Hero

Burberry's Hero, composed by Aurélien Guichard and released in 2021, is a pared-back woody scent for men built almost entirely around cedar. Everyone who describes it calls it woody, and about a third add spicy or citrus.

The structure is deliberately simple. It opens with bergamot, a clean, slightly bitter citrus brightness. The heart adds juniper, which is crisp and gin-like, and black pepper, which gives a dry, sharp bite, so the middle feels fresh and a little bracing. The base is three cedars at once, Atlas, Virginia and Himalayan, which together give a dry, pencil-shaving woodiness that ranges from slightly sweet to smoky, and this is where the scent spends most of its time.

Most wearers find both longevity and sillage moderate, with a minority calling the sillage intimate, so it stays close and composed rather than projecting. It is voted mainly for daytime and for autumn and spring, which makes it an understated, easy office or everyday scent for someone who likes clean woods without sweetness.

Hero — for men fragrance by Burberry (released 2021). Top notes: Bergamot. Heart notes: Juniper, Black Pepper. Base notes: Atlas Cedar, Virginian Cedar, Himalayan Cedar. — Parfica open fragrance database