Neil Morris spoke to me about this lovely, dark, lush fragrance:

I was walking one October in New York City, which is also called Gotham. It was a particularly warm evening, very dark, almost menacing in an intriguing way ... almost intriguingly menacing, it spoke to me of things hiding in the dark ... there was a kind of Sherlock Holmes feeling. It was a magical night, going to a couple of different clubs. It was intriguing, looking down dark alley ways -- a very unusual night in Gotham City, like a Batman Gotham scent, like a slice of pie, a portion of your life and trying to recapture it.

The notes are:

Top notes: Black Pepper, Yuzu
Mid notes: Rose, Narcissis
Base notes: Amber, Pearl Musk (lovely, creamy as Neil described it), Myrtlewood, Tonka absolute, Labdanum, Russian Leather, Redwood, and Ambergris

This fragrance is as lovely as the notes make it sound. It is creamy and smooth, intriguingly sweet in a dark way. It is not a floral sweetness, but it is rich with the amber and tonka, tempered with leather and woods. The pearl musk is lovely and creamy. It is not a musk that hits you in the face and just keeps on and on.

This fragrance weaves a spell. I left it for last, but it could have been first. Somehow for me, there is even the mingled scent of car exhaust in the air, but this is a good thing. In that respect it reminds me, but lightly, of one of Andy Tauer's scents, Lonestar Memories, but they aren't really alike.

Again, the price is $150 for 2 oz of perfume, not edp or edt.

Karin

Guerlain TONKA IMPERIAL EDP Used

US $175.00

2d 12h 16m

HERMES Hermessence Fragrance EDT 15ML Vétiver Tonka

US $52.00

2d 23h 29m

HERMES Hermessence 2x 4ML EDT vials Vétiver Tonka+ Osmanthe Yunnan NEW

US $19.00

2d 23h 49m

CBD BODY HEAT PERFUME OIL ROLLON SEXY FLORAL WOODSY TONKA BEAN CELEBRITY TYPE

US $10.92

3d 1h 55m

Guerlain Tonka Imperiale Eau de Parfum 75 ml 2.5 oz TESTER perfume 95% FULL

13 Bids

US $135.83

4d 2h 44m

TONKA BEAN PERFUME OIL .5 DRAM BODY FRAGRANCE SWEET SCENT BUT NOT OVERPOWERING

US $2.79

5d 7h 3m

Guerlain Tonka Imperiale by Thierry Wasser 75ml 2.5oz

US $360.00

5d 9h 52m

Hermessence Vetiver Tonka by Hermes

US $39.99

5d 12h 6m

Hermessence Vetiver Tonka Hermes 15ml purse spray edt with pouch - new

US $60.00

6d 13h 40m

HERMES HERMESSENCE VETIVER TONKA - VERY EXCLUSIVE

US $15.00

8d 6h 54m

Originally posted 2008-02-04 10:01:57.

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I promised yesterday that I would compare these two.

I came across a site where you can compare fragrances. If you like one, what else might you like (or vice versa.) You can see it here.

When I went there, while waiting for my sample of VdNE to arrive, I was surprised to find they listed VdNE like this:

VOL DE NUIT EVASION 2007 (ATTRAPE-COEUR)

I had a bit of AC, so I wondered if I had simply bought the same thing with a new name. But checking further, the answer was no, these are two different fragrances.

However, when I wear them, comparing them, as I did yesterday afternoon and again today, there isn't enough difference in the two of them on me to warrant having both, unless I wanted one for daytime and one for evening.

The notes for VdNE are [Fragrance Family - oriental woody] : peach, rose, jasmine, amber, iris, woods, vanilla.

The notes for AC/GA are [Fragrance Family - Floral, Amber, Musk]:
Top: a burst of spell binding green notes
Heart: generous, floral/fruity notes (rose, jasmine, peach and tuberose)
Base: leather, powdery and dry wood notes (Amber, Sandalwood, Vanilla and Musk)

or: green, fruity, rose, jasmine, peach, tuberose, amber, sandalwood, vanilla, musk, leather.

It's only fair to say that those who love AC/GA do not, for the most part, like VdNE. I am testing vials; I am not spraying, so there is very little sillage and I have to smell up close to smell either one.

I asked all 3 of my girls to smell both fragrances on me several times. Without exception, if they smelled AC/GA (or VdNE) first, they could not smell the other one. (I had no problem.)

AC/GA is much richer and deeper. College Girl said it smelled more musky. I don't notice that at all particularly. I notice the leather and amber in it, especially the amber. The leather is completely wearable. It is not musty. It certainly smells very good. VdNE is lighter and more powdery, though both have some powder essence to them.

I asked CG again just now which she preferred on me. I have not reapplied since this morning.

She smelled VdNE first, then AC/GA. She said she preferred VdNE, "the deeper one." I said, "No, the other is deeper." She said, "Then VdNE has lasted longer." I think it is again, because she smelled the one first. To me, AC/GA is the deeper, fuller, more exotic one, and has lasted longer. But I like them both. Earlier in the day, my younger girls picked VdNE because it was "lighter."

There you have it. It appears to be a toss up, on me. I would think a man would prefer to wear AC/GA. But hey, give both a try! As I said, I like them both, and I would love to drench myself in spray to get a feeling for when they have heavier sillage.

AC costs EUR 130 for 125 ml. VdNE (edt) is EUR 46 for 50 ml.

Where to buy it?
Call (702-732-7008) or email Claire (GuerlainPalazzo.STORE@lvmhuspc.com) at the Guerlain boutique in Las Vegas. And if he's not there, the others will treat you right too. Even better, stop in when you are in Las Vegas. You'll see I'm right.

Tell them I sent you!

Karin

Addendum: the plot thickens! Evidently, according to French Guerlain sources, VdNE is the edt version of AC/GA edp version. Why on earth would they not keep the same name, AC/GA! No wonder they smell so similar, but one is lighter.

Originally posted 2008-06-21 15:59:29.

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Still testing samples passed on to me by a generous POLer.

Ambra Neraby Farmacia SS. Annunziata dal 1561 is available at Lucky Scent $160 for 100 ml or $7 for .7 ml.

Notes: cypress, eucalyptus, amber, benzoin, vetiver, vanilla, patchouly

For the past couple of days I've compared this to Patchouli by M. Micallef wearing one on each wrist. Ambra Nera is the softer of the two, but it is also significantly sweeter (today especially.) Generally I get patchouli out of it, but today I am getting lots of amber. I did do a more generous dab than on other days, so that might account for more amber and less patchouli.

If you like amber, you would likely like this. I have trouble wearing some ambers, but this is an amber I can wear. It isn't overpowering. OTOH, I preferred it when I was getting patchouli out of it.

Does that help you or confuse you?

Do you wear this one?
Can you generally wear amber?

Karin
www.savvythinker.com
don't take entire posts of mine

Originally posted 2009-10-08 07:45:05.

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Just Cavalli Her by Roberto Cavalli was introduced in 2004 for Women. It is considered an oriental floral.

When I wear it, I don't get too much from it except for sweet vanilla -- and the vanilla lasts through the entire fragrance. Getting stronger, if that is possible, which of course it is, because it is one of the base notes, which means it shows up at or through the end.

Top: Sicilian Bergamot, Ceylon Cinnamon, Bamboo Leaves,
Heart: Wild Lily Of The Valley, Apricot Tree Flower, Sambac Jasmine,
Base:Golden Amber, Madagascar Vanilla, Lebanese White Cedarwood, Powdery Musk

It is one of the nicer vanillas out there, but I have to be in the mood for it because it is vanilla.

This is not the sultry vanilla of Shalimar, and it isn't a particularly gourmand vanilla, like white cake.

On the whole, it is sweet. I prefer it not so close to my face. I should have spritzed my leg, not my arm.

As soon as I could, I switched to another fragrance -- to Light Blue -- to get away from the sweetness. I needed a little tart to go with it.

Is this a fragrance that you wear?
When do you wear it? I think it would have served me better on a fall night, not a summer morning. I was engulfed in a vanilla dream. I don't think I'm quite that sweet!

Karin

Originally posted 2009-06-17 07:27:14.

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I've been thinking how much I enjoy the perfumes I have in my stash. I might not have worn them for a while, but when the mood hits and the weather is right, they are just delightful.

The temps are expected to dip 30 degrees over night here. And it is nice to wear more of the wintery fragrances that I own.

Lately I've been enjoying amber fragrances, nearly everyday, and then I snuck in Baisir du Dragon, which I adored the day I wore it. The incense just hit the spot.

I don't think I've worn any of these for a year. The last time I wore each, it wasn't the right day. I even wondered what I had seen in them the first time and if I should continue to keep them.

It's obvious the answer was Yes, I should have kept them. And wow, they are great, when they are great.

What is your favorite fragrance? And what are you wearing right now?

Karin
www.savvythinker.com

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If you like patchouli, you will love Boyfriend. I was able to try it today at Sephora.

Now, go figure, because, supposedly, patchouli does not figure in the notes, but the combination of the notes is definitely sweet patchouli, at least to me. Maybe it is the myrrh and amber together.

Or maybe the idea is not to scare people with the name patchouli. But for those of us who love patchouli, use the name!

To me, it is a young, modern fragrance take on the 60's patchouli. And it may be more wearable than some other patchoulis.

It reminds me a lot of Prada. And it is less sharp than Gucci Gucci.

Yum, yum. I give it 5 *****.

Top notes: Dark plum and myrrh, Benzoin Tears (whatever that is)
Mid notes: lily and night blooming jasmine
Base Notes: amber and musk, vanilla woods.

Boyfriend was developed in collaboration with the Home Shopping Network (HSN) and Givaudan perfumery. The nose is Marypierre Julien.

You ever miss the scent of your boyfriend on your skin? Well, I did. So I created BOYFRIEND, a fragrance inspired by him but made for us. Kate Walsh

I dunno about that, but I do love the smell of it on my skin, and everyone that I've held out my wrist to, has agreed.

Have you tried it?
It is both dry and warm.

Prices range from $20 for a perfume oil pulse point to a kit for $95 that includes it all (- 0.5oz Eau de Parfum,
- 0.16oz Pulse Point Oil Mini, - 1.oz Dry Oil Mini, - 1.6oz Body Crème Mini.) Such a deal!

It is $65 for 1.6 oz edp.

Karin
www.savvythinker.com

Originally posted 2011-02-17 21:29:50.

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Sometimes only patchouli will do, but not the strong, sour kind of headshop patchouli left over from the 60's. I'm talkin' about sweet patchouli.

I've already been sidetracked a couple of times today trying to write up my impressions, so this might be the short version just to get it on the table, and then I may expand it.

For the past two days I've been trying out Serge Lutens Borneo 1834 on one arm and Prada on the other. The '1834' of the name supposedly refers to the year when patchouli leaves were first wrapped to ward off moths in bales of silk shipped to Europe.

At any rate, I think I smell quite good!

Borneo 1834 has notes of “florals”, galbanum, Indonesian patchouli, cacao, camphor, cardamom, cistus, and labdanum.

Prada: Italian Bergamot Oil, Orange Oil, Bitter Orange Oil, Mandarin Flower, Mimosa India, Rose Absolute ABS, Schinus Molle ABS LMR, Peru Balsam, Patchouli Oil LMR, Raspberry Flower, Labdanum Resinoide LMR, Tonka Bean , Musk, Sandalwood Oil. Amber fragrance with 4 dimensions.

A while back I tried Borneo on one arm and Yves Rocher's Cocoon on the other. I have to be careful with Cocoon as it is so strong on me. Or, perhaps it is that I want to change during the day, and it is still very present. I get tired of its strength. YR's Cocoon has more chocolate and even a vanilla presence, whereas Borneo is much stronger with patchouli. Of course Borneo is a lot more money! Of the two, Cocoon is stronger on me and more one-dimensional. Borneo (which I am not spraying, as I only have a sample) is quite gentle. Of the two, I liked Borneo better. I would wear Cocoon if I diluted it with unscented lotion, for example. Borneo I would wear just by itself.

Cocoon notes: vanilla, chocolate, sandalwood, and patchouli. Spicy, woody, oriental notes.

The first year Prada came out, I wore it a lot. It had everything going for it. It was strong, but not too strong. It went through various stages, and it was just different. Then I stopped wearing it, as I explored other fragrances and families of fragrance.

As I wore Borneo, it reminded me of Prada. That's why I decided to test them out against each other. If I were to say, Borneo transports me to another time and place, and it isn't the 60s. Prada is a modern rendition, and I stay in this time and place.

At various times today, I asked several people which of my two fragrances they liked the best. They all picked Prada. By comparison, one said Borneo smelled sour. I don't think they would have thought that, if I had been wearing only Borneo. Surprisingly, Prada did not smell heavy to me today, perhaps since I've been away from it so long, and also because I did not spray it, since I wasn't spraying Borneo.

To me, they are both sweet. And I liked them both. I want to buy Borneo. Unfortunately for us Americans, it is in Serge Lutens non-export line, so available only in Les Salons du Palais Royal in Paris, where it retails for 100 Euros for 75ml. They will not ship it to the US, but they will ship it to other places in Europe, where if you have a friend, they will ship it to you. I was fortunate that a perfume friend sent me part of her sample, thinking she didn't like it. But when she divided it up to send, she realized she liked it more than she thought so she began to wear it again.

Have I said I want to go back to Paris?

Do you wear any of these? Which is your favorite? Do you wear them all, just depending on the day or your mood or the weather?

You know, when you want patchouli, then only patchouli will do. And it is nice that it is not going back to the 60s, but forward to the 2010's.

Karin

I wrote about Borneo and Cocoon earlier, if you go here.

Originally posted 2007-05-16 21:21:07.

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Union Square is a lovely fragrance. Billed as a seductive green floral and The Sweet (and Cool) Smell of Pop Art it sneaks up on you as you wear it.

I am sampling it from a vial, so I am not spritzing it.

I think the idea of sweet and cool in fragrance is today's trend. I don't want to call it a modern trend, because other fragrances which I would consider modern, don't always have this dichotomy of sweet with cool. It's as though sweet is too sweet and cool is too cool, but combining the two together, so long as they don't cancel each other out or end up a mishmash, gives a balance that those who desire neither alone (or at least on particular days) find intriguing.

When I first wear it, it reminds me of Miss Dior Cherie which also has a sweet and cool thing going on. Or M by Mariah Carey.

The notes are:

Lily of the valley (in a deliciously impudent frame of mind, they write), green stem notes (uncorruptible), sweet blue freesia (having it's 15 mins of fame); white birchwood (our very own Nature Girl); Amber (decadently mellow); Silver-Cloud Musk Accord (that's sultry on the outside, cool and collected on the inside).

Lily of the valley and greens give it the sharp coolness. The fragrance has movement, but still the notes are distinct, yet blending. My kids like it on me. That is always a good sign.

The bottle is fuchsia, red and yellow, popping from a two-dimensional plane. I quite like it.

For those wishing to recycle their bottles, Bond No 9 or anyone else's, they can be recycled at either SAKs or the NY Bond Boutiques. (As a way of thanking you, they will give you a refillable pocket spray with any purchase.)

There is, however, a niche for those who are bottle collectors. If bottles are kept long enough, are interesting enough, or are rare enough, empty (or not) bottles can fetch a pretty resale price.

I think Bond No 9's concept of the same bottle, but different designs is clever packaging. I only wish they were refillable, that would be really going green. I could see a shelf full of these empty lovelies as a design theme -- or still filled with fragrance if kept from light or heat.

Karin

Originally posted 2008-03-27 13:21:27.

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I must have been sleeping whenever this fragrance was discussed, because I only happened upon mention of it the other day when I was surfing for decants and samples. It seems to be one that is either liked or not -- there's no happy medium.

And it's important to know that there is nothing remotely like Vol de Nuit in this fragrance except for borrowing the name.

What I've noticed over time is that if you can wear Mitsouko or Vol de Nuit -- and like them -- then you might not like L'Heure Bleu or vice versa. That might be a way you could determine if you would like this or not, short of ordering a small sample.

I like Vol De Nuit a lot, and often layer it up as the notes soften during the day, starting with Chant d'Aromes, passing through Chamade or Mitsouko or both, and ending with Vol de Nuit at night, so I thought I'd like to give this a shot.

LHB is definitely not one of my faves, but I wear it occasionally.

I received my sample in today's mail and immediately sniffed and put some on my wrist.

The notes are peach, rose, jasmine, amber, iris, woods, vanilla.

And while these notes are common to a lot of Guerlain fragrances, they are put together in a different way in this one. I don't get any peach at all -- it isn't a bit like Femme by Rochas, for example. And it isn't a chypre at all.

On me, it starts out aldehydic with lots of powdery overtures. As that softens, it moves into a more animalic phase which has been described as smelling of sweat (which I do not get) or marine (salty, I'm guessing -- I do get a bit of salt in it). Underneath it all is iris, almost as sweet as in Iris Ganache, without the chocolate that puts it into the too sweet category for me. It reminds me of the iris in Prada Infusion d'Iris. In the drydown I get amber and woods, but no vanilla. It's there, but so minute as not to be particularly discernible.

So, there you have it. I will try it in a heavier dose a bit later today to see how that develops and compare it to Guet-Apens/Attrape-Coeur, which I have a bit of. It has also been compared to 31 Rue Cambon by Chanel, which I have never smelled. If you have that one, you might try comparing and let me know.

Vol de Nuit Evasion has been available in airport stores. You can also find it at ThePerfumedCourt.

Karin
www.savvythinker.com

Originally posted 2008-06-20 13:30:42.

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Have you ever tried a Honeycrisp apple? I had never heard of them until visiting a friend in Michigan. I don't think I've ever had a better apple.

They can be ordered online during their season, but I haven't done it yet. And once I knew to look for them, I found them for short periods of time locally.

I used to eat Delicious apples, but they are a little soft to me now. I switched to Gala apples, when I tried them, which I now love. I had a hard time not buying a Gala in Michigan, but since the orchards are close to my friend's house, I knew whatever I tried would be good.

Around here, good apples are scarce. By the time they get to us, they are bruised under the skin. It is citrus that is unbelievably good here because we are close to the groves. You have never had really good orange or grapefruit until you get them from the grove.

It's no surprise that I enjoy notes of both citrus -- especially sweet orange -- and applies in perfumes, though I don't consider myself one who likes artificial fruity perfumes. I don't wear orange blossom well, though I like to smell it in the air around the groves.

Light Blue by Dolce and Gabbana, introduced in 2001, is a lovely, long lasting fragrance, and one I was complimented on recently. It is considered to be floral-fruity. It has the crisp sweetness of a real apple, coupled with woods and amber. I think it is calling to me today, though I'm not sure I will wear it.

top notes: Sicilian citron, bluebell, and granny smith
heart notes: jasmine sambac, bamboo, white rose
bottom: cedar wood, musk, amber

Others that have apple notes include: Pure White Linen (by Estee Lauder); Nirmala by Molinard (one version of this smells similar to Angel); Roberto Cavalli and Oro by Roberto Cavalli. Donna Karan has several apple fragrances, none of which I wear well. Burberry, Burberrys, and Old Burberry London have green apple in them -- and vanilla.

Do you wear any of these?
Are you a fan of apples in your fragrances?

Karin

Originally posted 2009-06-17 07:49:17.

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