Stallion 53 by Emper

Personally, I absolutely love this scent, though opinions will be divided: you either love it or hate it, there’s no middle ground. When I first bought it, I didn’t like it at all because my nose wasn’t trained, like any beginner. I made the mistake of spraying 10 times and couldn’t even stand it myself; I put it back in the box and decided to give it time and patience. Several months later, I wore it again for work, applying only 5 sprays after learning from the first time, since that smell is so strong it causes nausea and bothers others. Now I perceive a quite attractive, pleasant scent that lasts and projects a ton; it feels elegant and masculine. But I emphasize it’s not a compliment generator; it’s at that perfect point where you feel like a man with character and a marked personality who doesn’t care about others’ opinions and just wants to impose presence. If you’re a man with a high ego, sky-high self-esteem, confident, a successful gentleman, a conqueror, a bad boy, or a type with a substantial account who doesn’t need words to impress, this perfume is totally and widely for you; it’s one of the definitive ones. Believe me, I’m not lying, trust me and do yourself a favor: buy it.

I have mixed feelings about this perfume… On one hand, I love its green and woody scent, its versatility (all-terrain), and its performance (8 hours of longevity and powerful sillage for the first 2 hours). Personally, it’s an amazing fragrance, simply incredible, elegant, and sexy. But on the other hand, it’s my ego whispering that when you wear it, you smell like half the world. I like perfumes that aren’t hyper-massified so I don’t run into people on the street smelling the same; with this one, it’s almost certain I’ll meet people smelling like Emporio Armani Acqua di Giò or one of the many Santal 33 dupes. A friend told me her mom used it, then I smelled it at a cashier at Office Depot the next day, another time at a lady at the theater, and so on; I’ve encountered it several times. In short, it’s an amazing fragrance in every sense of the word, but it’s hyper-massified. That’s why many hate it and many others love it (its two sides of the coin). If you want to make an impact and smell incredible, this perfume is for you. If you want to smell unique and original, this perfume is not for you.

Of course interesting. I bought this fragrance after smelling Santal 33, which I liked a lot, although personally I’ve always felt it was more oriented towards the floral side. Now, under this profile, I acquired Stallion 53 on the premise that it was a dupe of the acclaimed Le Labo. However, to my surprise, this fragrance opts to go more fully into the woody side, which is undoubtedly a hit; I love it. Its drydown seems quite pleasant but present. The opening, which is what’s most criticized, while not bad, isn’t for everyone; it’s somewhat aggressive and loaded with elements, but after about 30 minutes it improves considerably. As for the compliment factor, honestly I don’t care much; I’ve received divided opinions. The longevity is really good, persisting on clothes the next day and on skin exceeding 5 hours. As for projection and sillage, I don’t know much, but judging by the potency of the scent, I estimate they are excellent, especially considering the price. It’s a perfume I see more for fresh or cold occasions, not for heat, and even less if you live in a very hot city (which is my case), since I’ve smelled Santal 33 dupes in temperatures exceeding 30 degrees and I don’t consider it a good option, and I’m sure this one wouldn’t be either for a hot summer. A blind purchase in my case, but a total hit; I would buy it again without a doubt, more so.

Bottled elegance. Despite being a clone, the quality of the ingredients is noticeable: a fresh and sharp opening, very spicy thanks to the cardamomo, with a woody and creamy drydown. I didn’t expect much from this blind purchase, but it surprised me very positively, to the point that I’ve considered including it among my signature fragrances. And well, the best part is the price, $17 USD in Chile, which seems ridiculously cheap for what it offers. Rating: 9.3/10.

I just bought it, it arrived, and my mistake was buying it online without really knowing how it would smell, of course I saw the notes, but I also trusted the good reviews. I’m 14 years old and this perfume reminds me of church incense; it’s exactly as it says in the notes, it has all of that. Although the truth is I’ve never had a woody fragrance, in fact I’ve never had perfumes, I wanted one and by letting myself be led, this was the first perfume I bought, a mistake. I feel like a priest or a nun would wear it; I feel… Catholic, to be honest. Which is nothing bad, of course, but not if it fits my age. When I showed it to other people, most said they’d heard that somewhere, which for me means this perfume is common, of course not as a fragrance, but as an ambient scent, so to speak, it’s common. And also, most people don’t like this smell much, although the important thing is that I like it, obviously, and I think I do; in the opening no, but when it dries a bit, it doesn’t smell so bad.

I was completely blown away. To me, it smells like niche level, top-tier quality.

I’m not an expert in perfumes, but the woody scent is impressive. It’s the one that lasts longest on my skin (between 10 and 12 hours), and the price here is very accessible for the quality. I highly recommend it for a special nighttime occasion. Rating: 8.5

What a disappointment, a failed attempt at Santal 33. From a distance or quickly, it might remind you of it, but if you don’t know it well, you could get confused. What really bothers me is that unnecessary, poorly executed sweetness that becomes tiring, feminine, and even annoying; it probably comes from the violet or iris. That’s the only thing that makes it repulsive. I already have sweet perfumes, so my anger comes from going out with a friend and applying the original. Probably a lab would smell more like Santal 33 than this. I had to resell it. Overall, a disappointment.

Stallion 53 is a very good clone of Le Labo’s Santal 33, an authentic sandalwood bomb accompanied by leather and iris, with a distinctive, dry, and elegant character, that dusty and slightly rough touch that makes it instantly recognizable. It’s not a fragrance I personally like, but I must admit it has an original and striking profile, one of those that divide opinions, though many find it extremely attractive and addictive. The performance is very good, it projects solidly and has excellent longevity. Its price is unbeatable, and the fact that it includes a 20 ml atomizer makes it tempting for lovers of intense, characterful woody fragrances. I recommend trying it before buying, because it’s a composition with a lot of personality, but if it fits your taste, you’ll hardly find a better quality-to-price ratio.

This perfume is distinctive; it doesn’t resemble most others. From the start, you can tell the notes, but beware: the opening is strong, you feel the leather, it’s alcoholic and herbal, and honestly, that first impression isn’t great, I almost hated it. It’s one of those fragrances that needs time to settle. After an hour and a half, the real show begins: it softens the aggression and becomes sweet, powdery, and creamy due to the iris, perhaps its most unisex part. That contrast between the green-earthiness and the clean iris makes it interesting. It smells like a freshly rained forest, cut wood, freshly cut grass, as if you put that in a watermelon vodka bottle, but when it dries, it becomes creamy and the alcohol fades. It’s herbal, wet, living nature, and wet earth, a mix between a carpentry workshop and a forest, wrapped in something synthetic at the start. It also reminds me a lot of Armaf’s Odyssey Homme due to the iris and leather. The performance is brutal, over 10 hours, I guarantee it, even if you go to sleep, you can still smell it the next day. I put it on at 2 PM for work and went out at 2 or 3 AM; my brother told me he could still smell it on me (8 to 10 sprays to make it last long). It’s worth a lot for the price, being an excellent Santal 33 dupe. In summary: it’s not easy, not for everyone, you’ll probably dislike the beginning, but give it TIME, at least an hour, and you’ll see the essence. If you like natural, green, woody, and different scents, Stallion 53 is a great option for your collection.

If you want an S33 without spending a fortune, look here. They’re 98% identical. I tested them side-by-side and the difference is negligible. Stallion wins on longevity, so grab the 600ml instead of the 100ml S33. P.S.: Best atomizer I’ve ever used.

SPECTACULAR. Complex yet pleasant aroma. At first, it reminded me of a carpentry shop—super woody and masculine. It can be tricky to wear; you have to like it. Rich and distinctive. Longevity is incredible; a few sprays last until tomorrow. Sillage and projection are surprising, noticeable hours later. Versatile, though not for every occasion. So far, the only one that lasts hours on skin with such presence. Rating: 9.6/10.

Despite the good reviews, thank God I tested it—it’s a fiasco. Smells like very faint leather with no evolution, an alcoholic opening, and terrible projection. At one point, it reminded me of Maison Alhambra’s Galatea, but weaker and lacking that potent synthetic raspberry. Don’t buy blind; stop following influencers; the real experience can be the opposite of the hype. I don’t smell sandalwood, just leather; it lacks that creamy woody vibe.

Like Santal 33 but less creamy, slightly more synthetic, yet much longer-lasting with impressive projection. Emper really nailed it.

Bought it for the reviews and notes; I’ve tried several wood fragrances, but this is another level. It’s a great perfume with good projection and longevity, and it even comes with a 20ml decant. However, it doesn’t suit me at all at 20; it smells like a forest after rain or chopping a wet log. Great perfume, but don’t buy it if you’re young.