Cologne Reviews

CK One by Calvin Klein

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In the late 1980s through the mid 1990s, there were few bigger names in popular fashion than Calvin Klein. From the famous jeans advertisements, to the black and white fragrance commercials which stirred up some controversy, CK had  created quite a brand.

The thing is that the line of scents for men and women is still highly popular today, as they are always among the best sellers at any online retailer. Perhaps the most popular of all is one of the unisex fragrances, CK One.

If you’re new to fragrances or too young to remember when this scent was everywhere, you probably have some questions. What does CK One Smell like? How long does it last? Is it still worth a try?

Note: I have updated this review some 8+ years after the original, to expand and add upon it. Check Out: 7 Best Calvin Klein Fragrances for Men

What does CK One by Calvin Klein Smell Like?

ck one

Notes: papaya, bergamot, lemon, cedar, cardamom, musk, green tea, pineapple and jasmine. green tea and amber

Click here to try: Calvin Klein ck one Eau de Toilette, 6.7 Fl Oz

My Full Review

As a unisex fragrance, CK One had to tiptoe the line between being too masculine and too feminine in the risk of alienating one gender or the other of its customer base.

It just so happens that they accomplished, almost perfectly, a scent which would appeal to both and enjoy massive popularity.

This is what makes CK One such a great starter fragrance or inexpensive every day wearer, its universality. It can be put on and enjoyed by almost anyone.

Its notes are a blend of fruit and more earthy or woodsy ones. However, CK One doesn’t have a heavy or rugged aroma to it, it is clean and warm instead. The papaya and pineapple help to give this scent a light sweetness, which I think plays a major part in its appeal.

The opening is a blast of citrus and the tropical fruits. Lots of lemon and bergamot, that is matched up with papaya and the pineapple.

The is also a hint of green tea with cardamom giving it a slight spice (and perhaps a further lemony tinge). That spice doesn’t hang around too long nor get too intense, but it is there.

The citrus notes feel pretty watery and the musk and floral notes come in rather quickly to generate a soapy quality to CK One.

It’s really not overly soapy, in my mind as I’ve come across fragrances that do it to a much greater extent, but it definitely provides that lighter lathery freshness.

As it dries down, the intensity of the opening citrus notes begin to subside, and it becomes much more green and floral. The base is still musky and woody with the cedar note, but on top of that, is mostly jasmine and lily-of-the-valley.

This is probably the most ‘feminine’ part of the wear, but even still, CK One manages to straddle that line so well. I think that the lemony citrus and the base notes, sort of offset the floral aspects of this fragrance, even when a powdery element emerges.

What I get in the end is, a just out of the shower freshness, with lemon and papaya notes that are met by green floral ingredients. There is a light musk and a woody base holding the whole thing together.

The floral elements are a nice touch. Not too heavy, but a soft jasmine and lily influence, really helps to balance this scent out. Enough to give One, its unisex designation.

One thing that I really like about CK One, is that even after 20 years since its release, its still feels modern and fresh. It really hasn’t lost its luster to me. The notes just give off this crisp energy which invigorates your senses and gathers complements from those around you.

Again, this is not a niche fragrance, which will be a unique find or only some people will enjoy but that doesn’t make a bad scent, it is a best-seller for a reason.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it is a light to moderate fragrance. The sillage isn’t super strong, but it was always noticeable. Boy, did you get to notice this stuff back in the 90s, it was on nearly everyone it seems.

For me, One is pretty strong for about 1-2 hours, then becomes much lighter. The initial citrus and tropical fruit, does lend itself to having the illusion of a greater sillage, than may actually be the case.

The longevity is solid, 6-7 hours still seems capable with this stuff, perhaps vintage bottle went even longer.

Seasonally, it was always more of a spring/summer scent, but this was around all the time and can go year round. Super unisex, depending on what part of the wear it leans one way or the other.

This one is very youthful and casual. I’d wear it on a warm day, just hanging around, or out for errands. It’s one of those scents that is great for teenagers and college students to wear to class or wherever.

Overall Impressions of CK One

Overall, CK One is a great scent for those who want something youthful, those who want a versatile everyday wearer, those who like clean and energetic scents that aren’t too manly or too girly, and those who just appreciate a good fragrance.

It was a massive success when it came out and is still selling bottle to this day. Is it super amazing? I mean, nowadays, it is commonplace and isn’t all that exciting. It is pleasant, fresh, and very nostalgic. It still performs and has a scent that people have always enjoyed.

Nonetheless, I still like CK One, and enjoy revisiting this scent from time to time. There are a lot of fragrances from the 1990s, that aren’t around anymore, but this one keeps chugging along.

It’s for sure still worth checking out, if not just for nostalgic reasons. I will say, I’d want a discount versus paying full retail for it. That’s usually not too difficult to accomplish, but full price seems like a bit of a stretch nowadays.

1 Million Intense by Paco Rabanne

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1 Million Intense is a fragrance that has been discontinued for a long time now, having a production run after its 2013 release. It’s one that I knew I hadn’t reviewed on the site, didn’t think I’d ever tried out (I really cannot remember), and I had the opportunity to by an old sample as part of a lot.

Better late than never, I’ve been testing out Intense to see what this one is all about. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is this Paco Rabanne, worth tracking down an older bottle?

What does 1 Million Intense Smell Like?

Notes include: saffron, orange, cardamom, rose, black pepper, cinnamon, patchouli, orris, leather, neroli, sandalwood

My Full Review

Here’s how Paco Rabanne describes it: 1 Million takes on a sensual and warm intensity through its new interpretation: a flamboyant burst of ruby mandarin orange laced with spices on a vibrantly masculine base of iris and sandalwood.

Immediately, you can tell that this is a follow up to the original 1 Million. That mandarin orange comes through plenty juicy and sweet, like in that one. The main difference is going to be the initial spicy punch.

Black pepper, cardamom, and saffron all come through. Cinnamon is there too, and it will become the dominant spice out of the bunch.

It’s rougher than the original, much less sweet, and with a bigger rose note. That, however, will reveal itself more later on.

The black pepper and saffron are pretty huge in that opening. The pepper is short lived, but that fresh saffron note sticks around, just in a declining role.

I actually compared aspects of The One Mysterious Night, to another Paco Rabanne flanker, 1 Million Cologne. However, it also applies to Intense with its spice and rose combo. Not to mention, saffron and citrus.

Once we get past that initial intensity, this one settles down into a smoother floral sort of aroma. Neroli and rose begin to take center stage, alongside them are cinnamon and saffron.

As we dry down, it gets closer to the original 1 Million. Leather which becomes apparent in the first hour, will be one of the last notes standing.

With that, will be the rose, a bit of patchouli, and cinnamon sitting on a woody base. It still has that 1 Million ‘bubble gum’ sweetness to it. Just with more depth.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Yes, 1 Million Intense lives up to it’s name. This one has a very strong sillage, can cloud up a room, leave a trail, and projects very well…in the early stages.

After that, it is still going to be strong, just not oppressively so. 4-6 feet from the skin, is about what I get out of this one.

On my skin, it seems to be in that 9.5-11+ hour range. About what I got with the old original bottles of 1 Million. It’s probably not going past 12 hours, but it’s capable of getting up there.

Seasonally, this one is also and autumn and winter wear. This might get ridiculous in the heat and I’d avoid that. But, on a moderate evening, it’s actually still nice. But, I’d stick to a chilly night.

I’ve never considered the original 1 Million to be a versatile scent. It’s always been a casual or nightlife wear for me. Something fun to wear, every so often.

Intense is along those same line, but I think it’s more mature. It’s depth, spiciness, and toned down sweetness will have a greater appeal across age ranges. Still not a formal fragrance, however.

Overall Impressions of 1 Million Intense

Overall, do I like this version of 1 Million? I do. It takes that 1 Million DNA that I like, amps up aspects, and adds others.

The opening is a spicy and intense punch, but I think that they pulled it off well. Maybe not my favorite part, but I like the transition to the next phase once things have calmed down.

The performance is fantastic. Just like how older bottles of the original were, but a touch above that. Loud (at first) and long-lasting. No complaints in that department.

I think that it’s very good, if you’re a 1 Million fan already. Those who aren’t, probably wouldn’t have their minds changed by Intense.

Then, we come to the fact that bottles are very pricey, since it’s been discontinued. I’m not so sure that it’s worth tracking down for probably 99% of people. If you’re a collector or just someone who loves these Paco Rabanne releases, then, you might be an exception.

For everyone else, I wouldn’t bother, unless you see one out in the wild for a reasonable price. It’s a good fragrance, but not an absolute must have.

Man Rain Essence by Bvlgari

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Rain Essence is a 2023 release, that is a part of the Essence series of fragrances by Bvlgari. I have already reviewed the others that have been put out thus far. So, I bought a sample of Rain, to try and keep up to date with this lineup. How does it smell? Does is last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Rain Essence Smell Like?

Notes include: orange, green tea, lotus, musk, guaiac wood, amber

Click here to try: Rain Essence

My Full Review

Here’s how Bvlgari describes it: An ode to the transformative force of rain. A fresh and woody musk signature, signed by Master Perfumer Alberto Morillas.

The opening is a very ozonic and green tea heavy start. The ‘rain’ feeling is there. This one is light with an aquatic watery accord. This is made up by the citrus, tea, and lotus.

The lotus gives this one a further floral and stem-like green aroma in the background. I like the freshness that this one starts out with.

Then, Rain Essence will start to lose much of the orange note that presented up top. The fragrance begins to transition into its musky phase. A phase, that will last for the duration.

It’s still light, but less ozonic, with a soapier finish to it (and hints of powder, at times).

Rain Essence is clean, but warmer, and there is a spice/smoky aspect from the guaiac wood in the base. Basically, what you’re getting is a woody musk fragrance with the remaining lotus, some green tea, and maybe a slight remnant of the orange note.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This does keep to a lighter feeling, much like the name suggests. It’s not going to be a heavy cologne that leaves a massive scent trail. Though, it projects well enough. 4-6 feet, at the start. Around, 3, after that.

Not great, but it doesn’t need to be a monster.

The longevity is fine, but again, not great. Somewhere in the 5-7 hour range, is what I got out of Rain Essence during testing. It hits the bare minimum, of what I’d expect for something at a bit of a lower price.

For what this costs? It probably should be better.

This is one that you’d want to wait until spring and summertime to wear. Outdoors, in the sun, Rain Essence holds up very well and it’s at its best.

It does have good versatility as a daytime fragrance for those seasons. Safe to wear at the office or just around town casually. It’s not offensive or super pungent in any way, quite safe and clean, with a fairly unique profile.

Man Rain Essence isn’t one that’s going to dominate the nightlife or be labeled as being particularly ‘sexy’.

Overall Impressions of Rain Essence

Overall, do I like this fragrance? Eh, it’s okay. In this Essence series, this one is at the bottom for me, along with Glacial. I might have more of a preference for Rain Essence, but not by much of a margin.

So far, I’d rank them like this: Wood, Terrae, Rain, Glacial. I would’ve figured beforehand that Rain and Glacial would’ve been my favorites based on the concept. Even so, I’m not a massive fan of any of these Bvlgari scents. I like the idea, more than the execution.

It does manage to create a rain-like effect, especially early on in the wear. That’s probably the highlight of the whole thing, for me.

I like it a lot more when I have citrus, tea, and lotus as the main focus. Very nice ozonic/aquatic fragrance. After that, it’s muskier, more like a soapy or body wash type of clean. Not bad, just nothing great.

Performance is also pretty mid. So, that’s not even a saving grace.

Beyond all that, though, this retails for over $100 per bottle. At that price, it’s a strong pass from me. Personally, I probably wouldn’t buy a full bottle even with a heavy discount, but you should wait until it hits the discounters if this is a cologne that you want to try.

Tobacco Oud by Tom Ford

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In this edition of the never-ending fragrance reviews on this site, we have yet another entry from Tom Ford. This one is entitled, Tobacco Oud, which should be a giveaway as to what type of scent you can expect. It was released in 2013. In this post, I will cover my experiences with Tobacco Oud, and determine whether or not it is worth a try.

What does Tobacco Oud Smell Like?

Notes include: tobacco, oud, amber, whiskey, vanilla, cinnamon, benzoin, patchouli, sandalwood, coriander, cedar, incense

Click here to try: Tom Ford Private Blend Tobacco Oud Eau De Parfum Spray 100ml/3.4oz

My Full Review

Tobacco Oud opens up with very prominent oud that is soaked in whiskey and quite resinous. The tobacco strikes my nose as being pipe tobacco, already cured with some spicy coriander and cinnamon peaking through.

The opening isn’t the best part of this Tom Ford, as it is more about the whiskey and oud over the tobacco notes. It’s smoky and a bit dirty with patchouli. I do like a good whiskey note, and this gets better, but I’m really not all that enthralled with this opening act.

As it dries down, the incense and warm resinous qualities (including benzoin) begin to be more prominent, and the oud less so. Also, the tobacco rises to the top of the heap, this is when I start to enjoy Tobacco Oud much more.

It’s a spicy oriental flavor surrounding the tobacco and the still present boozy quality of the whiskey note. Benzoin is one of my favorite resinous or balsamic notes, with the added incense smoke, you do get a whiskey cigar sort of aroma here.

Finally, the fragrance finally dries down into something that is ultimately woody and with more sweetness. The smoky quality subsides a lot and the tobacco fades, but it smells sweet and warm on the skin.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, I would say that Tobacco Oud projects itself very well for the first hour or so of wear. After that, I find that the sillage is toward the moderate end of things, not too intense but certainly not weak.

With the longevity, Tobacco Oud is a great performer, and will go over 10 hours without issue. It’s essentially like other Tom Ford fragrances of this ilk. It’s going to stick around and give you a completely developed run on your skin.

Seasonally, Tobacco Oud is an autumn/winter wear. The warmth, spices, etc. aren’t going to be too great in the heat, but do perform quite well in the cold. It’s not a casual sort of fragrance at all.

While, this is technically a unisex scent, it is actually heavily masculine to my nose. I wouldn’t want to smell this on a girlfriend ever. It’s more refined and niche, but I wouldn’t call it a sexy fragrance, somewhat attractive but that’s it.

Yet, it’s one that you can wear dressed up on a night out and with the crisp and colder air of the winter, it can absolutely stand out.

 

 

Overall Impressions of Tobacco Oud

Overall, do I like Tobacco Oud? I like aspects of it. The opening is my least favorite part, but I like the dry down more. Still, it’s never been a fragrance that is a personal favorite of mine. Whiskey, tobacco, and benzoin are highlights but not enough to truly sell me on Tobacco Oud.

Personally, I like Tobacco Oud Intense more. Even if, neither are really my style. 

This scent has strong Middle Eastern/Oriental aroma to it, I think that every high-end designer has their version of this vibe. Other people seem to like this more than I do, at least that seems to be the take online.

The performance is also very good, so, you at least get bang for your buck. It just is a niche sort of scent, it will appeal to a certain type of fragrance lover, but probably not something that the masses will adopt.

You’re going to have to be a fan of resinous, incense smoke, tobacco, oud, and herbal spices. If that’s your thing, than this is your fragrance. For me, it’s above average, but I’ve never clamored to want to wear this particular Tom Ford.

Virgin Island Water by Creed

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Within the box of sample fragrances, I recently received (note: I’ve updated this page several times since), were several fragrances by Creed which I had yet to review on the site. One of them, is the popular unisex summer fragrance, Virgin Island Water. It was released in 2007.

This is a scent that screams time spent at the beach in some far flung tropical paradise. But, how does it perform? What does it smell like exactly? Is it actually worth the price of admission? Please continue reading below for my full take on Virgin Island Water, after wearing it.

What Does Creed Virgin Island Water Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, lime, rum, sugar cane, coconut, ylang-ylang, and ginger

Click here to try: Creed Virgin Island Water by Creed for Unisex – 4 oz Millesime Spray

My Full Wear Review

Upon getting my sample of Virgin Island Water, I immediately wanted to do a side by side comparison with Set Sail St. Bart’s, due to the similarities with these fragrances. I have tried both fragrances before but never had them together at the same time.

Virgin Island Water opens up with the lime and bergamot notes taking center stage, whereas the Tommy Bahama cologne is almost exclusively lime.

The opening is where the two scents are the most similar. I like Virgin Island Water better, as I feel the lime is less in your face, and tempered by the other citrus note and the coconut hanging around in the background.

It’s really the lime note that allows St. Barts to temporarily pass as a super cheapie VIW clone of sorts. The two scents also each have an alcohol note (tequila in St. Barts), which gives them another similar feel, but the quality difference is noticeable to yourself when wearing.

Anyways, the bergamot used in Virgin Island Water reminds me of it’s fellow Creed scent, Aventus. It really does blend well with the lime to create a beautiful citrus fusion.

After about 10-15 minutes of wear the creamy coconut takes over as the top dog in this scent and VIW starts to feel more like a suntan lotion.

It’s really like a sensory experience type of fragrance, it’s like being in the Caribbean on a beach with a drink in hand and a delicious smelling lotion covering your skin.

There are hints of jasmine and hibiscus, throughout the wear, but the floral notes are never out in full force. During the final dry down, it’s like a coconut rum lotion with some musk added in.

Sillage, Longevity, Versatility

Projection wise, it’s okay. It’s not a super strong scent but you’ll know it’s there for the first few hours. With these notes, I’m kind of glad it’s not a complete beast, as it’d probably too much.

It’s longevity is kind of meh, too. I’d say somewhere in the 4-6 hour range is what you can expect to get out of Virgin Island Water.

I get that this is a warm weather scent with some limited use cases versus others in the line, but that performance is pretty darn bad. It can make it difficult to justify paying full price for VIW, even if you completely love it.

When should this scent be worn? Summer. That’s about it. It’s a very good warm/hot weather scent, which is a bit rarer, so I think that it serves this niche well. Also, it is a unisex fragrance, and honestly doesn’t seem to lean towards one end or the other.

It’s a very balanced scent. I’d also say that this is a casual type of scent, I don’t think I’d be wearing it for any ‘serious’ functions or even a date. But, an outdoor party or beachy nightlife spot? Sure, I’d go for that.

VIW is mostly something to wear during the daytime to be refreshed and conjure up those memories of the island life.

Overall Impression of Virgin Island Water

Overall, is Virgin Island Water worth a purchase? I like the way it smells, but I don’t know that I like it for the price that Creed fetches. It’s honestly not one of my favorite Creed fragrances, but it is good.

The lime and rum are particularly likeable for me. The coconut is good, but it’s not my favorite aspect, especially how it plays off of the floral notes. Not bad or anything, just not the greatest either.

So, I wouldn’t tell anyone else to not buy it. Some folks love it, but it has never particularly struck me as a ‘great’ perfume. Plus, not much in terms of being a high performance scent.

Personally, Set Sail St. Barts, while not exactly the same and not as high quality…is cheaper enough in price that I could substitute it. I have a full bottle of the Tommy Bahama cologne, so having VIW seems like overkill, especially since it’s so limited to one season of the year.

Update: I wouldn’t go for the Tommy Bahama option nowadays. I do now actually have a Dua Brand blend of this and Afternoon Swim by Louis Vuitton called, “Gone Swimming in Caribbean Waters”. That is much cheaper and better than just VIW on its own (they also have a cheaper alternative of that).

Plus, I’d wear this mostly while outdoors anyways, and with heat and perspiration, it’d be hard to tell the difference between the two.

Since this is a unisex fragrance, I would also recommend Tom Ford’s Soleil Blanc, over this. It is more of a women’s perfume (floral notes), but is honestly better than VIW, to my nose.