Which Montale sample to try first

93 perfumes by Montale are listed with us as samples. We picked 8 to show here and describe them strictly by their recorded data. Nothing here is a verdict: the order is arbitrary and your skin decides.

The selection

Montale Black Aoud

With Montale Black Aoud, Montale has an Eau de Parfum for which Lemon, Mandarin, Oud, Saffron, Rose, Patchouli and others are on record. It is tagged oriental, woody and floral. One wearing shows a mood, several wearings show the perfume.

Montale Chocolate Greedy

Montale Chocolate Greedy, an Eau de Parfum from Montale, has Bitter Orange, Cacao, Vanilla, Coffee Bean and Tonka Bean on record. The scent families on record: gourmand, amber and citrus. Your own nose gets used to a scent quickly, so ask someone near you what they notice.

Montale Arabians Tonka

Montale Arabians Tonka is an Eau de Parfum by Montale. The notes on record are Bergamot, Saffron, Rose, Oud, Amber, Oakmoss and others. It is tagged oriental, amber and citrus. What reads as sweet on one person can read as dry on another.

Montale Intense Café

Montale Intense Café is an Eau de Parfum by Montale. The notes on record are Floral Notes, Rose, Coffee, Amber, Vanilla and White Musk. By family it is filed as gourmand, floral and amber. A paper strip shows the outline, skin shows the detail.

Montale Roses Musk

From Montale comes Montale Roses Musk, an Eau de Parfum. On paper it lists Lemon, Rose Petals, Rose, Amber and White Musk. The scent families on record: floral, amber and citrus. Give it time to settle before you judge it.

Montale Aoud Forest

Montale Aoud Forest by Montale: no note list is on record with us, so the sample page sticks to name and house. Write down what you notice after a few minutes and again after lunch, and you will see how it moves.

Montale Roses Elixir

Montale Roses Elixir, by Montale, comes without a recorded note list on our pages. Pay attention to what is still there by the evening, since that is the part you live with longest.

Montale Aqua Palma

Montale Aqua Palma by Montale: no note list is on record with us, so the sample page sticks to name and house. Wear it on more than one day before you make up your mind.

Also in this selection: Montale Tropical Wood, Montale Bengal Oud, Montale Orange Flowers, Montale Oudmazing, Montale Infinity, Montale Red Aoud, Montale Aoud Ambre, Montale Starry Nights, Montale Pink Extasy, Montale Red Vetiver.

How to test them

Apply one or two sprays to clean skin, without other scented products nearby. Check it after a few minutes, around midday and in the evening. Start light; you can always add a spray on the next wearing. Test it on skin and not only on paper.

A sample is the sensible first step: a perfume on paper and a perfume on skin are rarely the same thing. Two or three samples at a time is plenty; more than that and the impressions blur. Trying it as a sample first means your decision rests on wearing it, not on a description.

Where to go next

• Montale samples
• all samples
• find your scent
• all brands
• sample sets
• how to build a sample set
• how to use a sample vial
• how to test perfume on skin

Questions

How were these samples chosen?

By the tags and note lists on record for each perfume. Nothing was added from memory, the order is not a ranking, and perfumes without recorded notes are described without notes.

Are these samples made by the brands?

No. They are decants: FragranceGems fills each one from the original bottle into a glass spray vial and labels it. They are not official brand samples.

Which sizes do the samples come in?

Every sample comes as 2, 5 or 10 ml in a glass spray vial. The smallest is enough for a first impression, the larger ones for many wearings.