Kicking the year off with a great start, now before anyone starts shouting. yes rhis is the dreaded 2025 formulation. I checked the batch codes and this was all they had in stock. I had my nose on the edp and this one which was a touch sweeter. I could have gone for the intense, but there was no tester and at these prices I'm not taking risks on something I have. No experience with. So this is another Francis Kurkdjian effort after the eau forte and the limited €15000 Sauvage fiasco's I should have ran away. But it's actually not a bad fragrance to be fair. Ok fans of the original formulation might be pissed, I believe the old one was and Iris/leather base which I would love to try whereas the new 2025 is a warm amber based scent So there is still Iris in the opening, it's strong, powdery and clean, but alas, it fades away rather quickly. There is also an Orange note in there plays a nice support role in the opening and could easily be missed. At the heart, the Amber accord takes over the show and it dominates. This is were the sweetness and warmth come from. This is designed totally with the Amber in control, the base has Coumarin, Patchouli and some Vetiver and a Hay Cut? Which gives an overall earthy/woody foundation to anchor the sweetness of the Amber. I won't even try to make comparisons here. From what I've read this is a totally different fragrance and in all fairness should have been given it's own line name. But the money men rule the roost right. This may be a cash in, but it's a good one imo, I quite like this and it makes me want to explore at least the others, definitely want to try the intense and if I can find an old formulation of this, Iris and leather sound amazing. I've gotten a solid 6 hrs with this, it's consistent for the duration. Projection is good for the first 2hrs, before settling into a moderate, refined scent bubble. Like most of my collection I tend to be drawn towards the Autumn/Winter fragrances and this is no different. I'd say this will appeal to the masses as it's quite versatile and could work just as well in the office as on a date night. If you haven't already tried it, give it a go, just judge it on its own merits and don't make comparisons. This is a Dior Homme in name only. It could have easily been named Pour Homme or Homme Amber?

Happy New Year’s Eve, Brotherhood! Today I’m rocking Russian Leather by Molton Brown. Released in 2017 and created by the nose Loïc Bisceglie, this one is technically “discontinued”… but not quite. It was essentially re-named due to sensitivities surrounding the Russia Ukraine conflict. So yeah, safe to say I’ve got a little keepsake on my hands. This is an excellent pick for anyone who loves photorealistic leather, woody fragrances. Leather is clearly the star of the show, but the fusion of birchwood and vetiver gives it a beautifully dry, masculine backbone, while a touch of pine lifts and brightens the vibe just enough to raise it off the skin. If I had to compare it to anything, I’d say it shares a similar vibe with Encre Noire OG. It’s very office friendly, perfect when you don’t want to smoke anyone out of the room. Projection is solid for the first couple of hours, then it settles into a close skin scent, giving you about 6 hours total of detectable wear. It’s ideal if you plan on switching things up later in the evening. Honestly… now that I have gotten to get a whiff of Encre Noire Extreme, I think it’s a step above this one. Both in projection, and performance. So Ill keep this “Discontinued” beauty on the shelf for now. That’s all Hood!! Off to work and hopefully I’ll be able to send my boys home early. Have a fantastic, smelly day! Top: Black Tea, Basil and Elemi resin Mid: Tobacco, Birch and Siberian Pine Base: Leather, Vetiver and Cade oil