azzaro

The Most Wanted vs Most Wanted Parfum

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The Most Wanted EDP was a very good release from Azzaro, which naturally followed it up with a parfum concentration, The Most Wanted Parfum.

I have tested out and worn both of these men’s fragrances a bunch and wanted to do a comparison between them to help decide which of them is the better buy. Which cologne smells better? Lasts longer?

Tale of the Tape: Most Wanted EDP vs Parfum

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

The Most Wanted Parfum

Notes include: toffee, Bourbon vanilla, red ginger, and wood

Click here to try: The Most Wanted Parfum

Read my review: Parfum

most wanted parfum review

Opening

The Most Wanted EDP starts with the same cardamom note as the original Wanted. This note has a slightly lemony aroma already, but The Most Wanted doesn’t actually have the citrus note. It’s fresher, spicier, but less of a sharp sweetness.

Though, the Most Wanted is still sweet with the caramel and Bourbon vanilla note. 

The Most Wanted Parfum begins with that red ginger spice really coming through. A different take from the cardamom note in the EDP. This one, has a spicier profile akin to Wanted by Night with how it packs a punch early on (just trade the cinnamon for ginger).

You still get the toffee note, what they call incandescent woods, to round things out. It’s a crisp spice with a sweetness and a hot smoldering kind of woods which helps to distinguish it from The Most Wanted.

Further along, the vanilla will mostly take over for the ginger and the spiciness will tone down quite a lot.

Which is better? I’ve gone back and forth on this in my mind. However, I’ve started to have a slight preference for that ginger-led opening of Parfum. Not a major advantage, but for now, I’ll take it.

Edge: Parfum

Projection

Both of these are stronger openers that will settle into being in the upper range of moderate with how each of them projects. Neither feels all that heavier than the other.

However, I think that the EDP projects a bit better, than the Parfum concentration. It seems to be one that I can detect a lot easier if I spray it on a shirt and move across the room.

Neither is a weak cologne, but The Most Wanted EDP is a bit better here.

Edge: Most Wanted

Longevity

The Most Wanted Parfum actually lasts about an hour less than the EDP, at least for me. I get 8-8.5 hours of wear, every time that I’ve tested it out.

They are still pretty close with how long each of these colognes lasts, but the EDP takes this category. 9-9.5 hours seems pretty standard as to what I get with it. It might be capable of a bit more than that too.

Edge: Most Wanted

Versatility

Here these two occupy the same space. Both are better worn in autumn and winter. Neither is a formal fragrance. Both skew younger, without being totally fragrances that only teenagers can wear.

Also, both of them shine in the nightlife. You could wear them daily, just understand that they are sweeter, and not really office fragrances.

With all that said, I don’t really notice much of a distinction here.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these two fragrances do I prefer? This is really a contest that is neck and neck, as I really enjoy both of these Azzaro colognes a lot.

With Parfum, I really like that smoldering sort of woodiness that I get in the opening act, along with the spice of the ginger.

It’s got plenty of overlap with The Most Wanted EDP, but that opening highlights enough differences for me to prefer it in that period.

After that? I’m less impressed in comparison to the EDP. Once that opening transitions, I don’t find Parfum to be as interesting nor does it smell as good as what I get from the EDP.

The Most Wanted EDP has a slightly better performance too. I really like the caramel and vanilla notes, still flanked by that warmth and spiciness, just to a lesser extent.

This are very comparable scent obviously, so, you probably won’t have a major preference either. For me, I’ll give the win to the EDP.

Winner: Most Wanted EDP

Wanted Tonic by Azzaro

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Wanted Tonic is a release from the very popular Wanted series of men’s fragrances by Azzaro. This one kind of flew under the radar and hasn’t gotten as much attention as the others in the line up after its 2020 release. The question is, does it deserve to be more well known?

I bought a sample of this cologne to test it out and see how it performs. What does it smell like? Does it last long? Is Tonic actually worth a buy?

Wanted Tonic Overview

Notes include: lime, ginger, cardamom, patchouli, benzoin, aquatic accord

My Full Review

Wanted Tonic opens up with a generic blue-ish aroma that is blended with a fairly prominent lime note.

The lime is decent and juicy within the mix and probably a highlight for me. The ginger here is fine, adding a nice spice, and you get that usual warm/lemony/spicy cardamom note that is a staple in the Wanted series.

That being said, this is closest to Coach Man Blue versus any other fragrance out there. It’s not the same, though. That one is woodier, heavier and has a more prominent absinthe note. Neither of these two are great fragrances, though.

The citrus is going to lead the way throughout most of the wear. The aquatic accord will fade off and the cardamom will take over as the main source of spiciness from the earlier ginger dominance.

Then, you get some woodiness and greenish notes coming through. Patchouli and there might be another wood note in here, that’s note listed. The dry down has a fuzziness to it from the benzoin, but is mostly about a blue citrus aroma with hints of spice and light woody highlights.

Wanted Tonic isn’t a very complicated sort of cologne.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Obviously, Tonic is going to be a fresher and not a super heavy fragrance that’ll bog you down. It does indeed take a lighter tact, but it isn’t completely weak.

The projection at least, in that lighter state is pretty moderate for a good deal of the wear. It wasn’t a skin scent and I could smell the cologne on me until the tail end. Actually not too bad for what this Azzaro fragrance is.

The longevity? Not great. I wasn’t expecting much, but it might be better than those expectations. Somewhere in the 5.5 hour range is what I get from this one. The ‘Tonic’ moniker is a good bet that you’re not going to get marathon performance, but this is decent.

Seasonally, this is totally a candidate for spring and summer wear. This aquatic lime with spice isn’t going to be something too appealing in the colder months and will feel out of place there.

But, in the warmer weather, it works. I wore it outside on a warm day, now that we’ve entered spring and I actually liked it more out there than I didn’t when I had sprayed this one on inside the house.

Within that spring and summer time frame, it’s mostly going to be a casual refreshing fragrance, limited to the daytime.

Not too versatile of a fragrance, but I suppose you could wear this around anywhere during the day, as long as you don’t need something too formal. It’s one that’ll not get blown apart on the hottest days of the year, so if you don’t have a cologne which fits that profile, Wanted Tonic can handle that job.

Overall Impressions of Wanted Tonic

Overall, do I like Wanted Tonic? Not really. It’s not completely terrible, but it just doesn’t have much appeal.

I like lime, ginger, the Wanted series, and freshie colognes. As such, I thought that this Azzaro release might have some appeal to me. It turned out to be an okay fragrance, but not one that I would feel compelled to own.

The performance is right in the realm of average. It’s got that clean and refreshing sort of aroma, but nothing too unique or out of the ordinary. I’m not sure when I would grab this one versus any other warm weather cologne out there.

That’s the issue for me. There are simply much better options in this sort of style that does things better from smell to performance.

It doesn’t smell exactly like any fragrance, but there’s enough of an amalgamation of ideas, that this seems somewhat familiar.

I will say, as of this initial posting of this review, I’m seeing bottles online at the re-seller stores for around $30. So, if you’re a Wanted fan or if this sounds appealing to you, you’re not paying a huge price for something that could potentially disappoint you.

For me, there’s nothing that I’m intrigued by here. So, I’ll pass, even at that low price point.

It seems to be discontinued by the brand itself. If you want a bottle, go ahead and get one before the stock sells out.

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.