Sample frenzy

I honestly have no idea how five months have passed without posting; I suppose we've all been busy with work and life and other stuff. I have amassed vast numbers of tiny perfume samples, so I thought I'd attempt to blitz through them all in one session. Here are the results of my tests, accompanied by quick notes, typed as I go.

Many thanks to the man in Liberty who picked up fistfuls of samples and chucked them into my bag, much in the style of coal-shovelling.

Citron Citron from Miller Harris

We start with a kick of lemon and bergamot which reminds me of Eau d'Italie from Le Sirenuse; soon we get other fruits and herbs and now it's even more like Eau d'Italie. Actually, I'm starting to wonder if there's some kind of copyright infringement going on. Not sure which scent came first; I love them both.

Fleur du Matin from Miller Harris

Great big hit of lily and jasmine which fades very fast to a kind of powdery, underwear drawer feel. Not very interesting and not really my thing, to be honest. I can't really imagine why you'd wear it unless you have a great longing to smell like generic hotel soap.

Crystal d'Ambre from Keiko Mecheri

Wow, amber and a bit of sweet patchouli to start; very oriental with frankincense and sandalwood. I'm a sucker for orientals but this ends up a little dull and almost lavendery; not as interesting as some of the alternatives (Alamut by Lorenzo Villoresi, Lyric by Amouage). It's not generic hotel stuff, though, and I will use up the rest of the sample bottle.

Rose d'Homme from Les Parfums de Rosine

Lots and lots and lots of rose, very sweet and not hommey at all. Slight strawberry flavouring topnote which (thankfully) fades quickly, leaving patchouli and leather. Definitely better than it started, but crikey, it smells exactly like pot pourri. Old pot pourri. Dusty and dull.

Gypsy Water from Byredo

This is more like it. Lovely, citric green to start with, and an amber/sandalwood base which is warm and woody and lovely. There's incense too, but not the smoky high church oriental frankincense - it's a much lighter resin, copal I think, perhaps benzoin. It puts me in mind of an old, warm library. Superb.

Passion from SpaceNK

AaaaaarrrrrrgggGGGGHHH get it off get it off jesus christ! Like if you wanted to remove varnish from a chair equipped with nothing but the raw power of jasmine. After a few minutes it smells almost exactly like white wine vinegar. I hear it has been discontinued already, though. Phew.

Winners: Gypsy Water, Citron Citron
Losers: Passion, Fleur du Matin