Nautica Voyage vs. Voyage Heritage Comparison

by

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

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

Tale of the Tape: Voyage vs. Heritage

Nautica Voyage

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

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

Read my original review: Nautica Voyage Review

Voyage Heritage

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

Click here to try: Nautica Voyage Heritage by Nautica

Read my original review: Voyage Heritage Review

Opening

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

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

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

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

Edge: Heritage

Projection

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

Edge: Voyage

Longevity

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

Edge: Voyage

Versatility

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

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

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

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

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

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

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

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

Winner: Voyage

Fleur de Portofino vs Neroli Portofino Comparison

by

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

Tale of the Tape

Neroli Portofino

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

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

Review: Neroli Portofino

Fleur de Portofino

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

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

Review: Fleur de Portofino

Opening

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

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

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

Edge: Fleur

Projection

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

Edge: Fleur

Longevity

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

Edge: Push

Versatility

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

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

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

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

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

Winner: Fleur de Portofino

Valentino Uomo vs Uomo Intense Comparison

by

In this edition of the fragrance comparisons, I want to take a closer look at a popular scent, and one of it’s flankers. Today, it’s between two Valentino colognes: Uomo vs. Uomo Intense. Which of them smells better? Does the Intense version give you a better buy than the original? Which performs better? Ultimately, which is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape

Valentino Uomo

Notes include: myrtle, bergamot, leather, coffee, cedar, gianduja cream

Click here to try: Valentino Uomo FOR MEN by Valentino – 3.4 oz EDT Spray

My review: Uomo EDT

Uomo Intense

Notes include: sage, iris, vanilla, leather, tonka bean, mandarin

Click here to try: Valentino Uomo Intense by Valentino EDP for Men, 3.4 Fl Oz

My review: Uomo Intense

Opening

Uomo opens up with a bit of sour bergamot, gianduja cream, and myrtle. The cream is essentially a hazlenut aroma, when blended with the citrus, and myrtle it smells absolutely amazing. Seriously, it is one of my favorite openings to a fragrance, ever.

Intense starts off smelling like Dior Homme, with much more leather. However, it doesn’t have the same level of sweet cacao and the iris note, isn’t as good to my nose. It stays this way for about 10 minutes, then, Intense begins to take on a more leather/vanilla aroma with bits of mandarin.

Which is better? To me, it’s the original Uomo, without a doubt. I do like Intense a lot, but it feels like it wants to mimic Dior Homme (which I wear often), and doesn’t do as good of a job at it.

Edge: Uomo

Projection

While Uomo Intense, should have a better sillage than its predecessor in theory, it really isn’t that strong. They both start out on the stronger side of the spectrum, but both become moderate thereafter.

I don’t know if there is any real difference between the two. Both are solid and you’ll know you’re wearing them, but neither are complete beasts.

Edge: Push

Longevity

Again, not much difference here. The original consistently gets 7 hours, on my skin. While Intense, will go for 6-8 hours. So, it can get an extra hour at times, which is enough to give it a slight edge.

Edge: Intense

Versatility

They occupy the same space. Both are very versatile, during the cooler months, but not summer. You can wear these casually, at the office, or out on a date. Both are very fresh and attractive. Again, not club beasts, but can definitely venture out into the nightlife.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Uomo Intense is like a hybrid of the Dior Homme line. It starts off like Dior Homme and ends smelling more like Dior Intense. That’s great, as I like both of those colognes a lot, but it brings nothing new to the table. I like its creamy sweetness and the extra leather. It’s overall a very good scent.

However, Valentino Uomo, is better. It matches Intense almost exactly, in its performance. Plus, it has one of the best opening acts ever, in my opinion. Yes, it eventually, smells a lot like Dior Homme too; but it is distinct at the start. I wish the whole fragrance was the opening, as I love it.

To me, I’d rather wear Uomo, any day of the week versus Intense. It at least gives me something a bit different, from the norm, before mimicking a cologne I really enjoy.

Winner: Uomo

Polo Red Extreme vs Ultra Male Comparison

by

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

Tale of the Tape

Ultra Male

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

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

Read my original Review: Ultra Male

Polo Red Extreme

Notes include: blood orange, coffee, ebony wood

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

Read my review: Polo Red Extreme

Opening

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

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

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

Edge: Ultra Male

Projection

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

Edge: Ultra Male

Longevity

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

Edge: Push

Versatility

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

Edge: Red Extreme

Overall Scent

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

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

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

Winner: Ultra Male

Fleur de Portofino by Tom Ford

by

Continuing on with the Tom Ford fragrance reviews, we have a rather popular scent from the line up, Fleur de Portofino. In this post, I want to share my experience with this scent, and what sets it apart from the pack. What are the notes? What does it smell like? How does it perform? Is it actually worth a buy or is it over-hyped?

What does Fleur de Portofino Smell Like?

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

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

My Full Wear Review

Fleur de Portofino is a part of the Neroli Portofino line of fragrances by Tom Ford. So, yes, they do have some similarities but each is fairly distinct, in my mind. The opening features a great blend of citrus notes, mostly a lemon and tangerine.

However, it isn’t a pure citrus start, as I pick up on floral notes, honey, and some subtle ‘greeness’.

This perfume does smell a bit different, particularly in the floral notes. It is led by white acacia flowers, as well, as having a healthy dose of acacia honey.

I wasn’t familiar with the scent of this flower, but it does offer a nice change of pace, from the usually neroli found in a million other perfumes.

After about 20 minutes, the citrus notes start to really take a backseat to the floral notes. They never completely vanish for me, but they don’t completely permeate things, either. I really get a lot of magnolia and what I guess is the acacia, it is a distinct white floral aroma.

The great thing about Fleur de Portofino, unlike some of the other Tom Ford perfumes, is that the floral notes are tempered enough to prevent them from becoming overbearing.

The sweetness of the honey smooth things out and the citrus, retains a light touch, to keep it from becoming a giant bouquet.

Finally, I do pick up on a decent amount of jasmine in the dry down. Now, not to the same extent as say in, Jasmin Rouge; but it does come on fairly strong. Nonetheless, it never fully occupies the composition, and the other two florals remain strong.

In the end, I get this blend of white floral notes, honey, some citrus, and an indistinct mix of some other flowers.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it starts off with pretty strong sillage, but it’s not a bomb. Later, it lightens up quite a bit, but still stronger than a skin scent for me.

The longevity isn’t amazing, but it’s solid, giving me about 6 hours of wear. These style of perfumes, never seem to go super long, but Fleur de Portofino holds up well enough.

I do with I could get a few more from this, solely because of what this fragrance costs. It just doesn’t work out that way.

Seasonally, this one is a spring/summer wear, all the way. While it technically is unisex, this leans much more feminine, in my opinion. Not super girly, so men can indeed, wear it safely.

Some of the others from Tom Ford that are in the same style as this one, can lean more masculine.

This strikes me more as a casual daytime wear or something that you could wear to the office. Not one for a night out or as something which could considered to be a romantic wear. Mostly something to wear, as you’re out and about on warmer days.

Overall Impressions of Fleur de Portofino

Overall, do I like Fleur de Portofino? It’s nice enough. Even if it is still a pretty basic white floral and citrus blend, it changes things up enough with the acacia, to make it distinct. The performance is pretty standard, but it is a very nice smelling perfume.

It doesn’t amaze me, shares some similarities with Sole di Positano, but overall I enjoyed wearing this one. There’s a lot of different fragrances like this from Tom Ford and Acqua di Parma, so, they all start getting jumbled together in my mind.

That being said, it’s one of the better examples. I like the citrus notes in the start and the honey which gives it something somewhat different.

It’s somewhat safe as a blind buy, if you know that this kind of perfume is your style. At the price it sells for, you may want to try it first. Though, I don’t think you’d be all that disappointed if you didn’t test it beforehand.