Bit of a weird one for me this... I thought it was okay but I'm not crazy about it. From the notes listed here you might think it would be a bit of a tired creation but it isn't that, I found it to be quite original but still not a show stopper. It may have been because I was so taken with Bois Noir which I tried immediately prior to this. Didn't leap out at me. I've been trying to remember the smell of Bleu de Chanel and have failed miserably.(maybe that speaks volumes and both are utterly forgettable?) I remember thinking it was mediocre but I don't recall it being similar to this, although I will have to check...to satisfy Calyx93's curiosity. Apparently BDC is like Davidoff silver shadow altitude(phew!) and this juice is not like that at all...so ergo...ipso facto...it's not like BDC! Hope that helps...Clear as mud!

This is the perfect winter fragrance for me...evokes a mulled wine Christmas type of vibe... it's warm and comforting but sexy too. Another great fragrance from Serge Lutens... Five O'Clock Gingembre strikes such a careful and well observed balance of spice and sweetness, it's addictive. Anybody who likes The One by D&G should like this despite them smelling quite different I think they evoke a similar classy, soft mood. The ginger in the title might put some off and although it's prominent it's in a very refined way. To put it another way... it's more of the sweet (gingerbread) sense than the savory, in your face strength of root ginger. Perfectly unisex too, the woodiness comes out a little more on my skin but generally drys down with a cosy cinnamon sweetness. Gorgegous juice...I'm going to hammer this over the winter it has great sillage and the Longevity ain't bad either. Top marks Serge!

I figured all these alt versions were just the same juice but different bottles for collectors...or crazy people! But no...A very very slightly different juice from the original in this case. Begs the question, why even bother? What a waste of time! To my nose this has a different fresher opening but I think it's almost an imagined, perceived difference If you like this and Beau you'll like Le Male and vice versa. They're all very similar and stick to a best selling format. I think it's a case of if it ain't broke don't fix it. What's next? A 'Le Male Masochiste' (TM)(BTW!) with an erect penis and nipple clamps? I wouldn't mind that but it would probably smell boring too!

Well it took me a while to posting this review of Le Male and I'm only doing it out of necessity really because it's a true classic and I have owned a bottle in the past. Also recently I tried Amouage Reflection and at first didn't really get the parallels drawn between the two but now I see it. What made me fall out of love with this then? Well I was never really in love with it if I'm honest…And trying it again recently made me remember why. I think the fact my flat mate of several years used to drench himself in it before going on a night out didn’t help. I enjoyed it when it first came out the bottle was so striking... cheeky, kitsch, camp, and trashy extroverted nature of Jean Paul Gaultier in general was quite appealing. To the juice inside though... No disrespect to Francis Kurkdjian… Vanilla and lavender quite fresh but something cheap to it and just not very masculine, Le male has a broader unisex appeal for me. Also now that it has become a victim of it's own success, a cliche and very unoriginal scent for men to wear.

Well quite different to L'eau at first lovely hint of Incense and pepper in this one but once that's gone it drys down L'eau Froide is quite similarly to L'eau for my nose. I mean... I have one on each hand and after the opening (one floral with magnolia and this with smokey spice) All I get as the incense dies down is soapy vetiver (which is creates the same feeling as L'eau) and yet something a little greener than my comforting fresh out of the washing machine teddy bear smell...but not a million miles away. It definitely has a watery feel but is far from an aquatic. These two are different to usual fresh offerings for sure but Serge Lutens has some gems among the collection...these however are just okay.

For me this is a match made in heaven the perfect compliment for that sumptuous creamy Oud is sweet fragrant tobacco but they both have an inherent earthy quality which makes this some dark gorgeous juice. Even tobacco vanille (a scent I adore!) starts very sharply with tobacco and even TF Oud wood is not to my taste but the smooth woodiness under this works really well. I only had one little try of this in store today so I haven't got an in depth note breakdown of what else might be in there but I have to say it really made an impression on me. This is an Oud fragrance worth getting excited about and anyone who's read my previous reviews knows that I don't say it lightly. It's brilliant this stuff just brilliant!

Okay so now that I have a proper sample of this and have worn it for a length of time I need to revise my review a little. To my nose the tobacco is definitely there in the top as you apply this fragrance, no doubt about it. However...it is fleeting and that is unusual for a tobacco fragrance as it is usually the heart or base. Also, claims of an Amber accord are absolutely spot on although no amber is listed in the literature from TF? Weird! This was only apparent to me though in the drydown. I'm really enjoying it though and will update after a few more wears. Update: Okay so I'm wearing this now and my view is that tobacco should be the base of a fragrance with maybe some sweetness and spice on top. My first impressions of this were great, two wonderful elements tobacco and Oud and they're both here in abundance, just not sure whether they work together? And where's the amber coming from ? I've come to the conclusion that Oud smells like amber it definitely has a ambery smell even pure agarwood oil does...so that must be it sometimes it's more promounced depending on source and what you put with it. I don't agree with the amber absolute comparisons as such because that is an 'in your face' amber where as this might just be the combination of these two makes something that resembles it. As you might be able to tell I've agonised over this one and I'm still not sure whether this is genius or just okay...one thing I know I can't stop sniffing it when I have it on!

Has a strange quality to it this scent from Serge Lutens. L'eau is certainly a fitting name for this as it is fresh and the magnolia gives it a seldom used floral note in a unisex but for me it does lean toward the feminine ever so slightly. It's not cheap smelling or anything but there's definitely something of the fabric softener about it in the opening but it improves on my skin. To be honest L'eau is not something I'd wear but has a comforting quality reminds me EXACTLY of a cherished childhood teddy bear after it has been through the wash.

Great review from chromatic...says it all really! I tried it and I have to say I really loved it but it's very similar to other fragrances I like, super woody and full of incense...and unfortunately not very original in its approach. But who cares? It smells wonderful! I will buy this fragrance because it's so wearable has great sillage and longevity, also it's not a well known brand and is something different for the collector, quite reasonably priced too for a high quality fragrance. Smells great this one people. Update: Ha! well I never! Didn't really look at the notes in this one and there's no incense to be found.

Woah! Well I wasn't expecting that! Huge cardamom & caraway spice notes..I mean massive! Cartier fragrances so far have been unexpected and pretty brave this is no exception, I mean basing fragrances around one note that set them apart from other designer fragrances aimed at men. I think that differentiates them from straight designer and pushes them toward a more high end niche appeal....at least that's what I think they're aiming at? Cartier being a luxury company and all. I like cardamom in fragrances it's a great spice note that really works when used sparingly and against the right backdrop. However this is not one of those cases as the opening is too strong with cardamom for my personal taste...I just don't want to smell like that. Too be fair the peppery spice settles down and is still present but much milder and nicer. What remains are big citrus notes...lemon, orange, bergamot combo with ginger in there too...and cedar it makes for a good mix. This battle of fruit & spice reminds me very much of Dior Homme sport and its lemon/ginger combo...and the curry like enduring spice opening of Amouage Fate. It's actually quite a pleasant fragrance into the drydown...it's mellow and stays close to the skin, I wouldn't bother wearing it though.

OUD FIGHT!!!! I can sympathize with both sides of this debate. I like Snowtree's comment though. Ultimately fragrances are about stimulating the senses and evoking a response whatever that might be. We should maybe focus more on the positive aspects. (Hypocrisy ALERT: says he who has been known to write the odd bile filled review) Seriously though, in essence it should be about the smell not what's en vogue. There's a lot of hype surrounding Oud but it's still all about the composition of the fragrance as a whole the sum of it's parts rather than militant Oudheads moaning and questioning "How Oud is this oud?" or if it has Oud in the title of the fragrance...it matters not if it's pleasing to your nose. I for one have been anticipating these new Tom Ford Oud's as somebody who is indifferent about Oud as such but loves Tom Ford fragrances generally. Can't wait to try this one.

Finally tried this today. Disappointed from the initial sniff I had...too feminine, the rose & patchouli is very prominent and Oud is a background. I thought it might've been dark and sexy but it's lightweight for me. I've certainly no objection to florals and especially rose in male or unisex fragrances but not when they're at the forefront and this is a prime example.