Vintage John Varvatos 2006

I don't care what anybody says, this stuff is NOT Burberry London LoL. And let's be real - if you buy a Varvatos frag, you're also buying a travel atomiser. 'Nuff said. That's just how we keep the good times rollin'.

And guys, Vintage is one hell of a good time, let me tell you. If you're a cowboy, this is your scent. If you're on the prowl for cougars in the nether-regions of a desert town, this is you. Mexican? Well...let's not stereotype...

But if you've ever seen a John Wayne movie, everyone in there is wearing Vintage. Just look at the note pyramid and you'll notice that it shares 5 prominent notes with Ralph Lauren's Polo - tobacco, leather, patchouli, juniper berry and some kind of pine. So can you blame it for smelling so similar in the drydown? Sure you can! But to me, it's actually a tad smoother and more well-rounded - easier on the nose. That's why I like to think of this as Polo's little brother. And I just love it. It's basically 90s masculinity in a bottle.

So if you're a fan of the original Polo formulation, but found it a little too sharp, you'll find something in here for you at like half the cost. Well, plus the atomizer. Let's not kid ourselves...

John Varvatos always produces a good men’s fragrance. This is my 4th JV and you get quality for less $$ This is a great cologne for many reasons, natural smelling, no harsh opening, great bottle design, and is fairly versatile I’m thinking summer evening or controlled climate is fine. This is definitely a more mature man’s cologne but not over the top barber shop, but a little in a good way. Blind buy? Yes if you are 40+ performance is above average and it’s not an over the top beast. I get a whole days wear with it and people notice and comment.

I think I like Vintage just that little bit more than John Varvatos for Men. Tobacco and lavender, when blended harmoniously with one another, can potentially make me swoon. I love the sexy and spicy feel of Vintage.

It's quite a daring and complex blend. Sometimes it smells spicy, other times it smells earthy, and then there are moments when it strikes me as being quite sweet.

It opens with a rich, heady blend of pepper, lavender, cinnamon, basil and rhubarb. Vintage has some crazy-cool top notes, preparing us for what will eventually follow. Throughout the scent development, Vintage deepens into an earthy and woodsy blend of suede, raw tobacco, balsam fir and patchouli.

Vintage is a super masculine fragrance. I might be wrong, but I feel as if this scent is intentionally geared towards mature men. I don't mean grandfathers, I mean the modern day, sophisticated man, with a good job and a level head. The entire masculine range from John Varvatos smells really classy to my nose.

The only thing I didn't like about Vintage, was the drydown's tendency to become a little stale and musty. It's only at the end of the day that it begins to smell like this, so I suppose all it calls for is a shower and a re-application to enjoy the top and heart notes all over again.

Original review written: April 2013.

My review is based on a sample. I usually start out by spraying a new fragrance on paper but will not make a determination until I spray the perfume on myself. However, with Vintage, I made an exception to this rule. On paper, Vintage came across as way too sweet with a subtle fruit scent. I would never spray this on myself. This is a unisex fragrance at best. I had to write this one off and will definitely NOT be getting a full bottle.

I've been collecting for going on 4 years now & as the title says, this was what started my journey. I'd had fragrances my entire life, but after my cat who I adopted at the age of 3 passed away 9 years after gracing my life, I needed something special that I could foster and watch grow.
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Upon smelling John Varvatos' Vintage for the first time, and every time since, I was (and still am) overcome by such a beautiful scent, unlike anything else I'd ever smelled. Rich, luxurious, mature & masculine without any of the potential negative connotations that can be attached to such words. To my nose, it comes off somewhat sweet but far from edible. It evokes class, a certain calmness that imo only comes with age. Nothing about Vintage screams, it carries with itself a serenity that I don't think I've ever smelled in perfumery since.

And yes, people tend to complain about the longevity. I tend to get 6-7 hours from it which is all I would expect from an EDT. And honestly, I don't know if I'd ever want or need it to exceed that. I truly feel it would lose a lot of it's charm if it was beast mode.