With all the stress of getting the house on the market, training interns, looking for a new job and getting packed, I need something to give he some calming influences. Decided on Montagne Carnal Grey Extrait. Inspired by BDK Gris Charnel and really smells great. The cardamom, figs and iris really centers me. Very good longevity for me without being cloying.

What is your favorite summer scent?

After revisiting a lot of my clones lately, I have to be honest — many of them have let me down when it comes to real performance, longevity, and sillage. And this is not just a Middle Eastern clone issue. It can happen with American and European clone houses, too. Original fragrances are usually designed to do specific things. They go through testing, adjusting, reformulating, and balancing of materials before the final product is released. Not all aroma chemicals are equal either. Two materials may be trying to create a similar effect, but that does not mean they will smell, project, blend, or last the same way. That is why getting the exact formulation and performance of an original can be tedious. A clone may capture the scent profile, but performance and quality can be all over the place. Some open loud, some fade fast, some become sharp, some get flat, and some only leave behind musk, ambroxan, woods, or sweetness. The mind is powerful, too. Let’s face it — when we buy clones, most of us are trying to capture the essence of the original at a bargain. So sometimes we want it to be closer, better, and longer lasting than it really is. A loud opening can make your brain think, “This is a beast.” But after that first blast settles, is the full fragrance still there, or is it just a thin drydown hanging on? To me, a lot of clones do not truly perform better. They just start louder. Loudness is not the same as quality, real longevity, or good sillage. The problem is not always the country it comes from. It is the clone style itself — copying the smell, pushing power, and sometimes losing the balance, smoothness, depth, and natural transition of the original. At the end of the day, I am not saying all clones are bad. I still respect a good clone when it is done right. But I think we have to be honest with ourselves. Sometimes we are not getting the full original experience — we are getting a shortcut to the scent profile. And there is nothing wrong with that, as long as we understand what it is. A clone can smell good, be enjoyable, and save money, but that does not always mean it has the same quality, structure, performance, or artistry as the original.