Schücha

At multiple requests and since there aren't many of us who own it right now, I'll start here with the first comment on this fragrance.

After extensive research on the internet and watching the comparison video by MrSmelly1977 between Creed Aventus (CA), Club de Nuit Intense (CDNI), and Al Haramain L’Aventure (AHL‘A), I, as an Aventus fanboy, absolutely had to have this fragrance. It can be purchased directly on the Al Haramain homepage, and shipping is quite fast at 4 - 5 days.

The presentation of the fragrance is really well done. Al Haramain already showcased this with Dazzle Intense. Okay, the packaging isn't made of extremely high-quality materials, but that can't really be expected at such great prices. The box is black with a few silver accents. The bottle itself is completely silver with a black cap. On the side, you get a small glimpse into the interior and can easily read the fill level. The liquid is a rather light yellow and doesn't necessarily indicate long-lasting durability - but more on that in the next point.

The fragrance starts similarly to the CDNI, but with a pleasantly soft lemon-bergamot mix. Elemi resin is also added, which I can't really sense because I don't know what it's supposed to smell like - somewhat logical. Thus, I felt a bit uneasy at first, thinking that I had just bought a milder CDNI. But fragrances need time (the first sniff test was, by the way, only on paper). The following day, as always on Saturday, it was time for the gym. Outside, already quite warm at 20 degrees in the morning, I generously sprayed 4 spritzes of L’Aventure on myself (2x on the neck - either front or back and one each on the insides of my wrists). Then off to the bike and to the gym. Just from the wind while biking, I could perceive this beautiful fruity-sour pineapple, as I know it from the CA batches I have, even though the pineapple note isn't actually in the fragrance. In contrast to the CDNI, it is truly a pleasantly citrusy pineapple note, and it develops much better and faster into the scent of the actual "idol." Upon arriving at the studio, after lifting the first weights and letting the first beads of sweat drip, the fragrance came across even better. I was even approached by a lady on-site, asking if I always wear perfume while training, and I shared a bit about my "addiction."

If you prefer the smoky batches of CA, I believe you should stick with the CDNI or at least try it. Even better, in my opinion, would be to test the Supremacy Silver by Afnan. The very realistic pineapple note is well perceivable in the first hour and gives way to the smoky birch-rose mixture.

The AHL‘A remains very pineapple-heavy throughout the entire fragrance progression but also has a pleasantly smoky note in the background, and therefore likely had greater success from the non-smoker seminar than its colleagues. The sillage and longevity are not as strong as the original, but still a bit above average. Sillage is about 2 hours, perceptible at 1-2 meters, and the longevity lasted about 8-9 hours in the currently warm temperatures. I have only received one compliment in the gym so far, but I hope that more will follow in the long-term test.
This fragrance can undoubtedly be worn across seasons for any situation, although I think it shines best at temperatures above 25 degrees and really shows what it's made of.

Thus, I can wholeheartedly recommend to all lovers of the fruity Aventus batches to at least test this fragrance. In my opinion, it is significantly better than IP2, CDNI, and other dupes/clones. However, if you love the original, you should stick with it, as the longevity and sillage are, in my experience, significantly better.

The price-performance ratio of the Al Haramain L’Aventure at € 50,-- is, in my opinion, unbeatable for what you get. Great cinema at a low price. Maybe the fragrance would be even cheaper if it had quit smoking itself ;)

I am slowly starting to enjoy writing comments in this forum.

The next selected fragrance is none other than what many of us consider a masterpiece by Yves Saint Laurent - La Nuit de L’Homme (LNDH). In my opinion, the name does not reflect the reality, as this fragrance can also be worn very well in the office or in everyday situations.

To get straight to the point - I will not go into detail about the fragrance itself, as a lot has already been said/written. Rather, I want to point out the various batches that I have acquired thanks to extensive research on the internet, at not so outrageous prices as, for example, on eBay.

First of all, I was able to sniff the 2015 batch at a drugstore, which I really liked, but unfortunately, it fades very quickly. Since I also enjoy exploring various affordable and hopefully good dupes, I came across the YouTube channel of KillaFrags, who praised the Frederico Mahora FM 329 as a very good alternative to LNDH.

Immediately after watching the video, I ordered the fragrance on eBay for a mere €25 and sprayed it on as soon as I received it. Initially a bit confused by a strong alcoholic note, the fragrance becomes rounder and comes suspiciously close to the original (2015 batch).
Since the fragrance - whether original or dupe - did not exactly blow me away, at least the FM329, which I now own, was put away in the cupboard.

A month ago, I then tested the Frozen Cologne (FC), which is supposed to be used more in the warmer months. I liked it much better right away and, of course, bought it immediately.
Once I got home, I immediately watched the reviews for the FC on YouTube (of course - as fate would have it - also on the aforementioned channel). At first, this fragrance is quite distinct from the original due to its initial citrus-fresh notes, but after about 1 ½ hours, you can definitely sense the resemblance.

I haven't worn it very often lately, as I have bought way too many beautiful fragrances in the last few months, and with so much selection, one doesn't even know which one to wear - I believe all readers here are familiar with this feeling ;)

The FC has drawn me back a bit to the original, and after further research, I delved into the topic of vintage versions and reformulations.

Now I think we come to the interesting part of my post for many.

About 2 weeks ago, I acquired a used 2013 batch. Immediately after examining the bottle and its contents, I noticed the dark yellowish hue - now please don’t think of anything wrong ;). This naturally suggests that the fragrance may be richer in fragrance materials and not as diluted as the current 2015 version.

I sprayed the fragrance on my wrist and immediately noticed that it is indeed significantly more intense. Of course, one should not expect a “monster sillage” here either, but especially in the first 2 hours, it is very noticeable. I cannot detect any difference in scent compared to the current version. Thus, I can already give my recommendation for the 2013 batch in advance.

Just the day before yesterday, I got the 2011 batch, which has thus “fallen victim” to the first reformulation. Unfortunately, I am not familiar with the vintage version of the fragrance (not yet, but soon I will receive a decant from dear Leimbacher). Therefore, I can only provide more details about this in the coming week or I will edit my comment and note it with the paragraph “Update Vintage.”
The 2011 batch is actually not distinguishable in color from the 2013 batch, but in terms of scent, I can at least say that it is a bit more powdery-spicy and less sweet, which, in my opinion, gives it a significant boost in longevity. I also find it a bit more masculine, if I can say that, as the sweetness, when it is too prominent, is rather “disturbing” for me. However, it must be noted that the sillage still remains very close to the skin from the second hour onwards.

As I mentioned at the beginning of the comment, it took some time to spark my interest in this rather beautiful fragrance. This naturally prompted me to continue researching, and I found a website where you can simply enter the batch codes and thus know exactly when the fragrance was produced. This site is http://www.checkfresh.com/how-to-find-batch-number.html.

However, whether and especially when a fragrance was reformulated must be found out elsewhere (which is not a problem for me because I am generally always interested in such things).

There are also certain indicators on packaging, bottles, spray heads, etc. that indicate which version of the fragrance it is. The easiest way to do this is, of course, through the batch number, which is visible on the underside of the packaging. To keep it brief, I can describe it as follows:

The vintage version of the fragrance has only a 4-digit batch code. Everything that came to market later has a 6-digit code (in my 2011 batch, for example, 62H900).
The letter H stands for 2011, J for 2012, K for 2013, L for 2014, M for 2015, N for 2016, and so on.
These codes are usually repeated every 10 years - thus, it will probably be the letter H again in 2021.

In summary, I can say that I can unreservedly recommend the 6-digit batches from 2011 to 2013, as they offer longer longevity and can also impress more with the depth of the fragrance.

I do not mean to say that the fragrance is a must-have, but I do not know anyone so far who has wrinkled their nose at this fragrance.

I hope I was able to give you a few small tips regarding the different batch variations.

As you all know, I like to connect movie titles - whether they are current or a bit older - with the titles of my comments on various fragrances.

This time, I dedicated the title to the second Star Trek film, which I really enjoyed watching, even though I wasn't a huge Star Trek fan back then.

It always takes me a little while to finally muster the courage to write a comment. However, for Valentino Uomo Intense (VUI), I took some time since the release to test it alongside its respective "twins." I don't have a large selection here, as I only have the regular Uomo (VU) and Dior Homme Intense (DHI), but I think that's enough for a comparison. In my evaluation, I will refer to the VUI and provide a little feedback on the others in each category.

Scent:
VUI starts off very sweet-powdery for me - the iris and tonka bean are clearly in the foreground. When I sniff closely, I can also slightly perceive the mandarin, which is good because I don't think it should be too fruity. After that, the scent is really close to the DHI, but it particularly impresses me with the blend of vanilla, tonka bean, and leather, which beautifully rounds off the entire fragrance. Overall, it's a darker and more mature version of the VU.

DHI: Here, I hardly perceive any sweetness, but I do notice the lipstick note, which is quite unusual at first. I think it might be off-putting for the younger generation under 25 - and I wouldn't have worn it at that age either, even though I have always been the "more mature type" ;). The scent remains the same for me, and I can hardly detect any sweetness. Somehow, the entire composition reminds me of the Midnight in Paris EdT (is anyone else experiencing this?).

VU: Actually, apart from the missing iris, mandarin, and leather, it is closely related to the VUI. Hazelnut and gianduja cream take center stage and harmonize extremely well without overwhelming with sweetness - a really successful composition.

Sillage and Longevity:

VUI: Here, I can only marvel again. I often encounter a remarkably balanced scent note as described above, and I find myself sniffing my wrist frequently because the scent is so well done. Love with every sniff and not just the first sniff ;)

DHI is a tad stronger in both respects, and it is also easily perceivable, but the lack of sweetness doesn't make me crave more.

VU is almost too sweet, but not in an intrusive way; rather, it is very balanced and good. However, I find less use for it than in winter by the fireplace, or while reading various books, statements, or comments on Parfumo, or in the company of my significant other.

Bottle:

VUI: Yes, I must say it is a handsome piece. Not completely black but with a beautiful gradient from silver-gray to anthracite. You don't want to just leave it in the cupboard - it wants to be showcased ;)

DHI: Classic in the rectangular format as one is used to from Dior. It doesn't blow me away, but it's classic and okay.

VU: The bottle is the same as the VUI but transparent, and thanks to the contents, it has a golden-brown look, fitting the hazelnut cream scent of the contents. I still prefer the VUI bottle by quite a bit. I believe it is more designed to appeal to a "younger generation" for purchase :)

Conclusion:
With VUI, Valentino has made a fantastic hit - note the current overall rating of 8.6 points here in the forum, which is perfectly fine. I had to give the fragrance a solid 10 because it truly satisfies me in every respect. I will definitely wear this scent in the fall and winter, especially in the cooler months, for which I believe it was made. For a fine dinner or romantic hours. This scent is certainly predestined for dates, etc. I think women of all ages will surely love this fragrance.

My now quite good sense of fragrances tells me that this one will be in my as well as in the Parfumo Top 5 for a long time.

I have already ordered a bunker bottle out of fear of a soon reformulation.

By the way, I never thought I would ever order bunker bottles, and now I already have three fragrances in them ;)

Thus, I can express my utmost recommendation for this fragrance. Anyone who likes Dior Homme, Dior Homme Intense, and Valentino Uomo will surely be well advised here, and one can certainly risk a blind buy - especially since I haven't been able to sniff it anywhere here in Austria yet.

As you can already tell from the title, I am a fan of wordplay.

For a long time, I pondered which fragrance I would dedicate my second comment to in this forum, and there was simply no way around this noble scent.

Thanks to a decant from Parfumos (many thanks again to Phillytilly), I got to experience the "tea flavor" early this year.

I always associate tea with the beginning of my school years, as I was the youngest in my family and always preferred tea over coffee. And when there was tea in the morning, it was black tea with a little sugar. Add a delicious butter and jam sandwich, and the day could begin.

Of course, I had already formed an image of the scent here and in various forums, and it somehow fit my preferences, even though I couldn't imagine how tea would smell in a fragrance at that time.

Then the moment came - the decant was in the house, and right after the first spray, I noticed this particularly naturally smelling tea note (I can't specify the type of black tea chosen by Gucci in this scent - perhaps the more trained noses can help me with that ;)).

I am really not an expert at detecting various fragrance notes (my respect goes to those who can!), but I believe a fragrance must have something special about it.
Whether it's memories of days gone by or simply a kind of feel-good factor that a fragrance can evoke in you right away.

In any case, this fragrance does that particularly well for me, and I perceive it very clearly.
Of course, the projection of this scent is not particularly strong, but in my opinion, that makes it a classy feel-good fragrance.

You can wear the fragrance pretty much all year round, and the versatility is astonishing - aside from sports activities, I can't think of any everyday situation where you couldn't wear this scent. I am wearing it today at the office and must say, the more I wear it, the more I like it.

I am rarely approached about a fragrance in our office, but with this scent, it doesn't matter because it is a fragrance that I want to smell :)

The bottle is also impressive - classically designed in thick glass with a heavy golden plastic cap. It could easily serve as a doorstop like the Icon Dunhill bottle, but we are all too precious for that.

You can't complain about the price, especially if you use various price comparison platforms, you can always find a good deal.

All in all, I can say that this fragrance from the house of Gucci is a very special scent for me and has little to do with mainstream, as I have not yet discovered another fragrance with such a delicious tea note (Tea for Two is too spicy for me, and in Bvlgari pour Homme, the tea note was too subtle for my nose).

Hats off to the perfumer Karine Dubreuil, who hit the mark with this fragrance right in the (black) tea.

...that’s how the beginning of the Creed saga would likely start - of course inspired by one of the best fantasy film trilogies of all time in my opinion.

Now it’s finally time for my first comment in this forum.

When I started collecting fragrances (at the end of last year), I naturally stumbled upon this community first. After much research, I ended up - as expected - with the most hyped fragrance of all time. - AVENTUS - THE ONE FRAGRANCE ;)

I immediately had to get a sample in the house - since I wasn’t very familiar with the souken yet, I had to order the said sample through an online shop - which one it is, you can probably guess ;).

When the fragrance finally arrived, it went straight onto my wrist. A former colleague was in the house and immediately asked what smelled so good - I showed her the sample bottle - "I don’t know it" was of course the answer. How could it be any different - before I stumbled into this forum, I didn’t know Creed either ;)

Now to the fragrance:

Contrary to all expectations, it doesn’t smell like pineapple to me at all, but rather like bergamot and black currant with a nice smoky undertone. Very masculine and different from all the other fragrances I had known up to that point (Dior Homme Intense and Bleu de Chanel were my signature scents until then).

I’m not necessarily the person who can pick out all the notes in detail, but what I smell is top-notch in my opinion. It’s also one of those fragrances that have received the most compliments so far (regardless of whether from the male or female gender). This is somewhat understandable, as the "average nose" probably hasn’t smelled it before.

The longevity on my skin is about 8 hours, and on clothing, it lasts what feels like an eternity - and that with just 3 sprays.

The price of the fragrance is of course quite high, which is somewhat understandable given the quality.

Due to my curiosity and currently very high fragrance enthusiasm (from 3 to about 70 in 5 months ^_^), I naturally informed myself about which similar, comparatively inexpensive fragrances there are as "substitutes".

The first one that arrived was in the form of a decant from the dear Parfumo Phillytilly, who should be known to all of you (thanks again for this). It was the Tierra del Fuego by La Martina. The first thing I noticed was that the fragrance was very sharp in the nose (probably due to the black currant - correct me if I’m wrong) - in the drydown, the fragrance comes quite close, but it can’t compete with the sillage and longevity (about 4-5 hours of longevity with 1 hour of sillage). The next fragrance that came was Club de Nuit Intense (also as a decant). The beginning is similar to the TdF, very piercing, but more citrusy (unfortunately not a nice lemon note in my opinion). After you "survive" the first hour, the fragrance, with its smokiness and complexity, is quite close to the original - I estimate about 90%.

Then I came across the Al Maknoon Silver by Lattafa on YouTube, which is said to be even closer. With this fragrance, I immediately smell pineapple and vanilla from the start - a gentle combination that I really like. After about 30 minutes, however, the fragrance becomes very smoky-woody and loses a lot of its fruitiness, which bothers me a bit. Unfortunately, I don’t know the much-praised "ultimate" batch, but if that one is also very smoky-woody, I don’t necessarily need to have it ;). This week, the Insurrection Pure II also arrived, which I had heard was supposed to be very fruity. I can only agree with that. However, in my opinion, it shares the same fate as the Al Maknoon Silver and becomes too smoky-woody for my taste.

All in all, one must concede Aventus its supremacy as "THE ONE" fragrance, even if the price is quite high. But against a decant that I will surely keep getting, there’s nothing to complain about - it will then be sprayed for special occasions, for which it seems to be made in my opinion.

As a signature scent, I can clearly recommend the CDNI by Armaf, even if it is quite "sharp" at the beginning - just check eBay regularly - I wouldn’t spend more than € 40,-- for this fragrance and would rather get a large decant of Aventus.

So my conclusion is clear - for special occasions, AVENTUS is a must, for all other everyday situations, there are very good alternatives - and the emphasis is on alternatives, because no fragrance can replace the "Aventador" in its, apart from the price, excellent scent experience.

I can fully understand the ratings for the fragrance - normally it is a timeless scent.