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What cologne disappointed you?

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The Instigator
Buy Versace Dreamer and thank me later. This is something late Gianni Versace made for himself.

I actually did blind buy that!

Mid-pack. I don't hate or love it. Thought the tobacco would come through more. Cool bottle.

AA
 
That's "L'Homme" series. "La Nuit" is a flanker. It happens to be one of my favorite fragrances of all time.

Yes to this. I had this sprayed on a paper strip and while sitting in a sofa repeatedly sniffing and enamored with it at a nearby mall, a nice lady came up to me and said to buy it because it smelled "delicious".
 
I bought this, it started out nice then went cold on me for some reason. I may have gotten an "off" bottle or something. Every time I spray it, it smells different.
The vintage has a funkier smell, but the current is potent. I noticed how different it smells when it’s hot and/or humid out. Much spicier. More musk on colder days.

Have you tried Ted Lapidus ph? That’s another powerhouse I love that was a blind buy.
 
I could probably name hundreds over the decades, but a recent one was Sahraa Oud by Fragrance du Bois.

This one was raved about by many including several noses I trust and I fully expected to love it, but when I finally sniffed the perfume it was a big amber blast scrubber with little of the real oud I expected for $745 per 100 ml bottle. To be fair, what oud *was* there (mostly early) was the good stuff, but that amber... absolutely terrible smelling and amplified to the extreme.
 
The hint of Old Man Urine smell attached to Aqua Velva Ice Sport made me wonder if grandpa didn't actually soil his drawers after all.
Are you sure is not from they’re pet cats, because, cats can do anything to hide their own soil crap in so many different hiding places around the house, even inside the drawers.
 
Boucheron Pour Homme EdP

It's grown on me at this point, but it's not an amazing scent. It's just good.
I was expecting beast mode Armani Eau Pour Homme.

On another note, I'm glad I didn't blind buy YSL Jazz. It's a good scent and the performance is good, but the performance is not $80+ USD good.
 
Hugo by Hugo Boss. One of a few colognes I have washed off soon after applying. The opening is ok at best, the middle and end are disgusting to me. Second would be Calvin Klein Eternity, Hugo's weaker but still yucky cousin. I am pretty open when it comes to cologne, but these two astound me at their popularity. I don't need the presence of a pandemic to social distance myself from someone wearing either of these two.
 
I think my #1 disappointment to date is BR540. When I would smell my arm I could not pick up any detectable scent. I would occasionally pick up an odd scent in the air around me that I did not care for. Another one was Roja Dove Creation-E pour Homme. The potent cola vibe I got from it was not to my liking and my SO hated it.
 
I wonder if there is something wrong with my olfactory senses, I like both Tabac and Blenheim Bouquet

Nah. I love Blenheim Bouquet, and I think I have a very fine tuned nose. The deal is that BB does not fit in the same category as more modern fragrances for men.

Most of the current stuff being released tends to be more sweet and chemical. I have come to hate all those fragrances. For me, the old school, classic and more natural fragrances that have softer sillage and less longevity (in general terms) are my favored options.

I have ordered dozens of samples of super highly reviewed frags that have smelled horribly on me. Here is what I really like to wear most of the time:

Floris No 89
Floris Special 127
Floris Santal
Floris Leather Oud
Penhaligon Blenheim Bouquet
Penhaligon Castile
Diptyque Tam Dao
Diptyque Eau des Sens
DR Harris Arlington
Givenchy Monsieur (Les Parfums Mythiques)
Givenchy Xeryus (Les Parfums Mythiques)
Nicolai New York
Antiga Barbearia do Bairro Ribeira Douro
Antiga Barbearia do Bairro Principe Real
Houbigant Fougere Royale
Comme des Garcons Monocle Hinoki
Comme des Garcons Monocle Laurel
Carthusia Mediterraneo
Creed Royal Mayfair
Santa Maria Novella Russia

These are almost all on the more refined and elegant side. None of those will project like crazy (except the Floris Leather Oud where one spray is enough for me). But you have to be into these more reserved fragrances.

I think in fragrances, like in wine, it pays to find someone whose tastes you share and do your research that way. Or you need to buy tons of samples. I might buy 30 samples to find a single scent I like and am willing to spend money on.
 
As far as bjg disappointments in fragrances go, I can honestly say that no fragrance has ever disappointed me more than Aventus. With all the hype around it, I found it outright gross on me. Not judging others by the way...I know it works great for most men and women love it, but on me, it just smelled awful.
 
Most designer frags and a large number of niche frags have been disappointing to me. I own a select few from Hermes, Penhaligons, Chanel, Caron, MFK, Jacques Fath, Milano Cento, Dior, Creed, Mugler, and Serge Lutens.
 
Although there was an on-the-spot test, maybe I had rhinitis that day...
YSL La Nuit De L'Homme Eau Electrique
Makes me feel that I have fallen into a large sofa factory...
(Luckily I broke him a few days later, LOL)
 
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