BeginswithaJ
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The bottle says it all
It smells brown. Not coffee, chocolate or 70's powerhouse brown, just... brown. Extreme 6.0 is a somewhat pleasant, warm fragrance. Sweet mouldy woods done in a nice way. Unfortunately almost as forgettable as the Classic, so a good flanker I suppose. Don't get me wrong: it's absolutely an agreeable scent, but won't stand out in a crowd.
Top notes are resinous, just as the Classic version. Yet the pear note is more noticeable which gives the opening a slightly more fruity note. Dont buy this for the pear: it's gone before you know it.
The dry down is generic woody with a hint of synthetic leather and the ever present resins leave a harsher aftertaste than in the opening. I even detect a medicinal note here and there sometimes. The iris is noticeable: there are some powdery aspects that connect Extreme to the other 6.0 fragrances.
Skin scent in over an hour, so in line with the other 2020 releases thus far.
Not one of the better ones in the line-up in my opinion.
Top notes are resinous, just as the Classic version. Yet the pear note is more noticeable which gives the opening a slightly more fruity note. Dont buy this for the pear: it's gone before you know it.
The dry down is generic woody with a hint of synthetic leather and the ever present resins leave a harsher aftertaste than in the opening. I even detect a medicinal note here and there sometimes. The iris is noticeable: there are some powdery aspects that connect Extreme to the other 6.0 fragrances.
Skin scent in over an hour, so in line with the other 2020 releases thus far.
Not one of the better ones in the line-up in my opinion.
Geranium-centric Starwalker
After the hyper fresh citrus open that lasts just about as long as a sneeze, it moves toward a greener, aromatic aquatic. Here is where the geranium's green note starts to introduce itself more prominently than in its Classic 5.0 cousin. I'm also picking up some nutmeg, and a squeeze of lemon/bergamot. Probably from the Geranium note as well.
After drying down a bit and breathing for about half an hour, a little bit of Mont Blanc's Starwalker comes peeking around the corner. Which gets more pronounced the longer we wait. And so Extreme 5.0 gets more powdery and soft. Fresher than Classic 5.0, without being sporty fresh. More like opening a window on a sunny day in spring.
Sadly the sillage and performance are again disappointing so don't expect to enjoy the dry down too much.
Final verdict: If you like Zara Extreme 5.0, give Starwalker a try! The latter is more linear, so it lacks the squeeze of lemon, but it's a bit brighter and has way better performance.
After drying down a bit and breathing for about half an hour, a little bit of Mont Blanc's Starwalker comes peeking around the corner. Which gets more pronounced the longer we wait. And so Extreme 5.0 gets more powdery and soft. Fresher than Classic 5.0, without being sporty fresh. More like opening a window on a sunny day in spring.
Sadly the sillage and performance are again disappointing so don't expect to enjoy the dry down too much.
Final verdict: If you like Zara Extreme 5.0, give Starwalker a try! The latter is more linear, so it lacks the squeeze of lemon, but it's a bit brighter and has way better performance.
BeginswithaJ 3 years ago
a sweet short stay
Of all three fragrances in the 5.0-line this one is by far the sweetest. I'd describe it as a very generic, mass appealing fruity aquatic. It's just... there. Won't offend anyone, but won't wow either.
From a sparkling and fruity opening with berries and lemon, we land on one of those sweeter red-and-yellow apples. After a short while the apple gets covered with a drizzle of honey and I even detect some cinnamon notes in the background. This all merges into a softer, powdery leather accord where it stays during the dry down. So progression is surely there, it's far from linear which is quite entertaining.
Enjoy it while it lasts though, because it sure doesn't. Sillage is mediocre at best, and it will turn into a skin scent within the hour, maybe two. Keep your bottle with you is my advice.
With Classic 5.0 being all but a date night powerhouse, it reminds me of a frivolous bar chat: You exchange some flirty looks, get to talking, the conversation seems interesting and evolves, but all of a sudden there doesn't seem to be any chemistry. Wishing there would have been more, you part ways with a smile, apply a new spray and carry on.
From a sparkling and fruity opening with berries and lemon, we land on one of those sweeter red-and-yellow apples. After a short while the apple gets covered with a drizzle of honey and I even detect some cinnamon notes in the background. This all merges into a softer, powdery leather accord where it stays during the dry down. So progression is surely there, it's far from linear which is quite entertaining.
Enjoy it while it lasts though, because it sure doesn't. Sillage is mediocre at best, and it will turn into a skin scent within the hour, maybe two. Keep your bottle with you is my advice.
With Classic 5.0 being all but a date night powerhouse, it reminds me of a frivolous bar chat: You exchange some flirty looks, get to talking, the conversation seems interesting and evolves, but all of a sudden there doesn't seem to be any chemistry. Wishing there would have been more, you part ways with a smile, apply a new spray and carry on.
When in doubt: buy Bentley
Being one of the lucky ones still owning a bottle of Gucci Pour Homme, resistance to an extensive skin test is futile. As a matter of fact, I have four bottles sitting in front of me right now: A fully black bottle of For Men Absolute born in 2018; a decant of the same fragrance from 2015; one GPH from 2003/2004 (in which the resins have started to solidify very slightly, but scent- and performance wise 100% ok); and one GPH from 2008. Please note I've tested these on skin and paper, and both give generally the same result.
Upon spraying all the different versions it seems that the top notes are more or less the same, the decant being a little sweeter of the four. The other three have the wonderful and well known—slightly tart—boozy punch in the face.
Drying down, both GPH's smell exactly the same with the prominent, complex wood notes we've all come to love. Ah yes, can't miss those wonderful pencil shavings. The 2018 Bentley is surprisingly similar (can't say I'm surprised) when smelling it by itself. When compared to the 'dryer' Gucci's, it gives off a somewhat sweeter and warmer resinous accord in the base. The amber is well represented here. Some soft supple leather is also a bit more pronounced. The only thing really 'off' with the Bentley is the synthetic oud that doesn't match the original very well.
Smelling the Gucci's again straight after exposes the well defined flowery heart which Bentley seems to miss. Although not apparent at first sniff. It does give the Gucci a more 'natural' feel overall but is easy to miss when you don't smell them side by side. All of a sudden we're able to spot a tiny jasmin flower between the lumber.
The decant from 2015 is the odd one out though. Smelling way sweeter than the rest, missing the mark on the oudy notes completely. As a matter of fact, there's even a tobacco note in there that I can't place in the other three. Not entirely unpleasant, but it reminds me a bit more of the sweeter leather of Bentley for men Intense. This needs more investigation: maybe a reformulation, or perhaps the Bentley changes over time... who knows?
The longevity is quite similar, only the Bentley seems to have a slight upper hand in this. Not surprising considering their age I suppose.
More than enough has been written on the olfactory experience of both fragrances so I won't go into that too deeply. All in all this fragrance is a very, very good interpretation of Gucci Pour Homme, even the 2015 version. And for a fraction of the current market price. Almairac really did his best here!
Bentley for men Absolute truly brings back the memories of it's sadly discontinued predecessor, and I very much enjoy wearing it. Even when owning the original, for me it's a definite 'must buy'. And so should it be for you.
Upon spraying all the different versions it seems that the top notes are more or less the same, the decant being a little sweeter of the four. The other three have the wonderful and well known—slightly tart—boozy punch in the face.
Drying down, both GPH's smell exactly the same with the prominent, complex wood notes we've all come to love. Ah yes, can't miss those wonderful pencil shavings. The 2018 Bentley is surprisingly similar (can't say I'm surprised) when smelling it by itself. When compared to the 'dryer' Gucci's, it gives off a somewhat sweeter and warmer resinous accord in the base. The amber is well represented here. Some soft supple leather is also a bit more pronounced. The only thing really 'off' with the Bentley is the synthetic oud that doesn't match the original very well.
Smelling the Gucci's again straight after exposes the well defined flowery heart which Bentley seems to miss. Although not apparent at first sniff. It does give the Gucci a more 'natural' feel overall but is easy to miss when you don't smell them side by side. All of a sudden we're able to spot a tiny jasmin flower between the lumber.
The decant from 2015 is the odd one out though. Smelling way sweeter than the rest, missing the mark on the oudy notes completely. As a matter of fact, there's even a tobacco note in there that I can't place in the other three. Not entirely unpleasant, but it reminds me a bit more of the sweeter leather of Bentley for men Intense. This needs more investigation: maybe a reformulation, or perhaps the Bentley changes over time... who knows?
The longevity is quite similar, only the Bentley seems to have a slight upper hand in this. Not surprising considering their age I suppose.
More than enough has been written on the olfactory experience of both fragrances so I won't go into that too deeply. All in all this fragrance is a very, very good interpretation of Gucci Pour Homme, even the 2015 version. And for a fraction of the current market price. Almairac really did his best here!
Bentley for men Absolute truly brings back the memories of it's sadly discontinued predecessor, and I very much enjoy wearing it. Even when owning the original, for me it's a definite 'must buy'. And so should it be for you.
