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In comparing this to Dior Homme Intense, they both start off very similar (lots of iris), though VUI quickly becomes less powdery and more sweet than DHI. A slight zestiness from the mandarin orange and slight mintiness from the clary sage become present (a very slightly fresh orange scent), with the sweetness from the Tonka bean heart coming in quickly to sweeten the iris. After about an hour and a half, DHI is hardly noticeable as a skin scent on my hand (latest formulation), while VUI continues to project strongly. VUI ultimately becomes vanillicly (not a word, I know) sweet, still iris-y but not too much so, and the leather provides an elegantly dark and masculine undertone (very subtle). Ultimately, I love this fragrance. Very classy, strong, masculine, yet has a significant presence of sensitivity. For a well-dressed gentleman. 5 hours later, still a good presence (1 spray), still smells like smooth, sweet, slightly orangey iris. Dry down could function as a good close encounter scent, if not over-applied. 24+ hours later, dry down smells of leather and vanilla with a hint of iris. Pleasant.

From the first blast, this comes off as immediately fresh, probably from the lavender in the heart. So pleasant. There are citruses (mandarin orange, grapefruit) at top that I definitely get. Also a fresh and crisp apple note that is very apparent. A bright sweetness. There is also a clear herbal nature, which comes from the artemisia. Such an interesting mix: bright citrus, aromatic lavender, and a strong herbal note. Makes the fragrance almost smell like something that you might be able to smell in a wet, dewy forest...through all of this (over the first 5 minutes), I wondering how this could remind me of wool, BECAUSE SOMEHOW IT DOES! I don't get it, there is a a paradoxically "stuffy" freshness that reminds me of a clean wool sweater. I don't think I'd ever find a sweater that quite smells this way, but it does construct that vibe in my mind. I think it's the herbal nature that makes the strong freshness a little earthy. There is a certain mainstream quality to this scent, though it does have its own character. Its definitely safe & signature worthy. The triad of the definitive accords (fresh, herbal, sweet), seems like it'd make this fragrance incredibly versatile...a little bit along the lines of Legacy from Cristiano Ronaldo. Lavender freshness that dries down to a warm sweetness (with a little bit of freshness still in there). 20 minutes in, its still a bit linear from where it began. Very much smells like a fresh and slightly sweet plant (amber and/vanilla in the base is adding to sweetness). I picture an artemisia plant "soaking" up vanilla, amber, and apple through its roots and emanating that scent into the air. A few people have compared this to the original Armani Code...I don't really pick that up myself. Maybe the opening is has a similar vibe....if you're really trying to draw a comparison, that is. The only note that the two fragrances share is bergamot in the opening. Overall, this is undeniably pleasant and fairly potent.

This opens up as somewhat of a fresh, spicy and fairly sweet orange, due to the mandarin orange, pink pepper, and nutmeg in the top (there is birch that I don't detect at the moment), and the vetiver in the heart is already making itself known. After 10 minutes or so, the spiciness begins to tone down, leaving a hint of the sweet mandarin orange (though definitely on its way out), while the freshness of the vetiver remains and the earthiness of the patchouli sneaks in. I think the patchouli carries a sweetness to it as well which keeps the fragrance slightly sweet, even after the mandarin has gone. There is cedar in the heart that I can't detect at the moment. Perhaps I just need more experience with woody notes...Overall, as the fragrance begins to dry down the scent can be described as a little soapy, and tad bit sweet, and slightly earthy/damp. Very clean and masculine, though subtle. Most definitely gentlemanly. Projection is already becoming a problem (currently 15 minutes into a decent spray on my hand. I can smell it from a max distance of 6 inches away...though more sprays on warmer areas tend to let it project a little better). After almost 30 minutes, I believe we make it to the base notes, which are allegedly musk and incense. I detect no musk yet, but I do get a slight smokiness from the incense. It makes this thing even more masculine as it continues to dry down. This scent stays linear in this fashion for a good while. 3 hours in, I clan say that the fragrance is at the end of its projection life (not sure if I'd call good and true projection though; again maybe actually wearing it would change that). I now get what I think is the musk note; if so, it is providing a slightly bitter and sweet element to the fragrance. It isn't off-putting though. It's still a little soapy, but not quite as fresh anymore. Still masculine and pleasant. Almost 12 hours later, I'm sure some has rubbed off in my sleep, but I'm still getting a faint presence: ever so slightly woody (there it is!), and the hint of a sweet soapy-ness. In wearing this one in the warmer weather before, I notice that heat makes it a little powdery, and a little off-putting to my nose. I think I prefer to wear this one in moderate to even cooler temperatures. I'd say it thrives in the spring and fall, and you could even wear it indoors during the winter. I would NOT wear this in the summer heat.

Supposedly, the only difference in the top notes from the original is black pepper substituted for pink pepper, and the omission of nutmeg. Birch wood and mandarin orange are still listed, though once again I don't detect any woodiness, and I only get the vibe of the orange this time (slightly tangy), not actually the scent of orange. There is a spicy sweetness up top, lots of tonka bean. This scent is tonka dominant. The pepper seems to fade quickly though. One of the standout qualities of this one is an undertone of leather. This definitely comes off as much darker, sweeter, and in no way soapy and fresh like the original. The projection is not as good as the original, which is to be expected from a darker and richer version. I believe that the primary DNA of this line is spicy sweet orange up top, dying down to incense with a slightly sweet woodiness. The original just jumps out at you so much more. This one is beautifully subtle. After 10 minutes, it's already harder to detect. However, I'm really liking the addition of the leather note. It's very understated, but it adds a mysterious darkness to the scent. So far, this tonka bean-sweet, slightly smoky leather scent smells very masculine, more on the mature side, and quite alluring due to its subtle and mysterious nature. After about 30 min, I'm being reminded of another fragrance with similar notes: Armani Code Profumo. The creamy sweetness of the tonka bean, the leather undertone, and I am now getting an added sweetness from amber, which is also in ACP. Not to mention, ACP also opens with a slightly spicy mandarin orange vibe. This could be a little redundant in my collection, but I still really like it. It does have its own character. Ultimately, the scent profiles of each fragrance are only similar; not the same. It's been about an hour, and I'm loving the whiffs I'm getting of it, even from one small spray on the hand. After about 10 hours (possibly some rubbing off on my coat), I can still kind of smell it around me after 1 1/2 sprays on my neck. The scent is very pleasant. Subtle, sweet leather. Very masculine.

I am a fan of the Boss Bottled line. I currently own Boss Bottled Intense, and I enjoy it. I just picked up Mankind Hero, and it definitely reminds me of BBI. I would essentially call it a fresher and, dare I say, more versatile version of BBI. Lavender is much more prominent than in BBI, which makes this thing very aromatic. However, it still retains a slightly rich sweetness from the vanilla and tonka bean, and the leather is a nice masculine touch. In testing this side-by-side with BBI, I actually prefer this! Its less of a gourmand; its enhanced freshness over BBI makes it a safer scent. I'm currently wearing it now for the first time, and I can already sense that projection is an issue...but I don't mind. This fragrance is meant to emit a pleasant scent bubble, not reach out and grab people. Obviously its not unique...but I don't believe that anyone who smells this on you won't find it really nice!