Armani Code Absolu

If you like the new wave of more or less flat, sweet scents like Victory Elixir, Most Wanted Intense (black bottle), and Scandal Absolu you should maybe sample this and see what you think. I'm not sure what prices are like on this at the moment, but I wouldn't pay too much more than you would for any of those, because the differences with some of them are nuanced. I guess you could think of the whole Code line as ahead of its time since every brand on earth seems to be copy pasting this profile in the last few years, and Code Absolu is one of my favorites. It hits me as most similar to Scandal Absolu in that it has that nondescript sweet profile, but doesn't strike me as synthetic in the way that Most Wanted Intense does. I've said in other reviews that you should sample as many of these sweet scents as you can and decide for yourself, because I'm not the only one admitting that they're having a really hard time articulating the differences between them. My fave in this family is still Scandal Absolu, then this, then vintage Code EDP, Victory Elixir, The Most Wanted Intense, then Most Wanted Parfum. There are others, but I hesitate to include them, because I don't have as much experience with them. YSL Myself seemed to be similar, but that was with a burnt nose at a store. It doesn't matter which you choose frankly, because these are not very deep scents at the end of the day, not to talk down about them because that's not their point, clearly. I will say that Victory Elixir has a bit of that Invictus DNA going on noticeably, which adds a little more character, and I like it a lot more for that reason. I think in practice, it would be nicer smelling and might invite more compliments than any of these, because that DNA is loved by the ladies, apparently, and that stuff can get nuclear performance depending on the situation. Most Wanted Parfum is a little bit of a departure because it has a little fruitiness that some have called "grape soda" which can be nice, but some have called it less manly than the Intense (black bottle). Scandal Absolu appeals to me most because it has a nuttiness and very slight fruitiness (not as much as The Most Wanted Parfum) that accompanies the sweetness nicely. Victory Elixir is a close second or even tie for me at the moment. They are all so similar to me and my opinion is subject to change because of that. All of these are apart from Stronger With You Intensely, which isn't even in the same realm as these, considering how similar they are to one another. I prefer that to all of them, because it actually has spicy scent character with its sweetness, a little nuttiness, and just smells more natural than these. I recommend anyone who can't parse out this nonsense to just sample all of these if you can't be throwing money around, but my verdict on Code Absolu is that it is on the higher end of these scents by far and probably tied for first with Scandal Absolu and Victory Elixir to me, and most people don't even think about it nowadays, so there's a tiny uniqueness factor going on there. UPDATE: I've been dwelling on these scents pretty heavily for a while now, and I've gotta say that Absolu is my new favorite. There's just more subtlety, natural quality, depth, and pleasantness going on here. I'm really sad that this is discontinued. I think it's one of the best fragrances ever made.

A re-review. So many fragrances that I own end up being discontinued!! It's a conspiracy to prevent me from smelling nice! Lol This was a good fragrance from Armani. I'm sad to see it go, so I felt inclined to say something about it. I remember I got this bottle at the start of my fragrance journey, I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and explore more sweeter fragrances. I ended up liking this enough to get a 110ml. Ever since I had the bottle, I've been using it exclusively for special occasions in the colder seasons. It's not a complex scent. Quite linear, but its blend is done so well. It's very powerful. However, it's one of those scents that, even if it's filling up a room, literally nobody would complain about smelling it. Honestly, it's addictive now that I'm whiffing the bottle. It's very sweet and suede leather like. The opening has green apple and mandarin that linger for a bit. Once dissipated, it makes way for a strong suede leather and lots of vanilla with slight aromatics of nutmeg. It is impossible to miss. On top of it, there are prominent powdery tonka with woody hints. No transitions or anything, this is what you get till the end. But I wouldn't call it boring - it's just pleasant. It pushes those notes constantly on the skin with no end to it. But it does it in such a way that isn't cloying, and that's what I find impressive. This is probably the sweetest fragrance I own. I find the sweetness balanced enough for me to pull it off. I've had some memorable compliments with it. It really was "sensual" - and I know that term gets thrown around for so many fragrances that just aren't it. But this one definitely did the job, with great projection and longevity. Peace out.

Probably the most hyped in the Armani Code line with Profumo being a close second. Does it live up to the hype? Read on to find out; Scent: Opening is sweet, leathery, and powdery. Immediately I get strong notes of leather/suede, and vanilla, followed by woods, nutmeg, and apple. Dry down is sweet, powdery, and woody. The leather/suede note is gone, the vanilla and woods have gotten stronger, and the tonka has emerged to provide extra sweetness. Performance: Initial projection is nuclear and fills a room. Sillage matches that intensity with a heavy scent trail. After a few hours the projection was about arms length and there was still a noticeable scent trail. Around the 8-10 hour mark the projection was 12 inches or less and there was a slight scent trail. Altogether the scent lasted on my skin over 12 hours. When to wear: This is most suited as a fall/winter fragrance, but is soft enough to be worn day or night. I wouldn't recommend it for the office, but it would be a great pick for a date night. Blind buy: If you like the Code line, or you like sweet, powdery scents, this is a safe blind buy for you. Final verdict: In my opinion this is the best of the Armani Code line. It smells amazing, has great performance, and always gets compliments. Profumo is a close second, but Absolu isn't quite so heavy handed with the sweetness, and as such is a little more versatile. It's discontinued now, so it's hard to find and usually expensive when found. Fragrancenet will sometimes get bottles in stock. If you stumble upon it for a good price, I'd say $150 or less for a 100ml bottle, jump on it; it's a perfect addition to a fall/winter lineup. Scent: 10/10 Longevity: 10/10 Sillage: 9/10

It seems that Armani finally realized that the average Code customer is now 30-45 years old, and wants something that can compete quality wise with Chanel and Dior. Yes Absolu has similarities to Profumo. They both share a sweetness that is lacking in the original Code, but where Profumo is decidedly childish, Absolu uses it's oriental aspect to great effect. The opening is classic Code. Sweet nandarin and apple. Synthetic yes, but also quite edible. The middle stage introduces nutmeg and coriander. However both spices are happily gone within minutes, along with the top. After 3-4 minutes the drydown is here. And this is where they got Absolu so right. Take leather and marry it to vanilla, and that famous tonka note. Stir in a splash of woods. That sweet vanillic leather is simply stunningly made. It's never over sweet or in your face, instead the fragrance is far more reserved. Whilst the original still holds up, I would recommend anyone to go for this instead. It can sit comfortably alongside Egoiste and Tobacco Vanille. Whilst it doesn't reach the quality of either, it still reeks of craftsmanship and quality. Longevity is fantastic - 12+ hours. Rating: 8.5/10

Armani Code Absolu defines perfection. Nothing in this word is perfect but I think this heavenly scent is the close thing to being flawless. If a blind person asks me what beauty means I will show Him Armani Code Absolu What I mean by that, smelling Armani Code Absolu makes me think of making love with the most beautiful woman on the planet, I remember the first time I sprayed Code Absolu on my arm I just fell head over heels in love with it. I was blown away when I smelled the dry down, that powdery sweet. heaven It made my heart melt, I instantly recognized tonka which is one of my favorite perfume notes. So smooth and romantic juice, Dark and and mysterious at the same time. I got tons of crazy reactions with Armani Code Absolu Best compliments I received from a fragrance is for this fragrance. Compliments Like "Omg you smell amazing" or there was a girl who litterly digged her nose in my neck, closed her eyes for seconds and told me I like to smell you all night . This fragrance I believe make Ladies wildest dreams come true.