John Varvatos XX Indigo

The Scent of Effortless Cool This is the scent for when you want to smell like you’re on a beach vacation in Captiva, but you're really stuck in your 1-bedroom apartment pretending you’re living that dreamy beach life without any of the sand in your shoes or your bank account. XX Indigo kicks off with a burst of citrus and peppermint—equally fresh and bold. It’s that “I’m awake, I’m alive, and I’m ready for whatever” vibe. Then the red peppercorn adds a little heat, like that one friend who shows up to brunch and suddenly makes everything more interesting. The middle notes of cardamom and geranium bring just the right amount of intrigue. You’re cool, but people still want to know what’s going on behind that calm exterior. The dry down? Musk, patchouli, and a bit of wood. It’s fresh and grounded, like you’re ready for a night out or a spontaneous road trip—effortless, cool, and low-maintenance. It's like Versace Dylan Blue, but without that heavy incense that makes you feel like you’re walking into a monastery. THE BREAKDOWN: Longevity: 4-6 hours — long enough for you to look effortlessly cool most of the day Projection: Moderate — just enough to make people wonder how you’re pulling off “last-minute” so smoothly Smells like: Versace Dylan Blue’s laid-back cousin, but without the incense drama Best for: Gym sessions, spontaneous dinner dates, or just pretending you’re living your best life Rating: 7/10

First of all, this smells nothing like Dylan blue. For me, it’s very similar to the Jon varvatos original, but a little bit fresher version. It definitely has the John Varvatos DNA. I can even see similarities between this and Artesian too. For me, it’s quite a pleasant sent my wife likes it And I get over six hours even though the last hour or two is closer to the skin. The presentation; some think it’s tacky but I think it’s a nice looking presentation and it fits well within my collection. It has a decent atomizer. It’s loaded with a Notes, and it has a great smell, and like I said, it lasts a decent amount of time on me. I also think you could wear this most anytime and anywhere. It probably would do a little better in cooler months, but if you’re inside and air conditioning, it should be fine. I think the name indigo is perfect because this is a little bit darker version of I also think you could wear this most anytime and anywhere. It probably would do a little better in cooler months, but if your inside and air conditioning, it should be fine. I think the name indigo is perfect because this is a little bit darker version of a blue cologne.

I love everything blue in fragrances and I love American fragrances in particular because most of them are light on the nose and have innovative, non-imitation scents. John Varvatos is a fashion house that features innovative, high-quality fragrances at an affordable price. John Varvatos XX Indigo is a light, masculine fragrance that is acceptable to all and has above average performance. It relies on mint in the opening, geranium in the heart of the fragrance, and Himalayan poppy to give balance to the fragrance on a light base of vetiver and patchouli. A delightful, perfectly balanced fragrance perfect for spring and breezy summer nights. The bottle is of high quality and comes in a deep blue (indigo) color with a metal cap and a medallion with the John Varvatos logo. The scent of Himalayan poppy is very attractive, distinctive and completely unrepeatable. The fragrance does not resemble the famous Dylan Blue Versace except in the color of the bottle only. Final Rating: An unrepeatable, unusual, very enjoyable and deep fragrance that is worth trying and owning.

This one in my opinion is a classier, more refined Dylan Blue, and I absolutely love it! The opening is so good with loads of minty freshness and as it dries down it takes on that Dylan Blue profile but without any of the ambery incense. XX Indigo got unfair reviews when first released and as a result is slept on to this day. You can find it brand new for about $35 and at that price is an awesome pickup. Blind buy safe and easy to wear all year along even during summer. Performance is very good for being a John Varvatos fragrance as I could still smell it on my skin a good 6 hours after spraying, with little wafts here and there, this has just enough sillage. I detect hints of the original John Varvatos in this too which is an all time favorite. Overall XX Indigo is a really nice and underrated release if you're looking for a classy versatile blue fragrance available for a reasonable price.

Update: If you add orange citrus to JV Indigo you get Eros. I would not have guessed that. So presumably it would do the same with Dylan Blue. I used Dua’s Supernova Attar which is Roja Elysiumesque. Fragrances are fun. Instantly reminiscent of Dylan Blue right in the opening. Stays DB throughout but with a deeper, perhaps slightly smokey quality in the dry down not present in DB, giving it a leas shower gel vibe. I want to try the Silver now because how much closer could you get to DB? Apparently that one is even more DB.