If you're anything like me, you must have experienced this at some point where you really wanted to like either the house or the line. And no matter how many times you sniffed it, you're like it's a pass. For me there's more than a few, but it's definitely YSL and Le Male. Don't get me wrong. I've smelled both on other people and was like oh that's intriguing and then every time I smell it either on strip or on my own skin I'm like: Nope. Also Aqua de Gio - but that's because it gives both me on mywife an instant heafache. So I think it's just more a concentration)ingredient issue. I used to have the same thing with Boss - and then Bottled got me and I'm slow warming up to the scent line. So I'm wondering if anyone else has that same experience where you really want to like a fragrance line or house and they just kind of never do it for you. And as a follow-up bonus, when has that been proven wrong for you? Just thought this might be an interesting convo for a Sunday evening or Monday morning or Tuesday afternoon. Stay sniffty my friends!

Found myself with a very rare hour of down time this afternoon, and just happened to be close to Nordstrom's. I figured I'd stop in and see if I could get my hands on a sample of the Armani I Will fragrance that everyone is so excited about. I'll talk about that separately, but TLDR I think it's boring. After talking with the sales clerk a bit, I mentioned that i was a fan of Iris notes, and that I was hoping to get a sample of Gypsy Water Absolu. Unfortunately, they were out, but then she told me they had a tester of the new Creed Iris Debonaire that is set to release on September 8th. She was kind enough to give me a little decant, and I've been wearing it all afternoon. I have talked in the past about my dislike of Creed. I get the appeal, but I'm just not a fan. I really hate their pricing structure, and in the past, I've resolved not to buy their stuff. All of that to say, that Iris Debonaire may be my new favorite perfume. It's up their with Black Orchid, Gypsy Water, and Iris Obsidian. I can't stop sniffing my arm. It's an absolutely lovely fougere with a really sophisticated French Lavender note in the drydown. According to the marketing, the Iris used is specially made specifically for this fragrance. Whether that's bullshit or not, I don't know, but it works. This stuff is incredible. We'll see how it works performance wise. I want to wear it tomorrow, but it's going to be 110, and I don't think powdery iris works very well in that kind of heat, so I'll have to wait a bit until I have an office day or day at home when i don't have to go outside much. But wow. This might end up being an actual bottle purchase if I can save up and get a good discount.

Sauvage Extrait - Really synthetic smelling and sort of dirty floral/green earthy note on strip. The smooth Lavender of the Elixer was toned down and I think an almost lactonic animalic leather note trying to assert itself. I think I'm going to have to give this one another. Try on another day as it may have just cooked my nose because it was too strong and I may need to spray it on strip and wait 30 minutes to even get to know what it's like. Again, it felt really jumbled and almost chaotic and again that might have been overspraying the strip. Given how aggressive and rough it was I didn't want to put it on skin unless I was going straight home. This one is getting a pass for now with a caveat that I'm going to smell it again on another day when it's not as warm. Armani I Will - This one seems intriguing. Smelled after the one above it sort of was washed out and again one that I think I'm going to sniff again. Maybe in slightly cooler weather because the woodsy vanilla got sort of washed out in the same way that BDX Vanilla Caviar is one I love in the winter but just falls flat for me when it's warmer. Again, another one that is getting a curious to try again. Ralphs Club New York Parfum - Of the three I tried today this one was the initially most pleasing, opened with a very satisfying, spicy warmth. This is the only one I kept the card from to get a sense of how it smelled throughout and my only critique is once that initial warmth and spiciness wore off as it was sitting in a fairly warm car while we ran errands. It filled the space quite nicely, but also in the base was sort of sweet caramel that reminds me of a lot of other sort of designer fragrances like the Most Wanted, etc. So in the end my initial take was it smells really nice and is very pleasing, but I'm not sure if I don't already have a few that smell just like this in my collection. I often say that though about Ralph Lauren fragrances, especially Polo 67. If it was my first fragrance. It's a banger if it's your 50th or 60th likely isn't going to move the needle. Much in the safe designer space. But like all the Ralphs club very well constructed for what it is. It's very smooth. And the sort of sweet caramelly base is probably one of the smoothest and best blended of all of the designer fragrances that kind of sit in the same scent space.

I wore this one yesterday after a sample was included with my recent order and I was pleasantly surprised. Given the note breakdown and hype that this one gets in my mind. I expected a very sort of sweet and juicy fragrance given the apple note and how that's used in other perfumery that I've tried. Instead, I found it drier and less syrupy sweet and this was actually quite pleasant in that. I don't know why and I'm probably just associating here. Had a bit of Boss bottled absolute/ Elixir vibe in the dryness and the sort of spicy something? We've had quite a bit of intense wildfire smoke in my area, so I really want to be careful because the sniffer has been overwhelmed a lot lately. If it's giving me associations with two of my favorite fragrances I'm expecting that likely there'll be a third full presentation bottle of PDM in my collection to join with Haltane and Perseus. However, I'm going to slay this sample first over a few more wears to be sure just like I did with the other two because I find with PDM fragrances you have to be really sure about as they really announce themselves off my skin and I don't really go nose blind to them at all throughout the wear. So they aren't fragrances so far in my small experience that you can kind of 'break in over time ' if that makes sense? This was a pleasant surprise! I kind of get a sense of why this one is considered. Such a pivotal and influential fragrance. I think I have a dupe/inspired by somewhere in my collection and I'm going to have to try them side by side as well.

That was a productive day, One bottle ticked of the bucket list @arnottsdublin. Was a struggle to make a choice but finally went for the Bvlgari. Also changed my opinion of the new Sauvage extrait. Then had my nose on almost every Tom Ford not already in my collection. The Black Lacquer is very interesting.was surprised they did not have the new ombre reserve in stock. Oh and a return to @handsomescent for a new selection. I picked up a couple of their Ouds, a leather, a lemon hello and Wild Atlantic Way. Their an Irish house, they buy their oils from one of the big French suppliers. Then add the alcohol and bottle in house. .Sadly @parfumarija & @cloonkeen were closed. Will need plan better the next time 🙏