Expensive

Creed Aventus Vs Green Irish Tweed Cologne Comparison

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I have already reviewed a bunch of the men’s fragrances by Creed on this site including both Aventus and Green Irish Tweed. Now, I want to do a bit of comparison between the two colognes to see which one is better.

So, I want to present my opinions on each of these colognes in this post and weigh as to which one is the better bet and why I think that.

Quick Overview

Creed Aventus is the overall winner because it has the more versatile and broadly appealing scent once the opening settles. It begins with a sharp blend of pineapple, black currant, dry birch, and lighter touches of citrus and apple, before becoming smoother, woodier, and better balanced.

Green Irish Tweed has the more tolerable opening, combining violet leaf, lemon verbena, mossy earthiness, sandalwood, iris, and ambergris. Its greener and more mature character works especially well in spring, though it is less suited to dates, parties, and younger wearers.

Both fragrances offer strong projection and roughly 7–10 hours of longevity. Aventus projects slightly more strongly and works across a wider range of seasons and occasions, making it the better choice for most men.

For cheaper ‘inspired by’ alternatives to each you can also try: Vert Gentilhomme and Poseidon’s Elixir  by The Dua Brand.

Category Creed Aventus Green Irish Tweed Winner
Opening Opens sharply with pineapple, black currant, dry birch, and lighter touches of apple and citrus. The first 15 minutes can feel harsh and overly intense. Starts mossy and earthy with violet leaf, lemon verbena, and green aromatic notes. It is not especially exciting, but feels less pungent than Aventus. Green Irish Tweed
Projection Strong projection that can become loud with more than a couple of sprays. It has the slightly larger and more noticeable scent trail. Also projects firmly within the strong range, though it is slightly less forceful than Aventus. Creed Aventus
Longevity Usually lasts around 7–10 hours across different climates, with heat and humidity pushing it toward the lower end. Also delivers roughly 7–10 hours of wear and remains resilient even in warmer conditions. Push
Versatility Works during spring, early summer, mild summer days, and even winter. It can handle casual wear, dates, parties, and more sophisticated occasions. Best suited to spring and has a more mature character. It works well for everyday or refined wear, but feels less natural for dates and parties. Creed Aventus
Overall Scent Becomes much better after the opening, with pineapple, birch, oakmoss, ambergris, vanilla, and softer citrus creating a balanced woody-masculine scent. A green, earthy, citrus-tinged fragrance built around violet leaf, lemon verbena, iris, sandalwood, and ambergris. Pleasant, but more style-specific. Creed Aventus

Tale of the Tape: Green Irish Tweed vs Aventus

Green Irish Tweed (GIT)

Notes include: violet leaf, sandalwood, iris, ambergris, lemon verbena 

Click here to try: Creed Green Irish Tweed Eau de Parfum 3.4 Oz/100 ml New In Box

Read my original Review: Green Irish Tweed

Aventus

Click here to try: Creed Aventus for Men Eau De Parfum Spray, 4.0 Ounce

Notes of Creed Aventus: 

Top: Blackcurrant,Italian bergamot, French apples and pineapple

Middle: Rose, dry birch, Moroccan jasmine, and patchouli

Base Notes: musk, oak moss, ambergris, and vanilla.

Read my original Review: Aventus Review

Opening

Now, as I’ve stated in my original reviews (Aventus and GIT), I’m not really a fan of either cologne’s opening scent. To me, the opening 15 minutes or so of Aventus is akin to a dulled down version of Lemon Pinesol. Meanwhile, GIT has a pretty earthy and mossy type of opening which doesn’t really wow me either.

Aventus kicks off with a sharp mix of pineapple and black currant. It’s pretty darn harsh to my nose, quite dry with the super dry birch note coming through. The citrus and apple notes, aren’t too prevalent but you can pick them up.

While, I don’t like this opening act of Aventus, I do enjoy it once it settles down. The birch strengthens, with oak moss, and the intensity of the fruity notes fade. This makes it much more balanced and tolerable to me. 

Green Irish Tweed, is pretty mossy and earthy in the beginning, to my nose. I get plenty of violet leaf, lemon verbena, and other assorted notes giving it that flair. I don’t particularly enjoy the opening, but like Aventus, it gets much better.

I enjoy GIT more, once it takes more of a turn toward the citrus, but this follows that earthy violet leaf start. 

If I had to choose the better opening from two which I’m not fond of, I’d give the nod to GIT. It doesn’t blow me away but it isn’t as pungent and intense as the opening of Aventus. So, during this initial stage it is a better fragrance.

Edge: GIT

Longevity

Both of these fragrances are very good in terms of how long each of them lasts.  There really is no edge here as both of them have about the same wear time of somewhere in the 7-10 hour range in most cases.

I’ve worn each many times, in a variety of climates, and I always get them to fall in this same range. Yes, heat and humidity, can diminish the results more toward 7 hours. Though, they are very resilient compared to a lot of other men’s fragrances, in such scenarios. 

Edge: Push

 

Projection

Just as both of these fragrances have good longevity, they also project very well too. I would say that Aventus is the stronger of the two in this regard, as I usually won’t apply more than the equivalent of two sprays, after that I think it just becomes too loud.

Neither of them, has an absolutely massive sillage, compared to others on the market. However, I view each as being firmly in the strong category. 

Edge: Slight Aventus

Versatility

I view GIT as more of a spring scent and Aventus as a spring/early summer scent. However, Aventus could be used well during the winter and in the summer as well, if it is not too hot.

Also, I think Aventus has more uses in terms of the occasion than does Green Irish Tweed. GIT doesn’t feel like a date night cologne to me or one that I’d one to wear out to a party or something.

Whereas, I think Aventus can pull both of these situations off. Aventus seems sophisticated but not necessarily something a younger guy couldn’t wear and GIT comes off as more mature in its use.

Edge: Aventus

Overall Scent

I like GIT but I’ve never been blown away by it. I understand why some people swear by it but it really isn’t my style and I feel like that’d also be the case for many other guys.

While the opening of Aventus has never sat right with me, once it settles down it does become a really great scent that is quite woodsy and masculine with the undertones of citrus, instead of its initial overwhelming citrus notes.

I really like the woodsy tones of Aventus, once separated from the fruit, and when paried with the ambergris and vanilla. Both add a touch of sweetness, without the tart feeling of pineapple and black currant in conjunction.

Pineapple, birch, and oak moss are still the strongest in the end, however. Though, have a much more balanced scent than before. 

Updating this page: Creed has since release Absolu Aventus and Aventus Cologne, if you want different takes on this original style.

Again, this is all subjective to my personal tastes and experiences. But, I simply think that Aventus is the better choice between the two, for most guys. Even if, there have been a ton of Creed Aventus alternatives hitting the market the past however many years.

Winner: Aventus

Aventus by Creed

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As I have written before in my post about the best smelling Creed fragrances for men, it is a long and storied luxury fragrance house which dates back to 1760 (or so the legend goes). One of Creed’s most popular, and top smelling fragrances for men. is called Aventus.

It is unique, masculine, and refreshing. Even the bottle it comes in looks cool. It’s almost reminiscent of a pirates flag, aesthetically. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try? (If you’re looking for the newer Aventus Cologne, click for my review of that fragrance).

 

⚗️ Creed Aventus — At a Glance
Fragrance Family
Fruity Chypre
Key Notes
Pineapple, Birch, Oak Moss, Ambergris, Blackcurrant, Vanilla
Season
Spring Fall
Occasion
Office, Date Night, Casual, Evening
Longevity
8–9 hrs (6 hrs in heat)
Sillage
Strong — noticeable without being overpowering
Rating
★★★★★8.6 / 10
Price Range
$$$$ Luxury
Quick Verdict
A complex, smoky-fruity signature scent. Opens sharp, dries down into rich birch and oak moss. Best in cool weather — versatile enough for the office or a night out.

 

What does Creed Aventus Smell Like?

Due to the fact that it had been a while since I’ve smelled Aventus, I decided to pick myself up a sample size in order to do a review on this fragrance. (Here is my latest Creed review: Green Irish Tweed).

Update: I have updated and revamped this review, since I’ve now had even more time to spend with Aventus, over the years.

creed aventus

Notes (Ingredients) of Creed Aventus: 

Top: Blackcurrant, Italian bergamot, French apples and pineapple

Middle: Rose, dry birch, Moroccan jasmine, and patchouli

Base Notes: musk, oak moss, ambergris, and vanilla.

Click here to try Aventus: Creed Aventus Creed 4 OZ Millesime Spray For Men

Full Wear Review

The first thing I notice about Aventus when it comes straight out of the bottle is the initial intensity of the pineapple and the woodsy scent that accompanies it.

Fragrances change over time, some more than others, and Aventus is one which you definitely cannot judge right out of the bottle because it is highly layered and complex.

I’ve never really liked the opening few minutes of this Creed fragrance, as it is quite brash, and reminds me of a Pinesol-like cleaner. Yes, that’s always been the exact aroma that I get, BUT, it definitely gets much better than this. Maybe, I’m in the minority in terms of the opening, but I don’t care for that part.

I think what I most dislike about the opening is just how sharp and dry it is to my nose. The main culprits seem to be the pineapple and black currant notes.

There is also a hint of citrus from the bergamot and the watery crisp apple note, but they are background players to the other two fruits.

The black currant and pineapple feel too intense for the first few minutes that I’m wearing Aventus, and then, the birch and a bone dry oak moss are present but yet to fully form.

So, yeah, the opening is much closer to a soapy floor cleaner (but not the entire wear throughout).

The next wave dulls down the strength of the pineapple note and gives it a nice, sweet scent, which is less fruity and more of a woodsy aroma.

The birch and the musk notes really start to emerge and Aventus takes on a new and I would say much better character than it had previously.

The aforementioned oak moss comes to life in whiffs, every so often, and reminds me of something like Drakkar Noir (just that one note in particular).

This section of the fragrance is much like a brisk October day, spent outdoors, walking along a forest of birch trees. Low humidity and cool weather abound.

Aventus is noticeably sharp throughout, but again, softens as it moves through it’s life cycle. I would say that the black currant note is the underrated contributor here, as that is a rather unique fruit smell, and what I believe gives Aventus most of its ‘sharp’ tone.

While I don’t like its pairing with the pineapple in the beginning (which just makes it too overwhelming), I think it contributes quite nicely, when the Creed scent is much more developed.

The woodiness does have a slight smokiness to it, also. Dry birch and the oak moss note, will give it that sort of profile, and keep it from being a less ‘juicy’ fruit kind of scent.

It is noticeably dry smelling but that smokiness really gets going later on in the dry down period. This is the time when Aventus, really starts to get interesting. As the warm and familiar Creed ambergris note comes alive and is joined by the ubiquitous sweetness that is vanilla.

What I’m ultimately left with for the remainder of the day, is a main trio of pineapple, birch, and oak moss. With supporting roles by the ambergris, vanilla, and black currant. Aventus is a juicy, deep, rich, and woodsy scent that has plenty of character.

 

How Long Does it Last? What’s the Sillage Like?

Creed Aventus is a long lasting fragrance but not a complete monster. When I gave it another trial run during the past few days, it stayed with me while I was at work all day and into the evening.

I’d say it’s an 8 or 9 hour type of cologne, most of the time. Though, I have found that on hotter days, it will usually only pull around 6 hours on my skin.

I’ve seen plenty of people claim that they hit double digit hours of longevity with Aventus, but I really don’t think I ever have. Everyone’s body chemistry and skin is different, but I do hit 10+ hours with plenty of other colognes, just not this.

It isn’t overpowering but it also isn’t a fragrance that needs very much to be potent. Don’t go overboard and use a lot, because it really isn’t necessary with this cologne. However, the sillage is very good and you’ll always know that you are wearing it.

Again, the first few minutes are when it’s at its most ‘in your face’, and even then it’s not as powerful as some of the so-called ‘club beasts’. Strong but not crazy so. Other people will most assuredly be able to smell it on you.

When Should Aventus be Worn?

While it is late summer now, I don’t find this to be a great fragrance for summer overall. I like it, it can be fine inside with air conditioning, but when outdoors it loses much of its charm (another Creed option for summer is Imperial Millesime).

I actually like wearing it in the early spring or autumn, I feel like the air temperature and humidity levels are the best for this scent, during those seasons. As I mentioned before, that period during the dry down, the crisp and dry woods, really evokes those thoughts of being outdoors on a Fall day.

In terms of Aventus’ versatility, it can be worn casually or dressed up. It’s a mature scent, but not an out of date one. I’ve worn it at an office before, during the day, on a date, or a night on the town.

I will say, that it’s probably not one for a teenager, to wear to school. I mean, most teens won’t be able to afford this anyhow, but it still has a more masculine aroma.

Does This Creed Get Complements?

It’s very nice and pleasant, but not too much of a ‘sexy’ kind of cologne. I’ve gotten complements from women about it, but it doesn’t completely draw them in, like some others that I’ve worn.

While, I’ve read elsewhere, that Creed Aventus is other folks most complemented cologne. That’s not really the case for me.

Yes, indeed I have gotten plenty over the past five or however many years, that I’ve been wearing this juice. However, I will say frankly, it is not the one I get the most praise for wearing.

Not that it’s a requirement for a great cologne. You should wear a particular fragrance because you enjoy it first and foremost. If it gets other people’s attention, that’s cool.

Honestly, I get more complements from wearing Dior Intense, and even at times from Bvlgari’s Man in Black. The later is more hit or miss, but some women really love that dark/boozy/spice sort of fragrance.

Overall Thoughts and Is it Worth a Purchase?

Overall, would I recommend Creed Aventus? Yes, if you have the money to spend on a bottle, its well worth a try. It seems like the price per bottle has been going up, with the popularity. Is it worth the price of admission?

Personally, I would drop hundreds of dollars, on a variety of fragrances instead of just this one. Although, as a signature scent Aventus, really does deliver the goods, so to speak.

I’ve actually grown somewhat tired of it over the past few years, so I’m not as high on it as I once was. A lot of that may have to do with just how many times it has been copied or very closely mimicked, which is an insane amount.

However, I cannot deny that it is a great scent, and also one that performs up to its reputation.

It’s still one of the best fragrances that Creed has put out and an important landmark within the fragrance industry.

Is it overrated? Perhaps, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t good. It’s actually damn good, but like anything else popular, it will have its zealots and detractors. Nowadays, it’s something that I can enjoy wearing every so often, but not really something I’m totally in love with.

How Aventus Compares to Similar Fragrances:

Aventus vs. Sauvage vs. Bleu de Chanel– Battle of two of the most popular scents in the world. I think Aventus wins against the original Sauvage EDT. How does it stack up against BdC?

Creed Aventus vs. Green Irish Tweed– My comparison between the popular Aventus and its well put together Creed counterpart.

Aventus vs. Aventus Cologne– How does the lighter version of Aventus stack up to the original?

Creed Aventus FAQ

Is Creed Aventus worth the price?

I’d say, yes. It’s an absolute classic, but it has been copied by so many others. So, while it no longer feels as ‘unique’ as it once did, Aventus is still very enjoyable. 

Who is Creed Aventus best for?

Pretty much anyone from a newbie to the fragrance space, to a long-term collector. Great balance and easily can become someone’s signature scent.

What are the best alternatives to Creed Aventus?

Personally, I like the Poseidon’s Elixir fragrances from The Dua Brand. They have both their take on different batches of Aventus, as well as blends that they do with their other interpretations of designer scents or added notes. I had one that added an extra berry accord, called, Poseidon’s Berry Affair.

But, here’s an extended list of what I think are the best alternatives to Aventus: Fragrances similar to Creed Aventus

What batch is best for Creed Aventus?

I don’t know. Some people have their favorites, I have no plans on getting that niche with it. Again, the Dua Brand has their interpretations of different batches, so maybe look through those as a source for which one might be right for you.

 

12 Best Smelling YSL Colognes for Men

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Yves Saint Laurent is a French fashion company which produces among other things, fantastic scents. YSL is honestly one of my favorite fragrance designers, as I know I’ll always get both unique and masculine scents to wear.

YSL has produced fantastic colognes since the 1970s and many of them are not even included on this list as they are either no longer produced or just really hard to find (scents such as: YSL Pour Homme, Live Jazz, M7, and Kouros Tattoo). All worthy of a spot, just too far in the past.

For this list, I have chosen what I consider to be the twelve best smelling Yves Saint Laurent colognes for men currently available (at least online). Each of them represents a different style and situation to which to wear them in.

Note: I have updated this page from the original, to expand further, and make necessary edits. Mainly, add new one’s to the list and move discontinued fragrances towards the bottom.  Also See: Best YSL Perfumes for Ladies

Favorite Men’s Fragrances from Saint Laurent

 

Classy Event

Tuxedo by YSL– I was late to the party with this one, but man, is this a great juice. Tuxedo is one of their more expensive offerings, but is an absolute gem.

It opens up with its spicy kick of cardamom and black pepper. It’s not super massive with that spice, as it is subdued by the sweeter notes and the fact that they are swimming in a sea of warm amber.

The other layer up top is greenish, a little earthy, watery, and smoky. Mostly, patchouli and violet leaf. After that, we will transition away from the spice to a sweeter floral with notes of vanilla and rose.

It all comes together with a great balance and stylish feeling that begs to be worn while dressed up. It may not be for everyone or one specifically for daily wear, but Tuxedo is one to try and one of YSL’s best. Tuxedo Review

Vestiaire Des Parfums Pick

6 Place Saint Sulpice by YSL– So, like the other major designers, YSL has its own higher end unisex blends available under the Vestiaire des Parfums banner. 6 Place Saint Sulpice is one such offering and it is really darn good.

This one is deep and rich, more niche than the best sellers on this list. Leather, saffron, lavender, labdanum, and tonka bean.

At times it’s creamy. Then, it’ll be smoky and very woody while sitting on top of the ever-present leather note. I’ve only come across this scent once, the leather almost felt more of a suede to me. But, I’d need to spend more time with Sulpice.

This isn’t going to one for most folks. It’s warm, spice, nutty, woody, smoky. and has a lot of depth. But, for the right person, this is gold.

Now, this is going to run you in the $250 per bottle range. Also, while there are still bottles available as of posting, I’m not sure how long that is going to be the case. I believe it is now discontinued.

Best New Cologne Release and Daily Wear Pick

Yves Saint Laurent Y Eau de Parfum Spray for Men, 3.3 Ounce– The newest release from YSL, that makes the list of its best. Y EDP, was released after the very nice Y EDT, but surpassed it in every way. Not only that, it was one of the best releases of 2018, and a top offering from Yves Saint Laurent.

Y EDP opens up with a crisp freshness provided by a blend of: bergamot, apple, and ginger. It is blended perfectly and grabs one’s attention, from the start. After that, comes the warmth and creaminess of tonka bean and amberwood, which is further freshened by juniper.

This one has outstanding longevity of over 10 hours, on my skin, and a solid but not overly loud sillage. It is clean, with moments of sweetness, herbal aromas, and underlying woodiness. I had to update this list, to include Y EDP. It seems like it’s catching on now and getting its just due.

Y EDP is their best current release, in my opinion (vintage bottles of other entries notwithstanding). I also like Le Parfum and Elixir from this series, Y EDP Review

 

Flanker L’Homme

L’Homme EDP– There’s been a long list of flankers stemming from the original L’homme release by YSL. Some, were really good and sadly long gone. Others, not so much.

Eau de Parfum was released from the brand in 2022 and is one of the better colognes to be under the L’Homme banner.

Bergamot and bitter orange open things up. It’s sweet, juicy, feels ambery, and you get the oak and cognac combination also coming through. It’ll dry down into something that is more woody, earthy, with notes of geranium and lavender also making an appearance.

The performance is just okay. I wish it was beefed up more and I got more time with the opening act. Still, this is a release from the line worth trying. L’Homme EDP Review

Most Popular Cologne

Yves Saint Laurent La Nuit De L’homme Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.3-Ounce
A soft, casual, long-lasting, and fantastic smelling cologne from Yves Saint Laurent. This is another one that turns the heads of the ladies and it is masculine without being in your face about it. Cardamom provides a warm spice, which is then met with a calming lavender note.

The composition is also quite woody with a dry freshness from the combo of cedar and vetiver. This has been a best seller for a decade, at this point.

Simple, straight to the point. I will say, that recent bottles, have seemed weaker than in the past. Yet, La Nuit is still among YSL’s best men’s perfumes.

Update: I’ve got a full bottle of this and L’Homme from 2021 and the longevity has gotten really bad for both. Like, 2-3 hours. They can be had for a lower price usually, but just be prepared to reapply, if you decide to go this route. Still smells great, just weak.

Notes include: Vetiver, Cedar, Coumarin, Floral notes, Bergamot, Lavender, Cardamom. Review

 

 

Best La Nuit Flanker

La Nuit de L’Homme Bleu Électrique– This is a newer release for 2021, that I only tried once, but it’s a worthwhile addition to the list. I still do need to spend more time with Bleu and give it a full and proper review.

It is pretty close to the one above, but with a noticeably fresher opening act with the ginger note and a greater use of the lavender note versus the very cardamom focused original La Nuit.

The citrus up top also seemed stronger to me, but it’s been a while since I’ve had a bottle of the old stuff.

Performance was much better, but again I need to test it out more. One noticeable difference is the tonka bean in the base, similar to that found in Eau Electrique (listed below).

Top Herbal/Woods Fragrance Pick

Jazz By Yves Saint Laurent For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.3 Ounces
A harder to find classic from the late 1980s. Jazz is a spicy floral based cologne that has a knack for attracting women. Jazz is a throwback fragrance, to a time before you had a bunch of aquatics, and the same ambroxan-laden colognes that you have today.

Update: Not sure if this has been completely discontinued or if Jazz is still available in some markets.

It is green, herbal, spicy, fresh, and captivating. Masculine and mature, not overpowering, but subtle in its confidence. Jazz has a slightly soapy aroma, but with more woods and spice. There are still bottles floating around of Jazz.

Live Jazz was also another awesome scent, but I haven’t seen that one in quite a while, and they never re-released it. Notes include: sandalwood, rose, spices, and amber. Jazz EDT Full Review

jazz

Top Classic Masculine Laurent Scent

Kouros by Yves Saint Laurent for Men – 3.3 Ounce EDT Spray
Another very attractive scent from YSL. Like Jazz, it has a blend of floral notes and spicy one too but Kouros adds undertones of woods to give it that extra depth. This one is intense. This dates back to the early 1980s, and as such, has been reformulated and changed with time.

I can’t say what it originally was like, but from all accounts, it was an absolute bomb. I know it from mid-2000s onward. Kouros is not one for everybody, some will love it, while others will detest it. At times it is clean and bright, at others, dirty and rough.

Today, it really doesn’t strike me as being all that dirty. Early stages of spice, aldehydes giving it a fresh brightness, and an ever-present musk. Later, it’s sweeter, has leather, and a classic floral finish.

This is going to come across as completely different from other parfums pour homme, that are usually released nowadays. The 80s, was a time of lots of super bold and masculine scents. and Kouros was absolutely one of them. Kouros Full Review

kouros

Honorable Mentions

Best YSL Winter Perfume Pour Homme

Yves Saint Laurent Body Kouros for Men, Eau De Toilette, 3.3 Fluid Ounce
Great casual cologne which is a favorite of mine in the winter months. It blends eucalyptus, incense, and woods for a candy sweet fragrance with a bit of spice.

Kouros Body, is a very unique fragrance, that was released by YSL back in 2000.

Really, there’s nothing else that smells quite like it, due to the ingredients it used. It’s actually one of my favorites from YSL, but it’s not really produced anymore, so it’ll go in this section.

The main note is bezoin that is paired with a smokey incense note and a somewhat medicinal eucalyptus. It is very smooth, with an enveloping warmth, and a light spice within the sweetness powered by sage. It is very simple and super fresh.

The sillage was always pretty moderate, but it has a solid wear time. However, when women got close to me while I was wearing this, it usually got me complements. Not too many guys wear this and I was glad to stand out. I reviewed Kouros Body here

rp_KO14M-234x300.jpg

 

Most Unique YSL

Opium By Yves Saint Laurent For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.3 Ounces– This gets moved to the honorable mentions now, since it’s been discontinued for a long time and those last bottles that YSL did produce, kind of lost a step with the quality/performance.

A rather warm and soft cologne that is great for fall and winter. Opium is an exotic and spicy scent with notes of vanilla which help to mellow it out. It opens up with that warm spice and a black currant note, that can be quite tart/sharp, however it is subdued in this one.

Balsam is highly present within the composition and creates a warm cloud, and to me, gives Opium its exotic and dream-like quality.

As the black currant settles, the spice from the anise and pepper take center stage, and boost the freshness of this cologne. Next, it turns sweeter, due to the familiar scent of vanilla which is sitting on top of a cedar base.

My bottle of Opium EDT, always gave me awesome performance, with a bold sillage and over 10 hours of wear. It is another cold weather fragrance and one that has always gone underappreciated.

Update: I still see bottles of this around. But, I bought a bottle of the EDT (and vintage EDP original), and the latest EDT they put out really doesn’t have the same vibe or performance.

Notes include: vanilla, ginger, pepper,  cedar,  balsam. I reviewed Opium here

opium

Most Underrated YSL Fragrance for Men

Yves Saint Laurent La Nuit De L’Homme Eau Electrique Eau De Toilette Spray 100ml/3.3 Fl Oz– Eau Electrique was released a few years ago, to little fanfare, and is still quite underrated. I think that it is completely unfair, because this fragrance, is sneaky good. It is a flanker of La Nuit, but doesn’t really resemble its predecessor.

Electrique is creamy and smooth, with a powdery finish. Lots of tonka bean, geranium, crisp apple, vanilla and a fresh woody base featuring cedar. The performance is good, not overpowering, but quite a great wear in the autumn and winter months.

Not a ground breaking cologne, but this is really a pleasant fragrance to wear, and one which gets noticed. I’ve been hoping that this one would get cheap, so I could scoop up a really inexpensive bottle, but that hasn’t come to pass as of yet. Nevertheless, I think it’s a very worth perfume for men. Eau Electrique Review.

Myslf

 

Myslf Le Parfum by YSL–  I’m listing Le Parfum as the one that I personally prefer out of the two of these. However, it’s not a cologne for everyone, as it is much more floral-centric versus Myslf EDP.

That one is a blast of bergamot citrus, before the emergence of a lighter orange blossom note. Le Parfum is a heavier use of orange blossom, with a spicy kick, woods, patchouli, and vanilla coming through.

Le Parfum has the better performance and I think that it is better put together overall. But, EDP is a crowd pleaser and something that probably easier to wear and more approachable for most guys. Myslf EDP review

 

10 Best Smelling Bvlgari Colognes

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This is a list of the top ten fragrances for men by the design house, Bvlgari. Each of these perfumes is unique and smells great in their own right.

The key, is to find the one that pairs well with your own personal tastes, and sense of style. All types are represented here, from aquatic to the more spicy or woodsy scents.

They are mostly all among Bvlgari’s most popular, with some other, underrated gems. Some will be more versatile than a few of the niche entries on the list and I try to describe where each one falls on the spectrum.

Favorite Best Bvlgari Colognes for Men

Top Winter/Nightlife Bvlgari Fragrance

Bvlgari Man in Black Eau de Parfum Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce
Man in Black by Bvlgari is my favorite cologne from this brand. I love its dark, spicy, and boozy aroma. Its one that I’ve gotten plenty of complements on wearing, over the past two years, including one girl telling me repeatedly how, ‘incredibly sexy’ I smelled.

It wasn’t something that I was all that crazy about at first, but this cologne really grew on me in a big way. Wearing this on a cold evening, really let’s the fragrance shine.

This one gets plenty dark and has a smoky undertone, that is simply great. Boozy and spicy, then, smooth and warm.

Man in Black is spice soaked in rum, with a smooth leather and creamy tonka bean to calm it down. Add to that, tobacco plus oud, and you have yourself a highly masculine scent that gets noticed. Man in Black Full Review

Update: The Parfum version of this has been released. It’s a spicier blend, without the rum, and an iris note which gives it some distinction. I still prefer the EDP.

bvlgari man in black cologne

Top Spring/Summer Fragrance Overall

Bvlgari Man Extreme by Bvlgari 3.4 oz Eau de Toilette Spray– Man Extreme has much better staying power, than the original Bvlgari Man (listed lower on the page). However, the two really aren’t similar in how they smell.

Man Extreme is led by citrus, with vetiver undertones. The woodiness and vetiver, is the major overlap between these colognes. Ultimately, the arrive at different places.

Most importantly, is the inclusion of a great and quite unique, cactus note. It is a freshly spiced citrus scent, for the warmer months, with a note which really helps to set it apart. Very nice, with good performance, and the sillage isn’t too loud.

The citrus and cactus blend, up top is really awesome. It’s a rather dry scent, much like the original, and you get the fresh and smoothness of vetiver in the latter stages. Along with, some light cardamom spice.

Tygar Summer

Tygar by Bvlgari– Tygar is one of the brand’s more exclusive and expensive scents. It’s not too complicated, but is a great citrus wear for the warmer months of the year.

To me, it splits the difference between Afternoon Swim and L’Immensite by LV. This one goes with a heavy use of grapefruit (feels like some orange is there too), as the citrus. With amber and wood to round things out.

It’s also got a fresh kick with the lovely ginger note and a musky finish that pairs with the amber note in the back half.

Not exactly the same as either of those Louis Vuitton fragrances, but gives you the same well put together feeling, in a cologne that’s pretty chill and casual for the summertime.

Best Oceanic Aqva

BVLGARI Aqva Atlantiqve Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.3 Ounce– The Aqva line inhabits its own space in the male fragrance world. You have to be a fan of the marine/oceanic fragrances to truly appreciate them.

Atlantiqve is probably the top pick, in my mind. This is a very nice fragrance that comes across sort of like an oceanic version of Versace’s Dylan Blue.

The two are most alike at the start, when the citrus is strongest. The sea notes are there, but it isn’t overly salty, and there is of course the ambergris.

Atlantiqve does a great job at evoking the depths of the ocean, while still bringing the pleasant citrus notes. The latter stages really start to bring in the amber and drier notes. Salty with that amberwood note, that’s found in Light Blue Eau Intense.

Best Fresh Daily Wear

Bvlgari Blv By Bvlgari For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Oz.
Bvlgari Blv is a scent that sort of stands alone, in terms of its unique style. It has that familiar and subtle spice of ginger and cardamom.

It has a super fresh quality and woody/outdoorsy notes, holding up its base.

Blv also brings in its greenish tobacco note, mainly the flower, which plays quite well off of that ginger top. I really dig this one, as ginger, never seems to get much play as a strong note. It’s usually just a role player, but here, it gets the chance to shine.

Blv is an every day wear for casual situations or an office environment. That low key spice is wrapped up in a powdered finish, which is quite nice.  My Blv Review

bvlgari blv

Top Woodsy/Unique

Bvlgari Man Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 5 Ounce– Bvlgari Man is a woody fragrance that is soft, smooth, and sweet with that bit of honey at its heart. Man is not at all an overpowering fragrance, it is more of one that demands others get closer for a better aroma.

It opens up with violet leaf, pear, lotus, and a bit of citrus. It is sweet, while being floral/woody, and especially dry.

The floral notes will lighten, as it moves on, and you will be left with more vetiver and woods. Bvlgari man is clean, with a dry sweetness, and crisp aroma in the beginning.

That is not to say that Bvlgari Man is completely weak, it isn’t, it is more subtle, refined, and masculine but use more sprays. I do wish that it was bolder and had top notch sillage, because it is a pretty unique and fine smelling scent.  Full Bvlgari Man Review

Update: It’s discontinued. But, Dua has their inspired version of it: Dua’s Charming Man

bvlgari man

Neroli Clean

Bvlgari Man Wood Neroli– A very nice spring/summertime wear that is indeed in the same vein as Neroli Portofino  by Tom Ford, but not at all an exact match. Wood Neroli, is much woodier (as the name suggest), particularly in the dry down.

It opens with a fresh squeeze of bergamot and the signature neroli note. It’s got a nice balance of the citrus juice and neroli for the first bit of the wear. Then, the neroli will get the upper hand between them.

The dry down is where this one really takes on its own unique qualities. Cypriol, cedar, and other woody notes combine with musk and amber in the base.

The earlier stages feel more like a clean soap. Then, it shift to a fresher woodsier clean.

Classiest Bvlgari Cologne

Bvlgari Pour Homme Soir By Bvlgari For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 oz
Homme Soir is such a simplistic and straightforward kind of cologne, but I don’t think that I’ve encountered anything else like it.

It is a classy and refine fragrance that is brilliant in its use of a limited amount of notes.

There’s the citrus top of bergamot and a green herbal aroma of tea. This is all surrounded by the warm understated amber note and the crisp dryness of papyrus.

Update: This one has been discontinued for a while now. Though, the brand did release a new EDP version of Pour Homme. So, maybe this one will also get a refresher at some point.

bvlgari pour soir

Original Casual Aquatic

Bvlgari Aqua By Bvlgari For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces– Aqva is obviously an aquatic scent. From the start we get a strong blend of two types of orange, salty seaweed, and cedar driftwood.

It has that really oceanic and water laden citrus fruit vibe, that strikes hard at first.

However, it doesn’t stay citrus laden throughout like most aquatics and ends up with quite a moderate sillage. The orange note, actually fades pretty fast, and you get that seaweed coming in to its full effect.

That is joined by lavender and the remaining cedar wood. Really good casual scent for the summer months and feels like being at the shore. Full Bvlgari Aqva Review

bvlgari aqua

Essence Line

Bvlgari Man Wood Essence– For me, the Essence line was mostly a disappointment from Bvlgari. But, there are those who like it, and Wood Essence is the best of them.

It surprised me that this and Terrae, were the colognes that I enjoyed the most from the series. I would’ve though it’d be the others.

It kicks off with a mix of sweetness and citrus zest. It’s not heavy or too overdone with the citrus notes, but feels quite refreshing.

Coriander shines for about 15 minutes, but this one is going to be led by the cypress and cedar notes.

Not too amazing with the performance. Though, it’s good for most purposes.

Would be my last pick on this list, but I think Wood Essence delivers a nice enough wear to be included in the current crop of fragrances from the brand. Wood Essence review

wood essence review

Riverside Drive by Bond No. 9

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This is going to serve as my inaugural review of a Bond No. 9 fragrance and I hope to cover them all in the future. However, since I’ve gotten a new vial of Riverside Drive wrapped in the bon-bon style this house’s samples are famous for, and it is fresh on my mind after wearing around…it’s time to write this out.

Riverside Drive is classified as unisex but it is slightly more towards the masculine side of things, though not overly so. In this post, I want to give my impressions of this scent, what it smells like, how it performs, and whether or not it is worth a buy.

Update: This is an older review from many years back. I’ve come back and made changes to it since. Also, Riverside Drive is now back in stock, after being gone from Bond’s lineup for a time.

What does Riverside Drive Smell Like?

Notes include: oakmoss, basil, pineapple, sandalwood, and violet

Click here to try: Bond No. 9 Riverside Drive by Bond No. 9 For Men. Eau De Parfum Spray 3.3 0z

riverside drive

My Full Review

The opening of Riverside Drive immediately strikes me as familiar. It is crazy how much this is like a blend of Creed’s Green Irish Tweed and L’Homme Libre by YSL.

On the Creed side of things, it’s the violet note and pineapple (GIT has lemon), which gives it a similar vibe…it also sort of seems like an Aventus style fragrance. Not the same, just a comparison.

So, off the bat, if you like any of those scents, you’ll probably like Riverside Drive. The basil note is quite prevalent as well, which is why Libre comes to mind.

I’d say it’s most similar to those fragrances in the initial phase of wear, the basil/woodsy/floral notes hit pretty hard at first, and then this Bond cologne mellows out into something fruitier. It does have a slight vegetal aroma, in the early stages before it dries out completely.

The oakmoss is more at play from the start and then becomes more of a background player. Riverside Drive just comes off as a very dry smelling fragrance (ala Azzaro Homme, which shares the oakmoss note), as the pineapple isn’t a ‘juicy’ scent when combined with the other notes.

A fresh and still somewhat mossy sandalwood with a light patchouli and violet earthiness underneath. The basil isn’t too prevalent, towards the end, but the pineapple’s effect does seem to stick around.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it strikes me as a moderate. It isn’t a heavy fragrance, more than intimate though, and definitely noticeable. Maybe a 3-4 foot radius around you, after it has settled down.

It also has very good longevity and sticks with me as the day wears on. Maybe 8-9 hours of wear, in total. Not completely amazing, but I wasn’t disappointed with how Riverside performs, as you’ll get plenty of time with it.

Riverside Drive is a good scent for the warmer months, it really doesn’t have that nightlife appeal, however. I like it as a daily wear option for spring, mainly. Maybe the early part of the autumn too.

It is an attractive scent and girls seem to enjoy it. Again, I’d wear it during the daytime in more casual situations or for work, versus it being something to wear out on a date.

Overall Impressions of Riverside Drive

Overall, is Riverside Drive, worth a buy? That depends. I enjoy the scent but much like GIT, it isn’t really my style. As such, I don’t want to pay for a full bottle.

However, plenty of people would really like this stuff. It is a fine fragrance in my opinion and if any of the aforementioned colognes are one’s you really enjoy, I’d say go for it.

The smell itself is nice and if this is your style, you should at least like it a lot, if not love. The performance is good and this can easily become a signature fragrance for the right guy.