Machrie

I tried this on my wrist in a department store a few weeks ago, in the late winter or early spring. I liked it but wasn't--almost an unintended pun, given the scent's marine aspect--swept away. Initially I got an oceanic but sweet, warm, animalic, semi-dirty blast of what I took to be the ambergris. I really liked it. The prominent sage made for a bitter, masculine tone I liked as well. Overall, though, it wasn't the marine-herbal spring/autumn scent experience I'd expected. I found the scent unexpectedly full, round and opulently balsamic (though by no means cloying or even very strong), probably all the more so in the drydown. To me the fragrance seemed to lean feminine. I couldn't fully reconcile it with my conception of the Scottish island coastal plains landscape (machair) that I presumed had inspired the formulation, either. I've yet to encounter a stretch of Scottish coastline that smells of labdanum, myrrh or the obvious citrus not listed here but that Arran list as mandarin. (Incidentally, please note that there is no rose in this. Rockrose--is--labdanum.) Living in Scotland and having been turned on to the producer a few years back, however, I really wanted to enjoy the fragrance, if only for the ambergris note that had impressed me so much. I ended up ordering a bottle, expecting to layer the scent with something else marine/aquatic but fresher, to cut through the cloudy balsam. I can only suppose that the tester bottle in the store had been sitting around without a box for some time or that there are big differences between batches; upon starting on my bottle on another cool day, I find the fragrance much leaner, more balanced, more masculine or unisex and more evocative of the islands' coastal plains. Ironically for my purposes, the ambergris note I loved the first time is not nearly as evident--but to me the overall effect seems more marine and perhaps, in an agreeable way, a touch more subtle. I far prefer the scent this time around. There seems to be much less development; in this instance, since I like what I'm smelling, that's fine by me. Last time I found the longevity moderate to disappointing. I think that the only reason I might layer this the way I'm experiencing it now is if the longevity underwhelmed me again--but I've had this on for maybe an hour now and all seems well. Edit: This has good longevity--on clothes it lingers for days--and here in Scotland it could serve as a great signature scent (it's becoming that for me) on any but the very hottest days between about March and late Autumn. We had a storm here the other day--at the end of June--and this stuff was just right for that evening. It's not an overly complicated fragrance and the marine accord is as good as any I've smelt.

I really love this and deeply proud of this Scottish perfumery. I originally had a smaller travel bottle, but wearing it on a plane, was sitting next to a woman very taken by it and had to give it up. So I bought another travel bottle, which i half used and on my next trip abroad, also ended up giving it to friend who really liked it's salty earthy textures. It's such a unique scent. I wouldn't have said it a woody complement getter. It's not a marine scent but just to me a very peppery sage ambergris scent. I really wish Arran would allow this to be stocked internationally I've now gone and bought the larger bottle and not giving that away. But for some reason I can't explain the larger bottle has a much more intense scent, like an edp version of it.