Legend by Montblanc

I don’t have many words, but it is my signature scent and I’ve never reviewed something like this before. It is the ‘quintessential’ example of that unique DNA, alongside Fierce and Percival. I can’t describe it properly; go to a perfumer and try it (it’s everywhere). It has brought me many compliments and remains my favourite scent ever. It has that 2000s touch, coming from Fierce, giving it a very masculine appeal. I don’t buy perfumes to attract women, but I assure you most love it. Perhaps because it was used in shops as an air freshener and is a familiar scent, or because of that lustful era of the 2000s. Anyway, it is impressive. I haven’t smelled the original Fierce (they say it’s not worth it now), but they say Legend is sweeter and I prefer it. Regarding longevity, it’s not crazy but it is more than enough. It lasts on me and people notice, and that is sufficient. Curiously: I have a bottle I used a lot and then stored for two years. It is ‘over-macerated’, smells more powdery and better with time, plus it lasts and projects more. To sum up, I have rambled, but no extension is needed because it is a masterpiece and not just of this, but of the DNA it represents. Cheers.

I was looking for a fragrance for the office. The saleswoman recommended it and I loved it: exquisite, sweet but fruity, not cloying, with a hint of citrus, harmonious and non-intrusive. Perhaps it is not novel, but it is charming. I bought it without hesitation (it seemed expensive, around $150 in Argentina). I applied it to my skin. The saleswoman said if I didn’t like it I could exchange it. After half an hour I could hardly smell it and by 45 minutes it had disappeared completely. Fortunately, I was nearby and exchanged it. In my opinion it is not worth that money, but for those who like the scent, it is a good proposition.

THE GOOD: An ultra-clean, ultra-masculine scent. Mega-versatile perfume: from the gym to the office. A scent that 100% of men will like. THE BAD: Poor performance. Longevity and sillage are terrible. The scent can result in being boring and flat. A smell seen a thousand times in gels, shampoos, aftershaves, and men’s deodorants. Would I recommend it? No. Its price does not justify the low performance, plus it is a scent you have probably already smelled. PS: Want to know what this perfume smells like paying a fraction of the price? Buy the Bod Man Black body spray for men. The black one smells exactly the same. They usually sell the pack of 4.

Incredible scent, good projection, but poor longevity. It reminds me of Fierce from Abercrombie. Well, if you are looking for a perfume for the gym or exercise, but nothing more.

Rich scent, a mix of Montblanc Starwalker and Urbe by Natura.

It’s a proper 4×4: if it were more durable it would be legendary, but in the end it strikes a fair balance and doesn’t disappoint.

Rich and average; it works well for the office, but the performance is poor: it projects no more than 30cm in 10 minutes and then sits right on the skin.

Simple yet serious; the opening is citrusy and sweet, but the dry down features woods and florals that make it serious and spicy. I see it as a daily office scent or for simple outings. Girls don’t seem to like it as much as other Montblanc fragrances, but it’s cheap and smells good, so you should give it a try.

Very clean and easy-going; the downside is that many deodorants nowadays smell similar. However, a great alternative is Galloway by Marly, although the price has gone through the roof.

I bought the 30ml bottle. Wearing this cologne is the same as wearing nothing: neither fresh nor even if you bathe in it. It’s a rip-off, it’s astonishing, it smells like nothing. I don’t even know what it smells like, truly. The same thing happened to me in the shop; I thought it was because I’d smelled others before first. Anyway, I’ve just thrown my money away.

Sure to be a hit with someone. It’s a safe bet, nothing risky, but it smells great and does its job: cleanliness, order, and that personal sense of wellbeing. It’s not for clubs or competing on longevity, but I don’t think that was ever the intention. It’s ideal for work, university, the cinema, a café, or an informal date. It’s versatile, modern, and good value. The truth is, Legend only shares the name with the brand; the base notes are very typical. It won’t disgust you, but it won’t surprise you either. Longevity and projection are fair, but a reapplication at five or six hours fixes everything. If you’re looking for something with more ‘something’ at the same price, you’ll have to look elsewhere, but if you don’t want to complicate your life, Legend is a solid option.

People have only asked me what perfume I was wearing on this occasion and another. My girlfriend absolutely loved it.

For those who like this perfume, I recommend the new YSL, ‘MYSLF’. Although it has extra notes that differentiate it from Legend, it’s the one that comes closest. Most similar scents, like Spirit, Eau de Parfum, or Percival (which, although the same composition, differ in proportions), fail to capture that sweet freshness that Montblanc Legend has and that I love; they all seem drier to me in comparison. ‘MYSLF’ does have that note, plus it solves Montblanc’s problems: it lasts longer and stays pleasant throughout the day (Montblanc’s dry-down becomes too residual). It has extra notes reminiscent of Amouage Reflection Man that complement it very well, differentiating it but not so much that it becomes something else; truly balanced. I left that olfactory profile because Montblanc didn’t meet minimums and the others lacked that magic something, but YSL has allowed me to enjoy it in all its splendour. I’ve used half a bottle and it’s a delight, plus it lasts a long time on clothes. If there’s any Montblanc Legend enthusiast, you’ll be interested. Cheers! PS: As I know you’re looking for comparisons with Percival, I’ve done them, and the closest is Percival, which leans more towards Legend Eau de Parfum (the black bottle one).

One of my favourite perfumes. It’s versatile, mostly fruity but not too sweet thanks to the lavender and wood, which makes it useful for various occasions. It is true that it’s mostly youthful, but it contains more serious ingredients; if the perfume had an age, it would be around 25 years old. Summately masculine, sweet in the base and fresh on the opening. Its only weakness is the short longevity.

A versatile, all-rounder fragrance. It’s one of the most show-off scents in my collection, both for me and for others. It’s that scent that makes you imagine a well-dressed, masculine, clean man, that image of a man made and right. At first, it might smell like ‘sir’, but then you realise it’s not; it’s a scent very leaning towards lavender, but not too sweet, rather a lavender with a ‘metallic’ touch, very rare to explain. The opening has a fresh touch like bergamot, not a clone, and in the dry-down it feels a fruity-metallic touch, different from what a man would normally use. It works wonderfully in any climate, both for heat and night outings; I see it as more versatile than many blue fragrances like Sauvage or Dylan Blue; it’s a 4×4. It reminds me of the 2000s, when all teenagers had Fierce by Abercrombie, so if you’re from the 90s like me, it will surely ring a bell and you’ll like it. Scent: 8.5/10. Longevity: 8/10 (6-7 hours comfortably). Projection: 7/10 (2 hours good). Price: 9/10.