Eros Flame by Versace

I have been waiting for many months to get my hands on a bottle of this new Versace release, Eros Flame. I heard about it, saw that it was released in Europe, and couldn’t find any info as to when it was coming to the US. It was a few months in between its European release and when I could actually purchase a bottle for myself, but finally the day came and I ordered it immediately.

I am a fan of the original, so, I was pretty excited to try out the new Eros in the sharp looking red bottle. Does it meet expectations? What does Flame actually smell like? Can it match the performance of the original? Is it even worth a purchase?

What Does Eros Flame Smell Like?

Notes include: lemon, tangerine, chinotto accord, black pepper, wild mountain rosemary, pepperwood, geranium, rose, cedar, patchouli, vetiver, oak moss, sandalwood, tonka bean, and vanilla

Click here to try: Versace Eros Flame 100ml 3.4Oz Eau de Parfume For Men

My Full Wear Review

Eros Flame opens in a similar manner to the original Versace Eros, but has enough differences to be a distinct fragrance. You can definitely tell that the two share a common DNA. The main overlap that I noticed immediately, was in the use of citrus in the top notes.

The lemon note is prominent in both, at the start, and is exactly the same. However, in Eros Flame it is joined by a tangerine note, that will eventually take over the composition from its citrus compatriot.

The tangerine/lemon combo is very bright and juicy at the top. It brings to mind not only the original Eros, but also, Ultra Zest by Thierry Mugler in its orange citrus use. This is especially the case, when the emergent vanilla and tonka bean bring about that smooth creamy aroma.

Versace says that the citrus pairing is a part of a chinotto accord, which is a carbonated soft drink in Italy. I’m not familiar with this at all, so I can’t really speak on what that supposed to smell like.

Now, there are of course, differences at the beginning even with all of the shared commonalities. The green apple from the original is gone and replaced by that tangerine. Also, the cool refreshing mint, has been replaced by a warm black pepper note instead.

The pepper here isn’t crazy spicy and probably not as strong as the mint is in the original. It does add a different element to the composition of Flame and really is the signal that this cologne is changing into something quite different from its predecessor.

On the whole, I really enjoy the opening act. The citrus and vanilla/tonka bean is familiar and there is a certain effervescent quality to the whole thing.

As it dries down, Flame takes on a lot of outdoorsy/woodsy elements, and even during this stage it share some with the original. Cedar, vetiver, oak moss and geranium are all here from the original.

The strength of each has changed particularly the cedar note but the geranium feels a tad more prevalent in Flame. One thing that is different is the rosemary, which I pick up a lot on, maybe an hour or so into the wear.

Flame has a woody and dry earthy base, like Eros, but it is much stronger in the newer version. Rosemary, cedar, some sandalwood, and a very slight hint of rose at times.

All of this sits underneath a top of tangerine, vanilla, tonka bean, and some light black pepper. It is noticeably different from Eros and especially the complete lack of mint here.

The dry down, isn’t my favorite part of Flame. Since wearing this, I really love the opening act, but seem to have to be in the right mood to truly enjoy the latter stages of it.

How Long Does it Last? How Strong is the Sillage?

Projection wise, Eros Flame is really strong on my skin. I definitely get that famous Eros sillage out of this flanker, and two sprays is fairly bold, I can pick it up when sprayed on an old t-shirt across the room. It does calm down, as it dries down, because that lemon top note fades.

However, it provides a solidly strong projection for the entire wear. This isn’t one that I need to spray, very much at all. It gets noticed by others, even with a lighter application, in my experience.

Update: The more time I spent with Flame the more I realized the sillage was crazy. One of the strongest mainstream designer scents that I’ve come across. I think that it actually outdid the initial batches of Eros EDT. I could spray this one something far away in another room and catch whiffs of it. Not sure if newer bottles maintained this power, but geez it was loud…

Longevity is also very good, I hit double digit hours with it each time, that I put it on. Versace didn’t screw this one up, in terms of performance.

Update: I have been using my bottle for months now and the longevity is insane on my skin. I can hit 13-15 hours, at times. It just keeps going.

Versatility. When Should You Wear Eros Flame?

Seasonally, it doesn’t differ in my opinion, from the original. It is best in the colder months of autumn and winter, but can extend its wear into the spring. I think that the absence of amber, could let it perform a little better in the heat, but it’s not a summertime fragrance for me.

Eros Flame has good versatility. If you go super light, it can be an office scent…though, I wouldn’t use it for that purpose. But, it’s best as a casual wear, and especially as a nightlife one.

For some guys, they would choose this as a daily wear and it could certainly serve that purpose, as well.

It still has that Eros vigorous youthfulness, but never feels like something only a teenager can wear. It is attractive and has a level of sexiness about it. Obviously, I think it’s less sexy in the later stages, but I’m sure others will disagree.

Overall Impression of Flame

Overall, do I like Versace Eros Flame? I do. I bought a full bottle of this stuff as a complete blind buy and still plan on wearing it, after testing it out. That’s a good sign, I at least didn’t throw away money.

Update: The more that I wore it, the less I enjoyed Flame. I like the opening citrus, but the later dry down, gets on my nerves. Seriously, that dry down just grated on me. Something about it, that I’ve also found with the newer batches of Eros EDT…just to the extreme with this one.

The vanilla and tonka bean started to have less of an influence, in those latter stages. Also, once the citrus had mostly burned off, I just felt it less.

I ended up getting rid of my bottle, after not using it much at all past those initial 5-6 months. Even during that phase, it was sparsely worn. So, it sat on my shelf for over 2 years. The red bottle did look fantastic, however.

I know that this is some people’s favorite Eros. To me, it’s the worst. Opening hour or so is attractive and after that…meh. 

If you enjoyed the original Eros, you’ll more than likely be into Flame. If you didn’t like Eros, it probably won’t change your mind.

I don’t think that Flame surpasses the original, it has a lot of similarities, but offers more woodiness and enough differences to keep it interesting for me. Flame is a great balance of sweetness with dry woods and a peppery spice.

The citrus is similar at the beginning to Eros, but changes, and is a consistent aspect of the cologne. It is worth a try and should enjoy plenty of popularity in the near future.

Best Men's Colognes

Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.