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5maniux – :
I really like this one, but I was baffled by the scent itself. When I read the notes I thought I was in for one experience, but when I sprayed it I got one distinct, altogether different one: patchouli and chocolate, almost like a cousin to Kokorico.
I’m guessing that the “patchouli” was actually the accord created by the incense working with some of the woods and aromatics, and the “chocolate” was the amber being accented with the sage and some of the richer, darker wood notes? I have to be on the alert for patch since my wife can’t stand it when it’s a dominant note in any of my scents, and I was 100% certain I was going to come back here and see it in the pyramid (had I missed it before?) – I was amazed it was not there 🙂
In either case I agree with Pianopolice, this is best saved for cool/cold weather where it really shines, and then I will likely use it in the evenings.
I am really liking the entire Varvatos line so far (outside of the Artisans, since I tend to steer clear of freshies and proto-aquatics).
evgen zip – :
This is a nice one – probably my favorite among many very solid entries from John Varvatos, of which I own 6-7 at the moment. Platinum Edition a smooth blending of some very familiar and welcome notes, incorporated and balanced exceedingly well.
On the opening, I get a hint of a slightly bitter, herbaceous citrus against a very woodsy backbone. There is also a bit more alcohol at the top as compared with similar fragrances – this may impact its aggressiveness later, but so far so good.
After a good 4-5 minutes, the heart of Platinum Edition comes boldly out – loads of a dry but not powdery sandalwood, enhanced by complimentary woody notes and a very light incense that reminds me more of saffron than traditional incense. And then there’s the amber – sweet but balanced and favoring the mineralic – warming up the wood into something almost creamy and absolutely inviting. As if that isn’t enough, you also get the lightest suggestion of cinnamon spice that is evocative of that wonderful chai accord from Gucci pour homme II. Someone called this a MILF magnet – I can easily imagine that, and then some.
Comparing this with other fragrances I know, I’d sum it up as this: three parts CK Euphoria Liquid Gold (sandalwood/saffron) + one part Halston Man Amber (mineralic amber note) + one part JV Dark Rebel Rider (lightly sweetened dark leather accord). It is unmistakably Varvatos in its charm and uniqueness, but also more refined and elevated at the same time. Color me impressed! Too early to call it a love, but I am already leaning in that direction.
Edit: hours later, and it just keeps getting better, warmer, more in the direction of gph II. Confirmed, this is indeed a love for me.
mcrytik – :
I wrote a review about a year ago on this. I had to delete it because my opinion totally changed.
I made a big mistake and wore it on hot days.The longevity sucks in hot weather for this fragrance. I don’t know why. But now I got it. I know how to wear it.
Spray few times on a cold day and enjoy every bit of this scent. Very masculine, very spicy, very dark, mysterious in a happy background. People will get closer to you to smell it better.
maks5246 – :
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. John Varvatos house releases some of the most masculine, unique and mature fragrances for men. Platinum is not my favorite, but it’s my kind of fragrance with its manly sandalwood, woods and amber with a touch of citrus to balance everything out… such as rugged composition. Not for boys. Men only. Preferable gentlemen. However, younger guys with a mature personality can pull this off.
One last note: This Platinum Edition is a MILF magnet. Thus, I’m only “allowed” to wear it with the wife.
Gsmtmn – :
For mature men. Say for 40+ of age. Serious type. Smells like herbal & sour essence. Unique but not that interesting. Longevity for me is not more than 3 hours in hot & humid climate.
Shurik73 – :
Someone interested in buying this one from me…? I still got one 80ml left.
japclub – :
Platinum is not in my list of top favorites from Varvatos but I still like it. I get dirty patchouli, sandalwood, orange and vanilla. It’s interesting, the perfumer says there’s patchouli and vanilla in this but they’re not listed in the pyramid.
I don’t really care for the orange in this but it doesn’t stay too long. Sometimes when I wear JV Platinum the orange note comes off like fruity kids cereal, most times it smells like the chalky, medicinal orange from Guerlain Habit Rouge.
As usual for a JV scent it requires a few extra sprays and projection is on the lighter side. For me it projects about 4-6 hours and then dies down. I can still smell it after that but it’s almost a skin scent. No complaints about performance from me, I don’t always need monster projection.
mit470Diobtetty – :
I had heard a reviewer say that it smelled like a head shop fragrance, so I had to try it. I was hoping it would capture that smell of burning sandalwood incense, witchy resins, hemp, and patchouli. Well after finally trying it, I must say that it does have that headshop vibe. However, it is accompanied by a very classic masculine dry, woody amber man-cologne type of a smell. It smells like a hippy who grew up; not a hippy who grew up and stopped being a hippy, just a hippy who grew older and wiser. And of course this is not to the detriment of the scent. It’s great stuff!
Dima98 – :
Tobacco, cedar, leather are all very pleasant. But there is a moderate sweetness (amber) in the dry down that is less pleasant. Overall a complex and interesting scent with very good performance (longevity and sillage). But would not buy full bottle as the sweetness is a little cloying.
Fragrance message:
“I’m a man. I love tobacco, wood and leather. But I’m a little girly and I cry a lot.”
dim-mal – :
Sigh, another Varvatos that smells great when you spray it, but disappears in an hour. It starts out with a wonderfully dark incense and woods scent. But then an hour later, you only have a ghostly remnant of that scent, and maybe a soft touch of amber. It doesn’t disappear completely, but it’s like Mr. Tall Dark and Mysterious walked into the room, and then quickly transformed into a friendly but meek little guy that just kinda lurks in the corner with nobody even noticing him. I love that opening, but the longevity is so terrible that it’s not worth bothering with.
Lisa.Ira – :
Longetivity is no issue. I got whiffs of this 12 hours after i sprayed it on. A very slight caramel like smell balances out the dark beautiful stank of this scent. Definitely niche quality and so different from anything i own. 10/10
ali69751043 – :
John Varvatos Platinum Edition is truly one of the most outstanding scents I’ve ever had the joy of experiencing. It’s a smoky, spicy, incense masterpiece. Just beautifully composed and in perfect balance.
My first John Varvatos scent and it certainly won’t be my last.
dana111 – :
Sweet, dirty, earthy, smoky. Settles to a smoky vanilla. Something about this reminds me of Tom ford noir, but i prefer this more so. You can easily find a big bottle for 40 or less and its worth every penny.
Longevity is an issue, so just reapply. A fall or winter scent that is different than most other designer fragrances. In general if you want a really high quality designer house to invest in look no further than John Varvatos. Tom Ford has vaulted to the top to me, with Chanel nearly equal or perhaps a step below, but John Varvatos is right there with these 2.
Worth a blind buy if the price is right. Enjoy.
bxl658InsuffBooni – :
To my nose, on the initial spray it smells funky, kind of like a more masculine version of Tom Ford Black Orchid. But that quickly goes away & turns into more of a head shop fragrance.
Its a nice going to a Hookah Lounge fragrance.
prw830speagoessenda – :
I have to agree with knox.. It def shares a similarity to bentley intense. Not sure what note it is but its a similar vibe but the bentley is a little stronger with it. This one is nice, its masculine, smooth, woody, resinous with a little smoke or incense vibe. It has sweetness but to the extent of bentley intense. A vanillic woody amber with some incense. Macusline and smells like a niche quality. I am not sure yet as this is a first impression, but the performance would be my concern simply because it is a JJ… Hopefully this performs at least average.. John varvatos makes some great scents… but the performance sometimes is sub par. I still like the original and dark rebel the best but this one is up there with them.
Yulya123 – :
Another subtle scent from John Varvatos. Let me start out by saying im a HUGE fan of Varvatos fragrances and Rodrigo Flores-Roux knows how to make scents better than anyone. I just wish Varvatos scents had more projection and longevity. many fall prey to the stigma i mention but Platinum has a bit more lasting power than i thought.
Sillage is perfect for office environments, movies, etc. you wont blow people away with this scent but if they are close enough, they will be inquisitive.
Longevity id middle moderate. I get about 4.5 hours out of it. which is fine, as some varvatos i couldnt smell on me after 2 hours.
Scent and the blend of notes is top notch. as masculine as it gets. taking a little bit of every manly note you can think of outside of gasoline and burnt rubber and blending it into a scent made for any true male.
all in all, not my favorite from the varvatos collection but it is one i will keep around for a while.
8/10
SamuraiDV – :
Recently picked up the 4.2 ounce of this gem from John Varvatos. It has this creamy vanillic tone to it that comes across as slighlty minty as well. I get a grassy tone from it as well. It reminds me a bit of Cartier Roadster, since it has a slightly dirty, almost patchouli-like tone to it,mixed with a minty aspect. I think this is smoother than Roadster, and a great value at about 40 dollars.
arklys10 – :
This is pretty similar to Bentley intense but I actually enjoy this quite a bit more. To me this is slightly more airy and spicy than BI and a lot more wearable IMHO. I don’t understand how this doesn’t get more attention than it does. To be a designer fragrance, this is doing a fantastic job of posing as a niche. Highly recommended.
9.5/10
Tanardera – :
Beautiful Varvatos, I think better all around than Dark Rebel, very similar to Cerruti Bella Notte!
pavlovdima33 – :
Amazing find today 11/19/2016 at Ross for $19.99 for 3.4 fl oz bottle. Love the smokey, incense, leathery note.
KNONYPEOCCAGE – :
In my skin smell lime Nasomatto pardon but less potent
I have both
This is less sweet
DIMADEBIL – :
This is one of the better designer fragrances, there is nothing in the market that smells like this. The smell is incredible.
Starts strong with bitter orange, dry down is sage and sandalwood.
seerrg_49 – :
Very good one from varvatos tho as
a collector i have smelled many similar
fragrances. It smells very dirty with a
earthy feeling to it, its a fresh smooth
fragrance, the drydown reminds me a bit
of the new Salvatore ferragamos uomo, a
caramel candy like smell, very plesant.
smil14 – :
Even though many call this woody, to me it’s a very different and fresher edition to the more woodier releases of the Varvatos range. I’d call it earthy over woodyand definitely greener.
This is a full, fizzy sherbet number (that’ll be the bitter orange). Sage is there to bring just enough earth to it leaving a slight but not-unpleasant dusty feel.
After a half hour it starts to resemble a gentler, light Varvatos Oud.
Sadly with me, I don’t know if it’s my skin type or what, but I’ve yet to find a scent that last longer than a hour or two tops all-in.
The nearest I have to a long-laster is Geoffrey Beane’s Grey Flannel which after all these years I’m still madly in love with – just as well, eh.
kopt9ev – :
Looking for niche smell on designer budget? Bingo. Not just this scent – but many of John varvatos’ scents are ridiculously amazing. This smells so similar (but better) to Fresh Cannabis Santal – one of my very favorites. Vanilla, Mary Jane, amber, woods. In all honesty – this smells better than nearly every niche fragrance I own. Varvatos’ dna is very appealing – dark, amber, licorice, patchouli – they all carry a similar feel. “Modern bad boy” smells in my opinion. Regardless – if you like Tom ford noir extreme, fresh cannabis santal or any other deep, dark, semi sweet- woodsy scents, here’s the one you NEED in your collection. eBay. $29.99. Done.
hepper – :
This is my second from J. Varvatos, the other one is Varvatos Oud, they have some of the same woodsy notes, this Platinum it just reminded me of the Oud version.
JosueGerbe76 – :
This one always picks me up when I’m feeling down. I find this scent intoxicating. A pleasure to wear.
bambrullio – :
This is a fantastic cologne!! I blind bought this for 20 dollars at a Burlington… The big bottle.. they had two.. I wish I had bought them both!! It lasts and its projection is pretty decent. Very very earthy and natural. Just awesome!
smisdilia – :
This fragrance is a lot different than anything I’ve ever smelt from this house. The longevity is a lot better than the other offerings from this house too. This is a cold weather frag. Night time paints a picture. This is a lone rider scent, the bad boy that lives by his own rules. It’s mature but has an edgy side to it. 30+ masculine all the way.
The only thing with this fragrance is that I’m not sure how much I like the first waft. I enjoy smelling the notes individually more.
Scent 7/10
Longevity 8/10
Projection 7/10
Quality 8/10
Overall 7.5/10
oksanazkh – :
Wearing this one today. This is really deep and rich. Definitely something special. Sprayed generously
I am loving Rodrigo Flores-Roux. I am so glad I have discovered him. Looking forward to finally trying his new A & H one.
I just can’t wait to see where he will end up!
To bad this one does not have good longevity. I found it for $35 though, so I’m good. I just like the smell. It’s as simple as that.
Laywer – :
I completely agree with the “making great smelling scents that don’t last” comment
svinkin74 – :
I agree with rob2b. This could have been great if performance was better. I think that is the JV trademark. Making great smelling scents that only lasts a couple hours. This reminds me of a less gourmand but more woodier and spicier LIDG. If you like subtle masculine scents, this would be a great choice for spring/fall wear.
zopa202 – :
I smell the orange and the wood also… Like a citrus and smokey spice with a perfect balance to the deep down dry. My husband has all of Johns colognes and this one is his favorite. It smells wonderful!!! I think all men should wear John Varvatos personally…
Tasha20090 – :
Beautiful citrus and leather to open, with wonderful woody middle notes along the way -and drying down to a perfect amber/sandalwood skin scent after about 3 hours.
Platinum has all the hallmarks of a wonderful woody oriental but is neither a longevity nor sillage monster, having decidedly EDT strength, but is a really beautiful fragrance nonetheless.
NOTE: I tested this on bare skin in the middle of the Australian Summer, where fragrances get eaten up by the heat. It would progress slower in a more temperate climate and would certainly last longer worn under clothes.
Mezera – :
Manly man fragrance. This Platinum is very woody and dry. High in bitter oud-like accord and smokey patchouli. Cinnamon and sandalwood are noticeable but not much of anything else. Not something I’d wear all the time since I haven’t had hair on my chest yet.
espectral – :
I love the woodsy, orange/citrus opening of this fragrance. I can also smell the vetyver and patchouli, which I love. Silage and longevity are a plus. It lasts a good 8-9 hours on me. Great fragrance by John Varvatos.
kirivnik55 – :
John Varvatos Platinum Edition is a dark, calm and soothing fragrance that is completely out of the modern sweet fragrances out there. It screams maturity and confidence and can easily be mistaken for one of the niche fragrances. The longevity is quite impressive about 6-8 hours on me and sillage is a little above average. It is a well balanced fragrance that i enjoy a lot. An elegant fragrance that’s been given a well deserved place in my collection.
Well done John.
yshome1 – :
First Impressions: I tried this at Nordstroms today and I was shocked and how good this fragrance is. This is dark and earthy. I’m surprised that patchouli isn’t listed because it smells like there’s a lot of it in here. This fragrance reminded me of other dark fragrances that I’ve smelled in the past but can’t put my finger on which ones. I love it. I can’t comment on projection or longevity but I’ll update as I test further. I really hope this works out for me because I’m really taken by it. Try it out for yourself 🙂
haos80 – :
In a word: YUM. Now THIS was intriguing, complex, and made me purr after I spritzed it on my sweetheart. At first, there was that sharp opening that made me take an instant step back to preserve my sense of smell (I tend to not take the first 2 minutes in to let the alcohols evaporate) so I left his side and came back 20 min later to see how the fragrance developed.
Lo and behold, I was very sensually surprised and it became an instant like. It gave to mind as if old Gucci Nobile discovered a fountain of youth amid a humid forest (mmmf) and rejuvenated it as well as smoothed his edges. The level of sophistication in creating this was obvious to me. Oh happy day to this woman that has grown so weary of the overhyped “fashionable” scents of today and yearned for something much like this. *sighs*
This oozes masculinity in a way that gave me a vision of a man in his prime. I’ve found this fragrance to be something that can be worn by those who can be dominant and tender in ways that can leave a woman reaching for her lace fan as she hides her giggly grin while trying her best not to squirm in her seat.
I must say that yes, I write this with a noticeable rush of color in my cheeks and neck just remembering it. This fragrance has the sorely missed complexity and oomph of perfumes of the 80’s (I’m looking at YOU Drakkar Noir) and 90’s but without being overbearing. There is quite a list of notes in this that one imagines could pack a pretty harsh punch but let me just ease your mind with this. The woodsy notes are in harmony with leather and everything else in way that is just sumptuous and sexy imo.
The sillage is buildable, 1 spritz for arm’s length…layer twice for 4+ ft. The longevity depends on body chemistry but on my sweetheart it went on for a good 4 hours plus (lawd have merceh). It is quite picky though, so I wouldn’t recommend it as a blind buy.
Overall, a wonderful scent for a chosen few.
vol4eara – :
John Varvatos Platinum – on my nose it is spicy-woody-sandalwood; it actually smells nice, interesting for a designer house release; honestly this is similar to MFK Amyris – very close to the drydown; and to me it increases its value because of this
kopuk – :
Finally, a good designer fragance.
Very well made and this don’t smell sinthetic to me.
It’s in the same way that the original but more sweet.
The more prominent notes to my nose are amber, spices and leather. The amber sweetens the leather and smell so good.
Maybe too sweet to my taste but great smell anyway.
Longevity is good (more than 5-6 hours) and sillage is moderate-low (this is not a bad thing sometimes).
scent: 7/10
longevity: 7/10
sillage: 6/10
UPDATE:
There is nothing like L’Instant and I can’t smell nothing of cocoa in this…
juozobr – :
Smells a lot like L’Instant Extreme (I’m surprised cocoa isn’t listed in the notes), although it isn’t as rich/deep or sweet. Despite that, I find Platinum to be more wearable and I might grab a bottle later on (this is much cheaper and easier to find than LIDGE)
Bonn336 – :
Ok guys let me first start by saying that I love this fragrance. Easily one of my top five. Its very different from most stuff out today. The only thing that is remotely similar is Prada amber pour homme intense. Think prada amber intense without the soap note.
When you first spay it you get this really nice bergamot and citric note for about 5 minutes then it get really soft for about another 10 minutes. After that all the other notes join the party and the projection ramps up for another 3 to 4 hours. Not to sure about how far it projects but it does well during that time period. After about the 5 hour mark its about a 7 to 8 inch bubble. The fragrance lasts for at least 8 to 10 hours on me and can be detected as skin sent well into the following day. And this one does very well in the complement area. This is a must try for fragrance enthusiasts. Please don’t sleep on this one. This is definitely my favorite from the house.
gegcbr 3737 – :
Amazing! I really dig this fragrance. It ends up sweetening up a bit in the drydown which I really liked. The top notes don’t stick around too long but that is fine with me because your left with sweet, dirty tobacco, leather, incense and sandalwood. This fragrance is all man. Confident, suave man. You could rock this in a two piece suit, sport coat or jeans…
I would not suggest this for hot summer days or teenagers. I would be surprised if many teens would want to wear this anyway lol.
Longevity: 10 hours
Projection: 4 feet
Sillage: 4 hours. Not a huge trail but nice
metro549 – :
Words that best describe the platinum edition incredible sillage,longlasting,creamy,uplifting,sensational warmth and absolutely the best john varvatos in the collection.The incense,leather and sandlewood melts over your skin like butter they should of used butter as a note seriously.They call this platinum for a reason.Luv it!
evgenii_bull – :
It seems to be more or less the same orange and amber scent that forms the base notes for the tenth anniversary edition, except without that nasty opening blast. I do not detect much leather or cinnamon here, mostly amber. My wife likes it more than I do. I think it’s okay, if a tiny bit cloying.
It lasts! Good longevity. I’ve gotten 12+ hours on my tee shirt.