Source: Basenotes
I fear I may have to go into perfume Witness Protection after this one. The power of Creed, and the worship of its fragrance, Aventus, in particular, is such that anything short of blind, unswerving, unqualified adoration seems to upset a few of its fans. Well, let’s get this over with then: I like Aventus and think it’s a perfectly pleasant — even occasionally pretty — fragrance that I would enjoy wearing. I also think it’s an over-hyped, simple, thin, linear scent that carries with it some frustrating issues, and which isn’t worth the high price.
There, I said it: I think Aventus is over-hyped. In fact, I firmly believe that, if Aventus were ever sniffed blindly in an unmarked, plain flacon located in Macy’s or some mall, some of its admirers may not be quite so uncritical. In my eyes, the hype and the reputation (“panty-dropper”) are as much a part of Aventus as its famous pineapple note. Furthermore, to be honest, I find the blind, cultish worship of some of its younger acolytes, and their aggressive response to those who don’t share their unqualified adoration, to be extremely off-putting. With that said, I shall henceforth walk and sleep with a Kevlar vest….
Creed is a fragrance house with a long and storied history, dating back to 1760. According to the biographical blurb quoted by Bergdorf Goodman, the house is unusual in a few different ways:
Olivier Creed with son, Erwin. Source: Vanity Fair.
Founded in 1760 and passed from father to son, Creed is the world’s only privately held luxury fragrance dynasty. Based in Paris, the company today is led by Olivier Creed, a sixth-generation master perfumer. […] Using the infusion technique (which has been abandoned by the modern industry), Creed weighs, mixes, macerates, and filters everything by hand. They also use the highest percentage of natural components in the prestigious French perfume industry..
For Aventus, Creed says it was inspired by “the dramatic life of a great, historic emperor, who waged war, peace and romance on terms he set, riding to power on horseback.” The fragrance seems to have been created primarily by Erwin Creed, the young, seventh-generation Creed perfumer, with input from his father, Olivier. The website states:
Royal but not imposing, CREED Aventus is made with ingredients hand selected worldwide by Erwin CREED, seventh generation of CREED and its future chief. Essences he chose were shipped to CREED’s French workshop, where father and son created Aventus using hand production methods that date to the founding of CREED in 1760.
According to Luckyscent, the fragrance is an eau de parfum, and its notes include:
black currant, bergamot, apple, pineapple, rose, birch, jasmine, patchouli, musk, oak moss, ambergris and vanilla.
Source: abstract.desktopnexus.com
Aventus opens on my skin with a burst of zesty, crisp, fresh bergamot, followed by the sweetness of pineapple and a hint of tart, green black currant. There is a quiet earthiness lurking about that feels like vetiver, but it is only a momentary impression. The primary bouquet is an incredibly pretty, airy, bright blend of bergamot’s crisp freshness infused with the succulent, pulpy, juiciness of pineapple. The fragrance feels very sheer and thin, though, so I added another huge smear (which almost emptied the rest of my vial) to the two large ones from my dab vial, for a total of 3 extremely large smears all up my forearm.
Dried oakmoss or tree moss.
In just a few minutes, hints of oakmoss start to flitter about. It’s not fresh, springy, bright green moss, but rather something that feels like the real oakmoss absolute with its slightly mineralized, faintly salty, grey, musty characteristics. It smells a lot like tree bark and grey lichen. Quickly, it turns the citric, fruity freshness of Aventus into something drier and more layered. It almost feels akin to an aromatic fougère, minus its usual lavender underpinnings.
It also continues to feel very thin. I’ve read of men applying 10-12 big sprays of Aventus in one go and, at the time, I merely thought them to be extremely exuberant. Now, however, I understand it better. While aerosolisation definitely adds to a fragrance’s potency and longevity, Aventus seems like a scent that may well benefit from 10-12 sprays to give it some body and depth. I realise that I’m at a disadvantage in dabbing it, but I did put on quite a bit. Frankly, I’m keep struggling to believe that Aventus is ostensibly an eau de parfum, not a cologne (despite its name) or an eau de toilette.
Silver birch tree. My own photo. Fjällnäs, Sweden.
Ten minutes in, Aventus is an extremely well-blended, elegant, refined blur of crisp, cologne-like citrus with dry, fusty, slightly mineralized oakmoss and hints of pineapple. There is a subtle woodiness in the base that reveals itself five minutes later as birch. It smells just like a smoky tree-bark with the faintest, tiniest nuance of ashiness. Birch can often have a tarry, phenolic character that makes it a common feature in leather fragrances, but not here. The note really calls to mind the delicate, silvery tree I saw in Sweden instead of anything dark, thick, and viscously tarry. Its advent turns the fragrance into a very mossy, woody scent with a subtle nuance of smokiness mixed with the crispness of citrus. The latter is quite muted now on my skin, and there are only subtle flickers of pineapple that occasionally pop up to add some countering sweetness. I wish there were more of the pineapple because it’s truly a beautiful touch and it adds an extremely interesting, original contrast to the woody-mossy accord. As a side note, the apple accord never appeared once on my skin, and the early hint of black-currant has faded away almost entirely.
Aventus remains largely unchanged for the next few hours. It’s a well-blended, airy, light swirl of birch and oakmoss, trailed by a crisp citrus note, pineapple, and a tinge of ashiness. To my happiness, the pineapple makes a more significant reappearance during the second hour for about thirty minutes before it sinks back into the overall bouquet. At the 2.5 hour point, the sillage drops and Aventus hovers about 2 inches above the skin. The notes no longer feel discrete, have started to overlap, and have lost all distinctive shape. Aventus, as a whole, feels wholly insubstantial in body, and is simply a nebulous haze of three primary notes: birch, oakmoss, and pineapple.
“Yellow jag” by Nancy Simmons Smith. http://simmonssmith.com/gallery/abstracts/
Despite the linearity of its core essence, there are a few, extremely subtle, changes in Aventus’ development. For a brief moment, at the start of the third hour, vanilla peeks its head around the curtain, but it’s pretty much a muted wallflower. For the most part, it serves only to have an indirect effect on the overall fragrance, adding some sweetness to the drier, woodier elements. It never screams “vanilla,” in any substantial, concrete way at all. But then, nothing about this fragrance feels substantial. At the end of the third hour, the jasmine makes a quiet appearance but, like the vanilla, it’s a mere suggestion more than a distinct, significant part of the fragrance. Around the same time, Aventus turns into a complete skin scent, calling to mind a balloon that has deflated.
Source: es.123rf.com
From the 3.75 hour mark onwards, Aventus is a hazy, sheer, thin whisper of something vaguely mossy, woody, ashy, and fruity with a minuscule hint of sweet jasmine. I had to really inhale forcefully at my arm, with my nose right on the skin, to detect even that. Without such strenuous effort, I found it completely impossible to delineate any of the notes. Aventus remained a muted, flat blur until its very end when it was the merest suggestion of something vaguely fruity. All in all, it lasted just short of 5.5 hours on my skin, with extremely weak sillage after the first hour. I couldn’t detect any amber, musk, rose, or patchouli at any point in the fragrance’s development.
As a whole, my reactions are mixed: I thought Aventus was an extremely pretty scent at the beginning with an overall refined bent; I loved the evanescent pineapple bits; I wished the fragrance had more body, depth, and nuance; and I can see how it might be a wonderful scent for spring or in the hot, humid months of summer. I also thought Aventus to be extremely simple, linear, and faintly dull. Moreover, the longevity was a huge disappointment, and I really struggle with believing that Aventus is an eau de parfum and not a thin, weak cologne.
I’m not alone in terms of Aventus’ limited longevity on my skin. For a large number of people on Fragrantica, Aventus lasts between three and six hours. The precise breakdown of votes in the longevity department is as follows:
- 29 for “poor” (30 min-1 hr)
- 23 for “weak” (1-2 hrs)
- 106 for “moderate” (3-6 hrs)
- 228 for “long lasting” (7-12 hrs)
- 80 for “very long lasting” (12+ hrs)
Clearly, this is a fragrance that requires spraying, not dabbing, and a hell of a lot of spraying at that, but do I want something that requires 5-10 applications (of any kind) to be detectable and to really last? More to the point, is it financially feasible? A tiny 1 oz/30 ml bottle of Aventus costs $165, and that won’t last very long if I need to use a large number of sprays each time for the scent to have some traction on my skin. Still, Aventus is available in a large 4 oz/120 ml bottle from one online retailer for $188 which is a much more practical, affordable price for such a light, airy, summer-perfect scent. But then another issue arises: can one trust that bottle? Not only are there apparently tons of fakes on the market, especially on eBay, but, apparently, the scent of Aventus can vary from batch to batch.
The issue of batch numbers and variations is something that comes up frequently when talking about Creed fragrances, and Aventus, in specific. My sample came from Surrender to Chance and was purchased a while ago, so I’m not sure which batch it came from. Surrender to Chance says that it buys most of its bottles directly from Creed, or, if not, then from Neiman Marcus or Bergdorf Goodman. I don’t know what to make of the batch issue or the way people pour over the numbers, with some being able to spout off the differences at the top of their head. The whole thing seems to be an incredible pain in the tush if true. How does one deal with such uncertainty? Plus, there seems to be the implication that one won’t even get an authentic Creed bottle if one buys it from anywhere else but the store itself or a few high-end stores. So that discounted bottle I mentioned earlier might as well not exist and, even if it’s authentic, who know what it will smell like?
Making matters more complicated still are some commentators who argue that there is no such thing as batch variations. Take, for example, these two very interesting arguments from different Fragrantica commentators:
- I don’t buy into batch variations I’ve smelled Z01 all the way up to the 2013 batches and its all the same.
- Forget about batch variations because that’s just a way for the fanboys to discredit your opinion.
An example of Aventus batch numbers, via the Basenotes thread.
If there really is no difference between batches, then why is there a 36-page discussion on Basenotes devoted solely to the different lots and how they smell? There seem to be too many firmly convinced people for the variations to be mere figments of their imagination. Either way, buying a Creed fragrance, but Aventus in particular, seems to entail a lot of work. As one person in that Basenotes thread joked, “[i]t’s almost like buying a car….” I can only shudder.
For me, the more interesting thing is the comment by the second Fragrantica poster quoted above regarding fanboys discrediting other people’s opinions. It supports something that has always really bothered me: I’ve seen some nasty behavior when it comes to Creed. Not by everyone, mind you, and not across the board, but enough to be truly noticeable as a small trend. In one group I occasionally read, a member was attacked as not knowing her stuff or being a real perfumista because she was underwhelmed by Creed as a brand. Elsewhere, I’ve seen chest-thumping braggadocio from some Creed fans about how Aventus is a total “panty-dropper” (a phrase that I find utterly revolting), or comments to the effect of “real men wear Aventus,” as if anyone who dislikes the fragrance isn’t a real man. The fans who display either type of cocky, superior, disparaging, or obsessive behavior tend to be on the younger side, but age is no excuse. As many of my usual readers know, I adore Serge Lutens fragrances, but I don’t like all of them, I had problems with a number of them, and have even given a few the ultimate, negative criticism: “boring.” Moreover, I’ve never attacked someone who dislikes a Serge Lutens fragrance that I love.
So, why does Aventus inspire such blind worship in some quarters? I think the hype has taken on a life all of its own, and has created a snowballing effect quite similar to that of Nasomatto‘s Black Afgano. Like Aventus, Black Afgano carries a certain sort of macho reputation that a few of its younger fanboys seem to use as a reflection of their own toughness or masculinity. It’s as if they think the fragrance’s reputation — “panty-dropper” in the case of Aventus, and super-macho edginess with the lure of the forbidden in the case of Black Afgano — will rub off on them, give them a sort of street cred, or enhance their own masculinity. Yet, one can question or dislike Black Afgano without some of its fans turning on you with pitchforks. Creed, however, seems to be in a class all its own.
In the case of Aventus, some have stated that the fragrance appeals to a younger crowd than Creed’s older, more traditional offerings, so perhaps age and immaturity have something to do with it, too. One blogger, The Scentrist, found Aventus to be very much Erwin Creed’s fragrance, more than his father’s, and that it “skewed toward a younger audience.” Either way, the hype is bad enough, without adding in the related, chest-thumping aggressiveness and defensiveness of what a friend of mine calls “a few bad apples.” Yet, there are enough of those bad apples to completely put him off trying any more Creed fragrances. I completely understand. I’ve had a sample of Aventus and Green Irish Tweed for over nine months, and it’s been hard to get motivated to go near either one.
On some levels, I know it’s not fair. As noted up above, Aventus is a really pretty scent at times, and I think its fresh, light, airy crispness would make it a nice choice in hot weather. In fact, I would probably wear Aventus if a bottle ever fell into my lap, especially if it were a bottle large enough for me to practically bathe in the scent as is clearly necessary for my skin. Nonetheless, to consider Aventus the Be-All, End-All, the Holy Grail, and the best fragrance ever made? I think that goes too far. To attack other perfumistas for not bowing at the altar of Aventus goes even farther still. In fact, I really have wonder if some of the fanboys would adore Aventus quite so unilaterally and unconditionally if they ever smelled it in an unmarked, unlabeled, plain bottle in the corner of Macy’s and priced at $50? I suspect a blind test would be quite revealing.
At the end of the day, however, fragrance is a wholly subjective issue. While I would normally link to a variety of different blog reviews or countering experiences to give you some sort of sense of what people think about Aventus, I won’t in this case. The fragrance is too well-known, there is too much of a polarity between those who worship it and those who think it’s over-hyped, and there is the added complication of possible batch variations. The bottom line is that you either love it, or you don’t. If you’re one of those people who thinks Aventus is the best thing to exist in every possible solar system, I’m very happy you’ve found something you love so much. We should all have fragrances like that! My opinion is different: I think it’s an extremely pleasant, elegant, refined fragrance that is also linear, simple, mundane, ultimately unexciting, and not worth the cost. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to put on my bulletproof vest, and go into hiding….
Kafka, I will just say ditto and then join you in the duck and cover position.
Heh, I’ll bring the Hairy German to protect us. 😉
I can’t wait for your Green Irish Tweed review Kafka. When I started my fragrance journey one of the first things I remember reading was how GIT was the be all and end all, numero uno, men’s fragrance. And so many Creeds received good reviews. I rounded up samples of many different Creeds and I was so excited. And the first one I sniffed was GIT. Yeah. I guess to put my reaction in perspective, when I tried Aventus a while later I was pleasantly surprised that it was as good as it was. And if I remember right, you’re not a huge fan of Cool Water? lol. Ick. GIT is a refined Cool Water. Definitely better, but oh so similar. And Aventus? Loved the opening, for the minute that it lasted then it was dull dull dull. And if a guy likes pineapple, Ted Lapidus Altimar is sooooo much better for a fraction of the cost. I hate to even mention it in the same breath as Aventus because someone might think they have other similarities besides the pineapple. They don’t. As far as batch differences, I lean towards it not really being such a big deal. I have smelled many different samples and batches and I agree that they might smell different but over time what I’ve found is that they kind of evolve to the same place, if that makes any sense. But that’s coming from someone who clearly isn’t a Creed guy. Once again, for that kind of money, wouldn’t Amouage be a better choice?
My Green Irish Tweed review may be a long, looooooooooooooong time in coming, Cohibadad. It took me 9 months to get motivated to test Aventus. With what you and others have said about Green Irish Tweed, it may take me another year to try that one! LOL! *grin* Cool Water similarities and something that makes Aventus look like a masterpiece in comparison? Dude, how depressing!
As for the money/cost issue, I’m with you: Amouage seems like a much better deal! Infinitely so!
The small sample I tried made me think of a pineapple chunk marinated in rancid dimestore perfume.
For your own safety, I wouldn’t say that out loud in some perfume groups because there is nothing quite like an Aventus fan…. 😉 Jokes and teasing aside, welcome to the blog, Kelly. I had to laugh at your description. Very funny. 🙂
Thanks!
Ah, so you’ve taken on the almighty Creed! I have to say, I don’t envy you having taken this on – for better or for worse, Aventus is so legendary a fragrance to review, and you’d likely piss off a lot of people no matter what you wrote! Ultimately, I found your words on Aventus, its status, and the discussion around it to be absolutely spot on. Honestly, it’s been a long while since I’ve tried Aventus, and I tried it toward the beginning of my heavy duty interest in perfume. Although honestly I think if I smelled it today I’d like it *less* than I did before, which was more or less neutral and leaning toward “I would never buy this nor choose to wear it given the choice.” It wasn’t awful by any means on me, just utterly forgettable. I wouldn’t mind giving it another try one day, but as I remember it, there’s a lot of perfumes I’d rather spend my money on. If it were a $30 TJ Maxx find I may be a bit more charitable toward it.
As for the batch variations – I tend to believe it, not just because of the enormous discussion it has generated among enthusiasts, but because of Creed’s self-professed hand production methods which doesn’t necessarily give me a great deal of faith in their consistency across products. As for the comment: “It’s almost like buying a car” – If that’s the case, I will certainly never buy a bottle. Buying a car is such a loathsome experience, and there are few things I hate doing more. It made me think about how in 7-10 years I’ll probably have to get a new car, and just the thought of that years down the road irritates me in itself! But I digress, great review – and I think you were very fair toward what I believe is an unremarkable scent, legendary though it may be.
I think it is forgettable, unfortunately. Pleasant and definitely a summer-type option, but …. meh. As for the batch variations, you raise an excellent point about the hand-production methods. You’re undoubtedly right, and that’s the reason. All I know is that it seems like a hell of a lot of work to figure out which batch you may like and which ones you’d want to avoid. If one is a die-hard Aventus addict, then I’m sure it’s worth it for them, but otherwise….
oh, creed! i admit to finding their ad copy / “history” / aesthetic & target demographic off-putting enough to have avoided sampling any of their fragrances … unfortunately presentation does factor into what i will or won’t try, no matter what the contents of the bottle may smell like! not to mention, the way creed fan(boy)s tout these scents as “panty droppers” makes me feel faintly ill. :$
from the way you describe it, though, aventus doesn’t sound like much of a “panty dropper” to me, but it does sound very pleasant! something i would wear, even, if not for the price.
“Panty dropper” is the most revolting, grossest phrase ever! Gah. As for Aventus’ effects, when I told a friend yesterday what my review was going to be about, he said the last time he wore the scent, he got 7 compliments. And other guys report compliments, too, so it’s clearly a scent that some people find appealing when they detect it on others. (No reports of dropped underwear, thus far.) But plenty of other things can smell great on a guy (or woman), in my opinion. I don’t think Aventus rises above mere pleasantness and, ultimately, it’s really quite mundane (IMO). I don’t think you’re missing out on anything, Julia, if you avoid it given your issues with Creed’s overall aesthetic/ad copy, packaging, etc.
Creed isn’t a perfume house that I ever think about much. I’ve tried a few and none seemed to be that fabulous to me. Not awful, just not much wow factor. I’m also pleased to say that I did smell Aventus and my panties remained firmly in place.
HAHAHAHA at that last bit!! Best comment in this whole thread!
Dearest Poodle, I just choked on my tea 🙂
🙂
I enjoyed reading your review but I don’t feel at a tiniest point temted to give Aventus or any other Creed fragrance a try at just my own will (I made one exception for Royal Scottish Lavender because wanted to see what kind of lavender it is)
I like eating pineapples in the summer but I don’t like the smell of it really so a perfume with this exotic fruity note is a no-go for me.
I’m not ashamed!
You know, the odd thing is that I suspect you might like Aventus, Lucas. It has that crisp but aromatic freshness that you like, along with mossy-woody notes. I think the pineapple actually works here, even though (like you) I’m not usually one for pineapple in perfumery. But I don’t think you’d be WOW’d by Aventus. Regardless, there is no shame in not being tempted to try it or any other fragrance from the house. We all have things we like or that we aren’t interested in. 🙂
The pineapple note is allyl amyl glycolate, and Creed used it in their previous blockbuster Green Irish Tweed. It is also in Cool Water, of course. Patented in the 30’s, this molecule fell out of vogue until 1968 when it appeared in Italian detergent in high concentration. Perfumer Josephine Catapano used it in Fidji, heralding the new American style of perfume emphasizing cleanliness. Camay soap also uses it. Catapano protege Sophie Grosjman used it in Tresor and Eternity. It is in Drakkar Noir at 1%. See a trend emerging here?
So, take comfort that your nose recognizes a scent that has been prevalent in cheap “panty-droppers” for decades. Creed charges way too much for it. TBH, this is more on target: http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg77/nyevulu/fullsizecolongedispenser.jpg
Fascinating stuff. Italian detergents??!! Thank you so much, Pearl, for sharing the history and prior usage of the specific aromachemical! BTW, Hahahaha at that photo!
Funny to think of “panty dropper” in a clean way, as in throwing it in the wash 🙂
I was actually wondering if Berlusconi knew of the power of his laundry detergent…
I concur with your sentiments about Aventus. It is severely overhyped and frankly I can think of a host of other scents, as you can as well, that I enjoy more. It is a good scent for what it is but I can’t see myself spending that kind of money on a scent that is so hum drum. It is so absurd that people can be crucified like Jesus if they bash a certain fragrance that some people regard as the “holy grail”.They people who are guilty of this should be ashamed of themselves. As you stated perfume is strictly subjective and everyone is entitled to their own opinion, good or bad. To me Aventus was sharp and fruity with smoke and dry woods. It somewhat reminded me of a very loud dish washing liquid , Sunlight, upon first application, Very loud and sharp. Then it turns into an apple extravaganza that was likeable. No pineapple though. I still have my sample vial half full. To add more stuff to the bonfire, I even saw decants of Aventus going for ridiculous prices. I can’t remember the price , but I think it was 5 ml for $50. Are you kidding me? I think after people read my reaction to Aventus I may need to hide as well. Do you have any room in your bunker K? LOL
The bunker is getting a little crowded, much to my complete surprise! Your comment about really loud dishwashing liquid is particularly interesting after reading Pearl’s explanation of the pineapple note and how the aromachemical used to be used in, among other things, Italian detergent, Camay soap, and Drakkar Noir! You may not have smelled actual pineapple, per se, but molecules obviously translated in a similar way on your skin. As for pricing, 5 ml decants for $50???! Holy ____!
Not a Creed fan here. The only one I wear occasionally is Virgin Island Water, when I want to pretend I am on vacation in a tropical place. The others I have sniffed were totally uninteresting. And pineapple is really not my thing in fragrance.
I can’t see Aventus as fitting your tastes, Tara. Not with the sort of fragrances that you usually like and wear! (Take that as a compliment, btw.)
Dear Kafka, The first time I smelled Aventus (at a presentation) I found it mindblowing and worth whatever money they might ask for a bottle.
Some time later, I tried it at a store and the juice was different: less sweetness, less oomph.
So I have to buy this “batch variation” theory.
Not too fond of the new Creeds, I find the older ones beautiful if classic in style.
xoxo
Caro
Aventus blew you away? Interesting. I wouldn’t have thought it would be quite your style, Caro, given its light freshness and lack of complexity. Then again, for Argentina and its heat, it probably would be perfect. As for the batch variations, it does seem as though there must be something to it, and I’m glad we have your first-hand experience to support that, too! 🙂
Me and everyone else who was sitting at my table loved it. And I am not usually fond of fresh frahrances as you may know.
I didn’t find it fresh.
The following time I smelled it, at a store, I found it a bit “bleh” as if it was a whole different fragrance.
Really interesting. I guess I reviewed the Bleh version. 😉 That brings up the question of how one can review anything if there are 15,000 different versions of a scent?! If reviewers like me don’t even know which batch they’re testing, because they don’t buy a whole bottle of a Creed fragrance merely for a review, should one even bother? Perhaps the answer is no, but then there is something to be said if a fragrance doesn’t have a core identity at all.
I could never understand that hype about Creed and for a long time stayed away from the brand (after sniffing at a store 5-6 of them). But then during my father’s visit I asked him what was he wearing – it smelled really great – and his answer was… (you’ve guessed, right?) Aventus. It didn’t smell like anything I would want to wear myself and for the obvious reason I wouldn’t want now my vSO to wear it but I enjoyed it a lot on my father.
Awww, I liked that story! 🙂 I’m sure it smells great on your father. 🙂
I have to wonder if any of the Bath and Body Works pineapple-y fragrances that come out each summer would be nearly identical except at a fraction of the price.
I can’t see it, primarily because of the oakmoss issue which is as critical to the scent as the pineapple. On my skin, it was far more of a factor. One really can’t replicate oakmoss at B&BW prices because the production costs on even the synthetic substitutes must surpass their budget.
Hello my dear Kafka. My comments are about Creed, but not Creed Aventus which I have never tried. I quite liked Creed Silver Mountain Water when I tried it at Saks several months back but I was not in a spendy mood and walked away empty-handed. I do want to explore the line further, although the number of perfumes makes my head want to explode (exactly how I feel about Montale). Anyway, I bought into a split of Creed Jardin d’Amalfi and it is still unsniffed – if you don’t have this, I will send you a sample if you are interested 🙂
I sometimes spend 15-20 minutes relaxing at an indie cafe, sipping coffee and reading a book, before heading into the office. At this particular cafe, there’s a lady of a certain age who usually arrives a few minutes after me, orders a large cafe latte, cleanses her palate with cool water, sits down two tables away from me and waits for her coffee before opening her Kindle. One day, she walked in wearing a mumu with this wonderful scent trailing her. Normally, I leave people alone because they could be spending a quiet moment for themselves just like what I am doing; however, the scent was so good that I decided to ask her what perfume she was wearing — it was Creed Santal Imperial.
In any case, I will try both Aventus and Santal Imperial the next time I go to Saks (maybe tomorrow).
Wonderful review, as always! I have to read the posts I’ve missed while I was away. I’m specially intrigued by your sales statistics post (I skimmed it) and will definitely want to chime in – you know me – opinionated!
They all sound interesting, and I’m so touched by your kind offer, my dear Hajusuuri. I hope you won’t be offended if I decline. Something about the house really doesn’t motivate me much, and I wouldn’t want your sample to be wasted. I know I should be more open-minded to the house, but I’m just left feeling so… “meh” and “blah” about them. : The lady at your coffeeshop, however, sounds very cool! A Mumu??! In Manhattan??!
Indeed, a mumu in Manhattan! And absolutely no offense at all with your declining my offer.
One summer, I was wearing this giant animal-print caftan on Canal Street and someone screamed out his car window, “Nice leopard!” To which I responded, “IT’S CHEETAH YOU F*****ING IDIOT!!!!!”
And my friend collapsed on the filthy sidewalk with tears in his eyes.
Hahahaha, that’s so Daisy! I can just see the scene now!
People should know their goddam big cats 😉
Please state the batch number that your reveiwed. Lol. Great reportage Kafka. I liked reading Peral’s information. Pineapple does make sweat and sperm smell and taste sweeter so maybe that has something to do with the supposed reaction to this fragrance by women. Or maybe the scent perishes panty elastic?
Ha, I was wondering if anyone would bring up the pineapple sweetening thing. 😉
I never, ever got the whole Aventus batch hype. I’m with you in the bunker, dearest Kafka. Every time I smell Aventus, I just can’t wait to get it away from me.
But I’m just not a Creed fan in general. I actually blame the restaurant Balthazar. Back in the day (do you remember this?), the entire Creed line used to be available for your spritzing pleasure in the downstairs toilets. They were on a huge silver platter manned by a bathroom attendant who would fetch another bottle of Aventus or Silver Mountain Water the minute a bottle ran dry. So now, to this day, whenever I smell a Creed fragrance, I am instantly transported to the john at Balthazar.
I’ve heard of Balthazar but I never went there, I don’t think. I wasn’t in NY then, and my memories of what I did when I did go are hazy, I’m afraid. I had no idea that they had the entire Creed line in the loo. That’s so….. odd, but also, hilarious at the same time!
I don’t blame you for now associating the fragrance with the restrooms, but my GOD, if anyone needs to go hide in the bunker now, it’s definitely you! *grin*
Replying to comments from bunker now . . . 😉
Yes, there is nothing like a cloud of Aventus mixed with the smell of pink urinal cakes to create an indelible olfactory memory 😉
Could you perhaps tell me of which Amouage you speak? I had a true panty-shedding offer with Aventus.
For real.
But I will say, I was in “The Dollar Store” when it happened and, after I indirectly declined same offer, (very tactfully BTW) I was asked what I was wearing. And how much “it costed” I was informed “maybe” she would “just steal it”.
True Story.
The moral of the story?
Don’t wander into dark alleys or rough neighborhoods whilst wearing Aventus, unless you are armed, that is. And if you are asked what you are wearing/” How much do it cost?” just say you work in pest control and you just finished dealing with a cockroach infestation. That should keep you from getting violated and/or robbed.
Even still, all jesting aside, I think Aventus is a magical creation that will either meld with your individual biochemistry or just gracefully fade away after it’s bold,brash yet still surreptitious dry down.The sillage needs some “scent-ual” Viagra, though.
Hi there, RachmaninoffRocks, welcome to the blog. Could you clarify your question with regard to Amouage? I’m not sure what you’re asking in specific?
As for your store, that’s hilarious. The Moral of the story may also be to lie about the price of your perfume. 😉 With regard to Aventus, I’m glad it’s working beautifully for you, despite the sillage issues. (ROFL at the fragrance’s need for Viagra!)
Oh, sure 🙂
(And thanks re: “Welcome”)
I was referring to this entry:
“Cohibadad on September 5, 2013 at 5:39 pm said:
I can’t wait for your Green Irish Tweed review Kafka. When I started my fragrance journey one of the first things I remember reading was how GIT was the be all and end all, numero uno, men’s fragrance. And so many Creeds received good reviews. I rounded up samples of many different Creeds and I was so excited. And the first one I sniffed was GIT. Yeah. I guess to put my reaction in perspective, when I tried Aventus a while later I was pleasantly surprised that it was as good as it was. And if I remember right, you’re not a huge fan of Cool Water? lol. Ick. GIT is a refined Cool Water. Definitely better, but oh so similar. And Aventus? Loved the opening, for the minute that it lasted then it was dull dull dull. And if a guy likes pineapple, Ted Lapidus Altimar is sooooo much better for a fraction of the cost. I hate to even mention it in the same breath as Aventus because someone might think they have other similarities besides the pineapple. They don’t. As far as batch differences, I lean towards it not really being such a big deal. I have smelled many different samples and batches and I agree that they might smell different but over time what I’ve found is that they kind of evolve to the same place, if that makes any sense. But that’s coming from someone who clearly isn’t a Creed guy. Once again, for that kind of money, wouldn’t Amouage be a better choice?”
and your agreeable reply here:
Kafkaesque on September 5, 2013 at 9:08 pm said:
My Green Irish Tweed review may be a long, looooooooooooooong time in coming, Cohibadad. It took me 9 months to get motivated to test Aventus. With what you and others have said about Green Irish Tweed, it may take me another year to try that one! LOL! *grin* Cool Water similarities and something that makes Aventus look like a masterpiece in comparison? Dude, how depressing!
As for the money/cost issue, I’m with you: Amouage seems like a much better deal! Infinitely so!”
There are quite a few Amouage scents and I was trying to ascertain of which specific scent that you were speaking about.
Ah, thank you for the clarification. When I referred to Amouage, I didn’t mean that they had a fragrance that smelled just like Aventus. Amouage’s stuff is hardly as crisp, light, thin, clean, aromatic or fresh. What I meant was that, in terms of very expensive scents, Amouage is a better deal as a whole given the ingredients, complexity, nuances, layers, projection, (occasional) longevity, and richness of the notes. If you consider that many of their fragrances are available at a huge discount on sites like Lilydirect, then in my opinion they’re even a better deal on an overall cost/quality ratio than Creed.
The Amouages that I really like are the two Jubilations, Interlude Man, some of the women’s line, and, above all else, Tribute attar. I freaking *LOVE* Tribute!!
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Batch Variation exists with Aventus and this is partially due to the levels of Lyral from the 2011 batches which have had to be hugely reduced due to IFRA regs in the 2014. The best batches of Aventus are from 2011 when they produced N01, Z01 and X02 which have an amazing blend of Pineapple, Birch, Cassis, Bergamot and Patchouli (very expensive 65% Couer Super Light). Excessive Birch was the issue with the horrific 2010 batches (especially K03) which had buyers complaining of the ashy cigarette scent and resulted in the decant market on eBay where buyers didn’t trust blind buying without testing a small decant of a batch first. The longevity of these batches is 8 hours plus with huge levels of Amberlyn (Ambroxan/fix) and Timbersilk (mistaken as ISO E Super). The other amazing thing about the best Aventus batches is the projection. With 4 sprays the mossy/ ambroxan drydown lingers around the area of the wearer and is very much there.
I still have 3 bottles of X02 batch and seeing as though Creed haven’t produced a good batch since 2013’s P01 I’ll be using X02 sparingly.
Thank you for all the details on the various batches, Jon. I think that will prove to be of great help to anyone curious about Aventus’ batches or their variations.
How much Amberlyn and how much Timbersilk? Also, how did you find this out? E-mail me if you can @ brandongreatheart@yahoo.com
Utter Rubbish.
I walked pass Creed corner at Bergdorf, the SA gave me a blotter with Aventus on, i sniffed it and told her it was nice and clean but i felt indifferent about it. That was my first experience with the brand, and i didnt know what i were smelling, she was clearly annoyed by that. She started spraying all other frags in that line and made me try them, i felt overall they are all pleasant but they come too close to smelling like sephora sporty frags… I had to lie to her that i like Royal Oud so she could give me a sample and let me go. It was like a first date gone horribly wrong… I could see the appeal of the brand, but i think they are massively overpriced just to compete for market share from Amouage or By Kilian and such. I am a graphic designer and i would never thought those bottles cost $300-400 on a glance. There are top many niche lines that price themselves high to appeal to rich consumers, because they won’t buy anything that are reasonably priced, i bet those guys wear Givenchy $200 flip flop with leather skirts too.
I grinned at your encounter with the Bergdorf SA, and the line “It was like a first date gone horribly wrong.” Very funny. I don’t see the brand’s appeal myself, but you and I are in a distinct minority it seems.
I also agree that Amouage offers a much better value in term of originality/quality for the money. I’ve tried Interlude, Jubilation, Epic and… Opus VII (which was amazing in the beginning until it turns into curry/falafel on me, at which point I had to scrub it off). I don’t see myself wearing Amouage often enough to justify for buying them, but I have to admit their longevity and complexity are hard to beat.
Like I mentioned before, I think there are too many niche lines trying to price themselves so high to appeal to certain markets, Vilhelm Parfumerie is a recent example where the presentations and ads are great, but the scents feel unsubstantial and underdeveloped to justify for the $240 price tag. At that price point you just have too many good options with much higher quality to choose from. Me and my friend tested Black Citrus and Stockholm 1978 out at Barneys when they first launched a few months ago, the openings are interesting, but they are so thin and sheer that they settle into skin scents half an hour later. It’s interesting that they put the line right next to Byredo, because they do remind me of Byredo on the first sniff — they are designed to grab your interest and cash (mostly cash) in the first 15 minutes, then fade as soon as you walk out the store.
I would love to hear what you think of the Scent Stories line from Min New York, they have some interesting offerings in that lineup.
Opus VII had a major amount of fenugreek in it, so your curry experience doesn’t surprise me. My issue was more the cat pee and ISO E Super aspects. Some of the other Amouages have been reformulated to the point of serious dilution where they’re not really recognizable to me as an Amouage. Like, the Epic Man that you mentioned, for example.
Re. price, at this point, and with the range of things I’ve reviewed, I think $240 is actually a “good” price, relatively speaking, if the quality is there (ie, smoothness, longevity, and lack of heavy synthetics). The $350 range seems to be increasingly the more typical for this level of brand, whether Amouage or so many others (LM Parfums, SHL 777, etc.) and then you have the luxury labels like Xerjoff, Roja Dove, or Puredistance (with some of the new Serge Lutens hitting that $500 mark), and the super-luxury like some Roja Doves or SHL 777s.
I’m not saying that such prices are a good thing or always warranted. I’m just saying that it’s pretty sad how one’s baseline gets quickly skewered towards the crazy in this world. It’s a totally nutty, nutty pricing spectrum. At this point, fragrances in the $200 range seem not just the norm but almost reasonable, I’m afraid. The thing I demand for such prices is longevity, some projection, and not an obvious, in-your-face aromachemical bomb. Byredo is usually out for me because of the sillage and longevity issues (“insubstantial” is a good descriptor); Creed for those same things, plus how commercial, mainstream, and boring they are. lol.
As for the MiN Scent Stories, I have samples of a few for several months now, but haven’t gotten around to trying them. Doubt I will get to them for a few more months. My apologies. I’m preparing to leave for a 3-week trip to Italy, and there will be a lot to catch up on once I return in August, especially as I probably will come back with some Italian fragrances.
“I had to lie to her that i like Royal Oud so she could give me a sample and let me go.”
Stories like these are like really bad fiction. First, who knows if it’s true. Second, you really couldn’t just walk away? You were so forced to stay by the person that you had to lie about a fragrance and wait until you received a sample before leaving? Extremely hard to believe.
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I do not understand why people do not like linearity in fragrances. The most difficult thing in perfumery is linearity. I personally prefer linear fragrances.
When it comes to Creed Aventus, out of all the reviews that I’ve read, 95% absolutely love the fragrance and the other 5% strongly dislike it because of personal endless reasons. I was just beginning the selfish endeavor of Perfume Collecting, but I think I’m gonna give it a rest. Folks, some advice…Just buy a fragrance that you love, wear it and just take it one day at a time. Its gonna be alright.
Good advice. Don’t give up on perfume collecting. I don’t think it’s selfish if it’s something you enjoy. No need for 100’s of fragrances, just a few you really like. If you buy small bottles then you can resupply when empty or rotate in a new fragrance.
“If there really is no difference between batches, then why is there a 36-page discussion on Basenotes devoted solely to the different lots and how they smell?”
Why? Becasuse fragrances are like wines in that there are a high number of snobs who feel the need to overfly analyze something and provide an opinion. Tell these snobs you like any Creed fragrance and you’ll get comments that the fragrances are over priced, not niche, over hyped, inconsistency due to batch variations, etc. Then they will recommend fragrances that they like and feel are far more interesting or at a better price point. Yawn. Same types of snobby comments from both fragrance and wine zealots and most should be ignored. Wear what you think smells nice and don’t fall for comments by fragrance snobs.
I got managed to get my hands on a 500 ml. bottle of Creed Aventus and am interested in selling half of the fragrance (bottle not included). I live in western North Carolina and want to split in person. I work as a truck driver so if you live somewhere else in the USA & are interested throw me an email anyway. I’m asking $350 for half of the 500 ml.
You can email me at surghasfumes@gmail.com
I really don’t understand the fascination with Aventus at all. The first time I tried it I thought ‘is that it?’. Something with that much hype ought to have stirred some feeling. On another occasion, browsing the niche area of the local store, the young lady sprayed me with Aventus and Viking. Once again I was utterly underwhelmed. If Aventus was in nondescript packaging in an outlet mall for $10 I doubt I would buy it. I wish someone (perhaps one day I’ll do it) would arrange a double blind test of Aventus and the ‘dupes’, to see what people think of it and how it would score against the competition.
Haha, you and me both, Bear, you and me both.
If you ever do that blind-test, do let me know the results. It would be interesting to do the test twice, once with people who are well-versed in niche and one with those who only know mainstream, commercial, designer fragrances. I bet the two outcomes would be vastly different…