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Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Agonist Reviews: Quick Impressions

Agonist is a line that's been fascinating me for some time.  I finally managed to get a hold of the entire sample set; these can be hard to come by, if you order directly from their site you get charged 20 euro for shipping on top of the 23 euro for the samples.  However, each one is individually boxed and you get 6 of them, so you'll get a lot of use from them if you enjoy the scents.  I have now tried all six, quick impressions:


The Infidels:  Very elegant head shop scent, obviously well made and very unisex.  Definitely strong sillage, not a summer scent, but something that would be worn with heavy clothing while skulking through city streets at dusk.  The patchouli, labdanum and amber base is lightened by the lavender and blackcurrant, the initial impression is of dark spiced fruits that give way to a smouldering resinous scent.  Very nice, I bought a bottle.


Onyx Pearl:  Upon spraying, reminds me of the men's department at Nordstrom when they start selling leather jackets.  Upscale and very masculine, the suede and oud are at the forefront for the entire fragrance, I never get even a hint of floral but eventually get to a sandalwood and cedar base.  This would be a very sexy fragrance on the right person, however, not for me.


Black Amber:  This is a beautiful, smokey labdanum scent, and reminds me of looking at actual amber.  There are shots of light throughout keeping it from becoming too heavy, a bit like looking at stained glass in a very dark church.  The olibanum and tobacco are quite pronounced on me for a long period of time and keeps the scent from becoming your 'typical' amber.  I get no sense of powder here, just a sweet, reverential amber.  Lovely.


Liquid Crystal:  Lavender opening is gorgeous but quickly becomes The Infidels Light.  Not necessarily a bad thing, but there is a background spice note that threatens to become men's deodorant, a bit like Xerjoff Dhofar.  Unisex.


Vanille Marble:  Oh.  My Goodness.  I like vanilla.  I LOVE this.  I had read reviews already and frankly wasn't all that excited to try it.  I was wrong.  WRONG.  This is The Goddess Vanilla.  It's creamy yet dark, smoky yet luminous, balanced with the perfect amount of floral, fig and sandalwood.  I did not find it foody, but almost mysterious and very very sophisticated.   Instantly bought a bottle with absolutely not regrets as to price. 
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Arctic Jade:  A lovely surprise!  Opens on a children's aspirin note but quickly develops into a tart berried floral with an undertone of cedar and vanilla.  Manages to smell fresh, tangy, clean and elegant at the same time.  Very ladylike and versatile. My next FB purchase.



All in all, one of the most interesting lines I've come across with something for everyone.  All are extremely well made and creative.  Currently available at Aedes.

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