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I feel the urgent need to defend this classic.

But let me say this upfront: I am a lover of angular Fougères - green, resinous, creaky old-man scents.
Lovely and sweet perfumes, which are currently in fashion, are repugnant to me.

All these cotton candy-cherry tobacco-apple gum-vanilla bombs I can literally not stand - and I cannot understand how anyone can...

But this is not meant to be an "Old Man vs. the Spirit of the Times" debate - it’s just meant to shed some light on my person.

Because in fact, there are sweet perfumes that I, as a man, not only find wearable but actually love.
And Joop! Homme Eau de Toilette is one of them.

Joop! Homme Eau de Toilette has an intrusive synthetic sweetness and a radiance and longevity that the young hothead refers to as beast mode. It polarizes - meaning I am well aware that it is not to everyone's taste. And it has all those bubblegum vibes that I generally do not see on a man...

And yet (or precisely because of that? Are there psychologists among the Parfumos?) I love it - and to my nose, it is distinctly masculine.

Enough raving: how does it smell?
Joop! Homme Eau de Toilette starts with a thunderous, synthetic sweetness, spicy, angular, and subtly herbal.

It stays that way for a long time - but in the drydown, it becomes rounder, more cuddly, and also quieter, although quieter here never really means quiet.

Joop! Homme Eau de Toilette lasts a long time - on me, it is perceptible for a good 10 hours at arm's length and can be smelled up close until bedtime after a shower.

A classic from the 80s that rightly still sits on the shelves - and hopefully will for a long time to come.

It is no longer (as in my childhood) detectable on every corner - but that is precisely what makes it appealing to me.

And even though I usually reach for my green spicy favorites: Joop! Homme Eau de Toilette is my guilty pleasure that I always love to return to.

Let me say this upfront: I am an admirer of classic fragrances - Barbershop, Chypre, and Fougère.

This means that oakmoss is something magnificent for me, a scent that makes me happy - and I miss it all the more, as it has somewhat fallen victim to regulations that set a limit.

Of course, the house of Francesca Bianchi must adhere to this as well, but she has obviously managed to stay within the limit while weaving the perfume in such a nostalgic way that the noses of old-schoolers like me are fully satisfied.

Freefall - Etruscan Water starts off strong and herbal - and yet, the delicate signature of a master in her field is already evident here. Nothing is overwhelming, nothing is off-putting, nothing is disturbing - everything harmonizes and plays into one another.

Even more beautiful is the drydown - a long-lasting phase of warm woodiness. Here, the oakmoss shows itself in all its glory: elegant, subtle, and yet striking and edgy, Freefall - Etruscan Water presents itself here. And this lasts clearly over 10 hours, without shouting as loudly as the often sought-after beast mode perfumes nor clashing like many oud monsters.

Freefall - Etruscan Water is timelessly elegant, a fragrance that exudes confidence and envelops you in a powerful aura that makes you smile, and it is also well-received.

A true masterpiece!

As a perfume enthusiast, I am always on the lookout for gems - a scent that captivates me, carries me through the day, stirs something within me... You know what I mean.

In recent years, the fragrance world has taken a little turn: the market is now full of hype brands that aim to impress us with high-quality and, above all, high-priced perfumes (that they also want to make some money off us crazies: who can blame them...).

But they still exist: the brands that fly under the radar and have had perfumes for decades that have hardly changed in price or quality. And one of these houses is Alfred Sung.

Sung Homme Eau de Toilette is a classic among men's fragrances - a powerhouse at a low price, a scent that has only subtly thinned out and impresses with its uncompromising attitude.

It starts as it ends: with a herbal edge, wonderful barbershop vibes, and solid longevity.

Sung Homme Eau de Toilette is well-received - but those who wear such perfumes don't need compliments, do they? They come anyway...

And the best part is: Sung Homme Eau de Toilette is a bona fide cheapie!

For me, it should not be missing from any well-stocked men's collection!

There are fragrances that you associate with moments, those that you connect with a season or a person - but fragrances are always linked to emotions, much like music.

I associate Eternity for Men Eau de Toilette with carefree freedom, smiling breaths, and sunlight filtering through green leaves - in other words: with youth and stress-free times.

This unique blend of classic fougère and synthetics has its own charm!

Eternity for Men Eau de Toilette starts fresh and juicy, green and herbal, and wonderfully pleasant - and it stays that way for a good hour.

Then it becomes warmer, a bit sweeter - but far from today's sugary shisha gourmand candies: it remains pleasantly subtle and retains its masculine freshness and lightheartedness.

The longevity is quite solid: it lasts through a workday, although after 6 hours it becomes more intimate, which I find very pleasant.

In short: Eternity for Men Eau de Toilette is an allrounder made for work, leisure, and beautiful moments - it is well-crafted, well-received, and makes you smile.

It belongs in every collection!

Where do I start?
Best to start at the end: I am in love - and it happened surprisingly quickly!

I generally love tobacco perfumes very much: from Aramis Tobacco Reserve to the classic Open Eau de Toilette, from Naxos to my favorite aftershave CHH Tobacco (cheap at Müller) - you can't go wrong with this note for me.

Then I hear that Opus XIV - Royal Tobacco is supposed to be the best. So I had no choice but to get some.

And what can I say? It's true: Opus XIV - Royal Tobacco IS the best tobacco scent.
But I understand that I need to justify this...

The opening is spicy and challenging - oriental spices, herbs, and tobacco fight for dominance, with a boozy note or rather a lacquer-like quality reminiscent of Bowmakers Eau de Parfum in between.
This doesn't last too long, but it's highly exciting and almost thrilling!
And then the main player tobacco wins - by a long shot.
It stays, transforming from fresh and robust to bitter herbal and finally to warm, dry tobacco, never losing its tension.

Opus XIV - Royal Tobacco lasts long, and in the evening, a vanilla-soft cloud rises that is by no means sticky or cheap - rather valuable and gentle.

The longevity and sillage are worthy of Amouage: long and satisfying, in other words: worth the money.

Anyone who likes tobacco will love Opus XIV - Royal Tobacco!