azzaro

Azzaro Wanted vs. 1 Million Comparison

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1 Million has been a best seller for over a decade and is basically a legend, at this point. It once ruled much of the nightlife, not as much anymore, but it’s a great scent. Wanted was released by Azzaro and quickly grew a following. Between the two, which is better? Which lasts longer? Which is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: 1 Million vs. Wanted

1 Million

Notes include: grapefruit, blood orange, rose, mint, cinnamon, amber, leather, patchouli, and more

Click here to try: Paco Rabanne 1 Million Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Fluid Ounce

Read my original review: 1 Million Cologne Review

Wanted by Azzaro

Notes include: tonka bean, lemon, cardamom, vetiver, juniper, ginger, geranium, mint, amber wood

Click here to try: Azzaro Wanted Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.4 Ounce

Read my original Review: Wanted Review

Opening

1 Million has always been compared to grape bubblegum in the opening act, by a lot of people. The initial blood orange, grapefruit, leather, and mint combination does make it come across like that.

The latest batch that I tried, seems to have less of that overall. It’s still there, just the start now feels warmer with more spice.

Cinnamon, mainly. Along with an earlier emergence of amber and rose, than I remember. Sweetness, warmth, with a playful spice.

Meanwhile, Wanted kicks off with a lemon note in the lead. It’s actually not as sharp as one would expect and the opening resembles Invictus by Paco Rabanne, somewhat. It definitely differs from that fragrance, when the tonka bean and cardamom grow in strength. 

Which is better at the beginning? I’m going with 1 Million. I don’t think that either opens up amazingly well, but I prefer the aroma of 1 Million versus the pseudo-Invictus opening of Wanted.

Edge: 1 Million

Sillage

Older bottles of 1 Million were monstrous with how they projected. However, it doesn’t have that same punch. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still strong, just lost a step. 

For much of the wear, it will be stronger than average, but just not blowing the doors off with its projection or heaviness.

Wanted starts off about equal to newer bottles of 1 Million, but becomes much more moderate when it settles. While, 1 Million keeps up its power for longer on my skin.

Edge: 1 Million

Longevity

Vintage 1 Million would go for 12+ hours on me, without issue. Newer bottles? Around 8-9 hours of wear. Still very good, just not elite.

With Wanted it’s in the 7-9 hour range. All in all, I’d say they’re about equal to one another now. It used to be a pretty clear win for the Paco Rabanne, but no more.

 

Edge: Push

 

 

Versatility

Seasonally, I think that Wanted has the edge. Neither of these is good for the heat, but 1 Million is best in colder temperatures. Wanted can go warm weather, just avoid extreme heat.

Both skew towards younger guys. With Wanted being appropriate in a wider array of situations. While, 1 Million is geared toward nightlife or casual wear.

Edge: Wanted

Overall Scent

Wanted is a good fragrance, but really not one of my favorites. I like it more once it dries down and develops its own personality.  Tonka bean, apple, and juniper berry are really nice touches after the Invictus-like opening act. 

It does everything well, but nothing amazing.

I’ve always enjoyed wearing 1 Million. I know a lot of people never liked this scent, but it was always a fun and unique wear. If I were comparing Wanted to the older bottles of this Paco Rabanne scent, it’d be any easy win for 1 Million.

Now, it’s a tighter race. Though, I’m still going 1 Million. It just smells better to me, still has good performance, and more depth. 

I would go with either The Most Wanted or The Most Wanted Parfum before either of these. But, between these two, it’s the Paco Rabanne.

Winner: 1 Million

Azzaro Wanted by Night vs The Most Wanted

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Azzaro has been rolling out these new Wanted releases, over the past few years. Coming into this year, Wanted by Night has been my favorite. Then, they came out with The Most Wanted, as their 2021 entry. Does it surpass its forerunner? Which lasts longer? Smells better? Is the one that you should buy?

Tale of the Tape: Wanted by Night vs The Most Wanted

Wanted by Night

Notes include: cumin, cinnamon, lavender, tobacco, lemon, orange, cedar, cypress, patchouli, fruits

Click here to try: Azzaro Wanted by Night Eau de Parfum for Men – Mens Cologne

Read my full review: Wanted by Night

The Most Wanted

notes include: caramel, cardamom, amberwood

Click here to try: Azzaro The Most Wanted Eau de Parfum Intense | Cologne for Men 1.7 fl oz

My Full Review: The Most Wanted

Opening

Wanted by Night starts off with citrus and fruity notes up top. It uses bold spices of cumin and cinnamon to create a powerful statement, right out of the gate.

Sitting underneath that, is a tobacco note, that is decent but not really a great example. That bold spiciness is a selling point for me, really giving Night a lively start.

The Most Wanted, begins with a cardamom note for the spice. However, it is much less intense, warm, but has a sweetness to it that Wanted by Night cannot match.

A slight lemony aroma, with caramel and the bourbon vanilla coming up from the base.

Which is better? I really like the way that Wanted by Night opens up. Though, The Most Wanted is just more appealing, smoother, and doesn’t have that punch of spice. To me, it is the better of the two.

Edge: Most Wanted

Projection

Both of these fragrances have above average and even strong sillage. I don’t notice any real difference between them in this category. Neither requires all that many sprays and are pretty steady in terms of power throughout the wear.

Edge: Push

Longevity

Wanted by Night will go for 7-9 hours, on my skin. It is much more of a range bound fragrance than is Most Wanted. Sometimes, you’ll get that lower end of the spectrum.

I did expect it to go further the first few times that I tried Night, as it seems to have the right composition to make that happen. Nope, it stays very much range bound.

Meanwhile, The Most Wanted will go for right about 9 each time, give or take. I haven’t noticed it quitting at the 7 hour mark ever.

At their peaks, they’re about equal. Overall, Most Wanted has the edge.

Edge: Most Wanted

Versatility

Both fragrances are served best for younger men. More mature than a pure teenagers cologne, but not super refined and formal. I would wear either for nights out, dates, etc.

Seasonally, they are both suited for autumn and winter. However, The Most Wanted can venture a bit further into warmer weather. Not hot, mind you, but it wouldn’t be a bad option for a night in the springtime.

They’re mostly equivalents, but Most Wanted takes it slightly.

Edge: Most Wanted

Overall Scent

Which of these fragrances is better? I do like Wanted by Night, as I feel it was a big improvement to the original Wanted, and gave me something closer to a Spicebomb Extreme. The original Wanted was pretty meh, but they’ve only gotten better since.

So, while Wanted by Night was the best of the series, The Most Wanted has officially taken the title in my book. Update: Also, Most Wanted Parfum has surpassed it.

It’s a great blend of caramel and vanilla sweetness, cardamom warmth, but also a nice freshness that prevents it from being too heavy.

Really, it just smells better than Night does. The performance is a bit better, but not by too much. If you want something spicier, Night might be a better option. Heck, I wore it plenty during the winter months.

For most guys, The Most Wanted is going to be the way to go. It’s a fantastic release from Azzaro and already one of their best.

Winner: The Most Wanted

Chrome United by Azzaro

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I only got a hold of a handful of men’s fragrance samples, during my last haul. One of them, is the subject of today’s post and a flanker to the ever popular Chrome, Chrome United. This is one of a series of colognes, with a title under that banner, but how does it actually smell? Is the performance on this fragrance any good? Is Chrome United worth a buy?

What does Chrome United Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, Sichuan pepper, Ceylan black tea, cedar, musk, violet leaf

Click here to try: Chrome United by AZZARO for Men Eau De Toílette Spray 6.8 oz 

My Full Wear Review

Chrome United opens up with a citrus blast of bergamot, a warm Sichuan pepper, and a greenish herbal tea. It has a somewhat familiar resemblance to the original Chrome, with the bergamot, and a slight metallic aroma.

Nonetheless, United strikes me a distinct and separate fragrance, unto itself. There is also a coriander note in there, it has moments where it reminds me a bit of Nautica Voyage Sport, although that is short-lived.

As it dries down, the spices fall back, and it becomes more about the violet leaf and tea. It becomes quite herbal, a bit green, with a musky citrus finish. This is pretty much the smell that I get, for the rest of the way.

Later, the bergamot fades out almost entirely, and the violet leaf gets stronger. Outside of that, it’ nearly identical to what it was, near 1 hour mark.

Chrome United is a rather simple, clean, and greenish scent with some spice and musk.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, Chrome United isn’t one that projects itself very far. On my skin, it seems like about 3-4 feet or so at its best, and that’s what I get when I spray it on a t-shirt and place it in my room. United is definitely on the lighter side of moderate.

The longevity is okay, but really not that great. I get about 2 hours of its moderate sillage, before it sit close to the skin. On that level, it’s another 3 hours or so. So, maybe around 5-6 hours of wear total. Really could’ve been better, but still usable.

If you’re paying full retail for a bottle of United, you’ll probably be underwhelmed by the performance. At a significant discount, it wouldn’t be as bothersome.

Seasonally, I don’t see why you couldn’t wear Chrome United year round. It really doesn’t strike me, as one stuck in a certain climate. I will say, it’s more of a daytime casual fragrance. One to wear as a freshie, maybe to a non-professional, sort of job.

United isn’t really sexy, more pleasant and clean. Definitely, not a nightlife beast, at all. Though, it does have some charm wearing it outside on a sunny day. I could catch whiffs of this and that tea plus bergamot was something I enjoyed.

Overall Impression of Chrome United

Overall, do I like this fragrance? It’s decent. Chrome United doesn’t do anything great, in my opinion. It smells pretty good, performs okay, and doesn’t particularly stand out.

I’m not a huge fan of the original, but I do enjoy it a lot more than this flanker. I like the tea note and the opening part, most of all. I’m not big on violet leaf either, but it doesn’t offend me. This just isn’t all that memorable of a scent to me.

I will say, if you like the original Chrome, you will probably like this as well. I’d say if you’re interested, find a discounted bottle, and get it on the cheap. I wouldn’t pay full price for this.

The Chrome flankers are pretty hit and miss with how they smell. There’s a lot of middle of the road and bland editions of the original namesake. United, falls into this category.

Stronger With You vs. Wanted by Night

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Armani’s Stronger with You and the Wanted series by Azzaro are two of the most popular lines out there today. Each has released a ton of variants over the years, of which each has their strengths and weakness. Today, I want to compare the original SWY against the flanker Wanted by Night to see which is better. Which lasts longer? Which is the top buy?

Tale of the Tape: Wanted by Night vs. Stronger with You

Wanted by Night

Notes include: cumin, cinnamon, lavender, tobacco, lemon, orange, cedar, cypress, patchouli, fruits

Click here to try: Azzaro Wanted by Night Eau de Parfum for Men – Mens Cologne

Read my full review: Wanted by Night

Stronger With You

Notes include: vanilla, mint, cardamom, chesnut, amber, pink pepper, sage, violet leaf

Click here to try: Emporio Armani Stronger With You for Men Eau de Toilette Spray, 1.7 oz

My Full Review: Stronger With You

Opening

The opening of Stronger with You has always reminded by of the original Azzaro Wanted, just minus the lemon smell. It’s a heavy cardamom, mint, pink pepper, and another big dose of sage.

I’m not a big fan of how this smells in the opening act. It’s a bit too much, fresh and has a nice kick to it, but I like SWY better once the vanilla comes in and some spice burns off.

Meanwhile, Wanted by Night has a better spice blend of cinnamon and cumin. It still has the lemon note of the original Wanted, paired with other fruity notes, but those play the background.

This one starts warm and bold. The benzoin note and incense help to round things out and add depth to the mix. To me, it’s just a much more dynamic and better smelling start than is SWY.

Edge: Wanted by Night

Projection

While one of these for sure, has better staying power, the ability to project is roughly the same between them. I’d probably give SWY a very slight edge here, as it can be pretty massive right after the opening sprays.

Nonetheless, they quickly settle into being pretty much equal. The good news is that both of these colognes are well above average with their sillage and don’t disappoint.

Edge: SWY (slightly)

Longevity

Wanted by Night will go for 7-9 hours, on my skin. It is much more of a range bound fragrance than is Most Wanted. Sometimes, you’ll get that lower end of the spectrum.

The original Stronger With You EDT lasts for at least 9 hours on my skin. However, it can go above 10 hours at times, as well. It just sometimes fails to hit that double digit hour mark. I’ve always had a long lasting wear with this Emporio Armani cologne. It takes this category.

Edge: SWY

Versatility

Seasonally, these both occupy the same space which is basically autumn and winter. If it’s temperate out, either is also fine, but their at their peak in the cooler months.

I think that SWY has better versatility. Both of these lean more towards nightlife wears, but the Armani can fit better during the day than the Azzaro. Once it dries down, SWY is more palatable in a daytime situation, while Azzaro has a nightlife vibe to it.

For some younger guys, Stronger may also be a daily wear type of cologne. I’d venture a guess that it’s less the case for Wanted by Night.

Edge: SWY

Overall Scent

Between these two fragrances, it is a tough call for me. There’s not much separation here, SWY has the better performance, but I prefer the actual scent of Wanted by Night a bit more.

Stronger with You has that great chestnut note, further spices, sweetness, and woodiness. The opening act is kind of bothersome to me, but I really like the dry down.

SWY also will last a long time and has the opening sillage, which can be pretty enveloping…nice if you actually dig the beginning aroma.

However, I’m going to give the nod to Wanted by Night, because I enjoy the entire wear somewhat more than the Armani. The performance is only a notch below, it is a bit more limited in its versatility…the fragrance just smells better to me.

If you do want a sweeter scent, go with SWY. Otherwise, I’d roll with Wanted by Night.

Winner: Wanted by Night

Wanted EDT by Azzaro

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I recently sampled a fairly new fragrance release from 2016, Wanted by Azzaro. The bottle struck me as unique but also kind of lame, with it’s gun barrel shape and motif. Anyways, I don’t particularly care about the bottle, as long as the juice inside is attractive. With that in mind, I want to do my latest review of a cologne on this one from the house of Azzaro.

As usual, I am going to cover what’s in it, how it smells, how it performs, when it should be worn, and whether or not I think that Wanted is worth a purchase. Note: I am revisiting this post a few years later, to update my thoughts, after trying this again recently.

What does Azzaro Wanted Smell Like?

Notes include: tonka bean, lemon, cardamom, vetiver, juniper, ginger, geranium, mint, amber wood

Click here to try: Azzaro Wanted Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.4 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

Before getting into my own thoughts, let’s see what Azzaro has to say about Wanted: Lauding a new free and vibrant masculinity. A woody, fresh and spicy EDT with an addictive trail.

The opening of Wanted, provides a burst of the lemon note, which is actually quite pleasant and not too overwhelming. Almost immediately, one is struck by how it resembles Paco Rabanne’s, Invictus. 

It mimics that bubble gum sort of smell, that you get with Invictus. However, Wanted gives you some ginger, mint, and more woodiness. In some ways, it is very similar, and then I can completely detect differences.

It is fresh and the citrus note is kept in place, by the cooling spices, and smooth tonka bean. A few minutes in, I start to get a lot of cardamom. The warmth of that note is an interesting play, off of the rest of the aromatically fresh ingredients, in this cologne.

I mean, you have: mint, ginger, juniper, and vetiver (which does become more prominent). The further you get away from the opening, the less it smells like Invictus, and Wanted really becomes its own thing.

One thing that does sort of bother me with this scent, is how some notes smell particularly chemically synthetic, like in the way a candy flavoring doesn’t resemble the actual underlying scent that it is trying to replicate. It’s not bad or anything, just something I noticed.

My love of tonka bean, is satisfied more as the scent progresses, in it’s life cycle. It is joined by, a dash or apple and juniper berry, that gives Wanted a lovely and smooth fruitiness. It all strikes me as fresh and only slightly spicy, as the ginger note only complements and never takes center stage for itself.

While it does have the fruit notes as the main draw, Wanted remains completely masculine, and doesn’t stray into the unisex or women’s category. Sure, it has its sweetness, but nothing crazy. I think that it is bolstered by the woody and plant notes that play the background and keep the overall composition in check.

The last part of the wear, does get quite dry, and woodsy. Vetiver, amber wood, ginger, and mainly tonka bean; is what I get, when it’s on its last legs.

How Long Does it Last? What’s the Sillage Like?

Projection wise, I didn’t find Wanted to be all that loud or heavy. It’s towards the strong side of things, at the start. But, not much more than moderate, thereafter. People close by will be able to smell you but not across the room, unless you’re just pouring it on.

Wanted surprisingly has good to great longevity. For something that isn’t overpowering, it sticks around. Not to the upper echelon levels of 12+ hours but 7-9 hours seems to be within range. It’s been very consistently in this range, each time, that I wear it.

When Should it Be Worn

Wanted feels like a non-descript cologne, in that, I could see wearing it in almost any season (except maybe extreme heat) and it would still be appropriate for nearly any occasion. It’s quite fresh, clean, and attractive enough for a night out but not too crazy for the office.

It has a nice balance in terms of its use. It should be pretty popular and be an easy grab for guys.

Is it Good Overall?

Overall, do I like Wanted? I actually do, but only somewhat. It’s not my favorite thing ever, but I think that it does what it sets out to do well. It’s affordable, has a nice smell, and good performance.

It’s not earth shattering but it gets the job done. For me, I really have to be in the mood to wear something like this, and that mood doesn’t come around too often.

I’d say if you’ve tried Invictus and hated it, stay away from Wanted. On the flip side, if you’re an Invictus fan, you might actually like this one more. For many guys, this will be a very solid option, as a daily wear/nighttime cologne.

Update: Honestly, I now think that this is the weakest fragrance of the Wanted lineup. Wanted by Night surpassed this. Which was then in turn surpassed by The Most Wanted colognes. I would buy any of those before this original release.

None of those existed back when I originally wrote this review, so I felt that I should add this part as an addendum.

It’s kind of crazy how the flankers got better over time, from this original formula which was pretty much only decent. Wanted EDT has its strengths, but there are just better options, based on this concept.