Distiller's Blend / Reserve Blend
Cremo

The next in my exploration of the value-priced CREMO line is Distiller’s Blend from their Reserve Collection. As the name suggests, notes include Kentucky Bourbon. There is also a smoked vetiver note and—as another nod to its distiller’s theme--American oak. Within the oak genus Quercus are over 300 individual species, but American oak is Quercus Alba which is the variety of oak used for the barrels for aging whiskey and it is these oak barrels which give California Chardonnay its famous oaky taste.

If this is whiskey, then it is a Whiskey Sour cocktail. I get a strong citrus note running through all stages of this scent, even though it is not listed. There is a sweetness, too, which is a hallmark of that cocktail (a Whiskey Sour has only three ingredients: whiskey, lemon juice and simple syrup, traditionally garnished with a Maraschino cherry). Instead of being a smoky, woody, boozy blend, I think that it is more of a rich citrus scent, more along the lines of Dunhill’s Icon than boozy scents like Bentley for Men Intense.

I originally bought the body wash and loved the smell, so I bought the fragrance as well and unfortunately as is the case many times with body washes and perfumes of the same name...(I'm looking at you Pino Sylvestre), the body wash smells infinitely better.

This perfume smells overly synthetic with a sweetness that is cloying to me. It does last, that's for sure, but it beats my nose to a pulp in the process and I have to throw up the white flag and scrub it off.

The body wash by contrast smells like a whiskey that's been aged in an oak cask...why couldn't they have just reproduced that smell with the fragrance? It makes no sense. Thumbs up for the body wash and way down for the fragrance.

Candy-sweet citrus with some clean, woody dryness. It doesn't evolve much from the opening but for the price, this doesn't smell cheap or overly cloying.

Not getting any boozy notes. Actually, I feel like all of the listed notes aren't reflected in this scent.

It reminds me of a less musky version of Bulgari Tygar. Lots of synthetic, candied grapefruit and ambroxan. I also see comparisons with TdH. I guess so, but this is sweeter and cleaner, there's no dirty orange in Reserve Blend.

Performance is solid for me with good projection and 10+ hours longevity. I can still smell it on clothes the following day.