Explorer Montblanc 2019

But this one knocked me off of my feet when I got the whiff... if you can’t tell it’s totally trying to be Aventus you’re kidding yourself, but if you aren’t tempted to shell out the cash, you aren’t human. I like the real version, but I couldn’t bring myself to spend the $$ on something so many people already have... cut that price down THIS much though? Hell yes I’m in...

Again, you can tell it wants to be creed, and as the notes pass it becomes MORE obvious, but I don’t care... I’m loving it, and I didn’t even spend HALF the cost.

Projection? Check. It’s a good 3-4ft reach for a good 2-3 hours. Sillage? Check; they will know YOU were there. Longevity? Checkmate! Easy 6-8+ hours on a 3-4 good sprays.

I’m STOKED Mont Blanc brought this beast out... it’s worth every penny

Well I blingbought this one - just because the 30mil bottle looks soo damn good. As a first impression the fragrance is ookay-ish, but nothing special. It smells a little bit similar to the Dior Sauvage but its much more fruity, much less sharp - lets call it Ambroxan triangle: The [sharp Sauvage], the [creamy LunaRossaCarbon] and the [fruity Explorer].

So as a first impression lets call it nothing special, its a versatile ambroxan-based fragrance.
What about the longetivity? Its pretty bad, lets face it: 30 min normal and 2 hour time as a skin scent, and its gone, so its longetivity is really poor, but the 30mil fits well in the pocket, so I think Montblanc is prepared the bottle format for re-spraying.

Allright, and why am I writing a review if the smell is "nothing special" and the longetivity is pretty bad? Because of two reasons: the reactions and how the scent changes with temperature.

The most of the fragrances smells suffocating in hot weather or disappears in cold weather - there is only 1-2 parfumes are useable in hot and cold weather - but Montblanc Explorer is one of them, because its smell changes with the temperature.

But the biggest reason to talk about this fragrance is the reactions: well I used some mainstream hits before: Dior Sauvage, Prada LR Carbon, Bleu De Chanel, Bvlgari Aqva Marine, Jimmy Choo Man Ice, Tom Ford Noir, D&G The One, Zadig&Voltaire This is Him!, D&G Light Blue, YSL Y, YSL La Nuit, YSL L'Homme, and so on, but I have never, NEVER received so many positive feedbacks on a single fragrance like this, and especially from women.

Yup no matter what the Creed snobs say, this is Aventus-esque and just as good. I mean look at the perfumers for a start. I can't believe how good for the summer this is and soooooo cheap. I get a full days performance, unlike the Creed masterpiece that varies with every batch made and I have had a few bottles. There's not much more to say than just buy a bottle it will not disappoint.

Montblanc Explorer is a modern, masculine scent. It's high-end, clean, and office-safe while retaining a rugged, adventurous edge. This is a scent that makes me feel masculine, put together, and confident as soon as I spray it on. Explorer has been heavy in my rotation since I purchased it because it has a rare balance between mass appeal and distinct character.

It opens with an energetic burst of bergamot and pink pepper. It transitions relatively quickly into a sophisticated woody smokiness. The smoky heart is the star of the show to me; it's rugged and prominent, yet remains remarkably easy to wear. It never feels dirty or overwhelming; it feels clean, grounded, and masculine.

The performance is good but not amazing. On my skin, I get about 4-6 hours before it becomes a skin scent or I reapply it for further projection/sillage. However, it does remain on clothing significantly longer and creates a pleasant aura throughout the entire day. It's incredibly versatile. Whether I'm in a meeting, running errands, or I am out socially, the scent bubble remains pleasant and gets compliments.

I'd say Explorer is a must-have (or at least worth checking out) if you're looking for a versatile fragrance with a bit more bite than a traditional freshie or blue fragrance. It's clean, smoky, and undeniably masculine. Despite the heavy smokiness in the dry down, it's an easy reach for nearly any scenario. It doesn't just smell good, it also makes you feel good while wearing it. As an added bonus, the bottle looks great, feels great, and is well-made.

I remember when I first got my nose on Explorer about five or six years ago, I remember thinking that it was quite derivative. On first glance it has a blue freshie profile that sits somewhere between BDC EDT and the baseline Aventus, leaning more toward the latter I would say. It isn't exciting in the opening and is aimed at guys who want a daily wearer in the adjacency of BDC and Aventus, but don't want to wear BDC or Aventus. It is a higher-end dumb reach for the office that is fresh and appealing enough to wear at the weekend as well, after the gym, for date night and everything in between; which is exactly what BDC EDT and Aventus are, and the reason both were as successful as they were.

You lose the signature pineapple in Aventus and the trademark grapefruit and mint in the original BDC and you are left with something a bit cleaner and simpler in the opening. The pink pepper is there but I find myself wanting more of it. The fragrances are only adjacent for the first half hour or so, and after that Explorer dries down quite differently. You get this very nice dry leather note in the base with some cacao to enrich, with a much less pronounced vetiver. It dries a lot smoother and richer, but also closer to the skin. This doesn't leap off you in blue waves like Aventus does, nor does it have BDC's reassuring, dependable performance. It is a fragrance for guys who aren't into fragrances but want to smell nice and not have to think too much about what that means.

I get around 3 hours off this but if you're wanting an all day wingman this will need you to carry a bottle or a decant with you in your bag. The performance on this is extremely limited. It is what it is, and that isn't the reason I wouldn't re-buy this one, if you'll pardon the double negative. I've always been Team BDC and Sauvage over Aventus or Dylan. Sauvage EDP doesn't get a wear very often these days and is a sentimental keep as much as anything, as I own BDC EDP and it ticks the box very nicely for me if I'm in that mood. It is sadly redundant because I cannot think of an occasion or instance where Explorer would be the choice over BDC EDP. I just prefer it.

Laying suggestion: Explorer would work as a way of adding some (very) temporary freshness for the daytime to something thicker and heavier with vetiver and/or leather. Something like Sycomore by Chanel or maybe Tom Ford's OG Ombre Leather.

Three Word Summary - Fleeting Blue Reach

Scent - 6/10
Drydown - 7/10
Sillage - 6/10
Bottle/packaging - 8/10
Performance - 2/10

29/50