FRAGRANCE | Joop! Homme EDT: Beyond all that pink

I've always been intrigued with Joop! Homme that I occasionally find myself reading up on it, only to be confused by conflicting reviews. Some praise it for being a classic and a monster performer while others berate it for its sickly sweetness. Admittedly it's the latter that's been holding me back and I don't think the hot pink presentation helps either. Yet somehow I ended up with a partial, purportedly vintage bottle. I couldn't verify the batch but the box is a little worn out already, so it must be old.

The first thing that surprised me is the color of the juice, which is a dark greenish hue reminiscent of my MFK masculin Pluriel and Penhaligon's The Tragedy of Lord George, instead of the hot pink I was made to expect. I don't know what the color's supposed to be or if it just darkened over time because the half-circular bottle, while carrying pink "shadows," is practically clear. Nevertheless, dark juices excite me.

Now onto the scent. Joop! Homme is indeed sweet but it isn't the cloying beast some are describing it to be. It can be strong, yes, but it it isn't off-putting at all. The sweetness is vanillic, with a rich, slightly burnt accord, possibly from tonka beans. In the opening it's accompanied by citruses and some spiciness, the former leaving after several minutes.

There's a spicy-powdery accord coming through—the cinnamon, I presume—which balances the sweetness off quite perfectly. I'm missing out on the florals although they could be quietly working in the background. There's also a certain woodiness and earthiness underneath the sweetness that start to get noticed about 30 minutes in.

The fragrance is able to sustain its strength for around 4 hours, give or take, and only then does it begin to mellow. Joop! Homme is truly long-lasting and settles nicely on my skin. I find it to be wearable all year round despite its sweet DNA, as it's not that heavy to be confined to cold weather use. It can be both formal and playful at the same time, a testament to its versatility. I don't know how the current formulation stacks up but from what I'm experiencing, Joop! Homme is well worth a try.