Cologne Reviews

Taking a break from reviewing Tom Ford scents, I wanted to get around to posting a review of this fragrance, I got a sample of months back. Uomo Noir Absolu is a flanker of the Uomo line by Valentino. How does this entry stack up? What does it smell like? How does it perform? Is it worth a buy?

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What does Uomo Noir Absolu Smell Like?

Notes include: cinnamon, sandalwood, iris, pepper, incense

Click here to try: Valentino Uomo Noir Absolu For Men Eau de Parfum 3.4 Oz

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My Full Wear Review

Before we dive into my personal review, let’s see how Valentino describes this fragrance: Valentino Uomo Noir Absolu is a modern exploration of oriental intensity. The Italian elegance of iris, the original Valentino signature, is transformed through the intimate richness of high perfumery. Translated through sandalwood, cinnamon, pepper, and a precious veil of incense, it is a mysterious and eloquent interpretation.

Noir Absolu opens with a lot of cinnamon spice, the pepper note, iris, and a resinous sweetness. I have to hand it to Valentino, they have definitely been getting into some unique scents, with these Uomo flankers. After the originals, were pretty much just Dior Homme sort of colognes.

Noir Absolu goes towards the darker end of the spectrum, while Uomo Acqua, went for a fresher and naturalistic smell. While this one is darker, it does have a powdery scent from the iris, and the aforementioned sweetness.

The cinnamon and pepper notes are there, but don’t have the same level of sharpness as I’d suspect, subdued underneath the other ingredients. Well, after the first 10 minutes or so, the opening is rather spicy.

Once things have calmed down, this really does become an oriental sort of cologne. Incense really comes through in the next wave, along with sandalwood, which will grow into a larger role later on.

Iris can be hit or miss for some guys, as it isn’t always featured in men’s fragrances. However, I really enjoy it in most applications, such as Dior Homme (which I have a full bottle of) and this Uomo series.

It plays its role to perfection, in this scent. It sits underneath, giving Noir that powdery/lipstick/makeup bag sort of aroma,

Finally, the dry down is a nice healthy dose of sandalwood. Along side it, are light cinnamon/pepper, iris and incense smokiness. Warm, slightly spicy, creamy/powdery, and a sweet touch.

Noir Absolu has a good bit of development and actually gives you a few different experiences throughout the wear.

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Sillage, Longevity, Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage of Uomo Noir Absolu is pretty strong. At the start, it is quite heavy, but calms down later on in the wear. The initial spice, can be intense, and spraying too much can overwhelm. Not too much is needed here.

It’ll project off of the skin, somewhere in the 6-7 foot area after the initial spray, if you don’t go crazy with the application.

The longevity with this fragrance is great. These notes stick around in the 8-10 hour range, it’s probably the best of the Uomo line, with its longevity. But, it’s also the most dense out of them as well.

The performance will not disappoint at all.

This one is built for the colder parts of the year. Not a wear for tropical climates. It’d melt in the heat, not too pleasant. Autumn through early spring, is when this one will be at its best.

This has enough style and class to be worn formally. Will gather complements. Probably for guys mid-20s and up versus something built for the teens and college-age.

This can totally be worn for the nightlife. In fact, it’d be a unique choice for that scenario and allow you to stand out from the crowd. The performance here, is all around wonderful.

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Overall Impressions of Uomo Noir Absolu?

Do I like this cologne? I do. I think other folks, like this more than I do, however. Don’t get me wrong, it is very good. It’s just that I prefer Uomo Acqua and the original, to this.

I think Noir, is better for guys who want a darker version, where sandalwood is played up instead of iris.

The performance is great, it smells nice, and gives you a unique vibe. I’ve seen it compared to Tom Ford’s Black Orchid and I completely get why. This is a more masculine version, of that scent.

Personally, this is a like, rather than a love. I enjoy aspects of this scent, but it kind of got on my nerves, with the sandalwood and spice. The iris is always good in the Valentino colognes and I liked the incense note that was kicking around.

Not my personal taste, but a lot of guys will completely dig this cologne. Valentino has been crushing these releases, as of late.

I’ve reviewed most of the James Bond 007 line of men’s colognes up to this point, but found a sample vial of another one in a box, that I had lying around. So, today’s review entry will be of that one, entitled: Seven Intense. This is the flanker fragrance to the original Seven for Men. What’s inside? How does it actually smell? Does it perform well? Is it actually worth a purchase?

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What does Seven Intense Smell Like?

Notes include: oud, leather, vanilla, cinnamon, amber, nutmeg, saffron, caramel, and more

Click here to try: 007 Fragrances Seven Intense Colognes, 1.6 Ounce

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My Full Review

The opening of Seven Intense gives me a blend of cinnamon and leather. It’s got a smooth, warm, and masculine spice that is actually quite well done.

I didn’t know what to expect coming into this one, but I was pleasantly surprised by the start. After about 5 minutes, I start to detect the oud note and a bit of amber, but not all that much.

There is some general sweetness in this mix, but nothing that is distinct early on. Supposedly, there is notes of orange, apple, and bergamot up top. However, I don’t really get any of that. Cinnamon and leather with some sweet touches.

I want to talk about a dry down period with Seven Intense, it’s just that, there really isn’t one. If I really press my nose to my skin I can get a faint vanilla and possibly caramel sweetness, but it is so damn faint. This 007 cologne, like so many of the others, is really weak.

It’s called Seven Intense, you’d figure that they’d actually try to add some intensity, but alas. I’d like to add more detail to how it smells, but that’s about its entire lifespan.

Based on the notes, I would expect something with a lot more depth and nuance. It’s not there, though. I do like that opening.

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Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

As I mentioned, the projection is extremely lacking. If you apply a lot of the fragrance, you’ll get a few minutes before it becomes a skin scent…the sillage/projection sucks.

The longevity here isn’t exactly great, either. You might be able to smell it for 3 hours or thereabouts and that’s it. Most of that time will be that vague vanilla and caramel, that I wrote about.

I think it’s a shame that the performance is so bad with this cologne because I actually think that Seven Intense smells really nice. Had they put forth the effort to give this scent some punch, it would be on the list as a great inexpensive fragrance.

The warmth, the leather/oud combo, the cinnamon spice, and the sweet undertones…I like it all. This is a scent that should be right up my alley, as it’s ingredients fit the profile of just about everything I really enjoy.

When it could be worn? Cold weather. Casually, semi-formal. It’d be a great little starter cologne for younger men. If it could be a better put together fragrance.

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Overall Impressions of Seven Intense

Overall, do I recommend Seven Intense? Obviously not. It’s probably one of the best smelling colognes from the 007 line of fragrances, it just has terrible performance. I wish companies would stop labeling weak sauce scents as ‘intense’.

It’s like they just need a word to separate it from the original, whether or not it fits the bill as intense, is irrelevant. That’s my biggest complaint with these James Bond colognes, they all usually smell good to very good, they just cheap out on making them last.

They are usually inexpensive, but not super cheap. I also see bottles going for over $40, which is pretty ridiculous for something that should be under $10 with what you actually get.

The 007 line has plenty of colognes with potential, but rarely hit their mark.

With my last batch of samples, I picked up a couple more flanker fragrances, from the Valentino line. Today, I am going to be getting into Uomo Acqua, and sharing my experience testing this scent out. How does it smell? What’s the sillage like? Does it last a long time? Is it worth a buy?

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What Does Uomo Acqua Smell Like?

Notes include: mandarin, citron, iris, leather, green tomato, sage, patchouli

Click here to try: Valentino Uomo Acqua By Valentino for Men – 4.2 Oz Edt Spray, 4.2 Oz

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My Full Wear Review

Before we get into my personal review, let’s see what Valentino has to say about this fragrance: A fresh and elegant fragrance with a clash of scents that is so very Valentino. The top notes reveal the aromatic freshness of an Italian garden with a citrus hint of mandarin and citron. The invigorating hook is soon offset by the dark and velvety depth of iridescent leather. The perfect harmony of freshness and intensity, embodying the subtle balance of Italian elegance.

Immediately upon spraying, I was in love with this fragrance. Uomo, had one of my favorite opening acts ever, and now Uomo Acqua takes a similar path. While this is of course, going to share some common traits with the rest of the Valentino Uomo line, Acqua takes its own path. It’s an awesome one.

The top notes of mandarin and citron are great, but the key here is the tomato leaf note. It’s not used in that many mainstream fragrances, but it is actually a gem of an ingredient.

I remember the tomato leaf aroma from Adidas Moves, which I used to wear back in high school, but it is way better in Acqua.

The tomato leaf and citrus notes are joined by the iris note, which presents itself a bit differently than in the other Uomo fragrances. It is super fresh, citrus, green, and like how they described as a garden.

There is also a bit of sage, in the beginning, which only adds to the freshness and give Uomo Acqua a hint of herbal spice. That note, is however, fairly short lived.

As it moves along, the scent becomes more about the iris, leather, and tomato. It’s smoother, with less of the overt citrus coming through, it’s more of a hint from this point forward. The dry down stays pretty linear, as this isn’t a complex cologne at all, but there is some patchouli in here.

Acqua isn’t an aquatic fragrance in the usual sense, so, don’t go into trying this expecting it to be. The name is isn’t ideal, but think of it as a warm weather flanker of the Uomo lineup. The juiciness/watery feeling of the tomato and citrus is probably as close to being aquatic as you’ll get.

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Sillage and Longevity

Projection wise, the sillage on Uomo Acqua, is really solid for the first 30 minutes. Then, is hangs quite close to the skin. Admittedly, I was bummed out that I didn’t get a huge sillage from this stuff, as I love it. But other people have been noticing it, so, it can’t be that ‘weak’.

The longevity is better than you’d think, even with the light sillage. I wore this out on a Saturday night, to bars with indoor/outdoor spaces, and with both high heat and humidity.

I could still smell it on my skin, when I got home really late. It must have been 6-7 hours. Sure, it wasn’t strong, but it was still clearly detectable.

Other times, just wearing it around the house, I might squeeze an extra hour of wear from this Valentino. Not amazing, but it’s pretty good.

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When Should it Be Worn?

This is built for the warmer weather. Spring/summer, this is probably going to be a go to, for me. With the floral aspects of this fragrance, the springtime seems to be the absolute ideal use case with Acqua.

You can wear it for any occasion, from formal to casual. It’s light enough to fit in and not really cause any problems by being overwhelming or having any offensive notes to it.

People really seem to like it, especially early on, when the citrus is popping. Uomo Acqua is one that will draw complements. It’s super fresh and quite sexy.

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Overall Impressions

This one has become one of my favorite scents, over the past week or so. The opening, is absolutely amazing, to my nose. I cannot get enough of it. I plan on buying a full bottle, in the near future.

That being said, I do wish it was stronger. I wish Valentino would make an intense version, but not make too many changes to the formula, and have it smell like this.

This is a great option for the warmer months, when you don’t want something that is oceanic or beachy. It retains some of what is great about Uomo, but, changes enough to fit the spring/summer months The tomato leaf, citrus, iris, and leather are just about perfect.

Is it a buy? For me, it is. Bottles are inexpensive enough, to where double or triple spraying won’t break the bank. You’ll have to put on more, as the power, isn’t ideal. Though, the smell, absolutely is. I think that this is now my favorite Uomo cologne.

There are of course a plethora of celebrity fragrances on the market today. One interesting aspect of the market, is that there are also fictional characters with their own line of scents. James Bond, the uber-famous British secret agent character, is such an example of this.

There are plenty of Bond 007 colognes that have been released by Eon Productions, but today I am going to focus on one, Quantum.

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What does Quantum Smell Like?

Notes include: leather, juniper berries, sandalwood, bergamot, and violet leaf

Click here to try: James Bond 007 Quantum Eau de Toilette Spray, 4.2 Ounce

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My Full Wear Review

The opening of Quantum is a mix of juniper berries and bergamot on top of a leathery base. Honestly, it reminds me of a slightly different version of the ‘grape bubblegum’ aroma that is associated with 1 Million. Maybe even Polo Red, but without the same level of citrus sharpness.

The leather note, however, just isn’t all that impressive to me and while it has some appeal it just isn’t rich enough. It’s a light leather, that doesn’t really grab you or stand out.

After a ten or so minute opening, it shifts a bit with the sandalwood note becoming more prominent. Still, it is still a smooth scent with fruity sweet highlights and a very slight spice to it. After this point, it’s pretty much linear.

Mostly, juniper, some leather, and sandalwood. Simple and straightforward. The blend is solid and the aroma itself is pretty easy to wear and enjoyable.

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Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it’s toward the weaker end of things. It’s light to moderate.

Also, the performance isn’t great. Somewhere between 1-2 hours of decent power and then a sharp decline to a skin scent thereafter. It’s not going to leave a scent trail and the projection from the skin will be maybe a few feet for the majority of the wear.

That second stage of being a skin scent also only lasts a few hours. In total, around 3-4 hours on my skin for the entirety of the wear.

I guess this would be considered a casual scent. It has a nice appeal to it, as in, it is actually somewhat sexy, in my opinion. That is, if the performance was better, it could find a use as a cheapy. The versatility is pretty good, as this doesn’t smell like a completely ‘cheap’ fragrance.

Seasonally, I’d keep it out of the high heat of the summer months, but it’s fine in basically any other climate that you can throw at it.

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Overall Impressions of Quantum

Overall, would I recommend Quantum? Not really. I like the smell somewhat and I wouldn’t be completely opposed to it, if the longevity was decent.

That being said, it isn’t, and while the fragrance itself smells good, it doesn’t really blow me away. Quantum is fairly mediocre. Plus, there are better James Bond colognes available.

The juniper and bergamot mix up top is probably the highlight of the entire thing. With the sandalwood and leather sitting underneath, Quantum has some personality going for it. But after that point, it’s just okay.

The leather isn’t great. Kind of just weak and not a good example of that note.

The whole line of 007 colognes is pretty bad with the performance, however. This one is a perfect example of that being the case.

It is a very inexpensive fragrance, but not one that provides any real value. A high level of performance could’ve make it a worthwhile investment. In reality, it’s just not.

So, unless you have to have a bottle because it’s a 007 scent, I’d pass.