Solo by Yanbal

Definitely not for everyone. In a world of floral, sweet men’s perfumes, this classic scent doesn’t usually appeal to younger guys. It’s an essential in my drawer; it smells like a real man, not a kid or a teenager, like the men we’re in the process of extinguishing.

The opening is a show, an ode to retro masculinity. Citrusy and woody, pure ginger, tangerine peel, and leather. Ugh, it smells like soda! The downside is that it’s very boring… like it starts and ends without evolution. That delicious spark from the beginning lasts the whole time and gets tiring; it becomes a nightmare. It’s too sparkly. But on black clothes for a cold evening, it’s perfect! I remember my uncle used to wear it. He was a difficult, spicy guy, arrogant but funny and nice. It suited him incredibly well. In part, thanks to that memory, I use it. I’ll buy it whenever I can. Scent: 6.4 Projection: 7.5 Longevity: 7 Final Rating: 6/10 ***69.7% perfection***

My dad gifted it to me, and I gave it to an uncle. Honestly, it’s a scent for older people. What for? If it’s formal, elegant, etc., sure, but I didn’t like it at all. My dad, uncle, and mom, however, are obsessed with it. It really is a matter of taste…

Delicious opening, critical and sweet with woods and a leather that appears early on. Then it turns herbal and earthy. It’s a classic men’s scent, neither overwhelming nor outdated, sensual and formal for the office or events. The citrus adds freshness, the woods provide warmth; it’s versatile in cold or heat. Big projection and lasts over 12 hours. For the price, it’s an absolute steal.

Some love it, others hate it. I love it, but my parents say it reminds them of the esoteric markets in my city, and that’s exactly what I liked as a kid coming out of school seeing bottles, incense, and plants. The formula says leather, ginger, and fig, but I think there’s more; the perfumer’s secret. It’s an esoteric market scent, mature, strong, and penetrating, just like a perfume should be, not a cologne. For daily wear, try one drop behind each ear so as not to bother at work; if it doesn’t bother, add more. Very strong scent, great projection, and not for everyone, but for those who want it, it’s a steal: price, performance, and quality. Smells very natural, not synthetic.

Nice scent, but it falls into the category of very old people, like the eighties. Excellent performance. Not my taste; it smells like classic Azzaro. Cheers.

I find it intense, masculine, and intriguing. I think it’s better suited for older people, not teenagers; it’s fantastic for making a statement after age 25.

This scent doesn’t envy the expensive ones. It has an incredible trail and lasts over 10 hours. The aroma is versatile and the price is very affordable.

I have the supposedly unreformulated version, and the sillage is huge, just like the longevity. You can smell more notes than described: an aldehydic and mentholated opening, a green apple heart, and a beautiful dry-down. It’s more discreet and kind, spicy, sweet, and warm with cinnamon. A wonderful classic!

I absolutely love these fragrances. When I was a kid, my dad gifted me a 5ml Azzaro for Him, and I still vividly remember that scent, which I adore. On several occasions, I’ve mentioned it smells like Solo by Yanbal, and people immediately think of Azzaro. I’m surprised they aren’t the same, but it reminds me so much of it. You can’t ignore the quality of Yanbal—it’s a beast in terms of longevity and sillage, always smelling exquisite. On my second date with my current girlfriend, I wore this, sprayed it on generously, and I didn’t feel tired or bothered; I just had a masculine aura all night. We danced and hugged, and the craziest part is that the next day she texted me saying her hair smelled like me, like Solo by Yanbal. She loved it because it reminded her of him and the great scent. Yanbal is my favorite brand alongside Natura, incredible, on par with or even better than designer brands, nothing to envy.

I’ve never smelled anything so unpleasant since trying Club de Nuit Intense. What a pituitary paralysis!

Today, July 2020, its reformulation slightly reduced the intensity, and now the green notes are more noticeable; for me, it lacks declared notes like cedar or vetiver. At times, it reminds me of Encre Noire Sport by Lalique and other dark greens; it no longer carries that leather vibe as before. In fact, I think it’s more versatile. Longevity: high, sillage: medium, projection: medium, scent: 8/10.

This is my favorite for important meetings; I love it, it’s soft, rich, and not cloying. I recommend it 100%.

It seems like the reformulations of today’s perfume icons have affected them. In my country, Colombia, that fragrance was one of the most sought-after and coveted; it was one of the most expensive in Yanbal’s catalog. Wearing it was a status symbol; I saw it on people with good purchasing power, not just anyone could wear it back then, talking about the year 2004. It cost 140,000 Colombian pesos then. The bottle was emerald green with high-relief vertical lines; I remember very well that the scent was exquisite, with long-lasting power and nuclear bomb-level sillage. I tried it again and was deeply disappointed: visually, the bottle design changed and no longer has the vertical lines; the scent is now very generic and chemical, as if made carelessly, just to exist. The old one had quality materials and more craftsmanship. Regarding price: I’m not elitist, I use niche, vintage, or discontinued fragrances, some very expensive, others good and cheap imitations. But I believe they lowered it not just in price but in material quality, perhaps to make it more accessible. On the plus side: nowadays, designer fragrances reformulate by lowering quality or keeping prices high. Another fragrance that saddens me: reformulations are an attack on olfactory memory. Denying new generations the joy of enjoying past masterpieces just to make money at the expense of customer happiness is the current mantra; mediocrity is everywhere, and perfumery is no exception. Back to the topic: Solo by Yanbal vintage, a wonderful fragrance. The current one is mediocre, soulless, just another one of the bunch. From a magnificent fragrance, that (sarcastic) ‘S-O-L-O’ remains.

Top fragrance, I was blown away by the longevity and the trail. It lasts over 12 hours on the skin and the sillage is beast mode, just be careful with the spray because you might get overwhelmed. I can’t think of anything that smells exactly like it, nothing I’ve encountered feels similar, but I’d say it’s more suited for men over 25.