Fragrances

New York Nights by Bond No. 9

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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.

Phantom Parfum by Paco Rabanne

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Phantom Parfum is the follow up flanker to the popular, robot-bottled scent, Phantom by Paco Rabanne. This cologne was released by the brand in 2023. I bought a sample of it to test out a while back for the site. How does Phantom Parfum smell? Does it last long? Is it actually worth a try?

What does Phantom Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, lemon, rhubarb, cardamom, lavender, patchouli, vanilla, geranium, balsam, cedar

Click here to try: Phantom Parfum

My Full Review

To open things up, we get a stronger use of the citrus notes up top. That lemon, bergamot, and semi-tropical aroma is back from the original, longer lasting, and better than before.

With that, you get a rhubarb and cardamom in lieu of the apple note. It’s got a spicy aspect from that cardamom. Once the fruitiness has toned down, this one feels fresher and colder than Phantom.

Slightly greenish undertones, in the early stages. Rhubarb and geranium really add that cold streak to things.

Another part that will be noticed, is the early emergence of the lavender, which will play more of a role later on.

At some point, the fruitiness and much of the sweetness will fade from the top spot. For me, I get a lavender and woodsy mix in the middle act with stronger vanilla as we push further into the wear.

To me, the dry down is a vanilla and woods blend with some latent citrus that is still hanging around. Just like a spritz of lemon juice or something to that effect.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Between this and Phantom EDP, Parfum does indeed have a more powerful reach and heavier sillage. Yet, it’s not that much stronger.

I will say though, Parfum doesn’t lose what power it has quite as quickly and this one will stay in that upper moderate range of projection for longer than the original. Definitely doesn’t decay at the same speed as EDP.

On my skin, I have gotten 8-9 hours of wear out of this Parfum version. It is better than the original, and gives you good, yet not elite levels of staying power. But, it’s still worthy of some praise on the performance front.

Seasonally, this one is still the same as EDP. It’s an autumn and winter wear, that doesn’t hold up all that well in heat and humidity.

Within that context, this still skews younger and feels more like a nightlife wear, even if its fine to have on in the daytime. It’s sweeter side, should have some mass appeal and be able to pull a few complements, even if Phantom Parfum isn’t the best cologne around.

Overall Impressions of Phantom Parfum

Overall, do I like Phantom Parfum? It’s okay. I never was that into the original Phantom EDP, and while this one is the better of the two, it’s not a massively improved fragrance.

The opening is what I liked in the original and Parfum gives me more of that, in a longer and more citrusy style.

The dry down is a big dose of vanilla, some woods, and a now generic sweetness from the top notes. That initial ‘tropical’ sort of smell isn’t there anymore and it has the same vibe as any number of Paco Rabanne scents after that.

If you didn’t care for the first one, this probably won’t do much to sway you to getting on board with the series. If you liked the EDP, I’d say to give this one a try, as it does everything better with some differences along the way.

The performance delivers what you’ll need for almost any situation, so, you do get your money’s worth from that end of things.

If you’ve never come across a Phantom fragrance before. I wouldn’t suggest blind buying this scent unless you get a steep discount. Even Phantom Parfum, seems to be mostly a love/hate release, depending on the person.

6 Perfumes Similar to By the Fireplace

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By the Fireplace is one of the most popular fragrance from the Replica line by Maison Margiela. It is a winter staple with a sweet and smoky blend of chestnut, cloves, vanilla, and more.

While it’s a great scent on its own, you might want an alternative to it at some point. Either something that smells similar or is a cheaper ‘inspired by’ option. This is my page on the site dedicated to both for By the Fireplace.

What Fragrances Smell Similar to Replica’s By the Fireplace?

Stoking the Fire

Dua’s Fireplace– Fireplace is the Dua Brand’s take on the By the Fireplace formula. They also have other combination fragrances that mixes this scent with other popular perfumes.

If you’re looking for an inspired by aroma at a cheaper price point, Dua’s Fireplace can definitely hit the mark.

It’s going to have the same notes overlapping with the Maison Margiela fragrance and they usually get the weightings of each of them pretty much correct. As always, it may not be 100% the same, but Fireplace will be close enough that the differences are negligible.

As an extrait de parfum concentration, this also means that the performance should be improved or at least equal.

Cozy Chestnut

Woody Chestnut by Dossier– Here’s another inspired option, this time from Dossier. They usually make some really nice fragrances based on popular designer scent and this one is no different.

Woody Chestnut is made up of the same notes, which they describe as smelling like, ‘a cup of cocoa on a snowy day’. Well, that’s the effect that we’re looking for with a replicant of our Replica target.

The price point is great here, since they currently have one size of this formula (as of writing). Well worth the try.

A Night Out

Campfire Nights by Alexandria– Here’s yet another option that tries to mimic much of what you get with the Maison Margiela scent.

I haven’t tried this one from Alexandria, but I have tried others from them and they do a fantastic job at getting close to the designer originals.

One thing I do like about them, aside from the high quality, is the options as far as sizing goes. You can get a hold of a larger bottle or start smaller for cheaper.

Nutty Velvet

Velvet by Commodity– The one that we’re looking for is the Velvet which comes in the black bottle. It is sometimes listed as Velvet Expressive, don’t buy the white bottle if you want something like By the Fireplace.

Is it one to one the same as our target? No. It does have a lot of overlap, though, and uses some close substitutes in the process. For instance, here it is an almond instead of chestnut.

Velvet is also softer with a greater powdery finish to it. Heliotrope provides that. There is also a light coconut note up top. Still quite a bit of the vanilla, woods, but less of an ambery dry down than Fireplace.

Oh, and a rose note to boot! Again, this one is not the same. However, it hits some of the same beats, but with a rosier and woodier aroma.

Melting into Winter

Melting Embers by Oakcha– I’m adding this Oakcha inspired take on By the Fireplace to the list. I haven’t tried this one out and I do still need to get a hold of some Oakcha perfumes like this to put them through their paces.

However, they have a good reputation of coming close to matching the fragrances that people are after.

The price is within the same range as the Dua and the Dossier options, maybe somewhat cheaper or more expensive depending on any promotions these brands are running when you’re checking.

A Little Different, A Little Oud

Ameer Al Oudh Intense– This one isn’t an exact match of Fireplace. However, it does a really good job at providing a similar experience, while maintaining uniqueness of its own.

Ameer Al Oudh Intense is woodier, has some smokiness but perhaps not the same roasting quality, and still has a good sugar and vanilla mix. One thing it lacks for sure, is the chestnut note of the Replica fragrance.

I figured that it would have more oud and therefore a greater smokiness, but that’s not the case. The oud is there, but is pretty light. Still, this is a warm and comfortingly sweet woody fragrance, with good performance and inexpensive price point.

Kalan by Parfums de Marly

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Kalan is a Parfums de Marly release, that I never got around to when it came out back in 2019. I’ve had the sample for a long while now, just sitting in a box, so I figure it’s high time that I gave it a full review. How does this one smell? Does Kalan last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Kalan Smell Like?

Notes include: blood orange, black pepper, spices, orange blossom, lavender, sandalwood, moss, woods, amber, tonka bean

Click here to try: Kalan by PdM

kalan marly review

My Full Review

Here’s how PdM describes it: Intense and subtle at once- Kalan surprises with a sparkling opening, blending black pepper and spices with fresh notes of blood orange. The fragrances is embodied through a heart of orange blossom and lavender, while it evolves as facets of white sandalwood unfold and drape into notes of moss and precious wood.

The opening is a blast of the blood orange note and the spices. The black pepper is going to be the most noticeable under the juicy and sparkling citrus. But, there are some other spices lurking about.

Two other notes that I pick up early are: orange blossom and moss. The mossy aspect of this really comes through in the opening act, on my skin.

The next phase will be a mix of the moss, lavender, and the remaining blood orange influence. For me, most of the spice has dissipated by this point in the wear. It feels like a woodsy floral blend with some sweetness and amber peaking in.

As we move forward in the wear, earthy woods that is softened by lavender, with hints of amber is basically what I get. Lots of sandalwood, moss, and just sort of damp and generic smelling wood notes.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

With Kalan, I do get a pretty bold start. A strong projection and solid scent trail in your wake for an hour or so.

After that, it stays above average with its performance. I can detect it a good 4-6 feet from where I sprayed Kalan on a t-shirt, after a few hours. It of course will diminish into something more intimate, but it takes a while to get there.

On my skin, this will go up to about 9 hours. It may last a little longer or a tad less than that, but eight or nine is what Kalan seems to be capable of. Not too bad with its longevity.

Seasonally, this could be worn basically anytime outside of the height of summer. It’s fine when it’s temperate to warm out, but the hotter days wouldn’t be ideal for Kalan.

It’s spice, citrus, and woodiness to provide a good blend that can work in autumn and winter, while also being fine when things get somewhat warmer.

With that, Kalan can work in daytime and nighttime, but I don’t find it to be a particularly sexy fragrance. Again, it has the boldness to serve as a nightlife option, but there are better fragrances for that.

It’s not so heavy that it can’t work as an office scent. Though, I’d still go light with it, in that situation.

Overall Impressions of Kalan

Overall, do I like Kalan? Honestly, it’s not for me. It’s a pretty unique scent, isn’t going to have mass appeal, and this PdM isn’t one that I enjoyed wearing. It wasn’t terrible, but I never got into it.

Even as something with a unique style, there’s nothing about Kalan that I liked all that much. The lavender, amber, moss, and woods in the dry down is probably the best part to my nose and even that isn’t too exciting.

The opening feels messy and off-putting. Peppery moss with blood orange, isn’t all that appealing.

The performance does well enough for something at this price point. It’s not amazing, but if you do happen to enjoy the smell, it doesn’t just completely disappear in an hour or whatever.

This is a fragrance that I suggest testing before you buy, to see if you’re one of the people who will actually love wearing this. Most of you can skip it and not miss anything, though. At the high Parfums de Marly price, it’s not really one to blind buy for the majority of people.

Sauvage Elixir vs. Bleu de Chanel

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Sauvage Elixir has quickly become a very popular flanker from the top selling Sauvage line by Dior. Bleu de Chanel has been a long time favorite from Dior’s French competitor and these two can often be the final choices of men looking to buy, even if the formulas are quite differenct.

In this post, I want to compare the two colognes. I’m going to use the Eau de Parfum version of Bleu, as I think that’s probably the best of them overall. How does it compare to Sauvage Elixir? Which lasts longer? Which is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: Bleu de Chanel vs. Sauvage Elixir

Sauvage Elixir

Notes include: grapefruit, wood, lavender, nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon, patchouli, vetiver

Click here to try: Sauvage Elixir at Macy’s

Read my review: Sauvage Elixir

Bleu de Chanel EDP

Notes include: grapefruit, sandalwood, amber, vanilla, tonka bean, ginger, mint, and more

Click here to try: Bleu De Chaneā…¼ Eau De Parfum Pour Homme Spray 1.7 Fl. OZ. / 50ML.

Read my Review: Bleu de Chanel EDP

Opening

Bleu de Chanel EDP kicks things off with citrus, including lemon, but the grapefruit note is actually the stronger of the two.

Bleu will also start to show off its mint note. However, the ginger and pink pepper, have a stronger spiced influence. A little later, you get a smoky incense, and warm amber.

With Sauvage Elixir, you get a ton of spice. In the Dior fragrance it’s: cardamom, cinnamon, and nutmeg. At the top, there is a lighter grapefruit versus the EDT version’s heavier use of citrus.

And especially less citrus than Bleu de Chanel.

The next phase will have more of the lavender and some sweetness from licorice and amber. Sauvage Elixir is spicy, woody, with enough sweetness to change it up. Lots going on in the mix.

Which is better? The opening of Elixir is rather unique and super bold. However, I do prefer the more balanced use of citrus and spice with the Chanel cologne.

Edge: Bleu

Projection

Bleu EDP, is strong, but doesn’t have a crazy powerful projecting ability. In fact, as it wears on, it’s pretty moderate. You’ll get a nice scent bubble, a few hours of creating a scent trail. Bleu de Chanel just isn’t going to overpower a room.

Elixir just might, however. Elixir starts off very powerfully, with a large projection radius, and it maintains a high level for hours on end. Yes, it does settle after that first punch, but it’ll stay stronger than the Chanel for the duration.

Edge: Elixir

Longevity

This category is a clear win for Elixir. It’s one of the best performing mainstream designer fragrances out there. When I’ve worn it, I’ve easily gotten to 12 hours of wear.

It goes further than that, but I take a shower before I find out exactly where it tails off. Elixir is well into the double digit hour mark without issue.

Bleu de Chanel EDP definitely isn’t a bad performer, it just gets overwhelmed by the heavier monster from Dior. With Bleu EDP, I get about 8 hours, each time I’ve worn it.

Honestly, good enough for almost any purpose, just not to the same level.

Edge: Elixir

Versatility

Bleu EDP can go year round, with when you can use it, but is just okay when it’s really hot. Nonetheless, Bleu is better in a variety of climates than is, Sauvage Elixir.

Elixir is built for the autumn and winter months. It’s not like the original Sauvage with its ability to to pair well with warmer weather.

Bleu is also much better as an office scent or a formal-type of fragrance. It isn’t just limited to that, though, as it also fits while wearing a t-shirt and jeans.

Sauvage Elixir works in casual or nightlife scenarios, versus the office. Bleu is more of a daytime fragrance, but wouldn’t be out of place at night, since it is an attractive scent.

Between the two, Bleu has the greater versatility.

Edge: Bleu

Overall Scent

Overall, which is better? I actually like each of these a lot. However, I do think that Bleu de Chanel EDP will be a better buy for most people versus Sauvage Elixir.

Mainly, Bleu just has a wider appeal. Elixir is the more unique of the two, but that spice and licorice won’t appeal to everyone, especially at that high concentration.

Bleu while not able to match the power and longevity of the Dior, is no slouch itself. Which combined with its more expansive use case makes it a pretty easy pick.

Finally, I do kind of prefer the actual scent of Bleu de Chanel to Sauvage Elixir. I enjoy the massive spice of Elixir and can even get into the sweeter licorice accord. You don’t get to much of a similar perfume to Dior Sauvage, in smell, but the notes are mostly rearraigned.

But, the clean citrus and amber of Bleu EDP is a tad more appealing. Even if it too, has seen a host of Bleu de Chanel ‘clones’ come to market.

Winner: Bleu de Chanel EDP