Let’s talk about Azzaro’s Wanted by Night. If you’re new to the world of heavy winter or nighttime fragrances, this one is an amazing segue into that world. It’s quite good; sweet, but not cloying, heavy but not too heavy, warming but not unpleasantly so.
This is more than some generic, sweet-synthetic mess; it’s a “good” fragrance, offering personality and quality at a very affordable price.
I love a good deal, and I love quality, and this scent delivers on both fronts. As a flanker to Azzaro’s Wanted, I find Wanted by Night to be more interesting than Wanted and more versatile than The Most Wanted.
If you’re interested in a sweet masculine cologne for night-time, date nights, or just the cooler weather in general, you can’t go wrong with this scent.
Personal Impressions
I had smelled the standard Azzaro Wanted before, and was relatively impressed; it smelled good, but did not wow me in any way. Wanted by Night, on the other hand, I found surprising. Particularly, the evolution of this scent on the skin is wonderful.
I must disclose that I am a huge fan of dark, sweet, and dynamic scents, so keep that in mind as we go through my personal opinions of this fragrance.
I wore this one around during Autumn days, cool nights, and even while it was snowing. I felt that these settings offered the perfect testing environment for Wanted by Night, and I was really able to get a good sense of its personality and how it develops differently at different times.
I found that this cologne reacted really well with my personal skin chemistry, but I also don’t think skin chemistry plays as much of a role in this scent as it does in others (see: Lalique’s Encre Noire).
Regardless, as it progresses, it increases in richness, depth, and, in my personal opinion, playfulness. This scent is surprisingly fun.
The sweetness is cut by some nice spice, and I found myself walking around in my own little bubble of warmth. It was really nice.
Now that we’ve gotten that done, let’s take a look at the note breakdown and the actual smell here.
Scent
Wanted by Night is a warm-spicy, fruity scent. It’s relatively synthetic, but still retains a sensual sort of essence. Here are the notes that make up Wanted by Night:
Top Notes:
- Cinnamon
- Mandarin Orange
- Lavender
- Lemon
Middle Notes:
- Fruity Notes
- Incense
- Red Cedar
- Cumin
Base Notes:
When I first read this note breakdown, I was surprised; cinnamon, up top? While usually a middle or base note, the cinnamon here offers a spice-forward approach that foreshadows the soft smoothness to come. I really like it.
In the opening, the cinnamon mixes well with the brighter citrus of the mandarin orange and the zest-like lemon note. The lavender helps smooth the whole thing over and add in a relaxing quality that counterbalances the spiciness and acidity. The cinnamon isn’t too woody; instead, it’s powdery and soft.
Things get interesting in the middle. The fruity notes add a darkness and a bit of red-tinged syrupy sweetness. The red cedar adds a Christmas tree like woody accord, while the incense adds in some subtle smoke. The cumin is fantastic, bringing an earthiness that has a great grounding effect.
The result is a dark, sweet aroma that is kept masculine by the earthiness and woody cedar.
In the base, the earthiness and woodiness get taken up a notch. As such, so does the masculinity. Cedar, with the introduction of benzoin, patchouli, and iso-e super create a rich chorus of woods. These offset the sweetness of the vanilla and the softness of the leather, and compliment the earthiness of the tobacco.
If all those notes are confusing, think of it this way: on first spray, you get a relatively fresh, powdery, fruity smell. Around an hour or two in, the scent darkens and gets sweeter. It also gets sweeter and more interesting. Around four hours in, it develops into something much woodier and more masculine, while retaining the sweetness and warmth.
The overall vibe of this scent is playful and fun while also being inviting because of the warmth. I would say that it is attention grabbing, and not at all an office scent. You will, in the right situation, get a fair number of compliments.
Wanted by Night is a soft scent, without too many sharp edges. If you like fragrances that have some bite to them, I’d suggest looking elsewhere. However, if you want something very smooth while still being attention grabbing and quite sexy, Wanted by Night could be a great option for you.
Performance
Azzaro Wanted by Night performs very well. In terms of regular use (just wearing the scent out, not doing any crazy physical activity), I would say that it lasts around 8 hours.
It projects quite a bit for the first four to five hours before settling into more of a skin scent.
Sillage is good too. For the first hour, you’ll have a pretty far-reaching scent bubble, although it won’t be cloying or overpowering. Afterwards, you’ll have a nice scent bubble maybe two feet in radius. Keep in mind that this is with around three or four sprays.
Overall, performance is quite good.
Who Is This Scent Good For?
This cologne is good for anyone looking to get into the world of sweet, cold weather perfume for men. It’s very wearable, so it’s great even if you’ve never worn a darker scent, and it’s interesting enough that, even if you own twenty scents of this genre, it will smell new to you.
If you’re the kind of person who likes cold weather fashion, blizzards, and taking walks on cold nights, this scent is for you. If you aren’t afraid of smelling sweet, this cologne is for you.
If you’re under the impression that a man should smell manly all the time, please look elsewhere (see: Bleu de Chanel).
I would also say that this scent is good for someone who likes attention, but doesn’t go out of his way for it, and who is just as happy to give his attention to someone or something else as he is to receive it.
When To Wear It
Six words: fall, winter, cool nights, dates, parties.
This is a great warming scent, so fall, winter, and cold nights really bring out the best of this cologne. Additionally, the spiciness and woods react very well to these cooler temperatures.
The sweetness also makes this scent quite good for clubbing and partying. I’ve found that its louder nature helps attract compliments, and the playfulness really shines.
I wouldn’t wear Wanted by Night to the office or to any sort of professional events. I would even steer clear of this guy on formal dinners, as the sweetness could be off-putting in serious situations.
Similar Fragrances
If you’re looking for a scent similar to Azzaro Wanted by Night, we have a few options for you to choose from.
- Paco Rabanne’s One Million Prive offers a similarly sweet experience with a more youthful twist to it.
- Jean Paul Gaultier’s Ultra Male is one of the best smelling scents I’ve ever witnessed, performs fantastic, and gets lots of compliments. It’s also moody, and extremely interesting.
- Viktor and Rolf’s Spicebomb says it all in the name. If you like soft fragranaces with a ton of spice, this is one to check out.
- Boss Bottled The Scent Intense is a little less sweet than Wanted by Night, and offers a more professional take while still being playful and fun.
- La Nuit de L’Homme is another scent that is quite similar, but is more elegant and classy. It’s also far darker and far more mysterious, with a charming sensuality that you don’t smell everyday. Read our La Nuit de L’Homme review for more info.
If This Was A Color…
It would be a dark, burnished gold with a decisive syrupy texture.
Where To Buy
Conclusion
Overall, we highly recommend Wanted by Night as an excellent warm-spicy scent or an entry into the world of sweet men’s perfumery. Sensual, attention grabbing, and interesting, this scent is sure to impress.
We hope you enjoyed this review of Azzaro Wanted by Night. Happy sniffing!
