Best M. Micallef Notorious XO by M Micallef Alternatives & Similar Perfumes

Perfumer: Hamid Merati-Kashani

Inebriated with desire, mmmmm! Red berries in a sparkling swirl of aromatic juniper, clary sage and ginger, spiked with cognac and cardamom, infused with fragrant woods and resins. One sniff leads to another, and another, and another…

A snapshot of a sensual night for two on a veranda overlooking a tangled garden. Cognac is shared, its boozy intimations amping the intoxicating amber scent lifting off warm skin. Earthy patchouli adds grit to the grace.

PERFUMER
HONORINE BLANC

The five major aromas that give Cognac its unique flavor are vanilla, prune, caramel, orange and apricot. Some can also detects floral and fruity notes in its bouquet, such as dried linden blossom, vine blossom, dry vine shoots and pressed grape with hints of violet and vanilla.

Inspired by this cornucopia of notes, Liqueur Charnelle is a voluptuous, deeply sensual accord in which the perfumer offers a “cognac bouquet” of spices, blond tobacco and powdery woods. Suave and vibrant pink pepper, elemi and black pepper enhance tonka bean and raspberry notes…

Pair this perfume with the indulgent Liqueur Charnelle hand and body wash infused with the same fragrance.

Santal takes its inspiration from a Sandalwood fragrance originally created in the 1800s which has then been given a distinctive contemporary edge.

“Hey Bitch! You smell fucking good.” In Perfume World, that’s what we call a result. Hey Bitch! raises eyebrows with its dissonance between buttery, blowsy orange blossom and tough, bitter leather. Tangy rhubarb at the top snaps its fingers in your face, before dissolving into a blur of suedey iris and milky sandalwood. The dance between bitter and sweet keeps you on your toes throughout, conjuring hints of…what? Photocopier ink? Coffee? For sure it conjures ambered black leather, Bitch!

A pile-up of contrasts: cinnamon along with tropical florals frangipani and ylang ylang, against the earthy bitterness of artichoke and leather. This almost-gingerbread, almost-cement perfume confuses the senses with its animal/vegetable/mineral mystery.

This extrait is named for the archipelagic country in the South Pacific Ocean, source of the sandalwood in the base. Vanuatu is a lively, confident blend of spices (black pepper, cardamom, cumin) dappled across characterful woody materials (sandalwood, patchouli, cedar and papyrus). Putting meat on the bones is fig milk, with violet leaves adding sharp sparkle. A fragrance for unexpected adventures.

January 1618 A Japanese Galleon, the Pacific Ocean

Following a diplomatic mission to the West, a galleon carrying a delegation of samurai charges through dark ocean currents. Loaded with a rare and precious cargo, the ship’s hull is redolent of sweet-smelling tropical woods, heady Spanish leather, frankincense, fine black pepper and other exotic ground spices—the intoxicating spirit of a singular, extraordinary voyage of discovery.

A good perfume to visit if your are in a search for perfect true sandalwood,  smoky and a touch dirty. Arquiste carefully selected the companions for its sandal in this formula: tea and osmanthus, coffee, myrrh and stryrax and others to give it a dark, sensual depth.

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GQ US on Nanban:

"This is my signature scent. I wear it all the time. And let me tell you: I’ve never worn something that has gotten so many compliments—no sunglasses, no sneakers, no full-body rubber suit. People actually turn their heads and ask me what I'm wearing. And then they jot down the product name. Arquiste’s masterpiece introduces itself with Malabar black pepper and Persian saffron, gives way to coffee, sandalwood, myrrh, and Spanish leather, and embraces you all day with a blanket of frankincense, balsam, and cade juniper."

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Financial Times' resident perfume writer Victoria Frolova on Nanban:

"... approach coffee notes creatively. Instead of mimicking nature, a perfumer instead might fashion a blend that hints at coffee’s pleasing bitterness and heady richness. Such is Arquiste’s Nanban (£160 for 100ml EDP). The composition uses a plush backdrop of woods to frame the smoky, spicy notes of myrrh and incense, with an accent of coffee to lend the composition a dark, delicious twist. It teases with its smoky, nutty warmth, but keeps its presence mellow behind layers of sandalwood and leather."

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Baronda is the perfume of hedonistic pleasures, of throwing caution to the wind, of no longer giving a f**k. Whisky and honey are the opening act here, loosening inhibitions and smoothing the way for a long cruise through cinnamon, immortelle, vanilla and resinous amber.