Polo Modern Reserve

This may be blasphemous to some, but I find Modern Reserve superior to the original. The OG Polo, after some time, became abrasive and caustic smelling to me. As always, fragrance is subjective, but I believe my opinion has some merit.

I do not care for the vast majority of modern masculines and I also believe the days of terrific designer fragrances is well past us and never to return.

With that said, Modern Reserve is designed with smoothness in mind. While both Polo's are leather oriented masculines, there are huge differences in notes and accords. Modern Reserve is based on different types of leathers with one being suede. There are subtle whiffs of basil, vetiver and jasmin, but the myrrh eludes me and patchouli doesn't show until well into the drydown. Even then, it is very subtle. The vetiver increases as the scent goes into the basenotes and becomes prominent.

All in all, Modern Reserve is a pretty decent leather masculine. The quality of ingredients may be slightly inferior to the original and M.R. uses less notes overall, yet it's a better fragrance. Smoother sometimes is better.