September Morn

September Morn is a vetiver bomb with delicious woody undertones! The opening is strange ... you see, at first spray, it smells like you just dropped a full bottle of rubbing alcohol with the cap off, and it's gurgling out all over the floor, but that is where the deceit lies. It is not alcohol at all, but a strong middle note of vetiver that pops right out of the sprayer, and it becomes more and more evident that it is vetiver and not alcohol as the first few minutes go by. Vetiver should be listed as a top note, really, because it's there in some fashion from opening to base. Instead of being sharp and biting, though, as vetiver sometimes is, when September Morn arrives at the heart of the fragrance, a luscious woodland of tall, cedar trees sprout up from the earth as in fast forward time-lapsed photography; the breeze wafts through the branches, drifting on that cozy bed of vetiver. And here come the compliments. You may be anosmic by this point, but no one around you is. They, most definitely, want to get closer to you. This fragrance is an easeful cottage in an autumnal forest with yellow, orange, and red leaves from the deciduous trees blanketing the ground; a beautiful and choral contrast to the green of the cedars. Twenty or thirty minutes in or so, a slight ambery-oud comes through, not enough to be overpowering toward the cedar and vetiver; but just enough to be complimentary, eulogistic, and supportive. This final, and perfectly balanced, concoction of scents remains moderately linear throughout the longevity of the wear. I can get 3 to 5 hours of prominent sillage with projection being salient for up to 7 hours. The name could not be more pertinent. This is foresty-autumn in a bottle.

This is a great fragrance that is totally under the radar. For reference, it reminds me of several popular fragrances but is not a clone of any of them. The opening does share a bit in common with Encre Noir Extreme, but without the strong resins. It has a bit of Margiela's By the Fireplace about it, but no vanilla/roasted chestnut sweetness at all. Vetiver comes out strong in the dry down, but this is not the dark, earthy variety, but more of the clean, professional Tom Ford Grey Vetiver/Guerlain Vetiver. There is a hint of patchouli and oud that keep it from being a fresh scent which lends a shroud of mystery and depth to the whole composition. The name is perfect- this reminds me of an autumn morning, the kind where the sun is shining but its warmth waning, the smoke from a wood stove mixing with the chilled air, a sense of nature preparing for the coming months of winter.

Smoky, woody, and warm. This is a very accessible fragrance. The oud isn't overwhelming, the cedar isn't too dry, and the incense isn't too stinky. It's just really well-blended and appealing. I'm not normally into these types of fragrances but I can find nothing negative to say about this scent. The performance is, unfortunately, lacking. Maybe that comes with the territory; a fragrance this well-rounded doesn't need to be loud. I wish it lasted longer, though! If you're looking for a "fall in a bottle" type of fragrance or just like woody fragrances in general, you'll eat this one up. Definitely blind-buy worthy, especially at that price.

Finally, I found new bottle again after my last bottle 3 years ago! Byblos is such an underrated brand, I love it! And September Morn maybe the best from them. Imagine having Encre Noire A L'Extreme with super deep incese opening with little dash of bright citrus and then turn to creamy vetiver bomb with super round woodsy atmosphere! Handsome!

Wonderful fragrance with a "pencil shaving" effect.