Actually, another one of Calvin Klein's fragrances that I personally like is Calvin Klein Euphoria Men. I got that for my guy-friend for his birthday. It is sexy as well, and manly.

Haven't smelled Tom Ford yet, no Saks in my area, and I lost to two eBay auctions for samples of them. I've read many people were begging for more from the scent, either concentration or “that certain something” to take it over the top or set it aside from the rest. Hopefully I'll be able to snag a sample soon.

Most of the time, I take it casually sniffing new mass market scents just because of that reason….they all smell the same! I think I'm in a mode of desperation, I needed another spark in the perfumery world to bring about another sensation, the way Dior Homme did to me.

I was hoping for a lot with Diesel's Fuel For Life. Sure enough it's a powdery fougere, but it was rather linear and nothing in it seemed to really grab me like Fahrenheit 32's powdery fougere composition with a full orange blossom and leather-like notes.

I did find a little treasure though–Cedar EdP, from the new L'Occitane 4 Winds collection! Sorry to speak blasphemy in front of many Terre d'Hermes fans, but I think this should've been the approach Ellena should've considered rather than his composition of orange peels on a big stack of cedar planks sitting in the desert which left me parched!

Cedar starts off bright and resinous with grapefruit and sap (the best part, IMO), then a desert vibe with cumin and tobacco leaves, quite possibly in its green state because it still remains bright and not the dried variety for smoking would impart. You catch a slight impression of leather as well, and as the (atlas) cedar emerges at the base you catch a slightly mentholated kind of vibe from the cedar's camphorous quality from the wood, like that of Opium pour Homme, and finally a low hum of cedar (like that of Td'H) at the end. There's tonka listed at the base too, but only enough to smooth out all the edges and keep you from getting parched like Terre d'Hermes. Overall feel is a soothing and uplifting feeling giving proper homage to a Moroccan oasis as the L'Occitane website refers its inspiration from.

HeWOOD seems to be another beacon of hope, I'm standing vigil there as well, and isn't it funny how Lalique's Encre Noir seemed to squeak by all this time after its introduction last year? I've been reading raves about it recently. I was prepared to buy it blind, but vetiver in anything can be a hit or miss with me because I can be really finicky with vetiver's bitterness.

Hope you give Cedar EdP a try despite my long-winded description tainting your judgement now, hehe! — iMav.

And your comment about the previous pop CKs being “all so instantly recognizable (& commercially successful) that I find them ‘difficult’ to wear” aahhh such words of wisdom and truth! i totally agree!

In relation to your whinge about these latest releases all being “tame” – have you smelled Gant Adventure? Still my favourite men's scent. It's still the standard citrus-herbal amber-musk, but it's actually interesting!! And sexy!!