There aren’t many things in life which can successfully capture the love of its users for 16 years. And yet that’s exactly what Creed’s Aventus has managed.
First brought to market all the way back in 2010 – back when the first iPad had just launched, TikTok was a Kesha song and we were all playing Angry Birds – the scent has proven to be a mainstay of the men’s fragrance market.
Having never worn the scent before, I got my hands on a bottle to see what all the fuss is about.
Simple, yet elegant
The first thing I was struck by is how remarkably simple this scent is. Powerful, citrussy top notes of bergamot and lemon lead the way, before passing the torch onto pineapple at the heart of the fragrance. That’s an unusual note to find in men’s fragrances, and acts as something of a signature for this bottle.
All of that is built on top of a more traditional base, with woods, musk and patchouli. But, really, that’s it. There’s no contrasting notes vying for your attention and cancelling each other out. There’s a blast of blackcurrant right as you spray, but it’s the first thing to give way.
I also think the balance between the base, heart and top notes is different to a lot of what we see. The base is much less prominent on the skin, giving the top and base notes more room to breathe.
It works brilliantly – those lighter notes have the space to really dance around one another without vying for the same olfactory space. And when everything dies down, you’ve got a sturdy base of woods which feel familiar for anyone who has used a men’s fragrance in the last few decades.
Like the back of my hand
Of course, a good scent is only one part of the battle. Aventus smells great, but there are thousands of killer fragrances out there, and they definitely don’t all have this sort of longevity.
Another reason why I suspect Aventus has managed to last this long is because it fits into what we would traditionally expect of a men’s fragrance. Don’t get me wrong, notes of pineapple and blackcurrant do break the mold, but they’re definitely things you have to reach for.
If you’re not the type of fella to sit there and dissect the different notes of your scent, what you’d probably notice instead is a fresh, clean scent, with a strong, masculine base. And really, that’s all it ever needed to be.
Variations will surely continue to come and go, but as long as those not concerned with scent can pick it up, spray it and feel instantly at home with what they find, it will surely remain a hit. Priced at $510 for a 100ml bottle, this is best thought of as an investment in your best self.