Hugo Boss Orange Man Review Eau de Toilette (AKA Hugo Boss Man) – Released 2011

Updated 28th of September 2020

Hey guys, here is a confusingly named fragrance for you! Based on the name 'orange', you would be justified anticipating a citrus burst in the fragrance top notes. But it’s not there… Hugo Boss Orange does NOT have an orange/citrus note in the fragrance. Shock! Gasp! Sorry to all those reviewers who discuss how Boss Orange this is just another unoriginal citrus fragrance... maybe a name such as Hugo Boss Apple would have been more helpful.

So why label the fragrance as ‘orange’? The name Hugo Boss Orange relates to a clothing range. For example, there was Hugo Boss Green, and Hugo Boss Orange. Unfortunate…But don’t let this stop you – If you like Hugo Boss fragrances, rest assured it’s one of the best and most unique Hugo Boss fragrances out there.

Quick product guide

	Hugo Boss Orange Man • AKA Boss Man • Oriental Spicy fragrance family
	Hugo Boss Bottled • Launched in 1998 • Oriental Fougere fragrance family

The Product

So we are all clear the product we are looking at here yes? It’s apples, not oranges. Check. Oh but wait, as of 2018 the Hugo Boss Orange range is no longer in existence. So what happened to Hugo Boss Orange fragrance? After the range departure, this product is now labelled simply as Hugo Boss Man. The product is still sold and discussed online as Hugo Boss Orange Man, but the box says otherwise…

While the box has changed, thankfully the product has not.

So what is the fragrance?

The Hugo Boss promotional picture helps here:

We see apple, vanilla, and frankincense. That’s a good start. The main notes missing in their picture are pepper (Hugo boss state Szechuan pepper), and the woody notes (African Bubinga wood). As you can see, it’s quite a simple fragrance, but it is done well. It opens with a delightfully sweet and intense fresh apple and spice. It’s sweet, but not overly sweet. Many reviewers liken the opening to a spicy apple pie. I can relate – in particular it matches my recollection of apple pie baked with with whole cloves (which I nervously worried I would accidentally consume!). But I wouldn’t go so far as to consider this a gourmand fragrance – the frankincense smokiness pulls it back. Indeed give it a few hours, and the vanilla and frankincense dominate, but a pleasing residual fruitiness remains. At this stage, the wood notes also become more obvious. It’s a pleasant progression. Boss Orange is a natural scent, and at no times does it come across as synthetic.

In terms of performance, its sillage and longevity are not lacking. A couple of sprays, and you catch a whiff through the day, and on your clothes it’s present for over 24 hours plus. It will typically last around 10 hours on skin.

Boss Orange vs Boss Bottled

If you compare this to Hugo Boss Bottled, Boss Orange has more spice and frankincense, and a heavier vanilla. Boss Bottled brings in cinnamon, which isn’t there in Boss Orange. Both have a similar theme around the apple, and the later stages of the fragrance have a strong resemblance. Both are delightful. But the sillage and longevity of Boss Orange win. Boss Orange certainly deserves more respect than it gets.

Who is this fragrance for?

It’s marketed towards younger men. It is a casual scent. It’s a fun scent. This would be perfect for smart casual occasions. It’s safe for the office, but probably wouldn’t work well in a very formal setting. It could even be worn by a woman if the spicy aspect isn’t too much. Boss Orange frankincense may be a bit much on a hot summer day, but the rest of the year – no problem. Enjoy!

Now that we’re done comparing apples and oranges, how about some peaches?