Hiya,
Used the Le Labo samples and found the Santal33 and Vetiver to be quite pleasant. Santal33 reminds me of AOS sandalwood/cypress frag which I like and use. Didn't do a side by side huff though. Nothing I'd buy but enjoyable.
Vetiver surprised me with how complex the juice is and how far away from the expected vetiver note, which never became evident to my nose. I'm not a stranger to that note, used in various interpretations but this is totally different. Lots of other good stuff going on though, with like a woody/spicy/incense thing in the mix. Not dark at all to me but instead rather playful, unlike most other vetivers I've tried. Very nice drydown as well and worth buying a sample. It's my favorite of the three I ordered.
The Patchouli24 was strange. I enjoy patchouli in lots of frags, but just not as a single 'hippie' note. Amazing what patchouli can add to a concoction. This was not what I expected to sniff because I couldn't get a sense of that note anywhere. Main thing I got was birch EO with a bit of softening vanilla on the drydown, giving an almost amber like feel. Nope, that's one I didn't understand or care for much.
Seems like reviewers often comment on the excellent sillage and longevity of this brand, but to me it's just a little better than good and that's it. Also found lots of comments regarding some Le Labo frags being compared to similar ones being made.
The juice is extremely expensive when bought through the company site. It's in Creed territory for sure so you definitely need a sample. Can't offer any advice buying it another way but prices do vary.
Overall I'm quite happy with the large samples for the price and also to help with monkey removal services.
Martin
