The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Mention arrived in 2019 from Roger Howell, a fragrance made around the ritual of moving through an ordinary day with more focus. Its stated inspiration was simple: take each day as it comes, wherever it leads, and meet it with vigor and grace. Fruit supplies immediate clarity, with bergamot, blackcurrant, pineapple, and apple lending a bright, juicy opening. Florals add polish through birch, rose, and Moroccan jasmine, while patchouli, oakmoss, and earthy notes keep the composition grounded. As the scent settles, musk, vanilla, and ambergris create a softer base, leaving a clean floral trace with dry earth and polished musk.
What makes Mention interesting is the way its fruit sits beside woodland textures. Bergamot, blackcurrant, pineapple, and apple create a bright opening, but the heart does not stay in sweet territory. Birch gives the floral center a dry edge, while patchouli introduces a deeper, almost earthen pulse. Rose and Moroccan jasmine add softness without making the composition feel conventionally pretty. The base then pulls those contrasts together: musk gives it skin, oakmoss adds quiet depth, vanilla softens the edges, and ambergris lends a subtle mineral warmth.
The evolution
At first, Mention moves quickly. Bergamot gives the opening a clean gleam while blackcurrant, pineapple, and apple add bright, juicy color. The fruit soon makes room for birch, rose, Moroccan jasmine, and patchouli, creating a phase that feels both polished and rooted. Patchouli is the key turn. It prevents the composition from drifting into simple fruity sweetness and pulls the florals toward something greener, woodier, and more grown-up. During the drydown, rose and jasmine recede while musk, oakmoss, vanilla, and ambergris form a softer, mineral base. The result stays close to skin, with a clean floral trace, dry earth, soft vanilla, and a polished musk finish. As the fruit fades, the green and woody character of patchouli becomes more apparent, while the floral notes soften into the mineral and musky base.
Cultural impact
Mention has drawn comparisons with Floris 1976 and fruitier batch releases of Aventus. One community wearer noted the resemblance to Floris 1976, while another described Mention as fruitier than the Aventus batch they had tried. Those comparisons place the fragrance near familiar references for fresh, fruit-led scents without defining its character by them. Its own profile moves from bright citrus and juicy fruit into birch, rose, jasmine, patchouli, oakmoss, musk, vanilla, and ambergris.
The House
Nick Ricardo CollectionNick Ricardo Collection is an independent, gender-neutral fragrance house based in San Francisco, founded by Nick Ricardo Yeast ll. Launched in 2018, the brand debuted with a focused lineup including Turbulent, Desire, Mention, and Onyx. It operates as a small-batch operation positioned outside the traditional gendered structure of the mainstream fragrance market, appealing to wearers seeking scent without conventional masculine or feminine categorization.
The Creator
Roger HowellWith over three decades of experience across multiple market segments, Howell works fluidly across categories, from fine fragrance to functional scent. He favors warm, resinous bases and has a particular affinity for constructing fragrances that deepen over time on the skin—a…
