Aegean

This one is love at first sniff, starting out with candied citrus, aromatic herbs and lots of clean musk. The notes list a quince accord, and I can see that, although I probably wouldn’t have identified it as such without explicit prompting. What the quince accomplishes is to make the citrus smell very sweet and fruity, and tempers the sharpness of the lavender and rosemary and the anise notes of the basil. The combination of fruity cologne-like notes with mega-musk is brilliant. Based on the opening, this is another NM fragrance that I’d actually buy in FB form if I had the space, money, and time to wear it. The one down side to this fragrance is that it isn’t particularly long-lasting. The citrus, herbs and fruit combo lasts for a couple of hours, after which it dries down to a skin musk that lasts the rest of the day. Initially, Aegean is a real winner, but the ending is fairly ordinary.

The top notes of Aegean are very pleasant. It is primarily citrus, but you can also notice the basil a bit in the background. The middle notes are pretty strong too. I can smell both the lavendar and the quince. It is the base notes that I take a bit of an issue with, but I imagine I am alone in this respect. It's amazing how smells trigger our memory as well as our other senses. For as long as I can remember, my grandfather has had a certain bottle of cologne or aftershave sitting on his dresser (who knows, it could be literally the same bottle). And this aftershave or cologne smells just like the base notes of Aegean - I think probably more the sandalwood and the musk. I do not particularly like the smell, so that is why I am not crazy about the base notes of Aegean. However, it does remind me of my grandfather, and so, it gives me fond memories and means it's not something to cavil about.

This is a clean scent. It smells like clean air, or a clean skin after a shower. I just get some green notes and perhaps a hint of lavender - but there is surely more than that, it is so well blended - I just recognize the base notes: white musk, a hint of resins. The feel of a soft, warm Mediterranean breeze, you can almost smell the waves – but mind you, there is nothing resembling those nasty aquatic or marines notes. It’s just a mild evocation of the sea. No citrus notes, not your typical summer scent. Indeed I find it very original. Excellent staying power! I imagine myself on a white huge balcony, dressed in white, watching the sea, not a cloud in sight, the sky is striking blue and there is this breeze blowing in your face: this scene would have the scent of Aegean.

This one is so fresh, pure and a bit creamy. After citruses fade very delicate and velvety lavender shows up. I can hardly remember how the quince should smell but there's smth sour-sweet mixed with the warm base. Like it a lot!

No one else appears to be making this connection, but Neil Morris AEGEAN reminded me immediately of Guerlain JICKY. The combination of citrus, lavender, basil, sandalwood, and spice seems a lot like the skeleton or an outline of JICKY to me. Of course, this may be because my only experience of JICKY has been through the recent, emasculated reformulation, which is completely devoid of civet and other skanky elements. Do I like this particular complex of notes? Yes and no. I definitely find this composition more masculine than feminine, whether in AEGEAN or JICKY, and I do feel that this is an easy-to-identify, distinctive perfume moment with enough of a personality to warrant attention. However, I hasten to add that I also experience something of a nineteenth-century barbershop vibe emerging out of this particular combination of notes. To me, there is a tangible Acqua di Parma COLONIA feeling here. I would without reservation recommend this perfume for gents, but caution the ladies to try before they buy.