Cologne Reviews

Voyage Heritage by Nautica

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Nautica Voyage is a super famous name, in the fragrance world, and a best-seller for years now. It has become pretty renown, as a cheap cologne option for men. Now, the brand has released a new addition to the lineup in 2019, Voyage Heritage. What does this one smell like? Is it worth a try? Does it last a long time? I picked up a bottle and have been testing it out. As usual, I’ve written my thoughts in a review, where I break it all down.

What Does Voyage Heritage Smell Like?

Notes include: rosemary, peppermint, sandalwood, lavender, ginger, bergamot, vetiver

Click here to try: Nautica Voyage Heritage by Nautica

My Full Wear Review

With the massive success of the original Nautica Voyage, the brand was obviously going to release some flanker fragrances, under the same banner. Voyage Sport was one such effort, that was ultimately disappointing.

So, when Nautica Voyage Heritage was released, it was going to get the comparisons to its popular predecessor.

Up front, Heritage is a distinct cologne from Voyage. It doesn’t share any commonalities with the original. It’s kind of weird to share a name, but not have any of the same ‘DNA’, that a particular fragrance is famous for.

Heritage opens up with a blend of warm and cool spices. The spice isn’t heavy, just a fresh sort of aroma. Rosemary, is the strongest note at the top, and is paired with peppermint.

There is a nice herbal quality to it, with a bit of citrus underneath, from the bergamot. Honestly, the bergamot is pretty weak, here. I actually wish they would have boosted that note, to give it more of a citrus aroma, but it instead leans toward an herbal spice.

A few minutes in, the rosemary relents somewhat, and ginger becomes stronger. That’s a positive, in my mind, as ginger brings that light cool spice that pairs well with mint.

At this point, I can see where Nautica is going with this one, creating a light non-citrus freshie that works well in the warm weather.

The notes are blended quite a lot, on the skin. During the wear, it can be hard to differentiate between the light spicy notes, as none seems to want to take the dominant role. It becomes calmer, a fresh smell, with an emerging woody base.

What’s dominant at the base? Lavender and sandalwood. To my nose, sandalwood is the stronger of the two, but that familiar lavender aroma is definitely there. I don’t really pick up on the vetiver, which I doubt would be all that strong in a Nautica cologne, anyway.

Finally, I am left with: peppermint, ginger, sandalwood, and lavender. Again, it’s a cool freshness, and not a heavy warm spice. Smooth and woody, underneath that.

Sillage and Longevity

The projection of Voyage Heritage isn’t all that powerful. I can spray the same spot three times and it will be moderate. This one isn’t going to fill up a room and quiets down to something which hangs closer to the skin.

The longevity isn’t amazing, about what I expect from the brand and price point, around 4-6 hours. This depends on the day and the climate. It could’ve had more depth, something to give Heritage a larger sillage, or a few more hours of wear.

Update: Having had this a little while longer after this initial review, the longevity did seem to skew closer to that four hour range versus the full six.

The performance isn’t going to be extreme, but it is passable. I’ll do 2-3 sprays to each side of the neck, that seems to work well, for me.

When Should it Be Worn?

Seasonally, this is a good choice for spring/summer. The cool freshness, works well in the heat. However, it can definitely be worn year round, without issue. Voyage Heritage is something that you’d wear casually, during the daytime, or at work. So long as you want to be low key, this isn’t a beast fragrance. It can work well for any age range.

Overall 

Voyage Heritage is a fairly nice fragrance, but not amazing. From the perspective of price, I’d say that it’s worth giving a try. It’s hard to go wrong with this one for $20.

However, if I could afford better, I would do so. At this pricing point, it delivers a pleasantly fresh, spicy, and woodsy aroma. It’s not going to stand out, but it does a ok enough job.

I wish the performance was a bit better. An extra bit of power, would be nice. It can also feel kind of bland, like there needed to be one more ingredient, to make it special. I’d say a stronger citrus top, would have been pretty great here. Then, it could settle into the other notes.

Update: I got rid of my full bottle pretty quickly. I just never had any interest in wearing this one. Voyage Midnight ended up being a better flanker release, a year or two after this came out. There are still bottles around of Heritage, but it’s sort of a why bother, at this point?

I’m not super impressed, but you could do a lot worse. Heck, I got a full bottle for $12, which is a fair deal for Heritage. It has no real connection to the original, which isn’t a bad thing, I just wish this brand would step up and make something new that’s great. Heritage ain’t that, but it’s not bad.

Eternity Intense by Calvin Klein

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So, I saw that Calvin Klein had released a new fragrance, Eternity Intense, and figured that I might as well give it a try. Now, CK scents are a mixed bag for me, some smell good and perform well, while others simply don’t make the cut.

I like the original Eternity, as such I thought that this might be a welcome addition to the lineup. In this post, I want to give my impressions of this cologne, what it smells like, how it performs, and whether I think that it is worth a purchase or not.

What does Eternity Intense for Men Smell Like?

Notes: iris, vanilla, grapefruit, bergamot, orris, cedar, pepper

Click here to try from Amazon: Calvin Klein Eternity Intense Eau De Toilette for Men, 3.4 oz.

My Full Wear Review

So, right off the bat, I want to compare this to the original Eternity for Men. I like the original scent, though, it definitely isn’t my favorite by any stretch. It’s good, decently priced, but does have a bit too much of a soapy aroma to be an everyday wear for me.

But, it is a legit scent. Eternity Intense, on the other hand, I don’t really know what to make of it. It isn’t intense…like at all.

Secondly, it immediately has a heavy reliance on the iris note, whereas the older Eternity was much more lavender based. I think the floral notes are too heavily weighted in the composition.

However, I don’t want to bash the scent or give you the idea that the floral notes make this a ‘girly’ fragrance. It isn’t. The pepper note gives it a spice and a light smokiness is added to it for a masculine air.

There is also some light citrus that is reminiscent of the original but it seems really soft. I do get the black tea, for a short time, and I actually like it with this blend. Wish it stuck around for a longer period.

The bergamot and grapefruit pairing don’t even reach the same level as the old Dior Homme, which the citrus in that is also light. Here, it’s almost miniscule.

It’s somewhat like a poor man’s Dior Homme, which I love, but  this is not nearly to the same level. No real depth and the quality isn’t up to par either.

As it dries down, this gets some woodsy influence from geranium and cedar. Mostly it’s about the iris and some vanilla influence.

I actually think that it smells pretty nice and doesn’t have the same soapy quality as the original Eternity. Though, it isn’t great or all that impressive either.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it doesn’t live up to the title. It isn’t intense and is actually a fairly soft cologne. What the hell? This isn’t the first time that I’ve run across an ‘intense’ scent that completely lacks in this department. If it’s not going to be a powerhouse, just name it something else.

Also, the longevity is really weak. You might eek out a few hours with this scent or it will be gone within an hour. The original Eternity was pretty good in this measurement but the Intense version drops the ball.

I don’t know, if I’m the only one who has had issues with Intense, but the performance is really bad.

Eternity Intense would probably fall under the casual cologne family, in my opinion. That is, if it actually lasted and performed well. It feels like a springtime wear with the floral notes.

If you get a better performance than I, this would be a pretty easy on to spray on, in a variety of situations. Not the greatest or highest quality fragrance, but it’d work well enough for most guys.

Overall Impressions of Eternity Intense

Overall, is this a buy? No. I don’t get it. It smells decent but its performance sucks. Like, there are so many other options out there, there is literally no reason for this. It doesn’t do anything well enough for me to justify a purchase.

The dry down is pretty nice and I like the black tea, to the extent I get any of it. But, it just never hits a higher level. Maybe it’d be a fine pick up for really cheap, just to see if you get some performance from it. As is, I’ll pass completely.

If you like the original Eternity, just stick with that, and skip Intense. The other Eternity flankers are at least decent to quite good, this one just completely misses the mark. Not a good entry from Calvin Klein performance wise, which makes the rest of the fragrance pointless.

K EDP by Dolce & Gabbana

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K (King) EDP by Dolce & Gabbana was released in 2020 and I recently got a sample sprayer of this fragrance to try out. This was a complete blind buy for me. Which is good, because I could come at it without any preconceived notions on what it was. How does it smell? How does K perform? Is it worth a try?

What does K Eau de Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: pimento, fig, juniper, blood orange, lemon, cardamom, lavender, sage, patchouli, and more

Click here to try: Dolce & Gabbana K for Men Eau de Parfum Spray, 5 Ounce/150ml

My Full Wear Review

Before we get to my thoughts, let’s see how D&G describes this fragrance: K by Dolce & Gabbana eau de parfum reveals a fresh and spicy cardamom note, followed by a stronger woody base more sensual than ever with a fig milk accord, the fragrance is the essence of masculine seduction.

I haven’t tried the EDT version prior to getting a sample of the eau de parfum, so I really had no expectations coming into trying this one. I didn’t even know whether this would be a sweet fragrance, aquatic, or whatever.

Initially, there’s a lot going on here. Holy pimento! Not a note that you encounter a lot, but it is definitely present in the opening act of K. Fig and cardamom are also major players here but I really get pimento at first.

Underneath all of that, there is some citrus. I guess it’s mainly the blood orange, but it isn’t really that noticeable to my nose. After a few minutes, K is more of a hodgepodge of different spicier aromas: pimento, cardamom, sage, and some earthiness from the patchouli note.

It can be somewhat off-putting but I think that the fig note holds things together. The middle act is a bit messy to me, lots going on. The opening while loaded with that pimento, actually seemed to have a clear direction.

As it dries down, K EDP is woodier with some smokiness and it has a level of bitterness to it. This is a densely packed cologne  and one that kind of shocked me. Not a bad thing, as there are facets here that I do quite like.

The final dry down for me is fig, cedar, and vetiver. Vetiver really comes through at the end and makes this feel more traditional. I am surprised that the fig note, made it this deep into the wear.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

On me, this doesn’t come across as a powerhouse. I’d say that it has above average sillage, just not a complete monster. I sprayed it on a shirt across the room, as well, and can’t pick up anything from 10 feet or so away. Not weak, just not insane.

On skin, it’s noticeable throughout. Towards the 4-5 hour mark, King will really start to sit close to the skin. It doesn’t fade away, though, and I do catch whiffs of it when I’m going about my day.

It also seems to stick around for 7-8.5 hours, give or take. Nothing to sneer at and I certainly wasn’t upset with its performance.

You could wear this casually to semi-formally to out on the town for the evening. Not really a summertime scent, but summer evenings would be fine. Probably at its best in more moderate temperatures, so, spring or autumn.

I could see this being a solid option to wear out to bars and clubs. Not the super sweet attention grabber like many others, but something sort of well put together without being overly formal.

It can be worn be younger men or older guys. It has a nice balance that should appeal to a wide age range. Having said that, it will be more polarizing than many other popular men’s fragrances. Not everyone is going to dig this, as those spices, may not be what you’re looking for.

Overall Impressions of K EDP

Do I like this fragrance? I sort of do. I’m not completely into every aspect of it, but I do find it intriguing. Ultimately, I don’t think that this particular Dolce cologne fits with my style. However, some guys are going to absolutely love this stuff.

It is something a bit different from the norm. Again, I haven’t tried the EDT as of yet, so I can’t compare the two. This starts out with plenty of depth and uniqueness, but becomes much more of a typical woody fragrance.

That pimento and cardamom combination is a great curve ball. Not insanely great, but I do enjoy that D&G took things in a different direction. Plus, I do like a good fig note. The one in K EDP really holds things together, as the various spices begin to compete for attention.

I think it’ll mostly appeal to guys in their 20s and early 30s, even if the scent itself has a much broader use case than that. The presentation and marketing feels geared towards that age group.

Nice and it doesn’t have any particular weaknesses. You might want to try before you commit to a full buy, though.

Uomo Intense by Valentino

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In this review, I am going to take a closer look at the flanker release to Valentino’s Uomo, called, Uomo Intense. I have give it a few wears now and want to share my thoughts and experiences with it. I will cover what’s in it, how it smells, performs, when it should be worn, and if it is worthwhile to try out.

What does Valentino Uomo Intense Smell Like?

Notes include: sage, iris, vanilla, leather, tonka bean, mandarin

Click here to try: Valentino Uomo Intense by Valentino EDP for Men, 3.4 Fl Oz

My Full Review

The opening of Uomo Intense is like a more leather heavy version of Dior Homme. It is darker, the iris isn’t as fresh as in that Dior, and there isn’t the sweet cacao note in there.

It is interesting, the Valentino Uomo colognes are so similar to the Dior Homme line, but Uomo Intense didn’t manage to retain the amazing start of the original or go with a Dior Intense opening.

So, the opening 10 minutes or so, it strikes me as a worse version of Dior Homme. However, it does begin to shift into its own thing, thereafter. There is plenty of leather but the vanilla not and a bit of mandarin orange peak through, and give it a different take.

During this stage, Uomo Intense, is really dominated by leather and vanilla. The iris is still there, but it isn’t a strong, as it later becomes.

As it dries down further, the iris emerges fully, and the powdery element comes in. It’s not a super baby powder smell or anything, but that natural iris aroma. With that is a creamy sweet vanilla/tonka bean combo, as the secondary layer.

Then, the final layer is that dark leather note, with sage. Kind of weird how I didn’t even get a bit of sage with my nose, until way later into this wear. This later part of the wear, is much more like Dior Intense than the original Dior Homme. It’s like Valentino made some hybrid of those two colognes.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it’s really not that strong. The sillage isn’t weak in my mind, but it doesn’t hit the same level, as either of the Dior scents. It might be right around the original Uomo’s strength. Possibly, a bit greater reach off of the skin, just not by much.

Longevity is about 6-8 hours, depending on the day. Not terribly amazing, but it doesn’t quit on you, too early. Again, the Dior fragrances just perform better. Still, I find it to be perfectly usable and nothing really to complain about.

Seasonally, it works in anything other than hot and humid weather. Mostly, I like it as an autumn and winter wear, Uomo Intense is very nice in the cold air. It’s a more mature fragrance, can be worn to the office or for a night out, but doesn’t have too much of a casual vibe.

It’d probably be best worn by men in their mid-20s or up. Smells very nice, fresh, and attractive but not really a super ‘sexy’ cologne. Though, I’ve worn it out at night and it held up well.

Overall Impressions of Uomo Intense

Overall, do I like Uomo Intense. I really do enjoy it. The vanilla and leather are a really great combination within this fragrance. This is a really smooth and well put together fragrance.

On the other hand, I like the original Uomo, better. The opening of that is just amazing to me. I also wear Dior Homme, so I have no place for something, which smells like a slightly different mix of that and Dior Intense.

Plus, the opening of Dior Intense is the part that I like over Dior Homme the most, and it doesn’t exist in Uomo Intense. It is a great fragrance, it’s just that I’d put it fourth out of those colognes, personally.

As such, there’s really no need for me to own it, since it doesn’t do anything special. Very good cologne, without a spot of its own.

The dry down is probably my favorite part, when it really begins to show off the iris note. For some, this might be preferable to at least one or the other fragrances, I mentioned. Especially now, that you can’t find bottles of the old Dior Homme easily. I’d still go with Uomo EDT or Dior Intense, but check this out too, before it completely disappears from market.

Alien Man by Mugler

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Alien Man was released in 2018, named after the long-running and popular ladies’ Alien line of perfumes. It’s kind of surprising that they waited literal decades after the women’s fragrances had been released to put out a men’s counterpart, but whatever. I recently grabbed a sample of the stuff, to put it through its paces, and see if I liked it. 

What does Alien Man Smell Like?

Notes include: anise, dill, leather, mint, lavender, pepper, thyme, lemon, vanilla, amber, and more

Click here to try: Thierry Mugler Alien Man, 3.4 Oz, Multi color

My Full Review

Before we get into my review, let’s see how Mugler describes this one: Alien Man EDT, a vibration of aromatic freshness, mysterious woody and sensual leather notes.

So, the Alien name becomes quite clear from the jump, because this one does smell pretty different. I think that it dries down fairly conventional, but it does start out with a weird sort of blend, that I’m not sure how to feel about.

First, there is a blend of smoky woods and the ever-present leather. However, along with that is a dill note and also thyme. Oh, also a cooling mint and fresh anise. Yes, indeed the dill does give it a slight pickle juice aroma. It’s not too noticeable on my skin, but it is there. Kinda strange.

Thyme and dill aren’t included in too many fragrances out there, even the women’s Alien went with being a jasmine bomb, and not venturing into odd notes. 

Alien Man is at least interesting. You get cool herbal freshness, sweetness (dare I say powdery), smokiness, and the usual leather and woods. Plenty of depth and the notes don’t always stand out individually.

I won’t say that it smells like Drakkar Noir or Passion by Elizabeth Taylor, but at times it definitely has that same kind of style. That classic style sitting underneath a different sort of opening act.

The middle will be a transition, loss of the dill and thyme influence, more of the herbal cool freshness. That will lead the way to the woods and leather’s growing influence.

The final dry down to my nose, is a fresh blend of woods (with surprisingly less smoke than it had before), with leather, herbal notes, and an amber/vanilla thickness. It’s deep and dark with its presentation.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is somewhat strong, though, I’d say that it’s in the upper range of moderate. It does have a thick/heavy kind of aroma and can be over-sprayed. Though, with a few sprays, it’s very tolerable. 

That opening can come off as kind of aggressive. I don’t think that it is massive or a slap you across the room sort of cologne. However, with the early note structure it does ‘feel’ stronger than it actually is.

The longevity is excellent. On my skin, this stuff can go 9-10.5 hours while holding on to much of its power. Mugler definitely comes out with some unique fragrances, but they are usually always awesome performers.

Seasonally, I’d stick to autumn and winter with this one. It’d be a mess in the heat of summer. Especially, that start. It really needs the crisp and cold air to be fully appreciated.

To me, this has a classic sort of smell, and can totally be worn at the office. That initial period of time, provides the futuristic aroma, before falling back into a leathery aromatic/barbershop scent. It fits well for all age ranges, really.

Alien Man is an anytime kind of fragrance, during those cooler months. Maybe go with something else for romantic or nightlife, but it can sort of fit in anywhere.

 

 

Overall Impressions of Alien Man

Overall do I like this fragrance? Not too much, but I don’t hate it either. I gave it several tries and I can appreciate aspects of it, just not the entire thing.

The opening is pretty strange to smell on my skin. Then, the smoky woods come in, with leather, and some sweet vanilla. When that happens, it feels a lot more familiar, while still maintaining some level of uniqueness.

It’s just an okay smell to me, overall. The dry down is basically a modern take on an old-school style that’s been done a thousand times. It’s fine, I like it enough to wear on occasion, but not for a full bottle. 

The performance and the uniqueness are all pretty top notch. That’s to be expected with pretty much all Mugler fragrances. They provide you at least something different and are bold with how they come across.

As such, if you dig the scent itself, it does present a very nice buying opportunity. I don’t fall into that camp, personally, but plenty of you very well may.