Men’s Fashion

Tobacco Oud vs Intense Comparison

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For this head to head match up, I wanted to take a look at two Tom Ford fragrances but in particular, the two Tobacco Oud scents: the original vs. Tobacco Oud Intense. Which of these colognes smells better? Which has better sillage? Better longevity? Which one is the fragrance to consider buying?

Update: Both of these fragrances have seemingly been discontinued. For sure, Intense. Tobacco Oud seems to pop up and then go away, but you can still find it places online. If you want to try an alternative, The Dua Brand has their ‘inspired by’ take on each: Tobac Aoud and Tobac Aoud Attar. 

Quick Overview

🏆 My Verdict

Tobacco Oud Intense wins on opening, projection, and overall scent, while the original Tobacco Oud wins on longevity.

Buy Tobacco Oud Intense if you want the smoother, sweeter, less harsh version with stronger sillage and a better overall wear experience.

Buy Tobacco Oud if you prefer more whiskey, spice, booziness, and longer wear time.

 

Category Tobacco Oud Tobacco Oud Intense Winner
Opening Big oud, whiskey, cured tobacco, coriander, earthy patchouli, rough smoky start Tobacco, oud, amber, tonka bean, dark smoke, smoother sweetness Intense
Projection Strong early, but does not hold peak strength as long Stronger sillage and maintains strength longer Intense
Longevity 10+ hours on skin Around 7–9 hours Tobacco Oud
Versatility Cold weather, dressed-up situations, less casual wear Cold weather, dressed-up situations, less casual wear Push
Overall Scent Boozier, spicier, harsher opening that improves into smoother woody sweetness Smoother, sweeter, almost leathery amber-tonka oud with a better full wear Intense
Best For Fans of boozy, spicy, rougher tobacco-oud scents Those who want the smoother, sweeter, stronger-projecting version —

Tale of the Tape: Tom Ford Tobacco Oud vs Intense

Tobacco Oud

Notes include: tobacco, oud, amber, whiskey, vanilla, cinnamon, benzoin, patchouli, sandalwood, coriander, cedar, incense

Click here to try: Tom Ford Private Blend Tobacco Oud Eau De Parfum Spray 100ml/3.4oz

Read my original review: Tobacco Oud Review

Tobacco Oud Intense

Notes include: oud, tobacco, amber, cedar, coriander, tonka bean, patchouli, sandalwood, labdanum

Click here to try: Tom Ford Tobacco Oud Intense by Tom Ford, 3.4 oz EDP Spray Unisex

Read my original review: Tobacco Oud Intense

Opening

Tobacco Oud opens up with a big dose of the oud, but also whiskey, which is more prominent than the tobacco at the start. Under that layer, there is the cured tobacco, spicy coriander, and an earthy patchouli. The start is rough and pretty smokey.

Intense starts off with the tobacco and oud notes, it is dark and smokey, but under that is a smooth amber and tonka bean blend. It is much sweeter and not as harsh as the original. For that reason, I will give the opening round to Tobacco Oud Intense.

Edge: Intense

Projection

Is the intense version better in terms of sillage? Yes. Tobacco Oud Intense reaches a higher level of strength and maintains that strength for longer than the original’s peak. Even after that, it is still stronger in its more moderate stages.

Edge: Intense

Longevity

This is where it is actually interesting. With the original, I could get 10+ hours of wear on my skin. With Intense, I only get 7-9 hours. Why? I don’t know. Maybe it’s the particular batch or maybe the original just has better staying power.

Edge: Tobacco Oud

Versatility

No real difference here. Both are cold weather fragrances. Better for dressed up versus casual. Both attractive, but not particularly sexy. The similarities don’t provide for distinctions in this category.

Edge: Push

 

Overall Scent

I like the dry down of the original Tobacco Oud, but the opening act, kind of puts me off. It’s too harsh and boozy. The latter stages get, better before it settles down into a smoother woody fragrance with an underlying sweetness…pretty much what Intense is throughout.

The original has more spice and booziness, which I usually enjoy, but not so much in the composition.

Tobacco Oud Intense, just has a better smell throughout. The amber and tonka bean help to create a smooth, almost leathery effect, in the fragrance.

Plus, the oud is toned down, the further along you get into the wear. For me, it is just a better overall experience. Between the two, I’d definitely go with Intense.

Once again, if you can’t find either of these Tom Ford fragrances, you can get a cheaper alternative(s) from The Dua Brand: Tobac Aoud and Tobac Aoud Attar. 

Winner: Intense

Who Should Buy Each?

Choose Tobacco Oud if:

You want the longer-lasting fragrance
You like whiskey, tobacco, oud, coriander, patchouli, and spice
You prefer a rougher, boozier, smokier opening
You enjoy the original Tobacco Oud dry down
You do not mind a harsher start if the fragrance lasts longer

Choose Tobacco Oud Intense if:

You want the better overall scent between the two
You prefer a smoother, sweeter tobacco-oud profile
You like amber, tonka bean, oud, tobacco, cedar, and labdanum
You want stronger projection and sillage
You want a less harsh version that still feels dark, smoky, and powerful

Tobacco Oud FAQ

Did Tobacco Oud Intense get discontinued?

Yes, as did Tobacco Oud. As of this update, neither is available for sale through Tom Ford’s website. Will they come back? I don’t know. Much less likely that Intense does.

Is Tobacco Oud Intense smoother than the original?

For me, yes. I think that the Intense version comes across as less harsh and more well-rounded than the original Tobacco Oud.

Which one is better for winter?

They’re both at their best in the winter. So, there’s no real difference, it’s just which fragrance you like more.

Bad Boy vs. Le Parfum Comparison

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Bad Boy has been a very popular cologne from Carolina Herrera. In 2021, the brand launched Bad Boy Le Parfum as its first flanker to this best seller. Naturally, I had to try and compare both of these fragrances, to see if the sequel surpassed the original EDT. Which smells better? Lasts longer? Is the better buy?

Quick Overview

🏆 My Verdict

Bad Boy EDT wins on opening, versatility, overall scent, and mass appeal, while Bad Boy Le Parfum wins on projection and longevity.

Buy Bad Boy EDT if you want the sweeter cocoa-tonka-amber profile that is easier to wear in more situations.

Buy Le Parfum if you want the darker, greener, more unique version with better performance and a leather-vetiver dry down.

 

Category Bad Boy EDT Bad Boy Le Parfum Winner
Opening Honeyed amber, pepper, cocoa, tonka bean, and creamy sweetness Grapefruit, pepper, green hemp, geranium, leather, and vetiver Bad Boy EDT
Projection Moderate; solid enough but not a powerhouse Moderate, but slightly better than the EDT Le Parfum
Longevity Around 7 hours, sometimes up to 8 Around 8–9 hours consistently Le Parfum
Versatility Best for autumn/winter, casual wear, nightlife, and younger guys; easier to wear lightly Best for autumn/winter, casual wear, and nightlife; can handle slightly warmer days better Bad Boy EDT
Overall Scent Sweet, warm, lightly spicy cocoa-tonka scent with better mass appeal More unique green-leather scent with hemp, geranium, vetiver, and freshness Bad Boy EDT
Best For Guys who want the sweeter, more wearable, mass-appealing option Guys who want the more unusual, greener, better-performing flanker —

 

Tale of the Tape: Bad Boy Le Parfum vs. Bad Boy

Bad Boy

Notes include: white pepper, cocoa, sage, tonka bean, vetiver, pink pepper, grapefruit, and amber

Click here to try: Carolina Herrera Bad Boy EDT Eau de Toilette 3.4oz / 100ml For Men, Black

Read my review: Bad Boy EDT

Bad Boy Le Parfum

Notes include: grapefruit, hemp, black pepper, geranium, leather, and vetiver

Read my Review: Bad Boy Le Parfum

Opening

The opening of the original Bad Boy EDT, strikes quite differently to my nose, depending on whether it is close to the skin or not. Up close, I get a honeycomb like aroma that is dipped in amber and dotted with various pepper notes. 

From afar, I really pick up the sweeter and creamier aspects of this scent. Namely, the cocoa and tonka bean. 

With Le Parfum, I get grapefruit, pepper, and the cannabis note. The cannabis smells slightly smoky and more like the raw plant rather than how it smells when consumed. It’s green, fresh, with the other notes like geranium and leather coming through.

Which do I prefer? It’s a close call, I like the unique opening of Le Parfum when compared to that honeycomb amber. However, I like the sweet cocoa, amber mix more so than the cannabis. I have to give the slight edge to the original.

Edge: Bad Boy

Projection

Neither of these fragrances is a powerhouse type of a scent. Both fall squarely in the moderate camp.

Though, Le Parfum is a bit better a projecting itself when compared to the EDT. The gap isn’t very wide, but it is the winner.

I honestly expected more from each when I tried them out. The reach of each of them is solid enough and with a decent number of sprays, I don’t think you’d be disappointed with either. Le Parfum just doesn’t kick up to that much of a higher level.

Edge: Le Parfum

Longevity

With the original Bad Boy, I generally get 7 hours of wear out of it. Sometimes, it can hit 8 hours, depending on the climate that day.

Meanwhile, Le Parfum will go for 8-9 consistently. Again, not a massive difference, but one has a clear edge.

As it fades, Bad Boy Le Parfum does keep it projecting ability at a higher level deeper into the wear than the EDT. 

Edge: Le Parfum

Versatility

Seasonally, both are best in the autumn and winter months. That being said, Le Parfum can venture into warmer days a bit better. Just avoid the high heat for both of these.

The Bad Boy series is best for younger guys. Think more casual or nightlife wear versus the office. However, I think the original could fit in more places, since it doesn’t literally have hemp as a note. Plus, you could easily go light with it. 

Edge: Bad Boy

 

Overall Scent

I like both of these fragrances, but am not blown away by either. They each have their strengths and it’s a pretty close call as to which one is better.

Update: Even coming back to update this post, years after the fact, this series has never done much for me. All of the fragrances are just fine. Mostly forgettable, but they seem to keep selling well.

Le Parfum is unique, particularly in the early stages, and settles into a nice leather and vetiver blend. My favorite not here, isn’t the cannabis, actually I like the geranium in this. Very fresh and it stole the show for my nose.

Performance is good and while it is fairly limited in its uses, Le Parfum is a fun change of pace.

However, I think that I prefer Bad Boy EDT. When I let this fragrance settle, the wafts of light sweetness and warmth coming off the skin is really nice. The only reason that I don’t rate it higher is the opening can be somewhat of a synthetic mess. Also, I wish it had more strength. 

Outside of that, I would probably reach for it more times than I would Le Parfum. Both of these are above average scents, but neither are spectacular. I think the original also has more mass appeal in comparison.

Winner: Bad Boy

Who Should Buy Each?

Choose Bad Boy EDT if:

You prefer sweeter fragrances with cocoa, tonka bean, amber, and pepper
You want the more mass-appealing option
You need something easier to wear in more situations
You like warm, lightly spicy designer scents for casual wear and nights out
You want the version the review gives the overall edge to

Choose Bad Boy Le Parfum if:

You want better longevity and slightly better projection
You prefer greener, darker, more unusual fragrances
You like grapefruit, hemp, geranium, leather, and vetiver
You want a fun change-of-pace scent rather than the safer option
You do not mind a fragrance that is less versatile but more distinctive

L’Homme vs La Nuit by YSL Comparison

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I can’t believe that I had never done this comparison, up until now. But, better late than never. For this cologne comparison entry, I am going to be taking a closer look at two scents from YSL: La Nuit de l’Homme vs. L’Homme. Which perfume smells better? Which has better performance? Which projects well? Ultimately, which is the better buy?

Quick Overview

🏆 My Verdict

La Nuit de l’Homme wins overall because it has better projection, better longevity, and a warmer cardamom-lavender dry down that develops more beautifully on skin. L’Homme has the better opening and is slightly more versatile, but its weak longevity makes it harder to recommend as the better buy.

Category YSL L’Homme La Nuit de l’Homme Winner
Opening Light citrus, ginger, basil, violet leaf, sweet freshness, and herbal spice Cardamom, bergamot, lavender, cedar, and vetiver L’Homme
Projection Light and airy throughout the wear Starts moderate, then turns light after 1–2 hours La Nuit
Longevity About 2.5–3 hours with newer bottles Historically 6–8 hours, though newer bottles can be shorter La Nuit
Versatility More versatile; works in warm weather and can move into colder weather too Better for cold weather, spring, dates, and nighttime wear L’Homme
Overall Scent Excellent fresh, sweet, spicy scent with a great opening but poor staying power Warm, spicy, sweet cardamom-lavender scent with a beautiful vetiver dry down La Nuit
Best For Fresh daily wear if you love the opening and do not mind weak performance Dates, nights out, cooler weather, and the better overall buy —

Tale of the Tape: L’Homme vs La Nuit

L’Homme

Notes include: Virginia Cedar, Ginger, Violet, Citron, White Pepper, Basil Flower, Ozone, Tonka Bean, Sandalwood, Vetiver

Click here to try: L’homme By Yves Saint Laurent Eau De Toilette Spray For Men 3.3 oz

Read my review: L’Homme Review

La Nuit

Notes include: cardamom, bergamot, vetiver, lavender, cedar

Try it out: Yves Saint Laurent La Nuit De L’homme Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.3-Ounce

Read my review: La Nuit de l’Homme

Opening

L’Homme opens up with a light citrus blend of bergamot and citron, with ginger and basil. It is clean and fresh, with a light herbal spice, and a slight green aroma. A bit later, you get the violet leaf, but L’Homme maintains a balance of sweet and fresh.

La Nuit starts off with cardamom and bergamot. The bergamot isn’t too heavy and is soon replaced by the lavender note, for the most part. This one has a pretty big dose of cardamom at the top.

Which is better? It’s really close in my mind and I actually like both. However, I have always really enjoyed the start of L’Homme, and prefer it slightly here.

I love the smell of L’Homme at the start, it’s so good, that even other great scents can be hard pressed to touch it.

Edge: L’Homme

Projection

Neither of these colognes has a monster sillage. L’Homme is pretty light and airy throughout the wear. La Nuit starts out moderate and then goes light after an hour or two. So, it has more power.

This is the main complaint with either of these fragrances, they don’t have much strength. Some of their flankers do, but they usually smell completely different from the originals.

Edge: La Nuit

Longevity

The biggest problem that I’ve had with L’Homme, has always been its lack of staying power. On my skin, it will last 4-5 hours tops. Yep, it’s a letdown.

Update: With my 2021 bottle, L’Homme is now in the 2.5-3 hour range of longevity. The sillage is about the same, but the longevity is somehow even worse. The performance on skin, just isn’t good at all.

La Nuit is better, but not amazing, either. It is in the 6-8 hour range, mostly toward the lower end of that range. Update: Newer bottles are a few hours less with its overall range.

It L’Homme had the sillage and longevity, it would probably be a constant in my rotation.

Edge: La Nuit

Versatility

Seasonally, L’Homme is more versatile. It smells great in the warm weather and can go into the cold, also.

La Nuit, is more of a cold weather fragrance, that can venture into the springtime. As to when they can be worn, it is pretty much even, except La Nuit, is a better nighttime wear. Overall, I think L’Homme is slightly more versatile.

Edge: L’Homme

Overall Scent

This can be a tough one to do, because I like both of these fragrances a lot. L’Homme really does smell great, it is a simple presentation, but the fresh blend of sweet and spicy is awesome. I completely dig the way it smells. It just has no staying power.

I personally, have actually liked the way that L’Homme smells more so than La Nuit. Just crappy performance. Now, I actually have grown to favor La Nuit’s smell more, and L’Homme is pretty atrocious with how it lasts.

Note: You can get an alternative to L’Homme from The Dua Brand called Rendezvous.

This current bottle that I have, is almost certainly my last, that I will ever purchase. I still spray the air with it from time to time, because its a scent that I’ve owned multiple times over the years.

La Nuit, doesn’t start off as good, but I think that it finishes better than L’Homme. The cardamom and lavender combo starts to take off and get good. Once the vetiver note kicks in completely, the aroma is amazing.

The powdery aroma comes in fully and La Nuit just becomes a super pleasant fragrance to wear.

It is warm, slightly spicy, with enough sweetness to keep it interesting. Plus, it has better performance than L’Homme, even if it isn’t great in its own right.

As such, I’m giving the win here to La Nuit de l’Homme. It reaches higher heights of greatness and has the better performance. Unlike it competitor, it still has some life left in it.

Winner: La Nuit

Who Should Buy Each?

Choose YSL L’Homme if:

You want the better opening between the two
You prefer clean citrus, ginger, basil, violet, and light herbal spice
You need something more versatile for warmer weather
You want a fresh, sweet, spicy designer scent for casual wear
You do not mind very weak longevity from newer bottles

Choose La Nuit de l’Homme if:

You want the better overall buy
You prefer cardamom, lavender, cedar, vetiver, and warm spice
You want better projection and longevity than L’Homme
You mainly wear fragrance for dates, nights out, or cooler weather
You want the scent that develops better in the dry down

Polo Black vs Polo Blue Cologne Comparison

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In this post, I’d like to do another cologne comparison between two scents from the Ralph Lauren line, Polo Black and Polo Blue. These are two of the more popular scents from Polo and seem to be common foes in terms of choice, even though they are quite different fragrances.

Anyways, I’m going to break down how each one smells, performs, when they should be worn, and which of these is a better buy in my opinion.

Quick Overview

🏆 My Verdict

Polo Black wins overall because it has the more interesting scent, better versatility, and a stronger balance of fruit, spice, and woods. Polo Blue lasts longer and is the better choice if you specifically want a cold aquatic fresh scent, but Black is the better buy if you want the more distinctive fragrance.

 

 

Category Polo Black Polo Blue Winner
Opening Fruity mango, tangerine, sage, spice, and woods with a brighter feel Cold cucumber, melon, tangerine, suede, and aquatic freshness Polo Black
Projection Moderate projection Moderate projection Push
Longevity Around 6+ hours, but not much beyond that Around 7–8 hours Polo Blue
Versatility Casual, school, office, and nearly year-round wear outside extreme heat Casual, school, office, and mostly warm-weather wear Polo Black
Overall Scent More distinctive fruity-spicy-woody scent with mango, sage, and sandalwood Fresh aquatic scent with cucumber, melon, musk, moss, and amber Polo Black
Best For Guys who want the more unique and versatile Polo scent Guys who want a colder aquatic scent with better longevity —

Polo Black vs. Blue

Polo Black Tale of the Tape

Notes include:  mango, sandalwood, tonka bean, tangerine, sage, lemon, patchouli

Click here to try: Polo Black by Ralph Lauren for Men – 4.2 Ounce EDT Spray

My review: Polo Black Review

Polo Blue Tale of the Tape

Notes include: amber, melon, patchouli, geranium, cucumber, tangerine, moss, musk

Click here to try: Polo Blue by Ralph Lauren for Men, Eau De Toilette Natural Spray, 4.2 Ounce

Read my original review: Polo Blue Review

Opening

Polo Black is noticeably fruity from the start. Now, this isn’t a very sweet type of fruity smell (think dried fruit pieces), the mango note is prominent from the get go but it does have a spicier profile at the start. It also feels much ‘brighter’ as a fragrance than does Polo Blue.

Black kicks things off with that mango note in the lead. A juicy tangerine note is also present, helping along the tropical sweetness. Although, that’s not the entire story as sage and woodsy notes also come in to give it more depth.

Blue is a fresh and crisp use of cucumber and suede notes with a distinct aquatic profile. Blue is a much colder scent than is Black.

The cucumber is also joined by melon and citrus. The cold crispness of the cucumber and mainly melon notes, give Blue its ‘aquatic’ character. I like it, the freshness of the melon and cucumber is nice and the tangerine is bit of a change from the usual citrus notes.

Polo Black doesn’t really conform to its name with it use of citrus notes and has a much more interesting aroma, in my opinion. Between the two, I’ll go with the way that Black opens versus what I get from Blue.

Edge: Polo Black

Projection

Both are fairly moderate scents and I really don’t notice a difference between the two in this regard. On my skin, at least, they are equals.

Edge: Push

Longevity

Black is decent and actually slightly better than its flanker fragrance, Double Black. Black can get you 6+ hours of wear but not all that much beyond that.

Blue, on the other hand, is good for 7-8 hours and has the edge in this category.

Neither of these is an amazing performer, as with most of the Polo lineup. However, even as an edt, Blue has always been pretty good for what it is. I haven’t noticed a downward trend in its performance, but I haven’t tested out the latest batch.

In any case, Blue beats Polo Black here.

Edge: Blue

 

Versatility

Both of these colognes are great for casual wear in both school and the office. Neither is really a date night or club type of fragrance, though, they wouldn’t be totally out of place either.

However, Polo Blue is mostly just a warm weather scent while Black can function well in pretty much any climate (probably except extreme heat and humidity) and can fit in even during summertime.

It’s not too much of a distance between these two colognes. After all, each is designed to be a mass appealing and versatile wear.

Edge: Black

Overall Scent

I like Polo Black better. Blue EDT has always felt really generic to me. Though, I do like the way it smells. If you want more of an aquatic scent, go with Blue (actually, I’d personally go with Blue EDP or Deep Blue).

Blue is enjoyable and I don’t have really anything too negative to say about the fragrance.

Black is a very nice scent and even if the longevity isn’t quite as good as Blue, I still think that it is a superior fragrance in terms of smell.

It has the right balance of unique fruitiness, spice, and a woodsy heart. Honestly, it’s one of the best releases the Polo has ever done.

It isn’t an overwhelming and definitive win for Black, but I do think that it has more advantages versus the better selling Blue EDT.

Winner: Polo Black

Who Should Buy Each?

Choose Polo Black if:

You want the better overall scent
You prefer mango, tangerine, sage, sandalwood, tonka, and patchouli
You want something fruity, spicy, and woodsy instead of purely aquatic
You need better year-round versatility
You want one of the more distinctive fragrances in the Polo lineup

Choose Polo Blue if:

You want the better longevity between the two
You prefer cucumber, melon, tangerine, musk, moss, and amber
You want a colder aquatic fresh scent
You mainly need something for warm weather
You prefer a clean, casual, easygoing fragrance for school or office wear

Polo Black vs Blue FAQ

Which one is better for summer: Polo Black or Polo Blue?

Polo Blue is better as a fragrance for the warmer weather. Black isn’t bad in the heat, but the melon and fresh aquatic style of Blue just works better in that situation.

Is Polo Black sweeter than Polo Blue?

Neither is super sweet, but Polo Black probably is a tad more so. At least early on in the wear. Though, the melon and citrus do add some fruitiness and not a sugary sweetness in Polo Blue.

Does Polo Blue last longer than Polo Black?

In my experience, yes. It’ll get you a couple more hours of wear versus Black. Neither is amazing, but Blue is a bit better.

Stronger with You vs. The Most Wanted: Which One? (2026)

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Two of the more popular fragrances for younger guys are currently, The Most Wanted and Stronger with You. In this post, I’m going to provide my head to head breakdown of each, and declare at the end which cologne I think is better.

Quick Overview

🏆 My Verdict

The Most Wanted wins on opening and overall scent, while Stronger With You gets the slight edge in longevity and versatility; projection is basically a tie.

Buy The Most Wanted if you want the smoother, sweeter, better-smelling caramel-cardamom fragrance for dates, nights out, and cold weather. Buy Stronger With You if you want a similar sweet-spicy style with slightly better wear time and a little more flexibility.

Category Stronger With You The Most Wanted Winner
Opening Fresh, spicy cardamom with pink pepper, mint, sage, vanilla, and chestnut Sweet, spicy cardamom with caramel, bourbon vanilla, amberwood, and a lemony fresh touch The Most Wanted
Projection Very strong for a mainstream designer scent Very strong and about equal to Stronger With You Push
Longevity At least 9 hours, sometimes over 10 Around 9 hours Stronger With You
Versatility Best for fall/winter, casual wear, nightlife, romantic wear, and early spring evenings Best for fall/winter, casual wear, nightlife, romantic wear, and younger guys Stronger With You
Overall Scent Likable sweet-spicy vanilla and chestnut scent with very nice moments in the dry down Simpler, smoother caramel-vanilla sweetness with cardamom, warmth, spice, and enough freshness The Most Wanted
Best For Those who want slightly better longevity and more versatility Those who want the better-smelling sweet, spicy, date-night scent —

Tale of the Tape: Stronger with You vs. The Most Wanted

Stronger With You

Notes include: vanilla, mint, cardamom, chesnut, amber, pink pepper, sage, violet leaf

Click here to try: Emporio Armani Stronger With You for Men Eau de Toilette Spray, 1.7 oz

My Full Review: Stronger With You

The Most Wanted

notes include: caramel, cardamom, amberwood

Click here to try: Azzaro The Most Wanted Eau de Parfum Intense | Cologne for Men 1.7 fl oz

My Full Review: The Most Wanted

Opening

Stronger With You opens up fresh and with its spicier notes out front. To me, the cardamom really stands apart from the other notes, it has a share of the note weighting at the start.

Beyond that, it’s: pink pepper, mint, sage. The vanilla and chestnut notes are there also, but will gain strength a bit further in. Early on, it’s cardamom and the others.

The Most Wanted also has a cardamom note, but this one has a lemony touch, that brings to mind the original Wanted. It’s fresher, spicier, but less of a sharp sweetness than its predecessor.

Though, the Most Wanted is still sweet with the caramel and Bourbon vanilla note. Sweet, spicy, with some freshness is essentially what you get from this cologne the rest of the way.

Which is better? While The Most Wanted is simpler, I think that it works in its favor. It’s less of a mess early, which can feel like the Emporio Armani’s problem after spraying. It’s not bad, just not at its best.

Edge: The Most Wanted

Projection

When it comes to creating a scent trail and just pure ability to jump off of the skin, these fragrances are about equal, in my experience.

Really, both are great for mainstream designer scents. I’ve tested them out to see if there’s a difference and I really don’t think that there is.

So, this one is a tie.

Neither is an absolute monster with how they perform, but they’re right on the border and very strong scents.

Edge: Push

Longevity

The original Stronger With You EDT lasts for at least 9 hours on my skin. However, it can go above 10 hours at times, as well. It just sometimes fails to hit that double digit hour mark.

With The Most Wanted, I also get nine hours from it. But, it doesn’t seem to have that extra gear that Stronger can sometimes kick into.

Maybe newer bottles of SWY don’t have the same power. I’m not sure, but I haven’t heard anything about a declining performance. As such, I’ll give it the nod.

Edge: Stronger with You

Versatility

Both of them are best in the autumn and winter months. Though, each can sneak into the early spring, especially if you’re planning on using them for evening wear. Maybe, Stronger is a bit better in this regard.

Neither is a formal wear or one that is built for the office life. Casual, nightlife, and romantic wear would be better uses.

They also skew younger, not just for teenagers, but younger men in general could do well wearing these.

Not much of a distinction, but I might give the slight edge to the Armani.

Edge: Stronger (slightly)

Overall Scent

Which of these fragrances is the better buy overall?

With SWY, I have always liked aspects of it, but it never completely blew my mind. It’s not the best release from the series (personally, I like Intensely), but it is likeable, and has very nice moments as it dries down.

Frankly, it’s never been as good to my nose as The Most Wanted, which actually is my favorite from the Azzaro series.

The caramel and vanilla notes in The Most Wanted give you a great sweetness. The cardamom, warmth and spice. Plus, there is a freshness here that prevents the fragrance from becoming too heavy

They do share similarities of course, but I think the simplicity of The Most Wanted gives it the nod. The performance is almost equal, if more so favoring Stronger With You. End of the day, it really comes down to which one smells better.

For me, that’s The Most Wanted.

If I compare this to SWY Intensely or Absolutely, it’d be much closer, but I still think that I’d go with The Most Wanted. To me, it’s just a bit better, and I like the notes more than the Armani fragrances.

Winner: The Most Wanted

Who Should Buy Each?

Choose Stronger With You if:

You want slightly better longevity
You like vanilla, chestnut, cardamom, mint, and amber
You want a sweet fragrance that can sometimes push past 10 hours
You need something a little more versatile for early spring evenings
You prefer the Armani Stronger With You DNA

Choose The Most Wanted if:

You want the better overall scent between the two
You prefer caramel, cardamom, bourbon vanilla, and amberwood
You want something smoother and less messy in the opening
You mainly wear fragrance for dates, nightlife, casual wear, or colder weather
You want a sweet, spicy designer scent that is simple but highly effective

Stronger with You and The Most Wanted FAQ

Does Stronger With You last longer than The Most Wanted?

In my experience, yes. Slightly better wear time with Stronger with You and I can get over 10 hours sometimes. Barring any changes, I’d say the Armani lasts longer.

Is The Most Wanted too sweet?

No. In my opinion, it has a nice balance between spiciness, warmth, freshness, and sweetness. It does have sweetness, but it isn’t overwhelming. If you want to avoid any type of sweetness, go with another fragrance.

Is Stronger With You good for nightlife?

Yes, both Stronger with You and The Most Wanted are good for nightlife. You might go with something else during summer nights out, but either will work fine in that environment.

Which one is better for younger guys?

Either one of them works well for younger men. There is no ‘better’ here. Just go with the one that sounds more appealing to you.