Epic Man is one of Amouage's most divisive. Most adore its dark, complex spicy character, but a vocal minority find it bland, or, worse, detect a foul note. Performance is a common sticking point; many newer bottles disappoint with poor projection and longevity.

A budget take on Xerjoff Groove Xcape. The metallic pepper-cardamom-ginger flash drifting into incense, resins and a benzoin-labdanum base captures the original's spicy, dreamlike balsamic oriental; this dupe flattens some of the resinous depth and gives up the Xerjoff's polished radiance.