Jewel for Him

No pun intended, but this is really a hidden gem! Great scent reminding me a tiny bit of TdH with lots ISO E Super and the orange replaced by grapefruit that gives it a kick and afterwards ending on a peppery woody cedar base with musk, cardamom and traces of incense. Some time ago, I was at a meet-up with other fragheads and from the 60+ fragrances we tested, this one really stood out to me. I asked the owner (a friendly fellow Fragrantican) if I could have a small sample for further testing, to which he politely agreed. About one month later, having tested it several times, I knew I had to have it. It's a very fresh spring and summer scent, super classy, office suitable and very versatile. Admitted, the retail pricing at around $200 for 100 ml may be a bit over the top for a scent that in many ways is a niche version of TdH eau Tres Fraiche, but if you find it anywhere for a reasonable price I can highly recommend it. As bigdaddy mentions below, the "rich mans TdH" is not totally off, though I'd prefer this to TdH. A great piece of work from Msr. Astier.

An exceptionally beautiful woody aromatic chypre ( think of a high quality Terre D’Hermes), this is another nice offering from the woefully overlooked house of Micallef. The perfume opens with citrus aromatic notes of bergamot, lemon, pepper and cardamom. At its heart is vetiver, cedar and patchouli. The perfumes dries to a powdery oakmoss, surrounded by incense, benzoin and musk. Masculine leaning with moderate to strong projection and excellent longevity. A scent perfect for warm summer days on a confident man. Enjoy!

Jewel for him: Actually I like it. It smells natural. I get: an earthy, dry, blend. At first it's a little bit old school to me, probably because of the patchouli. After a while the scent becomes more herbal-like, maybe a bit towards Terre des Hermes. The overall atmosphere reminds me of clay! Quite nice. I don't know if I'd buy it though (I have a sample sprayer which I've tried a few times). 7,5/10

Beautiful. Jewel starts off with a hefty dose of elegant citruses, incense, and vetiver. It later dries down to an incredible patchouli and benzoin blend, along with smooth vetiver and cedar wrapped in fine smoke. The composition strikes me full of class and elegance. Comparing Jewel to Terre does not do it any justice, they are simply dimensions apart. I like "Terre D'Hermes" but I love "Jewel".

I see the similarities to Terre d'Hermes but it's a bit more complex...like Maison Micallef took Ellena's original composition and fleshed it out a bit. The opening is prettier, and has a more floral tilt. The heart and base are very similar to TDH, but less mineral and less minimalist.