Hacivat X

Shifting gears from the understated and cozy Mediterranean vibes of Carner Barcelona, we dive into the world of high performance niche perfumery with Hacivat X. This review marks my return to the house of Nishane, a brand that has become synonymous with extract strength performance and bold compositions. This 2023 release is an evolution of the original Hacivat, a fragrance that is well known in the community for being very similar to the iconic Creed Aventus due to its heavy emphasis on pineapple and woody elements. While our recent reviews have explored minimalist colognes and soft vanillas, Hacivat X aims to push the boundaries of the "Aventus style" DNA even further. Looking at the note breakdown, this flanker appears to recalibrate the legendary profile by adding a zesty layer of Lime and a refined floral heart of Tunisian Orange Blossom and Jasmine, aiming to create a more radiant and potentially more complex experience than the original. Let us see if this iteration manages to carve out its own unique identity or if it remains firmly in the shadow of the giants it is compared to. Opening: The opening is fruity, woody, and earthy. The primary notes I get are pineapple, Haitian vetiver, lime, and patchouli, with the pineapple and vetiver leading the composition. The pineapple hits my nose first with that same type of juicy and sweet pineapple accord that helped make the Aventus DNA famous. The Haitian vetiver follows closely behind, providing a woody core characterized by its distinct smokiness as opposed to the grassiness found in other vetiver notes. This smoky quality almost perfectly mimics the birch used in Creed Aventus, leading to a very familiar and adjacent profile right from the beginning. The lime works underneath the pineapple and vetiver, imparting a tart and juicy accord very similar to the lime note used in Virgin Island Water. Lastly, the patchouli rounds out the opening with a subtle but noticeable underlying earthiness that borders on a damp soil accord. I also get a bit of a rindy citrus far in the background from the bergamot, which adds a final layer of complexity to this high energy introduction. The result is a vibrant and masculine blast that feels both nostalgic and incredibly well balanced between its fruit and earth elements. Dry Down: The dry down remains fruity, woody, and earthy, serving as a powerful continuation of the initial spray. The primary notes I get are still pineapple, Haitian vetiver, lime, and patchouli, with the pineapple and vetiver continuing to drive the experience. The dry down is largely an extension of the opening, making this a fairly linear fragrance that delivers on its promises from start to finish. However, the smoky aspect of the vetiver becomes noticeably more pronounced as the hours pass, giving the scent a more rugged and masculine edge. Other than this slight shift in texture, it remains a very consistent and high quality representation of this specific olfactory profile. The result is a dependable scent profile where the addictive, smoky, and tropical character never truly disappears for the entire life of the fragrance. Performance: Initial projection within the first hour is very strong, reaching out at least six feet and demanding attention. The sillage is powerful, leaving a dense and heavy scent trail that stays suspended in the air long after you have passed by. After about four hours, the projection draws in slightly to about five or six feet, while the scent trail becomes a bit lighter but remains easily noticeable to anyone in your vicinity. After about eight to nine hours, the projection further quiets to about three feet, and the scent trail lightens more but still provides a steady presence. The fragrance finally becomes a skin scent around the ten to eleven hour mark, but I continued to get random whiffs off my skin even into the next morning. This is an exceptional display of endurance for a fragrance with such prominent citrus and fruit accords. When to Wear: Just like the iconic scent it is compared to, Hacivat X is a highly versatile fragrance that can be worn year round for both day and night. It is equally at home when worn casually with a t shirt and jeans as it is when paired with a formal suit for a black tie event. It works perfectly as an attention grabbing date night fragrance due to its masculine smokiness, yet it can even be worn to the office if applied conservatively. It is the type of fragrance that will always smell sophisticated and appropriate regardless of the season or the occasion, acting as a reliable signature scent for someone who wants to project confidence and cleanliness in equal measure. Blind Buy: If you are already a fan of the Aventus style DNA, Hacivat X is a very safe blind buy for you. It hits all the necessary marks of that profile with a level of quality that is immediately apparent. However, if you are unfamiliar with this specific olfactory family, I would recommend sampling first simply because of the significant financial investment required for a bottle of this caliber. For those who already know they love smoky pineapple and woody vetiver, this is perhaps one of the most polished and high performing version of that concept currently available on the market. Final Verdict: Hacivat X is widely regarded as the definitive answer from Nishane to the Aventus legacy, and after wearing it on my skin, I can confidently echo that sentiment. The pineapple, the smoky woods, and the deep earthiness represent all the major components of that famous DNA with incredible accuracy. However, in typical extrait concentration fashion, Hacivat X outperforms the original Aventus by a clear margin in terms of both longevity and projection. It manages to feel more substantial and less ethereal than recent iterations of the Creed version, filling the room with a dense and high quality aura that stays vibrant for the entire day. At the same time, the addition of the lime note provides a refreshing twist that keeps the composition from feeling like a mere imitation, giving it a bright and modern spark that feels entirely its own. Having tried both, I can confidently say that Hacivat X has officially replaced Aventus on my list of fragrances to buy. It is a technical masterpiece that takes a legendary profile and gives it the modern performance and beast mode presence that enthusiasts truly crave. For anyone tired of the consistency issues found in other brands, and even the original, this is the definitive version of the smoky pineapple profile, offering a level of richness and reliability that justifies its place as a cornerstone of a high end collection. Scent: 9/10 Longevity: 8/10 Sillage: 8/10 Versatility: Very high Compliment Factor: Very high Gender: Masculine Value: Way overpriced

Hacivat vs Hacivat X Here are my thoughts for Hacivat vs Hacivat X. I started with a 10ml Hacivat Decant some years back and there's still 2ml left. Acquired a 50ml Hacivat X few months ago and traded in a high partial Hacivat past week. Decided to sit down and do a proper test and comparison. I put in a number of good 8+- sprays of Hacivat on the right forehand, arm, right side of tee & Hacivat X on the left forehand, arm, left side of tee. Both open with the Aventus fruity dna immediately and I do not get a big difference, however as I give it 10+- minutes or so to settle, the differences become obvious. Hacivat somehow seems to take a backseat between the 2 and is more woody of the 2 while Hacivat X smells more well blended with the pepper and floras, But the main differences is the smokiness, I'll say smoky Vetiver combined with the bergamot lime is outstanding. It's more unisex and universal, the new notes of Haitian Vetiver, pink pepper, orange blossom and lime makes it more mass appealing and seemingly more addictive to smell compared to the Hacivat on the right. I've been doing numerous constant sniffs on both sides to tees and for the first hour to 2 and it's obvious Hacivat X's pineapple+bergamot with the smoky Haitian Vetiver which is around from the start and the added floras in the background is so prominent while Hacivat pineapple fades more to a woody patchouli with the oakmoss coming out. From here to the drydown it really depends on each user's preference. There will be oakmoss patchouli fans who adores the Hacivat and it's drydown more. There'll be new fans of this Hacivat X which will cater to many new noses and the unisex with the added Vetiver, smokiness and spoke floras. To add on, Hacivat X is definitely more linear to the drydown l while Hacivat has more progression to the oakmoss heavy drydown. I'll say Hacivat X is my preference for a everyday wear be it to work/office, school or a night out for drinks or date but I also love oakmoss in my frags so it won't stop me from spraying Hacivat happily either anytime anywhere. Conclusion for me is that Hacivat X is Nishane's answer to a mass appealing Niche for unisex market dominance and to cater to those who don't like the oakmoss heavy og Hacivat on the drydown but wants a well blended smoky aventus semi floras alternative under the brand as another niche. An outstanding flanker for everyone & anyone.

I already reviewed this, but a couple of things: 1. The OG Hacivat is NOT woodier than Hacivat X. 2. Hacivate X is SUPER smokey! After a few minutes, it almost takes over the pineapple top, whereas the OG retains this top for a while. PLEASE do not believe reviewers that say Hacivat X is smoother (while it might be somewhat true about the opening, the mid and dry down are NOT smoother than the OG Hacivat). 3. Hacivat OG smells beautiful and has better projection, but because of the birch tar/smokey note in Hacivat X, it has better longevity. You can smell it on your jacket for DAYS. There is absolutely a birch tar accord here dominating the fragrancce, even though the notes here don't officially list it. I don't really get much of this birch tar note (if any) in the original Hacivat. 4. The OG Hacivate is a mass-appealing fragrance with a very fresh pineapple opening and mid. One could call it a Western interpretation of a Middle Eastern fragrance. HOWEVER, Hacivat X is a straight-up Middle Eastern fragrance, which is not a bad thing if you like them. But while the OG is considered a safe blind buy, X is not a safe blind buy--you have to like that tar/smoke accord because that's what dominates it from almost the very beginning. 5. The OG is linear, but not as linear as X; the OG does transition to a lovely vetiver/oakmoss drydown, while Hacivat X is smoke, smoke, smoke almost all the the way through, with just a hint of pineapple trying to peep up. 6. Hacivat X might appeal to older frag heads who are into incense/tar and smoke fragrances. The OG is clearly more mass-appealing and could also appeal to a younger crowd. Don't get me wrong, I love X. But don't be tricked into buying it because people say it's "smoother" or that the OG has better performance--that is simply not true.

First: someone below said that the OG Hacivat is more woody than X. What?? Not even close--X is way woodier and smokier than the original Hacivat. Now, on to the review: I can understand the appeal to this one--you've got a fragrance with immense longevity, even if it sits close to the skin after a time. The opening is fresh, but comparing the OG with this, side-by-side, you begin to immediately notice the smokey and woody quality of X, which basically takes over the whole fragrance after a very short period of time. After that, it's very linear. X does not change much, except perhaps the smoke feels more prominent as the mid and top notes dissolve even more throughout its life. You can tell that X is trying to hold onto that fruity pineapple top note, the way the OG is able to maintain it, but that ashyness overwhelms it, in X. Obviously, lots of birch tar at play here which, if you like the smoky ashy (burnt incense) quality of fragrances, you'll love this. Unlike other incense fragrances however, you'll find this one to be absent of noticeable sweetness and balsams and more, dry woody. The OG feels so unsubstantial next to this one, as if it were transparent. But the OG is more mass-appealing for sure, and maintains a freshness without going too smokey or woody compared to X. For me personally, I think it's overpriced for what it is--on the other hand, its hard to find a designer with this much smoke and one that lasts this long. I give it a 4/5.

So, I’ve had a 50ml of this for years. I love Ani and Ani X, but I wanted something summer friendly, and in my ‘newer is better’ mind set, I opted for Hacivat X over the original. I had enjoyed a small travel size of the OG and just figured the X version would be a ‘better’, but I was wrong. X is very different. The bitterness of the lime and the vetiver oil is what threw me off. I just couldn’t understand what I was smelling. Cut to a few days ago when the heat was in the 90s, I finally decided to try it again, and wow. I actually enjoy the smoky quality to this. I’ve also realized that this is a scent that smells better in the air than it does putting your nose right on where you sprayed. It definitely needs time to chill (probably about an hour) but after that, you’re golden. It’s sweet, woody and kind of eternal. There’s something about this that keeps coming back up. As I move around and whatnot, whiffs of this will pop up kind of randomly and it’s soooo good. This is very different from basically all my other fragrances and it keeps my attention in a very different way too. It is a little on the linear side but, I don’t think that’s a bad thing. It stays where I want it the entire time. Pro tip: I’ve been using BORNTOSTANDOUT’s Sugar Addict body wash and lotion along with the Hacivat body oil to help sweeten up the initial bitterness of everything and it’s a dream. More compliments than I’ve received in a while.