Men’s Fashion

Nautica Voyage vs. Voyage Heritage Comparison

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After recently purchasing a bottle of the newer release from Nautica, Voyage Heritage, I knew that I had to do a comparison with its famous predecessor. Would this one finally be the flanker scent that could compete head to head with the original?

Well, after wearing both, I am going to break it down for you. Which smells better when comparing Nautica Voyage vs. Voyage Heritage? Which lasts longer? Ultimately, which is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: Voyage vs. Heritage

Nautica Voyage

Notes include: apple, musk, cedar, lotus, amber, mimosa, and oak moss

Click here to try: Nautica Voyage Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 oz

Read my original review: Nautica Voyage Review

Voyage Heritage

Notes include: rosemary, peppermint, sandalwood, lavender, ginger, bergamot, vetiver

Click here to try: Nautica Voyage Heritage by Nautica

Read my original review: Voyage Heritage Review

Opening

Right from the start, these two fragrances have nothing in common, outside of the shared name. Voyage Heritage opens up with a blend of warm spices and cooler ones. It is somewhat herbal with rosemary leading the way and being paired with peppermint.

Also, a slight bergamot sits underneath. Then, after some minutes, ginger begins to take some of the strength of the rosemary away.

Voyage starts off with crisp apple, mimosa, musk, and a watery sort of aroma. It feels pretty green and the musk is too much, for my nose at times. Honestly, the start is my least favorite aspect of Voyage.

Which is better? Neither one of these colognes, starts off amazing. However, I think that I prefer Heritage, and its fresh spice versus the somewhat messy opening of Voyage.

Edge: Heritage

Projection

Both of these fragrances, start off as moderate, with their sillage. Neither is going to overwhelm the room. I will say that, Voyage, holds up much better than Heritage. Heritage gets noticeably weaker, much faster than the original.

Edge: Voyage

Longevity

After testing Heritage, I get a consistent 4-6 hours of wear. With much of that time, as a close to skin scent. Meanwhile, Voyage will get me 5-7 hours, with better strength.

Edge: Voyage

Versatility

These fragrances can both be worn year round, but really excel in the spring/summer months. Heritage gives you that cool and spicy fresh vibe, for the warmer weather.

They are both casual daytime wears, that can serve as daily colognes, for guys who want something subtle. No clear winner, here.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

So, does Voyage Heritage, knock the original off of its throne? I’m going to say, no. I think that it could’ve, if the execution of this fragrance, had been better. When I originally read the notes of Heritage, I had pretty high hopes, that this one could be a new classic cheapie.

However, it just kind of falls flat. It smells nice enough, but the performance leaves much to be desire, and it feels like it’s missing something.

I said in my review of this scent, that I thought there should’ve been a stronger citrus top. I was also expecting more from the peppermint note. It’s a pretty good fragrance, that had lots of potential.

Note: You could also consider getting one of the ‘inspired by’ remixes of Voyage from the Dua Brand. Imperiale Ocean Mist, for example, takes this idea and their version of a Millesime Imperial like formula and blends them.

Voyage, is still the top draw of the Nautica line. The apple note is nice, the musk settles, and Voyage becomes much smoother as it wears on. Then, the dry woody notes come out, and Voyage really becomes a great inexpensive option for guys. It wins this match up.

Winner: Voyage

Fleur de Portofino vs Neroli Portofino Comparison

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Tom Ford has released a good number of citrus floral fragrances over the years. Two of them, will be our competitive subjects today, Neroli Portofino vs. Fleur de Portofino. They obviously have a similar name, but which one stands out more? Which gives a better performance? Which is ultimately the better buy?

Tale of the Tape

Neroli Portofino

Notes include: neroli, orange flower, amber, mandarin, bergamot, jasmine, lavender, lemon

Click here to try: Tom Ford Neroli Portofino 1.7 oz Eau de Parfum Spray

Review: Neroli Portofino

Fleur de Portofino

Notes include: bergamot, Sicilian lemon, bitter orange leaf, tangerine, violet leaf, magnolia, white acacia, orange blossom, jasmine, vanilla, acacia honey

Click here to try: Tom Ford Fleur de Portofino Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4 oz

Review: Fleur de Portofino

Opening

Neroli Portofino starts off with a blend of citrus notes, led by lemon, along with the neroli note and orange blossom. It’s aroma is upbeat and zesty with the floral ingredients providing a clean soapy quality.

Fleur de Portofino also starts with the citrus, but the blend is more of a mix of tangerine and lemon. It too feature floral notes of orange blossom and white acacia, but is joined by sweet honey, and a ‘green’ outdoorsy scent.

Which is better? I enjoy the opening of Fleur better. It has a similar citrus, with white floral notes like Neroli Portofino, but also features a nice honey note and more depth than its competitor.

Edge: Fleur

Projection

Neroli Portofino starts out as a moderate sillage perfume. It’s not super strong, but noticeable. After a while, it’s much softer, and sticks closer to the skin. Fleur de Portofino has a stronger sillage at the start, before becoming fairly moderate, in how it projects.

Edge: Fleur

Longevity

These two are pretty much the same, in terms of how long they last. I get 5-6 hours from either. Not great, but not terrible, as is fairly common with lighter citrus scents.

Edge: Push

Versatility

Again, these two are very similar with their uses. They are spring and summer fragrance. Perfumes that can go casual or dressy and unisex. I’d say Fleur is a tad more feminine, but both really hit the same sort of notes.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Honestly, I don’t find any of these fragrances to be amazing. However, they both are nice fragrances, that are enjoyable in the warmer weather. I enjoy the zesty citrus scent of Neroli Portofino and it has a light clean floral drydown. It is simple and fresh.

Between these Tom Ford fragrances, though? I prefer Fleur de Portofino slightly more. I like the honey note, added to the composition. The citrus and the honey keep it from becoming overly floral and creates something distinct, that Neroli Portofino, doesn’t really have.

It’s not a major edge for Fleur, in this contest, but it is a bit better than Neroli is.

Winner: Fleur de Portofino

Polo Red Extreme vs Ultra Male Comparison

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It’s been a minute since I’ve done a head to head fragrance comparison, so let’s get to it. In today’s post, I am going to be covering a contest between Ultra Male vs. Polo Red Extreme. I have worn both of these colognes many times, but which smells better? The Jean Paul Gaultier or the Ralph Lauren scent? I will break down each by different metrics, before ultimately declaring one, which I consider to be the best.

Tale of the Tape

Ultra Male

Notes include: vanilla, pear, amber, woods, cinnamon, cumin, sage, lavender, mint

Click here to try: Jean Paul Gaultier Ultra Male for Men Intense Spray, Eau de Toilette, 4.2 Ounce

Read my original Review: Ultra Male

Polo Red Extreme

Notes include: blood orange, coffee, ebony wood

Click here to try: Polo Red Extreme Eau de Parfum Spray 4.2 Ounce, Ralph Lauren Men

Read my review: Polo Red Extreme

Opening

Ultra Male kicks things off with its sweet and somewhat candy-like aroma, that is joined by the warm spiciness of cinnamon and sage. Beyond that is the pear note, vanilla, and mint; which brings a cooler sensation.

Polo Red Extreme goes in with a bold blend of blood orange, some cranberry, and coffee. It is delicious, with it’s own DNA, but just a nod to the original Polo Red by using the cranberry note.

Which is better? That’s tough. I really like how both of these fragrances start off. If I have to pick? I think I’ll give the nod to Ultra Male, as it has more depth, and its nice aroma.

Edge: Ultra Male

Projection

Ultra versus Extreme, both should have huge sillage, do they? Well, yes, both are strong colognes. Polo Red Extreme is definitely powerful, but it doesn’t have that top tier sillage. Ultra Male does, it is strong and definitely a bold scent. It has the edge.

Edge: Ultra Male

Longevity

Here, we are are about the same. Both of these scents, usually give me around 8-9 hours of wear, each time. Both are very good with their longevity, but not elite.

Edge: Push

Versatility

The two of these fragrances are best reserved for the colder months. Ultra Male is pretty much a nightlife fragrance and isn’t going to find too much use as a daily wear. Polo Red Extreme, leans in that direction, but can actually be used casually or even at the office.

Edge: Red Extreme

Overall Scent

This is a fairly close call, as I really do enjoy both of these scents. Polo Red Extreme is the best incarnation of the Polo Red line. It’s pretty straightforward with the blood orange, coffee, and the later ebony wood base. It’s unique and offers a good performance. Plus, is slightly more versatile.

Ultra Male, is just a bit better smelling, in my opinion. It’s bold, warm, fresh, with a great sweet and spicy profile. It is an upgrade over the still very popular, Le Male. Yes, it has a limited use, but this stuff is a beast, in the winter months.

When it comes down to it, I would prefer to wear Ultra Male, a higher percentage of the time versus Polo Red Extreme. Though, I do recommend either.

Winner: Ultra Male

Noir de Noir by Tom Ford

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For this edition of my fragrance reviews, I have another entry from the Tom Ford Private Blend lineup, Noir de Noir. The scent is one of the more popular perfumes offered by the brand, but does it actually smell any good? How does this black of black perform? Is it even worth a try? I’ve been testing it out for a while and here are my results.

What does Noir de Noir Smell Like?

Notes include: rose, oud, patchouli, black truffle, tree moss

Click here to try: Tom Ford Private Blend Noir De Noir Eau De Parfum Spray Edp 3.4 Fl / 100 Ml

My Full Wear Review

I’m not too much of a fan of rose, as a note in fragrances. Especially, rose dominated scents, they usually never really strike a chord with me; even if I don’t hate the way it smells. So, Noir de Noir shouldn’t be a perfume that I enjoy, but I actually do.

When I saw that oud and patchouli were added to rose, I had the preconception that it was going to smell exactly like, every other Middle Eastern inspired fragrance out there, with a huge rose and overpowering spice. What I got from this Tom Ford scent, was quite different.

Noir de Noir does indeed open up with a familiar aroma of rose, however, it seems sweeter, while at the same time dirtier than other rose scents. But this is what makes it such a good smell.

It is paired with patchouli at the start and this provides an earthy spice, that not super intense but allows the scent to be dark and not just another in your face rose.

The oud sits at the base, along with the slight mossy element in here. However, the key here in my opinion, is the black truffle and vanilla. I didn’t see vanilla listed as a note, but I get that sweet creaminess peaking through during the dry down.

This is when Noir de Noir is at its absolute best. I love the balance here, one minute it is rosy and floral, the next dirty and spicy, and then it is sweet. All wrapped up in a dark and enveloping warmth. The oud is the sturdy heart of the perfume, but it stays out of the way, and isn’t super overt.

Sillage, How Long it Lasts, and Versatility

Projection wise, I don’t find the sillage of Noir de Noir to be all that powerful. It isn’t weak, but it didn’t make me recoil when applying it. It’ll stay in a nice little 3-4 foot radius of you during the wear and you will catch nice whiffs of it throughout.

It also stayed on my skin for about 9 hours or so. Wasn’t insane, with the longevity, but it is certainly very good. On a colder day, the performance does stand out. The longevity is good, but what’s impressive is how it sticks around with a good amount of power.

This is a unisex scent, maybe leaning more towards a woman’s fragrance, but it doesn’t really seem as wholly feminine. Noir de Noir works fantastically on me, as a man, so I wouldn’t worry about seeming too girly with it.

Either way, I liked wearing it in the cold weather recently, and don’t think that it would be too successful for anyone in the summertime. It’s a bit too rich for any time with too much humidity or heat.

Noir de Noir is a sophisticated scent, as such, I probably wouldn’t wear it casually. This is more of something to wear on an evening out, whether that is in a suit or a dress. Anything with a bit of style to it. It is sexy in its own way, not super seductive, but inviting and intriguing.

Overall Impressions of Noir de Noir

Overall, do I like Noir de Noir by Tom Ford? Yes, if you couldn’t tell. I think that it is a highly enjoyable fragrance, that captures a lot of different moods, aromas, and skirts the line of masculine and feminine.

It successfully managed to take notes that aren’t usually my favorites and make me enjoy wearing it. This is a wonderful piece of the Private Blend collection.

The truffle is a fantastic addition, getting paired with the more commonplace vanilla note. They sweeten and calm, what would otherwise be quite an intensely earthy sort of perfume.

Nonetheless, it ultimately is an earthy experience. The rose note is surprisingly good, when paired with patchouli. It comes together as a very dark, warm, sweet, and powerful wear. Noir de Noir is a fragrance, I wouldn’t have expected to enjoy, but really did, in the end.

Tuscan Leather by Tom Ford

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I’ve got a whole lot of Tom Ford fragrance write-ups to do over the next little while, so you can expect 20+ reviews, over the next months (?) as I get all of them written and sorted out. Today’s review, we have a fragrance from the Private Blend Collection, Tuscan Leather. It was released in 2007. How does this popular scent smell? What’s inside? How does it perform? Is it even worth a try?

What does Tuscan Leather Smell Like?

Notes include: leather, suede, raspberry, jasmine, olibanum, saffron, amber

Click here to try: Tom Ford Tuscan Leather Eau De Parfume Spray for Men, 1.7 Ounce

My Full Review

The opening of Tuscan Leather is obviously full of the headlining leather note, but it is also joined by saffron, which brings to mind Godolphin by Parfums de Marly. However, what separates the Tom Ford creation, is the addition of a light raspberry note which sweetens up the background. It isn’t super juicy or girly, but that familiar aroma is there.

The leathery fragrance is obviously going to draw a lot of comparisons with one of the newer Tom Ford scents, Ombre Leather. I think Ombre is a drier fragrance than this is, but I will do a full comparison in the future.

The leather note in Tuscan Leather is utterly phenomenal. I’m a huge fan of this ingredient in fragrances and it is done to perfection here. Rich and super smooth, only made more so by the addition of the black suede note. It all comes together as very dark and deep.

As it dries down further, there is a subtle smokiness to Tuscan Leather, and a warmth provided by amber.

Beyond that, a faint jasmine note peaks in to the composition at times, but never quite unseats the saffron. In the end the main players are: leather, saffron, raspberry, and suede.

Leather and saffron are really great together in fragrances. Tuscan is a premier example of this, and that juicy raspberry note, just ties it all together.

Sillage, How Long it Lasts, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage on this one is really strong, at first. Then, it settles down into something more moderate. To me, I love its loudness and confidence, when it kicks off. I am reviewing the current formulation and the longevity isn’t what I remember it to be in the past.

It is still good, but doesn’t have that same all day and into the night performance that it used to. I can still hit around a standard work day with Tuscan Leather. So, now it’s about 8 hours. Before, it would get 10+ pretty easily.

Is this decline just in the batch I have? Not sure, but I’ve read some other reports of this as well. Nonetheless, Tuscan certainly isn’t ‘weak’ by any means. Maybe just lost a step.

Seasonally, this is a wintertime gem. It hangs beautifully in the chilled air. You could also break it out during the autumn months to great effect. I’d definitely avoid it in the summer months or if you happen to live in a tropical climate. Not great in the heat.

This Tom Ford fragrance is classy enough to be worn for business or formal occasions, but also, sexy enough to go out at night.

It’s pretty much an anytime wear during the winter months. Maybe not for totally casual occasions or for really young folks, but it wouldn’t feel completely, out of place.

This is classified as a unisex fragrance and it does fit that bill. However, it does lean more toward the masculine end of things. That being said, anyone can really wear this one. The raspberry and jasmine notes, really help to give Tuscan a lighter touch.

Overall Impressions of Tuscan Leather by Tom Ford

Overall, do I like Tuscan Leather? Of course. It is a really great leather fragrance, that is sophisticated, well blended, and smells awesome. Smooth as hell and the saffron/raspberry really add a nice touch to the whole composition.

If you’re not a leather fan, obviously avoid this one. However, for anyone else with that kind of money to drop on a $200+ bottle of Tom Ford, this is an excellent choice.

This has a less dry and earthy feeling than does Ombre Leather, and I slightly prefer that scent from Tom Ford. However, this is still a really great perfume, maybe not exactly what it once was…but it holds up.