Reviews by ad_scott

Brut Musk by Fabergé

Beautiful stuff. I love original Brut but Musk is just as good and a nice alternative. The scent is like Ye olde fashioned sweet shop; orange boiled sweets in a glass jar upon a dusty wooden shelf with a jar of tobacco nearby. Considering the price tag, longevity of this fragrance is stellar.

Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait by Maison Francis Kurkdjian

I like the EDP but I like the Extrait better. Both have the same scent however, I find the EDP's vibe more 'glassy' and the Extrait's vibe more 'woody'. The Extrait has more of a wood backbone and is more refined and rounded; and obviously has better longevity too. At the end of the day it's personal preference on which version you prefer but my advice is pay the extra and reach for the Extrait. It's just better all round.

Tabac Man by Mäurer & Wirtz

I actually like this one! It smells like an expensive niche fragrance. Green, musky and woody with a notable violet note. Amazingly inexpensive and comes in a nice, solid bottle. The bottle cap is the best feature. More for the fall and winter months. Moderate longevity, projection and sillage. In the same ballpark as Drakkar Noir, Quorum, etc. I can't understand why so much negativity surrounds this fragrance, I find it unique and appealing. A hidden gem.

Noir by Adnan B.

Without a doubt the best part of Noir is the dry down of musk and woods. Its opening is nowhere near as successful as its ending but nevertheless it is decent. Noir does have a vague similarity to Aventus with its fruity opening but it should be accepted as its own fragrance instead of being viewed as an Aventus clone. The fruity opening of Noir is apple, bergamot and blackcurrant covered with pencil shavings wrapped up in a plastic shopping bag. It is synthetic but in a good way. The sweet bitter white apple note is the dominant of the three. Average longevity and sillage. For the price Noir is most certainly a gem of a fragrance, on some occasions it can smell more costly and luxurious than it actually is...

Green Irish Tweed by Creed

Not amazing, not terrible, not for me. Smells like Coolwater, has that aquatic vibe which doesn't agree with me. It's nothing special.

Milano Cento Him by Milano Cento

Beautiful fragrance at a bargain price. A solid performer too. I don't know why but on smelling the opening of MCH it teleports me back to the late 1980s at my hometown in the UK. I must have experienced its scent trail from passers-by. MCH was popular back then so it kind of makes sense why I remember the scent. So nice.

No. 89 by Floris

This is nice, different, a regal-type of fragrance. To my nose: rose, wood and a touch of soap powder. To use for special occasions in a suit and tie.

Colonia Club by Acqua di Parma

It's okay. I quite like the opening but thereafter I find it to have an unclean/cloying edge to it; like the lingering stale smell of Brut deodorant in a changing room at the public swimming baths. There's something a tad irritating about it.

Acqua di Parma Colonia by Acqua di Parma

Amazing fragrance, smells wonderful; old school and Hollywood. Reminds me of my grandad. Colonia is a dusty citrus scent. Longevity could be better but to be fair the product is an eau de cologne meaning it is weaker than eau de toilette and eau de parfum. I think it's worth it to invest in a bottle just to admire the scent alone.

The Dreamer by Versace

The Dreamer is a good fragrance, however nowadays I find it too sweet and sometimes cloying. A decent performer in projection and longevity. The scent takes me back to the nightclubs in the late 1990s; the smell of The Dreamer would be present in the atmosphere inside the club. I will wear this fragrance rarely as I do like it but it's too 1996-1999 nightclub vibe and I don't think that kind of scent works today. I'd say The Dreamer is for the collector who will spritz it occasionally to reminisce the old days.

Emperor by Parfums Vintage

More or less a spot on version of a smoky batch of Aventus - can hardly tell the difference! Very well blended. Emperor lasts around 16 hours...yesterday I applied it at 8 a.m. (opening: a bright pineapple blast) then at around midnight I was detecting intermittent whiffs of birch. During the day it retained a woody pineapple vibe, then in the final hours the birch note came in to play. This is the best alternative to Aventus, highly recommended!

Imbue by Parfums Vintage

A nice, well blended and calming fragrance. Not the best from the House of PV but decent to say the least. Imbue is something to wear on a Sunday afternoon when drinking tea and reading a book. Longevity is awesome at 8+ hours.

Kalan by Parfums de Marly

A very enjoyable scent with decent projection, sillage and longevity. I enjoy Kalan and Layton but my all time favourite is Herod; nothing beats it, one of the best fragrances I've ever put my nose on.

Vanilla Intense by Parfums Vintage

This is nice. The vanilla is the top player in this scent. Not my favourite out of the PV range but I could happily wear this for any occasion. It smells pleasant and it performs well for hours on end. Best to get a PV sample set first to try out which release fits best on your person.

King Intense by Parfums Vintage

It's nice. It has the Pineapple Vintage DNA but slightly more woody/smoky? Best to get a sample first to try out. It is a decent scent which performs boldly.

Emperor Extrait by Parfums Vintage

One of my favourites out of the entire PV range. Impressive with its beautiful pineapple scent, powerful projection, strong sillage and beastly longevity. Almost identical to Aventus in essence however Emperor Extrait seems to last much longer (2 sprays is suffice).

1725 Casanova by Histoires de Parfums

Midnight in Paris by Van Cleef & Arpels comes to mind although I prefer 1725 as its seems more natural/quality smelling. Quite dusty and old world but the Licorice note in this is nice.

Club de Nuit Intense for Men by Armaf

Really nice for the price and at a glance just like Aventus. This gets compliments - very good indeed.

Baccarat Rouge 540 by Maison Francis Kurkdjian

I am more on the side of like for Baccarat Rouge 540. I disagree with the hospital or dentist vibe which many have claimed, but I do agree with what others have said about the funfair aura this fragrance emits. When smelling Baccarat Rouge 540 I immediately think of the funfair: toffee apples and candy floss, surrounded by traditional Gypsy caravans immobile on the cobbled streets. I get the feeling of being outdoors on a cold evening encompassed by wood, stone and confectioneries: yes, the funfair!

Hacivat by Nishane

A very nice fragrance which smells awesome. I prefer this more than Aventus; Hacivat seems to be richer. More wood and powder to the senses. Luxurious.

Bergamote 22 by Le Labo

I like this, it is very well blended; nice, fresh and I adore the vetiver note. My only criticism is..it's overpriced!

Acqua di Giò Profumo by Giorgio Armani

I adore this fragrance, it always reminds me of winter and fir trees. Longevity is a beast - 48 hours! Amazing!!!

Voyage by Nautica

A nice and clean aquatic. For the price this is an absolute gem of a fragrance; so cheap and yet smells like a costly designer brand. Great stuff!

Wanted by Azzaro

A nice and light fragrance. Remindful of Denim by Fabergé, has elements of that to it but this one is slightly darker. Bottle design is excellent. A safe one to go for as all of its attributes are decent.

Spicebomb by Viktor & Rolf

Nice. Spicy, sweet and musky. The dry down reminds me of Tobacco Vanille.

Pineapple Vintage X Batch Intense by Parfums Vintage

This flanker is better than the former X Batch. I do like X Batch for its fresh scent however I feel it lacks longevity so I'd rather invest in the intense version which is stronger and achieves better longevity, sillage and projection. Also more notes are at play in this version - I really enjoy the opening which emanates a gorgeous blend of pineapple, blackcurrant and bergamot. The rest of this fragrant experience moves into floral territory with woody undertones here and there which loiter until the very end. X Batch Intense is one of the best I've tried in the entire Parfums Vintage range.

Pineapple Vintage X Batch by Parfums Vintage

A beautiful opening of an Aventus/Sauvage combo but unfortunately it doesn’t last on my skin. A few sprays and then 2 hours later it’s gone! Nice while it lasts though. I prefer the intense version.

Cedrat Boise by Mancera

A nice and clean fragrance; lemon with woody undertones. Not as smoky as Aventus, this is more geared towards fruits and woods. The opening is lemon, the mid is lemon supported by fruits, and the dry down is woody. The opening does have that fruity Aventus vibe but I think CB is different and remains its own fragrance from start to finish.

Rush of Unicorns by Parfums Vintage

Very well done. The opening reminds me somewhat of Fahrenheit maybe because of the Sandalwood, Bergamot and Lavender notes. There's a bit of gasoline going on at the start but all in all it's a fresh, clean and bold fragrance. I like it.

Pineapple Vintage Intense by Parfums Vintage

Very nice but not sure if I prefer this or Pineapple Vintage - I can't decide! Both are extremely good.