I have seen many of David Beckham perfumes over the years, and despite the reasonable price, I have never been able to purchase any. I admit I’ve always classified them as too conventional, never having tried them. However, I was wrong to some extent, surprisingly with David Beckham Instinct EDT. When the opportunity arose to try one, I couldn’t wait, and I got over all prejudices; I got fascinated with the bottle of Intimately, and his notes, so I jumped in and took it blindly. And it did not dishearten me at all. From there, I tried Instinct and discovered a beautiful fougère with comparable vibes of A&F Fierce.
And last but not least, this recent addition to the Beckham fragrances range, Instinct Bold. This variant has a very mesmerising scent which is neither intense nor light. DM-Drogerie Markt, a chain of retail stores to be exact, had put it on promotion for Christmas, only €17 for the 75 ml format, and I didn’t let it slip away. The box the perfume comes in is exquisite and well presented with the ashlar motif. A bright rose gold effect on a matte black background looks effective for the bottle itself, presented in a simple yet elegant style. Using just two base colours works well, and the product feels and looks very premium. The metal cap was also a pleasant surprise, as it is magnetic.
The gamely balanced fragrance exhibits to a fresh fusion of juicy pineapple aspects, in the same spirit as Creed’s Aventus, yet ain’t a clone of that, and plenty of herbaceous laurel leaves. But it is that touch of smoked Scotch whiskey that makes this opening unique and fascinating, a peaty accord worthy of the best whiskey from the rocky shores of Islay, off the southwest coast of Scotland. Peated whiskies seem to be a love-or-hate business, with little extent for indifference. The smoky stuff—the more intense, the better—gained a zealous cult following that makes brands like Bruichladdich, Lagavulin, Talisker, and Ardbeg some of the most desirable of all Scotches. Back to the cologne, the overture has quite an inebriating smell, which lingers on the skin for a while.
The scent is lovely and starts strong, but after a short while mellows to a subtler essence. The heart soon reveals the subtle warmth of nutmeg and cinnamon notes, which harmoniously combine with hints of sweet cardamom. All the spices are well-blended, there are neither winners nor losers, a bit of aromatic and waxy fresh grated nutmeg, a tad of the sweet and powdery cinnamon bark, and a smidgen of minty and balmy cardamom pods. This middle stage is all too warm, spicy.
The fresh and boozy initial feel gradually turns into a deeper, darker tone that pleasantly lingers around on the skin. There is a bit of a bite to this musky scent. The intensely vigorous foundation presents persistent amberwood and musk notes that come alive with intense and modern patchouli. Ain’t an ambroxan bomb, nor a patchouli blast, though both the notes can be perceived; still, they do not overpower the final dry down.
Overall, nothing to go crazy about, but much better than others in this price range, with a pleasant, slightly sweet, musky non-offensive smell that’s not too much, great for when you want something subtle. But it’s not that good when you want something that makes a big impression or something that will still go strong at the end of a glorious night out, sadly it doesn’t have that kind of stamina. Unlike some famous Italian brands that may be too self-centered and hip for my taste, this one continues along with the best English understatement, but is nonetheless evident and contemporary. I want to give credit where credit is due; you get a wonderful scent for the price range. Also, I say the bottle adds a nice touch, especially the magnetic cap and the beautiful rose gold and matte black aesthetic work beautifully. In my opinion, this fragrance is perfect for the colder seasons, from late autumn to early spring, especially thanks to the alcoholic, amber and musky accords combined with the sweeter but spicy ones. It’s perfect to wear as a perfume all day at work or in your free time, but I’d still wear something a little more premium and stand out when I go out in the evening. It’s not too aggressive, so it’s not ideal for going to a club or pub, where you need to stand out and not get confused. Thank you for reading my honest review. I hope you found it useful!
This review bases upon a 75ml (2.5 Fl.oz.) bottle I own since December 2020.
-Elysium
Top Notes 
Heart Notes 
Base Notes 
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