Christmas haul - I got the Vermont Store Hai Karate, Sterling AS and Fine AS as well

[nycalling]

First, the Hai Karate. It sadly did not come with directions. It's a little smaller than the original bottle (which I have a relic of from the 70's) and smells a little different. Not much, but it's a little more subtle, if that's possible.

Next I got the Sterling "Sharp Dressed Man" which smells pretty great, although I've never worn the fragrance it's based on so I have no real comparison. The only negative I would say is that the rubber stopper or whatever you call it that is supposed to regulate the flow is non-existent, so watch out when pouring. The first time I poured it out it I soaked my hands.

Last I received the Fine Platinum AS (which I love). I really love the new bottle and design, and even though it's probably my imagination it even smells better than the last incarnation. It could also be because it's a fresh batch, but I don't have the wherewithal to know the difference.

Below is a shot of my Christmas haul. I'm waiting on New Years to try the "Ron Swanson" Scotch, but it looks fantastic.

 

[rdeakle]

Nice haul. Scotch is the best thing in there.

 

[BSAGuy]

Congrats. Looks like you'll be smelling like a million bucks in 2015!

 

[AtreyuOcampo]

Loving the haul.. Just wondering though about the Hai Karate.. my mom said my uncle wore than in the 80's and it smelled like "geezer". I cant say cause I've never smelled it, but can you explain the scent?

 

[nycalling]

Hmmm....Hai Karate scent....it's like a more dignified Brut, if that makes sense, or a less dignified Jade East. To me it smells like the 70's : I picture, say, Jan Micheal Vincent splashing some on and cruising around listening to Big Star, if that makes any sense.

 

[The Nid Hog]

Nice haul! What does the Hai Karate bottle look like?

I think you can find pdf's of the original directions online. You might want to check them out before you get too far in--somebody could get hurt.

 

[Alejandro Salemandro]

I love the Laga, and sharp dressed man. merry merry!

 

[nycalling]

Here's a couple of pics on the original bottle and the new one with an old friend between. The original is bigger and has a different style of cover with a Chinese emblem on it that represents a Sex Panther of some kind. They smell kind of the same, but I would say on second take that the original has more of that metallic "Brut" smell whereas the new one is less of that in the mix and more the soapy sort of smell. It's also not that odd 'green' color, but that could just be the dye.

 

[Mark in the dark]

Be careful how you use it.

 

[kansaskyle]

Loving the haul.. Just wondering though about the Hai Karate.. my mom said my uncle wore than in the 80's and it smelled like "geezer". I cant say cause I've never smelled it, but can you explain the scent?

I thought Hai Karate was a 1970's version of AXE? Not in the sense of the same smell, but the same type of marketing strategy and not being a refined scent that a mature man might wear.