mont blanc

Explorer Ultra Blue by Montblanc

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Explorer Ultra Blue is the follow up to the very popular Explorer from Montblanc. It was released in 2021, but I grabbed a sample more recently to test it out and see if it was actually worthwhile. How does Ultra Blue Smell? Does it last long? Is it better than the original Explorer?

What does Explorer Ultra Blue Smell Like?

Notes include: pink pepper, bergamot, sea notes, fruits, ambergris, wood, patchouli, leather

Click here to try: Explorer Ultra Blue

My Full Review

Here’s how Mont Blanc describes it: Explorer Ultra Blue celebrates the Blue found throughout nature. Intense, infinite, and fresh, the eau de parfum reveals a citrus woody marine fragrance. Embark on an epic journey.

The opening of Ultra Blue doesn’t come across like the original Explorer. Actually, the opening of this fragrance is a lot like Light Blue Living Stromboli with how it smells.

Citrus, pink pepper, aquatic notes, and vetiver are the overlaps between them. This one starts out blended more, with a less intense use of the pink pepper (heavily featured in the D&G cologne).

After about ten minutes, this will separate away from that comparison, and more towards being its own thing.

Ultra Blue does have its own overlap with the original Explorer, but the smell is different. Notes shared, include: bergamot, pink pepper, leather, vetiver, amber. Different weightings and you replace the cacao with sea notes (which is simply going to be different).

It’s fresh, with a hint of citrus, a salty marine accord, and woods. Actually, some smoothness in there from a touch of leather.

That’s my dry down. A light amber, mixing with a mix of the marine, woods, and some leather. Not super deep or complicated.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The first hour or so does have a nice punch to it. It’ll extend out to about a seven-ish foot radius from where you sprayed, at its peak. By the end of that hour, it’s come closer to the three foot range.

So, Explorer Ultra Blue does pretty quickly dissipate with its power and ability to leave a scent trail. Not a heavy scent, that’ll bog down on you. At it’s height, it does have a substantial heft for a fresh aquatic.

The longevity here isn’t all that great. It’s okay, on my skin, in the 5-6 hour range in total. The last couple of hours are pretty light and skin scent level.

Seasonally, this is a cologne that is more for the spring and summer months. But, honestly, I’d be fine with it anytime other than when it is really cold out. That fresh bite, might be too much.

It’s a clean and fresh daily wear. Not very formal, romantic, or a club beast. It’s one that you can wear to work (at most jobs), casually, or at school if you’re a student.

Ultra Blue is pleasant and probably not ever going to offend anyone.

Overall Impressions of Explorer Ultra Blue

Overall, do I like this cologne? It’s okay. I don’t hate it, but I’m sure that I’ll forget about this one in a short amount of time.

Ultra Blue isn’t unpleasant, but there’s not much going on here that really grabs my attention. The aquatic accord is pretty nice, the citrus isn’t that strong, and all of the other notes kind of end up blending together.

If you want an easy blue aquatic with a relatively pleasant woody base…this could fit the bill. Though, I’d want a massive discount for it. Ultra Blue is very serviceable, though never spectacular.

I do have a full bottle of Living Stromboli, which I purchased for review, and has a comparable opening. I prefer that Light Blue flanker to this and that was never cologne that I particularly loved.

Everything here is just fine. Smell is just fine, performance, quality, etc. The original had its somewhat different take on the Aventus style. Yet, it is a much better fragrance than this more unique Ultra Blue flanker.

Mont Blanc Legend vs. Emblem

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For this head to head match up, I want to take a look at two different offerings from the Mont Blanc lineup. First, is the ever popular Legend versus it challenger, Emblem. Which of these colognes smells the best? Which has better performance? Which is the better buy overall for most men? I will break down each in a variety of categories before declaring an ultimate winner.

Tale of the Tape

Mont Blanc Legend

Notes include: Bergamot, Pineapple Leaf, Sandalwood, Apple, rose, oak moss, lemon verbena, geranium, lavender,  And Tonka Bean

Click here to try: MONTBLANC Legend Eau de Toilette 3.3 fl.oz.

Read my review: Mont Blanc Legend

Emblem

Notes include: cinnamon, violet, tonka bean, sage, cardamom, grapefruit, wood, pepper, ambroxan

Click here to try: MONTBLANC Emblem Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.3 fl. oz.

Read my review: Mont Blanc Emblem

Opening

Emblem opens up with a grapefruit note that is joined by spicier notes of pepper and cardamom. There is also a violet lead note, and it is interesting, how Emblem has a cool spice considering these notes.

A few minutes in, the cinnamon brings some warmth to it, and it eventually moves away from the citrus top and into something that is more herbal.

Legend has a fruity opening of apple, bergamot, and pineapple. It has a very citrus beginning, but it features a dry scent, with creamy tonka bean and lavender coming through. Along with, the underlying woodsy notes.

The pineapple and apple notes are a nice contrast versus the inherent woodsy style of the fragrance, sitting underneath.

Which is better? I don’t love either of these, but I think that I prefer how Legend opens up. It’s fresh and clean. Emblem is nice, has an interesting composition, but the cardamom and cinnamon just isn’t as good.

Edge: Legend

Projection

Legend is a fairly moderate sillage, but never ventures into beast territory. Emblem is light to moderate. It starts out about the same level as Legend, but moves much more into a lighter and airy cologne.

I would’ve thought something with cinnamon and cardamom, would’ve brought the power…but apparently not.

Legend isn’t even a heavy fragrance, but it pretty much blows Emblem right off the map, in comparison.

Edge: Legend

Longevity

I have gotten about 5-6 hours of wear, out of both of these scent. Neither one, really has an amazing staying power, and are fairly average.

That seems to be an issue with a lot of the Mont Blanc lineup. Some like Legend Night, can go longer. Between these two, no discernable difference.

Maybe older formulations of Legend had better longevity, but this is what I have consistently gotten with the latest batches over the past few years.

Edge: Push

Versatility

Legend is the type of scent that you can wear year round and for seemingly any occasion. It is a simple and no-brainer kind of cologne. Emblem is more suited for the colder weather and is a business casual to formal sort of smell. Legend is the more versatile.

Legend has served as a single go to cologne for many guys, over the years. It’s versatility is among its absolutely greatest strengths.

Edge: Legend

Overall Scent

Mont Blanc Emblem actually has a pretty interesting wear. It starts off spicy, then moves into something that is creamier, and sweeter than it had started. It’s a low key scent that smells quite pleasant, but doesn’t have much power or longevity.

Between the two, I think that the original Legend is better than Emblem. It is a blend of citrus, lavender, and sandalwood for the most part. However, it is a very nice smelling fragrance, that is a solid starter cologne for guys.

Emblem is a decent wear, but feels like it could’ve been much better than it ended up being. It might not be a bad buy, if you can get a big discount.

It’s one that you can just spray on, anytime, without having to think about it. It’s also got more versatility, sillage, and about equal performance to Emblem.

I’m not a that enthralled with either of these scents, but this is a fairly easy win for the popular Mont Blanc scent. If you want other options that smell like Legend, I wrote a post on that.

Winner: Legend

Emblem by Mont Blanc

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Been posting quite a few Mont Blanc cologne reviews as of late and am going to finish up here today with one of the more popular scents, Emblem. I’ve already had experience with this one in the past, but got a hold of a sample vial, in order to refresh my memory, and get my thoughts down after wearing it around.

This fragrance was released in 2014. As usual, I’ll explore what’s inside, how it smells, performs, and whether or not it is actually worth a purchase.

What does Montblanc Emblem Smell Like?

Notes include: cinnamon, violet, tonka bean, sage, cardamom, grapefruit, wood, pepper, ambroxan

Click here to try: MONTBLANC Emblem Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.3 fl. oz.

My Full Review

The opening of Emblem gives me a blast of grapefruit that is joined by a cool rush of cardamom, pepper, and violet leaf. After a few minutes, I start to pick up more cinnamon in the composition. It is interesting that I experience a warm and enveloping sensation at times.

Meanwhile, there is sort of a chill, that runs through this Mont Blanc cologne. I think the grapefruit and violet leaf, provide that cooling sensation. While cinnamon and cardamom, bring the warm feeling.

Within 20 minutes of applying, Emblem shifts away from the citrus top note opening, and I get an herbal and lightly spiced aroma. The violet leaf is familiar, as is the clary sage, which gives it that earthy sort of quality.

The cardamom stays pretty consistent throughout, to my nose. Meanwhile, there is a delicate hint of creamy tonka bean, that sits in the background during the dry down.

The sage note that comes in, stays fairly moderate during its peak, before retreating to the outer edges of the aroma. Emblem has a nice blend between being cozy and aromatic, slightly sweet and spicy. It’s fresh and not one, which screams for attention.

Further down the line, Emblem has a warm sweetness that feels like an equal part, when compared to the earlier spice.

It’s violet leaf, cinnamon, tonka bean, and cardamom at this point in the wear. The changes throughout are pretty subtle, but there is some jockeying between the ingredients, as time moves on.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Mont Blanc Emblem has a lighter to moderate sillage. It’s not a beast, but you’ll know that you have it on.

It sort of just becomes a part of your day and not something that intrudes and permeates while wearing. At the opening, it will form a solid perimeter around the wearer.

The longevity isn’t outstanding but not terrible either. At around 6 hours, it becomes a complete skin scent, and begins that slow evaporation process. It’s in the middle of the pack, in this regard.

Seasonally, I would slot this as a fall/winter wear, since this is built for the cold weather mainly. Temperate climate, would also be fine.

I couldn’t see myself ever reaching for Emblem during the summer months. The warm spice and later smoothness, just don’t fit really warm weather. Even with it’s lighter, ozonic aspects, I don’t think it’d fit well. At least where I live.

It’s more of a business casual to formal wear sort of cologne. You can wear it out at night, but it’s low key, so don’t expect some kind of club monster. Though, it is attractive enough to be appreciated, when someone else moves close enough.

Overall Impressions of Emblem

Overall, do I recommend Emblem? I like it. I think the aroma is overall very pleasant to wear. The longevity kind of leaves more to be desire, but it isn’t terrible.

It’s a seemingly simple scent, but it has some sneaky depth. Plus, it has some more unique aspects versus a lot of the other mainstream fare.

I like the cinnamon note, along with the cardamom. The contrast between the warm and cooling sensation is attractive.

The violet leaf doesn’t actually bother me in the mix. It’s for sure one of my least favorite notes, personally. Here, I think it works and doesn’t get on my nerves.

I don’t know that this would be my personal go to, as it occupies that cold weather space, that contains some of my favorite fragrances.

Also, in terms of Mont Blanc scents, I’ve actually been loving Legend Night, as of late. If you can get a good deal on Emblem, it’s a solid choice, not earth shattering but good all around. I wouldn’t pay full retail for it, though.

Mont Blanc Legend Night

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I’ve got a whole box full of samples to do write ups on and over 100 more posts in the works, so this site is going to be real active to close out this year. Today, I have a review of a Mont Blanc flanker fragrance: Legend Night. This cologne was released in 2017. How does it smell? Perform? Is it worth a buy? Please continue below for my full take after wearing it around.

What does Montblanc Legend Night Smell Like?

Notes include: candied apple, cedar, vanilla, cardamom, vetiver, sage, mint, bergamot, fir, lavender, violet, patchouli, and musk

Click here to try: MONTBLANC Legend Night Eau De Parfum, 1 fl. oz.

My Full Review

Here is how Legend Night is described by the insert that came with the sample vial:

Montblanc Legend Night is the incarnation of seduction. This new, woody and sensual Eau de Parfum embodies a mysterious, self-confident and iconic man. The note opens with a citrus freshness lifted by cool spices. Meanwhile the candied apple and cedarwood combination reveals an addictive, masculine heart. This is a strong, memorable and elegant signature where vetiver and woods meet black vanilla.

Is this accurate? Well, in so many words, pretty much. I don’t think I’d use the same level of descriptive adjectives, but I’m not trying to sell this to the masses like Mont Blanc.

It does indeed open with the bergamot citrus note being quite present. It isn’t dominant but is paired with the candied apple and mint to create something very nice. The opening few minutes is reminiscent of a more subdued version of Versace Eros. Ultimately, they are two different colognes, but there is a brief time of similarity.

I really dig the freshness of Legend Night. I think that the mint, sage, and cardamom trio provide a great spice to what might otherwise be another simple vanilla and apple based fragrance.

What’s interesting, now that I’ve worn this for a while. The opening act, can be pretty different, depending on the day and my skin chemistry. Sometimes, that apple and bergamot are very juicy, and it’s a sweet gem of a fragrance. With the vanilla and mint, it’s like a sweeter Versace Eros.

Other times, I spray this on, the cardamom and sage really come through. Honestly, it changes the character of the fragrance in that opening hour. I still really like it, but it doesn’t captivate me, in the same way. Much more woody, herbal, and spicy during these wears.

It has a certain warmth to it, but at the same time a breath of crispy coolness provided by the peppermint. It’s a very smooth and green spice, not like the spice of a hot pepper, or something similar.

As it dries down, the citrus is toned way down, and the herbal spices also take a backseat. This is the point at which the floral notes really come into their own. There is that familiar lavender calmness and a very noticeable violet note, as well.

I originally dismissed this, as being a pretty simple scent. Actually, it does have lots of depth and nuance to it. Just needed to spend more time with Legend Night.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Mont Blanc Legend Night is pretty moderate. With three sprays, it performed just fine on my skin, and never felt weak by any means. Though, it’s not an absolute monster in terms of the sillage.

Longevity is pretty decent, I got seven hours from it more or less.

Update: If I double spray both sides of my neck, the sillage and longevity get a great boost. That doesn’t always happen with fragrances, but this one will get a few more hours with this method.

It will perform best during the fall and winter but can withstand moderate heat fairly well. It’s low key enough to be worn casually or at work. However, as a night time scent, I do think it shines.

Again, it’s not a monster, but it is very sexy and seductive. This is a complement getter and will appeal to women, who are within your immediate orbit.

I actually first wore the sample of this, while in Las Vegas, and received numerous positive comments. Since I’ve gotten a full bottle for my own collection, it still grabs attention, especially early on in the wear.

Overall Impression of Legend Night

Overall, do I like Legend Night? Yes, I actually like it a whole lot. I wasn’t expecting it to be this good, but it’s so fresh and well put together that I can’t help but want to wear this fragrance.

Update: I originally wrote this review, using only the sample vial. The more that I used it, the more I liked wearing this fragrance. As such, I bought a full bottle shortly thereafter.

Update 2: I wore this off an on for a few years. Now, I don’t wear what’s left of the bottle too often. Still like it, but it’s less interesting to me nowadays. Worth a try still, though.

Legend Night quickly became one of my favorite sweet autumn/winter wears and one that I keep coming back to.

It’s not a highly unique scent and it does smell like it was pieced together from other popular colognes, but so what? If one can get a bottle of this at a good price, I’d consider Legend Night to be a steal. Judging by the lower prices I’ve seen around, it’s basically becoming just that.