New Barbour Intense fragrances offer a strong scent for every season

When you're buying a luxury men's fragrance, there are a few things you're probably looking for. Smelling good is obviously a must, but you'll also want a neat bottle design and a good brand name behind it.

For most of us, longevity is also a must. The current market is seeing a trend of stronger scents for exactly this reason – while higher dilutions are more intense, they also stick around for much longer.

That's exactly what Barbour has done with its new collection of Intense fragrances. The blueprint is simple – take their iconic Heritage, Origins and Coastal fragrances and ramp up the oil dilution for a stronger hit.

I got hands-on – or, I guess, nose-on – with all three at a recent event hosted by The Fragrance Shop. They have the range exclusively in the UK, and we're keen to show off the benefits of a stronger scent.

The Fragrance Shop Barbour Heritage Intense: £90 at The Fragrance Shop

The most quintessentially masculine of the three fragrances, this is a real peach. Strong base notes like Cedarwood and Sandalwood really come into their own in a stronger concentration. My personal favourite from the range.

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The Fragrance Shop Barbour Origins Intense: £90 at The Fragrance Shop

For most, I suspect this will be the Goldilocks scent in the collection. It's not too much if anything, with a really balanced profile that will suit a lot of people. It definitely leans on the younger side, with a strong sweetness, but will make a happy part of most collections.

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The Fragrance Shop Barbour Coastal Intense: £90 at The Fragrance Shop

With a design inspired by the Northumberland coastline, you get real freshness from this scent. It's certainly not what I'd pick right now, but come springtime, this will be the perfect accompaniment to the slow rejuvenation of the natural world around you.

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As you might expect from a brand so grounded in style, the bottles here are absolutely wonderful. A sleek, matte black finish is accented with a strip of tartan near the base.

It's a curved bottle, though, which was a little awkward to hold. It's not a deal breaker but it's worth knowing.

The power of the concentrated scent is really noticeable, too. I sprayed a little from a tester while writing this piece to get me back in the zone, and the fragrance has spread around the entire house.

While I haven't given it a full day test, I have no trouble believing that this will stick around for the 8-12 hours claimed. That's a really beneficial thing, because it ensures a little can go a really long way. That's better for your wallet in the long run – you can buy less and still enjoy a powerful scent.