Fragrance Reviews by swanky

One of the best men's scents in recent years. Although it does initially bring to mind lipstick and cold cream, I can't see this really working on most women, so it's hard to say this is too feminine. After awhile, the lipstick note sits down and a clean machine note steps up, like a well-oiled clock, which may be why some call this synthetic-smelling. For me, it works here. Longevity is excellent and the smell so unique for a masculine that every knee must bow and every tongue must confess: this is good stuff.

This one is a bit of a disappointment. Royal Secret for Men is not like all the other Conformity Fresh, Extreme, Blue, Black or whatever nonsensical terms the designers are using these days...but it just isn't my bag. I get a sugar cookie/cotton candy sweetness that overwhelms whatever floral accords are supposedly in here.

Sillage and longevity are fine and the price is dirt cheap. It's not at all a bad-smelling fragrance, if you are a birthday cake. It seems like something a teenaged girl might wear rather than a 40-year old man.

Let me start by establishing my old school bona fides: I drive a Buick Park Avenue, wear vintage clothes and am enamored by midcentury men's classics such as Tabac, Monsieur de Givenchy, Agua Lavanda, Green Water, etc. Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Buddy Greco are on my deck. So it was with some degree of excitement that I purchased a bottle of Zizanie from ebay.

Unfortunately, this is one old school member that's a dropout. It is easily the worst fragrance I've smelled to date. This is the type of mess that gives the old school a bad name; it's almost a parody of the overwhelming alcohol astringent smell that the young are fond of belittling in anything older than 2006. For once the opprobrium is justified. Avoid this one and save the true classics from being branded as "outdated." If you're curious, try the local Goodwill store; that's where mine was sent.

Don't let the strange name fool you - this is a classy, masculine scent in the Equipage tradition (this came out around the same time and may have been influenced by Hermes' classic). If you are into old school men's fragrances this should be on your to-do list. This one starts out with an orange blossom and wood accord. Once the tonka/vanilla kicks in the whole thing attains a slightly smoky leather vibe, smooth and creamy. Sillage is not great but longevity is decent. The bottle is a classic as well, similar to Moustache's. You'd do well to pick up either this or Equipage to round out your collection. Ho Hang is suitable for the office or the steakhouse and you won't have every other dude on the subway stealing your thunder.

This is for the Eau de Toilette Concentree version in the classic columnar bottle which is almost worth the price of admission itself. Hard to argue with several of the other reviews here. This is totally unique while also bringing to mind other midcentury classics such as Eau Sauvage and YSL Pour Homme. Moustache adds a big, big dose of lime creating an effervescent sharpness oddly reminiscent of Lemon-Lime Alka Seltzer. And that's after the initial blast! I can see this scaring some away with the heady mix of lemon, lime and the animal urine note touched on by others. Luckily this latter oddity fades leaving a bubbly citrus in its wake. For those intimidated (or simply put off) by the harsh opening, Monsieur de Givenchy from a decade later, does a similar thing in a much smoother way. All in all, though, thumbs up for the uniqueness and the killer Rat Pack bottle.

One of the better men's scents of recent years. Goes against the recent trend toward watery, gourmand, vaporous concoctions that smell like everything else. Fleur looks back to the old school citrus of 4711, the floral, powdery creaminess of Royal Violets and Tabac, and the fresh crispness of Eau de Cartier, yet stands on its own. It's a strong one and not for the faint of heart but has good longevity unlike so many others. The big drawback is the ridiculous bottle - it seems designed as a dare to straight guys to wear this. And it doesn't really do the fragrance justice. This would probably be even more successful in a classier bottle (the white color works, though).

This manly classic is my all-time favorite. This is regularly available for less than twenty dollars and is among the best bargains out there. Starts out strong, then mellows into a powdery floral but absolutely masculine scent that lasts all day. Definitely of the old school but unlike, say, Zizanie, this one hasn't dated a bit. Highly recommended.

A classic of the old school. Smells like nothing else and I guarantee you will not find another person in any crowd wearing this. Good longevity as well.