RE:M

Wahoo my samples are in!!! First on the docket: RE:M. I've decided to review these without looking at the scent notes first. I have a terrible memory so I'm (almost) working from a blank slate... it's always interesting to look after I've typed up my review to see how good my nose is at detecting notes! Anyway, RE:M I'd describe as either unisex-leaning-masculine or straight up masculine. Can't really decide where it sits, but I do know this isn't to my personal taste--but that isn't to say it's bad! It's a good perfume. In fact, it's one I think would be well-loved by men into niche fragrances if this brand was more well known. To my nose RE:M opens with an icy freshness (violet leaf?) that's accompanied by a slight leathery note? It smells like leather but it doesn't come through super strong, which is nice (leather is one of those notes that is usually super loud on my skin). Maybe 5 or 10 minutes in a bloom of white flowers appear alongside that icy freshness and in the drydown it becomes quite woody and maybe a little peppery? The woodiness is quite dry and earthy. In the opening it reminds me somewhat of Ombre Leather Parfum, then I'm reminded of Snowy Owl, and then Elephant. However I'm NOT saying it smells like any of those, my brain connects perfumes together if they have even just 1 similar facet (like my brain connecting Indigo and Wulong Cha together for the similar tea note, even though Indigo is fig, tea and smoke and Wulong Cha is tea and citrus). Ah! So the "violet leaf" was the mint (toothpaste), the "leather" I was smelling was probably the tobacco, and I'm seeing many notes that would explain why I was getting faint impressions of Elephant (tea, white flowers, green and earthy notes). The sake note explains perfectly why there was something to this that I just COULD NOT put my finger on - I thought perhaps vodka or juniper/gin but again, alcohol notes are usually quite loud on my skin and it wasn't here, so I couldn't be sure. I'm pretty sure James mentions in the description of this one the idea of being at an upscale bar / jazz club or something of that nature, and in that case he nailed the brief. This has a very alluring and mysterious vibe. MASSIVE silage (my room still smells of it from 1 spray!), longevity around the 6 hour mark. I'm excited to try my other samples because the bottles are extremely fairly priced! £90 for 50ml and I think £60 for 30ml, when he so easily could've gone the £300 for 50ml route many niche brands do... from the descriptions to the bottle designs you can tell so much passion has gone into d.grayi as a brand.

Reminds me of a Renaissance Festival herbalist shop and as you are walking out you get a whiff of mint sprig by the exit. This is a quick review of first impressions from a spray in the air 😊