HUGO BOSS
The Scent for Him Elixir

2024

PERFUMER
Nelly Hachem Ruiz

allspice
pimento
lavendin absolute
sandalwood

Released alongside The Scent For Her Elixir.

‘Be captivated by the alluring Boss The Scent Elixir men’s perfume, an interpretation of the original Boss The Scent men’s perfume in a rich, highly concentrated version. The scent of this amber and leathery Elixir opens with an explosion of ‘red-hot’ allspice, resulting in a complex, spicy scent full of charisma. The heart notes of vibrant Lavandin absolute – from Provence – are central to this perfume for men and immediately captivate with their vibrant energy. This refined fragrance composition is enriched with the soft, woody base notes of rich Caledonian sandalwood.’ – Hugo Boss

I was quite intrigued to try this one. As someone who’s never been a fan of the Boss Bottled line at all, I much preferred some of the The Scent fragrances, in particular The Scent Private Accord. So when Boss Bottled Elixir pleasantly surprised me, I had decently high hopes for The Scent For Him Elixir. And this too, is a solid release.

I wore this alongside The Scent For Her Elixir and they seem to go in completely opposite directions. I’d never tried the other The Scent For Her variants, but the Elixir is very playful, fruity, sweet; a fun fragrance. The Scent For Him Elixir whoever, goes in a much more mature direction.

It captures the brand’s description really well, with ‘red hot spice’ and a traditionally masculine lavender-woody tone. It’s quite dense and rich, with the peppers having an almost vegetal, fruity or culinary facet (like paprika for example). There are green tinges and it’s not overly sweet, but overall it’s fully on the warm side. Not quite smoky, but fiery. I’m reminded of the burnt spices vibes and even the leathery tinges from Gallivant Accra here.

There’s this general undercurrent of a ‘masculine cologne’ here. I think I’m smelling some nutmeg to add to this ‘serious’ tone. Think of it in the way Acqua Di Gio Parfum added a dose of maturity to that DNA.

It feels well constructed and of good quality. Sweetness is kept more in check than in most designer releases and it does exactly what it promises. If you’re looking for something that’s a mix of Spicebomb, The Scent and an afstershave, The Scent For Him Elixir is a stellar option.