Cologne Reviews

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.

Stronger With You Intensely by Emporio Armani

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Stronger With You continues to roll along as a fragrance series for the Emporio Armani label. I’ve been going through the releases over the past little while, in order to give each of them full reviews. Today, I finish up my thoughts on Stronger With You Intensely. How does it smell? How long does it last? Is it worth a try?

What does Stronger With You Intensely Smell Like?

Notes include: pink pepper, cinnamon, toffee, lavender, sage, suede, amber, violet, vetiver

Click here to try: Stronger With You Intensely

My Full Review

Here’s how Armani describes it: This addictive fougere scent features notes of pink pepper, vanilla and an ambery wood accord. It reflects the personality of today’s young man in search of an intense fragrance that lights up his profound love story!

Intensely really kicks off with its spicy notes blazing. That pink pepper really commands attention, a dash of sage, and even a little bit of the cinnamon, as a part of that toffee accord, and that’s found in other fragrances from this series.

But, it’s not a complete spicy takeover, since the sweetness it there early on too. It’s got more of a caramel aroma early on, that will shift more towards the vanilla end of things by the end of the wear.

That initial spiciness isn’t a long lasting affair. Stronger With You Intensely shifts to a warmer and sweeter overall aroma. But, the lavender note becomes more noticeable to me after the opening is done.

In Absolutely, the lavender comes on strong in the end.

The good news for me, is that lavender will get weaker in favor of the amber note. Toffee and vanilla. Plus, a bit of suede giving it a smooth leathery finish.

The pink pepper and other spices are basically gone for the back half of this one, on me at least.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this one is well above average, and will leave a scent trail behind in one’s wake for a few hours at least.

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, Intensely lasts up to 11 or 12 hours. It’s really got fantastic performance for a designer mass market fragrance. Now, those last few hours aren’t really that strong, but the cologne is still there.

Seasonally, this one has autumn and winter written all over it. You can probably venture into the spring, since this is a great choice for the nightlife, but I’d stay out of the heat with Intensely.

It’s a sweeter fragrance, a nice one for romantic wear, nightlife, and such. Probably not what most will want to go with to the office.

It probably does skew younger in its appeal. But, it doesn’t strike me as being completely immature or only a teenager’s fragrance.

Overall Impressions of Stronger With You Intensely

Overall, do I like Stronger With You Intensely? I do and it might be my favorite from the whole series. Though, I like Leather, also. Kind of a toss up with those.

Just on performance alone, you already get the awesome longevity and sillage of the original EDT, but amped up and with a better smelling formula.

While the spices don’t last that long on my skin, I do like that bold kick to start off. Then, with the toffee/caramel aroma comes in with the suede and vanilla, that’s when Intensely is really a joy to wear around.

This one is sweet. Which, I get can be too much for some people. I find this to be more tolerable to wear than the original, which I found much more cloying.

So, if you don’t want the sweetness to the same extent, maybe try out Absolutely. That Stronger With You fragrance is almost as good to me, but I like Intensely slightly more.

But, I do think that I prefer The Most Wanted by Azzaro to this one, which often gets compared to Intensely. That has a simpler aroma, more cardamom, but really works on my skin.

L’Immensité by Louis Vuitton

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I’ve been gradually making my way through the Louis Vuitton line for review purposes, with most of them that have been released in the books. L’Immensité is one that I’ve already tried before, but I grabbed a sample of more recently, do give it a full testing. How does it smell? How long does it last? Is it worth a try?

What does L’Immensité Smell Like?

Notes include: ginger, bergamot, grapefruit, sage, rosemary, geranium, watery notes, amber, labdanum

My Full Review

Here’s how Louis Vuitton describes it: A whisper of fresh ginger speaks of an infinite inner journey. To open your arms so wide it’s as if they were wings deployed to take flight. Like a response to a vast, beckoning sea that nourishes fantasies of total freedom. Sometimes, finding yourself before a limitless horizon that stretches to the sky is all it takes to make your heart beat faster.

L’Immensité opens up with its potent ginger note being joined by the bergamot and grapefruit. Initially, that sharp and juicy bergamot is stronger on my skin than is the grapefruit, but that will flip as it moves along.

Underneath all of that is an aquatic accord, which helps adds to that summertime vibe, but this one never completely veers oceanic. A bit salty, that’s about it.

The ginger is the star of the spiciness within this mix. Sage and rosemary might make up around 30% of the rest, at their peak. Sage sticks around for a while, though, neither is too big of a player.

Most of this one is about the amber note coming in. The ginger and grapefruit sit on top of all of that amber, which gives it a warmer vibe. The style is similar to Bleu de Chanel EDP, but ultimately fairly different fragrances.

The drydown is a fresh and slightly citrus amber. Very little of that aquatic accord is still present.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage is actually pretty strong for this type of fragrance, for the first few hours. It gets softer, thereafter, but that amber note really sticks out to me when wearing it during those late stages.

It does have a nice 6-7 foot projection or so, at its peak. It will leave a scent trail for like an hour to and hour and a half. After that, this one moves in much closer to the wearer, but isn’t as soft as you might think. Seems like it has a tendency to sort of make you nose blind to it, at times.

On my skin, I can get up to 8 hours from this Louis Vuitton scent. It actually fluctuates between 6.5 and that 8 hour mark, so, expect about 7 a good portion of the time.

Seasonally, it’s mainly going to be a spring and summer play. But really, any time the climate is pretty moderate, it’d be fine too. Great in the warmer temperatures, but probably not my go to in the wintertime.

L’Immensité isn’t an offensive or super loud fragrance. It’s well put together, so it has enough style to fit into a pretty wide variety of situations. The versatility of this cologne, is probably its greatest strength.

Overall Impressions of L’Immensité

Overall, do I like L’Immensité? I do like it, but there are better options from Louis Vuitton or just in general with this sort of fragrance. It was formerly a part of my best LV men’s fragrance list, but just barely, and got pushed aside by Imagination.

That’s got some similarities to this one, but Imagination is ultimately better.

The opening act is where this one shines. That fresh citrus, ginger, other spices, and the aquatic-like feel of it…is all something that I enjoy.

Later, the amber and citrus just kind of gets on my nerves. It’s fine, nothing too exciting, but it does get old for me while wearing it.

The performance is good. Not amazing, but not terrible either, on my skin. Still, I do want a bit more from the fragrance, if I’m paying Louis Vuitton prices.

L’Immensité is worth trying out. You may indeed like it and want a full bottle. Personally, the brand has better options to sort through during the warmer months of the year.