I had Valentino Uomo on my wish list for a long time. However, I never wanted to splurge on it since it is relatively pricey, and I wasn't quite sure when I would actually wear it.
Through Parfumo, I came across the supposed fragrance twin Zara 9.0, and I ordered it in a package with Zara 8.0. After all, it only costs 18€ for 2x100ml, so you can't go wrong there. The bottles made of matte glass are labeled with the fragrance notes and look quite charming. I quickly set 8.0 aside and gave myself a spritz of 9.0 on my arm.
The opening almost startled me; it is so similar to VU. Even though you know that 9.0 is a dupe, it still surprises you how closely the scents match. The iris develops just as beautifully as in VU, and only after about an hour do you notice the first differences from the big brother. It simply lacks some of the sweet, vanilla creaminess and the slight coffee note of VU. Valentino just has the more refined scent in the long run.
I find the scent cloud similar to VU, but the longevity is noticeably less. For me, the fun ends after about 5 hours, while the original lasts twice as long.
Still, I can personally overlook the minor shortcomings when I look at the price.
Conclusion: Absolutely good clone, absolutely great DNA, absolutely recommendable.
