Top Rated Reviews

This anthological perfume appeared in the year of my birth, more precisely 1934. Hello dear children, I am 88 years old and I have been a lover of perfumes for more than 60 years. My first perfume was Caron Pour un Homme in 1954. I can't describe how many emotions this wonderful creation tries me, the years of my youth, lavender is absolutely impeccable!

Francis Kurkdjian has done some amazing fragrances, specially for other brands. And this first masculine from Narciso Rodriguez is a great example of it. A musk based scent with a lots of patchouli and violet leafs.

This composition is kinda simple yet still unique and interesting. It utilises violet leafs in the opening, which mixed with patchouli gives this famous "wet concrete" accord. Very dry, gothic and a bit austere in the opening. Totally a throwback feel, with a modern twist. A powerhouse type of smell with animalic nuances but more focused on the "wet concrete" vibe.

As it dries down, the earthiness of the patchouli mellows a bit, becoming more rounded and sweeter. I personally enjoy it more as it dries down, when the amber and the musk became more present, giving a mellow and sweet comforting smell.

The fragrance has a very melancholic feel and everyone that like old style fragrances would probably like this one, since the patchouli-musk is the main theme here. The amber helps it being more rounded and appealing to newer noses. The longevity is decent (8h easily) and the projection is very good for the first 2h.

The only problem is that this one was discontinued and they only sell the Bleu Noir line nowadays. But you can still find deals on this fragrance online and i totally recommend you to buy it because it's unique, interesting and great overall.

I love this one since the first time i tried it long ago. It became one of my favorites and every time i wear it i understand why i love it. I wear it manly during spring rainy days but even in fall, when you have cooler cloudy days, this one fits perfectly.

My favorite from the brand and one of my favorite Kurkdjian creations of all time. It pairs very well with the women's counterpart that he and Christine Nagel had created years before. Although the musk is more pronouced in the female version, you can still smell it here mixed with a beautiful patchouli and a ambery base. Brilliant.

5/5

Whenever I smell Azzaro pour Homme, I can't help but think about that beautiful and carefree summer of 1985. It brings back a lot of memories for me. I was a sophomore, and with four other classmates, we took a trip to northern Europe, touching the major cities of Austria, Germany, Holland, Norway, and France. We had bought a second-hand car, we could travel independently, stopping to sleep in youth hostels. Five guys, each with his own personality and his scent. I remember perfectly well that mine was "Cacharel pour L'Homme (Eau de Toilette) | Cacharel", and the same of another guy who bought it after smelling on me. The other guys wore "Drakkar Noir (Eau de Toilette) | Guy Laroche", "Reporter (Cologne) | Oleg Cassini", and "Azzaro pour Homme (Eau de Toilette) | Azzaro" . The friend who wore the latter always said it was the most remarkable men's perfume ever made. A cologne, once it's in your head, it's hard to forget, to the degree that its honorary status as a 'reference' aromatic fougère still feels appropriate. But for my taste, ApH seemed too opulent, demanding, and mature for our age. We were all too young, bold, and beautiful. Besides, he didn't seem suited to the hot summer weather. Imagine what intensity its original formulation could have had in the 80s. So, I bought it only a few years later, when I felt older and ready to wear it. And I continued to buy it, along with all the flankers; the boozy "Azzaro pour Homme Intense | Azzaro" is among my favourites, but the original must never miss in my wardrobe. It is the fragrance to own if you want to explore the current fougére category, this one updated with a twist of aniseed. The star anise nuance was, and is, what made this fougére so different from the other classic., with its lovely, refreshing and spicy liquorice notes.

The recent release I own likely keeps the original sparkle—the reformulation did not corrupt such a beauty—and opens with a fresh and woody explosion. That first splash reveals a vintage beast: a bright fougére with lavender and anise, followed by sage and cumin that sparkle above all else. I can recognize something spicy and citrusy, more lemon than bergamot, I would say. There seems to be a refreshing spice that lingers nicely, but it's a fresh spice, mint, and it's all tied in with the softness of lavender. For me, the star of this composition is the note of star anise. It is most prominent in the opening and always present until the end. While the anise fades a little after opening and the woods and leather become more prominent, it never disappears entirely. Cold, spicy and woody. However, it is clean on the top, with very smooth leather and a slight herbaceous note in its aroma.

Then, lavender, star anise and basil explode in a magical combination. A few minutes later, some floral notes appear, the magnificent iris, I think. There's also a soapy citrus blossom that seems to fill in all the cracks and crevices, while round oak moss rises from the bottom, adding a retro density. It's so layered that it's difficult to distinguish some notes, but lavender and oakmoss are the most prominent, which gives it this kind of almost screaming aroma, a kind of classic barber's soapiness. Not a patchouli bomb; the dirty grass is tamed and shares a core with creamy sandalwood and dried cedar. Instead, the resinous juniper berries and cardamom pods have huge spicy and balsamic facets.

In the drying phase, it projects a musky, elegant and timeless warmth that embodies the perfection of the perfume and goes straight to the masculine character made of roots, leaves, and resins. Earthy vetiver is another keynote; very well done here. Bitter drops of leather and oakmoss surround me. Well, it's a pleasant bitterness to counter the sweetness that I sometimes like but rarely like. And it is precisely that oily sweetness that made the original version annoying to my nose. I also get some talc notes, perhaps from coumarins and iris root. Although chemical oakmoss is still robust and observable.

In my humble opinion, the modern version of "Azzaro pour Homme (Eau de Toilette) | Azzaro", if not identical, is very similar to the original. Still strong, spicy, soapy, but masculine. The sillage is now moderate, and the longevity is above expectations. It is no longer a heavy cologne, not like the original, but you don't have to use a lot of it either, because especially at the beginning, it might annoy you. It does not turn off after a few hours but continues silently for the rest of the day, especially on clothing. Honestly, I wear it best in the fall months, as its woody and aromatic aroma suits that time of year well. Just avoid extreme heat and humidity. What to say? For me, it remains a classic that still has a lot to say.

I base the review on a refillable bottle I have owned since October 2020.

-Elysium

I find that people who destroy this perfume are not honest. This is surely the best leathery scent on the market. I think this perfume suffered from a bad advertising campaign. Put any other name on the bottle, and you will have a masterpiece. This is what Ombre Leather by Tom Ford should have felt.

According to the general consensus, this is supposed to be a clone of Dior Sauvage Elixir. I haven’t smelt Sauvage elixir, though, so I’ll review this one as its own thing.

From Lattafa’s website:
Top Notes: Black pepper, Pineapple, Tobacco
Middle Notes: Coffee, Patchouli, Iris
Base Notes: Amber, Vanilla, Dry woods, Benzoin & Labdanum.

I seriously don’t know how Lattafa supposedly cloned Sauvage Elixir with whole different and unrelated notes! Makes me think they lie a lot about their notes.
I digress...

Now, Lattafa Asad opens up with a warm spicy accord, some dose of sweetness and a great amount of lavender.

As it begins to develop, it gets sweeter and sweeter. I get a slight feel of cinnamon in it.

When it starts to dry down, that’s when I get a shadow of the Sauvage DNA—I feel there’s ambroxan in this fragrance. It’s pretty obvious.
At a point, it’s asif the sweetness is toned down, and you’re left with a matured, unapologetic dark patchouli and a low dose of Vetiver, mixed with a noticeable woody note. But then again, it becomes sweet.
There’s also something in this, that vaguely and briefly reminds me of the baccarat rouge dna(maybe it’s the ambergris/ambroxan?)

On the deep dry down, it starts to mellow down into this kind of smokey and creamy sweetness with a very noticeable Amber accord.
This fragrance transitions so well, from sweet-spicy to woody, back to sweet, with lavender anchoring the whole sequence.

Lattafa Asad has quickly moved to being one of the tops on my list. It would comfortably make my ‘Top 5 fragrances in my collection’ list, currently. The scent is massively addictive.

Longevity on Asad is superb. I got 8hrs on my first wearing. Subsequently, I started to get 10hrs+ with a great amount of projection/silage. No issues with longevity here.

PS- To me, fragrance reviews are ‘fantasies’, as one can’t actually describe a smell to be fully understandable to the public. You’ll need to actually smell the fragrance to get the complete picture and grasp the ‘reality’ of the composition.

Thanks for reading.

Classic but surprisingly still relevant to these days. I have to admit it smells luxurious and complex despite being cheap price.
Opens with a blast of patchouli and settled down with floral creamy woody with medicinal touch in the background. This is not for the bad boys. In my opinion, this is more suitable for villains. Classy villain, sitting in a mansion, drinking scotch and smoking an expensive cigar.

Zino is a perfume that I used in the late 80s when it came out on the market, and I tied my memory to the Spandau Ballet band and their wonderful song Through The Barricades. Yes, because music and perfume are something that once they stain your brain, they stick together forever and never go away. I stumbled upon this perfume almost by accident in '87. The first time I sensed it on a friend, he had visited me during the Christmas holidays. This dark, dense, sensual aura surrounded him, his scarf, and his coat. When I asked him what he was wearing, he told me "Zino Davidoff". I jotted down the name, but then I didn't buy it right away. A few months later, right before the summer of '88, Davidoff had recently launched what would later become an epitome, "Cool Water (Eau de Toilette) | Davidoff". So, on the occasion of my birthday, some university mates asked me for a suggestion for a perfume, and I told them "Davidoff, the aqueous one with hints of watermelon and melon." But ironically, when it was time to open the presents, I realized Zino was the perfume I had been given. I confess that I was initially disappointed when I took it out of the box and saw a different box and bottle, yet my eyes opened wide shot when I sprayed on my skin. It was on the opposite side of Cool Water, not a summertime scent, but all too good and gorgeous. Ultimately, I was happy they made a mistake, yet I bought Cool Water myself. Well, I had to put it in the closet. In June, its character was not very suitable for hot weather. And so I had to wait for incoming winter to wear Zino, which I fell in love with and remains a unique and unforgettable perfume for me today. Zino is polarising, even in its current formulation. It uses a dirty, virile, very earthy patchouli, which makes one think of a man soaked in sweat after hard work, but also after an embrace. And it was no coincidence that "The Scent Of Desire" was mentioned in the advertisement.

But how is Zino today? I have a recent bottle kindly given to me by a friend a few years ago. Linear in nature, a cross between an oriental, a chypre, and a fougére, the recent formulation is not very different from the original, fortunately. The performance is a bit subdued, but the scent is the same as I remembered, so damn powerful—Manly, impressive, dense like a rainy and foggy autumn day. I like to think of well-dressed men on horseback, returning from a hunting trip, somewhere in the Scottish countryside. The opening is dazzling, with an explosion of earthy and dirty patchouli. It dominates this fragrance, like most of the powerhouse colognes of the late 80s. The bitter undertone is somewhat reminiscent of licorice and lasts until a rosy note of Brazilian rosewood jumps into it. There is also a riot of bergamot, which I thought managed that manhood I got in the original formulation. I was not that experienced in those years, and I did not connect it to the dirty patch. The opening leaves nothing to the imagination, and the juice is as dark as the bottle.

Soon I get a cocktail of fresh floral and aromatic herbs, powdery lavender, and green clary sage. The aroma seems to move away from the initial impression of an alpha male. I feel the stingy freshness of aromatic herbs so much. Lavender and bergamot are the protagonists of a classic duo. Then there are flowers, but they are just a mockery, a faint background bouquet of rose, green geranium, jasmine, and lily of the valley. The scent is refined and still looks masculine, as it is not particularly powdery or sweet. A complex, dark, earthy, woody, herbal bouquet with a solid backbone. Here comes an underlying sweetness quite far from the sweet masculine fragrances of today. It is deeply embedded in the heart.

I get a woody, refined, smooth accord of mild sandalwood on the finish. But blond wood isn't alone, and a drier cedar does the trick. A soft and creamy atmosphere of vanilla and amber in the background, inedible, non-gourmand, and not sentimental, softens the woods. It is the part I like best, rich and balsamic patchouli with an echo of powdery and slightly salty lavender due to the presence of amber, a touch of rose, and a persistent sour bergamot scent. In this last phase, the patchouli takes on a chocolatey nuance as if it were infused with dark chocolate.

Masculine, ideal for both day and night, it is best for autumn and winter. An informal evening colony for any man with a healthy bad boy side, who also likes to be the center of attention. Yes, because Zino collects compliments. Although the fragrance is strong, it makes itself known to the passer-by with a little shyness. The sillage is below average, but it feels good to smell yourself. It lasts about half a day but then disappears during the rest of the day, but if worn for an event or dinner, it will stay with you as long as necessary. I think I'll stock up before they take it out of business. Last, Zino is the best sensual patchouli I have ever smelt.

I base the review on a 75ml bottle I have owned since October 2015.

-Elysium

The story of Salome - her dance before Herod with the head of John the Baptist on a platter - has been an inspiration to artists for centuries. She has become an early icon of female seduction, a temptress who lures you away from salvation.

Now, I can tell you upfront that wearing Papillon's Salome is not going turn you into that spellbinding seductress. Except to a very select audience maybe. In the eyes, err nose, of most people this scent is so intimidating that it has the exact opposite effect. However, the drama is certainly there. The contrast of that young girl's dance and the brutally severed head can be found in the appealing floral heart versus the feral musks.

The scent profile has a lot in common with the classic floral chypres. Typically, these perfumes have a pronounced floral heart on base of moss, with some support of animal musks. Papillon's Salome reverses the ratios in its composition so that the musks take a much more prominent role amongst the floral chypre accords.

The opening is very intense with its hyrax-furry type of musk. It is accompanied by a good set of florals and a serious amount of moss. Slowly it all settles down into something more castoreum-like: warm and enveloping, almost balsamic-oriental.

Salome is often compared to Muscs Koublai Khan and Musc Tonkin because of the animalic character. The similarities are obviously there, but to me Salome is not so much a stand-alone musk hommage. It feels much more like a re-worked classical chypre theme and a quite successful one, if you ask me.

Despite its intensity, I would put it in the introvert section. It's a perfume to wear on evenings at home, while reading a book for example, so you can fully dive into its depth and complexity. Social settings are a no-go, at least for the first hour or two.

One of the many colognes that I foolishly ignored during and after the launch was Yves Saint Laurent’s Opium Pour Homme. I don’t remember trying the fragrance in the past, and I missed it while loving and knowing its female counterpart very well, but I think what prompted me to buy it was reading the reviews that precede me, both for the EDT and EDP versions. Yes, silly as it may sound, I simply liked the way other people outlined this masterpiece. And now I can state it is divine. Having not smelled the original, the release I have is incredibly appealing.

To begin with, let me say that despite its name, there is no trace of opium poppy in the notes or accords. The name just suggests the mystery and exoticism of the Far East, and that’s it. "Opium pour Homme (Eau de Toilette) | Yves Saint Laurent" and "Opium (1977) (Parfum) | Yves Saint Laurent" are two perfumes apart. I do not get any affinity between the two right off the bat. If, on the one hand, it disappoints me a little, I like it because this allows me to own two masterpieces and not two copies, each a reflection of the other. Opium pour Homme is oriental, spicy, mellow, classic, powerful, with a spicy and powdery duel. Compared to Opium, the masculine one is more elegant less aggressive. Perhaps it takes off all too harshly, but then it lends mild and cosy.

Opium pour Homme unfolds with an explosion of the powdery and acidic accord, made of bergamot and lemon, and I bet lemongrass, so clearly noticeable on my skin. The citrus is so potent that, for a moment, I wonder if Opium pour Homme was a scent for hot weather. I let the harshness lower slightly, and a light, fruity, woody note emerges with a somewhat animalic touch. This is black currant, with its bittersweet forest green vibe. I feel it is very fruity, juicy, mellowed, and it could cause the initial citrus accents. This captivating scent interacts with the spicier star anise, which goes well with it, but doesn’t get on the scene, as happens in renowned powerhouses like "Azzaro pour Homme (Eau de Toilette) | Azzaro". Here the nuance of anise is tame, like "Gai Mattiolo Uomo (Eau de Toilette) | Gai Mattiolo", for example, not cloying or annoying. I even seem to catch the purplish lavender blossom.

A heart full of fresh spiciness comes after a bunch of minutes. The black currant note quickly fades into the background. Here the key actors are galega, which is nothing but a variety of the ginger root, and my beloved Szechuan pepper, all sweet and piquant all the way. That triplet provides an exotic spiciness and freshness to what otherwise could become a warm, almost medicinal mess.

The more it progresses, the more I notice the balmy edge and how its thick warmth envelops the entire concoction. Thanks to the powdery vanilla, it takes on a sweeter aroma, which is wrapped in that same balsamic note of the tolu and sitting on top of a cedar base. The tolu balm gives it a syrupy sweet, spicy smell, whereas the cedar provides more strength and occasionally releases its pencil shavings essence. A powdery and balmy trail remains stuck to my body. I think I have a penchant for resinoids, be they plant exudates or animal secretions. I think so because perfumes based on these ingredients, like tolu balm, give me a feeling of well-being, inner calm, comfort.

All in all, Opium pour Homme is excellently blended, never tilting the balance too much over the edge. Projection wise, the sillage is excellent before settling down to more moderate wear, and the longevity is average or above, as it lasts many hours, with no problem. If the original suits nightwear, the recent release mostly suits the daytime and evening out. The spicy and balmy facets make me reach for it in cold weather; it is utterly great all the way. What I like most about Opium pour Homme is that it genuinely embodies what I think of when I hear the words exotic, oriental, gummy. Let me give it some more tries, and I am sure I will find out more about this.

I base the review on a 100ml bottle I have owned since January 2022.

-Elysium

If you are reading this review in 2022, you are curious about the hype behind Bentley for Men Intense. Multiple YouTube channels praise the fragrance. Several forums on the internet speak positively about the fragrance.

The question is, is Intense worth adding to a collection?

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The fragrance starts with an opening that is a spicy yet smooth combination of black pepper and frankincense. As it dances with the leather heart note, and the woody base notes, the smell evokes an image reminiscent of an interior of a new luxury car with comfortable leather seats. (Wait a minute …) However, despite numerous mentions of booze, I do not pick that up at all.

The fragrance is not complex, so it disappoints artisans. However, it does not take away from the fact that it smells good, especially if you love leather as a smell. The scent goes against the trend of sweet smells, making it stand out more in the crowd as unique.

Also, while leather is a masculine scent for most people, I will also say that if a woman wore this fragrance, she would turn heads, and would make her seem badass if she wears the fragrance with confidence.

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In terms of performance, Bentley for Men Intense is a durable fragrance that has incredible performance.

The sillage and projection have a moderate range. Intense will not permeate a room upon entry, but it turns the heads of anyone passing by within walking distance.

That said, there is longevity.

Intense lasted on my skin beyond 12 hours, with a strong projection during the first three. The insane part about the fragrance is that I took a shower and could still smell the fragrance. I needed to shower again to make sure the smell dissipated.

Apply this once and the scent will last the entire day, and possibly into the next day. That would be an impressive performance for a parfum—Bentley for Men Intense is an eau de parfum!

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In terms of social scenarios, Bentley Intense for men is more of a situational fragrance, but it has some versatility.

I am skeptical about using it in the workplace. It can work in a non-physical setting (e.g.: a desk or workstation), but may not if physical labor is involved (e.g.: factories, warehouses, etc.). Keep that in mind if you are involved with the public regularly.

I also would not try it in the gym. I do not think Intense will reach crimes against humanity territory thanks to the sage notes, but a leathery and woody fragrance rarely ends well during and after a workout.

That said leather on a hot sunny day is a terrible idea. The same applies to leathery scents — wait until the sun goes down in the summer before using this fragrance.

That said, when the sun goes down, regardless of the season, Intense shows its true capabilities. In one scenario, you are at home winding down the day alone and preparing for the next day. The smell would fit the mood, as it is cozy and relaxing.

In another scenario, you are out with friends, going to a restaurant or a club. The smell projects, and will grab some attention from anyone that notices, but blends in enough that it is not annoying.

Alternatively, you can be on a date of any kind, and the fragrance will work, whether it is the first date or an anniversary date with a significant other or spouse. The scent is cozy and warm.

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Overall, Bentley for Men Intense was an underrated gem at the time of release in 2013.

However, as people discovered it, people saw how amazing and different the fragrance was, along with the outstanding performance. Now it is the darling of forums and fragrance videos.

Does it deserve the attention it is receiving? Mostly, yes. I think there are better leather scents, but not at the affordable price point.

The only negative points I have about Intense are it does not work well in the summer, is a questionable choice for an active lifestyle because of the prominent leather note, and is not complex enough for those seeking fragrances for artistic purposes. That is not unusual, and I have said worse things about other fragrances.

However, for people seeking a unique fragrance, a solid leather aroma to add to an affordable collection, or a quality scent with impressive performance, Bentley for Men Intense gets the job done, and at an affordable price. (Although the price is rising because of the hype.)

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Edited on 04/18/2022: I incorrectly called Bentley For Men Intense an eau de toilette. The fragrance is an eau de parfum.