Hello again everyone! Got to give the new Banadir 113 some wear the past few days, and took the chance to compare it against my samples of the OG and Montagne's dupe (Herb Garden). I'll try to be as detailed as possible on my overall experiences with these fragrances.

Quick Overview of the Herbes Troublantes DNA

Herbes Troublantes is a soft white floral with a powdery, mint-like green accord, sitting on a musky, cottony base. It is reminiscent of a handsoap, and evokes the feeling of crisp linen sheets. I can think of a few fragrances that this is similar to.

Tom Ford Neroli Portofino:

They both share the same white floral note, but Neroli Portofino leans more on the neroli/orange blossom, whereas Herbes Troublantes leans on its green nuances. This is the same case when comparing it to Alexandria's dupe (Alexandria Port). Even though Herbes is softer than Neroli Portofino, it is quite ethereal in the air, especially in the opening.

Banadir 84 (Louis Vuitton's Sun Song):

Since my last review, I've grown to love Banadir 84. It is very reminiscent of Herbes Troublantes; they both share that same cottony, musky base. While they both exude that fresh linen sheet vibe, Sun Song smells more like if you used fabric softener on the same sheets. It is sweeter than Herbes, but not overly so. They get the same job done; simple elegance that can be worn on most occasions. I think Banadir 84 makes a great alternative for those looking for an Herbes Troublantes adjacent scent profile.

Testing Methodology:

At home, I spray the dupe on one wrist and the OG on the other. I then record and track the overall scent development of the fragrances at home. This allows me to get to the drydown quick since fragrances typically fade quicker on the top of wrists.

For proper longevity tests, I apply just one fragrance; two light sprays on each side of my neck (pressing the atomizer down just halfway), and one full press spray on the back of my neck, done slightly further away from skin for better coverage/application. This totals to 5 sprays. For decants, I just make sure to apply the same amount of oil as previous wears. I'll sometimes do one small spray on my wrist as a control, where it'd be covered by my work gloves.

This is all done right before I leave for work, with my commute being 30 minutes, and then begin my 10 hour shifts. I take note of any scent changes that were reflected from the home tests prior.

I'll sometimes spray on clothes depending on the scent, but for my actual tests, I avoid doing so to truly put these fragrances through some rigorous wear.

My mother, who actually works at the same department I'm in, has been able to help me confirm the stages of the fragrances where I'd likely be anosmic to.

Montagne's Herb Garden VS OG:

5 to 10 minutes: Herb Garden's opening leans less on the citrus and more on the soft, powdery greenery. This makes it less ozonic/ethereal compared to the OG. Projection is similar.

10 to 30 minutes: Compared to the OG, Herb Garden's green accord is more powdery, and prominent. There's a lack of sparkle due to the more subdued bergamot note, so it feels a bit darker in comparison to the OG.

30 minutes to 1 hour: This is where I notice the green accord actually leans a little sweeter. Not as sweet as something like Banadir 84, but it's noticeable to those familiar with Herbes Troublantes. Herb Garden seems to have a tad more push compared to the OG.

2 to 4 hour mark: The OG's projection starts to diminish, fading into a skin scent, while Herb Garden retains its scent bubble and softens into just the green powdery core of the scent profile. This core smells like if you tried to recreate Herbes Troublantes from memory, but forgot to dial up the musk. It's pretty distinctive. I still catch a fair amount of whiffs at this stage. When I got to the same stage during my home tests, my mother couldn't tell a difference between the two.

5 hour mark: Herb Garden's projection begins to diminish as it transitions into a skin scent. It is mostly a musky green floral at this stage. Meanwhile the OG has diminished completely. I get very faint whiffs of Herb Garden at this point.

6 to 8 hour mark: Now a skin scent, Herb Garden stays pretty linear from here, transitioning into an even muskier green floral. The musk softens and that sweetness I picked up from the first hour comes back, but it's super faint here. Most people would have difficulty picking up on it. My mother was able to confirm that it's no longer detectable in the air.

9 hour mark: A little before the last hour of the shift, Herb Garden appears to be no longer detectable on skin. Even with me placing my nose directly on my wrist, I don't pick up anything.

I always thought that Herb Garden was decently close for the price, and I even thought about getting a bottle, but it's been out of stock for a while. It is a slightly darker, more green-powdery take on the OG. Not as close as Montagne's other offerings, but the average person wouldn't be able to tell, and I think this was still a good attempt.

Longevity: 7/10

Closeness: 8/10

Rating: 8/10

Banadir 113 VS OG:

5 to 10 minutes: Surprisingly close, with the Guerlain having a slightly brighter and smoother opening. The only other difference is that the projection starts off notably stronger on the Banadir. Otherwise, the balance of white floral and musk on both fragrances are spot on.

10 to 30 minutes: Banadir becomes a touch greener, almost similar to that of the way Herb Garden opens. There is an underlying earthiness that appears within the green accord, but only if I place my nose directly on my skin. The OG has a more rounded bergamot that's prominent. These differences aren't noticeable in the air.

30 minutes to 1 hour: The aforementioned earthiness has vanished from the Banadir. Both scents are borderline indistinguishable. Any differences I think I pick up on one scent, I end up smelling those same aspects on the other. The Banadir manages to capture that ozonic quality I get from the OG. Projection at this stage is still stronger on the Banadir compared to the OG.

2 hour mark: The overall scent profiles of both fragrances remain linear, but Banadir still seems to retain its depth and radiance from the first hour, while Guerlain becomes muskier as it dries down.

3 hour mark: Projection begins to die down as both scents transition to the drydown. Banadir becomes just as musky as the OG was at the 2 hour mark. Both are still relatively detectable. I get more whiffs out of the Banadir than the OG.

4 hour mark: Now barely detectable, the OG is just a very light, almost transparent, musk. Meanwhile, there's a scent bubble that remains prominent on the Banadir, just not as potent as the first 3 hours. I was still able to catch whiffs of it throughout this period compared to the OG.

5 hour mark: As aforementioned, the OG by this point is no longer detectable to my nose. The Banadir transitions into a similar musk the OG had an hour prior. Unlike the OG however, the musk has a push that makes it still detectable, with most of the heart notes intact.

6 hour mark: Just when I thought the Banadir had begun its descent to a skin scent, I get asked by a coworker at this stage, about 4 to 5 feet away from me, "What are you wearing? You smell good!". The musk still has some green, powdery nuances, but the orange florals takes center stage and becomes the dominant player of the scent, along with a more prominent musk, again much like the OG in the previous hour.

7 hour mark: The musk becomes more cottony, and the green nuances have dissipated. The orange blossom note remains, but it is much harder to pick up under the musks.

8 to 10 hour mark: The scent hardly changes at this stage. The musk remains fairly detectable on skin. I will catch whiffs here and there, but not as much as earlier. As it gets closer to the 10th hour, the musk becomes even harder to detect, but it's definitely there.

11 hour mark: When my mother and I got to the car, she commented on the scent trail I was leaving. According to her, it was faint but noticable.

12 hour mark: By the time we get home, I am no longer able to detect this on skin. Neither can my mother or other family members detect it at this stage.

This was all before I even let Banadir 113 sit and mature. It already smelled fantastic the moment I got it, so I'm super glad to see it perform so well! It's like they took the OG and managed to extend its drydown. It's surreal. It's definitely smoother than Herb Garden, and near indistinguishable from the OG personally.

Longevity: 9/10

Similarity: 10/10

Rating: 10/10

Final Thoughts:

Banadir 113 made me realize what I was missing in Montagne's Herb Garden. If you're familiar with the original Herbes Troublantes, I can't recommend Banadir 113 enough. So glad I copped the full bottle.

Just received this right now. Hasn't even macerated yet, but you immediately get the ozonic blast of green and citrus; an instant reminder of the Herbes Troublantes DNA. I was afraid they wouldn't nail it, but I'm so glad to be proven wrong.

Will be doing A/B/C testing over the next few days against my decants of the OG and Montagne's dupe (Herb Garden). I will also be giving this a test drive to work tonight (10 hour shift at Amazon) to see its longevity.

I will say that it's definitely radiating off of my skin as I'm typing out this post.