Ruy Lopez

Ruy Lopez was one of the most surprising fragrances I’ve tried this year. Looking at the note pyramid beforehand, I was convinced the oak would dominate the fragrance and make it too woody or too masculine for my taste. Instead, what I got was a beautiful boozy cherry fragrance that stayed remarkably consistent throughout the entire wear. The opening on my skin was an explosion of cherry and rum. The cherry is not candy-like, medicinal, or syrupy. It feels woven into the fragrance rather than sitting on top of it. Combined with the rum, it creates an intoxicating boozy atmosphere that immediately grabbed my attention. As the fragrance developed, I began to notice the black tea. The tea gives the fragrance a sophisticated dryness that keeps the cherry from becoming overly sweet. The result is something that feels mature and intriguing without becoming heavy or overly serious. The leather is present, but not in the way I feared. It isn’t harsh, smoky, or overwhelming. Instead, it acts as a soft textural element underneath the fragrance, giving it structure and depth. The oak, which I was worried about the most, never took over. In fact, the woody aspects stayed firmly in the background and never distracted from the cherry-rum accord that remained the star of the show. One of the things I appreciated most is that the fragrance never betrayed its opening. So many fragrances begin beautifully and then wander into an entirely different territory hours later. Ruy Lopez stayed true to itself. Hours after application, it was still giving me the same boozy atmosphere that made me fall in love with it in the first place. What surprised me most was how differently people interpreted it. I initially worried it might come across as too masculine because of the leather, oak, tea, and patchouli. Yet when my younger brother smelled it, he immediately thought it leaned feminine. That made me realize this fragrance truly sits in a unisex space. Depending on what notes you focus on, you might experience it completely differently. By the end of the day, I knew this was wishlist-worthy. When I came home, my room still carried traces of the fragrance, and the air smelled like cherry liqueur and rum. I found myself wishing there was a candle version because the atmosphere it created was just that enjoyable. Ruy Lopez feels like an evening fragrance. A dinner out. A conversation that lasts longer than expected. A fragrance for someone who wants to smell interesting rather than simply sweet or pretty. Final verdict: A sophisticated cherry-rum and tea fragrance with a soft leather backbone. Boozy, intriguing, surprisingly approachable, and one of the most pleasant surprises in my sample collection.

I tested this one out yesterday. I have to say that Christelle Laprade knocked this one out of the park. It's fantastic. It's addictive. I cannot stop smelling my hand. I smelled it in the store a few times on the strips. That does not suffice at all. This is a fragrance that has to be on your skin to be enjoyed! I'm going to add a few additional comments on this one since it has dried down. I walk 5 miles a day broken up over the day. Once in the morning and another at lunch during the week. It was 93 degrees outside yesterday. This fragrance is still going 4 hours later on my skin. For something that is recommended in the fall and winter months, this is easily pulled off in the late spring heading into summer months in Florida. I thought that it might be cloying but it really hasn't been. Wife liked the opening a lot but wasn't a fan of the dry down. I like it a lot. It did start off unisex in the initial spray leaning femme, but the dry down did go back a bit harder masculine leaning. Honestly think it could be worn for all occasions, but probably suitable more for the evening and intimate occasions.

Magic! Powerful! You know what this reminds me off? 3 fragrances at the same time.. Xj Tony Iommi Angels Share by Killian and Nefs from Nishane. Screams high quality. It is that good! I love these dark boozy sweet woody stuff.. so much presence... if you wear this on the right occasion people around you will feel you and enjoy it. The best part for me is the dry down, when the oakwood sets in... yummmmmmmmmm!!!! The projection is freaking incredible you may have to trow your clothes away after a night out wearing this perfume. Sorry for our beautiful ladies out there this is a masculine scent.. however we live in a free world so girls go for it!!! Youngsters??? Can’t imagine them hooked on this kind of scent this is a pretty mature fragrance kinda of type... Night out.. lots of stuff going on.. no time to get back home type of scent!!!! Totally worth it!

It feels like holding a basket of perfectly ripe plums, not overripe, not overly sweet, just balanced and juicy. There’s a fresh green undertone, subtly herbal, but the plum’s fruity richness remains front and center. A smooth tea note wraps it all in a velvety, comforting texture, adding understated elegance without heaviness. You don’t see influencers or reviewers going gaga over this one, probably because it wasn’t pushed with paid endorsements. But in my opinion, Ruy Lopez is one of the best from the house. It’s beautifully balanced, versatile, and refined, wearable in any season. Honestly, I find it far superior to Mentor, which felt one-dimensional and overpriced by comparison. Ruy Lopez, on the other hand, is a quiet masterpiece that deserves more recognition.

I've sampled the entire soulmate collection and this is by far my favorite. Full bottle worthy. Mind games as a whole hasn't disappointed me yet Sex in a bottle type of fragrance in my opinion. Its like the cherry, plum, davana and black tea are having a foursome (boy, girl, girl, girl for visualization purposes) creating a succulent wine like accord with a backbone supported by woods and patchouli, it works. It just fucking works. Edit: I used to looove this, beautiful sillage, positive feedback nearly everytime I wore it until I smelled it on someone at my job. Its smelled like dog shit on them and now I'm conflicted everytime I look at my bottle in the cabinet 😔 I still adore this one but my nose really got destroyed that day wtf...