For the most part, I like Intenso. When I tried it, I didn’t really know what to expect because the only other Dolce & Gabbana fragrance I had tried was Light Blue, which is extremely subtle and airy. As the name implies, this is definitely more intense, but not overtly so as to be too deep or assertive. It was released by Dolce & Gabbana in 2014 to be heavier with emotion than previous fragrances, but still falling nicely into their earlier Pour Homme line, evoking a confident masculinity rooted in tradition but updated for modern tastes. It opens with notes of Basil, Lavender, and Marigold, providing us with the intensity that is promised by the name, but it evolves very rapidly after being sprayed. Those top notes are rather quickly replaced with more woody, almost musty notes of old tobacco, Clary Sage, and, surprisingly, Hay, a note that you don’t expect to find in many scents. But it’s definitely there, and honestly, I’m glad it really doesn’t linger for long, because the Hay is what gives this fragrance that slightly musty smell after its initial impact has worn off. The dry-down base is what you get after only 30 minutes or so, and this is what this scent is all about; this is where the magic happens. Notes of Cypress, Labdanum, Sandalwood, and Musk blend very well to give Intenso a warm, woody, subtly resinous vibe. Clean, herbal, and smooth. Becoming only moderately masculine and not as in-your-face as when you first spray it.