Defy Eau de Parfum Calvin Klein cologne – a new fragrance for men 2022

Honestly….

Not a bad entry level type leather fragrance. Fresh, semi spicy opening that quickly transitions into a clean leather with lingering hints of the sweet mandarin orange… It does get slightly earthy / woody with the dry down.. as the Vetiver comes forward more..

I was pleasantly surprised.

For the right price.. and if you are someone looking to get into leather forward fragrance, not a bad option.

Hugo The Scent and many of its flankers are also decent options.. although with the Manika fruit (and other notes…) those are a bit more nuanced, especially as you get into the flankers. Defy edp is even more leather / suede forward..

For an inexpensive “brown / dry” leather… Banana Republic 83 Leather Reserve isn’t a bad option.. Although that leans on the more unique side of things. But if found in a rack store, it is inexpensive.

Salvatore Ferragamo Intense Leather is another option for an entry level leather. And has “blue” appeal like Defy edp.

Personally, I would go with SF Intense Leather for entry level leather. Then try something like Cremo Vintage Suede and or Afnans Rare Carbon. Then fragrances like Tom Ford Ombré Leather, etc…

Anyway… Decent, mass appealing leather. Not bad, not great.

* EDIT *

When I saw the comparison to CK Eternity Now (sweet, vanilla, coconut type scent.) I didn’t see the relation and felt they were very far from each other… However, after a couple wearings / testing. All of a sudden I was getting this coconut/ fig / fig leaf accord.. I forgot what I had on for a minute. In the deep dry down.. it definitely gets to a very light coconut/fig-fig leaf.. I pick it up more as fig/fig leaf.. it isn’t as sweet and supple as coconut/ Eternity Now.. But I do see where people would pick that up. You still get the leather.. but there is a woody fig feel to it. I would compare it more to something like Marc Jacobs for Men. Not so much the entire fragrance dna.. But that specific accord in the dry down.