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 test out and 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!

Spicebomb EDT by Viktor & Rolf

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Spicebomb from Viktor & Rolf, is a fragrance that I was sure that I reviewed on the site many years ago. While recently posting reviews on the Night Vision flankers to this cologne, I realized that I never actually did.

So, it’s time to rectify that mistake, and I’ll be doing so based on the current formulation from a sample that I bought. How does it smell? Is it still worth a buy?

What does Spicebomb EDT Smell Like?

Notes include: cinnamon, saffron, bergamot, pink pepper, pimento berries, white leather, tobacco, grapefruit, vetiver

Click here to try: Viktor and Rolf Spicebomb Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 1.7 Ounce 

My Full Review

Before we get into my review, let’s see how Viktor & Rolf describes it: Spicebomb is an instant olfactory detonation. An overturning convention which reveals a fragrance that makes no concessions. An explosive concentrate of masculine sensuality.

Spicebomb opens up with that ‘detonation’ of spices and a quite noticeable mix of the grapefruit and bergamot. It’s for sure not a tropical or citrus-laden fragrance, but those notes are present for much of the wear, especially in the initial stages.

Beyond that, the pink pepper note comes through with the cinnamon blend in a pretty even split early on. It’s like a 60/40 deal, to my nose, but the cinnamon will increasingly become dominant.

As it moves along, the sharp blast of spice will settle and be smoothed out by the notes emerging from the heart. I get a lot of saffron and vetiver, which gives Spicebomb a bit more maturity from that youthfully energetic opening act.

Leather comes in, very lightly in the middle, adding to the smoothness and character of this cologne.

At this point, you pretty much get everything you’re going to with this one. It’s cinnamon, saffron, vetiver, leather, and the remaining grapefruit. Finally, it’s the cinnamon, saffron, and vetiver to finish things off until it disappears completely.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, the EDT version still has some punch, but it’s more of a moderate fragrance nowadays. Older bottles projected better for longer, but this latest batch wasn’t bad in terms of its overall power. Just not the same level.

On my skin, I get 6-7 hours of wear from Spicebomb. Yeah, that’s also taken a hit. It went from very good longevity, to solid. If you want a monster performer from this series, Spicebomb Extreme delivers that. Though, it’s a different sort of scent.

Seasonally, this is a autumn and winter wear. The citrus and spice can not only melt in the heat, but can also give off a body odor sort of smell. So, if you live in a more tropical area, you may only get some use from this at night.

Also, it’s more of a casual or nightlife scent. Yes, it has a sexiness to it and is attractive. However, Spicebomb isn’t a formal fragrance and might not be someone’s daily wear cologne. You can get plenty of use from it, it’s just not a jack of all trades.

Overall Impressions of Spicebomb

Overall, do I like Spicebomb? I do. I really enjoyed coming back to this fragrance, after years of not using it. That aroma is still there and still great. I did use Man in Black by Bvlgari during this interlude, which has a very similar albeit boozier profile to Spicebomb EDT.

Spicebomb is still fresh with that great spicy kick, especially up top. As it dries down, you do get a smoother experience with the additional saffron, tobacco, and white leather. The saffron is pretty noticeable during the middle act, which is a good thing, as it is a highly underrated note.

The performance is decent, in its latest incarnation. Is it as good as it used to be? No, but not terrible either. I wish it had its older performance levels, though, it wouldn’t deter me from getting a bottle of the newer batches.

Spicebomb EDT is a classic and one that is well worth getting if you want a dynamic and spicy fresh cologne. The good news, is that, you can usually find really affordable bottles of this stuff online and any change in performance becomes much less of an issue.

I still love how this one smells and will recommend trying it out, if you have yet to ever smell this Viktor & Rolf creation.

Mont Blanc Legend Spirit EDT

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In this post, I am going to take a look at yet another Mont Blanc fragrance for men. This one, is from the Legend series: Legend Spirit eau de toilette. It was launched in 2016 and has enjoyed a bit of popularity on its own since.

However, is it actually any good? Or is it just a failed version of the original? What does it smell like? Does it last for a long time? Please continue below for my full thoughts and experiences with Legend Spirit.

What does Mont Blanc Legend Spirit Smell Like?

Notes include: grapefruit, pink pepper, bergamot, musk, aquatic accord, lavender, cardamom, oak moss, wood

Click here to try: MONTBLANC Legend Spirit Eau de Toilette, 3.3 Fl Oz

My Full Review

So, Legend Spirit, is obviously a flanker fragrance to the original and popular Legend from Mont Blanc. Does this new one smell like the original? Not really, other than sharing some citrus and lavender. Legend Spirit opens up with mainly grapefruit (with some bergamot) for the top citrus note, cardamom, and an aquatic accord.

On my skin, I pick up a lot of spicy warm cardamom, sitting in a watery base. Legend Spirit also gets compared to Invictus Aqua, but to me, it doesn’t really favor that fragrance either. Yes, they are in the same sort of category, but not clones. Invictus Aqua has a salt water aroma, that this lacks, and none of the cardamom. Pink pepper and citrus? Yes, but that’s about all.

Even though this Mont Blanc has an aquatic accord, it does have underlying dryness, from wood, musk, and oak moss. This gets more pronounced as the wear moves on.

At the start, however, it is a nice citrus with water notes and pink pepper/cardamom giving it a depth and warmth. It really seems to hit its stride, at about 10 minutes in, and everything starts to settle down.

During the dry down, much of the citrus notes burn away. There is residual grapefruit throughout. As I said, it gets drier, the further along you get into the wear. The pink pepper and cardamom, really seem to begin to carry this fragrance forward.

The pink pepper is a dead ringer for that found in Guess Seductive. What I get is an aquatic cologne with cardamom leading the way, lavender in second, pink pepper and grapefruit sitting beyond that. At it’s base: oak moss and slight musk.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, this EDT, doesn’t have a huge sillage. At first, it can be pretty good, with a few solid sprays before it sits much closer to the skin. I really don’t pick it up as much as I do with Legend Night, which has better sillage with an equal number of sprays.

The longevity is okay, but really not that great. It will go for 4-6 hours on my skin, before disappearing. It’s actually pretty disappointing for this price point. 2-3 more hours and this would be pretty great.

The Legend series as a whole, doesn’t have amazing performance. To me, there mostly mediocre to decent, in that regard.

Seasonally, I like it as a spring/summer wear, but it is good to go in any season. It won’t ever feel out of place. Legend Spirit is a very fresh scent, that can work well casually, at work, or even on a date.

Nice blend that is semi-aquatic, with a dry woodiness. Appealing aroma for what it is.

People seem to really dig this scent and it will be enjoyable for the ladies. Has enough maturity for an older man to wear it, but doesn’t have some overbearing profile, that would prevent a teen from wearing it either. Very versatile cologne.

Overall Impressions of Legend Spirit

Overall, do I like Legend Spirit? I do. I enjoy it much more than the original Legend, but I still prefer Legend Night, overall. This is a nice twist on the citrus aquatic fragrance. Yes, it is familiar, and shares aspects with many other scents.

However, the cardamom and pink pepper, help to separate it from the pack and produce something that is very nice and quite useful. This would serve well as a daily wear fragrance, or a sort of, do-everything scent.

Is it the best ever? No, but it does everything well, except for the longevity. Even that’s not completely terrible. It’s a good wear for the summer.

I wouldn’t be mad paying retail price for a bottle of Spirit. At a discount, this Montblanc is a worthwhile pickup, that can cover plenty of bases for you.

4 Best Smelling Tiffany & Co Perfumes

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Tiffany & Co. has a long and storied history. It’s even put out plenty of perfumes over the years but completely revamped its lineup in the past five. Not only that, the company was bought out by LVMH in a long-drawn out deal. Still, with all of the new things going on, the brand doesn’t have super deep lineup of fragrances for ladies. In this post, I want to break down the best options they have available and what distinguishes them from one another.

What are the Best Tiffany & Co. Fragrances for Her?

Classy Iris & Pink Pepper

Tiffany & Co. Intense Eau de Parfum .13 fl. oz.– Tiffany Intense does have the powdery iris quality found in the original, actually it comes across to me as more powdery. But, at the same time, you get an interesting blend of fresh notes, spice, and sweetness to keep it from baby powder territory.

The musk and iris blend is the same, with the citrus notes removed, but a great addition of jasmine that helps to take Intense in a newer direction. Up top, that pink pepper does have a tendency to pop and be powerful at first. Though, it does subside a lot.

As it moves forward, this entry becomes sweeter with vanilla and the floral notes really coming together. It starts to move out of the powdery aroma that I get in the initial stages. Even with all of that, Intense doesn’t become too heavy or too much of a cold weather scent. Still versatile and enjoyable.

Best Pure Floral

Tiffany & Co Sheer Eau de Toilette Perfume Gift Box Set– Sheer is the muskier option of the Tiffany EDP flankers. It keeps much of the same formulation, but adds black currant and ylang-ylang while amping up the musk note (while lowering the mandarin).

So, the iris is still in charge, but shares with the ylang-ylang and a touch of rose oil. It’s a light soapy floral with early touches of fruit, that doesn’t particularly hang around for a long time.

As it dries down, Tiffany Sheer takes on a greener and more naturalistic floral aroma. The soapiness calms down and you get an iris-led bouquet. Reminder that this is a sheer perfume, so expect it to be light, and the performance not to be amazing.

But within that time frame, it’s a nice option for floral lovers.

Citrus Woods Fresh

Tiffany & Co. Love Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, Floral Woody, 3 Oz– Love EDP gives you something different from the Tiffany EDP flankers on this list. It’s got a sharper citrus, none of the iris, and a wonderful dose of basil up top.

Blackcurrant, grapefruit, and basil open up the composition with a great intensity and fresh spiciness. This is aided by the clean wood notes in the base, such as cedar and blue sequoia.

The basil doesn’t completely slap you across the face, it is moderated by the neroli note, which serves as the floral heart. The opening citrus does add a watery semi-aquatic aroma to the start, but has a bit more strength to my nose.

Later, the citrus is very light and it is a woody floral. Not a complete bomb but has a dynamic and youthful energy about it.

Popular Original Eau de Parfum

TIFFANY & CO. 2.5 OZ EAU DE PARFUM SPRAY WOMEN– This newer Tiffany EDP came out some years back and sort of goes underappreciated. I understand why in some ways, but as a soft daily wear perfume it’s actually quite nice.

Iris is the star of the show, surrounded by fruity notes, and musk. Not too complicated. It opens up more like a fruity floral and dries down as a floral musk. The vert de mandarine is the citrus highlight of this formulation.

This has a brighter, less musky, and less overtly powdery aroma when compared to Intense. Tiffany & Co. EDP has a fresher and cleaner presentation. Super easy to wear, when you prefer to be low key.

Gucci Guilty vs Guilty Intense

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In this edition, of the head to head men’s cologne comparisons, we have to entries from the Gucci line: Guilty vs. Guilty Intense. Which of these fragrances smells the best? The original or it’s flanker descendant? Which has the better performance? Out of the two, which is the better buy? Please continue below for my full break down, as well as, the original reviews of both scents.

Guilty vs Intense: Tale of the Tape

Gucci Guilty

Notes include: lemon, orange blossom, lavender, patchouli, cedar, pink pepper, neroli

Click here to try: Guilty By Gucci EDT spray for Men, 3 Ounce

Read my original review: Gucci Guilty

Gucci Guilty Intense

Notes include: lemon, lavender, coriander, amber, orange blossom, neroli, cedar, patchouli

Click here to try: Gucci Guilty Intense Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 3 Ounce

Read my original review: Guilty Intense

Opening

Gucci Guilty opens up with a blend of lemon, pink pepper, and lavender. It’s a light, warm, and calming fragrance with added base notes of cedar and patchouli. While it feels simple, it’s actually fairly unique in how it comes across when compared to other scents.

Guilty Intense obviously has a lot of similarities to its predecessor, however, it goes lighter on the lemon. Also, the lavender and amber notes are heavier, with addition spice from coriander and patchouli.

Which do I enjoy more? While I think the original is nice with the citrus note, I think that the use of the amber and lavender in Intense is just a better mix. Also, the extra bit of spice really adds more substance to the fragrance.

I really like the amber quality of Intense, coriander is a spice that I usually enjoy, and it plays well off of the calming lavender. Guilty’s lemon and pink pepper is good, but not great, in comparison.

Edge: Intense

Projection

Obviously, in this category, Intense should have the upper hand. It does. However, neither cologne is particularly powerful. The original is pretty moderate for a few hours and then light and airy.

Intense, is stronger and more persistent, probably on the upper edge of moderate. I guess it is, technically more intense than the original, but is by no means a huge fragrance.

To get a massive version of the Guilty name, you have to go with some of the flankers, that don’t really compare to the original release in how it’s structured.

Overall, the strength of Guilty Intense is good, just don’t expect a crazy sillage from it. Nonetheless, it is the clear winner in this category.

Edge: Intense

Longevity

Gucci Guilty lasts 5-6 hours on my skin. Meanwhile, I get 7-8 from Guilty Intense.

I like the original Guilty, but performance has never been all that good, especially at this price point. Guilty Intense will stick around for more situations, one will find themselves in. Pretty much a standard work day and can make it through a night out, just fine.

None of the fragrances from this Gucci lineup seem to have insane longevity (Absolute does, though, it’s an entirely different type of scent), but the winner is certain, in this battle.

Edge: Intense

Versatility

Both of these scents have great versatility and are basically identical, in that regard. Seasonally, they can be worn year round pretty much. Are fine for casual wear, work, and smell good enough for dates. Also, both seem best for guys in their 20s-30s to wear.

I think that I enjoy wearing either of them in the warmer weather. The extreme cold and extreme heat, probably aren’t the ideal scenarios to wear these…but it’s not too much of an issue.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

I like Gucci Guilty, but it never really impressed me. It is a simple and clean fragrance, that is a good go to for a wide variety of situations. The main attractions are the lemon, lavender, and pink pepper note.

It has a slight woody/earthiness to the aroma, but also some nice floral sweetness. Not a bad scent, just nothing spectacular.

Guilty Intense, is just a better cologne. The performance is better, but also, the composition is just much nicer. It’s probably my favorite from the Guilty line. It’s very warm with amber and floral notes led by the lavender.

I like the orange blossom in this one and how the light the lemon note is. I find it to be a very enjoyable fragrance to wear, even if it is pretty simple as well.

Winner: Gucci Guilty Intense

Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet by Dior

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I have a boatload of new samples to get through and write up reviews on. However, I’m still working my way through a box of older samples to post on the site, including today’s entry: Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet EDT.

This is one of the many flanker perfumes that has branched off from the original Miss Dior lineup, but how does this scent fair? Continue below for my full wear take.

What does Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet Smell Like?

Notes include: Calabrian bergamot, peony, Damsacus rose, musk, and more

Click here to try: Christian Dior Miss Blooming Bouquet Eau de Toilette Spray for Women, 1.7 Ounce

My Full Review

The opening of this fragrance struck me as absolutely lovely. I’m not a huge fan of florals, but I do like peony more than most, and especially how it blends with the Calabrian bergamot from the beginning. The citrus note just sits on top of the floral array creating a slightly juicy aroma. Here’s how the sample insert from Dior describes Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet:

A bouquet of delicate Peony and Rose notes honed by the freshness of Calabrian Bergamot and adorned with a lacework of White Musks. The caress of a fresh floral.

The freshness of the bergamot is quite accurate, I think that this note is wonderfully done within the composition. It’s a very feminine type of scent, utterly soft, and a floral without the ‘greeness’ of a lot of other perfumes within this category.

The musk note, which can often come across as spicy and heavy, is actually light and appropriately accompanies the peony and rose notes. It provides a solid base but doesn’t ever get loud or try to take over the aroma.

As it dries down, Blooming Bouquet becomes more floral than fruity, since the bergamot begins to fade somewhat. What is left is a bright and pretty scent, that is stylish without become overly girly or like an old lady floral.

The peony feels stronger towards middle to end of the wear. It ends up as a pretty and light fragrance with the brightness and citrus ingredients sitting underneath.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, this Miss Dior is a light affair. I don’t think that it is weak, just softer and airy. It sticks around, in a more intimate scent bubble, and isn’t going to venture across the room outside of using a monster amount.

On my skin, the longevity wasn’t a problem, I could catch whiffs of it for up to 7 hours throughout the day. Good but not amazing, though, it would work just fine for most people’s purposes. I do wish that it had more, but it’s not a complete ripoff or anything.

This is a pretty versatile perfume. Blooming Bouquet is light enough to be worn at work or school. It an be worn casually or formally. It’s very attractive, more delicious, than sexy.

However, I found myself really attracted to this perfume and would love to smell it on a woman I was dating. It’s probably just not one for the night club scene, where louder fragrances seems to be all the rage.

Seasonally, Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet is for the warmer months of the year. It’s bright and has a springtime vibe to it. The emergence of flowers and the bit of juiciness of the citrus, just exudes an upbeat and elegant charm.

On the whole, I’d say it works in spring through early autumn. Winter, you may want to go with a scent with a heavier profile.

Overall Impression of Blooming Bouquet

Overall, do I recommend this fragrance? Yes. It is a very good all around perfume. It obviously smells great but has a subtlety, which allows it to be a solid everyday wear choice. Is it super unique?

Not really, but not every fragrance has to be some stand out, in that regard. This is a soft and beautiful floral that doesn’t get too green or overly musky. It’s simple and low key great within that simplicity. Well done, Dior.

The opening bergamot note is a highlight for me and the interplay with the rose and peony notes is great. The sillage is light, but it has pretty good longevity, as it can last for most of a work day. Blooming Bouquet would be a great pick up as a mostly everyday wear.

This is definitely one of the best Miss Dior releases and one that you can’t really go wrong with as an easy to reach for daily wear. Unless you really don’t like rose and peony, there’s not any real reason to avoid giving it a try.