XX Artisan

Blind buy. Finally. First thought - Not bad! This does smell at least 75% like Grey Vetiver. So much so that if your not a vetiver freak like me, you may not be able to justify the purchase of Tom Ford if you own this. I get a lot of compliments. Moreso than TFGV actually (go figure). You don't see this one on the fragrance review channels, like ever, which I like. This actually has more character than Grey Vetiver, but that's not to say it's a *better* scent. XX Artisan leans much more casual, laid back, and suitable for everyday use, whereas Tom Ford is more formal, sophisticated and suited to specific occasions. **edit: after a few months of wear, it's not *exactly* a clone of TF Grey Vetiver, although somewhat close. XX Artisan is like if TF Grey Vetiver had a little less vetiver, more woods, and more character, more "other stuff" going on. Still - XX Artisan is a decent, cheap (I think i got it for $30-40 USD) daily driver. I use this as a dumb-reach for times I don't necessarily need to use a $100+ designer cologne. **edit #2: After even more months of wear, I've come to stop 'adoring' this. It may be purely phycological based on price/brand, but upon application - I can't help but think it smells more synthetic than the Guerlains and Tom Fords of the world. I've come to realize that there are few scenarios in which I'd rather wear this than a Guerlain, Dior or Tom Ford. I do get compliments every time I wear it, but we wear fragrances for ourselves, not others, right? TLDR; It's an affordable, nice-enough, vetiver-woody fragrance with a bit more character and a more casual/laid back vibe than Tom Ford's Grey Vetiver. However, if you're like me and already have some of the best designer vetiver/woody frags out there (Tom Ford Grey Vetiver, Guerlain Vetiver), I would NOT classify this as a "must-have".

A FABULOUSLY bitter, spicy fragrance. XX artisan opens with a big blast of bitter orange that will at first slap you in the face. But stick with it. Soon the vetiver opens up, and gives the bittersweet orange a green, earthy, smoothness that makes the original face slap feel more like the fragrance is just caressing your cheek. The bergamot and sichuan pepper start to show themselves after about 5-10 minutes, lifting this fragrance to an aromatic height. The worm wood just floats softly in the background, giving the contrasting spicy, and citrus-sweet, an herbal backdrop to play around in. Slowly, as the deep deep dry down of the fragrance comes in, the cedar steps forward, and boldly proclaims itself. This is not some hamster cage cedar woods shavings... This is freshly cut cedar logs, sitting in the hot summer sun. Their fragrance filling the air around them. It doesn't overpower the existing dance of contrasting aromas. It simply deepens, and grounds it. When this fragrance dries down, I imagine setting up camp, on a warm summer day, deep in the woods. I've just finished arranging the camp site, and I sit down to slice open a juicy orange. The cedar trees surround me. Pine needles on the ground. The herbal scent of the underbrush foliage drifting on an almost barely noticeable breeze. This is rustic summer in a bottle. It is a lovely warm weather fragrance. It is not overpowering. It is definitely office safe. And, it will stand out among most of the cookie cutter men's summer fragrances out there!

XX Artisan by John Varvatos This fragrance made me realise that a masculine smell doesn't have to be that "typical fresh men's cologne smell" I don't know what it is about this but its so clean, earthy and fresh, it gives the same vibes as a foggy rain forest. Once the fresh top notes fade it gives a spicy, woody, earthy, sensual and dark but green kind of vibe. This scent will make you smell put together no matter the occasion, formal wear or in the office? Its got you, casual wear with the misses or the lads? Its got you, hot summer lunch? no problem, Oh its raining and you're in a library/cafe? No worries, even in the gym it will have your back!!! This scent is deceptively versatile, I wouldn't wear it much in winter but honestly depending on where you're going and what you're doing it could totally work, its my signature scent now, its affordable, not typical and again pretty versatile, it lasts decently long, 8-10hrs and projects nicely for the first hour or so but its really more of a up close bubble scent, like you wont be filling up rooms but if someone walks past or is next to you then they will 100% be able to smell you. I love layering this with Jo Malone Vetiver & Golden vanilla when I want to sweeten up the scent a bit, if you have V&GV and XXA try layering them you won't be disappointed. DO NOT BLIND BUY THIS IF YOU'RE NOT A BIG VETIVER FAN. Beautiful scent, 8.6/10 I would recommend.

Based on the reviews on this page I thought xx must be vetiver dominating. But my first try reveals otherwise. It's heavy on citrus, too — ripe juicy citrus, which is why some say it smells like 'overripe fruit'. The vetiver here is not earthy nor sandy or smoky to my nose, but, due to critical herbal decorations, smooth and cool and even slightly powdery. It reminds me of Pure Artisan. They share some characteristics. I didn't get sichuan peper, to which I'm sensitive because I'm not into it, although I may admit a connection to sichuan pepper if I'm told so. Good longevity and moderate projection. Nice bottle. Possibly discontinued as I can find only batches produced in 2021. -------- update: after a few tries, I got used to the overripe citrus, and find the vetiver smokier and sandy — or it's just the cedar adding some smokieness. Anyway it's evelved in a direction that fascinates me. I love smoky vetiver, just the opposite of thin and papery vetiver like Vetyverio. A five star love.

Rating : 10 / 10 Boom! Price : Affordable I have never smelt such fresh but not zingy, yet woody smell in my fragrance journey Easy 10 / 10 How does this not mentioned via frags channel? It opens with well blended, non offensive bergamot citrus notes and the geranium just perfectly regulates the pepper "toned" accords that is just... soooo fitted with citrus top notes and then as it dries down vetiver kicks in, not heavy very light and fresh vetiver sits on my skin and overall OMG So masculine, fresh, green smell but not like mowing smell at all which is obnoxious Simply outstanding during hot summer days in my office or on weekend occasions I love fragrances with Zero sweetness and I found this gem by accident and I ordered a full 125 ml bottle. It's EDT, I mean u folks know how to apply EDT by now, u gotta spray frequently it's nothing of an issue. I can't get enough of smelling it, it's simply My kind of cologne.