H.O.T. Always (2003)
by Bond No. 9

I'm not a big fan of Bond No. 9 and received a sample of this quite by accident. It took me a while to try it but I am glad I did as it is actually quite nice. I do not find it a particularly masculine scent and was surprised that it's marketed toward guys.

The combination of patchouli with cinnamon and carnations/roses was very effective for me and the civet and leather made it more sensuous, no why play it safe...sexier than the usual bland Bonds. And the lasting power is nice too. The final bonus for me is that it is not cluttered up with a trendy vanilla in the base. It's not earth shattering and it stays close to the skin. Not sure I'll buy a bottle, but if I were to add a Bond to my stable, this is the one I'd choose.

Wore this ages ago beacuse I just loved the very strong spicy opening and the floral mix really worked. I purchased on this basis, but may not have if I'd worn all day as the drydown is relatively poor -- the usual woody one (can't remember any leather) -- if it wasn't for the cinnamon valiantly hanging on, it would have been a total blowout. It is the lovely spice notes that propel this though and imo HA is one of the best of a pretty nondescript and vastly overpriced and overhyped range.

I'm not sure how I missed HOT Always when I was going through a lot of Bond 9 sampling a few months ago, but I did. I have an on again off again interest in Bond 9 fragrances, and lately I've been 'on again' and seeking to fill in the gaps of my Bond sample collection, hence why I ended up with a decant of HOT-A. Why does this matter? The "off again" periods coincide with when I become bored with Bond 9 fragrances. Too many are too similar, and if I sample too many of them in a short period they blend together. The Bond 9's that I like, and that seem to really stand out, are the ones that are different. New Haarlem and Silver Factory are examples such fragrances.

HOT Always is also such a fragrance. Absent is the "[insert distinctive accord here] over a fresh/floral/citrus base" that seems to be the formula for many Bonds. On application I get a blast of cinnamon and patchouli, in fact quite a bit of both. Definitely an interesting combo and one that I like. The cinnamon really adds punch to the patchouli and keeps me engaged to keep smelling my arm. The patchouli note is somewhat restrained, which I understand in the sense that Bond 9 was not looking to make a patchouli-centric fragrance. However I think HOT-A would be more interesting and successful as a fragrance were Bond 9 to have foregone restraint and gone balls out with the patchouli. Alas, they did not. Lurking in the background are a florals that fill out the scent, adding body and also balancing the camphorous nature of the patchouli/cinnamon accord. Again, I think the floral heart and base represent Bond playing it safe and choosing not to really put out a fragrance that jumps out at you (but may not be commercially viable).

The longevity was decent but not great. The initial burst is the most interesting aspect of HOT-A, and were I to own a bottle I'd probably want to reapply every couple hours to keep it interesting. I don't get much from the base in terms of published notes, just a mellowed out patchouli, slightly sweetened. This is one of my more favored Bond 9 releases, but not one I'd want to pay Bond prices for when there are so many great patchouli fragrances out there. Still, a very good release.

Initial impression = smells like BO!!
Second impression = love the stuff, sexy
Third impression = got tired of the strong patchouli after a few hours
Final impression = neutral

Also, this is a fresher/younger Givenchy Gentleman and though I will get stoned for writing this, I believe it is a little better too.

Earthy dry patchouli scent with animalic feel. It smells very dirty and bold in a way.

Creamy sandalwood cuts off the crudest edge out of it, and I think I can smell a hint rose. A small hint of rose, and good doze of vetiver.

But it is camphorwood-y patchouli (plus civet) scent more than anything, and for sure there are similarities to Givenchy Gentleman and many other scents of this kind.

H.O.T. Always is not a unique or groundbreaking scent in slightest. Its very simple composition with minimal development and lack of different kind of layers. It can come of quite cheap smelling as it has that specific and crystal clear “after-shave vibe” to it.


However, if you are a fan of patch, I can definitely recommend for you to try this. In a world of patchouli perfumes, it succeeds fairly well.

Can be a hard nut to crack for a woman.

This is my favorite of all the Bonds that I've tested. It's a classic "Back in the Day" smell. So I do see where all these reviews compare it to Givenchy Gentlemen. I just have a decant 7 ml. Apply w/ care. It's strong stuff!!! I plan to buy in the future.