New York Nights is a perfume which has gained a lot of popularity since its release back in 2017. It’s among my favorite Bond No. 9 scents, especially in the unisex part of this brand’s lineup. I bought another sample of Nights in order to finally do a proper review for the site. How does it smell? Does it last long?
What does New York Night Smell Like?
Notes include: gardenia, carnation, jasmine, patchouli, sea notes, sandalwood, caramel, coffee
Click here to try: New York Nights by Bond No.9
My Full Review
The opening here is interesting, as you get notes from every phase of the wear coming through to add their own statement.
To me, what stands out as interesting are: gardenia, aquatic notes, and the caramel. It’s a sweetish blend of flowers, with a smooth and somewhat thick blend of that caramel/coffee accord, and the freshness of sea notes.
Now, the sea notes here aren’t going to give you seaweed smells, like some of the others from Bond No. 9. However, it along with that caramel give you saltiness and just a general sense of freshness.
For some people, the sweetness mixed with the floral top notes, gives them a ‘banana’ or ‘banana bread’ sort of aroma. I get that somewhat, but on my skin New York Nights is much more of a distinct caramel with some roasted coffee.
That being said, that banana effect does pop up for me, from time to time.
Actually, I tend to get more of a spicy kick from the patchouli and carnation notes. This carnation does come across very much like clove here.
As we get into the middle act, Nights will become more of a standard floral. Most of the spice is gone, as are the sea notes. That’s kind of a disappointment, but I still like the result of this scent.
Gardenia and jasmine with sandalwood/patchouli, and a more equal mix of the coffee and caramel notes. The caramel loses some of its ground to its fellow base note.
The end of the line is a general sweetness with indistinct floral notes. Nothing too much stands out for me, at this point. It’s pleasant and wearable, but it all comes together into a mass.
Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility
To me, this has a fairly strong start. It settles into something that is only a bit above average. But, I get good projection when I spray it on clothes and leave the room. I can certainly detect it from afar and it leaves a scent trail when I wear it.
That won’t be the case for the entirety, as Nights will start to be more of an intimate scent. I never find it weak, it just doesn’t have that beast in it.
On my skin, this will last somewhere in the 7-8 hour range. It seems to land more towards the former, rather than the higher number.
Seasonally, I do prefer this one the colder days and nights of the autumn and winter months. More nighttime, as the name suggests. I think it’s fine for most in the spring, also. I’d stay away from massively humid and hot days.
It’s not so heavy that it’s stuck to cold weather only. You can venture a bit with NY Nights.
This one is listed as unisex, as are a lot of others from this brand. It leans feminine, but still quite wearable by almost anyone. If you don’t like the sweeter scents or florals, then, you can probably safely ignore Nights.
Overall Impressions of New York Nights
Overall, do I like New York Nights? Yes, again, it’s one of my favorites from Bond. However, it won’t be for everyone, even if it is a popular perfume.
For some guys, this may be too feminine. For people in general, you might get too much of that banana and lotion kind of smell, and that could also put you off to Nights.
The performance for the price is decent, but definitely not spectacular. If it were cheaper, I’d recommend that people blind buy this one. Since it isn’t, I’d recommend trying it out if you’re really interested. New York Nights could be one that you absolutely love.
For me, the floral is blended very well with the caramel and coffee accord. Those two, along with the sea notes draw me into that opening act. Some jasmine and carnation are around as well, giving this some depth beyond being a one note gardenia perfume.
This is a really good scent for the right person. It’s still quite mass appealing, but there will always be a sizeable contingent that New York Nights just doesn’t mesh well with. For me, it’s a delight.
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