I don't usually talk about Longevity as a way to kick off my review but this stuff is VERY long lived on my skin and I'm notoriously unforgiving, so trust me folks... this one lasts. I tried Black XS Potion on the back of my hand yesterday afternoon and despite washing my hands several times since then & showering this morning I can still very faintly smell it on my skin. As for the fragrance itself, I thought despite the glaring similarities to the original that the opening was a little deeper. Similar to the way that A*Men flankers are different but still in essence the same thing, just with more emphasis on certain aspects. These aspects in this case are a intensity of labdanum and booze which give a slightly sharper and more high end feel to what is essentially the same very sweet, fruity, wood fragrance as the original. As it dries down it's harder to identify the difference it's still a bit chocolatey like the original and still has that dense wood, tulu balsam and berry notes. So if you're expecting a vast difference be prepared for disappointment, however if you like the original you might even like this better. The projection and longevity are huge as I mentioned and I much prefer the bottle for this one due to that cool wax seal thing. The same can be said of this as the original, something inside me loves the initial smell of Black XS and it's sweet unique nature. In perspective though I can't help but find it cloying and unpleasant after a while and not something I'd be happy to wear, especially with it's strength and persistence.