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Greetings, gentleman; following up on my last and rather disappointing review of Jimmy Choo Man, I thought I would give this house another shot. Therefore, I have decided to try Jimmy Choo Urban Hero, a contemporary, woody, spicy fragrance for men. It was released in 2019, followed by its flanker Jimmy Choo Urban Hero “Gold Edition,” which I will discuss in another article. For now, I’ll focus on the original.
What’s it all about, then?
“Jules Dedet, the renowned street artist, is the aptly chosen face of our new Urban Hero fragrance – a nod to the confident, mysterious man with a hint of rebellion. Ideal for spontaneous city nights, it gives off intense woody notes, such as grey amber and leather accord, which mix with warm black pepper and sensual rosewood, before being offset with fresh lemon caviar.”
So we’ve gone from Kit Harrington to Jules Dedet. Admittedly, I have no idea who Jules Dedet is, and I can’t say I am a massive fan of street art, but if you are, this could be the fragrance for you.
Let’s see if it’s any good and worth your dosh.
Appearance and Presentation
The bottle design is bland and generic, similar to the last one I reviewed. Given the name, I was expecting something a little more “street”, but it appears to be quite the opposite. I’m sure it would look excellent in an overpriced department store, but not so much on my shelf, sadly. Let us look at a quote from Mr Choo himself regarding where some of the inspiration came from.
“Reflecting the refined yet daring Jimmy Choo man, its mirrored chrome bottle comes with a chevron-printed cap and matte silver sides.”
Price and where to buy?
It’s is not exactly what I would call “budget friendly”. Remember, this is an EDP (Eau de Parfum), and these tend to have higher price tags than your typical cologne or EDT (Eau de Toilette).
Is the price reasonable? It could be, depending on how much you enjoy these kinds of scents, and I’ll get into that. However, it is pushing it, and all the hype and celebrity marketing will be included in that price, of course.
When it comes to getting the best deal, your best bet is almost always the discounters — especially when they’re running coupon codes. And the one that’s never let me down is FragranceX.
They ship worldwide, they only deal in authentic stock, and they’ve got a solid 30-day return policy, which keeps things risk-free.
Prices do move around (sometimes daily, especially during holiday sales), so it’s always worth checking the current deal. 👇
The Notes
Top Notes – Black Pepper, Finger Lime
Middle Notes – Palisander Rosewood, Vetiver
Base Notes – Leather, Ambergris
My thoughts about the notes
The opening is sweet and fruity due to the finger lime note (also known as lime or lemon caviar). If you’ve never heard of it, it’s essentially an exotic fruit that looks like an odd-shaped lime. It grows in Australia’s subtropical rainforests.
The spicyness of the black pepper is also there, along with a faint oceanic/salty undertone. As it transitions to the mid and base, the woody and vetiver notes begin to surface and remain the most prominent throughout the rest of the dry down. The leather can be detected, although it’s soft and mild.
After the first few minutes of spraying, I could immediately tell that this was a typical designer fragrance composed for the mass market. It lacks uniqueness, and these kinds of scents have been done many times before, which is disappointing. That is not to say that it doesn’t smell good; it’s just generic and predictable, in my opinion.
Is it masculine?
Most other reviews I read about this fragrance agree that it is masculine, although I’m afraid I have to disagree and would even say it’s a little on the feminine side. It has a kind of sex appeal for sure, but masculine? I don’t think so.
Compliments
It’s a nice-smelling fragrance, and you will receive compliments, although it’s unlikely to blow anyone away. The worst thing you could do is overspray, as it will quickly lose its balance and become oversweet and nauseating. Try to avoid that, and you’ll be fine.
Want to try this fragrance on your skin?
If you’d prefer to sample it first, these are my two favourite
and most reliable places to get authentic decants:
Performance
For an EDP (Eau De Parfum), the performance is “okay” but could be better. It has a strong opening and will quickly fill a room, but be aware that it will soon fade after around 30 minutes. From there on, you can expect it to project moderately for about 2 hours, and most people within about arm’s length will be able to pick up on it. It will then remain close to the skin for the remaining 2-3 hours of its life before disappearing completely.
There’s nothing to get too excited about regarding the performance, as it’s pretty average.
When to wear
As a rule of thumb, spicy/woody fragrances like Urban Hero will work best in the colder seasons. You’ll want to avoid it in the heat as it may get cloying, and nobody wants that.
Where to wear
If you wear it in the right season, it’s generally safe for most occasions, although it would be particularly well suited for evening wear. It could be worn in the office, but I recommend something fresher and floral for this environment, as they tend to be less offensive.
Should you buy?
It’s okay and will do the job, but for me, it’s just another release from a designer house trying to compete with some of the other big boys in the game. If you are a casual fragrance wearer, you’ll probably like it, but you may find it boring and forgettable if you’ve put your nose to many different fragrances.
This would be acceptable if you are around 20-25 and are just starting your journey of trying out fragrances. If you like fragrances with this kind of DNA, check out Paco Rabanne Invictus (the one with the bottle that looks like a trophy). Urban Hero is somewhat of a copy of Invictus, although the composition of Invictus exceeds in quality.
There you have it, guys; what are your experiences with this one? Do you think it sucks, or is it a sexy little gem? Let me know what you think in the comments below.
READY TO GRAB THIS FRAGRANCE?
If you’re ready to add this to your collection, here are two reliable places to check:
- FragranceX – usually the best prices, discount codes, and a wide selection. They also ship worldwide.
- Amazon – great if you prefer Prime delivery speed, just make sure to buy from a trusted seller.
👉 Pick the option that works best for you.
No matter where you’re reading from, smell good, spend smart.
WANT TO FAST-TRACK ALL OF THIS STUFF?
I put together The Ultimate Fragrance Cheat Sheet—a no-fluff guide that covers everything from notes and families to shopping smart and applying like a pro.
It’s built for guys who want to smell sharp without overthinking it.