Black Afgano - The New Fragrance From Nasomatto.

With a crazed passion that has taken him as far as the Arabian Desert to source camel dung (used in which fragrance we cannot say) creative perfumer Alessandro Gualtieri will stop at nothing to create perfumes that in his words - 'will have an intelligence of their own and not be a slave to my meaning...'

His latest offering - Black Afgano - is a cruel, sadistic sort of fragrance. It's the predator, not the prey, its the villain not the superhero, and it will be worn by very reckless men. Don’t get me wrong - it's a stunning fragrance, it’s just beautiful in the way that a brightly coloured viper would be - beguiling, paralysing in the presence of another body, and definitely a symbol of sexuality and sexiness.

With this new fragrance Alessandro aims to evoke the best qualities of - wait for it - hashish, and this fragrance he sees as his person quest to arouse the effects of temporary bliss. As a result of the natural ingredients the fragrance presents as inky black - a sinister addition to any chic bathroom shelf.

Black Afgano - Extrait de Parfum - 30ml/£98 from Avery London -www.averylondon.com

Avery Perfumery Launch - An Interactive First For London.

The UK's First Interactive Perfumer Launches This Summer 2010.

London needs more specialist perfumers - and at 7th Man we are certainly more attracted to those that are niche and just a little less mass-market. Avery in Mayfair plays cleverly on an avian theme, using the metaphor of a fragrance floating as a bird through the air, along with mind-blowing visual-arts technology to provide an experience that completely transcends the typical nightmare that is often the department store perfumery hall. Here, perfumes are presented in a way that encourages clients to slow down and 'preen' whilst making their selection, while to the rear of the store a lush hanging garden, complete with weeping rabbits and surreal artworks serves to calm customers, all the while reinforcing the message that fragrance and art are intertwined.

The store will carry luxury niche perfumes from an array of international talent including several exclusives from Hype Nose Candles, Profumi del Forte and Morgane Le Fay and of course one of my personal favourites - the Nasomatto line by perfumer Alessandro Gualtieri.

Avery Fine Perfumery, 27 Mayfair Row, Mayfair, London W1K 4AY - www.averylondon.com