Cologne Reviews

Météore by Louis Vuitton

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Météore is a men’s fragrance released by Louis Vuitton in 2020. I am still working my way through the LV review write ups for the site and this is a cologne that I’ve worn multiple times, at this point. How does it smell? How long will it last? Is it worth a try?

What does Météore by Louis Vuitton Smell Like?

Notes include: mandarin, Java vetiver, neroli, bergamot, black pepper, pink pepper, Sichuan pepper

My Full Review

Before we get into my review of this fragrance, let’s see what Louis Vuitton has to say about it: The sizzle of spicy mandarin awakens boundless energy. A magnetic name that evokes power and light. A fragrance that arouses fascination in its wake, like the dazzlingly flamboyant clouds that so captivate humankind.

Météore kicks off with a burst of citrus set in a blue-ish frame and dotted with different types of pepper. Immediately, my closest fragrance comparison is Fan di Fendi Acqua, if you stripped it of the leather note and amped up the citrus.

That’s not to say that Météore smells just like that, it doesn’t, but that’s the closest thing that I can think of. The mandarin and bergamot are quite juicy and naturalistic, very reminiscent of those found in Afternoon Swim.

So, the citrus is dominant. Out of the pepper notes, the pink pepper is the one that comes through the most. Pink pepper and neroli are the next two notes that are sitting underneath the juicy citrus notes.

As it dries down, Météore is a juicy orange with a strong amber and vetiver note sitting at the base. It all comes together as quite sharp, especially with all of the remaining pepper notes wafting up from the heart of the fragrance. I’m less enthusiastic about this one, during the latter stages.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Météore does have some power. It’s not super strong and going to fill up a room, but I’d say that it is above average and will project itself much beyond just a standard skin scent.

It will also last 8-9 hours, on my skin. I haven’t hit double digits with the wear yet, but, it does get me a consistent workday of use. Very good, just not elite.

Seasonally, this one is a spring and summer wear totally. It has enough style to be more than a casual fragrance, but it doesn’t strike me as a nighttime or romantic wear. I could wear it just hanging out or even to work, if need be. Not a formal fragrance, but well put together.

Overall Impressions of Météore

Do I like this fragrance? I do, but I don’t love it. It’s solid all around, though, it isn’t anything super special. The vetiver and amber notes are the lowlights of Météore. I like the citrus top notes a lot, like the other Louis Vuitton entries that also feature them.

You do get good performance from Météore, but really at this price point, you should expect to get that. Is it worth a purchase for over $300 a bottle? To me, not really. I think that Louis Vuitton has put out better colognes than this.

It’s solid, but I also bought a bottle of Fan di Fendi Acqua for $20 4 years ago. I happen to like the added leather in that one, and so, see no reason to get a full bottle of Météore.

Nuit de Feu by Louis Vuitton

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Nuit de Feu is one of the men’s fragrances that Louis Vuitton released back in 2020. The luxury brand has really churned out the perfume releases over the last few years and many of them have been quite good. Is Nuit de Feu, one of them? In this post, I’ll share my thoughts on how it smells, when it should be worn, and whether or not it is worth a buy.

What does Nuit de Feu Smell Like?

Notes include: leather, white incense, black incense, musk, oud

My Full Review

Before we get into my thoughts about Nuit de Feu, let’s see how Louis Vuitton describes it: In the dark of night, scents of incense rise from the shadowy hollows in the dunes. Plunged into the icy night, the desert seems frozen under an endlessly star-studded sky. In the heart of this darkness, a camp fire is crackling, its dancing flames warm the travelers, its smoke curling upwards into the sky.

Nuit de Feu can hit pretty hard in the first few minutes. The incense and the oud are out in full force. Mainly, the smoky pair of incense notes.

However, that oud note does have that usual barnyard-like finish, that many people don’t like. I’m usually one of them, but here the oud settles down a lot and what you get from the rest of this Louis Vuitton fragrance is great.

It’s got a rich and naturalistic leather note, that comes across really great once you’re past that initial stage. By then, the incense have settled and the oud is in the background as a support player.

That’s what most of the wear is going to be, the leather as the highlight, with incense creating that night fire vibe. A very dry and dark fragrance with just a bit of musk coming through the base.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Nuit de Feu is not a powerhouse on my skin. It’s above average, call it the upper end of moderate, but it doesn’t blow the doors off. A few hours in, I’d say it’s pretty middle of the road.

The longevity is pretty good as well, but not elite. I’d say it will go from 6.5-8 hours on my skin. Definitely not amazing, at this price point, but it serves its purposes well enough.

I’d stick to the colder weather with Nuit de Feu. Autumn and winter is what it is made for and it’ll melt in the heat.

This is a fairly niche scent. Not anything crazy, but probably not something that is going to be considered main stream. It’s not a youthful fragrance, rather, one that should be worn by a man who’s established in his life and has a mature/stylish presence.

Semi-formal, work, nightlife and many other appropriate events in the winter months.

Overall Impressions of Nuit de Feu

Do I like this scent? I really do. It’s not my favorite thing ever, but the incense and leather notes are awesome here. Plus, the oud isn’t too much to handle.

The performance and sillage could be better, but it’s not terrible. This Vuitton cologne is going to appeal to those who love a good leather scent or something with a smokiness to it.

For a lot of you, it’s not going to be the one you want to buy. Again, Nuit de Feu has a somewhat narrow audience for whom it will actually appeal. If you want a more typical designer wear, I’d look elsewhere.

Spice & Wood by Creed

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I received three sample vials of Creed fragrances from the Royal Exclusive line of scents. I was interested in trying these fragrances out to see if any of them really lived up to the expensive nature of being such an ‘exclusive’ bottle of perfume. Today’s contestant is Spice & Wood, which wins in the most obvious title category, but does it live up to it’s high profile?

In this post, I am going to share my experience wearing this Creed frag, how it smells, how it performs, and whether or not I think it is worth the money.

What does Spice & Wood Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, cedar, birch, musk, lemon, apple, pepper, oak moss

My Full Review

The opening of Spice & Wood is where I detect the citrus notes, particularly that familiar bergamot that is found in Aventus. It’s subtle, but it’s there. Then, of course, is the main attraction the wood and the spice.

It should be noted that this fragrance is pretty damn linear, what you expect to get from the title, is exactly what you get throughout. Cedar, birch, and pepper with an underlying softness from the other notes.

Spice & Wood is a rather fresh fragrance, which is nice, as I thought that it could be a heavy type of woodsy scent but it is actually well done. It’s got a dry warmth and the spice is tempered and never a really heavy pepper note.

The wood notes remind me of being in a cabin or ski lodge, very comfortable yet still outdoorsy.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The projection is okay on this one. It’s closer to a skin scent and is actually fairly soft, which is fine, but for the price point I was expecting something with a little bit more of a high profile.

It’s longevity wasn’t great for me either. I’ve routinely sprayed twice in the same spot on my arm during my trial runs with this and while it’s detectable it’s mostly gone within a few hours. Not impressed.

This is a casual scent best used for the fall/winter months. I don’t see it as a date night fragrance nor a club type of scent. Very straightforward. I guess it could also venture into more formal occasions.

The one thing that I would like to point out is the pricing point. As a part of the Royal Exclusives line, Spice & Wood is even more expensive than the regular Creed fragrances. In fact, the 2.5 oz bottle is currently priced at $545.

Of course, this limits the appeal of this scent to those who can afford it, but even if you can pony up the cash…do you really even want it?

 

 

Overall Impressions of Spice & Wood

Overall, I like this scent. It’s pleasant and smells good. Just at this price level, I really can’t recommend it. The performance is lackluster and unless you’re really a fan of spices and wood, the aroma is never Earth-shattering.

There are plenty of better options than Spice & Wood and you don’t have to spend over $500 in the process. Honestly, I don’t see the point of owning this. Perhaps, it’s just a status type symbol. Though, I don’t know who it would impress exactly.

Habdan by Parfums De Marly

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I still have a handful of Parfums de Marly colognes to post reviews of. I’m working my way through each of them and today, I’d like to present my thoughts on Habdan. How does this fragrance smell? Perform? When should it be worn? Is it even worth trying? Continue below for my full take after wearing this scent around.

What does Habdan Smell Like?

Notes include: saffron, amber, frankincense, caramel, apple, myrhh, rose

Click here to try: Parfums de Marly Habdan Men’s Edp Spray, 4.2 Ounce

The opening of Habdan hits with a bunch of saffron, some apple, and frankincense. It’s a lovely blend of sweet/spicy/smoky and honestly grabs my attention from the get go. Now, I’ve seen this cologne compared to Bvlgari Man in Black, and I do see the similarities.

Habdan, does have a leather-like aroma at times, but no leather note, and also a smoky spice. However, the two scents are ultimately different, as the Bvlgari has an infusion of rum and none of the saffron. Although, I also enjoy wearing Man in Black quite a lot.

Back to Habdan, I love the crisp apple note and how it sits among the warmth of the incense aroma. This cologne seems to have so many layers to it, yet, is constructed perfectly. It could’ve easily become a jumbled mess but Habdan sort of systematically unveils an intriguing fragrance to the wearer.

As it dries down, a caramel smoothness emerges over top of the apple note, but it smells less like a candied apple and more like a baked good. Of course, this is still closer to a background player than the main event of saffron, myrrh, and frankincense.

I have found that the latter two notes, always seem to be put into some loud and over the top kind of colognes, but I absolutely love them in Habdan.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Habdan’s sillage is pretty average. It isn’t weak but it’s not an overpowering beast of a scent, either. That’s okay, because it honestly, doesn’t need to be that way.

The longevity is also solid, I get about 7-8 hours of wear out of this Parfums de Marly cologne, not the best but very respectable.

Weather wise, Habdan is best in cold to moderate temperatures. This one will shine on nights in the fall/winter months. It also has good versatility. It’s mature and sexy enough to be worn on dates, but classy enough to be worn at work.

That’s one of the reasons, it somewhat subdued nature works to its advantage. You won’t choke out a room with a normal amount of sprays applied.

Overall Impressions of Habdan

Overall, do I like Habdan? I really do. This is such a well put together and interesting scent to me. I definitely think that it is one of the best Parfums de Marly colognes, and something that I enjoyed wearing throughout the day.

I don’t think it will have a total universal appeal for all guys, but it isn’t a super niche fragrance, either. Habdan is super rich, smooth, complex, with a smoky sweetness. It develops amazingly throughout and an aroma that isn’t completely comparable to anything else that I’ve come across.

Nisean by Parfums De Marly

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After this review of Nisean, I think that I have only two more write ups to do of my Parfums de Marly sample collection. This is a sample that I had to spend some more time with in order to really appreciate and see how the cologne developed before jotting down my thoughts about Nisean below. As usual, I am going to cover how it smells, performs, and whether or not it is worth a purchase.

What does Nisean by PdM Smell Like?

Notes include: patchouli, incense, cedar, rose, saffron, labdanum, lime, grapefruit, and more

Click here to try: PARFUMS DE MARLY NISEAN 125ML EDP SPRAY

My Full Review

Nisean is not one of the more well known or appreciated fragrances from Parfums de Marly. I don’t know why, maybe it’s because it’s name looks like a Japanese car manufacturer.

Anyhow, here is how the cologne sample card describes it: “A beautiful dark wood, hyper textured (majestic patchouli) illuminated by a distinguishable incense note, having the effect of a sacred nectar warming both the heart and the body.”

Sure, ok. I definitely pick up on the dark wood, which I’m guessing is the cedar. Nisean is dry and warm with the amber and the familiar smokiness of the incense note. The saffron is there but it isn’t as intense to my nose, as it was in Godolphin (which I prefer to Nisean).

However, I think that the saffron still plays very nicely off of the patchouli.

During the dry down, there is an element of sweetness (not candy-like) that emerges from within Nisean. Like a dried fruit sweetness, from the grapefruit/lime citrus combination, and a floral sweetness provided by rose.

It stays very warm and woody but there is that citric quality that just feels like it is soaking into the cedar wood. From there, I get a bit of a pepper spice and a warm/sticky amber note.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Nisean is toward the upper moderate end of the spectrum. Not a monster, but it is solid, and you’ll know that it is there. On the other hand, the longevity is awesome.

Like almost every other Parfums de Marly cologne, this one is hitting the double digit hour mark, without trouble. I tend to lose track of these workhorses, but I’d say somewhere in the 12-13 hour range, on my skin.

Wear wise, I’d put this in the fall and winter seasonal category. It’s a mature scent, not ‘old man’, but a guy in his late 20s and up who has his stuff together.

Nisean can be worn semi-casual to dressed up and is best in that space or as an office scent. It’s not something for the night club scene by any stretch.

Overall Impressions of Nisean

Overall, do I like Nisean? Yes, I like it. I feel like it’s probably the sixth or seventh best of this company’s line of colognes. That’s saying something about the depth of options here, as this is by no means an average fragrance.

It’s a very dry woody fragrance with patchouli, incense, and amber warmth as its base.

From there, you’ll get some bit players such as the citrus notes chipping in. It smells good but it isn’t amazing, in my opinion. Though, it is a great performer. It’s a very solid fragrance and could earn a spot in a man’s rotation, but it wouldn’t be my number one option.