Cologne Reviews

Y EDP by Yves Saint Laurent

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It completely slipped my mind to do this review, however many months ago, that I received a decant of Y Eau de Parfum. It kind of got lost in the shuffle of however many dozens of fragrances, I have laying around. So, I came across it fairly recently, and began to really test out this Yves Saint Laurent EDP.

In this post, I am going to cover: how it smells, what are the notes, how it performs, when it should be worn, and if it is worth a buy. The original EDT was enjoyable to wear, so, I did have high hopes for this more concentrated edition.

Note: This review came out, when the fragrance did. It has been updated a few times since.

What Does Y Eau de Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, apple, ginger, sage, vetiver, geranium, juniper berries, tonka bean, amber, cedar

Click here to try: Yves Saint Laurent Y Eau de Parfum Spray for Men, 3.3 Ounce

My Full Review

The opening of Y EDP, immediately grabs my attention, and hooks me in. I enjoyed the freshness and overall aroma, of the original Y EDT version, but the opening of this one is just better.

The EDP version, takes the bergamot of the original, and pairs it with a crisp apple note at the top. Meanwhile, you also get the cool spice of ginger, and the trio is quite captivating.

The apple is really great. Too often you can get weak or very unnatural smelling apple notes in men’s fragrances, but here, it becomes the star of the show. That top paired with the citrus and that familiar ginger aroma, is just completely delicious.

The secondary layer under this main trio at the start, is from amber, tonka bean, and a bit of juniper berry.

The amberwood and tonka bean give Y EDP, a smooth warmth, which adds depth to the composition but doesn’t kill its freshness.

It doesn’t get that heavy enveloping effect, that other fragrances with those notes, can sometimes have. No, it remains: crisp, clean, and sweet. I think it is because the tonka bean, isn’t too potent.

Some folks can get turned off by amberwood, in there fragrances, but I tend to like it. In Y EDP, it isn’t that powerful to my nose, to be bothersome.

A little bit more into the wear, the sage, really starts to come through. At first, it works in tandem with the ginger top note, before overtaking it. Y EDP does have this really great green herbal scent, especially during the dry down.

With cedar and vetiver, sitting at the base, it’s no wonder how this effect starts to take course. The EDP version has much more depth, than the EDT, and just feels more interesting and dynamic to my nose.

It really is a great blend. You get the apple top, a period of sweetness, herbal dryness, and woodiness. All the while, it comes across to me, as supremely likeable. Clean and refined.

What I’m left with for the remainder of the wear is: apple, sage, juniper berries, amber, and cedar. The vetiver and tonka bean, are pretty light but still present.

It’s mostly the apple and sage notes, sweet and herbal spice, wrapped in amber with a woody cedar base note. Y EDP is a fresh aromatic fragrance, with sweet moments, occurring throughout.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage is solid, but not enormous. Yes, it is better than the EDT, but still not a monster. No worries, Y EDP isn’t weak, and folks will definitely notice it. It comes across as quite moderate, which isn’t bad, as this formula doesn’t need to be a powerhouse.

The longevity is a pretty substantial improvement, this one can touch the 10+ hour mark pretty easily, when the original got me about 7. Very good performance. It’s still not one, you need to spray very much of, for it to be effective.

Seasonally, it’s safe for anytime of the year, really. I like it here in the late spring and could see myself wearing it in the evenings during the summer months.

It is versatile enough to be worn at work or out on a date or just casually. I would probably avoid wearing it in the daytime during summer, as it does have some notes that aren’t great in heavy heat and humidity.

Y EDP does have a really attractive, complement-gathering scent, and it’s sexy within how fresh and dynamic it can be. This is one that should be a really popular option for men, in the coming years.

This one would be a welcome addition to the nightlife, as it isn’t the usual in your face monster sillaged fragrance. Though, it has a confident and somewhat mature vibe, with a sensual edge. Women do seem to really like the EDP version.

Overall Impression

Overall, do I like Y EDP? Yes! I found the EDT to be enjoyable enough, but YSL definitely stepped things up with this release.

Y EDP is so appealing and smells really great. It has similarities with other popular fragrances, but utilizes different notes, to make it distinct from the pack. I love the apple, bergamot, and sage at the top. The crispness, the clean and modern scent, and the performance doesn’t disappoint.

This is probably the best Yves Saint Laurent fragrance for men released in years. In terms of both smell and performance, I really can’t think of another from this brand, that has achieved these heights recently.

Y EDP definitely gets a recommendation from me, and should develop quite a following soon enough.

We’ll see if it comes down in price, in the near future, to make it more accessible to a greater number of guys. I really wasn’t expecting this to be great, after trying the EDT version, but it actually is.

Update:  Since this initial review, YSL has released a whole series of these Y fragrances. Even a Y EDP Intense, which isn’t as good, in my opinion. While Y EDP, was my favorite of the lot, it did start getting boring for me after a while. I wore my full bottle often, but all but stopped at some point.

So, I’m not as high on it as I once was. Still a very nice fragrance, but it can be too sharp and the sage gets bothersome. That seems to be a personal thing of mine with sage scents, I have to use them sparingly or else I get tired of them.

Nomad by Bond No. 9

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Nomad is a perfume released by Bond No. 9 New York back in 2021. I recently bought a sample of it as part of a lot and wanted to test out thing scent, to see what its all about. It’s one of the better looking bottles from the brand, but does the contents inside actually match up to the looks? How does it smell? Is it worth a try?

What does Nomad by Bond No. 9 smell like?

Notes include: quince, blackcurrant, pear, rose, oud, orris, violet leaf, vanilla, amber, sandalwood

Click here to try: Nomad from Bond

nomad bond review

My Full Review

Here’s how Bond describes it: Capturing the free spirit of New York’s dreamy wanderers. A strong, sensual, statement-making oud, with modern fruity notes and luxurious amber.

The opening here is sharp and fresh with a light watery mix coming from the pear and violet leaf notes. Blackcurrant, quince, and rose are kind of a lot to handle all at once. Especially, when they’re amped up to 1000 like they are in Nomad.

Man, this stuff goes on super powerful. Once some of the initial top has burned off, it will be more like a rose water, and much more tolerable.

Oud and rose are going to dominate. On my skin, I get a ton of the oud. I don’t mind it here, even if it isn’t a personal favorite note of mine. I could do without the pairing of it with rose, which has been done countless times by seemingly every designer.

The next phase is a slightly rosy oud with a bit of a powdery orris coming through. Spraying on clothes, I get more powder than on my skin. In either case, it’s only slight.

Nomad is sweeter less sharp, increasingly woody with some sandalwood coming into the picture and an amber base.

That’s basically the tail end of it. Woody, somewhat sweet and rosy, with an amber note having a larger role.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Nomad starts off monstrous with its projection. But, it’ll be quite strong for the rest of the way before declining into a skin scent deep into the wear.

That opening act is massive. Plenty of scent trail left behind, great projection, while not feeling super heavy. The slight aquatic aspect helps it from bogging everything down too much.

Nomad lasts forever on my skin. On a jacket, it’s still projecting a few feet, days after I sprayed it. It’s absolutely awesome with it’s performance. Not sure how long it actually goes on skin, but I’ve easily gotten 13+ hours before I scrubbed it.

Suffice to say, if you enjoy Nomad, you get your money’s worth.

Seasonally, autumn through spring. How deep into springtime, depends on where you live. I wouldn’t want this on, when it gets too hot outside. But, slightly chilly to moderate temperatures is where this Bond seems at its best.

This is also a true unisex. They did a great job a creating balance with appeal for anyone who likes this style of perfume.

It might not be the most versatile scent, due to its strength and the somewhat polarizing nature of oud and rose fragrances. Can be a bit much for the office, when you go beyond a few sprays.

Not super dressy or formal, but Noma has enough substance to be considered well put together. It’d be good for certain nighttime wear, lounges and things like that.

Overall Impressions of Nomad

Overall, do I like Nomad? Really, it’s not for me at all. Not a big rose and oud guy, but designers keep on cranking out these formulas, so I sort of have to review them.

Nomad is a beast, which can be both good and bad, depending on where you land with this scent.

I like the middle and dry down more. It’s somewhat softer and more balanced, without the harshness of the opening act. That’s when you get the best of everything. Still sweet and fruity, but with a fully developed oud taking center stage and some orris powder.

Nomad isn’t going to be a Bond No. 9 that enjoys a wide mass appeal. For some percentage of people, this is going to be perfect for them. Others, will be overwhelmed. I would suggest getting a sample before committing to hundreds of dollars spent, on a full bottle of Nomad.

A few bucks up front can save you from having an expensive paperweight on your shelf, if it turns out that you hate it.

New York Nights by Bond No. 9

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New York Nights is a perfume which has gained a lot of popularity since its release back in 2017. It’s among my favorite Bond No. 9 scents, especially in the unisex part of this brand’s lineup. I bought another sample of Nights in order to finally do a proper review for the site. How does it smell? Does it last long?

What does New York Night Smell Like?

Notes include: gardenia, carnation, jasmine, patchouli, sea notes, sandalwood, caramel, coffee

Click here to try: New York Nights by Bond No.9

My Full Review

The opening here is interesting, as you get notes from every phase of the wear coming through to add their own statement.

To me, what stands out as interesting are: gardenia, aquatic notes, and the caramel. It’s a sweetish blend of flowers, with a smooth and somewhat thick blend of that caramel/coffee accord, and the freshness of sea notes.

Now, the sea notes here aren’t going to give you seaweed smells, like some of the others from Bond No. 9. However, it along with that caramel give you saltiness and just a general sense of freshness.

For some people, the sweetness mixed with the floral top notes, gives them a ‘banana’ or ‘banana bread’ sort of aroma. I get that somewhat, but on my skin New York Nights is much more of a distinct caramel with some roasted coffee.

That being said, that banana effect does pop up for me, from time to time.

Actually, I tend to get more of a spicy kick from the patchouli and carnation notes. This carnation does come across very much like clove here.

As we get into the middle act, Nights will become more of a standard floral. Most of the spice is gone, as are the sea notes. That’s kind of a disappointment, but I still like the result of this scent.

Gardenia and jasmine with sandalwood/patchouli, and a more equal mix of the coffee and caramel notes. The caramel loses some of its ground to its fellow base note.

The end of the line is a general sweetness with indistinct floral notes. Nothing too much stands out for me, at this point. It’s pleasant and wearable, but it all comes together into a mass.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

To me, this has a fairly strong start. It settles into something that is only a bit above average. But, I get good projection when I spray it on clothes and leave the room. I can certainly detect it from afar and it leaves a scent trail when I wear it.

That won’t be the case for the entirety, as Nights will start to be more of an intimate scent. I never find it weak, it just doesn’t have that beast in it.

On my skin, this will last somewhere in the 7-8 hour range. It seems to land more towards the former, rather than the higher number.

Seasonally, I do prefer this one the colder days and nights of the autumn and winter months. More nighttime, as the name suggests. I think it’s fine for most in the spring, also. I’d stay away from massively humid and hot days.

It’s not so heavy that it’s stuck to cold weather only. You can venture a bit with NY Nights.

This one is listed as unisex, as are a lot of others from this brand. It leans feminine, but still quite wearable by almost anyone. If you don’t like the sweeter scents or florals, then, you can probably safely ignore Nights.

Overall Impressions of New York Nights

Overall, do I like New York Nights? Yes, again, it’s one of my favorites from Bond. However, it won’t be for everyone, even if it is a popular perfume.

For some guys, this may be too feminine. For people in general, you might get too much of that banana and lotion kind of smell, and that could also put you off to Nights.

The performance for the price is decent, but definitely not spectacular. If it were cheaper, I’d recommend that people blind buy this one. Since it isn’t, I’d recommend trying it out if you’re really interested. New York Nights could be one that you absolutely love.

For me, the floral is blended very well with the caramel and coffee accord. Those two, along with the sea notes draw me into that opening act. Some jasmine and carnation are around as well, giving this some depth beyond being a one note gardenia perfume.

This is a really good scent for the right person. It’s still quite mass appealing, but there will always be a sizeable contingent that New York Nights just doesn’t mesh well with. For me, it’s a delight.

Phantom Parfum by Paco Rabanne

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Phantom Parfum is the follow up flanker to the popular, robot-bottled scent, Phantom by Paco Rabanne. This cologne was released by the brand in 2023. I bought a sample of it to test out a while back for the site. How does Phantom Parfum smell? Does it last long? Is it actually worth a try?

What does Phantom Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, lemon, rhubarb, cardamom, lavender, patchouli, vanilla, geranium, balsam, cedar

Click here to try: Phantom Parfum

My Full Review

To open things up, we get a stronger use of the citrus notes up top. That lemon, bergamot, and semi-tropical aroma is back from the original, longer lasting, and better than before.

With that, you get a rhubarb and cardamom in lieu of the apple note. It’s got a spicy aspect from that cardamom. Once the fruitiness has toned down, this one feels fresher and colder than Phantom.

Slightly greenish undertones, in the early stages. Rhubarb and geranium really add that cold streak to things.

Another part that will be noticed, is the early emergence of the lavender, which will play more of a role later on.

At some point, the fruitiness and much of the sweetness will fade from the top spot. For me, I get a lavender and woodsy mix in the middle act with stronger vanilla as we push further into the wear.

To me, the dry down is a vanilla and woods blend with some latent citrus that is still hanging around. Just like a spritz of lemon juice or something to that effect.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Between this and Phantom EDP, Parfum does indeed have a more powerful reach and heavier sillage. Yet, it’s not that much stronger.

I will say though, Parfum doesn’t lose what power it has quite as quickly and this one will stay in that upper moderate range of projection for longer than the original. Definitely doesn’t decay at the same speed as EDP.

On my skin, I have gotten 8-9 hours of wear out of this Parfum version. It is better than the original, and gives you good, yet not elite levels of staying power. But, it’s still worthy of some praise on the performance front.

Seasonally, this one is still the same as EDP. It’s an autumn and winter wear, that doesn’t hold up all that well in heat and humidity.

Within that context, this still skews younger and feels more like a nightlife wear, even if its fine to have on in the daytime. It’s sweeter side, should have some mass appeal and be able to pull a few complements, even if Phantom Parfum isn’t the best cologne around.

Overall Impressions of Phantom Parfum

Overall, do I like Phantom Parfum? It’s okay. I never was that into the original Phantom EDP, and while this one is the better of the two, it’s not a massively improved fragrance.

The opening is what I liked in the original and Parfum gives me more of that, in a longer and more citrusy style.

The dry down is a big dose of vanilla, some woods, and a now generic sweetness from the top notes. That initial ‘tropical’ sort of smell isn’t there anymore and it has the same vibe as any number of Paco Rabanne scents after that.

If you didn’t care for the first one, this probably won’t do much to sway you to getting on board with the series. If you liked the EDP, I’d say to give this one a try, as it does everything better with some differences along the way.

The performance delivers what you’ll need for almost any situation, so, you do get your money’s worth from that end of things.

If you’ve never come across a Phantom fragrance before. I wouldn’t suggest blind buying this scent unless you get a steep discount. Even Phantom Parfum, seems to be mostly a love/hate release, depending on the person.

Oud Wood Intense by Tom Ford

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Keeping things moving, in my remaining Tom Ford fragrance reviews, we have the flanker scent to the original Oud Wood. Oud Wood Intense, kicks things into a higher gear than its originator, but does it actually smell good? Is the performance great? Is it worth a buy?

What does Oud Wood Intense Smell Like?

Notes include: oud, juniper, leather, cypress, angelica, ginger

Click here to try: Tom Ford Oud Wood Intense 1.7 oz./ 50 ml Spray New 

My Full Wear Review

Before we get into my review of Oud Wood Intense, let’s see how Tom Ford describes it: “Unrestrained. Lavish. Intense. Tom Ford Oud Wood Intense introduces new dimensions of oud at its richest, most luxurious saturation. Often imitated, never duplicated, the classic Tom Ford Oud Wood reveals its full force through bold intensification, ignited by the smoldering grip of angelica roots and cypress.”

Wow. Does this stuff ever hit hard. Upon immediate application to the skin, Oud Wood Intense, hits with a warm spice and leather. It’s not just a fresh ginger, but also an animalistic kind of aroma.

Is the original Oud Wood in there? Sort of. It’ll be closer to the original later on in the wear, but at first, its a completely different kind of scent.

After the original spice, fades a bit, I start to get more of the oud itself. However, it isn’t overpowering the composition. Instead, I get that burning quality from the angelica, and the distinct smell of cypress.

This cologne really does have a dark and as they described it, smoldering, aroma. It’s a smoky wood, but as if it is currently burning, and not already burnt.

From there, what I get is a blend of the oud and cypress, with a less prominent angelica, a leathery smell, and a faint hint of juniper.

It’s a bit smoother, at this point, and has flashes of the original Oud Wood. It’s still got that warm smoldering sort of feeling, but it has really developed into  the cypress/oud hybrid.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this fragrance is a bomb. Seriously, this can project like crazy, and easily be over sprayed. With that in mind, this is also a scent that you don’t want to overspray, because it ruins the experience. Plus, chokes out a room. Keep it to 1-2 sprays.

The longevity is also utterly fantastic. It can go all day, well into the double digit hours on my skin. Not that it’s going to be vital to do so, in most situations, but it is more than capable.

Climate wise, this is a cold weather fragrance. If you live in a tropical area, or if it’s summertime, I wouldn’t even bother. It’d be such a pungent mess, to not even be worth wearing, at this price point.

This is also much more of a niche fragrance, than was the original Oud Wood. It’s use and appeal is going to be limited, as it’s not the crowd pleasing type, and actually lives up to the intense name.

I’d probably say this is more of an evening wear or casual scent, that you’d wear because you enjoy it. Not many others, will agree, but it will have a small number of ardent fans.

Overall Impression of Oud Wood Intense

Do I like Oud Wood Intense? In a way, I actually do. Can I wear this, personally? Probably not.

I’m not a huge oud fan, but this strikes me as much more interesting, than the original. It’s got some real highlight moments, but ends up overwhelming my senses.

This is only going to really appeal to a select group of people. Not only is it prohibitively expensive, but the smell is going cut the number of potential buyers, even further. Oud Wood Intense is fairly niche with its style.

The performance is top notch, it’s unique, and comes together quite nicely. Not a blind buy candidate, but someone out there is going to find this to be an obsession.

Update: This seems to have been discontinued at some point. Not sure if Tom Ford is ever going to bring it back or do a limited run of it. So, you’ll have to track down a bottle online and pay whatever prices people are selling Intense for.

Again, this might not be something that everyone will enjoy. Don’t overpay for a bottle if you’re unsure.