I decided to go with elegant for tonight‘s Christopher Cross/Toto concert, and I arguably have a no more elegant fragrance in my collection than YSL Tuxedo. There’s a reason that apart from Aventis, this is possibly the most duped modern fragrance. This is a spectacular citrus-patchouli-vanilla-amber blend with increasingly impressive performance. When I first acquired it, I would only get about four hours’ wear. Now it’s about 10 hours. Supposedly elevated-level designer fragrances are pre-macerated. I don’t know about that. The term “masterpiece” is thrown around much too cavalierly today with respect to fragrances. This is a masterpiece.

Match #49 begins another round of eight elimination matches in the second-chance bracket. Once we get through these, we'll head back to the main bracket for the quarterfinals. Today's battle features two luxury houses: Chanel Platinum Égoïste versus Parfums de Marly Greenley. Greenley (2020, created by Nathalie Templer) has one of my favorite fresh openings: crisp green apple and bergamot over cedar and woods. It also delivers impressive performance for a fresh fragrance. My one knock against it in this matchup is that what you get in that terrific opening is pretty much what you get throughout the wear. That's not necessarily a bad thing when the opening is this good, but it doesn't evolve much on my skin. Chanel Platinum Égoïste (1993, created by Jacques Polge) is almost the reverse experience. The opening is more subdued, with lavender, rosemary, neroli, and petitgrain, but give it time. As the geranium, vetiver, oakmoss, and woods emerge, it becomes increasingly sophisticated. The drydown is where this fragrance really shines for me. Both of these bottles will remain in my collection, so fortunately the stakes aren't quite as brutal as the bracket makes them sound. I prefer Greenley's opening, but over the course of an entire wear, the Chanel wins me over. Chanel Platinum Égoïste survives another elimination match, while Parfums de Marly Greenley leaves the tournament. That's a very good fragrance going home.

Match #48 in the second-chance bracket is a study in contrasts: Lattafa Mashrabya versus Prada Luna Rossa Ocean Eau de Parfum. Mashrabya (2024) is an affordable powerhouse—a rich amber vanilla fragrance built around apple shisha, cinnamon, tobacco, caramel, vanilla, oud, and patchouli. It's sweet, smoky, and strong, and I can certainly see reaching for it when the weather gets seriously cold. Prada Luna Rossa Ocean EDP (2023, created by Anne Flipo and Carlos Benaïm) feels much fresher, particularly in the opening, with grapefruit leading into incense, vanilla, amber, and woods. It has plenty of depth, but it's considerably more versatile than Mashrabya. And ultimately, that's the test I've been using throughout this tournament: which one would I actually reach for more often? For me, it's Prada every time. Add in the emotional connection—Ocean was one of the first fragrances in my collection and the one I wore when I first met my fiancée in Hong Kong—and this decision becomes even easier. Prada Luna Rossa Ocean EDP survives for another round, while Lattafa Mashrabya is eliminated from the tournament. I'm glad Ocean is sticking around. This bottle has a story attached to it.

Match #47 in the second-chance bracket features two affordable, easy-to-wear warm-weather fragrances: Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Pour Homme versus Montblanc Starwalker. Starwalker (2005, created by Michel Almairac) flies under the radar a bit. I don't see it discussed much on fragrance forums or YouTube, but it's a very pleasing woody spicy fresh fragrance, with bergamot, mandarin, bamboo, ginger, sandalwood, cedar, and musk. My biggest complaint is performance—it simply doesn't last as long as I'd like. Light Blue (2007, created by Alberto Morillas) certainly doesn't have an anonymity problem. Its blend of grapefruit, bergamot, mandarin, juniper, pepper, and woods has made it a warm-weather staple for years. It's bright, citrusy, slightly spicy, and about as easy to wear as it gets. This was actually a tough call. I like both quite a bit, and either is an easy summer grab. But I'm going to break with popularity today. There's something about Starwalker's fresh woody character that appeals to me just a little more when they're side by side. Montblanc Starwalker pulls off the upset and advances in the second-chance bracket, while Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue is eliminated from the tournament.

Gentlemen, here are a few standout posts from the BOS community this week. 👏 Big shoutout to @Edward Mooney for “Its been a long time.....” and the engaging poll about finally having time to pursue two long-awaited bottles. The personal backstory and open question created one of the week’s liveliest fragrance discussions. Post: https://www.skool.com/bos/its-been-a-long-time 👏 Shoutout to @John Hanslip for “When did , or has your “nose” changed?” and the thoughtful reflection on how his fragrance preferences have evolved. It invited members to compare their own scent journeys and added real depth to the conversation. Post: https://www.skool.com/bos/when-did-or-has-your-nose-changed 👏 Shoutout to @Lon Chaneyfield for “SOTN: CREED IRIS DEBONAIR” and a detailed first-wear perspective on Creed’s new Iris Debonair. The specific impressions gave members useful context beyond a simple scent-of-the-day post. Post: https://www.skool.com/bos/sotn-creed-iris-debonair 👏 Shoutout to @Frank Barnett for “Chinese Experiment” and the candid account of taking a chance on a discontinued-fragrance counterfeit. His observations on presentation and the buying experience gave the community a useful, conversation-worthy experiment to follow. Post: https://www.skool.com/bos/chinese-experiment 👏 Shoutout to @Brett Sutton for “SOTD- Sunday August 16th: Ex Nihilo Blue Talisman Extrait” and the clear personal endorsement of a favorite DNA in a richer, more masculine form. It gave members a concise but valuable recommendation to consider. Post: https://www.skool.com/bos/sotd-sunday-august-16th-ex-nihilo-blue-talisman-extrait