Boy, did this delivery ever make my day today. I’m practically giddy and have a renewed energy coursing through me this afternoon. In the past few months, I have become obsessed with Dior Homme Parfum 2014. A fragrance I put off trying for years (regrettably), until recently, due to my fear of the iris note and a bad experience I had with a fragrance featuring that note at one point. But of course, upon finally realizing my love for the fragrance, I think we all know how hard it is to find that discontinued gem these days, and if you do? Well, say goodbye to your wallet! I bought a bottle of Leather Intense from Alexandria Fragrances, which is their dupe of DHP, and while it is a GREAT stand-in, it’s still just not quite DHP. Anyway, a couple months ago, I was looking at some old decants that I hadn’t touched in a while (like a couple years) and I came across a sample of Boadicea the Victorious Harmonious that Mr. @Renato Carotti was kind enough to send me back in my early days of collecting. I remembered thinking it was ok, but it was a bit too complex and nuanced for my novice nose, that really didn’t know what to think of it at the time. “I certainly wouldn’t wear this,” I thought. As I popped the cap off of the sample (which had evaporated into a now tiny amount of syrup-like, thick fragrance oil) I was immediately struck by the similarity to DHP 2014. I sprayed (squirted) some of this treacly substance onto my arm, which seemed to never dry, as it was basically pure oil at this point, and I fell in love with the stuff just like I had with DHP. They were virtually identical! They have their subtle differences. Harmonious is smoother and a bit more nuanced, but the dry-downs are essentially the same to my nose. And the best part? It’s still in production! Now, Boadicea fragrances are not cheap either, but I had worn DHP and Harmonious enough now to know that either one would be a signature scent for me. So at this point, I was willing to pay a little more than I might normally spend on a bottle. However, I was able to find an incredible deal, and from a company that I trust very much and have built a good relationship with. So, to my surprise, it’s only the 3rd, or so, most expensive bottle I’ve ever bought.

SOTD: Maestro by Delacroix Fragrances Today I’m wearing Maestro from Delacroix Fragrances, a small independent artisan house based in Texas. This opens with a bright combination of bergamot, mandarin and juicy pear, sharpened by a touch of ginger. As it develops, the orange blossom smooths everything out while the Akigalawood adds a clean, peppery woodiness. It finishes with fresh musks that keep it modern and easy to wear. The easiest way I can describe Maestro is to imagine the bright citrus character of Louis Vuitton Symphony combined with the pear and Akigalawood of Ex Nihilo Blue Talisman. It isn’t a clone of either fragrance, but if you enjoy that style, Maestro should immediately make sense to you. What impresses me most is the quality. This doesn’t smell like an inexpensive fragrance from a small house. It smells polished, well blended and much more luxurious than its price would suggest. It is fresh enough for the Arizona heat, completely unisex and noticeable without becoming overwhelming. Maestro may not reinvent the fresh-fragrance category, but it takes familiar elements and brings them together extremely well. Based on this first full wearing, I can already say that his perfumery skills are excellent. This was part of my initial purchase from Delacroix Fragrances, and there is much more to come as I continue wearing and reviewing the other fragrances. If Maestro is any indication of what this perfumer can do, I’m genuinely looking forward to exploring the rest. RATING:9/10 LONGEVITY: 8-9 hours; STRONG PROJECTION 1st 2-3 hours Can be purchased here: https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Flinktr.ee%2FDelacroixFragrance%3Futm_source%3Dlinktree_profile_share%26fbclid%3DIwcGRvZgVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEehAqUfMNkaI8xfa5vyTiXd84IrZcBimHeMaxI_WT9M_OLADZ_GpoVQFX5uy4_aem_869rTxQ9sm-zbTRupAuebg&h=AUDzM4vh16BAviT4Z0uwDWqL-9AQ2yPOJ0Y74Ft_0eL-3KGwxWD9SegowwxTiwv5HkMm3W6x-elNXusJUqEUwXfxmu4oAQV5JxBx2EoEJRaoLkTB_b1WMuP_kANnfBl1u2akUgsd7Cm5f4GeRj4THgYKbANYIg&__tn__=H-R&c[0]=AUB12Eh0xjMcV8W2abJW0guE8HnYAgOMque5d5UuZMR9qaQ2VDKYoL8-r43PZeKCz5zoJttrH52mwK7oITPF41M8tquSL772Ssc7CrUckYYZOiYwHr0HycMXYqbjmeuE91FNq6b7mBa1roiqZZ_qdgQd8ACKiTJ7LJnAnQSKNfa7TTUAyB0

I can't remember the last time that I picked up more than a couple of bottles, but this seems to be one of the consequences of becoming more active in the group. All winners.

Hey good people, I just received this super interesting fragrance! If you like sweet, sexy and compliments, this is it. Gourmand fragrance, if I can compare it to something already in the market? I’ll say Bianco Latte (not 1-1) with Hard Candy Elixir background. Honestly, sweet perfumery done to perfection! A must try.

Trying to touch everything in my collection more often so I used A.I. again with strict direction from me to create this rotation.