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Helpful Review
7
Club de Nuit Intense - Smoke = Emperor Maximus
Parfums Vintage may have crossed the path of some of you as a perfume brand. Particularly their fragrance "Pinapple Vintage," which seems to be the best seller of the brand, enjoys great popularity, as it is a clone of the well-known "King" Creed Aventus. If Parfums Vintage is really keen on something, it is cloning or twisting Creed Aventus in all possible forms; that is their specialty. I personally own several testers from the brand across the range and have now been able to get an overview. By the way, this is my first comment on a fragrance from Parfums Vintage.
Personally, I also think it's great when brands sell samples on their website. Parfums Vintage is hardly accessible except through their website, maybe Souk or eBay. The samples make it much easier. I really like that the brand also offers packages with various samples, e.g. a Spring Collection, Winter Collection, or Aventus-inspired Collection (or something similar). The Emperor series from Parfums Vintage is, according to the manufacturer, the line that is supposed to be the most similar to Creed Aventus. Well, I found Pinapple Vintage quite good, so let's explore the Emperor series. What Parfums Vintage has done very well regarding the Aventus clones is a graphical representation of the composition of the individual fragrances, divided into the categories Pineapple/Apple, Smoke/Woods, and Vanilla/Musk. Along a color graphic, one can see in which direction all the clones move, whether they are fruitier, smokier, or sweeter. I find this orientation quite good, as the individual fragrance pyramids hardly differ at all... The color graphic can be found, for example, on Facebook at Parfums Vintage and possibly also on the website if you search a bit.
So what can Emperor Maximus (EM) do? Well, according to the color graphic, Emperor Maximus is the fruitiest clone with the least or very little smoke compared to the rest of the Emperor series. One can assume that Maximus represents the new batches of Aventus, which practically bring no smoke anymore but are only fruity, mainly citrusy. EM can indeed convey this very well. However, the problem I have is that the fragrance does not come across as high-quality in the top note. In fact, it is very zesty-citrusy, but at the same time very synthetic. The top note reminds me of the synthetic nature and smell of Armaf Club de Nuit Intense Man. It also has a very strong piercing bergamot and in the background, a grilled pineapple. The pineapple is also relatively weakly perceivable in EM. But what stands out immediately is the very weak, almost absent smoke, which represents that special Aventus character (apparently in the past, today somehow not anymore). Smoke is simply the nice kick that Emperor Maximus lacks. But if you know this color graphic, you are not surprised and know what you are getting into.
After the top note dissipates after a short time, the fragrance becomes softer, definitely softer than Club de Nuit, as the latter remains "hard" and smoky. EM becomes slightly floral, and I actually perceive a hint of rose. As it develops further, it becomes even softer and creamier, with vanilla and musk coming in and alternating nicely. The fragrance sits pleasantly on the skin, is not bothersome, and is enjoyable to sniff. However, the spark that would make me consider it a super fragrance just doesn't ignite for me. I would have thought it would smell more natural, but you don't get that with Emperor Maximus. The sillage is still quite good at first but decreases quickly, and the fragrance soon becomes very close to the skin. It's a pity, really, considering it costs 95 dollars and I was previously convinced by the brand. As an office fragrance, it definitely works; it is versatile but somehow lacks its potential. The longevity is around 5 hours and is not outstanding. At least it lasts significantly longer on my skin than the new Aventus batches...
Still, I would not buy Emperor Maximus blindly without having ordered the tester first. If you don't know what to expect, you can quickly become disappointed.
Top Notes 
Pineapple
Juniper berry
Apple
Heart Notes 
Rose
Bergamot
Jasmine
Reinforced Toothpaste
Base Notes 
Vanilla
Ambergris
Birch
Musk
Patchouli
Risehigh
