Hugo Boss

The Scent Intense by Hugo Boss

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The line of Hugo Boss fragrances released under “The Scent” banner, have had many incarnations over the past 5+ years. I’ve reviewed the original EDT on the site, but recently picked up the other offerings to try and complete the collection (I know, I’m late). Today’s entry is going to be of The Scent Intense. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

What does The Scent Intense by Boss Smell Like?

Notes include: ginger, cardamom, maninka fruit, leather, vanilla, lavender, wood

My Full Review

Before we get into my review, let’s see how Hugo Boss describes it: An irresistible fragrance, unforgettable like a savored seduction. Exquisite notes of spicy cardamom, exotic maninka fruit, vanilla and leather unfold over time for an intense experience.

The Scent Intense opens up with a much spicier aroma than does the original. Off the bat, there is a lot of ginger and cardamom. The ginger is amped up from the original The Scent and the cardamom is a newer addition.

It’s a nice change of pace and I do like the intensity of the spice in the opening. The maninka fruit is still present, but it is without its citrus pairing. The Scent Intense is much less of a fruity fragrance, than is the EDT. 

The spicy top sticks around for a while, but Intense will quickly move into its leathery phase. Maninka, lavender, and leather are basically what is around for the middle act. To my nose, the ginger is gone, and the cardamom has weakened significantly.

Finally, the end game will mostly be vanilla and leather, along with the remaining maninka. I do like the combination of these notes, but I actually prefer the spicy opening act, to the vanilla and leather finish.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The Scent Intense does indeed open up with some power and the ability to project itself is actually really nice for a while. However, the overall sillage is pretty moderate, as the intensity drops pretty far once the spices have dissipated.

Nonetheless, it is much better than the completely weak EDT version. The longevity also goes for over 7 hours on my skin. It’s not completely beast mode, but very serviceable and useful for most purposes.

 

Seasonally, autumn through springtime like the original. It has a nice versatility, can be worn day or night, by a variety of age ranges and many different scenarios. The Scent Intense does have a sexy aroma, that should allow you to venture into the nightlife with confidence and appeal.

Overall Impressions of Boss The Scent Intense

Do I like this cologne? I do. In terms of smell, I actually do like the original a bit more. However, the performance here is actually pretty good, especially when put head to head with the dreadful performance of that original release.

While I like the leather and vanilla dry down, I wanted more of that initial freshness and spicy warmth that I got with the intense opening act. I enjoyed the cardamom and ginger mix, but it didn’t go on for long enough.

It seems like The Scent Intense is getting difficult to come across these days, since it was released back in 2017. It’s worth trying, if you can find it at a reasonable price.

I don’t think that it’s an amazing fragrance, but it’s very good overall. If one liked the original, this one should have something to offer you.

Boss Bottled EDT (No. 6) by Hugo Boss

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In this latest installment of this site’s series of ratings and reviews of men’s fragrances, I want to take a closer look at Boss Bottled EDT (aka No. 6) by Hugo Boss. It was released in 1998. I have already created a list of the top Hugo Boss colognes but I wanted to zoom in a bit and focus on this one individual fragrance from the line.

So, continue below to get my full take on this scent and whether or not it is worth a buy. Note: I have updated this review, 4 years after the original, to expand further on No. 6.

What does Boss Bottled EDT (No. 6) Smell Like?

Notes include: apple, cinnamon, vanilla, woods, plum, sandalwood

Click here to try: Boss No. 6 by Hugo Boss for Men – 3.3 Ounce EDT Spray

Full Review

My first impression of Number 6 is that it is a really clean fragrance. Note: It just gets called Boss Bottled EDT, nowadays. I could right away see how this could work as an everyday wear and something that people around you would respond positively towards.

The apple note is most noticeable to me, and the way it blends with the cinnamon, sort of reminds me of the flavoring in Apple Cinnamon Toaster Strudels. Not like the apple note in something such as Tommy Hilfiger.

Up top, the apple gets paired with a somewhat tart plum. Though, I’d still lean toward calling the entire composition sweet, at this point.

The first part of the wear, is more of a fruity cologne, with underlying spices. It will then shift, towards being less dominated by these notes.

As we move further along, the vanilla and wood notes, really start to come through. Sandalwood, cedar, and other woods begin to rise of from the base. The vanilla, which was always present, takes over for much of the plum and apple.

The vanilla note does give it that smooth sweetness, which I tend to like, but I don’t feel as if Boss Bottled goes too far into the ‘sweet’ category (during the dry down).

This is because the sandalwood and cedar notes especially, give it a woodsy base, that seems to keep it masculine and intriguing.

Finally, what I’m left with is a woody vanilla fragrance with strong whiffs of apple and cinnamon. It is creamy, fresh, and still sweet.

While this has been replicated by others recently, Boss Bottled, for sure had plenty of uniqueness when released in the 90s.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This one isn’t a projection beast but it isn’t totally subdued either. There are many other options for guys who want a loud fragrance, Number 6 however, is soft to moderate in its scent but still quite sensual.

For the first hour, it will create a nice radius of scent around my skin, and then draws closer.

Longevity wise, I’d say it’s on the lower end of moderate…4-6 hours of decent projection, which was quite disappointing. That’s not absolutely terrible, but if you’re paying full price per bottle, it can be.

Boss Bottled is a rather versatile scent. Climate wise, it can fit in most situations, except for extreme heat and humidity.

Honestly, it’s not the worst at that, just not great in the summer months either. The rest of the year, and especially temperate climates, it works very well.

Outside of the seasonal aspect, this Hugo Boss scent is very versatile. It can work for younger men, but isn’t limited to that set. Not that this is the most mature perfume, but, older guys could certainly wear this.

I’ve worn this casually, semi-formally, and to an office setting. No issues with any of that. Is it attractive? Yes, the masculine sweetness will garner complements, and can be used for dates.

Bottled No. 6 isn’t really a club scent, in the sense that, you want a projection beast. If you want subtlety, sure.

Overall Impression of Boss Bottled No. 6

Overall, I think that Boss Bottled is a very good cologne. It is pleasant, versatile, sexy, and seems to work well in temperatures outside of the brutal summer.

Is it a buy? I’d lean towards yes. While it smells great, it doesn’t necessarily perform as well as other potential colognes.

However, it isn’t terribly expensive either, and I could definitely see a guy getting use out of it.

Though, nowadays, I might just pick up a bottle of Ferrari Black which is a cheaper version of this scent pretty much. Since this isn’t an amazing performer, you should consider getting something close to this smell, for a whole lot less money.

I still like this one and it hasn’t completely lost a step. But, it did come out 25 years ago, and a lot has been done that is better than Bottled EDT. At a discount, I might still pick this up versus all of the imitators that have tried to mimic this Hugo Boss.

Just Different by Hugo Boss

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For today’s review, I am going to cover another Hugo Boss scent, the 2011 release Just Different. How does this casual fragrance from Boss stack up? How does it smell? Is it ultimately worth a purchase? Please continue reading below for my full wear review.

What does Just Different Smell Like?

Notes include: mint, freesia, basil, cashmeran, patchouli and apple

Click here to try: Hugo Boss Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, Just Different, 4.2 Ounce

My Full Review

Now, naming fragrances can be a funny business. For example, there are many ‘intense’ versions of colognes out there that are actually weak as hell. Just Different by Hugo Boss takes its name and delivers something quite familiar and ordinary.

That’s not to say that this fragrance is bad, just the name really doesn’t fit.

The opening is a really fresh blast of cool mint and along with the patchouli, reminds me of Ice Men. These two colognes are not the same but they do share some similarities.

Where they differ (and where I think Just Different is better) is the light apple note and the herbal spice provided by the basil. I also feel that this Hugo Boss scent shares some DNA with Lacoste L.12.12. White, so I’d put it as a blend between that and the aforementioned Ice Men.

Just Different has a ‘cold’ energy to it. This is a very fresh/clean type of scent and the patchouli seems to give it a bit more body, to an otherwise thin or light cologne. It’s a pretty linear fragrance and what you smell is what you get after the initial opening 5 minutes.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The projection is quite light. It is noticeable but definitely not a heavy hitter. Maybe at the lower end of the range of what could be considered moderate, at its peak.

The performance in terms of longevity is actually pretty decent, I can get up to 6 hours of wear. Not great but not as bad a some others out there on the market.

Just Different strikes me as a casual scent for spring/summer. It’s a change of pace from the usual citrus or aquatic fragrances and takes a bit of different path with the mint note (maybe that’s what’s so ‘different’ about it).

Overall Impressions of Just Different

Overall, this is a very meh fragrance. Hugo Boss seems to have a lot of these over the years, colognes that don’t really stand out and are pretty generic in almost every way.

I mean, it smells pretty nice, but isn’t fantastic by any stretch. What’s the point of owning this? Maybe if you got a really cheap bottle. Even the somewhat close alternatives of Ice Man and Lacoste White, aren’t amazing fragrances.

Boss Bottled Night by Hugo Boss

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I’ve done some Hugo Boss cologne reviews recently and even have few samples of this brand’s other scents on the way, so, I thought that it’d be a good idea before reviewing those to do one on Bottled Night.

I had already included this in my best Hugo Boss fragrances for guys but never got around to writing up a review of this scent.

I generally like most of the stuff that they put out (except Energise…) and have been wearing Hugo Red a lot this summer, so I’m a mood now to tackle Bottled Night. As usual, I’ll cover the scent’s smell, how it performs, when it can be worn, and whether or not it is worth a buy.

What does Boss Bottled Night Smell Like?

Notes include: African violet, birch leaves, musk, lavender, amarello wood

Click here to try: Boss Bottled Night by Hugo Boss for Men – 3.3 Ounce EDT Spray

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Boss Bottled Night is somewhat of a surprise, in that, when looking at the container and the name you’d think you would be getting something quite dark and mysterious.

However, what you find is a very clean scent powered by the lavender note and with a beautiful hint of floral provided by the African Violet. Add musk and you get an underlying warmth to go along with a masculine woodsy note.

Upon the opening, I really do pick up a lot of the violet. I must say, that violet isn’t one of my favorite floral notes, but it does work well within this composition.

The birch note is super dry, with a very slight smokiness to it, at times.

As we move forward, the lavender emerges more fully, and is joined by a light musk note. This is about as much development, as you’re going to get from Bottled Night. It’s a mix of lavender and violet, with dry woods, and some musky touches.

One of the things that I really appreciate about Bottled Night is how unique it feels. Like, it is pretty simple and straightforward in how it plays out, but it really doesn’t smell like anything else I can think of in the world of cologne. It is a soft scent yet has a very nice ability to project itself.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

As I said, the sillage is pretty good here. Again, not a heavy fragrance by any means, but people will be able to pick it up on you with in a decent radius. At least for the first few hours of wear.

Longevity wise, it is in the realm of average, which is weird since it does a good job of projecting. Six hours seems to be the demarcation point for Boss Bottled Night, after that it tends to fade.

It is a versatile fragrance, I really can’t pin it down for a season, as I could see it working for multiple weather situations. It’s a fragrance that could go from the office to a night out on the town without much problem.

Yes, it is called bottled night, but it isn’t really one that would stand out as being ‘too much’ for daytime use. Really, never has struck me as a particularly dark or nightlife exclusive cologne. It has a clean, well put together aroma, for guys with a more stylish or mature air about them.

Overall Impression of Boss Bottled Night

Overall, would I recommend it? Yes, it is definitely a very nice cologne and it unique smell only adds to its appeal. It isn’t very complex, clean/floral/musk, so you definitely know what you’re getting within a few minutes of wear.

I’m not that much into violet as a note, so this will never be my favorite. Though, I can appreciate it for what it is.

Boss Bottled Night does everything at least pretty well and is quite sexy for what it is. If you want something clean, simple, at a good price, then this should work out for you. If you don’t like violet or lavender that much, then avoid Bottled Night.

The performance is decent, in my experience, but not amazing. I think this will appeal to a certain percentage of guys, but doesn’t necessarily have that super wide universal x-factor.

Boss in Motion by Hugo Boss

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Another one of my recent sample hauls, yielded me a vial of Boss in Motion by Hugo Boss. I have already reviewed plenty of scents from this brand recently, including Element and Bottled Night. However, I still needed to address this cologne which was released by Hugo Boss back in 2002.

Though it isn’t a new scent, I figured I might as well give my thoughts on how it smells, how it performs, when it should be worn, and if it’s worth a purchase.

What does Boss in Motion Smell Like?

hugo boss in motion review

Notes include: pink pepper, basil flowers, musk, orange, bergamot, cinnamon

Click here to try: Boss In Motion By Hugo Boss For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3 Ounces

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Boss in Motion is kind of a mess, in my opinion. I get some weird blend of basil, pink pepper, musk, and a hint of orange that has a smoky and plastic scent to it. Needless to say, I was initially disappointed when I first sprayed this juice on.

However, while I was at the gym, I kept getting a pleasant whiff of Boss in Motion and its dry down phase, that is actually really good. I’d say the first 10-15 minutes, this cologne needs to work out its issues and then after that, you get a very nice sporty casual fragrance.

After that first phase, Boss in Motion becomes smooth and creamy with a main citrus note of orange with bergamot playing the background. There is still that spicy/smokey flavor to it but now plays a support role.

Honestly, Boss in Motion became a pleasant surprise for me, its fresh and masculine but doesn’t get drawn to far into the spicy or citrus direction…it has a solid balance.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, this Hugo Boss scent is moderate. It won’t choke out the room but you’ll notice it there. Perfect for casual situations.

It has pretty good longevity, as it should last you throughout an entire work day without having to reapply. With my sample, usually in the 6.5-8 hour range of wear. Not the best, but still quite good.

It is versatile enough to wear out on a date or night on the town but I like it as an everyday type of wear, especially outdoors. Boss in Motion probably isn’t at its best in the heat, so keep this strictly from fall to early spring.

Overall Impressions of Boss in Motion

Overall, is Boss in Motion a buy? I say, yes. Beyond its opening problems, its a solid performer, smells nice, and has a good bit of versatility of wear.

I wouldn’t put it at the top of my favorite Hugo Boss colognes, but it is a strong outing from this brand, and worth a look if it fits your style. It’s still among my favorites they’ve released in the past decades.

This one was pretty underrated and isn’t too available anymore. Though, there are still bottles floating around out there. The orange, spice, and smokiness comes together quite nicely.