Absolu Aventus Creed 2023

First of all... By chance, I was lucky enough to stumble upon the website of a small perfumery from France at just the right time, which had the fragrance available for sale. I immediately ordered it, and shortly thereafter, it was sold out again. About a week later, the package with the bottle arrived, and I have been able to extensively test and wear the fragrance in my daily life for a few days now.

My impression during the first test mirrored quite accurately what was already described in the first review further down: a brief Aventus-like start with grapefruit and a relatively quick transition to a brighter or lighter Sauvage Elixir. I was initially satisfied, as I like Sauvage Elixir and enjoyed the combination with the Aventus vibes.

However, the more I wore the fragrance in the past few days, the more a different picture emerged for me: At the beginning, there is a clear similarity to the original Aventus, specifically to the somewhat darker and berry-heavy batches. Additionally, there is a bitter grapefruit that brings a pleasant freshness. This lasts for about two hours, during which a slight smokiness develops over time, similar to what I also know from newer batches like 21N01 or the Emperor Extrait. After two to three hours, the warmer and spicier notes start to come through, which clearly distinguish it from the original. Here, a comparison to Sauvage Elixir is definitely appropriate in my perception. However, for me, there are now rather slight similarities between the two fragrances, and they certainly do not smell completely alike. Above all, the Aventus vibes remain present in the background, and everything blends beautifully together.

To put it briefly or at least try to... A darker and spicier, somewhat warmer version of Aventus, which is initially accompanied by a bitter, citrusy freshness and later reveals parallels to a Sauvage Elixir.

Overall, it does not strike me as linear at all, but rather very multifaceted and complex with a varied scent progression. At first, I was satisfied with the new Absolu Aventus - now I am thrilled by it!

EDIT: A few more words about the bottle... When I first saw pictures of it online a while ago, I was somewhat disappointed with the design, as it seemed very cheap and somewhat careless. However, once you hold it in your hand, it truly feels very high-quality and elegant, and the simple design is quite impressive.