Daniel1323

I have owned this fragrance for 3 years now and I still remember how I first smelled it. For my then very inexperienced nose, Radical Brown was simply to die for:
Sweet and Christmas-spiced, paired with just enough citrus to give it that certain kick - an opening for the winter gods.

Even today, my opinion hasn’t changed. However, with the passage of time comes experience, and this has taught me that a good opening is only half the battle (probably even more like 20 %). Because what Radical Brown delivers afterwards is, for this price range, more than just decent, but certainly not on the same level:
The highly praised Christmas-citrus spice gives way to floral notes and tobacco, which in this combination almost come off as a bit powdery. A small stick of cinnamon occasionally makes a return, accompanied by a bit of amber.

This all sounds quite interesting, but overall it simply doesn’t suffice to meet my initially far exceeded expectations. I really want to love this fragrance, but unfortunately I can’t; whether it’s due to the lack of or misdirected depth.

Anyone interested in a somewhat different low-budget alternative to Herod and L'Homme Idéal Eau de Parfum will surely be very happy here. I think especially for beginners like I was back then, this fragrance is truly something special. Anyone who has been around a bit longer will probably feel a bit underwhelmed.

I stumbled upon a nicely full Présence at a very good price during a group order at the Souk. The fragrance pyramid didn't blow me away, as the well-known combination of sweet, fruity, and spicy notes is anything but spectacular. But in the end, it was interesting enough to take the plunge, which was certainly also due to the good reviews here.

Upon the first spray, I was pleasantly surprised, as Présence starts off significantly spicier than expected. The fruity-fresh sweetness sneaks in later into the mix. The combination of apple, cinnamon, and ginger somewhat reminds me of licorice, but in a good way. Those who enjoy smoking shisha will know what I mean (classic double apple). As it develops, it is pleasantly complemented by a few woody notes, which, however, disappear so quickly that they are hardly worth mentioning. This brings us to the major problem of Présence:
The longevity is unfortunately terribly poor. I really can't understand how it currently has a rating of 7.2. Just when you think it’s really getting going in terms of fragrance development, it fades away again. The sillage is pleasantly strong at first, but diminishes significantly during its very short lifespan. It's a shame, really, because the scent itself is not bad. Unfortunately, this means you have to reapply regularly.

Overall, Présence is fine if you're looking for a fragrance that doesn't stand out too much in the sea of fruity-fresh perfumes, but still brings a certain uniqueness. Unfortunately, in my opinion, its performance is a major drawback. However, those who can financially afford to reach for the bottle regularly will certainly not be unhappy.

Some time ago, I got another Armaf to bridge the gap to free shipping. I had hardly any expectations since I got the 100 ml bottle for a mere 9 €. But the quite decent reviews made me curious.

Before I get to the scent, I have to talk about this strange bottle. I would love to know what kind of drugs the designer of this spearhead was on. The thing is so grotesque that it almost becomes cool again through its uniqueness... or maybe not. To be honest, I'm torn. But for a fragrance at this price, I can overlook the packaging. After all, it really is good for scaring off burglars or maybe scratching your back. Well, whatever...

A good friend of mine often wears the original Stronger With You, and I must say that at first, it is surprisingly similar! It wasn't just me; my roommates also wondered if I had bought the Armani again. In the long run, however, Victory does turn into a bit of a generic scent and has little to do with the elegant and sweet spiciness of its predecessor. You can definitely tell that this is a clone. In my opinion, this one leans more towards gourmand and is complemented by a hefty portion of pear, which is by no means a bad thing; I still received tons of compliments. A platonic friend once told me that the scent drives her completely crazy, in a good way, of course.

So, if you can make some compromises on quality and overlook having a hollow-point projectile sitting on your shelf, you will find a really acceptable alternative here for VERY little money.

I bought this fragrance blind, as it is really very affordable and I have mostly had decent experiences with Armaf scents so far. At this point, I must mention that I do not know GIT as the godfather of this fragrance, and I have come to appreciate and love Cool Water after some initial difficulties. So I was curious and optimistic about Tres Nuit.

Our first contact was surprisingly positive: A bit of freshness here, a bit of greenness there, paired with a whole lot of iris that I hadn’t encountered in Cool Water. An interesting fragrance composition that I genuinely liked at first. However, after a first practical test, I had to realize that something was bothering me. It probably took a dozen more attempts before it hit me: Over time, a sweetness creeps in that initially enriches the fragrance subtly but becomes overwhelming in the long run. Moreover, the fragrance loses, for me, the shower gel freshness that I have come to appreciate in Cool Water due to the rather strong iris note. The scents have certain touchpoints, but I wouldn’t even call them similar based on this realization. I would love to sniff GIT to know if this is a mistake on Armaf's part or if it’s meant to be this way.

Regardless, Tres Nuit is not bad. Very nice opening, smooth transitions, appropriate H/S, and a damn good price-performance ratio. If only it weren’t for that damn sweetness...

To start off by joining the other comments: The name addition "Acqua" is really out of place here. There is nothing aquatic about this flanker at all. What you do get here is a quite successful freshie that stands out from the crowd in a way. What makes Artisan Acqua particularly special for me is a certain metallic note that accompanies it throughout, even though the fragrance pyramid would not suggest this at any point. This note is never intrusive enough to make the scent unbalanced, but it is always present enough to give the fragrance a very unique character. Otherwise, you can look forward to a strong and, above all, masculine citrus note, which is further refined by a few floral-green notes as it develops.
Unfortunately, the longevity is really not the best, especially considering how the prices of John Varvatos fragrances have skyrocketed since production was discontinued. If you value a good price-performance ratio at this point, you are unfortunately in the wrong place. However, if you are looking for a slightly different freshie that also comes in a damn stylish bottle, you will surely be happy with Artisan Acqua.