Despite the overwhelming popularity of my post on the top smelling Burberry fragrances for men, I had yet to do a review of Burberry Brit and thought that I would remedy that oversight today.
In this post, I want to give a general overview of Brit, my impressions of it, how well it wears, and whether or not it should merit consideration of a purchase.
Note: I have updated this review, a few years after posting the original, to give new thoughts and expand more upon Burberry Brit for Men.
What Does Burberry Brit Smell Like?
Notes include: wild roses, tonka bean, green mandarin, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, cedar
Click here to try Burberry Brit:BURBERRY Brit for Men Eau de Toilette, 1.0 fl. oz
My Full Wear Review
My immediate impulse when smelling Burberry Brit is to compare it with other Burberry fragrances, such as London. Whereas London is more of a rugged, woodsy, tobacco type of scent, Brit strikes me as something much smoother.
The opening is fresh and delightful and one is immediately drawn into the subtle spice of the nutmeg/ginger/tonka notes; and the quite powdery aroma, which balances it out.
The mandarin and bergamot citrus notes are present at the top and provide their usual brightness. This is a nice contrast from the fresh spiciness of the rest of the composition.
The opening is really dominated by this subdued citrus and fresh spice combination. There is an air of sweetness within Brit during this stage of the wear, the citrus and tonka bean, seem to be creating that effect.
Yet, the cologne overall still has this green outdoorsy cleanliness during this time, as well.
What is interesting about Brit is that it contains wild roses but that it doesn’t give off the extreme rosiness of a cologne such as Dunhill Desire.
Brit isn’t in any way a loud cologne, I think it really does a fantastic job of taking different elements and working them together in harmony instead of having one dominate feature.
With Brit, you get a warm spice, fresh green/woodsy notes, with a hint of citrus provided by the green mandarin note, and a baby powder type of finish.
The dry down is the make or break period for most guys with this fragrance, I’d say. The dark powdery rose, isn’t going to be enjoyable for some folks, but it is very well done.
Again, it isn’t a super feminine or in your face rose. It’s smoothed out by tonka bean, a cedar base, with the same spices with the ginger, cardamom, and nutmeg notes.
Longevity, Sillage, and Versatility
Longevity wise, this is a really good performer and will typically last around 8 hours give or take. It isn’t a projection beast by any means but it does a great job at presenting itself as a moderate scent.
It’s always had solid sillage on my skin, consistent, but not a scent bomb. It’s more of a strong starter, then, lighter after a few hours. For much of the wear it’s going to be an intimate kind of cologne.
Nevertheless, in all my years of having various bottles of this scent, I’ve never been disappointed by its performance. It holds up well.
Burberry Brit is another safe option for the autumn or winter months, just like Burberry for Men (Also see: Brit vs Burberry for Men Comparison).
However, I think Brit would be a better wintertime wear. I’ll usually wear it on colder days, but occasionally I will put some on in the evening, as something casual.
Brit for Men isn’t a summertime fragrance, though, it can be worn in the more moderate temperatures of spring. Still, much better as a colder climate scent.
Brit is an option that can be worn safely at work or even for class. It’s not going to overpower and it smells quite clean and pleasant. Teen guys can wear it, but it doesn’t have that really youthful vibe, and has enough maturity to be worn by someone much older.
Overall Impressions of Burberry Brit for Men
Overall, I really enjoy this stuff. Brit is a great choice for everyday wear in the fall or winter months of the year.
It is a solid performer for school or work and safe to use in either environment. It isn’t necessarily a ‘sexy’ type of cologne but it smells damn good and is attractive enough with the ladies. I’d definitely rate it as a buy.
This has become my third most worn Burberry cologne at this point, as I usually go with Burberry for Men or London depending on the occasion, and which bottle I have.
(Edit: I have purchased a full bottle, in the autumn, and have been wearing it more than the others. I’ve been loving Brit for Men, as of late. I think it’s become my second favorite behind London now).
Still, Brit for Men is a fairly unique guy’s cologne, and does everything quite well.
Really, there haven’t been too many great releases from this brand in a long while. The Mr. Burberry series was decent, but nothing must have. Still, well over a decade later Brit just works, and is among this designers top scents.
Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with the different fragrances that I’ve owned, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, that new hobby grew into a consistent passion, helping millions of readers along the way. I have personally written reviews for well over 800 perfumes and colognes for both men and women. This is along with writing hundreds of other in-depth fragrance guides. You can also follow me on: YouTube, Instagram, and Tiktok!
