Fragraphilia

Any classic cologne worth its weight in water will travel the well established path starting with a bright citrus opening that leads through an aromatic middle before finishing somewhere between woody and green. Sunday Cologne never dares to stray far from this pattern but it does make a splash or two along the way. Right in between the bergamot-citrus opening and the rosy-green geranium middle, you get this scratchy sweetness from the cardamom and star anise that almost brings an oily cedar type note. It then carries perfectly into the earthy green base which is where everything comes together to make a collection worthy fragrance for any fan of the genre. Don’t expect big performance or longevity but its wear is extremely satisfying and invigorating while it lasts (approximately 3-4 hours).

As simple as any fragrance could ever be but more than you will ever need. The iris keeps the iso e super from being too clean or dull but surrenders beautifully to the latter’s creaminess before the prior gets too powdery. Nevertheless, you get the most of both as they compliment each others best features flawlessly while staying true to their own.

It’s plenty on its own with hours of longevity and projection but it’s one of the true, great layering scents as it has the ability to improve almost any other fragrance. This is a Fragraphilia favorite, and in our opinion, a must have for any collection. We will never be without a bottle in ours. If you like iris, this is one of the best and most direct expressions of it.

The citrus up top is almost electrifyingly fresh as if you spent all morning squeezing the ripest of lemons by hand and the remains are all over your clothes. It’s invigorating and almost bubbly. The Orange blossom, and the following notes of gardenia, magnolia, and jasmine, give it a bit of a grounding that’s reminiscent of green tea which allows it to expand the overall scent into something more interesting and dynamic. As it floats its way to the base, the jasmine blends nicely into the musk, and you get a creamier rounding out thanks to the vanilla and sandalwood. The oakmoss and patchouli add a bit of texture but never much more as this always stays true to its bright citrus and green floral nature.

Although I would definitely place this in the woodsy category, Ares brings plenty of herbs, greens, and grasses to back its predominant cedarwood notes. Yet, not in the way you would expect when reading the notes list. It’s suprisingly very incense-y to me. Like you’re burning incense instead of a candle kind of incense-y. It’s not smoky, or too sharp, it's more like the essence of it from when it was burned earlier in the day. Like in a church hours after the sermon has ended and the pews have long been empty. There’s also a breathy air to the eucalyptus that luckily never gets to medicinal as it sometimes can when burned. A very nice day time scent that fills small and medium rooms, and bonus, you get one of those beautiful reusable L’or de Seraphine jars to boot.

The white florals and aromatics are every bit as present as the note list suggests with one of the finest expressions of gardenia backed dutifully by a somewhat restrained yet supportive jasmine. The lavender and mandarin add a bit of classic barbershop masculinity as you move from the top to the middle before it completes its almost chypre like journey to its base of oak moss and vetiver. There’s a great touch of animalic musk that brings some earthiness to it all but the notes that really stand out to me come from this fresh atmospheric accord that reminds me of the cold, crisp water you add to a vase and the aroma that’s created when the stems of those fresh cut white florals are plunged within it.

On first notice, the pink pepper and geranium combine to bring a sharpness that is so fresh and clean that it’s almost soapy. It’s downright shimmering at times and always full of life. It’s like the first few days post-winter thaw when you realize Spring is here to stay and you immediately feel like you want to do everything. Yet with all those bright and energetic top notes, Discernment brings in the perfect blend of woods and musk to add texture and a bit of earthy grit to it all. It’s gorgeous! Finishing it all off with a bit of ocean air saltiness from the ambergris, this is nature at every turn.

Fresh, crisp, and almost aldehydic at the top due to the the airy combination of white pepper and mastic, this is a real spring and summer scent that can sometimes lean as it makes it to the middle. Not as herbal or medicinal as shaving soap mind you, but close. The powdery iris and the spicy olibanum never let it get that far. Still, there’s something very classic cologne about it too which is reinforced by the musk and amber bringing warmth to the base. Mature, yet modern, and very debonaire. Like Cary Grant in the mid-60s.

Some may accuse this of being too simple and singularly focused on its namesake but I prefer to look at this as one of the most dynamic and expressive explorations of one of the most important materials in fragrance. This gives you everything beautiful and warm and soft and rich and so on and so on that makes orange blossom so special. It feels like a bed of soft white flowers, like a touch of warm humid air blowing through tall grasses during early summer. It makes me think of the bees bouncing from flower to flowers. It makes me think of Mediterranean sweet rolls baking in the kitchen. It’s heaven! You also get nice green and citrusy touches from its supporting notes, and a powdery white floral musk, but they flutter in and out, and only in celebration of its lead. If you’re a fan of neroli and orange blossom notes, this is as good as you can get.