FRAGRANCE | Vial trial: Replica By the Fireplace EDT by Maison Martin Margiela

halfwhiteboy - Replica By the Fireplace EDT by Maison Martin Margiela

It's a rainy and relatively cold day as I'm writing this. Christmas is still about half a year away yet in my mind I'm singing "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire..." after I sprayed on Replica By the Fireplace by Maison Martin Margiela. This stuff is magical!

By the Fireplace is so aptly named, with a wonderful smokiness redolent of burnt wood wafting around right from the start. The smoke is amazingly so alive here and is not some subdued accord buried underneath a pile of other notes playing support. It's very different from the usual smokiness I get from incense-based scents like Ard Al Zaafaran's Midnight Oud, from vetiver-centric ones like Bel Ami Vetiver by Hermès, or from tonka like in Mugler's A*Men.

A delectable sweetness from vanilla smooths out all the rough edges, working its way beautifully with the smoke and the wood. The result is a warm and comforting scent that's perfect for cuddly weather. And no, having a partner is not a requirement, nor is a fireplace.

An hour in and hints of spices start piercing through the velvety blanket of smoky sweetness. It offers the fragrance a little sharpness, if only to break the ensuing monotony, but not so much as to ruin it. By the Fireplace projects pretty well in its first two hours or so. Although its power wanes thereafter, the scent persists and you still get occasional whiffs of sweet, smoky goodness for the most part of the day.

Once the fire is out and the last of the remaining embers is gone, I'm left with a still lovely vanilla on my skin. I close my eyes, smile, and think of what a marvelous experience this fragrance has been. By the Fireplace is definitely full bottle-worthy.

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