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.

Keiko Mecheri Bespoke: Bal De Roses

Rose is a ubiquitous note in many fragrances, so while I generally say that I'm not a fan of rose scents, that's not necessarily true.  I typically don't like scents that feature rose as an almost-soliflore.  However, rose and elevate, brighten, and flesh out a fragrance like few florals can, and the different ways rose can be interpreted are myriad. 
Bal de Roses is a scent that starts with a blast of floral peppered with a brightness and spice that seems modern, like a huge minimalist vase of roses in a chic, edgy luxury hotel.  There are so many florals in this, with the ylang ylang adding a blue edge, the tuberose a slight latex-like scent, and jasmine brightening the core.  The overall effect is large and bright and beautiful, very feminine and ethereal.  The rose is a support note and the one that is most obvious, filling out any empty spaces left by the other notes, and at each sniff it takes a different turn....here, a little tea rose.  There, a lush, red spiced rose.  A moment of sunny yellow. 
When the oud comes out, it mirrors the latex feel of the tuberose, but develops into that medicinal quality that good oud has, and finally develops and blends with what I think is sandalwood and maybe benzoin? to form a solid foundation to the florals.  This scent is never heavy but has wonderful sillage. 
Keiko Mecheri has really shown her talents in the Bespoke collection.  I've enjoyed KM scents for awhile but I must say that these are by far her best.  Each one I have tried so far has been absolutely beautiful. 

Mirage: Atelier Ambre Nue

With the fall comes the annual amber kick.  Typically I gravitate toward heavier amber scents but my skin amplifies all the amber-associated components and notes, so sometimes I'm searching for an amber that won't scream my presence across a room. 

Today I tried Atelier's Ambre Nue.  At first sniff, this smells like a typical, light amber fragrance.  It comes across as light and sweet, this is definitely not cold-weather amber but like amber boating on a lake in the summertime with a beer.  The mandarin and bergamot make a quick appearance,  like a surprisingly candied citrus.  I'm almost turned off, but I'm finding it intriguing that my amber is turning into a lemon amber meringue candy drop.  It's actually entertaining.  Every few minutes I'm sniffing and getting something else:  oranges.  a flash of sunlight.  light amber. 

A while later, the citrus melds into a slightly spicy kick with the slightest breath of floral.  I love how this entire time, the amber is still just barely perceptible.  It quietly dances on the outskirts of the fragrance, like an artist might use a few lines to add structure to an otherwise muted drawing.

Every facet of this scent is a surprise.  Although not an 'amber' scent per se in the commonly accepted sense, it's a wonderful translation and feels like a crowd pleaser.  I'll definitely be reaching for this one in the spring when I need my amber fix.