Acier Aluminium (1973)
by Creed

SirSlarty is correct. This is full of bananas!

It smells like artificial banana candy with a slight spice to it, probably a cinnamon note.

Very potent, and not my type of scent!

Why all the negative reviews? I for one do not understand all the Creed haters, particularly those who hate the house merely because it does tend to air on the pretentious side. Whether you like it or not, all of their fragrances are unique and some of the finest ever produced in the history of perfumery. That being said, I will commence my review. I rank this as the third best ever created by Creed. The opening is sharp and metallic and explosive; in fact, I would not even venture to try and pick out notes for the first few minutes. For the heart notes, I detect a hint of plum, as well as several spices and maybe a hint of leather. The base is one of the most sensual that I have ever experienced; ambergris and vanilla absolute. The base is done so well in fact that it almost puts the wearer into a dream-like state, as if reality were a backdrop to some other dimensional plane. There is something unsettling and disturbing and mysterious and dark about this fragrance, but I love it! Someone once compared this fragrance to a particular scene in Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut, and I am inclined to agree. It is decadent, ravishing, and sexual. It is classified as masculine, but I interpret it as unisex. I am sure that very few people own this, so you will certainly not smell like anyone else, and you are likely to receive innumerable compliments. I rarely utilize this for daytime wear, as it is quite strong and more suited to a refined or romantic evening venture. Longevity is amazing, probably close to 24 hours for just a couple of sprays on my skin. I will never be without a bottle of this; Acier Aluminium is multi-faceted to the utmost, and touches on all facets of the human condition. A true work of art.

I was not sure to expect here when I got my sample but I was intrigued. It is an oriental, that there is no doubt about. The opening is pretty "in your face" with a woody incense explosion with a helping of vanilla and something else I can't put my finger on.... It is a sparking note of some kind that really does not belong, it really throws the woodsy and vanilla notes for a loop, it's like they are all fighting for dominance.

After a few minutes the dry down occurs and not much changes in the notes other than they are not as potent as the initial blast. In fact throughout the scent life not much really changes which I actually like.

Longevity is very good for an oriental and silage is pretty good for a Creed which are all too well known for lying close to the skin and not projecting well. One thing I do like about this scent is it does not have the "Creed base" that the Millesime's do.

I have to say I don't like it however, but I am not a big oriental fan either. The notes just seem to be in a battle royal with each other to be the dominate leader in this scent rather than a tier supporting each other. Perhaps for some but not me.

It's an eccentric one. Like most of the Creeds I own it doesn't last properly. Therefore it doesn't satisfy completely - maybe just for two or three hours. Would it only had been denser, thicker... The drydown is so explicitly "creedish" (the infamous Creed base not) - it bores me. It is nice to wear it from time to time, but nothing one could rely on. Malevolently spoken: The whole pretentious "Creed thing" (marketing, 'reputation', list of celebrities etc.) has its incarnation in Acier Aluminium: It pretends to be art on a high level, but at its core it is only snobbish. Sad to say so!

This is my second try on it. Nose is a gentle apparatus and is affected by many variables; Being hungry or not, long exposure to certain smells (which may cause selective anosmia to them) etc. Now well fed and wore a woody scent all day, i can barely define you the perfect tin note in it. It is an motor oil can which is cleaned with gasoline and left under dripping gutter. Is it good? Yes, it is strange but note is tempting. It is extraordinary, manly and sophisticated.

In my first try i found it to be a very strong woody incense with sweet spice peaks, drying down to vanilla amber.

This time it is nearly impossible for me to smell the middle and base notes. If i did not have my own witnessing about the strength and longevity, i would deny.

You would probably not decide to wear it unless you are fond of extraordinary fragrances but it worths a try for enchantment or the weird experimentation that nature of the fragrance promises.

Bananas. We haven't done bananas! Right! How to create a fragrance with a banana. First you make is with some amber then you add the banana thus arming it... with a sweet and metallic accord that is on the verge of a fruity salsa. Really quite a jarring experience. Do not like this.