Sailor Stories

The ocean, romanticized. Masterful in its simplicity.

Sailor stories somehow managed to make a concept or genre that I can't abide into a really quite a pleasant thing, It doesn't make me as hard as a sailor's wang on shore leave, but I actually got some enjoyment from it. I'm not sure how Miguel has achieved that? Now I have made something reasonably similar to this called 'Seaside skanque' which was incredibly well received by others who tried it, even if I wasn't crazy about it myself. This clearly has more deftness of touch than mine and a natural feel of aquatic saltiness as you'd expect. The composition is eerily similar to mine too, Citrus top with white florals (I used jasmine-like Aroma chemicals, Hedione and neroli) he has used a jasmine like tone, which is creamy and lightens up the swashing, seashore accord of seaweed. Now he likely used seaweed absolute and mine was a combo of Ambergris tincture and traces of calone but I think the effect is kinda similar. Maybe there's calone in this too? or some other marine molecule? Basically it's creamy and warm with a salty kick, and the review below mentioning Antoine Lie is spot on that is the kind of vibe, perfectly encapsulated here. My least favourite from Miguel's four but I wouldn't wear it for taste reasons really but as a one off, I still like it. Sailor stories shows restraint and the ability to make something which is somewhat treading familiar territory and still narrowly avoids going horrible like a Secretions or a Sel Marin, Laboritivo Olfattino Salina.

Opening and first thoughts: Niche Bvlgari Aqua Pour Homme with a much smoother opening. Pleasant, I get a hint of castoreum, but it's too early to tell. Projection is moderate. Fragrance leans masculine IMO. 1 hour mark: mild projection. I find this to be a nice office or professional fragrance. 2 hour mark: This is a skin scent. Sailor Stories is dark and somber. Rainy day at the beach is a perfect analogy to describe this fragrance. 4 hour mark: I'm on a cruise in the middle of the ocean. The storm has calmed down. I'm on the deck staring out at the ocean. Peaceful and serene. 8 hour mark: same as 4 hour mark. Peaceful and serene, staring out into the big blue ocean.

This was my favorite of the MM discovery set. That’s more telling of the kind of perfumes I like because I’m not sure this would be popular with most. It’s a quiet beachy skin scent with two key nuances. First, it has the nitrile seaweed note of Antoine Lie’s Belle du Jour and Secretions Magnifique. But for the first time, I actually like the note. In Sailor Stories it blends with warmer, cuddly, musky skin scent to create a realistic aura of having just swam in the salty ocean. About 30 minutes in, a very soft, sexy leather note joins in. Quiet but effective. This is a perfume to enjoy when you aren’t in the mood for “Perfume”.

Great perfume . I can not wait to have a full bottle