Campfire Nights

Oh my gosh, where do I start here!? First of all, who could imagine a better version than BTF!? Well, this is it. I don't know how he does it, but H Hafez's nose is spot on and perfecting...mix that with the quality of ingredients in skin brew and we have exceptional. This is a juicy, potent extrait...on your skin emits such a surprising yumminess. The vanilla is striking, deep, and full. It's the aged vanilla that almost takes you to that sense of tobacco leather, but doesn't at all. If that makes any sense. High-quality vanilla that is not overwhelming, but comforting. The chestnut and oud warm you to your toes and give you that happy feeling, deep inside. The part that surprises me most, and makes me happier than anything is the perfect and delectable amount of orange blossom this fragrance carries - to me, a HUGE improvement over BTF. It's perfect with the touch of clove, barely there, but certainly is. I also find hints of juniper and balsam coming out, two of my favorite notes, which oddly, are not noted as ingredients. But, if I was a betting person, I would swear they are in here. Maybe it's the quality of the oud that gives me that sense of juniper and balsam - being just underneath there, like the aroma that carries when you are amidst the trees in a forest. The other improvement to me in this is that the burnt wood smokiness is not as overwhelming here, as in BTF. It's definitely there but in that sense of the campfire that's been put out with only a couple of lingering embers to remind you of what was ablaze. It's evocative, sensual, and extremely unisex. While I love wearing it myself, wow, would I love to smell how a man's skin can transform it? Yes, please!!! Also, while this is certainly going to be a fragrance of choice while wearing wool or cashmere sweaters, as well as perfect in flannel, thermals, cozy layers, and water repellent coats for Winter and Fall, I am already loving it in the late Summer - perhaps because of the perfect added touch of orange blossom!?

Never experienced the original, but this is beautiful. It actually reminds me of Comme des Garcons Avignon, but without the headache-inducing cedar overload. I'm delighted to now have a version of the scent I can wear! The woods in this are perfectly balanced. I would say the first 6 hours smell like a better version of Avignon, and the remaining 6 plus hours indeed smell like I spent the night by a cozy campfire.

This is just lovely. By the Fireplace is one of my favorites, but I'm frustrated by the performance for the price, so I always look for similar scents that are either cheaper or last longer. This one is great on both counts and closer to BTF to my nose than either Commodity Velvet or Ameer Al Oudh Intense.

At first spray, I found this to smell like burnt caramel and way too sweet. I couldn’t stand it. After about 8 minutes, it starts to settle into the scent it’s meant to be and smells so close to “by the fireplace”. This is a fantastic clone and I am in love with it!

Dare i say better than the original haha. Amazing fragrance from alexandria