Fragrance Reviews by bbBD

Below are 70+ reviews of Rochas Man, so I can't add much new in terms of describing the coffee/lavender/vanilla gourmand accord. To my nose it comes off almost like cookie dough at first, although in the heart the lavender is somewhat more prominent and eventually coffee and vanilla. The longevity is very good, though it stays close to the skin. Of course this isn't a bad thing with gourmands.

What I like about RM is that it's a straightforward gourmand that isn't too sweet. Bond No. 9's New Haarlem is much richer, with more food smells, as is Yohji Homme. A*Men and A*Men Pure Coffee are more bitter and stronger. CSP's Vanille Mokha is just coffee. Rochas Man fits in perfectly as a very wearable gourmand that isn't always recognizable as a gourmand to those around you. My fiancee at first did not recognize it as food smelling, but instead noticed the smooth lavender.

This is very inexpensive and widely available. An excellent 'reference' gourmand for fans of the genre.

Holy Smokes! This patchouli is no joke. This is not a classy, refined patchouli like Chanel's Coromandel. This is not a dry, chocolaty patchouli like Borneo 1834. This is a sting-your-nose, transport-you-to-the-Grateful Dead-lot-circa-1989 kind of patchouli. That it invokes flashbacks of Jerry kicking into I Know You Rider out of a smokin' China Cat is not to say the quality is $10-per-vial of oil cheap, but rather it is so strong and it is of such high quality that it is like smelling everyone in the lot wearing patchouli simultaneously. It is that smell that reminded you that you were at the show (minus the smells of sweat and pot smoke).

Patchouli Leaves starts out as a sillage monster. I was casually testing a few fragrances one evening when I applied a single mini-spray of PL to the back of my hand. This is a sillage monster. Testing anything else instantly became meaningless as all I could smell was patchouli, and this is without raising my hand to my nose. This patchouli is very earthy and very rich. The juice itself is dark and seemingly thick. The only patchouli fragrances I've tried that come close are Bois 1820's 'Real Patchouli' and S.M. Novella's single note Patchouli.

After about an hour the ferocity subsides considerably, leaving an amber/vanilla/patchouli that is indeed more akin to Coromandel, albeit more earthy. Sillage is still significant, and the longevity is on par with the other Montales - 8-10 hours. I first applied the spray to my hand around 10pm and I could still clearly smell patchouli and amber at 8am when I woke up.

If you want an end-all-be-all patchouli look no further. Just be careful applying or else you may find a bunch of heads following you around asking for tickets to the next Hampton show.

I've become a big fan of patchouli fragrances lately and was interested in what a $285/45ml CdG patchouli would be like. As Vibert notes, the opening is rich in woods and resins, and I identify pepper as well. The resinous notes are at once rich and a little sickly-sweet. Of course a dry patchouli note is ever-present in the background. I would have hoped for an incredibly rich patchouli to be front-and-center, but that is not the case. The sweetness of the resin does fade, and what's left is a smooth, peppery patchouli balanced with woody notes. For your money you get quality - 2 sprays lasted about 10 hours on my skin.

If you're looking for a 'luxury patchouli' I'd recommend Chanel Coromandel ($200/200ml), or, if you can get it, Serge Lutens Borneo 1834 ($175/75ml). If you're looking for a strong, resinous fragrance that includes patchouli, and money is no object, this might be for you.

Thumbs up because this is a quality fragrance, but if I were to factor in cost it might point sideways.

A truly fascinating and unique fragrance, Eau d'Hermes is a study in contrasts and balance. More than any other fragrance I've experienced, EdH smells very differently depending on how much you apply and whether you're wearing it or just sampling it. Someone on the BN message board made the analogy between EdH and scotch whiskey - they are both acquired tastes that are beautiful to the acclimatized but very unpleasant to the casual user. This is incredibly apt. The most important thing you can avoid with EdH is to judge it based on a spray to a piece of paper. The second most important thing to avoid is to judge based solely on an arm or wrist spray (the mistake I initially made).

I first experienced EdH by spraying on my arm and breathing in deeply. The cumin was overpowering, and all I could smell was, as another reviewer put it, "sex". It's dirty and animalistic, with cumin and civet predominating. I did not give up on EdH because I could tell that something was going on under the cumin, something very beautiful. I kept waiting for the cumin to subside and meld into the background notes, but it persisted well past the heart and into the basenotes, loosening its grip as the primary accord at the very end to reveal a soft, woody leathery base. "Nice base" I thought, but could I wait 4-5 hours to smell like that? Also, the strength of the cumin, smelled up close, bordered on being sour enough to smell like urine at times, and I wondered if I'd be walking around reeking of either Kouros or the men's room at Grand Central Station.

I took the plunge and gave it a body-wear. What a difference! When sprayed over a wide skin area and not smelled up close (in other words, diffuse sprays not inhaled from 1 inch away as smelling on the wrist), EdH is an entirely different animal. The citrus becomes much more evident and vibrant, and it is balanced perfectly by the cumin, which no longer reeks like an indian restaurant but rather cinnamon and clove. EdH projects class and a slight formalness, but with a touch of quirkiness, like driving an old Jaguar Vanden Plas. The woody/leathery drydown is gorgeous and lasts forever. You won't smell like anyone else wearing this, that's for sure.

Final thoughts, I can't really picture a woman pulling this off unless it's for the express purpose of getting naked.

I can't add to the great reviews of the notes in the reviews below me. To me, Sweet Oriental Dream is one of the most unique vanilla/gourmands I've experienced. What makes it unique is the balance between sweet notes and nut/floral notes. There's something going underneath the vanilla that keeps me smelling my wrist constantly. After the opening this isn't sweet at all, and even though it's slightly on the feminine side of unisex, I wouldn't think twice about wearing it.

The previous excellent reviews cover it well.... take the original Fahrenheit and give it some citrusy floral topnotes. Once the topnotes fade the heart is still all Fahrenheit = but toned down by about 50%. On top of the fantastic original there's a little bit of citrus that adds 'twang' well into the base. Not nearly as much of a sillage monster as the original, but it can definitely announce presence, especially with a moderate application.

I'm glad this has been reissued! You'd think that coffee fragrances can't vary much, but Vanille Mokha shares little in common with my other coffee fragrances, A*Men Pure Coffee and Bond No.9 New Haarlem. VM starts off with a straight-up bitter, rich coffee note. This note softens over time, going from an espresso aroma to that of dark roast coffee, to light coffee and eventually to a latte with perhaps one pump of vanilla. Never overly sweet, VM is the first coffee fragrance I've come across that is pretty much just coffee.

If you like gourmands you should definitely grab a bottle while this reissue is available.

I came across this in a small niche fragrance shop in Austin, TX and was pleasantly surprised. 1869 is a light, peppery fragrance with melon undertones. It stays close to the skin and lasts longer than your average EdC but doesn't project at all. It's perfect for the office or any other time you want to smell nice without alerting the rest of the world. It's a somewhat unusual accord, and the only thing I've experienced vaguely similar is the lime/pepper accord created by the massive dose of the 'Iso-Super E' in Escentric 01 (by Escentric Molecules). 1869 is much less sharp and tangy than E-01 and not nearly as flagrantly synthetic.

If you know you don't like mint, there's really no reason to try a fragrance with 'fresh mint' in the title... unless you sample fragrances for the express purposes of writing bad reviews and having a high 'review count'. This seems beyond absurd to me but apparently some people do this.

The topnotes of a light, whispy mint definitely freshen this up a lot. Cuts the thickness of the original, and IMO makes it more wearable. I like this more than the original but don't like either enough to buy. If you like mint this just may be a favorite. If you don't like mint, well, see paragraph #1.

Fantastic for those who like gourmands but are looking for something different than another Pure Coffee, Yohji Homme, or New Haarlem. Musc Maori starts of with a rich cocoa note that is obnoxiously strong. This quickly settles down, and as it does a powdery musk becomes prominent. For a while this is the heart of the scent.. musky cocoa. However as the base develops the musk becomes spicier and what finally reveals itself is a lightly spicy, musky skin scent with hints of cocoa.

If you don't like gourmands, you won't like this, but it does offer much more than your average gourmand. As it is a PG, it lasts forever on my skin. Another winner from Parfumerie Generale.

Infusion d'Homme is the only fragrance of the 08 designer releases I found worthy of investing in. I went with 50ml because I know that's all I need, but I love the 25oz bottle ($270) just for the way it looks and other big sizes are priced reasonably ($70/100ml, $100/200ml).

To a large extent it is an EdT version of Infusion d'Iris, but this is not a bad thing. The crux of the (male) fragrance is cool iris presented with a face of neroli. My only complaint is that the other listed notes (which, as with other Pradas are listed boldly on the bottle itself) of vetiver, benzoin and cedar are not noticeable in any meaningful way. I assume these ingredients/notes are in fact there, operating in the background and blended such that you can't pick up individual notes. Again, this isn't new for Prada. Amber Pour Homme, which is a favorite of mine, doesn't really smell at all like amber, and the notes stamped on a metal plaque to the top of the bottle aren't all that clearly detectable, either.

The strength isn't there to carry significant development into drydown. I tested d'Homme on one arm and d'Iris on the other... being an EdP d'Iris was stronger and lasted much longer, but I actually liked something about d'Homme much more. Perhaps it was the subtlety, or perhaps it was the functioning of different notes in the background.

Still, very enjoyable modern fragrance and better than Armani Diamonds, Versace Pour Homme, Givenchy Pi Neo, Davidoff Adventure, and almost everything else designers have offered guys this year.

It's not my thing to write bad reviews... usually I'd prefer to just forget it, but this might be a special case. I love lime notes so I ordered a sample of this along with a number of others from Montale. I didn't even need to smell my skin before knowing it was shockingly strong and awful... just the mist of what wafted up was enough to get me to wash off (I did smell my arm).

Try before you buy.

By far the highest quality lavender I've ever tried. It is firm and sharp - the sharpness probably from the clove/spice notes that give this lavender and bite and an edge. It actually bites the nose a bit, especially on application. There is no alcohol or booziness at all, and the typical Creed dry down to amber is warm and a nice finish. I'm not sure any lavender fragrance is worth $150+, but when I run out of my decant I will seriously think about it.

Dry but not sweet at all, and anything but bland. One really must pay attention to the subtleties here. Bois Blond is sophisticated in its understated elegance, and as with all PG fragrances it exudes quality. If you stop at the top notes you'll probably not 'get' BB and be disappointed, so if you have the opportunity to test this make sure you let it develop for quite a while. The initial smell to me was almost like dirt - something like woody hay. These topnotes persist for quite a while. When I next checked my arm, the dirt/hay smell was gone and replaced with a wonderful, rich cedar/tobacco/amber. As one reviewer mentioned, the notes are constantly shifting, melding, and stepping in and out of prominence. I'm thinking I should jump on this LE release before its gone.

I was so excited to try this, especially with the other Dior Homme exclusives being such winners, with some of those reviews proclaiming Eau Noir to be the best of the three. Oy Vey! I rarely write negative reviews because usually if I don't like something I can still see the qualities in it that make something good. I can acknowledge that just because I don't like a note or two, a fragrance can still be good but just not for me. Not this.

The opening, to me, was dead on lentil soup - with too much salt. I've sampled it now three times, and each time I could swear it smells like salty lentil soup. The fragrance then goes somewhere unexpected - to a sickly sweet amber that is very similar to Tom Ford Amber Absolute. The basenotes come back around full circle, combining amber and some salty/spicy/incense notes that, jumbled together, are somewhat unpleasant.

Not for me at all, and just bizarre. I think Bois d'Argent is the best of the three, with Cologne Blanche right behind.

If you don't like Mure et Musc, it makes sense to not try the Extreme, otherwise you'll be tempted to write a duplicate bad review referencing your original poor review. And that would just be totally absurd.

I digress. L'Artisan continues to challenge and defy my normal fragrance preferences. I'm generally not at all fond of fruity fragrances, but I like this! Perhaps it's because the berry notes are not sweet, but sparkly - as though you were sniffing berry flavored soda water (Polar brand, if you know it). This berry, in confluence with the musky and powdery base, creates a unique fragrance that you just can't help but like. I'll admit I was indifferent at first, but just a couple repeat wears allowed me to see the simple happiness of MeM Extreme.

As I sample more L'Artisan fragrances I'm finding that some of their most simply constructed scents are the best. It's counterintuitive that it should take a more trained nose to recognize the quality inherent in simplicity.

I'm not sure why, but I have a thing for vanilla fragrances. It's odd because otherwise I shy away from sweet scents, especially anything both fruity and sweet. Having sampled many vanilla fragrances, I can honestly say this is one of my favorite, and it is the best representation of one end of the vanilla spectrum. Specifically, this is a minimalist, light vanilla, as opposed to thick, rich amber heavy vanillas such as SL Un Bois Vanille or floral vanillas like Dior Addict.

I assume it's the addition of ethylmaltol that makes Vanilia unique (Turin, p.347). The effect to my nose is to create a soapy undertone to the vanilla note, which is already delicate to begin with. The overall result is a vanilla that is lightly sweetened without being overbearing or cloying in the slightest. There isn't much development - after all this is a vanilla fragrance - but I did notice that the soapiness eventually mellows, making the entire composition a little cotton-candyish.

Definitely bottle-worthy, Vanilia would be a great for the office or anywhere else that you want to enjoy vanilla without projecting yourself like a dunkin donuts. Although definitely wearable by a man, this would be a sexy vanilla on a woman.

I'm not much for rose fragrances, but I find this one very enjoyable and more unisex than any other rose-centered fragrance. As people have noted, the opening is citrus and rose, probably 60::40/citrus::rose. Predictably, the citrus fades and the rose becomes more prominent. A healthy application lasts about 3-4 hours. As with most of the other Hermesscences, this is a minimalist composition, uncluttered with extra notes or background 'noise' to detract from the simplicity of the rose and citrus. If you look at it in this context instead of comparing to preconceived notions or expectations, the lack of longevity doesn't detract from the quality of the scent. Admittedly this is expensive juice to be reapplying 3-4 times in a day. Not the best of the Hermessence line, but definitely among the tops from the Hermes house.

Thumbs up!

I had no idea this was classified as 'feminine' until I saw it here on BN. Obviously it's my opinion that there's nothing about UBV that makes it more feminine than any other gourmand. And what a gourmand this is!! It's every smell that one would encounter in an espresso shop/bakery, the sweetness of which is grounded and somewhat tempered by undertones of woody notes. There's a lot going on here, and as with other Lutens you can chose to either pick out individual notes, of which there are many, or you can just sit back and just take in the entirety of the aroma wafting up at you. Having just used up a pretty healthy sized sample, I will wait until winter to buy this, not because I wouldn't want to wear it in the heat, but rather because it would be so wonderful to be all bundled up in a parka in the cold outside with a healthy dose of Un Bois Vanille seeping out from beneath the coat.

A nice, mild citrus/fruit/light floral fragrance that lasts a good while but stays extremely close to the skin. I had higher hopes that this would be a more robust citrus. BN has this listed as feminine but it's technically unisex... there's nothing that makes this more feminine than any other light citrus fragrance. I'm glad I bought the 30ml and didn't spend a whole lot. Good stuff but I won't back up my bottle...

Thumbs up

As a big fan of the EDC I've been looking forward to trying the EDP, especially because longevity is the biggest problem with the EDP. First off, this is not the exact same fragrance as the men's version, but more concentrated... close but not exact. They are both blended such that individual notes are not immediately evident.

Whereas the EDC starts out with the 'sharper' notes (jasmine? rosemary?) from the get-go, the EDP starts more softly, with the florals more prominent, and the woody and patchouli notes present themselves later. Most people immediately recognize the buttery feel of this fragrance... what creates this buttery effect is the combination of musk, heliotrope and vanilla. The more I wear it the less I interpret the scent as 'butter'. I believe the EDP is less 'buttery' anyway.

Rounding out he musk are some light florals - lily of the valley and rose. Lightly piercing through the musk and florals are woody notes of cedar, patchouli and sandalwood. Of course this really is a skin scent, and on me the sandalwood is particularly evident and sharp - almost spicy. HL does not present itself this way on my girlfriend at all. The florals persist longer, and are more noticeable, in the EDP. Overall either version is unisex. Seeing as though Dior Homme has made it ok for guys to florals, HL really was ahead of its time.

As of this writing both versions are getting harder to find and the cost is going up. If you're interested I'd recommend checking HL out before it becomes elusive.

Thumbs UP

I've this over the last couple days, and regardless of how I try I cannot articulate a review of the fragrance itself. All I can say is that I was captivated from start to finish. At one point I dozed off reading with 31RC on my arm, and I woke up smelling my wrist. Even in my sleep I couldn't help but explore this fragrance! Coromandel might be the most wearable (for a man, at least) of the Exclusifs, but this is by far the most beautiful.

What a neat fragrance! This Iso E Super that comprises the bulk of the fragrance creates some interesting olfactory illusions that lend credence to the notion that synthetic does not have to be a bad thing when done properly.

The fragrance is comprised of a perfect balance between lime and light pepper with a touch of incense lurking in the background. These elements wax and wane in strength over the course of application, but never fail to bore or get me to stop smelling my wrist. To date I have only tried a light application, but I get the feeling that with a heavier application I will be able to catch whiffs of lime and pepper throughout the day.

Perfectly unisex, there's no deep story here, no unfolding drama to interpret.... just a fun fragrance perfect for summer, the office or anywhere else you need 'fresh' scent that isn't a '(fill in the blank) Homme Sport' or '(blank) Femme eau Fraiche'.

On first application I wasn't too thrilled with Amber Absolute.... too sweet, too syrupy. Luckily I've learned that making judgment calls on one wear is a rookie mistake!

On second wear I put two diffuse sprays on the back of my hand and went to work. The beginning was the same story - sweet, vanilla amber so thick it could be syrup. However, I soon noticed at work that the most wonderful aroma was wafting in front of me, right over my keyboard. At first I forgot the AA was on my hand and thought it was my scent of the day (Egoiste). I then remembered I had sprayed the AA and found that the two sprays on my hand were giving off the most lovely, resinous incense-like sillage. These dark notes are balanced perfectly with vanilla and amber. Never quite gourmand, Amber Absolute is rich and inviting, with terrific sillage and longevity.

Thumbs UP, and on my 'purchase someday' list!

Wow... I know I'm not sophisticated enough with fragrances to write a review that does this justice. The initial notes are strong and somewhat discordant, with a heavy incense and pepper focus. I am utterly transfixed with the dry down and may simply have to buy a bottle. A strong patchouli intertwines with vanilla in such a way as to create a chocolate-esque fragrance - the way yellow and blue make green What is so wonderful is that I can smell, at once, the patchouli, the vanilla, and the combination of the two. Leather and amber enhance and round out the fragrance.

Longevity and sillage are great. Having sampled all the exclusifs I can honestly say there isn't a bad one in the bunch, and I would be happy if any were on my shelf, but if I had to choose one this would be it. Final thought, I find this to be unisex and best and if it was classified as masculine I wouldn't blink. This could be worn by a woman but seems more appropriate on a man.

This opens with huge gobs of synthetic ginger like it's brother, BLV, only there's a little more going in with Notte to counterbalance the ginger. Unfortunately it's just enough, and even though I catch traces of notes I really enjoy, like chocolate and light florals, the ginger is so medicinal (or 'baby wipe' as people put it) and unpleasant that it cannot save this fragrance. I have a twice used 50ml bottle sitting in its box waiting for the day it is traded to someone who will give it a good home.

The reviews of the fragrance below are simply too good to improve upon, especially buzzlepuff's description and floatingpoint's analysis that this a fragrance better suited to wearing than sniffing on a wrist. I will therefore relate my experience with Ambre Narguile.

I like gourmands and was made a special trip to a Hermes boutique while traveling just to try this. I made the horrible mistake of zapping the back of my hand with two full sprays. I almost choked it was so strong and overpowering, and therefore I wasn't that taken with it. I ended up buying the Hermessence 4-pack of travel bottles, which includes this. Playing with Ambre at home, I came to learn that a fine mist - one spray from a distance - is the correct dosage for this fragrance to appreciate it. It must be diffusely applied and not concentrated in one area on the skin. One such spray on the chest/lower neck area, and perhaps one misty spray on each arm, allows the wearer to be enveloped in the most wonderful aroma of spicy-vanilla-amber-cake for hours and hours. Unlike the other Hermessences, this is not minimalist, it throws significant sillage, and lasts forever.

If I were to spend $210 on a 100ml bottle of one Hermessence, I'd be hard pressed to decide between this and Vetiver Tonka.

Thumbs way UP!

A lot more tonka than vanilla, and more feminine than I thought it would be based on the published notes and the reviews. Very nice, very high quality, just not quite for me, even though I'm a big vanilla fan.

Absurdly fantastic! Similar in concept to the new Serge Lutens 5 OClock Gingerbre, but definitely distinct and unique, and while its a gourmand I think it would appeal even to those who don't like gourmands. It starts with a distinct gingerbread note, not sweet like cookies but rather spicy like mulled cider spiked with cinnamon and rum. This is a very, very full bodied fragrance, and is develops a distinct black tea accord intertwines with the spicy gingerbread, with just enough sweetness. The interplay of tea and gingerbread is what makes this fragrance and will probably lead me to buy a bottle. On drydown sandalwood and vanilla become more prominent - as does the cinnamon, and blend everything together perfectly.

Fantastically crisp and 'light' fragrance (but not a light sense). Unfortunately on my skin I don't get much of the herbal, woody basenotes, it just sort of fades out within a couple hours. Nonetheless it's a great classic that deserves a try by everyone.

An amazing, complex fragrance that reveals something new and different about itself every time you wear it. On first wear I didn't notice sweetness, just a bold, salty, woody tobacco/iris note dominating the top notes. On subsequent wears the sweetness of the honey became more noticeable, providing a counterbalance to the iris, tobacco, and patchouli. Over a few hours the balancing accords almost meld into one lovely yet bold fragrance. Lasts FOREVER - even though a swim in the pool and a shower - easily 8-10 hours if not longer.

Now, if I could only get to a Dior Homme store to buy myself a bottle...

I very faithful Grapefruit fragrance... the first time I sprayed it on my girlfriend could smell it across the room - it's that strong. Lasts about 4 hours on my skin. Absolutely fantastic, but it's so... well.... grapefruity that it's not really appropriate for an office. Great for hanging out on summer days!

LPH's most noticeable feature is its boozy, sweet rum note. This note, paired with cinnamon and vanilla, creates the basis for a fairly sweet fragrance. The rum note persists for a long time, eventually giving way to a soft, sweet musk. The fragrance most similar to this is Boss Bottled/#6, but I think Boss does a slightly better job balancing the sweet notes with some woodsy notes. This is one of those fragrances I like smelling on my arm but I'm not sure about wearing as a daily fragrance. Avoid if you don't like sweet fragrances.

I've always liked this and hoped my fiancee would wear it but alas, she finds the vanilla too cloying. I gave up hoping she'd wear it and bought it myself, even if it's just to smell it when I want.... on my wrist it isn't very feminine, just a fantastic bourbon vanilla that is rich without being too sweet, and just enough powder to keep it from being cloying (in my opinion, not shared by my woman).

What's amazing is it's longevity - the vanilla persisted on my wrist for 12 hours with little change... only after 16-18 hours did it really fade out. It never developed much on me, just a nice vanilla, so I can' t comment on the basenotes. I think Addict really is a 'skin scent' and will develop uniquely on different people. I don't think I'm going to be wearing this, but I'll hang onto it in the hopes my woman someday will, or when I want to smell a fantastic fragrance...

Thumbs way up.

Never before have I seen such a disparity between the published fragrance notes (copied below) and reality. Not that this a bad scent. I will join other reviewers in their positive comments on what is essentially a powdery old-timey barbershop post-shave refresher. Light florals with perhaps some citrus in the background are all I smell. A pleasant, clean smell that lasts an hour or so.

Fragrance Note(s): Sparkling Citrus, Bergamot, Green Notes, Waterflowers, Sheer Woods, Amber, Patchouli, Soft Mousse

Don't be fooled into thinking that this is anything like a contemporary citrus fragrance - its' not. The initial burst of citrus is balanced with rosemary and floral notes that keeps the citrus from being too sharp or bright. In fact, when I first put this on my skin I thought it was a spicy fragrance (the initial spice subsides a few minutes later). As mentioned below, the entire life of the fragrance is about an hour, but this is to be expected from what is titled 'cologne water'. Certainly worth a try!


from CM website: "Fragrance Note(s): Bergamot, Orange Blossom, Rosemary, Narcissus, and 27 other notes"

I'm with andrewthecologneguy on this one... perhaps it's because I'm not familiar with the original Newport, but I like the current version on its own. On first application I immediately drew the association with new fragrance, Ed Hardy for men. They both share a blended citrus/lavender/musk accord that is fairly linear. I don't have too much development on my skin, it just is what it is. Over 20-30 minutes the fragrance gets a little sweeter and little more musky, but for the most part the scent remains as it is on application.

A nice casual fragrance, worth a try if you come across it.

Fragrance Notes: Bergamot, Mandarin, Lemon, Green Notes, Lavandin, Geranium, Muguet, Rose, Amber, Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Musk
(from the CM website)

Thumbs UP!

This is one of those fragrances that's been sitting on my shelf, and though I know I like it I never quite find the right day to wear it. To start off with, it's quite strong sillage wise, and the first time I wore it I OD'd, requiring a wash-off during my lunch break from work. Perhaps this soured me on wearing it for a while.

Having given it another chance today I remember why I liked it enough to buy it. As with other Gucci offerings, GPHII is fairly linear and serves as a great, wearable, all-day scent. My initial reaction is to the semi-sweet, strong floral violet note. The primary accord is a three way balancing act between this violet, (the strength of which subsides fairly quickly), cinnamon that provides sharpness, and a base of strong black tea. Secondary notes of musk provide powder and tobacco and woodsy notes lend depth. The tea/spice/violet mix lasts for hours (6-8) on me, and as I mentioned before, throws very decent sillage. As many as 12 hours after application I can still sense woods and musk lurking closely to the skin.

GPHII is definitely a 'try before you buy' because if you don't like it's sweet-sharpness there would be no compromising and 'sort of' liking it. This could comfortably be worn anywhere and in any weather, and as someone mentioned below, women seem to dig it. Thumbs up for Gucccccci!

Heaven! Heaven in a bottle! This contains all the notes of the original, but with different emphasis (and because it's an EdP, better sillage and longevity).

The original has dominant heart notes of iris, cocoa, and vanilla with the more masculine notes of vetiver, patchouli, and leather lurking in the background, not particularly noticeable but clearly present to balance out the sweeter notes. Whereas the masculine notes provide balance in the original, they take on a more dominant role in the Intense version. The iris and gourmand notes are still present and dominant on application, but the base notes are immediately obvious, with a somewhat salty note (vetiver? patchouli?) competing with the iris notes for equal dominance. As with Dior Homme, this fragrance is very well blended and single notes, especially the base notes, can't easily be picked out.

Now that I've finally procured a bottle I must find another for safekeeping.

TWO thumbs waaaaay up!

Glad I found this! Ice*Men flew under my radar until I recently began seeking fragrances with coffee notes. The beauty is in its simplicity... the initial notes truly smell like ice coffee, albeit with a spicy twinge (like spiked ice coffee) provided by nutmeg. The top notes persist for a while, melding beautifully with a mild patchouli base that is as simple and distinct a patchouli note as you'll find anywhere. The balance of spice, lightly sweet coffee, and light woods makes Ice*Men very unique and enjoyable.

TWO thumbs up!

I can't possibly give a better review than the 3-4 that precede this (especially JaimeB's). I personally DO find the concentree to be similar to it's brother, especially in its refreshing, pungent opening that makes the fragrance. There is perhaps more breadth of citrus, such as mango, in the concentree. It's not just grapefruit and orange. Whereas the EdC is gone in a half hour, having done its job of cooling me off after a walk in the Texas heat, EdT continues developing, becoming mossy and woodsy. I would, and do, wear concentree as a daily fragrance.

I'm never exactly sure what I think about Dunhill Fresh... it's nothing special, but at the same time it's not bad, and while on one hand it is seemingly just another fresh men's fragrance, it offers some things the others don't... read on if you care...

This is not strong, even with excessive application - but that's too be expected of something actually named 'fresh'. The initial 'green notes' I detect are reminiscent of watermelon. Not actual watermelon, but the 'candy' watermelon scent I associate with, say, Jolly Ranchers. The only thing is, this light fruit scent isn't sweet, it's fairly dry. If this was all I detected the scrubbing would start now, but there's something - some note - that creates the slightest sharp/spicy balance to the freshness. Perhaps it is the 'basil' note listed, or perhaps it is something from the heart/base.

I don't get much development on my skin, either that or the fragrance isn't strong enough to appreciate its base. What fruitiness there is slowly fades, leaving a pleasant, but unremarkable, floral/green accord that lightly persists a couple hours and fades out. I haven't tried massively overapplying to see if I can detect the base notes.

I don't find myself ever reaching for D-Fresh, but I'd choose it before any number of others in its categories. At least its inexpensive!

On my skin I experience way too much ginger without other notes to balance the ginger's sharpness. I note the powdery notes some others detect, but not any of the sweetness. It's almost as though Blv takes the ginger's acridity without that little hint of sweet that I find in, say, my girlfriend's 'ginger essence' perfume (from Origins). CK Euphoria is a good example of a ginger notes counterbalanced by other accords. If you like sharp ginger, Blv is for you - otherwise I'd stay far away.

Quite simply my favorite fragrance.... I can see why some people can't rap their heads around this; it's not your standard male fragrance. Though a quick, cursory sniff may allude to lipstick, a close analysis (repeat as needed!) presents SO much more. Reading other reviews, I wonder how many of those who think this only smells like lipstick did more than smell a sprayed-card at the mall.

Dior Homme is at once sweet and gourmand while also being distinctly masculine. In fact I think we can credit DH for showing us all that masculine doesn't have to mean strong vetiver or herbal notes. The notes easiest to identify are iris, vanilla, and cocoa, all of which fade in and out. The genius of DH is in the fragrance's depth. If all we smelled was iris, vanilla, and cocoa this would be nothing but gourmand. Repeated application leads one to realize that the background of leather, vetiver and patchouli balance the sweetness. On my skin leather becomes more pronounced over time.

TWO thumbs waaaay up.

This is finally on BN after being available for a few months! Unique entry here - smooth, musky, and minty - I believe they call it a 'mint julep accord', with undertones of citrus and spice. The citrus is not immediately evident, but rather serves to balance the other notes while providing depth. There isn't much development, but the mint does fade and the scent becomes more musky. A little expensive, but there is a .25oz spray mini available that works as a great way to test this out. Sillage is average, longevity is very good on my skin.

Bought this for my woman and dig it.... the berries on top are sweet and strong at first, but not to the point of being candy-sweet. The sweetness eventually settles and becomes more musky. Lasts a long time on her.

Bought this for the sake of completion (owning Cedrat and Lavender). I'm picky about my vetiver fragrances and this one doesn't quite make the cut, being more heavy on ginger than anything. The three Pure bottles look nice together, and at $15/each I can't complain, especially liking the other two.

This is the only Kouros I own, and it's definitely the mildest of all that I've tried (which is nearly all of them). One could wear this anywhere, anytime, with no fear of scaring people away as is possible with the original. At first this is definitely 'perfumey', as the review below puts it.... you get all of the notes at once. Light fruit (tangerine?), mint, and anise. As with the original, there is something animalistic lurking in the background, but only ever so slightly. Over the 30-60 min after application the mint and fruit fade, leaving a pleasant, light anise scent that is similar to Rive Gauche Light. This is an EDC, and the whole thing lasts about 2-3 hours on my skin.

A soft, powdery blend of amber, vanilla, and spices (cinnamon?)... I bought this for my fiancee but find it to be fairly unisex. I guess we can thank Dior Homme for reinterpreting powdery, sweet fragrances as a masculine possibility. I would put Cashmere in the same category and don't feel uncomfortable wearing this, especially at the office.

The quality is very, very high. High recommendation.

To picture Edition Blanche, take Homme Sport, strip a few of the notes out and replace with similar - but not the same - notes. I'd say Blanche is about 80% of Sport. Whereas the top of Sport is a creamy neroli/lemon, Blanche loses the creaminess and the neroli, replaced by grapefruit and light pepper notes. It is not entirely unlike Terre d'Hermes, though not quite as sharp. The top takes a while to fade, and in all honesty EB loses most of its ooomph once it does. The base of light musk and sandalwood is subtle, and unless you really spray it on, barely detectable. They call this 'EDT Concentree'.... Chanel should have just made the investment in perfume oil to make it an EDP. If they had done this, EB would be more competitive in the marketplace.

I'm very much enjoying this on the ridiculously hot days we have here in Texas. Thumbs up for being a fantastic fresh summer scent, but I will note my disappointment in its lack of longevity.

A strong oriental that exudes masculinity. Sillage is ridiculous and it last forever.... a shame it's becoming more expensive (although not hard to find) now that it's discontinued.

I sprayed a single spritz on my arm to sample. Hours later I was still noticing the wonderful amber/vanilla aroma wafting up at me. Although classified feminine, there was nothing about this preventing a guy from wearing it. Be sparing as it's quite thick and rich.

Zizanie was the scent I grew up smelling on my father... I remember him saving his last bottle when it was discontinued (in the U.S?) and then being so happy when he found a bottle at an old time fragrance shop. I enjoy the current version - a little citrusy, a little woodsy and sweet... nothing too complicated but nothing offensive at all. Good for summer days.

I'm sorry to hear that the bottle I have is vastly different from the original... I'd like reexperience the original. If anyone know where to find such a bottle feel free to message me.

Foetidus' review is really all you need to know about this fragrance's smell.

I will add that I sampled at a store that did not indicate the gender of Chemical Bonding.... I assumed it was unisex, and even though it is classified otherwise I look forward to buying my own someday soon.

Smells a tremendous amount like John Varvatos - a sweet, syrupy thick fruit note balanced with leather and woods. There is no walnut (nut or tree) smell.

An absolutely enchanting and rich fragrance.... incense and woods, smoky woods, amber, cardamom, and vanilla. Masculine without being an 80s-powerhouse type fragrance, this is a perfect balance of resinous and sweet.

This is also a very very high quality fragrance. I put two sprays on my hand at an airport L'Occitane before getting on a plane. Not only did I enjoy it for a two hour delay and five hour flight, but I could actually smell it on my hand the next morning - almost 18 hours later!

I will purchase this soon.

Just tried this at the store (there is also a limited edition intense version).

Unfortunately the lovely blood orange top is somewhat fleeting, leading to a fairly standard vetiver base - which is nice, don't get me wrong, but not very citrusy.

The initial notes are somewhat confused - a little sweet, a little woodsy - you're not sure where it's going to go. Within about 20 minutes the most lovely accord develops that is at once rich and minimalist. Though not exactly 'butter', the fragrance invokes butter by having a lightly vanilla sweetened heliotrope note which is then balanced with a touch of musk and mild florals. The only man's fragrance that is similar in style and composition would be Dior Homme, though Dior Homme is more delicate and complex..

I'm not usually concerned with other reviews, but on the life of my family I swear there is nothing in Helmut Lang whatsoever that smells the vaguest bit like Old Spice. I know olfactory judgments are unique to everyone, but if someone detects Old Spice in HL it might indicate that their ability to appreciate fragrances is massively and utterly different from that of the average person.

If I could give 10 thumbs up, I would.... now that I've finally received a few samples of Helmut Lang you can bet I will be investing not only the EdC, but the EdP and parfum versions as well.

Thanks to a BNer I received this in a trade. I'm hooked! Smells like the essence of Bombay Sapphire (there's no alcohol smell), or perhaps a strong gin and tonic. Now if only I could find another bottle somehow...

Very disappointing... after considering Summer for months, trying it multiple times on cards and on my skin, I finally pulled the trigger and purchased. The top notes are fantastic and were clearly what was drawing me in for so long. Pungent, strong, lemon and grapefruit lead to promises of a great citrus fragrance. In not much longer than the time it's taken you to read this so far, the strong citrus dissipates, replaced with an entirely pleasant musky cedrat accord, and that's about it for the rest of the fragrance's short life.

This would be ok if it weren't for the fact that it smells IDENTICAL to Azzaro Pure Cedrat, which I purchased for $15 at a discount store. I put Burb Summer on one hand and Pure Cedrat on the other.... my girlfriend could not distinguish. The only difference between the two is that the Pure Cedrat lasted about twice as long as the Burberry, which was all but unnoticeable in 90 minutes.

I'm lucky I was able pawn off the Burb Summer to a friend without losing too much money. Not worth it.

Decent enough but absolutely NO strength whatsoever. 5-6 sprays on my arm yielded a pleasant dry watermelon scent that wore off in less than one hour.

There's not much to add by way of the glowing reviews on which I bought Curion blind. I may be the last lucky person to find this at suggested retail cost, because the site I bought it from is now sold out.

Knowing what I know now, I would definitely pay the $80-$120 asking price to keep an extra bottle on hand. I have a feeling Curion, which is already a cult classic, will be impossible to find for less than hundreds of dollars within a couple years.

Sampled via an open box at the local Marshalls. Typical light fruit/light citrus/short half life summer fragrance. Not great. Not Terrible. Not worth $30.

Not a bad scent, per se - but unbelievably low strength. Two sprays and I still smelled nothing on my arm. Four sprays and I noticed it was there, but only barely. Would not waste my money on this.

A blind Marshalls purchase for $20.... LOVE the bottle, the juice is barely tolerable. Sweet, synthetic, and fruity without much development. I don't get any of the notes from the pyramid at all.

The cap simulates a gas cap or other engine cap with its rubberized, grippy, large round top. The color and style of the bottle are striking, and thus this is not on my trade list.

Should have been named 'Buick Riveria'

I want to like this - I really do - the citrus is too sharp and misplaced. If it weren't for the 'clean man' theme I couldn't imagine being able to pass this off as masculine at all. It's more of a unisex citrus blast.

I'm going to go WAAAY against the grain and give Pure Lavender a good review. I don't get the overly-synthetic, common, too strong, cheap scent otherwise described.

What I get is a top accord of lavender and anise, which fades fairly quickly to be replaced by soft vanilla and musk with the slightest hint of woods. This becomes slightly sweeter after a couple hours and what's left is a very pleasant vanilla/tonka/musk base balanced with a touch of spice.

I picked this up for $14 at Marshalls - it's perfect for warm days or any day in the office.

I too am surprised by the negative reviews. My only complaint about Intuition is that the middle notes are similar to other scents out there.... I just tried YSL L'Homme and was astounded at the similarities.

But that's my only complaint. The short, sweet top notes quickly give rise to a long-lasting strong middle layer that is sensual and warm. Without looking at the listed notes, I'd personally say that I get a strong scent of cedar and woods that lasts and lasts and lasts. I'm smelling the base notes and fade out on my arm now, and it becomes a little sweeter and ambery.

Of my many scents this is my girlfriend's favorite for me to wear.

Not to be confused with an EdT from which one expects longevity and complexity, EdOV is fantastic for what it is - an old time cologne 'tonic' - and this is reflected in the low price. I acquired a bunch of 1oz travel bottles and I keep them cold in the fridge. When I come back home from walking the dog in 100 degree Texas heat, I splash it liberally on my face and head. The tangy citrus is a perfect refresher and I am instantly cooled down. I suppose it's a little obnoxious, washing up with water made by Hermes, but whatever.

When I go through my 1oz bottles I will buy the 13.5oz flacon.

Perusing through seven years of reviews, one can truly appreciate just how love it or hate it Fahrenheit is. I had never given it much thought until my woman mentioned she used to like on someone she knew. At first I didn't care for it - the moss was too prominent at a time I wasn't interested in woodsy scents.

You can now count me in with the lovers of this unique one. I suppose you could interpret the middle as 'motor oil', though my nose always interprets it as 'cold, dark, mossy woods'. Like a dark, wet forest at night.

Fahrenheit, along with Polo (green), grab me the most female compliments. It makes you realize that what guys like on guys isn't what girls like on guys.

Very refined and luxurious.... Jaipur's appeal is evidenced by the scores of great reviews. Jaipur fits into the rare slot of an oriental that is totally versatile - it works in the office or on a date, dressed in a tux or in shorts/t-shirt at Starbucks. The notes are those typically found in fresher fragrances, but they are presented so richly that the fragrance could never be so categorized.

I own the EdP and it lasts forever and throws good sillage. I don't suggest over-application.

When I first bought a .25oz mini a while back the old lady didn't like it, so JV was relegated to the mini-bin and forgotten about. I was more than skeptical when I gave it another chance, but I'm glad I did. I gave it three tries over the last few days so I could really 'get' it.

What turned my woman off (and me as well) is the sticky-sweetness of the top notes. I suppose that's the 'dates' and 'tamarind'. Though it's not an overtly synthetic fruit sweetness of, say, Mont Blanc Individuel or Dunhill Desire, it's pretty overwhelming. About 30-minutes after application the sweetness begins to abate, and within 90-120 minutes JV really comes into its own. It is at this point I get the faintest - faintest - whiff of agarwood (eaglewood), along with leather and amber. There is only the faintest sweetness balancing the other accords. This is my favorite part of the life span on my skin, and it lasts quite a while.

After 4 hours the agarwood is gone, replaced by a creamy vanilla, thus becoming slightly sweet again. The vanilla is balanced with powdery soft woods and fleeting leather. JVs life span is amazing - easily 8-10 hours on my skin - but sillage is average/low-average. As another review complained, JV is initially too sweet to apply the amount necessary to really get good sillage during the mid and late development.

Even with the top being too sweet, this is very well crafted fragrance.

I was prepared not to like this as I'm not a fan of other CK offerings (nothing against CK, I'm just not a fan of what's out there) and I don't like ginger notes. Bvlgari Blv makes me gag. Anyway, my lady loves Euphoria and made the subtle hint of buying the large gift set (100ml Edt, 100ml after shave, body wash + deodorant). You see where this is going.

I've been very surprised. The ginger really adds a sharpness that is well balanced by the suede and vanilla. Sweet, but not too sweet. Leathery, but not too leathery. I guess the balance in really the attraction with Euphoria. The longevity and sillage are far beyond what I'd expect.

Although at the time of writing it's not in the BN directory, I also tried the Euphoria Intense. I wish my girl had waited because it's fantastic. A bit sweeter, the vanilla is more prominent, as is the suede, while the ginger drops out after the topnotes. Again, the balance is very good. The sillage is much better as I can smell it on my wrist as I type this.

As with other Gucci offerings, Rush is a fairly unique entity.... there are some similarities with Azzaro Visit, but I find Rush much more wearable.

Basically Rush is a light woods fragrance, balanced with slight powder and very light floral/lavender. It's essentially linear. The woodsy notes feel slightly burnt, like smelling a chimney fire from a couple blocks away.

The white 8-track cassette box is neat - nothing groundbreaking - but I don't find it as unbearable as others.

Now that Rush is discontinued some retailers are jacking up the price, which is ludicrous given that they probably have plenty of stock. Spend a little time researching and you'll find it for suggested retail....

I consider myself somewhat lucky to have randomly found a 100ml of Aramis Cool at a local mall stand (I thought, who is making fakes of this?).

This is what a lot of today's fresh scents wish they could be. Light bubbly citrus without a touch of sweetness. The citrus is offset by the cognac/rum notes. The citrus hangs for while before slowly melding into a light woodsy/spicy base. As others note, juniper is the prevalent note, especially for the first couple hours.

I will treasure my bottle as I don't envision randomly finding it again, nor would pay some ridiculous sum for it.

The top notes can truly only be described as 'expensive soap'. I love it.... it makes you feel clean just by putting it on. I agree with other reviewers that point out that, although the fragrance itself doesn't project, it remains intense and fragrant for a long time. The soapiness dries down into a rich amber that I find I want to smell applied areas. The final notes of suede and perhaps saffron come on very late and are very enjoyable. This is one of the more unique mass-marketed/produced newer fragrances. If you enjoy using a fragrances ancillary products like shower gel, I suggest Prada's. The combination of soapy top notes and shower gel make this the richest smelling shower soap ever.

This was a blind buy at the mall and I couldn't be happier. Finally, I've found a fresh summer fragrance that isn't overtly synthetic, complicated, or sweet . The neroli (I also get watermelon) opening lasts a good 30 minutes, at which point I experience a nice, warm vetiver balanced with vanilla notes, as well as hints of the light citrus opening throughout. Call me crazy but when I'm outside in the heat I could swear i get subtle notes of mint on my skin.

Overall, F32 gives off the impression of a high-quality fragrance. As with Fahrenheit, there is no synthetic overload - just clear, crisp notes that meld well together. I love its simplicity. There is no mish mash of competing notes, no multiple personality disorder with a fresh fragrance turning super spicy on the skin.

Sillage and longevity are par for the course with Dior, which is far better than the average designer offerings.

why not spend $8 on a cool-looking travel spray of Nautica Competition? Well, that's what I asked myself when I saw it at the local Ross cheapo discount store. It is a neat looking bullet-style sprayer. Well, I'm seriously considering spraying the contents out and reusing it as a neat looking sprayer. Otherwise I just bought an $8 ornament for my mini collection.

This is your run-of-the-mill fresh (bergamot/citrus) that is clearly and unmistakably uber-synthetic. It is nearly identical to Jaguar Performance - another super winner - except that Jaguar has more depth. There is a metallic streak to this that is unpleasant. Totally linear. I don't notice any 'nutmeg' or other published notes emerge. It's just 'Glade fresh' and done. I'm many years past the target age for this, but regardless as someone who more Polo throughout their 20s, I can't imagine anyone truly appreciating this.

I'm glad I finally tracked this down! A strong oriental opening strong on the spice. This opening lasts quite a long time and the sillage for the first few hours is unbelievable. Once dry, Tiffany is a very pleasant, full woodsy experience balanced with subtle spice and florals.

This is very masculine fragrance perfect for a special nice out or formal event. With its elusiveness and cost I can't imagine wearing it more than once in a long while anyway.

I know, I know this is a classic, but I just can't stand it. I scored a mini of this and was extremely excited because I'm a huge Chanel fan and because I've read such great reviews - plus, I'm a fan of the classics. Very strong, pungent herbal opening that doesn't dry down into anything more pleasant. I'm glad to have the bottle for my Chanel collection but that's where the enjoyment ends.

I'm sold! BBJ has been kicking around my collection in mini form for a while and it's quickly becoming my summer favorite for its freshness and balance across its development.

The topnotes of citrus are not sharp, but they manage to find the medium between sour citrus and sweet citrus - its right in the middle. Accompanying the citrus is an underlying powder scent that softens the whole fragrance. A couple hours in light florals emerge and blend with sandalwood and vanilla. Overall there is a warmth to BBJ that I find compelling. As with most fresh fragrances, this stays close to the skin, but the longevity is great when applied somewhat more generously than average.

As a final plus, this is can be had for pocket change at your local mall perfumania....

This is my one and only Boss fragrance (I'm considering Pure when the cost goes down) and I'm very impressed. This is very similar to Lacoste Pour Homme, but I find the rum and vanilla in LPH to be too dominant, sweet and cloying.

The sweet apple and bergamot topnotes fade into a nearly perfect balance between vanilla, cedar, and cinnamon. Sweet/Woods/Spice. I can at once detect the individual notes and enjoy the blended collective. A musky base eventually joins the mix as vanilla and cinnamon fade and the cedar becomes more dominant. As others mentioned, there is a warmth to Boss Bottled/6. If this was even a little sweeter I might not be such a fan. The absence of obvious synthetic notes (like LPH) is a plus.

The sillage is decent, as is longevity. Can be found on the cheap ($31 for 50ml).

I want to like it, and sometimes I do for a few minutes at a time. The 'fresh' notes are overwhelming...it's overpowering. Melon notes are mixed with green notes, but they enhance each other instead of balancing each other. Although I generally like aquatic/fresh scents, and although I generally like RL offerings, Blue is just too synthetic smelling to be enjoyable.

I know it's unpopular to admit to liking LB, but you can throw my hat in the ring. Clearly everyone is disappointed that LB wasn't something else at thus review what it isn't as opposed to what it is.

The strong citrus opening quickly melds into a very peppery accord. I would've hoped the topnotes lasted longer into the heart. While LB might be similar in structure to other fragrances out there, it does it better than most.

What can I possibly add that 120 other people haven't covered? Not much.

Received M7 today in a trade. Everything written here is true. Ferocious, foul opening that I embarrassed to let my fiance smell. My dog ran outside when I sprayed it on my arm to test. The warm, woody drydown that mingles woods with a bit of honey sweetness is lovely and now that it's been on my skin for 4-5 hours I'm enjoying it tremendously.

I can appreciate the quality but this isn't my cup of tea. I even like some of the 80s macho powerhouses like Polo and Chaps, and in some ways I like this. I just can't possibly ever image when I would wear M7, unless I wanted to apply 3 hours before seeing another human.

This will stay in my collection. But in the back.

This is a great fragrance - the reviews below describe it well. My only complaint is that it is not really unisex, or at least it's on the most feminine end of the unisex spectrum. Unlike other B9 unisex offerings, like Wall Street, there isn't much that can salvage this for a man who wants to smell masculine.

FINALLY!

Although its not popular to say this, I'm a huge RL fragrances fan. With few exceptions I like them all, especially Polo (original), which was my grandfather's cologne and my first fragrance purchase. I have patiently waited for a Monogram bottle to show up on eBay that was in the realm of reasonable. I've seen minis go for $80 and open bottles go for $200. I spotted a .25 mini recently for $20 so I had to splurge.

This is the Purple Label bottle - which makes me appreciate that the PL designers made this nod to RL fragrance history. As other reviewers note, this compliments Polo closely. The initial notes are similar to Polo but with stronger accent on some of the pungent herbal notes and less tobacco and less leather. Although not overt, I believe there is some citrus in there that balances out the herbal notes, and this citrus (or whatever it is) becomes more pronounced on drydown, as do some spice notes. On drydown Monogram is closer to Polo Crest than it is to Polo. Like its family members, a little goes a long way and sillage/longevity are not a problem.

Overall this falls in the '80s powerhouse' category. I'm not much for these types of fragrances (Drakkar, Paco, Kouros, AzzaroPH, etc.) because I either just don't like them or don't need my entire office knowing what cologne I wear. Monogram is a happy exception that I will occasionally enjoy. 'Occasionally' until I find an unopened bottle in a friend's grandparents' attic, win the lottery, or otherwise justify spending $400 on a 'new' bottle.

Definitely very noticeable and unique - you can always tell when someone is wearing Drakkar, which unfortunately means that someone is usually bathing in it. I was at a will call line to pick up my tickets to a concert when I got an overwhelming downdraft of Drakkar. Someone two lines over was radiating Drakkar and there wasn't anyone in a 20 foot radius who didn't know what it was. As my girlfriend says "It smells like the 80s".

Strong and masculine, pungent and unforgiving. You either like it or you don't. I got a good laugh when the Nordstroms SA put a sample in my bag... I can't believe they actually sell it.

Except for Polo I'm not a fan of any of the 80s macho scents (Kouros, Paco, Azzaro PH, etc.) and this is no exception.

This is the only gourmand scent I've liked enough to buy (and at full price, too!). I'm surprised at the reviews that liken the coffee notes to that of cheap, burnt coffee. What I note is a rich espresso-chocolate aroma. Hints of vanilla balance the coffee notes and become more prominent as the fragrance develops. Eventually the coffee notes are gone and replaced with light chocolate and vanilla notes. I catch slight undertones of musk and cedar, which temper the sweetness of the 'mocha latte' notes. If starbucks ever markets a fragrance this would be it.

Even if you're cringing at this review, give it a try (assuming you're at one of the few department stores carrying this). I generally hate sweet fragrances, but AMen Pure Coffee is just done right. It lasts a long time on my skin (it is still very noticeable after 6 hours) but doesn't project too far. As of now I've only had it on my wrist and hands. Tomorrow I'll test drive it to work...

I know this is a limited release, but my only gripe is that nothing smaller than 3.4z was available. The bag-of-gourmet-coffee-packaging is a trip.

Vastly superior to previous PE offerings! The fragrance is a combination of vanilla and musk with slightly spice/woodsy undertones. I don't smell much, if any, fruit notes. The vanilla note is sweet but not too sweet. No one note dominates - the blending is excellent.

Particularly unique to this PE fragrance is the sillage and longevity, both of which are not only better than any other PE fragrance I've experienced, but better than most others in my collection.

The bottle is great - a heavy, thick cube with large wooden cap. The metallic nylon strap hanging off the sprayer is a little odd, but it works ok.

Sprayed a few zaps on myself yesterday. Immediately put off by the strong woods/spice note but enjoyed the dry down into a lighter woodsy scent. Although a few mentioned it, Visit is nearly identical to Gucci Rush. To test out this theory I sprayed Rush on the other arm. Gucci was slightly more powdery, slightly more depth, essentially the same scent. Visit lasts a long time - I noticed it on my arm when I was falling asleep nearly 10 hours after application.

I'll admit it...I like fresh aquatics, especially if done well like Aqva is. I'm surprised the similarities between Aqva and Polo Black haven't been further explicated here. I find at least the top notes to be very very similar. Aqva's drydown invokes a salty/spiciness that is rich without being overbearing. The only thing I would change would be to have the top notes last longer and perhaps intermingle with the deeper notes instead of 'turning off' so quickly.

I was very skeptical after receiving H2 from a friend who picked it up a local Marshalls and gave it to me as a goof (knowing my taste in fragrances is generally beyond those named after GM vehicles). According to the box this is an Elizabeth Arden fragrance, so it's not like the boys in GM were tooling around with the perfumer kit.

I don't sense the depth that iMaverick does, but nor to I get an intense synthetic feel as I do from, say, Dunhill Desire. H2 is a dry fruity scent similar to many others (Bob Mackie comes to mind) 2-3 hours in you get slight spice and musk notes poking through, and H2 lasts longer than Mackie. The vanilla does temper the fruitiness well. Sillage/longevity average to slightly better than average.

I can't imagine a day where I'd say "I'm going to choose H2 over the rest of my wardrobe". But I can't honestly say this is a bad scent. I analyzed it with a couple sprays on one arm as I placed a couple sprays of a very expensive, niche fragrance with similar notes on the other. There was no appreciable difference in the quality of the scents, development, sillage, etc.