Macguffin
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Infinite Synthetic
After testing the entire VIP line (my thanks go to DonVanVliet!), I dedicate my second comment to what I believe is the second-best fragrance in the series: Infinite Spicy. In fact, it even has the potential to be the most interesting and thus the best of the five, but more on that later.
IS starts off quite peppery, tickling the nose right away. I don't perceive much of the other spices. I might have guessed incense - but that’s not supposed to be in there. The opening is overall cool-spicy and promises an interesting scent.
As it develops, the peppery spice recedes a bit, and the fragrance becomes tamer and more balanced. However, it never loses its sharpness.
On the way to the base note, there’s a lovely transition to a very cuddly, almost sweet scent: I would have guessed sandalwood - but that’s also not supposed to be in there. Perhaps the listed teak and cashmere woods create the same effect. The base is certainly a very pleasant surprise and allows IS to finish quite differently than it began. I rate this progression as extremely positive!
The longevity is decent at around 6 hours.
So why does IS only come in second place (in my ranking) behind the pleasing "Addictive Oriental"? Well, that’s because the spicy opening comes off as somewhat synthetic and can be a bit scratchy at times. One to two hours after spraying, it was occasionally a bit too penetrating for me and annoyed me.
Otherwise, IS is probably the fragrance of the VIP line that changes the most and takes the most risks - and yet unfortunately does not quite win. Therefore, it gets 60%.
IS starts off quite peppery, tickling the nose right away. I don't perceive much of the other spices. I might have guessed incense - but that’s not supposed to be in there. The opening is overall cool-spicy and promises an interesting scent.
As it develops, the peppery spice recedes a bit, and the fragrance becomes tamer and more balanced. However, it never loses its sharpness.
On the way to the base note, there’s a lovely transition to a very cuddly, almost sweet scent: I would have guessed sandalwood - but that’s also not supposed to be in there. Perhaps the listed teak and cashmere woods create the same effect. The base is certainly a very pleasant surprise and allows IS to finish quite differently than it began. I rate this progression as extremely positive!
The longevity is decent at around 6 hours.
So why does IS only come in second place (in my ranking) behind the pleasing "Addictive Oriental"? Well, that’s because the spicy opening comes off as somewhat synthetic and can be a bit scratchy at times. One to two hours after spraying, it was occasionally a bit too penetrating for me and annoyed me.
Otherwise, IS is probably the fragrance of the VIP line that changes the most and takes the most risks - and yet unfortunately does not quite win. Therefore, it gets 60%.
Macguffin 10 years ago
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VIPs Like Marzipan
Thanks to the giveaway from DonVanVliet, I had the opportunity to test the new perfumes from the VIP Club series by Mercedes Benz. So, I’ll repay that here with a comment on the scent that I liked best from the line: Addictive Oriental.
In the top note, AO starts with a slightly fruity-spicy note (mint seems to fit, but I don’t smell lemon), but then quickly gets to the point, i.e., the heart and base notes: Amaretto was already mentioned here, and every time I spray AO, I think of marzipan. Quickly joining are the sweetness of tonka bean and the lightness of lavender. This results in an overall sweet, somewhat cloying scent. However, the lavender prevents you from being overwhelmed by the sweet almond aroma.
With the addition of woody notes, the classification as a men’s fragrance is also appropriate.
On the other hand, I find the prefix "VIP Club" simply unnecessary, and the name "Addictive Oriental" is certainly a bit of a stretch, as it is a rather straightforward scent whose concept reminds me of Esprit's "Horizon Man." I would rather replace "addictive" with "agreeable" - and I don’t mean that negatively - and classify AO as a suitable everyday fragrance for men between 20 and 40.
The longevity is not bad for me at 6-7 hours.
Overall, I would actually give it 65%, but since that’s not possible, I’ll round up to 70% generously.
In the top note, AO starts with a slightly fruity-spicy note (mint seems to fit, but I don’t smell lemon), but then quickly gets to the point, i.e., the heart and base notes: Amaretto was already mentioned here, and every time I spray AO, I think of marzipan. Quickly joining are the sweetness of tonka bean and the lightness of lavender. This results in an overall sweet, somewhat cloying scent. However, the lavender prevents you from being overwhelmed by the sweet almond aroma.
With the addition of woody notes, the classification as a men’s fragrance is also appropriate.
On the other hand, I find the prefix "VIP Club" simply unnecessary, and the name "Addictive Oriental" is certainly a bit of a stretch, as it is a rather straightforward scent whose concept reminds me of Esprit's "Horizon Man." I would rather replace "addictive" with "agreeable" - and I don’t mean that negatively - and classify AO as a suitable everyday fragrance for men between 20 and 40.
The longevity is not bad for me at 6-7 hours.
Overall, I would actually give it 65%, but since that’s not possible, I’ll round up to 70% generously.
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Bet Lost
Rarely do I perceive individual notes in a fragrance as distinctly as I do with Bois du Portugal. Therefore, I was all the more disappointed when I compared my impressions with the fragrance pyramid listed here...
When I tested the fragrance today, I could have bet that it contains mainly pepper, clove, cinnamon, and a bit of vanilla.
In my nose, the fragrance starts off slightly citrusy-bitter and quickly transitions to the aforementioned notes. In the foreground are dry, spicy-peppery notes. As it develops, a light sweetness (a mix of vanilla and caramel) joins in, but it always remains far in the background, merely rounding off the fragrance and making it more versatile.
Overall, the fragrance strongly reminds me of a jar of Christmas spices. It really only lacks the red wine to make a punch...
Why I find no matches with the fragrance pyramid is a mystery to me. The vetiver with its cold, smoky-spicy note is the only one I could still suspect. Wood, on the other hand, is only present in the name, not in (my) fragrance. Whether this speaks against my nose or for a very refined fragrance, I leave open.
Bois du Portugal is well made in any case: it is spicy-masculine, but not a scent from the macho/old man category. It is Christmas-like, but not sticky-sweet. It is modern, but not monotonous.
In conclusion, I can recommend that everyone not just take a look at the fragrance pyramid for this scent, but to test it and be surprised.
When I tested the fragrance today, I could have bet that it contains mainly pepper, clove, cinnamon, and a bit of vanilla.
In my nose, the fragrance starts off slightly citrusy-bitter and quickly transitions to the aforementioned notes. In the foreground are dry, spicy-peppery notes. As it develops, a light sweetness (a mix of vanilla and caramel) joins in, but it always remains far in the background, merely rounding off the fragrance and making it more versatile.
Overall, the fragrance strongly reminds me of a jar of Christmas spices. It really only lacks the red wine to make a punch...
Why I find no matches with the fragrance pyramid is a mystery to me. The vetiver with its cold, smoky-spicy note is the only one I could still suspect. Wood, on the other hand, is only present in the name, not in (my) fragrance. Whether this speaks against my nose or for a very refined fragrance, I leave open.
Bois du Portugal is well made in any case: it is spicy-masculine, but not a scent from the macho/old man category. It is Christmas-like, but not sticky-sweet. It is modern, but not monotonous.
In conclusion, I can recommend that everyone not just take a look at the fragrance pyramid for this scent, but to test it and be surprised.
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