FRAGRANCE | Sex & Cognac EDP by BORNTOSTANDOUT: A standout dark beauty that's both elegant and wild

Sex & Cognac is my first stab at South Korean house BORNTOSTANDOUT. I may be misinformed but I have this impression that, much like the Japanese, Koreans are more into mild, inoffensive scents. Sex & Cognac is far from those types—and intentionally so, if I were to put meaning into the brand's name. After all, you wouldn't stand out by being inoffensive and simply blending in.

Consistent with the brand's ethos, the presentation does stand out with its striking red box. Although it isn't cushioned, it's thick and sturdy. The bottle is also a thing of beauty with its all-white, straightforward design and red and black typeface.

The fragrance, which leans heavily on the masculine side, is predominantly smoky and woody with a boozy sweet accent. It's a handsomely deep, dark, and brooding scent that had me repeatedly sniffing the back of my wrist and closing my eyes with pleasure. I was instantly smitten. There's something in the opening that resembled tobacco although it could just be the result of the interplay among different notes. Either way, I'm loving it.

As is common with a lot of compositions, Sex & Cognac employs some animalics to convey carnal. Think The Lover's Tale by Francesca Bianchi, Nassak by Thameen, Octavian by Electimuss, or even Original Musk by Khiel's, all of which feature either leather, oud, musk, or a combination thereof to denote sexy. In Sex & Cognac's case, it's oud and leather. The former is slightly creamy with a bit of a barnyard character going on. If that rings alarm bells to you, fret not because it's easily balanced by the sweetness and booze. Moreover, there's a controlled dose of sharp and bitter spices that help mask the funk somehow but without necessarily stripping the oud of its personality.

The leather, on the other hand, imparts a deep smokiness to the scent in addition to contributing its own brand of animalic. The cognac isn't as prominent as the sensual aspects of the fragrance, more so as the scent progresses. Over time, it becomes drier, even developing a dusty trait at some point and with the spices flexing their muscles a little. Nonetheless, the overall scent remains warm. 

Eventually, everything settles back to woody but with tamer animalics, the smoke reduced to traces and the booze and spices to mere flecks of sharpness. What a beauty! The scent lasts really long, too, its projecting power starting out strong before settling into moderate territory. Despite its sensual tendencies, Sex & Cognac projects an air of elegance. It's something that I see will shine in formal gatherings or date nights, provided the settings are temperature-controlled. No, this definitely ain't for scorching summers. Nevertheless, it's a must-try in my opinion, especially if you think you're BORNTOSTANDOUT.