Cedar Cologne Scent 06 Amanu by Odin New York

cedar mens cologne
Ordered a sample of 06 Amanu solely because it won the Fifi award for best independent scent of 2011. I can see why it merits a whiff after having wore it around for a couple days. It’s refined aroma includes notes of Green galbanum, Jasmin sambac, Magnolia, Cedarleaf, live moss, and sheer musk.

My nose translates the bulk of this as a cedar chest where you would place keepsakes. It’s cozy.

I do have to take issue with it winning the Fifi award for an independent scent. The perfume house Odin doesn’t really seem like it qualifies. How is this fragrance “independent” when it was created by a company that out sourced the creation of the scent?  Makes me think of the movies that are labeled “independent” that star Brad Pitt & Meryl Streep.

Blogger Nathan Branch asked some great questions of the term “independent” in regards to Odin & winning:

Difference Between Independent and Artisan So how “independent” is it really when you don’t own your own studio, use your own materials, produce your own product or are in charge of your own sales?
Because that sounds seriously “dependent” to me, and not necessarily a good position to be in when larger players in the industry decide they want to start buying up supply chains, locking down production facilities and using their influence to kick the competition from the shelf space.

If you like the scent of cedar, try these: 
  • Ex Libris by perfume house Tokyo Milk. It’s the cheaper cousin of 06 Amanu. It’s not as refined, but then again it cost less and is similar. You decide.
  • Incense Pure by Sonoma Scent Studio, it literally smells of smoldering cedar on your skin for hours. And is crafted by a truely independent perfumer.