Cologne Reviews

Gentleman EDP Reserve Privee by Givenchy

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Givenchy’s Gentleman series continues to churn out flanker fragrances. For 2022, the brand has introduced Reserve Privee, as its latest edition. Based on the notes alone, it looks like it could be a winner. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it actually worth a try?

What does Gentleman Reserve Privee Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, iris, benzoin, whiskey absolute, chestnut, cedar, vetiver and patchouli

Click here to try: Reserve Privee at Macy’s

My Full Review

Tried it? Use the comment section below to rate and review this cologne.

Here’s how Givenchy describes it: The sensuality of ambery wood is faceted by luminous ethereal iris for an utterly addictive, heady duet. Infused with smooth natural whisky absolute, this fragrance has been crafted in grasse using aromatic barley from refined scottish distillery.

So, immediately upon spraying, I am instantly reminded of three fragrances: Dior Homme 2011, Dior Homme Intense, and Uomo by Valentino. Each of these shares a part with this new Givenchy in the opening stages.

I will say, it is closest to the way that Dior Homme Intense opens, and least like Dior Homme.

It shares that opening bergamot with Dior Homme and Uomo. But, within this Givenchy composition, the citrus feels much lighter. Instead, you get a nutty iris aroma, which kind of turns into a somewhat chocolatey scent. Though, it is mostly smelling like chestnut early.

This is like DHI with the nutty part of Uomo (except not creamy hazelnut) and none of the leather of Uomo of Dior Homme.

Anyway, focusing on Reserve Privee alone, the whiskey from the base does give it a nice distinction and I really enjoy the way that it plays off of that chestnut and iris. It still has that usual iris powder, but it doesn’t ever develop into a baby powder overload. Warm and tempered.

After this first stage, the chestnut plays much less of a role here, and Gentleman Reserve Privee is more of a distinct scent from the others I’ve mentioned. The whiskey early on, gives this a darker feeling, but that lightens up when this shifts.

The wood from the base and the amber really step up to basically split duties with the iris note. Those three are going to dominate the rest of the wear, with some of the remaining whiskey/chestnut playing a role.

Like I said, the fragrance has more of a chocolatey dry down version the nuttiness of the initial spray. But, that smell is like the fifth weighted out of the ingredients at this point.

Benzoin is here too, but I don’t really get much of the patchouli note. The resinous quality of the benzoin is more apparent in the dry down. Hitting the fourth most dominant note here, at its peak.

Eventually, this just becomes a woody amber aroma with some remaining iris. Everything else has pretty much burned off at this point.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this one starts out moderate, but will become a lighter and near skin scent for much of the wear.

Initially, you will get nice projection and a scent trail out of this one. That opening is pretty good in that regard. But, thereafter Gentleman Reserve Privee is going to be rather intimate with how it presents.

That being said, the fragrance doesn’t just fade away. It will actually last on the skin for 8-9 hours. You do get a long lasting fragrance, just not a powerhouse one.

Seasonally, this one is best in colder to moderate temperatures. Autumn and winter, mainly, with some ability to venture into the spring.

Well suited for the nightlife. It is attractive and sexy. I am sure this one will have a mass appeal, like the Dior Homme’s and Valentino’s. It can also be worn during the day, since it has a refinement and isn’t overly boozy.

While it is mature, this isn’t one that should scare away younger guys from trying it. It’s very wearable, just not begging for attention.

Overall Impressions of Reserve Privee

Overall, do I like Gentleman Reserve Privee? I do. But, it isn’t as good as either of the Dior Homme’s I mentioned nor is it as good as the Valentino Uomo line.

Sure, this one smells nice. I particularly enjoy the opening 30-45 minutes or so. But, it’s like a mimic of the other colognes that I’ve mentioned, while not hitting the same level.

I do like the whiskey and chestnut, which help to somewhat distinguish it (particularly the boozy). It’s warm, attractive, and one that will draw plenty of complements. On that front, I really have no complaints.

The sillage isn’t massive, especially past that first stage. However, I will give it credit for sticking around for a fairly long time, even in that lighter state.

The dry down is probably the weakest part. It’s pretty boring. The iris, wood, and amber is the vast majority of what you’re going to get. It smells fine, but nothing too groundbreaking.

Overall, I can recommend to give Reserve Privee a try. But, I’m not going to be buying a full bottle personally, when I can pick up the others that I mentioned (or already have bottles of).

It’s a really good cologne, that doesn’t quite hit the great or classic level. Still, it’s one of the best releases of 2022.

The One for Men EDP Intense by D&G

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The One series has been a massively successful line for Dolce & Gabbana, in both men’s and women’s fragrances. 2020, saw the release of this flanker, The One for Men Eau de Parfum Intense. An intense version of the EDP edition of The One for Men. Yes, the name’s get confusing. I grabbed a sample to test out and see how this newer release compares and if it is worth a try.

What does The One for Men EDP Intense Smell Like?

Notes include: cardamom, neroli, cypress, clary sage, benzoin, cashmeran, leather, labdanum, patchouli

Click here to try: The One EDP Intense

one edp intense review

My Full Review

Here’s how D&G describes it:  The One For Men Eau de Parfum Intense, finds its magnetic appeal in a daring fusion of opposites. Intensely masculine, fascinating yet authentic, it is a scent of extremes – warm neroli golden facets with deep black leather in an enigmatic expression of olfactory chiaroscuro.

The One EDP Intense opens up with a pretty unique mix of spice, woods, and floral. It’s definitely fresh and has a much cooler aroma than that of the original warmth found in The One EDT.

Cardamom, sage, and cypress are pretty heavy after the initial spray. I have to say, I really like the opening here. The neroli, leather, and more resinous notes aren’t yet fully apparent; but, you can pick them up in the background.

While it matches the spiciness of the original The One fragrances, this one goes in a much woodier direction. That cypress note stands out on my skin. While it will weaken, as things move along, it stay around for the duration.

Actually while this has a unique sort of aroma, this has a lot of overlap with L’Homme Ideal L’Intense by Guerlain, which I have a full bottle of. In fact, I may prefer this D&G cologne to that one. Nonetheless, they share: leather, labdanum, cardamom, and patchouli. Not the same smokiness, though.

Ultimately different scents, but with a similar style and notes to one another.

Cardamom and neroli will start to muscle out the cypress. The neroli has its moment to shine, but will fade, on my skin at least. At this point, The One EDP Intense is a fresh and spicy cologne with an earthy/resinous/woodsy quality.

A bit further, the leather will really come in more. It never overwhelms the rest of the composition but that smoothness will keep this one from becoming too dirty. The benzoin and labdanum outweigh the patchouli.

This supplies the amber and resinous quality, which will most resemble the original The One EDT. This is much more resinous, medicinal, and animalistic than the sweeter amber of the original, but plays about the same role in terms of its presence.

The leather, is a lighter player versus the tobacco in the EDT.

At the end, I get an ambery cardamom with woods/leather and the remnants of the rest of the neroli. Not as spicy, as the beginning and to me, the patchouli never really comes across as being that heavy in the mix.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, I don’t find this to be massive, even for an ‘Intense EDP’. I’d say it’s probably above average at its peak, and pretty moderate thereafter. Better than the original for sure, I just don’t think it really will bomb out a room.

This seems to hit the 5.5-7 hour range, on the skin. Again, an improvement and decent. Just not going to be a marathon runner, by any means. I think it provides a decent value, EDP Intense just doesn’t go above and beyond.

Seasonally, autumn through the very early part of spring. This is best for chilly to colder temperatures, but wouldn’t be bad in something more moderate. Just avoid the heat and put it away during the summer.

It does indeed have an appealing and dark sexiness about it. I personally think the EDT smells more attractive, but this would be nice as a nightlife scent.

It’s a bit more dense, masculine, and dirtier than some of the others in the series. But, that earthiness is a fraction of its personality.

Overall Impressions of The One EDP Intense

Overall, do I like this fragrance? Yes, it takes a different direction than the original The One or even the EDP version, but it still has its own appeal within that uniqueness. I don’t enjoy the smell as much, as the EDT version, but this is still quite a nice wear.

Also, the performance blows the EDT version out of the water, even while not being a beast mode fragrance itself. That 5-7 hours, will net you probably around 4 with solid sillage, and go closer to the skin until it evaporates entirely.

I like the freshness, earthiness, and somewhat bitter opening act. It’s smooth and fresh, but doesn’t have the same warmth and ambery sweetness at the EDT.

Cypress, sage, benzoin, and the leather are the highlights for me. Is that enough to make it a must have? No.

But, The One EDP Intense is worthy of a try. For some, this will be the among the best of the series, while others may enjoy the formulations which closely mimic the original.

Invictus Victory by Paco Rabanne

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Invictus Victory was the 2021 flanker release from this popular line. I don’t know if it has caught on quite to the same extent as some of the others, as of yet, but seems to have a generally positive rating among people. I grabbed a sample a while back of this Paco Rabanne cologne and have been testing it out. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Invictus Victory Smell Like?

Notes include: pink pepper, lemon, vanilla, amber, tonka bean, olibanum, and lavender

Click here to try: Invictus Victory

invictus victory review

My Full Review

Here’s how Paco Rabanne describes this cologne: The new Invictus Victory extreme eau de parfum seizes with its power and seduces with its freshness. Instantly, citric lemon notes flow. The woody fragrance of incense strengthens the composition whilst the sensual vanilla wraps itself around a fiery Tonka bean. An eau de parfum that subtly celebrates modern masculinity.

So, this Paco Rabanne is actually not anything like the other entries in the Invictus line of fragrances, and instead, shares a whole lot of overlap with the less popular (but nice) Pure XS line.

It’s almost like they decided to not make a third Pure XS flanker and just rebranded it under the Invictus label. Nonetheless, Victory is a likeable cologne, no matter the nametag it is presenting under.

Pure XS is boozy and sweet. Pure XS Night is spicy and sweet. This is more of a warm gourmand with hints of spice, but with a heavier use of vanilla, tonka bean, and amber.

The opening act gives me a nice dose of lemon, a general warmth, and a peppery kick to round things off. The pink pepper gives it that extra bit of a warm vibe, but isn’t super overwhelming in the mix.

The marketing definitely overplays the lemon note, as it is the weakest of the bunch, and is gone pretty quickly.

It’s also got a smokiness in the very early part of the wear. That’s from the olibanum note, which replaces the myrrh that’s found in the Pure XS scents. Basically, incense. Later, it smells more like a generic wood, just smooth.

As it dries down, that’s when it becomes more of a vanilla and amber based cologne. But, with everything coming together, Invictus Victory actually gets a chocolate smell, also. Sort of a mix between vanilla and chocolate.

Not sugary milk chocolate, mind you, more of a raw cacao. Lavender comes into play, at this point in time.

Clean and smooth for the middle act. Then, a thicker finish with less of the lavender. Really, vanilla is going to dominate. Tonka bean and amber fight out for most of the rest of the space.

Lavender and the general woodiness stick around in a pretty sparing amount.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, Victory doesn’t come across as a powerhouse to me. Strong initially, but fairly middle of the road for much of the duration. You’ll get a nice scent trail going, but it’s projection wasn’t huge off the skin.

Still, it is a solid wear and never felt weak to my nose.

With the longevity, it can go just over eight hours. Maybe nine, depending on the day. That is great for the price range of this. You’ll get your money’s worth from the performance with Victory.

On clothing itself, it will go for days.

Seasonally, this one is an autumn and winter wear for the most part. You could probably sneak it into the early springtime, but I’d pass on spraying it for the summer.

Victory is more of a younger man’s fragrance, like most of the rest of the Invictus scents. It has a nice appeal for the nightlife and should catch attention with its gourmand style. Is it really sexy? Not really, but that delicious attractiveness should do just fine.

Overall Impressions of Invictus Victory

Overall, do I like this fragrance? Yes, I think that it is nice. Victory gives you a youthful gourmand sweetness that is attractive and easy to wear.

The opening is interesting. The brief lemon is a nice touch, that I wish lasted a bit longer. Good smokiness from the incense note.

The dry down isn’t super complex or anything. It’s still good, just doesn’t catch my attention in the same way.

It’s like the long lost brother of the Pure XS line and has some similarities to something like Code Profumo. This one goes heavy on the vanilla and tonka bean, sweet, amber-laden, and  can be a bit too cloying for some.

If you’re not into that sort of fragrance, you might want to skip on Victory. Also considering that it doesn’t have much to do with the other Invictus colognes that have been release. As such, if you’re a fan of those, you might not enjoy this one.

Mandarino di Amalfi by Tom Ford

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Continuing my reviews of the Tom Ford fragrance lineup, we have another entry led by citrus notes: Mandarino di Amalfi. This one was released in 2014 as a unisex scent and has enjoyed some popularity ever since. In this post, I will cover: how it smells, what the notes are, how it performs, when it should be worn, and if it is even worth a try.

What does Mandarino di Amalfi Smell Like?

Notes include: grapefruit, lemon, wildflowers, mint, tarragon, orange blossom, sage, amber, vetiver, basil, black pepper, black currant

Click here to try: Tom Ford Mandarino Di Amalfi Eau de Parfum, 1.7oz./50ml

My Full Wear Review

Mandarino di Amalfi opens up of course with the great citrus notes of lemon and grapefruit. These two notes are so juicy and great within this composition. There also seems to be a black currant in there too, but it isn’t that powerful, and doesn’t have that same sharpness as in other scents.

Yet, it is still sweet and provides that familiar bright zesty aroma, which is also found in Neroli Portofino.

The other element that is present at the start of Mandarino di Amalfi is the herbal/spice notes that are sitting underneath the citrus top. Cool mint, tarragon, basil, and some black pepper is what my nose mostly picks up.

It gives the fragrance a refreshing and soapy kind of smell while it is still of course, juicy and lemony. Yes, this is found in plenty of different scents, but I really like how this Tom Ford brings it all together and the herbal notes don’t override the citrus.

As you move along in the wear, there is more of a floral influence, to the aroma. We have a very nice orange blossom, which is one of my favorite floral ingredients, and then a generic wildflower listing.

I get lots of ‘greeness’ from the sage, basil, and tarragon; but also, plenty of spice from those same notes and the mint and dash of black pepper. In addition, there is a bitter quality at times. Mandarino is pretty linear and straightforward from there.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise,  the sillage isn’t huge, but it honestly is pretty darn good for a citrus. People nearby will be able to pick it up, for the first few hours of wear, but then it will sit closer to the skin. Not weak or a total skin scent, but not a monster by any stretch.

The longevity for me has been somewhere around six hours, give or take. Not an elite performer, but it is okay, in that regard. Most of these style of fragrances aren’t that great with their performance, this is a pretty good one.

But, that’s also at the low end of what I would personally consider acceptable for this price point.

Seasonally, spring and summertime. Mandarino has that perfect summer’s day sensation of warmth, citrus, and floral notes. This is more of a casual to dressed up wear than anything that is particularly exciting or sexy.

Not a night club wear. It is something to wear during the daytime, when the weather and climate, are particularly right. It is also a unisex scent, that actually leans feminine more than masculine.

Overall Impressions of Mandarino de Amalfi

Overall, do I like Mandarino di Amalfi? Sure, it’s a very pleasant experience overall. Is it insanely good or a must have? No. Just a nice example of a solid citrus/floral/herbal blend, with decent performance.

I think that the use of lemon and grapefruit here is really great, though, and that’s probably my favorite aspect of it. Would I pay for a full bottle? No. Would I want to wear it? Yes, sometimes, it’d be nice to break out.

Smooth, refreshing, and great for the summer months of the year. The greenish notes and the floral aspect do give this one a bit more depth, while note making it messy at all.

Again, it is Tom Ford, so the pleasure of ownership comes with quite a cost upfront. Personally, I like it more so than Neroli Portofino. The citrus and spice mix here is more interesting and while the floral notes aren’t as prominent, I think that is to Mandarino’s credit.

Amber Essence by Ferrari

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I’m almost done going through and writing up all of the samples of Ferrari fragrance that I have laying around. It’s pretty interesting for a car manufacturer to have its own cologne line, but whatever. Today, I am going to do a review of Amber Essence by Ferrari from its Essence line of fragrances. What does it smell like? Does it perform well? Is it worth a purchase?

What does Amber Essence Smell Like?

Notes include: amber, patchouli, nutmeg, cashmere wood, musk, coriander, bergamot

Click here to try: Ferrari Amber Essence By Eau De Parfum Spray 3.3 Oz

My Full Wear Review

With a name like Amber Essence, it’s pretty clear what Ferrari intends to give you from the start. Obviously, if you’re going to enjoy this one, you must like amber on some level. It is the main attraction and from the opening it makes its presence known.

That’s not to say that it’s an absolute bomb, it isn’t. Instead, Amber Essence starts off softly with a woody amber topped with a hint of citrus and some nutmeg spice.

It’s a warm and highly fresh aroma, that is masculine while being completely understated. It comes across as very dry, with the wood and patchouli notes being the main supporters to the amber.

Still, it’s light and I enjoy the fact that they didn’t try to drown out the amber by amping up the coriander or bergamot notes. Those are of course, present, but the serve the background and give Amber Essence a bit more depth.

Like many of the other Ferrari fragrances, this one is pretty linear. What you smell after about 5-10 minutes is what you’re going to get from it. That’s not a bad thing in this case, as the cologne is pleasant and something that I enjoy getting whiffs of throughout the day.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

As I’ve written, Amber Essence is a lighter fragrance, so don’t expect a sillage bomb. You’ll be able to get away with spraying more than usual and since it’s inexpensive, it doesn’t really matter too much.

It’s noticeable from 4-6 feet at first. Then, it’ll settle down much closer to the skin. Although, it doesn’t become a complete ‘skin scent’ until much later in the wear.

However, even though it isn’t a loud or heavy scent, it does last a long time. It might be the longest lasting cologne from Ferrari and I can easily get 8-10 hours of it. Is it powerful? No, but it’s there for much longer than I would have expected.

This fragrance is versatile because it is so safe and inoffensive. You could wear it casually or out on a date or at the office. It’s attractive and has a bit of sexiness to it.

It’s easy to wear, best worn in mild to colder weather. Frankly, the colder weather of late autumn and winter is ideal for Amber Essence.

If you want something for the night club scene, you might want to go with something that stands out a bit more than this…but for everything else, Amber Essence is fine. It is limited to wear during the colder months of the year.

Overall Impressions of Amber Essence

Overall, do I recommend Amber Essence by Ferrari? Yes, I think it is one of their best scents. As an inexpensive amber fragrance, this is a really nice option. Is it amazing? No, but it is solid. I really like the simplicity and the combination of notes that they used for this.

I like the mix of the amber, dry wood, citrus, and spice early on. Nutmeg is a note that I usually enjoy, and while it isn’t huge within this mix, it does add a little something.

The namesake amber is actually pretty quality for a fragrance in this price range. Maybe not as completely dominant as you’d expect, but still nice.

Cashmere wood and patchouli have a greater role to play once past that initial phase. This is an amber/wood cologne, rather than being a pure amber scent.

For a really low price you get something that is smooth, versatile, and can actually last a long time. Not perfect by any means, but enjoyed wearing it. Amber Essence is another example of Ferrari providing good value.

Not all of their fragrances are worthwhile, but they do have a surprisingly decent collection. Amber Essence sits near the top.