After Game by El Ganso

Delicious. I tried it in-store with just two sprays and liked it, but that test didn’t do it justice. A few days later, the temperature had risen, and it was ideal for wearing; I applied quite a few sprays and it turned out to be far better than my initial impression. There’s a brief citrus note at the opening: the green mandarin is unmistakable, followed by the green petit grain, a touch of mint, and green tea, before giving way to a friendly, green-woody vetiver. That green mandarin remains present in the background, but on clothes, it’s what stands out most. I don’t notice any unpleasant synthetic alcohol or headaches, even after about 20 sprays; perhaps I applied it in areas where it shouldn’t go, such as the chest or under the chin, as that causes discomfort. Of those described as ‘similar to Dior Homme Cologne’, it shares about 50% of the likeness. It’s for daytime, warm weather, around 27-28°C. I don’t see it with shorts, a t-shirt, and sandals; I see it as casual but with a shirt. Although I don’t perceive it as extremely synthetic, in terms of essential oil quality, Adolfo Domínguez’s citrus cedar is superior, but personally, based solely on the scent, I’d stick with this one.

Excellent citrus scent with mandarin and herbal notes taking centre stage. A very successful homage to Dior Homme Cologne. Performance is more than acceptable for a citrus fragrance.

Fresh and direct. The citrus phase passes quickly, giving way to ginger, menthol, and vetiver. The trail lasts about two hours and stays on the skin for between four and six hours. It does its job as an after-shave perfectly.

Do not spend on Dior Homme Cologne, buy this instead and you will not regret paying a third of the price. It is exquisite, very citrusy and herbal, and you fall in love with it when smelling it over and over again.

Citrusy but with a dark touch that gives it character. Jimmy Choo Man Ice is the type who wants you and you never achieve it. Citrus Cedar is the handsome, popular guy you’ve always known. Dior Homme Cologne is the sugar daddy you fancy. But After Game… is the type you cheated on everyone with.

Develops very quickly on my skin: the citrus fades quickly, moving to mint and green tea, then to tea and vetiver, with vetiver dominating at the end. Therefore, you must like that note because it smells like that for 80% of its life. It does not seem as fresh or energising as they say, nor is it anything like Dior Homme Cologne (which are citrus with musk).

Fresh, herbal opening with a citric touch. Then the green tea emerges, giving it a certain fresh elegance. Once it has dried down, the vetiver appears with more force, becoming the protagonist. It is a very pleasant vetiver with iris notes. The fragrance has development, evolving from the initial citrus to the final woody/vetiver base, passing through a herbal phase. There is a certain nobility in the ingredients. Nothing synthetic, quite the opposite: natural and high-quality notes are perceived. It is not an innovative concept, rather the opposite: it is a fairly classic-nineties aroma. Very worth considering if you like this type of fragrance. I see it as more daytime than nighttime and would say it can be worn all year round thanks to the vetiver base. It suits an informal-elegant dress style. Very usable. The performance seems more than adequate; they are not super but are quite good in longevity. The projection is not as strong as other scents from the brand. One of my favourites among El Ganso fragrances.

A fragrance with evolution and good quality ingredients (for the actual price). Citrus opening, sharp, clean, elegant, summery and with that luminous ‘good vibe’. As it dries down, the herbal notes emerge, with very soft mint and then the vetiver in just the right measure: softer than the one in Encre Noire Sport (which has poor performance) and less intense than Terre, but very enjoyable. It’s a spring-summer daytime scent or for mild evenings, with a wide age range (perhaps it smells too youthful for older people) and for any occasion, a true all-rounder that everyone likes. El Ganso shines with quality and democratic pricing, with good performance on skin despite its fresh citrus vibe (After Game has good longevity). It brings to mind Banana Republic Vintage Green, though that one is more herbal-soapy-clean. They say it reminds people of Dior Homme Cologne, which I haven’t tried. For those entering spring-summer, I recommend trying or buying it blind; you’ll feel it was a good purchase. Cheers.

Super fresh cologne for summer; you can detect the mandarin, tea, mint, and vetiver, especially the green tea. Very refreshing.

A fragrance that opens with super energising and clean notes, ideal after a workout. It leaves you with that good feeling in the body, of a job well done, like when you take a cold shower after exercising. Over time, the citrus notes fade and it becomes more relaxed and not at all annoying, perfectly completing the cycle we need for ‘after game’.

Very good. It smells citrusy and quite natural, then leaves herbal notes and lasts quite a while. It’s in the line of Dior or Zara (or perhaps it’s now called Summer). It seems more similar to the first one; the second is a bit rougher.