Another trip to ScentBar

Review by Tom

...This time at the behest of Lee, as part of a trade. Not that I need an excuse to go there, since they are of course very nice and very free with letting me spritz. Which I did with Il Profumo Chocolat Amere, but on the blotter, not on me. Chocolate is an iffy note for me, it can be gorgeous (Borneo 1834) or it can be less successful. Chocolat Amere started off as less so, galbanum heavy sharp dark chocolate. After a few minutes on the blotter it became a lot better, but not perhaps me. I can appreciate it, but I don't see myself wearing it. ($90 for 100ml)

From its opening Acqua Viva by Profumum seems like one I would wear in a heartbeat; if you've been, like me, hoping for a lemon scent that had a bit more lasting power and Ooomph that the ever-delightful Eau d'Hadrien, then this is right up your citrus grove. Opens with the most perfect simulacrum of freshly grated lemon zest I've ever smelled: it's giggle-inducing. As it develops, it becomes ever so slightly sweeter, and the drydown features a hint of cedar and cypress. Downside? I hate to write this, but the ending is just not that different than AG Eau du Sud, which I love and adore and own and is about $120 less. ($210 for 100ml)

Olibanum by Profumum At first sniff, this may be the first Profumum that I may actually be seduced into buying: Luckyscent refers to it as "Stone walls, gothic archways, flickering candles and chanting voices" what don't they mention is that they are up to no good. They are chanting for something very bad indeed and may be sacrificing a virgin or at least virginity to get it. Fades a bit as it developes into something less dark (and I wish it didn't) but little hints of that naughty slightly rubbery incense keeps peeping out. ($210 for 100ml is starting to make sense)

Montale Boise Vanille is interesting: the vanilla is very true to the bean with that curious glottal woodiness that anybody who has worked with vanilla pods will recognise instantly. It's almost an old-school vanilla, something you would imagine would preceed Veronica Lake's entrance to the room. It becomes woodier and slightly more lemony (and more unisex) as it gets on, finally adding a hint of peppery patchouli. Yum. ($95 for 50ml)

Montale Musk to Musk I can't tell about. Either my deskankotron skin totally ate it or it's the first aquatic white musk in history. Pleasant, light, slightly woody with the barest touch of aoud. The musk for people that think they hate musk. Perfectly nice, but way down on the list of things I'd reach for at that store. ($95 for 50ML)

Lee, these are coming your way, we expect a report...