the one brand that I own 4 in the line Born in Roma Purple Melancholia not a safe blind buys all I can say is I am in shock is this would’ve been my purchase to put into a collection. It is a whole bunch of nothing. The opening was nothing, and the scent played down to muted nothing with no performance. Serves me right as the 2 I wanted to make fun of turned out good to very good snd the one I would have considered is a definite no!!!, the Y and Ralph are blind buy worthy. The Born in Roma new release requires you to sample, as I feel this is really not good, and it offers nothing. That’s what I got out of it, completely nothing!!!

Chocolate in perfumery is fascinating. It can be sweet and creamy. It can be bitter and dry. It can feel edible or atmospheric. It can be a supporting brushstroke or the entire painting. Team Chocolate is split into two philosophies: - Designer: Interpretation - Niche: Domination Sixteen contenders. All cacao in different dialects. 🍫 CHOCOLATE — DESIGNER The Interpreters : Chocolate in designer perfumery rarely shouts. It’s woven into structure from iris, amber, to spice or musk. This division explores how cacao is used creatively within commercial frameworks. 1. Valentino Uomo - Hazelnut and cacao wrapped in iris sophistication. Chocolate here is elegant, dressed up, refined. 2. Guerlain L'Instant EDP - Amber warmth with subtle cacao undertones. Chocolate as texture rather than dessert. 3. Kayali Chocolate Oud - Sweet chocolate layered with oud depth. A modern gourmand take with Middle Eastern influence. 4. Jo Malone London Blue Agava & Cacao - Light, airy cacao. Chocolate interpreted through transparency rather than thickness. 5. Carolina Herrera Bad Boy Extreme - Spice-forward masculinity laced with cacao warmth. Chocolate with attitude. 6. Zara Cocoa Bliss - Direct, straightforward cocoa expression. Clean and accessible. 7. Armaf Odyssey Dubai Chocolat - Dense, syrupy gourmand sweetness. Middle Eastern dessert energy. 8. Al-Rehab Choco Musk EDP - Sweet chocolate musk comfort. No complexity — just dessert joy.