Looking for the best fragrance houses

[vertigo12314]

Which are your favorite houses that make consistently great fragrances? Please post any favorite fragrances from each house.

I know about Creed already.

Thanks!

[john parker]

For men? For women? I would start with Guerlain and Caron for both. And I would tend to look to the internet discounters, Beauty Encounter being a good one. And there are many other fine houses.

[vertigo12314]

For men, of course some that devote themselves to women probably have some good ones for men as well.

[The Knize]

Penhaligon's for men, for me virtually everything but LP No. 9, Endymion, Quercas, and Rcquets. Not bad just not may favs.

Czech & Speake for mens and unisex--favs O&C, Neroli, Citrus Paradisi, 88.

MPG for men and probably for women--I have not tried that many, but love the ones I have, Santal Noble, Baime, Parfum d' Habit, or whatever it is.

I agree re Caron.

Montale and Amouage are probably right up there, but I have tired only tiny bits of a few.

SL is not a consistent favorite, but they do interestinng work and when they hit they hit big. There are a number of houses like that.

[StylinLA]

YSL- Kouros, Rive Gauche Pour Homme

Guerlain- Habit Rouge Beau Cavalier, L'Instant de Guerlain Pour Homme, Vetiver

Odori- Tabacco, Cuoio

Le Labo- Rose 31, Vetyver 46

Penhaligons- Racquets, Hammam Bouquet, Enydmion

[BRuhling]

YSL- Kouros, Rive Gauche Pour Homme

Guerlain- Habit Rouge Beau Cavalier, L'Instant de Guerlain Pour Homme, Vetiver

Odori- Tabacco, Cuoio

Le Labo- Rose 31, Vetyver 46

Penhaligons- Racquets, Hammam Bouquet, Enydmion

How is the Le Labo Rose? I've been tempted after seeing it in some SOTD postings here and on another site, but it seems to get really mixed reviews on basenotes...

[tsmba]

The "best" fragrance house is the one that produces scents that please you the most. On here, you'll hear many of us who like Penhaligon's, AdP, C&S, or even Creed. But knowing that only suggests a few guidelines. The only way to discover your own favorite(s) are to start trying things!

[Sparafucile]

Start reading about fine fragrance - it's the best way.

First, anything authored by Luca Turin; second, some fragrance websites:

http://boisdejasmin.typepad.com/

http://legerdenez.blogspot.com/

[Will P.C.]

I am going through and picking 1 house and buying all the decants that house makes. Like what you are doing with Creed.

Brief research will show you what houses get the most praise, but I would encourage you to try houses that fly under the radar as well.

[tsmba]

Good points! I would concentrate on selecting fragrances that sound pleasing top you, rather than focusing on any one house. Chances are, buying everything from one house will lead to disappointment. Check out The Perfumed Court and BaseNotes, order samples from companies that offer them, and do a lot of reading. Depending on where you live, you may have good places to pursue samples. Once you pinpoint notes or styles that please you, you have good sources for leads. Check into source for decants....blind buys are the most expensive way to accumulate unused scents.

[StylinLA]

How is the Le Labo Rose? I've been tempted after seeing it in some SOTD postings here and on another site, but it seems to get really mixed reviews on basenotes...

The reviews per se are a bit mixed, but it's pretty well thought of on the boards.

I find it fantastic. It's a modern scent with a nice rose note, a little bit of "dirty" in the form of cumin, but not at a gross out level.

Pretty good longevity. Turns into a woodsy spicey sort of scent. The consensus I see is that it is one of the better rose notes in male scents.
Not as screechy synthetic as some rose frags. The floral fades after a time and it is more cedary.

I find it versatile. Can be worn to work. Good for dating. Women tend to like it. Sample for yourself if it sounds interesting. Pretty much the best Le Labo has to offer as far as I can tell. I'd bet it's their best seller by far.

[vertigo12314]

Check into source for decants....blind buys are the most expensive way to accumulate unused scents.

Yeah I'm using the Perfumed Court for the Creeds. Much more convenient. I can definitely see myself continuing to sample before I buy anymore bottles.

[StylinLA]

Yeah I'm using the Perfumed Court for the Creeds. Much more convenient. I can definitely see myself continuing to sample before I buy anymore bottles.

Yours is a very impressive undertaking indeed. Quite wise to get and wear samples. We've all purchased too many based on quickie in-store sniff.

[The Knize]

Interesting the use of cumin and the characterizing of it as a "dirty" note.
Serge Lutens Santal de Mysore also has cumin, and while I have never been able to get mh head completely around the cumin part, it seems like a very "advanced" sandalwood scent. I somehow like thinking about the cumin as a "dirty" or earthy note, more than I like thinking about it as a spice note. As a spice note it seems like I am in some lush Indian setting perfumed with Sandalwood, and someone just happens to be cooking. As a dirty note it seems more a part of an overall composition.

The reviews per se are a bit mixed, but it's pretty well thought of on the boards.

I find it fantastic. It's a modern scent with a nice rose note, a little bit of "dirty" in the form of cumin, but not at a gross out level.

Pretty good longevity. Turns into a woodsy spicey sort of scent. The consensus I see is that it is one of the better rose notes in male scents.
Not as screechy synthetic as some rose frags. The floral fades after a time and it is more cedary.

I find it versatile. Can be worn to work. Good for dating. Women tend to like it. Sample for yourself if it sounds interesting. Pretty much the best Le Labo has to offer as far as I can tell. I'd bet it's their best seller by far.

[vertigo12314]

Yours is a very impressive undertaking indeed. Quite wise to get and wear samples. We've all purchased too many based on quickie in-store sniff.

Yeah I've been there.

[StylinLA]

Interesting the use of cumin and the characterizing of it as a "dirty" note.
Serge Lutens Santal de Mysore also has cumin, and while I have never been able to get mh head completely around the cumin part, it seems like a very "advanced" sandalwood scent. I somehow like thinking about the cumin as a "dirty" or earthy note, more than I like thinking about it as a spice note. As a spice note it seems like I am in some lush Indian setting perfumed with Sandalwood, and someone just happens to be cooking. As a dirty note it seems more a part of an overall composition.

Cumin is the "go to" note to simulate human sweat. When used discreetly, it isn't rank.

If it's dialed way up, things can get funky. There is a female perfume from recently deceased designer Alexander McQueen called "Kingdom" that is loaded with cumin, and is thought by many to be a pretty gross scent.

L'Artisans Al Oud has enough cumin in it that some wags think it should have been called Al Cumin. I've tried it and I can see the link to human sweat smell. But it's right at the edge in Al Oud. Lots of other stuff balances it out.

[The Knize]

Interesting. I have no problem with funky notes in scents. The cumin note in SL Santal de Mysore seems more cluninary than human. It is rather distinct, but I would not say amped up.

Cumin is the "go to" note to simulate human sweat. When used discreetly, it isn't rank.

If it's dialed way up, things can get funky. There is a female perfume from recently deceased designer Alexander McQueen called "Kingdom" that is loaded with cumin, and is thought by many to be a pretty gross scent.

L'Artisans Al Oud has enough cumin in it that some wags think it should have been called Al Cumin. I've tried it and I can see the link to human sweat smell. But it's right at the edge in Al Oud. Lots of other stuff balances it out.

[BladeRunner001]

I have recently become a BIG fan of Panhaligon.

I have 5 scents in my arsenal:

Endymion
Racquets
Blenheim Bouquet
Opus 1870
Quercus

I have requested samples of LP#9, Elixir and English Fern

I am particularly fond of Endymion & Opus 1870, with a close second being Racquets & third Quercus/Blenheim Bouquet.

Cheers,
Robert

[Desdinova]

I'm going to have to vote for P&G Prestige.

Pretty much every Hugo Boss scent for men and women I like.

Their Lacoste stuff is pretty nice too IMO

[Obsessed]

Well, I don't think I have the breadth of knowledge to say what the best houses are, but I'll share my limited experience for whatever it's worth. Before I started really participating in this forum I didn't always use cologne, and to extent I did it would generally be one of the mainstream products I'd pick up at Bloomingdales or some place like that. So naturally, once I got into this forum I gravitated towards the "new" (to me, that is) houses that get a lot of attention here: Penhaligon's, Creed, Floris, Czech & Speake. For better or worse, that's what I've primarily sampled over the last year.

Of those four, I prefer Penhaligon's and Creed. Both of them have an interesting and wide range of scents and I have found a number from both houses that I like. Obviously, Penhaligon's, while still expensive, is a much better value. (Given the prices and the hype, I expected to be underwhelmed by Creed scents when I first tried them, and was surprised by how much I liked a number of them.)

Floris and C&S each have some scents that I like, but I'm just not as impressed by them across the board as much as I am with Pens and Creed. (I haven't really delved into Trumpers and T&H.)

I also have a feeling Acqua di Parma belongs on this list, but I haven't tried enough of their scents to really say for sure.