Cologne Reviews

Ralph’s Club EDP by Ralph Lauren

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Ralph’s Club is a fragrance that I hadn’t really paid all that much attention to after its release. But, I eventually got a hold of it, as part of a sampler pack a few months ago. So, it was only a matter of time before I got to test it out and put this cologne through its paces. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a buy?

What does Ralph’s Club Smell Like?

Notes include: lavender, clary sage, cedar, vetiver

ralph's club review

My Full Review

Ralph’s Club opens up with a mix of the lavender and clary sage notes. While it is more herbal and greenish than this example, it actually reminds me somewhat of the start of Luna Rossa Ocean, just paired down.

If that Prada is a ‘blue’ cologne, this is a blue-green. There’s also elements of Y Le Parfum here. Just not a clone of either of those scents.

The lavender and sage are both very present there, along with some vetiver. The same sort of aromatic aroma, just without the oceanic and iris. Yet, there is a light powdery quality to Ralph’s Club early on.

It is very fresh, clean, and has a definite sweetness to keep it interesting.

The lavender is the head honcho, at the start. The clary sage is just a notch underneath. However, that will begin to flip as this Ralph Lauren cologne dries down. The sage never dominates, it just seems to switch roles with the lavender.

Beyond that, you’re going to get the woody freshness of cedar, which doesn’t come across as all that sharp here.

The rest of the wear is a fresh soapiness, with dry woodsy highlights. The powdery part and the sweetness have quieted down a whole lot and are seemingly background noise.

Clean and fresh like a soap or out of the drier laundry. Not too complicated, but still has its charms.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, Ralph’s Club isn’t a monster, but it is above average. For the first few hours, I’d say it’s on the upper edge of what could be considered moderate. Then, it’ll pretty middle of the road thereafter.

Thankfully, it isn’t weak and can project itself nicely off of the skin.

Longevity seems to be in the 7.5 hour range, on me. Again, not a totally great performer, but very useful and not a waste of money.

Seasonally, this can work pretty much year round. I’d avoid the extreme heat. However, cold to moderate temperatures and this thing is a go.

It’s a very attractive and easy to like cologne. The versatility is probably the greatest strength of Ralph’s Club. Casual, office, dressed up, a night out. It’s got you covered for most any occasion and can be worn by all age groups.

They did a really great job at making this one a jack of all trades.

Overall Impressions of Ralph’s Club

Overall, do I like Ralph’s Club? I do. It’s an appealing fragrance with solid performance and sure to be a crowd pleaser.

It’s a pretty basic formula and there isn’t a ton of development. But, the sage and lavender are good enough to carry it.

Yes, it is will remind you of various elements from other popular colognes, but it doesn’t smell exactly like any of them. Just hints of them, while doing its own thing.

The good news, is that if you really enjoy the smell of Ralph’s Club, it will reward you with its versatility. This could very well be a daily wear type of scent for some guys. Is it amazing? No, but it also doesn’t have any really noticeable deficiencies as a fragrance.

L’Heure Verte by Kilian

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I’ve had a sample of L’Heure Verte for over six months now, that I purchased along with the other Liquors from the Kilian collection. Angels’ Share became an immediate love for me, the others less so. But, I did like Verte when I tried it. So, revisiting for my full review, I wanted to see if this still held the number two spot in the series.

What does L’Heure Verte Smell Like?

Notes include: absinthe, violet leaf, patchouli, sandalwood, vetiver

Click here to try: At Sephora

My Full Review

Before we get into my review, let’s see how Kilian describes it: Absinthe essence opens L’Heure Verte by KILIAN with an instant head twist into a nostalgic heart of violet leaf and licorice root absolute. Its dry-down articulates a unique and precisely chosen facet of patchouli that resonates throughout, and blends into a trio of earthy woods along with vetiver and sandalwood. 

The first time that I smelled Verte, I thought, “Oh, Lolita Lempicka Au Masculin“. The resemblance between the two fragrances is obvious to me, as that unique scent was one of the earlier reviews that I did on this site. 

The licorice in that fragrance, will give you much of the same scent as the absinthe accord within this Kilian. Actually, I think the Lempicka also has the wormwood note as well, so it’s basically absinthe.

However, this one is way smoother, less sweet, and the licorice doesn’t hit you as hard up top. 

Up top, it’s got a nice sweet and almost powdery aroma to it. Verte’s licorice is nice, although, I personally start to have enough of it after a while.

Underneath that absinthe is a violet leaf, that hangs around for a while. It does add to the greenish, sort of herbal quality that the booze packs in. 

I do like that this one adds the vetiver, patchouli, and sandalwood to a greater degree and makes it more tolerable than the Lempicka scent. It’s dry, warm, and gives Verte a bit more depth than it otherwise would.  

To me, this fragrance is about the absinthe accord early on. Then, the patchouli will become the second strongest, as we dry down. The sweetness will turn more into a woody booziness that is pretty pleasant. 

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, Verte starts out fairly moderate, very noticeable, but will ultimately sit pretty close to the skin. Not a completely weak perfume, by any means, but not a massive beast that is going to leave a huge trail.

Decent, though.

On my skin, it’ll stick around for 6-7 hours. Not too terrible. Again, the performance isn’t all that great, respectable. Though, I’d personally want more for the Kilian price tag. 

Seasonally, this could work anytime outside of summer. Autumn through early springtime. In the more moderate temperatures, L’Heure Verte is still good to go. However, I wore it on a warmer day and it wasn’t at all near its peak.

This is going to be more of a casual or nighttime wear. I think depending on where you live, it might not get associated with alcohol and could be safe for work. Here in the US, people would associate the licorice note, but probably not catch on to the absinthe.

It’s a boozy gourmand. Not really sexy, but does have an attractiveness to it. It does swing more in the masculine direction, but it is still pretty safely unisex. 

Overall Impressions of L’Heure Verte

Overall, do I like L’Heure Verte? I like the scent, but it’s not a love for me. You’re going to have to really enjoy the aroma of absinthe, because that’s the star here. I do like it for a short period of time, but the smell of licorice wears on me.

Still, this is my second favorite from the Liquors line by Kilian (thus far). The dry down with sandalwood, patchouli, and vetiver is nice. Albeit, not very strong. Once the grip of the licorice gets loosened, I tend to like the back end of this fragrance more.

The performance is just okay. Really, nothing to write home about. It could indeed be better.

This is sort of a safe niche. It’s probably not going to offend anyone, but it’ll stand out as being pretty unique. Most people have never smelled the Lempicka cologne. But, it might not be one that you’d want to take a chance on buying blind. 

The licorice absinthe aroma, is one that isn’t universally appreciated. As such, it’s probably best you try it our before committing to a full bottle.

Polo (Green) vs Polo Blue Cologne Comparison

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In this post, I want to do another cologne comparison between two fragrances from the Ralph Lauren line, Polo and Polo Blue. Now, Polo is a classic fragrance from the 1970s, comes in that familiar green bottle, and has been a best seller for decades.

Blue EDT is a more recent addition to the lineup but has been well received thus far. Which of these colognes smells better? Which performs better? Who should consider wearing each? Read below for the complete breakdown.

Which is Better? Polo vs. Polo Blue

Polo Blue Tale of the Tape

Notes include: amber, melon, patchouli, geranium, cucumber, tangerine, moss, musk

Read my original review: Polo Blue Review

Polo (Green) Tale of the Tape

polo

Notes include: basil, leather, tobacco, oakmoss, pine, cedar, and more.

Click here to try: Polo by Ralph Lauren for Men, Eau de Toilette Natural Spray, 4-Fluid Ounce

Read my original Review

Opening

This is a battle between an aquatic opening in Polo Blue versus the dry woodsy/leathery opening of the original Polo. Polo Green is stronger and more complex then Blue is. I find it to be a much more interesting fragrance.

Blue opens with a cool and crisp blend of cucumber, melon, and some citrus (mainly tangerine). This combination, gives it that sort of aquatic and familiar appeal. Behind that watery trio is a herbal basil note.

Green is a classic sort of scent. It mainly kicks off with pine and leather, but you will also pick up hints of tobacco and the basil, that’s also in Blue.

Between these two, I tend to favor the opening of Green.  Yes, the original Polo has more of an old school aroma, but I like it better.

Blue smells nice, but it’s pretty commonplace, and feels like so many other scents, of that fragrance type.

Edge: Green

Projection

Polo Blue is rather moderate in its projection, it isn’t super strong but it gets the job done. Polo Green is a strong fragrance and can dominate a room if overused…it’s much more of a beast.

The original Polo doesn’t have the same power it once had, but it still brings the power more than Blue EDT.

They’re both decent for what they bring to the table, but neither hits beast mode. That being said, the original Green bottle is the more powerful between them.

Edge: Green

Longevity

The difference between these two is that Blue will usually be good for 6-9 hours while Green is a 8+ hour scent. Blue EDT has a wide range and much less consistency in what I get from it. It’s not bad, but it can sometimes quit earlier than expected.

Unless either of them has been reformulated in the past couple of years, Green still takes this category over Blue.

Edge: Green

Versatility

The original Polo is a more mature fragrance and thus eliminates some potential younger users. It can also be too heavy at times for use in close quarters.

I think overall it holds up well, however. Seasonally, it’ll be best autumn through early spring. While Blue can for sure be of use for most of the calendar year as well.

Blue is a much more versatile and manageable scent that can appeal to multiple types of men. I think that it performs better in the warmer months too, without feeling completely out of place in the more mild parts of the year.

Edge: Blue

Overall Scent

It’s tough to compare these two, since they are really quite different scents. Polo Green is has a dry/smoky/woodsy/green type of aroma and Blue is more aquatic/woodsy.

I think that Green is probably the better scent overall but Blue is a really good choice for everyday wear, that probably has a wider appeal.

It really depends on what you’re looking for in a cologne. If you want a more modern scent, go with Blue. If you want a classic blend of woody notes, smoothness, and some additional spice Polo Green is great.

Actually, you might want to give Polo Intense a try, as it’s a modern update to the classic Green.

Honestly, for most guys, Blue EDT will be a better bet. If you favor Blue, I’d actually pick up Blue EDP or Deep Blue before Blue EDT.

Winner: Polo Green

Stronger With You by Emporio Armani

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Continuing on, with the site’s fragrance reviews, I wanted to post up my thoughts about a more recent edition to the Armani line: Stronger With You. While I completely dislike the name, I still was looking forward to giving this a try. I was supposed to get a sample of it, back in 2018, but it was left out of my order. So, I instead, gave it a try recently. How does it smell? Does Stronger with You, last a long time? Is it worth a try?

What Does Stronger With You Smell Like?

Notes include: vanilla, mint, cardamom, chesnut, amber, pink pepper, sage, violet leaf

Click here to try: Emporio Armani Stronger With You for Men Eau de Toilette Spray, 1.7 oz

My Full Review

I tested out Stronger With You after getting off of a plane and walking into a duty free shop. So, this is going to be a one wear review, but I did get to spend plenty of time with it to collect my thoughts.

Update: I’ve since come back to this cologne, adding additional thoughts.

Stronger With You, opens up, and really reminds me of Azzaro Wanted. They aren’t exactly the same, Stronger is much better in my mind, and doesn’t have that same lemon note sitting there.

The cardamom, however, really hits the same chord in the beginning. Again, the Armani smells better, it’s got a fresher vibe with mint and pink pepper, and the oncoming warmth of the rest of the notes.

A few minutes into the wear, the sage note, struck my nose. I like it, helps to add a layer of freshness, in a warmer and sweeter type of cologne.

The next phase of this Armani, the vanilla, really begins to come through. The cardamom, is stronger at first, but thereafter it’s the vanilla’s fragrance. First thing to notice here, is how well the vanilla and cardamom pairs together.

Next, is that delicious nutty note running through the middle of Stronger with You. It’s a great addition, and helps to bring this quite a far way, from that Wanted-like opening act.

When the vanilla comes in, it is a sweet/spicy blend, with a solid amount of wood at the base. Cedar with a slight amber added. The pink pepper, sage, and cardamom bring a warm spice which livens up that already wonderful vanilla/chesnut combination.

So, it goes from cardamom sweet, to vanilla/sweet/herbal, to vanilla with drier herbal/woody notes. Honestly, it gets better as it moves along. Not the biggest fan of the start, but it began to win me over.

Longevity and Sillage

Projection wise, the sillage of Stronger With You, is pretty darn strong. It’s not the loudest bomb of a fragrance ever, but it’s not going to require very much. I used about three sprays, during my test run, and that got me a noticeable scent bubble around me.

You don’t have to worry about weakness with this particular fragrance, so, don’t be afraid to go lighter with the sprays.

This cologne hits at least 9 hours of wear. I sort of lost track of it, during this wear, but it was there throughout the day. It’s not weak and it performs very well. You’re not going to get ripped off by the performance.

Update: Trying this again, I once again got past 9 hours, with three or four sprays. I’d say on my skin, it’ll hit just above ten hours in total. The last bit, is pretty much some latent vanilla and maybe a touch of amber.

But, it’s indeed still there.

Versatility

Seasonally, this one is for the colder months. Its too sweet and has a certain thickness to it, that’s not going to be great, in the high heat. Outside of that though, this one can hang beautifully in the air.

Stronger with You can serve as a nightlife fragrance or one to wear out on dates. If you go light with it, this one wouldn’t be too out of place, in a more casual or office situation.

The sweetness and the power, does require some type of moderation to wear it in these scenarios, however.

While I wore it once and didn’t get any complements, I would expect this to pretty popular, amongst the public. Stronger with You has enough of those familiar, popular elements, to get noticed by plenty of folks.

Overall Scent

Overall, do I like Stronger with You? I do. The start had me worried, that this was going to be an Azzaro Wanted redux, but it surprised me with its development. I like the opening here better, and the fact that it doesn’t have that lemon note, is awesome.

However, it gets better to my nose, as it dries down and the vanilla takes the lead.

The spices, the woody freshness, and that sweetness really come through. The nutty note holds it all together at times, and is one of my favorite aspects, of this fragrance.

Coming back to this, years later, it does resemble The Most Wanted by Azzaro, which came out a long time after this initial review. That one is great, this one has more complexity, but I enjoy them both.

I’d say that this is worth a try. Particularly, this is a really great option for younger guys, who want to attract attention during the autumn/winter months.

I’m not in love with this fragrance, but I ultimately enjoyed my experience. It got better over time, it lasts long, and will get positive feedback. I can’t knock any of that.

Voyage Sport by Nautica

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So, the original Nautica Voyage has been an insanely popular fragrance for a long time now. This is because of both the smell, but more importantly, the price. It’s a good deal, getting a cologne like that for under $20, and why Nautica has been trying to capitalize on that name by releasing subsequent flanker fragrances. Today’s entry is one of those, Nautica Voyage Sport. How does this scent stack up? Perform? Is it even worth a try?

What Does Nautica Voyage Sport Smell Like?

Notes include: sea spray accord, citrus zest, coriander, palm leaves, green peppercorn, apple, Brazil wood, vetiver

Click here to try: NAUTICA Voyage Sport Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.4 Fluid Ounce

My Full Wear Review

It is pretty difficult for me to determine what exactly is going on during the opening of Nautica Voyage Sport. All of the notes seem to run together and makes it hard to distinguish one ingredient from another.

It’s kind of musky, citrusy, and has that familiar alcohol smell. A couple minutes in, the cologne settles down, but the first two minutes are messy.

Once it does settle, Voyage Sport provides both a citrus zest and spice from corainder and the green peppercorn note. This is all surrounded by the so-called ‘sea spray accord’, which is just a somewhat salty aromatic approximation of the ocean.

The spices are much more noticeable to me than are the citrus notes and Voyage Sport, almost has a similar vibe to Tommy Bahama’s Very Cool (though, smells differently).

When I try to pick up similarities between this and the original Voyage, there really isn’t much there to work with. Maybe some muted fruitiness and a touch of musk, but that seems to be all. It actually smells kind of dry for a fragrance with sea spray, as a main attraction, but that seems to come from the spices, vetiver, and wood notes.

There is an apple note, as well, but gets quite overshadowed by the citrus notes up top. So, it’s not going to resemble Voyage, even with that fruit note.

As it dries down more, Voyage Sport, becomes less spicy and more aquatic in character. The coriander fades a whole lot and I start to pick up more fruit and musk, as I wrote, it’s citrus more so than the apple note.

From this point forward, what I get is a semi-oceanic fragrance with citrus some musk and a cool/crisp underlying spice. There’s a bit of woodiness in there, but doesn’t ever form much of a strong base.

Sillage, Longevity, and When It Should be Worn

Projection wise, Voyage Sport is pretty darn mediocre. The sillage isn’t much above skin scent for me, at it’s peak, and even if I put it on a shirt nearby I don’t really detect it. Super weak, really doesn’t live up to the original Voyage’s performance level.

Even the notes themselves, suggest a lighter fragrance (sea spray and citrus zest). That’s fine, but there’s really very little actual substance with Sport, even for a summertime kind of wear.

The longevity also isn’t great. It can go 3-4 hours as a skin scent, but again the performance is lacking and it makes it kind of not worth it. If it were a lighter to moderate scent with around six hours, that’d be pretty respectable for the price point.

I know Nautica fragrances, quickly get sent to the clearance shelves after release, but I wish they’d do a better job with the performance. Even when the colognes are pretty run of the mill, at least make them last somewhat long.

Seasonally, it’s a spring/summer wear. It’s casual all the way. Voyage Sport is for a younger guy, probably high school age, maybe college. It’s not something to be worn formally or as a date night scent.

Just something to quickly freshen up or wear out, if you can get decent performance out of it. As the name says, it’s a ‘sport’ fragrance. Don’t expect much, outside of being a starter fragrance or something to spray for a workout or super casual situations.

Overall Impression

Overall, do I like Nautica Voyage Sport? I don’t hate it, it is just not very good, in totality. The scent itself smells pretty good, but not anything amazing. However, that wouldn’t be a problem for an inexpensive cologne like this, if it had awesome performance…it doesn’t.

It might be worth a shot, because it is so cheap, to try it out and see if performs on your skin. It is cheap enough that double spraying, won’t be an issue or hurdle to simply buying another bottle.

It’s a pass for me, there are plenty of other cheapies, that smell better and have greater performance. Nautica could probably have an insane lock on the cheapie market, if they produced more performers or interesting fragrances, Sport definitely isn’t either of those.

Most of the Voyage Flankers haven’t lived up to the billing, of what the original offers. Not one that smells amazing. Not one that really serves as a value play.