Belem

Test spray on blotter: lemons with peel, pine resin, pepper, spice opening. Sweetness and fresh water come in quickly after, as I lose some of the lemon and pine, all while spices continue to warm up the scent. There's something here that lifts the corners of my mouth -- juicy greenness and joy.

Really nice all around fragrance for a guy. Flexible seasonally and socially. Throws off a nice masculine vibe that is nothing like “crystal light”. One review below is totally bazaar. Great fragrance love wearing it.

smells like an expensive trip to the beach

Starts off with a blast of efervescent citrus and spice. I mostly get a mixture of lime and bergamot, as well as bay leaf, lemongrass, and oak moss. The scent remains fairly linear throughout its life, although the spices dissipate quite a bit after the first 10-15 minutes, leaving mostly citrus and oak moss with light florals. Stays pretty close to the skin and does not project too far or last longer than 2-3 hours. To my nose, this is somewhat reminiscent of "Fiero" by Xerjoff mixed with "New York Intense" by Nicolai Parfumeur Createur. Many of this house's fragrances remind me of tweaked versions of already existing scents. I ordered several samples (Orpheus, Master, Assam, and Pool Boy) along with Belem, and this has been my favorite thus far. The perfumer, Mark Sage, definitely has some talent and I look forward to what else he plans to bring to the table.

Nice complex fragrance that evolves from a citrus bomb to a mellow flower garden over a few hours, it truly captures the memory of staying in a coastal city blocks from the beach. The downside for me is that the lemongrass note is really persistent and isn't a note I enjoy. It has great longevity and decent projection, so objectively great, but subjectively not for me.

To the point, it’s a sweet powdered citrus, e.g. Crystal Light before adding tap water. The main accords at the very top of the page are spot on. Bright citrus, soft spices, a bit musky, definitely sweet. Forgettable.