Emporio Armani - Stronger With You Spices Giorgio Armani 2026

SWY Spices is a refined, quite subtle fragrance that lends itself well to the office or casual settings but is best suited for a date night or job interview. I get more of the leather and the vanillic notes than the spices and it is not very dissimilar to SWY Intensely which has been my favourite of the line for some time. I like my fragrances to be a bit deeper and richer and I suppose SWY Spices is my equivalent of a blue daily reach freshie: a fresh, easy, very versatile reach for someone who loves spices, leather, oud, saffron, amber and all that good stuff.

I've always thought the SWY series were (very deliberately) at their best in the drydown when they become skin scents as the notes are really appealing at that point. The vanillic accords stop just short of pushing this in a feminine or sweet direction and the leather and cloves hold up nicely in the background, especially the chestnut accord which I really enjoy, that grows in prominence a lot in the drydown from near invisibility in the opening.

When I first bought it the performance was somewhat underwhelming but six weeks or so of maturation in the bottle really sharpened things up. Even so, if you are expecting a projection monster with clouds of redolent spices and evocative wafts emanating off you for hours on end, then this is probably going to disappoint you. I think this is a good example of using the right fragrance for the right thing: "horses for courses" as we say in the UK. You have Xerjoffs, Crivellis, LVs and the rest for times when you want something a bit more assertive. SWY Spices is a sexier, more intimate wear than most from these houses. My partner loves this on me in a way she never, ever says about my small army of powerhouse Xerjoffs, Crivellis, LVs and so on. Do with that oblique recommendation what you will.

Three Word Summary - Horses For Courses

Layering combination - try a base layer of Ombre Leather by Tom Ford.

Outfit suggestion - fitted tan trousers with no taper, brown suede belt from Loewe, white or beige vest, bigger fit short sleeved silk or textured shirt in brown or olive green unbuttoned to the chest, brown suede loafers, no socks. Gold rimmed retro sunglasses from Jacques Marie Mage. Tudor Black Bay Bronze Heritage on the wrist, on an aged brown leather strap. Brown leather Loewe Pebble messenger bag. Accessories in brown wood with bronze detail.

Scent - 7/10
Drydown - 9/10
Sillage - 6/10
Bottle/packaging - 6/10
Performance - 6/10

34/50

SWY Spices is still recognizable as a member of its lineage, with the characteristic bourbon vanilla still playing a leading role. However, it's a darker, more smoky and dirty version of the DNA. Despite the name, I wouldn't call it spicier than the others. The pepper creates a sort of haze or veil that covers the others ingredients. There's also something slightly resinous in this composition, which isn't listed among the notes. It reminds me, vaguely, of Amouage's Epic Man, if it was massively more subdued and tame.

Compared to the other SWY flankers, Spices is less sweet and doesn't have any boozy elements.
It doesn't really leave a strong impression on me. It's maybe a bit more fit for a mature person than the other flankers in the line.

Somehow greenish, but despite interesting spices, not groundbreaking. It has something autumnal, reminiscent of fresh, dry leaves. Still slightly woody, but it’s more the remaining tree stumps that you smell. Now and then, the spice cabinet breaks through - aside from the pepper, there are several other spices in there that are difficult (for me) to identify individually.

Still a nice (and somewhat successful) flanker:
- not quite as fresh and woody as Intensely (but close)
- not quite as musty as Parfum (although slightly bitter)
- not quite as fresh as Eau de Toilette (though a bit green)

For me, it’s neither an office scent nor a going-out scent. Maybe more suitable for a conference or a company outing, where you want to show that you are wearing perfume, but ultimately don’t want to attract anyone with it. Well executed, and the longevity and sillage are okay, but it sits somewhere in between and doesn’t quite know where it wants to go.