Cologne Reviews

Angels’ Share Paradis by Kilian

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Angels’ Share, the wildly popular release from Kilian has finally got a proper flanker version that has some significant changes from the original here in 2025, Angels’ Share Paradis.

I bought a decant of this newer Kilian perfume in order to test it out and compare it with my bottle of Angels’ Share. How does it smell? Does Paradis last long? Is it actually worth a buy?

Angels’ Share Paradis Overview

Notes include: raspberry liquor, cognac, praline, tonka bean, Bulgarian rose, moss, oak, sandalwood

Click here to try: Paradis

My Full Review

Angels’ Share Paradis starts things off with a boozier aroma than the original. The cognac and raspberry liquor are really prominent versus the apple and cinnamon kick that you get with the first Kilian release in this series.

So, it’s more alcoholic, sweeter, and doesn’t have the same spiciness.

The next things that I notice, in terms of differences, are the tonka bean and moss notes.

The moss note hear gives Paradis a fresher and woodsy vibe that the original doesn’t have. Now, the oakmoss isn’t a massive note, but it is a persistent one which plays its smaller role well.

The tonka bean also seems like they added to it in this version of Angels’ Share. The more that I wore this one, the more noticeable the tonka bean was, particularly in the middle act of its development.

Also, there is a Bulgarian rose addition to this. Not too distinct, since it does have a lighter sweetness and greenish touches usually. As such, it blends in pretty well in this mix.

The back half of this feels like the original Angels’ Share with some raspberry lingering around and that moss.  Warm, with oak, and an edible gourmand aroma to it.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The performance here is exactly the same that I get with Angels’ Share. Tried both multiple times both together and separate. Noticed no difference.

Maybe you could say that the sillage is a bit lighter thanks to the slight freshness of Paradis. To me, not really. The projection is still quite strong when it opens up and it lasts as a moderate perfume for the rest of the way.

Longevity is also in the 9-13 hour range for me. No increase, but they also didn’t manage to screw this up.

Seasonally, this is still an autumn and winter wear. Have tried it on a warmer day and wasn’t feeling the results. I’d stick with the cooler parts of the year.

Still indeed a unisex and very versatile with it. Mass appealing, but maybe you don’t want to wear a boozy scent to the office. Same rules apply as Angels’ Share.

Overall Impressions of Angels’ Share Paradis

Overall, do I like Angels’ Share Paradis? Yes. However, I don’t like it more than the original and that kind of defeats the purpose of me owning a bottle. Especially, at the elevated price point versus what I can get a refill of Angels’ Share for.

It’s different but not greatly so. Plus, the performance is basically the same as what I already get with the first one.

The raspberry is a nice addition and the moss adds a nice touch to the blend, but I’m not too excited about it versus what I already have a bottle of.

I do think it’s worth trying out, if you liked the original. If you can test it out, these differences might make a bigger impact on your sense of smell than it did mine. Angels’ Share Paradis is a very likeable perfume, still great, but a step behind its predecessor in my opinion.

Personally, I’ve wanted to wear my travel sprayer of Smoking Hot by Kilian versus getting a bottle of Paradis. I would grab a full bottle of that or a refill of the original, before shelling out more money for a raspberry version.

Wanted Tonic by Azzaro

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Wanted Tonic is a release from the very popular Wanted series of men’s fragrances by Azzaro. This one kind of flew under the radar and hasn’t gotten as much attention as the others in the line up after its 2020 release. The question is, does it deserve to be more well known?

I bought a sample of this cologne to test it out and see how it performs. What does it smell like? Does it last long? Is Tonic actually worth a buy?

Wanted Tonic Overview

Notes include: lime, ginger, cardamom, patchouli, benzoin, aquatic accord

My Full Review

Wanted Tonic opens up with a generic blue-ish aroma that is blended with a fairly prominent lime note.

The lime is decent and juicy within the mix and probably a highlight for me. The ginger here is fine, adding a nice spice, and you get that usual warm/lemony/spicy cardamom note that is a staple in the Wanted series.

That being said, this is closest to Coach Man Blue versus any other fragrance out there. It’s not the same, though. That one is woodier, heavier and has a more prominent absinthe note. Neither of these two are great fragrances, though.

The citrus is going to lead the way throughout most of the wear. The aquatic accord will fade off and the cardamom will take over as the main source of spiciness from the earlier ginger dominance.

Then, you get some woodiness and greenish notes coming through. Patchouli and there might be another wood note in here, that’s note listed. The dry down has a fuzziness to it from the benzoin, but is mostly about a blue citrus aroma with hints of spice and light woody highlights.

Wanted Tonic isn’t a very complicated sort of cologne.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Obviously, Tonic is going to be a fresher and not a super heavy fragrance that’ll bog you down. It does indeed take a lighter tact, but it isn’t completely weak.

The projection at least, in that lighter state is pretty moderate for a good deal of the wear. It wasn’t a skin scent and I could smell the cologne on me until the tail end. Actually not too bad for what this Azzaro fragrance is.

The longevity? Not great. I wasn’t expecting much, but it might be better than those expectations. Somewhere in the 5.5 hour range is what I get from this one. The ‘Tonic’ moniker is a good bet that you’re not going to get marathon performance, but this is decent.

Seasonally, this is totally a candidate for spring and summer wear. This aquatic lime with spice isn’t going to be something too appealing in the colder months and will feel out of place there.

But, in the warmer weather, it works. I wore it outside on a warm day, now that we’ve entered spring and I actually liked it more out there than I didn’t when I had sprayed this one on inside the house.

Within that spring and summer time frame, it’s mostly going to be a casual refreshing fragrance, limited to the daytime.

Not too versatile of a fragrance, but I suppose you could wear this around anywhere during the day, as long as you don’t need something too formal. It’s one that’ll not get blown apart on the hottest days of the year, so if you don’t have a cologne which fits that profile, Wanted Tonic can handle that job.

Overall Impressions of Wanted Tonic

Overall, do I like Wanted Tonic? Not really. It’s not completely terrible, but it just doesn’t have much appeal.

I like lime, ginger, the Wanted series, and freshie colognes. As such, I thought that this Azzaro release might have some appeal to me. It turned out to be an okay fragrance, but not one that I would feel compelled to own.

The performance is right in the realm of average. It’s got that clean and refreshing sort of aroma, but nothing too unique or out of the ordinary. I’m not sure when I would grab this one versus any other warm weather cologne out there.

That’s the issue for me. There are simply much better options in this sort of style that does things better from smell to performance.

It doesn’t smell exactly like any fragrance, but there’s enough of an amalgamation of ideas, that this seems somewhat familiar.

I will say, as of this initial posting of this review, I’m seeing bottles online at the re-seller stores for around $30. So, if you’re a Wanted fan or if this sounds appealing to you, you’re not paying a huge price for something that could potentially disappoint you.

For me, there’s nothing that I’m intrigued by here. So, I’ll pass, even at that low price point.

It seems to be discontinued by the brand itself. If you want a bottle, go ahead and get one before the stock sells out.

Le Male Elixir Absolu by JPG

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Elixir Absolu is the latest release in 2025 of the long-running Le Male series by Gaultier. It is also a flanker to the massively successful flanker, Le Male Elixir.

I bought a bottle of Le Male Elixir Absolu to test it out and do a full review of the results. How does it smell? How long does it last? Is it even worth a try?

Elixir Absolu Overview

Notes include: lavender, tonka bean, plum

Click here to try: Le Male Elixir Absolu

My Full Review

Here’s how Gaultier describes this fragrance: Radiating a golden aura, everything in his wake is turned into gold. This new Male — and the most precious of all — keeps the signature fragrance notes of the iconic Le Male Elixir but is intensely richer. Fruity notes of spicy, sensual plum develop into lavender and tonka bean, taking sensuality to the extreme. But be warned! This Le Male will soon become an obsession.

Elixir Absolu opens up different yet familiar to the original JPG Le Male Elixir. It doesn’t have the cooling the mint note. Instead you get a good deal of that lavender, with some warmer spice, and a new addition of a sweet plum.

To me, the plum actually isn’t too heavy in the start. It’s much less of a tart note and sweeter than I thought it would be.

I’m not sure what the spice here is. It kind of smells like cumin mixed up with a bit of cinnamon. The plum can have a bit of a spicy sort of aroma too, but I personally get cumin.

Lavender is the focus with Le Male Elixir Absolu. It’s interesting that I get the sensation of iris lurking around in this mix. I haven’t seen anything from Gaultier about this.

So, it could just be an effect of the lavender, tonka bean, and the velvety touches of the plum note blending together to cause that.

Anyway, the opening still feels messy to me, even after about 2 weeks of wearing this one around. It doesn’t have that honeyed heaviness, while you can still pick up the scent of the first Elixir underneath our main attractions.

Still, it’s an okay start, just not really something that I’ve liked.

Once that warmer and slight spiciness moves away, Le Male Elixir Absolu really comes into its own. The plum becomes more apparent on my skin. It sits gently on top of the lavender note, never being too heavy, while still being captivating.

This doesn’t feel too complicated. It’s middle act is the lavender and plum with that iris sort of smell coming through.

Then, the dry down will have more tonka bean and the background of the original still coming through. Mostly, the vanilla seems to be here. So, it’s a fruity sweet lavender floral fragrance with a mix of powdery and creamy highlights.

Still similar to the original, but I think the differences are very noticeable and are placed front and center here.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This one isn’t as heavy feeling or cloying as the first Elixir can be. However, its ability to project is unchanged. Still a beast that doesn’t require a massive amount of spraying in order to be potent.

I always catch whiffs of its scent throughout the day until it has finally faded or I’ve washed it all off.

The longevity here is also still the same as with the first Elixir. I still get 9-10.5 hours of wear with this version of the juice.

The performance doesn’t have any issues, as with the rest of the Le Male lineup. Powerful and long-lasting for a designer cologne.

Seasonally, this is still mostly an autumn and wintertime wear. However, I think it’s still nice in the milder temperatures. So, it can venture into springtime more so than its predecessor.

Still, this isn’t one that you’re going to be reaching for during the summer months, unless it’s a cooler evening.

Elixir Abolu is a fragrance that is still going to skew younger. It’s more of a casual or nightlife sort of cologne versus something that you’d wear to the office.

Not completely juvenile, especially once it gets past the opening, but is still going to worn mostly by men in their 20s and younger.

Overall Impressions of Le Male Elixir Absolu

Overall, do I like Elixir Absolu? Yes, I think it is a better fragrance than the original Elixir and one that I have been enjoying wearing thus far.

The opening is my least favorite part of the whole thing. However, once it settles down and I get this sweet mix of light plum, lavender, and the tonka bean I really do like wearing this fragrance.

I wasn’t expecting that dry down, after a slow start, but this JPG fragrance surprised me. The performance is still the same as the first Elixir release. As such, choosing between the two really just comes down to which smell you prefer.

I think this is a better fragrance. The original has a heavy use of honey which feels much more cloying than anything that is presented here. The plum also isn’t insanely strong or even tart, it parks itself nicely in the mix and gives it a real boost.

If you already have the first Le Male Elixir, you probably don’t need both. I would still test this one out, to see if you like the changes. That being said, you shouldn’t rush out and buy this.

It’s distinct enough, but obviously still covers a lot of the same bases.

If you don’t have either and want a Le Male Elixir scent, I would pick up Elixir Absolu. I might end up finishing this bottle before my bottle of Elixir that I purchased back when it came out.

By the Fireplace by Maison Margiela

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By the Fireplace has become a crowd favorite and best seller from the Replica line of perfumes from Maison Margiela. It was released back in 2015 and has grown in reputation since then.

I bought a full bottle last winter and am only now remembering that I needed to write a review. Here it is. How does this Replica fragrance smell? How long does it last? Is it worth a try?

What does By the Fireplace Smell Like?

Notes include: pink pepper, orange blossom, cloves, guaiac wood, chestnut, juniper, Peru balsam, vanilla, cashmeran

Click here to try: By the Fireplace

My Full Review

By the Fireplace begins with a mix of spiciness and sweetness right from the start. The spice is more prominent early on, with the pink pepper and clove really coming through strong.

Though, that will definitely moderate as it moves forward. The other obvious accord here is from the smokiness of this perfume.

The sweet roasted chestnut, guaiac wood and juniper round things out in the opening act. The Margiela fragrance lives up to its name and theme.

It’s a warm, sweet, and dry fragrance on the whole. With it’s smokiness and spiciness playing a bigger role early on. I also get some orange blossom, on my skin. However, it tends to get overshadowed by the more dominant and attention grabbing notes.

The spice will begin to fade and the warmth and sweetness will move more into focus. The chestnut is still the main attraction, but we get further woodiness, balsamic aspects, and the vanilla also steps forward.

That’s what it’s going to be basically the rest of the way a sweetish and still slightly smoky mix of chestnut and vanilla with dry woods and an amber sort of undertone to it all.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this isn’t a massive projector but it is a heavier feeling fragrance. The smokiness really envelops you and it has a pretty far reach for the first hour or so.

But, it will quickly settle into something moderate. The Margiela perfume is above average in this aspect, but only slightly so. Nothing disappointing, it’s just not a monster with it’s power.

The longevity here is pretty good, nothing spectacular. I get 7-8 or up to 9 hours of wear from By the Fireplace. Honestly, its enough for most purposes, it’s just not one that is going to approach that 10+ hour range of wear.

Seasonally, this Maison Margiela scent is built for autumn and winter. Cold days and nights, as the name would suggest. Outside of that, you can safely skip this one.

It’s also very unisex, so, while it may not appeal to everyone, anyone could wear By the Fireplace without issue in that regard.

This is more of a casual scent or one that you can wear out on a cold evening. Fireplace isn’t a formal type of fragrance, maybe skip wearing it too work. Though, I could see it working for some people.

For the most part, By the Fireplace isn’t going to be the majority of people’s main scent, more like something for the rotation that you break out for stretches of time.

Overall Impressions of By the Fireplace

Overall, do I like this scent? Yep, it’s another fragrance that I love for the wintertime. In fact, I was wearing my sprays from my bottle for many evenings this past winter. By the Fireplace is such an enjoyable fragrance for me.

It may be somewhat limited in its use case, so, it isn’t going to be a fragrance that everybody needs a bottle of. Not only due to seasonality, but the smokiness isn’t a feature which will have total appeal.

Though, the chestnut and vanilla really do a fine job at giving this one a great sweetness to wear around on colder days and nights.

That smoke and spice can be somewhat intense, but the fragrance that remains is very pleasant and easy to wear.

It’s not something that I always reach for, but By the Fireplace is a nice perfume with an interesting theme, that’s worth checking out.

Bad Boy Extreme by Carolina Herrera

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Bad Boy Extreme was released as a flanker back in 2022. I wasn’t too interested in the fragrance at the time, but I recently received a sample of this Carolina Herrera scent, as a part of another order. So, I’ve tested out.

How does this Bad Boy cologne smell? How long does it last? Is it worth a buy?

Bad Boy Extreme Overview

Notes include: cacao, bergamot, ginger, patchouli, tonka bean, clary sage, plum, vetiver, incense, davana, labdanum

Click here to try: Bad Boy Extreme

My Full Review

Bad Boy Extreme starts off with sweet and warm spicy mix, but with more aromatic touches at the start. The ginger is particularly present on my skin, as is the cacao early.

Along with these two, the sage is the next most noticeable and some tart aroma coming from a light plum note. The sage and ginger are pretty central to how this cologne begins.

Yet, it still has that spice and ambery warmth which keeps it masculine and more interesting to my nose. Once that first wave begins to fade, the patchouli and vetiver create an earthier undertone.

Also, here’s where I start to notice more of the incense smokiness. Still, that’s a fairly subtle touch for me.

It’s at its most aromatic, in the early stages. Later, it will still be spicy and sweet, but the profile will have changed from that. Cacao with patchouli and some vetiver, a general spice, and some warm amber sort of aroma.

The ginger and plum evaporates for me.  The sweetness is more about the cacao and tonka bean, much like in the original Bad Boy. The labdanum holds it all together and those three notes are basically what it smells like for the rest of the way.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This is a fairly heavy scent but, it’s got enough freshness not to get bogged down. If I compare it to something like Le Male Elixir, this one doesn’t have the same level of sillage and projection.

Though, it is a strong fragrance that you will for sure notice. It moderates after an hour or two, but I wouldn’t worry about the power here.

Extreme is the best Bad Boy fragrance in terms of performance, that I’ve come across thus far. On my skin, it will last for more than 10 hours. Maybe it’ll hit 11 or so before evaporating completely.

Seasonally, this is an autumn and winter wear. I wouldn’t venture too far into springtime with this scent. Though, since it is more of a nighttime wear, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem so long as the heat and humidity isn’t that high.

It’s still a fragrance that trends toward a younger crowd. It is more casual and not really a work scent or something to wear for formal occasions. Going out, just hanging around, maybe a daily wear if you’re college age.

Overall Impression of Bad Boy Extreme

Overall, do I like this Carolina Herrera cologne? I like it for a Bad Boy release. I’m not a massive fan of this line, most of the scents are okay to me, and nothing more. Extreme, is one of the better releases, and maybe the best of the lot.

Extreme is better than Cobalt and one that more people would go for versus Le Parfum.

I like the greater depth that it has versus the original and I think this mix of notes actually works well enough and gives it some extra power.

The opening is a showcase for how much this scent has going on. The ginger and sage, which give way to the patchouli and vetiver, which finishes with the cacao, tonka bean, and labdanum.

That’s when you get the sweetness with the remaining woodsy aroma and touches of spice.

If you enjoy the Bad Boy line from Carolina Herrera, you’ll almost certainly like this one. It’s closer to the original in the dry down, is unique earlier on, and has much better performance.

If you want a spicier chocolate sort of cologne, this can fit the bill. Though, while it smells good, it’s probably not going to be a fit for everyone. If it sounds like something you’d like, give it a try.