Maulwurf84
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Very British
The following comment applies to the aftershave, not the EDC.
Apicius has already described the scent very well, so I can't add much more. In fact, TOBS Sandalwood is not a pure sandalwood scent, like Gucci Rush or Diptyque Tam Dao. Rather, it is a floral-spicy fragrance with woody accents and a distinct oriental touch. Smelling the bottle immediately reminds one of incense sticks or the scent of shops that sell incense sticks. The floral notes ensure that the fragrance does not go in the medically-dry direction typical of sandalwood. In the drydown, the scent loses some of its subtle sweetness; I can clearly perceive a well-crafted, not overly bitter leather note. TOBS Sandalwood is quite an old-fashioned fragrance, but in a very endearing way. This is probably how British gentlemen stationed in India during the colonial era smelled.
Conclusion:
Sandalwood is a rather lush, Indian-oriental fragrance, quite heavy and spicy, very old school and very elegant. I recommend it for the winter season. As much as I like the scent, I will not buy it again. Sandalwood is excellently composed, but certainly not the right fragrance for a man of my age (26), even though I appreciate and enjoy wearing more mature scents like Gucci Pour Homme and Rive Gauche. It is probably more suited for the 40+ generation. Although old-fashioned, Sandalwood possesses an extremely classic and timeless quality and is still quite wearable these days, given the right age. The longevity of the aftershave is excellent (~ 9h), the projection is quite noticeable but not overpowering.
Of all the classic brands that produce shaving products (D.R. Harris, Crabtree & Evelyn; Trumper's), Taylor's interpretation of sandalwood has impressed me the most.
Apicius has already described the scent very well, so I can't add much more. In fact, TOBS Sandalwood is not a pure sandalwood scent, like Gucci Rush or Diptyque Tam Dao. Rather, it is a floral-spicy fragrance with woody accents and a distinct oriental touch. Smelling the bottle immediately reminds one of incense sticks or the scent of shops that sell incense sticks. The floral notes ensure that the fragrance does not go in the medically-dry direction typical of sandalwood. In the drydown, the scent loses some of its subtle sweetness; I can clearly perceive a well-crafted, not overly bitter leather note. TOBS Sandalwood is quite an old-fashioned fragrance, but in a very endearing way. This is probably how British gentlemen stationed in India during the colonial era smelled.
Conclusion:
Sandalwood is a rather lush, Indian-oriental fragrance, quite heavy and spicy, very old school and very elegant. I recommend it for the winter season. As much as I like the scent, I will not buy it again. Sandalwood is excellently composed, but certainly not the right fragrance for a man of my age (26), even though I appreciate and enjoy wearing more mature scents like Gucci Pour Homme and Rive Gauche. It is probably more suited for the 40+ generation. Although old-fashioned, Sandalwood possesses an extremely classic and timeless quality and is still quite wearable these days, given the right age. The longevity of the aftershave is excellent (~ 9h), the projection is quite noticeable but not overpowering.
Of all the classic brands that produce shaving products (D.R. Harris, Crabtree & Evelyn; Trumper's), Taylor's interpretation of sandalwood has impressed me the most.
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Oriental Dream
Price: Abnormally high
30ml travel spray for €90; 50ml bottle for €175; however, the refills are significantly cheaper.
Season: More suitable for colder days, but also wearable on cooler summer nights
Age: Not necessarily for teenagers, but suitable for both younger and older wearers
Occasion: Despite the unisex declaration, for me it is more of a men’s fragrance. CI is very elegant and smells really high-quality. For me, it’s a scent for going out or for special occasions. It’s also okay for everyday wear, but almost too good for that.
Intensity: very high. The scent lasts a long time, and the projection is quite decent. If you don’t overdo it with the application, you will be enveloped by a subtle, oriental cloud all day long. 2 sprays are enough; otherwise, it becomes too much.
Scent:
CI is quite simple and linear, but still hard to describe: I don’t smell anything from the bergamot in the top note. Instead, it starts right away with the typical oud scent: bittersweet, creamy, slightly medicinal. Later, a very subtle rose comes in, but this does not make the scent sweet or floral. Amber adds warmth to the base of the fragrance; I could swear that sandalwood is also included, even though this note is not listed. As I said, oud is a rather unique and multifaceted scent that is unmistakable but hard to describe. Besides the typical medicinal note, I almost detect something like bitter cherry/amaretto in the background. CI is neither harsh nor sweet, not fresh, but also not overly heavy. By Kilian has created a very special, unique, and characterful fragrance here that you must test yourself to get a sense of it.
Conclusion:
Many fragrances these days are marketed under the label "oriental." However, these are mostly cheaply made and overly sweet vanilla bombs and nothing else. I have not been to the Orient yet, but oriental fragrances for me are cardamom, sandalwood and agarwood, cinnamon, amber, and precious spices, but not necessarily disgustingly sweet notes. Cruel Intentions smells exactly as I imagine the Orient: mysterious, exotic, creamy-woody. CI is a rather simple and linear fragrance that does not develop much on my skin. It is mainly a medicinal-woody-creamy aroma, but very finely nuanced, so it does not bore the wearer even after a long time and draws you in more with each hour of wear. As much as I am fascinated by this scent, the hefty price does put me off.
Alternatives:
Dyptique "Tam Dao": Also a creamy-woody oriental fragrance with a medicinal touch, which has no significant sweetness, but also features a very subtle rose note. Tam Dao is for me CI minus the oud note. Tam Dao is drier and subtler and not quite as long-lasting, but significantly cheaper.
Yves Saint Laurent "M7": The drydown of M7 is quite identical to CI. M7 is significantly cheaper, but can only be worn in winter, much louder than CI, but not as long-lasting on the skin. Unfortunately, the eternally lasting and borderline sweet top note of M7 made from cola, cough syrup, and EM eucalyptus candies greatly complicates its wearability.
30ml travel spray for €90; 50ml bottle for €175; however, the refills are significantly cheaper.
Season: More suitable for colder days, but also wearable on cooler summer nights
Age: Not necessarily for teenagers, but suitable for both younger and older wearers
Occasion: Despite the unisex declaration, for me it is more of a men’s fragrance. CI is very elegant and smells really high-quality. For me, it’s a scent for going out or for special occasions. It’s also okay for everyday wear, but almost too good for that.
Intensity: very high. The scent lasts a long time, and the projection is quite decent. If you don’t overdo it with the application, you will be enveloped by a subtle, oriental cloud all day long. 2 sprays are enough; otherwise, it becomes too much.
Scent:
CI is quite simple and linear, but still hard to describe: I don’t smell anything from the bergamot in the top note. Instead, it starts right away with the typical oud scent: bittersweet, creamy, slightly medicinal. Later, a very subtle rose comes in, but this does not make the scent sweet or floral. Amber adds warmth to the base of the fragrance; I could swear that sandalwood is also included, even though this note is not listed. As I said, oud is a rather unique and multifaceted scent that is unmistakable but hard to describe. Besides the typical medicinal note, I almost detect something like bitter cherry/amaretto in the background. CI is neither harsh nor sweet, not fresh, but also not overly heavy. By Kilian has created a very special, unique, and characterful fragrance here that you must test yourself to get a sense of it.
Conclusion:
Many fragrances these days are marketed under the label "oriental." However, these are mostly cheaply made and overly sweet vanilla bombs and nothing else. I have not been to the Orient yet, but oriental fragrances for me are cardamom, sandalwood and agarwood, cinnamon, amber, and precious spices, but not necessarily disgustingly sweet notes. Cruel Intentions smells exactly as I imagine the Orient: mysterious, exotic, creamy-woody. CI is a rather simple and linear fragrance that does not develop much on my skin. It is mainly a medicinal-woody-creamy aroma, but very finely nuanced, so it does not bore the wearer even after a long time and draws you in more with each hour of wear. As much as I am fascinated by this scent, the hefty price does put me off.
Alternatives:
Dyptique "Tam Dao": Also a creamy-woody oriental fragrance with a medicinal touch, which has no significant sweetness, but also features a very subtle rose note. Tam Dao is for me CI minus the oud note. Tam Dao is drier and subtler and not quite as long-lasting, but significantly cheaper.
Yves Saint Laurent "M7": The drydown of M7 is quite identical to CI. M7 is significantly cheaper, but can only be worn in winter, much louder than CI, but not as long-lasting on the skin. Unfortunately, the eternally lasting and borderline sweet top note of M7 made from cola, cough syrup, and EM eucalyptus candies greatly complicates its wearability.
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Youthful Carefreeness
Higher Energy starts with sweet, but not overly synthetic fruity notes and ends in a slightly woody base. Unfortunately, the spices in the heart note remain closed off to my nose. Higher Energy is a nice fragrance that I would particularly recommend to younger people (16-25). It is certainly not the most original scent, but it radiates a youthful carefreeness that is simply likable. While there are dozens of such fragrances, especially from cK or Tommy Hilfiger, Dior has enriched this worn-out genre with one of the few well-executed and not cheap-smelling scents. I can recommend Higher Energy as a fragrance for everyday use or for going out. If I had discovered it a few years ago, I would have definitely bought it. Today, I find it nice and likable, but I now prefer something more elegant, mature, and woodier. Nevertheless, it is worth a try, especially for those looking for a fresh and sporty scent without aquatic notes. The longevity is quite decent at about 6 hours for a light fragrance.
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The scent of the disco
Joop is not necessarily my favorite brand among perfumes, but after receiving a sample and reading mostly positive reviews about Jump, I wanted to give it a chance and tested it several times on my skin.
I can't detect the spices from the top notes; for me, Jump starts with a hint of icy freshness and a decent dose of sweetness. Shortly after, the vodka accord comes through. While I don't like the taste or smell of vodka, the note is quite authentically done. In the drydown, nothing new: like almost all Joop! fragrances, Jump has an extremely sweet and vanilla-nutty base note (tonka bean).
Jump reminds me exactly of one thing: the scent of a large disco, frequented mainly by young people. It smells of cheap fresh fragrances and Le Male, as well as of schnapps, since countless people are drinking vodka and Red Bull. If the scent were by Demeter and called "Disco Mist," I would find it quite successful, but overall, it doesn't excite me. Jump smells like a cocktail of 40% Cool Water, 40% Le Male, and 20% vodka, overall very synthetic, intrusive, and somewhat cheap. I recommend it to younger people (18-22) as a going-out scent. Jump lasts long on the skin and has decent projection to stand out even in the busiest disco. I can't recommend it for older men or as an office scent; it's too youthful and not elegant enough.
Conclusion: Those who enjoy intensely fresh and intensely sweet fragrances should take a closer look at Jump. Joop! fans who already liked Nightflight and Thrill will surely find Jump interesting as well. For me, it's not my thing, as I don't like vanilla and tonka bean. I find the mix of fougère and oriental sweetness unbalanced and, just like with Le Male, which has some similarities to Jump, rather inappropriate.
I can't detect the spices from the top notes; for me, Jump starts with a hint of icy freshness and a decent dose of sweetness. Shortly after, the vodka accord comes through. While I don't like the taste or smell of vodka, the note is quite authentically done. In the drydown, nothing new: like almost all Joop! fragrances, Jump has an extremely sweet and vanilla-nutty base note (tonka bean).
Jump reminds me exactly of one thing: the scent of a large disco, frequented mainly by young people. It smells of cheap fresh fragrances and Le Male, as well as of schnapps, since countless people are drinking vodka and Red Bull. If the scent were by Demeter and called "Disco Mist," I would find it quite successful, but overall, it doesn't excite me. Jump smells like a cocktail of 40% Cool Water, 40% Le Male, and 20% vodka, overall very synthetic, intrusive, and somewhat cheap. I recommend it to younger people (18-22) as a going-out scent. Jump lasts long on the skin and has decent projection to stand out even in the busiest disco. I can't recommend it for older men or as an office scent; it's too youthful and not elegant enough.
Conclusion: Those who enjoy intensely fresh and intensely sweet fragrances should take a closer look at Jump. Joop! fans who already liked Nightflight and Thrill will surely find Jump interesting as well. For me, it's not my thing, as I don't like vanilla and tonka bean. I find the mix of fougère and oriental sweetness unbalanced and, just like with Le Male, which has some similarities to Jump, rather inappropriate.
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Dirty Sea Water
Season: It seems to be intended as a summer fragrance, but I also like to wear it in cooler temperatures. Aqva really shows its strengths on rainy days.
Age: Suitable for both young and old.
Occasion: A versatile scent that works well at home, in the office, or at the club.
Longevity: I give it 100% here; I usually get 6-10 hours, sometimes even more. There are certainly more long-lasting fragrances, but for an aquatic, BA lasts incredibly long.
Intensity: Quite strong. I get headaches if I spray it on my throat area.
Scent:
Aqva starts with lively citrus notes in the top notes. Once these dissipate, the aquatic elements come to the forefront. Some kind of sea plant/algae has been used here, the exact name of which I can’t recall. This is precisely why BA smells so authentically of the sea. While most aquatics smell synthetic like Calone or are equipped with cucumber and melon notes, the Bvlgari scent smells much more authentic and of seaweed (without drifting into the rotten). Many aquatics aim to smell distinctly clean and fresh, like pure water; Aqva takes a different approach. While it is fresh, it smells dirtier and darker, like algae and choppy sea. I also detect something "industrial" similar to Fahrenheit. As an association, I think of the water around an oil drilling platform during a fierce storm. Towards the end, the scent calms down; the pleasantly "dirty" aspect softens a bit, and the marine notes recede somewhat. I don’t know why, but at this stage, Aqva reminds me of a dark puddle in the woods, not least because subtle wood notes come into play in the drydown. Amber gives the fragrance a certain pleasant sweetness that is by no means heavy.
Conclusion: Aquatics are quite an unpopular category among perfume fans and collectors. Rightly so, as the many scents from Boss, CK, and the like are usually excessively synthetic, uninspired, and predictable. Aqva plays in a different league; it is significantly more realistic, dirtier, and longer-lasting than its peers. In my collection, it has replaced the also fabulous Kenzo Pour Homme, which unfortunately only lasts weakly on my skin.
The "Aqva Marine" version is, by the way, not worth mentioning.
Alternatives:
Kenzo "Pour Homme": Also a very authentic sea scent, but with a focus on iodine and saltwater (Aqva focuses on the algae).
Davidoff "Cool Water": Similar drydown with amber and wood notes. The opening is more fougère than aquatic.
Age: Suitable for both young and old.
Occasion: A versatile scent that works well at home, in the office, or at the club.
Longevity: I give it 100% here; I usually get 6-10 hours, sometimes even more. There are certainly more long-lasting fragrances, but for an aquatic, BA lasts incredibly long.
Intensity: Quite strong. I get headaches if I spray it on my throat area.
Scent:
Aqva starts with lively citrus notes in the top notes. Once these dissipate, the aquatic elements come to the forefront. Some kind of sea plant/algae has been used here, the exact name of which I can’t recall. This is precisely why BA smells so authentically of the sea. While most aquatics smell synthetic like Calone or are equipped with cucumber and melon notes, the Bvlgari scent smells much more authentic and of seaweed (without drifting into the rotten). Many aquatics aim to smell distinctly clean and fresh, like pure water; Aqva takes a different approach. While it is fresh, it smells dirtier and darker, like algae and choppy sea. I also detect something "industrial" similar to Fahrenheit. As an association, I think of the water around an oil drilling platform during a fierce storm. Towards the end, the scent calms down; the pleasantly "dirty" aspect softens a bit, and the marine notes recede somewhat. I don’t know why, but at this stage, Aqva reminds me of a dark puddle in the woods, not least because subtle wood notes come into play in the drydown. Amber gives the fragrance a certain pleasant sweetness that is by no means heavy.
Conclusion: Aquatics are quite an unpopular category among perfume fans and collectors. Rightly so, as the many scents from Boss, CK, and the like are usually excessively synthetic, uninspired, and predictable. Aqva plays in a different league; it is significantly more realistic, dirtier, and longer-lasting than its peers. In my collection, it has replaced the also fabulous Kenzo Pour Homme, which unfortunately only lasts weakly on my skin.
The "Aqva Marine" version is, by the way, not worth mentioning.
Alternatives:
Kenzo "Pour Homme": Also a very authentic sea scent, but with a focus on iodine and saltwater (Aqva focuses on the algae).
Davidoff "Cool Water": Similar drydown with amber and wood notes. The opening is more fougère than aquatic.
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