Divisive, bold, and unapologetically peppery. Marc Jacobs Bang is a love-it-or-hate-it scent that has garnered a cult following despite its performance issues and discontinuation. It's a statement, not a whisper.

A budget read of Tom Ford's Bois Marocain - the same dry, peppery cedar-and-incense spine, but Vernacular Wood renders it flatter and more linear. The smoky cypress edge that gives the original its quiet authority is softened here, and the woods turn a touch synthetic on the drydown. A capable office-woody if you want the silhouette without the price.