High Line by Bond No.9 New York

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So, I have a ton of fragrance reviews that are coming out over the next month or so, and I figured that I’d kick things off with another entry from Bond No.9. I’ve completed a good chunk of the entire line of scents from them at this point, which is cool, but there’s so many more fragrances to explore.

High Line has been around as a scent for about 10 years now and has developed into a well known Bond scent. Is it worth it? I have tried it, tested, and am reporting back. So, please continue below form my complete review of High Line.

High Line by Bond No. 9 Overview

Notes include: bergamot, grass, rhubarb, rose, hyacinth, tulip, and oak 

Click here to try: Bond No. 9 High Line Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 3.3 Ounce

My Full Review

Right from the jump, while this is classified as a unisex fragrance, High Line lean much more toward the feminine end of things. It’s a green floral/outdoorsy scent, so if that’s not your type of fragrance, this will probably be a complete miss for you.  That being said, High Line is a light, bright, and upbeat perfume.

I do get a mix of bergamot, grass, and tulip at the opening. Now, the grass note isn’t like a freshly mown lawn or anything like that. It’s fresh, green, and feels like a well-manicured garden.

To me the bergamot and oak notes serve as bookends, to keep the fragrance from going completely into the floral space. I like that aspect, because there are other Bond No.9 scents that take things to a full bouquet of flowers, and it kind of gives me a headache.

The floral notes really take over at about 10 minutes in and it takes on a floral/citrus tone, that has a soapy quality. High Line’s notes don’t have that overwhelming or cloying personality to them.

The hyacinth and tulip are very noticeable, I get some rhubarb, but it gets blended away on my skin. It is a pretty dang strong aroma but it’s crisp and not a heavy cloud of perfume.

In the end, it is a grassy floral with citrus hints. Powerful, with a clean, and soapy-like aroma. Hyacinth, grass, citrus, with some remaining tulip.

Sillage, How Long does High Line Last, Versatility

Projection wise, this is as I wrote above, a strong scent. A few sprays is all you will need and anything beyond that is simply too much, in my opinion. At least you can say, that you get your money’s worth, with this loud of a sillage.

The projection power can indeed fill up a room. During testing, I could spray a shirt and pick up the scent easily, from 12-15 feet away.

However, with that sort of projection power, High Line is absolutely an all day wear, just off of those two sprays. It really hung around me for a long time during my testing. You’ll get to the double digit hours in wear, without any real problem.

Seasonally, this has spring/summer written all over it. It would seem out of place during the colder months of the year. It has the vibe of a bright sunny day, not a gloomy, overcast, and frigid one.

I’d call this casual, not really a business scent or a sexy one either. This is the type of perfume you’d wear outdoors, where it really has a chance to blend with the environment. Probably too heavy for the office, not appealing enough for nightlife. A perfume for a spring day, walking about the city.

Overall Impression of High Line

Overall, would I recommend High Line? For some, yes. I’m not a huge floral fan and for guys, this is distinctively feminine. BUT for the floral lovers of either gender, this is a very nice example of a fragrance that is well-blended and gives good performance.

High Line isn’t a scent that I could wear, as it is too powerful, floral, and feminine for my tastes. Nonetheless, it is a good entry from Bond No. 9. Maybe more niche, than some of their more popular offerings, but one that has an audience of fans.

Hypnotic Poison vs Poison Girl Perfume Comparison

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Dior’s Poison line of fragrances, has gained quite a large following over the years. They have produced many best sellers and bottles, that always get scooped up. Two of their more popular releases are Poison Girl and Hypnotic Poison. The question often gets raised, which is better? In this post, I want to break it down, and compare these perfumes before declaring a winner.

Tale of the Tape: Hypnotic Poison vs. Poison Girl

Poison Girl

Notes include: Damascus rose, tonka bean, bitter orange, vanilla, almond, sandalwood

Click here to try: Christian Dior Poison Girl Women’s Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4 Ounce

Read my original review: Poison Girl

Hypnotic Poison

Notes include: coconut, vanilla, almond, plum, rose, lily-of-the-valley, apricot, rose, rosewood, musk

Click here to try: Hypnotic Poison on Amazon

Opening

Poison Girl, opens with Damascus Rose, tonka bean, and bitter orange. Poison Girl is less citrus, even with that bitter orange not, while being more floral than Hypnotic. It shares that creamy quality with a nice bit of almond and tonka bean.

Hypnotic Poison kicks off with wonderful coconut, vanilla, and almond. This is the main trio, that is flanked by some light fruitiness of apricot and plum. The smell is very unique and quite attractive, right off the bat.

Which is better? I like Poison Girl, and it shares plenty of overlap with Hypnotic, but Hypnotic Poison is better. It is warm, sweet, creamy, and a has a nice bitter touch.

Edge: Hypnotic Poison

Projection

Poison Girl starts off strong and then becomes much more of a moderate sillaged perfume, as it dries down. To me, Hypnotic Poison has the much larger range of projection. It can certainly fill a room, if over-sprayed, and hits a stronger point than does Poison Girl.

Edge: Hypnotic Poison

Longevity

Both of these scents seem to go for around 9-10 hours, each, on skin. Which is great, however, I don’t notice any clear difference with how long they last.

Edge: Push

Versatility

Poison Girl, is fairly restricted in when it can be worn, in terms of the climate. It’s, to me, a cold weather wear that might be able to make it into spring.

Hypnotic Poison, follows along those same lines. I wouldn’t want to encounter either during a summer’s day, as they wouldn’t hold up very well.

Both are however, very versatile as to where they can be worn. Each of these is safe enough to wear at work, casually, but are also quite sexy and great for a night out. No real difference in this category, either.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

I do like Poison Girl. It is a very attractive scent. The citrus notes, it features a stronger rose, more woodiness, with a creaminess that matches Hypnotic Poison. Really, I don’t have many complaints about this Dior.

However, I don’t think that it is as good as Hypnotic Poison. Heck, I like Poison Girl Unexpected, more than the original.

Hypnotic Poison is classic, in my mind. It’s opening act, with coconut and almond. The sweet vanilla finish. The light nutty touches throughout. It’s overall sexiness and thick aroma. It’s a fantastic wintertime perfume. Full of confidence and appeal.

To me, Hypnotic Poison is the clear winner. It outperforms its competitor on every metric, just about.

Winner: Hypnotic Poison

Gucci Bloom Gocce di Fiori by Gucci

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Gocce di Fiori is one of the flanker scents, that have been spun off from the Gucci Bloom name. This one was released in 2019 and didn’t seem to get very much attention. However, I think it is one of the better Bloom scents, and so I wanted to do a full review here on the site. How does it smell? When should it be worn?

What does Gocce di Fiori Smell Like?

Notes include: jasmine, honeysuckle, Rangoon creeper, and tuberose

Click here to try: Gucci Bloom Gocce di Fiori for Women 3.3 oz Eau de Toilette Spray

My Full Review

Gocce di Fiori isn’t too complicated of a fragrance. Actually, it’s pretty darn similar to the original Gucci Bloom, while being a fresh and sheer version of the formulation.

The main difference in terms of the composition, is that the jasmine feels more prevalent here, and there is a honeysuckle note lightly floating around in the mix.

It’s like a stripped down version of Bloom, but one that will serve its purposes as a lighter wear for the spring and summer months.

Upon the first spray of Gocce di Fiori, I pick up a good deal of the jasmine, but blended with the honeysuckle and Rangoon creeper. 

However, as it dries down this one becomes more of a jasmine and tuberose fragrance. I still pick up the other two notes, but they are just slight impressions of how they were during the opening act. 

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Don’t expect a projection bomb, it’s a sheer fragrance, but it isn’t weak. You’re going to get a breezy and light perfume, though, one that you will easily notice throughout the wear. I really like when Gocce would randomly rise off of my skin

The longevity is actually good, just not amazing. It will hang around for 7 hours on me, but doesn’t seem to go beyond 8. Very range bound. Though, it gives you a nice performance for what it is.

Seasonally, this one is great for the spring and summer months. Gocce is fresh and light, easily holding up to the humidity and doesn’t have the same creaminess that other white florals of this type can have. 

Mostly, it’s a pretty daytime wear. Not really sexy or a nightlife beast. Very safe to wear on a daily basis to work or school or whatever else. Pretty ubiquitous in the spring or summer.

 

 

Overall Impressions of Gocce di Fiori

Overall, do I like this perfume? I do. It’s a very nice take on the white floral style of perfume. Yes, if you’ve had Gucci Bloom, you already know basically what this smells like.

I like the jasmine note being amped up, the honeysuckle inclusion, and the tuberose that comes through well in the dry down. It’s fresh and easy to wear when it gets warmer outside.

Do you need it, if you’ve got the original Bloom? Probably not. If that’s the case, you might consider one of the other flankers, that have more differences. Just standing on its own, Gocce di Fiori is a solid perfume, and quite likeable.

Voce Viva EDP by Valentino

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I got a hold of a sample of Voce Viva a while ago, as a part of a major acquisition of samples and new scents to try out. I’d never heard of this perfume before and really didn’t have any excitement to try it out, until I saw it sitting in a box a few days back.

Voce Viva was a 2020 release from Valentino, which seemed to pass without much fanfare. What’s it like? How does it smell? Please continue below for my full take.

What does Voce Viva Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, mandarin, vanilla, gardenia, orange blossom, and moss

Click here to try: Valentino Voce Viva 3.4 oz / 100 ml EDP Women Spray

My Full Review

A couture and feminine bouquet of white flowers that gives Italian tradition a contemporary edge.

Voce Viva opens up with its bright citrus notes coming through, sitting on top of plenty of orange blossom, and the vanilla which is already peaking up from the base. Right away, I get the sense that this is going to be a warm and sweet floral experience…which I like.

There is a light and fresh spiciness that you can detect underneath the citrus and floral notes. The consensus seems to be an unlisted ginger note, which makes sense to me.

After a little bit, the initial somewhat juicy vibe from the citrus notes goes by the wayside and the gardenia comes up into that position. For me, the orange blossom is the strongest floral note initially, and then the gardenia plays a more prominent role.

The later stages, gives me more of a vanilla aroma with a dry freshness and underlying spiciness. The musky/mossy/woodsy smell does come through, but remains underneath the gardenia, vanilla, and maybe a bit of tonka bean?

The final three notes in terms of strength, seem to be: vanilla, gardenia, and moss. I like it. The aroma coming off of my skin is enjoyable and doesn’t stray into sickly sweet or irritating territory ever.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here isn’t super powerful and actually leans towards the lighter end of things, without ever being weak. It’s got an airy sort of demeanor, but actually projects itself quite well from the skin. Don’t expect a beast, but I was pretty happy with what I got out of this Valentino.

The longevity is also good, just not amazing. You might be able to squeeze a full workday from Voce Viva. For me, it did hit that 7.5-8 hour range, on my skin. For most purposes, that will be more than enough.

Seasonally, it’s actually very versatile, if you just stay out of the extreme heat and humidity. It does have that sweetness, that you’d associate with more of a autumn/winter scent (think: Black Opium), though not the same thickness or heavy sillage.

Late spring and for some parts of the world, early summer would be fine. Possibly, you could roll it out for a summer evening.

This would be great for a daytime wear, that could also venture into the nightlife without being a complete bomb. It’s sweet, but has a level of maturity to fit in with a wide swath of the female population.

Personally, I don’t find it sexy, but it is an appealing and very pleasant fragrance to wear and be around in general.

Overall Impressions of Voce Viva

Do I like this perfume from Valentino? I really do. To me, Voce Viva isn’t completely amazing nor super original. However, it is an easy to wear and attractive example of a white floral paired with sweeter notes.

The opening is bright and a very nice blend of spice, sweet, and floral notes. Then, the heart of gardenia and orange blossom is always a pairing, that I seem to like experiencing. Finally, the vanilla and woodsy smell during the latter stages is an interesting take on a familiar composition.

The performance is above average, as is the smell. If you want a versatile, clean, and well put together daily wear…Voce Viva could be a nice option to look into. It doesn’t seem to have any major weaknesses, other than having overlap with a lot of other perfumes. But, so do most scents.

The Dreamer by Versace

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I can’t believe that I haven’t done a review of The Dreamer by Versace, up to this point in time. It has long been a go to fragrance on occasions, when I want to wear something different from the usual fair.

I found a mini bottle mixed in with a box of sample fragrances recently and I had to check the site, to see if I actually had written about this Versace cologne before. Nope.

So, in this post, I want to take a closer look at the 1996 release from this designer and give my thoughts on how it smells and performs.

What does Versace The Dreamer Smell Like?

Notes include: tobacco, tonka bean, lavender, sage, rose, cedar, geranium, and more

Click here to try: Dreamer By Gianni Versace For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces

My Full Review

The opening of Dreamer can be somewhat intense, compared to the rest of the wear. From the start, the tobacco note is present, it is more of an uncured tobacco than one which has been toasted.

I think that the intensity of the start stems from the sage, fir, and rose notes interacting with the tobacco. It is quite green with a sharp herbal spice and lavender poking through at times. That rose note with the tobacco, certainly lends a green-ish sensibility.

Now, Dreamer does settle down pretty quickly into something that is much better, than you initially get. As it dries, down Dreamer becomes sweeter and more floral. Yes, tobacco still is the top dog here, and will be throughout the entirety.

However, rose, carnation, and geranium show up to flank the tobacco for a really fresh heart. At times, this one reminds me of Burberry Brit. They don’t smell the same, but they share plenty of common notes, and can have a similar vibe. Just Brit, is more of a powdery cologne.

The rose really settles from a greener sort of smell, to the floral note, that we’re all pretty much familiar with. Nice mix of herbal, woody, and floral. Dreamer is such a unique fragrance, especially for a mainstream designer.

The base of this Versace fragrance, is a drier, woody one. There is a solid cedar note, fir, and vetiver. Ultimately, Dreamer is tobacco with a big does of lavender (and tonka bean) with floral/herbal notes supporting those two and a green woody base.

It’s really gets smooth and has a slightly spicy freshness during the dry down. Really great deep tobacco aroma.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage on this one starts out moderate, but turns lighter in short order. It’s never been weak for me, but this isn’t a super heavy fragrance. It doesn’t hang close to the skin but rather floats around in the immediate air around your body.

The longevity on this one usually runs 6+ hours, depending on the climate. It can go 8 hours for me, on colder days. Yet, here in this warmer southern climate, I usually will get that 6-ish hours from Dreamer.

Seasonally, this is an autumn through early spring wear. Dreamer isn’t very good at all, in hotter weather, so try to avoid that. It can be worn casually, at work, or even out for an evening.

It is a really versatile and attractive cologne, that women usually enjoy. Not necessarily ‘sexy’, but a complement getter. I’ve worn this as a teenager and as an adult, it does have a more mature air, but is fine for a younger guy.

Now, from what I understand, Dreamer may have been reformulated and perhaps the ingredients were changed up in new bottles. I can’t confirm that, but this mini bottle that I have from a couple of years ago, is the same smell that I remember from vintage bottles.

Overall Impressions of Dreamer

Overall, is the Dreamer worth a buy? Yes, it is. Again, not sure if the newer bottles have been screwed with or not, but the price for a full bottle has been really inexpensive for a long while now.

Update: Also, the newer bottles I think have changed at least some of the notes too. At least from what I’ve read, I haven’t checked out a new bottle as of yet. So, this is a review of the original formulation.

Lots of great fragrances from the 1990s are really affordable, at the moment, and are an awesome way to get both quality and value. This isn’t for everyone, but Dreamer gives you a great green tobacco with floral sweetness and a bit of fresh spice. It’s always worked for me.

It’s not my favorite fragrance ever, but there aren’t too many cologne options like this. As such, when the mood strikes, Dreamer is a great daytime wear for me to have around.