Cologne Reviews

Maritime Deep Blue by Tommy Bahama

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Along with my sample of Maritime Journey from Tommy Bahama, I also picked up one of Maritime Deep Blue, which I had tried out before. Now, I wanted to revisit this scent and give it a full and proper review for the site. How does it smell? Perform? When should it be worn? Continue below for my full take after testing it recently.

What does Maritime Deep Blue Smell Like?

Notes include: geranium, cedar, orris, juniper, bergamot, cardamom, water lily, freesia, musk, moss

Click here to try: Tommy Bahama Maritime Deep Blue Eau de Cologne Spray, 2.5 Fl Oz

My Full Wear Review

Upon the first spray, I immediately get the similarities between this and both Polo Blue and Eternity Aqua. The main commonalities are mostly in the beginning of the wear and they aren’t entirely the same, but it’s pretty close.

The main difference for me, is the both Polo Blue and Eternity Aqua feel much more aquatic and coldly crisp than this Maritime Deep Blue. Those both contain the cucumber note, along with the citrus or tart plum, in the case of the CK fragrance.

Maritime Deep Blue, opts for water lily and a nice dose of juniper for freshness. It doesn’t have an exact aquatic aroma, but it’s a decent facsimile at first. Geranium is a very light note in Deep Blue, but it is also found in the Polo scent, adding to the overlap.

Once we get past that first wave of bergamot citrus, rosemary, and juniper; this one will become more floral and woodsy. I know the advertising and name makes you think oceanic, but I’d set my expectations for freshness. This is a classic fresh sort of cologne.

The spice of cardamom and rosemary is a very nice contrast against the juniper and juicy citrus.

The next phase,  the juniper and cardamom hang around, and the water lily, cedar, and freesia really come through. At this point, Maritime Deep Blue becomes a lot more distinct than it opens up.

Nevertheless, the woods/musk/spice are found in all three of these colognes, and keeps them in the same relative area.

I end up with a dry and fresh spice, floral touches, and a clean woody base. Pretty simple, but well done.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Like other Tommy Bahama fragrances, Deep Blue isn’t a powerhouse, and falls toward the lighter moderate end of the spectrum. With three sprays to the same spot, this one is noticeable but isn’t going to carry over the entirety of a room.

Probably, a 4-6 foot scent bubble, that gets progressively closer as it dries down.

Longevity wise, 5-7 hours. There is a lot worse from this brand, in terms of performance, but it isn’t an outstanding example of an all day wear. Thus far, it is much closer to the 5 hour mark for most wears versus 7.

Update: Yeah, like 4 out of 5 times, Maritime Blue will be on the skin for around five hours. Usually, with low humidity, it has better odds at going longer. But, it’s usually very humid around here.

Seasonally, I like this as a spring/summer wear. Though, it’s fine to wear here in January, as the citrus isn’t massive. It can be a bit too fresh for the winter, when I prefer to go with something warmer and with some greater thickness.

In the summer, it can get eaten up a bit by the humidity. However, it also smells at its absolute best and just works with the general vibe of the season.

Maritime Deep Blue is mainly a casual warm weather cologne. It can also be worn in daily, semi-formal situations. Light enough for the office, if need be. Fresh and clean, not really sexy, and not a nightlife focused scent.

Overall Impressions of Maritime Deep Blue

Do I like this fragrance? I do. I think that it’s one of the better offerings from Tommy Bahama. It’s not very original, but it at least mimics fragrances which smell nice. However, I don’t really love either the Polo or Calvin Klein, but can enjoy wearing them.

The performance is okay. It’s not great and actually lags behind its two comparable colognes. I do really like the use of juniper in Deep Blue, I think it adds a layer that the other two don’t have. Is that enough to buy? For me, no.

I can get Eternity Aqua for much cheaper, usually. Plus, Polo Blue EDT, isn’t the best one from that lineup. Polo Deep Blue or Blue EDP are both better. So, while I like Maritime Deep Blue, I don’t really see a place for it.

Maybe, at $15-30 this would be worthwhile, but I can’t see me needing a bottle at near full price. If it’s like $80-something, I’d pass. Although, I’ve been seeing Tommy Bahama fragrances for cheaper as of late. So, it’s probably pretty likely you’ll be able too grab this one near that price point.

Spicebomb Infrared EDT by Viktor & Rolf

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Spicebomb is a series of colognes, for which I have generally positive opinion on. The more recent Night Vision entries weren’t that great and were a step down from the original and Spicebomb Extreme.

As such, I wasn’t all that curious about trying Infrared, lest it be another mediocre fragrance. Eventually, I grabbed a sample of the stuff to test it out and review it for the site. How does it smell? Does it perform well? Is it even worth a try?

Spicebomb Infrared EDT Overview

Notes include: red berries, tobacco, habanero, cinnamon, saffron

Buy from Macy’s: Spicebomb Infrared EDT

My Full Review

Infrared kicks off with its hottest notes coming through in a big way. But also, the sweetness of the red berry oil leading the way and giving the Spicebomb formulation a different aroma.

The cinnamon is the dominant spice here and early on it is joined by that habanero pepper which really ramps things up. Infrared is intense, but never heavy-handed with how it comes across.

It’s always got it its warmth coming through but the spiciness also has a very fresh aspect, that is great.

Underneath that initial blast is the saffron note, which will take over for the red pepper accord. The cinnamon sticks around, but it is joined by that saffron note for a while. Also, benzoin appears to be in the mix, but comes across more like a pure amber to my nose.

After that phase, it will mostly be about the cinnamon and tobacco. The fruity sweetness of the berries hangs around for the entirety, but you get closer to the familiar Spicebomb DNA for the rest of the wear.

The saffron is probably the fourth most prominent note, but the habanero heat from early on has disappeared from the blend.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Infrared starts off with a pretty strong sillage. It is powerful and will project itself nicely. However, it settles into much more of a moderate scent overall. It’ll hit that 4-6 foot range for a good portion of the wear, before coming closer to the skin.

Not a monster and not a weak fragrance.

I get about 6-7 hours of wear on my skin with Infrared. It’s about what I get from other entries in the Spicebomb series, outside of Extreme, which goes on forever. For an EDT fragrance, it’s pretty darn good. Though, it could be better.

I’m not disappointed that much in the performance, since I get plenty of use out of it within that time frame. Just know what to expect, before purchasing.

Seasonally, it is best for autumn and winter. The colder temperatures will really let Infrared shine. However, I wore it on a day where the temperature was around 75 degrees Fahrenheit and actually was really great.

It was outdoors with a breeze and that is what sold me on getting a full bottle of Spicebomb Infrared.

This one is best used casually or for the nightlife. It does lean younger in its target demographic, but anyone could wear this really, just don’t expect some super formal cologne. That’s not what Infrared is.

It does have mass appeal and a level of sexiness to it. Gourmand, warm, attractive, with a masculine tobacco note.

Overall Impressions of Infrared

Overall, do I like Spicebomb Infrared? Yes, it has become my second favorite entry from the Spicebomb lineup. Extreme is better in terms of smell. Though, since it’s better for colder weather and the climate around me doesn’t get there too often, I purchased this one.

This versus Spicebomb EDT is a close call. I think the original used to be better and be a better performer, but it’s lost a step.

The opening act is really awesome. I love the red berries, habanero, and cinnamon spice. It’s very warm, spicy, and sweet. This stage completely sells you on the ‘red’ color chosen for the marketing of this fragrance.

The dry down gives me more of the traditional Spicebomb aromas, but Infrared still does it’s own thing. Still sweet, with the cinnamon and tobacco notes really coming through to the end. Fresh, not too harsh, with a softer spice than encountered in the opening.

The performance is good enough. Not great, but not poor, either.

Overall, I like this one a lot. I mean, I bought a full bottle shortly after trying the sample for the first time. It’s not my favorite scent ever or anything, just one that I enjoy wearing and want to experience this autumn and upcoming winter.

The Scent Private Accord by Hugo Boss

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The Scent from Hugo Boss spun off a ton of flankers in a pretty short amount of time. Overall, the lineup was good, with some that were even better. Private Accord was brought out in 2018, to give a new interpretation of the maninka fruit-based The Scent DNA. What does this entry smell like? How long does it last? Is it even worth a try?

What does The Scent Private Accord Smell Like?

Notes include: ginger, maninka fruit, mocha, cocoa absolute, pepper, bergamot, patchouli, woods

Click here to try: BOSS The Scent Private Accord for Him, 3.3 Fl Oz 

My Full Review

Private Accord kicks things off with an immediate impact from the cacao note. It is very strong from the start and joined by the fresh spice of ginger. Ginger is one of my favorite spicy notes, so, I think the opening here is sort of awesome.

Underneath that is a further spiciness supplied by a dash of pepper. Along with, the usual fruitiness of this series, maninka fruit. However, in this one, you get some pineapple to go along with it.

I will say, that the maninka and fruitiness as a whole, is toned down in The Scent Private Accord when compared to the others.

Once it has settled somewhat, the spiciness subsides. Cacao will at first be joined by a coffee note. Think more 75% cacao, 25% coffee. Then, the coffee will mostly be replace by vanilla, with the gourmand aroma being held together by a nice patchouli note.

 The dry down is probably my least favorite part of this fragrance. It becomes much drier with a powdery cacao smell. It’s a sweet and dry cologne, pretty distant from that early great freshness of spices and fruits.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Private Accord has good sillage. It will project itself around 6-8 feet from the wearer, at it’s peak. Strong, but ultimately hits the upper end of moderate for much of its wear. From then on, it will still have a nice scent bubble, but not permeate the room.

I get just over 8 hours of wear with Private Accord. It isn’t an elite scent, in this regard, but much better than some of the others in this series from Hugo Boss. I really had no issue with the performance from this one. 

So, if you like the smell, you’ll at least get your money’s worth out of it.

Seasonally, stick to the autumn and winter. This is very much a colder weather wear and would kind of get gross in the heat. That sweet, spicy, warmth isn’t exactly built for the summer.

This one also skews toward younger guys. The chocolate and vanilla combination dominates, once the initial ginger spice burns off. Not strictly a teenager’s scent or anything, but Private Accord isn’t something formal.

It’s good casually or for the nightlife. Would for sure, want to wear this Hugo Boss out for an evening on the town versus whatever during the daytime. 

 

 

Overall Impression of Private Accord

Overall, do I like this Hugo Boss scent? I think it’s a nice smelling fragrance overall. It does get a little too heavy on the cacao and vanilla, in the latter stages. That part isn’t bad, but it’s a noticeable step down.

The early stages with the ginger, pepper, and maninka fruit are worthwhile and ranks among the best in the series. There isn’t too much development, but the sweet powdery quality isn’t amazing to me.

I prefer The Scent Absolute from this series. Actually, I liked the original better also, it just had terrible performance. Private Accord at least has solid performance going for it, with a nice smell.

That being said, Private Accord is an above average to very good cologne. It might not be for everyone, as you’re going to have to really be into dry chocolatey gourmands. Not super sugary, but more of a warm powder.

Update: Here in 2024, it appears that Private Accord got discontinued at some point. Not surprising, since this fragrance came out in 2018, and Boss is still releasing other flankers in ‘The Scent’ line.

As of now, it looks like you can still purchase bottles at a reasonable price from third party sites. Still wouldn’t be my first pick in the series, but you could do a lot worse for $60 than picking up a bottle of Private Accord.

Sauvage Elixir by Dior

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I didn’t know that Dior was coming out with another Sauvage flanker here in 2021, but I naturally bought samples of the fragrance immediately upon learning of it.

I was looking forward to trying it out to see what this concentrated version of the popular men’s fragrance would be like.

So, here are my thoughts after testing. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it really worth a try?

What does Sauvage Elixir Smell Like?

Notes include: grapefruit, wood, lavender, nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon, patchouli, vetiver

Click here to try: Sauvage Elixir at Macy’s

My Full Review

Before I get into my review of Elixir, let’s see how Dior describes it:  The quintessence of Sauvage. An extraordinarily concentrated fragrance, like a fine liqueur made of exceptional ingredients. The emblematic freshness of Sauvage with an intoxicating heart of spices and a lavender essence tailor-made for Dior. A blend of rich woods forms the signature of its powerful, lavish, and captivating trail.

Right off the bat, Sauvage Elixir is a different animal from the rest of the series. The overlap of actual notes is the ubiquitous lavender note, patchouli and vetiver from EDT, and the nutmeg from Sauvage EDP.

Outside of that, the structure is going to be the same, just with different notes. So, grapefruit for the citrus. A blend of other spices and wood.

What Elixir actually reminded me of, is a much better version of Alien Man by Mugler. The spices, lavender, and fresh woods is pretty similar at times. Alien Man just had that weird opening act with a dill note and never got close to being as good as this.

However, the two are in the same vein, in terms of style.

Elixir opens up with it’s spice blend shining, grapefruit, and the ever present lavender. The grapefruit is pretty light on my skin. Mostly, I pick up cinnamon and nutmeg, with just a bit of cardamom to round it out.

It is a bold and intense mix of spices. I’m so glad they dumped that Sichuan pepper note from the original and gave us this instead. The spices are so much better in Elixir. 

After the wave of spices calm down somewhat, you get into the middle act. This is where the lavender takes over. You also get a licorice note that adds some sweetness, amber, and more of an indication of the woods.

The nutmeg and cinnamon are still very present for the duration of the wear. They play off of the lavender and amber beautifully and really helped to sell this one for me.

Finally, the dry down is lavender, with some sweetness, and fresh woods. The spices are lingering, but no longer packing that same punch. Elixir at this stage, is much softer and aromatic. 

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Elixir is a powerhouse. Seriously, it’s up there with some of the strongest fragrances that I’ve come across, at its peak. Not the absolute biggest beast, just very close to it. Even a few sprays, really filled up the surrounding area from my skin.

Elixir does back off somewhat, but remains very strong for much of the wear. I absolutely adore how this one projects and hangs around throughout the day.

Add to that, spraying it on a t-shirt, I could detect it from like 10 feet away, while I wasn’t wearing any cologne. Dior wasn’t lying when they said that this one was super concentrated.

 

The longevity is perfection. Sauvage Elixir just keeps going. I’m not sure what the final tally ends up being but it’s easily above 12 hours, at a still very solid strength. Yes, this one is expensive in comparison to the other Sauvage offerings, but you get the performance to back it up.

Update: Testing it out a few more times, Elixir seems to hit the 13-15 hour range for me, at its max. Really depends on what I’m doing, while wearing it. 

Seasonally, I’d like this best in the autumn. Winter and spring will also work, just avoid the summertime heat. Which, yeah, I had to test this during the summer months. Indoors, it’s just great. Outdoors, that humidity kind of wrecks its charm.

I do think that Elixir has a more mature profile than the other Sauvage’s, especially the original EDT. That worked well for guys in their teens and twenties, but Elixir might not be for those in the high school age range.

Sure, for some it will be an option, but this one might not have the same appeal for those in that demographic.

Elixir isn’t completely a formal fragrance. It doesn’t feel out of place, wearing it while dressed up though. It may be too bold for certain functions, but it has plenty of versatility.

This Sauvage can be worn in the nightlife or while out on a date. It does have a sexiness and enough of a mass appeal to get complements from those around you.

Overall Impressions of Sauvage Elixir

Overall, do I like Sauvage Elixir? Yes, I do. Actually, as of now it is my favorite from the series. I give it a slight edge over the EDP, though, that may change as I spend more time with it.

Elixir brings some familiarity, while going in a different direction. The freshness and the spice blend are great here. It doesn’t have a sharp citrus and Sichuan pepper blend up top. The cinnamon and nutmeg are brilliant as replacements.

Lavender is allowed to shine and honestly comes across much better here than in the others. Just a touch of sweetness from licorice, really helps to round out Elixir. I was worried going in, as a too heavy licorice note gives me headaches, but it’s not an issue.

If you liked the Sauvage releases up to this point, you’ll want to give this a try at least. It’s definitely different, though, in an awesome way.

If you didn’t like the other Sauvage fragrances, this one could change your mind. I’m not much of a fan of the EDT original, but really enjoyed the others. This one gets rid of the weakest parts and comes up with something new.

The price may be a deciding factor. It’s currently $155 for a 2 ounce bottle. That is steep for a lot of folks. As such, it may not be one to blind buy.

L’eau Super Majeure D’Issey by Issey Miyake

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Issey Miyake has a long list of fragrances that the designer’s brand has put out over the years. Flankers upon flankers. Many times, of colognes that you probably haven’t heard of before. L’eau Super Majeure d’Issey is an EDT Intense release from the brand, from a few years back. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a shot?

L’eau Super Majeure d’Issey Overview

Notes include: citrus, sage, amber, sea notes, wood, black salt, cashmeran, tonka bean, vanilla, patchouli, rosemary

Click here to try: Issey Miyake L’eau Super Majeure D’issey Pour Homme Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.3 Ounce

My Full Review

Let’s see how Issey Miyake describes this scent: A men’s fragrance inspired by the might of the sea, L’EAU MAJEURE D’ISSEY reinvented Issey Miyake’s pioneering aquatic note for the 21st century. This autumn, L’EAU SUPER MAJEURE D’ISSEY unleashes the power of water, with a new, exhilarating blend.

Super Majeure is not a fragrance that I sought out. It just happened to be in a lot of other samples that I purchased months ago, that I needed for review purposes. So, really I had zero expectations for this Issey Miyake scent.

While I do enjoy the original L’eau d’Issey, the rest of the brand’s fragrances can be hit or miss, and often just disappear from the market without much fanfare. Case in point, Super was released in 2018 and is no longer listed on their website. 

So, I’m probably writing this review for 10 people…

Anyway, this one opens up pretty strange. Looking at the notes, I would expect closer to an Acqua di Gio Profumo, but it really isn’t that at all.

Up top, is a burst of rosemary and sage. Very herbal with a nice intensity. However, this is paired with tonka bean, vanilla, amberwood, salty sea notes, and a touch of citrus. It’s pretty strange, in the early stages.

Honestly, the opening stages almost put me off of this one completely. But, I do think that it improves upon what it started out with. The rosemary is stronger to my nose, but the partnership with the sage is nice here.

I usually enjoy sweet aromas, but I prefer when the tonka and vanilla calm down within this composition. The rosemary, sage, sea notes, woods and amber are the highlights of the composition.

As it dries down, rosemary and wood are the two strongest components. The saltiness of the sea notes has mostly gone away and those two notes are sitting on top of that synthetic smelling amber (much the same as in Light Blue Eau Intense). 

Sitting on top of all that, is just a touch of remaining sweetness, which is just about the right strength for what this cologne is. This is a ‘blue’ scent, but a really dark blue hue, that’s nearly black.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this does have a bit of power to it. It opens pretty strong with a nice intensity, but settles down into something moderate. You’ll know it’s there and so will others, without much effort on your part.

The longevity is pretty good 7-7.5 hours of wear, on my skin. Not an absolute marathon runner, but it’ll provide you plenty of time to enjoy it.

Seasonally, spring and summer is when it’s best. But, if the temperature is at least moderate, Super Majeure wouldn’t feel out of place.

This is more of a casual to semi-formal (for summer) fragrance. This isn’t really a romantic wear or club beast. Maybe it could be a daily wear for the warmer months out of the year, for some guys. Not super versatile, but has its place.

Overall Impressions of L’eau Super Majeure D’Issey

Do I like this fragrance? It’s okay. I hated it the first time that I wore it.

Second and third tries, it seemed better. Though, I still don’t see myself wanting any more. I do also hate having to type this long name that they decided to go with for this cologne.

The herbal blend, with salty seas, wood and a slight sweetness. That’s what you should expect with Super. If that sounds like your type of fragrance, this is a pretty unique and well performing example. Bottles are still cheap, so for a percentage of guys, this will be a steal.

For most men? Probably not. It has a nice aroma, but nothing spectacular or very mass appealing. But, if you’re a fan of rosemary and sage, this is certainly an interesting one to try.

It at least didn’t just mimic Acqua di Gio, points for some originality.