The Scented Gent Smelling Notes

THE SCENTED GENT

This collection of masculine fragrances has all the coolness of a leather jacket to the classiness of a tuxedo. There are designer scents and niche perfume houses all showcasing elements of what it means to be a man today. Suave, polished, sensative and always The Scented Gent.

BVLGARI MAN RAIN ESSENCE

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: Woody, Aquatic

TOP NOTES: Green Tea Essence, Orange Essence

HEART NOTES: White Lotus Accord, Crystal Musks Accord

BASE NOTES: Mineral Amber Accord, Guaiac Wood Essence

We may bemoan the rain here in the UK - plans spoilt, the match postponed, the picnic grumpily consumed in a steamed-up car - it definitely doesn’t have the best reputation. Imagine instead if rain actually smelt of Bvlgari Man – Rain Essence, we may look on it in a wholly different way. Kudos to master perfumer Alberto Morillas for accentuating the positive. His interpretation is all about water as a transformative and regenerative force. The power of this natural element expressed in scent – and this is absolutely in Morillas’ wheel-house – CK One and Acqua di Gio, anyone?

What you get with Rain Essence is a clean, fresh fragrance that is the ideal way to herald the arrival of summer (and hopefully less rain!) The green tea note is the perfect way to kick things off – as refreshing as the first morning cuppa sitting along a delightfully zesty orange note. The heart of Rain Essence stays light and airy with a celestial white lotus accord and musks. Things are rounded off with guaiac wood and amber, which has the feeling of a big bath towel warming you up and making things all cozy after an invigorating shower.

SMELLING NOTES:

EXPLORE: BVlgari Man

Rain Essence

• Does this perfume make you think of rain?

• What notes would signify rain (or water) to you?

• Is there a colour that this scent brings to mind?

• What location would best suit ‘Rain Essence’

From £110 for 100 ml eau de parfuM bulgari.com

TUMI CONTINUUM [12.00 GMT]

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: Woody, AMBER

TOP NOTES: Olibanum, Amber, Green Mandarin

HEART NOTES: Tobacco Leaf, Orris Root, Cistus Incanus

BASE NOTES: Suede, Musk, Agarwood (Oud)

TUMI CONTINUUM [12.00 GMT]

You may know TUMI as the premium suitcase people and very covetable they are too. Did you know they also make fine fragrance? Well, they’re really rather good. TUMI have created a range that is all about travel (of course) and the journey, cleverly creating different scents to signify different times of the day.

Continuum is the ‘midday’ fragrance. Our TUMI man is on an adventure, but has yet to reach his destination. There’s a spicy, caramel quality to the fragrance - reminiscent of a cola ice lolly (this is a GOOD thing!) Things start with frankincense up top bringing a fruity, balsamic quality along with mandarin. Then it gets smokier and earthier with tobacco leaf, orris and amber. This is a wellbalanced, warm, comforting scent.

It’s worth flagging up the smart details on the Continuum bottle, in common with the rest of the range. There’s a robust, solid design to the flacon and an ingenious lock cap to stop the liquid spilling in transit. Form and function expertly aligned - and no less than you’d expect from TUMI. Perfect for the man on the move.

SMELLING NOTES:

EXPLORE: TUMI Continuum [12.00 GMT]

• This fragrance references 12.00 GMT. What scent would you associate with the middle of the day?

• What are the different notes/ flavours that you think of when you think of a Cola smell?

• What clothing would best suit this scent?

• Why do you think this is named ‘Continuum’?

From £65 for 50 ml eau de PARFUM Uk.tumi.com

FLORAL STREET BLACK LOTUS

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: Amber

TOP NOTES: Jasmine, Papyrus, Black Cherry, Red Peppercorn, Saffron

HEART NOTES: Centifolia Rose, Black Violet Accord

BASE NOTES: Leather, Patchouli, Musk, Labdanum

Floral Street don’t just make fragrances for women and Black Lotus is a superb jumping off point for men keen to discover the joys of this modern British brand. They have sustainability and ecoresponsibility at the heart of what they do, their whole range is vegan and is housed in reusable, recyclable and biodegradable pulp packaging.

Floral Street describe Black Lotus as 'Rock & Roll in a bottle', which is pretty much the perfect description. It’s a powerful, spicy perfume with Centifolia rose as the hero, but ‘roughed up’ here with saffron, pepper, patchouli, leather and black cherry to create a narcotic, intense fragrance. The cherry adds a sourness and then a darker, smokier base emerges with the leather, incense and patchouli. Some men shy away from rose or big floral notes in a fragrance, but it takes a confident man to wear a perfume like this and it can work so well on male skin. One for the rebels and the non-conformists. We salute you!

SMELLING NOTES:

EXPLORE: Floral Street

Black Lotus

• Do you think the name ‘Black Lotus’ suits this fragrance? If so, why?

• If Black Lotus was a song, what would that song be?

• What feelings does this scent elicit when you wear it?

• What do you think about bold floral notes on a man?

From £108 for 100 ml eau de parfum floralstreet.com

KENZO HOMME INTENSE

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: Aquatic, Woody

TOP NOTES: Sea Notes, Calypsone, Pink Pepper, Spices

HEART NOTES: Fig, Fig Tree, Vetiver

BASE NOTES: Sandalwood, Akigalawood, Patchouli

Kenzo Homme Intense is an olfactory seaside postcard. If you close your eyes you can imagine lying on the sand after a swim in the ocean. That salty, aquatic cocktail of sunshine and sea mixing with the bracing breeze and the warmth of the skin. This was dreamt up by perfume wunderkind Quentin Bisch (responsible for huge hits for John Paul Gaultier, Mugler, Carolina Herrera and many for Kenzo.) It’s a fresh elemental fragrance, but made more interesting by the fig tree accord that comes through in the heart of the scent. The base rounds things off nicely with warmth and depth courtesy of Australian sandalwood and patchouli.

It’s impossible to talk about Kenzo Homme Intense without referencing the stunning bamboo-shaped full size bottle. The brand are also using less plastic than previous designs and adding more recycled glass to do their bit for sustainability.

SMELLING NOTES:

EXPLORE: Kenzo Homme Intense

• What smells come to mind when you think about being by the sea?

• If this scent had a texture, what would it be?

• What clothes would you imagine wearing if you wore Kenzo Homme Intense?

• Are there three words that best sum up Kenzo Homme Intense for you? Fresh? Bracing? Salty?Now over to you!

From £78 for 110 ml eau de parfum kenzoparfums.com

JIMMY CHOO MAN

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: Woody, Fougère

TOP NOTE: Lavender

HEART NOTE: Pineapple Leaf

BASE NOTE: Patchouli

JIMMY CHOO MAN

Jimmy Choo Man was the first male fragrance from the famous shoe brand and actor Kit Harrington from Game of Thrones was the face of the campaign. In many ways he was the perfect choice, as this fragrance is equally rugged and masculine (though slightly less blood-thirsty!) It’s a classic fougère and those classic barbershop notes are all present and correct. There’s citrus, lavender, florals, pepper and woods, but there’s a nice addition of pineapple leaf and honeydew melon for added fruitiness.

This is one that would work well as an office fragrance and could equally take you into the evening. It’s modern and fresh – and if it’s good enough for Jon Snow, the Warden of the North, then who are we to argue? (It would probably be unwise to argue with Jon Snow…!)

SMELLING NOTES:

EXPLORE: Jimmy Choo Man

• If Kit Harrington wasn’t the spokesperson for this fragrance who else would be a good choice?

• What would a ‘Game of Thrones’ fragrance smell like to you?

• Does this scent stir up any particular emotion in you?

• What’s the colour that comes to mind when you wear 'Jimmy Choo Man'?

jimmychoo.com

JIMMY CHOO jimmychoo

From £228 for 70 ml eau de parfum

MONT BLANC EXPLORER PLATINUM

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: Woody, Aromatic

TOP NOTES: Grapefruit, Violet Leaves

HEART NOTE: Clary Sage

BASE NOTE: Cedarwood

Montblanc had a massive hit with Explorer so it’s no surprise that they are adding another release to the collection to sit alongside the original and Ultra Blue. Explorer Platinum takes its inspiration from the spirit of adventure and ascending further up into the snowy peaks. Actually, the scent seems more suited to the base-camp level of mountaineering, rather than higher altitudes. It has a herbaceous profile - soft and green. The violet leaf is very apparent in the opening, fresh and aromatic which leads on to the clary sage and all its herby balsamic sweetness. The dry down brings a smooth cedar wood into play and the overall effect is a versatile (Swiss) utility-knife of a fragrance.

Can we talk about the bottle? It’s decorated with a crisp textured silver sleeve inspired by the 1858 Geosphere Montblanc’s watch and pays homage to the ‘Seven Summit’ mountaineering challenge. Montblanc Explorer Platinum will enhance any bathroom shelf and is perfect for all occasions. A clean, green compliment-getting machine.

SMELLING NOTES:

EXPLORE: Mont Blanc Explorer Platinum

• What fragrance notes do you think of when you imagine snowy mountain ranges?

• Does this fragrance make you feel as though you are at high altitude?

• What kind of man would this fragrance suit?

• What colour would you attribute to 'Mont Blanc Explorer Platinum'?

From £79 for 100 ml eau de parfum montblanc.com

Montblanc montblanc

BENTLEY FOR MEN

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: Amber, Woody

TOP NOTES: Bay Leaf, Black Pepper, Bergamot

HEART NOTES: Rum, Cinnamon, Woody Notes, Clary Sage

BASE NOTES: Leather, Benzoin, Patchouli, Cedar

If someone says the word ‘Bentley’ it immediately conjures up high end motoring, buttery leather interiors and the finer things in life. If a fragrance can smell like luxury and good-living, then this is it. As smooth as the finely-tuned Bentley engine, it’s a boozy, spicy marvel.

The opening is a burst of bergamot with a pinch of black pepper, before the rum, sage and cinnamon adds sugar, spice and all things nice in to the heart of the fragrance. It’s very easy to imagine sitting in the back of a Bentley taking in the aroma of the leather seats, the smooth dashboard wood and serving a rum from a crystal decanter. The base gives all of that and more – with patchouli and benzoin adding further depth and a vanilla-like warmth. A fragrance made for the discerning gent.

SMELLING NOTES:

EXPLORE: Bentley For Men

• If you hadn’t smelled 'Bentley For Men’ first, what would you expect it to smell like?

• Does this scent match with your idea of a luxury car?

• Is there a material or texture that fits your impression of this fragrance?

• What does ‘luxury’ smell like to you? What notes would it contain?

From £228 for 70 ml eau de parfum Bentley-fragrances.com

PARFUMS DE MARLY PERCIVAL

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: Citrus, Aromatic

TOP NOTES: Bergamot, Mandarin, Pink Pepper

HEART NOTES: Lavender, Geranium, Cardamom

BASE NOTES: Balsam Fir, Woody Spices, Tonka Bean

Parfums de Marly are known for taking the traditions and know-how of classic French perfumery and injecting a modern twist. Their fragrances are elegant, long-lasting and use the finest raw materials. Percival gives us a clue to the scent profile with its stunning ocean-blue bottle. This is a fresh, fougère type fragrance, but elevated with the quality of the ingredients and the high concentration of oils, which should allow for good longevity on the skin.

On first spray there’s the classic barber-shop profile of bergamot and juicy mandarin along with pink pepper. The heart notes give Percival its character and depth with jasmine, violet, lavender and spices. On the dry-down, musk blends with balsamic notes and clean woods. The effect is a classy, aromatic fragrance with real staying power, all housed in a bottle with real shelf-appeal.

SMELLING NOTES:

EXPLORE: Parfums de Marly Percival

• How does this fragrance make you feel?

• If a celebrity wore 'Percival', who would it be?

• Where in the world would you want to be while wearing this fragrance?

• Does 'Percival' make you think of a particular colour? If so, why do you think that is?

From £190 for 75 ml eau de

Uk.parfums-de-marly.com

Parfums de Marly parfumsdemarly

parfum

SHAY & BLUE DANDELION FIG

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: Aromatic, Green

TOP NOTES: Dandelion, Lemongrass

HEART NOTES: Juniper, Tomato Leaf

BASE NOTE: Fig Leaf

The sunnier weather and longer days are a chance to switch up our fragrance and perhaps try something lighter and brighter. Dandelion Fig from Shay & Blue provides just that opportunity. It’s a fresh, green scent with an aromatic twist. The tomato leaf takes the spotlight, bringing lush, juicy greenhouse vibes that cut through the lemongrass and the delicate florals of the dandelion. The fig leaf note in the base adds an element of bite and sharpness into the mix.

Shay & Blue are a UK company and the fragrances are hand-made in North London. They are certified organic, vegan and cruelty-free and the brand aim to make perfume buying fun and democratic. This sounds like a mission statement we can all get behind!

SMELLING NOTES:

EXPLORE: Shay & Blue

Dandelion Fig

• What notes make you think of summer?

• Does ‘Dandelion Fig’ tally with your idea of a summer fragrance?

• What things comes to mind when you think of the smell of a greenhouse?

• What’s the dominant or main note for you in this scent?

From £55 for 100 ml eau de parfum shayandblue.com

BRIONI ECLAT

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: Amber, Citrus

TOP NOTES: Grapefruit, Olibanum, Pink Pepper

HEART NOTES: Patchouli, Rose

BASE NOTES: Musk, Ambroxan, Sandalwood

Founded in Rome in 1945, Brioni established a reputation as the sartorial destination for the discerning Italian gentleman. The brand still make exquisite suiting and casual menswear, but their fragrances are also well worth investigation. Rather like a fine two-piece Brioni suit, Eclat is elegant, beautifully assembled and bound to elicit admiring glances.

The opening is designed to evoke the dazzling morning light – a sharp bite of juicy grapefruit blended with cool pink pepper, while frankincense brings its subtle, citrusy, resinous facets. A heart of Turkish rose and patchouli adds finesse and the dry-down combines creamy sandalwood with musk and the amber, woody, skin-like tones of ambroxan. A luminous, well-proportioned fragrance that will appeal to any sharp-dressed man.

SMELLING NOTES:

EXPLORE: Brioni Eclat

• What kind of fragrance notes do you think match with a well-tailored suit?

• What would you imagine a bespoke suit shop in Mayfair would smell like?

• When you smell 'Brioni Eclat' what kind of mood does it put you in?

• If this scent was a food dish, what would it be?

From £105 for 100 ml eau de parfum brioni.com

FLORIS LONDON NO.007

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: Woody, Aromatic

TOP NOTES: Bergamot, Sweet Orange, Juniper, Geranium

HEART NOTES: Rosemary, Rose, Carnation

BASE NOTES: Amber, Sandalwood, Oakmoss, Musk

FLORIS LONDON NO.007

Floris have been making perfume for royalty, nobility and high society for nearly 300 years from their base in Mayfair, London. They are perfectly placed to celebrate James Bond, as author Ian Fleming famously wore Floris’ signature No.89 Eau de Toilette No.007 was created in celebration of the 60th anniversary since the release of Dr No.

The fragrance itself is a blend of refreshing citrus and juniper notes set against a subtle smoky accord with carnation and an aromatic heart created by a fusion of rose, lavender, rosemary, and geranium. The base gets warmer and more sensual (well, it IS James Bond!) with amber, sandalwood, oakmoss and musk. No.007, the fragrance, has all the style and panache of the man himself and is brought to you from Floris, with love.

SMELLING NOTES:

EXPLORE: Floris London No.007

• What do you imagine James Bond smells like?

• On what kind of occasion would you wear this fragrance?

• Which of the James Bond actors would wear Floris 'No.007' and why?

• What three words sum up Floris 'No.007' for you? Refreshing? Stylish? Smoky? Over to you…

Floris London florislondon

perfumesociety.org

We hope you love your box – and enjoyed these Smelling Notes

Explore our other Perfume Society Discovery Boxes – and print issues of our 60-page award-winning magazine The Scented Letter – via:

perfumesociety.org/SHOP