GNTONIC by M. Micallef

It opens fresh and sparkling, mimicking an herbal fortified drink. It doesn’t seem like a Gin Tonic; it’s just a fleeting phase with poor projection. Half an hour later, a floral afternote with undeclared iris emerges, mixing with ginger, herbs, and valley lily; the mint disappears. It becomes feminine, like a hand cream or ladies’ makeup. Anyone who thinks it’s masculine or classic will get bullied by Andrés Croxatto. I’m going to wash it off my skin. I won’t buy it, and if it’s gifted to me, it will stay in the plastic to be sold to a gullible person. My advice: never buy it blind. If you want to smell like a sixty-something lady at a late-night party, there are worse options. Why settle?

It has a brutal shock value but shatters good expectations. If you walk in with high hopes, prepare to walk out totally disappointed; it smells of pure field grass. The truth is very average, almost bad, and the price is that of a great perfume, but nothing like the reality.

I bought it solely for the name, my favourite drink, and fell victim to marketing. But with over 250 fragrances in my collection, I say that from the first sniff, the rest is history. It’s nothing groundbreaking or innovative, yet I liked it so much it’s the one I’ve used most over the last 12 months, until I bought another bottle. It feels more masculine, evoking a classic fougère, perfect for the contemporary gentleman. It’s agreeable, everyone likes it, and its performance exceeds the average of its aromatic family.

Citrus, herbal and aromatic, a classic and timeless cologne for the gentleman. It reminds me greatly of Guerlain Homme with a more aquatic twist, modernised, of higher quality and good performance. The heart is calone with juniper, lime, mint and ginger, a frozen aquatic fantasy. Basically that, everything else rounds off the composition. The dry down brings faint woods, cedar and vetiver, which give versatility for cold days or evening wear. Projection is soft but perceptible and the longevity is fantastic. I had few hopes and resisted trying it, but it now holds a high place in my collection.

I think the name is a bit of an overstatement; I would have called it Lemon Cocktails. The opening smells like a mojito with that sweet, mentholated blend, which then yields to a salty, icy gin tonic. The performance is excellent, lasting around 10 hours and projecting for about 6 to 8 hours, as if changing cocktails every three hours. It gives me a strange sensation: although the top and heart are 100% summery, it eventually turns balsamic and amber, so it’s best used for a strategy starting in the afternoon and ending at night to get the most out of it (9/10).

M.Micaleff rarely takes risks, but I’ve been won over by GNTonic. It’s citrusy, fresh and substantial, nothing ephemeral. Dry with gin, lemon and pepper, backed by a woody halo that holds it together. It’s unisex, perfect for everyday wear, though it demands a certain class to pull off.

Excellent fragrance, what more can I say? It holds up brilliantly in the heat and is an exquisite scent.

Reminds me hugely of Dior Homme Sport 2012. Opens with spicy ginger and bright citrus, then that bitter gin sensation with pepper and mint, earthy and spiced touches. Closes with clean, musky cedar. It’s realistic, vibrant and has decent longevity.