VIKTOR & ROLF
SPICEBOMB INFRARED EDT

2021

PERFUMER
Carlos Benaim
Nicolas Beaulieu
Jean-Christophe Herault

red apple
grapefruit
red pepper
pimento
saffron

cinnamon leaf
lavender
provencal lavender
habanero chilI

tobacco
benzoin
amberwood
cedarwood

Spicebomb Infrared has already seen a new EDP version in 2023, which I haven’t smelled yet, but I figured I’d share my thoughts on the 2021 EDT.

This was generally well-conceived I believe, but I don’t really see the value in it.

Infrared EDT opens very similar to the spiciness of the original Spicebomb, with the drydown being somewhere in the middle of the original and the sweeter Spicebomb Extreme. It’s perfectly fine and I’d say a decent alternative for the original. The Extreme with a bigger transition from spicy to sweet and tobacco-like remains my favorite between the 3 however.

The DNA is familiar, with a dominant cinnamon, a sweetness, but a longer strong peppery spice than in the Extreme flanker.

The thing is, it’s similar, but it has a slight mintyness. In the first hour or something, Infrared EDT introduces a minty, shampoo-y bubblegum essence that makes it less nice than the aforementioned versions in my opinion.

That tinge fades 1-2-3 hours into the wear at which point, you might as well be rocking the other versions anyway. So while an adequate release, unless you’re looking for that bubblegummy edge, I don’t think this is the variant to opt for.