Cologne Reviews

Pegasus Exclusif by Parfums de Marly

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Pegasus Exclusif is a follow up to the popular fragrance Pegasus by PdM. It was released back in 2020, but I recently received a sample of this stuff with another order, so I thought I’d test it out and post a full review on the site.

How does Exclusif smell? Does it hold up or exceed the original Pegasus? Is it worth a try?

Pegasus

Notes include: cardamom, heliotrope, almond, pink pepper, vanilla, bergamot, lavender, geranium, jasmine, guaiac wood, sandalwood, amber

Click here to try: Pegasus Exclusif on Amazon

My Full Review

I was never too much of a fan of the original Pegasus, so I wasn’t expecting much from this edition of the scent.

However, the opening of Exclusif, is a much better balance of notes than its predecessor. This one doesn’t feel like a bomb of almond and vanilla. Instead, there is a tad more of the bergamot citrus, a better spice from pink pepper, and the soft heliotrope.

I’m still getting some of that almond and vanilla, but I also don’t get the same sort of chemical overhang that I do with the original (maybe it’s just me who got that smell).

After 10 minutes or so, the pink pepper and bergamot have faded substantially. Cardamom steps up and I get more of the influence of the middle notes. Yes, almond and vanilla are here for the duration, still not completely dominating anything.

It’s softer with a dry freshness to it. On my skin, I pick up lavender and geranium jockeying for influence at different times during this wear. I do like when the geranium hits its heaviest, really adding a colder aromatic vibe to the blend.

The main difference between Pegasus Exclusif and the original, is the guaiac wood. The sandalwood probably also has a stronger influence here than in the original. However, the warmth and smokiness that is unleashed here by the guaiac is a really great addition.

The dry down is much the same. It’s woodier for sure, but we still get the vanilla and some almond that’s left. It’s an ambery wood finish with those two other notes adding support at the tail end.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

I don’t think Exclusif is that much more powerful than the original, if at all. It’s difficult to tell since I don’t have a vial of Pegasus currently. But, Exclusif also opens up with a pretty strong and far reaching blast.

Then, it will settle down into something that is noticeable, but fairly moderate in how it presents. On the whole, Pegasus Exclusif is above average with its sillage, and probably about equal with the original.

Also with this edition, I get double digit hours of wear from it. Again, I don’t think there’s much of a difference and those last handful of hours aren’t particularly strong. Though, Exclusif definitely is there.

Seasonally, Exclusif is still built for colder weather. Stick to autumn through early springtime with this one.

It’s more of a going out type of scent versus a daily wear. But, I’d still find a way to make this more of a daily wear type, if I had a bottle. It’s got an attractive aroma and the smokiness isn’t too powerful as to be useless at the office or something like that.

It can be worn casually or dressed up. The seasonality can limit it somewhat, but Pegasus Exclusif works well in a wide variety of situations you’d find yourself in.

Overall Impressions of Exclusif

Overall, do I like Pegasus Exclusif? Yes, I do think it’s better than the original. With that one, it was always a scent that I thought was ‘okay’. Exclusif isn’t a complete love for me, but I did enjoy wearing it.

The balance here is better. I’m not just blasted by a wall of almond and vanilla early on. The increase of the woodiness is a fantastic change of focus. This one feels more wearable and just more likeable than the first fragrance.

The longevity and performance don’t seem any different to me. Though, that wasn’t anything that I had a complaint about with Pegasus, since it’s a good performer already.

Basically, if you liked the original, you will get much of the same here. However, there is enough change presented with Exclusif to make it a better and more well-rounded cologne.

It’s not a fragrance that I’m personally going to run out and buy, but it’s one that I wouldn’t mind having a bottle of. Which, I couldn’t say about the first Pegasus. Exclusif is one of the better Parfums de Marly scents, just not among my absolute favorites.

Opium Pour Homme EDP by YSL

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Opium Pour Homme eau de parfum was released back in 1995. I haven’t come across a bottle of this concentration in many years, even after owning multiple bottles of the EDT version. I saw a bottle for sale on eBay while scrolling through fragrances, and immediately bought it.

Now, this is a discontinued cologne, but I want to do a full review of it anyway. How does this vintage scent hold up? Does it still last long? Is it worth a try?

Opium Pour Homme Eau de Parfum Overview

Notes include: star anise, black currant, Sichuan pepper, vanilla, ginger, balsam, cedar

My Full Review

Luckily, I managed to buy a bottle of Opium EDP both in its original box and sealed in the plastic wrap. This purchase and my buy of Kouros Fraicheur, both came, as they originally shipped.

I looked up the batch code for this bottle and it’s from 1997, during the Sanofi Beaute era of YSL Parfums. Actually having the box, made it easier to narrow down.

Based on the bottle alone, it would’ve been a 1995-1999 (maybe 2000, depending on when the change to the markings took place after the sale to PPR) guess as to when this scent was bottled.

It’s a 50mL (1.6 oz) bottle that can be refilled (or at least could’ve been).

Anyway, Opium EDP opens up with a blast of spice and the blackcurrant note, giving it a slight fruitiness. The blackcurrant in this old bottle isn’t all that great anymore. A bit sour, sort of like how the top citrus notes play out in my bottle of L’Homme Haute Concentration.

Still, not terrible, for how long its been shelved.

This does have the same balsam presence, as I notice in the EDT version, but here it is sitting under much more spice. The anise note is strong and is backed by a powerful blast of Sichuan pepper.

Quite warm, medicinal, spicy, and you can say that this has more relation to the opening of Opium EDT for Women.

For me, the pepper dies down first. That’s when I can notice the bit of ginger peaking through.  Opium becomes smoother, with an emergence of the vanilla, and great balsamic influence.

What’s interesting here, is the eau de parfum has a powdery aspect to it that I find is lacking in the edt version. Not a ton, but it’s there.

The back half of this is fresher, sweeter, with an ambery finish. Less of a powerful punch and more of a simple and well put together scent. Comparing it to the EDT, I get more cedar in the dry down, which was probably the weakest part of the lower concentration cologne.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The opening act is pretty strong here. You get a nice reach and scent trail going with this Saint Laurent fragrance.

I’d call the sillage strong. Well above average at first. Then, it will settle into something that is more moderate and has sort of an airy feel to it, rather than being a dense cloud .

It lasts over 10 hours for me, but it’s not a powerful 10 hours. More like it’s just sort of around, during the back half of the wear, after a much more substantial start. Honestly, not too much more powerful than the bottles of Opium EDT that I wore many years ago.

Spicier yes, just not a massive amount of difference in the performance.

Seasonally, this is autumn and winter all the way. It really shines in the colder weather, so it seems I won’t get much use of this one for at least a few more months.

I like to have Opium EDT on in the daytime, but with the greater depth and intensity, EDP can fit in either night or day.

It’s different from most of what’s out there today. Opium EDP isn’t going appeal to most of the younger set. There is a refinement here, still with appeal for plenty of people, just not something that’s going to be a daily wear for most.

It’s darker and does have an attractive or sexy aroma. Very masculine.

Overall Impressions of Opium Pour Homme EDP

Overall, do I like Opium EDP. Yes, it’s one that I’ve always appreciated and I do greatly prefer this version to the eau de toilette.

That ramped up spiciness really sells it for me. The anise here is potent, with an added warmth of spice from pepper and ginger notes. The ‘medicinal’ kind of aroma that this YSL fragrance can have, may not be for everyone.

It’s still a modern cologne, much more approachable than those that came before it, despite being released about 30 years ago. Still, it is different from much of the mainstream offerings today, especially from YSL itself.

Is it worth getting? For some people, yes. My bottle was just over $100. Though, I’ve seen other Opium EDP bottles going for way more than that. To me, approaching $200 is a tad too much, unless you’re a collector.

The EDT is much more available, but the last batches of that aren’t as good as they once were. My current bottle of that, is pretty mid, especially the performance.

Apparently, this was discontinued much later than I thought it was. Not sure exactly when, but I think it was still for sale in a few places around Europe not too long ago. Though, it’s done for good, as of now.

Opium EDP is a scent that I love adding to my collection. In a sea of men’s fragrances, which seem to copy one another, it’s nice to be able to wear something that’s completely different every so often.

1 Million Royal by Paco Rabanne

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1 Million Royal is the latest flanker fragrance of the highly popular line by Paco Rabanne. It was released in 2023 and slowly seems to be getting more attention. It took me a while just to get a hold of the bottle, since it was only recently released in the US a week or so before writing this. How does Royal smell? Does it last long? Is it actually worth a try?

1 Million Royal Overview

Notes include: mandarin orange, bergamot, cardamom, lavender, violet leaf, cedar, sage, benzoin, patchouli

Buy from Sephora: Royal

million royal review

My Full Review

Here’s how Paco Rabanne describes it: Powered by your inner confidence, enter the 1 Million Royal kingdom with the ultimate fragrance of defiant self-expression, made for you by Paco Rabanne. Unconstrained by convention, find the freedom to live by your own rules with 1 Million Royal: a flamboyant fresh woody blend that collides with a distinctive sensuality to unleash what makes you uniquely you. Claim the stage; you’re the king. It’s time to rise.

1 Million Royal opens up with a blend of notes vying for your attention. The mandarin orange and bergamot citrus are sitting on top of the mix, giving this an initial lightness and brightness.

Underneath, the warm spiciness of the cardamom and benzoin notes are already coming through. Royal will have more of a cardamom spice versus other notes here, but early I get a decent amount of sage and a touch of patchouli.

The latter, is only noticeably if I really focus and basically press my nose up against where I sprayed.

In comparison to 1 Million Elixir, this also has a sweetness and amber-like heart thanks to that benzoin. However, Elixir is much sweeter, floral, and vanilla based.

Royal seems to have something giving it a light vanilla effect, but the note isn’t actually listed (probably benzoin, creating that sensation).

Royal also shares plenty of similarities with Le Male Airlines by JPG. I have a full bottle of that fragrance and they definitely overlap.

Notably, they share notes of: cardamom, lavender, citrus, and cedar. But, they aren’t exactly the same in terms of smell. Airlines is sweeter and much more cardamom dominant. The cardamom itself seems to be a different type in Royal, spicier with less of the citrusy facets.

I like Royal more than Airlines thus far.

As we move along, the spiciness will tone down. I start to get a greater ratio of the lavender versus the cardamom and the benzoin will also begin to claim the top spot.

That’s mostly what the dry down is all about. A sort of fuzzy vanilla amber aroma of the benzoin, lavender, the remaining cardamom, and a generic fresh woody cedar note.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Royal isn’t a heavy fragrance. Though, it has a lot more power than you think that it does. It’s kind of diffuse and the cloud that it creates around you is much more like a mist for most of the wear.

3-4 hours into the wear I can still smell it on me and I’ve had one other person comment positively on it during my first initial test. This was hours after I had sprayed it on my arm, not even on the usual pulse points.

I’d say at its peak, Royal is probably a 5-8 foot radius cologne, in terms of its projection. After that, it’s going to spend a ton of time in that 3-4 foot range. Not bearing down on you, but I’ve noticed it hanging around without having to press my nose to my skin.

On me, this lasts somewhere in the 8-8.5 hour range. Good enough for most uses, but not incredible either.  Royal is actually a parfum concentration and the performance basically reflects that higher level of perfume.

It does fall slightly short of what I got with Elixir. Almost the same sillage, but Elixir lasts up to 10 hours on me.

Seasonally, probably going to be more of an autumn and winter wear. It’s actually nice in moderate temperatures, so, spring will be fine in most places. That’s especially true in the evenings.

It’s about to officially be summer here in a few days, which has limited a lot of my testing to indoors, as it’s not a fragrance that is built for the heat. It’s actually not terrible, since Royal isn’t overly thick and heavy, just not ideal.

1 Million Royal does skew more towards being a nightlife fragrance, but it isn’t completely out of place in a variety of other situations. It’s just not really a formal type of cologne.

It can really be worn by a man of any age, since it doesn’t have the same level of candy-like sweetness that some other fragrances in the 1 Million series can. It’s very much like 1 Million Prive, in that regard.

As I wrote earlier, I’ve already gotten a complement on Royal and this one indeed feels like it’s going to have mass appeal. I think that I’ll use my bottle mostly for casual and nightlife wear.

Overall Impressions of 1 Million Royal

Overall, do I like 1 Million Royal? Yes, to me it’s on par with Elixir. I do notice the similarities, but these are ultimately different fragrances. Royal is warmer, spicier, and doesn’t have that Elixir sweetness.

I wasn’t sure that I was going to like this and was worried that I’d have a full bottle of the stuff just languishing on my shelf. Royal turned out to be better than I expected and I will get plenty of use out of it.

It’s actually much closer to Le Male Airlines than the other 1 Million scents. It’s like they fused that Gaultier cologne’s DNA with some of the 1 Million fragrances’ and then added more benzoin. All resulting in 1 Million Royal.

I think that the opening is really great. The citrus gives it a nice energy and the balance of the spiciness, benzoin, and lavender is near perfection at that point. Enough sweetness to not be overwhelmed in either the spicy or sweet direction.

Performance is solid. Not a monster projector, but Royal does have a nice ability to project and leave a scent trail. Longevity is about what you’d need in most scenarios.

I recommend giving this one a try, if you’re a fan of the 1 Million series. It’s different of course, but that same sort of vibe and style is present here. I’m glad that I bought it.

Gold Knight by Kilian

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Gold Knight is a fragrance sample that I’ve had sitting in a box for many months now. I tested it out a few times, but never got around to putting my thoughts about it down. Well, I essentially forgot about it for a while, and rediscovered it more recently. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try? Find out below.

What does Gold Knight Smell Like?

Notes include: anise, vanilla, bergamot, patchouli, honey, amber

My Full Review

The aroma of Gold Knight immediately reminds me of Opium Pour Homme, with that anise note up top. Vanilla, anise, and bergamot are here (in lieu of the black currant); along with a general warm amber thickness.

However, it’s definitely not the same as that YSL. Here, it actually is a sweeter honey/amber combination. The spice of the anise is flatter in Gold Knight and it lacks much of the balsamic and smoky notes of that fragrance.

To me, this Kilian is sort of like taking Opium and blending it with Grand Soir. The amber and vanilla notes are especially prominent, as this dries down and that’s basically what that Kurkdjian perfume is.

So, opening up you get a blend of spice and sweetness, both of which are tempered by that thick amber quality. The anise is nice and paired with a delicious honey note early on. Just a hint of the citrus and the opening act is quite attractive here.

The early stages are sweet with the anise giving things a nice added kick of spice. The bergamot hangs around for a little while, but will fade.

The anise also fades, just not entirely until later. This is when Gold Knight starts to really resemble Grand Soir, which I’m not that big of a fan of. Honeyed amber and vanilla with a touch a patchouli to dirty things up…which separates Gold Knight from that perfume.

That’s pretty much what I get for the rest of the wear.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is good, but not enormous on my skin. It’s pretty steady through most of the wear and I’d call it on the upper end of moderate.

The longevity is very good, even if Gold Knight isn’t entirely beast mode. As I’ve tested it out, Gold has stayed around for at least 9 hours and can venture into double digits. Now, those last hours are basically skin scent level, but very detectable.

Seasonally, this one for the autumn and winter months. It’s warmth, spice, and thicker constitution aren’t going to be great once the heat and humidity kicks in.

Gold Knight is listed as a fragrance for men. But, it’s actually quite unisex. Opium Pour Homme had more intensity and spice, that made it masculine. This is softer and easy to wear for anybody.

During that time frame, it’s safe to wear basically anywhere. It probably won’t lend itself to most high school students, but outside of that, it’s office safe. It can venture into the nightlife and be able to draw complements and not negative attention.

Overall Impressions of Gold Knight

Overall do I like Gold Knight? I do like it, but I also don’t want a full bottle of it. I like the similarities to Opium, which I used to wear a lot, but I still think that the YSL is a better scent. Plus, the back half here isn’t all that exciting.

Pleasant, sure. But, it doesn’t really do all that much for me. If you’re a fan of this kind of vanilla and amber (honey) combination, it could for sure be one to pick up.

The opening with the mix of anise spice and balanced sweet notes is worthwhile, I wish there were more of that or something else going on thereafter to really catch my attention.

The performance is good and it provides plenty of utility, as a versatile unisex perfume.

When I think of Gold Knight, the phrase ‘it’s fine’ comes to mind. Some people will absolutely love this stuff and it is generally highly rated.

To me, it’s a slightly worse version of a scent that I really did love at one point, and another that I never fully ‘got’. Kilian has better fragrances than this, but it’s also not among their worst. For the price, I do want something beyond what Gold Knight provides.

Nautica Voyage vs Nautica Blue Cologne Comparison

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I’ve already done multiple reviews of Nautica fragrances and a list of the best smelling scents from this brand. As such, I think it’s time to narrow down the field a bit more and compare two of this brand’s best sellers, Voyage and Nautica Blue.

In this post, I want to compare how each scent smells, how it performs, and determine which one is the better buy in my opinion. Please continue below for the full comparison. Also see: Voyage vs Voyage N-83

Tale of the Tape Nautica Voyage vs. Blue

Nautica Voyage 

Notes include: apple, musk, cedar, green leaf, amber, mimosa

Read my original review here

Try Nautica Voyage: Nautica Voyage By Nautica For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 oz

Nautica Blue

Notes include: Musk, cedar, bergamot, sandalwood, peach, pineapple, water lily

Read my original review 

Click here to try Nautica Blue!

nblue

Opening

The differences between the openings of these two fragrances is that, Voyage gives off a juicy/citrus scent while being an aquatic cologne, and Blue is leaning more towards the woodsy/aquatic.

Yes, blue has citrus/fruity notes as well but it’s cedar note is more noticeable while Voyage’s fruit notes take center stage.

Voyage starts thinks off with apple, musk, some watery notes, and floral notes. This is a greenish floral fragrance, at times, particularly after the opening. You will get plenty of lotus and mimosa in Nautica Voyage. For such an inexpensive scent, it really is quite unique.

Nautica Blue is a blend of bergamot and pineapple, up top. The newer bottles really seem really quite sharp in the opening act. Like a sharp fruity detergent. It’s strange, as older bottles didn’t have this same level of intensity. It will get woodier, later on, and settle itself down.

It’s really a matter of taste…but I give Voyage a slight edge. Actually, with the newer batches, Voyage wins this category hands down.

Edge: Voyage

Projection

Both of these scents are moderate, however, Blue tends to be on the lighter side in my opinion. Neither is really a projection beast, but they get the job done, for the most part.

Blue gets softer, much earlier than does Voyage. Voyage actually stays moderate with its sillage for a good while, leaving at slight scent trail, but is detectable for longer than Nautica Blue.

Edge: Voyage

Longevity

I get about 7 hours of wear out of Voyage most of the time. Blue, on the other hand, is really hit and miss with somewhere between 2-5 hours depending on the circumstances.

Voyage definitely starts to open a lead over Blue with this category. The last batch of Blue that I tried, really hit the lower end of its spectrum, too. Voyage owns this category.

Update: Yes, after trying Blue again, it’s about 2-3 hours now. Voyage, as of the last time that I tried it out, is still the same.

Edge: Voyage

Versatility

Nautica colognes are well known for being casual aquatic scents and that holds true in the case of these two.

Blue is a fresh and clean fragrance that is quite simple and linear in its aroma. Both are good for work, school, casual situations.

Both would be best for younger guys, maybe Voyage has an edge for the older set head to head, but not enough to make a difference.

Update: I’m changing my stance on this. The newer bottles of Blue, do have a too much sharpness and have too much of a detergent-like aroma. I’d say since both are cheapies, limit the use to casual or some work wear, but I’d for sure go with Voyage before Blue.

Edge: Voyage

Overall Scent

Voyage to me, smells better overall and add that to its better performance and it has to be the winner out of these two.

I remember Blue being much better in the past, not as much of a detergent like smell. The opening of this latest batch, really turned me off this cologne.

Voyage is an easy to wear go to. It’s really the pinnacle of the Nautica brand, that they don’t ever seem to be able to top. For the price, it’s a great option.

Crisp fruit notes, green/floral blend, and a musky finish. There’s a reason that this fragrance, has become a best seller, at this price point.

I’d rather wear Voyage over Blue, every time, nowadays. In the past, Blue might have gotten a few wears, but it’s lost a lot of luster in my book.

The good news is that, since these colognes are so inexpensive, one could simply buy both of them and not break the bank in the process.

See if you actually like Blue, and if not, it’ll only set you back $10-15. I probably wouldn’t even bother with it at this point, since it really doesn’t do much of anything well.

Winner: Voyage