Field Notes From Paris

I found myself at work today completely naked! I had forgotten to put on any scent this morning. I missed that little extra part of my ensemble that has become part of what everyone at work looks forward to each day. “What will Lanier be wearing today? His trademark Neapolitan vest, will it be a bow tie or traditional tie in a half Windsor knot? Grey wool slacks or black wide wale corduroys? But most important, what will he smell like today? He always smells so interesting.” So I was sitting there missing my crowning touch when I realized I had a little tester in my backpack. I had yet to try this perfume that is made in my very own town, so what the heck. I opened the lovely and cleverly packaged sample and SPRITZ! Within a few moments my boss came by. “What smells so good?” I smiled and motioned her over. “Could it be me?” Her eyes widened, “Oh my but that is heavenly. What IS that fragrance?” “My Little Secret” I winked. “You mean ‘My Sin’?” She looked intrigued. “NO.” I protested. “It’s my little secret that I am not ready to share.” She gave me a rather Miranda Priestly up and down look and then walked away. “If you don’t tell me by the end of the day what that divine fragrance is don’t even bother to come in tomorrow.” She tossed the words over her should like a overstuffed Mark Jacobs bag. Later in the shipping department Abe the big Kahuna of the department said. “Hey Dude! You smell great! What is that word for food...you know! You smell like that....that word for that kinda food them Greek Gods eat.” “You mean ambrosia?” I smiled feeling like Apollo or Aphrodite might swoop down at any moment an lick me. “Yeah like Ambrosia ....and a bakery! What is that stuff you have on? Gotta get me some, the wife will love it.” “Dude!” I said with a wink. “It’s just me!” “JUST ME? I think I heard’a that, is it by Calvin Kline?” He really wanted to know but I was late for a meeting so I had to leave him to ponder if CK was out with a new fragrance. Well I didn’t tell anyone at work but I will tell you... just between us. It is Ineke’s “Field Notes From Paris”. And it is indeed Ambrosia! The Big Kahuna got it in one whiff and my very own devil in Prada has very good taste. Everyone else has gone on about how it opens, its uniquely blended notes and dry down so I will leave that to them. But I will say that I love the more unusual notes of tobacco flower, honey and leather that seem to add a mystery and spice to the whole affair. What matters to me on this little secret I am sharing with you it that it is spectacular and a real head turner with out knocking over walls or blasting out plate glass windows. And even more importantly I enjoy being wrapped within its scrumptious cloud. It is perfectly smart, adult, sophisticated and elegant. A respectable silage and good projection and lasts on my skin 5 to 6 hours. Five Platinum Stars *****

This one is lovely. On the open, it's warm, with a gentle punch of spicy citrus on the skin, and a cloud of a comforting powder. It's a dewdrop morning in early fall- sparkling, refreshing, but with an ever-present warmth. The citrus then begins to mellow out into the background, allowing the sweetness of beeswax and the coziness of the warm woods to shine through. The white florals here serve only to soften the fragrance -it's not overly floral but is powdery. One of few powdery scents I enjoy- not a babypowder scent- more of a dusting, or a cloud of something? I was looking for a softer and brighter scent for spring and summer, while still retaining the warmth and spiciness I gravitate towards. It's not the typical leathery, boozy, animalistic tobacco you get from a lot of fragrances- the pairing of tobacco and tobacco flower makes it clean, gentle, and sophisticated. To sum it up, this is a very soft fragrance that is predominantly warm- with just a touch of brightness from the bergamot and corriander. Smells like a fall morning, and is perfect for those looking for a lighter and more refreshing summer scent without sacrificing warmth. It smells like reading an old book under a tree, long walks and holding hands, like a cup of tea on a balcony watching the city below you dance through the day, a warm fluffy blanket and an extra pillow in bed.

I got the Ineke sampler (mostly for idyllwild) and being a fan of more fresh, green scents, didn't expect to like this much. How I was wrong. First thing that snaps into focus when I smell this is MUSEUM. It must be the leather and wood notes combined, but all I can picture is ancient, tan leather furniture and dusty, wooden bookshelves. There's a gentleman sipping a cup of coffee in the gift shop and a woman in a tweed blazer smoking a cigarette just outside the entrance. Or maybe you're in an old university library. Either way, everything is in tones of sepia. On my skin, the florals come through and the fragrance leans less masculine. I don't get much of the citrus in this, but I can still tell that it's there. To me, it's mostly fresh, light tobacco with the undercurrent of dusty wood and vanilla/tonka. At the same time, I understand the folks that say it reminds them of a cleaning product, even though the two ideas seem diametrically opposed (I guess that's a testament to how well-blended this perfume is). If you're a newbie and none of that sounds appealing to you, trust me, get the sample and give it a try. I'm totally spellbound. EDIT - Bought a full bottle. I enjoy spraying it on my leather-bound journals, its such a perfect library/study/academic scent. I love it!

This woody oriental from niche class act Ineke fast became a favorite upon discovery. The slightly sweet, citrusy top leading to a spicy tobacco heart and leathery drydown...I was swooning upon my first encounter with this fragrance, and have since bought multiple bottles for myself and others ever since. It's just dynamite, and will have you ready to fall in love again and (responsibly) dole out hugs and kisses all over. All the better that in that it's unisex. Has served me beautifully in warm and cool weather, day or evening (with the exception of super hot, humid weather wherein it defaults to the drydown). Will doubtless have others asking, "Mmm...what ARE you wearing?" in multiple settings. Per usual with Ineke, stellar packaging that reflects the genesis of the fragrance, rooted in her days studying perfumery in France and pondering notes in her journal while sitting in French cafes. The whole presentation is first rate, and the scent unforgettable. With average longevity and projection, the current price point of $95 (75ml) is just fine...and certainly worth it once you get a whiff. Fans of woody orientals, leather or tobacco notes...run, don't walk, to this one! ★★★★ (out of ★★★★).

This is a MASTERPIECE. By far the best fragrance iv received. Each phase of this scent is a completely different story, yet they segue into each other seamlessly and without disjointedness. The opening is bright, playful, and fresh to death with its perfectly balanced Bergamot/Coriander aka Citrus/Spicy duo. Then, the frag does a 180 as it transitions into its heart, consuming the bright opening in its dark, herbal smokiness thanks to the Patchouli/Tobacco mix. Note that, although the middle is darker and more mysterious, Field Notes From Paris uses both the tobacco leaf as well as the tobacco blossom or flower. This means that the 'tobacco' element is clean and sophisticated instead of dirty and/or anamalic. Finally, the dark heart is won over by a smooth, sweet, aromatic base of Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Beeswax, and leather. (Again, similar to the tobacco in the heart, its a crisp, sweet leather as apposed to a musky or dirty leather) Bottom line: I want 9 bottles of this stuff.

I adore this. Initially I thought that it was too masculine for me with all that tobacco and leather. I had to get over being madly attracted to myself. But I did because this is just too gorgeous to not have in my life and my husband won't wear it. It's hard to describe how it smells. It's extremely well blended and quite linear. On me it's sweet pipe tobacco, rounded with vanilla and lightened with bergamot. Longevity and projection are very good which is unusual for this line. I don't normally like masculines and the very idea of a fougere sounds terrible, Yes there is something of a lime cologne smell to this but the sweetness of the vanilla and pipe tobacco balance this out. Usually I'm inclined to sexy 80's powerhouses like Loulou and Samsara, but this was love at first sniff

When i first put my nose on this i thought "Oh great another Le male spin off." BUT, this is not your typical sweet and fresh, spicy combo. There is something sophisticated about this one that sets it apart from the others. Its a spicy, woodsy note that overrides the sweetness somewhere in the dry-down. If Cinnamon was used in this one like in Le male which is too sweet and common IMO I would have put the sample on my bottom shelf where all the other misfit samples go. This is JUST RIGHT for my taste not too sweet and very unique. My wife loved it when she smelled one small spray on my skin and she usually says nothing about the way I smell. Sillage and longevity were great as well. I must have this one and thats not something I say about fragrances often.

Love it, love it, love it. It opens spicy and tingly and more masculine than feminine, with the brief and spectral appearance of the original Joop! Homme and Hugo Boss Bottled's cinnamon opening note, and dries to a refined woodiness with a shredded-tobacco-in-a-cedar-box feel. When I wear this I imagine my own husband as a young, seeking Bohemian in the 60s, alone in a big romantic city for the first time, sitting on a metal park bench scratching observations into his little moleskin notebook with a fountain pen, the scent of cigarettes he is only learning to smoke (and will never attempt again) wafting from the pocket of his white shirt. A keeper for me. Just wish I had more of this gorgeous, evocative scent.

A few years ago I got a sample of this, deemed it "too floral", and tucked it away in a drawer. Several years pass, I give it another go, and wow! - while there was the same initial floral-heavy, citrusy opening - after 30 minutes or so it transitioned into the most lovely perfume. I couldn't stop smelling my arm (and kicking myself for judging this based on the opening alone). The coriander works really well with the remaining florals and warmth from the vanilla and leather - neither overpowering the other, this almost (but not quite) mimics something almond and gourmand. I make sure to spray it before I get dressed so it can settle in before I package up and head out for the day. A very pretty perfume.

I will just join in with the crowd who fell in love with "Field notes from Paris" after the first sniff. This perfume is everything I have been craving lately - aromatic, sweet, bitter, weird, completely unique. It is rather masculine, but tobacco flower sweetens the perfume making this breathtakingly beautiful. Oh and there is leather! Masculine, rough, oily motorbike jacket kind of leather covered with sweet, intoxicating tobacco. When I see a female wearing this I see short hair, black turtleneck, skinny jeans, high heels and smoky make up. Daring, provocative, unique and sexy. I will surely be needing a bottle of this even though it lasts around 6 hours, so I will have to re-apply during the day.

From the reviews and the notes, I thought Field Notes would smell good. I wasn't prepared for just HOW good. I want to bathe in this scent. From the name, to the bottle, to the packaging - this perfume speaks to me. Oh, and let's not forget the scent: It opens with that citrusy, orange blossom that I love - then moves into a smokier, more sensual drydown. It's sort of like opening a clean white leather suitcase and finding black lace lingerie inside. Surprise! I agree with other reviewers that I've smelled many perfumes like this one before - but I'm always disappointed. On my skin, Field Notes shines through.

I am in love with this perfume. It's very difficult to pick out individual notes the perfume is so well integrated but the orange blossom, tobacco flower and cedar are the ones that last the longest. The overall effect is a sunny cathedral in France or the most wonderful library in the world with rich wood paneling, walls full of leather bound books and beeswax candles and vases of orange blossom. Elegant in the way that 1940's English actresses (think Greer Garson, Vivien Leigh) were elegant. Highly recommended and her sample set is the steal of the century.

This is the first Tobacco fragrance I ever tried and it's an instant winner! Love at first sniff for both my bf and me! Wonderful aromatic, citrussy opening quickly enriched by slightly sweet and very intoxicating Tobacco. Perfectly blended with coriander and patchouli and warmed up nicely with tonka/vanilla/benzoin. I can't detect these last three notes on their own though, but I am pretty sure they add their warm aspects to the blend. Perfectly unisex! Not too feminine, not too masculine, it's just... perfect! Decent sillage and good longevity! ♥♥♥♥♥

I ordered Ineke's sample set, which is brilliant on her part in that she'll credit your full bottle purchase with the $25.00 you spend on the adorable sampler set. My favorite is this one, and initially I didn't like it, first few minutes it's way too masculine, but wow this dries down to the most gorgeous experience. I'm enjoying warm spiked apple cobbler at a little roadside cafe in the south of france. Sweet pipe tobacco wafting through the air and lavender fields across the way in full bloom, Maybe this should be "Field notes from Provence"

Rather than talk about notes I'll just say that this is a nice leather chair in a men's club next to a few wooden stacks of books with the sun coming through the multi-pane windows leaving stretched diamond shadows along the oriental rugs that cover the oak floors. Up front there's some spice that might remind one of the holidays and autumne. I will add that if you want to smell like this for half the price, get a sample of Burberry London, because it's pretty close. Not the same, but close.

The perfect fall scent. Its normally hard to choose what to wear in the morning but I found myself reaching for this all the time, projecting cozy cafes without a sickening sweetness that many fragrances today lean torwards. Almost a cola note in there that tickles my nose. Perfectly blended, perfect sillage and projection for what i want a fragrance to be! Reasonably priced and all around what a fragrance SHOULD be. Perfect fall.

Oh this wonderful. Right off the first spray I get tobacco and citrus with some white floral notes. It settles down a little with the citrus going away and being replaced by a sweet leathery tobacco. This is seriously well done and is bottle worthy for sure. The sillage and projection are wonderful. I literally sprayed 2 sprays and that’s all I’d ever want to wear,it’s powerful juice

Grassy waves ripple to reveal a ring of arrows sprouting from the dirt. Wandering weary, shielding shins from the fletching fluttering, broken in the breeze, I breath in nearness of home from the bread in my breast pocket and the field's dried-flowers-pulled sweetness from the soil. I really liked this frag.

This is so darling, but a sexy darling. It's dainty and complicated. It's charming and aloof. It's incredibly well blended to the point where individual notes are barely recognizable. It's a leather-citrus-fluffy beauty that will suprise you with both smarts and a pretty face.

This is a stunning fragrance and has vaulted to my #1 scent. I wear this year round, but is even more awesome in Spring and Summer here in the eastern US. My wife absolutely loves this on me as well, so much that she bought a bottle as a gift when my first one ran empty.