Like its moniker suggests, Burberry Hero is made for the victors who walk amongst us: the everyday people including you and me.

Speak forth the word hero, and there comes a fervent desire to reach for the stars like a Saturday morning cartoon character or stir up expectations of a man’s make. Heroes come in all shapes and sizes; anyone is capable of rising to the occasion and performing a feat of bravado.

We could even be talking about perfumes in this context, how perfumers behind storied Houses aim to distill the essence of a champion with a top, middle, and base reminiscent of the wit of Perseus, the courage of Theseus, and the strength of Hercules respectively.

Burberry Hero — the 2021 bouquet by Aurélien Guichard and Ricardo Tisci’s first perfume for the brand — is intrepid in its make because there is no “tint” to its technique. Even while perfumers “colour” within the vessels and imagery of their waters (green for spring, blue for summer like Burberry Element, and rusts for autumn), Burberry Hero is a neutral yellow-beige with simple advertising imagery of Adam Driver saddled on a horse.

The former telegraphs Guichard and Tisci’s taste about what being a man means today while the latter is open to one’s interpretation (perhaps, a nod to Bellerophon who rode on Pegasus).

Within the waters of the fragrance, however, is what we call a “true” scent — one that smells exactly of the notes used in it. Spicy and zesty notes of bergamot, pepper, and juniper percolate in its opening before the blue-blooded spirit of Burberry oozes through this perfume. It is as posh as it is pleasing with notes of incense, oakmoss, and leather giving it some heat. Guichard’s magnum opus with the fragrance however would be its full-blooded cedar heart.

A trio of cedar variants are blended harmoniously — the Virginian, Atlas and Himalayan cedar offering freshness, sweetness and darkness respectively. With a single spritz of Burberry Hero, the trifecta of trees allows one to smell grounded in today’s reality of manhood as he juggles power, freedom, and strength while navigating the world and relationships around him.

“Burberry Hero represents the duality between strength and sensibility. A scent that would represent the timelessness of Burberry and at the same time the sense of modernity. A blend of universality and uniqueness. The scent expresses the animality that is inside each man and at the same time a true humanity.” says Guichard. In short, it is a cologne that lives the life of its wearer and most definitely, comes with wonderful sillage for the summer.

Burberry Hero is available at major department stores including their online platforms: Sephora, BHG, Metro, TANGS and Takashimaya. It is priced at $195 for 150ml,$164 for 100ml, and $118 for 50ml.