Vera Wang for Men (2004)
by Vera Wang

Vera Wang for Men (2004) offers a spin on the boozy, fruity tobacco scent that took off with Michael for Men (2001) and Baldessarini Baldessarini (2002), foreshadowing the arrival of Tom Ford for Men (2007) and Dolce & Gabanna The One (2008), which was effectively the last word in the genre outside of niche territory.

Vera Wang for Men opens with a dose of gourmand-y deliciousness with bright, crisp, citrus-driven sweetness. It's refreshing and decadent without being oppressive or heavy, and the lift from the citrus keeps it feeling youthful and vibrant. The drydown moves more into smooth sandalwood and tobacco, rich but not ever as dirty as some of the more sensual takes on this style get.

One imagines that the reason this isn't more widely beloved or worn is simply the brand name and the associations with it, because this is a creation that deserves at least as much affection as has been directed towards stuff that followed in its footsteps, such as D&G's The One (which, frankly, isn't as good).

So classy is Vera Wang for Men! It gets compliments every time I wear it, and I am not surprised...

Vera Wang for Men is a balanced oriental-spicy scent that exudes quality. Opening spray-on begins with my favorite citrus note of yuzu, along with the unusual mandarin leaf greenness. The heart reveals a delicate anise touch, paired up with a moderate strength leather note plus tasty nutmeg spiciness. Sandalwood is high-quality, immediately enveloping the scent with creamy exotic goodness; tobacco adds a nice smoky touch, sealing the deal.

I have always enjoyed the understated, laid back classiness of Vera Wang for Men. Its sillage is moderate, but more than a skin scent.

Quietly sophisticated and well blended, Vera Wang for Men deserves to be listed as a legendary cologne, IMO.

Vera Wang for Men was a surprising turn for the house at it's time of launch, since the designer almost exclusively caters to the fairer sex, but the point behind it was as a "wedding scent" for a man, while his wife-to-be wore the original Vera Wang (2002) and accompanying bridal finery. I'm not sure how well that worked, but there was plenty of bride and groom advertising for the stuff. Jean-Claude Delville and Harry Freemont from IFF made the original, and although no nose signed off for Vera Wang for Men, it also comes from IFF and I'd be unsurprised if they reprised their roles, since it feels like one of theirs (particularly Freemont). This is by all accounts a relatively modern take on an oriental/chypre hybrid, not being able to benefit from unrestricted oakmoss or animalics, and making up the difference with "freshness" notes lifted from ozonics of the day but dialed way-the-f**k-down so they fit in the genre context. There's definitely some sharper "treemoss" here, but overall is a very constrained modern effort riding along traditional lines. I like the stuff as the rare oriental-themed scent that I can pull off on a hot day, and because it's Vera Wang and not Dior, I can apply with abandon because replacement bottles are the price of a meal at Red Lobster.

Vera Wang for Men opens with a soft yuzu and "manadarin orange leaf" which I believe is just mandarin + galbanum, but it's a nice mix of sharp green and rounded citrus that comes across like somebody listened to perfumistos and kept the 90's/00's trendy yuzu accord from being nuclear by adding in some old-timey body. I also get a bit of a fig/peach ghost note, which is interesting. From here, our dapper groom-to-be in a bottle goes for nutty oriental spice, still restrained, still measured, and likely boring to the fan of more daring (and expensive) niche fare. Nutmeg, anise, cardamom, and a barely-there leather note keep it masculine but genteel, while a typical chypre base of sandalwood, treemoss (in proxy of oakmoss no doubt), a slight musk, and a lovely tobacco note. I'm getting mostly the sandalwood and tobacco by the end, and the overall composition reminds me of a lighter, sweeter, tobacco-infused modern take on Arden for Men Sandalwood (1957), which by 2004 would not be in line with the "fresh" trends still going strong since the early 90's. This also cross-pollenates to a degree with scents like Michael for Men by Michael Kors (2000) and Dolce & Gabbana The One (2008) because of it's tobacco presence, but it's really in a league of it's own.

Vera Wang to date hasn't made another masculine, and why should they? The house has dialed this in so perfectly as a modern gentleman's oriental citrus chypre (that passes IFRA by the skin of it's teeth), they honestly don't need another one. Once again, this is not exotic or daring, not loud or esoteric, and marries new and old school ideas, so purists will dismiss it, but as a potential signature for the even-keeled guy who wants a modern mature vibe, it's nearly perfect. My only complaint with this is it's performance, as many oriental and semi-oriental compositions from the period were "quieted down" so they could run in the same races as all the fresh fougères and aquatics of the day, but without the chemical oomph of the latter, can become invisible without over-spraying or applications to clothing. Vera Wang for Men might not be for the man that demands distinction, prestige, or individuality from his fragrance, but it's certainly for the man that loves being understated but memorable, just like the lovely bottle in which it comes. A nearly-classic and soft-spoken designer gem that may not get you hitched, but will see you through most of your day's commitments nonetheless. Bravo Vera Wang.

I thought by now Vera would have launched another fragrance for men.

I've always liked this one. A quintessential oriental, it might initially come across as mediocre, especially to nose that have enjoyed niche fare. But a closer examination leads to one conclusion: moderation is key to life.

Nothing about it is over the top: just the right amount of sweet, spice and citrus. Yet your nose will beg for more.

If you like to uber-indulge, perhaps in the camp of Oscar Wilde, then moderation in this case is a fatal thing.

Get a bottle while it is very reasonably priced.

I tried this a few years ago and thought it was the business. I bought a 100ml bottle for very cheap (£19.99) last year, unfortunately it's not as good as I remember. It doesn't really do anything well. The citrus notes aren't as good as Issey Miyake, the woody spiciness isn't as good as Opium Homme, there are better oriental frags, but there is something likeable about this one, maybe because it is so versatile and gets all the right compliments.