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Invictus by Paco Rabanne has been one of the best selling fragrances of this decade. Naturally, due to its success, it have spawned a bunch of flanker fragrances from the original. When you get so many incarnations under one name, you start to wonder, which you should choose.
In this post, I am going to give you my top Invictus colognes, out of the original and all of its flankers. This list is in order, from first to fifth, and I have linked my reviews of the selections.
Ranking My Favorite Invictus Colognes
Invictus Victory Elixir– It seems like Paco Rabanne is just going to keep rolling out new fragrances under the Invictus name. Which doesn’t sound interesting on the surface, but the Victory flankers were both among the best of the series.
Victory Elixir is the better of the two and my favorite of the line thus far (I do still need to try the new Parfum).
Victory Elixir starts off with a strong vanilla and amber blend that is dotted with a spicy mix of cardamom and black pepper. Creamy, warm, and even a coconut-like aroma that sits underneath it all for a while.
Tonka bean and lavender also make appearances. It’s got a freshness that keeps it from getting completely bogged down in sweetness and amber. Still, that’s a lot of the main attraction, but it’s a great experience from this brand. Invictus Victory Elixir review
Invictus Intense by Paco Rabanne for Men 3.4 oz Eau de Parfum Spray
To me, this was the best of the lineup, at one time.
At least, in my mind. Invictus Intense doesn’t have that same initial fruity burst, as the original. It is less sweet and the fruit notes are more subdued.
Invictus Intense instead opts for a warm amber with the marine accords. Then, you get a great malted aroma, with orange blossom and woody undertones.
This one seems smoother and more refined. It’s warm with a slight spice, still enough sweetness, and good performance. It’s similar, yet different enough from the original, but just more pleasant for me to wear. Invictus Intense Review
Invictus Victory– Alright, updating this list, I have to add Victory here. It’s still not my favorite of the lot, but I think it’ll be a better option for most guys ahead of Intense…since that booziness may not be your thing.
Update: Victory Elixir is a bit better than this one.
The opening act gives me a nice dose of lemon, a general warmth, and a peppery kick to round things off. As it dries down, that’s when it becomes more of a vanilla and amber based cologne.
Quite gourmand and delicious, much more of a crowd pleaser scent, and outdoes the original EDT.
Sweet, with some tonka bean to offset the vanilla, but the latter note is really dominant between them. The projection isn’t too huge, but solid, and it will last for a long time on skin. Victory review
Invictus by Paco Rabanne for Men 3.4 oz Eau de Toilette Spray
I’ve worn this and Intense, while trying to reconsider each, to see if I still favored Intense versus the original. Answer: Yes, but I have a greater appreciation for what Invictus is.
The candied fruit and aquatic elements are really nice at the top, but the bay leaf in the dry down, isn’t nearly as good. It is fresh, but it becomes somewhat soapy with jasmine, and has a clean wood base.
It’s cool. I know that lots of guys like wearing this stuff, and I count myself among them. However, the whole wear isn’t amazing, and not as good as Intense. Invictus EDT Review
Paco Rabanne Invictus Legend EDP Eau De Parfum For Men 3.4oz
Though, I don’t find it to be as good as the first two. It does however, surpass Invictus Aqua, which loses a lot of my goodwill with its dry down.
I do still need to spend more time with this scent and a full review will be on its way fairly soon. Legend starts off sweeter and has more of an oceanic vibe than does Intense. It’s salty, fruity, and aquatic.
Then, as it dries down, you get more of the Intense amber-laden aroma but it’s still kind of different. You also will get some more spice, than Intense. Invictus Legend is sort of an amalgamation of the different Invictus scents, but it works well. Invictus Legend Review
This is my current list, as of now. I may come back and rearrange the list, if Paco Rabanne releases a new one (which they totally will). Also, if I happen to give higher marks to Invictus Legend, the more time I spend with it. I don’t think that will be the case, but sometimes, my opinion evolves.
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Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with the different fragrances that I’ve owned, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, that new hobby grew into a consistent passion, helping millions of readers along the way. I have personally written reviews for well over 800 perfumes and colognes for both men and women. This is along with writing hundreds of other in-depth fragrance guides.