Aramis Havana Reserva, Bella Bellissima Perfect Man and Etro Messe de Minuit

ARAMIS HAVANA RESERVA: Sampling Frapin's Terre de Sarment yesterday put me in the mood for tobacco, so I pawed through my box of little glass testers until I came across Aramis Havana Reserva.

Havan Reserva is a concentrated version of the original Aramis Havana (released in 1994), which is an EDT formula and somewhat lacks in staying power. The Reserva punches up the longevity while leaving everything else about Havana pretty much intact and untouched: tobacco, ash, a jigger of rum, a bracing splash of Old Spice -- it's as if you're smelling the prototype of a washed and shaven Average Joe with a cigar clenched between his teeth and a highball in his hand, circa 1950's America: scent of generic aftershave and hair cream -- check; scent of cigar smoke and tobacco leaves -- check; scent of liquor on the breath and Eisenhower on the brain -- check.

Havana Reserva doesn't do any cartwheels or solve complicated algebraic equations (for that matter, neither do I), but it's straight-forward about its intentions and I could tell exactly what it was going to be from the moment I sprayed it on. As time passed, the entire concoction warmed up and the rum scent became even more pronounced.

If you're a fan of traditional aftershave scents, you'll likely enjoy Havana Reserva, but in my opinion, it gets double points for the tobacco/rum addition, especially in a culture where no one smells like cigars and cocktail hours any longer.

Basenotes lists a cornucopia of scent notes for the original Havana (Coriander Seed, Anise, BIrch Tar, Juniper Berry, Tangerine, Grapefruit, Orange, Bay Rum, Cumin, Jamaican Pimento Berry, Pepper, Jasmine, Hyacinth, Exotic Woods, Tobacco, Patchouli, Cedarwood, Myrhh, Labdanum, Oilbanum, Tonka bean and Vanilla) and states that while Aramis Havana is still in production, the Havana Reserva, which is allegedly the same formulation as the EDT just more concentrated, has been discontinued. You can still find Reserva online, however, at various perfume discounters, as well as at Amazon.

Note: IMO, Frapin Terre de Sarment is more successful at the cognac and tobacco routine, though it ditches the Old Spice element for a much deeper, smoother ride. It costs $40.00 more than Havana Reserva, but the smoother rides often cost extra.

BELLA BELLISSIMA PERFECT MAN: Another variation on the traditional aftershave. The Bella Bellissima site states that Perfect Man is:"A rich, earthy effusion of soft woody notes provides the warming backdrop for exotic Venezuelan tonka, white thyme and aromatic basil, elevated by an unexpected twist of fresh green mandarin."

But what that description doesn't tell you is that the basil and thyme are predominant in the scent for hours on end, so much so that Perfect Man is never able to completely shrug off the potent herb-kitchen blanket in order for the "exotic Venezuelan tonka" to shine.

There was a brief moment when, while doing some heavy lifting and moving around the condo, that my body temperature heated up and a smooth, warm amber scent wafted up from my skin, but not thirty seconds after I stopped moving and my body cooled back down, the fragrance returned to its herbal reign of terror.

Now, there are some people out there who like the produce section/green herbs effect in a fragrance, and for those of you who do, Perfect Man could very well be a daily go-to cologne on your shelf, but the heavy basil and thyme elements (along with what I could swear is a dash of sour cumin) overpower the tonka and woods too much for my taste -- the sweet tonka and soft woods are definitely there, but faintly, and in the background, when the fragrance would have greatly benefited if it were mixed the other way around.

ETRO MESSE DE MINUIT: Because the first two fragrances of the day were very much of the masculine variety, I thought I'd choose a third that leaned more unisex, and a small decant of Etro Messe de Minuit just happened to be sitting out on the counter, reminding me that I hadn't yet given it its time in the sun.

"Oh hell," I thought, "I may as well spray some on and be done with it!" So I did, and I was thoroughly surprised at its rich, spicy beauty. It's a winter scent extraordinaire -- heavy and dark, full of old smoke and biblical resins, plus a hefty dose of cinnamon bark freshly stripped from the tree.

A thumbs-up from me, but I used to sit inside on sunny days and listen to old Cure and Depeche Mode records, so I obviously have a soft spot for dreary loveliness. If I were to pick a pop-music illustration of the mood that Messe de Minuit evokes, it would be the video clip below:

But I'm linking to other bloggy opinions so that you can get a less one-sided view of the fragrance:

Bois de Jasmin: "The woody sweetness of cinnamon, the cold smoothness of myrrh and the animalic richness of amber create the complex tapestry of the composition, along with the resinous incense."

Sweet Diva: "It feels as though I've escaped the rain by running into an old wooden church full of mildew and incense. This might not sound appealing, but I assure you it is. Something about this fragrance feels so full of history."

Victoria's Own: "The one Etro that really stands out, a masterpiece of swirling scented memories and melancholy days."

Peredepierre: "Every perfume house has (or attempts to have) an incense, and Etro's is rich, spicy and potent . . . Highly recommended for the hardcore incense lover...for the rest, try before you buy."

Perfume Smellin' Things: "This is a very dark dense opaque woody incense . . . For me this is one of the "haute couture scents", something to be admired and maybe even bought, but never really worn in real everyday life.

Wrap it up: 1.) Etro Messe de Minuit wins the blue ribbon for its dark, gothic charms; 2.) Aramis Havana Reserva comes in second with a boozy, tobacco warmth that stealthily creeps up on you; 3.) Bella Bellissima Perfect Man -- basil, thyme and green oranges. I'll take a pass, thanks.