Apex

To begin, the packaging in itself is an experience. Very good quality, a beautiful presentation, you can tell a ton of thought went into it. For people who like packaging, you'll appreciate Apex. It's a step under some Xerjoff packaging, on par with others. I would rather have some overall savings rather than the nice packaging, I think it would also lend to the fragrances popularity if there was less "sticker shock" (this goes for anything, though). This starts off with very nice, smooth citruses and a very sharp cypress. The cypress isn't so sharp or overwhelming that it bothers me, and is actually quite nice. In comparison to something like the new formulations of Polo Cologne which seriously irritates my nose/throat, this is extremely rounded. After about 30 minutes the sharp cypress wears off and this fragrance blossoms into a truly fantastic experience. For anyone who doesn't love the opening, give it a bit of time on the skin and it will impress. Projection is strong here going out well past arm length. Once into the dry down Apex truly impressed me, and is quickly becoming one of my favorites for this winter. I could see it extending into year-round wear, though. The oakmoss begins to surface through the sharp cypress along with faint hints of leather, tobacco, juniper, musk, woods, patchouli, and amber. It has a very earthy/woodsy feel to it and is everything I want in a fragrance with those forest vibes such as the much sought-after original formula of Polo and of Italian Cypress. I think it blows them both out of the water. Projection here dials back to about arms length, which is where I like it. There is even something somewhat nostolgic about this as my father used to wear the original Polo, and while I cannot remember it exactly, it does remind me of something I smelled as a child. As time passes the oakmoss remains but starts to blend into the other base notes much more, the musks are given room to come through, you keep the amber and woods, the leather continues to add to the depth but from the background - only barely noticeable, small hints of the benzoin gives it a sweet feel while not actually being a sweet fragrance of any sort, the elemi and patchouli continue to give it a slightly warm spicy feel, and you begin to get small hints of the tobacco. After many hours this will give a smaller scent bubble with minimal projection, but if someone comes into arms length, they will smell you. There are so many notes coming through with this fragrance and it is so complex it's actually quite impressive. It's extremely well blended, you can pick out the different notes very clearly while they aren't necessarily separated from each other - It's almost difficult to explain. I was clearly smelling Apex well after 10 hours, I would consider it one of those borderline eternal fragrances. I haven't gone over 3 sprays with this, 1 neck and 1 each wrist, it might get too strong if I do. You can tell Roja uses extremely high quality ingredients and there is not a single thing that is synthetic about it. Leans extreme masculine. Great winter/spring fragrance. Would doo well in spring. I wouldn't hesitate to wear it in the summer, but would avoid high heat. Good for day or night. May not be appropriate for extremely formal suit and tie occasions, but you can certainly dress this up or go extremely casual with it, so quite versatile overall. I would consider this a decent value at discounter prices, I think it's perfectly fair considering longevity/performance at 3 sprays for an entire day, the versatility, and the abundance of obviously natural ingredients. I would not pay retail pricing for this despite how much I enjoy it. I think many people have an immediate dislike for this based on whatever perception they have of the brand, the higher price tag, etc., but it's definitely worth every penny if you can get it at lower pricing for a tester or on sale days like Black Friday. Price aside - easily 10/10.

I got a sample of this months ago but only now came to revisit it. When I first tried it I liked it but it didn't capture my heart. Now, on the second attempt (when my taste has gotten a bit more complex) I love it. This is natural but without being photorealistic - extremely well balanced and blended, and addictive. Notes don't feel distinct: the citruses and middle notes seamlessly mesh with the woody base, and it's just musky / earthy / ambery / spicy enough without feeling overdone or overcomplicated. there is very little bitterness , and it leans toward sweetness (but not syrupy/gourmand, more like fruity). I wish I understood the notes better and could identify what's the source of that sweetness --- but it's so wonderful (and what makes this addictive). I suspect it's the Benzoin/Labdanum? Maybe the rum contributes somewhat? Because it *does* feel ever so slightly - cocktail-like. Come to think of it, this is like a green version of Roja Enigma. Unlike enigma, it's cola-adjacent (rather than cola-proper) - a very faint hint of similarity - like walking through the forest and tasting a bit of tree sap and it's a bit sweet. After smelling it more and more and inspecting the dry-down too, i think I also detect similarity to other Roja chypres - like Diaghilev. There might be an important role for the oakmoss in this that I am not trained enough to properly distinguish properly yet. to me this feels masculine. I could see why some would consider it a more mature fragrance: it doesn't have the loud metrosexual city youth vibe to it, it's more vintage, 1980's , cruising on your yacht drinking rum, after being well-accomplished - type of vibe. I'd say it's sensuous but not sensual. some reviewers here mentioned Sauvage EDT (?!) - i happen to have a bottle and it smells nothing like this. Sauvage EDT is *blue* - it feels chemical and shower-gel like and sharp with zero sweetness - while Apex smells more mellow, rounded, natural with a definite sweetness. I think the only reason people compare the two is because in the first five seconds, whatever ambroxan the Apex contains seems to hit the nose first, which reminds people of Sauvage... I'm trying to figure out if there is a cheaper alternative to this, because it costs $350 here, which is pretty insane for what in the end is a relatively straightforward profile (albeit very good). While Polo Green is *reminiscent* of this, it's not really close. Polo green is overflowing with tobacco, whereas here the tobacco is buried so deep in the scent layers it's imperceptible.

To begin, I must express my disdain for Roja fragrances. Of the ones I have tested, I have consistently perceived them as imitations of renowned designer fragrances promoted by YouTubers. Elysium, both the edp and Parfum, appeared to be a fruitier direct copy of BDC DNA. Oligarch, on the other hand, was a blatant ripoff of TDH. Enigma, in my opinion, was a fragrance I would never choose to wear. The only two that I genuinely enjoyed wearing were Scandal Cologne and Apex EDP. Regarding Apex, I see it as an interpretation or inspiration of Sauvage Elixir. While the aforementioned fragrances merely appeared to be copies, Apex, in my view, possesses a unique identity and deserves recognition for its merits. Although it may vaguely evoke the scent of Elixir, it falls within the same genre and does not constitute a direct replication of Elixir. In my opinion, the cacophony of notes mentioned does not accurately represent the fragrance. Apex is essentially a modern fougere, characterized by its freshness and greenery, which are notably absent in SE. It begins with a subtle fruity note, gradually transitioning to a prominent green scent. While it develops a mature and green aura, this is achieved in a manner that appeals to a broader demographic, even when compared to Sauvage Elixir. This demonstrates that Apex EDP possesses more designer sensibilities than even a so-called designer fragrance. Apex does not undergo significant changes or evolution, which allows it to appeal to a wide range of individuals, from teenagers to older adults. It is also a versatile fragrance that can be worn throughout the year. While its projection is moderate, it leaves a pleasant silage. My bottle bears the batch number 4523/1349 B. It is also noteworthy that Apex boasts an intriguing packaging design. The box is enclosed within a high-quality cardboard box that slides out of another box. This box features a topographic map-like design embossed on its surface, and its finish exudes a sense of premium quality. Additionally, it is accompanied by a small booklet that provides detailed information about various animals and their symbolic meanings. The booklet is further enhanced by a trading card-like item featuring an animal. Overall, the packaging is meticulously crafted and stands out in comparison to other fragrances. In conclusion, I would give it 8.5 out of 10.

Wow, I need to speak out about this one. Look, I'm not a fan of the man. Plain and simple. Then there's this whole ghost perfumer debacle and to add to this, my previous experiences with the brand (Oceania and Sweetie Aoud) were underwhelming at best. So when I saw a good deal for this, a good friend of mine went "Apex EDP for 200?? jump on it man, it's like a mix of Sauvage and Polo green but with a brighter opening and a greener drydown". I'm quoting him because his description here is pretty much spot on. That's exactly what I got. I can already see some people roll their eyes and turn on their niche snob attitude. Sure, that was my initial attitude with it since I'm mostly a niche guy myself but I do delve into designers at times so this didn't surprise me so much in scent. The quality however, is undeniable. It's a very layered, complex wear yet very sophisticated and classy. Apex begins with citrus, very bright, uplifting and transitions to a soft dry and slightly animalic (fleeting) floral phase and dries down to a smoky, resinous and coniferous finish. Like the man or not, this is a fantastic scent suitable for mostly all seasons except in high humid heat. Being the "cologne" version (actually EDP), it doesn't last as long as the parfum obviously but still has a very decent performance (4-6 hrs with good projection) and according to what I've read a lot of people seem to prefer the EDP to the parfum because it projects better and the parfum is much denser and woodier. In the end, I'm very surprised by Apex. Several people at work commented on it as well. I have a feeling this might creep up into favorites and be a "dumb reach" kind of fragrance. I'll need to explore the brand some more, clearly there's something there.

So I got a sample set of all of Rojas Fresh Fragrances and this came accompanying it.I was a skeptic for a long time predominantly due to the price I still somewhat am.The scents are all quality and smell well blended but performance in terms of projection is conservative. However some like Elysium despite this are far too close to scents like Cedrat Boise/Bleu De Chanel to be worth the price at full retail despite them all being quality fragrances. This scent however in my opinion is almost flawless this projects nicely and has good longevity considering this is a sample.I personally think while being expensive it's worth the price. This is because it's fresh juicy brisk green woody yet warm resinious smokey and sweet.It is truly a year round masterpiece that I think overthrown Aventus as the so called King.This is a one and done scent for any man 25 plus grown man swagger.Another masterpiece is midsummer dream which is another unique creation and pushes the boundaries of what a fresh fragrance can be. So my rating for this is a 10/10 it works in all seasons and is both unique as well as mass appealing.Which has to be given credit in a often oversaturated market.Many have down marked this due to the price and the lack of appreciation for timeless scent DNAs just my two scents.

Roja Dove is the perfumer. Some clown on his last Q+A on YouTube asked in the comments if he was ever going to give credit to the perfumers. This was his response to the comment: "The back of every bottle reads "A Fragrance By Roja Dove", because I create the formula myself. I think the confusion comes in that I cannot create and package each BOTTLE by hand, so my formula is sent to Grasse to produce the liquid en-masse. Hope that helps. Rx" He spent nearly 20 years at Guerlain and had formally studied medicine/chemistry before dropping out to pursue perfumery. So, you can't be an artist if you didn't get formal training at an art school? You can't be a perfumer if you didn't get formal training at a perfume school? Think of all the indie/niche perfumers that have no formal training and blow trained perfumers away. Think of Russian Adam and Ensar Oud. Do you really think that in this age of the perfumer getting credit that someone would create Diaghilev or Enigma or Haute Luxe, etc. and let Roja take credit for their masterpiece? Ignorance is a choice. If some of you continue to let other people do your thinking for you and just parrot a bunch of baseless garbage, you are going to end up looking foolish in many things in life. Roja is the perfumer.

Thank you Roja, you beautiful man. This finally came down to price point in which I could participate. What if Creed Aventus was made in the 80's? That's in broad strokes what I get here. You get that initial fruity accord with the distinct pineapple note. It has a touch of sweetness without being sweet. Aventus has the leather accord and the oakmoss just as Apex, but when Aventus utilises smoked birch tar and the, at the time of creation, mandatory ambroxan (probably a drop or two in the Apex as well) to convey it's manlyness, Apex goes all out hairy chested mustache and Carrera wearing 80's man, but to not scare anyone off it shies away from the beaver piss and the carnation to give it a more polished and contemporary vibe. I love this stuff. I'm truly grateful Roja made this. He knew this wasn't going to be the most mass appealing niche fragrance of the year, but it's for the few who appreciate this style. It's not unique, but it's not meant to be. I very much agree on the polo vibes. But even though I love my new (and vintage) polo green, the quality, the nuances and the refinement isn't remotely comparable. Polo green is denim and corduroy jacket, this is much more sophisticated. 10/10 (to my nose, anyway)

It is beyond me why this gets so little love. A deep, dence, slightly sweet, forrest like smell with a warm leather hug. It's a Modern Fougere with leather. SO good. This is that barbershop smell made wearable. I never found the pure barber shop fragrances to be something i want to have on me. It's too much soap and no character. This has character to me. It's all i could want from this style of fragrance and something i enjoy wearing and smelling all day. The only reason i can see people hating on this is the price. But you're getting top shelf ingredients blended to perfection my a perfume master. It's not going to come at designer prices (although some designer prices are creeping towards that scary $200 mark latey) Scent is a 9/10 for me it's a grown man's scent with great versatility. Presentation is as always a 10/10 from Roja. Performance is above average. 7/10. i get 7-8 hours with a pasable scent cloud even towards the end. Price is subjective. It's high yes, but so is the quality. I can't really fault it there. Personal score: 9/10. If you don't like the idea of the notes. You should definitely try it first. I'd call it blind buy safe fragrance, but the price makes it Not blind buy safe.

I am a big Roja Parfums fan. I actually like them for the same reason that so many seems to dislike them, which is they take nostalgic popular fragrances that are now somewhat outdated, they keep their basic DNA, but then add multi-dimensions to it by adding quality modern elements. What results, as one writer recently stated, is both "nostalgic and futuristic". For instance, I love Guerlain Heritage, however, I frankly love Roja Danger much more.....in that situation, they took the classic Heritage and updated it...adding layers, complexity, and overall quality. Similarly, they have done the same thing with the uber-classic Polo Green and Apex...they retained the deep green/mossy qualities of the former but have updated it to the latter by making it fresh, and a little fruity (mostly in top/mid)...in essence, creating a beautiful fragrance that is part chypré, part fougeré. If you like many of the elements of Polo Green but are turned off by the skunkiness of the original or the funkiness of the reformulation, then Apex is likely a great option for you. Unlike the Heritage/Danger comment I made, I love both Roja Apex and Polo Green equally.

The Green Beast Beautiful, masculine, clean, vintage foam gel, cypress fragrance with great projection off my skin. Has a very clean, well dressed mature aura to it, wouldn’t recommend to be worn by people under the age of 25, although younger people can pull this off, you just have to look apart. I find this to be quite mass appealing, most of the compliments i received were from much older individuals than myself. This stuff will project very well, it’s one of those fragrances that when you spray on yourself in a room, it will linger around that same spot for ages. The scent trail this leaves in the air is heavenly! I constantly got whiffs of this whilst i was walking, every time i looked back i smelt this huge, fragrant cloud of juicy “ green-ness” following me. I find this to be exceptionally projecting well off my skin. This is an all year round fragrance, however this really comes to life during the spring and autumn seasons as well as Winter. I would not pay the full retail price for this but i would definitely pay around 150£ for this . ( Yes this is possible if you search hard enough)

This is my favourite Roja Parfum from the Parfum Cologne collection. This is masculinity in a bottle, the most masculine Roja Parfum there is. Really refined and well done modern Fougere. First time I smelled this, I knew I have to have this in my collection. It opens up with a hit of citruses and a tad bit of fruitiness, but then it develops into a really beautiful Fougere. Sits well on my skin, lasts about 6-7 hours with 1-2 feet projection, and after that becomes a skin scent. Lasts longer on paper or clothes. I read some of the comments saying this smells like Sauvage Elixir and I can't unsee it. It is really does smell like Sauvage Elixir, it is in that same DNA. BUT, this is a very well done perfume, this doesn't have those spices like Sauvage Elixir, which makes it really well rounded, and smoother perfume. I would pick this up over Sauvage Elixir any day. This isn't full price worthy for the bottle, but If you can find it on discount during Black Friday, it is worth it. I myself got this during the mid-summer sale, and worth the price I paid for this. Overall - 8.5/10

Apex opens with a bitter citrus, pineapple joins the party shortly afterwards, this is not a sweet and juicy pineapple like in aventus. This is a tart pineapple. The jasmin is very evident adding a clean element to accompany the citrus (this reminds me of slut by ath). The cypress is also very present which helps to freshen up the already bright opening. The dry down is where the magic really happens, the woods, leather, musk, rum, oakmoss, and smokiness all blend together so well that it’s difficult to pick out individual notes. I get wafts and a note will be prominent but this is fleeting, this process continues for hours. This is a very masculine fragrance, would suit professional or mature males better. Very reminiscent of 80s powerhouse fragrances with a modern twist. Projection is good, much better than I was expecting, this fragrance will linger in the air and also likes to travel. Longevity is also very good, I get around 8 hours on skin.

Apex sits in the same realm as Italian Cypress, Floris 1962, Polo Green, and Z14. The blueprint, however, has been revamped, and reconstructed in such a way that makes it modern and appealing to wider audiences while seamlessly maintaining its old fashion dna. I do find it much sweeter and fruitier than Italian Cypress overall, but the main notes are cypress, galbanum, saffron, cloves, moss, leather and resins (labdanum). Sure, there's nothing new to be explored, but at the very least worth sampling if you are a fan of classical chypres. With that being said, Apex has nothing to do with Sauvage Elixir. Why this comparison even exists and parroted is beyond me. I guess, due to contemporary times, anything remotely green or mossy is regarded as dated and sadly compared to Sauvage Elixir, which has become the modern-day Drakkar Noir. Years of wearing vanillic, tonka bombs has finally taken its toll on future generations and the results are evident.

This was my first full bottle purchase from Roja and has been a favourite for some time. I don't get much of the citruses in the opening as the note breakdown would suggest, for me this one is all base notes and a perfect example of a fresh spicy, woody, aromatic fragrance bordering on the edge of an aromatic fougere but never quite crossing over into that realm. Fir, juniper, woods, resins, oakmoss and ambergris dominate this fragrance and it never ceases to impress. There is something a little harsh in the opening, probably the oakmoss & galbanum but it dies down after about 30 minutes & from there on this one is amazing. Ultra masculine and perfectly rugged yet classy and sophisticated at the same time. 9/10, full bottle worthy. 7+ hours longevity with medium projection.

Tried this in Harrods after reading many negative reviews and the ridiculous comparison to sauvage elixir. Out of all the fragrances I tried that day this one lasted the longest. I usually don't get along with olibanum very well and I pick up a lot of it here. The olibanum is so smooth and well blended that it really doesn't bother me. I didn't pick up much sweetness/citrus. Overall a great scent for those that like a darker fragrance, a little smokey and incense. Performance was very good lasted all day and well into the night with constant gentle whiffs. Although it wasn't for me I must say it smelt very well built and with some depth and a slight thickness. It wasn't something that smelt thin which is becoming a constant theme amongst way too many fragrances these days.

This is a green chypre, while i like the parfum more where the citrus is more prominent and pure, this is still amazing. Not worth his price in any means, but a quality chypre which has A good performance Sauvage elixir? Mehh people think anything with fresh spice opening is sauvage these days haha. This goes in a complete different story. It’s green, dry, leathery, mossy .. it’s a chypre!! Classic chypre, while sauvage is a freshie with some warm woods and spices for the winter. Put them side by side and you will be ashamed for comparing. Don’t wear this if you can’t handle the personality of it. It asks a lot from the wearer and definitely hits the pure masculinity zone. Great fragrance altough with the perfume edition you can smell more depth!

It opens brighter than the pure perfume version and builds to a magnificent finish. There's no difference in the scent from the perfume version, and I think they're a perfect pair. I'll use the perfume for myself and the edp for those around me. I think these are the perfumes I've recently discovered alongside Elixir and quickly bought in bottles: Apex EDP and Apex Parfum. For those wondering what Apex is like, here's a reminder: Chanel Bleu Parfum in the opening (vibes), Dior Sauvage Elixir in the closing (vibes). Of course, you create unique touches and meanings in this transition. These perfumes will be my favorites for a long time. Oh, Roja, you make such high-quality products. better than elixir and bleu! clearly 10/10

Could never get behind Roja until Apex. Took me a couple wears from my sample to appreciate it. It commands attention; a certain “gentleman has entered the chat” attention, not ostentatious asshole attention. Yes, It’s an old man smell, but I guess I’m an old man now. This is exactly how a man should smell. Mature, high quality, bright but dark. I’ve downsized my collection and sold 60 bottles I rarely use and told my self I only need 3 fragrances: Aventus, Aventus cologne, and YSL Tuxedo. I liked this so much I had to get a bottle. Wouldn’t pay retail for this; scored a bottle for a grand total of 141$ off eBay. For that price, it’s worth it. For the obscene Roja Dove price, I’d pass. The atomizer is trash.

First off, this has nothing in common with Sauvage elixir. No ambroxan in this juice, thank god. If you are familiar with polo green, Italian Cypress by Tom Ford, there's the similarities. This has a more modern take on those two, I do believe it's brighter in the opening and just a little bit fresher and more Floral in this one than the other two, throughout its entire life. So no need for me to break anything down because if you're familiar with the polo green or Italian Cypress you'll get the gist of this fragrance, it's just an updated, modern version. Is it worth having in your collection? I definitely say yes, you will not be disappointed. Longevity is easily 8+ hours on my skin, sillage is moderate.

First impressions are that it smells 100%, 110% like Sauvage Elixir, especially within the first hour or so. If anything it's lighter and fresher, which means it's far more wearable than Elixir in my opinion. Both are more mature compositions, 35+. The dry down is very similar to Burlington 1819, so if you have that you may feel as though this is redundant. Definitely overpriced for what it is, but it's definitely good quality. 8/10 UPDATE: I just keep on wearing this, man this is good. Say what you want about the price, bottom line is this is has quickly became one of my favorites and is an old-school cologne with a modern edge to it. 8.5/10