Hey everyone, I’m looking for recommendations for a scent designed for dates, formal dinners, and special occasions that projects pure authority and unapologetic status. To be clear: I am not looking for clubbing scents, mass-appealing "compliment pullers," or sweet vanilla/tonka bombs (e.g., JPG Le Male Elixir, SWY). I don't care about smelling "delicious" or approachable. I want a scent that creates psychological distance—something cold, aristocratic, and subtly arrogant (think young Bruce Wayne / corporate heir vibe). Dark woods, clean or dry leather, boozy oak barrels, or tailored iris. No sugary gourmands, and nothing overly mineral/earthy/sharp like Terre d'Hermès (can't stand that flint/bitter profile). Gotta be around 100€.

OK... the name of this has been something that's been on my mind for a few years, and just to confirm the timeline on this, I looked back in the group's history and found it under eight entries total from two of our brothers - @Devin Christensen and @Jd Hazel convinced me to finally pull the trigger, and I did. Last week my ScentBird order arrived, and besides the sales, specials, and deals offered from the site, I also got my monthly order. While the monthly order arrived yesterday, I picked up two exclusive specials for me. I'll start with a review of this fruity, tea-driven fragrance from Arquiste called Indigo Smoke. While no real formal review has been done on this fragrance, I'm happy to be the first. Created in 2022 by Calice Becker, the French master perfumer and director of the Givaudan Perfumery School. The top notes are tea (Lapsang Souchong) Vetiver, Bergamot, and Mandarin Orange. The heart has fruity, warm notes of Apricot, with Bourbon, Guaiac Wood, and Carrot. The base contains strong notes like Mate, Pine Tar, Cedar Leaves, and Incense. What I'd like to state about this fragrance is the way it made me feel: like a refined elder statesman (I'm 57) who carries wisdom and maturity on their shoulders. Think of the fragrance as a quiet, wise, and reserved entity- a person who doesn't waste energy on anything that isn't beneficial. You know whom I refer to: the favorite uncle you share secrets with, the quiet and assured person in a bar full of rowdy patrons, or, if you smoke cigars, the one who looks as if the lounge was built around them as plumes of smoke surround them. That is the fragrance with the visuals and impressions. From the drydown, there is a sense of wisdom present, with the tea coming through as it emits a smoky, almost lactonic aroma. While reviews on this relate the Apricot fruit, it's not a heavy note, but what it does is cut through the liquor and incense, bringing a full-bodied heft to the mix. Definitely a cigar fragrance; I can also state that it would make a great tag team with someone smoking a pipe, preferably with either Baker Street, English Oriental, or English Tweed. All three with this fragrance cast one hell of an aromatic aura.

Had to go into several offices in Northern Arizona, and with the weather sitting around 60-64 degrees, I wanted something inoffensive with some heft. Something appropriate for close quarters, but with enough body for the cooler weather. I already own the EDT and EDP, so Polo 67 is familiar territory. Extreme takes that fruity direction into a richer space, with pineapple, cedarwood and a leather accord giving it a little more weight. Still approachable, just with a warmer foundation. For this kind of outing, performance needs to be balanced. I want staying power and a noticeable presence, but I don’t need my fragrance introducing itself to the entire office before I do. The goal is enough projection to be enjoyed nearby, with some substance as it settles. That was the thinking behind tonight’s choice: easy to wear, office appropriate with a sensible application, and enough heft for a cool Northern Arizona evening. Sometimes an approachable designer fragrance is exactly what the occasion calls for. - Longevity: roughly 6-9 hours on skin, about 2 hours more when added to clothing. - Projection: noticeable for about 1-3 hours, then closer to the skin. - Sillage: moderate it left a noticeable scent trail rather than a room-filling cloud. Just what I needed to get me through late afternoon 2 meetings through this evening.

How do you decide whether a perfume smells “age-appropriate” for someone? I tend not to treat age as a hard rule. I look at the style of the fragrance and how it tends to read on a person, then consider the setting and the person's taste. What do you guys think? And what are good examples for the different ages?