Rubbery Saffron, Artificial Cherry & Boozy Warmth

Side Effect has everything most people look for in a date-night fragrance - warm and boozy without smelling alcoholic, sweet and spicy without becoming cloying - but for me, it misses the mark.

You need to enjoy saffron, or at least not register the synthetic, playdough-like edge it opens with. I'm particularly sensitive to this, and paired with the boozy accord - another note I tend to avoid - the opening feels quite jarring.

That said, the drydown is much better. The rum softens, the spices warm, and everything settles into a smooth vanilla sweetness. The tobacco leans closer to moist, cherry-scented cigar wraps than anything smoky, while creamy sandalwood brings an alluring, if slightly safe, finish.

It's hard to argue with a scent that's reached near god-tier status in the fragrance world, but I fear the current formulation is a shadow of what it once was - I certainly don't get the exceptional performance people used to speak of.