When the weather turns, two designer fragrances come up again and again: Emporio Armani Stronger With You Intensely and Viktor&Rolf Spicebomb Extreme. Both are warm, sweet and spicy; both are worn by people who want to be noticed in a cold room. They are often compared, and they are genuinely different.
Stronger With You Intensely (2019): the notes
- Opens: pink pepper, juniper, violet
- Heart: toffee, cinnamon, lavender, sage
- Dries down: vanilla, amber, tonka bean, suede
Toffee is the note people remember. Stronger With You Intensely is a sweet fougère: lavender and sage give it a familiar barbershop frame, and toffee, cinnamon, vanilla and tonka fill it with something close to caramel. Suede in the base keeps it soft rather than sticky.
Spicebomb Extreme (2015): the notes
- Notes: vanilla, tobacco, cinnamon, cumin, bourbon whiskey, saffron
- Accents: lavender with caraway and black pepper
Spicebomb Extreme, by Carlos Benaïm and Jean-Christophe Hérault, is less of a dessert and more of a fireplace: tobacco and a boozy bourbon note sit under cinnamon, cumin and saffron, with lavender and black pepper giving it heat. It is sweet, but it reads darker and more grown-up than Stronger With You Intensely.
Side by side
| Stronger With You Intensely | Spicebomb Extreme | |
|---|---|---|
| Character | Caramel, lavender, vanilla | Tobacco, spice, vanilla, whiskey |
| Sweetness | High | Medium-high |
| Feel | Cosy, friendly, youthful | Warm, smoky, mature |
| Best for | Cold days, casual evenings | Winter nights, going out |
Which to try first
If you like sweet and comforting — vanilla, caramel, the smell of a warm jumper — start with Stronger With You Intensely. If you prefer tobacco and spice, and want something that feels a little more serious, start with Spicebomb Extreme. Both are heavy in Egyptian summer; they are at their best from November to March, and a 4 ML decant lasts a whole winter of evenings for most people.
For more warm fragrances, see Summer or winter perfume? and Xerjoff Naxos.
Questions
What does Stronger With You Intensely smell like?
Pink pepper and juniper over a heart of toffee, cinnamon and lavender, drying down to vanilla, amber, tonka and suede. Sweet, warm and cosy.
Is Spicebomb Extreme sweeter than Stronger With You Intensely?
No. Stronger With You Intensely is the sweeter of the two. Spicebomb Extreme is sweet too, but its tobacco, cumin and whiskey notes make it darker and drier.
Are these good for summer in Egypt?
Not really. Both are winter fragrances. In summer, keep them for cool evenings and use one or two sprays.
Are the decants original?
Yes. Both are poured in Cairo from original bottles when you order.