I went over to Dr. Romanelli’s home studio the other day with HipHopSince1978 because I wanted to introduce them. I walked into Romanelli’s studio and was welcomed by a fragrant enigma wrapped in wood and spice from all corners of the globe. I asked him what that wonderful aroma was. He showed me the bottle and said he picks it up every time he heads to France. Since much of what Romanelli does involves taking old things and reconstructing them into something new (see Recycled Pop Bubble Vest), some of the old stuff kinda smells so he uses an eau de toilette to keep it smelling fresh. That bottle was Palisander by Comme de Garcons Series 2: Red. I immediately ordered a bottle from LuckyScent.com that day as I knew this would be my new favorite scent.

Palisander is derived from the red wood of the palisander tree of Brazil (also called Brazilian rosewood) and the mighty red cedar from Virginia. The feel of Palisander is a soft, old, polished wood with the patina of age-no sharp notes of fresh wood are present. Saffron, the most precious and costliest spice in the world, wafts in the background, while myrrh sweetens the whole concoction. This is the imagined scent of a wood-filled room still holding the traces of fragrant myrrh incense from a century ago. Utterly intoxicating and deep.

Note breakdown:
Brazilian palisander wood, Virginian red cedar, Japanese red chili peppers, saffron from Iran, myrrh from south Yemen

If you are like me, you vividly remember the first time cologne marketing targeted you. My first one was Tommy by Tommy Hilfiger (blue grass, spearmint, apple, lavender, amber, citrus, cranberry, and cinnamon). That was followed soon after by Polo Sport (seaweed, algae, mint and is accented with nutmeg, oakmoss and sandalwood)

and Coolwater (top notes of seawater, mint, green notes, lavender, coriander, and rosemary; middle notes of sandalwood, jasmine, neroli, and geranium; and base notes of musk, oakmoss, cedar, tobacco, and amber)

As I got older and my elitaste got more refined, I started seeking scents that were more in line with my elitaste. I’ve never been a huge cologne guy as I believe one strategic spray is enough. In college, I saw friends drench themselves in Jean Paul Gaultier and then wonder at the end of the night why they weren’t getting any. This post is to share some knowledge about colognes, how they can be used effectively and then send you on your way to finding your own scent.
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