Double Bleu by Bharara

Let’s admit it: this is one of the rare Arab scents that actually manages a citrus note, as they usually fail miserably at it. It smells like blue floor cleaner, with almost no projection and a longevity of about three hours, exaggerating. It’s very flat and lacking charm. Ideal for summer, any age, and informal use, 100% masculine. Rating: 3/10.

I’ve read varied reviews: the question is whether you like fresh fragrances or just the current sweet trend. I like fresh ones and this isn’t bad: it starts citrusy, then turns floral (as someone said, like Millionaire) and finishes woody. For those who enjoy this style, it’s decent, but it has two serious flaws: the exorbitant price for an Arab (or Indian) scent and its poor longevity, hovering around 4 to 6 hours if you look with a magnifying glass. At the current price, I wouldn’t recommend it; there are half-price options with excellent performance, such as Sillage or Millionaire.

This smells about 90% like the PDM Percival line.

Double Bleu aims to be a giant in perfumery, but its ambition has flaws. The top notes promise a citrus cocktail with pineapple, lemon, rosemary, and bergamot to revitalise, but in practice, they clash rather than harmonise. The pineapple and lemon fight for the spotlight on the olfactory stage, while the rosemary tries to add something herbal that ends up more confusing than refreshing. The bergamot, usually a lifesaver, is here a whisper too timid. The heart of jasmine and coriander is also conflicted; the jasmine wants to elevate the fragrance with its opulent floral character, but the coriander darkens it, being as divisive in the kitchen as in the perfume. Together, they create a dichotomy with no common ground, leaving the user in a limbo between garden and kitchen. The base of drifting wood and musk is where it tries to redeem itself. That robust, salty wood evokes distant oceans and adventures, offering an intriguing and masculine finish. However, the musk defines the fragrance with commendable and necessary persistence, though its subtlety may not save the overall composition. In summary, Double Bleu seeks to be bold and adventurous, but falls into the trap of its own complexity. Some will see the risk of its combinations as an exciting challenge, others as a missed opportunity for cohesion and refinement. It’s a fragrance that will need an equally bold wearer to navigate its turbulent waters and perhaps discover a hidden charm in its discordance.

I bought it blindly alongside the Bharara King; while the King is phenomenal, this Double Bleu was a complete waste. People, it smells like men’s hair gel, a generic fragrance to the max. It’s not sweet or fruity, seriously does it have pineapple and bergamot? Don’t waste your money, it’s not worth a penny. Sillage: 4-6 hours. Projection: 5/10. Scent: 5/10.

It starts fruity, like Creed Silver Mountain Water, but dries down to a CK One. It’s nice, but adds nothing new.

I tried it when buying the Bharara Bleu. I thought it would be a potent clone of PDM’s Layton, but I was disappointed. It smells very similar to Creed’s Silver Mountain Water, but with a more masculine touch, I don’t know why. It’s fresh, aquatic, and with a floral nuance. Nothing special, in the line of Sillage or Milestone from Club de Nuit. Would I recommend it? Only if you get it for under $50.