Velvet

"It was inevitable: the scent of bitter almonds always reminded him of the fate of unrequited love." The smell of this reminds me of the opening line to Love in the Time of Cholera. It's romantic and melancholy.

It's complex and eccentric. Sweet and dangerous. The clove note is unique and delicious. The rose is elusive but hovers.

Many people compare it to By The Fireplace by Replica. I can see why because this has a whiff of campfire and marshmallow. But BTF to me feels like face planting in an ashtray. Velvet's smoke is not in your face. I get the smoke in the dry down on my skin, but it's more like cedar chips that are beginning to catch rather than a roaring fire. It's a winter/autumn scent for sure. I won't want to wear this in the spring and summer.

Skin chemistry is key to your experience of this scent. On my skin, this is a wonder. Sprayed on paper, it smells delicious but a bit basic. I think this goes for all of the Commodity scents I've sampled. They smell great on paper but not that exciting or complicated. On my skin, they start to unfold in unexpected ways. Some don't smell good on me, but Velvet just works.