Cologne Reviews

Code Colonia by Giorgio Armani

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I’ve had a sample of Code Colonia, since around the end of last year, and haven’t gotten around to reviewing it. Heck, I kind of forgot about it, until a few days ago. That happens, when you have boxes of fragrances sitting around. Anyway, I’ve tried it out once again, and have gathered my thoughts for a review of this Armani flanker. How does it smell? When should it be worn? How’s the performance? Is it even worth a purchase?

What does Armani Code Colonia Smell Like?

Notes include: mandarin orange, bergamot, sage, tonka bean, orange blossom, pink pepper, amber, heliotrope

Click here to try: Giorgio Armani Code Colonia Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 4.2 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

Upon first smelling Code Colonia, I immediately pick up on the similarities that it shares with the rest of the Code family. In this one, the strength of the notes are inverted, however. So, while in Code and Profumo you get a touch of citrus, Colonia makes it the main focus.

It starts off with plenty of bergamot with a lesser amount of mandarin and orange blossom. I really like it, it’s familiar, but has a summery kind of vibe. It’s fairly sharp, with a refreshing zest.

A few minutes in, the pink pepper comes along, but it really doesn’t stand out to my nose. I mean, when compared to Guess Seductive which also features orange and pink pepper, Colonia has a fairly weak pepper note.

To me, the pink pepper and sage, sort of occupy the same space here. Just adding a touch of fresh spice. While you do get citrus throughout, the amber and tonka bean, really start to kick up. During this period, I really notice the similarities between this and Code Profumo.

This one is much lighter, has way more citrus, and isn’t as sweet. It’s as if you took the amberwood from AdG Absolu or Invictus Aqua and spliced it together with Code DNA.

Ultimately what I get here is: creamy tonka bean, citrus, bit of spice, amberwood, and a light floral scent. Not super complex, but quite attractive, in what it is.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage on this one is a stronger moderate. It doesn’t have that same sillage as Code Profumo or Code Absolu, but it really doesn’t need to. I don’t think that I’d want this to be any louder or heavier, it’s very nice, as is.

The longevity is solid, but not amazing. It’ll go in the 7-8 hour range, without any problem, which is great for most any occasion. For other scents in this vein, 7-8 hours is pretty great, but it isn’t an elite performer.

Seasonally, this is a spring/summer version of the Code line. While I love the others in the colder weather, they don’t hold up well in the heat. This one gives you that versatility, which is a nice change of pace from the rest.

With the tonka bean and amberwood, it doesn’t sound like much of a warmer weather cologne but it absolutely works. Colonia gets compared to Eros or YSL Electrique with its smell, but this is much fresher and lighter than either.

Colonia is also a scent, which you can wear, for pretty much any event. It’s not too bold for daytime or office wear. However, it smells good enough and has an attractive quality, for dates or just evenings out on the town.

Overall Impressions of Code Colonia

Overall, do I like Armani Code Colonia? Yes, I do. I think I’d put it third behind Absolu and Profumo, in the Code hierarchy. However, you don’t need both of those fragrances, and this one is a great option for warmer weather.

As such, you could do a lot worse than having one of those for the colder months, and wearing this in spring/summer. It is fresh, with a nice citrus top, enough of that Code DNA, and a nice use of tonka bean and amber.

I also like that start with the various citrus notes. Great zest way to kick off the composition.

Code Colonia is attractive, will get complements, and performs well. A very good cologne all around. It’s worthwhile picking up a cheaper or smaller bottle, because it can be a nice addition to a fragrance lineup.

Update: Colonia was released back in 2017 and is now discontinued. Bottles are still online somewhat, but very expensive versus what they used to be. I don’t think it’s worth the grab at well over $100 a bottle, unless you’re really sure this is the cologne for you. Everyone else? Maybe, pick up a newer Code flanker like, Parfum.

Gentleman EDP Boisee by Givenchy

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Gentleman EDP Boisee is one from Givenchy that I hadn’t tried yet. It came out back in 2020, but I never got around to checking it out since I’m not the biggest fan of this series. Though, as I head more about this fragrance, I was wanting to try it. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it actually worth a buy?

What does Gentleman Boisee Smell Like?

Notes include: black pepper, cocoa bean, iris, geranium, coriander, cedar, sandalwood, patchouli

Click here to try: Gentleman EDP Boisee

My Full Review

Here’s how Givenchy describes it: The elegance of iris mingled with the strength of burning wood. A sensual woody floral warmed by addictive cocoa bean.

Boisee opens up with a warmth, fresh spice, and woods already peaking through. Black pepper with some touches of coriander are there at the start giving this a more dynamic feel than what the iris note would give you alone.

Though, that iris note is also there. It’s going to be the highlight, as it is in the rest of this Givenchy series, but shares the stage early on.

Cocoa bean is also noticeable. With its influence and the surrounding notes, the iris takes on less of a powdery aroma at first, and smells more buttery to my nose.

The other aspect of the opening act is the slight freshness/earthiness not coming from the two spice notes. Patchouli is light but there. Geranium is heavier in the mix, just not a long-lived role to play, kind of a sweet smelling geranium too.

As we move along, the iris and woods really come out in full force. The spices will fade, as will the cocoa bean. Both are still around for a while, but neither has the same impact moving forward.

The patchouli actually does manage to make it to the latter stages of Boisee. This one doesn’t get too heavy with the iris, it does have the powdery quality but isn’t super slanted towards that.

Mostly, the dry down is a balance of the iris, sandalwood, and the other woods. Under that? Some patchouli and a blend of the final hints of the other notes.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is lighter to moderate. Though, that is kind of deceiving as Boisee is the type of scent that you can go nose blind to, while others will still give you a complement on the fragrance.

Gentleman Boisee isn’t a ‘heavy’ feeling fragrance. It hangs around as a lighter cloud around the wearer, just one with significant reach. At it’s peak, this one is in the 5-7 foot range in terms of projection. It will move in much closer to the skin, but I still catch whiffs of this cologne pretty deep into the wear.

The longevity here isn’t all that amazing. On my skin, it’ll go for 6-7 hours. Yes, much of that time is with the sneaky ability to project. Even still, those last few hours are very light and basically a skin scent.

Seasonally, this is mostly an autumn and winter wear. However, I wore it here in late spring when its very warm outside and I didn’t hate the results. Sure, it’s better in the colder to moderate temperatures, but as long as it isn’t insanely hot you should be okay.

This one can be worn for pretty much whatever occasion. It’s attractive and dynamic enough for the nightlife or for a date. Yet, Boisee is well put together enough for office wear or some other formal occasion.

It doesn’t scream for attention, is balanced and well-behaved. Boissee is great at fitting in to many scenarios.

Overall Impressions of Gentleman Boisee

Overall, do I like this fragrance? Yes, it is one of the better releases so far from the Gentleman lineup. It’s very good, but not great in terms of its scent. It’s performance is pretty mid.

I like the spicy opening. It doesn’t stray too far into that territory and maintains its balance. However, Boisee’s black pepper and coriander pair very well with the iris and the cocoa coming up from the heart.

The iris and woods finish is less enthralling, but I like it better than the finish of Reserve Privee, which was disappointing after its awesome opening act.

I do wish that this one had a longer life span and a slightly better projection. It’s not terrible, just had room for improvement.

Personally, I don’t need another iris centered colognes since I already own: Dior Homme 2011, Valentino Uomo, and Prada L’eau. All three of which are better than this Givenchy release. So, I’ll be skipping this as an acquisition.

If you’ve enjoyed the rest of the Gentleman line of fragrances, you’ll almost certainly like this one too. Nothing super different, but the woods and the cocoa bean give it enough of a distinct quality to help Boisee stand on its own.

L’Homme Ultime by YSL

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It’s been a while since I’ve reviewed a Yves Saint Laurent cologne on this site. So, when I grabbed a sample vial of another L’Homme flanker fragrance, I was excited to see what it was all about. This is the subject of today’s review, L’Homme Ultime by YSL, which was released in 2016.

After wearing it around, I want to share: how it smells, what’s inside, when it should be worn, if it performs well, and if it’s worth a try. Note: I’m updating this page, years after the initial review.

What does L’Homme Ultime Smell Like?

Notes include: Damask rose, sage, vetiver, ginger, grapefruit, cardamom, cedar, geranium

Click here to try: Yves Saint Laurent L’homme Ultime Eau de Parfum Spray for Men, 3.3 Ounce

My Full Review

Before we start into the review, let’s see how YSL describes Ultime: A woody aromatic with powerful elegance. The astonishing encounter of fresh Damask Rose with the raw sensuality of sage.

Upon opening, L’homme Ultime is very fresh, with a very nice clean spiciness to it. The main attractions at this point are grapefruit, ginger, and a rose which isn’t overbearing at all.

It strikes me as such a cold smelling fragrance, really cool crisp air, in my nostrils whenever I take a whiff of it. It’s bright and the citrus top is fairly sharp.

I feel that there’s a lot of similarities between this one and L’Homme Libre, which is another flanker fragrance from this line. Now, Libre is much spicier and has a different feel with the anise note, but these two struck me as being very close to one another. However, I like Ultime better between them.

As it dries down, the grapefruit fades, and the drier notes come out. Sage and cardamom gives it a spicier profile but not overboard. Meanwhile, cedar acts as a base and the vetiver is really noticeable to me at this stage.

When the vetiver is dominant, it reminds me of Creed Original Vetiver. The rose note also seems to fall off of a cliff after the opening act, which is a shame, because it was perfect in the top.

Ultime dries down further, into what it is for the rest of the way: ginger, cedar, vetiver, and grapefruit. It’s woody and outdoorsy fresh with a cold spice. It’s simple but very nice.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage of L’homme Ultime, is fairly moderate. The first 2-3 hours are solid, but it weakens quite a bit after that. I wish it could have stayed around that same level, but in its entirety, not bad strength.

Though, the overall longevity is somewhere in the 6-7 hours, the second half is just not as strong. It will stick around as more than a skin scent, before it is just a skin scent completely.

I did wish that this one had more of a punch to it and could stick around for a few hours longer. But, like other scents in this series, the performance is not a highlight. Although, Ultime is actually one of the better performers of the lot.

Seasonally, I could see myself wearing this year round. It’s cool, yet spicy and I like the way it hangs in the winter air. Then again, it would be great in the warmer months also. Ultime has a great ability to fit into a wide variety of climates and situations.

It can be worn casually, dressed up, at work, or for romantic wear. It’s got a certain sexiness to it and is a very versatile cologne, which is one of its main selling points.

Overall Impressions of L’Homme Ultime

Overall, do I like L’Homme Ultime? Yes, I think it’s a great addition to the Yves Saint Laurent lineup. It smells great, is versatile, and has an elegant charm through its simplicity. I’m not even a big fan of rose, but it works well here in its more limited role.

The performance is decent but not amazing, though, this fragrance makes up for it through the rest of its presentation.

For a fresh woodsy scent, this is an example of how it’s done right. This is a unique take on the L’Homme name and gives you something different from any of the more popular colognes out on the market today.

This and Libre were great flanker scents, that had a style of their own while staying somewhat true to the spirit of the L’Homme DNA (YSL l’homme review)

This is a very likeable fragrance, that’s sadly not around much anymore.

Update: This one has been discontinued for a long while now. If you want a bottle, you pretty much have to get it off of eBay nowadays. You could also try, The Dua Brand’s Ultimate Renezvous, which is inspired by this YSL. I haven’t tested, but they’re pretty good at coming close to matching smells.

Tommy Bahama for Men

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Tommy Bahama for Him was released back in 2013. It’s been almost that long since I’ve tried it out, but never long enough for a full review. I grabbed a mini bottle of this fragrance some time ago, in order to finally correct that. How does this smell? Does this cologne last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Tommy Bahama for Men Smell Like?

Notes include: watermelon, tangerine, ginger, pear, tiare flower, violet leaf, coriander, amber, sandalwood, tonka bean

Click here to try: Tommy Bahama for Men

tommy bahama review

My Full Review

Tommy Bahama opens up with a nice blend of juicy fruits, led by the watermelon note. It’s a lighter watery sort of crispness with the watermelon and pear notes giving this fragrance its aquatic aroma.

The tangerine note, is the second strongest fruity ingredient behind the watermelon, and only adds it’s clean citrus touch for a few minutes in the opening, at least on my skin.

Tommy Bahama for Men often gets compared to Nautica Voyage and it’s easy to smell why. The crisp fruit (apple, in the Nautica) and violet leaf really overlap and the main highlights of each.

However, Tommy Bahama lacks almost all of the other floral influence. The tiare flower here is barely detectable and not a prominent feature like the mimosa and Voyage. Not to mention the musk, lotus, and greenish notes.

No, they’re not a one to one match but the similarities are for sure there.

Anyway, in Tommy Bahama most of the other notes really don’t have all that much substance, outside of the amber. The ginger is around giving it a light spiciness early. Though, the coriander doesn’t factor in much with it.

I get a melon and violet leaf blend for much of the duration with amber and light woods coming in later on. Really, not too much development here. Even if the notes, suggest greater depth.

Fruity, aquatic with a very light saltiness, and some violet leaf is basically the gist of this cologne.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, it’s a lighter fragrance without much of a scent trail being left behind. The projection is pretty middle of the road. Probably 4-6 feet off of the skin, at its peak. Mostly, going to hover in that 1-3 foot zone.

The longevity for me is 4-5 hours. Most of the times I’ve worn it, I get almost right at 5 hours, before I cannot detect it on my skin. Sometimes, it disappears even sooner than that.

This is a spring and summer wear. It’s light, fresh, aquatic, with that ozonic aroma coming from the violet leaf. I do like that this has less of that ‘greenish’ aspect that Nautica Voyage has and the violet leaf isn’t super loud.

But, it’s mostly a casual daytime wear. Just hanging around. Maybe at the beach or hanging around on the coast. Nothing too fancy. Clean aquatic, not a bold nightlife wear or anything like that.

Overall Impressions of Tommy Bahama

Overall, do I like this fragrance? It’s fine. Like a more streamlined Nautica Voyage, which isn’t a bad thing depending on the price you get it for. At full retail, it’s not worth it. At under $20, possibly.

That being said, I like Voyage more than this. Even with its greener profile and mimosa heart, it just comes across as a nicer scent.

The opening is the most interesting part when you really have an array of fruits, the touch of ginger, and it feels the most ‘aquatic’ without being oceanic. The watermelon, pear, and tangerine work well.

The rest of the fragrance is kind of boring and doesn’t really develop as much as it probably should with the list of notes. Sure, you might get some floral impressions but that tiare flower doesn’t really come through.

The longevity and general performance is completely average. Really, you would only need a full bottle of the stuff if you find it for dirt cheap and want a summer freshie. Even then, there are better options.

I don’t hate Tommy Bahama for Men, but it doesn’t do anything truly remarkable.

Shalimar EDP by Guerlain

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Shalimar is another utter classic. I haven’t tried this in years, but decided to grab some of the EDP, while testing out a few others in the series. Its legendary status dates back to 1925 and is among the ranks of Chanel No. 5 in terms of its mythos. But, this is a wholly different fragrance. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it actually worth a try?

Shalimar EDP Overview

Notes include: bergamot, iris, vanilla, jasmine, rose, balsam, tonka bean, cedar, incense, leather

Click here to try: Shalimar EDP

My Full Review

Here’s how Guerlain describes it: The epic love story between Shah Jahan and Princess Mumtaz Mahal inspired Guerlain’s legendary Shalimar. Warm vanilla rounds out uplifting and refreshing citrus notes to make this sensual oriental perfume the fragrance of desire.

Shalimar starts off with the bergamot and other parts of the citrus accord, shining through. Bright, but not clear, a fuzzy impression. I get plenty of the incense type of smokiness early on and even the leathery aroma coming from the base. Very much the “Guerlinade”  out in full force.

Smooth, warm, with spicy facets (good amount upon the initial spray), and the emerging powdery smell of the iris and vanilla combination. This EDP is much less floral than the more straightforward EDT version, as this one has much more complexity going on.

The next phase becomes woodier and balsamic (somewhat of the animalistic sort of scent, mimicking the old ‘civet’ which was in here once upon a time) on my skin. Less smoky, still smooth, and less of a citrus aspect also. Those notes still remain present, but you get more of the oriental styling that Shalimar is known for.

Shalimar turns less bright with the fading of the prominent citrus and darker with a heavier emphasis on the vanilla. It is interesting, the iris is still there, but can’t quite climb over the other notes here as it does in the EDT.

Vanilla and rich leather is the next part that comes across strongly on me. That’s most of what will dominate the rest of the way. It’s fresher, less smoky and of the civet sort of smell (which basically disappears for me), and kind of a cool sort of powdery scent.

Vanilla, floral, kind of musky and just that powdery vibe throughout.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

On me, Shalimar EDP is well above average with how it projects, the scent trail that it leaves behind, and just the scent bubble that it creates around me.

It’s never struck me as being massive and overwhelming. However, it is a strong perfume and doesn’t really need to be sprayed to any great extent in order to be effective.

The longevity here is somewhere in the 8.5-9.5 hour range, on my skin. Call it 9, with the potential to hit 10+ for some people. I haven’t gotten it to that point, but I’m sure some others will.

Seasonally, it’s going to be at its best from autumn through early spring. Despite the citrus influence, the other notes are going to be too heavy and cloying to carry on in the summertime. I do know that Guerlain has released Guerlain flankers better suited for summer, but I have yet to try them.

Shalimar has been the signature scent for plenty of women over the years. It can work in the daytime or even as a nighttime wear. But, this one feels more dependent on one’s own personal style as to when it’ll work.

It does have a sultry kind of sexiness and confidence. Yet, it is also well put together and classy. Get a sample and experiment with Shalimar to see when the mood strikes you.

Overall Impressions of Shalimar EDP

Overall, do I like Shalimar? Absolutely. Among women’s fragrances, I think that is ranks among my favorites ever. There’s so much here to enjoy about this Guerlain scent and it still holds up today.

Now of course, it might not have the same impact as it once did. In that, after 100 years, there have been plenty of perfumes that have tried to copy what you get with Shalimar. Some take bits and pieces, others go for the full thing. As such, you’ve probably smelled some similar scents. It’s impact has been immense.

I love the citrus, smoke, balsamic qualities, powder, the vanilla. It’s all a comforting and classic style, that never strikes me as being boring. Plenty of dynamism for such an old formula.

The performance also still holds up. Guerlain hasn’t seemed to dilute the life out of this fragrance, which is great news.

The eau de parfum still outranks the EDT version. I also like Shalimar Parfum Initial, just to a lesser extent, as well.

Is this better than Chanel No. 5? I do like Shalimar more than either No.5 Parfum or the EDP. That’s a different sort of scent, but I just think Shalimar smells better.

I recommend trying this fragrance out. See how it works with your own taste and style. It might not be at a price point, that you’d want to blind buy a full bottle, but it’s such a classic that Shalimar is well worth experiencing at least a few times.