109 Eros

109 goes straight for the most recognisable part of Versace Eros - a cool mint-and-lemon opening crashing into sweet green apple - and gets that contrast across reasonably well, even if the mint feels slightly muted next to the original's sharper, more medicinal freshness. Tonka bean and ambroxan carry the heart, and this is the crux of the comparison: Eros built its reputation on an unusually radiant, almost luminous ambroxan that projects for hours, and 109's version is noticeably quieter and heavier, trading that glow for a denser, more straightforwardly sweet tonka-vanilla feel. Geranium adds a touch of green to keep it from turning purely gourmand. The base of vanilla, vetiver, oakmoss and cedar lands the woody-sweet finish Eros is known for, but again without the reach - expect this to sit close to the skin rather than filling a room the way the original does. A fine budget option for the flavour profile, not the performance.