Enigma Une

The presentation isn’t great. The bottle feels cheap and the sprayer is awkward, so my expectations were low. Once sprayed, the opening hits hard with a strong pepper and lavender combo. It smells close to Sauvage Elixir but with a rougher, fresher edge and none of the sweetness. Give it time. The drydown is where this fragrance shines. It settles into a smooth and powerful Elixir-style profile with impressive longevity on clothes. It doesn’t fully match the projection of the original, but it gets surprisingly close for the price. Because it’s pricier than Asad, it doesn’t get much attention, but the quality is better than I expected. If you want a near Elixir scent at a fraction of the cost, this is one of the better options. 8.5/10

So the scent DNA especially at the open is there. The real pity is the oil concentration doesn't allow the scent to transition 1-1. SE holds onto the opening spicy complex much longer - 2 to 3 hours vs 1 hour. This makes a huge difference since the opening is my absolute favorite part of SE. EU jumps after that 1 hour to the dry down which SE gets to like after 6 to 7 hours. This part is my least favorite. So as you see I'm a bit torn. I feel they nailed the scent in terms of complexity and spiciness. However I don't understand why they didn't up the oil concentration. Maybe charge $45 for a 75ml would have been ideal.

20%? Lol. Anyway, this is at least 80% but regardless of a subjective number I know this smells amazing and unique as the OG does as well. This does feel like a modern take on an 80’s/90’s fragrance. With that being said this in not the OG but only a version. The opening differs for sure in quality but 10 minutes later it’s back on the right path. Bit harsh with the licorice opening but does become more smooth. Not blind buy safe but neither is the og. Excellent price makes it a small gamble that I still feel is still worth it.

Enigma Une on one wrist, Sauvage Elixir on the other. EU is slightly fresher and louder while SE is better blended and higher quality. After 1 hour EU is stronger but hasn't changed at all while SE has calmed down and the woods are coming through more than in the opening. I also tested EU next to Asad at a kiosk and EU was definitely higher quality. I have no problem wearing EU and saving SE for more special occasions as the price difference is significant.

I'm not an expert by any means, so what I say is subjective. It has a spicy opening, and the sweetness comes out after a few minutes. I love the smell of licorice that comes out. I enjoy wearing this fragrance.