Reviews by Swanky

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    Swanky
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    Showing 1 to 30 of 131.
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    Brasil Dream for Men by Estée Lauder

    Brasil Dream is a nice, modern rendition of a classic men's fragrance from the '70s or '80s (think Halston Z-14 or Bogart) done in the more transparent airy style of today but keeping the spicy longevity of the powerhouses of the past. Worth a spin if you can find it.

    7th October, 2011.

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    273 Indigo for Men by Fred Hayman

    Fred Hayman seems to have an affinity for older fragrances. Both this one and his Touch pay homage to male frags from the past. In Touch's case, Brut was the inspiration. Here, 273 Indigo seems to share some DNA with Byblos, Ricci Club and Open by Roger and Gallet. 273 Indigo is a downmarket rendition to be sure, but if you like the citrus leather of the aforementioned trio or even Ho Hang, this one may appeal to you as well.

    For the price of a burger and fries, this release offers a throwback aroma (even the bottle looks more '80s inspired than contemporary) that won't be on every other fellow's hide at the lounge. Also, I experience none of the longevity woes with this fragrance that others have noted.

    23rd September, 2011.

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    Stetson Fresh by Stetson

    My least favorite category of fragrance is the fresh/aquatic, and this falls into that category. Among this dull crew, Stetson's offering is among the better choices due to its nice take on the ubiquitous citrus note which lasts through the life of the scent. I have the aftershave and for this type of use, it works just fine.

    22nd September, 2011.

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    Phoenix by Keith Urban

    The circumstantial evidence against Urban's Phoenix did not look good. The package and presentation, a mock Southwest theme and squat bottle, was disturbingly close to his brother-in-country Tim McGraw's Southern Blend which begins decently enough but soon falls apart. The economy pricing and downmarket availability portended a cheap and gimcrack and mercenary product. And, in the macro view, how many celebrity-flogged contraptions are released each year that are even passably wearable? Surprise, then, that the jury has acquitted Phoenix of the charge of pandering. This is actually not bad.

    Who knows what Keith Urban actually had to do with this fragrance but assuming he was involved it seems he told the mixologists to "do me a Burberry London." If you liked the latter or Remy LaTour's Cigar, you may get some pleasure from Phoenix. It shares a mildly sweet leathery texture with those older offerings and adds the chocolate note which is popping up more frequently than Michael Caine in British crime flicks. It also has good longevity without devolving into another lackluster amber, so common on the masculine side of the perfume counter these days.

    19th September, 2011. (Last Edited: 20th September, 2011.)

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    Eau des Baux by L'Occitane

    I'm surprised no one has mentioned Le Male in reviewing this. Both start with a similar dry, powdery and mildly sweet aroma.

    Eau des Baux becomes essentially a warm vanilla/amber scent. If you find Le Male a bit too crude or unrefined, you may want to look at L'Occitane's lineup.

    14th September, 2011.

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    Escada Homme by Escada

    For what this costs these days, it truly is a great bargain. Escada manages to be dense and heavy while at the same time being well-spaced so that there is an illusion of lightness. The bergamot and lime up top do give an almost civet cast to the opening which recedes in the wake of the booze. I get the juniper and vanilla, but the latter is not forceful nor cloying. Don't overdo the trigger on this one; the penalty could be severe.

    I get twelve hours of longevity from Escada. All in all, I enjoy it and am glad it's part of my arsenal.

    9th September, 2011.

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    Équipage by Hermès

    Unlike so many fragrances, this one seems perfectly named. The scent evokes the leather goods one might associate with old-money livery: the leather seating in a coach, riding boots, horse bridles, gloves.

    Perfectly judged, too, is the fragrance within. The subtle floral produced by the carnation and the mildly smoky woods (birch tar?) that produce at least a hologram of leatheriness result in an apotheosis of traditional European masculinity and refinement. This is one of the greats that has the added enticement of being rather unique. If you want a classic, classy men's gift idea, look no further. Sillage is modest but omnipresent and longevity is superb for such a nuanced fragrance.

    8th September, 2011.

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    Princess by Vera Wang

    Overpriced. Smells cheap and poorly blended and exceedingly artificial. Stick with Avon if you want inexpensive and simple scents.

    5th September, 2011.

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    Allure Homme Edition Blanche by Chanel

    This contains one of my favorite uses of lemon. It has none of the furniture polish tone of some others. Frankly I don't get a lemon dessert either. This seems to be straight-up lemon with some musk, vetiver and cedar in small amounts.

    2nd September, 2011.

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    DKNY Men (New) by Donna Karan

    This stuff is embarrassingly generic: a copy of a copy of a copy. Violet leaf note? Check. Watery musk? Check. Ultra-artificial citrus? Check.

    For once, I'm going to blame the consumer rather than the designer. If we didn't buy this crap, the designers would get the message that they can't get away with merely imitating the fragrance du jour. But buy them we do and they keep on coming. At least copy something good. Apparently the only scents the perfumers have sampled are Acqua di Gio, Curve, Chrome, Fierce and Cool Water.

    I've run out of adjectives...

    Also, what in the world does this wimpy concoction have to do with New York City, the skyline, the hustle, Downtown, Uptown?

    30th August, 2011. (Last Edited: 31st August, 2011.)

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    Xeryus by Givenchy

    Moss is boss with Xeryus. Fragrances such as Acqua Di Selva that contain a prominent oakmoss tend to be very dry and sharp. Xeryus manages to be more refined by buffing the edges with citrus and sweet. After the opening, the woods come to the fore and Xeryus becomes even more comfortable to wear.

    It's a bridge fragrance: it looks back toward classic male perfumery via the oakmoss and woods, staples of old school scents such as the aforementioned Acqua Di Selva, without being dated while the tempering, quite mild sweetness (very mild) looks toward trends that would flourish in the Nineties and later.

    I wore this in my very early Twenties without any "old man" comments (whatever the hell that term means) and it was one of my staples. I'm glad to have returned to it twenty years later and to have found it still going strong.

    25th August, 2011.

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    British Sterling by Dana

    British Sterling (1965) is another quintessential 60s-era masculine that is still chugging along. Aramis, The Baron, Kanon are all teammates in his old school class. Kanon, Pierre Cardin and Jovan's Sex Appeal have a similar character to British Sterling so one's feelings about those oldtimers will probably apply to Dana's stalwart.

    I get fine longevity and sillage from this. It's not quite a classic. There are many like it that are a bit better but as an affordable option it's well worth a look. It's a drugstore fragrance that has been around for decades for a reason.

    18th August, 2011. (Last Edited: 5th September, 2011.)

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    Animale Animale for Men by Animale Parfums

    As far as gourmands go, this is a good deal and apparently something of a trailblazer. I'll add nothing by saying that it is an Angel Men predecessor - the noticeable chocolate note up top really makes the connection clear. In my opinion this isn't the classiest genre so I can't get too poetic. It is a pleasant surprise, however. The cheap plastic Shazam bottle doesn't hold promise, the pedestrian double name doesn't entice and the low price would, if mainstream opinion were true, promise a drugstore yawner. Instead, we get Animale Animale's James Brown to Angel Men's Prince: the latter has made a lot more cash but couldn't have existed without the former.

    4th August, 2011.

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    Cigar Aficionado by Cigar Aficionado

    Aficionado (the word "Cigar" doesn't appear on the box nor on the bottle) is definitely a throwback to the 70s and 80s heyday of pungent and aromatic masculine fragrances. It has some of the tobacco/leather character of Bogart and Z-14 with a smoky note similar to Jacomo de Jacomo. The bottle is old school as well.

    For the price this is a good under-the-radar selection for the guy who'd like to smell a bit unique for a budget price.

    1st August, 2011.

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    Gin & Tonic by Demeter Fragrance Library

    The underrated Demeter line is like a Cliff's Notes version of niche fragrances: the presentation (bottle and label) is uniform; the price is the same for all fragrances (per size); they are not available everywhere; and they have esoteric contents such as "Dirt", "Snow" and "Mesquite." Relatively speaking they smell like the element they purport to mimic. Finally, they are quite inexpensive which makes them a good primer route to non-designer aromas.

    Now, they are not masterpieces and the quality is quite variable. Gin & Tonic is among those I enjoy the most, along with Humidor and Whiskey Tobacco. Longevity is not stellar but not as fleeting as some have experienced (I get about 5 hours at least from the better offerings in the line). The juniper in this one is not unlike that in, say, Guerlain Homme; I paid $2.99 for a 1 oz bottle on clearance so I can't complain about the financial investment. Demeter presents a low-cost, low-risk opportunity to get outside the aquatic/sweet designer box.

    29th July, 2011.

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    Clubman Special Reserve by Pinaud

    The Clubman line in general is a good bargain, especially for those aficionados of the old school. For less than ten clams one can have that fresh-from-the-barbershop vibe.

    Special Reserve reminds me quite a bit of older formulations of Old Spice. SR has above average longevity for an after-shave but not quite the ebullient sillage of its brother Clubman (the original).

    28th July, 2011.

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    Acqua di Selva by Visconti di Modrone

    Acqua di Selva is a quintessential old guard fragrance. "Dated" doesn't apply: it is not at all modern yet I don't find it anachronistic either. Timeless may be a better term.

    It opens with a blast of lemon oil (see YSL Pour Homme) which shouts above the crowd like Mario Savio at a '60s rally. Shortly thereafter the moss blankets the proceedings like Bay Area fog. I can't verify that AdS is faithful to the original 1949 aroma, but this mossiness seems period-correct. I can imagine Porfirio Rubirosa or David Niven sporting this. The moss and the herbs give it a very green and very Italian character.

    This is still available Stateside and at a bargain to boot. Recommended to any man looking for a nostalgic dose of midcentury perfumery.

    13rd July, 2011. (Last Edited: 1st September, 2011.)

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    Preferred Stock by Coty

    For Coty's 1990 release they resurrected the name of a men's fragrance that dates at least back to the 1950s. I don't know if there is any continuity in scent with the midcentury model (although I suspect there is none since this is, as others have noted, similar to Red and hence more modern). The name has a masculine ring to it and connotes business suits and power deals, yet this is not a formal scent. I remember it as soapier (I owned a bottle upon its release) than the current formula. The bottle I now possess has a fruity top note, perhaps a juniper berry or plum. The patchouli and musk predominate and lend an impressive longevity to this budget offering. Overall I think anybody from 16 to 86 can wear this. It's better than the supposed "sport" fragrances on shelves today and for the low cost, even cash-strapped youngsters can splurge on a bottle. Guys, the other boys at the flip-flop store won't be wearing this, trust me.

    11th July, 2011.

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    Krizia Uomo by Krizia

    Krizia Uomo is definitely of the '80s and definitely Italian. I get mostly a spicy pine right from the jump - think Pino Silvestre crossed with Acqua Di Selva and we're in the conversation. It's relatively linear, changing mainly in volume although the longevity is substantial. I can't think of a lot of other fragrances quite like it and there is certainly nothing out now that is similar. Although an older scent, Uomo is still available through outlets such as Ebay.

    Like a partygoer, Krizia starts the evening rambunctiously; by the end of the night he's a lot more laid back and tranquil.

    10th July, 2011.

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    YSL pour Homme by Yves Saint Laurent

    Pour Homme starts with a big citrus blast backed with bergamot or lavender. For a brief period the lemon does remind of Pledge but this quickly dissolves and it becomes a straightforward, if potent, classic eau de cologne. What elevates this above 4711 with which it shares a citrus/lavender structure is greater radiance in time and space: the sillage is noticeable but not overwhelming and the longevity for a citrus-centered offering is outstanding.

    This is a key bottle in my wardrobe and one that I turn to often.

    9th July, 2011.

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    Eau d'Orange Verte by Hermès

    Eau d'Orange Verte is indeed a natural smelling citrus cologne, with the strengths and weaknesses of its genre. It is pleasant and truly genderless. Longevity is not impressive. On a warm day I get about 5 hours of close to the vest aroma. Surprisingly, this version is better in the longevity sweepstakes then its Concentree counterpart.

    8th July, 2011.

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    Sung Homme by Alfred Sung

    I've had a long, troubled relationship with Sung Homme. When it first came out I was just getting into fragrances. I'd smell it at the counter and just never was compelled to buy it. A few years later I saw it dirt cheap at Marshall's and bought a bottle. Still I was left wanting. It seemed soapy, dry and soapy and nothing more. I discarded that bottle.

    Years later I gave it another shot (the bottle I have now). Sung is very, very dry and mossy and the soapiness seems the predominant characteristic. For a similar vibe and one that I believe is far more successful, get Acqua di Selva. Both are masculine and potent (AdS even more so in my book) but I simply find Acqua more interesting.

    3rd July, 2011.

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    Fire & Ice for Men by Revlon

    Fire & Ice subverts some of my olfactory idiosyncrasies. It is quite sweet, yet not at all cloying. It's not a vanilla cake batter sweetness but a powdered candy one. Cherry is what I come up with. Cherry and light florals. How the heck is this not a disaster? Actually, it's pretty nice.

    The bottle is unpromising with it's gimcrack opaque plastic cap and dull clear glass container yet it doesn't smell like a cheap, about-to-fall-apart mess. One would expect lousy longevity from something so mild and sweet, yet it lasts all day and at near full strength to boot. The price is very reasonable.

    What I like most, however, is the unique character. I can't think of another men's fragrance (or even one from the ladies' aisle) that smells like this. It's totally inoffensive and can be worn any time of the year. In my opinion, this would be a great starter fragrance for a young man in high school: no one else would have it yet it's not old school. The sweet quality would probably appeal to the young 'uns as well.

    1st July, 2011.

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    Giorgio for Men by Giorgio Beverly Hills

    This one ticks off all the boxes on the application form for 80s powerhouses: intense sillage, Energizer bunny longevity, prominent patchouli and leather, ersatz classy bottle (ref. Polo Crest, Safari, et al).

    Giorgio For Men is readily available at discounters such as TJ Maxx, making it a low-risk gamble for those who love masculine swagger scents. For a cheapie (granted it wasn't always priced as such) it has deceptive complexity. At the top I get a potent, smoky leather (may be a mirage since the latter is not listed among the notes) before the florals move into place. The patchouli and amber conspire to create major sillage and refinement. Once the honey and a rose-like note arrive, the boozy character mixed with the smoky almost-tobacco undercarriage creates the feeling of a gentlemen's club.

    27th June, 2011.

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    Safari for Men by Ralph Lauren

    I guess I'm among the minority that doesn't love Safari. The eucalyptus and bergamot opening is potent indeed and carries through to the end, to my nose. Unfortunately I don't much enjoy eucalyptus; here it is medicinal rather than minty. It gets points for being rather unique but it's not one with which I am enthralled.

    18th June, 2011.

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    Ho Hang Club by Balenciaga

    After multiple full wearings, I must proclaim Ho Hang Club a masterpiece. Although this is a rookie in my fragrance lineup, it is rapidly increasing its playing time.

    Initially, I was surprised that this came out in 1987. It easily could have been released 20 years earlier. The formal, elegant bottle would be at home on Frank Sinatra's or Cary Grant's vanity and for once the "Club" moniker is apropos. It is disappointing that Balenciaga discontinued this aroma, for it deserves a broader audience. For fans of old school manly marvels, this is compulsory sniffing.

    Ho Hang Club has the bones of such barbershop fragrances as the earlier THE BARON and the subsequent RIVE GAUCHE POUR HOMME. It shares a bergamot and floral structure with these two masculine classics but is more complex than either. It also has a bit of the bad boy found in PARFUM D'HABIT and KOUROS with a milder civet-like note (probably from the bergamot and patchouli combination) and he's clad in a pair of leather driving gloves. I also detect some incense which creates the mirage of smokiness. The civety and leathery vibe is what HHC shares with its blood brothers, Ho Hang and Balenciaga.

    There isn't a stage of this scent that disappoints me: the bergamot opening is vocal but always in key, the floral middle is comfortable and lovely (if you like the rose usage in IQUITOS, you'll like it here) and the leather and patchouli drydown is modest yet not quite retiring. One might quibble with the somewhat reticent sillage but the more I wear this the more noticeable it becomes. The longevity is just fine.

    If forced to flee my residence to outpace a coup, this will be among the handful of perfumes that I salvage. Undoubtedly a mainstay in my collection for the foreseeable future.

    12nd June, 2011. (Last Edited: 29th July, 2011.)

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    Extract of West Indian Limes by Geo F Trumper

    I bought a bottle of this at the legendary Merz Apothecary in Chicago a few years ago. I had been searching for a quality lime-based cologne and from the bottle on a smelling strip Trumper's was natural and sharp, just what I was looking for. A small bottle was $60 but the quality seemed worth it.

    Actually wearing it is another story. I can't add anything new to the commentary here: longevity is dismal. In fact, one cannot even talk about longevity with this item. Using a hand soap will give you the same duration. Call me a Philistine and a rube, but I don't view fragrance as abstract, just as I don't view watches as abstract. I want a wardrobe not a museum. My bottom line intent is always to wear them. A watch that stops after 30 minutes is not practical. Nor is a fragrance that is undetectable within a half hour. As a $10 dollar aftershave, sure, this wouldn't be bad. As a $60 dollar investment, it is simply not worth it. I should carry this bottle with me and reapply it sixteen times during the day? If it were more complex, more innovative, more...anything... The smell of natural lime, while pleasant, doesn't justify this fragrance in my opinion and I, in the end, passed my bottle along for someone who doesn't actually need to smell a fragrance to enjoy it.

    10th June, 2011.

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    Vétiver Dry by Carven

    This is a very dry and mildly smoky rendition of vetiver. It smells nice although there are better vetivers out there (Grey Vetiver, Royall Vetiver for starters). For once, though, a fragrance fits its title. The bottle is firmly in the old school masculine tradition and the price is reasonable. Sillage and longevity are modest.

    9th June, 2011. (Last Edited: 17th July, 2011.)

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    Aromadisiac for Him by Avon

    Armani's Code must be the most influential fragrance in the masculine realm of the past decade, perhaps second only to Armani's other best seller, Acqua Di Gio. A bargain outfit such as Avon might be expected to jump on the bandwagon with their own renditions of popular fragrances (and they have). Even higher profile marques such as Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren seem to spend more time retreading existing offerings than developing anything new or exciting, so we can't just pick on the budget lines.

    From it's opaque dark bottle to its hokey name, Aromadisiac seems to be yet another Code spinoff. If you love Code but want something cheaper, this might be an acceptable option. As it is, I'm not especially enamored with the original so the downmarket doppelganger doesn't impress me. The longevity is fine but long-lasting ho-hum is still ho-hum.

    8th June, 2011.

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    Cadillac by Cadillac

    As a Cadillac owner, this naturally showed up on my radar. The good news is that it smells good and has excellent longevity. It is a more sophisticated Joop Homme, as others have noticed. The bottle is influenced by Caddy's current Art and Science design philosophy.

    The bad news is that it smells like Joop Homme, rather than finding a new field to plow. What is the connection between this and the Cadillac tradition? I suppose the creators of this scent were trying to appeal to a younger demographic, just as Cadillac is these days.

    It's available at a bargain and smells pleasant so I'll give a positive rating, but I'd like to see more originality even from an overtly commercial enterprise such as Cadillac represents.

    6th June, 2011.

    Showing 1 to 30 of 131.

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