Mr. Burberry by Burberry

Elegant and subtle masculine fragrance, like a spring forest. The downside is it has no projection; you have to reapply to catch a scent trail. It’s not your typical old-school man scent, but I would buy it again.

Smells like a new shirt, crisp and elegant. Opens citrusy and herbal, almost rosemary, and settles into fresh woods. For men 27 and up, professionals and minimalists. Great for dates or hot afternoons: it smells like you take care of yourself and work out. Average performance, not invasive, but I do get compliments. 9/10. I’d love a hint of watermelon to make it fatal for women.

A strange Burberry fragrance launched in 2016 alongside celebrated perfumer Kurkdjian. The citrus-woody opening looks great and smells modern, however, after half an hour, the dry down is re-contra vintage. It smells calmly like a perfume from the 80s or early 90s. Longevity is moderate, leaning towards low, as Burberry has accustomed us with all their perfumes. It lasts a bit better than the Burberry Weekend for Men I own, but it’s not enough to get too excited. I suggest trying it before buying and not going blind here.

I love it, lasts and projects just enough, very versatile. It has that characteristic Kurkdjian base and reminds me a lot, albeit from a distance, of Narciso Rodriguez for Him EDT.

Even though I don’t like it, it was a bold launch because it doesn’t follow trends. Mr. Burberry from 2016 has a retro soul, woody-aromatic with grapefruit and cardamom. The opening is fine, but then the green and spicy notes (tarragon, mint, moss) make me gag. The dry down on skin is nicer with birch and cedar. Longevity is decent but the trail is short, ideal for someone looking for something discreet with a vintage touch.

Picked it up on sale blind and it delivers: a classic British youth scent with that promised wood and spice profile. The tarragon and mint opening are a bit scratchy on the nose, but the grapefruit, which I love, dominates the entire journey. Then come the spices, and finally, just woods and resinous moss that add a sensual touch. It reminds me of Gucci; it has lavender and spices, but something makes it feel younger. It doesn’t excite me, but it’s not bad. Opened it today and will continue to explore it. The bottle is heavy and elegant, with good performance.

Grapefruit, grapefruit, and more grapefruit. Plus, without those jammy, fizzy nuances sometimes found in feminine creations. Here, there’s the typical grapefruit from mid-90s men’s sport lotions, very aromatic, the kind that smells like a basket of damp laundry. I’d been wanting to try this fragrance for a while; I’m a bit of an idiot and let myself be swayed by the bottles. I love this one; it’s simple, with pure shapes and an elegant, regal color that champions “less is more,” which I find hilarious. Yesterday, as if by chance, I found it at a friend’s house (I hate testing in perfume stores; too many stimuli, noise, heat), and I got a shock. I had no idea about the notes because I usually don’t check the perfume details until I test them, hoping my nose can pick something out and I can act like Jacques Cavallier. So when I sniffed what came out of that beautiful, suggestive bottle, with that sober black bow that reminds you of so many strict, old-fashioned creations but sharpened to look modern… I was blown away. Grapefruit overload. The kind you’d find in any Adidas Eau de Toilette from 1993. Nothing like Mr., Mister, or Monsieur. Damn, I wanted that bottle to smell of birch, cedar, leathers, and Hinoki cypress. I admit that later the cologne picks up spicier, more suggestive and rich nuances, but that damp, stale grapefruit whiff never goes away, especially boosted by the abundance of soft, anemic notes (mint, tarragon, vetiver) that make it impossible for this to escape into the woods I love. Mr. Burberry has been condemned since birth to be a bookish aromatic. Plus, it has a pathetic trail. I feel it will be cleared out in two days and discontinued; I’ve been seeing it sitting online for months, priced at 30 euros for 150 ml… For the sake of argument, I just checked Kurkdjian’s profile, and hey, aside from the fact that I haven’t tested his creations for his own brand and everything he did for Gaultier is wonderful, I wouldn’t say he’s a perfumer to wave at… Basically, he has more irrelevant creations in his portfolio than masterpieces.

I’ve really smelled so many perfumes I’ve trained my nose like a dog, but I had high expectations, and when I smelled it, it smelled like a vegetable market. It made me gag. I wouldn’t recommend it at all. Going to an informal market is like applying this EDT. The trail is moderate. I had to put on hand sanitizer to get the smell off where I applied it. Total disappointment. Rating: 3 out of 10.

Honestly, I see a lot of rejection for this fragrance in English reviews and here, but it doesn’t remind me of Lacoste Blanc or Boss Unlimited at all; its opening reminded me of the Victorinox 125th Anniversary edition. Really, Mr. Burberry does resemble the design and color of that fantastic bottle. It’s spicy with a citrus touch; the cardamom and nutmeg give it that creamy note like in Armaf Club de Nuit Intense. In its dry down, it reminds me a bit of Black Touch by Franck Olivier. Overall, it’s a good fragrance, not a fresh, youthful one. It’s warm and stylish. Its performance is moderate, and it has several facets. Very versatile too. Scent: 8, Longevity: 6 (5 hours), Projection: 7, Price: 7. Edit: I just remembered what it smells most like. Have you tried Leau de Issey Intense? That’s the closest match there is.

Similar… Starts weak like Gucci Guilty Black, then a mix between Lacoste Blanc and Mercedes Benz Homme. Two things I dislike: 1) terrible projection, has to be right next to the skin; 2) at 20 minutes, there’s a putrid, disgusting smell. From there on, the drydown until 30 minutes is bearable, but it’s not an option to spend money on here. If you’re interested, buy Lacoste Blanc, although it’s equally expensive for what it offers. For this style, the ideal would be Gucci Guilty Black or Mercedes Benz Homme. I recommend trying something better, but not Burberry Mister. P.S. The drydown resembles the Bulgari line quite a bit.

I absolutely love The Bow Tie and Top Hat, a perfume I’d call Metrosexual, a delicate line between masculine and feminine. Its best weapon is the dry-down: although the projection drops a bit, the scent is very rich. I had to give it two chances before buying it; I think Mr. is a bit misunderstood. It’s easy to wear in almost any season and for elegant occasions without closing the door on other types of moments or outings, but not for bars or clubs. Recommended from my side.

I decided to try this fragrance that won the 2017 FIFI Awards in France for Best New Men’s Perfume of the Year to see the wonder I missed, but there’s something I don’t quite understand: How can they award a fragrance that’s almost a clone of Invictus as the best new launch of the year?????? Wouldn’t it be better to award a more original and higher-quality fragrance than this???? Could it be that there are many corporate interests, money, and influences at play that make this happen, pulling the consumers’ leg and causing these types of awards to lose credibility???? Anyway!! I have my own opinion but I’ll keep it to myself to avoid disqualification. By the way, in my hometown there’s a saying that goes: “He who strikes first strikes twice!!” Apply it, gentlemen of Burberry, and wake up because with fragrances like this, you won’t fill your pockets; Paco Rabanne already did that first with a fragrance as commercial as Invictus, hitting the bullseye. Rating: 1

I decided to try this award-winning fragrance, named Best New Men’s Fragrance at the 2017 FIFI Awards, but I’m left with a knot in my throat: how can they award something that smells almost identical to Invictus as a launch star? Wouldn’t it be better to recognize something with more soul and quality? It feels like money and connections are pulling strings to deceive consumers and make these awards lose credibility. Anyway, I’ll hold my opinion to avoid the controversy. They say here: ‘He who strikes first strikes twice.’ Burberry gentlemen, wake up; with fragrances like this, you won’t fill your pockets; Paco Rabanne already took the crown with Invictus. Rating: 1

Mr. Burberry is the ultimate comfortable scent. It takes no risks, but it’s not unpleasant either. It opens with a spiced grapefruit, hints of green mint, and something balsamic. The lavender gives it that sense of cleanliness and comfort, and as it dries down, it becomes more formal and serious (I think this is its best stage), but it doesn’t leave much of an imprint on memory. If you want to be remembered and not go unnoticed, this isn’t your place; it doesn’t take many risks but smells good, it’s very versatile and quite youthful. It can work as a safe gift for noses that aren’t too demanding (the bottle is solid and elegantly contemporary). I was looking for something comfortable for afternoons, work, and friends, and for that, it looks divine. But I can’t help but notice it lacks personality and sillage.