Xclusif Oud Bleu

Hi everyone. I definitely didn't spend months in an asylum after posting my last review slash life update. Also I'm rewriting this on my Notes app since I spent almost an hour writing on the page, and the second I clicked Submit the page reloaded, and I was expecting to see my review there but to my surprise it didn't. Plus it auto logged me out, lmao. I didn't end up getting Odyssey Homme. The leather felt like too much for me. That and I'm no fan of manly man scents because honestly I'm no manly man myself. Anyway, sigh, sigh, sigh. Detour Noir... I love you but I can't keep doing this. SIX, almost SEVEN bottles (yeah I bought two more after my last review lmao), and my heart was still in love with you... but I wasn't. I had enough of you. I got my shit together and said goodbye. Seriously speaking, I wanted to try more Layton clones other than Detour Noir. My two options today were Orientica's Royal Bleu and this Xclusif Oud Bleu. Have you ever seen a company selling the same product, twice? With different names? Perhaps there are examples of that happening out there. Anyway, I got this one. 60ml. I don't have much to say about it. It smells like Layton. There is that freshness that's sweet, fresh and minty if not slightly cloying to the nose. The box with its hinge looks very luxurious and pretty, and so is the choice of blue for the glass. I do feel like the Royal Bleu bottle looks prettier and majestic-esque, though. What I do have to say, is that it's been ~an hour and 15 minutes since I sprayed it (I said ~30 minutes in the original review), and not only can I still heavily smell it, I can still see it on my wrist. Truly an Extrait de Parfum? It seems like I'll have to watch the sprays on this one. One thing to note though, the back of the box says BH: 130922015776. September 13th, 2022. The earliest review here was on December 2022. Holy fucking shit, either the store had these sitting around collecting dust for almost 4 years or got sold a very early batch (time travel?!). Anyway we sippin on aged XO Bleu nya~ To conclude, I think this will be one of the last Layton clones I'll buy. I want to get the Royal Bleu gift set as a sendoff to all this since it looks nice. I've Lay'd my Ton enough so I gotta Lay off Laying my Ton. That sounded better in my head I'm so sorry. There is one guaranteed purchase I pinky promised to make. One fragrance I've already smelled and liked (unlike the stupid promise I made with Odyssey Homme before knowing how it actually smells) that is not a Layton clone: Liquid Brun. No take backsies. Also plot twist: Orientica is Al Haramain's premium brand. Which means this is just a stronger version of Detour Noir and therefore three versions of the same product (well actually not the same, just different alcohol % ig?) MWAHAHAHHAH! Until next time~ 🐾

Haven’t put my nose on Layton yet, but this is absolutely the best Layton clone that i’ve tried On first spray, it’s a bit harsh right away so i’d recommend giving it a few seconds. you’re met with a cool menthol/vicks scent along with sharp citruses. as it sits the scent shifts from fresh and citrusy, to a more cool, spicy lavender. drydown on this one is phenomenal, woods, florals, and sweetness, with that menthol vibe keeping it all cool. If i had to pick two words it would be comforting and luxurious. definitely a “going out” scent, but don’t let that hold you back from rocking it anywhere else. would say this fits most occasions except maybe the gym or those overly hot days, not a very sporty scent. On my skin, longevity is great. haven't kept track too closely but it easily lasts me the entire days. definitely expect to push past that 8 hour mark with this one. On clothes, this stuff doesn’t go away. Did laundry and smelled this stuff on a shirt from like a week beforehand. Projection is also amazing, pretty strong from the first spray and it stays that way for a good 2-3 hours. from then it definitely tones down, not overpowering, but still very present. stays that way for a majority of its longevity till you start pushing into those 8+ hours. This is one of those clone fragrances that are in my favorite category, pricy enough to feel the quality but not so expensive that you might as well buy the real thing. The longer i’ve spent in this hobby the more I realize that most of those super popular, super cheap middle eastern clones aren’t super worth it. if you just save up a bit more you can get something that’s still affordable, but an amazing step up from the competition. something like Detour Noir just doesn’t really cut it in the current clone market. I can’t say how it stacks up compared to Layton, but as a scent itself this stuff is absolutely worth the money if you’re into the scent profile, not quite for everybody but I can still see most enjoying it. with all that considered, i give this one a very strong 8/10

Better than current Layton. It smells more like pre-formulation Layton, and it's why i will always choose this over my current bottle of Layton. It's an extrait, so it goes on thick. Projection is not as strong being that it's an extrait, but the scent bubble around you is immense, and this will last well over 12hrs on skin. 3-4 sprays at max or you'll be giving yourself a headache. The "menthol" note in here is a bit stronger, which may or may not be off putting to some of you. For me, it's what i liked about Layton, so this is just icing on the cake. Stars of the show would be the bergamot, cardamom, musk, and vanilla. Deep in the dry down, the cardamom and floral notes REALLY shine here. I bought this at TJ Maxx for $30. Best $30 i have ever spent. This fragrance stands in a league of its own. It's better than virtually every clone that i have in my collection, and i have some VERY good ones. I'm extremely picky when it comes to clones and almost always prefer the OG. But here? Nope. The clone takes the win. I plan on picking up Layton Exclusif since that one is supposed to really amp up the Layton DNA. You can technically wear this year round, but i would advise against high heat. Since this goes on thick, and is very strong, you may find it suffocating whilst under the beaming summer sun. You could wear it at night though. Colder weather is where this really shines. It cuts through the cold and just feels and smells warm and inviting. There is the edp version, which is practically the same as this, but with better projection. Longevity is just slightly shorter than this extrait, but you can go with either. I have both because i love the Layton DNA THAT much. What an incredible fragrance, genuinely. Well done.

Upon first spray this instantly smelt like Layton. This is literally Layton, but Layton has a tiny tiny bit more mint in the opening, and Layton also smells more like apple pie in the mid and dry-down. But You’re splitting hairs, this is basically indistinguishable from Layton. I haven’t been able to test the performance yet but it’s still going good on my arm nearly 2 hours later. Id say this has average performance AT THE VERY LEAST, and it seems to perform at least the same as Layton (Layton has strong performance in my opinion). For $45 this is amazing. I prefer Orientica’s version over that Amber Oud one since with this one you at least get a Brand for your bottle. Edit: It’s the next day and I’m at work, wore a few sprays on my necks skin and I’ve been getting whiffs of it ever since I applied it over 5 hours ago. So its performance is good ! My biggest comment on this clone is that it doesn’t seem to have that apple pie smelling drydown that Layton has, it’s like this clone stays in the opening-mid. Which I actually prefer this since I like Layton opening & mid more than the drydown

This is the same thing as Orientica Royal Bleu but in Extrait de Parfum concentration. My review for that fragrance (copying it here): "I echo most of that the previous two reviewers said: This is a terrific PdM Layton clone, far better than Al Haramain Detour Noir in several aspects, and its quality in comparison to similar-smelling designer fragrances in the same price range make it an excellent purchase. For one, it's blended much better. This actually has a semi-fresh opening, and if you try, you can pick out each of the notes listed as the fragrance evolves through its note pyramid. It's still heavy on the base notes (vanilla and jasmine, in particular), but whereas Detour Noir goes straight to those base notes and is a bit "muddy," here you can really smell the apple, the mandarin, the geranium, and so forth. Also, the performance is absolutely monstrous. Two sprays will last you all day, and any more will simply be too strong." The longevity of Xclusif Oud Bleu is even greater than that of Royal Bleu. Absolutely killer value for what you're paying.

There are some batches that are beast from the beginning and some other that need to settle. I got mine from Notino and was disappointed. 1st spray lasted about 2 hrs and was harsh, only one week later when the temperature of the fragrance settle and was open it change now i have performance on the skin between 8 to 10 hrs also the harsh opening almost disappear. Now will leave it few months i think will be even better with even better performance. I like it its very close to Layton but more fresh spacy than Apple Vanilla cake to be honest its expensive fragrance and i can get for the same money 50 60 ml used Layton so its on par. the reason to grab this instead of Layton is because the performance its much more denser than the Layton itself. the DNA the vibe is the same if i spray Layton or this Xclusif - for me current Layton is more vanilla in the dry down, when this has less vanilla for sure. so if you like Layton but the Vanilla on Layton is too much for your teste i think you gonna love this more than the current Layton for sure.

I own Detour Noir, have owned Layton, and now own Xclusif Oud Bleu Orientica. Detour Noir was close enough to Layton that I could easily sell Layton. Is Detour Noir as good quality-wise? No, of course not, but at 1/20th the cost, it is a no-brainer. If someone smelled both fragrances, they could not tell them apart unless they were presented with both, and even then, they most likely would not be able to tell a difference; they might just state that one smells a fraction better, and when met with price, everyone would say go with Detour noir. Now Xclusif Oud Bleu Orientica costs a little more than Detour Noir, but it does come with arguably PDM Layton quality and perhaps even better smell. If Detour Noir is 8/10 or 10/10, Xclusif Oud Bleu Orientica is always 10/10 to me. I purchased this fragrance at Marshalls for $30 and am extremely happy. If you want Layton quality if not better (in my opinion), give this fragrance a try. Fantastic.

I have tried quite a few Layton clones as well as the original. This one and the Royal Bleu are only ones that were literally indistinguishable from the original. I believe the Orientica Premium Royal Bleu is the almost the same juice just in a lesser EDP concentration,w where this is a stronger Extrait. This actually reads more vintage pre-reformulation Layton than current Layton formula does in my experience. Beast mode performance, unbelievably smooth. 12+ hours on skin with excellent projection in the first 5 hours with just a couple of sprays. This is one of the best values you can find in men's fragrances, especially if you can manage to scoop one up from Marshall's, TJ Maxx, or ebay where I have seen it for $29.99. It only comes in 2oz bottles, but you only need a few sprays. 95/100

I'd like to clarify that XO Bleu and Amber Oud Bleu Exclusif are NOT the same fragrance. While it's true that the notes are exactly the same, the performance is definitely different. The XO variant has considerably less performance, and maybe less concentration, as the sillage decreases like an hour faster than the Amber Oud one. Also, on application, Amber Oud goes directly to the top notes while the XO smells like alcohol for around a minute before the normal top notes. Nonetheless, this XO is still a great fragrance on its own. Total duration reaches 12 hrs when considered the skin-scent phase. It's also a bit cheaper than Amber Oud in some stores. If you want a Layton clone, I'd say buying the Amber Oud version is the better choice, but XO is great as well.

If you've had the pleasure of smelling Layton, this is nearly identical—dare I say... better!? After maceration for several months, this is a beast. Even before maceration, it's a winner. It's a fresher and slightly more powdery take on Layton, and I actually like it more. Some of the notes are hard to single out, but I can definitely smell the cardamom, black pepper, musk, and sandalwood. Performance is average before maceration. Spray it a few times, let it sit for a few months, and it will perform better. Crowd-pleasing effervescent goodness. The overall experience soars high, giving a buoyant sophistication—suited for all occasions, in my opinion. This will be taking a permanent place in my collection.

After owning, ALT's version and detour noir (twice lol), this is definitely the smoothest and strongest of the bunch, not 1-1 to layton but a damn good fragrance and gets almost the entire way there. One of the only clones that i've owned that have made me feel like i really don't need the original. After letting the fragrance sit for a couple of weeks returning to it the slightly harsh opening has almost completely vanished and it smells absolutely spectacular. For $60 plus its a little steep for only about 70mls of juice, but you won't need a lot of sprays with this for sure. Snagged mine for $30 at TJ Maxx. For $30 it blows everything above and in that price point out of the water.

Love this fragrance! I had a 5ml decant of Layton, and this smells 90% the same when compared side by side. That apple pie scent is there, but don’t be fooled—it’s not a feminine or youthful/playful apple scent. It’s more formal, like imagine your babushka cooked you an authentic apple pie mixed with some vanilla beans, made with homegrown ingredients—not fancy, nor overly sweet like a North American apple pie, but still delicious. I mostly wear this with a suit. I think it’s the pepper note that gives it a more masculine edge, while the vanilla smooths out the scent overall. I would recommend it! I love Layton, but this is the closest it gets.

Today I was driving in my car on my way home after work. And, I kept smelling this scent now and then and I though to myself man how did I miss the dry down of Givenchy Gentleman Boisee in this way as that was the scent of the day for me. But, I knew the smell is way too intoxicating for Boisee. Will not repurchase that again by the way. Then eventually I realized it is the safety belt of my car from the previous day I tried it as my first use. What a great scent 10/10 wow. Gorgeous and awesome DNA. Will always own this DNA.

#1382 in my "Tour de Fragrance" The notes match, but the citrus here is brighter and sharper than PDM "Layton." I prefer this to Layton and to Al Haramain "Detour Noir." But I prefer Lalique "White in Black" to this, "Detour Noir" and "Layton" because of it's olibanum and grapefruit. Nevertheless this is a fine scent, reasonably priced and good longevity, though the sillage is underwhelming. Still, given the low price, a successful blind buy for me. Anywhere you'd wear Layton, this will do, and save you a car payment.

Never tried any other Layton clones or Layton itself. But this, this is a quality scent for cheap. There is something about that makes it smell of quality and in the price range of expensive niche scents like PDM and Amouage. It’s clean yet spicy, very addictive and really strong. Lasts 12 hours on skin and projects for at least 4 of Those hours. Most clean scents are basic lavender bs this adds a beautiful spice to it that just makes the scent a 10/10 Easy signature scent just might be a bit heavy for summer.

Wow, this is fire! 95% Layton dupe. The only difference i detect is that for the orientica xclusif bleu, the opening is fresher as noted in the Main Accord summary above (i.e. fresh spicy) compared to layton (i.e warm spicy). I prefer the fresh spicy in the Orientica version to start my winter days. All the notes from start to dry down are there. The menthol scent is there but not as pronounce as layton, which is positive. Get it if you are on a budget. Xclusif bleu is a high quality clone of Layton.

Picked this up after researching Layton dupes, and it’s true, easily the closest Layton dupe on the market. Compared to Detour Noir it seems to lean more into the citrus and tones down the vanilla. The closest element to Layton is the dry down which is very close. The ingredients smell very premium quality also and this lasts 10+ hours on my skin. Despite only being available in a 60ml bottle, it’s every bit worth it for its price. This is going to be a repeat buy for me for sure.

Amazing fragance i hated it at first hut some days after i began to love this fragance great smell and great longevity just wish the silliage was a little stronger pretty moderate but if anyone knows a stronger version of this that smells similar i would love to know but other than that it is a great fragance for a great price would defintenly recommend and would buy again and fhis was a fraganace that not many fraganace tiktokers suggested but i feel like it is a great one

The best $30 I have ever spent on a fragrance so far. I sprayed on at 7am and still smell it, strongly, at 9pm on my clothes. I absolutely love the DNA and would consider buying Layton, if not for how good this is at a fraction of the cost. It reminds me of the smell of sweet brandied apple pie with vanilla ice cream that a local tex-mex place used to serve sizzling on a fajita skillet, with some additional menthol smell added, in a good way.

This shit is incredible. Smells nearly 1:1 with Layton. Way more depth and character than Detour Noir. Blended very well and a beast in longevity and sillage. Found it for $30 at Tj Maxx and it's a damn steal for that price. Dry down is much better than Detour Noir and I really liked that one until I found this. I personally love the Layton DNA so this was a win for the price. Definitely a high quality scent. 10/10 for me.