I am looking at high end colognes. I am stuck. I want C&S Cuba or say Floris Vetiver. To be honest....I want my moneys worth as this is my first true high end cologne. Maybe Aqua di Parma?
High End Cologne.
- Thread starter JonnyAngel
- Start date
Cuba is an extremely brash and "pointy" tobacco fragrance, and not very suitable for frequent use, if you ask me. It kind of smells like a barfight in progress! That being said, it is one of the better fragrances I've tried in the last few months. I'd pick No.88 over Cuba (and did).
I haven't tried Floris Vetiver, but if it is as nice as the JF, No.89, and even Santal that I've tried, then I'm sure it's a winner.
I too, am toying with the idea of Acqua di Parma. However, the original "Colonia", however nice it may be, just doesn't seem to last very long at all on me. So I'm interested in the Intensa. It is only slightly different, and I think I like it more anyway. It is very, very beautiful, and probably pretty versatile as well. I think I'm going to order the gift set, as it is the same price as just the bottle alone.
If you're looking to get into the more expensive perfumes, check out the houses of Creed, Penhaligons, L'Artisan, Serge Lutens, and Montale. Even if you don't find your "everyday" scent from these houses, the olfactory journey will be worth your while.
Some top recommendations:
Creed Selection Verte, Green Irish Tweed, Millesime Imperial, Penhaligons Blenheim Bouquet, Castile, Douro, Montale Aoud Lime, Fougeres Marine, Roses Musk
I haven't tried Floris Vetiver, but if it is as nice as the JF, No.89, and even Santal that I've tried, then I'm sure it's a winner.
I too, am toying with the idea of Acqua di Parma. However, the original "Colonia", however nice it may be, just doesn't seem to last very long at all on me. So I'm interested in the Intensa. It is only slightly different, and I think I like it more anyway. It is very, very beautiful, and probably pretty versatile as well. I think I'm going to order the gift set, as it is the same price as just the bottle alone.
If you're looking to get into the more expensive perfumes, check out the houses of Creed, Penhaligons, L'Artisan, Serge Lutens, and Montale. Even if you don't find your "everyday" scent from these houses, the olfactory journey will be worth your while.
Some top recommendations:
Creed Selection Verte, Green Irish Tweed, Millesime Imperial, Penhaligons Blenheim Bouquet, Castile, Douro, Montale Aoud Lime, Fougeres Marine, Roses Musk
After sampling a few high end colognes, only a few have screamed at me "must buy". Floris no. 89 and Tam Dao are two of the best I've tried in the over $80 range. I also liked Aqua di Parma quite a bit in the store, but have to try it again.
One very classy, subtle cologne that stands up against many much more expensive scents, IMHO, is Monsieur de Givenchy. If you look around online, you can get a bottle for $40-45.
One very classy, subtle cologne that stands up against many much more expensive scents, IMHO, is Monsieur de Givenchy. If you look around online, you can get a bottle for $40-45.
If you ask me, smelling a few and then picking one is a huge mistake. With the kind of cash outlay you're potentially looking at, I think you should really take your time and sample as many fragrances as possible. You'll start to recognize various fragrance "families": woody, fresh, oriental, chypre, oceanic, etc. You'll no doubt find a few families that you particularly like, and others you particularly dislike.
I'd suggest you start sampling any way you can. If you have higher-end department stores/boutiques in your area, they may provde some free samples, depending on who you get and your demeanor. You may simply walk away with some pieces of paper or some on your arm, which is unfortunate. Most quality fragrances change over the course of time, and should be worn several times so that you can really gete a feel for how it develops.
I suspect you'll eventually end up laying out some cash for samples, and it's worth the money, though you may balk at first. You might have to spend a hundred or more dollars to find that one fragrance that really speaks to you, but by doing so you'll have something you really, really like and that perfectly matches who you are. If you just try a few and pick one, you may grow tired of it or start to long for something else, and then you'll just end up spending more cash anyway.
The Perfumed Court is an excellent source for samples. Nearly everything is 3 bucks or more, but they have, well, nearly everything!
LuckyScent is another greaat source for samples.
There are also plenty of companies that will provide free samples for the asking, via email or sometimes via the web. You may have to purchase a "Sample library", but they are usually worth it.
Lots of other places on the web sell samples as well if you just spend a bit of time looking.
Scentronic has mentioned some excellent houses, and many offer samples for the asking, or for nominal fees. Some other great houses to look into are MPG, Czech & Speake, L'Artisan, Sonoma Scent Studio, Parfums di Nicolai, Guerlain, and there are many many more (and most are a far cry from the dept. store dreck that's no prevalent and cloned these days).
Good luck with the hunt: it can be expensive and time-consuming, but also very rewarding and, quite frankly, eye-opening.
I find keeping notes of my impressions of scents as I try them is very helpful.
I'd suggest you start sampling any way you can. If you have higher-end department stores/boutiques in your area, they may provde some free samples, depending on who you get and your demeanor. You may simply walk away with some pieces of paper or some on your arm, which is unfortunate. Most quality fragrances change over the course of time, and should be worn several times so that you can really gete a feel for how it develops.
I suspect you'll eventually end up laying out some cash for samples, and it's worth the money, though you may balk at first. You might have to spend a hundred or more dollars to find that one fragrance that really speaks to you, but by doing so you'll have something you really, really like and that perfectly matches who you are. If you just try a few and pick one, you may grow tired of it or start to long for something else, and then you'll just end up spending more cash anyway.
The Perfumed Court is an excellent source for samples. Nearly everything is 3 bucks or more, but they have, well, nearly everything!
LuckyScent is another greaat source for samples.
There are also plenty of companies that will provide free samples for the asking, via email or sometimes via the web. You may have to purchase a "Sample library", but they are usually worth it.
Lots of other places on the web sell samples as well if you just spend a bit of time looking.
Scentronic has mentioned some excellent houses, and many offer samples for the asking, or for nominal fees. Some other great houses to look into are MPG, Czech & Speake, L'Artisan, Sonoma Scent Studio, Parfums di Nicolai, Guerlain, and there are many many more (and most are a far cry from the dept. store dreck that's no prevalent and cloned these days).
Good luck with the hunt: it can be expensive and time-consuming, but also very rewarding and, quite frankly, eye-opening.
I find keeping notes of my impressions of scents as I try them is very helpful.
Just a piece of advice: sample, sample, sample - then go with what you like.
There are few high-end frags. that I've found more appealing than the department store, or even drugstore, variety.
Case in Point: Aramis Original & Pierre Cardin's PM, the latter one of which costs 15 USD for 8 oz., and is gorgeously sophisticated.
People praise the likes of Serg Lutens to no end, and, quite frankly, I've only found a few fragrances from his house that I've liked, but not enough so to buy.
C&S No. 88 was so incredibly hyped up by people I impulsively put out an order for it: it's absolutely horrendous, and I have yet to come across a person in person who's said he or she likes it (I carry a decant of it around with me time to time to get people's reactions, invariably bad).
II.
If you haven't tried Pierre Cardin's Pour Monsieur, EDC, try it.
There are few high-end frags. that I've found more appealing than the department store, or even drugstore, variety.
Case in Point: Aramis Original & Pierre Cardin's PM, the latter one of which costs 15 USD for 8 oz., and is gorgeously sophisticated.
People praise the likes of Serg Lutens to no end, and, quite frankly, I've only found a few fragrances from his house that I've liked, but not enough so to buy.
C&S No. 88 was so incredibly hyped up by people I impulsively put out an order for it: it's absolutely horrendous, and I have yet to come across a person in person who's said he or she likes it (I carry a decant of it around with me time to time to get people's reactions, invariably bad).
II.
If you haven't tried Pierre Cardin's Pour Monsieur, EDC, try it.
Really?! Wow. You're the only person I've ever heard say they didn't like No.88! Maybe back up from the atomizer a bit (don't directly "nose-hit" the nozzle when you smell it) or try wearing less. I've found that it can be a bit sour and nauseating if you use too much and you haven't eaten. But still among my faves!
Well, you broke your own rule! I never make blind buys.
- Thread starter
- #7
First, great post!
I have sampled Penhaligons and Czech & Speake. Also, after trying B Man I found that I am a fan of a strong Vetiver note. So I can say that I am looking for something dry, earthy. I feel that it would suit me as a man best.
This is why I enjoyed Cuba so much. I want something brash. I dont really consider myself a "gentleman" in the normal sense, so I dont want to spend over 100 dollars to smell like one. It just isnt fitting to myself.
Next question, Best Vetiver?
I hate it, too. Too much indole, it's almost as bad as Mouchoir de Monsieur for me. Smells like feces and roses. Sorry, that's the risk you run when wearing something like that!
EDIT: I should add I've tried this applied only lightly, from a sample vial.
Last edited:
I really like Floris; straight-up vetiver, but not offputting at all, as it can be at times; very approachable (but that may not be what you want).
Guerlain's is okay. MPG's Racine is not a pure vet, rather vetiver and citrus of some sort, and it's really neat. Light, bright, great summer wear: not an earthy vetiver, IMO. MPG's Route de Vetiver may be right up your alley: dark, earthy, a bit damp perhaps, musky. Very complex and lovely, but I don't know if it's right for me. Guerlain's vintage Vetiver is very musky, damp and earthy as well, but hard to find. Creed's struck me as unremarkable, but I need to revisit it.
I get a fair amount of vetiver from Nicolai pour Homme (Parfums di Nicolai), but I could be mistaken.
Unfortunately, I've only recently really come to embrace vetiver, so my experience is rather shallow. Take this advice with a grain of salt.
What he is too modest to mention is that he himself has an excellent decant service available, with many high-end and unique fragrances. He also has a lot of experience with many scents...plus he does that whole anal note-keeping thing.
Now that's its out there give the boy your address Chuck.
What he is too modest to mention is that he himself has an excellent decant service available, with many high-end and unique fragrances. He also has a lot of experience with many scents...plus he does that whole anal note-keeping thing.
Now that's its out there give the boy your address Chuck.
Chris, you are too kind; you make me blush
. Yes, I do offer a large number of samples/decants myself, from 60 cents for a sample of Tabac on up, in whatever size you need. I'm just not a huge fan of self-promotion, so (aside from the link in my sig), I didn't feel right mentioning my own service, especially when TPC and LS really are wonderful places to do business with. But since, as you say, the cat's out of the bag:
http://badgerdecants.com for the goods.
You'll find just a few big links there, to:
Available Fragrances (and creams, aftershaves, etc)
Sample Sets
Containers (photos and descritions of your options)
and other stuff.
It's a very plain, just-the-facts-m'amm page for now, but it should be navigable enough.
Thank, again Chris.
What Chuck said -- sample sample sample! And also don't forget to check out Chuck/Rorchuck's sample decants (the badgerdecants link in his signature)! A great selection to pick from without spending a fortune.
I've received samples from Chuck, the Perfumed Court and directly from some of the houses already mentioned (Pen, LAP, SSS...), as well as from Hermes, The Different Company, Divine, Ormonde Jayne, SCS, GFT... [sidebar: although most of the Divine library consists of "feminines", two of their "masculines" have blown me away and are on my short list of 'must buys': L'homme de coeur & L'homme sage.] It's fun to work through the samples and is a relatively inexpensive way to explore!
Dude - Terre d'Hermes!
+1: I wear it at least 2 or 3 times a week, plus it's my wife's favorite so far! (Endymion gets another couple of days each week; the rest of the week gets mixed with a whole list of others...)
Chris, you are too kind; you make me blush
But since, as you say, the cat's out of the bag:
http://badgerdecants.com for the goods.
You'll find just a few big links there, to:
Available Fragrances (and creams, aftershaves, etc)
Sample Sets
Containers (photos and descritions of your options)
and other stuff.
It's a very plain, just-the-facts-m'amm page for now, but it should be navigable enough.
Thank, again Chris.
No problem Dude. Just trying to earn my "ever-growing pile of crap."
Seriously though folks, we're lucky to have this as a resource. Get on there and expand your minds.
oh, I'm glad somebody pointed you to Chuck, I was about to do it - do talk to him and try few samples from his decanting service.
I personally prefer the Floris Vetiver to Terre d'Hermes, but you may like more the later.
I'm in the C&S 88 camp I picked the AS but it's very strong, so I'm currently contemplating some way to fix that.
I personally prefer the Floris Vetiver to Terre d'Hermes, but you may like more the later.
I'm in the C&S 88 camp I picked the AS but it's very strong, so I'm currently contemplating some way to fix that.
Last edited:
I have not tried either of these so cannot advise you on them. Both houses are know for high quality and use mostly real EO, so if you like them buy them. I think A de P is over priced since it is quite fleeting on my skin.
Penhaligons make some excellent high end colognes: Blenheim Bouquet, English Fern and Castile to name a few. Creed Bois du Portugal, Vintage Tabarome and Bois de Cedrat are excellent. I also like C&S #88 and several Trumpers colognes.
The bottom line, especially when you are talking upwards of $40/oz, is to read a few reviews then try some samples unless you want to end up with $5-600 tied up in colognes you rarely use.
What he is too modest to mention is that he himself has an excellent decant service available, with many high-end and unique fragrances. He also has a lot of experience with many scents...plus he does that whole anal note-keeping thing.
Now that's its out there give the boy your address Chuck.
Just came across this and like Texas said, look up Rorschucks decant store. It's freakin great! You can order a very small amount and see if you like it w/out breaking your wallet. Now if you continue to visit him you will be poor, due to the vast selection he has. Like Chris said, he is very helpful and shares his experience freely. His selection of colognes range from the super cheap to
, but the great thing is you can just get a tiny amount of the fragrance and still eat for the rest of the week. 
I find the C&S line overrated. Count me in as another who doesn't like C&S No.88. I smell a foul note when it is applied.
When I applied C&S' Cuba, I immediately smelled a strong manure note.
Fecal is not a favourite fragrance note of mine.
'Nuff said!
