Best Men's Colognes

Best Men's Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with the different fragrances that I've owned, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, that new hobby grew into a consistent passion, helping millions of readers along the way. I have personally written reviews for well over 800 perfumes and colognes for both men and women. This is along with writing hundreds of other in-depth fragrance guides. You can also follow me on: YouTube, Instagram, and Tiktok!

4 Best Smelling Gucci Bloom Perfumes

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Gucci Bloom has become a tremendously popular product for Gucci over the past few years. As a result, the brand has released several flankers, based on the best selling formula. One critique of the releases has been that they do have lots of overlap between one another.

Which is true. So, how does one select a Bloom perfume and which fragrances are among the top picks that have been brought to market thus far? Here is my list of the top options, after testing them out.

What are the Top Gucci Bloom Perfumes?

A Bolder Option

Ambrosia di Fiori– Very similar to the original Bloom, but definitely a bit different, and with more power behind it. Ambrosia di Fiori has a great opening honeysuckle note, with a less green-ish smell than Bloom, and a big use of tuberose later on in the wear.

Ambrosia also has a rose note, which makes it distinct from the original, and does add something to an already familiar blend. The rose doesn’t completely overpower everything else, though. It has a nice balance.

If you want a bigger, bolder, and heavier version of Bloom with some slight differences, this is the one to get. Very solid performance to go along with everything else. Ambrosia di Fiori Review

top gucci bloom

Best Seller

Gucci Bloom for Women Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4 Ounce– Bloom is obviously the original and the most popular option, from the brand. However, it is still absolutely among the best of the entire line, and very worth trying out.

It is a tuberose led fragrance, that maintains a balance, and becomes a gorgeous floral perfume.

It’s a clean floral with a solid dose of jasmine, with a hint of honeysuckle. Fresh, green, with some spice at the top.

Bloom gives a good performance, with a not too powerful sillage, and a creamy sandalwood ending. All of which have become hallmarks of the other flanker scents, that have subsequently been released.

best gucci perfume for women

Pure White Floral

Gocce di Fiori– Bloom Gocce di Fiori, is like the stripped down version of Bloom EDP. It does away with much of the ancillary notes and goes for the trio of floral notes at the heart of this line. Honeysuckle, tuberose, and jasmine.

Gocce di Fiori is one for those who want the pure bouquet effect and something that is lighter than the rest of the line of perfumes.

It has an airy type of feel, with more jasmine in the mix, than the original. It’s still got some of the sweeter elements in there, but they are very faint and short-lived.

Still very much like the original, but if you want a sheer option, with a heavier weighting to jasmine, than Bloom EDP; this can be a great bet. Gocce di Fiori Review

Best Newer Bloom Release

Profumo di Fiori– Alright, so this is the newest of the Gucci Bloom scents. Like, brand new. I had a chance to smell this a few days ago, but based on first impressions, I’m putting Profumo di Fiori on the list of best. I was impressed. Update: I’ve now tried again and reviewed it.

Jasmine and ylang-ylang are already very familiar to me, but Rangoon creeper is more of a factor in this one.

Wow, I really enjoyed that note, when paired with the the other two main floral ingredients. It is also in Ambrosia di Fiori, but really was not much of a factor comparatively.

The opening really goes strong with the usual white floral notes. One change is the ‘sun-drenched wood’ accord. This gives a sunny a energetic feel to Profumo di Fiori.

You will get a period where ylang-ylang and sandalwood are strong within the composition, along with the Rangoon Creeper. But, that will shift more towards the jasmine and tuberose during the dry down phase.

It feels bright and has a creamy warmth to it, with enough woodiness to make things interesting. I don’t think that it’s ‘mind-blowing’, but this is a fantastic release from Gucci. Profumo di Fiori Review

Green Naturalistic Floral

Gucci Bloom Acqua di Fiori for Women 3.3 oz Eau de Toilette Spray– Yes, the Gucci Bloom DNA is built around the white floral notes. But, what if you want something along those lines, just less reliant on tuberose?

Bloom Acqua di Fiori is one that I’ve come around on, since giving it a go. This one has a more citrus/green/grassy/aquatic profile than the others in the Bloom line.

Early on, it features a light lemon note and heavier galbanum. The effect is an aquatic aroma, that I likened to sitting by a pond, in the middle of a flower garden.

That lemon and galbanum up top give it a cold and bright freshness, with a slightly grassy finish. Then, the cassis and honeysuckle also come into the picture.

The one main distinction is the much lighter use of tuberose versus other editions. That gives Acqua di Fiori more of a green floral aroma than the usual white. Freesia and lily of the valley provide the watery qualities of this perfume.

Those two floral notes will really come to dominate the composition. Moderate in its sillage and longevity. I got between 6-7 hours of wear from Acqua. Very nice. Acqua di Fiori review

9 Best Smelling Ralph Lauren Polo Colognes

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Ralph Lauren is a designer which caters to classic American sensibilities and tastes. One of his major accomplishments in the fashion world has been his line of fragrances for men and women.

There are the classics, the flankers, and some newer entries that are also great. However, with so many to choose from it can be difficult for guys to make a decision on which one to go with.

For this list, I have narrowed it down to what I feel are the nine best Ralph Lauren colognes for men. Each one brings something different to the table and should be adaptable to many different lifestyles. Also see: The Best Smelling Ralph Lauren Perfumes for Ladies

What are the Best Scents for Men by Ralph Lauren?

Best Winter Scent for Men

Ralph Lauren Polo Red Extreme Eau de Parfum Spray for Men, 4.2 Ounce–  So, in this updated list I am replacing the old Polo Red with the newer flanker release, Polo Red Extreme. Further update: This has now been discontinued.

Why? Because it’s better than both Polo Red and the Intense version. Plus, it has better performance than either.

This version is darker and doesn’t have the same level of fruitiness created by the cranberry note. This is joined by a certain level of smokiness and a familiar smelling coffee note to go along with blood orange. Sweet, rich, and masculine.

You get the opening citrus note of blood orange mixed with coffee. Later, coffee becomes dominate and there is an almost chocolate-like aroma hanging in the air, when blended with the wood notes. Pretty straightforward scent, but great.

I actually do like the other two Polo Red colognes, a whole lot. I just feel that the folks at Ralph Lauren, kept tweaking the scents, until it became much improved.

Although, this isn’t really the same as the original Polo Red, which would still be on the list if it had better longevity. The coffee note here is great and sort of takes elements of Rochas Man and pairs those with elements of the Polo Red lineup. Polo Red Extreme Full Review

The Next Red in Line

Polo Red Parfum– Red Extreme is still my favorite of the line so far. I do like the original, as well. However, the newer Red Parfum release might be my second favorite. It is more unique, while still having some of that same sort of presentation as the original Polo Red.

This one also doesn’t have that original cranberry note and utilizes the blood orange of Extreme up top. The initial citrus isn’t too overpowering and it has a shorter run at the head, since you get the spice of pink pepper and the slightly bitter absinthe note.

It interestingly shifts into a floral accord, which isn’t a staple of the Polo Red colognes. Lavender is strong here, with a touch of orris softness.

Overall, it is less tart than Red. With a good use of sweetness, a fresh spice, and an easy to wear formulation. Polo Blue Parfum is also pretty good, but I prefer this and the others on the list. Full Review

Top Overall Daily Wear Scent

Polo Black by Ralph Lauren for Men – 4.2 Ounce EDT Spray– Moderate and masculine scent that works well for the day or nighttime. Wonderful fragrance that is pleasing yet subtle. Possibly the best Polo cologne for a wide audience.

An interesting mango note is joined by a blend of sage and patchouli, which gives Polo Black a woody and spicy undertone.

The top of the order include some more citrus notes like lemon and tangerine. Highly popular scent. Notes include: tonka bean, iced mango, patchouli noir, spanish sage, and silver armoise.

Polo Double Black is also a good choice. That one is obviously a flanker fragrance, but the composition is arranged differently, and I think Black does it better. Even though, this is termed ‘Black’, there really isn’t anything dark about it. It’s a masculine fruit-laden scent, that does a great job of drawing complements. Polo Black Full Review

Best Newer Ralph Lauren Cologne

Ralph’s Club– The Polo Intense release was a nice update to the classic formula, but I think Ralph’s Club EDP is the better fragrance.

It’s not overly complicated but has a fresh and clean profile, with a distinct clary sage note at the top. Has a soapy clean quality with an underlying woodiness from the cedar note. I get the comparisons to YSL’s Y, but it’s not exactly the case, as the apple note is missing.

What you do get with Ralph’s Club is an easy to wear and mass appealing fragrance that can be worn pretty much anywhere by any guy. It’s a very safe pick.

Has a level of sweetness to the aroma and the dry down is mostly a clean lavender smell. Good longevity, also. Ralph’s Club Review

Top Blue Release

Polo Deep Blue Parfum– Usually, when you get this deep into flanker fragrances, the quality seems to drop off. However, the 2020 release of Polo Deep Blue Parfum, has become a great addition to the Blue line.

Deep Blue takes a similar formula to the other offerings, but adds a mango note, and Deep Ocean accord. The opening act is great, as the mango (much like found in Polo Black) really creates an awesome aroma.

At first, the ocean accord is fresh and stimulating. Later, is does become more of a pure ambroxan scent.

The performance here is good, with solid sillage for the first few hours, before it settles. Yes, it is quite a bit like Polo Blue EDT and EDP, in the latter stage. But, I like the opening act enough to give it a spot on this list. Polo Deep Blue Review

Best Fresh Sporty Ralph Lauren Scent

Ralph Lauren Polo Sport Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 4.2 Ounce– Polo Sport has become a classic cologne it its own right. Sometimes simple and clean is the best course of action when choosing a cologne and that’s what Polo Sport excels at.

I remember using this cologne when I was younger and how absolute fresh and invigorating a fragrance that it is.

Smelling this scent takes me back, and to me, really defines what a sporty fragrance should be. This was probably the best Polo fragrance in the 1990s.

Note: Dua has their own inspired by version of this, based on the 1990s formulation called, Endorphin.

It’s not too citrusy or too much of a light aquatic, rather, it blends all of these elements together to make something wonderful and upbeat.

Polo Sport takes so many different elements a does a wonderful job at blending them all together. The sharp and cool mint, the lovely lavender, the sunny citrus notes…all of which sit atop a layer of marine notes.

This has always been a very versatile fragrance and works well for teenagers to adults. My Polo Sport Review

Top Polo Fragrance for Summer

Ralph Lauren Polo Blue Eau de Parfum for Men, 4.2 Ounce– I replaced one of the Big Pony flanker fragrances on this list with Polo Blue because the former got discontinued.  Polo Blue itself has two options, the EDT and the eau de parfum.

I think the EDP version (linked above) is the more interesting and better performing of the choices, but either is a solid choice for guys.

To me, the EDP version is like the original EDT, but blended with elements of Acqua di Gio Profumo. It features a citrus note of bergamot to go along with herbal spices including basil and cardamom. Add to that a smooth suede and aquatic sea notes.

The other option, the EDT version is more of an aquatic, its lighter and has notes of juicy melon and cucumber leading the way. Again, I like either option. The EDT is the better seller, but the EDP is the better performer, in my opinion.

Top Classic Ralph Lauren Fragrance

Polo by Ralph Lauren for Men, Eau de Toilette Natural Spray, 4-Fluid Ounce– The original, the classic. Polo is a fantastic and woodsy aromatic for the gentleman who is bold and like to stand out.

It starts out quite dry with leather and pine notes and then transitions into a rich tobacco and patchouli blend that is smoky and intriguing.

An absolute monster in terms of sillage and performance. There’s a reason it has been so loved for over 40 years.

It such a great blend and starts to check off boxes throughout. Herbal. Woodsy. Spicy. A very thorough scent and one which completely goes against the grain of most of the most popular colognes of today’s era.

Again, not for everyone, but Polo is an absolute signature scent for the right man.  My Full Review

polo

Pros

  • Classic and masculine scent
  • Still has great performance

Cons

  • Better Suited for Older Guys

Most Underrated Cologne by Ralph Lauren

Safari by Ralph Lauren for Men, Eau De Toilette Natural Spray, 4.2 Ounce– Safari is a scent that one must use caution with, as it can be very strong.

However, it is also a delightfully masculine smell with a sweetness that many other fragrances lack. The main thrust of it is an outdoorsy, green herbal plant and woods mixture.

However, that’s only the beginning as Safari is a complex, and unique aroma. It’s masculine but tempered by citrus and floral notes.

Try to find an older bottle, as from what I understand it has been reformulated…and not for the better. Still, the original Safari is a legend.

Pros

  • Unique
  • Beautiful Complex Composition

Cons

  • Another one for a more mature man

gold blend review

10 Best Smelling Hermes Perfumes for Women

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Hermes has been in the luxury goods business for almost 200 years at this point and within the fragrance industry since the mid-20th century. So, it has a lot of experience, and has a reputation of creating both great smelling and quality perfumes for both men and women. Today, I wanted to focus on the ladies’ side of things and present what I feel are the best ten fragrances by Hermes for women.

Now, of course, these are not the ‘only’ scents by this house that smell good, just a sampling of the cream of the crop. As always, I have linked each scent to its page on Amazon for more information and ease of purchase.

What are the Best Smelling Hermes Scents for Her?

Beautiful Citrus and Amber

 
Hermes L’Ambre Des Merveilles for Women Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.3 Ounce– Sweet, warm, and utterly beautiful. This amber and vanilla laced scent has a nice bit of citrus added which propels L’Ambre to something that is sexy while being subtle at the same time.

L’Ambre des Merveilles opens up with its caramel note, orange, and a very slight floral tint. Though, I haven’t ever found out what (if any) floral ingredient is included here. Also, the orange citrus notes seems to be paired with a peach, or something to the same effect.

This fragrance is sweet, with a warm amber embrace, and the slight saltiness of the delicious caramel note. I find this perfume to be super attractive and a great wear for the colder months. My full Review.

The Best Seller

Twilly d’Hermes EDP– Twilly d’Hermes is probably still the most popular option from the brand. Very approachable and wearable, not the most expensive, and probably not the best of them…but still really good.

The ginger and citrus top notes, really give this one some life and an energy that I enjoy. The floral notes are going to make it clean and somewhat soapy, the vanilla and sandalwood are going to give it some creamy touches; but, I really think those top notes hold this together and make it something worthwhile.

Orange blossom, tuberose, and jasmine are your floral heart. More of the orange blossom for me, early on. Then, I’d say jasmine in the late stages. Even if it splits duties with that tuberose note.

Fresh, floral, woody and multi-faceted. Twilly is well-liked for a reason.

Jasmine Woods

Cedre Sambac by Hermes– This is apart of their more expensive collection of fragrances, versus the mainstream popular ones. So, Cedre Sambac is going to have a more limited appeal.

However, it is actually a very nice scent highlighted by the two notes: cedar and jasmine. It’s fresh woods, dry, with some spiciness with jasmine early on.

Then, the white floral notes (jasmine is the upper hand, but it feels like other stuff is  in the mix, possibly tuberose?) really come through to play well off of that. It becomes a clean and soapy feeling blend that gives you a high quality classic clean with a creaminess in the dry down.

There’s definitely more than just the two main notes, but the way it comes together is deserving of a spot on the list.

Great Citrus and Wood Perfume

Eau Des Merveilles By Hermes For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.3 Oz.– As the originator of the other des Merveilles fragrances, there is a lot of overlap between this one and L’Ambre, for instance. Eau des Merveilles is different though, it’s got more of a woodsy scent and the citrus note takes more of an active role than it does in the aforementioned perfume.

A lovely and clean fragrance that is suitable for everyday wear. This one starts out with a similar citrus aroma, as its flanker above. Then, you get a resinous fir note, joined by cedar and two types of pepper.

This is quite fresh woods with some spice, swimming in a sea of amber. Not too loud, but has a unique profile, while being completely lovely.

Leather & Floral Perfume

Hermes Kelly Caleche Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 3.3 Ounce– A youthful blend of leather and florals with an opening of citrus notes, which gives it a fresh and hip aroma for those in their early 20s. This one has plenty or rose, violet, with some iris thrown in. The leather is the centerpiece, but each flower, seems to have its turn to shine.

Kelly Caleche is clean, interesting, with nice vanilla undertones. Not too heavy, but solid performance, and has a somewhat playful vibe.

Obviously, these particular floral notes can give off a powdery aroma, at times. Though, it doesn’t really go too far into that direction. Very balanced profile, overall.

Classic Style Hermes

24 Faubourg By Hermes For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 3.3 Ounces– A still popular classically constructed scent consisting of orange blossom, amber, hiacynth, gardenia, and others. Mature, refined, and with plenty of staying power.

24 Faubourg is for those who want to go with something refined and led by floral notes. The opening does have some additional fruitiness, mainly orange, and a sweetness that seems to surround the composition itself.

Nevertheless, that is all a sideshow to the full bouquet of flowers, which await your nose. This is a brilliant performer, well put together, and quite naturalistic.

Best Iris Hermes Scent

Hermès Women’s Hiris Hermès Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.4 oz.–  A good bet for ladies who love iris scented fragrances, especially those that are surrounded by ‘green’ outdoorsy notes. It’s very classy, light, and brings an overall clean aroma to those who wear it. Also, total iris lovers.

Dry cedar and iris that starts out packing quite a punch. Very woodsy and has a bitter quality at times, but Hiris is a very clean, and interesting use of the iris note. It can be more difficult to find a bottle of this nowadays, but they do still exist online.

Hiris has a classy air and maturity about it, and the dry down is fantastic, when the other floral notes emerge.

Popular Unisex Fragrance

Un Jardin Sur Le Nil By Hermes For Women, Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.3-Ounce Bottle– An interesting blend of grapefruit and mango to go along with more earthy, plant life notes. Very upbeat and has a unique vibe provided by notes such as tomato leaf.

Un Jardin Sur Le Nil is a unixsex fragrance which starts off with its citrus/tropical fruits. Those do remain dominant throughout, however, this one does develop a further personality beyond just that.

It has an aquatic appeal at times, then hints of floral, then that nice tomato scent that lingers throughout. Tomato leaf doesn’t sound like it should be a great note, but I’ve found it to be the case that it is, consistently. Very summery with a great greenish finish. My Full Review

Hermes Sandalwood

Santal Massoia by Hermes– Resinous, milky, smooth, with hints of dried fruits keeping it all together. This Hermes perfume combines our sandalwood note with a similar wood, massoia.

The pairing of the two along with dulce de leche, help to create a lovely creaminess to the special woody aroma. The floral ingredients in this one, don’t really come across as distinct and separate. More like a bouquet of generic floral scents. Touches of flowers, but not a big green garden..

It’s like a fresh, milky sandalwood fig aroma. The dried fruits adding some sweetness underneath. This Hermes is on the upper end of the price spectrum, though, well worth giving a try if you’re a sandalwood fan.

Another from Le Jardin

Le Jardin de Monsieur Li– This also made my list of the top men’s fragrances from this brand. I think it’s definitely one of the top picks from the Le Jardin line of perfumes, while also usually being completely overlooked.

It’s a softer spring/summer wear, led by kumquat, a cooling mint, and a generally watery disposition in the opening act. Very crisp and fresh with a grassy note that comes through to make it indeed feel like a garden pond.

Jasmine becomes the main event for much of the wear. Fairly soapy, at that point. However, it maintains enough of a grassy, watery, and herbal edge to prevent it from being a ‘girly’ sort of fragrance. My Full Review

Acqua di Gio vs Creed Aventus Comparison

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In this head to head match up, we have two popular colognes, at differing price points: Acqua di Gio vs. Creed Aventus. Which one of these best-selling fragrances is the better buy? Which lasts longer? Armani or Creed? Which smells best overall? As usual, I will compare and contrast these scents in multiple categories, and then declare a winner.

Tale of the Tape

Acqua di Gio

Notes include: bergamot, tangerine, neroli, jasmine, rosemary, patchouli, rock rose, hyacinth, persimmon, marine notes

Click here to try: Acqua Di Gio By Giorgio Armani For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces

Read my review: Acqua di Gio 

Creed Aventus

Top: Blackcurrant, Italian bergamot, French apples and pineapple

Middle: Rose, dry birch, Moroccan jasmine, and patchouli

Base Notes: musk, oak moss, ambergris, and vanilla.

Click here to try Aventus: Creed Aventus Creed 4 OZ Millesime Spray For Men

My original Review: Creed Aventus

Opening

Aventus opens up very sharp and dry to my nose. The black currant and pineapple notes, seem to be the cause of this, and with the wood notes (birch) it all becomes too much. I really don’t enjoy how Aventus opens, but it does get better.

It’s opening was always bothersome to me. Not terrible, mind you, just super fresh, dry, and that pineapple/black currant combo is a lot to deal with.

Acqua di Gio starts off with tangerine and bergamot leading the way. Then, there is the sea breeze accord, and a little later the emergence of jasmine. It is really fresh and clean and a nice example of an aquatic fragrance.

I do enjoy the citrus, sea breeze freshness, the spice, and the jasmine peaking through. It’s got to be my favorite part about the Armani cologne.

Which is better? I prefer how AdG starts off versus Aventus. That’s not a huge deal, but from the start, the Armani has the edge.

Edge: AdG

Projection

Acqua di Gio is safely in the moderate sillage camp. It is strong enough to be noticed throughout the wear, but never goes insane with the projection, with a normal amount of sprays. It’s also lost a step, over the years.

Aventus, is stronger, in this regard. It’s not a beast, but it is a strong fragrance, and I don’t need many sprays for it to be powerful.

Edge: Aventus

Longevity

With Aventus, I usually get 8-9 hours of wear, on my skin. When it is hot outside, that may drop down to 6. However, it still has better performance than does AdG.

Acqua di Gio gives a consistent 6-7 hours of wear each time. Update: Sometimes with newer bottles of AdG it might only be 5-6.  The Creed takes this category, pretty handily nowadays.

Edge: Aventus

Versatility

Both of these fragrances are versatile fragrances. Acqua di Gio is a good wear for any season, it fits best in spring/summer, but can hold up in any time.

Creed Aventus is sort of like that, but it’s really not that great in the summertime. In the heat, it doesn’t last as long, nor smell as good.

Aventus is the more mature scent of the two. You can wear both to work, but AdG is better for a guy in school. In a formal situation, Aventus, and it’s better for evening wear. They both cover a lot of bases, have their weaknesses, but are pretty even here.

At the high end, Aventus. But, Acqua di Gio is hyper versatile.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Which smells better? OK, I do think that the full wear of Aventus is better. As it dries down, it becomes less sharp, and more woodsy with a certain smokiness to the whole things. Then, there is the sweet touch from both vanilla and the remaining fruit notes.

It really is a great scent, can it be overhyped? Sure, but it does get well deserved praise.

However, Acqua di Gio is no slouch. After 20+ years, it is still legendary, and a great choice for an everyday wear. Does is smell as good as Aventus? Not really, BUT, the price point can make a huge difference in which to buy.

A bottle of Acqua di Gio might be 1/3 of a bottle of Aventus, depending on where you buy it. So, the question for a lot of people will be, is it worth that much more?

Personally, I’d probably grab a bottle of AdG, and a few other fragrances for the same cost as Aventus. Actually, it’d be AdG Profumo, and other scents.

You can also try a cheaper perfume similar to Creed Aventus, also.

That’s just me. Some folks really love Creed Aventus and will gladly pay for that one scent, versus a lineup, for all climates and occasions. Aventus is the better fragrance, but in terms of cost, is it that much better?

Winner: Aventus

Le Male Elixir by Jean Paul Gaultier

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Another year brings us another Le Male flanker from JPG. However, this year’s edition called ‘Elixir’, has been getting a ton of attention and hype since its announcement and subsequent release in Europe. It’s finally here in the US and I purchased a bottle for myself to test out. How does Elixir smell? Is it long lasting? Is it actually worth a buy?

What does Le Male Elixir Smell Like?

Notes include: mint, honey, lavender, tonka bean, benzoin, tobacco, vanilla

Click here to try: Le Male Elixir at Macy’s

My Full Review

Here’s how JPG describes it: Le Male Elixir sports a gold-striped sailor top with transparent amber reflections that reveal his powerful physique and coppery skin. This bottle of desire contains an intense and aromatic woody, amber perfume. This fragrance sets the atmosphere ablaze and revitalises the skin.

The opening spray is minty with a cooling spice. The original Le Male pairing of that mint and lavender is quite apparent. This time, the vanilla note is initially pretty subdued, in favor of the tonka bean.

It doesn’t smell the same, but I get a similar vibe from Chanel Allure Sport Eau Extreme with the mint and heavy tonka opening act. This is for sure sweeter and has a syrupy quality to it, but it was strange to have Elixir trigger that scent memory.

This phase is pretty quickly moved through. The honey and fuzzy amber warmth of the benzoin will quickly seep into the aroma. Less coolness after 5-10 minutes and the scent has the permanent honey glaze for the rest of the wear.

I don’t find the honey or even the tobacco note to be particularly heavy in this mix, but they are certainly noticeable.

The closest comparable fragrance to this is Le Male Le Parfum. However, I do think they are different for most of the way.

In Le Parfum, the dry down of lavender, vanilla, and amber is close to what you get at times with Elixir. But, Elixir’s honey, tobacco, and that tonka bean gives it an added layer. I absolutely think that it’s enough to distinguish them in the back half of the wear.

Earlier, the similarities are fewer as the cardamom and iris notes found in Le Parfum’s first hour aren’t here at all.

So, as we get into the back half, the freshness of the mint is miniscule. Elixir is about its tonka bean and vanilla combination, lavender, honey soaked tobacco, and the less fuzzy now benzoin.

The vanilla slowly eats away at the dominance of the tonka bean throughout the wear. It probably starts off close to 80/20 and then reverses in favor of vanilla, by the end.

The sweetness here is somewhat cloying, it’s worse in the heat. But, I don’t find it to be oppressively thick (earlier, it is a heavier feeling) or too sugary. Again, I’d call the honey a glaze-like effect, even with the amber base.

So, that’s the end of it. Basically, the vanilla and lavender of Le Parfum with that honeyed tobacco influence. This is JPG’s masculine version of La Belle EDP, it would seem.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This is absolutely one of the loudest, most likely to leave a long scent trail, and furthest projecting colognes of the series. It’s still a notch below Ultra Male (at least the original bottles, not sure if it’s been weakened over time).

Le Male Elixir is a powerhouse, that certainly outdoes Le Parfum, which never struck me as being all that massive with its reach. You don’t need a lot with Elixir and you certainly get your money’s worth, in terms of performance.

It will last around 9 hours, but is capable of going beyond that. I’d say around 10.5 hours, during this initial testing run. If I get it to go beyond that, I’ll come back and update.

That’s me testing it out indoors, since this was released at the height of summer in the US. Which, seasonally, that’s not what this is built for.

Autumn and winter, mainly. Potential to move into spring, based on where you live or what you’re going to use this for.

I will say, I think this has more versatility than Ultra Male. That one, I loved a lot initially, even if it was limited to nightlife wear. Still like it, but something I break out once in a while, nowadays.

Elixir is also geared more towards the nightlife and wear for younger guys. It’s one of the louder and sort of obnoxious flankers of the Le Male line, which is one of the things that makes it great.

But, I also think that this could be used better in casual daily situations and has a sweet/warm cozy vibe, that can lend itself to a couple of sprays, and not stick out like a sore thumb. So, not a bad option for school, if you go light.

For professional environments, I’d go with something else entirely. Save this one for your down time, as this is not a formal scent. Fun to wear, but there’s a time and place for it and the office probably isn’t it for most guys.

Overall Impressions of Le Male Elixir

Overall, do I like Elixir? Absolutely. While I still think the original Le Male Le Parfum is still the best daily wear of the series, this one, might be my new favorite flanker. Like, the scent itself has the highest peak, but it’s not something I’d want to wear each day.

It’s better than Le Parfum with its complexity, has taken the place of Ultra Male, and pretty easily beats out Airlines. I’ve been wearing the original quite a lot lately and this will be the next choice out of the five Le Male’s I own.

From the minty fresh and tonka bean opening, into the emergence of the honey and tobacco, I am enthralled with Elixir. Smelling it up close on the skin, I’m less taken with it, but it really hangs around beautifully.

It’s without a doubt one of the better mainstream designer scents this year. I bought and enjoy 1 Million Royal, but this one gets my vote in comparison.

Just as a Le Male flanker, it’s already a special one, with so many forgettable releases like In the Navy in the back catalog.

If you don’t like other Le Male colognes, I don’t think this is going to change your mind. It’s probably not going to be your style. Also, if the sweeter and bold fragrances don’t do it for you, you can probably safely skip it.

Otherwise, this is one I would absolutely recommend trying out, if it sounds interesting to you. At least find it in store to let yourself experience a few sprays out of a tester, before committing to a full bottle.

Still, I think it’s among the best JPG fragrances. Not for everyone, though.

Does Elixir live up to the hype? It’s not the best fragrance ever, but it is indeed very good. For the bold and playful style of this Gaultier series, it is an absolute hit.