Reviews of Valentino Uomo Intense by Valentino

Valentino Uomo Intense to me is all about the Iris note that seems to be the rage right now. I seen that Darvant, whom I highly regard as the best reviewer I have come across here enjoyed this back in 2016 after the initial launch.

I have just acquired a bottle now at the end of 2025 and can say this is honestly a much better performer than DHI Intense ever was.

That is important to me since I am here to spread the joy and create as many CognoScenti-al's as I can so the world smells better! : )

I have to admit, I have not been enthralled by the "Born in Roma" line, they are all just ok to my nose and not premium scents. For the "just ok" I shouldn't be asked to pay premium prices. Love this scent though and can wear it to almost any formal/date night type scenario's.

Had this for a while and have started using it again now in the colder months. Lovely blend of notes with no particular note overwhelming the others. Warm, leathery and sweet and has great performance on my skin.

Valention Uomo Intense is basically the idea of Dior Homme / Intense plus a note of "black leather", whatever that might be. In terms of scent profile, it's close enough to being a flanker of Dior Homme. While it does smell good, there is also a ubiquitous "Sephora scent" note in there that detracts from it.

This idea was conceptualised in Dior Homme, and also perfected in it (2005 or the 2012 variant) and in the Dior Homme Intense that followed. Valentino Uomo Intense naturally has that great idea, but the execution isn't as suave or refined, though it does have a preppy appeal.

3/5

One of the best designers I've had the pleasure of smelling and a winner from Valentino. In the opening you get citrus, iris and leather. The leather has a suede feel. The mid and base end with beautiful iris and tonka bean with the leather taking a backseat but still remaining. Many compare this to Dior Homme Intense. There are slight similarities but they are completely different fragrances and both can find a place in anyone's collection. Big thumbs up!

Probably amazing if you like iris. For me it's a total turn off, even in something clearly quality like this.

So smooth! Warm iris, black leather, tonka powder, a vanilla back of throat low toned, deep growl that mellows to a purrr of comfort. A slightly higher emphasis on iris and tonka than Dior Homme Intense - but the tone is all warm soft leather almost to a gourmand level. Rating 9 of 10 stars - without question. The bottle design is secure in the hand, feels dangerous, looks distinctive on a shelf. Uomo Intense is almost the perfect mens fragrance.

A smoother and more creamy version of dior homme intense, much more approachable, like orange ice-cream with a touch of leather and a good dose of iris ..high quality and beautiful bottle, longivity is a good 12 hours. Would suit any situation dressed up and cosy nights in.

Lasts much longer than original VU, go easy on the sprays. I get the similarities to CDH. This is really good, and just for the added longevity compared to original VU, I'll use it more. Unfortunately after an hour or so it smells so much like original VU, that I'll just go through this bottle and get original VU. It's cheaper, even though it may be sweeter and has less longevity. Should I be disappointed..?

Big iris opening similar to DH but has the extra powdery-chocolate feel that DHI is famous for. Also kinda gives me a cola vibe, kinda like M7. Soft, seductive and dressed up. Great for cooler weather.

Performance is excellent, projects and lasts all day with only a few sprays.

Quality..... This is like a different take on Dior Homme. Much stronger in its lasting power.

It lingers on your skin for a very long time. Very cozy warming scent.

Very cool bottle too.
Massive thumbs up from me.

Easily a Dior Homme flanker. The original was like that as well though it leaned in other directions that led me to wonder what notes would be highlighted in the intense version.
Would not buy this if you already have Dior Homme. On the flip side, if you love the iris based masculinity presented by DH then you'll love this. This is darker too in some applications.

Really great, reminds me of Dior Homme. Lasts a bit longer and has a bit of powder but fantastic all around.

For the first 30 - 45 minutes It's all about the iris. It really is one of the best iris notes I have encountered. Once we get to the mid and base the iris takes a step back and what we are left with is a creamy vanilla with touches of leather and suede.

The fragrance is overly romantic, highly sophisticated and smells way beyond It's price point. The gorgeous bottle is an added bonus.

I will add that while I absolutely loved this fragrance to start with it can become over sickly if you spray too much or use it on consecutive days.

Got a sample of Valetino Uomo Intense from Nordstroms. After a 12hr workday with a midday workout VUI was still going strong! The truth. Great longevity and projection. I have never worn an Iris heavy frag until now. The iris note dominates with the womans makeup bag smell. I didn't really know if I liked the smell but it's kind of addicting in an unusual way. Not a very masculine scent and quite feminine bc of the Iris. The leather scent saves the day and is the only thing preserving the man card. I have mixed emotions on this but I think I like it. Thumbs up.... for now.

That Iris opening fades too quickly! Why do all men fragrances with Iris fade? Yes it may be feminine, but I love the note.

Uomo intense reminds me so much of Dior Homme, especially at its drydown. Dior Homme sticks with the Iris a lot longer which is why I have not bought Uomo Intense yet. DH and VUI smell exactly the same at opening, with VUI smelling somewhat more complex. After 10 minutes, Uomo's Iris note completely fades into a creamy, leathery, vanilla scent which smells delicious but a little too sweet making it not especially versatile or manly. My girlfriend said she could see herself wearing this fragrance due to how sweet it is.

Since I cannot find Dior Homme Intense here in Canada for the life of me, I may eventually pick this up as people keep comparing VUI to vintage DHI.

Packaging: 9.25/10
Quality: 10/10
Scent: 9.5/10
Uniqueness: 6.25/10
Longevity: 8.5/10
Sillage: 7/10
Versatility: 6.75/10

Overall: 8.2

DH/DHI clone, par excellence. Ok, so it's not original. Is it any good? O boy, yes it is. Thick, strong, pungent, "black".

Unlike Dior, no softness, only style and character. It can be a very good substitute for Dior, not because of price, but because of the similar story with different characters.

Good thing is, it's not syrupy sweet. It has some sharpness, dryness and some sort of powderiness that doesn't allow the sweetness go berserk and in the wrong direction.

Conclusion: if you already own any of Dior Homme line (Homme, Intense, Parfum), don't bother. If you had any of those and wish to try something similar or better yet own, go ahead, give Valentino Uomo/Valentino Uomo Intense a chance, it is well deserved.

Originality 4/10
Scent 8/10
Longevity 9/10
Projection 9/10
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75%

This is a nice replacement for the current versions of DH and DHI. Uomo Intense bridges the gap between vintage and reformulation. It leans more towards the vintage side which is what everyone was hoping for. Valentino did an excellent job at listening to thier customer base and giving them exactly what they wanted. Bravo!

Delightful to have discovered this flanker of the also great original. Uomo Intense takes the powdery, gourmand qualities of Uomo (Tonka, Vanilla) and definitely yields a more long lasting, more "visible" fragrance. A distinctive, pleasant scent that I'll never tire of.

A sweet, powdery vanillic scent.

This opens up with powdery Iris reminiscent of that found in DHI. as it dries down it starts to get more sweet from the vanilla and tonka with hints of leather.

Performance is excellent 9/10

Overall score 7.8/10

Excellent. Take the iris note from the original Dior Homme Intense--the iris not everyone raved about--the iris note people paid $250 to smell by buying bottles of the vintage silver collar DHI--and put it in the opening of Uomo Intense. That's how it begins, with that wonderful makeup-like iris, sweet and aromatic and completely distinct. I almost want to say that it's better here--a little more polished and pronounced with the performance turned up a notch. The iris is balanced with a smooth accord of suede and this gives it a cool, luxurious appeal, making it modern and mature at the same time, something to be worn at night when going out. Finally, the iris and leather recede into a base of rich, high quality vanilla. The vanilla is so well done here, sweet without feeling sugary in any way, deep and rich, the perfect smell for someone who's leaning in close to you to bury their nose in. The notes in Uomo Intense make it a distinct and alluring fragrance, the perfect scent to wear on a date. Its performance is excellent, but it never gets loud or obnoxious. While I liked the original Uomo, I thought it was good but not great, a little saccharine at times and clumsy. Uomo Intense is in a different league. This is a GREAT fragrance and its popularity should certainly pick up as more and more people smell it. You can't go wrong with this in my opinion. It's worth sampling for sure and even recommended as a blind buy. Thumbs up!

Whoohah! This is something else, compared to other 2015/2016 releases. The first 5 second are 100% mandarin. Then it does a 360 turn into vanilla. Bold,expensive,and thick vanilla. And some tonka. Smells expensive, luxurious and while its just vanilla, its so different to the fresh spicy woody vanillas. No spices, no wood and not fresh.

I recently tested Valentino Uomo Intense at Lord & Talyor. It is a beautiful, semi-gourmond dominated by notes of Iris and Vanilla. Uomo Intense is both sweet and creamy while remaining masculine. It is not too sweet for my taste nor did it get powdery on me and the quality is definitely there. It will make you feel sexy and sophisticated. I can see the appeal of this new release from Valentino and I must admit I enjoyed wearing it. Performance was good too.

I came to this as I'd already tried Valentino Uomo, and heard this isn't too much of a vast departure from the original. A darker version, they all said....

The first differences to my nose appear to be the dialled down chocolate-hazlenut that was present in Uomo, with iris and leather put more to the fore in this version. I certainly pick up a little medicinal sweetness, reminding me a little of the cherry tobacco note in Pure Havane though without the bombastic A*Men vibes.

By all accounts, the iris places this as being like an intense version of Dior Homme (but NOT a version of Dior Homme Intense), so could be ideal for anyone wanting a better-performing DH that - like me - is less keen on DHI's heavier use of iris. The powder and leather aspects in this also places this near Midnight In Paris as another good comparable fragrance.

Although most ideal for dates / evening wear, this is a relatively safe fragrance that could be worn during the day. However, it projects a bit so watching the sprays is key. Longevity appears average-to-good with at least 5-6 hours on my skin.

Overall, Uomo Intense is different enough from Uomo (especially if you dislike the chocolate notes of the original) to warrant owning both, but it does retain similarities to the already popular Dior Homme. However, the performance on Uomo Intense is a bit more robust, so might provide a good stand-in if you like the scent of DH but find it's performance somewhat lacking (and find DHI's iris a little too much).

My wife loves this cologne. It's a change from my normal profile, softer, more powdery, more vanilla. It's silage is huge, sometimes so huge I worry it's too loud, though in a soft way. It's an interesting change up in my normal rotation.