Dua Starboard: I’m sorry, but this one is so far from the OG in scent that it shouldn’t be considered a dupe. The opening is a blast of lemonade, the drink. It reminds me of this strawberry lemonade candle from BBW. It is not a bad smell, but it just doesn’t smell like a fragrance you wear on your body. The projection was very strong for the first 3 hours, then fizzles out to a skin scent by hours 4-5. 5/10. Alexandria Loophole: The moment I sprayed this, I could immediately tell it resembled Porthole. Lacking the sea salt and iodine notes from the OG, but the rest of it is all there. The juicy pineapple opening takes over for the first 20 minutes, then it dries down into the passion fruit/ginger. I think the ginger note is slightly overdosed here because there is this smell that I also find in LV L’immensite. It has a light/airy feeling but somehow still projects and lasts 6-7 hours. Not a perfect dupe, but overall a solid alternative to Porthole. 8.5/10. Montagne Port D’Azur: This is wonderful. There are some similarities to the Alexandria dupe, but also a few differences that make it a few points closer to the OG. The opening has that passionfruit mixed in with the pineapple, creating this intoxicating/addictive smell that makes me want to lick the spot on my arm where I sprayed. It’s lacking the sea salt / Iodine just like the Alexandria, but I think it’s for the better. The ginger note here is toned down to perfection. It has the same airy but strong projection/longevity as the OG. Overall, I would say this is a few points higher than the Alexandria version. 8.9/10 Dapper Fragrances: This has everything the Montagne does and the Alexandria, but it does not lack the Seasalt / Iodine like the Alexandria and the Montagne 9.2/10 Loumari Porthole: Well, this is the OG, and it is expensive. It has everything. No need to explain more. Dapper has just a tad bit more longevity, and Montagne is just under the OG The OG is slightly better with the raw materials, but you would have to smell each fragrance at least 20 times to detect the slight difference. In the air tested the top 3 with 4 different employees, and the supermarket Lady could not tell the difference. This included the Porthole, so 4 in total, and all were fully matured. OG 9.5/10

Doing a quick errand and this is one of the last sample/decants that I had set out for this weeks challenges. Love this stuff! Shockingly I walked out of my office and wife complimented it.

Hey frag fam! Today's frag: Tom Ford's Tobacco Vanille (Maison Alhambra Tobacco Touch) What can I say, Maison Alhambra has such balls to close copy not one, not two, but seven different fragrances from the Tom Ford private blend! With such cajones, I just had to throw this one in the dupe lineup against Tom Ford's highly successful and uber popular Tobacco Vanille. Let's see what we got! Test sprays had TV project loud and strong. So sweet and masculine, I didn't want to overdo it in the warmer Florida climate. Six sprays spread out across chest and shoulders. I put our dupe on my left arm for our comparison wearing. Doing a little research, I found Tobacco Vanille to be a 'linear' fragrance, having largely the same scent profile throughout the wear. And OMG, right out the gate it's a potent tobacco and vanilla scent, very upscale and mature. There are spice notes along the edges that contain and tame the raw power of the main accords. Without balance, this scent would become cloying and overwhelming. Thankfully, the blend is smoothly done and what I get is a wonderfully sophisticated, classy and mature fragrance. Tobacco Touch does its best to copy this profile with it's tobacco notes, but again, is unbalanced, favoring the sweetness from the vanilla and the spices playing more of an NPC role rather than a supporting actor... Throughout the wear, it was Tobacco Touch that was trying to keep up with Tobacco Vanille. TV's projection was much louder and its longevity was much longer than the dupe. Both scents dried down with the tobacco and vanilla notes, but TV anchored them with a woody base that continued its overall sophistication through to the end of the wear. TT petered out with a sticky sweet cinnamon like base. Tobacco Vanille I feel is more for the mature, refined gentleman. It's tobacco scent is smooth and refined while vanilla adds depth and character. Definitely a scent suitable in the colder months only. It could be worn during the day, but leans more toward the nighttime. Also, I see this in more formal settings, like at an upscale bar or wine club or to a formal dinner event. Longevity is beastly, 10+ hrs.

Time to choose sides. Pick your Polo! Polo 67 and Polo Green represent two distinct eras of Ralph Lauren masculinity, with Polo 67 leaning into a modern, bright citrus-woody freshness while Polo Green delivers a dense, classic green chypre profile rooted in tradition. Polo 67 opens with lively bergamot and pineapple that feel clean and athletic, whereas Polo Green begins with herbal, spicy, almost forest-like notes that immediately read as deeper and more assertive. As they develop, Polo 67 stays smooth and versatile with aromatic sage and vetiver, while Polo Green evolves into a richer blend of oakmoss, leather, and tobacco that feels heavier and more vintage. In terms of wearability, Polo 67 is easier for everyday use—especially in warm climates—while Polo Green thrives in cooler weather or more formal, evening settings. Ultimately, Polo 67 projects a confident, contemporary “sport luxury” identity, whereas Polo Green embodies a timeless, rugged sophistication that feels rooted in heritage and tradition. Between the two, I give the edge to Polo 67, What say you!

Hey gents, Joe A. here, rounding out this week's Dueling Dupes series with this oft' hyped one! Today's frag: Roja Elysium (Fragrance World Imperium) Opens with a nice blend of citrus, lemon and bergamot. Very clean, almost fizzy, if that makes any sense. I can see this frag being very versatile, from warm sunny days, to cool office settings, to chilly and bracing nights out. It is very pleasant and has a strong juniper smell throughout the wear. I love to see what Imperium has to offer... I have to admit, I went a little heavier on the sprays today because Elysium is such an agreeable scent. For the first couple of hours, it has a moderately strong projection. As it dries down, a clean vetiver appears and projection relaxes to a closer range. At the dry down, I do get a sense of vanilla mixed in, adding a touch of sweetness to balance the fresh vetiver. I can see this as someone's signature clean vetiver scent. It is very versatile and can work year round. It's not a beast scent, but can hold its own. Given the nice blend and balance, it's definitely unique. Longevity: over 9 hrs, Sillage: Mod to Soft after 2 hrs, Projection: Strong to start, then moderate to close at the end. Fragrance World's Imperium is not worried at all about Roja, with a nearly identical bottle design, tint, and even cap! From six feet away, it can be easily mistaken for the expensive frag. It starts out very close to Elysium with bright citrus and invigorating bergamot. After the opening, it settles down to a fresh green scent that stays pretty linear throughout the wear. The blend is incredibly good given it's price point and it's just as versatile as it's niche counterpart. This is an excellent substitute for Elysium and great for those not comfortable with the posh price of Elysium. Roja Elysium 100ml, Retail: 315 USD My Cost: 180 USD (Fragrance World's Imperium 100ml, My Cost: 33 USD) Final Verdict: Roja Elysium has two versions of this, the one here is the cologne (cheaper of the 2) With that said, this blue bottle is still expensive! It does balance out with it's great versatility and pleasant, mass pleasing aroma. Also, you may find yourself using a bit more just because it's that nice. For the average Joe, Fragrance World Imperium is a great entry level substitute that gets you very close to the original, and at its price, worth the blind buy pickup! Elysium is definitely worth getting a decant to try, and then if you can, save up for a full bottle. It's tough at around the 200 price point but worth it. Score 9/10