Cologne Reviews

Gentlemen Only by Givenchy

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I’ve been trying out more and more colognes over the past few weeks and I recently got a hold of a couple scent by Givenchy. Gentlemen Only and Gentlemen Only Intense. In this post, I want to take a closer look at the former, and give my opinion and rate how this fragrance measures up.

What is it composed of? What is the opening like? How does it smell? How long does it last? Please continue reading below for my full review of Gentlemen Only.

What Does Gentlemen Only Smell Like?

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Notes include: Birch wood, patchouli, vetiver, cedar, pink pepper, mandarin

Click here to try: Givenchy Gentlemen Only Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 100ml, 3.3 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

My first impressions of Gentlemen Only is that it is a dry and slightly sweet woodsy scented fragrance. It is simple and refined. I was really digging this scent when I first applied it, and enjoyed the interplay between the vetiver and birch/cedar notes, that I could pick out.

This Givenchy fragrance is one in which I could completely imagine myself applying while wearing a suit and even though I was wearing a t-shirt and jeans, I definitely felt quite fresh with it on.

Also, the opening has a citrus aroma provided by the mandarin note, that fades away during the dry down period. This mandarin and pink pepper give it the sweet/spicy undertones which helped to make Gentlemen Only quite appealing to my tastes.

As the citrus fades, it takes on more of a smoky type of aroma (think less of tobacco or a whiskey cask and more towards incense). Birch really becomes prominent on my skin, at this point.

The top is a citrus mix of that mandarin and bergamot, the latter being quite light. Pink pepper joins in to add some warm spice, to the very dry composition. It’s nice to have that juiciness on top of what is ultimately going to be a fresh woody fragrance.

As it moves further along, the smoky wood aromas, really start pouring out of this. Vetiver starts to take over the composition, with the lingering mandarin still hanging around. Under that, is the birch wood and some cedar.

Ultimately, Gentlemen Only is a somewhat spicy and smoky woods-based fragrance, with enough sweetness to change things up. Very nice and refined.

Sillage and Longevity

Projection wise, Gentlemen Only starts out pretty good in that regard. For the first few hours, I could notice it on myself and liked it a whole lot. In many regards, I though that I had found a new potential casual fragrance for me to wear.

It’s not going to leave a huge scent trail. It will be noticed for a little while, but isn’t going to take over a room. Then, it’s not going to even do that.

However, the longevity on this one is really disappointing.  After three hours or so I could no longer even detect it on my skin, I had sprayed some on my forearms, and got absolutely nothing from it. It’s so hard to find a good long lasting cologne sometimes.

This Givenchy isn’t one of them.

When Should it Be Worn?

Surprisingly, this isn’t too heavy of  a scent. Smoky and dry woods, sounds more like a winter thing, but here it isn’t really. I would say that Gentlemen Only works best in moderate temperatures. It’s not terrible in winter, but I wouldn’t wear it in the summertime.

It can be a daily wear at the office, or something you put on for semi-formal to formal occasions. It is attractive enough for the nightlife, but again, the performance isn’t great. It’s actually got a pretty wide use case.

Overall Impressions

Overall, is this Givenchy product worth a try? I definitely like the scent, although, I seem to enjoy the Intense version more… BUT Gentlemen Only just does not last. Plus, the Intense version isn’t really ‘intense’ and is quite a different fragrance all together.

If you want a woodsy/smoky/spicy cologne in this price range, consider: Burberry London or perhaps, YSL L’Homme Libre, both of which have much better longevity.

Gentlemen Only might not be a bad buy, if you can get it at a discount on the secondary market. Perhaps, it will last longer on your skin, versus my own. The scent itself, is worth it. The question is, how much performance can you wring out of this cologne?

It is interesting and has its moments, but ultimately probably not worthwhile for many guys.

Essence Musk by Ferrari

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I think that this is the last of the samples of Ferrari fragrances that I have to do a review on, since I’ve done about 6 of them in the past month or so. Today’s entry is Essence Musk and it comes in a white bottle. As usual, after giving it a full wear or two, I am going to discuss: how it smells, performs, when it should be worn, and if it is worth a purchase or not.

What does Essence Musk by Ferrari Smell Like?

Notes include: musk, grapefruit, watermelon, sea notes, cedar, mint, lavender, nutmeg, vetiver, and more

Click here to try: Ferrari Essence Musk Men’s 3.3-ounce Eau de Parfum Spray

My Full Review

Upon first spraying, Essence Musk, I noticed how much of the composition resembled Cedar Essence by Ferrari. Now, that particular scent has things arranged differently, and has it’s own unique aroma ultimately.

However, these two are pretty close, in terms of what makes each tick. The opening is a blend of grapefruit/watermelon that is mixed into oceanic water with musk permeating the whole thing. I actually like it.

Essence Musk to me, is like part Cedar Essence and part cheaper version of Imperial Millesime by Creed. It has that same salty melon aroma as does the Creed, which is why it strikes me as similar.

The Ferrari cologne is quite light but not weak and just sort of hangs in the air to provide a bright and uplifting scent.

As it dries down, I get more of a citrus and mint blend. The musk is still the highlight. Though, I think that the mint note plays quite nicely off of that, and gives it that bit of extra freshness that the cologne could’ve been lacking.

I also pick up on just a tad bit of lavender, but it is really only noticeable if I’m right up on my skin, trying to detect it.

It ends less salty and with the watermelon faded. It’s a musky fresh, lavender, with some general sweetness from the remaining fruit.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it’s not a heavy scent but Essence Musk does a solid job, in terms of sillage. It is a lighter and airy sort of cologne, but it is moderate and noticeable while wearing. It’s not designed to be a beast, and with these notes, it probably shouldn’t be.

It’s longevity is pretty good but not outstanding. I’ve gotten 6-7 hours from my testing of it, which is good enough for most occasions. None of the Ferrari scents are outstanding in this area, but they all seem to be at least decent.

Seasonally, this strikes me as one to wear during the spring and summertime. The bright citrus notes and the aquatic sort of elements, lend itself well to the warmer months. Also, as the musk isn’t really heavy it won’t fall apart in the heat, either.

I like this as an everyday wear or casually or even a business casual sort of scenario. It’s not a nightlife beast and I’d rather wear it during the daytime. Essence is something that is inexpensive and easy to wear, but won’t be an all-around workhorse. Yet, still useful.

Overall Impressions of Essence Musk

Overall, do I like Ferrari Essence Musk? Yes. I actually wasn’t expecting to, as I’m not a huge fan of musky scents, but I think that they definitely did this one right.

It’s simple and straightforward, but the fragrance smells good, and gives a solid performance for a cologne at this price point.

Ferrari isn’t an amazing scent design house, but I think that they have carved out a niche for themselves in this space. Most of their colognes are solid and I think Essence Musk, is in that top tier.

I really enjoy the aquatic feel and that opening blend of watermelon and grapefruit. This one is a very pleasant wear, not incredible, just quite good all around.

The dry down isn’t as good to my nose, but it’s still a nice cologne and I never had any real negative feelings toward it.

It has overlaps with Cedar Essence and Imperial, but it really does its own thing outside of those two. Which it’s nice to get an inexpensive fragrance, that isn’t a complete clone of everything else on the market.

TH Bold by Tommy Hilfiger

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Today, I want to review a scent from Tommy Hilfiger’s line of men’s colognes, TH Bold. This fragrance was released in 2015 and as a semi-new entrant to the market, I hadn’t given it a try yet. Well, now that I have, I would like to share my thoughts on this casual summer scent and whether or not I think it’s worth a buy. How does it smell, perform, when should it be worn, and does it separate itself from the pack?

What does TH Bold Smell Like?

Notes include: tangerine, lavender, grapefruit, sandalwood, cedar, bergamot, jasmine, mandarin blossom

Click here to try: TH BOLD by Tommy Hilfiger 3.4 oz / 100 ml NEW, SEALED

My Full TH Bold Review

The opening of TH Bold is a strong burst of citrus. It gives off a very nice summery vibe, sort of how the original Tommy Hilfiger cologne did, but this is quite a different fragrance. Bold’s main note is the tangerine, at first, in combination with the grapefruit playing a supporting role.

I do love a good citrus and the opening here has that going for it. A very attractive start.

Underlying that is a soapy sort of vibe with the floral notes such as lavender and jasmine, giving it a clean freshness. The cologne is called Bold and at first, the tangerine is pretty bold, but after some time it falls back into something that is much less intense.

There is a light cardamom spice, within the composition, but this isn’t much of a spicy citrus at all.

After 20-30 minutes, the overwhelming citrus scent, fades into a more floral and woodsy aroma. In my opinion, it really doesn’t stand out as a fragrance, and seems really generic and like a body wash.

A soapy white floral fragrance that is borderline unisex with how it comes across.

There is cedar and some sandalwood, which does create some nice depth to a plain tangerine heavy citrus, but it isn’t enough to make TH Bold all that interesting.

What I ultimately get is: a juicy/fresh citrus heavy top, with lavender and jasmine cleanliness in the middle, with a light citrus dry down blended with the other notes.

Sillage, Longevity, When to Wear

Projection wise, it starts out pretty strong and like I said, fades into something that is much more moderate. It actually tends to be a pretty light cologne.

Hardly lives up to the Bold name, in terms of its sillage, or really the ingredients used. That strength will descend quickly into the lighter side of things. Not much staying power.

The longevity is borderline ok, but definitely isn’t amazing. I get probably 4-5 hours with a few sprays but doubling up can stretch that time frame out a bit more. Again, I did have greater expectations from this one than was actually delivered.

Especially since, much of those hours are completely weak.

This is a casual and very safe scent for work or school. It’s probably best worn by those in their 20s and 30s. I wouldn’t call this a date night cologne or something that will stand out at the club.

I’d say it is a summer or other warm weather fragrance but probably will feel out of place in other seasons. It’s real versatility lies in the fact that, it is light enough and non-offensive. Anywhere from casual to semi-formal environments. Beyond that, it’s fairly limited.

It’s attractive enough, clean, and just very wearable without totally grabbing attention.

Overall Impressions of TH Bold

Overall, TH Bold is decent but doesn’t stand out to me. I like the opening with the tangerine note and it doesn’t smell bad at all, though it isn’t great. The boldness is short lived, which is disappointing for those looking for an absolute beast performer.

I’d say that it’s a slightly above average scent in terms of how it smells and just average (to mediocre) in how it performs.

The white floral/woodsy/soapy dry down is just okay. If it had some better power during that part, I might enjoy it more. But, it just comes across a pretty boring and average.

It might be a decent pickup if you can grab it at a really good price, though, I wouldn’t go out of my way to own a bottle. Really, this Tommy Hilfiger cologne feels like a missed opportunity. I like the general idea of this fragrance, but feel the actual execution, was quite mishandled.

With a steep discount?  Fine. Full price? Pass.

Man in Red by Ferrari

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There are numerous fragrances by Ferrari with the color Red in the title, which can be confusing when referencing one of these scents. In this post, I want to focus on Man in Red, which is one of the more recent additions from the brand. What does this cologne smell like? How long does it last? Is Ferrari Man in Red worth a purchase?

What does Man in Red Smell Like?

Notes include: pink pepper, lavender, apple, cedar, bergamot, plum, cardamom, tonka bean

Click here to try: Ferrari Ferrari Man In Red Eau De Toilette Spray 100ml/3.3oz

My Full Wear Review

Man in Red opens up with quite a familiar profile. It strikes me as very similar to Scuderia Black but with some slight differences. One of them, is the presence of a pink pepper note, that is quite comparable to Guess Seductive Homme.

The pink pepper adds an extra layer of warmth and spiciness to Man in Red and it never has quite the same sweetness as the Guess cologne.

It’s a pretty strong fruit note, mainly apple, but there is also some support from the citrus note, and a tart plum. The spicy notes aren’t very intense but really do remind me of Scuderia Black and that is what the cologne becomes for the first hour or so: Scuderia Black with pink pepper.

During the dry down, Man in Red fully takes on it’s fruit-laden aroma. It’s apple, plum, and pink pepper as the main attractions.

Other than that I get the clean smoothness of lavender and a somewhat creamy tonka bean on top of a cedar base. The dry down period is where it separates from Scuderia Black in terms of its smell, this doesn’t have the same spice.

So, you get a nice fruity fragrance that is clean and has a nice woody freshness coming from the base. Not super complex, but has a nice presentation.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it’s light to moderate in its sillage. People will be able to smell it from a few feet away, but not across the room.

Man in Red is not a bomb of a fragrance at all. Over the hours, it becomes more and more of a skin scent. So, moderate opening to pretty light middle act.

The longevity is in the 6 hour range, like seemingly most of the scents from this Ferrari line, it’s okay but not amazing. Solid deal for the price. After a few test runs, this is about all that this fragrance seems capable of. Not high end, like the cars.

I tried to apply more to see if it would go further. Nope, at least on me.

The warmth of the fragrance puts it more in the cold weather wear category, but I think it’d be fine in the spring, not the extremes of summer. Cold to warm days.

It’s a casual scent that can be worn to work or perhaps for drinks afterward. It’s nice and attractive but not a club scent or one that is particularly sexy.

Man in Red leans toward being more for a younger guy, but it doesn’t have a total teenager vibe. It’s put together well enough for older men to wear around. It doesn’t go overboard with a candy-like sweetness, so you get more versatility out of Red.

Overall Impressions of Man in Red

Overall, do I recommend Man in Red? It’s a nice cologne for the price, I like how it’s sort of a mix between elements of Scuderia Black and Guess Seductive Homme. I like the Guess better than either of the Ferrari colognes, but between those two it’s a toss up to which I’d prefer.

If you need something inexpensive for daily wear, this is a good low key choice, that is safe to wear and generic enough to enjoy a wide appeal. It’s not going to blow anyone away, but it doesn’t do anything poorly.

That apple, plum, and pink pepper mix is cool. I like the addition of the plum note. Not extremely powerful, though it provides a little something different from the colognes that I’ve compared Man in Red to.

Also, I like the bottle design, it’s got a nice style. It’d be better if the contents were elevated to a higher level, though. For $10-20? You could do a lot worse and probably not much better.

Uomo Noir Absolu by Valentino

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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?

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

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.

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.

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.