So after a big job interview today, I decided to treat myself to a mini-sniffa at Saks and Neimans here in Boston. The SA at Neiman's actually offered me a job because I apparently knew so much about fragrance (I really didn't say much, other than to ask to smell their new ones). He also asked me if I knew about Basenotes. HA.

Anyway, here is my opinion:

1. Prada Infusion d'Homme: The biggest disappointment of the day. It smelled great in the bottle, and great on my (female) friend, who was already wearing Flowerbomb. However, on me, it was HORRIFIC. Headache-inducing synthetic blech. The SA said it was "slightly muskier" than the women's, which I respect, but this smelled awful on me. Then it hit me--dry detergent, and cheap stuff too.

2. Tom Ford White Patchouli: It's not as slight as other early reviews have made it out to seem. Like Black Orchid, it's got quite a big personality. Unfortunately, and despite the description of notes, it's not really unisex (and I'm a man who likes his florals), even less so than BO. I didn't give it a skin test, but it seemed strong, big, and very complex. I think it will have fans, but it's not reinventing the wheel.

3. Bond No. 9 Lexington Ave: Wintergreen + creme brulee. The SA at Saks let me play with the bottle like an idiot before coming over and telling me that the bottle is only for display; there was no scent inside. Then, after asking for a tester (he wouldn't have offered), he took out a small lab sample and sprayed a card for me. I didn't give it skin space, but it was a rather generic gourmand, except for that nasty and persistent mint top, which I loath equally in Etat Libre's Tom of Finland scent. Saks wasn't a total bust though--I convinced my friend that she needed to try Narciso for Her. :-)

4. Creed Love in Black: Lovely floral. I didn't give it a lot of time, but out of all the ones new I tested today, it was probably my fave. I might actually wear it. gasp.

5. David Yurman: Can't recall it at all. I guess that means forgettable?

6. Chanel Sycomore: This one isn't so new, but this was the first time I gave it a skin test. This is vetiver the way I hate it: dark, loud, almost like drinking black coffee when you have a migraine. This is what also turns me off about Encre Noire. However, for the lovers of dark vetivers, it's well done.

Lastly, I retried Bulgari Black, because last time it turned to a sugared mess, but I knew I should give it a second chance. Well, the rumors are true--it's really great. Probably my next purchase, as soon as that first big paycheck comes in.

Ooooh. Thanks for the report! I'm glad the early word on Love in Black is good. What did it smell like to you?

Honestly, I just thought it smelled like a really well-done floral that did not seem heady. In researching further, I guess my attraction stems from the fact that the scent is based on iris, my favorite note. I may go back this weekend to see how it performs on skin.

And I'm not one to like a Creed--could this mean that they are taking a turn for the better?

Wintergreen + creme brulee? No, thank you.

Good luck for the job. C'est Nichist. The perfume sniffing review is very interesting - let's hope you'll be shelling out for the Bulgari Black soon.

CN, I love iris as well, but I don't care for the rooty, dry iris of, say, Iris Silver Mist or Hiris--but I love Infusion d'Iris and the like. Can you compare Love in Black to another scent that have a similar vibe?

(And, how rude of me--good luck with the job, my dear.)

I'll have to go back and test it again to see how it behaves. See, I DO prefer dry, rooty iris. I'm not sure if I've mentioned this (enough), but Iris Silver Mist is the bee's knees for me. Oddly, Hiris not so much, but that's neither here nor there.

The wintergreen note in the Bond is probably from the juniper, which is strange because I love the juniper note in L'homme de coeur. I actually pulled out the scent strip today of Lexington Ave. from my pocket and it smelled sort of nice, so maybe it plays better on skin. The steps one must go through to be assured of a fragrance's efficacy!

I can't wait for more reviews of the Tom Ford though--all you guys who can pick out even the most obscure notes in a scent will, I'm sure, have a ball. Complexity does seem to be rather a strong point for Mr. Ford.

(And thank you for your well wishes on the job front. Tough going so far, but hopefully soon...)

Nichie, thank you so much for the delightful tour of new scents! Let me add best wishes for a positive job outcome soon. I hope you get just the job you like and can buy all sorts of perfumes ad infinitum!

Yes, thanks for the sniffa report. I'm kind of oddly pleased that my suspicions about White Patchouli are somewhat confirmed. Reinventing the patchouli wheel would be a pretty amazing feat at this stage of the game, and even the name just felt too much like he was merely taking advantage of a trend that, in my opinion, should really almost be waning at this point, instead of making something truly unique in a sea of floral patchoulis.

Thanks for the early review on White Patchouli. I'm glad I cancelled my order on it from N.Marcus. I'd like to sniff it out before I consider it as a purchase in the future. I'll wait till it shows up at Sephora. His other scents are there, Black Orchid, Black Orchid Voile de Fleur so I imagine it will show up there in a few months hopefully before Xmas.

As for the Creed one, I really don't care if it's a good Creed or a bad Creed. I just hate Creed. I have a very biased narrow view of this line and I'm not going to deny or deviate from it. And that is that! So there!

LOL, I'm no fan of Creeds either, but the new one, well, it's not terrible. It's actually nice, although I am testing it from a sample vial and not a full-on spray. It's a very sweet violet.

Which of these stores carries the Chanel Sycomore?

I didn't know that Sak's or Neiman's carried it. I thought it was boutique only!

Please do tell!!!!

Sorry about that Rufus, it is only in the boutique. I decided to stop by the Chanel on Newbury St. because I was in a suit and felt like I might actually get treated like a human being. Actually, Fiona at the Beauty counter is always very nice. I retried all the Les Exclusifs and found that Bel Respiro and Cuir de Russie were the only ones calling my name. No. 18 is so strange, but it may be great on skin.

I know how you feel about Creed--I feel that way about a few lines. I will never buy a Bois 1920, and probably never a Parfums de Nicolai or Odori. Just something about the perception I have of these brands.

I may also be jumping the gun on the White Patchouli front. I am not a patchouli fanatic like I know a lot of you out there are, so you have a far greater frame of reference for these scents than I do. Perhaps it really is a great take on it. It just seemed very heady to me, but I'm not sure from what. The peony or the jasmine?

I wish Sak's and Neiman's was closer to where I lived and worked. It's all the way down on the LV Strip which can be a nightmare since it's such a tourist trap.

I will get a chance to smell this White Patchouli somehow! It sounds interesting still even with peony and jasmine in it.

Thanks for all the reports - would love to sniff White Patchouli. Does anyone know if Neimans in San Francisco has the Tom Ford Private Collection? I'll be in that neighborhood next month.

Wish I was going to San Francisco. I just love going to Union Square and trekking through Chinatown!

Have fun when you go, Caz, dear which I'm sure you will!

Mando, Neimans carries the Sycomore. At least the one here in Houston does. And the NM store is right across from the Chanel boutique.

The Creed in Black is pleasant - sort of like a cross between Caron Violettes Precieux in the clarity of its floral notes and the leather note from Armani Cuir Amethyste. Like they couldn't quite decide which way to go with it, so they went in both directions. Not black at all. More like wisteria-purple. I like some Creed, but mostly the older ones with the vintage feel.

The White Patchouli didn't rock my world, and I love patchouli. I thought "camphor" and not much else when I smelled it. Will have to give it another test, though. Wish they had the rest of the collection. At least NM has this one now. Maybe they'll appear at NM one at a time.

The Yurman was spicier than other reports and the notes would suggest. Creamy spices with some florals mixed in. All blended so nothing stands out. I flashed on Kenzo Jungle Elephant when I first sniffed it - the spices reminded me of it.

The new Bond began interesting and ended up more dull than I'd like. The dry down is a soft, creamy gourmand, so I'll bet lots of people will like it. The opening promises more than the rest of it delivers.

Hi, C'est Nichist.

Good luck on the job front.

Sounds like you had a nice sniffing day in Boston. That must have been Bob that you met at the NM counter. He's always very nice to me.

I agree with you on the Prada Infusion pour Homme. Not at all interesting. I found the David Yurman pleasant, but as you said, not terribly memorable. The White Patchouli I did not particularly care for.

Glad to hear that you enjoyed the Cuir de Russie at Chanel. Fiona is the only SA there who has been nice to deal with. (Even when i went in there wearing t-shirt and shorts).

I'm with Mando when it comes to Creed. I have yet to meet a Creed that I like. And I still shudder at the memory of sniffing Creed's Cuir de Russie.

"1. Prada Infusion d'Homme: The biggest disappointment of the day. It smelled great in the bottle, and great on my (female) friend, who was already wearing Flowerbomb. However, on me, it was HORRIFIC. Headache-inducing synthetic blech. The SA said it was "slightly muskier" than the women's, which I respect, but this smelled awful on me. Then it hit me--dry detergent, and cheap stuff too" Quote from C'est Nichest

Hmm.... I was told the original Infusion d'Iris Prada was unisex by an SA at Nordstrom's back in early July. I like the regular version. This version sounds not too nice. I hated their Prada Homme scent. Cool bottle but the scent was really a bore. I love the regular Infusion d'Iris Prada. I got a big huge bottle of it from a nice POLer on a swap just this past week. I wore it last Friday to work and loved every minute of wearing it. To me it's of an Eau de Cologne than a true iris scent.

Guess I don't need to check this one out. I'm sure it will cross paths with me one day. But right now, I'm not running to the store!