By Designer

Nomad by Bond No. 9

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Nomad is a perfume released by Bond No. 9 New York back in 2021. I recently bought a sample of it as part of a lot and wanted to test out thing scent, to see what its all about. It’s one of the better looking bottles from the brand, but does the contents inside actually match up to the looks? How does it smell? Is it worth a try?

What does Nomad by Bond No. 9 smell like?

Notes include: quince, blackcurrant, pear, rose, oud, orris, violet leaf, vanilla, amber, sandalwood

Click here to try: Nomad from Bond

nomad bond review

My Full Review

Here’s how Bond describes it: Capturing the free spirit of New York’s dreamy wanderers. A strong, sensual, statement-making oud, with modern fruity notes and luxurious amber.

The opening here is sharp and fresh with a light watery mix coming from the pear and violet leaf notes. Blackcurrant, quince, and rose are kind of a lot to handle all at once. Especially, when they’re amped up to 1000 like they are in Nomad.

Man, this stuff goes on super powerful. Once some of the initial top has burned off, it will be more like a rose water, and much more tolerable.

Oud and rose are going to dominate. On my skin, I get a ton of the oud. I don’t mind it here, even if it isn’t a personal favorite note of mine. I could do without the pairing of it with rose, which has been done countless times by seemingly every designer.

The next phase is a slightly rosy oud with a bit of a powdery orris coming through. Spraying on clothes, I get more powder than on my skin. In either case, it’s only slight.

Nomad is sweeter less sharp, increasingly woody with some sandalwood coming into the picture and an amber base.

That’s basically the tail end of it. Woody, somewhat sweet and rosy, with an amber note having a larger role.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Nomad starts off monstrous with its projection. But, it’ll be quite strong for the rest of the way before declining into a skin scent deep into the wear.

That opening act is massive. Plenty of scent trail left behind, great projection, while not feeling super heavy. The slight aquatic aspect helps it from bogging everything down too much.

Nomad lasts forever on my skin. On a jacket, it’s still projecting a few feet, days after I sprayed it. It’s absolutely awesome with it’s performance. Not sure how long it actually goes on skin, but I’ve easily gotten 13+ hours before I scrubbed it.

Suffice to say, if you enjoy Nomad, you get your money’s worth.

Seasonally, autumn through spring. How deep into springtime, depends on where you live. I wouldn’t want this on, when it gets too hot outside. But, slightly chilly to moderate temperatures is where this Bond seems at its best.

This is also a true unisex. They did a great job a creating balance with appeal for anyone who likes this style of perfume.

It might not be the most versatile scent, due to its strength and the somewhat polarizing nature of oud and rose fragrances. Can be a bit much for the office, when you go beyond a few sprays.

Not super dressy or formal, but Noma has enough substance to be considered well put together. It’d be good for certain nighttime wear, lounges and things like that.

Overall Impressions of Nomad

Overall, do I like Nomad? Really, it’s not for me at all. Not a big rose and oud guy, but designers keep on cranking out these formulas, so I sort of have to review them.

Nomad is a beast, which can be both good and bad, depending on where you land with this scent.

I like the middle and dry down more. It’s somewhat softer and more balanced, without the harshness of the opening act. That’s when you get the best of everything. Still sweet and fruity, but with a fully developed oud taking center stage and some orris powder.

Nomad isn’t going to be a Bond No. 9 that enjoys a wide mass appeal. For some percentage of people, this is going to be perfect for them. Others, will be overwhelmed. I would suggest getting a sample before committing to hundreds of dollars spent, on a full bottle of Nomad.

A few bucks up front can save you from having an expensive paperweight on your shelf, if it turns out that you hate it.

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.

7 Best Smelling Burberry Colognes for Men

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Burberry is a British luxury design house founded in 1856. Popular as a high-end clothing designer, its distinctive check patterns, are instantly recognizable around the world. In the fragrance market, Burberry has created some timeless scents for men and women, especially in the past decade.

Its men’s colognes are always among the best sellers within the industry and for good reason, they smell fantastic.

In this post, I will cover information on the best smelling Burberry perfumes for men and what makes each of them special as a scent. Also check out: The Best Burberry Perfumes for Ladies

The List of the Top Burberry Perfumes for Him

Before I get started, with the list. I wanted to take a moment to point out that, these colognes are not ranked in order. These are simply the best of the men’s scents from Burberry and there is one for almost any style.

I have also linked to my full original review of each of these scents, where applicable.

Powdery Rose and Spice

BURBERRY Brit for Men Eau de Toilette, 1.7 fl. oz– Burberry Brit for Men is a super fresh and modern cologne. It has green outdoorsy elements blended with spice and a powdery finish. The invigorating spice is formed by the inclusion of ginger and nutmeg.

So, it isn’t a heavy animalistic kind of spice, but one that is upbeat and refined.

All of the notes in this cologne share the stage, and never seem to overpower one another, for too long. So, while there is a rose note, it remains subdued and adds to the overall composition. I

t opens up with its spicier notes with a light mandarin orange note. Ginger, nutmeg, and warm cardamom really provide a great freshness.

As it dries down, you will get more of a ‘green’ outdoorsy aroma with its cedar base, and a smooth powdery smell from the rose and tonka bean combo.

The sillage is in the range of moderate, but towards the light side of things. I get around 8 hours of wear, from this cologne.

Brit smells very good and is best in the colder parts of the year. I love to wear this during the crisp evening nights, when I want to be low key, but can still grab attention when someone is close enough. It is clean and a great blend of spicy elements and powdery floral aromas. My Full Brit Review

Masculine Tobacco Woods

BURBERRY London for Men Eau de Toilette , 1.7 fl. oz– London was my first Burberry cologne and its woody fragrance is probably the most masculine of the lot. Its base notes include mimosa, leather, tobacco, cinnamon leaves, and lavender.

This fragrance is probably best served as an evening wear option because of its sensual appeal. However, I used to daily wear this seasonally, back in college. Just with lighter sprays.

Like Brit, London is a colder weather scent. Although, I prefer to wear this during nights in autumn, versus winter for Brit. If Brit is fresh and green, London is deep and powerful.

While it has that nice spice and tobacco aroma, London still has its sweet side to prevent it from going too far into one-sidedness.

London opens up, at its spiciest, with that tobacco note surrounded by both pepper and cinnamon leaf. It also features a port wine ingredient at the top, to give the scent, an ever so slight booziness.

If you pay attention, you can pick up on the wine, it’s a nice addition. Further along, the spices notes are fading in place of the leather, and dry woodsy notes.

It can be very dry and earthy at times, with a certain masculine ruggedness. It has its refinement along with a wild undercurrent. The most prominent notes are the tobacco, cinnamon, and leather notes. Great stuff.

London starts off with a strong sillage, but ends up being pretty moderate. The longevity is good and this one is still so enjoyable to me, after all these years. Burberry London Review.  Burberry Brit vs London Comparison

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A Touching Favorite

BURBERRY Touch for Men Eau de Toilette, 3.3 oz– Sexy and elegant are probably the two best words to describe Burberry Touch. It has a clean aroma highlighted by pepper and violet leaf. It’s sweet yet spicy and also has a creamy/powdery feeling just underneath it all.

The pepper spice, is most pronounced in the opening bit of time, much like in Burberry London.

During the dry down period, tonka bean and musk join up to give Touch a bit more character. It’s almost too simple in how this cologne presents itself and the changes are so subtle at times, that you almost cannot detect a difference.

Touch is a very versatile fragrance that is suitable for a wide variety of occasions and weather conditions. Really underrated stuff. Touch is a clean fragrance and even while being simple, is still unique from so many other colognes out on the market.

The latter stages, really give me a clean soapy/body wash sort of feeling, but more upscale than the average soap.

I cannot even think of one that smells quite like Burberry Touch, even after almost two decades since its release. A masculine floral fragrance that has plenty of violet leaf and musk, but supported by an array of notes that set it apart.

The sillage here, isn’t too strong, but the longevity is still quite good. This could easily be a daily wear or signature scent for guys, in the daytime.

burberry touch m

Cooling Namesake

BURBERRY for Men Eau de Toilette, 3.3 fl.oz– Burberry cologne is the titular house fragrance from this design company. It also happens to be one of my favorite to wear on this list. Burberry for Men isn’t as in your face as many other colognes on the market, but it allows it’s striking and refined aroma speak for itself.

It features a cool mint note, that provides that familiar fresh spice on top of a smooth sandalwood, and embedded within a warm amber. It is an interesting play between warmth and cold, throughout the wear.

This is all solidified by a smooth trio of sandalwood, lavender, and cedar. This forms the base of Burberry for Men and adds that woody masculine layer.

The mint, cedar, and amber are the stars at the beginning of the wear. The amber is warm, the mint is cold, and you get a dry freshness of the cedar wood. The bergamot citrus note, is lighter than that main trio, but does add a nice extra element into the mix.

Burberry for Men is a great option for a daily wear scent. I picked up another small bottle, some months back, and it’s still got good performance. Plus, you can usually find a full bottle at a discount from the retail price.

This has a more mature character and a moderate sillage. I’ve always felt that I could wear Burberry anywhere and it be an appropriate cologne for that occasion. It’s woody, fresh, and an intriguing fragrance that I always love catching a whiff of. My review and Burberry for Men vs Brit

best burberry cologne

Spiced Beats

BURBERRY The Beat Eau De Toilette for Men, 3.4 Fl. oz.– The Beat is highly fresh and sharp fragrance that is propelled forward by its great pepper note. This is joined by lemon to create quite an interesting pairing. While simple, The Beat evolves, and eventually reveals a woody base that is dotted by violet, to add a floral element.

This is probably the most unique of the colognes featured on this list. While not overpowering, it has a solid sillage and longevity, and can fit in well as an everyday wear.

The Beat is dry and outdoorsy with that juicy lemon to give it a sharp clean balance. The pepper spice at the beginning can be pretty intense at times, but the dry down with the cool vetiver is a nice change of pace.

At times, in the middle of the wear, it can be sweeter rather than spicy. Then, when the vetiver and cedar fully kick in, it is a fresh and dry woodsy type of smell. The Beat is a good choice for casual daily wear, for most of the year.

It’s not really a nightlife scent at all, just a nice and rather simple sort of fragrance. It’s opening is pretty strong, but it does calm itself down, and has a decent but not amazing longevity.

The Best Mr. Burberry

Mr Burberry Indigo- The Mr. Burberry series was pretty much a complete miss for me, until I tried Indigo. The EDP version smelled really good but the performance was terrible.

Indigo doesn’t have insane performance, but it lasts much better on my skin with a still moderate sillage. It’s sort of got a combination between the aroma of the others in the series, mixed with Acqua di Gio, and a few other colognes.

It’s fresh, herbal, somewhat aquatic with an amber base. It opens up with the citrus coming through, that is paired with mostly the mint and rosemary notes. Then, sage will take over for the rosemary. Green while being juicy with the top fruits.

It’s not my favorite release from Burberry, but Mr Burberry Indigo is probably their best men’s release of the past five years. My Full Review

A New Hero

Hero EDT- The EDP version is also pretty interesting, with some nice smoky touches. It’s almost a toss up for me at times, between these two, but I’ll go with Hero EDT. The more time I spent with each, the more I preferred EDT.

I still need to grab some of this Burberry release for additional testing. But, from my experience with it thus far, it’s a very nice release from the brand.

Update: I bought a travel size and it is very likeable and super versatile, as a daily wear. It’s one of their best releases in 5+ years.

It’s fresh and woody, but not completely overpowering with the cedar note. Gives you a simple clean, that can be worn almost anytime. The bergamot citrus top, hangs around underneath the cedar for a long while, and gives Hero a spectacular brightness.

Juniper and some pepper spice come through for an aromatic finish. The pepper is noticeable at first, but fades rather quickly. Performance is a bit above average, not spectacular. Hero EDT Review

8 Best Smelling Acqua di Parma Fragrances for Men

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Acqua di Parma has been around for a long long time now. They have a wide range of scents that bring forth the smells of the Mediterranean, particularly citrus notes native to the region. In this post, I want to break down their catalog into 8 colognes for guys, that I consider to be the best of the bunch.

Now, I have included some unisex entries on the list, as Acqua di Parma has plenty of those and they do indeed rank among their best.

What Are the Best Acqua di Parma Perfumes?

Best Overall Acqua di Parma Scent and Summer

Acqua Di Parma Blue Mediterraneo Fico Di Amalfi Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 5 Ounce– This one gives you that familiar Blu Mediterraneo burst of citrus notes, including grapefruit and bergamot. Then, the outstanding fig note comes along as the dominant force, to create a sweet and unique experience.

The grapefruit and lemon are strongest at the top, but it leans more grapefruit, than the other perfumes on this list. Once the citrus settles down, it plays very well off of the fig, and light cedar base.

I don’t always like fig in fragrances, but this has to be one of the best examples, of how to do it right. Fico di Amalfi is a fragrance which can be worn by absolutely everyone, very unisex, and a magnificent summer perfume.

Best Winter Fragrance

Acqua Di Parma Blue Mediterraneo Mandorlo Di Sicilia Eau de Toilette Spray, 5 Ounce– One of the unisex entries on the list and while it does sit slightly more toward the feminine side, it is still a very nice scent for the cold weather.

Almond and vanilla are paired to create a warm and lightly enveloping aroma, that has a sweet candy-like quality.

This one reminds me of these little root beer candies, that I ate sometimes, as a child. Orange, almond, and the vanilla come together to give it a sweet, somewhat nutty, fizziness.

Akin to carbonation. Mandorlo is fresh and dries down, mostly as vanilla, with a powdered sugar quality. The sillage is fairly light, but it can last for 6-7 hours, on my skin.  My Full Review is Here

Most Popular Men’s Cologne

Acqua Di Parma Essenza Eau De Cologne Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce–  A shockingly clean and refined composition of citrus and herbal/floral notes. Essenza screams class.

With it’s fantastic performance, this is one to reach for during the warmer months of the year, and shares a lot of similarities with Tom Ford’s Neroli Portofino Forte.

In this one, you get plenty of orange, grapefruit, and bergamot. Naturally, this is put together with neroli, as is so common in summertime scents. The citrus at opening is juicy and somewhat sharp, then, it dries down more into a soapy sort of scent.

Especially later in the wear, you can pick up rosemary and oakmoss, but Essenza is very well-blended and can be difficult to decipher. Nonetheless, you get yourself a classically styled unisex perfume, that is highly attractive though not heavy-handed.

Classic Fragrance for Him

Acqua Di Parma Cologne Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce– The original which traces its roots back to 1916. Features citrus with notes of rosemary and lavender. A classic clean with woodsy undertones, Colonia is sharp and well put together.

Colonia can be pretty strong with the lemon at first, but it needs a few minutes to settle, and have the lavender note come out fully. This has that old school barbershop type of character, with light musk in the dry down, and the rosemary peaking through at times.

This isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea; however, Colonia can still bring a pleasant experience after all of these decades. This is going to be for guys, who want a change of pace from the more modern or unisex fragrances on the market.

Most Underrated Acqua di Parma Perfume

Acqua Di Parma Blue Mediterraneo Arancia Di Capri Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 5 Ounce– A super citrus blend of oranges, grapefruit, and bergamot. Arancia di Capri, is a breath of fresh air and energy when applied, and enjoys such a naturalistic feel.

Clean, upbeat, and vibrant. It opens up, with those juicy citrus notes at the top of the composition.

These are the dominant notes for the first 20 minutes and are paired with, a light musk. Then, a sweet caramel note begins to emerge and join the mandarin orange note, as the main attractions. The other citrus notes fade quite a bit.

The fragrance smells absolutely wonderful. However, while the sillage starts off pretty powerful, it becomes a skin scent shortly thereafter. Not the best performing (on my skin, anyway), but definitely one of the best smelling Acqua fragrances.   My full review of Arancia di Capri

Best Masculine/ Intense Cologne

Acqua Di Parma Colonia Intensa 3.4 oz Eau de Cologne Spray– A woody and slightly spicy flanker of the original Colonia. This also shares the citrus notes but has a blend of leather, cardamom, and ginger which gives it that bit of kick.

It opens up with that same familiar blend of citrus notes, plenty of lemon, with lime coming through.

This is joined by that warm spice of cardamom and the fresh/cool spice of ginger. As it moves along, the leather and woody notes, take on a more prominent role while the citrus falls back.

It’s fresh, rich, dark, and full of a spicy edge. Leather, woody, spice, with an amber tone, and the citrus still hanging around somewhat.

Fizzy Clean

Chinotto di Liguria– Just reading the notes, before trying this out, I was afraid that this would be similar to Versace Eros Flame. Since that also features an opening of mandarin orange and chinotto notes.

But, this is actually quite different and has none of that overwhelming amber note, which drives me nuts with Flame.

The opening has a nice burst of orange, but that’s overshadowed by the rosemary and chinotto. It’s kind of fizzy, fresh, and has an herbal aroma. Which, usually plays very nicely off of a citrus note.

Less of a sweet fragrance, having more bitter highlights throughout. The base is a soapy clean musk, with the fresh greenish ingredients giving this one life. Not the best performance, but a really nice fragrance for the right guy.

Leather Goods

Leather by Acqua di Parma– Leather is a release that came out much more recently than others on the list. If you want a rich and quite realistic smelling leather note, from your fragrance, you can give this one a go.

Like Tuscan Leather by Tom Ford, you get a raspberry note up top. But, in this one, it is flanked by two citrus notes. It’s also much woodier and floral than the Tom Ford offering.

While rose and citrus play roles here, this isn’t always a clean leather scent. It can be dark, rough, and even has an earthy/dirtiness/smoky aroma as you get to the middle of the wear.

Not an option that will appeal to everyone, but this could be the top pick of the bunch, for some of you.

7 Best Smelling Jean Paul Gaultier Colognes

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Jean Paul Gaultier fragrances have enjoyed massive commercial success for both its men’s and women’s line. While now, Le Male is almost ubiquitous in its usage, when it was released in 1995 it became popular because of its great scent, even if now it trades based on its reputation.

For this list, I have selected seven scents from Jean Paul Gaultier which I feel represent a best of their men’s cologne collection. Update: Some of these may be more difficult to find now, as there are discontinued options on the list. But, still plenty of scents to enjoy.

Key Takeaways

I go into detail about all of these fragrances, below. Though, here is a quick list for those in a hurry to find the best Gaultier scents.

What are the Best Smelling JPG Fragrances for Men?

The Nightlife Star

Jean Paul Gaultier Ultra Male Eau de Toilette Intense 40ml Spray– This is the best choice in my opinion and the Gaultier fragrance that I keep a full bottle of for myself.

Ultra Male was introduced as another flanker fragrance to the original Le Male (listed below) and has surpassed its predecessor in terms of quality, smell, and performance.

I will say, this won’t be the best option for those who are looking for a daily wear. This isn’t an office scent, is limited to colder climates, and skews to a younger audience.

It’s sweet, powerful, and spicy with notes of vanilla, cinnamon, pear, amber, mint, lavender, among others. Ultra Male has great longevity and a bold sillage, that works well for the nightlife during the colder months of the year.

Pear, cinnamon, and mint are really strong early in the wear. The pear and cinnamon give it a distinct vibe from Le Male.

It’s got a candy-like presence while maintaining a masculine vibe throughout. Read my full review: Ultra Male Review

All Around Classic

Le Male by Jean Paul Gaultier for Men – 4.2 Ounce EDT Spray– One of the most popular and widely used fragrances in the world. Le Male blends orange blossom, mint, lavender, and woods to create a fragrance that is sexy and wholly masculine.

The vanilla note is paired early on with the orange blossom, bergamot, cinnamon, mint, and lavender. The cinnamon and minty fresh spice aroma, is at its peak during this time.

The bergamot does give it a slight citrus note up top, to break things up a bit. Then, the cinnamon will begin to fade and it becomes a creamy/powdery kind of scent.

Things end with amber, vanilla, tonka bean, and woods enveloping the floral heart.

It’s been around for decades and is still going strong. This one is more vanilla and mint than Ultra Male and doesn’t have to same bold projection. However, Le Male is still a very nice option for an everyday scent, particularly for younger men. Le Male Full Review

le male jpg review

Sweet New Entry

Le Male Elixir- This has been one of the hottest releases in men’s fragrances in 2023. While Le Male Elixir, may not be for everyone, I think that it deserves much of the recognition that it receives.

Elixir opens with a blend of cold mint, tonka bean, lavender, and vanilla. It’s a fresh and sweet mix, with a heavy sillage at this early stage of the wear.

Then, we start to warm things up with a mix of honey, benzoin, and amber coming up as a heavier part of the composition. In the end, you get plenty of the original Le Male DNA (lavender, mint, vanilla), along with a bold infusion of notes like tobacco and honey.

This is one that I have been enjoying wearing, since I purchased Elixir, a few months back. If you don’t like sweet and heavier scents, skip it. But, it’s worth a try for anyone else. Le Male Elixir Review

The Bold JPG

Gaultier 2 By Jean Paul Gaultier For Men and Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 4 Ounces– Not as heralded as Le Male, however, Gaultier 2 is a winner. It brings together a triumvirate of notes including, musk, amber, and vanilla to create a sweet, warm, and memorable fragrance.

This is a unisex fragrance, that is also quite simple, and very appealing. Gaultier 2 is bold and heavy on the amber and vanilla, which generates a seductive cloud of inviting heat around the wearer.

It’s been discontinued, but you can still pick up a bottle on the secondary market. If you live in a warmer climate or if it’s summertime, this is one to avoid. However, it can be an absolute gem in the cold and crisp weather.

The Herbal/Floral Cologne

Fleur Du Male by Jean Paul Gaultier 4.2oz 125ml EDT Spray– Fleur du Male scales back the masculinity for something a little more androgynous but still quite appealing. A very nice scent for the right man, that mixes floral notes like neroli with herbal notes like basil.

It has a floral sweet opening, then moves into a more spiced powdery, sort of smoky dry down. Great projection and longevity.

This is really a different kind of men’s fragrance, as you get some traditional herbal elements, with a great neroli and almost vanilla undertones. Fleur du Male is quite fresh and clean and a joy to wear in the daytime.

Update: This is now discontinued.

Different Take on the Classic Style

Le Male Terrible– This is another flanker of Le Male, which opens up as a close clone of the original, but with slight differences that get more distinct over time. Noticeably, the mint note is missing from the mix.

The pink pepper and grapefruit notes, set it apart, and give it a warmer vibe. It is lighter than the original, but has a good 6-7 hours of wear, and can be worn pretty much year round.

The dry down becomes about the amber, vanilla, lavender, and pink pepper. It’s really quite attractive. This wouldn’t be my first choice, but I think it’s a good option at the right price. Le Male Terrible Review

Update: Also discontinued.

Best New Release

Le Male Le Parfum– The latest popular iteration of the Le Male series and it’s a really good one. A nice amount of cardamom and soft powder from the iris note. Very nice with the appealing DNA of the original Le Male, especially coming from the lavender in the beginning.

However, it also gives you hints of Ultra Male, without the same powerful sillage (though, performance is still very good). Very warm with spicy punches throughout and wrapped up in that familiar JPG vanilla note.

It’s a more mature fragrance than either of the others. Not super high-end and formal, but it does give a nice update to the classic formula.

Le Parfum is another solid entry from this line and I prefer it versus something like In the Navy, in comparison. This is one if you want something beyond Le Male, but not the same level as Ultra Male. Le Male Le Parfum Review

gaultier le male