Acqua di Giò pour Homme Giorgio Armani 2026 Eau de Parfum Intense

The other day I was at the mall and the lady comes up with a test strip and hands it to me. She’s all, "Hey, have you tried this? This is the new flanker." At first I was hesitant, but then I was like, "Wait a minute, ADG?" I smelled the paper and immediately asked where the bottle was. I took it from her and told her straight up—this has to go on skin. The paper tester strip does not do this justice.
​I sprayed myself like 10 times. This thing is so good, but I've seen the comments on Parfumo and Fragrantica saying the longevity sucks. I think you guys are comparing this to the Parfum or the discontinued Profumo. Those versions lean much heavier on incense, patchouli, and heavy dark notes that sit on the skin forever. This EDP Intense is all about that zingy freshness. I love that green apple and bergamot opening—it’s a "wow" factor. Fresh notes naturally burn off faster than resinous ones, but don’t let that fool you.
​I got a solid 6 to 7 hours out of this. It’s not "beast mode" in the sense of a winter oud, but for a freshie, this thing is a total workhorse. The projection doesn't budge; it stays consistent, which I loved. It keeps that DNA alive throughout the wear and just gets better and better. The scent profile is spot on—a great flanker that modernizes the original DNA without losing the soul of ADG. I’ve been an Acqua di Gio fan for over 20 years and I’ve had them all. I know this DNA, and this thing is good. I’m definitely adding a full bottle to my collection, but I’m going to be smart and wait until it hits the discounters. There is no need to pay full retail, especially in today’s economy. If you want a fresh, high-energy daily driver that actually performs on skin, ignore the noise and the haters and give this a real test drive.

During the dry down I still don't get much of the apple note but I do get a nice dose of citrus. Following is a cloud of a musky patchouli and a veil of aromatic herbal sage. This has a subtle sweetness from the fruity notes.

Overall this is an extremely earthy and herbal aroma with a strong salty oceanic cloud. The citrus notes fade a ton during the dry down where they're hardly noticeable. The patchouli gets stronger and deeper and starts to develop a musty BO aroma. Combined with the sage it's giving me that herbal stuffing seasoning packet aroma that I got in Pisces. I notice it a lot more on the strip vs on the skin, but either way - I'm not a fan.

This perfume feels much more like an Invictus flanker than Acqua Di Gio. If I smelled it without seeing the bottle, I would definitely say Invictus. The Acqua Di Gio DNA is there, but it's hidden deep down. You can only tell it's Acqua Di Gio if you smell it up close and very carefully.

Here comes my review of the new EdP Intense that has just been released this year. So far, there are no reviews and the ratings are rather mediocre. My rating isn't much better either, as it really isn't anything new and, as is often the case with Armani, you get an old DNA reheated. In recent years, Armani has had a strange strategy of discontinuing releases and bringing them back to the market under a new name in a similar way. This is the case with the Acqua di Gio line and can also be noticed with the Code line. This EdP Intense is quite similar to the discontinued Acqua di Giò Absolu. At least in the first hours, the similarity is very pronounced. I find the Absolu significantly better, and I still have the 200ml bottle sitting around here. That's also a reason why I don't need this EdP Intense. Otherwise, it's a release that is fine and won't cause much controversy.

As usual, the prices of new releases are very high and already quite overpriced. Here we have a typical designer release that, while not badly made fashion-wise, is, in my opinion, also interchangeable.
There isn’t much more to say about the bottle and packaging: iconic, well-known, and again with a great color gradient from light to dark. Very solid and pretty.
The perfumer here is again Alberto Morillas, who is known in the designer sector for his fresh creations. I find it solid, but I don't find the creations particularly gripping (at least most of them). As mentioned, this is a reheating of the DNA of the Absolu that has been discontinued and is now only available for significantly elevated prices. The top note consists of fruity notes, specifically green apple, which is quite synthetic. Along with a mix of citrus notes and a slightly salty aquatic note. This aquatic note is a no-brainer that is uncomplicated and also radiates that "shower gel" freshness. Added to this is a fresh sage note that is quite pleasing and is often used in the designer sector. Additionally, Firmenich's fragrance ingredient Yodanol has been used, which is supposed to emit a long-lasting freshness. In the base, there is also a very pleasant amber wood note that I quite like, along with some patchouli. Overall, however, I don't get the feeling that something special has been created here that is worth buying. Nevertheless, it is a scent that is easy to wear without standing out negatively in everyday life.
Performance is somewhat lacking for an "EdP Intense." In the first hours, it projects quite well, but later it becomes more intimate. Longevity? After about 7 hours, it seems to be almost gone. So, not bad, but I expected more.

In conclusion, I can say: Just like with AdG Profumo, something has been reheated here, and you don't get anything really new. It is solid nonetheless.

The first spray immediately captivated me. Here, they have strayed far from the AdG DNA. Little freshness, more synthetic sweetness.
It starts with a delicious green, synthetic apple, and I perceive the citrus only minimally in the background.

What’s interesting is the heart note where the molecule Yodanol appears. This is quite hard to put into words. It gives the fragrance a certain shape.
I would describe it as full, round, soft, and ozonic. Alongside it is a pleasant sage note. This gives the fragrance a certain elegance, while the sweetness of the green apple remains present throughout.

Longevity and sillage are decent, but one shouldn't be misled by the "intense" in the name. Wearable year-round.

I really like it and wear it often. A nice, solid daily fragrance but not the best Acqua di Gio.