Kadota by Michael Storer

*****

Year: 2008

Notes: green fig, dates, jammy notes, tonka bean, sandalwood, musks

Portrayed as a "creamy green fig delight", Kadota (the name of a variety of fig that has a yellowish-green skin) is a world away from the more conventional quality fig offerings, such as L'Artisan's Premier Figuier, Diptyque's Philosykos and Heeley's Figuier.

As opposed to a fresh, creamy and woody rendition of ripe figs, Kadota investigates the dried syrupy aspect of this fruit. Evocative of Serge Lutens' Arabie, Kadota is all about dark stewed fruits, but without the challenging spices and resinous-balsamic underlining. In their place, one can discern salty green flourishes, akin to celery, and dried grass instead.

With more emphasis on the dates and jammy notes, the fig tends to play more of a supporting role. However, over time, everything starts to structurally fall apart. The lush sweetness is dramatically toned down, any initial clarity is lost and an immortelle-like earthiness suddenly takes over. By the drydown, Kadota smells more like Serge Lutens' Chypre Rouge than a fig scent, which is the last thing that one was expecting.

Both sillage and longevity are also severely lacking.

Winter Star by Michael Storer

*****

Year: 2007

Notes: bergamot, helvetolide, lavender, carnation, karanal, labdanum, Siam benzoin, Peru balsam, Tolu balsam, oakmoss, civettone, musks

Originally composed for the holiday season, Winter Star is classified as a gourmand... even though the official notes indicate that it's pretty much a chypré.

With a dash of bergamot, the helvetolide wraps its fruity-green self around the lavender. Exuding a musky aura, the composition is essentially a potpourri of spices, woods and balsams, topped with the ambery, caramel-like presence of karanal (another aroma chemical with woody-amber properties). As for the musks, they tend to be less animalic than those used in other Michael Storer creations, with the civettone lacking the faecal and floral depths of natural civet.

Personally, it's a pleasant but underwhelming outing, which remains an insipid musky skin scent for most of its duration. Lacking any oomph or richness, this tends to be a persistent issue with this US niche house.

Stephanie by Michael Storer

*****

Year: 2007

Notes: pink pepper, black pepper, galbanum, chrysanthemum, jasmine sambac, tuberose, angelica root, musk

Comment: Eau de Parfum review

Described as a "recreation of the headspace of the gardenia flower", Stephanie is a delightful gardenia soliflore, employing pepper, green notes and various white florals.

It's fresh, natural-smelling and not too sweet, with the jasmine and tuberose evenly presented. Reminiscent of Frédéric Malle's Carnal Flower, Stephanie possesses a verdancy that persists throughout its lifespan. However, the Carnal Flower parallel is more subtle, with the galbanum setting the scene and the angelica root upholding the green floral theme.

Despite the fact that neither are listed, one is certain that either orange blossom or rose is also present, due to the composition's soapy demeanour. As for the base, one can also identify an abundant serving of civet, which lends the floral proceedings an enchanting indolic quality. And while one couldn't detect any woods, if there are any, it's probably either a dash of sandalwood or something very discreet.

Although it's not a bona fide gardenia creation, it still succeeds in emulating the olfactory properties of this very rare ingredient. Unfortunately, just like the other female offerings from this house, it's too quiet on the skin and delicately lingers for roughly four hours.

Regardless of this, it still gets a thumbs-up for being so well-composed.

Genviève by Michael Storer

*****

Year: 2007

Notes: rhubarb, raspberry, peach, pear, apple, ambrette seed, green tea, angelica root, galbanum, violet leaf, lily of the valley, desert lily, mimosa, Bulgarian rose, Damascus rose, Rose de Mai, ylang-ylang, jasmine, tonka bean, Tolu balsam, sandalwood, civet, ambergris, musk

Comment: Eau de Parfum review

Named after Michael's mother, Genviève is a "classy, unabashedly feminine rose-family floral fantasy".

Upon application, the top notes are astringent and conflicting, as a flurry of succulent fruits, fresh green chords and a faint plastic-like accent greets the nose. But this stage doesn't last too long, as the composition reveals a rose bouquet, brimming with metallic and raspberry facets. With a soft underpinning of white florals and other creamy notes, the end result is a hyper-realistic rose soliflore, with just the right amount of sweetness.

As for the animalic musk base, it's nowhere as feral as originally hoped. Instead, this musk cocktail provides a discreet, golden warmth – acting as a further catalyst to an already three-dimensional olfactory experience. On the downside, however, its general performance is lacklustre, mostly remaining a skin scent that faintly lingers for several hours.

With a plethora of rose offerings already available, it would be easy to dismiss Genviève, but it's well-composed with a wealth of intriguing nuances on offer.

Yvette by Michael Storer

*****

Year: 2007

Notes: plum, ambrette seed, tarragon, nutmeg, ivy, broom, lily of the valley, rose otto, orchid, heliotrope, white chocolate, vanilla, tonka bean, styrax, cedar, everlasting flower, oakmoss, Tolu balsam, sandalwood, precious woods, ambergris

Comment: Eau de Parfum review

Referred to as a "complex fantasy floral / gourmand fragrance with a butterscotch, plummy aspect", one fails to detect much butterscotch in Yvette. In addition, one wouldn't even view it as a gourmand either.

Initially, what one discerns is a temperate plum accord, with a smattering of herbs and spices, followed by soft rosy flourishes. With a suggestive aniseed presence from the tarragon, most of the notes are indistinguishable, but its light woody-musk base is clearly evident.

Interestingly enough, the eventual drydown is extremely similar to a Japanese cherry blossom fragrance, with a minimalist, ethereal and delicate performance to match. And that's its main flaw – it isn't particularly tenacious, and comes across as too sheer and watery for an Eau de Parfum.

With the additional issue of almost zero projection, one will simply have to pass on this one.

Monk by Michael Storer

*****

Year: 2005

Notes: bergamot, bitter orange, ambrette seed, galbanum, acacia, orange blossom, linden blossom, Bulgarian rose, jasmine, benzoin, cistus, tonka bean, vanilla, blond tobacco, cocoa, frankincense, leather, birch tar, Texan cedar, sandalwood, beeswax, civet, ambergris, musk

Comment: Eau de Parfum review

Known as Michael's signature scent, and inspired by the gothic European monasteries and abbeys he visited, Monk isn't the frankincense extravaganza that one was hoping for.

With muddy citric-green top notes, what one mostly smells is dusty cocoa, watery florals, dark creamy woods, dank nuances and lots of civet. As one loves natural civet, its crystalline presence is more than welcome – it's potent, deliciously faecal and spearheads the musky arsenal of ambrette, civet, beeswax and ambergris. But, apart from the civet, cocoa and eventual emergence of some vanilla, the remaining chords are either extremely low key or hardly detectable as it further evolves.

Even while the civet shimmers and emits its warm animalic muskiness, one doesn't discern much leather or (to a lesser extent) tobacco in the composition. And, if that wasn't bad enough, one isn't able to locate any resins or smoky facets either. Based on the conceptual theme, one was expecting a luxuriously smoky and resinous affair but, alas, this doesn't seem to be the case. Instead, it's a translucent and ultra-discreet oriental, with light powdery attributes and a musky demeanour.

Although it doesn't produce much sillage, its tenacity of at least six hours is still decent. Unfortunately, from an olfactory point of view, there's nothing gothic, dark or incensey about Monk at all. And like all the other Michael Storer fragrances, one believes that they all would fare better with richer bases and less murky (or unpleasantly obtuse) drydowns.

An extra star awarded solely for the generous serving of natural civet.

Djin by Michael Storer

*****

Year: 2005

Notes: grapefruit, lemon, ozonic notes, pink pepper, cardamom, oolong tea, lemon verbena, galbanum, ivy, geranium leaf, lily of the valley, rose, aldron, leather, teak, sandalwood, castoreum, civet, pheromone mixture, musks

Comment: Eau de Parfum review

According to Islamic mythology, a djin / djinn is a spirit that's capable of assuming human or animal form, often exercising a supernatural influence over people. With Djin, the name seems fitting, based on the composition's alleged "hypnotic" qualities (courtesy of the inclusion of animal musks and various pheromones). Unfortunately, one isn't beguiled by it in the slightest.

Upon the opening, it's very much akin to a kitchen sink filled with hot water, lemon washing-up liquid and plenty of soap suds. In other words, the top notes smell soapy, metallic and overtly synthetic, as those lemon-infused ozonic chords later intermingle with tea, spices and woods.

The emerging florals are timid, yet fresh, but the castoreum and civet are less evident. As for any "pheromonal effects", naturally, the jury's still out. However, one is able to discern the aldron (an aroma chemical that yields animalic amber properties). All in all, the whole affair is cheap, tacky and devoid of any redeeming virtues.

Released a decade after the aquatic craze, Djin smells too run-of-the-mill and clichéd. Sillage is moderate with good longevity of at least six hours.

Il Giardino by Michael Storer

*****

Year: 2005

Notes: bergamot, grapefruit, lemon, bitter orange, blackcurrant, cognac, juniper berry, philodendron, violet leaf, neroli, orange blossom, jasmine, tonka bean, Mexican vanilla, sandalwood, ambergris, musk

Comment: Eau de Parfum review

Based in the US, Michael Storer is a self-taught perfumer, who has had a diverse professional career – ranging from fashion modelling to acting, fine and conceptual art, and composing music. Along with Monk and Djin, Il Giardino was among the first three releases originally sold as Eaux de Toilette. Sadly, one is unable to overlook its amateurish-smelling aroma.

Commencing with a bitter onslaught of fruits and green accords, the florals gradually join the fray. However, the resulting berry-like sweetness is too overbearing. With a long-lasting base of musk, sandalwood and vanilla, it's simply too much of everything – too sweet, too synthetic, too discordant, too... contrived.

Being one of Michael Storer's earlier creations, one can see why it was the first to be axed. Staying power and sillage are both quite good.