Aaron Terence Hughes is one of those dazzling personalities in the perfume industry who stand out for their eccentricity and appearance. Loved by some, hated by others - as if there is nothing in between. Although his voice is very pleasant and I find his "quirkiness" and the way he analyzes and describes fragrances really amusing, his arrogance and - to a certain extent - arrogance can sometimes be quite annoying. But that's just the way it is with these VIPs; some of them let their success go to their heads and develop this basic attitude of being better than everyone else.
Of course, none of this should have any influence on the objective evaluation of a fragrance. After all, what ultimately counts are not big words and chemical terms that nobody knows anyway. No, we want to smell good and that's that. The question now is: do we do that with "Icon | Aaron Terence Hughes"?
Immediately after spraying it on, I notice a very synthetic apple note. The biting, indefinable accord in the nose could be the salt note - not everyone's cup of tea, but I like it. There is also a slight hint of citrus in the background, but the fragrance is clearly NOT a citrus fragrance and that's a good thing - I don't need another one.
As the fragrance progresses, the artificial apple fades into the background and the lavender becomes more and more prominent. It smells very natural and has that slight spiciness that I love so much about this note. The grapefruit, despite its place in the fragrance pyramid, is at most embedded in homeopathic doses. Rather, the fragrance unfolds in this phase as a spicy, almost woody aquatic and slowly comes to rest.
In the drydown, you are enveloped by a gentle, ambery woodiness and can enjoy the above-average longevity of this fragrance. It easily lasts 10-12 hours, after which "Icon | Aaron Terence Hughes" is still subtly perceptible and even vaguely recognizable on the skin the next day. I would even advise against spraying clothing altogether if you plan to spray the same item of clothing with something else in the near future.
Conclusion: So this is it, my first ATH fragrance. I hesitated for a long time and then finally bought it, but I don't regret it for a second. Yes, the basic structure of the perfume is more like a designer than a niche fragrance. The similarities to
Invictus Eau de Toilette and its flanker
Invictus Platinum are unmistakable, but may even be intentional on Aaron's part. The fragrance is not intended to tell an elaborate and sophisticated story. First and foremost, it should be fun and put the wearer in a party mood. Thanks to the Beastmode performance, it effortlessly lasts a whole night and still puts you in a good mood even after many hours without being overpowering. Icon | Aaron Terence Hughes" convinced me all along the line!
Top Notes 
Apple
Italian bergamot
Sicilian mandarin orange
Heart Notes 
Grapefruit
Lavender
Salty notes
Base Notes 
Amber
Cedarwood
Sandalwood
Vanilla
Fortlandia
Adobo83
ASCphoto
