Spectre

I've long avoided clones due to their (mostly) cheap scent profiles and linear development. However, with the increasing competition in this space, the quality is noticeably improving, and brands like French Avenue are leading the charge. I recently purchased this fragrance alongside Royal Blend, both at $30. Without exaggeration, I think its safe to say that their scent quality rivals some of the $100+ fragrances in my collection, especially Spectre. I enjoy wearing it side-by-side with Tom Ford's Ombre Leather EdP on each wrist, enjoying their scent for hours. The opening is VERY smoky, yet not pungent or medicinal. It evokes a churchy incense aroma with a subtle sweetness beneath. After about 20 minutes, the leather note becomes more prominent and assertive. What I truly appreciate is how the leather starts as rugged and worn, reminiscent of an old pair of leather gloves or a dusty leather couch, then transitions into a creamy, powdery, and smooth accord as Amberwood and Sandalwood emerge. This powdery leather feel persists throughout the drydown, until I can sense a faint earthy and dirty patchouli accord in the final stages on my skin. Performance is currently solid. I'm getting around 7-8 hours of longevity with average projection for the first 90 minutes, which then settles into a more intimate bubble scent for another two hours. This fragrance truly shines in cold weather. I've owned it for a month now and haven't noticed any significant improvement (it was already great out of the box btw), but I'm curious to see how it evolves if it sits for another month. One weird thing about Spectre is the atomizer. It dispenses a very tiny mist, so I usually double-tap the atomizer for each spot. --UPDATE-- after another month of sitting around I am pleased to update that the performance has improved! tested in cold weather(4°C) i got to the 12 hour mark and 2 hours of strong projection with 6 sprays! --ANOTHER lil UPDATE-- its been around 5 months of owning this. was fresh out of the shower and saw Spectre blinking at me in the corner of my drawer. its been a long time since I'd put it in that corner in the favor of fresher scents...why not? I said. gave it another wearing and I'm just STUNNED at how much the scent evolved. its now sweeter, more woody, powdery and creamy. this scent is now 100% Niche quality. I mean it was great already out of the box but now? I'm out of words while silently ordering 4 other boxes of Spectre for the rest of my life. 💯/💯 P.S. French Avenue has another Falcon Leather clone (Mystic Leather) which is a really weird flex, but Spectre already seems superior. although, it is more difficult to find and is overshadowed by Ghost and, to some extent, Wraith.

Never tried Falcon leather, but this stuff is crazy good if you want a really good wild smoky leather scent. There are some leathers that I don't like at all, but this one is really satisfying, and I'm not sure what to compare it to. I guess it's somewhere between african leather and Ombre leather, but I hesitate to even say that, because I don't even like either of those very much, but I love this. I feel like there is some of that spectre DNA runnin through this, but hard to tell because it's so different from the others. It is so well blended and smooth. I can't pick out notes here, just smells like nice smoky leather and some smooth woods down in there that are just exactly the right tiny amount of sour sappyness backing up the leather. That might sound weird, but trust me, it is perfect. No sharp unpleasantness going on whatsoever as far as I can detect, unlike a lot of other leather/wood heavy scents I've tried. Dark Rebel comes to mind, which I hated. This is what Dark Rebel should have been years ago. All I know is I love it. It's cheap enough to just buy if you're even leaning that way, I recommend it, but I would do it now because I had a hard time finding mine. Maybe I'm dumb but it doesn't seem to be widely available right now and I have no idea why. Lots of spectre ghost and wraith at discounters, but not the original?? The damn cap broke in half when I opened the first bottle, so watch out for that lmaooo. The inner actual cap remained on the atomizer, and the plastic cap cover is now detached, so I guess I'll have to glue it. If you care about that, there ya go, but I don't. The juice is top-notch and gets my stamp. Even if I don't end up wearing this a ton, I'll keep my 2 bottles just to enjoy at home. It smells that good. It is totally wearable in a lot of situations, though. I would wear this all the time if my circumstances allowed for it more (I work in a hospital office setting). I think this stuff is so smooth and good-smelling that you could pull it off at any time and any place outside of an office or other stiff setting. I'm floored by how a company like French Avenue can make such insanely good stuff like the Spectres and Lumiére Garçon for so cheap. There is no way this stuff stays scarce. It's too good to just go away. EDIT: Nvm I just saw it on perfumeonline.ca for 26.72US a bottle 😂 best bargain in the world of perfume. Out of control. Better stock up boys.

This might be my favorite leather fragrance and I've smelled Ombre Leather and Tuscan Leather from Tom Ford, La Yuqawam from Rasasi, and Bentley for Men Intense (although this one may not be characterized as leather forward, the leather is excellent in this). Now, this is all first impressions so I'll return after a few weeks for a full review but this smelled too good not to sing it's praises! So, right off the top, I'm smelling a dark leather but it's not dank nor funky. This does have a very noticeable birch tar accompanying that leather. Reminds me of that tar accord in Mugler A Men, which I can't stop sniffing. It does have this gasoline type of scent on the opening but I LOVE that about this! That doesn't stay too long for those concerned about that. There's also patchouli poking it's head around the corner, slowing moving in. This is also smoky and that is what I was worried about because I've tried many fragrances that were characterized as smoky, but not done well for my nose and skin. This is a perfect concoction of leather, birch tar, patchouli, and incense smoke! The projection is excellent! So I'm optimistic about the longevity. I now have this, Ghost, and Wraith in my collection. I love Ghost, HATE Wraith (can't get over this hot breath nuisance in that, so that's in the decant pile). Ghost is a more sensual experience with that vanilla. The OG is more rugged in the notes smelled, but done in an incredibly smooth manner...maybe the sugar note? It's easily the most interesting of the three. At this moment, the OG ranks first with Ghost eerily close, and Wraith being lapped in this race lol. If you're a fan of masculine forward leather fragrances, you must try this at least. Now that's not to say women can't wear this because I know a few that sport Encre Noire where I'll just use that if I don't want anyone in my space lol. This could be a fragrance I'll chase after again...highly likely lol. For those that decide to give this a try, hopefully you'll enjoy this as much as I have in the short amount of time I've had it. One of Fragrance World's best offerings! Very good off fabric, better on skin.

Blend 4 / 5 (complex but somewhat linear) Uniqueness 4 / 5 (there are many out there perfume in the sweet leather theme) Quality 5/5 (powerhouse and felt expensive) Yes I can smell this perfume is fall into Leather Theme. It might not have the leather notes in it. Deep down Spectre has that oriental DNA but not that Oud enough to make it feels middle eastern. Upon my first sniff. Spectre to me felt Gourmandish with Dried Fruit, Thick & Syrupy Fruit Jam Spread. The sweetness in this perfume has that fruit quality which is having very faint sourness. The sweetness from caramelized fruit can also evokes Middle Eastern Tobaccoish and Boozyness feels in it. There also faint creamyness quality in it. Although there is no vanilla listed. And have woodyness quality in the background. Which feels Resinous and Aromatic Wood Sap that gives impression sweet clean oud. Along with drier wood scent resemble a Wood Plank. It's quite linear. But still I can smell different ingredients in it. I feel it is well made and very balance. With sweetness little bit pronounce. The sweetness and wood makes this perfume easy to wear. With little bit grittyness from leather which makes this perfume feels expensive. I find this kind of theme is not unique. And you can find easily in Zara or every other Fashion Brand. I believe this perfume is done with quality material. It definitely doesn't feel cheap to the nose. Unfortunately I'm not into sweet perfume to be honest. This one is overly sweet compared to Gucci Absolute Homme. Would I buy another bottle, I guess not. Comparable to (sweet leather): - Angel Schlesser Deep Leather - Armani Leather perfumes - Zara Leather perfumes And have polar opposite qualities to (dry leather): - Gucci Absolute Homme

* Intense leather forward fragrance * Potent blend of sweet, really strong smoky leather, oud, wood, incense, floral, spice and powder aromas * Fantastic for leather DNA lovers * Great for older males * Powerful performer * Niche quality * Great price * Beautiful original presentation * Not unisex * Not good for younger users * Leather note may be almost as polarizing as oud * May come off smelling too literally like a leather glove and not a cologne to some noses * Love it or leave it proposition * Underrated and stuck in the shadow of its own more successful flankers Fragrance World's Spectre is a purported clone of Matiere Premiere's Falcon Leather. Having never smelled that niche fragrance, I can only judge Spectre on its own merits. It's an insanely strong leather style DNA fragrance. It's a blend of slight sweetness, strong smoky leather, wood, oud, incense, spice, floral and powder aromas. Despite the fancy blend, the truth is that the smoky leather dominates and may literally smell like a glove to some people. So this is very much a love it or leave it fragrance, almost as polarizing as an oud fragrance. This is perfect for older male users who love leather fragrances as I do. It's not good for either women or younger users who prefer the fresh and sweet DNA. It's straight up niche quality for an insanely good price in a beautiful original presentation. Performance is quite powerful. This is very underrated ironically due to the success of its own great flankers, Spectre Wraith and Spectre Ghost. Burt if you love leather forward originals and clones, this is an absolute must. Highly recommended.