It's a Sniffathon!

Today is Mr. Colombina’s birthday and to celebrate it I decided to have a Sniffathon of masculine scents. This is not so much a present for him, because let’s face it, the man couldn’t care less about perfume, as an excuse to inject some more testosterone in the blog’s bloodstream and to finally review the scents, which have been sitting on the To Write About list for ages. There is no rhyme or reason to this list, these are the samples I randomly accumulated in my perfume drawers; neither should you expect any serious note-by-note analysis. The “reviews” are basically brief impressions, knee-jerk reactions, “I like” or “I don’t like”.

I will start with a “true American classic for the man who is ‘Always in Style’”, Gray Flannel be Geoffrey Beene.
Impression: Unexpected! Violets, leaves, twigs. A subtler version of Violette Precieuse or Iris Bleu Gris. Elegantly understated, always appropriate.
Would I like Mr. Colombina To Wear It: Yes
Would I wear it: Yes
Score: 4 hearts

Eau Sauvage by Christian Dior
Impression: Another classic. Fresh and bracing without being in the least sharp, it has that trademark Dior animalic note in the drydown that I adore.
Would I like Mr. Colombina To Wear It: Yes
Would I wear it: Yes
Score: 4 hearts

Red Delicious For Men by DKNY
Impression: Not as bad as the women’s version. In fact, not too shabby at all. Candied, boozy, evocative of a very sweet wine, this is Le Dandy’s much less striking great-grandson.
Would I like Mr. Colombina To Wear It: Yes
Would I wear it: Maybe
Score: 3 hearts

Imperial Jade - Emperor Men's by Agatha
Impression: More candies. Too sweet, too much anise. I am very surprised that this is marketed as a men’s scent. It won’t be out of place on the shelf next to all the sugared and uninteresting girly concoctions out there.
Would I like Mr. Colombina To Wear It: Not really
Would I wear it: No
Score: 2 hearts

Rocabar by Hermes
Impression: Sweet, spicy, earthy, woody, you’d think, what more could she want? And yet, something is strangely lacking. It is an Almost But Not Quite scent. Not enough character for me.
Would I like Mr. Colombina To Wear It: Yes
Would I wear it: Yes
Score: 3 hearts

Quimbaya Homme by Jean Pascal
Impression: Fresh in a savory kind of way, slightly salty and peppery. Pleasant but not interesting.
Would I like Mr. Colombina To Wear It: Yes
Would I wear it: Not really
Score: 2,5 hearts

Jean Pascal by Jean Pascal
Impression: Very smoky, unnervingly so. It makes me uneasy, I am scared of fires.
Would I like Mr. Colombina To Wear It: No, I’d constantly worry that something is burning
Would I wear it: Ditto
Score: 2,5 hearts

Kenzo Air by Kenzo
Impression: Very nice! Subtle, fresh but not sharp, totally unisex. A lovely vetiver scent.
Would I like Mr. Colombina To Wear It: Yes
Would I wear it: Yes
Score: 4 hearts

M7 by Yves Saint Laurent
Impression: Earthy patchouli and vetiver, some smoke, some spice…Sexy and cuddly. Not quite as striking as the lad in the ad, but still I wouldn’t kick it out of my perfume cabinet.
Would I like Mr. Colombina To Wear It: Yes
Would I wear it: Yes
Score: 4 hearts

Bursch by Acqua di Biella
Impression: The name makes me think of borscht and such is the power of suggestion that I can't help but find this scent to be gourmand in a savory way. It is very spicy, the pimento note is wonderful as is the vetiver.
Would I like Mr. Colombina To Wear It: Yes, he’d smell good enough to eat
Would I wear it: Yes, although it makes me very hungry
Score: 4 hearts

Pour Homme by Azzaro
Impression: This is what I rather primitively call That Typical Men’s Perfume. It is strong, almost too strong to be pleasant to be close to. Too Wall Street Macho for me.
Would I like Mr. Colombina To Wear It: No
Would I wear it: No
Score: 2 hearts

Declaration by Cartier
Impression: Now we’re talkin’! Soft wood, piquancy of cardamom, freshness and warmness all in one…aaahh, bliss!
Would I like Mr. Colombina To Wear It: Yes, I might even be persuaded to share it with him
Would I wear it: Yes
Score: 5 hearts

Centaure by Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier
Impression: The name, the spiciness, the most delicious smokiness, the woody-honeyed note! This is what Miel de Bois should have been like. Incredible.
Would I like Mr. Colombina To Wear It: Yes!
Would I wear it: Yes!
Score: 5 hearts

Le Nomade by Parfums d’Orsay
Impression: Whereas Le Dandy was the most expensive cognac, warm, rich and sweet, Le Nomade is “cold” and dry. This is James Bond’s vodka martini, spritzed, not dabbed. He would like it with Russian or Polish vodka.
Would I like Mr. Colombina To Wear It: Pum puh rum rum puh pum puh rum rum pah … I mean, yes!
Would I wear it: Not sure, it's too much of a Bond, James Bond, not enough of a sassy Bond Girl
Score: 4 hearts

Hanae Mori for Men by Hanae Mori
Impression: Dry version of Thierry Mugler Angel. Much more appealing and wearable then the toothachingly sweet women’s version.
Would I like Mr. Colombina To Wear It: Yes
Would I wear it: I might!
Score: 3 hearts

Magnetism for Men by Escada
Impression: Another case where the men’s version of a scent is much superior to its female counterpart. It is rather on the sweet side, tame, very politically correct, but overall quite cute.
Would I like Mr. Colombina To Wear It: Yes
Would I wear it: I might!
Score: 2,5 hearts

Siberian Barber No. 1 by Novaya Zarya
Impression: This is a Russian scent, inspired by the movie The Siberian Barber. “Our Answer to Angel For Men”, it is a bizarre little gourmand scent with strawberries, chocolate, cider and god knows what else. To quote the movie tagline, "He is Russian. That explains a lot". I find it strangely appealing.
Would I like Mr. Colombina To Wear It: Yes
Would I wear it: Yes
Score: 4 hearts

Boise by Patyka
Impression: As woody as it gets and more so then even I would like. (The sniggering ones, please, get your minds out of a gutter!) Very sharp, very forceful. The smell of a newly built wooden house.
Would I like Mr. Colombina To Wear It: No
Would I wear it: No
Score: 2 hearts

Oud Cuir d’Arabie by Montale
Impression: Regal. Dark. Full of oomph and smoldering va va voom. Leather and oud, a union made in a 1001 Nights kind of heaven, unabridged version.
Would I like Mr. Colombina To Wear It: Yes, please!
Would I wear it: Yes!
Score: 5 hearts

Embruns d'Essaouira by Montale
Impression: When Montales are good, they are great (see above), when they are bad…they are like Embruns d'Essaouira. A jumble of unattractive, piercing notes, bland and too sharp at the same time.
Would I like Mr. Colombina To Wear It: No
Would I wear it: No
Score: 2 hearts

No 6 by Art of Perfumery
Impression: I expected much more from this line and that includes No 6, but the latter is certainly the best of the bunch. Dark-ish, piney, balsamic, smoky-salty-leathery. Something is missing, but the scent is still quite nice.
Would I like Mr. Colombina To Wear It: Yes
Would I wear it: Yes
Score: 3 hearts

Basala by Shiseido
Impression: Mmm hmmm. Basala gets my firm stamp of approval. Rich, dark, spicy as all get out, it is a stunner!
Would I like Mr. Colombina To Wear It: Yes!
Would I wear it: Yes!
Score: 5 hearts

The Dreamer by Versace
Impression: I know that this scent has lots of fans, and certainly it is the most interesting of all Versace perfumes. But…I just don’t quite get it. It is a little too much of too many good things for me. If I could just have its dirty-sweet musk note and not much else, I’d be very happy.
Would I like Mr. Colombina To Wear It: Yes-ish
Would I wear it: Not sure
Score: 3 hearts

Antaeus by Chanel
Impression: Husky, dry, gorgeous! Antaeus is not hot, it’s HAWT!
Would I like Mr. Colombina To Wear It: He should if he knows what’s good for him.
Would I wear it: Yes, although I find it so sexy, it’s actually distracting
Score: 5 hearts

Pour Monsieur by Chanel
Impression: Chanel seems to be able to do no wrong with their men’s scents, as far as I am concerned. I love this balsamic, sweetly-spicy scent, it is a beauty.
Would I like Mr. Colombina To Wear It: Yes
Would I wear it: Yes
Score: 5 hearts

Spanish Leather by Geo F. Trumper
Impression: Huh? Inexcusably boring for a leather scent.
Would I like Mr. Colombina To Wear It: No
Would I wear it: No
Score: 2 hearts

Riverside Drive by Bond No. 9
Impression: Green, fresh, breezy, evocative of water without being in the least aquatic. Created by Maurice Roucel, which is always a plus.
Would I like Mr. Colombina To Wear It: Yes
Would I wear it: Yes
Score: 3,5 hearts

Or Black by Pascal Morabito
Impression: Yes, yes, yes, yes! (Excuse me, while I’m having a Sally moment here.) I’d never let Mr. Colombina wear this outside in the fear that he’d be hit on by every female out there. In fact, I might not find it in my greedy heart to share with him this wonderful scent at all. The earthiness of patchouli, the pitch-black leather note, the breathtakingly chic overall chypre vibe…Superb!
Would I like Mr. Colombina To Wear It: No, for various selfish reasons
Would I wear it: Yes, yes, yes, yes!
Score: 5 hearts