Armani Stronger With You vs Code Profumo Comparison

For this entry into the men’s cologne comparisons, I want to take a closer look at two wintertime wears, from the Armani collection: Stronger With You vs. Armani Code Profumo. Which smells better? Which has the greater performance? Sillage? Ultimately, which is the better buy?

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Tale of the Tape: Profumo vs. Stronger with You

Armani Code Profumo

Notes include: leather, amber, tonka bean, cardamom, lavender, and nutmeg

Click here to try: Giorgio Armani Code Profumo EDP Spray for Men, 3.7 Ounce

Read my full review: Code Profumo Review

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Stronger With You

Notes include: vanilla, mint, cardamom, chesnut, amber, pink pepper, sage, violet leaf

Click here to try: Emporio Armani Stronger With You for Men Eau de Toilette Spray, 1.7 oz

Read my full review: Stronger with You

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Opening

Code Profumo begins with amber and tonka bean. It also has a top of citrus, nutmeg, and cardamom. It’s warmly sweet, a bit spicy, and has a certain fizziness to it. Sort of like a cream soda.

Stronger With You starts off with cardamom, pink pepper, and mint. It strikes me as being more along the lines of something like, Azzaro Wanted. It is really fresh and has a nice personality, before the sweet vanilla, comes in.

Which is better? Code Profumo. I don’t particularly like the cardamom heavy start of Stronger, though, it does get much more enjoyable as it dries down. Code Profumo is a bit more interesting and the tonka/amber combination smells better, at the start.

Edge: Code Profumo

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Projection

Stronger with You has a strong sillage. It’s not insanely powerful, but it will create a large scent bubble around you, as you wear it. Profumo is also strong, probably about the same sillage as its competitor. I don’t really see much of a difference here.

Edge: Push

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Longevity

Stronger with You will go for about 9 hours, but it can go over 10, at times. It’s got a very good performance. With Code Profumo, I always get 10+ hours of wear. It’s doesn’t have a huge amount of extra staying power, but Code Profumo is a slightly better.

Edge: Profumo

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Versatility

Both of these fragrances, are more suited toward cold weather, and for the nightlife. You can wear them at the office or at school, but these should be sprayed lightly, in those scenarios.

I wouldn’t be wearing either of these, when it gets warmer out, as they don’t hold up too well. There is no clear distinction, in this category.

Edge: Push

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Overall Scent

Stronger With You, doesn’t have the best opening act, and it made me worried that it wasn’t going to be a good fragrance. However, it improves greatly throughout its development, and ultimate is a very nice cologne. It ends up with a dry woody aroma, led by vanilla, and a great chestnut note.

In my mind, the chestnut note, holds this one together. The cedar, sage, and amber that comes through gives it a much different vibe than its opening. The performance is also quite good.

However, it isn’t quite as good as Code Profumo, in my opinion. There are aspects that I enjoy more from Stronger, but it isn’t as consistent during the entire wear. Profumo is sweet, creamy, and bold. The amber, tonka bean, and leather are rich and super smooth together. It’s fantastic in the winter.

For that, I’m giving the win to Code Profumo. Actually, the newer Code Absolu, is better than both but in this limited match up Profumo takes it.

Winner: Profumo