Cologne Reviews

Journey Man by Amouage

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I found some more samples that other day, that I had stashed away some time ago. Among these scents, was a few Amouage vials that I purchased around 4 years back. I never got to posting my reviews of these scents, so I figured that I’d get to work on writing. Today’s entry is the 2014 release, Journey Man. How does it smell? Perform? Is it worth a try?

What does Journey Man Smell Like?

Notes include: cardamom, bergamot, Sichuan pepper, tobacco, leather, incense, juniper berries, and more

Click here to try: AMOUAGE Journey Man’s Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4 Fl Oz

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Journey Man brings my nose a blast of the Sichuan pepper, incense, and bergamot. These are the main notes for the first few minutes. Flanked by dry tobacco, cardamom, and leather.

It’s quite spicy and smoky at first. Though, as it moves further along it will become much smoother and less harsh. The bergamot is bright and adds some initial juiciness, which develops into a very dry scent. 

After that initial couple of minutes, I really get a dry aroma of tobacco, with a cured smokiness. It’s a spiced warmth and freshness provided by cardamom and the emerging juniper berry. Juniper becomes more noticeable to me, as the scent develops on my skin. It is never the main focus, but I can pick up its smell throughout.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, Journey Man is quite powerful, much like the other Amouage fragrances. Though, this isn’t the biggest beast. It’s still in the upper echelons of projection, just not the elite of the elite. Nonetheless, it won’t disappoint with its power.

With the longevity, it hangs around on my skin for over 10 hours. Not sure the exact number, as I’ve always showered before it fades, but it’s a workhorse scent. 

Seasonally, Journey is best for the colder months, but is fine in more moderate temperatures. I wouldn’t wear during the summertime. However, it works autumn through early spring. 

 

This is a very traditionally masculine fragrance. It’ll most skew toward older guys. Not at all the typical teenager fragrance or what is usually on the best sellers list nowadays. It can be very bold and feel quite harsh, at times.

Mostly for semi-formal to formal wear. Go light with it at the office. Can be a nightlife fragrance, but it’s not a ‘club’ cologne. More niche, than popular.

My Overall Impressions of Journey Men

Do I like this fragrance? Somewhat. It really isn’t my style, so I’m not going to give it really high marks, but I also don’t want to disparage it.

The fragrance is okay, but not super attractive. It reminds me of a mix between one of the PdM fragrances (Shagya? Maybe?) and Noir Anthracite by Tom Ford.

It’s more enjoyable than either of those, but doesn’t really do it for me. If this is the type of fragrance that you like, it will at least perform extremely well for you. Whether or not that’s worth the $300 or so for a bottle, that’s your call.

I’d rather pick up multiple bottles of other scent. I’ll pass on Journey, but I don’t hate it. 

Euphoria Men by Calvin Klein

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For the third installment of my review of the Calvin Klein line of fragrances for men, I thought that I would tackle Euphoria. It is a more recent creation than most of the designer’s big hits from the 1980s and 1990s, being first launched in 2006.

With a name like Euphoria, you would expect it to deliver an almost unforgettable experience of the senses and really draw people in…does it? Let us take a closer look at this CK cologne.

Update: I am revamping this review, after trying this cologne again. The Best CK Fragrances

What does Euphoria Men Smell Like?

euphoria men

Notes include: chilled sudachi, raindrop accord, solid amber, cedar leaf, black basil, patchouli, creamy suede, ginger pepper cocktail, Brazilian redwood

Click here to try: CK Euphoria Men Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 fl oz / 100 ml

My Full Wear Review

I’m coming back to review this one again, after several years. I wasn’t crazy about this fragrance back then, I didn’t hate it, and was more or less indifferent toward Euphoria. I almost completely forgot about it. However, I’ve had a chance to retry it recently, and wanted to give this cologne a fair shake.

Euphoria Men opens up with it’s spiciness front and center. Ginger is the main attraction, which has really become a note, that I love wearing as of late (particularly in Burberry Brit).

It is joined by its ‘pepper cocktail’ note, which gives a spicy punch to what otherwise would be more of a lighter freshness.

The amber note adds a warm somewhat sweet aroma, that is joined by basil, a bit of smooth suede, and a solid woody base. Euphoria shifts toward being a ginger/herbal spice, with the amber, and wood (lots of fresh cedar).

I like it, the blend of ginger/pepper/basil with amber is really enjoyable. How this cologne smells, has definitely grown in esteem with me, since I’ve last encountered it. What I get most of the wear is the woods: cedar and redwood. Along with, a hefty dose of amber.

Sillage, Longevity, Versatility

The sillage on Euphoria is pretty moderate, at first, then quite soft. This was always one of my problems with this fragrance, the performance being sub par. It’s not completely weak, in terms of how it projects, but it isn’t a standout either.

The longevity is also, pretty mediocre. It’ll go for 3-4 hours, on my skin, and pretty much be completely evaporated by the time hour four starts up. Still disappointing.

I’ve even used the spray deodorant and it lasts about the same as the actual cologne.

Seasonally, Euphoria Men doesn’t really strike me as appealing to only one season. I think that it’s best in moderate climates. I don’t like it, in the heat of summer.

The rest of the year, seems about right. It is clean and fresh enough, to be versatile, as to what occasions you could wear it. It’s inoffensive, so work or school, is just fine. Though, I’d say that this one, seems like a better fit for guys in their 20s. Not really a nightlife cologne.

Overall Impressions of Euphoria Men

Do I like Euphoria overall? I like the smell. It’s much better than I remember, a nice spiciness, with herbal qualities, and wood. Simple and straightforward, but very pleasant. The aroma itself, isn’t the issue, it’s the performance.

It’s a simple sort of fragrance, but is pretty unique in how it smells. The performance is just lackluster and how good it smells can’t really save it entirely.

To this day, it doesn’t seem to work on my skin, but I’ve read other complaining about it as well. Is it the absolute worst? No, I mean, I could probably find a use for this stuff (if I didn’t have an endless line of options).

The smell is really nice, though, not amazing. If you can get a bottle for cheap, Euphoria Man, wouldn’t be a bad option. It’d be a limited option, but a nice wear, while it lasted.

Vert de Fleur by Tom Ford

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I’ve gone through plenty of Tom Ford fragrance this year, testing them out, and reviewing each for the site. I still have a way’s to go from my current batch and what I’ll have to get a hold of. Nonetheless, let’s continue the progress today by reviewing, Vert de Fleur. This was a 2016 release, from the Private Blend line. How does it smell? How does it perform? Is it even worth a try?

What does Vert de Fleur Smell Like?

Notes include: hyacinth, iris, vetiver, galbanum

Click here to try: Tom Ford Private Blend “Vert de Fleur” Eau de Parfum 50 ml/1.7 oz

My Full Wear Review

Vert de Fleur really does start with a bitter green semi-woody aroma. A lot of that, has to do with the surrounding notes, but the hyacinth is the main star up top.

Along with, galbanum, which will grown stronger during the wear. That opening blast, isn’t my favorite, but luckily the bitterness does subside shortly thereafter.

As it moves forward, the galbanum comes forward more, along with iris. The iris at times, is quite prominent, and then I can barely detect it before it once again comes roaring back.

This is the epitome of a green/floral perfume, as the name would suggest. It has such an earthy and mossy damp quality to it.

Later, the vetiver and some moss, do seem to poke through. Along with some other potentially unidentifiable notes, which gives Vert de Fleur a solid woodsy base. This helps to tow the line between women’s perfume and totally unisex.

While it is a unisex fragrance technically, as a man, this isn’t something that I’d personally want to wear. It leans top feminine on my skin, plus, I’m not a huge fan of this style of fragrance.

Sillage, Longevity, Versatility

I find this to have a fairly large sillage and good projection, but it isn’t the type to fill the room. It’s strong enough to be, greater than a skin scent, and be noticed throughout the day.

The perfume lasted in the 6-8 hour range, both times that I tried it out. Nothing crazy, but still very useable. For the price, it is just decent. With fragrances as a whole, it’s a bit more than above average.

In terms of when it should be worn. I’d say anytime the temperatures and humidity is moderate. It’d feel out of place in the extreme cold and probably not hold up all that well in the extreme heat.

Who should wear it? Women or men, who want a niche greenish floral fragrance. It smells perfectly nice, but it isn’t going to be a crowd pleaser, nightlife star, nor is it particularly sexy.

This is the type of fragrance, that is mostly going to be appreciated by the wearer themselves, and not people around them.

Overall Impression of Vert de Fleur

Do I like Vert de Fleur? It’s okay. Again, I’m saying this as someone, who doesn’t really enjoy this category of perfume. I think that the iris note is nice and actually enjoyed the vetiver dry down. The rest of it, I was pretty indifferent to.

However, this is absolutely going to have an appeal to a certain percentage of the population. If you do enjoy these kinds of ingredients in your perfume, this is a darn good example of it. The performance and quality is right up there. So, it is one that you may want to try out.

Jimmy Choo Man Intense

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I’m trying to get through a backlog of review posts here, over the next month or two. So many scents that I’ve tried out, that I need to organize my notes on, and turn them into proper posts. Anyway, today’s entry is one of the more popular scents on the list, Jimmy Choo Man Intense.

Is this fragrance an improvement on the original? What does it smell like? Does it perform well? Is it worth a try?

What does Jimmy Choo Man Intense Smell Like?

Notes include: patchouli, tonka bean, lavender, melon, mandarin orange, amber, black pepper, davana oil

Click here to try: JIMMY CHOO Man Intense Eau De Toilette, Fougere Oriental Woody, 3.3 fl. oz.

My Full Review

Intense starts off with a crisp blend of melon and orange, which is a change of pace from the original Jimmy Choo Man, but only slightly. That one, had the pineapple/melon up top, and I think I enjoyed that combo more.

However, this kicks off things with a very attractive and clean aroma, laden with further lavender. Within a few minutes, the pepper gives Intense a nice spiciness, underneath that bright fruity aroma. Really, at this stage this fragrance does bear a resemblance to Invictus, along with the original Jimmy Choo Man. Sort of a hybrid scenario.

Where it begins to take things in its own direction, is after the opening, when some of the citrus falls away. Tonka bean, some of the pepper, and patchouli really move in.

When the tonka bean, gains strength, the Invictus vibe begins to fall away for my nose. The tonka bean and lavender, give this scent some structure, and make it what it’s going to be for much of the rest of the wear.

In some ways, it reminds me of a fruity-sweet Luna Rossa Sport, at this stage. Which is great, as I wear that fragrance quite a lot.

Finally, what I’m left with is an aromatic melon fragrance, with some spiced edge provided by some remnant pepper, and lingering patchouli. It’s dark and fairly sweet, but very appealing, to smell. There is a bit of amber, in the base, but wasn’t too heavy.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Well, this one is called Intense, because it is an ‘intense’ version of the original Jimmy Choo Man…which had pretty weak sillage.

Is this one beefed up? Yes, but it’s still not a powerful scent. Man Intense will project decently, but isn’t going to ever be a powerhouse, so don’t expect a true intense.

The longevity is much improved. How long does Man Intense last? This one can seem to go for 6-7 hours, on my skin, which is respectable. I certainly do wish they had found a way to pump up the power some more, but the performance here isn’t bad, by any means.

Seasonally, this Jimmy Choo cologne, is very versatile. It does feel out of place in the cold, but outside of that, it can handle whatever’s thrown at it.

Where can you wear it? Anywhere. Versatility is absolutely a strength of this fragrance, from the office to casual to a date. It’s light enough to be office friendly, but will grab complements from the ladies, in nightlife. It’s just one of those scents, that women really seem to go for.

Overall Impression of Jimmy Choo Man Intense

Do I like Man Intense? Yes. To me, this is the best overall Jimmy Choo cologne, to date. I like the opening of the original more, but this is better in totality. The performance is better and it can actually lasts a solid amount of time.

Lavender and tonka bean pairing together, is something I usually enjoy a lot, and it’s no different here. I think the pairing with the melon is really fresh and drew my interest from the beginning.

It does bare a resemblance, to a variety of other popular fragrances, but I think it distinguishes itself enough to stand on its own merits. I do wish, it were even more intense, but it’s passable. This is one to try out and can definitely serve as a safe daily wear, for a wide range of men.

Tabarome by Creed

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During a recent trip to Las Vegas, I got to visit (a few times) the Creed boutique store. There are only two of these boutiques from Creed in North America (other one is in NYC). As such, I got to experience and revisit some of this brand’s scents for men and one of those happened to be Tabarome.

It had been such a long time since I had smelled this fragrance and thought that I would now post a review of it since it was fresh in my mind.

Now, this is going to be my experience with wearing it on one particular day and not over several days like in my other reviews, so, the performance aspect of this review will be much more limited. However, I’d still like to share my thoughts on Tabarome and whether or not it is worth a purchase.

What does Tabarome by Creed Smell Like?

Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace where the Creed boutique is located
Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace where the Creed boutique is located.

Notes include: ginger, vetiver, musk, tobacco, jasmine, bergamot, tangerine, sandalwood, ambergris, leather

Click here to try: Tabarome By Creed For Men. Eau De Parfum Spray 4.0 Oz

My Full Wear Review

It was cool to have a Creed shop so close by while staying at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas and quite impressive to see their entire line being offered in one place. Tabarome opens with a very fresh and moderately spicy blast of the ginger note.

To me, the opening is when the ginger really dominates and while it is the most prominent note in Tabarome, it seems to settle down quite a bit after a bit of wear.

I think that the ginger could turn some people off of this scent but that’s a mistake in my opinion, as I feel that it can be a very good note when used properly (it just isn’t utilized often enough) and that Tabarome takes a little while to truly reveal itself.

Outside of that ginger, you do get a beautiful citrus blend, at the top. Paired with ginger, the opening act reminds me somewhat of, Dior Sport 2012. Not the same, mind you, but that sort of combination is quite reminiscent.

By the name, one would probably expect a tobacco dominated cologne. There is a tobacco element within Tabarome but it isn’t the usual smokey, already cured tobacco. It is more of the ‘green’ smell of a growing tobacco plant (if you’ve ever experienced that scent).

The bergamot gives it a slightly citrus aroma much like the same note in Aventus, although, in Tabarome the citrus is a background player and not the main event.

Tabarome is a beautiful blend of sweet and spiciness and never seems to allow any one ingredient take over entirely. The musk and the standard Creed ambergris give this cologne a definite warmth and the leather brings on a masculine smoothness. The dry down is full of wood, leather, tobacco, ginger, and some of the remaining citrus notes.

Sillage, Longevity, Versatility

It was probably 85 degrees on the day I wore Tabarome in Las Vegas. It held up pretty nicely in that weather, but I think it would be bettered severed. in the spring or a cooler fall day.

I did get a solid 5-6 hours out of this scent, again though, it wasn’t a usual day and I was running around town doing a lot of stuff outside…so maybe it isn’t a fair reflection on its usual performance.

Actually, it’s  pretty good about what climate it will work in, and outside of the insanely hot and humid days it wouldn’t be too out of place.

Update: Yeah, in a cooler climate it’s around 7-8 hours of wear.

Tabarome is a classic masculine type of scent, it isn’t heavy handed, and feels much more reserved than some of the other Creed scents. It isn’t weak in my opinion, pretty moderate across the board in how it projects.

This is an everyday wear, it could work on a date but I wouldn’t call it a ‘sexy’ fragrance. Tabarome is another from their collection, which would suit an older or professional man, the best. It’s not an ‘old mannish’ smell, meaning stuffy, just subtle and refined.

Overall Impressions of Tabarome

Overall, is Tabarome worth a buy? I think that it is one of Creed’s best scents, definitely underrated and overshadowed by some of its peers. Not every guy will enjoy it and it for sure has a much more limited appeal in who would wear it.

If you like slightly sweet and spicy fragrances, that are warm and have a citrus/woodsy element to them, then Tabarome might be worth a look. It is quite a fresh and classic type of scent which calls back to yesteryear and is well suited for the mature man.

Tabarome is well put together, smooth, but not super complex. That’s a good thing, in my mind. I think the performance, is a bit better than I experienced, under normal circumstances. However, I don’t think it’ll be an extremely high end performer, just solid.