Fragrances

Azzaro Pour Homme by Azzaro

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In my continuing series of men’s fragrance reviews, I am going to take a closer look today at Azzaro Pour Homme. I have already reviewed Chrome by Azzaro , which is quite a different fragrance then this one.

This cologne is a long-time seller, and some would say, classic scent. Does is live up to that status? What notes make up Azzaro? What does it smell like? How does it perform? Is it worth a purchase? Please continue below for my full write up.

What does Azzaro Pour Homme Smell Like?

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Notes include: oakmoss, amber, musk, cedar, juniper berries, lavender, lemon, anise, and more

Click here to try Azzaro Pour Homme: Azzaro By Azzaro For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 6.8 oz

My Full Review

Azzaro Pour Homme has been around for a long time, and has basically achieved classic status, in the fragrance world. That being said, it definitely is not a scent for everybody, and won’t vibe well with some people’s style. Especially, if you’re into more ‘modern’ releases.

The opening of Azzaro is a fresh and woodsy blast. The oakmoss, cedar, and anise really stand out to me. Lemon is there, but it is a light touch, to my nose. There seems to be a refreshing spice that lingers quite well, but it’s a cool spice (sort of the same way mint projects itself), and it is all tied together by the smoothness of lavender.

Cold, spicy, and woodsy. Still, Pour Homme is clean at the top, with a very smooth leather and slight herbal quality to its aroma.

Azzaro is quite an interesting scent. It gives off a refined and masculine vibe that is wholly unique, especially compared to more modern fragrances for men.

It is so layered at times that is can be difficult to pick out some of the notes but the lavender and oakmoss are the most prominent, which gives it this crisp and soapy/cream sort of aroma.

The cycle of Azzaro starts off with the fresh spicy aroma, which then moves into the sort of classic barbershop soapiness. The oak moss and lavender, are particularly noticeable in the latter stages of the wear.

Sillage, Versatility, and How Long does it Last?

Projection wise, Azzaro does it’s job. It isn’t a heavy cologne but you really don’t have to use much of it either. I find that 2-3 sprays, is about the max, that I’ll put on.

Even with that, I still don’t think it’s an absolute beast with its sillage either. It will reach rather far away from the skin, for 30-45 minutes or so, and then become moderate to semi-powerful for the remainder of the wear.

It is also one, that doesn’t quit on you after a few hours, and will keep going along for the remainder of the day. Testing it a few more times recently, it was clocking 7-9 hours, on my skin. That’s not an insanely long time, but a full work day is plenty, for most guys.

This would honestly be worn best in the months of autumn, as its woodsy aroma would fit in quite well during that time of year. However, it’ll work well in anything besides extreme heat and humidity.

If you live in a tropical climate, I’d probably avoid Azzaro Pour Homme for anything besides wear in an air conditioned building.

Also, it does seem to be a versatile scent that can be worn everyday, but it isn’t too casual of a scent. Azzaro Pour Homme is an anytime wear really, within the confines of its climate boundaries.

For older guys, it could be a daily wear or something for the evenings. Most younger guys, probably won’t be that enthralled with Azzaro, but it could find a place within a rotation.

Overall Impressions of Azzaro Pour Homme

Overall, is Azzaro a buy? It is an (usually) inexpensive performer. If you enjoy dry, fresh, woodsy, classic types of scents, Azzaro would be right up your alley. However, if you like really sweet or aquatic type of colognes, you may want to look elsewhere.

Azzaro can be a good change up to wear, every once in a while, just to add some variety to your style. I like it to some extent, but it really doesn’t fit with my personal taste. The classic woodsy/barbershop cologne isn’t one that I gravitate towards.

That being said, Azzaro Pour Homme is an example of this style, done right. Amazing? No, but one that does everything well enough.

Legend for Men by Mont Blanc

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Mont Blanc Legend is a pretty popular cologne and for very good reason, it smells good to almost everyone. The fragrance is featured in a black and metallic bottle which could be characterized as minimalist in style, but I’ll tell you looks really damn cool.

Introduced in 2011, this scent has quickly become a hit due to its versatility and universal wear-ability among all different types of men.

While it isn’t some off the wall or highly unique scent, it is a very pleasant one, which I will now take a closer look at in this post. How does it smell? What are the notes? How long does it last?

What does Mont Blanc Legend Smell Like?

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Notes include: Bergamot, Pineapple Leaf, Sandalwood, Apple, rose, oak moss, lemon verbena, geranium, lavender,  And Tonka Bean

Click here to try: MONTBLANC Legend Eau de Toilette 3.3 fl.oz.

My Full Review

While there is a pineapple note within Legend, I don’t get the same type of strong opening like I would from another pineapple note such as Creed’s Aventus. The note is definitely in there, it is just that it doesn’t stand out as much.

What I do notice in the opening, is how utterly crisp and fresh smelling Legend is. This cologne has a very clean scent and doesn’t seem thick or heavy in the air as some other colognes might.

The bergamot here isn’t sharp or bright, pretty subdued, and gets lost in the shuffle pretty quickly. 

The opening is more fruity than the rest of the wear, though, it really isn’t typical. It smells a lot like an advanced version of Playboy New York, which is wholly watered down, when compared to this.

In the beginning, I pick up quite a bit of tonka bean, but it smells kind of different to my nose. I think one of the other notes in this composition, is making it seem different.

The lavender note quickly takes the lead with Legend. I think that this note is what takes the sharp edge off of the pineapple, which at this point, is also joined by the apple.

There is some smooth sandalwood lurking around in the composition but it isn’t overtly powerful. It’s pretty linear from here on out, with lavender and the fruit notes, with pineapple in the front.

Ultimately, what I get from Mont Blanc Legend, is a smooth and somewhat dry lavender blend with fruity notes. The further along is gets in the wear, the more everything starts to run together, into a sort of generically fresh scent. It’s pretty simple and isn’t going to offend anyone around you.

Sillage and Longevity

Projection wise, it is a light to moderate fragrance. The sillage isn’t very huge on this one and compared to the newer, Legend Night, it is downright weak in comparison (spoiler: Legend Night is better).

It’ll be noticeable for those who get quite close to you. Which is fine, for many uses, but the overall performance is never that great.

The longevity on this one seems to go about 5-6 hours, slowly working closer to the skin, until it fades completely. I have never really gotten a long wear out of Legend.

Versatility

Legend is a very versatile fragrance in that it can be worn almost year round and to any type of event or environment. I think that it would be best in the spring or summer months but I wouldn’t be opposed to wearing it during the autumn or even on certain wintry days.

This is they type of cologne you can quickly spray on before work or school and not have to second guess it at all.

This isn’t a cologne that will overpower the room, but is one which will grab some attention, because its clean scent is also a fairly seductive one.

The opening then transitions into something sweeter but still manly, which I think is the reason it gets complemented by women. It feels much more casual to me, though, rather than something that’s built for the nightlife.

Overall Impressions of Mont Blanc Legend

Legend while containing fruity notes is a masculine scent which is probably best suited for younger guys who are in their 20s, though I wouldn’t exclusively pigeonhole it as such.

This isn’t really a ‘unique’ scent, in that, there are others which smell similar but it is one that stands out from the crowd a bit.

It has a moderate longevity, which is my only real complaint about this cologne, if it lasted longer it’d be on my list of definite everyday wears but it isn’t completely weak either like Artisan.  Honestly, the longevity is just okay.

Overall, I’d say that Legend is a buy, I would just get a small bottle of it though because I prefer something that is longer lasting but I for sure dig the scent.

However, I doubt I ever would buy a bottle of this because, Legend Night is so much better and more interesting to me.

The Dreamer by Versace

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I can’t believe that I haven’t done a review of The Dreamer by Versace, up to this point in time. It has long been a go to fragrance on occasions, when I want to wear something different from the usual fair.

I found a mini bottle mixed in with a box of sample fragrances recently and I had to check the site, to see if I actually had written about this Versace cologne before. Nope.

So, in this post, I want to take a closer look at the 1996 release from this designer and give my thoughts on how it smells and performs.

What does Versace The Dreamer Smell Like?

Notes include: tobacco, tonka bean, lavender, sage, rose, cedar, geranium, and more

Click here to try: Dreamer By Gianni Versace For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces

My Full Review

The opening of Dreamer can be somewhat intense, compared to the rest of the wear. From the start, the tobacco note is present, it is more of an uncured tobacco than one which has been toasted.

I think that the intensity of the start stems from the sage, fir, and rose notes interacting with the tobacco. It is quite green with a sharp herbal spice and lavender poking through at times. That rose note with the tobacco, certainly lends a green-ish sensibility.

Now, Dreamer does settle down pretty quickly into something that is much better, than you initially get. As it dries, down Dreamer becomes sweeter and more floral. Yes, tobacco still is the top dog here, and will be throughout the entirety.

However, rose, carnation, and geranium show up to flank the tobacco for a really fresh heart. At times, this one reminds me of Burberry Brit. They don’t smell the same, but they share plenty of common notes, and can have a similar vibe. Just Brit, is more of a powdery cologne.

The rose really settles from a greener sort of smell, to the floral note, that we’re all pretty much familiar with. Nice mix of herbal, woody, and floral. Dreamer is such a unique fragrance, especially for a mainstream designer.

The base of this Versace fragrance, is a drier, woody one. There is a solid cedar note, fir, and vetiver. Ultimately, Dreamer is tobacco with a big does of lavender (and tonka bean) with floral/herbal notes supporting those two and a green woody base.

It’s really gets smooth and has a slightly spicy freshness during the dry down. Really great deep tobacco aroma.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage on this one starts out moderate, but turns lighter in short order. It’s never been weak for me, but this isn’t a super heavy fragrance. It doesn’t hang close to the skin but rather floats around in the immediate air around your body.

The longevity on this one usually runs 6+ hours, depending on the climate. It can go 8 hours for me, on colder days. Yet, here in this warmer southern climate, I usually will get that 6-ish hours from Dreamer.

Seasonally, this is an autumn through early spring wear. Dreamer isn’t very good at all, in hotter weather, so try to avoid that. It can be worn casually, at work, or even out for an evening.

It is a really versatile and attractive cologne, that women usually enjoy. Not necessarily ‘sexy’, but a complement getter. I’ve worn this as a teenager and as an adult, it does have a more mature air, but is fine for a younger guy.

Now, from what I understand, Dreamer may have been reformulated and perhaps the ingredients were changed up in new bottles. I can’t confirm that, but this mini bottle that I have from a couple of years ago, is the same smell that I remember from vintage bottles.

Overall Impressions of Dreamer

Overall, is the Dreamer worth a buy? Yes, it is. Again, not sure if the newer bottles have been screwed with or not, but the price for a full bottle has been really inexpensive for a long while now.

Update: Also, the newer bottles I think have changed at least some of the notes too. At least from what I’ve read, I haven’t checked out a new bottle as of yet. So, this is a review of the original formulation.

Lots of great fragrances from the 1990s are really affordable, at the moment, and are an awesome way to get both quality and value. This isn’t for everyone, but Dreamer gives you a great green tobacco with floral sweetness and a bit of fresh spice. It’s always worked for me.

It’s not my favorite fragrance ever, but there aren’t too many cologne options like this. As such, when the mood strikes, Dreamer is a great daytime wear for me to have around.

Dylan Blue Pour Homme by Versace

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This is my third entry of my one time wear reviews while traveling in Europe. Today, I am going to give my impressions of Versace Pour Homme’s, Dylan Blue. This has become a very popular fragrance.

In this post, I’m going to discuss how it smells, performs, my impressions, and whether or not I think that it is worth a buy.

Note: I have updated this post a few years after my initial impressions, after spending more time wearing this scent, and having a better feel for it.

What Does Dylan Blue Smell Like?

Notes include: black pepper, violet leaf, grapefruit, bergamot, tonka bean, ambrox, fig leaf

Click here to try: VERSACE Pour Homme Sealed Dylan Blue Eau de Toilette, 3.4 Ounce

My Full Review

Upon first sniff of this fragrance, I immediately want to place in the same realm as a fragrance such as Acqua Di Gio Profumo. It’s different mind you, but, it seems to belong to that same class of citrus/aquatics.

Between the two, Dylan Blue is a more youthful and lighter cologne, but as it dries down the similarities between Profumo fade and the ambroxan of Dior’s Sauvage begin to emerge.

Dylan Blue really is kind of an amalgamation scent of the aforementioned colognes, mixed with maybe one or two others, that I cannot think of at the moment.

Dylan Blue is aquatic at first, with the grapefruit and bergamot notes, sitting on top of that watery base. Plus, there is the ambroxan note, which is nice and warm but gets stronger as it moves along.

The fig note and citrus pairing at the top is actually quite good. I think it might be my favorite aspect of this Versace release. While the citrus and ambroxan, bring to mind Sauvage, this one isn’t nearly as spicy as the Dior. Plus, the fig and aquatic notes set it apart.

The initial burst is fairly short lived, less than an hour, and the Sauvage-esque spirit takes over. At that point, it seems much weaker than it had been, but the longevity isn’t terrible.

Not as bad as another grapefruit citrusy cologne I just reviewed, Lacoste Jaune. My biggest complaint with Versace scents is how chemical they can smell.

I liked the original Versace Pour Homme well enough but that has the same kind of faux-citrus smell.  There is also a woody-fig note that gives it another layer but it isn’t all that complex of a scent.

As it dries down, I start to pick up more of the ambroxan, some black pepper, and even a little bit of violet leaf. The citrus has settled somewhat and Dylan Blue becomes more wholeheartedly ambroxan based.

I should also mention the slight smokiness from the included incense note, during its latter stages. It’s a great little touch, that I picked up on the more I wore around the contents of my mini bottle of this cologne.

Sillage, How Long Blue Lasts, and Versatility

Projection is good at first and then dies out a bit. It’s pretty average overall. Though, the sillage can seem heavy at first.

The longevity of Dylan Blue has been consistently 6-7 hours on my skin. Seemingly no more, no less. It’s actually kind of weird, how quickly it goes from a nice amount of power to just completely gone.

At least, it consistently hits that mark, and I know what to expect from it beforehand. That’s not a short amount of time, but it’s not a monster, in that regard.

I think that where Dylan Blue shines is in its versatility. I think it’d be appropriate for almost any summer or warm weather occasion. It would also be more appropriate for young men, sub-25 years of age, and is sexy enough for date night/club wear.

This is one that will get positive attention out of it. It’s not an offensive scent and is generally crowd pleasing. Dylan Blue is popular and so it’s going to have plenty of fans, in public spaces.

It’s a really nice scent for younger guys, who want something stylish, and that can fit in a wide variety of situations. The performance isn’t top notch, but it is good enough for most purposes.

Overall Impressions of Dylan Blue

Overall, is Dylan Blue worth a buy? Not for me, BUT I could see how it could work for some guys. If you need a summer scent that is pretty basic and will draw complements, I don’t think you would go wrong here.

For me, it doesn’t really offer anything different from scents that I already own or have samples of…so it’s kind of pointless. I certainly don’t hate it, in fact, I have come to like it a good deal more than I had initially.

Mostly, I like the opening hour or so. Thereafter, Dylan Blue just seems kind of basic to me. Not particularly interesting or all that attractive. Decent.

I just with I got more time to enjoy the fig note and the initial citrus blend, that’s actually one great aspect of this cologne.

However, at it’s price point and with it’s versatility, it would be a solid pick up for someone who wants a simple no-brainer. I like the aroma for the most part, not my favorite, but it does smell good.

3 Best Victoria’s Secret Colognes for Men

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Victoria’s Secret is well known as a brand that sells women’s underwear, clothing, accessories, and fragrances. However, it does occasionally venture into men’s products, notably its limited line of colognes. Now, there have been sporadic releases over the years, but which of these VS colognes smell the best? In this list, I will present the options in order, from my experience trying out each.

What are the Best Smelling Men’s Colognes by Victoria Secret?

Very Sexy– To me, the original Very Sexy is the best Victoria’s Secret cologne. It’s a fairly simple fragrance highlighted by an opening citrus burst, with light cinnamon spice, on top of a dry woody base.

The spice of cinnamon and sage is at its peak, in the beginning, but will later weaken in favor of the woodier aspects of the scent. The spice and the citrus can create a feeling of sharpness, but the scent becomes clean with a sweet edge.

I like this one, because it lives up to its name, always had a unique yet familiar vibe, and the performance was good. Plus, I could get compliments fairly regularly, back when I had a bottle. Haven’t tried in a long time, but this tops the list.

Very Sexy Platinum– I’m not going to give this the number one spot, but I feel Platinum is the second best overall. I was tempted to put it number three, due to the fact that it isn’t unique, but it’s probably better than the one below.

Very Sexy Platinum smells like a mix between a weaker old school bottle of A&F Fierce and Montblanc Legend. Neither of which is my favorite, but I respect what they bring to the table.

The main differences between Platinum and those fragrances, to me at least, is a less spicy profile and it feels woodier. This could be a better option nowadays versus Fierce, as the newer editions of that cologne, are not the same as its heyday.

Very Sexy 2– Very Sexy 2 is a nice cologne, but I think that it’s the third option, on the list. Although, I’d probably take a bottle over Platinum, because this does provide something different.

It’s light, with a semi-aquatic feel, and a nice woody base. This one feels much more like a freshie fragrance, than does Very Sexy, and less ‘sexy’. Nonetheless, Very Sexy 2 is an attractive and enjoyable wear.

A softer option, but if I could find a cheap bottle, I would definitely enjoy wearing this one. I like the blend of woods, after about an hour of wear, that aroma is very well done.