Le Lion de Chanel EDP by Chanel

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I’ve had a few samples of Le Lion de Chanel that I’ve been coming back to over the span of many months. As I wasn’t exactly sure how to feel at first about this entry from the Les Exclusifs line from the French brand.

But, I’ve at least completed my initial evaluation to the point where I can share my thoughts on the site. How does it smell? Is Le Lion worth a try?

What does Le Lion de Chanel Smell Like?

Notes include: lemon, bergamot, patchouli, sandalwood, amber, musk, labdanum

Click here to try: Le Lion de Chanel at Chanel


My Full Review

Tried Le Lion? Leave your rating and review in the comments!

Here’s how Chanel describes it: Gabrielle Chanel was born on August 19, 1883, under the sign of Leo. Proud and passionate, instinctive and daring, Mademoiselle fully embodied her zodiac symbol. Majestic, indomitable and wild, the lion became a personal emblem, serving as the inspiration for this powerful fragrance.

It is interesting with Le Lion de Chanel that I actually get a burst of the amber and labdanum before, the citrus is fully revealed on my skin. Like, those notes burst onto the scene with a smokiness, warmth, and spice…then fade a bit to let the bergamot and lemon come through.

It’s a captivating moment, when I do get to the citrus notes, however. Very juicy and bright, but they are surrounded by the pronounced dryness that is found with this mix. The labdanum remains the strongest note, beneath the citrus, and will grow in strength after the fruits move out.

With that labdanum, there is the patchouli lending its earthiness to the smokiness and resinous aroma of labdanum. Earlier, it has more of the balsamic aroma, before settling into something earthier and musky.

Man, this stuff really packs a punch for the initial stages of the wear. The labdanum or amber accord has a dry and sort of a leathery aroma at times. Then, when it dries down, we get a light muskiness and a nice sandalwood.

I do like that smokiness, leathery moments, and that opening citrus. Sure, it can be a lot and take some time getting used to, but I’ve come to enjoy it with repeat wears.

The patchouli will come in stronger, with a step back by the labdanum. It’s more of a straightforward amber here towards the end, with the vanilla and patchouli doing their thing, also.

Le Lion isn’t super complicated. To me, the latter stages are less smoky, still dry (kind of a powdery scent), none of the citrus. Just a woody/earthy/musk with the remaining resinous qualities. There does seem to be a light sweetness involved here throughout (vanilla).

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is pretty massive. Not the strongest that I’ve come across, but it’ll out do many perfumes on the market. A nice long scent trail for sure and great projection off of the skin.

Just using the sample size, with 4-5 spritzes and this will be emanating off of my skin like a beast. Easily picked up by those around you.

It’ll also last in the 9-11 hour range, on my skin. It’s an all-day experience it seems, without issue. Le Lion will not be confused as being a weak fragrance. Even at the high end price, you do still get plenty of value.

Seasonally, this is a fragrance for the autumn and winter months. It’d be way too much for the heat.

It is a unisex perfume. Leans more towards the traditionally feminine fragrances in this style, but it never strikes me as being ‘girly’. It’s probably suitable for mid-20s and up because it does have a level of maturity to it.

It’s versatility isn’t the strong suit. It is confident and bold and probably not best served for use at work. Not entirely formal, but isn’t something all that casual either.

Probably better for nightlife or social functions versus being a daily wear. It’s not so overwhelming that it’ll be off-putting to most people, but Le Lion can skirt that line.

Overall Impressions of Le Lion

Overall, do I like Le Lion de Chanel? I do. I’ve liked it more, the more time that I’ve spent with it. Though, it’s not one that I’m personally clamoring to wear all the time, since I’m not a big fan of the oriental style perfumes.

But, there is plenty to like with this Chanel. It’s high quality, matching the price point. Those citrus notes sitting under the resinous smoky aroma of the amber accord is really attractive. I kept pressing my nose against my arm to pick up that bergamot and lemon.

The opening is attention grabbing, deep, and somewhat rough. But, the perfume never strays too far and remain luxurious and rich. I do like that in addition to the smoke, it has an earthy/dirty scent that will rise up and break the potential monotony of amber and vanilla.

The dryness and the leather-like finish with hints of sandalwood is very nice to catch whiffs of during the latter stages.

The performance here is great. Le Lion is powerful and will stick around for a long while.

But, this isn’t going to be a perfume for everyone. It’s pretty different from many other Chanel’s. Not a floral aldehyde soaked perfume. Yet, you can still pick out that classic Chanel style, if you’re familiar.

Le Lion isn’t entirely a niche fragrance, but it’ll be one to test out to see if you’d actually want to go with it. It for sure doesn’t have the same mass appeal, as something like Coco Mademoiselle.

Armaf Club de Nuit Intense vs. Dior Sauvage

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Two of the best selling fragrances for men right now, came about reaching that status in different ways. Sauvage EDT really propelled the ambroxan heavy mass appealing scent into the mainstream. So much so that it is the best selling fragrance (for men or women) in the world.

Meanwhile Club de Nuit Intense, got to where it is by being an inexpensively priced and similar scent to Creed’s famous Aventus. Now, each of these are two of the last colognes that some men often need to decide between to purchase. Which one is actually the better choice?

Tale of the Tape: Club de Nuit Intense vs. Sauvage EDT

Sauvage

Notes of Sauvage: bergamot, ambroxan, lavender, pepper, wood notes

Click here to try: Christian Dior Sauvage for Men Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.4 Fluid Ounce

My Original Sauvage Review

Club de Nuit EDP

Notes include: lemon, apple, blackcurrant, birch, jasmine, rose, vanilla, musk, ambergris, patchouli

Click here to try: Club de Nuit Men EDP

Opening

Luckily for this post (not so much for my other work), I was accidently sent a new sample vial of Dior Sauvage EDT, instead of the Eau Sauvage the brand has been producing since the 1960s.

So, I have both of these fragrances on hand in order to compare them directly, instead of just off of past experience.

Club de Nuit EDP is very similar to the EDT release, which smells a lot like Aventus. It’s fruity, less smoky, and the birch comes across as more of a dry wood, without the same amount of leathery facets it will develop later.

To me, the EDP comes across as being a bit smoother. Less of the lemon note, but with a more pronounced apple, which I enjoy.  Also, the birch here is smokier early on and does give it that leathery aroma to a greater extent.

The opening of Sauvage gives off an aroma of amber, pepper, and the bergamot note. There is a bit of spice to it but I do get a lot of the ambroxan. It’s nice and dries down to a clean/soapy scent with some slightly spice wood notes and the bergamot.

One thing I notice with this Sauvage EDT sample, is that the bergamot doesn’t seem as sharp when paired with the Sichuan pepper, as it has in the past.

Actually, it’s much smoother than it has been on me before and more so than Club de Nuit Intense.

I’ve never been a fan of the opening act of Aventus and don’t particularly care too much about its cheaper alternative’s either. So, this category is going to go to Sauvage.

Edge: Sauvage

Projection

The sillage for both is very good. You get a very good scent trail coming off of the skin for hours on end, before it settles into something more intimate.

I’m not sure that there is much of a difference between Sauvage and Club de Nuit Intense EDP. Maybe it’d be noticeable with the full bottle sprayers, but with these sample sprayers, 3-4 sprays come across as being the same.

Perhaps, Sauvage’s projection reach stays around for a tad longer, but it’s not clear to me that it actually does.

Edge: Push

Longevity

With Sauvage EDT, it’s always lasted between 6-8 hours on my skin. But, it will usually be closer to the 8 hour end of things.

Club de Nuit Intense EDP will go for 7-9 hours. So, a higher floor and a bit better ceiling, in terms of how long it will last.

Not a massive difference and some might get better performance with the Dior. For me, the nod goes to the Armaf.

Edge: Club de Nuit

Versatility

Both are extremely versatile as to when you can wear them. Seasonally, I’d give the edge to Club in the autumn/winter and Sauvage in spring/summer.

Neither is great in the high heat, and actually, I’d use something else in the extreme cold as well. But, Sauvage does perform a bit better in the warmer weather, while still having the ability to be used in the colder months.

Both are good casually, out at night, etc. Neither is much of a formal fragrance. Club is probably better than Sauvage in dressier situations, but it doesn’t have the same Creed quality as with Aventus to make that certain.

Really, this category is kind of equal.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Overall, which one of these fragrances do I prefer?

With Sauvage EDT, it’s never been one that I loved. I liked it when it came out, got completely sick of it for years, and now…it’s fine. Doesn’t bother me, but I don’t really enjoy wearing it that much. I get the appeal, but it’s just nothing all that special.

By the same token, I’ve never been an Aventus fan boy. I like it more than Sauvage EDT, find it nice to wear on occasion, but I don’t personally need to have it around.

If I had to pick between the original Sauvage EDT and one of the Club de Nuit Intense options, I’d go with the Armaf. I do prefer the mimicry of Creed Aventus a bit more than that particular Sauvage release.

Plus, Armaf is significantly cheaper than what you’re going to spend versus Dior.

However, if I can choose any version of Sauvage, the decision would definitely change for me. Here’s what the list would look like then:

1a. Sauvage Elixir

1b. Sauvage EDP

2. Sauvage Parfum

3. Club de Nuit Intense EDP

4. Club de Nuit Intense EDT

5. Sauvage EDT

So, it’s really only when compared to the original Sauvage formulation, do I have a preference for the Armaf colognes. I really do like Sauvage EDP and Elixir provides a unique experience versus all of them.

Winner: Club de Nuit

5 Best Smelling Mercedes-Benz Colognes

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The auto manufacturers, particularly the luxury brands, have all seemingly gotten into the fragrance game as well over the past decade or so. To me, Mercedes-Benz and Bentley, are the one’s that have done the best job at developing quality perfumes and not just slapping their logo on any old thing. On this page, I want to keep a running update of what are my favorite and what I consider to be the best Benz colognes for him.

What are the Top Smelling Fragrances by Mercedes-Benz?

Select Lavender and Vanilla

Select Night– Right off the bat, a lot of Mercedes scents seem to be inspired by popular fragrances, but give each of them their own unique twist. Select Night gets compared to Noir Extreme by Tom Ford (one that I personally wear a lot).

While the resemblance is there to an extent, they aren’t exactly the same, by any means. Nonetheless, Select Night is an enjoyable cologne to wear in its own right. I think most of the comparisons come from the heavy use of vanilla, cardamom, and orange blossom here. Outside of that, the details are different.

This one kicks off with a blend of cardamom, lavender, orange blossom, and vanilla. It actually has a fizziness to it which reminds me of Armani Code Profumo. The dry down is more of a woody fresh blend with plenty of lavender and vanilla. The cardamom and orange blossom fades.

Select Night never comes close to hitting the same level as something like Noir Extreme, but this is a very nice wear and one of the highlights of the series.

Fresh Top Oud and Saffron

Le Parfum– I was intrigued by Mercedes-Benz Le Parfum, as it supposedly smelled just like Ombre Leather by Tom Ford. But, when actually getting to try it out, it struck me as being much closer to Ombre Leather Parfum with its violet leaf note.

Yet, this Benz scent actually has its own personality, outside of just being a clone fragrance. The opening here is actually bright, fresh, and watery. Watery, like biting into a fresh piece of fruit. That is due to the presence of the cascalone note, which produces that vibe.

The cascalone, bergamot, and a dash of pink pepper kick things off. There’s not actually an official leather note here, however. It’s mostly an effect of how the potent saffron and oud notes play off one another. And to me, a bit of that cascalone, as well.

Even then, it doesn’t come across as completely ‘leathery’.

Further use of ambergris and vetiver continue to lend to its freshness. Yes, it does have a resemblance to the Tom Ford fragrances, but not entirely. Nice performance here and this is an absolute gem from Mercedes.

Violet Citrus

Intense– The closest comps to Mercedes-Benze Intense are Dior’s Fahrenheit Aqua and Cologne. It’s been years since I’ve experienced Aqua, but I reviewed Fahrenheit Cologne recently, and this one seems to split the difference between the two.

But, I like this Mercedes more than the Dior Cologne version of that formula. This comes across as being less green, which I do enjoy about it.

It opens up with its mandarin orange note leading the citrus accord. This is joined by a solid heaping of black pepper, which gives it a kick, but doesn’t overwhelm. As it moves on, it becomes a cleaner scent with greater use of vetiver, amber, and the violet/violet leaf notes.

Very nice and versatile style, that works well in the spring and summer heat.

Refined Amber Woods

Private– A spicy woody fragrance with notes including mugwort and cardamom up top. It’s not super spicy, but rather smooth with a bit of a leathery like aroma early on. As it wears on, you get a warmth and resinous quality from amber and labdanum.

This is rich with depth and classy, the cypress note adds a fresh layer, but overall this has a balanced mix of its differing facets.

Mercedes-Benz Private is one of the more formal fragrances in this line. It exudes confidence and refinement. Not completely overpowering, but the sillage is solid and this one will last long.

Join the Club

Club Black– A cold weather standout, which opens up with a bright bergamot citrus backed by the smokiness of incense and clean floral highlights of jasmine.

The further we get into the dry down the more resinous and balsamic this one becomes. Vanilla gives Club Black a creamy sweetness, but the fuzzy benzoin, amber, and smoke provide a classic Oriental feel to this cologne.

In the end, it’s a smoky vanilla and benzoin gem, that is relaxed and cozy to wear during the winter months. Moderate with the projection and enough staying power to last a work day.

Angels’ Share by Kilian

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Angels’ Share was released by Kilian in 2020. I bought a bunch of decanted samples from this brand, in order to finally give them full reviews, and this was among the lot. I hadn’t heard anything beforehand, so really had no expectations of this perfume in particular. So, how does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

What does Angels’ Share Smell Like?

Notes include: cognac, tonka bean, oak wood, cinnamon, praline, vanilla, sandalwood

Click here to try: Angels’ Share at Sephora

My Full Review

Before we get into my review, let’s see how Kilian describes it: the perfume Angel’s Share is Kilian Hennessy’s most personal fragrance creation yet, inspired by his eighth-generation inheritance of Hennessy savoir-faire in cognac making. The perfume goes deep into the cellars of founder’s mind and memory, and into its most mysterious dimension: “la part des anges” or “angels’ share”— an evaporation of liquor in oak barrels that lifts, while aging, like a silent offering to the gods.

Wow. This is a gorgeous fragrance. Right away, I understand the comparisons between Angels’ Share and something like Oajan by PdM. Also, the base is the same smell as Nirvana Bourbon. Plus, it has a similar apple-like sweetness found in 1 Million Prive (I go more into this, at the end).

Putting aside its comparable scents for a second, Angels’ Share opens with an amazing blend of the cognac note, tonka bean, and oak. The opening really gives off an apple brandy sort of vibe, but with the oak of the barrel really coming through.

It’s interesting how much of that cognac takes on the apple aroma. Paired with the other notes it does get a delicious baked goods sort of scent.

Also, when compared with its Liquors companion Apple Brandy on the Rocks, Angels’ Share has more of an apple scent. Apple Brandy on the Rocks goes for more of a mix with the prevalent pineapple note. Which is one reason that scent was a disappointment for me.

Underneath that, is the cinnamon spice (which is never too heavy), and the praline/vanilla mixture adding to the delicious vibe that this By Kilian scent is putting out.

The sweetness does subside after the first hour. It’s still there, but it really resembles a warm syrupy fragrance. What really comes through, is the oak and some sandalwood.

It’s not that all the other notes fade, but they are behind the oak barrel soaked in cognac fragrance. This is what I get for the rest of the way.

So, the tail end is oak, sandalwood, cinnamon, and a sweet/syrupy booze aroma. Much less of that fruity infused booziness and a lot more of the woodiness.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this one is pretty moderate on my skin, the upper end of moderate. However, it does have pretty stable and decent projection throughout the wear. Just wear a bit on my wrist and I kept getting whiffs of this delightful smell, for a long time.

Angels’ Share isn’t going to choke out the room, but it will create a nice scent bubble around the wearer.

The longevity is great, just not the very elite level. It sticks around somewhere in the 9-11 hour range for me, depending on the day. Update: With a full bottle sprayer, this one actually goes over the 13 hour mark at times, it’s really the oak and vanilla notes but it’s still there.

angels review

This one just works extremely well on my skin and will hang around.

Seasonally, autumn and winter is the best time. Anything above a temperate climate is going to have poor results with Angels’ Share.

Update: Yep, this is an absolute killer when it’s cooler outside. The sweet warmth and spice of the cinnamon are absolutely amazing. I wore this last year for many winter activities like ice skating and received complements at the rink.

Within that limit, Angels’ Share is very versatile. It is a true unisex fragrance. In comparison to something like Oajan, I guess this does lean slightly feminine, but I’ve had no problems wearing it at all.

Probably not the best formal wear, but it’s fine in other circumstances, and can easily be a nightlife scent. Not a ‘club beast’, but it would absolutely work, in a more understated way.

I personally enjoy wearing it in the evening. It helps to create a chill atmosphere and it’s wonderful to catch that opening act in the crisp air, when stepping outside.

Overall Impressions of Angels’ Share

Do I like this fragrance? Absolutely. It’s actually kind of annoying, because I already have so many full bottles of perfumes that I want to buy for myself, and this just adds another expensive one to the list.

The opening act is utterly fantastic. I already had a great liking for this style of fragrance and this might be my favorite of the bunch. At least initially, I’ll update if my enjoyment of Angels’ Share subsides.

Update: I bought the full bottle, anyway. This has become one of my favorite fragrances ever. I had a high opinion of it, during the initial review and have become a bigger fan of this scent.

It has also become one of the most popular fragrances around it seems. I guess that’s thanks to a large social media influence. But, to me, it deserves all the accolades it gets.

While the dry down, isn’t as sweet and the woodiness isn’t my favorite aspect; this one does keep the opening aroma around in the background. As such, it remains a great wear because that oak note does seem like it has been covered by the cognac/apple brandy aroma.

This scent is awesome. I recommend giving it a try, if it sounds like it’d be your style, and you live in an appropriate climate…or just wear it inside.

What Fragrances Smell Like Angels’ Share?

Well, as I’ve already mentioned: Nirvana Bourbon by Elizabeth and James, 1 Million Prive by Paco Rabanne, and Oajan by Parfums de Marly.

None of these is an exact rendition of Angels’ Share, but each has somewhat similar aromas.

Nirvana Bourbon is like if you stripped this By Kilian fragrance down to the oak and vanilla notes. Then, layered the rest of it on top.

1 Million Prive and Oajan both have that sweet and spicy warmth. Prive has much more spiciness and isn’t nearly as refined. Plus, more resinous to my nose. But for the Paco Rabanne line, it’s probably the best they’ve ever done (if not, definitely top 3).

Oajan is a bit thicker, less sweet (still plenty sweet) and boozy. I do love that scent, but I’m for sure preferring Angels’ share, at the moment.

The latter two have the most in common in terms of the overall style of this perfume, even if they aren’t exactly the same. If you’re familiar with them, you’ll know approximately what to expect from this.

Kouros by Yves Saint Laurent

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Kouros is one of the most famous men’s fragrances of all-time. Released in 1981, it has been a topic of discussion, both positively and negatively ever since. It’s one that I’ve had familiarity with in the past, but never did a full review for the site. Recently, I grabbed a decant of one of the more modern batches in order to finally put something to record. How does it smell? Is it still super strong? Is it actually worth a try?

What does Kouros Smell Like?

Notes include: clove, coriander, ambergris, sage, artemisia, leather, cinnamon, jasmine, musk, moss, and more 

Click here to try: Kouros by YSL

My Full Review

Note: I am only reviewing the latest batch here. I don’t have a time machine or 40 year old bottle that’s still good handy, so, that’s what is being rated/described here.

So, Kouros was one of my earlier fragrance encounters, while trying out parts of the old YSL lineup 15+ years ago. This, Opium, and Kouros Body were among those that I tested out. The latter two, were the one’s that I ended up purchasing. I wore both for a long time.

I think to the less experienced me, Kouros came across as being too bold for me to really want to wear. However, I didn’t dislike the scent either, and it’s one that I’ve come across every few years since.

Nowadays, I doesn’t garner the same shocking reaction to it’s strength and uniqueness when compared to modern scents. I’ve gotten used to a lot of the colognes of decades pasts and the ingredients that don’t get much use any longer with the popular scents.

Plus, if it has indeed been modernized and reformulated, maybe it doesn’t pack the same punch as the 1981 version.

The opening spray of Kouros is fresh, dry, with a spicy kick. Aldehydes and musk, really come through to my nose. The aldehydes remind me quite a bit of Chanel No. 5. Same sort of cold brightness (maybe a touch of bergamot?). The musk gives this a rough fuzziness, which is enhanced by the spice notes.

I’m going to go with mostly coriander, sage, and patchouli for what I’m smelling. It’s pretty balanced and I’m not getting too much in the way of cinnamon. At this stage, it’s an earthy/musky aromatic sort of fragrance.

Maybe because they weren’t actually using civet for this newer era of batches, Kouros doesn’t really come across as being all that ‘dirty’.

Some earthiness, yes, but it’s more of the plants/leaves (geranium for a time, comes out) than the earth itself or any sort of animaliac influence. It’s a modern musk with some roughness to it.

A lot of the spice burns off pretty quickly. Whatever molecule they’re using to represent oakmoss nowadays, is what begins to come to the forefront. Kouros starts to smell cleaner, smoother, and with soapy touches.

After that spice has gone, you do get a good dose of artemisia. I smelled Luna Rossa Ocean again, a few days ago, and do pick up on their shared ingredients, including the artemisia.

The dryness remains throughout the wear, Kouros does however become sweeter and a tad more floral. Honey, carnation, and tonka bean. Still fresh with the aldehydes now combining with the moss and an emergent leather.

‘Urinal cakes’ is something that often gets used to describe what this smells like. It doesn’t. I think people have some associations with that due to the interplay of the musk, artemisia, and jasmine.  That clean fuzzy floral, probably triggers the association for some people, but it doesn’t actually ‘smell’ like a clean bathroom.

The final stages of Kouros is a slightly leather musky floral/herbal fragrance. There’s sweetness to it still, but it comes across as being very much a barbershop type of finish. Nothing too outlandish, but attractive and classic.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this still absolutely brings it, but it isn’t insane. I remember it having much more projection and ability to leave a scent trail. Nonetheless, it is still a powerful fragrance, just nothing extreme.

This modern formulation also has really good, just not totally elite staying power. 9-ish hours, on my skin, with an ability to just cross the ten hour mark at times.

Spectacular? Not really, but still better than a lot of stuff currently on the market.

Versatility wise, this one does have limitations. First of all, it can indeed be something folks either love or hate. I think the talk of it being hated, got extreme, and it’s really not going to cause poor reaction from others in most situations…if they even notice Kouros at all.

Seasonally, this YSL is awesome in the cooler weather. It’s above freezing right now in November, but walking outside brings Kouros to life and it hangs very well in the cold air. I would avoid wearing this in high heat and humidity, though.

It’s a solid business scent, casual, semi-formal, and even possibly date nights for some guys. It wouldn’t be out of place, as a romantic fragrance, as there is a certain sexiness with such a masculine fragrance.

Kouros definitely skews older, but isn’t ‘old mannish’. If you’re younger and want to try it, I’d probably not wear it to school or something like that. Just know that it’s going to be quite different from what almost any other guy is going to be wearing. Classic, but not anachronistic.

Overall Impressions of Kouros

Overall, do I like Kouros? Yes, I do still enjoy this one. It’s never been a total love for me and I don’t really understand the repulsion that others can have for it. Personally, I always liked Kouros Body more, as that was such a unique and awesome flanker.

Kouros is without a doubt a classic and an important men’s fragrance historically. Pierre Bourdon deserves plenty of credit for creating this one (his Live Jazz was also another banger, now lost to time).

The opening act is nice enough. The spices and aldehydes do their thing well, but I prefer the dry down, once you get some sweetness and leather involved. Neither ever truly overwhelms the muskiness, but I like what those notes bring to the table.

This is a cologne that still has plenty of life, solid performance, and isn’t just some museum piece that cannot be worn out. It’s not going to be for everyone, but Kouros will still get plenty of new fans, out of those willing to give it a try.