Whiplash

This is an interesting release and a little bit weird. You might think, looking at the notes, that this would be in the same ballpark as Tygar or Afternoon Swim, and although the top notes lend themselves to certain similarities being bright and spicy, the base is all together different making this a very different proposition. Rather than a fresh, musky ambroxan base, Whiplash has a warm, woody, rather medicinal base that I think some might find rather polarising. As with many Ex Nihilos, it’s quite modern and somewhat clinical in composition. I can’t say I really get any rose, rather it’s a mix of bright and zingy citrus, with warm, earthy, medicinal woods. The Akigalawood and patchouli are the main players to my nose. It reminds me of a school soap I used to smell as a child that had this clean but medicinal smell to it. It’s much nicer smelt from the silage than directly from skin. I like it but it’s not what I was expecting so it needs to be tested. Performance seems pretty decent on this one with good longevity and noticeable projection. A masculine leaning, modern and minimalist interpretation of an oud type fragrance that’s interesting but may not be to everyone’s taste.

The dry down has similarities to Another 13 by Le Labo, which is a strange turn from the opening burst of zesty, zingy citrus. Maybe it's the ambrette note but I really can't see any other similar notes otherwise. About 40 minutes in, it's the complete opposite from what you started with. One might call it whiplash!

Whiplash by Ex Nihilo is a weird one for me, in a good way. To me it's like citrus water, light and airy, yet refreshingly crisp. What makes it weird is exactly what makes it stand out: it’s not your typical zesty citrus. The projection is surprisingly strong for such a seemingly light scent. Despite its seemingly watery nature, it lingers on the skin for 12+ hours. The oddity of it is what keeps drawing me back—it’s familiar yet totally unique, a refreshing take on a citrus fragrance that manages to feel both clean and bold. If you’re into scents that surprise and evolve, this one is worth a try. I'm so torn about this fragrance. I can't decide if I really like it or not. I think this is a 7/10.

Sensational profile! Not, certainly, what I was expecting and that is probably something I really enjoyed about this. So far, I have tried a significant portion of Ex Nihilos that are at least readily available in retail stores, tried a few exclusives but definitely this is up my alley unlike the majority of their offerings. Great house nevertheless. To me, again, unexpectedly, there were expectations of a spicy Tygar, a twist like the Hedonist did. This is nowhere near that (thankfully, tho I love those). The early development of it smells to me reminiscently of Bvlgari Kobraa from their Le Gemme line. A severely underappreciated masculine green fragrance with some incensed aromatics and woody tones. Whiplash does something similar to me minus the incense and that mysterious aura Kobraa has, replaced with some spices and added freshness even - has to be attributed to the ginger-citrus combo. So damn good! The more it dries, the softer it becomes. Velvety smooth, everfresh, inviting. The Ex Nihilo backbone is present but takes backstage here. Put this on skin, it's a must try from the house! Blotter will not do it justice for how beautifully the development process is on skin. I love Kobraa and it's probably a top3 Le Gemme for me just behind Yasep and Tygar. This freshens it up enough for a warm weather wear under some actual heat - Kobraa does have a signature vibe but certainly not attractive for warm weather. One for the day and one for the evening - not redundant though familiar.

Definitely something I never thought I'd smell- it's a soft citrus leather smell. Right from the nozzle, you get a smooth, clean, light leather. Then on skin, the leather somewhat disappears quickly leaving behind a soapy green citrus scent that I actually like. Now, the crazy thing is that as I type this, my wife walks in the room and from 10 feet away says, "What's that smell? Leather?" So first, I guess the leather didn't disappear as quickly as I thought, and second, this thing projects very well (from only 2 sprays!), and for something that I'd still describe as a "soft leather citrus" scent, I'm surprised it projects that much. On paper, I don't get the soapy smell at all, just more of the leather actually. And on skin, the soapiness is brought out more. I like it! 8 out of 10. My wife doesn't like it though- she abhors leather scents (I'm not a fan either, but I do certainly like this one).

Similar to what one reviewer described as slightly medicinal, to me this smells exactly like the sterile, adhesive underside of a band-aid. I couldn't shake that from my initial impression, and now that's all I smell. Fortunately this was a 5ml decant. It smells much different in the air versus on a strip or skin (much better). I'd be surprised if I was the only one who thought of "band-aid", but who knows. This house has some amazing scents, however for me this is not one of them and I do not enjoy wearing it.

I really didn't like this one. It is airy, but I only get a sour brown leather after the first 30 minutes. Lasts a long time. It honestly made me think of a horse stable - leather, earthy, dry, with a hint of poop. (Semi joking about the last part ;).

Citrus leather For colder weather I think it's unisex, but it's not for faint hearted :D