DIOR HOMME INTENSE : 4-batches review.

Dior Homme, in the EDP ("Intense") version, launched in 2007, had a lot of controversies in the past two years , when it was said that this perfume had been "drastically reformulated".
The fact took place in second half of 2011: in that year there were slightly changes in outer packages, and some details of the bottles changed, too.
The "reformulation" news sparked a wave of frenzy and rushes to buy bottles of  "vintage" Dior Homme Intense ("vintage" is an unusual term here, since we're talking about a perfume launched in 2007... ), resulting in increased prices and speculations of all kinds.
In this article, a possibly accurate analysis of the alleged differences between the various "vintages" of Dior Homme Intense will occur, using two bottles for the period alleged "pre-reformulation ", and two for the same period post-reformulation .

Assuming that reformulation happened in 2011, we have:
- a bottle batched year 2008
- a bottle batched year 2009
- a bottle batched year 2012
- a bottle batched year 2013
(see pictures below)
The test was conducted according to the rules of the "blind test" ( you will find a summary here )

RESULTS
The most important question to answer is: did a reformulation happen, or not? Well, the answer is: yes, it's likely that a reformulation happened. This because the difference between the two samples batched year 2008 and 2009, as compared to the one batched year 2012, it's real.
So, it's likely a reformulation really happened.

But what you need to add two things:
1 - the first is that the reformulation is light. The "reformulated" scent (year 2012) is 80% similar to the previous ones (2008 and 2009). And what about differences? Differences are related to the (apparent) intensity of the Iris note. "Dior Homme Intense", in fact, is one of the strongest Iris perfumes on the market today:  in this perfume, the Iris note plays a pivotal role.
In the pre-2011 batches, the Iris note seems at the same level as other notes.
In the post-2011 batches, looks like other notes are attenuated, and the Iris note domains the scene.
But be careful: this is the difference, but it does not seem so drastic, at least not to justify changes in prices and wild hoardings.
2 - Second: an interesting element is that the 2013 batch looks more similar to the pre-reformulation (2008 and 2009), rather than the 2012 one. Iris note is on par with other notes. It would seem that, since 2013, Dior Homme Intense "returned" to previous versions.

CONCLUSIONS:
Discussions about the reformulation of Dior Homme Intense seem to be the classic "storm in a tea cup".
The scent remains excellent in all its versions, and differences between "vintage" and "modern" are not so drastic. It is not even possible to say if a batch is better or worse than the others, because the quality is always high and differences are not so pronounced.
Quite simply, if you prefer a dominant Iris note (as many people do) try the bottles produced in the second half of 2011 and in 2012; but if you prefer a slightly more balanced aroma between the various components, look for bottles 2007 to 2011, or those products since 2013.
In any case, if you like Dior Homme regardless, will not go wrong.


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9Y02 = November 2009
3V01 = August 2013

8V01 = August 2008
2N01 = January 2012

Blind Test (an overview here) 

Blind Test (an overview here)

Plus:

Kouros by Yves Saint Laurent, visual guide (here)

Fahrenheit by Christian Dior, visual guide  (here)

Azzaro pour Homme by Azzaro, visual guide (here)

Drakkar Noir by Guy Laroche, visual guide (here)

Opium by Yves Saint Laurent, visual guide (here)

Samsara by Guerlain, visual guide (here) 

and others..