Cologne Reviews

Tobacco Vanille by Tom Ford

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For today’s review, I am finally getting around to doing a full write up of Tobacco Vanille by Tom Ford. I am still getting through my reviews of fragrances from this designer and this is among the most highly regarded of the bunch. This one came out in 2007. But how does it actually smell? Does it have good performance? What are the ingredients?

What does Tobacco Vanille Smell Like?

Notes include: tobacco, vanilla, dried fruit accords, cocoa, tonka bean, wood sap, spices

Click here to try: Tom Ford Beauty Tobacco Vanille Private Blend Spray/3.4 oz.

My Full Review

Tobacco Vanille opens up with a lot of very sweet tobacco, vanilla, cocoa, and creamy tonka bean. It is loud and really sweet, which I think puts off many people from giving this a fair shake, because it can kind of be overwhelming at the start.

The sweetness is somewhat offset by a layer of unnamed spice, but from what I can tell is mostly cinnamon. It’s a warm enveloping cloud of tobacco and familiar gourmand notes.

One thing about the sweetness is that it has a dry and powdered quality to the aroma. The cocoa note smells like cocoa powder and the dried fruit accord provides a different type of sweet scent from that of the strong vanilla and cocoa.

As it dries down, it becomes less sugary sweet, and more of a rich and dark aroma. It’s a very thick fragrance, smooth overall, but notes like the wood sap give it a resinous undertone.

As it dries down, I get more of the tobacco as a stand alone, that is less drowned out by the gourmand notes. It’s a green leafy tobacco, not a cured and toasted one. This is surrounded by sap and spices.

Plus, the sweet combo of the cocoa and vanilla, which lend it a creamy powdery disposition. It’s pretty much what I get for the rest of the wear.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage of Tobacco Vanille is really quite strong at first. It’ll stay that way for a few hours, but I’d put it on the upper edge of moderate for the rest of the wear. It isn’t a super bomb scent for the entire way, but it can hit hard at first.

Longevity is great. It’s an all day wear, and can hit double digit hours of wear, with only a couple of sprays. Probably in the 11-12 hour range, at its best.

This one has always stuck to my skin very well and kept going. I’m not sure everyone will experience the same, but it’s one of the best performing Tom Ford scents for me.

Seasonally, it’s a cold weather scent. Too much warmth and sweetness to be of use for me in the spring/summer, but it’s great when the temperatures drop. Very versatile, sexy enough to be worn out at night, but mature enough for office wear.

Doesn’t offend and gets positive reactions from people, as long as you’re not doing a crazy number of sprays. Also, it’s more masculine than anything, but it is still within the realm of being a unisex scent.

Overall Impressions of Tobacco Vanille

Overall, do I like Tobacco Vanille by Tom Ford? Yes, it is a very good tobacco based fragrance. The dry down period is my favorite part, because it doesn’t have the same in your face sweetness, but I cannot say that I totally dislike the opening either.

It is expensive, but this is one of the Tom Ford scents that has really great performance, while being pleasing to wear. If you live in a very humid climate, it might not be the best choice. Obviously, you’ll also need to like the smell of tobacco.

For me, this is one of the Tom Ford perfumes that I can and do enjoy. Though, it isn’t my favorite or one that I personally want to wear all of the time. Especially since, the autumn and winter is when I get to break out a whole host of other scents with a dark, sweet, spicy profile.

Other Tom Ford scents like: Noir Extreme and Parfum. Different high end stuff like Oajan, Angels’ Share and Chanel’s Egoiste.

So, I do recommend giving this one a try at least. But, I already have a glut of fragrances with a similar use case, and this one gets left out of the mix for me.

Eternity for Men EDP by Calvin Klein

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In the midst of all of these new reviews, I’ve been writing up, I had the chance to try out the new release from Calvin Klein: Eternity for Men EDP. Yes, they are putting out an eau de parfum flanker under the Eternity name, some 30 years after its been out. Fine. But how does this 2019 edition smell? What’s its performance like? Is it even worth a try?

What Does Eternity EDP Smell Like?

Notes include: cypress, suede, sage, geranium, vetiver, apple, and more

Click here to try: Calvin Klein Eternity for Men Eau de Parfum, 3.4 Fl Oz

My Full Wear Review

The immediate opening of Eternity has some pretty obvious similarities with the original. However, the most noticeable difference is the absence of a strong sandalwood note.

It doesn’t have that same soapy quality, which may either be a good or bad thing, depending on your tastes.

Eternity EDP starts off with a nice crisp apple note, perhaps some light citrus (if so, it’s not listed), and a good amount of sage. It’s fresh and herbal, with a solidly powerful sillage, at the top. This initial smell, lasts for a little while longer, before the cypress fully takes control.

The cypress is an interesting note, within this composition. I like it, giving Eternity EDP that woodsy clean aroma, without being overbearing about it. I feel like the suede helps to keep things balanced and smooths out the overall cologne.

This CK scent has a similar style (not exactly similar smell) to something along the lines of Chanel Egoiste Platinum. It’s funny, because I put on Platinum the day after I first wore this, and the idea immediately struck me.

During the dry down, the sage, begins to fade. The whole scent is much less herbal, but the woodsy smell amps up, on my skin. Again, it’s mostly the cypress with suede, but I do get a good deal of geranium and a slight musky air.

Sillage and How Long Does it Last?

Eternity EDP starts off projecting itself, pretty strong. Not an absolute monster, but definitely brings the power, for about an hour or so. Then, it settles into a much more moderate fragrance. Noticeable but not one to take over a room, with normal sprays.

For me, the longevity was decent. Somewhere in the 5-7 hour range, is about what this one seems to do. Not ideal, but not a complete waste, either.

Mostly in line with what other releases from this house have been over the past 15 years or so. They almost all seem to fall into that range of wear.

Versatility

I like this scent for guys in their late 20s and up. It just fits more with an older man’s, sort of style. It’s not an ‘old man’ cologne, let’s just call it, more mature.

Nonetheless, it does have a nice style to it, and an attractive/sexy quality. Eternity EDP can go from the office to a night on the town or be worn casually.

Seasonally, I’d put it in the autumn to springtime range. It wasn’t too great in the summer heat, but inside with the AC on, the fragrance sat beautifully.

Overall Scent

Do I like Eternity eau de parfum? I do. It’s a nice mainstream woodsy cologne, which still gives a nod, to the original release from Calvin Klein. It doesn’t stray into too niche of  an aroma, with the cypress note, but finds a good balance with the suede.

Is it amazing? No, but it’s a very wearable and enjoyable cologne. The longevity could be a bit better, but this one, does everything at least somewhat well. I probably wouldn’t pay full retail price for it, but would consider it when it gets discounted.

I took the same tact, with Eternity Aqua, which is great at $20 but not so much at full price. This strikes me as being in that camp. Not worthwhile at retail, but with that heavy discount a lot of CK colognes inevitably reach, Eternity EDP could be a decent pickup.

Encre Noire Sport by Lalique

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Encre Noire from Lalique has been a low-key best seller for a long time now. Assuch, it’s only natural that the brand released flanker fragrances, to follow. One such flanker is Encre Noire Sport, which is the subject of today’s review, and on that I’ve been testing out recently. In this post, I will cover how it smells, when it should be worn, how it performs, and if it is worth a buy.

What does Encre Noire Sport Smell Like?

Notes included: grapefruit, aquatic notes, lavender, cypress, vetiver

Click here to try: Lalique Encre Noire Sport Cologne for Men 3.3 oz Eau de Toilette Spray

My Full Review

Before we get into my personal review, let’s see what Lalique says about it: Encre Noire plays the game of invigorating sensuality, adorning the Lalique man in a dynamic elegance.

Encre Noire Sport starts off with a bit of citrus fruit mix, which is led by grapefruit. It’s a pleasant smell, with a slight aquatic aroma, floating around in the background. Immediately from the start, I do pick up a lots of vetiver and wood, a mix of cypress and cashmere.

The scent has a fresh and somewhat dark profile, but Noire Sport isn’t heavy at all, it’s got a great outdoorsy/green/woodsy smell. However, it feels like a warm weather fragrance.

Sort of like walking around a forest, early on a spring or summer’s morning. There is a tad bit of herbal spice, but it isn’t all that strong, to my nose.

As it moves further along, Encre Noire Sport, loses most of its citrus top and goes further woodsy/vetiver. The vetiver, is the star here, but it is joined at this stage by fir.

It’s a clean vetiver cologne, with a mix of woody notes (mostly fir), and a nice dose of lavender underneath. From here, that’s pretty much what I get. This isn’t a super complex fragrance.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, I don’t find the sillage to be super strong here. It’s not a weak, but Noire Sport, isn’t one that fills up the room. It’ll project itself to a small radius around you, which is good enough for most purposes, but this isn’t a club beast.

The longevity is actually quite good, it’ll hang around for 7-9 hours, which is nice for a non-powerhouse cologne.

Seasonally, I liked how this wore in the warmer weather. It wasn’t the usual summertime fragrance, but the wood and vetiver have a nice aquatic accord, joining them.

This allows Encre Noire Sport to fit the season, but still deliver something that isn’t the normal oceanic and super fruity blend.

It’s a versatile scent that can be worn to the office, casually, or out for an evening. Not particularly, a sexy fragrance, but a fresh masculine one that is enjoyable.

Overall Impressions of Encre Noire Sport

Overall, do I like Encre Noire Sport? I do, but it isn’t a love for me. I like the grapefruit opening and how the aquatic notes complement the vetiver and woods. If you liked the original Encre Noire, this will be enjoyable for you, as it shares a lot of the same traits.

It smells good, performs well, but never quite wows me. It would be an easy daily wear to grab and not have to think about. For that, I’d give it a try.

Solarissimo Levanzo by Azzaro

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I reviewed another of the fragrances from this Azzaro series, many months ago, and never got around to doing the review of Levanzo. I remembered enjoying how this one smells, at the end of last year, but still needed to do some full testing of it.

So today, I am going to share my thoughts on Solarissimo Levanzo. How does it smell? Perform? When should it be worn? Is it worth a buy?

What does Solarissimo Levanzo Smell Like?

Notes include: basil, citrus, tea, mint, lavender, and cedar

Click here to try: Azzaro Solarissimo Levanzo Cologne for Men 2.5 fl. Oz Eau de Toilette

My Full Review

Before I begin my review, here’s what Azzaro has to say about this fragrance: Levanzo, an ode to the awakening of a nature drenched in sunlight. This aromatic and woody eau de toilette evokes the green and natural energy of the Mediterranean. 

The opening of Levanzo hits with a burst of lemon, basil, mint, and an herbal tea. It is sharp while being, cool, green, and spicy.

The citrus note isn’t too powerful, but adds a nice upbeat sort of feeling, to the spice which is dominated by basil. The top for me, in terms of strength is: basil, lemon, tea, and then mint.

As it moves along, Levanzo becomes a smoother green herbal, and less of a spicy scent. Though, the basil is still hanging around. It feels like a summer scent, without being an aquatic or having any real sea notes.

It’s coastal and warm, like being in the Mediterranean, without being super close to the water. Very fresh, with the emergence of cedar coming through.

Ultimately, it is a lemon tea, with fresh basil, woody cedar, and some calming lavender thrown in. That’s about the extent of the development of this cologne.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage on this stuff is light. The initial sprays, lure you into thinking that this might have some power, but that quickly fades. Which sucks.

The longevity on this on is pretty pitiful. 3 full sprays in the same spot, is completely gone, by 2 hours in. Plus, most of that time is spent as a total skin scent.

Seasonally, I’d like wearing this in the warmer months. It’s such a lovely change of pace, from the usual summertime faire. It has a great blend between fresh spice and cooling mint, with the citrus tea top notes. This would be a great casual, daily wear during the summer.

Overall Impressions

Unfortunately, the performance is terrible. I really do like the smell a lot. The opening is pretty fantastic, as I enjoy scents which utilize, a basil spice.

If this stuff had any staying power, this would be an excellent low cost cologne, for the warmer weather.

It’s unique, quite balance, fresh, and entirely interesting. It just dies so utterly quickly, that it’s just not worth much of anything. Shame. There’s really not too much to say about Solarissimo Levanzo. It was a part of this series of forgettable fragrances from Azzaro, smelled nice, but just not up to par.

Dior Homme Sport (2017) by Christian Dior

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I’ve put off trying out, this newer edition of Dior Homme Sport for long enough. So, I grabbed a mini sprayer of the stuff, to finally give it a whirl. I enjoyed the older versions, of this fragrance, and came into this thinking that I’d like it. However, I wasn’t completely sure, if the reformulation would make things better or completely ruin the Sport name.

In this post, I want to share my thoughts and experiences with Dior Homme Sport 2017. Whether or not it is worth a buy? How long it lasts? What it actually smells like?

What does Dior Homme Sport (2017) Smell Like?

Notes include: citron, vetiver, grapefruit, pink pepper, blood orange, sandalwood, nutmeg, and more

Click here to try: Christian Dior Dior Homme Sport By Christian Dior for Men 4.2 Oz Eau De Toilette Spray

My Full Wear Review

I’m a pretty big fan of Christian Dior fragrances, but man, do they ever get annoying with their name changes or reformulations. Obviously, this is a different Dior Homme Sport, from the 2012 release.

Which was different from the 2008 one. Yep, same title, mostly the same ingredients, but with enough differences to make it an entirely new thing.

If you think that’s bad, the Miss Dior line, can be an even bigger nightmare to figure out which release is which, under what title, and what year.

Anyway, the main difference right off of the bat with the 2017 edition, is the lack of ginger. The ginger note in the 2012 version, was really great. I loved the way that it blended with the citrus notes.

Also, this newer one, features blood orange and doesn’t have iris. I am going to be reviewing this version, as a completely separate entity from the rest, but wanted to lay out the differences up front.

The 2017 edition, opens up with some bold and sharp citrus notes. It’s familiar, but the blood orange note, really takes up the intensity. It is blended with citron and grapefruit, which flank the orange ingredient. It noticeably doesn’t have the same spiciness, at the top, but the citrus makes up for it.

These notes smell freshly natural and quite juicy. Dior Sport is utterly simplistic upfront, and the citrus, doesn’t get crowded out by the other ingredients. The rest of the lot will ramp up in intensity, but keep fairly quiet, in the beginning.

The second wave, is my favorite, and it is that of the spices. When I first sprayed this edition on my skin, I didn’t think it was as good as 2012, as I really dug the ginger note.

But, when the pink pepper and nutmeg kick in fully, I absolutely love this fragrance. The pink pepper is absolutely wonderful and becomes entwined, first with the citrus, and then the creamy sandalwood note.

Sure, I don’t get the iris note in this, but I really do like the way the pink pepper and nutmeg make up for the ginger’s absence. Really works to give Dior Sport, a fresh spice.

Finally, we come to the dry down. Sandalwood really takes over completely. Vetiver is hanging around, but it doesn’t come in as noticeably, for me. At this point, it is a slightly spicy woody cologne, with some vague hint of citrus. It’s cool, but not as good as the middle act.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Dior Homme Sport starts off pretty powerfully. It has great strength and projects itself very well for the first hour or two. Then, it slowly weakens until, it just hovers above the skin. The first 3-4 hours are quite good, then, it slowly dissipates.

I get somewhere in the 6-8 hour range, depending on how long it hang on, as a skin scent. Is the performance amazing? For some of the wear, yes. The rest of it, is just okay.

It’s great in the spring/summer. I could wear this year round, honestly. Dior Homme Sport is a very versatile scent, that is safe for work, can go casual, or more dressed up.

I will wear it on nights out, however, it isn’t a club beast. The fragrance itself, is super attractive, and this one will get complements. This is especially the case within those first couple of hours.

Overall

Do I like Dior Homme Sport 2017? Yes, I like it overall, and love parts of it. This is a very good fragrance for when it is warm out, it gets noticed, and is really pleasing to wear.

Do I like this better than the 2012 edition? I can’t decide between them, really. I think the 2012 edition, is more consistent throughout the wear, at being great. This one, has periods of brilliance, in which it exceeds its predecessors.

Update: I’d probably lean towards 2012, but it’s harder to come by now. Luna Rossa Eau Sport, is a great alternative to the Dior options.

On its own? I absolutely recommend this. I do with the sillage was better, for the entire wear. Also, if I could get that middle section extended for a period of time, I’d be happy. Nonetheless, this will be something that I wear a lot, over the next few months.