Notetaking’s Best of 2021 [So Far…]

EXCEPTIONAL OLFACTION: Wait one hot minute...it's only July! Yes, I fully realize that there are likely stunning fragrances to come (or that I've missed altogether), with amazing scents just right around the corner. Before I step away from the microphone I wanted to give credence to those which have already impressed halfway through the year....

Bittersweet + Magnifico

“An ever-evolving perfume extract, Bergamask hangs on the skin and keeps changing over time. A dance of seduction between the killer and his victim, Bergamask runs through you like a nagging wound….” “Bergamask is literally a fragrance with no heart. Bright, fresh citrus corrupted with a base of dirty animal musk. You shouldn't trust the...

Woody Whispers

“The fragrance aims to enhance all the manifestations of male strength.'' The Nose. Boldly masculine, Duro is a raw, bittersweet woodsy scent that communicates an untamed, virile spirit. With speculated notes of wood, leather, and spices, this fragrance begins with a sharp, invigorating tang, not unlike the smell of fresh sap or of a particularly...

Divided By Destiny

“A paean to mistakes, imperfections and turbulence, Brutus is a magnetic fragrance that communicates the force of undeniable desires. Folks, meet the new man-scent of your dream.” Click Play, to hear my thoughts on this one. This review was nicely sponsored by the good folk at Smallflower/Merz Apothecary in Chicago! HouseOrto ParisiOriginItalyFragranceBrutusYear2014NoseAlessandro GualtieriConcentrationEDPGenderM/UnisexSeasonWinter/FallSize/Cost50ml, $195SourceSmallflower.com (Merz...

Rare Malted Miracle

“Baraonda is an elemental mash up that smells distinctly of infinite possibility. The fragrance encourages a raw taste sensation. It is the result of a quest to evoke the powerful and mighty whisper of an olfactory stirring, which magically rejoins the whole and the nothing…” Click Play, to hear my thoughts on this one. This...

EP 87: Futuristic eScape

A GLITCH IN TIME: The house of Orto Parisi has concocted a marvelously subtle parfum that will immerse you on the coastal (l)edge. Megamare is, what Smallflower aptly describes as a fragrance that transports: "The sea takes you to the shores of new lands, and calls you to meet down there  — Through the salty...