Several years ago, the Bond no. 9 van skidded off the road and all perfumers onboard suffered minor head traumas that affected their sense of smell.* After the accident, Bond no. 9 perfumes started to smell alike, as if the same perfumes were being released over and over again, but in different bottles. Recent Bond no. 9 perfumes smell like middling-mainstream fragrances (Bond no. 9 pricing has not been affected, mind you). It’s been years since the debut of a Bond no. 9 fragrance excited me. (Of course, the Bond no. 9 “New York” idea is running out of steam. Pretty soon we’ll be getting “Fire Hydrant, South Corner of Central Park W. and W. 81^st St.” in bright yellow bottles.)

Bond no. 9 is not the only perfume company that’s gotten lazy and complacent and pumps out the same type of “stuff” over and over again. When was the last launch that made you mad with desire…after you smelled the scent? At the same time I sniffed Bond no. 9’s new I Love New York for All, I received Thierry Mugler A*Men Taste of Fragrance and Jean Paul Gaultier Kokorico.

Today, I have three short and (cocoa) sweet perfume reviews. These perfumes have a lot in common; they are gourmands with coffee, cocoa, pepper, vanilla, patchouli, indistinct “woods” and sheer musk. I could almost write one review that would cover them all...

DSquared2 will launch Potion, a new fragrance for men, in September. Potion is described as "the scent of seduction" and is fronted by model Diego Miguel...

Yves Rocher will launch Moment de Bonheur, a new green floral perfume for women centered around a 'lush bouquet of roses', in September...

Salvatore Ferragamo has launched Attimo L'Eau Florale. The new perfume for women is a flanker to last year's Attimo, and like that scent, is fronted by model Dree Hemingway...

Jean Paul Gaultier will launch Kokorico, a new "decidedly masculine" fragrance for men, in September....

Lolita Lempicka will launch an Eau de Toilette concentration of what is now called Le Premier Parfum de Lolita Lempicka. L’Eau de Toilette de Lolita Lempicka will target a somewhat older customer; it's reportedly "more mature, womanly and less sugary"...

Diesel will launch Diesel Fuel for Life Denim Collection, new limited edition summer flankers for their 2007 Fuel for Life duo, in June...

Yves Rocher will launch Comme Une Evidence L'Eau in April. The new fragrance for women, described as delicate, cool, and light, is a flanker to their best-selling Comme une Evidence fragrance...

Salvatore Ferragamo will launch Attimo, a new floral fragrance for women that captures 'the essence of Italian style', in September. Attimo will be fronted by model Dree Hemingway...

That said, I adored their first city-exclusive, the wonderful Tubereuse 40 for New York, and I liked Vanille 44 for Paris as well. Aldehyde 44 for Dallas wasn't my style, luckily. This year, we've got three newcomers to the range: Poivre 23 for London, Musc 25 for Los Angeles and Gaiac 10 for Tokyo...