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OK this is a simple question that requires a multi part answer.
And it calls for the usual disclaimer: this is based on my personal experience alone. It's all very subjective.
I got aquainted with the Aventus DNA through Fine Platinum (I still find the aftershave splash to be one of the best Aventus-style scents ever made).
I liked the splash so much, I got the Platinum EdT, which was nice enough, very pineapple-y, but also very short lived.
I don't know if you've ever read anything by HP Lovecraft but there's always that key moment in every story when the character starts his descent into madness, those first few steps, driven by very noble intentions.
Yeah, for me that moment was when I told myself "I like the Platinum EdT BUT there's gotta be something better and still affordable out there..."
Long story short, I ended up with Montblanc Explorer, Armaf Club de Nuit Intense Man (the Limited Edition EdP which says Parfum on the bottle but is still just an EdP concentration) and a tiny 2ml sample of actual Aventus from Scent Split.
For me, Explorer is the best daily driver. It's Aventus-inspired but simpler, fresher, and it really does its own thing in the drydown. Some people would say it's more bland, but I really like it. I get bergamot (that plays the role of the pineapple in this case) and peppery, smoky woods. Better longevity than Platinum EdT, but less than Armaf CDNIM
Armaf has 3 (or maybe even 4?) versions of CDNIM, and I'm reading all sorts of bad things about batch variations. There's the OG EdT, then they came out with Limited Edition (that used to say EdP on the box, but Parfum on the bottle), then the big EdP bottle came out, and the Limited Edition now says Parfum on the box AND the bottle.
People say the EdT has a super harsh citrus opening, Lemon Pledge style, but the drydown is really nice and super close to the real deal. The first batch of the Limited Edition was smoother, sweeter, felt classier. The EdP and the latest batch of the Limited Edition seem to be the exact same juice, a bit smoother than the EdT, but not as good as the first Limited Edition batch.
I own the latest version of Limited Edition and I like it. It's the strongest and longest lived of everything Aventus-like I own. But there's this very insistent smoky birch note that feels definitely less natural than the real deal. Layering this and Explorer gives the most accurate experience so far, but you gotta be in the mood because that scent cloud is gonna be intense and last a while.
Now, the first tiny sample of real Aventus I got, was absolutely fantastic. Unfortunately it didn't come with batch code info. It blew every clone out of the water. It was so well balanced, pineapple-y but not too sweet, woody, smoky, but never harsh. And it projected juuust the right amount, and lasted juuust long enough. Nothing came close. So I decided to get a bigger sample (the one in the picture).
And here's where my super long post gets interesting. The batch I got (from Decant Boutique), while really nice, smells a LOT like my CDNIM bottle! Harsh smoky birch note and everything. It still feels more natural and well blended, but the character is definitely in the same ball park. I understand now, what people were saying about CDNIM's drydown being 90% similar to the real deal.
So in conclusion, Aventus batch variations make it almost impossible to pinpoint the "closest dupe", but CDNIM is really close to some of those batches (I'm guessing the more recent ones).
Whew, that was a lot of words, I hope they were somewhat helpful
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Here's a list of apparently good dupes that I haven't had the pleasure of testing yet:
- BondNo9.com by Bond No. 9
- Pineapple Vintage (and Vintage Intense) by Parfums Vintage
- Afnan Supremacy Silver
- L'Aventure Cologne pour Homme by Al Haramain
And in the same "spirit" but quite different in the execution, Mancera Cedrat Boise is pretty damn good. I did try this one and love it.
First of all, I ,ahem, my friend
would like to say THANK YOU VERY MUCH for taking the time to elaborating your experience. Your post is well worth being a bookmark.As of now I have used (and still do)
> Montblanc Explorer EdP, which I like quite a lot. It's got a delicate oakmossy punch and has an excellent staying power. It's one of my daily drivers when it comes to fragrances.
>Al Haramain L'Aventure (which is not a bad interpretation of this type of scent but the pineapple notes smell a tad artificial to MY nose prior to the drydown).
> the ARMAF CDNIM EdT.
TBH, I like the EdT extremely well - even the lemony opening. The lemony start smells clean and vibrant to my nose (not harsh) and doesn't remind me of a citrus cleanser at all. And I'm quite picky when it comes to lemony notes in soaps/fragrances... After a short time (about 15 to 20 minutes) the drydown begins, the citrus notes recede and give more space to the pineapple and smoky/oakmossy notes. The longevity gives no cause for complaint, it stays for hours.
Finally, the ARMAF CDNIM EdP - the delivery of my order is scheduled for Saturday.
I tried to order the EdP prior to the start of AAA but it was entirely sold out here in Germany.
(I did not opt for the Limited Edition EdP instead since the retail price of the LE was 2.5 times more expensive than the regular EdP - it seems like a smart move to remain patient according to your statement those fragrances being the same stuff).
I never have layered a fragrance but I might give the ARMAF EdT x Explorer a try...
*deep sigh*
If only it weren't for the variations in the former/recent batches of the original...
There seems to be a general consensus that things have changed in the last couple of years... your findings are in line with the majority of reviews I read.
Anyway, I guess I will get myself the real deal sometime... if only to satisfy my curiosity.
Again, thanks a lot for your reply, very appreciated!
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). I don't have the feeling I have burnt too much money on these four fragrances... I like Explorer and ARMAF EdT that much that I'll rebuy it once its gone... L'Aventure will be used up, too.
. Armaf CDNIM EdT is a nice match, since the EdT starts with a fruit-driven opening, too.
