Dunhill Custom
Dunhill (2011)

This is a decent musky wood fragrance, reminiscent of a designer scent. However, its weak performance is a letdown. It's not what you would expect from a fragrance that promises incense and pepper notes. The fruity opening is nice, but the clean musk dominates the overall scent. If you're looking for a fragrance with more depth and projection, you might want to explore other options.

I can confirm that this does smell a lot like Baldessarini Ambre during the first few hours. Ambre smells much better to me after those few hours when these two scents start to separate from each other. I also find it similar to Bill Blass Mr. Blass but more through the late drydown stages. If you have not smelled either, it has a dark, slightly sweet incense that straddles mature and modern. It feels like it leans more formal than casual. Also, feels better for cooler temps.

I will say I received a, "Oh, you always smell good" compliment after applying, so it's a decent, pleasing scent.

Performance is pretty poor on my skin, only lasting 3-4 hours before it is hard to pick up in the air. Projection is good during the first hour.

Simply put, a really weak version of Baldessarini Ambre. Ambre exceeds in all aspects. The only cool thing about Custom is the the bottle, the bottom of it is especially cool.

This is a good scent that should have gone further--the apple note, which is nice and well-integrated, could be amped up. The pepper could also play a more prominent role. The finish, with its cedar and incense is nice although a little bland. In all, CUSTOM is well made, good smelling and safe. Too safe. Some unexpected overdosing or risky counterpoint could have made this great, but as it is, it is a classy, easy to wear, safe fragrance. The realistic, natural apple note and pepper are not gourmand-they are aromatic without being edible. When P&G came out with their ridiculous 007 fragrance which also had an English apple note, this is what they could have achieved, something that James Bond might actually have worn. As with most Dunhill scents, the bottle is fantastic, whether you have it engraved or not.

Custom begins with a simple apple and pepper opening which, on paper, might suggest a mall fragrance, but is actually very well-delivered and almost delicious. The amber and incense body is extremely similar to that of Mr. Blass by Bill Blass, minus the coriander and vanilla, and costs about as much. Both are seriously good for their price range, but Custom suffers one fatal flaw - While the opening is lovely and full of promise, there is almost no projection. I tried two sprays to the chest and two to my scarf and still could not detect the slightest iota of Custom after a couple minutes. The idea is sound, but the execution is feeble. As a skin scent, however it lasts until the next day, so if you are looking for close-quarters allure this may actually fit your style. This is a Venus fly trap of a scent, in that it basically doesn't exist at a distance, but can be fatal at proximity, and it's an absolute steal at the current going rate. The projection issue is the sole reason I can't give a thumbs up, and I'm sure some readers won't mind much at all about that. This isn't the kind of scent that calls for attention; this is a soft scent reserved for the one closest to you, a love note rather than a mating call. It's beautifully simple, especially if you harbor a bygone love for old school musks but wish they had a touch more English class.

Anyone looking to graduate to a richer take on this would do well for themselves to try Catalyst by Halston. There is a solid chance Custom was meant to be a reworking of Halston's apple-Oriental blueprint, but Catalyst is a rich intoxicant with none of the decorum exhibited by Dunhill's version. It is also equally inexpensive.

Dunhill custom is your average run of the mill fresh/spicey/boozy that doesn't do any of the 3 very well. This fragrance smells incomplete and thin. There's just no depth to any of the notes and what you wind up with smells like a watered down clothing line fragrance. This makes for a decent work fragrance if you work in a fragrance free environment.

Just about a thumbs up. A sweet woody apple fragrance. Along the lines of Ferrari Black - It's OK

Don't hate it, but feel it doesn't bring anything new to the table. It at first made me think it was that Ambre cologne(another meh scent). More huffs made me think it's sweeter. Still, piss poor longevity.

My expectations for this scent where really low, as I am not really the biggest fan of Dunhill fragrances except for a couple of them, and the reviews aren't surely encouraging. Well, on the contrary this fragrance surprised me. It is really decent, almost quite good, and surely one of the best of their range (this including the – for me – unexplicably hyped “vintage” ones, such as Edition). The opening is quite all about apple: and what I really enjoy is the fact that it is not overly fruity or sweet, rather quite sharp, pungent, bitter, dark, whiskey-like. Obviously a bit of fruitiness is there, but it's really subtle and providing just a hint of restrained “syrupiness” – just like in some spirits. It's a quite realistic rendition of apple cider more than a fresh slice of apple, and this makes Custom surely closer to boozy fragrances rather than fruity ones. Which is surely a “pro” in my book, as I can't think of many other fragrances playing the “dark, dry & sophisticated” card using apples. Distinctive and well put.

The magic basically stops there, as apart from that, there's a really bland and generic woodyamber-pepper base accord which is, I bet, *exactly* the same base they used for Dunhill Fresh. It smells a bit rubbery and artificial, but it works, creating an “office-safe” frame of smooth silky woods and peppery incense. Now add this to the well-executed apple-boozy top note, and you'll get Custom: a refined, half-distinctive half-generic almost “minimalistic” boozy-woody fragrance in the same league of Gucci pour Homme I, to which is resembles because of the same kind of weightless woody-amber-incense accord. Just with apple, less “pencil sharpener”, (way) less quality, and sort of more juvenile overall. Warm and acceptably classy, with a nice sharp twist. The longevity is not that bad for me, surely a bit close to skin but I get a decent bunch of hours. The only real bad thing is that for me (like pretty much for any other Dunhill scent) Custom clearly lacks in quality: the concept is really nice, but the notes smell a bit flat, unsubstantial and, well, cheap. With some more budget, this could have been one of the best designers of the last decade. As-is, it's still quite good, just feeling a bit like a “missed chance”.

6,5/10

Boozy, warm and sweet that's not overtly so. I get more of a candied or caramelly apple, but not so much of the black pepper (there's a hint of sharpness but just a smidge). A great choice for chill overcast days but works well also in the heat, just tame down on the sprays. Reminds me of Dirty English, which I also love. Classy bottle. Rather hard to come by I believe so I'm glad I added it to my 'drobe.

No doubt all brands are respectable for me as my reviews are truly then let me saying in my opinion ALFRED DUNHILL ever been wane in these years.where is a sophisticated warm fragrance like DUNHILL(2003) or where is a great fresh fragrance like DESIRE BLUE?I dont want saying this is a bad smell but i expected something much better than CUSTOM.a generic and repetitive fragrance who it is not suitable for a great brand like DUNHILL. anyway it is intensely masculine.nice but without depth. pleasant,masculine, spicy,formal and cute.

It starts off with an initial blast of fresh fruity notes(red apple)which quickly gives way to spicy notes(pepper)and incense notes.this combintion is perfect for formal occasions.the only thing i like about this EDT is balanced notes as well as a subtle smell that does not bore as it has an spicy edge to it.CUSTOM is definitely for autumn / winter weather. the bottle looks nice however this bottle and this combination are simulator to a rich and heavy scent.in my opinion if you are looking for a scent like this one AMBRE BALDESSARINI is a better choice.

I had really high hopes because I love the notes but I can hardly smell it and it doesn't seem to last. I wish it was a bit more pushy like other spicy fragrances.