Elegance from Dior
It's close to a perfectly crafted fragrance. This scent is built around lavender, iris, and cocoa. The opening drives some people nuts. It starts with very strong iris that is reminiscent of the scent used in makeup and lipstick. Unlike those scents, the iris here is more subtle and it changes rapidly after the initial spray. I rather like the smell, but I can see how it would not appeal to everyone. After the fragrance dries down, it comes into its own. The iris is pushed to the sideline, though it is still noticeable. Taking its place is a clean, rich lavender. While there are many lavender scents on the market, this is a very high quality lavender. But the imaginative part, and really the reason to buy the fragrance, is the pairing of this lavender with cocoa. This gives the lavender a sweetness and a depth that is unusual and excellent. It's not a gourmand fragrance, the cocoa is very much in the background, but it definitely colors the lavender to make for a unique experience. Dior Homme projects well throughout its 6-7 hour lifespan.
Note: Because of the polarizing nature of the iris, this is not a safe blind buy. Try it first.
It is interesting to compare it to La Nuit, by YSL. Both are lavender based but where La Nuit relies on spicy cardamom to set off the lavender, Dior Homme goes in a softer direction. Dior Homme is less popular than its flanker, Dior Homme Intense, but is, in my view, the better fragrance. The version on sale at is the reformulation. I've not smelled the original, but my understanding is that there is little difference between the two. In any event, this version is a first-rate fragrance. It is in my top 10 mens fragrances. For the record, those are (in no particular order): Dior Homme, Fahrenheit (also by Dior), Gucci Pour Homme, The Dreamer, D&G The One, Terre d'Hermes, La Nuit de l'Homme, YSL L'Homme, Obsession, and Burberry London.
