Nautica Competition

This is a straight-forward men's cologne that doesn't smell that sporty to me. It starts with fresh, minty notes with some fruit and citrus. The middle is floral and I think it's mainly jasmine. The base has quite a lot of sandalwood and perhaps some oakmoss and amber. It really feels more like a cologne you wear to dinner rather than to the gym. It's kind of in the same vein as Calvin Klein's Eternity. I believe this cologne is discontinued at this time.

Basenotes Chandler Burr Interview

Here's an interesting men's cologne related interview on Basenotes.net with New York Times scent critic Chandler Burr. He talks about perfumery and the fragrance industry.

Clubman by Pinaud

A classic of men's colognes. Pinaud Clubman starts with bergamot and lavender. The middle is mostly floral, with quite a bit of lavender and touches of jasmine and geranium. The base is mostly ambery with a mild powder note and perhaps some oakmoss. The overall feeling is aromatic and invigorating but it definitely has some power and can get overbearing if you put too much on. If you enjoy masculine floral colognes in a traditional mold, then give this one a try.

Verveine by Provence Sante

Although targeted more at women, this is a fresh, unisex scent that has some depth to it. It is almost a single note of verbena, rather dry and grassy. I detect a characteristic slight bitterness that I also smell in lemongrass. It's very lemony throughout and may have a very slight floral component deep in the middle. The base smells like lemongrass and what I perceive as vetiver. This cologne doesn't smell super clean, it has some body and earthiness to it that moves it into the unisex camp. Provence Sante Verveine reminds me of Eau Sauvage by Christian Dior only simpler and more linear.

Marine by Daffy

This is a little-known cologne I found on eBay by a company out of Spain called Daffy. It starts off with a marine note, some fruit, citrus and an herbal note - perhaps sage. The middle notes are comprised of jasmine and carnation with more marine notes. The base notes are heavy on sandalwood. This cologne is fairly straight-forward and masculine, an everyday cologne that is not soft like a lot of current releases.

To me it smells like Calvin Klein's Eternity with a splash of Agua Brava thrown into it in the top notes. For some reason, colognes that smell like Eternity give me a slight headache, this one falls in that category. Other people don't have the same reaction and I think it is a well made cologne otherwise. Use moderate amounts as it can get strong.

Old Spice

A venerable and timeless gourmand. Starts with notes of orange, citrus, spice and I think I smell lavender. The middle is comprised of a rather complex blend of flowers including geranium, jasmine and heliotrope and cinnamon. The base is mostly vanilla with possibly some musk and wood.

Old Spice can get cloying quickly if you are not used to strong gourmands. It's quite sweet and heady. Apply judiciously and you'll enjoy a full-bodied floral and vanilla with some spice.