In this sampling series, I’m back in the house of Ex Nihilo, but this time I’m specifically testing the “deep tracks”—the readily available scents that people just don’t talk about as much. I pulled five samples from the traditional line, wore them on skin, and gave you my honest take on whether they’re hidden gems or straight-up duds. And yes… we had some duds, which honestly explains why these don’t come up a lot on my side of fragrance world. I start with Jasmine Fauve, which is absolutely a jasmine bomb—powdery with that lily-of-the-valley vibe and a little tuberose bubblegum moment—but it reads more classic/vintage than I want right now. Outcast Blue was immediately “for the guys,” with true pipe/cigar tobacco and a woodier, louder dry down that leaned even more masculine as it wore. Venenum Kiss went spicy and exotic with saffron and nutmeg, but the dana note took over on my skin, and me and dana just don’t get along like that. Chandigarh Express was a full leather bomb—outdoorsy, earthy, and again, very much for the men. The win of the bunch was Speed Legends: clean, fresh, citrusy, slightly masculine, and a perfect easy daily driver—head elf approved too.