I own the original Asad as well as Salvo Elixir, which I find extremely similar to each other. I've never smelled Boss Bottled Absolu, so I bought Asad Elixir completely blind.
After reading some reviews, I expected Asad Elixir to differ quite a bit from the original Asad.
When I first sprayed it, though, it had been a while since I'd worn the original, and my immediate reaction was: "this smells almost the same".
It instantly reminded me of Asad. A lot.
The resemblance was so strong that I couldn't get it out of my head, so after a few minutes I grabbed my bottle of the original, sprayed it on my other arm, and compared them side by side.
That's when the differences became much clearer.
They definitely share the same DNA, especially at first, but the drydowns become considerably different. With the original Asad, I can clearly pick up that Dior Sauvage influence. Asad Elixir, on the other hand, stays darker, more ambery, denser and heavier.
Strangely enough, I'd describe Asad Elixir as being “more Asad than Asad itself.” Everything I associated with the original Asad seems amplified here.
In fact, comparing them side by side actually made the original smell lighter to me, and for the first time I could really understand the Sauvage influence in its DNA — something I hadn't noticed nearly as much before.
It's a very good fragrance. I like Asad, I like Salvo Elixir, and I like this one too. I did expect it to differ more, true, but I'm still happy with the purchase.
Performance is excellent so far. Projection is huge, and judging from this side-by-side comparison, both projection and longevity might even be slightly better than the original Asad. I'm comparing it strictly to Asad here, though, not Boss Bottled Absolu, since I don't own that one.
If you're considering owning both Asad and Asad Elixir because you're expecting two completely different fragrances, I'd think twice. I wouldn't call the differences subtle — they're definitely noticeable once you compare them — but the shared DNA is strong enough that I can absolutely understand someone considering the two somewhat redundant in the same collection.
Personally, I'm glad I own both. Comparing them actually helped me understand the differences between them and appreciate each one for what it is.
