Voyage Heritage by Nautica

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Nautica Voyage is a super famous name, in the fragrance world, and a best-seller for years now. It has become pretty renown, as a cheap cologne option for men. Now, the brand has released a new addition to the lineup in 2019, Voyage Heritage. What does this one smell like? Is it worth a try? Does it last a long time? I picked up a bottle and have been testing it out. As usual, I’ve written my thoughts in a review, where I break it all down.

What Does Voyage Heritage Smell Like?

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

Click here to try: Nautica Voyage Heritage by Nautica

My Full Wear Review

With the massive success of the original Nautica Voyage, the brand was obviously going to release some flanker fragrances, under the same banner. Voyage Sport was one such effort, that was ultimately disappointing.

So, when Nautica Voyage Heritage was released, it was going to get the comparisons to its popular predecessor.

Up front, Heritage is a distinct cologne from Voyage. It doesn’t share any commonalities with the original. It’s kind of weird to share a name, but not have any of the same ‘DNA’, that a particular fragrance is famous for.

Heritage opens up with a blend of warm and cool spices. The spice isn’t heavy, just a fresh sort of aroma. Rosemary, is the strongest note at the top, and is paired with peppermint.

There is a nice herbal quality to it, with a bit of citrus underneath, from the bergamot. Honestly, the bergamot is pretty weak, here. I actually wish they would have boosted that note, to give it more of a citrus aroma, but it instead leans toward an herbal spice.

A few minutes in, the rosemary relents somewhat, and ginger becomes stronger. That’s a positive, in my mind, as ginger brings that light cool spice that pairs well with mint.

At this point, I can see where Nautica is going with this one, creating a light non-citrus freshie that works well in the warm weather.

The notes are blended quite a lot, on the skin. During the wear, it can be hard to differentiate between the light spicy notes, as none seems to want to take the dominant role. It becomes calmer, a fresh smell, with an emerging woody base.

What’s dominant at the base? Lavender and sandalwood. To my nose, sandalwood is the stronger of the two, but that familiar lavender aroma is definitely there. I don’t really pick up on the vetiver, which I doubt would be all that strong in a Nautica cologne, anyway.

Finally, I am left with: peppermint, ginger, sandalwood, and lavender. Again, it’s a cool freshness, and not a heavy warm spice. Smooth and woody, underneath that.

Sillage and Longevity

The projection of Voyage Heritage isn’t all that powerful. I can spray the same spot three times and it will be moderate. This one isn’t going to fill up a room and quiets down to something which hangs closer to the skin.

The longevity isn’t amazing, about what I expect from the brand and price point, around 4-6 hours. This depends on the day and the climate. It could’ve had more depth, something to give Heritage a larger sillage, or a few more hours of wear.

Update: Having had this a little while longer after this initial review, the longevity did seem to skew closer to that four hour range versus the full six.

The performance isn’t going to be extreme, but it is passable. I’ll do 2-3 sprays to each side of the neck, that seems to work well, for me.

When Should it Be Worn?

Seasonally, this is a good choice for spring/summer. The cool freshness, works well in the heat. However, it can definitely be worn year round, without issue. Voyage Heritage is something that you’d wear casually, during the daytime, or at work. So long as you want to be low key, this isn’t a beast fragrance. It can work well for any age range.

Overall 

Voyage Heritage is a fairly nice fragrance, but not amazing. From the perspective of price, I’d say that it’s worth giving a try. It’s hard to go wrong with this one for $20.

However, if I could afford better, I would do so. At this pricing point, it delivers a pleasantly fresh, spicy, and woodsy aroma. It’s not going to stand out, but it does a ok enough job.

I wish the performance was a bit better. An extra bit of power, would be nice. It can also feel kind of bland, like there needed to be one more ingredient, to make it special. I’d say a stronger citrus top, would have been pretty great here. Then, it could settle into the other notes.

Update: I got rid of my full bottle pretty quickly. I just never had any interest in wearing this one. Voyage Midnight ended up being a better flanker release, a year or two after this came out. There are still bottles around of Heritage, but it’s sort of a why bother, at this point?

I’m not super impressed, but you could do a lot worse. Heck, I got a full bottle for $12, which is a fair deal for Heritage. It has no real connection to the original, which isn’t a bad thing, I just wish this brand would step up and make something new that’s great. Heritage ain’t that, but it’s not bad.

6 Best Issey Miyake Perfumes for Her

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Issey Miyake has been a popular yet often underappreciated designer brand for decades now. Mr. Miyake passed away in 2022, leaving behind a brand legacy that continues to persist.  It’s L’eau d’Issey series of fragrances struck a chord with its releases for both men and women.

However, I think the popularity of perfumes was more evenly distributed on the ladies’ side of things. In this post, I want to present five options that are currently still available from Miyake, which can be considered the best of the lot. 

What are the Top Issey Miyake Perfumes for Her?

Fresh and Aquatic D’Issey

Issey Miyake L’Eau D’Issey Pure Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.0 Ounce– Pure is a more sheer and aquatic version of the original L’eau D’Issey listed below. It keeps the rose and lily notes, along with adding actual marine notes to the top end.

Pure kicks off with a somewhat salty mix of ambergris and the oceanic notes. At first, you may get a blend of the floral ingredients (added jasmine and orange blossom), but the lily will ultimately win out here. Rose, sits just underneath it in terms of strength.

The opening is more fresh and crisp, while the latter stages soften up with muskier and woody base. Not too complex, but can be a very nice light option for spring/summer. 

A Newer Entry

Issey Miyake A Drop d’Issey for Women Eau de Parfum Spray, 3 Ounce– A Drop d’Issey is one of the more recent releases from the brand which has really taken off. Released in 2021, this perfume is well balanced in what it offers from aroma to longevity to use case.

Lilac and Damask rose open things up on the floral front. These notes are joined by ‘solar’ notes, which have been a pretty widespread staple in designer perfumery the past five years or so. Things are light, musky, and rose dominant for me at this very early stage.

That will shift and lilac will come to be the heavier weighting of the two floral notes. Almond and vanilla add a creamy and lotion-like quality for a time, before it all settles into more of a powdery lilac and musk perfume.

The performance for me was good and this is an easy to wear scent, that should get plenty of use in one’s collection. Not the most incredible scent ever, but if you need an all-around scent and enjoy lilac, this is a fantastic option. A Drop d’Issey review

The Popular Original

L’eau De Issey By Issey Miyake For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.3 Oz– The original L’eau d’Issey is a much more complex and aquatic perfume than is Pure. It still has an aquatic-like aroma thanks to: lily, lotus, calone, and melon. 

Less oceanic, more of a flower garden aroma. The melon provides some underlying sweetness to counter the bit of spice and green-ish qualities at the start. As things move along, L’eau d’Issey does begin to inhabit its white floral and aquatic nature.

Freesia, lotus, rose, and the lily seem to be the main focus here. This one is an easy to wear perfume that gives off a classic clean smell. 

Honey and Floral

Issey Miyake Eau de Parfum Spray, L’eau D’issey Absolue, 3 Ounce– Another flanker of the original, with less of the same structure, but still some overlap in its DNA.

Absolue introduces honey into the mix, along with some light vanilla touches. It comes across very well and not as a thick and enveloping aroma. Most of the rest of the wear is all about the floral notes, mainly jasmine and freesia, with some lotus tossed in to boot. 

A good option for those who want a toned down aquatic element. There is still some, but it isn’t nearly to the same level as before.

The Neroli Entry

Issey Miyake A Scent Soleil De Neroli, 3.3 Ounce– A change of pace from the L’eau d’Issey lineup of fragrances. As the name suggests, there is a strong presence of neroli in this one. Very clean and a opening sharp punch.

It settles. Tiare is floating around during the opening hour of the wear, but hyacinth really comes on as the scent develops. Soleil de Neroli isn’t a very complicated fragrance. You will get neroli, jasmine, and hyacinth mostly.

It comes across as fairly soapy at times, but eventually becomes a powdery and soft fragrance.

Rosy Pear and Honey

Issey Miyake – Women’s Perfume L’eau D’issey Pure Nectar De Parfum Issey Miyake EDP– Pure Nectar gives it another go with the honey note, as found in Absolue. It’s probably a bit louder here, but the note is presented in a slightly different way with pear (and citrus) and a more present rose note. 

The next phase becomes more of a pure floral with slight aquatic undertones. A bit of peony joins the rose, with a nice steady ambergris and woody base. The honey does hang around for the entirety, but the pear seems to fade out. 

Eternity Intense by Calvin Klein

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So, I saw that Calvin Klein had released a new fragrance, Eternity Intense, and figured that I might as well give it a try. Now, CK scents are a mixed bag for me, some smell good and perform well, while others simply don’t make the cut.

I like the original Eternity, as such I thought that this might be a welcome addition to the lineup. In this post, I want to give my impressions of this cologne, what it smells like, how it performs, and whether I think that it is worth a purchase or not.

What does Eternity Intense for Men Smell Like?

Notes: iris, vanilla, grapefruit, bergamot, orris, cedar, pepper

Click here to try from Amazon: Calvin Klein Eternity Intense Eau De Toilette for Men, 3.4 oz.

My Full Wear Review

So, right off the bat, I want to compare this to the original Eternity for Men. I like the original scent, though, it definitely isn’t my favorite by any stretch. It’s good, decently priced, but does have a bit too much of a soapy aroma to be an everyday wear for me.

But, it is a legit scent. Eternity Intense, on the other hand, I don’t really know what to make of it. It isn’t intense…like at all.

Secondly, it immediately has a heavy reliance on the iris note, whereas the older Eternity was much more lavender based. I think the floral notes are too heavily weighted in the composition.

However, I don’t want to bash the scent or give you the idea that the floral notes make this a ‘girly’ fragrance. It isn’t. The pepper note gives it a spice and a light smokiness is added to it for a masculine air.

There is also some light citrus that is reminiscent of the original but it seems really soft. I do get the black tea, for a short time, and I actually like it with this blend. Wish it stuck around for a longer period.

The bergamot and grapefruit pairing don’t even reach the same level as the old Dior Homme, which the citrus in that is also light. Here, it’s almost miniscule.

It’s somewhat like a poor man’s Dior Homme, which I love, but  this is not nearly to the same level. No real depth and the quality isn’t up to par either.

As it dries down, this gets some woodsy influence from geranium and cedar. Mostly it’s about the iris and some vanilla influence.

I actually think that it smells pretty nice and doesn’t have the same soapy quality as the original Eternity. Though, it isn’t great or all that impressive either.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it doesn’t live up to the title. It isn’t intense and is actually a fairly soft cologne. What the hell? This isn’t the first time that I’ve run across an ‘intense’ scent that completely lacks in this department. If it’s not going to be a powerhouse, just name it something else.

Also, the longevity is really weak. You might eek out a few hours with this scent or it will be gone within an hour. The original Eternity was pretty good in this measurement but the Intense version drops the ball.

I don’t know, if I’m the only one who has had issues with Intense, but the performance is really bad.

Eternity Intense would probably fall under the casual cologne family, in my opinion. That is, if it actually lasted and performed well. It feels like a springtime wear with the floral notes.

If you get a better performance than I, this would be a pretty easy on to spray on, in a variety of situations. Not the greatest or highest quality fragrance, but it’d work well enough for most guys.

Overall Impressions of Eternity Intense

Overall, is this a buy? No. I don’t get it. It smells decent but its performance sucks. Like, there are so many other options out there, there is literally no reason for this. It doesn’t do anything well enough for me to justify a purchase.

The dry down is pretty nice and I like the black tea, to the extent I get any of it. But, it just never hits a higher level. Maybe it’d be a fine pick up for really cheap, just to see if you get some performance from it. As is, I’ll pass completely.

If you like the original Eternity, just stick with that, and skip Intense. The other Eternity flankers are at least decent to quite good, this one just completely misses the mark. Not a good entry from Calvin Klein performance wise, which makes the rest of the fragrance pointless.

K EDP by Dolce & Gabbana

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K (King) EDP by Dolce & Gabbana was released in 2020 and I recently got a sample sprayer of this fragrance to try out. This was a complete blind buy for me. Which is good, because I could come at it without any preconceived notions on what it was. How does it smell? How does K perform? Is it worth a try?

What does K Eau de Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: pimento, fig, juniper, blood orange, lemon, cardamom, lavender, sage, patchouli, and more

Click here to try: Dolce & Gabbana K for Men Eau de Parfum Spray, 5 Ounce/150ml

My Full Wear Review

Before we get to my thoughts, let’s see how D&G describes this fragrance: K by Dolce & Gabbana eau de parfum reveals a fresh and spicy cardamom note, followed by a stronger woody base more sensual than ever with a fig milk accord, the fragrance is the essence of masculine seduction.

I haven’t tried the EDT version prior to getting a sample of the eau de parfum, so I really had no expectations coming into trying this one. I didn’t even know whether this would be a sweet fragrance, aquatic, or whatever.

Initially, there’s a lot going on here. Holy pimento! Not a note that you encounter a lot, but it is definitely present in the opening act of K. Fig and cardamom are also major players here but I really get pimento at first.

Underneath all of that, there is some citrus. I guess it’s mainly the blood orange, but it isn’t really that noticeable to my nose. After a few minutes, K is more of a hodgepodge of different spicier aromas: pimento, cardamom, sage, and some earthiness from the patchouli note.

It can be somewhat off-putting but I think that the fig note holds things together. The middle act is a bit messy to me, lots going on. The opening while loaded with that pimento, actually seemed to have a clear direction.

As it dries down, K EDP is woodier with some smokiness and it has a level of bitterness to it. This is a densely packed cologne  and one that kind of shocked me. Not a bad thing, as there are facets here that I do quite like.

The final dry down for me is fig, cedar, and vetiver. Vetiver really comes through at the end and makes this feel more traditional. I am surprised that the fig note, made it this deep into the wear.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

On me, this doesn’t come across as a powerhouse. I’d say that it has above average sillage, just not a complete monster. I sprayed it on a shirt across the room, as well, and can’t pick up anything from 10 feet or so away. Not weak, just not insane.

On skin, it’s noticeable throughout. Towards the 4-5 hour mark, King will really start to sit close to the skin. It doesn’t fade away, though, and I do catch whiffs of it when I’m going about my day.

It also seems to stick around for 7-8.5 hours, give or take. Nothing to sneer at and I certainly wasn’t upset with its performance.

You could wear this casually to semi-formally to out on the town for the evening. Not really a summertime scent, but summer evenings would be fine. Probably at its best in more moderate temperatures, so, spring or autumn.

I could see this being a solid option to wear out to bars and clubs. Not the super sweet attention grabber like many others, but something sort of well put together without being overly formal.

It can be worn be younger men or older guys. It has a nice balance that should appeal to a wide age range. Having said that, it will be more polarizing than many other popular men’s fragrances. Not everyone is going to dig this, as those spices, may not be what you’re looking for.

Overall Impressions of K EDP

Do I like this fragrance? I sort of do. I’m not completely into every aspect of it, but I do find it intriguing. Ultimately, I don’t think that this particular Dolce cologne fits with my style. However, some guys are going to absolutely love this stuff.

It is something a bit different from the norm. Again, I haven’t tried the EDT as of yet, so I can’t compare the two. This starts out with plenty of depth and uniqueness, but becomes much more of a typical woody fragrance.

That pimento and cardamom combination is a great curve ball. Not insanely great, but I do enjoy that D&G took things in a different direction. Plus, I do like a good fig note. The one in K EDP really holds things together, as the various spices begin to compete for attention.

I think it’ll mostly appeal to guys in their 20s and early 30s, even if the scent itself has a much broader use case than that. The presentation and marketing feels geared towards that age group.

Nice and it doesn’t have any particular weaknesses. You might want to try before you commit to a full buy, though.

Acqua Di Gio vs 1 Million Paco Rabanne Cologne Comparison

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For this edition of the head to head fragrance match ups, I want to do a comparison between two of the most popular men’s colognes, from the past few decades: Acqua di Gio by Giorgio Armani vs. 1 Million by Paco Rabanne. Which scent smells the best? Which has the better performance? Which is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: AdG vs. 1 Million

Acqua di Gio

Notes include: bergamot, tangerine, neroli, jasmine, rosemary, patchouli, rock rose, hyacinth, persimmon, marine notes

Click here to try: Acqua Di Gio By Giorgio Armani For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces

Read my review: Acqua di Gio 

1 Million

Notes include: Mint, Grapefruit, Rose, Patchouli, Amber, Cinnamon, White woods, Blond leather, Blood orange, Spice notes

Click here to try: Paco Rabanne 1 Million By Paco Rabanne For Men Edt Spray, 3.4 Ounce

Read my review: 1 Million

Opening

1 Million opens up with a blend of leather, rose, and citrus of blood orange and grapefruit. It’s quite sweet and bold, and creates a grape bubble gum like aroma from the jump.

Some folks aren’t too enthusiastic about the opening, but I like its charming beginning. This is all surrounded by a warm amber note. That amber warmth is enveloping and I really like the cooling sensation of the mint note that starts to peak through.

As it moves forward, it goes from sweet and cooler freshness to warmer spices, and a balanced period in between.

Acqua di Gio starts out with tangerine and bergamot citrus notes and a sea breeze note, which provides an upbeat and refreshing aquatic scent. There is also a floral aroma, provided by the jasmine. Some neroli and hyacinth, as well.

The citrus really comes across as a lemon and lime-led aroma. The newer bottles really have a nice amount of jasmine, when I wear it. Very nice.

Which is better? I really do enjoy both of these colognes and how each starts. Acqua di Gio has plenty of nice qualities, but I think I prefer the bold start of 1 Million. It is somewhat more interesting and has greater depth.

Though, coming back to both here recently, I have a great appreciation for wearing Acqua.

Edge: 1 Million

Projection

Acqua di Gio isn’t a powerhouse fragrance. It is solid but moderate throughout the wear. 1 Million is pretty legendary, at this point, with its sillage and how it performs. 1 Million can fill a room, with not too many sprays, it’s a beast. This category isn’t close.

Update: 1 Million doesn’t have that same level of pop anymore, but it still does extremely well in comparison, and didn’t lose too much of a step. AdG is still about the same, but it gets lighter quicker.

Edge: 1 Million

Longevity

Acqua di Gio gets me a consistent 6-7 hours of wear, each time I use it. Again, that’s a very respectable number, and good enough for most purposes.

Update: Newer batches that I’ve tried, are much more in the six hour range, maybe 5.5 hours much of the time. I can still get 7 occasionally.

1 Million, has always been 10+ hours, on my skin. Like, 13-15 hours into a wear, has not been uncommon. I haven’t tried newer bottles, so, I’m unaware of any reformulation. However, it’s always been top tier for me.

Update: Newer bottles only hit around 8, on my skin. Still, better than the current AdG offering.

Edge: 1 Million

Versatility

This is where AdG has an advantage. This stuff can be worn in a wide variety of situations and climates and still work. It is a great starter cologne, daily wear, and is still versatile enough for dates.

It skews towards younger guys, but so does 1 Million. 1 Million is a colder weather scent with serious nightlife vibes. In fact, it’s a club staple, and has been since its release. It can be worn elsewhere, just have to go easy with it.

Edge: Acqua di Gio

Overall Scent

Acqua di Gio is a really great scent and has been for a long time now. It’s just one of those colognes that you can throw on without thinking about it and feel comfortable that it won’t let you down.

It is a classic aquatic and will undoubtedly be a best-seller for a long time to come. If you’re in the market for an everyday wear, this will probably be a better option.

However, which is a better fragrance overall? I think 1 Million is superior and I prefer wearing it to the Armani cologne. It has a playful demeanor and women seem to really react positively to it, especially younger ladies.

I love the mint, leather, rose, citrus, and amber warmth. It’s so sweet and still smells really good to this day. Yes, it has more of a limited versatility than does AdG, but it makes up for it with the aroma and superior performance.

But again, if you want a greater use case all around, go with Acqua di Gio. The citrus, wood, and marine aquatic breeze is still amazing to come across after all of these years.

Winner: 1 Million