Mefisto

I knew from the note breakdown and from several reviews online that this scent would be up my alley, and boy was I right! I got a sample vial, and after a few wears, I knew it was a good fit, and so I got a full bottle. It's not a challenging fragrance to wear, you can be wearing this casually during the day or in a suit at night (though I think the sunniness of the florals and the citrus lend themselves more naturally to daytime wear). The florals here are sweet but not cloying; rose is probably the most prominent, but it's not jammy here, which makes it feel more unisex. If the florals are at all "feminine" here they are balanced out by the citrus, which are probably not as present on the dry-down but definitely give it an initial lift. Even though it's not listed, the combination of the florals and citrus produce a kind of tea-like note (close to white tea) that I find super calming. The musk here is soft and clean, and it really lingers for hours and hours (I sprayed it last night and though it doesn't project after a full 24 hours, I still can smell it on my skin where I sprayed it). Mefisto is kind of a "unicorn" in that it smells quite fresh, but it projects strongly and lasts a long time (with the atomizer of the 100mL Casamorati bottle, a spray on each wrist and one more on the neck will suffice for a full day's wear). Cannot recommend highly enough.

So I just bought Mefisto as my first full bottle niche. I have a Creed Silver Mountain Water vial and a full bottle of Armaf Club de Nuit Sillage. I do get the comparison with SMW but the lemon in Mefisto smells more realistic and there is some sweetness to it that is bordering on gourmand for me. Think of lemon bar pastries. The lemon in SMW smells artificial compared to this and there is something distinctly different that I can’t put my finger on. Also, Sillage smells more like SMW than Mefisto. As for longetivity, it lasts overnight on my skin. Projection on the other hand is modest, not room-filling but neither intimate. All in all, I have fallen in love with this fragrance because I love how it smells and I love the bottle and overall presentation.

Compare it with London Spice by Fragrance du Bois, or with SMW: Mefisto's citrus over a metallic musk base gives a better sharp, cold feel, and the performance is good enough to wear all year round. The only downside is that it's weak in longevity and projection. Anyone who says Mefisto smells like SMW should know that Mefisto's citrus and violet notes are rated as better. The blend is excellent because the metallic note is toned down, the tea and lemon feel more airy and graceful, and the whole thing comes across as classy, with a slightly dandyish touch. This one gets both praise and criticism, probably because of the powdery side of the violet. And of course, I've also gotten plenty of feedback that it smells like dish soap or room spray

I love it. Super fresh. Suitable for daytime in the heat. This is pretty unisex. I have seen this compared to Creed SMW and I wholeheartedly disagree they share any similarities aside from their metallic quality. The metallic note doesn't appear in the same timeline per fragrance either, and with this scent it isn't always detectable. They do both share a musky sandalwood close-skin scent but their composition is very different. I would agree that fans of SMW would enjoy this fragrance, though. I have a decant but will absolutely be picking up a full bottle in the future.

I am a huge fan of Gentiluomo, and I thought that it was simply an evolution from the OG. Once I got to smell this one as well, and compare the two side by side, I was pleasantly surprised that they are two very different perfumes. While Gentiluomo is more mature, reserved and somewhat toned down, Mefisto is that in-your-face kind of sexy citrus bomb. It's daring, pushy and ostentatious. But like everything that's intense, it's also short-lived. Once you get past the first hour, it becomes very uninteresting compared to Gentiluomo's elegance and persistence.