HerakObama

I honestly thought this was going to suck. Boy, was I flat out WRONG. The initial opening is 90% Smoking Hot, but the cloyingly sweet, resinous vibe subsides after five minutes and settles into a strong, well rounded but not overpowering scent that's roughly 75% Smoking Hot and 25% Absolu Aventus. The ratio of Smoking Hot to Absolu Aventus is almost perfect - it could use a bit more Absolu Aventus (perhaps an adjusted ratio of 70:30 Smoking Hot to Absolu Aventus).

All in, I'd give this an 8.5/10. For $60, this is an absolute score.

Opens very alcohol-forward and rough around the edges, just like "To My Father" (which is absolutely not unisex). This is a sharp punch in the nose that quickly fades. Very forgettable overall. The one thing I've found that drastically improves the scent is by layering with Clive Christian's 1872 for Men (also a mediocre fragrance on it's own). Funny how two wildly mediocre fragrances can layer to yield something so solid. Without layering: 5/10; layered with 1872: 7/10.

Very bright, sparkling, vibrant opening note that's truly amazing. Alas, this note lasts for maybe 20 seconds, then it just turns to an "old folks' rose garden" note. A few minutes later, the rose mellows out a bit and the fragrance becomes more balanced. That said, I have no clue how the Bow Tie Fragrance Guy and others think this leans masculine. 6/10 overall. If they could sustain that opening note and have it linger more in the dry down, it would be a 9+.

Perhaps my nose is broken; perhaps my sense of smell is compromised by this thick Miami humidity - not sure. All I know is I had such high hopes when that opening note hit, and then....I got hit in the face with a rose bouquet from Publix.

Robust, masculine scent that gets cloyingly sweet/spicy and can totally overwhelm a room if you're not careful. This is one of those scents with an appeal rating that directly correlates to the amount you apply: it smells great in moderation but quickly takes an "appeal nosedive" if you overdo it.

I recommend this for use in chilly to cold weather and when attending an event at a moderately large indoor and/or outdoor venue. Don't be that guy who applies ten sprays and then walks into a close-quarters Manhattan wine bar that only seats a dozen people. Stick to 2-3 sprays tops - don't be a psycho like that Youtuber, CurlyFragrance, and apply 15-20 sprays. "Less is more" is the adage to live by with this fragrance.

Purchased this cologne and thought it was fairly decent, albeit a bit overly sweet. Then one day I purchased some woody air freshers for my apartment (for $12.99) that smelled 100% identical. This made me really question the overall quality of the ingredients used in this fragrance. I'm guessing that Wood Infusion is almost entirely synthetic.