My first decant of the year, starts of with a rather nice little numberfrom the London based niche house Pictor Parfum, released in 2024. It's actually a spin off of you will from the owner of Memorize London Holly Hutchinson. Not sure who the actual perfumer of this is, but what attracted me too it is the obvious Photography colnnection. Just like Memo Paris & Maison Margeila, this scent is meant to connect you with something by turning a memory onto a scent. In this case it's Imagery & Photography. Scents in the Pictor line are named after photographic terms (e.g., Dark Room, Aperture, Flash) and translate visual art into scent. Dark Room takes its inspiration from the red-lit atmosphere of a photographer’s darkroom, The fragrance is an Extrait de Parfum, meaning it has a high oil concentration, which is immediately evident in its rich, dense texture. It opens up with a contrast of familiarity. Top notes include Raspberry, Leather and Violet, which are all firm favourites of mine. The raspberry opens things up giving a punchy, red atmosphere, but blink and you will miss it. The leather is more of a tamer suede note, think an old vintage camera case. Which whilst noticable plays a supporting role to an amazing cool and powdery Violet. As it settles into the heart, the cedarwood emerges. It gives a dry, structural backbone that keeps the scent from becoming a true gourmand. The transition is seamless, moving from the sweetness of the fruit into a more "shadowy," woody territory. Then we come to the base, where the warmth lives. The amber and vanilla create a creamy, skin-like glow, while the moss adds a touch of damp, earthy realism. It finishes as a sophisticated "dark" fruity-woody scent that extremely pleasing to the nose. I get between 6 to 7 hrs from this on skin, it's blended well and doesn't leave an oily residue on your skin like many of the Arab extraits.It creates a noticeable scent bubble without being room-clearing.. It’s designed for others to catch whiffs as you move around. A perfect fragrance for the cooler months and definitely a great evening wear. if you like Tuscan Leather or Pas Ce Soir, but want something more artistic and less aggressive, this may be for you. I know I'll be trying more from this line.

Hard to believe, I was 10 when this first hit the shelves. Launched back in 1986, from the nose of Robert Slattery. This was an 80's powerhouse, a classic that brings back so manyemories. It was the first fragrance that I ever bought. The fact that it's still available today speaks volumes and I would be of the opinion, that this was Calvin Klein's best ever release.Its a warm, spicy & amber-laden fragrance. Bursting with that old school masculinity thats seems to have disappeared lately? Ok so im sure its gone through a number of reformulations & owners over the years. .A dose of the 80's in a bottle with this Oriental/Woody fragrance. It’s known for being dense, resinous, and thick. The opening hits you with a sharp, herbal citrus burst of Bergamot, Lime, and Mandarin, immediately followed by a heavy dose of Cinnamon. It feels warm and slightly fizzy. As the citrus fades, the heart becomes more aromatic. You’ll detect Sage, Lavender, and Myrrh. Then there is that distinctive barbershop soap quality, but it comes across as darker and more exotic due to the addition of nutmeg and pine. A common theme with fragrances that appeal to me is the dry down. This is where Obsession resides. It settles into a creamy, smoky blend of Amber, Vanilla, Sandalwood, and Musk. There is also a slight animalic civetone that gives it a manly edge. Despite the numerous reformulations over the years, This edt still packs a mighty punch, last time I broke this out I got a good 7hrs wear from my usual spray routine. Bear in mind though, this is strong stuff you get extremely good projection for the first 2hrs and can easily go lood a room if over applied. No one wants that scent bubble that wipes out everything in its path right. Again, this is perfect for the cold weather and night time wear. Despite the release of a night version. Best suited for date nights, evening events, or cold outdoor days. Whilst it may not make my top shelf these days, it still has a special place for me and the score reflects its position in my collection.