6 Best Smelling Acqua di Gio Fragrances

Acqua di Gio now has around a quarter century worth of history and sales. It is one of the most successful men’s fragrance releases in history. That initial EDT release is a classic, but is it the best of the bunch? What is the best AdG fragrance for men? In this post, I am going to rank my top 6 colognes from this Armani line.

What are the Best Smelling Acqua di Gio Colognes?

The Best Overall

GIORGIO ARMANI Acqua Di Gio Profumo for Men Eau De Parfum Spray, 2.5 Fl Oz– Profumo still takes the top spot in my book.

The usual citrus is still there, with dark mineral and marine notes, and sage/incense. The smokiness and spiciness here is pretty awesome. Profumo just has more depth than the others and I think that it smells slightly better than Profondo.

I enjoy its metallic-like finish and the performance is still very solid (even if I think newer bottles don’t have the same staying power, as the initial batches). AdG Profumo Review

A Very Close Second

GIORGIO ARMANI Acqua Di Gio Profondo for Men Eau De Parfum Spray 4.2 Ounces, blue– Profondo nearly took the crown from Profumo, but is just a notch below. I still do love wearing this cologne and will probably buy a full bottle for myself.

Profondo is a blue-ish type of cologne (more blue-green to my nose). It doesn’t have the same smokiness and darker qualities of Profumo and is less floral than the original. Profondo has a deep woody character, with a smooth somewhat resinous finish.

To me, the aquatic elements here aren’t salt water. More like the impression of fresh water. I like this the best on the hottest days of the year. Great release. AdG Profondo Review

The Discontinued Gem

ACQUA DI GIO ESSENZA BY GIORGIO ARMANI FOR MEN 2.5oz EDP Spray– With Essenza, I’m going off of my memory of what it smells like. It has been discontinued for quite a while now and bottles are selling for hundreds of dollars.

To me, this is the third best AdG scent. It may be recency bias and if I had a bottle, it could move up the list. Either way, unless you’re already a fan, you probably won’t be getting this one.

It was very much like the original EDT release, but greener, and with a great dose of basil. Which as a note, can be absolutely amazing when used well. Really a fragrance that did everything well and can be worn pretty much whenever.

New Release

Acqua di Gio EDP–  The Eau de Parfum version is a new release for 2022 and thus far I have been enjoying it. It doesn’t do too much that’s new, but it has a lot of overlap with others in the series, making it quite good all around.

It opens up with its green mandarin and sea notes. Actually smells pretty close to Profondo and Profondo Lights, minus the potent cardamom of the latter. Quite bright and upbeat. Early on, it’s like the Profondos and the original AdG.

Then, it will shift to smelling more like Profumo, accept less dense and smoky. Patchouli, sage, and geranium will chip away at the mandarin’s citrus dominance.

It’s maybe a notch below the other two current releases, overall. Maybe a notch above the original based on performance. The aroma? I might still lean the EDT, but it’s close. Acqua di Gio EDP Review

The Original

Acqua Di Gio By Giorgio Armani For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces – The original EDT takes the 4th spot on the list. I received a sample of this, when I recently bought a bottle of Profumo, and it was still very enjoyable.

It doesn’t have the same strength or longevity, as it once did. Though, the fresh citrus and floral notes really come through for that classic Armani experience. Nowadays, does it really have a place?

Maybe. For me, only at a big discount, and I might still go with Just Me by Paris Hilton. I like it, but it has been surpassed. AdG Review

Interesting, but Not the Best

GIORGIO ARMANI Acqua Di Gio Absolu Eau De Parfum Spray, 2.5 Fl Oz, Beige– The last that I saw of Absolu, it was being heavily discounted by retailers. I guess it never caught on with the public, much the same case with me.

It really isn’t a bad fragrance, just there are now four better releases in the Acqua di Gio line. The more time I spent with it, though, the less I liked it. This is probably the most unique of the bunch and actually quite similar to Invictus Aqua, but better than that.

It’s a resinous and woody aquatic with pear and apple. Really an amber-like aroma that permeates much of the wear. You do get good performance with this, again, it’s just not nearly as good as the others. AdG Absolu Review

Best Men's Colognes

Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.