ScentSlave

…that people were comparing this to Le Male/Reflection. I would see it in the store and see the word “sport” on the bottle, and continue walking on my way.

Then more recently, I saw that this was being discontinued, and read all of the reviews comparing it to JPG. As a big Le Male fan, I grabbed it while I could still find it.

I am GLAD I did. While it isn’t as VERBATIM as some suggest, I definitely DO get the comparison, and I enjoy it very much. It’s actually different enough to the point where a JPG fan walking by might think it’s a flanker of some sort. (Kind of how the Carbon is compared to Sauvage, you can kind of see WHY people do, but it in no way is it the SAME scent).

It’s got decent performance, projecting 2-3ft for about 2 hours, with an OK sillage trail for that duration, before fading into a skin scent that lasts an additional 4-6 hours or so, depending on how much you spray. Not too shabby at all.

I grabbed it asap, as I have a feeling that this is going to be another one that people start to remember as being greater than it was, and long for it when it is no more. It’s fun to have and wear the frags that aren’t available, and to read the reviews, seeing the timeline switch; and how the opinions switch from yin to yang.

If you see it, and you like that Le Male feeling, grab it. More like Le Male then Reflection Man or Darley, FYI, but worthy if you like the “barbershop vanilla mint” scents.

I was anxiously awaiting the delivery of this one…. and it did NOT let me down. The quality of the incense notes that Amouage uses is second to NONE.

The RICHNESS that exudes from this is fantastic. I get a smoky, leathery feeling from this. High class, and sophisticated. Not for the novices. You know what you want and you know how to get it. That’s what this fragrance says LOUDLY.

It exclaims “I AM HERE, AND YOU KNOW MY NAME! I WILL DO AS I PLEASE, AND YOU CAN CHOOSE TO ENJOY YOUR TIME WITH ME, OR GET THE F- OUT OF MY WAY!”

Is it brash or obnoxious though? Not at all. It is the purest form of confidence. There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance, and this is definitely the former.

Performance? Perfection. High quality ingredients that project to a 5ft+ scent bubble with a sillage that radiates and tells everyone that it was YOU who was there, and exactly where you have gone. Longevity is an easy 12+ hours, LOUDLY.

Amouage is my favorite house for many reasons. This is one of them.

… but NO, it is not in the same ballpark. To quote the great Jules Winnfield: “ain't the same ballpark, it ain't the same league, it ain't even the same f**in' sport.”

it’s BARELY a SHADOW of SE.

On PAPER, it seems much more similar, but on skin? Right off the bat you feel it twisting away from any hints of similarity. You get a much fruitier opening, and the licorice/leathery feel that makes you think it might be similar on paper becomes much more porous, and spreads too thin to even come close.

Is it bad? No. But if you’re looking for a substitute or clone, this isn’t it.

There is a HINT of a similarity. A very tiny whisper. You WILL recognize that it is indeed SE that it is trying to shine as. But no, it is its own animal.

A much sweeter, much softer, fruity feeling one. It still has a “darkness” to it. A licorice note makes itself present throughout, and a hint of smokiness comes out with the leather.

Performance wise, it’s not even a close comparison. This one isn’t bad by any means, but SE is a rabid, angry Sasquatch compared to it. The projection radius is barely 2-3ft, and the sillage trail is MUCH lighter. It will sit and radiate for a while, but don’t expect it to be anywhere near what SE does. Longevity is great, however, but it is a long lasting SKIN scent that goes 12+ hours easily.

If you look at it as its own entity, it’s a dark, fruity smokey leathery feeling licorice scent that lasts a good bit. Worthy of the $$? I wouldn’t buy it again, and I think the edt is better. If you are looking for an SE substitute, this is NOT it.

A nice scent. I don’t regret trying it. Not a room filler by any means, and it isn’t what it’s being hyped up to be. If you’re thinking about trying it, I’d say this; if SE is your motivation, buy SE (there’s a 100ml now). If you want something slightly different then the trending frags, and don’t mind spending some coin, give it a shot.

It’s been described as being similar to Sauvage EDT with an added mango note. I’d say that is indeed a very accurate description, but you have to note that it’s in the mids that you get that “similarity”.

I think the mango is gorgeous, but I tried it out when it was 70 degrees Fahrenheit outside. The fruity opening is much different in skin than it is on paper as well; it tapers out and becomes much softer on skin, leaving more of the “Sauvage feeling” to emerge.

Performance is no where near as “beastly” as people have been claiming. It’s much rounder than Sauvage is, and it only projects to a little more than an arms length. The sillage trail is ok, but it doesn’t linger like Sauvage does, and longevity is 6 hours or so, with it being a skin scent after 3 hours.

Not bad at all. I do enjoy it. But it’s not quite what it’s hyped up to be. For the price, I’d recommend Sauvage EDP.

I love my tobacco scents. Amouage Opus XIV is my current favorite, but after this came in the mail, it’s DEFINITELY got competition.

I see the Pure Havane comparisons, but quality wise, it’s not even in the same ballpark. It’s like comparing the Armafs to the scents they clone; CLOSE, but no cigar.
The overall idea is similar, but the QUALITY is superseded, exponentially. Or comparing a fine aged whiskey to drug store Jack Daniel’s… the difference IS there.

Don’t get me wrong, either, if you look at my collection I do TRY the dupes…. But it’s more to see if I even like the scents…. A “precursor” if you will, to see if I’d want the real deal.

Such a fine tobacco, blended under a gorgeous vanilla note. Divinity in an olfactory experience.

Performance is superb. A 4ft bubble with a lingering sillage trail that lasts and lasts. Longevity is easily 10+ hours.

My oh my….

It’s my first Xerjoff… my pocketbook is in SERIOUS trouble now….