Good morning, Fragrance Family. Another frigid start here in the Windy City, the kind of cold that cuts straight through you and reminds you exactly where you are. It’s shaping up to be a long, demanding day with work and meetings stacked all the way until 8:00 pm, but days like this are nothing new. As a Marine, I’ve always carried our ethos with me: Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome. No matter how cold it gets or how long the day stretches, you face it head-on and keep moving forward. Today definitely called for something that would lift my spirits and give me an extra edge, so I decided to face the day like a rockstar. My scent of the day is Tony Iommi Deified by Xerjoff, and with temperatures this brutal, I went absolutely nuclear at eight sprays. This is not a subtle fragrance, nor is it meant to be. From the opening, the apple brings a bold, almost juicy brightness that immediately grabs your attention, while the cinnamon adds a warm, spicy kick that feels perfect against the icy air. As it develops, the leather comes through with a dark, smooth confidence, grounded by rich spices and a musky backbone that gives it serious depth and attitude. Everything about this fragrance feels powerful and unapologetic. The notes work in perfect synchronization, each one amplifying the next, creating a scent that is intense, commanding, and full of character. It cuts through the cold effortlessly and projects strength, confidence, and individuality. This is absolutely not for the faint of heart, but if you’re ready to own the room and the day, it delivers in every way. For me, this one goes beyond a typical rating. Tony Iommi Deified is an 11 out of 10, a true statement fragrance that matches the mindset needed to power through a long, cold, demanding day. Wishing everyone a strong start to their morning and the resilience to conquer whatever lies ahead. Stay warm and stay fragrant.

After hearing a lot about it and seeing the hype around Quentin Bisch’s work, I finally got to try Gucci Guilty Elixir and was curious to see how it compares to Guilty Absolu de Parfum and the Love Edition, which I had tried previously. The opening is super familiar, but done differently. That classic orange blossom is right there, but it’s deeper, with nutmeg and pimento adding depth and spice. Just when you think the orange blossom party is over, it comes back again, this time as an orange blossom absolute, paired with osmanthus and orris butter. Brilliant stuff. By this stage, the spices have settled down and it turns juicy, floral, sweet and smooth. Orange blossom holds the spotlight until you suddenly pick up vanilla and I genuinely thought, where did you come from? It’s a powdery style of vanilla, and alongside it you get ambrofix, patchouli and benzoin, which pull everything together and give the scent a refined, resinous feel. The Gucci Guilty line has not disappointed me once. All the flankers I’ve tried so far have been excellent, and this is easily the most wearable while still smelling niche. Performance is beastly. After 24 hours it’s still a skin scent on me, and on clothes it just keeps going. This is easily the longest-lasting fragrance I’ve tested. Projection was strong for the first 2 hrs, then moderate for another 4, before becoming more intimate around the 8-hr mark. Compared to the other flankers, this one is probably the best across the board. As of now, my Gucci Guilty ranking is: 1. Elixir & Absolu de Parfum 2. Love Edition All of them are good, but they give off very different vibes. Sun tan lotion for cooler days? Love Edition. Angels’ Share vibes? Absolu. Amouage Reflection Man vibes? Elixir. One of my housemate’s friends, who’s also into fragrances, said she liked the one was wearing. Overall, I’m giving this a solid 9.5/10. Price is the reason im knocking some points off. I’m still slightly unsure which flanker I like more. Absolu has weaker performance on my skin, but that could’ve just been an off day. Elixir and Absolu are going head to head for me, both sitting at a 9.5. Owning both might be redundant, but if I can’t decide, I honestly wouldn’t mind having both.