Explorer

Best price/performance fragrance you can buy. And the best Aventus alternative out there – period. Yes, longevity is bad. Really bad. We're talking 3-4 hours on skin, maybe 5-6 on clothes if you're lucky. But here's the thing, you can easily fix that by reapplying throughout the day and spraying generously. We're talking about something you can get for €40-50 on discount sites. So what if you need 10 sprays? A 100ml bottle will still last you plenty. Among all Aventus DNA fragrances, clones, inspired-by, you name it... this is easily the BEST! The scent profile and quality are so much better than CDNI, it's not even a fair comparison. CDNI has that harsh, synthetic lemon opening that burns your nose. And it does not last longer. Explorer? Smooth, refined, and actually pleasant from the first spray. At least it's a designer, not a clone. And -believe or not- yes, Explorer lasts longer than CDNI. The opening gives you that fresh pineapple and bergamot burst, then settles into a nice woody, smoky base with vetiver and leather. It's not a beast, but it's beautiful, fresh, sexy! One of the best fragrances you can comfortably wear for three seasons. Works in the office, on a date, or just running errands. It's versatile, mass-appealing, and impossible to hate. If only the longevity were a little better... honestly, with just 2-3 more hours, this would be a 10/10. I'd suggest you to get a travel atomizer. Reapply. Enjoy. For €40-50, you really can't go wrong. Note: If you're looking for something longer-lasting than Explorer (even if not as close to Aventus), Al Haramain L'Aventure Intense is definitely worth considering but definitely NOT CNDI or Supremacy NOI.

Growing up, I remember thinking that my older cousins were so cool. I'd look up to their hobbies and their style; my young mind couldn't believe how effortlessly they'd pull it off. Playing Halo 3 in the 2000s, the Playstation 3, Xbox 360, short sleeved t shirts on top of long sleeved t shirts... Times have moved on; they always do. But that simplicity of 2000s style - that feeling- is still something that I can tangibly feel in my soul. If Tommy by Tommy Hilfiger emblematised that for the late 90s, and Abercrombie for the 2000s, Montblanc Explorer does for the modern day. It's my favourite take on Aventus. Bite me. It's an extremely easy-going, casual, masculine fragrance. I get about 7 hours longevity with a medium projection. This can be worn anywhere: with a t-shirt, to the gym, when you're a little bit sharper, or just relaxing with friends. One of my friends wore this, and I always loved it on him. But when I bought it for myself, it didn't really feel like my style. Imposter syndrome, perhaps. I find it evokes a strange feeling. I'm not sure whether it evokes a sense of nostalgia in me for times gone by, or a pre-emptive nostalgia for the happy times I'm currently having: those ones I will look back on fondly in years to come. This scent makes me happy. Montblanc have bottled the optimism and nonchalant "coolness" that the world has destroyed. A brilliant scent, safe blind buy, etc etc. The only reason I don't wear it more is to save the memories I have from scents like this; I want to think of it being worn by the people in my life I share my happiest times with.

An excellent fragrance in the style of Aventus. I say it's "in the style of" it and not a clone of it on purpose. I consider this a really excellent twist on the DNA. If you're looking for a clone of Aventus, CDNIM Extrait fits the bill pretty well in my experience. Montblanc Explorer (MBE), however, does something a little different in my opinion. While CDNIM and others try to copy the scent of Aventus, MBE succeeds at evoking the same "feel" of Aventus but with a more mainstream appeal. This is what I think distinguishes it from other fragrances in the same vein. The notes on this and Aventus only partially overlap. MBE lacks the fruity opening notes of Aventus, most notably. MBE leans more citrus-y and aromatic in the opening. Through the drydown the woodiness becomes more prominent. At the very end when it's nearly faded, the ambroxan shines through and anchors everything. It has a pleasant freshness to it throughout, with some subdued spiciness. MBE has a very moderate longevity and sillage. Maybe an hour of decent projection and 6-8 hours of longevity. I find it suitable to wear anywhere, anytime due to this and the scent profile. In many ways, it's the ultimate dumb reach. There's not a situation I can think of where I wouldn't feel okay wearing it, and so I do end up wearing it fairly often simply because of that. The price through discounters is typically around $50 USD for 3.4 ounces. This is a great price and well worth it. Montblanc Explorer is a staple in my collection, and I expect this will remain a favorite of mine for many years to come.

Comprado recientemente. Perfume impresionante para lo que cuesta. Ofrece un acercamiento enorme al aroma de aventus sin gastar tanto. Un hijo del creed que se quedó sin llegar a la adultez del padre. Un ADN suelto que se nota de donde viene pero imponiendo parte de su propia impronta y gustando asi. Así lo podría calificar. Es un perfume para en mi gusto que se puede usar en cualquier edad y ocasión así como temporada del año (menos invierno y en días muy fríos de otoño) muy masculino, muy atrayente. Para mí es de los mejores perfumes de Montblanc fuera de su linea privada junto al legend edp. Menos parte frutal más parte cítrica en relación al aventus. Se mantiene la parte amaderada y ahumada tan distintitiva y nunca se siente sintética y punzante como aquella fragancia árabe tan lamentablemente popular que llaman bestia negra. Tiene un punto amaderado muy aromático y el ambroxan y el cuero se sienten sin ser agresivos y le dan esa impronta propia de la que hablo a este perfume. En lo suyo siento que hace bien el trabajo siendo aún así un perfume sencillo y facil de llevar. Perfecto si buscas un acercamiento a aventus por mucho menos dinero sin caer en versiones que pueden resultar menos agradables. Perfume firma o de Día a día ideal totalmente al ser casi inofensivo Pero agradable. Recomendado no como compra a ciegas si es que no conoces el perfil aventus diría yo. Mejoraría el apartado del rendimiento es cierto pero por aroma un espectáculo. Recomendado si te gusta al probarlo

To call Montblanc Explorer an Aventus clone is to miss the point entirely. It's like saying Drum'n'Bass and Techno are the same thing. While they share some similarities in their scent construction, they differ in quite apparent things. While Aventus and its clones lean into the somewhat sweet, fruity pineapple, Explorer opts for a sharp, cold pressed citrus in the opening – an extremely refreshing bergamot, one that can be too much for some, but not for me. It's also missing the characteristic oak moss in the drydown, which is part of what makes Aventus Aventus in my opinion. Instead, Explorer uses some light leather and a heavy dose of ambroxan – which brings me to my next point: the airiness. The true appeal of this scent lies in its transparency. The ambroxan makes you go nose blind in the first 30 minutes, making you think it has become a skin scent. Then it comes back and haunts you like a ghost, in a magical way. Ambroxan has a scent that's very hard to describe. You can't smell it directly off your skin, but when it hits you in the air, it's something special. It's a warm but still fresh smell that's somehow strong and light at the same time. The overall composition is extremely fresh, masculine and easy to like, without being a blue sower gel style scent. This one only got positive feedback from people around me. Absolute banger for the price. If you're looking for an Aventus clone, look elsewhere though.

This is the pinnacle of a daily wearer! -"simplicity is the ultimate sophistication". Smooth, fresh, clean, citrus forward Ambroxan beast. Daily wearer, dumb reach that feels super classy. It honestly gives me so much joy and confidence heading out the door in it. This thing is classy, obviously inspired by Aventus but not the same. After finally being able to smell both side by side in store my happiness in having purchased Explorer went through the roof. This is 90% there, but with its own thing, to me it feels more citrus or "green". Modern day Aventus is unjustifiable while this exists. Out of my 10 fragrances, this is the one I still stick all the way up my nose and try to inhale, even after owning the 150ml for 8 months and having gone through over half of it. Dislikes: Longevity can be difficult to perceive, as the ambroxan can send you nose blind, but it is still there after 4-5 hours. But thats part of the beauty with a freshy, it leaves you alone eventually. Compliments wise: I think it garners more attention from men than woman, having had a couple friends ask about it. My girlfriend initially found it okay, but with time has grown to appreciate it a lot more. I think thats somewhat due to its simplicity or linearity. I love this thing, it will always have a place in my life. Fresh, clean, classy!

Stop complaining about performance – This is a silent beast I honestly don't know what some of you are spraying, or if you’ve just nuked your nostrils with too much sugar, but let’s clear something up: Montblanc Explorer is a performance monster. I’ve owned them all—JPG Le Male Elixir, Armani Code, Versace Eros EDP, you name it. Heavy hitters, right? Well, Explorer just put them all to shame. I applied this at 9 AM today, and it is now 8 PM. 11 hours later, and I can still smell it clearly around me. If you think this 'doesn't last,' you’re probably just going nose-blind because your brain can't handle the Ambroxan. I don’t wear this to get 'compliments' or to stand around and chat—I’m usually gone before anyone even gets the chance to speak to me. I wear it for myself. It smells expensive, masculine, and sophisticated. It’s not that sticky-sweet 'club boy' DNA you find in Eros or JPG; this is mature, sharp, and commanding. It leaves a trail of quality in the air long after I’ve left the room. If you want to smell like a man who actually has places to be and things to do, get this. If you think it doesn’t last, check your skin chemistry or your nose, because on me, this is the strongest, longest-lasting fragrance in my entire collection. Period

Everyone complaining that you can't smell Explorer after "______" amount of time really need to calm down on the sprayer. Any fragrance, I repeat ANY fragrance, that you over spray will seem as though it doesn't perform as well as it should. If you're at a concert, as an example, and your brain gets overstimulated by sounds & sights, you'll end up paying for it with reduced cognitive function. It's physiology, plain & simple. By over spraying, you're giving your brain too much not just at once but for an extended period of time. And that's not even touching on how it affects those around you. Yes, you're paying for your fragrance, but everyone in a 5ft radius hasn't paid & despite what you & the influencers will tell you, a lot of those people don't want to bathe in your 18 sprays of *insert your flavour of the month*. It's funny that as perfume (and literally everything else) gets more expensive by what feels like the week, people are just casually throwing away their hard earned money by using 3x+ the amount of sprays that are actually needed.

I have owned this for about 5 years now and after losing/forgetting it on the back of shelf for a year or so I decided to give it a whirl again today. I have always liked this scent from day one but jumped down the closest dupe to Aventus rabbit hole for years and was focused on finding the closest to the OG for a long time. So here I am years later, a dozen or so bottles of Aventus dupes have come and gone and have a 2022 batch of the OG to compare. This is basic !!! Basically the most likeable form of this DNA and I now stand on that ground with certainty. I have worn each enough to realize the people around us do not know or care its a designer or niche or clone. They just know you smell nice and this one does the job with more broad appeal to myself and to other around me. Performs for an 8 hour work day and is not stupid loud or pushy. Its just done with good taste and projects a medium bubble for most of its life on skin. Now even more so than a few years ago its a complete value at current prices. Everyday scent dumb reach king! 8.5/10

It definitely carries the DNA of Creed Aventus but it is not an exact copy. It just moves in a more linear way and feels a bit more subtle. At the same time it gives a slightly more masculine and serious vibe. The scent profile is one that many women tend to like. It has a dynamic, clean and masculine character. Honestly it is one of the easiest fragrances for men to wear. The price is also really good compared to other fragrances with a similar scent profile. I would say the projection and longevity are around medium level. Of course it does not feel as strong, bold or long lasting as niche perfumes. Still it is incredibly easy to wear and it gets the job done. For men who struggle to choose a fragrance, do not know much about perfumes but want something that feels a bit closer to niche quality without spending too much money, this would probably be one of the first options to consider. With its clean, dynamic and masculine vibe it has a scent profile that women usually enjoy. It is also a safe choice for everyday wear and office settings.

Welcome to planet Sauventus. For those of us that either refuse or can't afford to pay £250 on a fragrance but enjoy the DNA of Aventus, then this is a more subtle and refined version adding a generous sprinkle of Ambroxan into the mix that for a self confessed ambroxaholic like myself, creating an appealing fragrance. There will be masses of folk that have never experienced or owned Aventus due to its cost and explorer will affordably introduce them into the world of Creed with this excellent and well blended interpretation thats bringing together two of the most recognisable and popular fragrance DNA's out there in Creed Aventus & Ambroxan fragrances like Dior Sauvage and I for one am delighted these two worlds have finally collided. With a realistic freshly squeezed lemon opening, fruity and subtle smokey dry down with an excellent Ambroxan base, makes this a very pleasant fragrance. It doesn't spray out much juice, so double or treble up your sprays, then the longevity is excellent. No cure for me then.

There's no pineapple listed in the notes here but it's definitely there. I enjoy Aventus, and for a while I was looking to buy a bottle. However, the more I used up my sample the less I wanted to pay Aventus prices, and I realized I didn't enjoy the dry down as much as I thought. I started looking at alternatives, but honestly I can't stand the design of "dupe" bottles. They're tacky and cheap looking, so that also wasn't an option. I tried Explorer in store, and I was pleasantly surprised. I actually prefer this to Aventus, and for a fifth of the price it's not even a comparison. They aren't the same, I'd say explorer is like a pineapple heavy Aventus in the opening with slightly more earthiness in the dry down. Extremely versatile and mass appealing. Performance I get 6-8 hours with decent projection (still much better than the 5x more expensive Aventus). 8/10

One of my favourites. For me I wear a fragrance daily to feel clean and put together, not really to announce my presence all the time. I know people are different regarding that. If you are looking for a party scent that screams for attention then yeah maybe skip this one. But for a daily driver that smells great and won't offend anyone at the office it is a solid choice. It might not be exactly like Aventus but it is a good fragrance that definitely works. Solid price and a safe blind buy. In my opinion it turns into this nice musky, peppery and woody profile after the opening settles. Most compliments I get are in intimate situations or hugs because of the low projection. The argument of this fragrance being invisible is exaggerated, it just reserves the scent for the people you actually let get close to you rather than filling the whole room.

Not as Good as Creed Aventus, no. It has a similar opening to Aventus, There's definitely that Pineapple note that Aventus has in this, but I think that's pretty much where the similarities end. The Pineapple actually comes more fruity in my Explorer than my Aventus, but that's probably because there's more complexity in Aventus that ties it all together rather than having only that prominent pineapple note. Where this differs greatly is in the mid and drydown. Aventus turns to smoky birch and oakmoss, whereas explorer goes more earthy patchouli, lacking that distinct Birch. I think this is a crucial part of what makes Aventus, Aventus. BUT if you look at this fragrance for what it is without making comparisons to Creed Aventus, it's REALLY great.

After a few years of hearing about this given I have a 50ml bottle of creed already so didn’t bother, I found a Christmas set deal that was too good to pass up. Pleasantly surprised at this, didn’t expect it to be as close to it as it actually is, smelling the both side by side it’s almost identical with the exception of creed clearly being that much stronger due to its additional oil content (one would hope given the price). Overall if you want to smell like you have creed or don’t want to use the one you have as a daily driver, without spending a small fortune just honestly get this or go to perfumeparlour and get a dupe which is more fruity and the only dupe I’ve ever purchased.

MB Explorer happens to be one of the best Creed Aventus inspirations out there. It has that spicy, woody masculine birch peppery scent. I also own Club de Nuit Intense Man and Afnan Supremacy SILVER which are in the same ballpark. If MB Explorer lasted longer I would say it was my favorite but right now it would have to be CDN Intense Man after the 1-2hr dry down. MB Explorer is great for a 1-4hr trip to the store or meet up with a friend but after that it's about gone for me. I do live in an area where temps are really hot and humid but I work indoors under the comfort of some cool and fresh AC. You can't go wrong buying MB Explorer it's a crowd pleaser.

I would never buy aventus at this point in my life so I am basing this review purely on the explorer experience. It’s honestly a great Swiss Army knife type of fragrence. My collection is mainly citrus forward “summer” fragrances, as I find sweet and boozy too heavy. This is a perfect winter Fragrence for me that has some depth but is still fresh. The pink pepper and bergamot create a nice pineapple accord with the Ambroxon zing. I prefer this over blue fragrances as the base notes make it feel less shower gel-ish. And you will get compliments. Win for the price.

Explorer is a reliable citrus-wood blend with touches of pepper and vetiver. It opens with a fresh burst of citrus and a hint of spice, then shifts to aromatic sage and vetiver, finishing with woody notes. This fragrance is versatile and works for any occasion, especially in summer. It offers a more affordable take on the Aventus style. Performance isn’t the strongest once the citrus fades, but overall, it’s a very solid choice. Blind buy safe if you're in to fresh citrussy fragnances. Everyone's nose / skin is different. Your experience may differ.

I have no idea how close this is the Aventus, and I do not care. All I know is that I love the dry down of this fragrance. The bright opening is sharp for sure, but the woody, smoky base is addictive and so masculine. I always thought it sounded silly that a fragrance could give you confidence, but I get it now. I find it great for work or play, and in the summer heat I think the opening gets even better, enhancing the fruitiness and almost juiciness of the Bergamot. I love it and my wife compliments it a lot as well. This is a huge win in my book.

This one reminded me of Dior Homme Sport 2021 actually, I think it's the pink pepper that caused it mostly. I definitely prefer this one though, this has a slight hint of sweetness and the citruses feel more fresh. Not a big fan of DHS but I enjoyed this one. Very easy going and versatile type of scent, can be worn by any age I feel. This can be the first fragrance of a 14 year old or the signature scent of a 40 year old office worker and would fit both of them. Can't go wrong with this, if you can get it for a good price definitely worth it.