The Golden Secret by Antonio Banderas
Men 2011
Description
The Golden Secret by Antonio Banderas is a spicy aromatic fragrance for men, launched in 2011. The nose behind this creation is Christophe Raynaud. The top notes are apple, mint, and green notes; the heart features nutmeg, pepper, and cumin; while the base reveals leather, cedar, and musk.
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The olfactory pyramid
A guide to the opening, heart and lasting trail of the fragrance.
The community speaks
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In the collection
Leading answer I own it
4,847 votes
What do you think?
Leading answer Like it
1,876 votes
Season
Choose severalLeading answer Autumn
2,341 votes
Time of day
Choose severalLeading answer Night
1,351 votes
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Fragrance profile
About The Golden Secret
The Golden Secret by Antonio Banderas is a spicy aromatic fragrance for men, launched in 2011. The nose behind this creation is Christophe Raynaud. The top notes are apple, mint, and green notes; the heart features nutmeg, pepper, and cumin; while the base reveals leather, cedar, and musk.
Fruits, vegetables and nuts Green, herbal and fougère Spices Musk, amber and animalic Woods and mosses
It may remind you of
Ranked by what the community voted.
More from Antonio Banderas
Related editions
More from Christophe Raynaud
How it wears
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Longevity
Leading answer Moderate
1,260 votes
Sillage
Leading answer Moderate
1,278 votes
Character
Leading answer Traditionally masculine
896 votes
Value perception
Leading answer Good value
862 votes
Most talked about
Notes and topics that come up most in 40 reviews.
Featured review The most detailed of the latest reviews.
Have you worn The Golden Secret?
Tell us how it opens, how it settles on your skin, how long it lasts and when you wear it.
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pablo4678
It smells a bit artificial, like apple gum, but it’s tasty. When it dries down, it leaves a sweet note that not everyone will like, and it doesn’t last long in the heat, but I liked it.
aletorresp
Smells a lot like a diluted One Million, with a rich scent that turns into gum or caramel when it dries. Sweet but not too much, with a hint of spice. Banderas makes good perfumes, but I feel it lacked something to really shine. It’s still good, but the poor longevity kills it; I wouldn’t buy it again.
pedrocab
A chill fragrance, I’m wearing it now. In my opinion, it offers nothing new compared to current perfumery; I wouldn’t buy it again. It’s sweet and spicy but very soft. Projects for 45 minutes to an hour and lasts 4-6 hours on skin. Antonio makes great fragrances, but the longevity is where it fails.
ohrizonte
Pleasant and tasty, similar to a diluted One Million… it’s suitable for a 15-year-old, but for anyone else… it lacks punch and longevity.
Juanfran Á
It’s a One Million with less fire. It’s like the One Million cut in half, so for the price, you can grab it if the original isn’t quite reaching you.
Cazaputas42
It’s a really good copy of the One Million; personally, I prefer this one over Paco’s. Every woman I told about it said, ‘Ahhh, the One Million.’
Adobe230
It’s practically the least impressive perfume I’ve ever had; I don’t use it.
Leonardo Amico
It’s good, but the only downside is that it doesn’t last long. My girlfriend gave it to me and I loved it, plus it has that sentimental value that obviously I can’t get rid of. I bank on those aromatic notes, the green touches, the leather base, and everything that makes it more elegant, but it’s not wow. It lasts a bit, but delivers nicely. My rating is a 7, but sentimentally it’s a 9/8.
Pachi San
I was looking for a gift when I tried it on my skin and absolutely loved it. As minutes passed, I found myself smelling my wrist over and over again enjoying it. WHEN IT DRIES DOWN it’s totally unisex. I might buy a bottle for myself because I love it 😃. I’ve also tried the ‘Her Golden Secret’ version, but it’s not as rich as the ‘masculine’ one. It didn’t last long on my skin, but I’ll try letting it macerate a bit.
SashaInvolv3r
The Golden Secret by Antonio Banderas is a cheap option with a distant resemblance to the One Million, but its performance is quite poor. The longevity is short and it lacks projection. If you’re looking for something similar to the One Million for less money, it’s decent, but don’t expect much quality or persistence.
@sergioHoy
Keep searching until you find its twin: ALIVE, which smells exactly like that super expensive Hugo Boss fragrance. ALIVE lasts 12 hours and leaves a trail for days. The trick is that BOSS lists it as feminine in their catalog, but it has no floral notes at all—it’s pure lemon and sweetness, just like THE GOLDEN SECRET by Antonio Banderas. However, Antonio’s version doesn’t last at all, barely 30 minutes, whereas the BOSS one sticks around for a full 12 hours.
Guerrero Matias
Every time I wear it, people confuse it with One Million EDT 🤣. It’s a great alternative and very affordable 👍
Astileo
It’s good, a sweet scent perfect for night. But it doesn’t last at all—that’s Antonio Banderas’ flaw. I’d give it a 6/10.
robhiguera
It has a very sharp alcoholic opening that fades within seconds. It’s quite aromatic for the office, but the green apple and mint feel pretty synthetic. Still, I think it’s a good fragrance.
el146
A truly interesting perfume, ideal for diving into the world of scents with an excellent price-to-quality ratio. Beyond the green notes and mint, the apple accord reminds me more of a dessert, like an apple cookie or crumble, thanks to the spice blend; it makes it attractive and distinctive for someone just starting out looking to move beyond typical aquatic fragrances. Regarding longevity and projection, it’s not great, but it’s okay… I really like it.
nataliedrm
Nothing particularly special about this perfume; it even seems like something you’d find at a supermarket. After a brief moment, you barely notice the scent.
Ignacio Bravo
I consider it one of those first perfumes you can buy to train your nose or find those that define you, that go with you or represent you. Not anymore, though. And for the price, there are better options.
campeones22
It’s like O.M. but different, and a very rich scent, but it literally lasts only half an hour. The Secret is a more elaborate smell and lasts much longer.
padelu
Very good for me, lasts quite a while, rich and enveloping scent, much better than other more expensive ones.
Lovren
Smells great, but the longevity and projection are very shy: 3-4 hours and stays close to the skin. The scent follows the path of 1 Million PR, ideal for cool climates thanks to the leather note. With its performance, I use it mostly for staying at home. A bit weak. 200ml for 20 euros isn’t bad, though I think there are much better options out there.
VM26
It’s a good fragrance for the price-to-quality ratio. It’s notable that it tries to take the path of One Million by Paco Rabanne, but as time passes, it takes a distinctly different route. Its longevity is low; we’re talking about half an hour of projection and two hours close to the skin. For the price, you can’t ask for more. It’s a perfume I’d use in winter or fall, but I might consider wearing it in another season on occasion.
Katzvne
I was gifted this; since it’s cheap and if you’re looking to start in the world of perfumes, it’s fine. Personally, I wouldn’t buy it because it fades on me very quickly.
Sofigm594
I really like it; it feels totally sexy to me. I detect the apple, the spices, and its touch of woods. A youthful fragrance. Quite sparkly. It would be spectacular if it had a stronger trail or better longevity.
Mr. Baskerville
Not bad at all in terms of price-to-quality ratio. It’s not one I’d regularly wear, but I think it’s a good product. I haven’t been able to clearly detect the cardamom note, or perhaps not how I’d like to perceive it personally, but I still think it’s a pretty decent aroma. I imagine it as a great option to keep in your backpack, briefcase, suitcase, office desk, or car. Sometimes you need a life raft. On the other hand, if used as a first choice, it requires boosts every so often, which doesn’t diminish its performance relative to what you pay for it. I recommend trying it, especially for younger people.
Black_Sheep
I tried it today and it feels about 90% like Calvin Klein CK Shock since I already own that one. It’s a synthetic, chocolatey tobacco scent that’s quite sweet, but definitely much less potent than CK Shock.
vutreras
A rich perfume that clearly sits in the same family as One Million, but I personally prefer The Golden Secret’s aroma. It feels less heavy and addictive, very delicious, and an excellent buy for cold days.
sebastian urriola
It was one of my second fragrances to pick up; honestly, I love it for cold weather. It has great longevity on the skin, a nice sillage, and it’s captivating.
fabiandresss
It’s literally One Million, but it feels lower quality (obviously due to the price, so don’t expect too much), yet you can tell it’s trying to be an imitation. For me, it lasts about 4 hours and doesn’t have great sillage unless you spray at least 4-5 times. If you’re looking for a more affordable option than One Million, this is ideal and will satisfy you. Scent: 6/10 Longevity: 4.5/10 Performance: None XD Sillage: 4/10
Sempiterno
A very cheap One Million clone; you can literally get the 30ml version for $5-$10 depending on the country. It opens with a very spicy note where you can detect cumin and spices for about 10 minutes, then as it dries down the spice fades slightly. It’s a classic scent that never fails, though it lacks its own identity. I highly recommend wearing it at night on cold or cool days with regulated temperatures only, as performance in warm climates or during the day is disappointing and low-level; it starts smelling sour after two hours of daytime wear (not recommended for day). Longevity on skin is decent for the price at around 4-5 hours, with a sillage of approximately 1 meter. Totally recommended for a party or a get-together with friends; the notes aren’t offensive, and since the 30ml bottle is small, you can reapply without needing a decant. In summary, I recommend the 30ml version for the price and because I don’t think you’ll want to keep this perfume for long.
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