Black Walnut Legend

Thought I would chime in on this charming offering from Banana Republic.... I often frequent the fragrance section in Ross because I can find some great deals on certain selections, if I know what I’m looking for. I owned the regular Black Walnut from BR when it first came out, and I remember having been quite fond of it, so when I saw this 3.4 oz EDP version in Ross yesterday, I bought it, figuring that for $19.99 at least I’d come away with something that I could use to freshen my car or condo with if it didn’t quite suit me. I was, to say the least, pleasantly surprised with the warm, peppery fragrance that graced my skin out of the flask. For me, it is reminiscent of Hermès Terre D’Hermès with the contrast of the black pepper and citrus notes in the head with the lovely Cyclamen/Geranium heart and leathery patchouli dry down. On my skin it is warm, light and quite sophisticated with a good, even dry down sans the usual ‘Old Spice’ staleness characteristic of $20 fragrances. This to me smells much more expensive, and I was happy that I added it to my collection. I concur with other reviews of this that it doesn’t last but maybe 2 hours max on my skin, so the appellation of Eau De Parfum is misleading, to say the least. But as good as it does smell, as others have noted, I can spray more of it without feeling guilty of the money spent on it. This fragrance is definitely good enough for a date night with the girlfriend enjoying a Summer twilight with antipasto on the green by the lake. It’s light enough to be worn in hot weather, and as I stated, this fragrance is very charming and even a little bewitching. I’d say that if one stumbles across this in Ross or another store like it, it’s most definitely worth the money. The flask design is elegant and understated, with a flattened cubical body and rounded edges and a round cap encased in faux leather. The juice is a light grey-blue, with the name printed in elegant stripped down narrow sans-serif typography on the side of the clear glass. A delightful offering all around, for a bargain basement price in today’s world of fragrances regularly commanding a $130-$250 price tag for a 100 ml (3.4 oz) bottle. Nicely done, indeed.

As far as Aventus clones or inspired-bys go? I have Mont Blanc Explorer and Black Walnut Legend (BWL) that were sprayed seconds apart on each forearm for comparison as I type this. I don't really bother with the opening very much on any fragrance for obvious reasons. Comparing the dry down on each, BWL is more masculine between the two... Muskier with a mild pine touch. If I had to explain the heaviness to lightness of the pine by using a color example? It's green like inside of an avocado. To me, it wouldn't be noticable without really looking for it, certainly not a standout, but there. Overall, it's 20 or 25 bucks at Marshall's all the time when you find it there, a little higher online. It's well worth the price, smelling far more expensive than it is, lasts half of an average work day, and is safe to over spray because it's not going to hurt anyone's feelings. It's a safe and high-value buy, especially if you haven't ventured into the Aventus DNA at all, or you can refresh at lunch time if you're wearing it to work. It's an 8 out of 10 in my opinion.

I think this is one of my favorites. Can be found for around $20 at Ross and Burlington fairly regularly. I have 3 bottles of it just in case it gets discontinued. Yes it smells like Aventus and CDNIM but it's really smooth. I had a spanish woman stop me and use her phone translation to ask what I was wearing because she said it smelled really good. Then later the same day a woman stopped me in Marshalls while I was browsing and said "You smell really good".. Obviously it isn't so strong but it is noticed by others for sure, you just may be going nose-blind to it faster than you think. The dry down is really good and masculine without being too over the top. This one is a 9/10 for me, just decant some of it and reapply throughout the day if you wish.

Incredibly solid scent for an absolute steal of a price. Got this at Burlington for $14.99. Has a nice strong bergamot/citrus scent initially and as it settles onto the skin the moss and walnut scent really come through in a sophisticated way. I have never smelled Creed Aventus but it apparently smells very similar and has similar DNA. I’ve heard online that Banana Republic originally had this DNA as this scent came out before Aventus (apparently?) but who knows. It has similar profiles to a Dior Sauvage but more complex and sophisticated. I really like it. Performance is fine, lasts a couple hours, I’d say 4-6 solid hours, settles into a nice skin smell.

I've got to give Banana Republic Black Walnut Legend the credit it deserves. This fragrance honestly smells way more sophisticated than its price would make you think. It has a clean, elegant, masculine vibe that feels refined without trying too hard. What surprised me the most is that it's given me more compliments than some of the bigger designer names I own. People have actually asked me what I was wearing because it just smells that good. It's one of those fragrances that proves you don't have to spend a fortune to smell classy. If you come across it at a good price, don't overlook it. It might end up surprising you the same way it surprised me.