Dark Horse

A real dark horse, indeed. Lately I'd been seeing more and more references to Dame Perfumery, without having experienced any of the scents myself. Well, I recently snagged this one, and received a very generous selection of samples as well (thanks, Mr. Dame!). I rarely purchase fragrances without testing, but Dark Horse is certainly among the best blind buys I've ever made. This is an exceptionally smooth melange of notes that is - for me - primarily centered on the interplay between carnation and guaiac wood. The quality-to-price ratio on this fragrance is stellar, which is always a big plus. Although this fragrance is very well balanced, one can identify virtually all of the listed notes. It opens with a bright citrus and very slight sweetness. But really - this is all about the heart- and base-notes. The carnation is very clear and bright, with the baking spices playing a nice supporting role. The cloves are relatively restrained for those of you who fear this note (I would actually like to find a louder clove note in fragrance, but I'm clearly going against the grain..) The primary basenote of guaiac wood is supremely well-judged and natural smelling. As you wear the fragrance, the guaiac seems to slowly absorb the top and middle notes with a velveteen warmth. I don't get great projection with this one, but the longevity is adequate (6-7 hours). Would love just a bit more oomph, but this is still a big thumbs up. As I've transitioned from a 2-3 fragrance guy to a collector over the past seven or eight years I've been a little dismayed by the continued inflation in the niche market. While I'm certainly attracted to luxury and quality ingredients, the proliferation of $200+ a bottle fragrances represents a steep hurdle for most fragrance fans. So I really admire what Jeffrey Dame and other similar souls are trying to achieve - quality, interesting fragrances at reasonable prices.

I think it's high time I reviewed this phenomenal scent. I had a sample, which I used up in short order. I loved it so much that I bought it for myself on my birthday last August. I am a waitress, and I obsessively save all my coins. I purchased the 50 ml bottle with quarters, dimes, and nickels, and it is all the more special to me because of how I paid for it. (I could not have afforded it at that point in time if not for my coins.) This perfume is what awakened my love for Guaiac wood. The guaiac, cloves, and vanilla blend so beautifully together, with the barest hints of florals and citruses, and it works perfectly with my chemistry. I see it is mostly feminine because it is quite sweet, though it wouldn't be out of place on a man. I wore my sample during a special trip my family took last summer, which this perfume will always remind me of. In reading more about Dark Horse, and others' reviews, I kept seeing Dark Horse compared to Fendi's classic, Theorema. So out of curiosity, I snapped that up, too, when a seller on eBay accepted my "best offer." I like Theorema. I might even love Theorema. But while Theorema focuses on the citruses (especially orange), Dark Horse focuses on the spices, with the guaiac wood as a common major note. Theorema almost has a "Graham cracker" accord to me, and it is constructed and blended well. But, I like Dark Horse even better, as it is a far more interesting composition and just as skillfully made.

Mmmm...I love this fragrance. Not only is it delicious, memorable, and utterly appealing, it's an amazing price. I bought a rollerball of it at Indigo Perfumery in Cleveland and enjoy it so much. It's a deeply cozy, sexy scent that manages to avoid the dreaded "scented candle" thing that so many fragrances with cinnamon sometimes take on. I particularly like the rollerball version for putting on at home in the evenings, as it stays close to the skin so that just you and a loved one will enjoy it. The rollerball also gives you a lot of control over how much you put on and precisely where, which I think is particularly valuable with something that comes across as so sensual - it will prevent you from overwhelming your partner, whether for just snuggling on the couch or for something more. Longevity on me varies a lot. Sometimes I'll put it on in the evening and still smell it strongly the next morning, sometimes it will be gone before then (again, this is for the rollerball). For me, it's the perfect sexy, at home pick-me-up to put on late in the day when whatever I wore to work is gone. I personally find it virtually seasonless, but I can see how the cinnamon causes many to construe it as a fall/winter scent. Ultimately, though, the cinnamon comes across as so much more fragrance than flavor that it never feels cloying or predictable.

Drugstore Classics, the reviewer directly below mine, thought I would enjoy Dark Horse, and she is absolutely correct. This is a beautiful, spicy sweet Gaiac wood scent, and very similar to my all time favorite Gaiac wood scent by M. Micallef (coincidentally voted most similar on this page). Both scents open with a dominant clove note and end with the a natural gaiac. I’d describe Dark Horse as having a heavier, thicker overall profile. Compared to my favorite, all the notes are sweetened and noticeably amped up. But M. Micallef’s Gaiac has a more balanced opening—and it’s one of my all time favorite openings of any perfume, I could bathe in that scent forever— but within an hour it’s projection is so low that it’s almost a deal breaker....though the scent stays for several additional hours. Dark Horse has a more robust opening and it’s no surprise that it quietly projects in a 6’ radius for several hours. My favorite Gaiac scent is still created by M. Micallef. But it’s also hard to find as it has been discontinued. Dark Horse is comparable reach for fans of spicy/gourmand and natural gaiac wood. My only wish is that Dame offered smaller spray bottles—I’m not a fan of rollerballs and scented hair oils. I wish I could buy this in 30 or even 50ml, but as far as bang for your buck, $85 for 100ml is quite a deal.

Like others, I found Dark Horse by seeing it compared to M Micallef Gaiac, which I really enjoy. The problem with Gaiac, however, is its performance. My hope was that Dark Horse provided a similar scent with better performance--it somewhat lives up to that hope. First, the scent is very, very similar to Gaiac, though I'd say this one is a bit heavier on the cloves while Gaiac is a bit more powdery. Both are fantastic scents. In terms of performance, I'm still evaluating but so far this is what I've found: Gaiac has somewhat better longevity while Dark Horse has better projection & sillage. They both seem to project for 3-4 hours, with Dark Horse being the stronger fragrance of the two. They both begin to fade at this point though; Gaiac remains as a skin scent longer as far as I can tell. The difference isn't huge though with about 7 hours for Dark Horse and 9 for Gaiac. I'll continue testing the two. All in all, both are great fragrances but because the differences are so minimal, Dark Horse is clearly the better deal. Dame has great service as well--they offer 5ml samples for sale and sent a bunch of other samples with my order.

I love this. I will never get tired of it. It's a beautiful, dry, sweet and spicy clove scent in the opening. Jasmine isn't strong at all so don't expect it but it's not totally absent. Same with the lemon. It adds edge but I can't really smell it strongly. It's mostly the spices and the vanilla, but Dame blends everything fantastically. It seems like a modern take on the powerhouse exotic spice perfumes from the 80's. It's sophisticated, it's chic, but casual and easy to wear, and feels very natural too... It's a great perfume for someone who likes sweet scents but wants a bit of an edge and a bit of a unisex feel. Not juvenile at all. It gets compliments, but it's not overly strong. Lasts well for me. Good for day and night. And it's a great price in my opinion.

Jeffrey Dame has said that he wants the perfumes in this line to pass what he calls "the grocery store test": regular folks in the grocery store would say, "you smell great!" I had wondered if this one might be not quite as wearable as the other Dame Perfumery scents, but it really is. It's a pleasant woody spicy scent that manages a nice lightness, sort of like the way Bvlgari Omnia is spicy yet light. Not that it smells like Omnia -- there's the predominant wood note, with the gorgeous cinnamon-clove-carnation combination well blended. There's also a bit of smoke, like a wonderfully aromatic campfire. If you like Diptyque L'Eau de L'Eau or Estee Lauder Sensuous, definitely try Dark Horse. It is perfectly unisex too.

I adore this -- perfect mix of cloves, woods, sweetness, powderiness. Love it on myself but can't wait to put it on my husband. First time I tested (3 sprays -- LOVE their generous tester sprays!), I went for a walk in 90+ weather and while I was definitely in a little cloud of woody cloves, I didn't feel overwhelmed at all. Did a side-by-side test of this and M. Micallef Gaiac (review also on that frag's page) and for me, Dark Horse is the winner. I may be biased for the hometown team, but I'm very impressed with Dame Perfumery so far -- the frags, presentation, customer service. Can't wait to see what Jeffrey does next!

Dark Horse is a first-rate artistic scent that opens with a citrus spicy bright mix that is fantastic. It has a soft dry down - a clove accord having traces of clean cinnamon and wood. Reminds me a tiny bit of Eau des Baux because of the cloves, but way more appealing and interesting. Sillage moderate, longevity 4+ hours. This is already one of my favorites. Elegant, fresh and so easy to wear! Ordering the spray so that I can apply it all over - skin, hair, clothes. Smells so good that my brother demanded to have it to wear himself!

This one reminds me of 2 scents from Carner, Palo Santo and El Born. Am I saying they smell alike? No. They do have that same creamy vanilla drydown which is about as close to gourmand as possible without being gourmand. The clove in this makes it more spicy but all 3 are wonderful soft safe scents. None are cloying at all and when comparing prices well it's obvious that the Dame is the clear winner. This is long lasting and has perfect sillage, Not beast mode or a skin scent. This is a perfect blend of spices and light woods.

I received my free sample yesterday, courtesy of the very generous Mr. Dame, and am smitten (or is that bitten?!) I cannot think of another line of fragrances that I have sampled in the last few years that are as fascinating as Dame Perfumery's. This scent is dark without being noir. A warm, pitch-dark night with tiny bright stars piercing the sky. Mesmerizing. I want to leave this scent trail always. Will be ordering a full-sized version.

Sublime, ethereal, atmospheric take on a woody, spiced, vanilla oriental. Very warm and soothing, with an American Southwest flair owing to the Mexican vanilla in combination with the smokey, tarmac notes of guaiac wood. Cinnamon, clove and carnation lend the warm, comforting spiciness. Understated, restrained, and very tastefully composed like all of the other offerings from Jeffrey that I have tried.

I'm wearing this in cool fall weather and it's an absolute delight. This is an inviting fragrance. It may be the truest unisex fragrance I've come across. I feel masculine wearing it, yet I'd find a woman very appealing if she wore this. 2 sprays will go farther than 12 hours. A thing of beauty and quality, a must have.

Oh, Myyy. This is some seriously beautiful stuff. And Mr. dame is one of the most personable and generous people out there too...my spray sample arrived today with a handwritten note and I'm completely smitten...can't stop smelling my wrists! This one goes right to the top of my want list, asap.

Wow! I HATE cloves, cinnamon, and vetiver.....but I just love this! What an awesome blend! Very, very sexy on me, and yet I can imagine a man giving off that sexy vibe with this too. Saving for a FB. Dame is rapidly becoming my favorite House. Keep it up, Jeffrey, you ROCK!

Opening is so so. Dry down is fantastic. Sorry, couldn't resist. But it's my honest opinion. Cloves are very present but I wouldn't call the central. They just bind everything together in a splendid, airy way.

Dark Horse is a well-balanced cinnamic-clove spicy, vanillic, woody scent that's casual and very comfortable to wear. Totally unisex. I swear there are also cocoa and leather notes in there too. A masterpiece!

Wore it today in our lovely Midwest humid summer day. Very nice, in spite of probably being better for winter. Stayed all day.Most scents are off by mid day in humid weather on me. Full bottle in my plans.

I received my sample sometime last week and must say, of all the samples in the pack, I am hooked on Dark Horse. It is, as Mr. Dame put it, "Damn Sexy". I will be purchasing a bottle soon.

I get a hint of chocolate, cinnamon and vanilla. really a delicious smell. not gourmand - very unisex. I'm a big fan of dame perfumery. 7/10

Absolutely love it, charming, warm and soothing. But, why you're not making the good old 50 ml bottles anymore Mr. Dame?

After reading about this resembling Theorema and discovering how affordable (including shipping, a rare treat for us Europeans ordering US stuff) it was in the roller bottle format, I just had to order it. Just a week later, I received the precious shipment in the post and I have to tip my hat to Mr Dame for customer enchantment (service is just not the right word) at this point: not only did my parcel include a hand-written note, but also five little samples AND a 10% off coupon for my next purchase. The scent itself seems to be as enigmatic as the name suggest, reading some of the descriptions above make me wonder if I have exactly the same bottle. So it must be one of those scents that really changes depending on your skin chemistry. For me, it does have the warmth and a hint of wood, but what really comes out on my skin is the vanilla, loud and clear. Now I like vanilla but after a very misguided youth of wearing the Yves Rocher Vanilla body spray, I am not so much a pure vanilla person anymore. As time progressed the vanilla did die down a little and the glowing cinnamon effect was more noticeable but to me it is like Theorema's younger, girlier sister (as opposed to By the fireplace by Maison Margiela being the older, tomboyish one). After about four hours it seemed to disappear altogether, so not as long-lasting as I would like. It may have been altered by skin lotion that I was wearing, so I will try it again without anything on. It is undoubtedly a beautiful scent, will have to give it another try to figure out whether it is a beautiful scent for ME.

Absolutely delightful unisex scent. It reminds me of a more masculine version of enchanting L de Lolita (not as sweet) or an American cousin of delightful Meharees. Spicy, creamy, dreamy, and eminently LIKABLE. Yes, you already heard Dame Perfumery is known for these charmers, but in case there was any doubt, Dark Horse is a winner! Would be perfect for gifting your brother, cousin, nephew, kind neighbor etc, but is also something you would fall over to smell on a man who is.... shall we say more appealing? ;) And then be tempted, as a woman, to occasionally borrow some for yourself! Update - Dark Horse must have a lot in common with Dame Perfumery's Black Flower Mexican Vanilla, because they Both have elements that remind me of each other. Black Flower smells even more creamy, dreamy sweet and vanillic, but substantially reminds me of L de Lolita. And Dark Horse is more like the less sweet Meharees - which is quite a bit like a more masculine L de Lolita! All rich in vanilla, all interesting and comforting. So there you have it, take your pick. They are EACH excellent fragrances from my point of view. On the complex side of vanilla... Never boring.

This opens up with lemony-lime and a hint of vanilla bean. It almost tip toes into house cleaner territory, but before it does, it begins to mellow. The bright lemon-lime whips into lemon meringue; there is almost a touch of marshmallow to it as well. Guaiac wood, jasmine, and clove warm everything up and keeps the opening in balance (ensuring the scent does not become too confectionary). After about an hour it becomes more woody, but not dry. Vetiver, I believe, is adding a "wet earth" aspect. I also get a bit of ozone, akin to outside after it rains. Melts into the skin beautifully and balanced quite nicely. People who want to try gourmands, but don't like to smell actually edible, would probably enjoy this. It's unusual, without trying too hard to be different. Sillage is about 3 feet and lasting power is moderate at about 7 hours. Lovely Fall/Winter scent. Warm and inviting. Unisex. Disclosure: As someone who doesn't professionally review fragrances, I didn't think to specify that I received this as a free sample about a year ago. This doesn't change my review; I just thought it should be known.

Dark Horse is another interesting creation by Dame Perfumery, and so far the most unique I've tried. It is a spicy, powdery, sweet mix of citrus, spices, and vanilla that remains pretty consistent from its opening throughout its lifespan. Some of the standout notes are cinnamon, the main source of spiciness; clove, which always gives me a pseudo incense vibe; and guaiac wood, the sweetness of which fosters a great base to contrast the cinnamon. I'd argue that Dark Horse doesn't project quite as much as Desert Rose, but they have similarly outstanding longevity: 10-12 hours and still there after a shower. Some might argue that this is more of a cold weather scent due its density and powdery texture, but I see this having utility in the warmer months, but just with fewer sprays. I would regard this as more of a nighttime scent due it being provocative in its mixture, but I'm sure you could make this work for the day. Lastly, it's a a great example of a unisex fragrance---it really depends on how it plays on your skin, so this is one that needs to (and should, anyway) be tried out. 7 out of 10

I sold my precious bottle of Theorema some time ago, and I have always wondered if I did the right thing. Well now I know that if I ever crave the scent of that GORGEOUS drydown, which is filled with palo santo (which naturally smells creamy and a tad smoky), sweet spices, and woods, I can get Dark Horse. And sillage is arguably better. THANK YOU, Mr. Dame, for creating this magnificent perfume. This is everything a palo santo perfume should be, no more, no less. The spice is so delicate and does not overpower whatsoever, it's just perfect. Dark Horse is a big love for me. A full bottle is going to be required. I have sampled many perfumes from Dame Perfumery's line, and there is not one single one that I do not appreciate, but Dark Horse is the bees knees. (Also smells nearly identical to Micallef's Gaiac, but sillage and longevity of Dark Horse are far superior)

I let my young daughter pick today's perfume out of my selection of testers -- I'd worn Dark Horse once previously, but I didn't take the time/attention for it to leave impression enough to really write about. Today, however, my kid & I both took a good sniff at the opening. My first impressions were of a sweet, sharp citrus. She went a step further and told me it smells like Froot Loops! Ha! It settles in quickly to a lovely sweetened clove. It's warm, it's comforting, it sits very close. First spritz I could take or leave it, but the musky, soft drydown (2-3 hours in) is where Dark Horse is truly extraordinary. Overall, I like it!

Excellent, strong, long lasting and spicy Oriental! I love the house of Dame - it's a joy to see American perfumery of this quality. Quite similar to Meharees, if unique. If you enjoy either, check out Jeffrey Dame's crowning jewel, Duality Woman. WHAT a beauty! Perhaps less strong than Dark Horse, but even more blended and gorgeous. Starts as a floral, evolves into a floriental, and ends on an Oriental note. The entire progression is a joy. Very sophisticated, womanly, warm, and seductive. <3

Another favorite from Dame Perfumery. Until recently I had only worn Dark Horse in cooler weather, when the musk was overpowering the spices on my skin. I liked it, but wished the spices were more prominent. Now that it's hot outside I tried Dark Horse again, and now I'm getting a gorgeous combination of cloves and cinnamon in the foreground. I'm not sure if it's the weather or if there's something else about my skin or nose that's making the difference, but it's great!

I absolutely love this gorgeous spicy fragrance! It has lots of cinnamon and cloves with warm vanilla and smoky woods. I will definitely purchase a full bottle to enjoy during the cooler months. If you like Maison Margiela By the Fireplace or L'Artisan Parfumeur Noir Exquis, give Dark Horse a try. They have similar spicy-woody unisex compositions. Dame has great prices and outstanding customer service too which is hard to beat.

For me, this is primarily clove and cinnamon which is smoothed out with the combination of the other notes like vanilla, guaiac wood, and the floral notes. I find it quite pleasant, and it performs plenty well enough for my needs. I also find it inoffensive and don't mind wearing it to work. It's definitely more ideal for colder weather. I bought my bottle when Dame was still selling this in the 50ml size.

I'm on the fence on this one. I like the vanilla, guaiac and cloves, but there is a hint of sourness that I don't get from other scents with similar notes. Mr. Dame did a fantastic job blending these notes, and as others have stated, he is very generous with samples when you place an order.

Dark Horse: Probably the best of the Dames I received. Reminds me a lot of BBW Dark Kiss, but not quite as strong and less sweet. Like it, but would not repurchase as I have Dark Kiss and like it more.

Smells just like a stick of Big Red gum (which is a good thing), not for me, but I think it would be great on a man

I have a sample of this and I really like it. It's easy to wear. I told my husband I want a bottle for my birthday!

88th I’ve been sitting on this one for a while with mixed feelings(have multiple spray samples). I am not a fan of the newer 100-ml bottles as it’s just too much juice. Also, this is the only scent in my collection that makes me itch slightly, a skin crawling sensation. I spray it only on clothing, but that’s enough to cause this(light contact I guess). I have many synthetic scents, but I can’t understand what it is about this one that makes my skin crawl... On a positive note, I like the composition a lot. It does lean more masculine in some ways as if develops(barbershop notes), but the sweetness, fruitiness, spiciness(yes, cinnamon and cloves) and a good dose of vanilla keeps it in line as unisex. It’s fairly smooth and well balanced and I keep coming back to it regardless the negatives. I decided to get a bottle for my spouse instead, as I will get to experience it without having to spray it on myself. Maybe have a little sneak occasionally...7/10 the new batch I’ve received doesn’t seem as fragrant-so disappointed and I hate the bottle, clunky and hard to handle square shape. IMHO-100-ml scents are better in vertical bottles.

Firstly, @LSAUG’s review is incredibly accurate, minus the cookies. I’m not getting cookies out of this, but definitely smells like I’m combining kitchen spices to begin making spice cookies. And, as much as I’d love to be more creative about what I’m smelling, the truth is YES, lemon-scented Pledge indeed. Overall, this is a very literal pantry spice + lemon fragrance. I’m trying to find the florals, but they aren’t showing up. Also, Dark Horse reminds me of those old-timey “ornaments” where you puncture the skin of an orange with cloves and hang it in your house for the fall/winter seasons. And yeah, it does smell like entering a craft store during the fall season. Honestly, Dark Horse doesn’t smell bad at all, it just screams “holiday crafts”, and I’d rather own this type of a scent in a candle, not as something I want to spray on my body.

this is freshly spicy and a little bit sweet. i seem to get citruses, vanilla and cinnamon at first. after about 10 minutes i get woods, vetiver and musk. this is a nice scent, especially for fall/winter, though i likely wouldn't wear this that much.

I like Dame, the perfume house and the perfumer. Great person and great fragrances. Though this one is not for me, I appreciate it. I am not getting the woods and spices in this at all. On me, it is a boozy gourmand fragrance.

I wanted to love it but just didn't. It was okay. A boozy gourmand.

First spray reactions: he said "this smells like Michael's" and I said "oooooh I really like this." He's right though, it has that flowers-and-potpourri-flavored-candle smell of an American crafts store. I smell a deeeeeeeep and dusty jasmine, cinnamon and clove, lil bergamot edge. Then the musk and guaiac emerge and I think that how they blend with the citrus makes it all just really musty and artificial-smelling, like a stale soapy-musky attic. A few times now I've tried wearing it, trying to like it, chasing that initial heart-eyes reaction, but it's just not happening. RIP.

This starts off w/ sweet citrus but quickly becomes a kitchen spice perfume. Nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon and not much else going on w/ it. I love spicy fragrances but this one lacks depth and character. Very linear and smells like I dumped kitchens spices on myself while baking cookies after I finished dusting the living room w/ lemon pledge. The dry down adds a woody floor polish smell to the ending of this so called perfume. Disappointing. This is something a young girl would wear thinking she smelled grown up. Juvenile.

So heavy. Full disclosure, I'm a fresh, green, ozonic, marine, fruity, aldehydic type person. So this is not my cup of tea. But beyond that, it just smells like holiday potpourri in a grandmother's sitting room. Lasts a long time with wide sillage.

I got a sample of this from a friend. It's chocolate toffee with vetiver and that's pretty much the extent of it. I'm not impressed and it's not for me.

My interest was peaked when reviews suggested this was similar to M. Micallef's Gaiac--a masterpiece in its own right. Indeed this is. Amazing that a scent as complex and out of the box like this one was developed by two completely different perfumeries with an ocean separating them. If this scent profile is a study of gaiac wood, Dame is the A+ student and M. Micallef is the experienced and well traveled professor. Let's be honest, the end result between the two are quite similar. Performance is also quite similar. Dame offers an outstanding value for this scent profile and small batch uniqueness, while M. Micallef offers a knockout bottle, added name prestige and a bit heavier performance. Here is where they differ: Dark horse is brighter and fresher upon first spray. Actually, you get a massive hit of alcohol up front, but that transforms into fragrance by the time its on the skin. This is not uncommon with smaller 'mom and pop' style perfumeries, due to the way they mix their formulas and the equipment that they have on hand. But, it's clear Dame uses less oils than M. Micllef and they are not blended using the same techniques. Dark horse has more sugary sweetness and citrus up front. It's nice, not overly sweet, and not synthetic. Within 20-30 minutes it becomes very close to Gaiac, exhibiting all the clove and cinnamon spice intermingling with the smoky gaiac wood and rich vanilla base. After 2 hours another slight transformation, where Dark horse becomes fresher again, similar to Dame's Sky feather---with a slightly sweet, citrusy fresh light musk...it's actually close to the drydown of Spicebomb Fresh. I am starting to think this type of drydown is a Dame signature. The thing is, these Dame transformations expose the thin-ness and transparency of Dark horse vs. M. Micallef's Gaiac. You see, Gaiac keeps developing deeper and richer. It never becomes 'Spicebomb fresh'. Where Dame's scent starts to become more synthetic, Micallef remains authentic and of very high quality. You even get a touch of oud, consistent clove spice, very rich and dense vanilla. Dark horse has good longevity on skin, not as much on clothes. After 1 hour it is close to the skin and remains for 6 hours. On a scale from 0-10 on performance, this hits a 6. Gaiac has outstanding longevity, also on clothing. After 3 hours it becomes a skin scent but noticeable substantial wafts keep hitting you 6-10 additional hours later. On a scale from 0-10 on performance this is right around 8. Overall, a fantastic result from Dame. For the price and U.S. access and to support such a great person who clearly has a passion for making unique fragrances, I'd buy a bottle. At least get a sample and he will include other selections to try. I really like Sky Feather too, thought the drydown is Spicebomb fresh all the way (not a bad thing) **edit** it turns out Dames version is much stronger and fresher, and all around more addicting. I refer this over M. Micallef.

Dark Horse is one of three EDP fragrance releases from the house of Jeffrey Dame, the other two being Black Flower Mexican Vanilla and Desert Rose. It was released earlier in 2015 and only comes in a 50 ml bottle, which can be yours for $65. The artwork on the Dame Perfumery bottles is the work of Jeffrey’s father, V. Dave Dame, whose art is as sparse yet attractive as his son’s olfactory creations. It should be said that Jeffrey is one of the kindest people on the Facebook fragrance groups. If you do him the small kindness of sending him a postcard – preferably one of where you’re from or something that says a little about you – and if you make a smell note of a sample you like, he’ll send one to the return address. I thought this really says a lot about the way that he gains inspiration through people and unique things like postcards. And that’s the kind of perfumer I like to support. The notes include on the top: bergamot, lemon, and cinnamon. In the middle, jasmine, carnation, rose, and cloves; in the base, guaiac wood, vetiver, vanilla, and musk. In the canon of men’s perfumery, two of the most common are the clean, fresh, citrus-laden scent – inoffensive and perfect for summer. You also have the spicy scent – a bit more daring, likely to turn off a few more people, but a popular designer item nonetheless. Dark Horse is one of the few scents that wants the best of both worlds. Notice the bergamot and the lemon on the top; they’re certainly noticeable on the top and through midlife of the fragrance. However, just as present are the cinnamon, clove, and the faintest hint of rose. The result is a kind of matte citrus, which also smells very primordially spicy, like walking through one of the Earth’s first forests some 500 million years ago. Despite being an EDP, it’s an EDP that’s a little muted, very well-behaved, and extraordinarily wearable. It doesn’t smell green at all, but almost like bright, moist earth. Usually the citrus goes away, but on my skin it’s there for a couple of hours at least. Toward the very end, it lingers off, leaving just the essence of faint clove and damp cinnamon bark. For those Tennessee Williams lovers out there, the dry down of Dark Horse just might be the “click in the head” that lets you realize you have your hands on something truly lovely. I don’t get a lot of projection or sillage out of this. I’ve worn some of the colognes for woman, and Jeffrey may have wanted them to be similar – I’ve heard him say that he intended the colognes to pretty much be skin scents. I get maybe 5 hours with it. But if you’re wearing it for yourself – and really, you shouldn’t be wearing perfume for anyone else – you’re in for a treat.

I really like this! On skin, Dark Horse is a fragrance of gaiac wood, cloves, and cinnamon with subtle hints of rose, vanilla, and vetiver woven throughout. It has a soft, natural texture; a mellow radiance that sits close to the skin and creates an intimate, yet substantial feeling of warmth. It reminds me a lot of Gaiac by M. Micallef, but there are a few significant differences between the two. To begin, Gaiac is a stronger, louder fragrance. It projects further outward and seems to fill a bigger space. Dark Horse reels it in, and remains low-key without ever feeling weak or flat. I actually prefer this aspect of Dark Horse, as I found Gaiac could be a little too much at times. Though I enjoyed it, Gaiac had the potential to become cloying, which is why I eventually sold the bottle I once owned. I also think Dark Horse is a more gentle-handed composition in general. The notes seem very well-blended, the cinnamon pairing seamlessly with the gaiac and cloves, expertly balanced and not a rough edge in sight. Finally, and what ultimately sets this one apart from Gaiac, are the lemon and bergamot top notes, which smell completely fresh and natural and add an entirely different angle and dimension to Dark Horse. It's rare that a fragrance will be dark and spicy and warm, and at the same time exude bright notes of lemon and sweet bergamot. But that's exactly what Dark Horse does. At least on me, the bergamot and lemon gets devoured by my skin within minutes. However, on FABRIC, they hang around for a long time, and play a central role in the composition. So, when you wear Dark Horse, it's best to apply a few sprays to your clothes as well as your skin, because then you get the best of both worlds, and this is where Dark Horse really shines! Thumbs up and worthy of a blind buy so long as you're not looking for something with big projection. Dark Horse has made me very curious to sample the rest of the line, several samples of which were kindly and generously sent to me by the house's proprietor free of charge. What a pleasant surprise...

I read Schopenhauer's verbose review and, after getting past the filler, am glad he likes this wonderful scent but of the few germane points a couple are quite misleading. The most critical amendment necessary is that this is NOT a citrus scent, "matte," "earthy," or otherwise, nor really for Summer (at least not days) in the current usage. Was that faulty perspective because he wrote the review dripping sweat in the August heat? Seriously!? Projection quickly becomes a respectable scent bubble with respectful sillage; I note that this fragrance has quality EDP longevity in its heart and skin-scent base Schopenhauer doesn't seem to get. It seems to me he was going off of someone's fragrance pyramid (Fragrantica's?) and at the time may not even have had a sample of Dame Perfumery Dark Horse, a nice creation that I appreciate the more I wear it myself. Read the other reviews here that should be better regarded, see the stats, check the main notes we voted on and you'll see what I mean... Schopenhauer, under a different name, did a reformulated (read: watered-down) video version of his "review" too. No-one bothers with it but whatever you do don't disapprove or he starts cursing and explaining how poor everyone else's opinion is yet how he's a misunderstood insightful and honest expert.

This is the new scent by DamePerfumery. I already have Black Flower and Desert Rose, both of which I love. I adore anything cinnamon and clove, so I rushed to get their trial size that goes for $10 (I got two). What can I tell you. Jeff did it again. I love this scent and I plan to get a full size bottle as soon as I can. If you like run-of-the-mill floral, fruity, girly frags this is not for you. I like exotic, spicy scents so this is right up my alley. On me this is a lovely woody spicy scent. Hard to describe (a veritable 'dark horse,' pardon the pun). It reminds me of high quality pipe tobacco and soft suede. The woody-cinnamon-clove combination is delicious. The rose, carnation and vanilla prevent it from being overly masculine (it's a unisex scent). Very elegant and well blended. I just wish it had the same staying power as Desert Rose, but it's so good it's a pleasure to reapply. The label is artistic and lovely, typical of the brand, and the hand-written card is a nice personal touch. I love Dark Horse. It's a unique scent. And in my book, that is the best compliment I can pay any fragrance.

I've been wearing this all day and its still going strong. When you read the notes, the cinnamon and cloves are there but that makes it seem like its mostly spicy. To me its is warm spice, wood, musk and vetiver but doesn't do it justice. I wouldn't buy this based on that description. It has the same vibe as New Musk by the same company and I am going to assume they share that note. The same sort of sour or tart fruitiness with a lingering vanilla note that really starts to project after hours and all of the other notes start to tame down. This seems to me far more masculine than the New Musk. I like it. I like it a lot and its really unusual which is something else I value in a cologne. I wouldn't blind buy this but the samples we got in the mail are huge and the samples that came with a recent purchase are even larger so consider buying a sample assortment and testing them out. Addition: I wore it an entire day and still smelled it on me the next day which NEVER happens. Almost gone but still there. WOW!