Victorious Heroes Noir by MCH Beauty | Is the Versace Knock-off any good?

Today I'm sharing some thoughts on yet another Men's Designer Fragrance. And personally I've been looking forward to trying this one out for ages. The Victorious Heroes NOIR by MCH Beauty. Categorized as Amber Woody, this unique fragrance provides an affordable alternative to expensive designer options, delivering a stylish and sophisticated fragrance that will leave a lasting impression.

The Bottle:

This is a very strong, confident looking bottle that exudes class and luxury. The square shouldered black bottle is perforated in Versace-esque geometric triangles throughout. The silver circle in the centre is recessed within the bottle itself and there is a signature helmet motif embossed. The silver plastic cap also has one embossed on the crown.

The Hype:

VICTORIOUS HEROES NOIR takes OUD and Saffron to a new level with a classy warm, spicy, dark, seductive and sweet fragrance.

The Opening:

A hot blast of aromatic goodness unveils in a plume of mystique and voluminous wonderment. As if I've just unleashed Aladdin from its cave. I'm transported to the markets in the Grand Bazaar, scurrying around the various annals imbibing all the aromas from an assortment of coffee houses, teppanyaki grills, hookahs.

The settle down:

I take a moment to let the scent live on my wrist, when I return I'm back in the Turkish restaurant in Marylebone with my now-wife. We've ordered some crispy cinnamon dessert, and I'm staring into the thick black coffee that looks like silt. Around me I smell hand cream, someone has too much beard oil, but the kebabs are sizzling and I'm starving.

The drydown:

After twenty minutes I'm back with a scent. The OUD has flourished. It's rich, it's oddly sharp like a young whisky. The Amber has yet to unfurl, perhaps it did already and I missed it. So I spray on some more and wait. I'm still waiting. Nevermind. This took me on a journey nonetheless and I'm happy. I'm not going back to Istanbul anytime soon.

Final thoughts:

It's like a film with no ending. Perhaps a common theme for most of these strip mall fragrances, they don't hang around long enough to give you any satisfaction. It's all noise, it's all show. If only they could make these fragrances last, or find a way to give it some base.

The word on the street:

I can't really describe the smell as anything more than just the basic masculine smell you would imagine upon hearing the word "cologne". It's fresh, clean, and citrusy-ish as well, just like a clean handsome man. The bottle looks nice (Versace Eros dupe?) and it actually lasts all day (4+ hours clothes and skin!). - C on Amazon.