Gucci Guilty Absolute

Releases of this caliber come around every decade, or even less often. So this brash, patronizing, and perhaps somewhat over-the-top title shouldn't surprise anyone. Let's be honest, the chances that any mainstream brand (I'm deliberately excluding niche fragrances here, especially the orthodox, commercially untainted segment) will present a fragrance as bold, original, and ambitious as Gucci Guilty Absolute are slim to none. Today, history has come full circle, and to think that I had to wait six years for the opportunity to write something nice about a new Gucci perfume for a change, since the 2011 premiere of Gucci Guilty... This scent is so good that I consider the search and nominations for the title of the best fragrance launch of the past year (and there will be such a category in this year's ranking) to be over, back in February... I'm glad that the brand that until recently I used to wipe my mouth with, for endorsing the mercilessly crappy stuff ordered to be signed with the Gucci logo by its former creative director, Frida Giannini, has finally handed Ms. Giannini a well-deserved dismissal and decided to return to being an icon of truly refined perfumery and style, at its finest, Italian. And it must be admitted that the Gucci brand has a lot to say in this field, so before we move on to the sound of the star of today's post, it's time for a mini retrospection... The image begins to wave, everything becomes blurry, the plucking of a harp appears in the background - and a soft fog begins to fill the edges of the field of vision... Once upon a time, when herds of Allosaurus marched across the Jurassic steppes, accompanied by Maryla Rodowicz on the balalaika—phew, come back!—it wasn't that long ago!... Once upon a time, sometime in the late 1980s, the grand dream of Guccio Gucci (yes, the brand's founder was actually named Gucio) began to crumble. The company was truly on the brink of bankruptcy when a young, brilliant visionary and multi-instrumentalist, Tom Ford, took over. Ford also revived the bankrupt house of Yves Saint Laurent, so let's just say Tomek knows his stuff and didn't cut corners – for example, by offering Gucci's discerning clientele a tacky, bland, mass-produced product, with the motto: "If others are offering it and it sells, then we will too!" King Ford managed the Gucci family estate wisely and fairly from 1990 to 2004 – and the company prospered under his rule like never before. In 1998, the ginger angel Gucci Envy was born – and two years later, the woody, resinous Gucci Rush* was born. Unfortunately, the idyll couldn't last forever, as the good King Tom was poisoned by the evil witch Frida and took over the kingdom, much to the despair and ruin of his subjects – STOP!, not this fairy tale again!... Unfortunately, one day, Tom Ford left for his own business, and his place was taken by Frida Giannini, who quickly introduced her own, very "fresh" and drastically different vision for managing the Gucci fashion house, which Ford had just revived. Bravo Frida!... Only what escapes brands like Lacoste, Hugo Boss, or youth-oriented brands like Puma or Adidas – won't quite appeal to a clientele accustomed to luxury and elegance, at its finest, Italian. It's as if Frida Giannini took over the best Italian restaurant, steeped in tradition and with a typically Italian flair for celebrating meals – and suddenly, with a single signature, she erased it, turning it into a fast food restaurant with a menu and service straight out of McDonald's... So we eat burgers quickly, with our fingers and from paper boxes, but we sell a lot and quickly – well, Bravo!, Bravissimo!!! 😉 And you don't have to be a great business strategist or a creative director with a monthly salary of tens of thousands of euros to know that this business model can't work. Old customers, previously well-served by Ford's genius and creativity, felt disgusted and cheated, while new customers, who had nothing to hold onto at Gucci, collectively voted with their feet and left for the competition... Some in search of lost quality, while young ones in search of more desirable and cooler logos... Hey, come back! We'll give you coupons for Dragon Ball and Pokemon cases for your iPhones if you stick around and like our Facebook page!... What do you mean, you don't want it? Hey, shove that case up your ass, you impudent little brat in Lacoste sneakers! Suddenly, it turned out that there were players on the market much better at promoting banal fruit juices for teenagers – which Gucci switched to, presenting the world with min, the Guilty and Made to Measure series... And then the wealthy and loyal customer sulked and took his platinum Visa to the competition... But how? Why wouldn't anyone want to buy the grossly overpriced and bland garbage from Gucci? It's simple, because there have been brands specializing in this area for a long time (and much more thriving), whose position wouldn't be threatened by the arrival of Gucci, a fashion house unknown in this segment. You know, it's like NASA starting to compete with our Bolesławiec, or Rosenthal in ceramics... And they went off to bake ceramic facings for space shuttles, not coffee sets! Fortunately, someone on the board of the Gucci Group, which currently owns the Gucci brand (yes, thankfully, there was someone else overseeing Frida) realized that the business model she had implemented was ineffective given the competition and, moreover, was doing the brand more harm than good. As a result, the inept creative director was removed from the helm in time to prevent the millions of euros poured into shaping the Gucci brand's image from devaluing at such an alarming rate. Fortunately, Alessandro Michele, Gucci's new creative director, decided to return to the proven path of success, previously charted by Tomek Ford, resulting in today's post, Gucci Guilty Absolute! Yes, the tasteful, refined and exquisite GGA cut is undoubtedly the result of the will of the new creative director, because although the fragrance inherited the inglorious name of the Guilty series – I have no doubt that under the reign of Frida Giannini, it would not have smelled as perfect... And I only secretly hope that Frida will never find work in this industry again – which is what I wish for you, for myself and for every company in the industry 🙂 Okay, now that I've lambasted Frida from head to toe (but she deserved it)—taking revenge for promoting rubbish, tarnishing her reputation, and nearly sinking the brand that gave the world some of the greatest men's fragrances ever! (Ave. Rush, Envy, and GPH 1 and 2)—let's move on to the revolutionary Guilty Absolute. A groundbreaking fragrance, but I have no doubt this one will face more challenges than any other fragrance in history. Firstly, Guilty Absolute is bold, ambitious, niche, and iconoclastic, and the mass market doesn't like such fragrances. I fear the fragrance might end up like YSL M7, which was also ahead of its time and discontinued before, hmm, posthumously instilling in hordes of perfume lovers its equally bold, oud-like bouquet. Secondly, the fragrance inherited the name Guilty, which has negative connotations and is undoubtedly a heavy burden on its leg. Brilliant and demanding, Guilty Absolute is a fragrance on par with the aforementioned and equally brilliant M7, or the equally distinguished and challenging Encre Noire. A charismatic fragrance with character that will either win over customers and become fashionable – or disappear from the market without a trace. You might ask why the brand chose such a famous name. I'm afraid Gucci might have had no choice, because unfortunately, perfumes aren't created overnight. A fragrance takes a long time to develop, both the fragrance formula itself and the back-end—the advertising campaign, name, graphic design, and bottle. Contrary to what some of you think, even the garbage piling up on perfume shelves isn't created overnight. Launching a new perfume takes time, and it's a time-consuming process that involves a significant amount of human and financial resources. While the fragrance composition is usually outsourced to an external person or company, the production is handled by a dedicated bottling plant, each new release must first be developed and entered into the brand's calendar—so the idea and its implementation are often years apart. I assume Absolute was in development during Frida Giannini's time, after all, a consistent bottle and name for the entire line were approved. Orders for bottles also go to glassworks well in advance and are very expensive. So when Frida lost her job, and the glassworks called to say that the ~50 million Guilty Absolute bottles were ready and waiting for collection, Alessandro faced a real dilemma. In my opinion, the only thing he could do was replace the probably trivial fragrance composition Frida had previously created with something ambitious—while simultaneously utilizing the commissioned and already owned bottles and the partially implemented/launched campaign. This was much faster and, most importantly, CHEAPEST than starting from scratch with a completely new name, campaign, and bottle—where the existing bottles bear the Guilty Absolute name... We're talking about millions of euros, which, instead of being pointlessly thrown into the trash, were cleverly used with what I consider a better fragrance composition. I'm just speculating, of course, but that's how it could have been – because you'll admit that the scent is completely unlike Frida's "taste," yet it inherited both the name and the bottle. To conclude, a comment from one reader – yes, one swallow doesn't make a summer, but this strange and inexplicable sense of peace – tells me that from now on, everything will be alright, that the bad lady is gone, and from now on, nothing stands in the way of always being alright... Okay, now that we've covered the extensive and, in my opinion, essential introduction to better presenting this perfume – it's time for the real deal... What's shocking and simultaneously most delightful isn't the ambivalent name, but the fragrance itself. And what a fragrance! It smells of real, masculine leather, heavy and deep agarwood, wood, and single malt whiskey barrels still redolent with fire and smoke! I would have expected something so massive, deep, masculine, uncompromising, bold, rich, and simultaneously avant-garde from an orthodox, non-commercial niche—not from a brand that, just a week ago, I considered the archetype of a producer of exceptionally poor mass-market products. The fragrance makes a stunning impression and surprises with its smoky and burnt (burnt wood) bouquet. After the initial dismay caused by its unusual design, its subsequent reception is surprisingly easy and pleasant. Big applause and kudos to the genius of Alberto Morillas for presenting a topic usually considered a difficult and extreme niche in such a way that it becomes digestible and pleasant, even for the average consumer. Of course, I realize that not everyone enjoys the scent of burnt wood, "black label" whiskey, and oud, but similarly tailored scents are hard to find in the mainstream, and generally speaking, this perfume has no mainstream rivals. The rich and multifaceted aroma exuded by this expressive, dry, yet warm perfume is composed of numerous, fantastically intertwined details. Absolute is the smoke of a bonfire and the interior of a noble gentlemen's club, burnt wood or the fire-blackened and smoke-smoked interior of barrels in which single malt whisky matured. But because the barrels were leaky, the contents were quickly drained, and they lost little of their rich, burnt aroma, acquiring a noble, alcoholic aftertaste. Finally, Absolute is a temple bonfire, where a pile of precious agarwood (oud) chips was piled on the ceremonial hearth, which, in a fit of fanatical barbarism, were set ablaze in honor of some forgotten deity... The chips burned only partially, extinguished by a generous amount of alcohol, which the priest threw onto the fire, generating a vast amount of fragrant steam and smoke. Besides, even a thousand words cannot replace a single whiff of this perfume, rich in subtle nuances and utterly exquisite... Added to this are sandalwood and a wonderful, rough, slightly animalistic, and incredibly masculine leather – finished with vetiver root and blades and softened with a touch of warm patchouli... For me, it's an olfactory orgasm. Secondly, Morillas achieved the seemingly impossible. He presented the suggestive, idiosyncratic, and distinctly niche scent of a "burning bonfire" in such a compelling yet accessible way that the scent intrigues and captivates even those who normally prefer fresh and casual fragrances (tested on a group of work colleagues, some of whom consider Armani Mania a good perfume 😉 ). This, of course, doesn't mean that lovers of the casual mainstream will immediately abandon their fruity juices and switch to the burnt Made in Gucci scent – but if such an unconventional and simultaneously demanding scent is received so positively, you have to admit, it bodes well for him. Guilty Absolute is distinctive, especially in its initial phase, but it's not a nose-twisting axe with crushing projection – so you won't be hurting anyone with this perfume. Absolute smells niche and distinct, as befits the combination of notes used – yet it doesn't terrorize, overwhelm, or overwhelm with a loud or overly ubiquitous bouquet. While one might expect a higher volume level from an EdP and, considering the highly intense ingredients used, at least 10 hours of longevity, in practice you can count on a maximum of 6 hours of GGA's clearly perceptible presence on the skin. On skin, because on fabric, the scent lingers much longer and is even less prone to evolution – maintaining that distinct woody and smoky burnt note for a very long time. On the one hand, those 5-6 hours might be disappointing, but I've written more than once that, in theory, intense and highly concentrated eau de parfums and perfumes tend to smell shorter in practice than theoretically less concentrated EdT. So Absolute isn't a long-lasting powerhouse, nor does it trail behind the wearer, leaving an exorbitantly long trail – in fact, it sticks quite close to the wearer. However, the intended amount of clouds is surprisingly pleasant, easy, and enjoyable to wear – and I personally could reapply this perfume endlessly... Alberto, Alessandro – thank you for Gucci's return in such beautiful style!..... I L.O.V.E. GGA L.O.V.E.

Premieres of the caliber of this perfume, happen once every decade or so, or even less frequently. So this snide, condescending and perhaps somewhat over-the-top title should come as no surprise to any of you. Let's face it, the chance that any of the mainstream brands (I'm deliberately excluding the niche here, especially its orthodox, non-commercialized faction) will present a fragrance as bold, original and ambitious as Gucci Guilty Absolute, is close to zero What shocks and at the same time delights most is not the ambivalent name, but the fragrance composition itself. And what a fragrance composition! It smells of real, masculine leather, heavy and deep agar, wood and burnt and still smelling of fire and smoke barrels, after single malt whiskey! Something so massive, deep, masculine, uncompromising, bold, rich and avant-garde at the same time, I would expect sooner from an orthodox non-commercial niche - than from a brand that until a week ago I considered the archetype of a producer of extremely poor mass-market. And here it turns out that the last of the Guilty, the culmination and crowning achievement of the entire series (it's an EdP) - is its total negation, a 180-degree turnaround and, ironically, the jewel in the crown! A gem that smells like the sacred and profane, niche and dark - like a combination of Fumidus, with Black Tourmaline and Petroleum, i.e. the niche of the niche! Frankly speaking, I would not have expected such an ambitious fragrance even from Hermes, Lalique (despite the existence of Encre Noire) and Mugler - i.e. brands bold and confident enough in their position to still treat the art of perfumery in a responsible and uncompromising manner. And suddenly among them there is a player from whom no one would have expected it - and whose launch has completely shattered the order, and the balance of power, in perfumery. Here appears a fragrance that is so sincerely and fervently sorry for its sins ( guilty), that it genuinely washed away and redeemed in my eyes all the previous faults of its brand... Guilty Absolute really surprised me, ba shook and moved me to the living - and believe me, it is difficult to surprise me with something else.... The scent makes an electrifying impression and surprises with its smoky and burnt (burntwood) bouquet, and after the first consternation, caused by its unusual cut - its further reception is surprisingly easy and pleasant... Here a big round of applause and tribute to the genius of Alberto Morillas, for presenting the subject matter, which is usually categorized as a difficult and extreme niche - in such a way that it became digestible and friendly, even for the average consumer. Of course, I realize that not everyone likes the scent of burnt wood, “black label ” whiskey and oud - but similarly tailored fragrances in the mainstream can hardly be found, and in general these perfumes have no competition in the mainstream. The rich and multifaceted aroma that these expressive and dry yet warm perfumes spread - consists of a great many, fantastically correlated details. Absolute is the smoke of a campfire and the interior of a noble gentleman's club, burnt wood or the fire-smoked and smoke-smoked interior of barrels - in which single malt whisky was matured . But because the barrels were leaky, so the contents were drained rather quickly and did not lose much of their rich burnt aroma, itself gaining a noble alcoholic aftertaste. Finally, Absolute is a temple bonfire, where a pile of precious agarwood (oud) slivers were placed on the ceremonial hearth, which in a fit of fanatical barbarism were set on fire, in honor of some forgotten deity... The slivers burned only partially, extinguished by a large amount of alcohol, which the priest splashed on the fire, generating a huge amount of fragrant steam and smoke. Anyway, not even a thousand words can substitute for a single sniff of this rich in subtle nuances and arcy exquisite perfume... Added to this are sandalwood and a wonderful, rough, somewhat animal and incredibly masculine leather - which was finished with root and vetiver blades and softened with a touch of warm patchouli Secondly, Morillas has accomplished something seemingly impossible. He has presented the evocative, specific and eminently niche scent of “burnt fire” in such an evocative and at the same time approachable way that the fragrance intrigues and delights even people with a taste for freshers and casuals (tested in practice on a group of colleagues, some of whom think Armani Mania is a good perfume ). This, of course, does not mean that lovers of the casual mainstream will abandon their fruity juices out of the blue and switch to the burnt Made in Gucci - but if such an unconventional and at the same time challenging fragrance is received so positively, you have to admit, it bodes very well for it. Guilty Absolute is expressive, especially in its initial phase, but at the same time it is not a nose-twisting axe, with crushing projection - so you won't hurt anyone with this perfume. Absolute smells niche and specific as befits the resultant repertoire of notes used - but at the same time it does not terrorize, tire or overwhelm with an overly loud or overly ubiquitous bouquet. Admittedly, one would expect a higher level of volume from EdP and, given the highly intense ingredient used - at least 10 hours of longevity, but in practice one can count on at most 6 hours, a well perceptible presence of GGA on the skin. On skin, because on fabric the fragrance lasts much longer and is even less eager to evolve - keeping that distinct touch of woody-smoky burn in the foreground for a very long time. On the one hand, those 5-6 hours may be disappointing, but I've written more than once that in theory intense and maximally concentrated eau de parfum and perfume - in practice they like to smell shorter than theoretically less concentrated EdT. So Absolute is not a titan of longevity, nor does it drag behind the wearer, leaving a skyrocketing tail - it even stays quite close to the wearer, but this set number of clouds wears surprisingly nice, easy and pleasant - by the way, personally I could reapply this perfume to myself indefinitely... Alberto, Alessandro - thank you that Gucci is back in such beautiful style! Greetings

Epic Journey Into the Bottled Yonder, 238 ------------------------------------------------------- Purchased sample spray book May 2022, a little later a 60mL then re-purchased 90mL July 2025. - - I realise I thrashed this one with my first review, but I've been thinking about it for at least 6 months. Hoping my taste opened up to modern style leathers with petroleum notes. I had to do it, and boy am I glad I reconsidered. This bottle is even more beautiful than last time. You need it in at least 90mL otherwise you got a pansy ass size. I'm even open to getting a 100mL Tuscan Leather considering the decant didn't blow me away back then either (decants don't really do the original product justice I've found), but gents! Allow me to get to the short and handy. Today I rummaged through all the batch codes I can find and found two codes in total. I of course bought the earliest code out of the few options, AND having visited 5 locations for this I had to get it from the shop because online Guilty Absolute was still over $10 too dear for the 90mL/3oz AND no freedom of batch code checking *LONG SIGH*. 3.5 sprays just before getting back into my car, I had to rush at it. It's instantly nostalgic of something, also brutal. That opening blast is raw power maybe by The Stooges. Leather as fuck but it shortly gets even better, the moment of cloying gives way to a molasses, or booze syrupy goodness, or fresh hot caramel. I mean this baby is a liiil sweet! Then the dry down is PWOOOOOF woodsy leather. This one's for you uber mensches. Put this next to your Fahrenheit so you know you got a couple guard dogs for your enthusiast grade collection. My past 60mL I didn't catch the batch but I believe it's the same as my new 90mL anyway, and this one smells EVEN BETTER! Sillage is monumental, projection is as expected of Fahrenheit, and "fuck you for wearing it" thought everybody around you ;) Batch: 0157 from 5th June, 2020 - Coty, made in Spain. (I believe there was a 018-something code too which is the July 2020 batch, I did some digging up today and the chick loved the idea and kind of inferred she'd buy it for a beau before I told her it's a strict uber manly scent that normal people hate. MAD KUDOS to BOLD Life&Leather with the sickest youtube channel for dude frags around. Helped me to force myself to grow even more hair on my sack before settling the score (I mean I already had decided it's time to re-buy before visiting his channel but y'know, motivation..)) EDIT: In your faces! This sucker lasted all day. It was all I smelt, normally modern fragrances puff out about 3-6 hours before this does, including the mensch variety. I clicked on Eternal. You guys....no idea what happened to you or your bottle or your location you purchased it at. Gucci has always been widely ripped off and faked. Buy from an actual brick and mortar, preferably batches 2021 and before (my one is June 2020 as seen above), and be done with the horrors of zero performance. I get almost no vetiver in this, thank god, instead it's much more patchouli and cypress. BOLD Life&Leather, dude you missed out on this one. You actually nixed all Guilty Absolute bottles from your possession. Not sure if sad. But I've been on 3.5 sprays of this all day, which is why I've arrived at 5 sprays for anything to effectively combat poor performance, and this Absolute is "still" potent upon rubbing my fist onto my neck; it's my favourite place to spray. Your channel is awesome but having just read your review stating you've changed your mind is almost mindblowing. I urge all you cats out there to reconsider GUILTY ABSOLUTE, because I'm guilty of changing my own mind on this one! Well, I'm not new to going from hate to love and staying there. Coty made in Spain bottles are legitimate and genuine and I don't wanna hear it. 2ND EDIT: Deep down in the base it reminds me of Bentley Intense. Gents, if you're on the fence with Guilty Absolute then try Fahrenheit and Bentley Intense at the same time. If you can handle that then you may press the next chapter button.

My god this stuff is good. It's mindblowing to me that this is considered polarizing and difficult. This is coming from a woman. The opening is a lot, I get that, but it still smells fantastic. The only negative I can attribute is that it may be too strong for some people until it calms down. Pushing through any hints of regret over spraying during the (admittedly overwhelming) opening is essential, though. Because this fragrance has one of the most glorious drydowns I've ever experienced. People describe Guilty Absolute as raw, rugged, and even industrial, but I don't see it that way? Rugged maybe, sure. But to me, this smells like pure masc-leaning sophistication and class. As one other reviewer said: it's Dior Fahrenheit without the petrol. At least as far as the overall presentation goes. I'll add on by saying it's Dior Fahrenheit lounging behind a dark, varnished desk in a multi-million dollar penthouse suite. Take the same person that wears Fahrenheit and put them in a tailored suit. Or maybe it's just them cleaning up and coming across as more distinguished, having washed off the oil and grease from working on their classic muscle car. It's more upscale and refined than Fahrenheit's casual leaning day-to-day sort of scent. For me, this difference manifests in the tonal contrast of their scent profiles. Fahrenheit is surprisingly bright and invigorating for what it is, while Guilty Absolute is much tonally darker. It's a deeper, thicker and more resinous evening/night driven scent in comparison. It's borderline sultry compared to its accidental fraternal sibling's more energetic and "spirit-grabbing" nature. Guilty Absolute isn't in a rush. I apologize for the majority of this review being in relation to another fragrance. I generally try and make these without name-dropping frags that may or may not mean anything whatsoever to a reader. But here such comparisons felt almost impossible to get away from when it comes to how I conceptualize Guilty Absolute. Fahrenheit being such a famous and classic fragrance makes me feel a bit better about doing it though, as it's generally far more likely that anyone who ends up on this page would be familiar. They're both in my top 3, and I can't say I prefer one over the other. In my mind, they're truly the same fragrance at their core—only framed by different lighting. It's shocking to me that this is seemingly unintentional as well. I could easily be fooled into thinking they were part of the same line if I smelled them both without any prior knowledge. Guilty Absolute is a niche, expertly blended masterpiece released by a designer house. It's truly an exceptional blue-moon fragrance the likes of which comes only once a decade or so, if not once a generation. This may be Master Alberto Morillas's finest work in my opinion. If, by looking at these reviews, you feel like you don't enjoy these sorts of scent profiles, then obviously you will not like it. It is what it is and really doesn't care about your opinion. It won't be changing your mind. It's utterly uninterested in doing so. However if you're on the fence, or otherwise curious due to being into this style of fragrance, then do yourself a favor and try this. I ordered a 150ml the moment I heard it was discontinued. If these sorts of frags speak to you, then trust me when I say you'll hate yourself for not getting your hands on a bottle while they were still affordable and easily available. Another reviewer said that Guilty Absolute's discontinuation is a prime example of everything wrong with the modern fragrance industry. I'm inclined to agree.

***Yet another update 12/1/25*** So Ive NEVER given so many ubsurd "Updates" with any other fragrance as as I have with Gucci Guilty Absolute for men as I normally do maybe one update (IF) I notice differences when my fragrances Maturate, but yeah, the longevity just continues improving the longer I own GGA, and its also gained more "heft." Still wears somewhat close to the skin, but performance way better than when Id first recieved my bottle. The scent itself also seems to improve over-time so if anyone decides to purchase a late "Spain formulation" bottle, just be VEEERY patient and you'll see obvious over-all improvements over-time. -------------------------------------------------------- ****Update since 7/14/25**** So, after having sprayed a good amount of fragrance out of my bottle, and letting it sit in its box since 7/14 the performance and smell has indeed improved over-all. The projection is still quite poor, but the scent does stick around a lot more than it did initially and the fragrance does now have more "Presence" (Thank Goodness!). It also (now) smell way better as initially it just smelled like some sort of nasty smelling, medicinal homemade ointment or something. I'm not sure if this dna will improve any more, but as for now, Gucci Guilty Absolute is STILL a Blind-buy regret for me 100%. Again, it still does wear VERY light and if Im going to compare my experience to what most people's experience with this scent was when they made their YouTube reviews and posted their initial thoughts when this fragrance released, then there's ZERO doubt in my mind that its been through a horrible reformulation bc the way most folks describe their experience is WORLDS APART from what Im getting. Lemme put it this way, Ive tried layering my Iso e Super which is an ultra light, "barely there" woody experience along with this bottle of Gucci Guilty Absolue so that I get a boost in longevity, and the Iso e Super is almost OVER POWERING the Gucci Guily Absolute which is freakin' WILD to me! Again, because of its resinous/woody nature, this fragrance truley does remind me of a much weaker version of Encre Noire L'Extreme just with what I suppose is a touch of leather in the base vs the smokey Vetiver. With heavy sprays Im getting 4 mmmaybe 5 hours of soft projection on skin and ofcourse its longer-lasting on clothes. I do admit that (NOW) since its had a chance to "Maturate" a bit, I dig the actual scent (Love Encre Noir L'Extreme), but (IF) Id learned that they had switched production from the U.K. to Spain and that the fragrance had been "Reformulated" there, or what I would call BUTCHERED, then I would NEVER have spent over $80 for a bottle. It still ticks me off when I think of how dishonest it is for Gucci to wait for the Hype to be over and for all the reviews to be in to then weaken the fragrance considerably Im sure to make production less expensive bc this was not "a hit" or a "Successful Seller", yet the price has actually gone up?! A total SCAM if ya ask me! Ill have to get over it and stop my whinning and complaining so that I can enjoy this fragrance for what it is which is a Great smelling, al be it intimate Woodsey/Leathery fragrance. Ill be back to report any further improvements if there are any. CHEERS!

With this perfume, a new dimension opened up in my world. I gained another layer of the construction of the world. Once I made my first sniff of this perfume, I was permanently infected by the fragrant dimension/aspect of the construction of the world. This is not just a pleasant scent. This is an unremovable experience of something elusive. Pure metaphysics. I am now addressing beautiful, elegant and classy women: make tests if men who wear this perfume can disappoint you, mock you, or insult you. Only men who have been around the block a few times and have something to say wear this perfume. This is not a fragrance for boys in short pants. Test it! I discovered it just by chance. I wasn’t into perfumes before. I sniffed it when my 16-year-old student went to the bathroom. It was abandoned on his shelf, covered in dust, unused for several years. He got it for his birthday. Of course, I became immediately obsessed with it. I bought it from him for the first price he quoted. No negotiation. I would have bought it from him at any price. The world was no longer the way it used to be. I can’t imagine me without this perfume; I can’t imagine the world without this perfume. It would be like the world without jeans. Or without leather jackets. Or without apples. I have more than 10 bottles of GGA. It depends on how you count. This perfume is now part of my identity. Just like rock music. Yeah – that's a good association. This perfume definitely is a good match for rock music. I bet there are parallels between a rock heart and this scent. Just like I bet there are parallels between Dior Sauvage and cheesy pop. Once again, I'm addressing beautiful, elegant, classy women: check it out! I don't think it makes sense to describe how GGA smells, because it smells different to each one of you. It’s a bit like trying to describe a rainbow to a blind person. And the truth of every nose is equally true. De gustibus... Someone – most likely just for fun – came up with an idea of a car repair shop, and the unsophisticated crowd picked it up. Probably because they had no other/better associations. Maybe there is some kind of repair shop here. In a moment, I'll tell you what kind of a repair shop it is. I am a qualified Automotive Technician. Back when there were no electric cars – there were only purebred gas-powered cars. And GGA doesn’t smell like a car repair shop to me. Well – everyone stretches his/her legs according to the length of his/her... imagination. For those to whom GGA smells like a car repair shop, I suggest an evening or nighttime trip to the forest, where non-deciduous and non-coniferous giants like 1,000-year-old redwoods, larches, and cypresses reign supreme. In such a forest, in a grease-free workshop (and if grease is used, it is made from tree resins), forest elves with large beards tie the logs with leather straps to make siege engines to attack orcs. At night, especially in the forest, it is dark, so you must rely not on what you see but on what you smel. Bon appétit!

Opening Gucci Guilty Absolute kicks things off with an unapologetic blast of raw leather, like stepping into an old leather workshop filled with aged hides and well-used tools. The opening is bold, medicinal, and almost jarring, conjuring images of freshly opened band-aids or even motor oil. But just beneath the rugged surface, a subtle sweetness starts to peek through, likely from the patchouli. It’s not the kind of sweetness that softens the leather’s edge; instead, it weaves itself into the rough textures, adding a faint, earthy richness that complements rather than contrasts the leather's rawness. Heart As the initial leather dominance settles, the cypress begins to emerge, introducing a dry, aromatic greenness that plays beautifully with the earthy patchouli. Here, the sweetness hinted at in the opening starts to develop further, lending a slightly balsamic warmth that tempers the ruggedness just enough. It’s not overt or sugary—think more of a natural, resinous sweetness that feels almost woodsy in character. The fragrance at this stage is like being deep in a forest, where the scent of aged leather mingles with moss-covered trees and the faint mustiness of damp earth. Dry Down In the dry down, Gucci Guilty Absolute remains true to its opening, but there’s a newfound depth as the woody notes begin to take on a slightly smoky character, courtesy of the vetiver. The patchouli continues to add that touch of sweetness, but it’s well-blended, always lurking in the background, enhancing the leather's natural warmth without ever becoming cloying. The result is a linear yet addictive scent that maintains its rugged identity throughout, while slowly revealing more nuanced facets. Longevity Performance is impressive, with the scent lasting easily over 8 hours and projecting strongly for the first few. Even as it dries down, Gucci Guilty Absolute refuses to fade quietly; it lingers in a way that ensures you’re always aware of its presence. It may soften, but the leather never truly lets go. Versatility This is not a scent for all seasons or settings. Gucci Guilty Absolute thrives in cooler weather, where its boldness can be fully appreciated. The fragrance is best suited for evening wear, leather jackets, and chilly nights—perfect for when you want to leave a distinct impression. It’s too rugged for a casual day at the office or a summer outing but shines during moments when you want to express individuality and confidence. In Short Gucci Guilty Absolute is a bold and unapologetic leather fragrance with a touch of earthy sweetness, courtesy of the patchouli. It’s a statement piece that stays true to itself from start to finish, appealing to those who appreciate rugged, masculine scents with a refined edge. If you’re looking for something versatile and crowd-pleasing, look elsewhere; this is for the wearer who dares to be different.

***Yet Another update since purchase on 7/14/25*** So this makes my 3rd entry and 2nd update since I'd purchased GGA on 7/14. So initially I was super aggravated with this frag bc it'd been through an OBVIOUS "reformulation" since production was switched from the U.K. to Spain. Been checking it every now & then to see if Id notice any improvements with performance/scent, and Im happy to say that GGA has definately improved. I am (Now) getting a more potent, smokey leather with resinous woods. Theres also a slight "Gasoline smell" and slight medicinal thing going on which is what I was hoping for when Id first purchased my bottle but was sorely missing. Seems to me as though produvtion in Spain has basically skipped the Maceration process so as to cut some cirners and save some coin, but hey, AT LEAST GGA is definately improving more and more over-time. Longevity has definately improved lasting about 5 hours on skin and much longer on clothes where I can actually still smell it the following day on clothes although quite faintly, but its definitely there! Anyhow, I have a feeling that this fragrance may improve even more over time bc it just keeps getting better and better where initially I could BARELY even smell it at all and what little I could detect was gone within 20 minutes or so. Would I recommend Gucci Guilty Absolute? Honestly, for the $80+ pricetag? Nah, Id recommend Lalique's Encre Noire L'Extreme as a dupe bc imo these smell very much alike except that instead of a slightly smokey leather note ya get a beautiful, slightly smokey Vetiver note and to my nose the resinous woods smell VERY similar. Also Encre Noire L'Extreme last much longer, has better projection and costs less than half the price of GGA. Now you'll also need to let Encre Noire L'Extreme "Maturate" for at least a month bc initially it also has poor longevity, but somehow becomes SUUUPER long-lasting once its matured. I dont belive that GGA will ever reach the Lalique's performance level no matter how long its stored away and allowed to Mature. Thanks for taking time to read about (My experience) with Gucci Guilty Absolute and I really hope this helps someone out who's trying to trsearch and may have any concerns about Blind-Buying this fragrance ☺️. I sure do wish that someone had mentioned the horrible reformulation before I pulled the trigger! And believe me, I CHECKED EVERYWHERE! lol.. Anyways, CHEERS and Blessings!

This scent was the reason I had to make an account. It managed to come back full circle with me and fascinates me. One day a co-worker that shares the fragrance chasing interest with me brought it in. Now I'm no expert nose mind you but first whiff gave me nothing but gasoline. I hated it. Then throught the day for some reason I kept coming back to the bottle to smell it. It kept growing on me and I have no idea why. Within one shift I went from absolutely repulsed by it to trying it on. The opening reminds me of like i said before, gasoline. However it's not jarring to me anymore. The dry down is where i definitely smell the leather but it gets more soft leather smelling throughout the day rather than just being that brand new leather smell that i usually don't like. Think of like a 15 year old car with well kept moistured original leather interior smell, it's very pleasant to me. This scent is what i would say offensive at first whiff. This is what you'd want to wear on a day you woke up and chose violence. It's like flipping people off in scent form, but for some reason they might want to keep smelling the scent (like i did). Longevity I'd give slightly above moderate (4-6hrs), sillage the low side of moderate after about 2-3 hrs it become a skin scent with me. So, this was definitely an acquired taste for me but has now become addicting to smell. Just has me wishing for more performance, I will definitely be picking up a bottle though!

I just got a test bottle of this......... 4 sprays to the chest and arms: Somewhere in Northern Europe, a tall, strong, bearded, gothic looking man in his mid 40’s has been expertly splitting logs with an axe in a dense forest in October and he is now sitting inside a moss covered wooden cabin peering into a medicine cupboard, looking for fresh bandages after cutting his hand 2 days ago fixing his truck. His cabin is warm and a wood stove burns brightly, next to a neat stack of seasoned birch logs. The other end of the cabin is adorned with whole fresh animal skins he has trapped or hunted.....fox, weasel, beaver, deerskins and little piles of prepared leather he uses to make knife sheaths and belts and small bags. There is a well used chainsaw there also next to a can of gasoline, 2 stroke and chain oil. Plenty of hand tools...knives, chisels, spanners, hammers, a socket set (metric 🤣) animal traps etc. That’s what this smells like straight out the gate. I like it. Not surprised that it’s discontinued though. It’s very much a niche profile I would say. It’s going to suit some people, in some places, at some times, but you definitely need to get a sample before you buy a full bottle. Definitely not for all guys and I’d say the situation in which you wear this is equally important to the kind of person wearing it. It doesn’t matter who you are, if wear this to a beach party in Ibiza in mid summer, you’re going to smell fooking awful.

Perfectly blended leather woody aromatic. At first this reminded me of a leather goods store. Then I sat with it and picked up the cypress and patchouli, and that's where I really started to enjoy this fragrance. This is a dry fragrance with only a crumb of that spicy sweet patchouli in terms of sweetness. The smokiness is there, but it's subtle and kind of in the background. I don't find it earthy or animalic, but from reading some other reviews, it certainly appears to trigger that animalic note for some. The only downside for me is that projection drops off a cliff around the 6 hour mark, but that leather note sticks to my skin long after that. I'm still going to reapply this after 6-7 hours though, because the magic of this fragrance is in the composition. You probably want to go light on the sprays with this one, as it is very strong. Is this mass appealing? God no. Only buy this if you know you like leather fragrances. Is this safe for work? Absolutely not. Will it make you smell like a horse? Some people seem to think so :) Edit: I've since come to learn that this fragrance is considered quite challenging for a lot of people, so I just wanted to add a heads up. I mean it, this is not for everyone. You need to like extremely harsh dark leathers and be ok with the fact that this may come across smelling like gasoline to some. P.S. There are only 2 fragrances I have purchased backup bottles of, and this is one of them.

I bought a mini as I didn't know what to expect especially with people saying it was extremely animalic and barnyardy, but I the love fragrance. I don't get the animalic references at all but maybe I'm still a noob when it comes to notes. All I know is I smell smooth rugged (oxymoron?) leather, with incense like smoke and earthy patchouli with a slight note of something I can only describe as gasoline. There's also a somewhat similarity to a orange likeness to it (which suits the presentation). Now you might think yeah that's heavy as hell and maybe it is in some respects, but it works here. This is for sure masculine and although it has slight sweetness, it's more of a end result rather than intention. It's not a monster projector but it's not weak either, it's more of a 2 feet scent bubble that has good longevity. So you wont be blowing up a room when you enter it but if people are near you they will get whiffs of it. This is the type of fragrance where less is more. 2-3 sprays is more than enough, because if you spray more and it will change it's charm. Sample first and make up your own mind, for me this is on my radar to get a bottle. EDIT: With more wears man oh man is this fragrance good, but it's not going to be for everyone, BUT if you like leather definitely give it a try.

I got Gucci Guilty Absolute as a present last year, I'm extremely positive about this fragrance. It's not an easy going, mainstream fragrance. This is for people who want to stand out. If this doesn't sound attractive to you, then don't get this fragrance. With that being said. The fragrance is quite linear in my opinion. During the opening the leather and woods are very prominent. The leather leans towards the animalic kind. The woods smell fresh and sharp. Once the fragrance has dried down the vetiver starts to be noticeable. The ingredients smell like they are of high quality. The fragrance is long lasting, and the sillage is good. Call me crazy, but I like wearing this fragrance on hotter days: you simply smell wild, and extremely masculine. The fragrance can withstand heat with ease. Seasons: All seasons, personally I love wearing it during summer (evenings). Strength: 9/10 Sillage: 8/10 Remark: If you want you stand out, smell like fresh woods and animalic leather. Then this fragrance is for you. Wouldn't recommend it for daily use, rather for special occasions. Grade: 9/10

Gucci Guilty Absolute is a fragrance characterized by a distinct and linear scent profile. It is reminiscent of a well-worn pair of leather boot, evoking a sense of history and resilience. The fragrance combines earthy notes with a hint of oil, bandaids, petrol, wood, antiseptic disinfectant, and surprisingly, a touch of blood. While this fragrance may not appeal to everyone, it is often perceived as a niche scent, only packaged in a designer bottle. Its boldness can be overwhelming, and it is typically worn by individuals who want to make a statement about their personal preferences and interests. The fragrance lasts the entire day, but its projection diminishes beyond 1.5 hours, becoming a moderate projection thereafter. My bottle is from the batch number 8173. Gucci Guilty Absolute is predominantly masculine in nature, and its appeal may be limited to individuals above the age of 25. Those who possess a brooding personality, who are comfortable asserting themselves, and who do not conform to societal norms are particularly drawn to this fragrance.

Ummm, is ANYONE else having issues with EXTREMELY BAD performance with certain batches of Gucci Guilty Absolute for men? I sprayed some on from my brand new bottle I just got from Jomashop today and it fades to barley anything within 10 minutes! Also, I get absolutely NO LEATHER! It honestly smells a tiny bit like Lalique's Encre Noire L'Extreme except EXTREMELY WEAK, and way, WAAAY more medicinal, and veeery fleeting, then Im left with this (barely there) unpleasant, medicinal ointment smell! And it is NOT me going nose blind bc I had a couple people smell my arm afterwards and they too could barely smell it! Oh and also theres hardly any oil sheen left on my skin where I sprayed it! I am so damned aggravated nc I spent well over $80 effin' bucks on this GARBAGE! I find it SOOO DISRESPECTFUL and DECEITFUL when "Luxury Brands" Start cutting Corners/Costs with horrendous reformulations once all the reviews in and any hype is over, THEEEEN they Jack-Up the freakin' Prices?!!! Seriously... Like......WTF?!!! Its a STRAIGHT UP SCAM YO!

Loved this right away. I wear it through the coldest darkest season. The medicinal, petrochemical smell did it for me. It has recalibrated my preferences for cold weather wears. It killed my fondness for Givenchy Gentleman (the 1970s survivor), Fahrenheit, Bentley Intense, Ombre Leather, Tuscan Leather, Antaeus, Oud Royal, Halfeti and Polo Green. Green is now particularly unpalatable for me; but I especially started disliking anything with myrrh. I don't understand how one fragrance can change your taste like that. I would probably enjoy Penhaligon's Lord George for an occasional change, but I haven't yet, as I'm reaching for GGA every winter day What I smell in the air, when I re-enter a room, is floral and a bit sweet, in contrast to what I smell on my skin. Something a bit generic about that, which isn't what I wanted, but I can tolerate it. I think the secret to wearing this is, as someone else said, to not care. I work alone, and can please myself. I limit it to 2 sprays. One on a pulse point, the other under the shirt.

This was one of the first fragrances I bought for myself, imbuing GGA with a glow of nostalgia every time I wear it. The complete lack of anything even remotely edible drew me in immediately. (Fruit? None. Vanilla? Yeah, no. Chocolate/caramel/praline? Keep walking.) Though my taste remains questionable, at the time I had no appreciation of floral notes and considered "masculine florals" to be a contradiction in terms. Gucci Guilty Absolute met me where I was and delivered with aplomb. I regularly find myself in the QA lab at the refinery where I work. The odors of various laboratory solvents (n-heptane, cyclohexane, toluene, acetone, etc.) are all familiar friends. To my nose, GGA opens with a wonderful blast of leather and mixed xylenes: a broken-in leather jacket wiped down with engine degreaser. The sharp-verging-on-clinical cypress appears later, forming a tight scent bubble with the vetiver that lasts for hours. *chef's kiss* Good night, non-sweet prince. May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest...

Epic Journey Into the Bottled Yonder, 242 ------------------------------------------------------- Purchased July 2025 Magnificent, better than the last time I tried it. It's full now, lasts all day and I'm only in a t-shirt hopping in and outta the car for much of the day. The only thing I smell back at home is GGA and my 24 hour old test of Joop Absolute, like what the fuck does everything suddenly have to be amazing? I need that Joop like I need a third testicle and I will fight to the death if that's how I get to keep my GGA. This is the factual smell of lightning in a bottle, none of you know what that smells like - nobody does - but I do because my bottle beholds it. Please everybody, go and put yours up on eBay, specifically the old batches. I'm waiting and ready. Why is this even labelled under Gucci? It should be one from Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements! One of my favourite things in life is bragging about my unit of 90mL Guilty Absolute. Batch: 0157 from 5th June, 2020 - Coty, made in Spain.

Wow, this is a gorgeous scent! I just tried it today for the first time and can't believe how pleasant it is despite being deeply disappointed at first. Even though I've been in this hobby for a while, owning and trying a bunch of different scents, I still make the mistake of judging a fragrance too fast and thinking it won't get any better. In the beginning, this scent is flat and bitter and I was ready to sell it on eBay. I was thinking that all of these reformulation rumors are true and now it's just a useless scent. My bottle was made in Spain three years ago according to the batch code, so it's a newer formulation. At first, I thought this scent didn't have much strength and projection but give it time as it becomes sweeter and stronger as times goes by. It also has some good lasting strength. It may not be for everyone, but it's no doubt different and unapologetically masculine, unlike most other mainstream offerings out there nowadays.

Combine the smell of the rubber door mat aisle in a department store, a tin of Johnson & Johnson band aids and a bottle of Tar-Coal dandruff shampoo. Now gather them all up on a hot day and climb into any old car that's been sitting in a salvage yard since 1977, and you have captured the essence of Gucci Guilty Absolute. When I first tried it, I thought, "This must be a joke". However I found myself bringing my arm up to my nose every couple of minutes to smell it over and over again and letting out an "Ooof" with each sniff, this must have continued for hours. It was then, and only then, I realised I was in love. Who is this for? I suppose it's a perfect fit for those of us with the mentality that spicy food only starts to burn your mouth if you stop eating it. The kind of guy who doesn't scramble for the window controls when approaching a skunk simply enjoying a perma-nap on the side of the road . And that my friends is a 10/10 in my book