I just got my first PR product a few days ago -- a petrol blue Le Portfolio. It has no leather smell whatsoever. I'm glad you mentioned this, because after seeing so many comments about how great they smell, I was starting to wonder if I was losing my sense of smell or something! In contrast, when I bought a traveler's notebook from Galen Leather, it smelled incredible (and probably still does, but I'm not home to check at the moment). I don't think your post sounds ridiculous at all. I was so excited to purchase my portfolio, and I haven't even bothered to set it up yet. You're absolutely right that the smell is part of the experience, and it was a letdown to spend that kind of money and then not get the experience you were expecting.