Top 10 Memorable Masculine Fragrances

With Father's Day around the corner, I was contemplating about those formative scents that marked my budding route to the position I am now: The fragrances my parents wore were a constant olfactory homeland, shaping my tastes and creating the desire to at once emulate and differentiate myself from. So today in collaboration with my guest writer Mike Perez and on a joint project with Gaia of The Non Blonde we're listing the top 10 masculine colognes (classic, modern, niche or mainstream) that we feel can fondle the imagination and create a halo of cherished, unforgetable memories to those that come in contact with their wake. And hopefully make the person wearing them seem a little closer even in absentia...

The female perspective: Elena's top 10 list

Aramis for Men by Aramis
Suave name that belies its intentions opening on a crisp note of artemisia and bergamot with intense woodiness, thanks to sandalwood. Composed by Bernand Chant and the male version of Cabochard, Aramis made it OK to leave a bombastic luxurious sillage announcing itself in Wagnerian ouvertures that demanded their own Brunhilde following yet still smells distinguished after all the Polo and the Drakkar Noir.

Bel Ami by Hermès
The most refined and smooth leather scent imaginable, this "beautiful friend" was recently reformulated with more lemony top notes.

Déclaration By Cartier
Modernised version of both Eau d'Hermès and classic Eau Sauvage, Déclaration successfully juxtaposes fresh tonalities with more risqué animal magnetism in an idiosyncratic mix. A slightly cocky chap in pressed chinos enjoys his aromatized inky tea taken in long, sensuous sips while checking the attractive passersby’s. [review link]

Derby by Guerlain
Leather notes rest atop moss and minty herbs, with a thick, spicy clove introduction. Later a floral phase of carnation and jasmine peek through a smooth richness that goes into the forest floor of a traditional men’s fougère. The leather note of a battered jacket has withstood the elements in a battle at some far away place.

Dior Homme by Christian Dior
An iris fragrance for men sounded like an oxymoron a few years back but the grace of Dior Homme shattered preconceptions about what is feminine and what is masculine leaving the choice to us.

Habit Rouge by Guerlain
My father used to wear this one and his tender nature has stayed with me. Named after the red riding jacket of men for going hunting on horses in the english countryside this is both class and comfort in a bottle. It opens with citrus, then meanders along a slightly spicy path to some cinnamon paired with patchouli, finally leaving a subtly leathery, vanillic caress.

Muscs Kublaï Khan by Serge Lutens
Do you hide a man from the souk in your heart? All khol-ed eyes and heavy languorous lips that tell a thousand tales of musk? I'd love to smell this on a man...

Pontevecchio Colonia Maxima by Nobile 1942
A hint of frankincense lends a cool and mysterious tonality to what is essentially a neoclassical masculine composition that recalls silver-screen heroes and their infinite grace. [review link]

Sycomore by Chanel
From the delicately smoky, citrusy trail emphasizing its aristocratic dryness and the subtly cooling, clean muguet notes that complement the Haitian vetiver variety, to the earthy, almost chocolate & licorice-like lasting impression, Sycomore is an object of beauty that speaks without words. [review link]

Vie de Château by Patricia de Nicolaï
So often men searching for an Eau Fraîche fall into the trap of buying a bestseller off Sephora like Cool Water, Aqua di Gio or Kenzo Homme. Go one (OK, three) better and create memories with this unusual choice: posing as an Eau de Cologne (with its grapefruit and herbs), but it's so much more!

The male perspective: Mike Perez's List

1.British Sterling by Dana (My Dad wore this when I was a kid and somehow the scent is inextricably tied to him and the scented handkerchiefs he always kept in his pocket. I’m sure it’s been reformulated, the last time I sneaked a sniff at the pharmacy it smelled weak, pungently metallic and empty. Back then it reeked of warmth, woods and a small whiff of tobacco – the smell of my Dad)

2. Grey Flannel by Geoffrey Beene (The signature violet leaf fougere – you either love it or you don’t. Affordable classy exuberance. My late grandfather wore this and while I don’t own a bottle of this, just a whiff of GF on someone else makes me melancholic and wistful)

3. Rive Gauche Pour Homme by Yves St. Laurent (When I was growing up, my dad shaved with Barbasol brand shaving foam. RGPH incorporates that retro, barbershop component and adds an extremely compliment gathering, anise prominent, fougère glimmer. One of those scents that I can wear to the gym or the office and it always works)

4. Vetiver by Guerlain (Is any Top 10 list of masculine scents complete, without Guerlain’s Vetiver? I personally wear the harder-to-find vintage Eau de Cologne formula [rectangular non-frosted/striped smooth glass bottle, gold color juice, green label edged in gold]. The salty, crisp vetiver has a more toned down and integrated tobacco note than the ‘new’ EdT. You can splash on liberally – perfect for all climates and occasions. The only fragrance that I own two bottles of)

5. Fumidus by Profumum (Almost an exercise on vetiver: single malt scotch-like top notes, woods, extremely harsh and smoky. An over-the-top masculine that commands attention - yet it dries down to a plush soft and tender peat-wood, creosote aroma. The only drawback is the luxury pricing ($240/100ml) – making it, then, the perfect Father’s Day gift to receive!)

6. Habit Rouge by Guerlain (There are seven different versions: Eau de Cologne, Eau de Toilette, Light [Legere], Eau de Parfum, After Shave, Parfum [Extrait] and the newly released Sport. My favorite is definitely the vintage Eau de Cologne. The animalic-dusty-lemon-vanilla pastry aura is only matched by the equally brilliant feminine counterpart, Shalimar. Essential)

7. Nostalgia by Santa Maria Novella (A list of scents for fathers must include a leather scent, no? Well this one smells like the car engine [under the hood specifically], the leather interior, the leather wrapped steering wheel – winding up with a silky and elegant vanilla finish.)

8. Devin by Aramis (A dash of green galbanum atop a healthy dose of castoreum give this a virile, lived-in-favorite-pair-of-jeans feel. I prefer this masculine chypre over the more formal ones like Derby by Guerlain and Bel Ami by Hermès, and Devin is more affordable & easier to source too.

9. Yatagan by Caron (Resinous, woody, dry, strong, dirty and distinctive enough to smell like nothing you currently own. Enough said: just get a bottle. When you do try to source a vintage bottle from the 1970’s or 80’s: the black capped vintage bottles – the pungent, celery seed top notes are less strident in the vintage bottles)

10. Mouchoir de Monsieur by Guerlain (A quiet, animalic lavender scent that I have recently fallen in love with. This one just reeks of quality ingredients and masterful blending. A subtle scent that speaks in hushed tones, but with a commanding respect. I, myself, am not a father, but if I had children I would want them to remember me with a fragrance that smells like Mouchoir de Monsieur)


Please check The Non Blonde for more memorable masculines!

Related reading on PerfumeShrine: Top 25 of current fragrances we can still enjoy

Pic of Alain Delon in Rocco e i suoi Fratelli via teegardennash.com and with Claudia Cardinale in El Gatopardo via calidoscopio.net. Burt Lancaster pic via armyfamilyok.files.wordpress

The way to a slimmer you is through the nose....

"Like almost every dieter in America, Wendy Bassett has used all sorts of weight-loss products. Nothing worked, she said, until she tried Sensa: granules she scatters on almost everything she eats, and which are supposed to make dieters less hungry by enhancing the smell and taste of food" [...]"But can the manipulation of smell really lead to weight loss? A handful of niche products would have you believe just that."

A most interesting read in the New York Times today. Click here to read the rest of the article by Abby Ellin.

Brought to my attention by a reader on Perfume Posse.

Hilde Soliani Acquiilsssssima, Doolciiisssimo, Freschiiissimo, Saaaliiisssiimo: fragrance review exclusive

When we had introduced Hilde Soliani and her niche line of perfumes to the English-speaking world, little did we know she would become something of a cult figure, especially after the introduction of her second line of perfumes inspired by her theatrical performances in Parma. Our past choice of a suave, hedonically smoking Humphrey Bogart for illustrating Bell'Antonio proved such a hit, that a respected online decanter chose the pic to feature the scent and even Hilde herself run away with it on her official presentations! But it's not surprising to us that someone as classic and unique as Boggie should front one of her scents: Hilde's fragrances have something unusual about them even within tired genres such as the fruity floral, the gourmand or the tobacco masculine: they brought a touch of Inglese Italionato e un diavolo incarnato ~the sensibilities of an Italian brand yet garlanded with an international spin that makes them instantly recognisable across the boards, caressing memories of childhood and impressing with its panache: The effect of a Maseratti smirking secure in its beauty at a group of gasping Fiats. Someone is doing a pretty good job in that Parma laboratory!

Hilde Soliani's upcoming fragrance line, exclusively previewed/reviewed on Perfume Shrine today, is called Profumo e Gusto in Libertà and is inspired by her love of haute cuisine, which is as Italian as Marcello Mastroianni or Monica Vitti are. Indeed nary does one need to sit at a small local trattoria in the greater Lombardia area to appreciate that for Italians food is perfume for the mouth! The four new Hilde Soliani fragrances inspired by this cultural tradition are: Acquiilssssima, Doolciiisssimo, Saaliiisssiimo, Freschiiissimo ~everything is onomastically attenuated to an hyperbole because they denote the pleasure one derives from refined flavours (although if I am anything to go by, I predict one hell of a confusion when trying to spell for someone or online, but let's not be grumpy); one after the other they are meant to interpret the watery, the sweet, the salty and the fresh/tangy. Let's take them one by one!

*I found myself transfixed by the succulent and rich tobacco ambience that Doolciiisssimo exudes. Hilde divulged that the idea began by la crema catalana with tobacco leaves which she had first eaten in Milan ~too scrumptious for words, apparently and by Jove if you have even the tiniest affinity for the hedonic bouquet of a good cigar with its gingerbread and honeyed tones, then don't walk, run to secure a sample or a bottle of the Doolciiisssimo. Though I normally look at sweet fragrances with a certain disdain due to overexposure to cavity-inducing potions that float around giving me a diabetic coma by association, this perfume is nowehere near what one would call "sweeeeeetest" (which is what its Italian name means). In fact a striking dissonance between name and composition is what makes it mouthwatering and one of the best gourmands I smelled recently: The cut-hay and almonds feel of tonka beans is made richer by vanilla (Madagascar absolute) while retaining a little tobacco and cherry-pie tonality due to currants/ribes. If you have liked Bell'Antonio and Vecchi Rosetti [reviews linked] you are probably going to like Doolciiisssimo too; and if you found the former a bit much in the woody department, then you're also nicely set.

*Acquiilsssssima has a personal story in the background: Claudio Sadler, the famous chef, create a dish for Hilde's birthday which she cunningly took as a point of departure for a "beach air" scent: If you have ever eaten at a small taverna on a Greek island (click for pic) under the shady pines with gaily vibrant geraniums and lush jasmines potted all around and the salty remnants of a sea-dip still on your tanned, tired arms then you would know how Acquiilssssima feels! The salty tang comes from seaweed and its marriage to jasmine is akin to taking a boat to the isles. But what is most interesting is that I detect a little oakmoss in the background, that chypre tonality which blends so well in our hot climate and which provides the murky backdrop to a composition that is otherwise full of watery and light notes.

*Freschiiissimo on the other hand is unusually refreshing, eshewing the customary watery notes for a cool blast of "short" spices such as ginger allied with lime, which gives an effarvescent quality to the fragrance, like champagne bubbles bursting on the surface of one's taste buds in a sorbet quenchingly devoured after some vigorous samba on the dance-floor.

*Last but not least, Saaliiiissssiimo is taking a dare with an uncustomary composition which oscillates between the salty and refreshing undercurrent of vetiver grass and the golden bitterness of saffron as well as the caramelised bittersweet note of licorice (in itself reminiscent of anise). The feel of that fragrance is lightly salty and woody with a starchy feel, full of comforting saffrony risotto stuffed with peas and homemade broth. There is also dill listed, but I confess that I could not detect it prominently.

The new Hilde Soliani fragrances come in Eau de Parfum concentration in 100ml diaphanous glass bottles and will be featured shortly in New London Pharmacy and Luckyscent (where the rest of her fragrances are already carried, check them out).

On Sunday 21 June starting at 5pm at Desenzano del Garda (bs) the Profumeria Parolari will hold a special event with Hilde Soliani: Come and enjoy 7 different flavours of ice-cream inspired by the scents of the older and the new perfume collection called Profumo e Gusto in Libertà (Perfume and Taste Liberated!). The flavours are: Acquiilssssima, Doolciiisssimo, Saaliiisssiimo, Freschiiissimo, Sipario (pina-colada-like), Stecca (inspired by tomato vines) and Fragola salata. At 6pm Hilde will give an interview and there will be singing. Sounds like an evening fit for all of us Italionatos!

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Hilde Soliani reviews: 1) Il Mio Daisy/Ti Amo Line (Tulipano, Iris, Margerita, Anemone, Ortensia), 2) Teatro Olfactiva line (Bell'Antonio, Vecchi Rosetti, Stecca, Mangiamo dopo Teatro, Sipario).

In the interests of disclosure, I was sent a sample of each scent from the manufacturer.
Pic of Marcello Mastroianni and Monica Vitti via hyper-ware.com. Crema catalan via rusticpalate.com.

Is the Smell of Charred Meat the Secret to Seduction?

"A new fragrance (Flame) with a hint of flame-grilled meat has been launched by Burger King. Jonny Birkin asked Derby's women what they made of it. NEVER before have I been forced to fend off hordes of women whose primal instincts were sent haywire by my "scent of seduction. And despite dousing myself in a new scent released by flame-grilled Whopper-makers Burger King, I may have to wait a while longer."

Real-life testimonies from Derby, UK, women smelling Flame by Burger King range from the witty "If it came free with a Burger King meal then I guess it wouldn't be too bad, but I would never let my boyfriend pay for something like that" to the surprisingly accepting "It's quite spicy and musky. The more I smelt it, the more I thought it was sort of sexy."
Read the rest of the entertaining article "Derby shoppers give Burger King's meat-scented aftershave a mixed review" on the Derbyshire.co.uk


Clip originally uploaded by thirtysecondwonder on Youtube

Massive Diptyque sale

New Yorkers have it good on what concerns Diptyque fragrances tomorrow and the day next. Deep discounts applicable on "dirty & discontinued" (only!) scents which will be sold at impressive price points (ranging from 40% to even 90% off retail price!). (You can see which scents are discontinued here). Please note NO phone orders will be applicable.


Where: 11 East 26th Street, Suite 600
Between Madison and 5th Avenues

When: Thursday, June 18th and Friday, June 19th
Thursday 9:30 am - 6:00 pm
Friday 9:30 am - 4:00 pm

info via blogdrof goodman and mua. PIc via Orpah magazine