Cologne Reviews

Stronger With You Absolutely by Emporio Armani

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Stronger With You is a series that I’ve been working my way through, as far as posting reviews for the site. Today’s entry is SWY Absolutely, another one of the flankers off of the main original EDT formulation. How does this one smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

What does Stronger With You Absolutely Smell Like?

Notes include: glazed chestnut, rum, lavender, cedar, vanilla, elemi

My Full Review

Here’s how Armani describes it: Stronger With You Absolutely parfum is an addictive fragrance for men, inspired by the power of absolute love. This powerful and sensual fragrance is boosted by an addictive new rum accord, while lavender, sustainably sourced in France, is irresistibly enhanced with liquorous and fruity facets. Warm vanilla, harvested in Madagascar while supporting local communities, and smoky cedar wood, carefully extracted in Virginia, USA, round up this powerful scent. 

The opening spray gives me a blast of the very short-lived bergamot and some of the other fruity sweetish notes, that seem to be associated with the lavender accord.

This is met with some spice and warmth. Not overly so, however. Armani talked something about pink pepper being here, I think that may be a part of this initial mix, since that is in Stronger Intense as a note.

But, this one also strikes me as being quite resinous from the get go. Elemi or the ‘glaze’ of the chestnut note is something that really sticks out after that top blast.

The Armani website mentioned cinnamon in addition to the rum accord. Yes, there is some warm spiciness and booziness , but this is a lot smoother composition than a heavily spiced boozy rum note.

Much different than something like Man in Black or the intensity of the cinnamon in Spicebomb Infrared.

Once we’re past all of that, the chestnut will ramp up. The warmth of the blend, the woody influences from cedar (bit smoky), with the vanilla and lavender playing support. Not as boozy at this stage, at least its been drained of any spice.

I think that when the chestnut really has the lead, as the strongest note, that’s when this one is at it’s best.

Yes, later in the dry down, it’s still the strongest. However, the lavender seems to start creeping up more on my skin, for the final run.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This one has some definite strength. Though, it’s about the same as some of the others in the series. You get a few hours of a scent trail and solid projection off of the skin.

The projection is really good, able to reach pretty far across a room. Then, it’ll become a 4-5 foot scent bubble, and finally a skin scent. Not the heaviest or most beast mode projection out there, but I wasn’t disappointed.

On my skin, Absolute lasts up to 11 or 12 hours. This and Intensely are the same in terms of their performance and somewhat better than the EDT.

Like the others in the series (other than Freeze), this is an autumn and winter wear. It can probably do the early months of spring as well, particularly evening wear. Though, this isn’t one for the summer months.

This is a casual, nightlife, and date night kind of fragrance. It’s sweet, so, I’d not really wear it to the office or as a super formal cologne.

Overall Impressions of Stronger With You Absolutely

Overall, do I like this fragrance? Yes, it’s among the best of this line. Though, I personally prefer Intensely over this one a little bit more. It’s pretty neck and neck, but that gets the nod.

I do like the chestnut note, in this one, in particular. The elemi, cinnamon, and rum are all nice touches. Maybe could’ve had more of each to really distinguish and make Absolutely an even bolder scent, but it’s nice enough for what it is.

The performance here is on equal footing with Intensely and about what you get with the rest of the line. No issues there.

If you like the rest of the series, this is also one that you’ll enjoy, also. It’s not super different, but it does have its distinct qualities about it. But, if you already own other SWY fragrances, you don’t necessarily ‘need’ this one.

It’s a very good scent, on the whole. An enjoyable wear and one of the better options out of this lineup.

Costa Azzurra EDP by Tom Ford

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Tom Ford has had several iterations of Costa Azzurra, including one from 2014 and Acqua and the new Parfum. I randomly got a sample of the newer version of Costa Azzurra EDP with a  recent fragrance order and was interested to come back to this scent again. Since I didn’t have much of a memory of the older one. How does Azzurra smell? Does it last long? Is it actually worth a try?

What does Costa Azzurra EDP Smell Like?

Notes include: lemon, orange, cypress, oak, incense, seaweed, cardamom, lavender, vetiver, oud, and more

Click here to try: Costa Azzurra EDP by Tom Ford

My Full Wear Review

Here’s how Tom Ford describes it: COSTA AZZURRA CAPTURES THE EASY SENSUALITY OF A PURELY UNINHIBITED ESCAPE. THE EXHILARATING AROMA OF SEA AIR, FRESH AROMATIC NOTES, EVERGREENS AND CITRUS SET THE SCENE AND MINGLE WITH DEEPER WOODY SCENTS — A CRISP MEDLEY OF CYPRESS, OAKS AND AROMATICS.

Costa Azzurra EDP opens up pretty heavy on the cypress note, on my skin. I’m not usually a huge fan of this style of fragrance, but this one definitely captures my attention more than others.

Citrus, woody, fresh, spicy, and smoky. There is definitely an incense and oud influence wafting up to give this one that warm smoky finish.

This will turn to a more woody fresh dominant scent, as we move forward. However, there is a nice spicy punch up top. Cardamom and maybe some other herbal notes.

The marine notes are here, as well. Seaweed with a more generic ‘blue sea’ type of smell. Though, it’s more an impression of seaweed, not a dense copy of the actual stuff.

The seaweed isn’t as heavy as something like the Bvlgari Aqva scents. Also, at times the aquatic/incense/citrus notes remind me of a brighter version of AdG Profumo or the aromatic cypress smell of Guilty Cologne.

The cypress and the citrus have a light an effervescent sort of aroma. When I wore this outside, the hot July breeze, really helped bring this Tom Ford fragrance to life.

I must say, as this one dries down, it does come across as less aquatic and more like a sea breeze. But, a sea breeze while standing in a coastal forest. Super dry and fresh, but you can still tell you’re near the ocean, if that makes sense.

In the end, the lavender makes Azzurra more approachable and soft. The breeziness is still there, somewhat salty, and the citrus has faded away. Cypress, driftwood, and the dryness of notes like vetiver really reign supreme.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Costa Azzurra actually isn’t a massive fragrance, frankly, it’s quite moderate. Maybe slight above average with how it projects or leaves a scent trail.

Don’t expect a beast, because that’s not what this one is. No real complaints, though.

The longevity here is pretty good, just not elite. It lasts on my skin for 7-8 hours in total. At the price point, I do kind of want more, but it’s about what I get with some other Tom Ford fragrances that I really enjoy.

Seasonally, it should be pretty obvious by now that this is a spring and summertime wear. I really can’t imagine wearing Costa Azzurra much outside of that.

Now, if you live in a tropical climate or one where the summer temperatures drag on pretty late, you’ll get more use out of this one.

This is a daytime wear. Casual to semi-formal mostly. It might be an office wear, for certain folks, since it’s not too heavy.

This isn’t really a nightlife beast or date night sort of scent, however.

Overall Impressions of Costa Azzurra

Overall, do I like Costa Azzurra EDP? I do. Again, this isn’t usually my style, but this is a better example of this kind of marine/woody fragrance.

The scent itself is good. I really like the blend of citrus, cypress, and incense early on in the wear. Also, the fact that the seaweed isn’t overbearing and it’s more an impression of a marine aroma, than the actual smell of the sea itself.

The performance is fine. Not amazing, but certainly not terrible.

It’s one that is worth checking out, but not might be to everyone’s taste. If this sounds, like one you’d like, I definitely recommend giving it a go. If you’re in the market for a warm weather scent, this is certainly a solid option.

The One Mysterious Night by D&G

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I’ve been retesting and going through the other flanker fragrances of D&G’s The One lineup, that I hadn’t tried before over the past few months. One of them, which was new to me, is The One Mysterious Night. This 2018 release is a part of there special edition ‘Night’ collection. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does The One Mysterious Night Smell Like?

Notes include: grapefruit, saffron, rose, oud, clary sage, amber, woods, labdanum, tonka bean

Click here to try: The One Mysterious Night

My Full Review

Right off of the bat, I have to say that I’m not a fan of rose and oud scents. Individually, I can like these notes well enough, but together they become bothersome.

Not only do I not find the smell all that appealing. It’s also the fact that every designer uses the same exact formula with these two notes and then charges $400 per bottle. At least, this D&G is an affordable example.

Just putting it out there, as this doesn’t have the same effect on me as it does with others…who rank this fragrance highly.

Upon first spraying, Mysterious Night actually reminds me somewhat of 1 Million Cologne, the flanker to the more popular namesake. Grapefruit, rose, some light tonka bean. Cologne has a huge citrus blast with the rose and an aquatic note, but this gives me flashbacks.

That’ll fade, the rose and spiciness of this fragrance will come out. It’s actually got a surprising amount of powder to it. Sort of like in Burberry Brit, just without the greenish notes.

Sage really comes through for a while, like it does in Luminous Night. However, that won’t be the main focus because the saffron here has a pretty massive impact on the composition.

The dry down is better for me. I like the tonka bean, wood, and amber/labdanum. The earlier notes settle down somewhat and Mysterious Night feels more balanced and tolerable.

It’s an ambery rose with wood and tonka bean. The intensity isn’t to the same extent and I can actually somewhat enjoy this.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, you definitely get your money’s worth. Mysterious Night has a massive projection and ability to leave a scent trail…for hours on end. I can spray this one on clothes and smell it in the next room.

Not the most extreme ever, but for a designer cologne, this stuff is loud.

The longevity is also insane. Well into the double digit hours on skin. I’m getting about 12 hours on the top end of things.

On clothing, I swear this will last for weeks. Mysterious Night sticks and doesn’t ever seem to want to let go.

Seasonally, stick to late autumn and winter. This has enough heft and thickness to it, that it’s way too much for any sort of heat.

It’s an attention grabbing fragrance, whether that’s good or bad will depend on the crowd, I suppose. But, Mysterious Night lives up to its name, and is a fragrance that is basically going to be a wear for the nightlife.

It has a certain amount of depth and style, as such it’s not a casual nighttime wear. Maybe one you’d want to wear when you’re dressed up and want to exude a sense of power.

Skip the daily wear use, if you’re in close environments, though.

My Overall Impressions of The One Mysterious Night

Overall, do I like Mysterious Night? Not particularly. I wasn’t expecting to going into testing it out and it was basically just as I thought it’d be.

The oud, rose, amber, and saffron combination gets done again and again. So, there’s not much new ground being laid. But, as far as examples of this style of scent goes, this D&G gives you plenty of value for something that’s not too expensive.

The opening hour or so, is when this is a bit too much for my tastes. Then, it does improve into something, that while I still don’t enjoy it, it’s got some positive attributes.

The performance is awesome, unlike many of the others in The One lineup. Not a weak scent and it goes for a very long time. That’s the real strength of this fragrance.

If you like this style of fragrance, you know what you’re getting here. The oud isn’t too heavy in the mix versus a lot of the others, so, it can be more wearable for people.

If you’re not familiar with these notes, this isn’t a blind buy. If you really want to try, get a sample to see if it speaks to you.

It’s my least favorite of The One Night series and I’ll recommend try the much more crowd friendly, Luminous Night, if you can find a bottle.

Dior Homme Sport (2021) by Dior

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Dior has once again updated the fragrance using the name of Dior Homme Sport in 2021. This comes four years after the last change. This time, it goes in a whole different direction from the previous incarnation. How does this Sport do? How long does it last? Is it worth a try?

What does Dior Homme Sport Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, aldehydes, lemon, elemi, pink pepper, wood, amber, olibanum

My Full Review

Here’s how Dior describes it: Opens with a burst before suddenly becoming as soft as a second skin a deliciously luminous and fresh woody accord bitten by the vivacity of bergamot and the intensity of peppercorns.

The opening is a blast of the lemon and bergamot notes, that are given an extra spicy kick by the pink pepper. It is nice and a very familiar scent that you’ve seemingly encountered many times before.

This does have some similarities to Dior Homme Cologne. However, I’d say more like Chanel Allure Homme Sport Cologne, with the inclusion of the resinous elemi note. Which actually comes across a sort of waxy in this Dior. Maybe, that’s more of an effect with the olibanum note coming in as well.

But, what separates this version of Dior Sport from the rest of them is the aldehydes. It gives this one a clean freshness, like sun-dried laundry. Fresh wood and woodsy smelling resins, with that initial citrus burst is very attractive. Olibanum gives it a light smokiness, at times.

Once this citrus wears off, Dior Homme Sport starts to lose my interest. It’s basically just a clean wood with lemon wax on top of it. Sure, some freshness makes it okay, but the initial dynamic is lost and it feels like I’m just wearing laundered clothing.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage is moderate. A bit of a scent trail for an hour or so. But, overall it is moderate. It’s not a skin scent until later in the wear. However, you might not always notice that you’re wearing it. Then, you’ll catch another whiff of Sport.

In terms of longevity, Sport actually matches the new Dior Homme EDT in its performance. On my skin, this one goes for 6.5-8 hours, depending on the day.

It’s not an elite performance, but it’s actually quite good for a ‘Sport’ scent. Even if, there really isn’t too much that is ‘sporty’ about this fragrance. Nonetheless, it is a cologne that doesn’t just fall apart.

Seasonally, this is probably best in warm weather. However, it can really work year round and not feel out of place at all.

Sport is highly versatile. It’s clean, inoffensive aroma can go casual, daily wear, or even more formal events. Not really a sexy nightlife beast, but outside of that, it can fit in wherever its needed.

Overall Impressions of Dior Homme Sport 2021

Do I like this fragrance? It doesn’t smell bad to me. However, outside of the opening 20-30 minutes or so, I’m just not into this. It’s my least favorite of the Dior Homme or Sport line, even the 2017 version, which was just okay.

It does have overlap with Dior Homme EDT. But, they aren’t exactly the same, and I like that one much more than this.

Performance is fine and you’ll have plenty of opportunities to wear this fragrance, if you enjoy how it smells. To me, it’s pretty boring, a bit too waxy/resinous, and almost a detergent-like quality.

I’ll pass on getting a bottle for myself. But, it’s worth a try, at least. Test it out and see if you actually enjoy it. If the performance and versatility was bad, I’d say to just stay away from this. As it is, try it if it still sounds interesting. If not, pass on it entirely.

Fahrenheit Cologne by Dior

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Fahrenheit Cologne wasn’t a fragrance that I was really on the lookout for, since it’s been discontinued. But, when I had a chance to get a decant of it, I grabbed it anyway. I’m a huge Dior fan, but Fahrenheit was never something that I was personally all that into. How does this one do? What does it smell like? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Fahrenheit Cologne Smell Like?

Notes include: mandarin, bergamot, lemon, violet, vetiver, nutmeg, cedar, caraway

My Full Review

Cologne opens up with a bold mix of the citrus notes and a pronounced and quite green violet note.

Right away, you can tell that this is related to the original Fahrenheit, but without the gasoline aroma, less grassy, and no leather.

The bergamot and lemon are the strongest of the citrus notes to me. The bergamot, especially early on is noticeable.

Violet is joined by the vetiver note, further creating a dry and fresh sort of smell. I would say that the caraway is also adding a green sort of vibe to this fragrance. A bit of that sweetish herbal spice, but this one is very violet leaf dominant.

As it dries down, that will change somewhat. Yes, the violet remains during the entirety. However, cedar and vetiver give this the fresh woodsy finish that sits very nicely underneath the citrus notes (that are now geared toward the lemon).

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Fahrenheit Cologne does open up with some power, but it’s not a massive projector or heavy scent, on the whole.

You’ll get good projection and a scent trail for an hour or so. But, it will come in much closer to the skin, as we get into the middle act. But, it’s above average in totality when compared to other fragrances out there.

The longevity is pretty middle of the road, however. I get 5-6 hours, on skin. It’s not the worst among this sort of citrus-led fragrance, but it isn’t among the elites either. How long it actually lasts, is worst aspect of this fragrance.

Even then, it’s still okay.

Seasonally, this one is built for the spring and summer months. It absolutely shines in the warm weather and wearing outdoors was a very nice experience. Mostly during the daytime, maybe also for something casual during the summer evenings.

This could be a daily wear for men during the warmer parts of the year. It’s fresh and has a fairly attractive aroma, but nothing that would be termed ‘sexy’ by most people.

Overall Impressions of Fahrenheit Cologne

Overall, do I like Fahrenheit Cologne? Yes, it’s enjoyable, but not amazing. Easier to wear than the original and gives you a nice option for spring and summer, if this fits your style.

I do like the citrus focus with Cologne, while I’m not a huge violet leaf fan, I don’t find it bothersome at all to wear with this Dior fragrance. That violet leaf dominates, but the caraway does help to give it a bit more balance in the early stages.

The performance is average to maybe slightly above average, so keep that in mind. The sillage is good enough, the longevity is less so. Fahrenheit Cologne’s performance doesn’t necessarily hinder someone from making a purchase of it though.

If you like the Fahrenheit series, this is a nice one to pick up. Similar to the original, but gives you a lighter and fresher option for the spring and summertime.

Since this one has been discontinued recently, if you want it, you should probably strike soon. Though, if the price is too high, I don’t think it’s really worth tracking down. It’s solid, nothing special, unless you’re a fan of the rest of them.