Inovivo

The old batch, that is, the black bottle, was my absolute favorite fragrance. Complex, dense, multi-layered, regularly received compliments. It smelled high-quality, clearly more expensive than it was.

When the bottle was empty, of course, I reordered. A single disappointment. Flat, synthetic, weaker, less multi-layered. Now the new one has been sitting on the shelf for over a year and just won't run out. Wore it again today. After about 5 hours, something slightly musty comes through, as if it had gone off and is also weaker. The first hours are not like that, probably simply due to lower-quality ingredients. The old one was consistently top-notch, at least 12 hours of longevity, on clothing, jacket for example, it could be smelled for weeks, without significant change.

What a shame, but not like this. I am just disappointed.

Previously a 9, now a maximum of 7. Just a shadow of its former self, even though the DNA is still top. Previously Champions League at the very top. Now just 2nd Bundesliga.

This probably happens when corporations tighten the profit margins and try to squeeze out more profit. There are many examples. For instance, YSL La Nuit. It no longer has much to do with the original. Let's see which direction this goes.

Unique to the end, so far (!) no worthy opponent has been able to match this little water, all dupes/clones/impostors/imitators (the transitions are fluid) have so far failed to achieve this uniqueness and unmistakability in this fragrance segment. Most were too overwhelmingly citrusy, chemically smoky, musty-synthetic, and overall too unbalanced.

Until now. On the horizon, I see a fragrance that is not only equal to it but comes across as rounder, more balanced, more diverse, richer, and more natural at a lower price than this one. At least for me - and I hope that it receives as little attention as possible and that the "Lion's Essence" remains a niche of a niche under the radar of the masses. Although one can no longer speak of a niche with Creed's Aventus...

Yes, it is wearable. But a clone? Well, the same fragrance family, okay. In my opinion, an (over-)ripe pineapple still dominates several hours after application. It's a bit uneven overall, and then there's that indefinable vanilla-sweet-chemical-smoky nuance. It takes me back to my childhood when you discover the forgotten pineapple in your school bag while lighting Q-tips at the end of summer vacation...

Nasty "cleaning product note," almost unbearable at first, but it improves a bit, still annoys me after several hours. Bref clone, yes, but otherwise I see few parallels.
Is it bad because of that? No, but this piercing lemon overwhelms the rest for several hours. And I would prefer not to smell acceptable only after several hours. At least after two hours, some noticeable smoke comes through. For me, it's too uneven and thus overrated.