OLD SCHOOL BENCH

This perfumer has a unique style. I think they speak a language of memory and nostalgia and transporting you to special places and experiences. The perfumer made it as a special memory experience of an abstract interpretation of an etching art studio. I've never been in one. But in any case. This one is a special place for me according to it's transportative vibe to my own scent memory palate. As if it was waiting for me to discover it. All of the fun of traveling down scent roads is finding something like this for yourself. A place, all your own, that you want to spend lots of time in. I haven't stopped wearing this for a week or more. It's now my signature scent. The place I want to be most often. Bottle purchased. Considering getting a back up. 10 of 10. Strong performance. A good value considering what it does for me even though these are not cheap. At different temperatures and humidities it sings slightly different melodies. All of them beautiful and refrains of one another. A vanillic, rum soaked, cedar/patchouli base, that has other subtle supporting accords that seem to imply a weathered, worldy, wisdom, and use. Like a space of some reverance and veneration but one that has been used, appreciated, and that carries the memory of time. It makes me feel interested, intrigued, nostalgic, calm, quiet, still, reflective, and appreciative. Like I'm smelling a good story. My new all time favorite.

This perfume is time travel. Take a walk round a 1930's classroom, in Shrewsbury, England. The room contains 20 silent children, all scribbling away on their parchments, with hastily sharpened lead pencils. There is a vicious, grey haired school master, sat at his desk at the front of the class, smoking a pipe. There is a small coal fire, which is full of coal, but the school master refuses to light it. A clock ticks in the background, the only thing to break the silence. But, suddenly, a boy coughs. This provokes a completely irrational and highly violent outburst from the school master. He drags the boy to the front of the class, and proceeds to cain him with intense gusto. That is the scene that this scent presents in my head. Lead pencil shavings, parchment, coal dust, wooden furniture and smoky tobacco. It is a very interesting scent and somewhat more of an olfactory experience, rather than a perfume. However, with that said, it does wear very well. It's sillage is not great, but it lasts for quite a while. Another issue I have with it is that it's quite overpriced. You hardly get enough in the bottle to bath a sparrow, making it a "now and again" perfume, rather than something that can be twiddled with every day. 8/10. A unique journey into the past, but needs better sillage and more generosity.

This house is criminally underrated. The perfumer it’s full-on wizard. Every scent feels like it came from a futuristic art gallery run by a forest spirit. I’ve got over 100 bottles in my collection and have sniffed enough perfumes to qualify as a part-time bloodhound, but Min NY still catches me off guard every time. I already have Shaman (holy grail), Onsen (freshie with a twist), and this Old School Bench—which I panic-bought after sniffing Moon Dust and Stardust (both amazing, both currently on my wish list). Old School Bench hits you with smoke from the jump and just... stays there. No fancy opening, no dramatic dry down—just one long, moody campfire with occasional surprise appearances from vetiver, patchouli, and something green and bitter that screams “mysterious botanical garden.” I get Amouage-Opus-XI energy. Longevity and projection are decent. It won’t punch noses, but it’ll vibe with you all day. A solid 8/10 for smoky-woody lovers who want something different but wearable.

Beautiful if you’re from an older city. Reminds me of an old wooden bench with time and human wear over the years. Love it, brings back memories. Somewhat sweet. Very wearable. Reminds me of my youth going to a fifty year old school bench hanging out smelling the memories of those that sat there before. Reminds me of an old oak wine cellar with fifty to seventy year age and angels share. Got a deep organic age vibe with some sweetness. Very nice and pleasant. From SFC and sojourns in NYC. You’ll come across this and brings back the past in a good way.

Such an underrated fragrance. Its in the same style as Straight to heaven from Kilian but it is different. Smells high quality and tells a story. Mainly dry woods, with smooth patchouli, booze and sweetness.