Gucci pour Homme (2003)

I will write right away that my adventure with perfumes began with this first notification a few years ago... it was signaled to me by a friendly distributor, with a trademark for years... it was not the main user of this perfume, because of the keyword it smells... that it's some Gucci, but I don't remember the name, and it was given to me by my wife... additionally, that the perfume is contained in a square bottle made of thick glass.... on the same day that PH itself comes 😉 There is one of them and the most charming fragrances available, which will be available to touch and which will always be in my collection... there is also one of the last Gucci fragrances that is safely marked (the last one is Gucci PH II), which has its logo and at the same time appears as "the last of the Mohicans" - the quintessence of a characteristic, sophisticated style and substance... something that Gucci lost, consciously - in pursuit of Boss, Lacoste and other brands with fragrances that are nice, light and bring nothing, but provide considerable profits... So what is Pour Homme? It is heavy, spicy, woody and slightly oriental... It starts on the skin with a characteristic masculine pepper note, which, however, politely withdraws after a while, allowing the composition to breathe with its full spicy, powerful heart... Although the composition doesn't show it, I also feel cinnamon, cloves and much more precious wood than the manufacturer declares... It's hard to be surprised, after all, who would reveal the full composition of such a masterpiece... And the composition is undoubtedly a masterpiece that no manufacturer would be ashamed of - even a niche one... There are several fragrances similar to PH on the market, including: Azzaro Visit or Piver Epices, but none of them comes close to the "cinnamon prince" in terms of nobility, complexity and perfect combination of ingredients... It's hard for me to believe that a fragrance so complex and full of heavy, difficult to tame and strong scent notes was combined into such a uniform, smooth and coherent composition, in which each individual ingredient is a perfectly fitted element of the intricate puzzle from which this perfume was woven... Gucci PH is a fragrance that dominates its surroundings, is suggestive and does not allow the person wearing it to pass by indifferently... some people say that it smells like a pharmacy or a doctor's office... I only smell a composition filled with oriental spices and noble wood for a decisive and domineering man... if we combine it with wonderful projection, the dignity of the composition itself and the unprecedented lightness with which it bounces off the skin to leave a pleasant spicy tail and is characterized by the legendary durability of almost 12 hours... - we get a perfect fragrance!... yes, my dears, this is an example of good old Gucci... they don't make such fragrances anymore and they won't make them at Gucci... In addition, a beautiful warm cinnamon color, perfectly reflecting the character of the composition and using a massive black cork suggesting the use of the fragrance for the evening time of the day... The whole thing was enclosed in a relatively simple bottle made of thick glass, with an even thicker bottom resembling the shape and weight of whiskey glasses... what a simple but refined form... charming simplicity and a thoroughly masculine form, without unnecessary frills... The bottle perfectly harmonizes and blends with the color of the liquid and the fragrance itself, creating a perfectly tasteful and harmonious whole... Fragrance notes: Top note: white pepper, ginger, pink laurel Heart note: papyrus wood, iris Heart notes: amber, leather, vetiver, white incense.

Smooth and smoky, incense and cedar. Finally got myself a sample of this to compare to my much loved Bentley Absolute. Most of my review will be from the viewpoint of comparison with Bentley Absolute, because I bought that first, and have experience with it. If you have tried Bentley Absolute, you've smelled this before, it is that close. The 604 "reminds me of" votes here (as of May 2021) are spot on. The downvoters are most likely purists and diehard GPH owners who say that the Bentley could never compete, and in some regards it doesn't - but it is very close - and in all fairness, it doesn't need to compete. From the perspective of a Bentley Absolute wearer who may be curious about what this fragrance offers, I can attest that Bentley Absolute does not deviate far from what Gucci Pour Homme 2003 did first. The sour smoke note is incredibly similar. When I opened my sealed sample pouch, I knew instantly what I was getting - it gave the very familiar smell of Bentley Absolute. The best analogy I can come up with is that it's like two twins singing perfectly the same note, but their minor personality differences and differing life experiences allow you to distinguish which is preferred, "nicer" and more rounded. I find GPH rewards you for smelling up close, whereas Bentley is more akin to a large artwork that you're best admiring from a distance. Bentley sniffed too close can break the illusion as your nose picks out certain elements that contribute to the overall image. GPH up close does not suffer the same problem, but rather invites you to keep sniffing closer and closer. Bentley will constantly remind you of its presence all day, whereas GPH is content to wait for you. GPH is smoother - by which I mean there is a tighter focus on the woody notes with smoke and this makes it more photorealistic overall, whereas I think Bentley focuses more on pumping up the volume and giving the smoke some space, perhaps at the expense of some fireside realism. Bentley Absolute opens a touch greener/bright/woody/smoky, whereas Gucci tends more resinous/woody/smoky and stays that way. Again, the sour smoke effect is done in exactly the same style. I don't think it is over hyped. GPH 2003 is beautiful and there's certainly good reason for the love it gets. If you're just curious about the similarity to Bentley Absolute and don't want to shell out $500 for a bottle of this (if you could even find it) then rest assured, the scent is 90% similar in character. The 10% difference for me is in the overall aims of each; Gucci being a bit darker, closed off, rounded and realistic, high-definition, more reserved while Bentley's is slightly more loud, more open, a bit obvious, and less concerned with subtleties while still getting the same job done. If I had to boil it down to one point I'd suggest that Bentley Absolute was perhaps tweaked for loudness and cost vs GPH's more fleshed-out smoothness around the same theme.

★★★★★ A very interesting and refined blend of incense, cedar and pepper. I was gifted an 100ml bottle (only 40ml remaining) and I had to do the usual comparison with Bentley Absolue. I must confess, back in the day when Gucci pour Homme was around, I didn’t get the chance to test it. I was only focused on Envy, which is my favorite Gucci fragrance. Years later, after all the praise I blind bought a bottle of Bentley Absolue so I can sniff what the fuss was all about. I loved the smell, even if the performance was not that great on me. At this very moment, I finally have the original Gucci on my right hand (batch 0273) and the Bentley on my left. They smell almost identical, the only difference is that the Bentley comes across a bit brighter with a slight leathery oud nuance, whereas the Gucci in the dry down has a more prominent incense note. Having said that, I will say that both are average performers. (the Bentley has a bit more projection while Gucci better longevity) Please, do not spend the insane amounts on eBay! As a fellow fragrance aficionado who still misses his favorite scent D&G By Man (which I still haven’t found and I’ve been searching for so many years), I guarantee you the differences are very very minor. It’s the same formula! The same aromatics were used! Bentley doesn’t smell cheaper, you will get the whole effect with it. The statement that the same perfumer used the same formula in both scents is absolutely true! I feel like I need to get this out there (like many other reviewers have done) and prevent people from spending the crazy amounts of money instead of giving Bentley Absolue a try. Sometimes, when we can’t reacquaint with our favorite scent, we only keep the memory of it, therefore our perception is altered. I feel that’s the reason why many people here say that the Bentley is not even close to Gucci, which is f a u l s e. Bentley is really keeping this beautiful fragrance among us! I wish there was a substitute for D&G By, but I’m not as fortunate as all of the Gucci Pour Homme cult followers!

GPH feels warm and friendly, comforting yet dignified, self-assured and serene. GPH’s distinctive woodsy backbone reminds of my father, his library, desk, and armchair, and the subdued resins and incense add a meditative dimension, perhaps from memories of old temples in Kyoto, which have a very particular smell, probably due to centuries of burning expensive fragrant woods and temple incense. For me GPH is warm, relaxing and meditative. There’s a beautiful rich woodiness that reminds me of the finest aspects of sandalwood, cedar and patchouli united, then enriched and enhanced with other notes, that persists through to the dry down and create an overall impression of luxury. Don’t detect any leather in GPH but I think leather is more of an idea or an accord based on a fantasy rather than an actual organic component. Like the dried skin of a dead animal soaked in a putrefying enzyme solution. Performance is best in Winter, when GPH becomes an understated aura of meditative serenity that elicits compliments (from those close enough to smell it) Bentley Absolute is one of my favourites and unquestionably the closest thing to GPH on the market at present. Given the cult status of GPH it seems as though Mr Almairac created an heir to its legacy, a successor. I really enjoy GPH and as is the case with so many fragrances (like Egoïste) just wish I’d been a bit less profligate with it in the days before it became such a precious commodity. It is a very beautiful fragrance and one of Michel Almairac’s finest, but I wish it weren’t so rare and so expensive.

Purchased this one summer of 2004 for a lads holiday to Kavos in Gatwick duty free (how classy) and in my mind it 'knocked em bandy'....! Wasn't really into frags that much back then but remember this being warm spicy sweet woodsy with tang and floral aspects going on. I kept the cold heavy glass bottle only about 1/8 used for years and never used it then went off frags and then chucked it away! What an idiot! Happy memories and now that I am more interested in frags am gutted that this cannot be obtained any more (except risky Ebay over priced half used bottles) so that I can see if it still envokes the same emotions and actually smells as good as I remember. It would be great to be transported back to my carefree youth in the days when I wore this but also probably risky as would it still smell the same now anyway if it had carried on being produced?? (with the new rules on ingredients and volumes in frags etc....). Maybe it is best left to most people's memories or those lucky ones that retain some of the original. Case in point being Polo Sport which was one of my other first frag loves - boy what a synthetic mess of a cheap frag this is now but what I remember was totally different and to be honest I don't think I've got it wrong as I think smells stay with us imprinted on the brain. Maybe GPH just CAN'T be recreated and maybe they have tried hence it'll be no more.....great legend though and if anyone has any of the original going spare I'd happily take it off heir hands!

Does price have a significant influence on perceived value? It can... sometimes unwarranted. It's hard to believe now, but when Gucci Pour Homme was discontinued, you could find bottles of it for discount prices... as cheaply as $60 USD for a 100ml bottle! Today, it's not uncommon for a NIB 100ml bottle to be snapped up for $235 USD. What happened? Rarity. GPH is not "super" rare, as you can see from the available inventory in that great resale channel known as eBay. But the quantity is low enough and resale price history high enough that most sellers drop them into an auction and watch in amazement as the price skyrockets. Colin Maillard said this is not a masterpiece. I would have to disagree. GPH is easy to "miss"... meaning, the impression of the top notes is rather ordinary. Nice, but no Mozart of fragrances. What I've found is that you have to be patient. And into the dry down, you can eventually realize just how wonderful this fragrance truly is. To say "pencil shavings" is to be guilty of quick presumption. It is not a distillation of pencil shavings. It is so much more than that. Personally, I'd say GPH is well worth about $150 USD for 100ml, and not much more. Clearly people are paying more than that, as they fervently want to own something scarce. To catch a fleeting whiff in the air as though James Dean was flying by in his vintage Porsche speedster into history. Fragrance: 9/10; Market Value: 6/10.

Presented as a work of art: its stylish, distinctive flacon is simple yet elegant, the golden amber fluid inside is captivating in its beauty. Warm and woody with a hint of pencil shavings, subtly sweet with facets of tonka bean and ambery vanilla and resinous depth conveyed by frankincense and labdanum. The woody and incensey aspects really emphasise the meditative impression of GPH. To my mind it summons the image of a Buddhist temple. GPH always struck me as an elegant man’s fragrance that could easily be unisex - stylish and innovative, yet fairly linear. Mr Almairac created a variation on a theme in Bentley for Men Absolute, whose similarities to GPH are striking. Although there are some differences (like the Western-style oud in Bentley Absolute) there are way more similarities between the two - both GPH and BA feel like they share the same DNA. Not identical twins but siblings. In addition to the overall formulaic similarity there’s one note in particular that both GPH and Bentley Absolute have in common - maybe it’s Papyrus? In any case, it’s like a paternity test. Although a supremely beautiful fragrance, GPH’s performance and longevity are disappointing. The discreet simplicity and elegance of the solid, cubic crystal flacon with its golden nectar is a perfect visual representation of GPH. Classy and elegant. GPH is a legend and rightly so.

I used to work in the fragrance and beauty section of a pharmacy in my early twenties, and I used to own two or three bottles of this fragrance at a time. This was back in 2007-2008. One of my colleagues and good friends, who was from Slovakia, could not understand why I liked it so much and always used to say, “ it smells like church". My Greek Cypriot friend agreed. But I absolutely loved it. Gucci pour Homme was my first dry woody scent, and I have kept a soft spot for this sort of scent ever since, always on the hunt for something that scratches that itch. I just wish I had shown all my bottles more respect knowing now that this masterpiece would be discontinued and turn into a rare gem. A brother-in-law from Trinidad shared my appreciation for this dark and smoky incense perfume, so I gave him a couple of bottles to take home with him when he had come to visit in 2009. In many ways, this was such a pure scent, which seems at odds with the array of notes that had been used to create it. I can only go by memory - and trust me, when I close my eyes I can still smell it - and this scent always made me imagine what it would have been like to live in the 70s. Dark, elegant, and a classic of its time.

Batch: June 2010 (from a sealed 2ml pouch/sample) This is a bold release from the house of Gucci.....in many different ways! This was brave for them to release this as the main mens fragrance of the line (homme). This is a incense beast! A 2 second blast of citrus and papyrus up front then its straight into the deep, dark, smokey resinous woods and burning incense! The minute I sprayed this fragrance it was WOW! Oh man! What a statement! Then I thought, when could I ever wear such a smokey beast? An hour later and you will realize how fantastic this scent actually is! Burning wood and incense in a orange grove is the top. This beautiful monk in a church vibe is the mid. And the base is a smooth, sweet wafty musk, amber, smoked wood and incense. What a trip...what a fragrance...was perfect to experience while working in the yard on a crisp/clear winter afternoon! Amazing creation but I will say...these 3 2ml samples that I have will probably last me the year...a very situational scent. Pour homme II is better and more versatile btw.

Very daring designer fragrance! Defiantly not a crowd pleaser. Overall I love this fragrance, and have since I smelled it in 2007 at the age of 15. I received it in 2010, but I was still very young for it. Most people who commented had not positive things to say. But since first smell I have had a special connection to this. It reminded me of something very cozy and spicy - and so different. Extremely peppery, extremely smoky and extremely woody. Excellent - gives the cozy vibe of a fireplace without smelling just like it (check Demeter Fireplace for that). This one is way better. But even though I love this one, there's still plenty of juice left in my 30ml bottle. That's because it gets too heavy and bitter for me to use for several days in a row. It has to be sprayed at the days where the mood is right for this mysterious smoky head turner. This is a very witchy fragrance! Burned herbs and smoky wood

To me this was the best scent I ever smelled - the first time I smelled it on a friend mid 2000's I immediately asked what it was and bought it the next day. It is just beautiful, sacrosanctum incense, conifer and spices all blended into one single overpowering and omnipresent juice that makes you feel like heaven. It broke my heart when I found out it was discontinued. Since then I was on the lookout for a substitute and I tried both - CdG Man2 and Bentley Absolute (which seems to be an outright copy formulated by the same designer) and while those are both extremely close and very well projecting quality fragrances, I felt like I'm still missing that "something" I had when I sprayed Gucci. I guess I should move on and continue my search for Holy Grail. After all, searching for this parfume introduced me to Fragrantica and opened up the amazing world of scents to me that I keep enjoying ever since.

It's a gem of a fragrance but don't waste your money on ebay and the second hand market with this discontinued fragrance unless you are a Collector of fragrance bottles, the prices are too high and because you can buy Bentley For Men Absolute which is the exact same fragrance. For those that say Bentley For Men Absolute and Gucci pour Homme (2003) Gucci are similar but different are likely comparing a vintage bottle Gucci and a modern bottle of Bentley for Men Absolute side by side and not taking into consideration the passage of time. I had Gucci pour Homme (2003) when it was released and I have Bentley for Men Absolute, they are identical fragrances. Further to this, the original perfumer of Gucci pour Homme (2003) is the perfumer of Bentley For Men Absolute and his representatives have said on record that the exact original formula was used to create the Bentley for Men absolute.

I used to live in Paris with an abundance of perfume shops around. That's when I would buy fragrances based on how they compared with others. After a serious session and choosing some to take home, a powerful aroma suddenly hit me. It covered the rest, which is saying something considering where I was. It was deep, superior, masculine and irresistible. I looked across at the sales assistant and she held up the bottle for me. I just had to buy it too even though I'd told myself no more. To be fair, it later seemed that I was more attracted to Gucci Pour Homme than those around me. There's a mystical incense vibe that doesn't suggest youth, sexiness or sportiness but it doesn't reach fart-in-suit territory like many other scents. What I liked and never forgot about though was the way it crushed the others in a side-by-side comparison regardless of notes or genre.

This is pure sex in a bottle. The first time I encountered it was with a hot one nighter from VMU. It was in the middle of a winter blizzard of 2003/4. I met him online and he made it to my apartment from his dorm by foot, down the hill, enshrouded in a swirling mass of snow and this amazing scent! The next morning over coffee, I asked him his name, and the name of the scent he was wearing. It was Gucci Pour Homme. I was at the Burlington, Mall the following afternoon to buy it at Macy's. That was almost twenty years ago and I haven't had another bottle since. But I have often remembered it, and that Greek God who introduced it to me in the best way one could. And now, I am in disbelief to find that it has long since been discontinued. I feel as if the world has lost something akin to the recipe for Channel No. 5. Such a terrible loss.

I was rummaging around my wardrobe doing a massive clear out.... when I found this hidden amongst the piles of crap. A pristine 50mL bottle which I must’ve bought when it first came out. My heart was racing as I opened the cap, thinking to myself, I hope this hasn’t spoiled and gone bad! I proceeded to dispense one spray onto the back of my hand and I was worried.... But the scent immediately transported me back to my twenties when I must’ve bought this. I must’ve had “baby nose” as I probably didn’t appreciate what a masterpiece this fragrance truly is. It gives me this really warm cozy feeling. I just love the woody notes here but I also seem to get a boozey note too, which I love. Definitely a unique scent suited to cooler elegant nights out, it’s beautifully crafted. I’m lucky to have this now discontinued scent!

This is a masterpiece - period. The notes are deep and breath-taking, so well-integrated...how do you "write" a review of Gucci Pour Homme? It's like trying to describe an orgasm to somebody - and I don't mean to offend anyone, please. This is pure, sensual pleasure in a gorgeous flacon that evokes class and sophistication - and that is what the juice inside radiates. Magnificent. Tom Ford - genius. Of course it's discontinued...Tom Ford would never leave Gucci PH available in production while starting his own line of fragrances. ;-) If you wrote a negative review here for this fragrance, thank you - sincerely. That means I won't be competing with you when attempting to buy it over the next decade or so while the earth's population of people who actually have olfactory senses are bidding it up as well...

So back in 2003 I was still a middle-schooler in Asia with no older male figure who wore fragrances—It was the perfect setup for me to miss this masterpiece...just to think there was a time when a major designer house made a mass produced fragrance THIS GOOD bedazzles me! Now that I've sampled and read about so many fragrances, I've realized most "commercial" fragrances are more or less the same cheap chemical soup, so I started to dismiss them (with exceptions of course) and quickly move onto niche or "private collections." With that said, this is the diamond in the rough, more so than some other overhyped vintages; although it's not mentioned anywhere, this actually reminds me more of Serge Lutens Chene than Bentley & CdG.

Had this fragrance for years and years, one of my all-time favorites and I especially liked wearing it during warm summer nights. I checked from time to time after it was discontinued but people are asking way to much money, disappointing! I had a good search and found out that Michel Almairac has his own Perfume brand and also this specific scent since 2018; Papyrus Oud 71 of Parle Moi de Parfum. I have bought it and tested and it is for 98% identical, in the beginning it really smells 100% identical. What I really remember of the Gucci is that the it was not very long lasting, which of course is normal for eau de toilette. Papyrus Oud 71 is an eau de parfum so it also lasts longer....glad I can buy it again.

Check out a song by Florence & the Machine - Bedroom Hymns; it should describe this fragrance pretty accurately. Simply glorious! Got a full 100ml back around 2008/2009. Went and bought another 2 bottles for backup (price was still around €70/80 those days). The first bottle lasted less than a year. The second bottle lasted me about 2 years (collection was growing and was reaching out for some other fragrances). Third bottle sat in my wardrobe for years, until last month when instead of selling it off and making a pretty penny, decided to open and revisit this creation. Hats off to sir Almairac, you are a genius! Catholic church incense without the skank in the top, beautiful hypnotic middle, soft cosy base.

This was seduction & sophistication in a bottle. I was given a bottle of this by my stylist when I was going to the Gucci boutique back when this came out and got so many compliments whenever I wore it. It was absolutely beautiful. Slightly boozy, smoky, woody. Reminds me of Christmas in a bottle. I still have half a bottle left. It was my signature scent for a long time, and I miss it dearly. Will only wear it on special occasions now. Bentley Absolute IS a very close replica of it, especially the dry down. The major difference is, Bentley is very black pepper forward initially but when it dries down, it does smell very, very close to Gucci Pour Homme. Both were formulated by Michel Almairac