Golden Gai

Sweet berries, syrupy liqueur, dry tobacco in the background - all well-blended. I only smell the 'spice notes' listed here within the first 10 seconds and then they vanish. There is also a faint vanilla in the backdrop, mixed in with the booze and Chambord berries. It smells luxurious and expensive, and also perfectly unisex. This is amazing for a fall or winter evening event, something not too casual but not too dressed up: a birthday dinner, a night on the town, or a New Year's Eve party at a friend's. Golden Gai is a standout from the line and a true masterpiece. The geniousness is in the way this was made: tincturing tobacco in Chambord until it becomes an absolute. Matt, you are a madman and I like it! Notes according to my nose: Chambord (sweet berries & booze), vanilla, tobacco, fruit, rose Notes according to my bottle: top - blackberries, rum; middle - Chambord liqueur, blueberries, red wine; base - pipe tobacco *Update: 1 month later and I am still in love. Definitely a must-have unisex tobacco!*

This is an exceptional scent: its probably the nicest tobacco fragrance I've smelled - certainly the most unique and best blended - but with a lot more to it than tobacco. As Enigmatic said, the spices are an upfront hit but quickly fade to the background (they don't completely disappear on me), leaving the liqueur, tobacco, and a perfect mix of vanilla, woods and, to me, a good amount of rose. The rose, and the general softness of the blending, make this a unisex fragrance; women would have no problem wearing this in most evening settings. It's definitely a fall and winter one, or on cooler spring evenings. Best at night I think: the liqueur note might be a bit much first thing in the morning. I want to try more from Meleg, given how wonderful this one is! Highly recommended.

A very leafy, green tobacco. More herbal than sweet. Aromatic liquor, very smooth; not harsh. I usually hate tobacco and boozy scents. But this is a masterpiece! I love it! It has nothing to do with cloying, sweet tobacco. Completely different than Spicebomb or other designer fragrances. Golden Gai has actual tobacco tincture, so according to Meleg he does not recommend to be sprayed on the skin. But I am a rebel, so... I did feel a slight kick when spraying it; a very mild rush. It could be my imagination. Just be mindful if you are sensitive to tobacco or do not like nicotine. For me this added even more magic to the experience. Golden Gai may not be a safe blind buy because it is so different to the idea people have of tobacco and whiskey scents. Buy the samples first!

Golden Gai is so very delicious. I must admit that I am still relatively new to the body fragrance world, but I got this perfume as part of a sample package from Meleg Perfumes and it is simply yummy. In my opinion, it is perfectly unisex; I have absolutely no problem wearing it as a younger female, and I’ve gotten a number of compliments from people about how good it smells. I actually personally get a lot of apricot from this perfume; like a very sweet, jammy, boozy apricot (noting that there is apricot accord in there) and it’s just divine. I’d definitely recommend people try a sample set from the brand to see if this might be a good fit for you!

Golden Gai is soooo good & really doesn't remind me of much else on the market. If you like the idea of boozy scents but find most not very wearable, or if you just love tobacco scents with a creative twist, this really is a must-try. The Chambord/Tobacco tincture is the business here. Performance is solid & the scent is pretty killer, with fruity tobacco nuances throughout the wear. Calaj's The Last PH would be the closest scent that comes to mind & both are nice, but Golden Gai's berry-fruitiness gives it the slight edge between them, IMO. Definitely worth sampling & will turn into a full bottle for many who do.