Black pepper
Cedarwood
Frankincense
Iris
Sandalwood
MrHonest
118 Reviews
MrHonest
2
Budget elegance. 'Nuff said.
I vacillated on purchasing this fragrance for such a long time. Perhaps 2 full years. With so few from the brand garning strong ratings and only being familiar with oudVanille myself, it just wasn't interesting enough to warrant the meager, and potentially redundant investment. But you know how it is. An idle nose is an addict's paradise. lol So yeah, I gave it a shot and wow was I not disappointed.
First off, it's a very simple fragrance, just like Bois d'Argent. Essentially, it's a woody irisy vanilla in the ballpark of something like Liam Grey from Lattafa minus the fruity cola-esque fig and cardamom. Give it a makeup bag vibe and you've pretty much got it. But that's what really gives it its elegant touch. Nothing is overdone, or stands out, and the sweetness is perfectly balanced. And despite it not quite having the richness of the Dior, I'll be a monkey's uncle if it doesn't get darn close in the sillage. Didn't have an opportunity to create any lasting memories with Bois d'Argent the few times that I got to wear it, but I was surprised at how quickly my mind went to the Prive line when smelling Excellence. It really does have that nostalgic French perfumery kind of vibe, with only a marginal cut in quality. Plus it's rather linear, with little development apart from the slow fade of the iris. Longevity is quite good for something so cheap and projection is modest, which is exactly how I like my elegant fragrances.
However, perhaps the most peculiar thing about the scent is that despite its obvious simplicity, there's an ineffable sexiness to it that kind of caught me off guard. Maybe it has something to do with my subconscious feminine associations with iris or the Prive line that includes the rosy Ambre Nuit and uber sweet Feve Delicieuse; but I couldn't help but notice that it made me feel something. And honest to goodness that doesn't happen often. In a way, Excellence could even be the younger cousin of something like Dior's original Homme, only far less heavy handed on the irones. Needless to say, I was quite chuffed with the fragrance right from the beginning.
Of course, besides the fact that it's a clear rendition of an already existing fragrance, the main drawback is that some would likely find it too simple, potentially boring. And it's true, it certainly isn't a complex formula. Then again, the fact that it subtley strays into the your-skin-but-better territory isn't a bad thing when you're going for elegance, which is often more appealing when understated. Moreover, I can't detect a single prickly or irritating woody amber in the base - something that the vast majority of middle eastern (ME) dupes simply cannot boast. And therein lies a critical difference. Whereas many ME's rely heavily on woody ambers to bolster their performance, Excellence lasts just as long, only without the lingering syntheticness or delayed headache. Oh it's a synthetic fragrance alright, but it's smooth, almost calming and certainly alluring. And for dirt cheap? Forget about it.
I suppose the only other thing I didn't like is that the atomizer had suffered a small leak in transit. Whether it was because the bottle was upside down for a period of time or because the built-in atomizer had somehow been slightly compressed (or both), there was some liquid around the plastic top that required wiping. Fortunately the leak wasn't around the collar so it seems to have come from the nozzle, and didn't recur when depressed normally. Sprays are what you could expect from such a mechanism and aperture - namely, that it's not pressurized, but does shoot out a generous dose. I even kinda like the look. Like the head and shoulders of a cyclopean robot.
Overall, I'd consider Excellence a surprising win, worthy of muttered approval from C. Montgomery Burns himself. In fact, if you've never tried any from the Dior Prive line, I can't think of a better gateway fragrance, especially because of the value. For something so inexpensive, it's well blended, exceedingly versatile, perfectly unisex, and even lasts well over 6 hours on a cool autumn day. Mind, it can easily be worn year-round, but I personally find it more appealing when worn in the cooler months and evenings. Nothing to do now but spray on some more and get on with it. If...you get my meaning. ;) Sexy stuff.
Update: After a week of wear in colder conditions, suddenly a pencil-shaving cedar becomes incredibly prominent in the mid, similar to the way it did in Lalique's Pour Homme edp. The vanilla has also taken on a quasi-boozy quality, so I can completely understand the comparisons with Club Black, or perhaps even Oud Black Vanilla Absolute from Perry Ellis. Still love the effect, and the atomizer continues to perform admirably, without leaking.
First off, it's a very simple fragrance, just like Bois d'Argent. Essentially, it's a woody irisy vanilla in the ballpark of something like Liam Grey from Lattafa minus the fruity cola-esque fig and cardamom. Give it a makeup bag vibe and you've pretty much got it. But that's what really gives it its elegant touch. Nothing is overdone, or stands out, and the sweetness is perfectly balanced. And despite it not quite having the richness of the Dior, I'll be a monkey's uncle if it doesn't get darn close in the sillage. Didn't have an opportunity to create any lasting memories with Bois d'Argent the few times that I got to wear it, but I was surprised at how quickly my mind went to the Prive line when smelling Excellence. It really does have that nostalgic French perfumery kind of vibe, with only a marginal cut in quality. Plus it's rather linear, with little development apart from the slow fade of the iris. Longevity is quite good for something so cheap and projection is modest, which is exactly how I like my elegant fragrances.
However, perhaps the most peculiar thing about the scent is that despite its obvious simplicity, there's an ineffable sexiness to it that kind of caught me off guard. Maybe it has something to do with my subconscious feminine associations with iris or the Prive line that includes the rosy Ambre Nuit and uber sweet Feve Delicieuse; but I couldn't help but notice that it made me feel something. And honest to goodness that doesn't happen often. In a way, Excellence could even be the younger cousin of something like Dior's original Homme, only far less heavy handed on the irones. Needless to say, I was quite chuffed with the fragrance right from the beginning.
Of course, besides the fact that it's a clear rendition of an already existing fragrance, the main drawback is that some would likely find it too simple, potentially boring. And it's true, it certainly isn't a complex formula. Then again, the fact that it subtley strays into the your-skin-but-better territory isn't a bad thing when you're going for elegance, which is often more appealing when understated. Moreover, I can't detect a single prickly or irritating woody amber in the base - something that the vast majority of middle eastern (ME) dupes simply cannot boast. And therein lies a critical difference. Whereas many ME's rely heavily on woody ambers to bolster their performance, Excellence lasts just as long, only without the lingering syntheticness or delayed headache. Oh it's a synthetic fragrance alright, but it's smooth, almost calming and certainly alluring. And for dirt cheap? Forget about it.
I suppose the only other thing I didn't like is that the atomizer had suffered a small leak in transit. Whether it was because the bottle was upside down for a period of time or because the built-in atomizer had somehow been slightly compressed (or both), there was some liquid around the plastic top that required wiping. Fortunately the leak wasn't around the collar so it seems to have come from the nozzle, and didn't recur when depressed normally. Sprays are what you could expect from such a mechanism and aperture - namely, that it's not pressurized, but does shoot out a generous dose. I even kinda like the look. Like the head and shoulders of a cyclopean robot.
Overall, I'd consider Excellence a surprising win, worthy of muttered approval from C. Montgomery Burns himself. In fact, if you've never tried any from the Dior Prive line, I can't think of a better gateway fragrance, especially because of the value. For something so inexpensive, it's well blended, exceedingly versatile, perfectly unisex, and even lasts well over 6 hours on a cool autumn day. Mind, it can easily be worn year-round, but I personally find it more appealing when worn in the cooler months and evenings. Nothing to do now but spray on some more and get on with it. If...you get my meaning. ;) Sexy stuff.
Update: After a week of wear in colder conditions, suddenly a pencil-shaving cedar becomes incredibly prominent in the mid, similar to the way it did in Lalique's Pour Homme edp. The vanilla has also taken on a quasi-boozy quality, so I can completely understand the comparisons with Club Black, or perhaps even Oud Black Vanilla Absolute from Perry Ellis. Still love the effect, and the atomizer continues to perform admirably, without leaking.
Updated on 10/10/2025
Fabio01
Nqobie0303
Khong
