Balmain is a brand I respect. I'm not sure why as they don't really cater toward men and when they do there's not many to choose from. Regardless I still like them, a bit Lalique I'm won over by the niche appeal at designer prices. This however is generic rubbish. So sorry to say that because I've no doubt it's wearable and it didn't offend me or anything but possibly worse than that I thought I'd smelled it all before. This was not something I expected from Balmain and especially with a name like Homme, you'd think it was the captain of the flagship? (also because of the Nepoleonesque uniform.) Yeah the bottle is prehaps the most appealing thing about it. The top notes are a tired aquatic like, fresh bergamot then a whispy, synthetic violet accord which again is okay and you could be fooled for thinking quite nice in the first minutes, but I want more frankly! Then like many fragrances these days...burberry brit or Versace Eros to name a couple...it tries to do too much. Ie: fresh and crowd pleasing, ethereal and classically perfumed violet then a faux oriental base of warmer woods and tonka beans and a slightly powdery 'leather' thing??? I don't really get Saffron from Balmain Hommme either but perhaps if I try it again it my come through?? My point is, everything is mixed into oblivion, blended into mediocrity, you can't do everything with a fragrance or it just comes out having no identity at all...for this Balmain are guilty there's just something cheap smelling about it and that is quite the crime. Longevity was 'average' believe it or not? a bit like everything else about this one.