Year: 2009
Notes: fir, clove, orris, birch, cedar, copaiba balsam
Described as a "post-modern version of an elegant masculine cologne", Grev is a gentle and soapy concoction of citrus, spices, woods and balsams.
With a sparkling opening of citrus and (what seems to be) rosemary, both the fir and clove add an aromatic flair to the proceedings. It has been mentioned that the clove is overwhelming, but one doesn't sense that... unless the sample this review is based on is from a reformulated batch.
The coniferous aspect soon goes into full swing but is fleeting, allowing the orris to infiltrate and intensify. With a subtle grassy nuance present throughout the spicy haze, the birch and cedar apologetically surface on a bed of copaiba balsam. Overall, its lifespan is disappointingly short and it largely remains a skin scent, with a tangy mineral aroma that turns sour during the drydown.
Personally, there's nothing particularly special or interesting about Grev. While the execution isn't as crude as some of this house's other fragrances, there's still something decidedly hollow and amateurish about it. As for the clove issue, Josh Lobb (Slumberhouse's founder and 'perfumer') is known to regularly tweak and reformulate his creations, and it's not always due to the costs or availability of the components.
Based on the above, one is totally miffed as to why this house is so popular, especially when most perfumistas view reformulations to be the ultimate betrayal. Enhancements? Well, why not perfect the compositions before putting them out on the market? Such product inconsistencies may be considered novel to some, but it seems that Josh is incapable of releasing definitive versions of his olfactory ideas and standing by them.
With a sparkling opening of citrus and (what seems to be) rosemary, both the fir and clove add an aromatic flair to the proceedings. It has been mentioned that the clove is overwhelming, but one doesn't sense that... unless the sample this review is based on is from a reformulated batch.
The coniferous aspect soon goes into full swing but is fleeting, allowing the orris to infiltrate and intensify. With a subtle grassy nuance present throughout the spicy haze, the birch and cedar apologetically surface on a bed of copaiba balsam. Overall, its lifespan is disappointingly short and it largely remains a skin scent, with a tangy mineral aroma that turns sour during the drydown.
Personally, there's nothing particularly special or interesting about Grev. While the execution isn't as crude as some of this house's other fragrances, there's still something decidedly hollow and amateurish about it. As for the clove issue, Josh Lobb (Slumberhouse's founder and 'perfumer') is known to regularly tweak and reformulate his creations, and it's not always due to the costs or availability of the components.
Based on the above, one is totally miffed as to why this house is so popular, especially when most perfumistas view reformulations to be the ultimate betrayal. Enhancements? Well, why not perfect the compositions before putting them out on the market? Such product inconsistencies may be considered novel to some, but it seems that Josh is incapable of releasing definitive versions of his olfactory ideas and standing by them.
Disclaimer: Since some Slumberhouse releases are always being 'improved', and with various formulations of the same fragrance in existence, this review is based on the sample(s) received. Due to the lack of information about these reformulations, one is unable to confirm the actual formulation(s) that has/have been reviewed. As a result, your experience of this fragrance may greatly differ. Understandably, it's all very confusing.
