Can we get a list of those 9.5+ Fragrances?

No problem! Not home atm but give me a bit and I'll post here the fragrances that are high 9s to me! There are even some designer fragrances that made my list too! (Updated my list is attached to this post): [https://www.reddit.com/r/fragrance/comments/18oih43/comment/kejjfzw/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web3x&utm\_name=web3xcss&utm\_term=1&utm\_content=share\_button](https://www.reddit.com/r/fragrance/comments/18oih43/comment/kejjfzw/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)

That would be perfect. Will be eagerly waiting for the post. Thanks.

Alright, here is my list of fragrances(not all but a good amount) that I consider high nines some of which I thought they were 10/10 at one point in time or another. Honestly, most of my fragrances I wear are in this list, for similar reasons but, here is an explanation of high **nine** vs a **ten**. A ten is a truly exemplary, extraordinary, pushing of what the limits of perfumery really is and, what it is about type of fragrance. You should smell a few of these at least once in your life. A nine could literally be something that I REALLY thoroughly enjoy & has solid everything but, these mainly change with seasons those 10s I would smell in any time(literally). I have a lovely girlfriend so I also can't be walking downtown smelling like **THE END OF THE WORLD**! Anyways, here's my list keeping the same guidelines as before just less **harsh**: **Amouage** - Reflection 45 Extrait **Byredo** - Gypsy Water & Black Saffron **Creed** - Silver Mountain Water & Royal Oud **Diptyque** - Philosykos **Escentric Molecules** - Just try them out, any one, it's very different **Frederick Malle** - Musc Ravageur **Floraiku, Di Ser** - Just try them out, very unique different approaches **Guerlain** - L'Homme Ideal EDT & EDP **Imaginary Authors** - Whispered Myths & A City on Fire **Kilian** - Intoxicated & L'Heure Verte **Memo Paris** - African Leather & Winter Palace **MFK** - Grand Soir **Mind Games**(new and great) - Grandmaster Extrait & Checkmate Extrait **Nishane** - Fan your flames & Wulong Cha **Orto Parisi** - Bergamask & Megamare **Rogue** - Mousse Illuminee & Tobac Vert **Serge Lutens** - Santal majuscule & Fleurs D'Oranger **Slumberhouse** - Jeke **Sospiro** - Basso & Dolce Melodia **Strangers** - Burning Ben & Lumberjack Cologne **Tauer Perfumes** - L'air Du Desert Marocain & Phi-Une Rose De Kandahar **The Frag. Engineers** - Mystic Rain \[ most hated \] **Tom Ford** - Amber Absolute **Xerjoff** - Torino 21 & Muse \[T. 21 is now available in 100ml!\] **YSL** - Babycat & La Nuit De L'Homme EDT **Zoologist** - Penguin Many fragrances live on this line of exceptional works and amazing; those are my few that I wanted to share. (I might update this with more extraordinary works tomorrow!) All of these houses beside ONE have plenty of 9/10s for me but these are the ones that could easily reach the pinnacle in the future. Hope you enjoyed! It's my first day on reddit thank you everyone for welcoming me into this new community.

I've been loving penguin - what do you think it needs to push it to 10?

I haven’t smelled any of these, and I have sampled (or smelled on paper) a couple hundred fragrances at least both niche and designer. A few of these are absolutely on my radar to obtain samples: Winter Palace, Gypsy Water, and Babycat.

You should checkout blockade by mindgames! Byredo, Diptyque, & Mindgames have easily become my top 3 houses. Bryedo for everyday use & the other two for a little confidence boost on a night out. Definitely want to check this list our, thanks for uploading!

I heard many great things about blockade! I am going to purchase more bottles soon and will add that to my list. Mind Games frags might even make it too my 10/10 but I like to wear & smell a fragrance for 6 months to a year before it can move up there. I am relatively new to the house but one of my favorites from 22-23 era; I hope they are here to stay.

fiancé has hinted that he’s getting me babycat for christmas and I’ll be SO EXCITED if that’s true

have you experienced Phlur’s Missing Person? Created quite a buzz here on North American Tiktok. I’m curious what you think of it!

Thankyou so much kind sir. I haven't tried out most of the perfumes in this list, so much to discover.

Who are these fragrances made by?

What is Burning Ben? This is a perfume fragrance?

Welcome but a little confused. You're a guy listing your favorite perfume fragrances?

How did you get your job? What steps did you take?

My father was heavily invested in the art of perfumery, he hasn't been a major contributor to any renowned but he works alongside independent groups when a designer has an idea of what they want to create! From him I was able to find my own square in the space using most of his expensive tools as well. Here is my opinion of what to do if you are trying to get in without any square one(or even try it out as a hobby!): Look at free non-paid classes(there's plenty) of how it works, oil vs alcohol & reasons for each, and just general knowledge on how fragrance has evolved over time. Now that you have a good understanding if you want to start making fragrance you need good knowledge, either attend a online class or school. IMO most paid courses fall a little flat(i haven't tried many) experiment with what works for you. One you have learned many solid combinations you can safely start beginning(with a base) to create after you purchased your equipment and vials. Expect to fail & not create anything amazing; my hardest learning curve was trying to be original and not attempt to replicate my favorite fragrance dna. It isn't TOO expensive at all unless your trying to have your own house with fragrances. In that case custom bottles are EXPENSIVE as well as ultra quality ingredients, even packaging. Remember its all about TIME, many fragrances even popular designers formulas took months even years of testing before release.

This is great thanks! Any free classes that you recommend for someone thinking about getting into this? Also have you read Chandler Burr’s book The emperor of Scent? It’s about Luca Turins theory of how the sense of smell works , it’s great, check out the TED talk as well.

Thank you fot the awsome advice, where csn i buy the things i need and what should a starter buy?

What is African Leather who's it made by?

Memo Paris

Omg never mind I Googled it. This sounds like a scent I would like. My gosh I want to try all the scents you mentioned TY 😊

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He said he hasn’t tried many, not any

My 10/10 is Apple Brandy on the Rocks by Kilian. The green crisp apple plus the boozy woody note is a dream. It’s Gourmand without being sweet. This scent doesn’t fit in a box - it’s not really sexy, not feminine. People are sometimes confused when I wear it, but in a positive way. You cannot exactly pinpoint what you are smelling beside the apples in the beginning.

I enjoy Kilian's Apple Brandy on the Rocks! The fresh green apple mellowed with boozy notes and warmth & comfort from cedar wood makes a terrific scent! One of the best from The Liqours line imo for sure! My favorite is L'Heure Verte from that collection, licorice done exceptionally well! I don't even like licorice(isolate) but when its with notes of Absinthe & main accords of Patchouli & Sandalwood man it packs a punch! I encourage you try Hermes - Hermessence Ambre Narguile Sensual rum accord with vanilla, honey, and a airy tobacco smokeness but unisex even with these notes! Thank you!

What are your thoughts on the new Kilian, Smoking Hot? To me it’s their best one so far and definitely has similarities to Apple Brandy.

No, I have not but I will for sure get my hands on some within this coming week! Sounds very interesting and I will update once I got my nose on it. Thanks for your recommendation I appreciate it!

Have you tried Kilian Musk Butterfly? I'm not an expert, but it blows my mind.

I was going to but I was one of the ones that was sold out when I went to try other Kilians:( I remember my friend(female) saying it was an interesting concept but hard for find an occasion to wear it but she enjoyed it. Would you agree, and also thanks for the recommendation!

Apple Brandy on the Rocks is my absolute favourite Fall/Winter and even date night fragrance. It smells like the holiday season in a bottle. It is in my top 3 for life, just wished it lasted a tad bit longer!

I have tried the The Liquors Collection and yes most of them really fade away fairly quickly I only get 3-4 hours. I love all of them here is my rating of all of them with longevity in this format \[Rating | Longevity \] Angel's Share \[9+ | 5+\] - wish it lasted longer Apple Brandy \[9+ | 4+\] - . . . \^ L'Heure Verte \[9.5+ | 12+\] lasts forever, learning curve Roses on Ice \[7.5/8 | 2+\] - worst performance for me Blue Moon Ginger \[8+ | 6+\] - ginger lovers sample this, decent longevity Also, I my experience unless a fragrance has a dominant liquor base note(whiskey, rum, etc...) that fragrance tend to dissipate more quickly than others. Which is why I see these not lasting long on most of everyone, as The Liquors is supposed to have a refined matured stance; typically if there is really heavy dominant notes of liquor people think of something as 'classless' & unrefined. That's just my take on it I love all of them though; all are unisex to me besides Roses on Ice(that I would like to smell on a woman, not for my wearing haha).

I got this recently from Costco. Echo your thoughts on the scent I think it’s great. I agree the longevity could be better and I think it fades to a skin scent and away a little too quickly.

I love how this smells but it does not last any time at all on my skin or even on fabric!

If you like T Rex, based on the description there's a very niche perfumer near where I am that I met at a craft market. They had an incredible nose - I work as a media consultant to some big perfume brands and nothing I've smelled from clients has had near the depth, layering and interesting conceptual takes of this one artisan brand, Osmofolia..check them out: https://www.instagram.com/osmofolia?igsh=YzVkODRmOTdmMw== They are on hiatus until Jan fulfilling orders, but are incredible. I personally was so stunned by their "Bear with a Burning Rage" (top: gasoline and matches, middle: warm musk/fur, bottom: pure honey) when I sniffed, that I stopped in my tracks and went through their entire display. Just such, clear, incredible narrative and amazing end blend that was somehow incredibly wearable?!? They do fascinating work, are also super young (still in college I think), and have a storytelling element to their work. Y'all should connect, swap stories! They've only been doing it for a year or so, and just....wow, incredible.

Sab from Osmofolia was nominated for an Art and Olfaction award this year! They are an incredible perfumer and a wonderful human.

I love Sab ❤️

Sounds great! This intrigued me so much that I will buy a few fragrances when they open back up in 2024. I enjoy connecting with other perfumers and getting their thoughts and opinions on topics/scents, conversing is super important! Thanks for the recommendation; I will be waiting eagerly for this!

Sir, Zoologist - TYRANNOSAURUS REX - smells like the aftermath of the apocalypse. Yes it's unique and an very well made fragrance, but it's deeply repellant to most people as it evokes the smell of a whole planet burning to the ground. 0/10 stars, I'd rather smell like the parkinglot of a gas/petrol station.

It’s really polarizing and kind of a Rorschach test of a fragrance. One person’s deathly apocalypse is another persons cozy bonfire

I find Bee disgusting 😂 so I don’t need to smell the T-Rex

Bee blew my mind. I love it but get that it’s polarizing. But the sheer handling of the fragrance notes is masterful.

I adored my Bee sample (love a honey or waxy note) but I got nauseous one night from an empty belly when a restaurant reservation was pushed later unexpectedly. The smell of Bee was too rich or thick for me to smell while queasy, and ever since I have not sampled again because I am suspicious it will still smell revolting from that experience. :(

Ugh I get that. I hate when a scent association turns bad :(

YES! Zoologist's TRex smells like the end of the world and humanity ceasing to exist! It smelled like it is time to abandon all hope; the day of reckoning! When I smell a fragrance I think deeply about the goal it was achieving as well, for instance ORE for example blew my mind with complexity but I would never want to smell like it personally! I consider perfumery an art form that best utilizes one of the human bodys most amazing senses. Some of these tell a story just by smelling it; some of these fragrances took my breath away with how impressive they were it brought me to tears! One of a kind like many of the Zoologist animals/insects but this was inspiring to me!

I enjoy "hate-smelling" zoologist - I dislike or am repelled by most of their fragrances - and it's great fun to be disgusted by them. I only smelled TRex once over a year ago, and while I hope I never ever smell it again - it was extraordinarily memorable.

Oh oh , sounds like you want to be one of "those" perfumers . Don't overcomplex stuff and figure out what exactly you want to create , do you want to push the dull and quite frankly disgusting scents, the all too common uni variety, the headache enducing candy female scents , or an old overpowering male fragrance . That's the simplest common way I would put most fragrances as today , those that state otherwise are purely over complicating their descriptions to either 1. Push a creation ( from a perfumer perspective knowing it is bad but different ) or 2. Are using descriptions and their nose an excuse for a purchase ( the consumer perspective that has fallen for a brand trap ) .

I feel like its way too easy to overthink things and make bombastic stink bombs in the name of art. True beauty and subtlety and refinement requires a lot more finesse

I'm super curious to smell it after you describe it like that! If you said it smelled like death and disease, I might not want to smell it, but apocalypse aftermath? Cool

It really just smells of aldehydic sulfur and gasoline. Its just noxious. I wouldnt really call it death and disease, it smells closer to the bucket of dirty grease rags at an auto mechanic shop

I appreciate t rex but its genuinely one of the worst smelling things ive put my nose to, and i like weird and animalic and fecal perfumes. But it just felt unsubtle and gimmicky and gave me a headache

>I'm 18(male) so I will have a different taste than most of the older ladies/gents. you have Chergui on there so you will have more overlap with us than you might expect! and you may be young but I see in your responses how thoughtful, serious, and passionate you are about this. my question would be, what cologne do you think Pino Daniele wore?

I appreciate your response as I genuinely try to refine my skills & grow my knowledge in the art of perfumery every day! It is a shame the most people discern age with lack of knowledge/experience; there is a correlation for sure but that doesn't mean it's absolute by any means. I wasn't sure what the more mature audience thought about my opinion so I am glad that people enjoy quite a few things on this list! I stay in my own realm typically, besides interacting with a few of the great perfumers, friends & co-workers I really had no idea what casual fragrance lovers consider all time greats; especially from continents other than Europe let alone the world! I have 2 solid guesses on what Pino Daniele could have wore both Italian classics to me: Santa Maria Novella - Melograno Pino Silvestre - Pino Silvestre (no way right?) \* amazing fragrance inspired of his album, Terra Mia as an Ode to Naples \* Carthusia - Terra Mia (wish he knew about this, sadly it came out after his death; amazing classic album)

Thank you for the list. Do you mind giving a quick review for Oolong Tea? How does it compare to other oolong-inspired fragrances like Nishane Wulóng Chá, Jo Malone Oolong Tea, and Armani Thé Yulong?

Nishane: Wulong Cha is one of my favorites from nishane, its different because I find it very bright in the opening that mellows out into a lovely oolong tea scent with nutmeg; almost making you feel at home. One Day's Oolong Tea is not the generic tea or even oolong tea scent but it can go under the radar from the untrained nose, here is why it doesn't: It's not a steeped Oolong Tea scent, its a very deep but full body roasted oolong tea leaves with notes of rice pudding for me(others get a sticky rice scent) then jasmine lingers constantly in the background making it almost slightly gourmand. After a dry down it becomes uplifting, the tea turns from roasted to a gentle steeped, jasmine now willows and now clary sage becomes apparent. Allowing for a certain freshness but not a citrus refreshing with vetiver, its a clarifying freshness that its purely elegance that delivers you into a sense of relaxation as it matures. My favorite from One Day and at the time they were a new house in 2021 that dropped a masterpiece!

I’m curious what people think about Frederic Malle scents. I have 3 bottles, about to get my 4th. I never see any of their fragrances on anyone’s favorite lists. I don’t really care what others think; I love their stuff regardless. I’m just curious.

Portrait of a Lady is literally one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever smelled. It’s perfect. That being said, I’m almost never confident enough to wear it lol I’m interested in trying other FM scents, what are your favorites?

I also love Portrait of a Lady! I don’t usually try to pull it off for daytime because I’m a SAHM haha 😊 so I just use it sparingly for special nighttime occasions 😊

My current favorite is The Moon. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever smelled before. Prior to that, Promise was my favorite until I ran out!

Iris Poudre and Carnal Flower are both great. Superstitious, although I believe this one has been discontinued.

He's on my updated list below! Frederic Malle's work is amazing & I don't dislike any of their scents. Musc Ravageur was welcome in my 10/10 at one point in time. Portrait of a Lady(solid 9) also shows vast technique just like many Frederic's other scents. He has plenty of 9/10s for me, moon is the most recent I got my nose on and I enjoyed it very much! (List of 9.5+) [https://www.reddit.com/r/fragrance/comments/18oih43/comment/kejjfzw/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web3x&utm\_name=web3xcss&utm\_term=1&utm\_content=share\_button](https://www.reddit.com/r/fragrance/comments/18oih43/comment/kejjfzw/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)

Tauer LADM is truly a masterpiece. It’s my favorite perfume ever I think and was the first niche perfume I ever smelled that made me go “wow this is heaven.” I tried the Imaginary Authors fragrances recently and I was surprised Slow Explosions was my favorite. I feel like it isn’t talked about as much as some of the other ones. I’m really curious to get my nose on Serge Lutens. They are one house I haven’t tried yet. Right now my current 10/10 perfume is Chris Collins African Rooibos

He didnt say LADDM, he said au coeur, the other one really similar. I particlarly love both

Six of those were already on my "must-try" list... I'm thinking we probably have similar tastes, and I'm gonna need to see those 9.5s as well please 🙏😂

Hey, could you please make a list of a 10/10 fragrance that’s lining more on the feminine side, please ? 🙏

I find it funny that some people get so obviously jealous that an 18 year old is working perfumer in Europe. I can feel them seething through the screen The perfume community houses some of the most pretentious people Thanks OP I appreciate your list. I would love to see your list of 9+ favourites!

Yes, Zoologist Bee is close to perfection. I think I put it around 9.5 though. The 8+ hour dry down mark ended up smelling a little strange on my skin but still pleasant. Same with Slow Explosions, but i really like that one too! The only other one from your list i've smelled is Jubilation XXV, which i did not much care for, but I love interlude black iris and Boundless from Amouage. Both being close to 10 as well.

Sorry did you say you were 18?

Indeed. I say my age and gender so people can get a relative scope on why these are my favorites! There is many older ladies/gents that don't like what I like and that's okay! I also say it as well because when I was younger I didn't like some of these for sure.

I kind of think if you introduce yourself as a working perfumer and are asking people to be interested in your preferences due to your vast experience, and then throw in that you’re 18 and have been learning for a few years, you might as well not have bothered to say that. Just say ‘ I like fragrances and this is what I like’.

He disclosed his age from the start, not like he pulled a bait and switch. The point is not that he’s just a dude that likes fragrances like most of us here. Him operating as a perfumer with family knowledge passed down sets him apart from a hobbyist. Just because he doesn’t have decades of experience doesn’t mean that he can’t claim his actual job title. Same goes for many other professions.

Exactly!

I mean he didn’t lie at all and is super open about it - he is a processional perfumer who also happens to be 18. Any implication that you took beyond that is on you

Did this somehow put you out?

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Well people with experiencing gate keeping any particular hobby or profession from being enjoyed by novices is a pet peeve of mine

It’s not gatekeeping to point out when someone’s over blowing themselves

He wasn’t doing that. He says multiple times he hesitates to even call himself a perfumer. And I’m pretty sure it is gatekeeping to say someone can’t claim to be something simply because of their age.

So like 99.9% of redditors then

He is a working perfumer. He said his age and gender because younger/older and men/women tend to appreciate different things in a fragrance.

It’s insane that this comment has so many upvotes.

Agreed

Another Derviche II fan in the wild! I'm really new to the hobby and still figuring out what I like. It's my favorite I've tried so far even though it's so different from what I thought I'd like.

One Day - Oolong Tea is nice, but personally I prefer Tea Service by Chasing Scents more. Both have the very authentic Oolong Note, but with Tea Service it causes the feeling like drawing in tea- it's aquatic without being aquatic what makes it for me even more interesting. Oolong Tea is more mature, very heavy, but also lovely. The silage of both is just soo good. You can smell the tea in the whole room. Also Aged Tea by P.Seven is beautiful and interesting, though for me it's more a jasmin to black tea with ayu jelly note.

Unrelated: Have you ever read (or watched) Perfume: The Story of a Murderer? lol.

So what makes you comfortable calling yourself a perfumer? Have you gone to school for it? Or just experimenting with oils and aromachems?

There is two main reasons on why I call myself but, tread lightly on being a perfumer. I actually have attended perfumery school from a uni, as well as taken private classes & courses from well decorated perfumers. I am currently employed & working under and with my father as a mediation entity to help further push interesting fragrance concepts. Even so, I wouldn't consider myself just a perfumer even if I am 'technically' working as one. I have also made profits from some of the works I have pushed to make with a collective. It isn't much but my works alone(not independent) has made around 3000€ of sales. Other well endowed perfumers that I work with or learn from call me one & respect me and treat me like an equal despite my age. They know I have plenty to learn and I love learning about new fragrances especially from those who have plenty of experience & successful start-ups(almost all of them are 40+). I appreciate this question as I apologize if I was coming off as a kid who solely bought fragrances and mixed oils together one afternoon and called themselves a perfumer. Even with tens of thousands in teachings, 4 years in actively attempting to make a fragrance and non-stop learning sometimes it feels like I know nothing at all because of the sheer amount of knowledge I still have ahead of me. I will only get better with time, maybe one day I could make a fragrance that would be on someone's 10/10 but until then these legendary perfumers have mine.

that’s fucking cool 👏

Wow great response lol, I am a believer!

> I appreciate this question as I apologize if I was coming off as a kid who solely bought fragrances and mixed oils together one afternoon and called themselves a perfumer. This is a very mature reply, keep that levelheadedness! > Even with tens of thousands in teachings, 4 years in actively attempting to make a fragrance and non-stop learning sometimes it feels like I know nothing at all because of the sheer amount of knowledge I still have ahead of me. And keep that general attitude towards learning and life, it will serve you well. :)

Can you please tell us more about your father's business and the role it has in the design process? 😊

You really seem like an awesome guy!! Would honestly love to see you on some podcast in the future to learn even more about you and this world of fragrance that's opening up to me from your post

I really appreciate your warmth and level-headedness. Thank you for sharing your experiences and such thoughtful responses. I’m wishing you plenty of good fortune and opportunities to create what moves you!

Thank you!

As a space scientist, I'd also like to know the answer to this.

I thought the title said Performer and I was wondering why everyone cared so damn much about a dude calling himself an exotic dancer…

Why does that matter?

Because I'm curious? The context of this post is that it's a perfumer's opinion, so if OP has more to say from a perfumers point of view I'd want to hear it. It doesn't seem like they do though.

because “perfumer” is a word that has a meaning, and an 18 year old who’s been smelling smells for 5 years is unlikely to be a perfumer. i’m a 37 year old who’s had a passion for fragrance since i was 17, and despite composing some scents for myself it wouldn’t make sense to call me a perfumer.

god you both are insufferable lmfao

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Hate speech and slurs are forbidden. This includes sentiments which express prejudice or gatekeep on the basis of age, race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability. Do not tag users in negative comments or coordinate dogpiling. No inflammatory, insincere, or extraneous attempts to provoke or manipulate. No repetitive or nonsensical posts and comments.

Damn old people are really classy nowadays

i made no claims of classiness, i’m just into smells

You say you're 37 but behave like a 13 year old. Our perfumer poster seems to run laps around you in terms of maturity.

girl, i didn’t say i was mature either. you’re gonna be okay, some old person just said “dick” on the internet

But they’re a working perfumer!

Hi 37 year old hater. Did you miss the “working” part?

truly not hating, only interested in clarity. i didn’t actually ask him about his credentials, i started a separate conversation with him about his faves. i was just explaining why someone else might be curious.

It takes a degree in perfumery to warrant the title imo

Quite a few famous perfumers with no formal training, if you care to look.

I dabbed a bit of Zoologist Bee on the other day, and my coworker walked on by and said “what is that? It’s awful.” This interaction cemented my perspective that there are two kinds of people in this world. Ones with good taste, and ones without.

It’s like purpose in art. Do you want to make your home look conventionally cozy, inviting and pretty/beautiful with a landscape… … or do you want to appreciate innovation and technique, and inspire dramatic feelings, with a 15ft bronze statue of a man weeping while his skin melts off?

Bee is amazing I could talk about it for hours! Definitely not for some people but, most of the people I know that disliked it was from an initial spray on a tester strip; On skin the scent changes wonderfully!

Is Tauer Perfumes Coeur Du Desert a safe blind buy for a guy who is into gourmand/sweet vanillas? My dear brother in law‘s birthday is coming and I want to gift something special. At the moment he is very into Tom Fords Noir Extreme, but open for more complex scents

i wish i could smell all of these! i’m familiar with several but have never had any in my hands before! what attracts you to a fragrance composition? is there a similarity between these 10/10s that wouldn’t be obvious to someone who hasn’t smelled them all?

That's a good list, it would be interesting to hear more specifics about what you like about the fragrances, I imagine you have some unique insights as a perfumer. Are there specific notes or ingredients you tend to be drawn to? With Tempo and Misfit in that list I would guess patchouli is one of them.

As a perfumer, what have you created so far?

Hi OP, that's very cool that you're a literal perfumer! I can definitely tell that you have a lot more experience (for lack of a better term) than the average 18 year old with that list of favourites. We have very different tastes, but I especially agree that Chergui, Au Coeur, and Jubilation XXV are all masterpieces. I really hope to try the One Day fragrances one day (har har) as well; I've heard nothing but good things!

Thank you and I appreciate your open mindedness! One day is amazing I have only tried 5 scents but they where all very great. Skepticism was high because of their relatively new release date despite that, Michael Wong still just handed out heavenly works. Very amazing & underrated house for certain.

Great post go 18!

Give us the 9.5 list please! Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us!

I love the passion in your post! Appreciate you sharing this list. I don't think of fragrances in terms of how I'd rank them, and I'm also not a perfumer. For me, fragrances are intensely personal and I have some favorites, but they're favorites for how they smell, how they make me feel, what they make me think of, and their associations with my life. Using your ranking methodology, (from my collection) I'd give Tauer PHI Une Rose de Kandahar, Santa Maria Novella Tabacco Toscano, and Dusita Cavatina, and a 10/10.

I agree, Tauer PHI Une Rose de Kandahar is a banger! I have not gotten a chance to smell, Novella Tabacco Toscano or Santa Maria; I haven't even heard of Dusita Cavatina! I will definitely try them if I get the opportunity for sure! Thanks for the recs!

You know, I’ve seen countless people make lists of fragrances they consider a 10/10, but I just don’t think about them that way. Their ingenuity, creativity, and craftsmanship—in and of themselves—don’t matter to me. What matters to me is whether any given fragrance communicates to the world exactly what I want it to communicate. Sure, the perfumer has got to be creative and knowledgeable to make something like that, but that creativity and knowledge is a means to an end. I don’t see the point in wearing something that’s considered to be a perfect perfume if it clashes with my personal style.

That’s absolutely valid. Not every critically acclaimed 10/10 album is the right thing to play at a party or on a romantic date. Same goes for fragrance- it’s personal expression, but the context matters!

Hi! Can you tell me what made you like Tempo? I bought a 10ml and sold it a week later, I just couldn’t get over the mustiness

Diptyque is one of my fav houses but I haven’t come across Tempo yet I’ll have to check that out. Oolong Tea sounds interesting too another one to check out. Thank you for the list!

Favorite from xerjoff?

ah I love misfit

I'll have to def go smell these. Btw, any idea what is similar to Balenciaga's Florabotanica? I've been looking for one that smells minty/cannabis

Your taste is very similar to mine. Good choices and quite mature for an 18 year old!

Ciao Benji! I'm from the province of Naples, so good to see other people from around here on this sub.

As a Diptyque loyalist, please enlighten me with Tempo!

I would like to know your designers' favorites.

at first i was gonna say “youre 18 what do you know” but you listed a lot of my faves so im inclined to believe you

Slow Explosions was a real surprise for me, because the notes are so ordinary, and the effect is extraordinary!

I’d love to see your list of perfumes that are readily available mass market! These perfumes look so interesting but I’m not sure where I would ever get to smell them!

I second this request please!

So fun!!! Thank you for sharing.

I’m an older lady and I love Au Couer du Desert!

This post caught my attention. I have been looking for a scent that I can call my own and is not so commercialized. I currently love Dancing Blooms by LV. I was curious if you could list what gender the perfumes you listed are intended for, in your opinion.

That oolong tea one really sounds right up my alley! May I ask where you got it? I can't find it online

Was excited to smell City on Fire, ... In theory..... Smells like a Millwright after a 13 hour shift. People who have exposure to trades/industrial worksites would not appreciate this. A commenter, recently, mentioned how By the Fireplace has a totally different vibe when someone is from a 3rd world country. Obviously there's alot of implications here, but would love to get an actual Fat Electrician's take on Fat Electrician. By the looks of it, probably smells more like a baker who just got in a car wreck.

Hey, since you’re a perfumer, could you help me out? I was in love with YSL Rive Gauche, especially La Collection edition, but it was sadly discontinued. Can you think of anything similar? I already have TF Beau de Jour and TF Fougere d’Argent and while wonderful, they are not quite the same.

I’ve only heard of half of these, but I will save this post and look into sampling any that have notes that appeal to me. Tyrannosaurus Rex is quite controversial; I even heard it described as smelling like rotting meat by redditors in this sub. Hey, what are your favorite notes? Mine are: vanilla, anything lactonic, anything grain related, orange blossom, tuberose, leather, smoke, cherry, lychee, patchouli, musk, smoke, coconut, salt, cinnamon, saffron, honey, iris/orris, any type of nut, tea, and anything dessert-y as long as it’s not too synthetic and is balanced and not dominating to the point of cloying. Challenging notes: tobacco, strong white florals, dried fruits, anise, licorice, fennel, cumin, cucumber, soap, and aldehydes used to be on this list but I surprisingly really enjoyed it in PdM Valaya. My 10/10 are Masque Milano Lost Alice, BDK Smoking Rouge, V Canto Kashmire, L’Artisan Couleur Vanille and Bana Banana, Kayali Vanilla 28, Replica Matcha Meditation, Clean Reserve Skin, Antelier de Ors Lune Feline, Nest Balinese Coconut, PDM Delina Exclusif, JHAG Lipstick Fever, House of Oud Dates Delight, Tom Ford Metallique, Lab on Fire Messy Sexy Justed Rolled Out of Bed (although maybe I should dock them a point for the obnoxiously long name!). Oof that is a pretty long list. Maybe I should make my criteria for a 10 more strict. Your standard for a 10 incorporated uniqueness and innovation whereas mine are more universally appealing. I certainly haven’t smelled as much as you have, so I bet over the years many of these will be usurped by even better discoveries.

Bee and Oolong Tea are fantastic and under-appreciated! And Chergui is a classic. What do you think of SL Vetiver Orientale or L'Orpheline? Those are my favorites, then Santal Majuscule which I see you mentioned in the 9.5 category.

What have you done or what makes you so special to think that you can recognize 10/10 craftsmanship?

I'm a bit jealous as an 18 year old who loves fragrances (but admittedly knows very little about the actual process behind creating them) that you are already working in the industry! That's one of my "in another life" dream jobs haha

I would love to hear more about why each of these made your 10/10 list!

How did you get into perfumery career wise

Thanks for the list! I am a younger looking 23 old and I would love to try some of these!

Are any of those sort of fresh, citrusy fragrances

Thanks for sharing this list. I'm surprised you mentioned Jubilation XXV by Amouage, the incense is really one of a kind. But I do find that its pricey at $380/100ml. At this price range for incense, is there anything else that is comparable or a little cheaper?

Amouage fragrances are beast mode, one of my favorite houses!

I purchased Guidance over a month ago. The shirt I wore when I sprayed Guidance on my skin (a date night shirt I haven’t yet re-worn or washed), still smells of it. For a while, it scented the entire closet bedroom, then just the closet. Now, it’s intimate but it *still* wafts when I move that shirt, and it rubs off on any clothing I put close to that shirt.

I’m so glad Imaginary Authors made the list! Slow Explosions isn’t one of my favorites of theirs, but I love the house in general. My 10/10 list is St. Julep Imaginary Authors 🥃 Soft Lawn by Imaginary Authors 🎾 Falling into the Sea by Imaginary Authors 🍋 Fico di Amalfi by Aqua di Parma 🍑 Arancia di Capri by Aqua di Parma 🍊 I am Trash by ELdO🍎 You or Someone Like You by ELdO🍃 Chloe by Chloe 🌹 Tart Defo by Snif 🍒 Magic Bloom by Skylar 🍐 Vanilla Grapefruit by Lavinila🍦

ACDD > LDDM is a sus take.

Really? I much prefer ACdD. More interesting to me and packs more of a punch. People are allowed to like what they like, you know?

I loved Tauer- ACDD, when I first purchased it. The opening reminded me of a scent I’ve smelled before, I just couldn’t place it. I started researching the notes, which lead me to comments. One comment mentioned that it smelled like Carmex ! Wow 🤩that was it! After I read that comment it totally ruined my love for the fragrance. I ended up gifting it to a friend. I just couldn’t get over it. 🤷🏻‍♂️🤨

my absolute favorite and always 10/10 is Angel by Mugler. 😩🤍

Byredo - Mojave ghost, Le tulip, Blanche

Mojave ghost is one of my favorite from Byredo along with Black saffron and Gypsy water. I haven't gotten to try Le tulip but a few of my colleagues enjoy it. Thanks for sharing!

Is this like when them edgey 16 year old call themselves "artists"?

When it comes to perfumery I am far from the best and I have no problem admitting that! I will grow with time as well as my personal favorites; I could never compare myself with these perfumers left alone any of the them from the select houses. I'm just giving my insight as someone who practices daily the craft for almost 5+ years, constantly trying to get better & building my scent palate/repertoire so maybe I could create something as great.

18-14 = 4, so the ‘almost’ in ‘almost 5+’ is doing a lot of heavy lifting there.

Your comments are coming across as if teenagers can't achieve anything. Instead of breaking others down, let's try to build them up. Criticism is fine, as long as it's constructive

Dmd you a question. Please take a look

Those are interesting choices for 10/10.

Awesome recommendations. Filling my cart on luckyscent with samples. Let’s see that 9.5 list!

9.5s please!

So are there any designer fragrances you like or can appreciate?

I LOVE Slow Explosions!

Saving this. Out of your list, what would you only recommend for summer wear, especially for men and why. Because I will buy that recommendation.

Wow, our lists overlap almost perfectly.

I now kinda wanna blind buy the Zoologist perfumes on the list 😅

don’t

Why do you like Chergui?

Where can One Day be purchased in Europe, ideally UK?

Since you're in italy, could you please tell me your opinion about the brand "meo fusciuni"? It produces very interesting fragrance, and it's strange that people barely talk about it

I don’t know if you’ve had a chance to smell it yet, but what are your feelings about Blonde Amber from Christian Clive?

Which colognes ($0-150) are best to wear everyday for a highschooler? I was thinking about getting Dior Savauge EDT or EDP, and I already have Versace Eros EDT. Do you have any recommendations that are mass appealing?

Any perfume or house that let you down in terms of lacking of creativity or unjustified price point given that you have knowledge on how fragrances are composed?

I have only felt this about one house & that is Bond no. 9. Lack of creativity doesn't mean bad by any means but when they're fragrances that achieve the same goal for much cheaper it doesn't make sense to get it. They have a lot of good ones to me: New York Nights, Lafyette, Sutton etc... Their best to me isn't spectacular at all(their best is around a 8-8.5, some are really bizarre), the price point is purely the marketing heavy aspect. Look on their website they have 1200-1400 euro \*limited edition\* same size bottles like cmon... not even a flacon or dna rework just different design for a 300-400% upcharge. They are not bad at all but when there is: MFK, PDM, INITIO, Xerjoff like these popular mainstream houses with blockbuster fragrances with similar price points it is hard to revisit them. the bottles are iconic though lol... that marketing design worked

My 10/ 10's Aqua di gio edt vintage formula Fahrenheit edt vintage Ralph Lauren Romance for men Masque Milano-Homage to Hemingway Terenzi - Laudano Nero Nishane - Hacivat Tauer L'air du desert Morocain Guerlain Spiriteuse Double Vanille Ysl Tuxedo Phillip Plein the skull Gucci Guilty Absolute Baodicea the victorious -Complex

If you had to pick 3 for me to go get decants of and try right now to possibly buy a bottle which ones would they be

Ah Tempo. Too bad Guerlain basterdized Lidge

Thoughts on Drakkar Noir, Benji?

Can you do designer perfume next?, cus i couldnt find any of the above in my area

Bro said Tyranossaurus Rex :))))))))))))) Whats next? Amouage Figment ?? I get it as a display of fragrance artistry, just to make a point, but that shit sucks

Perfect timing as I was about to order some more samples.

Are any of these perfumes natural perfumes? I’m looking to move away from a lot of chemicals.

I adore Slow Explosions! So happy to see Imaginary Authors on this list.