Spicebomb Infrared is an Amber Spicy fragrance for men released in 2021 by Viktor & Rolf.
So, of course, I'm a huge fan of the original Spicebomb that came out in 2012.
I think this is an amazing fragrance composed by Olivier Polge, definitely one of his best.
You have the cinnamon, you have the Elemi resin, you have the tobacco, you have the pink pepper, you have that icy accord. But then you also have that fiery accord that adds a little bit of spice with that paprika note.
And of course, Spicebomb Infrared has a lot of those same ingredients.
I think when I saw the note breakdown, instead of having Elemi resin, they have benzoin now.
So some of the ingredients have been substituted for others, but for the most part, it's pretty similar with the exception that in the opening, they added red fruits.
And if you look at the ad campaign for it, you see the bottle and then right next to it are some red berries, if I'm not mistaken. It could be pink peppercorns, but it looks like red berries. And then you have a pepper.
Anyway, this is perceived to be a slightly fruity but still spicy fragrance.
What Does Spicebomb Infrared smell like?
Let's first unveil the notes of the fragrance.
The top notes are Red Fruits, Pink Pepper, and Saffron.
The middle notes are Cinnamon and Red Pepper.
Base notes are Tobacco and Benzoin.
So here's the thing: as soon as this fragrance opens, I think you're going to be reminded of the original.
There's something about this fragrance that does bear a pretty strong similarity to the original, unlike Night Vision and Night Vision EDP, so those two kind of went in a different direction.
So Night Vision was kind of like in the vein of Invictus Aqua by Paco Rabanne.
Night Vision Eau de Parfum was in the vein of Azzaro's Wanted by Night.
And so they kind of implemented different DNAs. But here we have something that went back to the original.
So this one does smell similar to the original in the sense that you get that burst of cinnamon in here.
You get a little bit of a leathery nuance, and I think that that's coming from the saffron, and saffron is a note in both of them.
You also have that rosy tobacco quality in here that is found in the original.
Having a little bit of sweetness in the base, too, which I think is what made the original, and what I think is also going to make this one a really good fragrance for the club or nighttime or a party or something like that.
A youthful-smelling fragrance without relying too heavily on coumarin or tonka bean.
There's no tonka bean or vanilla, for that matter, in this note breakdown, but you do have that sweetness underneath it all, and I think it's kind of bolstering the other ingredients up a little bit.
So, I guess the overarching question is, what's the difference, right? What is the difference between Spicebomb Infrared and the original?
I do get a fruiting nuance in the opening.
There's something sweet. There's something a little bit fruity. And the fruitiness is a little tart, but it also has a little bit of sweetness too.
And I think the sweetness is being anchored down to the base by whatever is in there that is giving it that sweet vibe.
I know benzoin sometimes has the propensity of being a little bit sweet, albeit also a little bit smoky, a little bit medicinal, depending on how much of it is used. But there's something a little fruity about this one.
Now, there are a lot of people online who are comparing this one to, like, Big Red Gum. And I can kind of see where they're coming from.
And I guess it's because of the cinnamon that's in here. But cinnamon is also found in the original, and I would say the original is a little bit fresher.
Now, here's the funny part. I don't think SpiceBomb is a fresh fragrance at all.
I know as far as the marketing is concerned, there's, like, an icy component if you read up the ad copy for the original, that's kind of what Olivier Polge says, the perfumer.
He says that he tried to combine, like, an icy accord with, like, a fiery accord. And I can see what he means by that with the citrus in the opening. But I don't necessarily get cinnamon as the spotlighted note in this fragrance.
I think it's a combination of things. I think you get the spice from the saffron, that leathery component.
You get the tobacco nuance in the base, which kind of adds this warmth to the fragrance.
You have the resinous sweetness in the base as well. And it's a very well-put-together fragrance.
I would say, though, Spicebomb Infrared is sweeter than the original.
The original is a little fresher, even though it's not a fresh fragrance as far as classification is concerned.
But I would go ahead and conclude by saying that I think both of them are appropriate for the same seasons and, the same scenarios.
I would say there's maybe, like, a 20% difference. There isn't a huge difference. And I would say the same thing about this one or the original in relation to the Spicebomb Extreme version.
I think Night Vision is where they really sort of flew off the deep end and created something different.
I just think in the case of this one, it's still pretty similar to the original, but I like it. And that's because I like the original. So kind of by default, I like the DNA of this one.
It's funny because there was a fragrance by Reyane Tradition called Insurrection Dark, and I feel like, although that fragrance was trying to be a clone of this one, I can pick up on something in this one that reminds me of Insurrection Dark.
So I kind of feel like Insurrection Dark is closer to this one than the original, which is the fragrance that it intended to be a clone of. But I digress.
Anyway, I like this one.
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Let's go ahead and finish things off with my overall assessment.
My overall assessment:
So first up, in terms of the uniqueness and the overall smell, well, guys, you know this one is a flanker, and so we're not expecting something that is 100% unique.
But it does smell good to my nose.
I think it's a subtle variation of the DNA of the original, and I certainly appreciate that.
How long does Spicebomb Infrared last?
In terms of longevity: I got about 6 hours on my skin.
It's not monstrous or beast mode, but I was able to smell it on me.
I did about five sprays on my shirt today, and I can still smell it now.
But I actually did find myself reapplying at around lunchtime. And so make of that what you will.
In terms of Projection: this one is pretty good for the first hour of application.
It never really radiated beyond arm's length, but I feel like while it was on the skin, you are going to get noticed.
When to Wear Spicebomb Infrared?
In terms of versatility:
I think it's good for the colder weather, just because there's something about this one, maybe it's the cinnamon, or maybe it's the spicy and sweet elements that remind me of the autumn.
But I guess you can wear it in the spring, too. I probably just wouldn't wear it outdoors on a, really, really hot summer day.
I think this one can be worn casually or formally, especially once it starts to hit discounters.
I would say totally, you can wear it casually. It's definitely an everyday type of fragrance.
Some people, though, might have an apprehension about wearing this one in an office setting, just because it's a little bit too sweet.
But I do find it to be pretty versatile.
And even though it's marketed for men, I can see a very confident woman wearing this one with no problems.
Conclusion:
I think Spicebomb Infrared is a great scent. I like it.
I'm glad that I purchased it.
I see myself using it a lot. It's a little bit sweeter than the original.
The performance is tantamount to the original.
I think this one is going to be to many people's liking if they are a fan of the original.
And I guess the ultimate question is, which one should I purchase, this one or the original?
Well, you know, it's all a matter of personal preference. I do think it's subjective.
If you're interested in picking up the flavor of the week, so to speak, I would say get Spicebomb Infrared.
You can also guarantee that you're going to smell a little bit different from other people, but inevitably, it's going to be a familiar DNA because I do find it to be quite similar smelling to the original.
So anyway, I like this one.
