Armani Code

The word "code" can stand for several meanings. As for the fragrance Armani Code, I dare say its best synonyms are "manners", "ethics" or even "etiquette". After this introduction, the epytome "boring" might also appear, but I assure you, this is not the case. Armani Code is a versatile and unobtrusive fragrance that is suitable for many everyday situations. As a rule, it is well received by neighbouring noses. It is also a "cautious" perfume, providing a certain freshness and greenness through the use of citrus and oily olive blossom, a certain sharpness through the use of star anise and tobacco, a certain sobriety through the use of gaiac wood and leather, and a certain sweetness through tonka bean. It really is an all-round fragrance that is good on many occasions but excels on none. It's not a front-runner, but it's better than most other fragrances for an educated man on his way to the office in any business metropolis. Market-wise, the original Code has carved a place for itself as the "other" Armani after the more aquatic and successful Acqua di Giò pour Homme. It is elegant and classic and deserves much more attention than it has received so far. It justifies a better place than just being the brand's secondary reference as a men's fragrance. In my opinion, I even prefer to use it than its more famous aquatic brother. Armani Code is a conservative, spicy-sweet fragrance that offers below-average performance for the fragrance type, a beautiful visual presentation and an undeniable ability to please ladies (but not girls). It opens, as usual with Armani, with efemerous citrus notes, later developing a more herbaceous phase with oily olive blossom accords spiced with star anise facets. It dries down woody and moderately sweet and leathery. This perfume is a little "lost" on the perfumery shelves with so many competing offerings from the same brand. I would say that it is even underrated when competing with the numerous more bold Armani "Profumos", "Profondos" and "Absolutes". The fragrance DNA is distinctive, even if it doesn't really stand out due to its overall moderate accords and visceral good manners. Its lack of sales success has not persuaded any copycat brand to produce a clone fragrance. Jeanne En Provence has, however, produced an inexpensive similar perfume called Bois d'Olivier & Cade by Jeanne en Provence, which I also enjoy wearing. My wife likes both fragrances on me very much. My opinion: Since I first reviewed this fragrance a few years ago, the price became very attractive for an Armani offering. Besides being an above average dumb reach fragrance, it is also a good choice for mid-season elegant and formal occasions or for a meal with friends in a restaurant. It doesn't smell dated and I prefer it to other woody, sweet, formal fragrances in the same price range and also sold by fashion designers. I still don't think a blind purchase is justifiable, but it will be easy to test it in different perfumeries. Music: Tanita Tikaram - "Good Tradition"

The Giorgio Armani brand is synonymous with success in the entire world. But I dare say that, when it comes to men's fragrances, it seems that was always missing something, at least until the year 2004. In this year, was born one of the most celebrated fragrances of the past decade, making that men from all over the world searched for 1 bottle for their collections: Armani Black Code. It was with this name that this oriental and spicy fragrance came on the market, bringing a mix of seductive and elegant notes concentrated in a dark and cylindrical bottle. In 2005, the name changed to Armani Code, but there is no official record of the real reason for the change. I've read reports of problems involving the term "Black" on the European market, but nothing confirmed. The fragrance brings notes of bergamot and lemon, in the output; star anise, olive tree blossom, and guaiac wood, in the heart; tobacco, leather and tonka beans, in the base. At least on my skin, I don't see a single sign of the top notes. From the moment it touches the skin, there is a strong and sweet aroma. The star anise in this fragrance lacks the typical aroma of anise that sometimes recalls the smell of fennel. Here, the anise is more pungent, something closer to the licorice. The olive blossom note results in creamy, almost buttery nuances, while the guaiac wood has an incense-sandalwood aspect. About 40 minutes later, we can notice a reduction in the sweet aspect and an increase of more elegant and strong nuances. The leather gives a dry tone, while the tobacco leaves the fragrance warmer and sensual. The tonka beans end the evolution with a slight aroma of almonds. Many users feel the aroma of vanilla and some still complain of a certain medicinal smell. Worth trying on the skin. It's the kind of fragrance that exudes well, even though the concept is not the exposure, but the elegance. And has excellent durability. Particularly, I just have a problem with this scent: I can't wear it for two days in a row, since something about it makes me tired, making impossible the idea of having it as my olfactory signature. The bottle is dark but not black, as many think. It has a midnight blue color. Finally, it is worth saying that Armani Code won the Fifi Award for the fragrance of the year, in 2006, in the Men’s Luxe category.

Don't be diswayed by the negative reviews. This is a fantastic fragrance! In the midst of all the chatter about Armani Code's reformulations, one might question if some critics truly experienced the original Armani Black Code, witnessed its first tweak, and now label pre-2023 formulations as subpar. (By the way, I own batches from 2004, 2010, and 2022—the 2004 one was my late father's. And no, that wasn't a typo. The OG was called Black Code, not Code.) Could it be that some critics toss shade and negative reviews just to spice things up, hoping for unanimous nods? Educate yourself. The name shifted in 2005 from Black Code to Armani Code, deemed "more appropriate" by De Lesquen, embodying "the ultimate code of seduction for men." Yes, the 2004 Armani Black Code underwent a makeover around 2008ish, including a sneaky bottle change (comaband added). The juice had subtle shifts, but nothing to raise alarms. Fast forward to 2023, a new bottle design reminiscent of the Parfum version appears, sans the magnetic cap. Surprise—the juice inside has changed again. The deep, mysterious allure we cherished is replaced by a more blue-leaning scent, akin to Bleu De Chanel and its kin. • Pre-2023 reformulation, is it a terrible fragrance? No, just not what we're accustomed to. My recent 2022 batch from the first reformulation smells great. • Is it a carbon copy of Armani Code Black? No. • Does it stink? Not at all. • Does it resemble a completely different fragrance? Not even close. • Does it vanish after two hours, as some claim? Definitely not. I get a solid 6 hours out of it. Trust me, even with its reformulated quirks, Code still has something for the curious. It's still richer and darker than many similar scents out there. You can still pick up on the clever use of anise. Sure, it might have lost a bit of intensity, but it gained a more easygoing vibe, like Armani Code took a stroll on the beach and decided to lighten up. Armani Code pre-2023 is still a fantastic fragrance, even with it's reformulation. Not all fragrances were intended to last 40 days and 40 nights people. It's suppose to last just long enough until sexy time. Now back to your regular scheduled complaints.

Armani Code in 2026. What would make a scent timeless to me is not only its popularity, but its distinct scent profile. Maybe someone much more experienced with fragrances than me can find another, but to me, there is no other fragrance that does that star anise note like this one. Armani Code is a citrus-licorice leather, done so well. This is a versatile leather scent, something that you won't get sick of if you wear it for days on end. The opening is citrus star anise, and the leather only shows just slightly on the drydown, with the licorice vibe staying all throughout. Combine it all to make an incredibly pleasing statement fragrance which has stood the test of time. I saw someone suggest this was Sauvage before Sauvage and I can see that: I didn't wear perfume in 2004 given my age, however I can imagine the 2000's consisted of ADG, Code, and Calvin Klein dominating sales, as they still seem to do so today. What makes a scent memorable is a standout note: Sauvage has the peppery ambroxan which I cannot find similar in another scent, Creed Aventus has that fantastic pineapple birch note, and Armani Code couldn't have blended the star anise better here. For me, this continues to be a daily wear, and still a 9.2/10 for me. Armani Code is a reminder of what the fragrance industry once was: I am a sucker for 90's-2000's fragrances, I found them to be more unique especially compared to today's releases. To me, no flanker beats the original here.

A perfume with a relatively fresh opening. After 5-10 minutes it takes on a wonderful leather-based atmosphere. star anise note is dominant together with leather. It is closer to the gentlemanly side rather than an aggressive leather scent. in fact, i can easily say that this fragrance is a bit powdery. it has a scent profile that is waiting to be discovered rather than a scent profile that reveals itself. Gentle and elegant. I think the fragrance has a different effect on the Aegean people. olive oil is the most important element in the aegean cuisine. every meal is cooked with olive oil. we even consume olive oil raw, with lemon on it, as an appetizer for breakfast and before the main meal. It is very common among us Turks and Greeks. the olive blossom and lemon notes in the perfume remind me of that appetizing olive oil-lemon combination. Many users have interpreted this perfume as ordinary, but its associations with me are unique as an Aegean person. Strangely, women love this perfume. Every woman I have tried this scent on said, it was great for a man, without exception. Every time I wear the perfume, I receive a positive comment or compliment from at least one woman. It is one of those perfumes that has managed to become a true legend.

I absolutely love Armani Code. I first tried it in 2019, so I cannot comment on whether or not it is weaker than it used to be, etc. I mostly owned fresh/citrus/woody scents and started exploring different categories of frags, specifically something darker with a bit of mystery and romance. This seems to encapsulate everything I was looking for in that regard. It’s still fresh, with light hints of citrus, but the overall makeup is very dark and intensely masculine and alluring. It’s smooth and mysterious, it is my favorite scent for wearing at night, no matter the occasion. I simply adore the scent and it puts me in a fantastic mood. I work nights from my home office and I find certain scents help me focus, and this is in my top 3 favorites currently. It seems to be the perfect balance of light citrus, dark, smoky woods and deep leather with tobacco and a creamy/powdery touch. It’s like getting a fresh shave, at night, in a barbershop that just so happens to be in the middle of a deep, mystical forest with incense burning and cavemen tanning cowhides and rolling fresh cigars out of tree bark, and then you get a vanilla ice cream cone for dessert, and go slay an ancient beast under the moonlight. 9.0/10

This fragrance means a lot to me. I've always read the reviews for this cologne, but had never tried it until my grandfather passed away. As we were cleaning out his house, I found this gem that he had left behind. Armani Code has a very soft and gently approach. This fragrance is very welcoming and inviting. This is something I like to wear when I go to sleep because of how soothing it smells. The best way I can explain how this smells is a sort of powdery leather with a little hint of something that is reminiscent of a barber shop. This is probably one of my top 5 fragrances that I own; however, I wish it lasted longer. This lasts for about 1-2 hours and then becomes a skin scent that is only detectable up close. I tend to spray it on my clothes so it lasts longer, but it is still worth buying in my opinion. This is one of those fragrances where you don't care who you please because you are only wearing it for yourself. Scent: 9/10 Longevity: 6/10 Sillage: 6/10

Armani Code continues to be the dark horse in my 100+ collection, shedding light to fragrances from the 2000's with it's bold opening full of star anise and bergamot. Sometimes, what I look for as my collection grows is uniqueness, and Armani Code is no exception: Take everything you know about fragrances with bergamot and lemon, now imagine something citrusy with a dark twist, elegant, smooth, out of the ordinary. Armani Code has you feeling like you are smelling something very special. That deep blend of star anise, tobacco and leather really has you feeling like a million bucks. Often fragrances might have an issue with leaning too far on one side: Citrus or leather/dark. Code blends both aspects to perfection, outstanding perfumery here. At the same time, this can be worn casually, you're gonna feel like the man whether you're just running errands, or a night out. Longevity is above average for an EDT but I imagine buying myself the EDP soon. 9/10

Love this one... charmed by it maybe in 2009 for the first time. When I wear it, I love the smell on me. And people like it too.. they don't know it's male perfume 😝 During covid era, I accidentally break the bottle n my room had the scent for 1 week!! Armani & Dior r my fav because I love how it's smell on me & I love how it smell on men! Acqua di Gio, I use the female & love the male on male. The male version not so good on me compare the female. But Code.,I love the male more than the female version. Ir's strong, sexy & alluring & daring... I bought 125ml this year Ah yeah I used to live in tropical country. I never knew abt winter spring summer autumn scent. For me if it's awesome under the Indonesian heat, it's great in any season in Belgium. So I wear it anytime I want Sillage is great... Especially if I spray on my neck n my hair induced it... I can smell it even 1-2 days after...

I've had a more recent bottle of this right before the bottle style change that I got on a heavy discount from Armani beauty's website and thought it was nothing special BUT I just got my hands on a 2014 bottle with the grey off center text and matte cap. The 2014 variation is literally a completely different scent. One spray is enough and its a leathery tonka BOMB. It is literally 3-5 times stronger than a 2021 batch. Comparing the two, it made complete sense why Armani went a different route with the new scent and bottle change for Code EDT - the recent batches of this original bottle style are a faded shadow of its former self. Even amongst Creeds, and other brands with known batch variation I have not experienced THIS MUCH of a downgrade from old to newer batches. If you are a fan of Armani Code seek an old bottle and you will not regret it!

Before the Bleu de Chanels, Sauvages, Dior Hommes, Laytons and Le Males, this was the king of modern mass appealing masculine scents. With no prior experience or interest in fragrances, this was my first perfume purchase. The year was 2008, I had just started a corporate job in a new country, and while exploring the city, I came across this gem and thought to myself at the time that I must have just discovered the best perfume in the world, so I immediately bought it. It became my signature scent over the next 2 years. I wore it daily to the office, on business trips, nights out with friends, dates and everything else. I felt nostalgia today which is why I wrote this review, and have also gone ahead and ordered a 10ml decant of Armani Code Parfum which I expect to be a refined version of this classic. 10/10

My fragrance journey started with Stetson fragrances that I didn't think much of along with some cheap clones. After I got married, my first, serious fragrance was Versace Eros (which is still not that serious). It helped me understand what fragrances could mean to me. I acquired a high partial, 2013 bottle of Armani Code in a family White Elephant gift exchange around 2017, and it was divine. It still is. Now, I have the EDP and Parfum as well. I have about 25 ml left. I have too many high-end, niche fragrances to warrant wearing this over them, but I do enjoy pulling it out and reminiscing over the scent. Once in a while, I'll wear it--usually to a business meeting. I'm not sure what the EDT smells like today, but the bottle I have--original or not--is a banger.

This is truly a fantastic fragrance, but make sure you get the old version and not the new refillable one. Opens up with some juicy citrus notes alongside a somewhat dark undertone. Dries down into a very masculine scent with a hint of leather. There’s another note that’s quite prominent which I think is the Star Anise. I feel like this works best if you’re dressed up for a nighttime social event, and it definitely leans fall/winter. For some reason I like this one way better than the EDP and the Parfum. Absolu is great also but more of a sweet clubbing type scent, that one is discontinued so check Amazon. Overall I think the OG Armani Code EDT is definitely still worth buying in 2023. It just has that confident, sophisticated vibe and is pretty unique too.

Dress elegant and wear this, and its just a bad bitch magnet. Definitely helped me add that finishing touch countless times. Got the compliments from the finest women wearing this. Personally hate the reformulation, they completely butchered it, grab a bottle of this while you still can. Its got a sort of special sprite-lemon-esque opening mixed with vanilla, which I love. When it transforms into a woody-vanilla scent, it gets even better. I simply dont understand why Armani decided to move to a more DHI or Prada L'Homme vibe, this was miles better, and nobody ever wore this, making it an excellent signature scent. Basically - if you happen to stumble upon this on discount for whatever reason, it's worth going hungry for. Suits literally every occasion.

I've have on hand an almost full 50ml of a 2005 April Armani Black Code. Batch code UB115. This review is for this bottle. It still smells great, semi sweet from the tonka and it's powdery spicy, leathery woody with hints of tobacco. Musculine but perhaps some ladies may like wearing this. Easy wear for us guys all year round, all weather, all occasions. Decent performance too. The Star Anise is still the star and steals the show being prominently the note that forms the base of how the scent starts and develops. Fans and users of Armani Code through all these years will know. That's what makes Armani Code (Black Code before 2005) different from the rest of the numerous powdery scents.

This is not what it used to be, but it's still important to me and I have it in my collection. My girlfriend couldn't smell it on me two hours after applying 3 sprays on my neck. She really had to shove her nose in there said that it was very faint. Definitely won't get noticed with that kind of performance if you only wear it in the colder months. This used to be heavier and yes then it was a cold weather scent, but not anymore. This is fine to wear almost year around. Perhaps skip July and August. Another point I wanted to make is that this is not redundant even if you have Armani Code EDP because the original doesn't have lavender which makes it a totally different scent.

Armani Code by Georgio Armani: A citrusy yet leathery fragrance carried by anise with some floral undertones, one of the best date night fragrances ever. Refined and sophisticated, with moderate performance and longevity suitable for anyone mid 20s and above, for colder months or spring evenings. Whilst the new formulations are nice the older bottle design is iconic and makes this frag stand out that little bit more. Top notes: Lemon and olive leaf Middle notes: Predominantly anise with some guaiac wood Base notes: Leather and tobacco but I'm not picking up on the tonka listed 4/5

Got half a bottle of an OG Formulation, which is pretty potent. I can’t speak much on the new batches Fresh, aromatic opening with some soapy tendencies. The mid is more soapy and clean and the base is mainly tonka bean with a clean musk and leather. It smells really high quality and expensive. Overall it‘s quite masculine and to my nose something more of a mature scent for a well put together guy. It‘s very versatile but i‘d say it will probably excel in more mild weather. Scent: 8/10 Projection: 7/10 Longevity: 8/10 Versatility: 8/10 Price: 7/10 Overall: 7,6/10

Armani Code in 2023. This might just be the best release of 2004, I am gutted they reformulated and placed it in a new bottle. Batch Code 38UD00G, the elegance and class this exudes with that star anise and leather dominance is simply brilliant. Code can be your signature fragrance or maybe just for date nights, I cannot believe how versatile it is for a leather fragrance, due to that citrus opening providing a smooth transition from citrus to sexy. Backup bottle worthy, unbelievable timeless perfumery. Longevity: 5/10 Scent: 9.2/10 Sillage: 7/10 Overall: 8.1/10

I got this back in 2019 for my 18th birthday and it was amazing. Probably the most compliments I have received from a fragrance, even at one point had a cashier at a random ask me for my number lol. Longevity is alright, 6 hours maximum on my skin. Scent is fresh and citrusy, it smells like what you think summer on the beach smells like during winter, if that makes sense. Wish it lasted longer, and it projected better, very intimate bubble, I would say arms length maybe a little closer for someone to really be able to get a deep whiff of it.