 You know, to be honest, I really envy the guy that has that one fragrance that he wears all the time. Like my good friend, Polo Green, that's it, nothing else. I wish I could be that person because it would be so simple. But you know, anyone who goes deep down the rabbit hole of niche fragrances knows that's just not something we can do. There's so much out there to experience in that hunt for something really special and unique that you just immediately fall in love with. That's the best part of the whole thing. And in this video, I have five new niche fragrances that I just got very excited about and that I want to share with you today. I'm Brian Sakawa. This is He Spoke Style, advice and inspiration to help you dress well, develop your personal style, and be more confident. So actually, let's start out just from an educational standpoint by answering four questions. What is a niche fragrance? Why do people buy niche fragrances? Are niche fragrances worth it? And how do you find niche fragrances? So question number one, what is a niche fragrance? Why do we call it that? Niche fragrances typically made by small independent companies or perfumers, thus the term niche, they often contain high quality, rare and unique ingredients that you're not going to find in mass produced fragrances, which is one of the biggest distinctions between a niche fragrance and say a designer fragrance. And as a result of both of those things, niche fragrances tend to be more expensive overall. Question number two, why do people buy niche fragrances? Well, the biggest reason that people love niche fragrances is simply because they're much more distinctive and have a more individualistic character compared to mass produced fragrances. There's a level of artistry in niche fragrances that you don't find in mass produced stuff. And it's that quality along with their uniqueness that really draws people to them. Now, because they're typically more expensive, question number three, aren't niche fragrances worth it? So this is a question that I really can't answer for you. But in my experience, I have always found that buying a niche fragrance and enjoying it is totally worth the price you pay for one. I really believe in buying quality. And I have no problem paying a little extra for that quality. And I love using and wearing things that are well crafted by people who are really artists and masters at what they do. And question number four, how do you find a niche fragrance? Well, videos like this for one, so you're definitely in the right place. Word of mouth is a great way to discover niche fragrances as well. There's a huge and very passionate community online and they're really just a few Google searches away. Another great way to find niche fragrances is by exploring. If you live someplace that does have a nice boutique fragrance shop, just make a trip over there, talk to the people that work there, tell them what you like, smell some things, try some stuff on, really one of the best ways. Now, I do often hear from you guys like, now I don't really live in a place with access to something like that. So that does pose challenges, especially at these types of price points. The last thing you want to do is drop a bunch of money to blind buy something that you've heard a lot about. But you know, at the end of the day, you really don't end up liking it. That's when it becomes really important to know where to look for a really well curated selection by people who share that same passion for fragrance as you do. And all five fragrances I have to review for you today came from a place like that. And that place is the scent house who I am proud to partner with for today's video. So the scent house is actually a fragrance distributor. The brand was founded in 2021. They have a whole team of experts who are dedicated to discovering, representing and supporting high quality fragrance brands, and specifically providing access to fine European fragrance lines to select retailers here in the US. As I was getting ready for this video, I did post a photo of the lineup I'll be reviewing to my Instagram stories and a lot of people responded saying how great these brands were. They're new to me, but I'm glad that within the luxury niche fragrance community that these brands are brands that are definitely well regarded. Now, you don't buy fragrances directly from the scent house. They sell them via various online retailers and some physical stores. But since this video is highlighting some of the brands within their portfolio, I did tell them what I liked and asked for some recommendations just because I didn't really know many of these brands. And I was very impressed with the selections they made, which definitely speaks to the passion and knowledge of the people on their team. You can check out all the brands that they offer on their website, the scent house.com. Now, let's dive into the five fragrances I have right here. Beginning with this one right here in the beautiful blue bottle. This is Piazza Affari by Milano Fragrance. Now, I always wonder whether I should pronounce things like an American or actually try to pronounce poorly in the real language. So either way, you don't make fun of me or go ahead have that. But seriously, what's better? Let me know down below. Now, before I get into what this smells like, I do want to comment on this bottle. It's very heavy. It feels substantial. The class seems to be very thick, has a very heavy and ornate metal top, which sounds cool when you put it back on. Kind of like the ST Dupont ping. The brand is relatively new. It was founded in 2020. All the fragrances in their lineup have been designed to evoke the spirit of different places in Milan. And this one is the Piazza Affari, which is generally seen as the hub of all financial activity in Milan. This fragrance is almost brand new. It was released in 2022. It is an Oda Parfum, classified as an aromatic on the brand site and an Ambrou Fougere on the scent house, which calls this particular fragrance, quote, the perfect picture of an Italian gentleman, elegant, refined and well dressed. Sounds like my kind of scent. Where is it? So the first spray is fresh. I get some citrus touch of spice. So it definitely has that Fougere quality that I really love in fragrance. As it does dry down, it takes on a more elegant character with vetiver and some woodsy notes. And it's not listed in the notes of this fragrance. But I do feel like there is a very slight amber softness to it on the dry down. This is a good one. I like it a lot. It's classic, but modern with a little assertiveness to it. Not much, but just enough. Next, I have the first of two fragrances that I got from Sospiro. This one is Basso from their Classica collection and being a musician my entire life. I love all the musical references in their fragrances. I am not a Basso or base. And I would say that this is perhaps misnamed because when you think of a bass opera singer, you think exactly of the first sentence in the description of this fragrance, which is, the sheer elegance of powerful deep sound. So I don't have a problem with elegance because this is a very, very elegant scent, but powerful and deep. I don't think quite capture how this truly smells. If I'm thinking something powerful and deep, I'm thinking in your face and other than the very first spray of this, which does hit you in the face with some grapefruit, I find this to be extremely refined. As this dries down, there is a slight bit of carnation, which quickly passes. And what you're left with, in my opinion, despite all the bass notes that they list, is a really lovely cedar. It reminds me very much of Terra de Hermes, but more power than that if you're familiar with that scent. And just at the beginning, I thought that this is going to be similar to Kriegler's Blue Escapade 24, but it does soften quite a bit more than the Kriegler does. And actually, the Kriegler stays pretty even like the entire time you're wearing it. All right, next, also from Zospiro, I have Tenore, which is my voice type. Now, I didn't mention this at all when I was talking about Basso, but I do need to call out this bottle design as well. Again, it's very heavy. It feels substantial. It's wrapped in green velvet, which looks beautiful paired with the gold tone hardware. Also quite substantial and elegant as well. I only say that because you are paying a premium for an Esch fragrance like this. And I do think it's nice that you are getting a bottle that is as beautifully designed as the fragrance itself. So let's talk about that fragrance. And it is very different than Basso. So whereas Basso, I think, is a great everyday signature scent kind of fragrance, Tenore, I really feel is much more specific in my notes that I wrote when I tested this out on my skin. What I wrote was good for evening, sexy, silky, sticky. I almost don't know how to describe it. It's like I kind of just want to eat it, right? This one I will go through the notes on just because I really am having trouble conveying in concrete terms as you can tell what this smells like. So on the top, lavender and lemon, that's here and gone pretty quickly. Heart, got Lily of the Valley, resin, leather, and spicy clove. That's getting closer. And I think the resin contributes to that silky stickiness I mentioned. And base notes, wood, amber, musk, and patchouli. All makes sense, but kind of really hard to describe, which makes this, in my opinion, a must smell. It's very distinct. And I think it would be an awesome like fall, winter, evening, special, formal event kind of fragrance. Up next, Colonia Veneziana. This is by the merchant of Venice and is a very classic Colonia or citrus fragrance. The bottle is beautiful. You can see a very subtle light green pattern if you look at it just right, which is meant to evoke the old fabric manufacturing tradition of Venice. The green color feels masculine and also matches the citrus theme. And on the top of the silver cap, you can see the wind rose with a very classic and simple fragrance like this. There's not really much to say. I mean, if you know classic Colonia fragrances, you kind of have a ballpark idea of what you're dealing with here. It's citrusy. It's fresh. It's light. It smells like it should. But the only thing that really comes into play with a fragrance like this is how long does it last? It's always a question when it comes to citrus fragrances, right? This one's pretty good to for our range, maybe a little more really nice and elegant Colonia. You could wear it day to night, just need to reapply. And the last one I have here is from the house of Martin Mika Lef. This is gin and tonic. Gin and tonic. This is another instance where you really get a sense of the care and passion that is put into every facet of this simply by looking at the bottle. It's a beautiful white frosted glass. The liquid you can see has a bit of a greenish blue hue. Then wrapping around, you have these like transparent shards contrasting the smooth frosted glass. And then on top, another contrast with the black cap. I'm pointing out these really stark contrast because if you read the description of this fragrance, it really is meant to be a study in contrast. And that description goes a cocktail of nobility and sport, classicism and avant-gardeism, transparency and depth. So cool. I love to see that play out in the bottle design as well. So this one is interesting. It's light and fresh, which you'd expect based on the name. Also not surprising, there's a bit of an herbaceousness to it. It takes on a very different quality and becomes aromatic and much more distinct after that first spray. So I think this is a great everyday wear that smells familiar, but distinct and intriguing at the same time. See more contrast. So let me know if you've tried any of these that I have here yourself or if you've tried other fragrances by these brands. I'd be super interested to hear someone who's always looking out for something new and unique. Thanks once again to the scent house for sponsoring this video and reminder that all these brands that I talked about are in the scent house portfolio. You can check them out. I'll link in the description as well on the scent house website. That's thecenthouse.com.