creed aventus

Absolu Aventus by Creed

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Absolu Aventus is a limited edition of the best selling name by Creed, which was released in 2023. As of now, the brand really limited the number of bottles that came out, and I’m not sure what the status will be for the future.

I did however, purchase a sample for quite a bit of money, in order to test it out and see how it actually smells, performs, and if it’s worth trying to get a hold of.

What does Absolu Aventus Smell Like?

Notes include: citron, bergamot, blackcurrant, vetiver, grapefruit, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, pink pepper, patchouli

Click here to try: Absolu Aventus

My Full Review

The differences between Absolu and the original Aventus will be quite apparent in the opening act. The pineapple and birch are noticeably missing.

Absolu Aventus is a smoother blend in comparison with bergamot still in the lead spot, but flanked with citron, grapefruit, and the same blackcurrant. It does still have a somewhat sharp bite to it, but it doesn’t hit in the same way.

This to me, is a welcome change of pace, as the opening has always been my least favorite aspect of Aventus.

The spices here are mainly the cinnamon and cardamom notes. Ginger is present, but never becomes a major factor in the mix for me.

Vetiver was the biggest shock to me early. I wasn’t expecting it to come through as much as it did. I actually get more of it than I ever do from the ginger. Between this and the patchouli, you’re going to get some earthiness wafting up from the base.

Nothing crazy, but enough freshness and woodsy/grassy aroma to make up for some of what is missing from the original. Somewhat smoky, but really not to the same extent at all.

Basically, this one is citrus, spice (cinnamon and an emergent pink pepper), and the vetiver/patchouli mix in the base. Clean and pleasant. Unique enough from the original Aventus, but doesn’t stray too far away.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

During my initial wear, I was quite pleased with this because it had the same bold opening as Aventus. Plenty of projection and it definitely had scent trail potential, albeit in with a less heavy feeling than its predecessor.

But, after only a few hours into it, Absolu Aventus became a skin scent. I tried it multiple times with the same result. Disappointing.

For me, this Creed lasts the same length of time as Aventus. I get 8-9 hours out of it. Again, not to the same strength, and 4-5 of those hours, Absolu is going to be hovering just off of the skin. Nothing much more than that.

Seasonally, I think that Absolu is at its best in the autumn through spring. With the deeper use of citrus, I thought it might be summer coming into testing. Nope. This fragrance is surprisingly great when it’s cool and crisp outside.

As far as when you can where it, just think any time that you wear the original. It retains that super versatile and signature scent aspect.

Overall Impressions of Absolu Aventus

Overall, do I like Absolu Aventus? Yes, it’s very much like the original Aventus, only with some changes at the edges to make this fragrance somewhat distinct.

I do enjoy those additions. The cinnamon might be my favorite part of this newer formula. The citron in this citrus heavy mix is also pleasant. In terms of how it smells, Absolu is a nice release.

My main issues with it are the performance and the price tag for what it is. Over $500 per bottle. I can explain away the latter as it being as limited edition or something for collectors.

Fine. I’m not in the market for an Aventus fragrance, so, it doesn’t really concern me. Definitely feels like a cash grab, though.

The nosedive that it seems to do after a few hours, with how it projects is my main gripe. It feels like it’s going to be an equal to the original and then it just turns into a skin scent for me.

With all of that in mind, I don’t think this is going to be worth tracking down for most people. If you love Aventus, sure you might want a different take on it. For the rest of you, you might want to go with a different Creed cologne or just pick up one of the other Aventus scents.

There’s nothing here that’s way different, just a bit of an alternative take on the popular smell of Creed Aventus.

Creed Aventus vs Virgin Island Water Comparison

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In this edition of the cologne comparisons, I’m going to take a closer look at two Creed scents, that I’ve already reviewed on the site: Aventus and Virgin Island Water. How does VIW stand up against the ever popular, Creed Aventus? Which of these scents smells better? Gives better performance? Please continue below for my full take.

Tale of the Tape: Aventus vs. VIW

Virgin Island Water

Notes include: bergamot, lime, rum, sugar cane, coconut, ylang-ylang, and ginger

Click here to try: Creed Virgin Island Water by Creed for Unisex – 4 oz Millesime Spray

Read my Original VIW Review

Creed Aventus

Notes of Creed Aventus: 

Top: Blackcurrant,Italian bergamot, French apples and pineapple

Middle: Rose, dry birch, Moroccan jasmine, and patchouli

Base Notes: musk, oak moss, ambergris, and vanilla.

Click here to try Aventus: Aventus For Men 4.0 oz EDP Spray By Creed

Click here to read my original Aventus Review

Opening

Virgin Island Water strikes an early victory in how these two scents open. The initial blast of VIW is a blend of lime, bergamot, and the coconut note. I honestly think that this is a fantastic tropical aroma that really draws you in.

It is juicier and boozier than how it actually end ups. The rum and lime is a great combination that I love and brings on the summer feeling.

Aventus on the other hand, opens with a really harsh aroma, that I’ve always compared to Lemon Pine Sol (yes, the floor cleaner)…thankfully, it gets much better after that. In fact, after the initial bit, the bergamot note shared by the two scents is near identical and really great.

However, just comparing the opening act of each fragrance, I’ve got to go with VIW.

Edge: VIW

Projection

Virgin Island Water isn’t a strong scent, it’s pretty moderate all around. Don’t expect a monster.

It’s really not designed to have an overwhelming sillage, which would kind of be unbearable during the warmest days.

Aventus is strong and rather bold but isn’t insanely overpowering. It is, however, much stronger than Virgin Island Water and gets the edge here. It can be over-sprayed, but not an elite powerhouse, in my opinion.

Edge: Aventus

Longevity

VIW is completely borderline on having poor longevity and just okay. It depends on the day, but I’ve always gotten 4-6 of wear out of it.

Not great and one would expect more at the price point. I don’t mind the sillage being moderate, but I do have a problem with the mediocre performance.

Aventus, will get 7 hours as a minimum and usually in the 8-9 hour range. Solid performer. Occasionally, I can hit double digits with Aventus. That’s usually when in an air conditioned environment all day.

Some people can get Aventus to last longer on their skin than I do. Either way, Aventus outdoes Virgin Island Water pretty easily.

Edge: Aventus

Versatility

Aventus is more of a year round kind of scent, though, it isn’t great in the high heat, in my experience. It can be worn casually, on a date, at work, or for a night on the town.

Aventus is a very well-balanced cologne in this regard. It’s a signature fragrance for a lot of guys out there and will give you near endless opportunities to use it.

VIW has it’s versatility in the fact that it is a unisex scent. Aventus is much more of a masculine fragrance in comparison.

However, it’s almost strictly casual and actually shines in the summer heat. Sure, you could include spring, but unless you live in the tropics…it’s stuck in one season for wear.

Edge: Aventus

Overall Scent

I really like the opening of VIW, it’s nice, and reminds me of being at the beach. As it moves along, it becomes much more coconut dominant and takes on the suntan lotion aroma, which is still good but not as much as the opening.

It’s performance is also not amazing and it has a limited use. It’s more of a niche fragrance or one you’d use only at specific times of the year.

Aventus, I’ve never liked the opening BUT it does get much better. It gives good performance and the citrus-laden blend really starts to take off after that.

There’s a reason why it’s so highly regarded. I still enjoy Aventus, even if, I’m rather fatigued of smelling it. There’s just been such an influx of Aventus alternatives, that it becomes exhausting.

Between the two, the choice is Aventus, unless you’re looking for that specific summertime scent.

Winner: Aventus

Creed Aventus vs. Absolu Aventus Comparison

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Aventus is in its second decade now of being one of the best selling men’s fragrances on the planet. Creed brought out Aventus Cologne a number of years ago as a flanker, but have now followed that up with 2023’s Absolu Aventus. I bought a sample of it in order to test it out, review, and compare it to the original. Which is better? Which lasts longer?

Tale of the Tape: Aventus vs Absolu Aventus

Creed Aventus

Top: Blackcurrant, Italian bergamot, French apples and pineapple

Middle: Rose, dry birch, Moroccan jasmine, and patchouli

Base Notes: musk, oak moss, ambergris, and vanilla

Click here to try Aventus: Creed Aventus Creed 4 OZ Millesime Spray For Men

My original Review: Creed Aventus

Absolu Aventus

Notes include: citron, bergamot, blackcurrant, vetiver, grapefruit, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, pink pepper, patchouli

Click here to try: Absolu Aventus

Read my review: Absolu

Opening

The original Aventus’ opening, is honestly not my favorite. It does get much better, but to my nose, it strikes me as being quite sharp with the pineapple and bergamot. Plus, it has a dry woodiness.

Together, it takes on a somewhat kitchen cleaner, type of scent. The pineapple, bergamot, and birch are just a lot to deal with, at the beginning.

Absolu Aventus opens with a slightly different mix, while still being familiar. It isn’t as sharp, the pineapple is gone, as is the birch smokiness.

Replacing that, is a smoother blend of citrus. Including added citron and grapefruit. Still bergamot heavy, with some lighter black currant, but I like the citrus here more than the original.

Also, I get a good amount of vetiver early on with Absolu. That with some spiciness from mainly cinnamon and cardamom. Ginger is pretty faint on my skin, early.

Which is better? I like the Absolu version better. It’s just more pleasant to me and I like the added notes here. Just comes across well.

Edge: Absolu

Projection

Aventus has always been a strong fragrance. It’s not on the top tier of sillage, but, it can certainly make itself known in a room. Very good initial projection and a steady and slow decline.

But, noticeable for a vast majority of the wear.

Absolu Aventus starts off about the same. However, it seems to decline at a much faster rate than the original and descends into skin scent territory after a few hours of wear.

They may be close to equal at their peaks, but Aventus is the better performer.

Edge: Aventus

Longevity

The original Aventus has always lasted 8 or 9 hours on my skin, no matter the batch. It’s really been consistent over the years, in my experience.

Absolu hits about the same mark. Again, however, it doesn’t maintain the same level of strength and projection as the original. Absolu Aventus will spend more time as a skin scent, than does Aventus.

But, there’s no real difference in terms of how long they last.

Edge: Push

Versatility

Aventus is pretty much a year round fragrance, except for the high heat of summer. To me, it is much better in spring or autumn.

Absolu actually seems to work better here in the wintertime. Autumn through early spring. I think the original is better in the warmer temperatures and this one has more appeal in the cold.

Both are equal in terms of the vast array of scenarios in which you can wear them. Day or night, casually or dressed up, etc. etc.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these scents do I prefer?

Honestly, they have an extensive overlap with one another, as Absolu stays very close to the original formulation, just with some tweaks.

More citrus, spice, less smokiness and depth. Very much a condensed and slightly better cold weather wearing version of Aventus. I do like the smell. I might even prefer much of the wear to the original.

However, I’d honestly just go with Aventus versus Absolu, if I were in the market for a Creed Aventus. The bottles of Absolu are going for over $500 each and unless you’re a collector, you’re not going to get much value out of it.

The original is stronger and has more depth in the later stages. Even if, I don’t personally care for that opening act. The birch, vanilla, and moss are really good in the original. Once everything has balanced out, it’s a great fragrance.

Absolu is very nearly the same, but lacks certain elements. I do like the spices, such as cinnamon, but that’s not enough to justify paying for it in my opinion. The performance is lesser and the smell doesn’t really break new ground.

It’s a limited edition. So, unless that appeals to you, just stick with the first one or Cologne.

Winner: Aventus

Aventus Cologne by Creed

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Aventus has been a best selling fragrance, for a long while now. Its popularity, was bound to spin off a flanker fragrance, at some point. Well, that moment came, and we have now been given Aventus Cologne. Sharing the name of Aventus, it is of course, going to be hyped and anticipated. However, is it actually worth a try? What’s it smell like? How does it perform?

What Does Aventus Cologne Smell Like?

Notes include: birch, ginger, baie rose, mandarin, musk, mint, pink pepper, apple, vetiver, styrax, patchouli, sandalwood

My Full Review

Aventus Cologne opens up different from its predecessor. The mandarin orange note is very nice and doesn’t have that same sharpness, that the pineapple had in the original fragrance.

I actually like the start, quite a lot. The orange is flanked by ginger and mint, which gives the scent a cooled freshness about it. It’s juicy and somewhat green, maybe a hint of the rose, but not much. There is a pink pepper note, but it honestly, gets buried underneath the ginger and mint.

One thing, that I noticed about Aventus Cologne, is that it doesn’t have that warm smoky quality. The original Aventus had it, but this one, just shares the dry woodiness of birch and sandalwood.

After about an hour, that’s when I really notice the similarities between the two Creed fragrances. They aren’t identical, but you can definitely get a sense of one, from the other.

The next wave is a blend of the birch wood, sandalwood, vetiver, and some patchouli. The patchouli isn’t all that heavy, to my nose, at least. At this point, it’s a citrusy aroma, with a very dry and fresh base.

It stays this way for a while longer, then, tonka bean and styrax, come through. Aventus Cologne becomes less fruity and has a green, woody, and a slightly different take from the original.

Finally, the musk begins to take over for the rest of the way home. It leads the way, with tonka bean, styrax, birch, mandarin and vetiver, following on its heels.

It’s a nice smell, at this point, and the Aventus comparisons really pop into my head. Just enough of a difference, to be distinct.

Aventus Cologne is less sharp citrus fruit fragrance, with dry undertones, and cooled fresh spices. Then, it becomes a musky/woodsy orange cologne, with a similar feel to its namesake fragrance.

How Long Does it Last? What’s the Sillage Like?

Projection wise, the sillage isn’t too powerful here. Definitely lighter than Aventus. It projects itself well for an hour or two, before becoming a light scent, for the rest of the way.

So, starts off with a moderate 4-5 foot projection. Then, sits pretty close to wear you sprayed it.

The longevity isn’t that great, either. On my skin, I got about 5 hours of solid performance, followed by a couple where I could detect it…if I pressed my nose to my skin. Total? 7, if you count its greatly weakened state.

That was the biggest letdown with this scent, the fact that it couldn’t even get close to the original Aventus’ performance.

If you double up on the sprays, it can go an hour or two more, but that’s it. Maybe, it just doesn’t work on my skin, but that’s all I’ve been able to muster during testing.

Versatility

Aventus Cologne is very easy to wear. It’s not going to offend anybody. It’s safe for work, casual, or even more formal events.

It’s not really a nighttime cologne. Aventus Cologne feels much more like a warm weather scent, especially in the opening.

The mandarin, other fruit, and ginger notes give it that light cleanliness and energy. It’s a very nice start to a daytime wear. Being a Creed fragrance, it obviously going to be well put together. Classy, elegant, and just a joy to wear.

Overall Scent

Overall, do I like Aventus Cologne? I do. It’s not amazing, but I do enjoy it. The opening is the best part, in my opinion. It loses a lot of the sharpness, that could put me off to Aventus, at times.

For me, the loss of the smokiness was no big deal; it still has that nice dry quality, without the heavy enveloping cloud. The performance isn’t as good as it should be. Not terrible, but for the price, I expect more.

If the orange, ginger, mint blend could have been a longer part of the wear…this could’ve been great. Or even, if it could get up to the 8-10 hour range of longevity, this would be a winner. Apparently, some other people do get that much out of Cologne, not even close to that level for me.

Still, I enjoy the aroma itself, even if it leaves much to be desired.

This is an expensive fragrance, so, I don’t think you need to pick it up if you already have Aventus.

That price has only risen since its release in 2018. It’s not better, to me, and it overlaps enough with the original to be superfluous for most folks. There are so many attempted Aventus ‘clones’, that maybe you pick up this one as a change of pace.

If you can get a cheap sample or decant, do so. You should consider buying, if the original Aventus was too powerful or had too much, pineapple and smoke.

Creed Aventus vs Aventus Cologne Comparison

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The release of a new Creed Boutique fragrance, is a pretty big event, in the fragrance world. That is especially true apparently, when it involves a scent which carries the Aventus name. The brand released a men’s flanker fragrance, under this title, and I have tested it out.

The obvious question is, how does it compare to the original? Is it a better formula? Which scent wins the Aventus vs. Aventus Cologne, match up?

Tale of the Tape: Aventus vs Aventus Cologne

Creed Aventus

Top: Blackcurrant, Italian bergamot, French apples and pineapple

Middle: Rose, dry birch, Moroccan jasmine, and patchouli

Base Notes: musk, oak moss, ambergris, and vanilla.

Click here to try Aventus: Creed Aventus Creed 4 OZ Millesime Spray For Men

My original Review: Creed Aventus

Aventus Cologne

Notes include: birch, ginger, baie rose, mandarin, musk, mint, pink pepper, apple, vetiver, styrax, patchouli, sandalwood

Read my original review: Aventus Cologne

Opening

The original Aventus’ opening, is honestly not my favorite. It does get much better, but to my nose, it strikes me as being quite sharp with the pineapple and bergamot. Plus, it has a dry woodiness.

Together, it takes on a somewhat kitchen cleaner, type of scent. The pineapple, bergamot, and birch are just a lot to deal with, at the beginning.

Aventus Cologne begins with mandarin orange, which doesn’t have the sharpness or tart qualities of the original.

It is paired with a bit of apple, but mostly, mint and ginger. It has a fresh, juicy, cool, and somewhat ‘green’ aroma.

Which is better? I prefer the opening to Aventus Cologne, more than the original. That’s not too much of a surprise, coming from me.

However, I think it is smoother and just a less harsh experience. Still, that’s not to say that there’s a wide gap in enjoyment. Though, the trio of notes it uses are among my favorites, and it works out well.

Edge: Aventus Cologne

Projection

Aventus Cologne’s sillage is pretty moderate, at first. For about two hours, it is solid, and quite noticeable. Then, it becomes a much lighter fragrance, without much ability to project.

Aventus has always been a strong fragrance. It’s not on the top tier of sillage, but, it can certainly make itself known in a room. It is more powerful than the Aventus Cologne formula and it isn’t all that close.

Edge: Aventus

Longevity

Aventus has consistently lasted for 8-9 hours, on my skin, over the years. It’s a scent which performs quite well, in all regards.

Aventus Cologne, stays around for about 5 hours of solid performance, with a few more hours of being a skin scent. Aventus lasts longer and is way more consistent throughout.

The lighter quality of Cologne actually does translate to a worse performance in this case. None of the notes hang around on the skin, for an extended dry down period.

Edge: Aventus

Versatility

Aventus is pretty much a year round fragrance, except for the high heat of summer. To me, it is much better in spring or autumn.

Aventus Cologne, is better in the summer. It’s lighter and got a nice mandarin orange/ginger/mint freshness.

They can both be worn in a variety of situations. Cologne is more understated, while Aventus, is can play the dual role of daytime/nightlife scent. To me, the original still has a bit more use.

Edge: Aventus

Overall Scent

Aventus Cologne is a nice fragrance. There are plenty of aspects of it, that I truly enjoy. I like how it starts off. I like its less smoky aroma.

The dry down is where the homage to the original, is really noticeable. The main drawback here, is that, it doesn’t really perform that well. It’s pretty much the same issue that Viking Cologne has versus Viking.

I know that, it is supposed to be a lighter fragrance, but for the price it doesn’t warrant such performance. Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t a terrible cologne, by any measure.

It just never fully surpasses the original or provides enough of a difference, to truly get excited about.

Aventus is a classic, at this point. I know what I’m getting. That’s why hundreds of fragrances try to copy Creed Aventus. I know what I like about it and what I don’t. In all of that, I still get a better overall experience and performance than the newer Aventus Cologne.

It’s not a bad effort by Creed, but doesn’t outdo its predecessor.

Winner: Aventus