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This is a joint review of the last five Stronger With You flankers (2020-2024). Cécile Matton keeps getting better at composing flankers that aren't only enjoyable and mass-appealing, but also have enough character to strike my fancy. Not every scent must pose a challenge; sometimes I want to wear a simple gourmand.

What are the characteristics of the line? Other than sweet and creamy vanilla in the base, Cécile often uses elemi, lavender and chestnut. Elemi and lavender provide spicy airiness, elevating the scent and balancing the sweetness. Chestnut complements vanilla, bringing earthy nutiness, which is arguably the most appealing aspect.

A quick scent rating before we begin:
6.5/10 Emporio Armani - Stronger With You Tobacco
6.5/10 Emporio Armani - Stronger With You Absolutely
6/10 Emporio Armani - Stronger With You Amber
6/10 Emporio Armani - Stronger With You Leather
5.5/10 Emporio Armani - Stronger With You Oud

The performance is similar across the board - you can expect at least 8 hours on skin with moderate to soft projection.

2024 - Emporio Armani - Stronger With You Tobacco
Scent: 6.5/10
Longevity: 8/10

It's no surprise that the most complex release is my favorite one. Vanilla is accompanied by a more resinous base, making it a bit aromatic. The opening is spicy, which is a proper treat for my spoiled brat of a nose. Then there's also the earthiness of chestnut.

Tobacco and pimento are the real stars of the show. I can pick up the peppery spiciness of pimento, as red as the bottle. What's even better, tobacco actually has some development here, which is unusual for a designer. It starts out green and slightly bitter, almost leaf-like, then dries down to the cherry pipe tobacco we all know and love.

I'm surprised by the quality and creativity of the scent. Where Herod is more polished, Emporio Armani - Stronger With You Tobacco is more playful. There's an argument to owning both if you like tobacco perfumes. The former for going out and special occasions, the latter for casual daily wear.

2023 - Emporio Armani - Stronger With You Amber
Scent: 6/10
Longevity: 8/10

While nowhere as complex as the tobacco flanker, the quality of this blend is phenomenal. It's mixed so well that I have to say there are no rough edges. I prefer multifaceted scents, but I can't deny that there's beauty in simplicity.

Using lavender as a top note gives it more of a fresh twist. It's greener and powdery, which goes well with a resinous heart and creamy sweetness in the drydown. It lacks imagination for my taste, but look no further if you want something sweet and high quality.

2022 - Emporio Armani - Stronger With You Oud
Scent: 5.5/10
Longevity: 8/10

My least favorite from the line, but that's my subjective opinion. The agarwood accord used in here has a medicinal smell. In my head, I associate it with Lattafa clones and poor quality, which doesn't apply here at all.

It's surprisingly pleasant, but sadly, I can't help it - I dislike medicinal oud. If you don't mind the distinctive smell, this could be a good flanker for you. It has a woody base, which works well with creamy vanilla. Unfortunately, it might be difficult to find.

2021 - Emporio Armani - Stronger With You Absolutely
Scent: 6.5/10
Longevity: 9/10

The problem child of the line. Cécile had the right idea; bergamot to elevate a rum note in the opening, davana and lavender in the middle to introduce green notes so that chestnut and vanilla don't become too unbearable.

Well, the plan has failed successfully. This will obliterate your nostrils in a glorious fashion. It's incredibly boozy and sweet. I've been wearing it for years and I still tend to wait for the freezing temperatures before pulling this one out.

As if it wasn't strong enough, it has cedarwood and patchouli in the base, making it stick to your skin like glue. If you're a masochist who enjoys boozy gourmands, this is your remedy. Masculine leaning, because it's loud and unapologetic.

2020 Emporio Armani - Stronger With You Leather
Scent: 6/10
Longevity: 8.5/10

Gorgeous, but too one-dimensional for my personal taste. There's spiciness at the top, but the lavender fades away quickly, then it's creamy sweetness of chestnut and vanilla for the rest of the wear. It's comforting and unisex, so there's that.

It's not too leathery - think of the leather note as a creamy, supporting base for the vanilla. With some woodiness in the mix, this flanker might be worth the chase if you like creamier gourmands but can't stomach medicinal oud.

Overture Man is the sexiest perfume I own. While the scent itself is a bit challenging, it's also nuanced and everchanging. Karine Vinchon-Spehner created a coherent masterpiece, where each facet is presented at the right time.

Saffron, cardamom and nutmeg - the opening reminds me of walking through a spice bazaar. However, it doesn't take long for cumin to take over. Combined with grapefruit and animalic undertones, you get an inexplicably pleasant sweaty smell.

As the spicy maelstrom settles, an intoxicating cognac note enters the stage. It mixes with the sweatiness, staying present throughout the wearing experience. This half-boozy, half-sweaty symphony is the bread and butter of Overture Man.

Frankincense is distinctive enough to provide the Amouage appeal, but it doesn't overpower. Overture Man isn't all about spices, cognac and smoke; there's plenty of sweetness from the mix of smooth, vanillic benzoin, honey-like myrrh and cinnamon.

Eventually, sandalwood comes into play, complemented by labdanum. I get some earthiness, presumably from patchouli. This results in a woody, slightly musty, leathery and creamy base, where balsams manage to tame sweat and booze.

Performance is remarkable. I get 12 hours of longevity, but the creamy animalic notes stick to my skin for much longer. The projection is also great; I usually get 4 hours of a glorious boozy and resinous cloud that turns heads.

I can't call this scent the king of tobacco; it's the queen of licorice. G used to be a bit smokier, presumably due to higher concentrations of incense and tobacco. I've tried H batch and well, let's just say it's a different beast.

Current formulation dials down frankincense, allowing the prominent spices like anise and fenugreek to take over and blend with sugary licorice. After a while, I start getting whiffs of tobacco and the sillage is green, spicy and a bit herbal. However, the scent profile is quickly dominated by the sweet licorice.

Thankfully, the drydown stays true to Amouage's origins. I get some woodiness, honey-like myrrh and a creamy, vanillic undertone of benzoin. There's a smooth, smoky and leathery nuance, I'm assuming that's birch tar and labdanum at play.

While tobacco slowly disappears throughout the drydown, licorice is amped up to the point where it lasts forever, making Royal Tobacco mass-appealing. Performance is still amazing! Usually, I get at least 10 hours on skin and 4 hours of loud projection.

So, if you're expecting a tobacco-based scent, you'll be disappointed. To experience Cécile's award-winning blend, look for G batch. The current version is about anise and licorice, with resins and tobacco playing supporting roles. It's OK, but doesn't live up to its name.

While some perfumes can make me feel confident and put-together, Herod literally fills me with happiness. It's a cozy and inviting fragrance that still has a masculine character due to some spiciness and a mild tobacco note.

You have to like your sweet stuff to enjoy Herod. The opening is cinnamon-heavy and the drydown is dominated by vanilla, so this scent is as gourmand as it gets. The tobacco note isn't green or pungent, but quite dry and a bit smoky. Needless to say, the transition from cinnamon to the warm, cherry-like pipe tobacco is divine.

Cistus and osmanthus blend with vanilla, creating a creamy, slightly leathery impression. This is underlined by a woody base of cedar and Iso E Super along with earthy patchouli. Olivier Pescheux (R.I.P.) got the balance just right; the scent profile is incredibly pleasant.

Herod lasts for 8 hours on my skin and the projection is decent. I'm surrounded by a sexy scent bubble during the first half of the wear, so 3-4 hours. Is that good enough given the PdM price tag? Considering I would generally wear this during the holidays and for family gatherings, I can't honestly say I need it to last any longer.

Forget about commercially safe vetivers from Guerlain, Hermès or Tom Ford. This is vetiver in its full natural glory. Aromatic, earthy and dirty, with an opening that can be challenging if you aren't used to overly green nuances.

It should be noted that Sultan Vetiver is blended perfectly; even an untrained nose can pick up the multitude of vetiver notes. Jorge Lee shows you the plant's life cycle; starting out green and pungent when the plant is still young, eventually ending with dry and woody vetiver.

Opening takes you to a grassfield. It's springtime, it rained recently. Imagine green, aromatic and wet notes. It can be overbearing, especially when you add pepper to the mix. Bergamot adds some bitter freshness and when it comes to absinth, I mostly pick up anise and maybe fennel, so it actually reminds me of ouzo.

As the fragrance develops and starts drying down, so does the vetiver. Think of a dry field with wheels of hay. It becomes earthier and woody with a dusty quality. Eventally, a creamy leather grounds the scent. Performance is good, I get 8 hours on skin with moderate projection.