Versace Man by Versace

Exquisite fragrance with spicy and tobacco notes, an amber body, and a clean aura. Lasts about 4-5 hours with moderate projection. Reminds me of Versace Oud Noir in the opening (obviously without the oud), though it evolves differently. What a shame it’s discontinued.

Versace Man is spicy, amber, and woody. The opening is briefly citrusy but mostly spicy, smelling of cardamom. Within minutes, it intensifies with saffron, cardamom, and tobacco, giving it incredible elegance. In the dry-down, the woody and amber base adds warmth, while the spices linger with less intensity. Ideal for cool or cold weather, autumn, and winter. It’s a classy, elegant, and warm fragrance; it’s a shame they discontinued it. The longevity exceeds 8 hours, and the sillage is average. Although I’m a fan of Eros EDP and Parfum, this smells more classy. It’s hard to understand why they pulled it. (Update 2/11/23): Thinking about it, I believe that while it’s good, its scent doesn’t appeal to the mass market, so sales weren’t enough.

A traditional Versace fragrance. Clear oriental inspiration: it transports you to Middle Eastern markets and bazaars, with stones, opulence, silks, abayas, exotic roses, spices… that’s the opening. A sparkling citrus touch wrapped in subtle white flowers that add freshness, and a pepper note that gives it an earthy, spicy kick. Then it envelops your surroundings with a dense, noticeable sillage based on a floral bouquet featuring saffron and Iris (even though it’s not listed, it’s very noticeable), creating a warm, talcum-powdered, and velvety sensation. A subtle cardamom gently sweetens it. In the base, exquisite and sharp tobacco, leather, and a notable amber provide body and projection. For those new to perfumery, it opened the door to complex oriental scents. You have to leave prejudices and stereotypes aside; you have to try until you find your essence. At first, it seems unisex or feminine, but don’t limit yourself; let it wrap around you and discover if it earns compliments. For me, it broke the mold: it doesn’t fit the youthful or mature mainstream of the time; it’s an alternative to scents associated with masculinity. As its name says, Versace Man: a man who doesn’t always display strength or competitiveness, but also sensitivity and tenderness. We all have that duality, and we should enjoy it.

I remember it and it was unusual. I didn’t see anything generic about it. Very sexy with an exotic, masculine punch. The tobacco was sweet yet captivating, a strange combination that was ahead of its time. It was never a powerhouse in projection, though it certainly made you notice. It’s a crime that they pulled it from the market while the entire line has become vulgar, synthetic, and cloying, from Dylan Bleu to the perfumery aberration that is EROS FLAME.

I just bought it based on good reviews, basically a blind buy, and here’s my experience: It’s not a bad fragrance, made very in the Italian style, opulent and extravagant. Although there is similarity with Versace Oud Noir and they share DNA, they differ, and both are very spicy. Definitely not a scent for everyone; in my case, they work well. I recommend trying it before buying, as it seems designed for night. If I had to define it in one word, I’d say it’s Glamorous. Moderate sillage, lasts about 6 hours.

I took my time getting to know it, and honestly, it has disappointed me. VERSACE MAN steps into those dangerous territories of the generic, like the old ‘ni fu ni fa’. I’m not usually too critical; even people call me condescending. But I almost always find something that saves our dear fragrances from my personal pyre. I’m not going to paint Versace MAN with a broad brush because, like this one, there are hundreds. It’s pleasant, discreet, goes unnoticed, and serves for daily life without a fuss. You have to overdose it constantly. But from the Versace brand, one could expect something with more personality. We are dealing with a product from the Generic Aquatic Musk Family. A citrus opening, faint and delicate. Bergamot? Maybe. Neroli? I doubt it. Angelica and pepper? I deny it. Perhaps a lemon balm with soft sage and bergamot. Saffron? I don’t perceive it. Cardamom? Neither. So what do I perceive? Faded citrus, a delicate cashmere wood with a reserved tobacco, some soft amber woods, and a balanced, good-quality musk. But VERSACE MAN lacks personality and substance. The ones that do have it are L’HOMME, BLUE JEANS, EAU FRAICHE, BABY BLUE JEANS, EROS, not to mention the feminine ones, which in my opinion have more punch than the masculine ones. Its sillage and longevity are scarce; it does little to save it from oblivion. Now that VAN CLEEF POUR HOMME or BLACK by BVLGARI are gone, I won’t shed tears over the discontinuation of VERSACE MAN. I have many more perfumes to suffer their silent loss. And you’ll see when L’INSTANT by GUERLAIN or ANTAEUS by CHANEL finally disappear. Countess Livia Serpieri, weeping madly in the streets of Venice, won’t be anything compared to me.

I tested it on blotter paper, and it was fantastic, unique, and original. It has a tobacco base but is fresh and versatile. The opening is pleasant: like mixing a cigarette with citrus, adding subtle spices, and sweetening it. The result is aromatic, attractive, and very masculine. The only criticism is the sillage, which is very weak; if it were stronger, it would lose its charm, so it was just missing a little. Scent: 9. Longevity: 8. Sillage: 6. Price: 9.

I tested it on paper and thought it was fantastic, unique, and original. It has a tobacco base but is fresh and versatile. The opening is pleasant, like mixing a cigarette with citrus, some subtle spices, and then sweetening it up. The result is aromatic, attractive, and very masculine. The only thing I criticize is the trail, which is very weak; if it were stronger, it would lose its charm, so it just needs a little more. Scent: 9, Longevity: 8, Projection: 6, Price: 9.

I think it’s a law: when you get really excited about something, once you have it, it doesn’t satisfy you anymore. That happened with Versace Man; I desired it so much that once I got it, I expected something more impactful and ended up disappointed. But after a few days, I used it again and liked it much more. It’s a delicious scent, with a subtle smoky touch that suggests something sexual without being aggressive. It’s delicate, respectful, and the spicy note awakens an erotic sensation between laughter and conversation. Very excellent. The trail and longevity are moderate. It would only be unpleasant if the wearer looks disheveled or sweaty.

The opening sensations of Versace Man charm more than one person. It manages to escape the generic with great elegance. In its dry down, a cured amber emerges through the saffron and tobacco, giving it a sweet, citrusy, and ambered touch, supported by cashmere wood. For microseconds, you feel a berry-on-wood fruity effect that is enchanting. It has its own personality. If you apply a lot, it becomes slightly powdery, which gives it longevity (more than 8 hours), making it vibrant and wavy, oscillating between acidic amber and tobacco-saffron on a quality sweet wood. In short, it’s aromatic, powdery, fragrant, and has that strange purple fruity effect. I liked it a lot. It’s discontinued, though in Mexico it’s still hard to find. 100% recommended, versatile, and for all four seasons.

“Liquid male engineering”: In 2009, on a Caribbean cruise from Santo Domingo, my brother-in-law left me speechless with his perfume. He just said ‘Versace,’ and I didn’t ask for more, but I wanted to smell it every time we dined together. Seven years later, when I finally bought it, the memory was instant: that same fragrance that stunned me those nights. It’s indescribable, mysterious, seductive, and draws compliments. I’ve never smelled anything quite like it. It smells acidic and spicy, like opening a grape or blackberry soda. The pepper really stands out, along with exquisite saffron and tobacco. The dry-down reminds me of the amber in D&G’s The One, though they aren’t the same. I recommend it 100% for cold nights. It has incredible sillage and huge longevity. The lilac bottle is beautiful and sophisticated, inviting you to wear it. A perfume made for romance. I’m sorry Versace discontinued it; it’s unforgivable. Get it, the price is accessible, and you’ll live unforgettable nights. 9/10.

Actually, I perceive all the notes, but in the opening, bergamot and pepper stand out, making it very nocturnal and urban, ideal for outings, dates, or parties. In the heart, I notice more saffron than cardamomo (the one I perceive least). In the base, I smell all of them, but tobacco dominates, feeling more like the scent of a pipe than the leaf; it’s synthetic but very well crafted. I don’t feel it’s sweet, more fresh and timeless. Maybe it’s better in moderate climates, neither too hot nor too cold, because it doesn’t project much, although its longevity is good: 7-8 hours on my skin. It’s my favorite Versace, even though it’s not my style; it’s classic for night, but very good. Its scent is very authentic; I haven’t felt anything similar. Longevity: 8/10, Versatility: 7/10, Projection: 7/10, Fixation: 9/10, Quality: 7/10, Trail: 7/10, Scent: 7/10. Total: 7.5/10. It’s something very good and different, quite original but still needs a bit more.

At first, I sensed a soft, non-pungent citrus alongside a non-gourmand sweetness, like pipe tobacco. The pepper gave an initial kick, and I thought I smelled lavender, maybe vanilla or amber. Over time, the amber and tobacco took over; in the dry-down, it reminded me of the final part of YSL’s M7 Original. The amber, tobacco, cashmere, and labdanum create an effect similar to M7. Both are woody and oriental (M7) or spicy (Versace Man). I overapplied (my vice) and had heavy-to-moderate sillage: strong for the first 4 hours, moderate for the next 4, then close to the skin but perceptible. Longevity exceeds 12 hours. It’s for semi-formal use, in non-hot climates due to its warm notes, ideal for night. If you can find it (discontinued in some places) and you like spicy woody scents with sweet tobacco, it’s for you.

This fragrance and Dreamer are the only Versace scents I don’t like; they’re insignificant, have very poor projection, and go unnoticed without impacting anyone.

Excellent! It has a unique scent, I recommend it.