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Nobile Royalty by Alexander da Costa

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I have finally gotten around to picking up a full bottle of this fragrance untried. The reviews I have perused , coupled with the economical price in EDP strength, were the determining factor. It has proved to be a very good hunch and an outstanding addition to my wardrobe for the warmer months.

Is it possible for this bargain-basement masculine to be as good ( or dare I say better) than its formidable namesake....Gucci Nobile? Let's face it, Gucci Nobile is a legend in this hobby and pulls down some extraordinary prices. I have owned it and thought highly of it. I won't say it's as good as prices dictate, but good is good. Before the value versus availability got out of hand, Gucci Nobile was one helluva purchase.

Enter Nobile Royalty by da Costa. I paid under $10 for 100ml sans shipping for an EDP formula and no sooner I received it at the P.O., I sprayed some on my hand. 10 minutes of analyzing made me realize a side by side comparison had to be done. This smelled too good and too close to Gucci Nobile not to do one.

Now wearing both, one on each hand, the similarities were apparent in the opening and mids. The da Costa is a slighter brighter version of Gucci, but the accords a remarkably related for the first 15 minutes. I have heard the "grass clippings" analogy of Nobile Royalty and while that may hold "some" water, the same has always been true for Gucci Nobile. These are Fresh Fougere's that are as fresh as they are green. These 2 only part ways slightly in the base accord with the da Costa staying brighter and more pronounced with an emphasis on moss/musk and the Gucci with its musk over subtle moss.

The notes these 2 have in common are : Bergamot, Lemon, Lavender, Geranium, Cedar, Sandal, Patchouli, Oakmoss and Musk. They are also aligned in the accords the same way and in basically the same amounts. I am still smelling and comparing the 2 and as heretical as it sounds, I actually favor the da Costa for it's more pronounced accords, but both are so good at what they do, it doesn't matter except for the price differential.

Gucci Nobile is a great scent, but it will have to move over and take a back seat to Nobile Royalty. The price and the aroma are too much to overcome. Please excuse me now while I douse myself in liquid grass clippings.
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Comments

  1. SugandarajaJune 25, 2010 at 2:13 PM

    Cool, never heard of either of these.

    Sometimes the copy is better than the original, I find ( the one I always think of is Ambre Sultan vs. Ambre 114 ).

    ReplyDelete
  2. AromiEroticiJune 25, 2010 at 10:53 PM

    Yea bro.....Gucci Nobile is a classic, but for the money, Nobile Royalty can't be beat.

    ReplyDelete
  3. FurleyApril 21, 2013 at 7:26 PM

    I have been looking for Nobile Royalty recently and have not been able to find it for less than $100 online (Amazon etc). Has this also been discontinued?

    ReplyDelete
  4. AromiEroticiApril 21, 2013 at 9:15 PM

    I believe so, but it could also be nothing more than price gouging due to word of mouth and its similarities to Gucci. Hard to tell with bargain brands on whether or not they are still in production.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Gary near NYCJanuary 11, 2014 at 10:31 AM

    I think opportunistic sellers saw that Alexander da Costa didn't produce a huge amount of inventory, so they employed their capital to BUY OUT ALL AVAILABLE INVENTORY. And now, they sit on their golden mattress and attempt to get 6 times the profit by selling small amounts slowly over time. Otherwise, it just doesn't make sense that Alexander da Costa, not doing all that well with fragrances, would ditch a potential winner like this.

    ReplyDelete

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