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Antaeus/VanCleef PH/Trussardi

post #1 of 33
1/15/09 at 1:57pm
Thread Starter 
Time to use some of those online vouchers gratefully received as Christmas gifts.

Looking to purchase either Antaeus, Van Cleef Pour Homme or Trussardi - as you can see I favour the discreet, subtle fragrances! I am looking for a strong, masuline, (possibly even dark and mysterious) scent with good longevity, sillage optional.

From looking through reviews on BN, it seems that there are many similarities between these fragrances, with regular comparisons from different users.

Can get only one for the moment, which would be my best bet?
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post #2 of 33
1/15/09 at 2:04pm
They are all excellent, but my first choice would be the Chanel.

Antaeus all the way!
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post #3 of 33
1/15/09 at 2:12pm
I agree... Antaeus is a must.
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post #4 of 33
1/15/09 at 2:26pm
Antaeus or a vintage bottle of Van Cleef (it does not say "pour homme" on those). A vintage bottle of antaeus would be even better .
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post #5 of 33
1/15/09 at 2:39pm
if it`s Trussardi Inside you meen, i will highly recomend it!
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post #6 of 33
1/15/09 at 2:51pm
Both, Antaeus and Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme! They are good and different enough - the latter as possibly the best leather-chypre around and the first as the finest woody oriental - to own a bottle of each!
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post #7 of 33
1/15/09 at 3:31pm
Anteus is more floral, the actual VC&A more leatherish, Trussardi is a extremily similar to VC&A with pungent middle notes similar, IMHO, to those I recognize in Old Spice, that in my ignorance I think it might be poor quality sandalwood.

I would go for Antaeus, then VC&A. Still, both are excelent choices you won't regret having in your wardrobe.
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post #8 of 33
1/15/09 at 4:30pm
I believe that all of these, unfortunately, have been reformulated. Of the reformulations, Antaeus's is the best, and Antaeus remains a very good fragrance. I've seen a a thread a while ago that the original VC&A is again available in addition to the reformulated version that has been around for a while and is an ehhh. I haven't investigated the "new-old" VC&R yet, but I hope the return to the old is true. As for Trussardi, don't even think about the reformulation of the original masterpiece - it's sweet and annoying and not even a shadow of its former self IMO.
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post #9 of 33
1/15/09 at 5:29pm
Van Cleef and Arpels is the best option for me, very masculine....feels like a billionaire fragance.

Anteus is too feminine......And Trussardi is not my cup of tea for the moment.
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post #10 of 33
1/15/09 at 5:38pm
I find Antaeus super macho on my skin. Nothing feminine about it. The original is terrific and although I have not worn the reformulation, it's good judging by the members responses.

I say it's the best of the 3 and the most bang for the buck as well.
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post #11 of 33
1/15/09 at 6:49pm
to my nose

Van Cleef & Arpel pour Homme wins hands down.

It wins by a large margin in terms of the qualities you described. It is WAYYYYY more masculine and pownerful, yet in a VERY clean, classy, pleasant way.


Antaeus, on the other hand, doesn NOT smell masculine to me. It is a VERY GOOD fragrance -- unique, complex, sophisticated. Very inky as well -- like I have a leak of the old foundation pen. It stands on its own, but no where near VC&A.




...
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post #12 of 33
1/15/09 at 7:07pm
Another Antaeus vote for me. I have a 10mL decant that I'm currently scraping bottom with, looking to get a bottle. Trussardi Uomo I didn't care for, traded away soon after picking it up. Haven't tried the VC.

Antaeus has never struck me as feminine.
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post #13 of 33
1/15/09 at 7:17pm
Antaeus for sure with me.....The others are classic for sure.....I would go with Antaeus.
Gary
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post #14 of 33
1/15/09 at 7:20pm
They are all great scents but Van Cleef PH is perfection to my nose.
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post #15 of 33
1/15/09 at 7:50pm
I am Antaeus-wearing woman, hey, it's just so heady and lush!
Those three comprise my three fave men's fragrance of all time, so I had to reply.
I'm assuming you mean the Trussardi Trussardi in the black croc bottle. I'd have to rule it out first, as the women's version so far exceeds it (and makes a fine maculine, btw), and this gives it a weakness, though it still rocks. And I vote, based on you description, for the Van Cleef. It's so dark, so super manly...and leathery! Also, Antaeus isn't leathery. The other two are extreme leathers. Maybe a consideration?
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post #16 of 33
1/16/09 at 12:20am
Antaeus......

Try it and ... Quorum ... A deep dark masculine fragrance !

You can get Quorum for little money on line... So buy that and Antaeus and you will be good to go...
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post #17 of 33
1/16/09 at 2:43am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for all advice. Narrowed down to either Antaeus or Van Cleef & Arpels Pour Homme based on replies.

Tested Antaeus today in local shop, very impressive and quite intoxicating mix of florals and beeswax with hint of leather. Definitely something I would enjoy, but maybe not as blatantly masculine (yet anyway) as I might have expected.

Unfortunately, haven't beeen able to sample VCA - so opinion based solely on opinions in BN. I am still intrigued by it, but not sure if its a good blind buy.

As a by-the-way, have found both online at roughly the same price, so cost not an issue.
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post #18 of 33
1/16/09 at 2:56am
I don´t know VanCleef PH - is it not an early fragrance from J.C ellena ?

foetidus i don´t find Trussardi Uomo sweet. I find Antaeus is sweeter than Trussardi uomo (which is available very cheap 20 € for 100 ml). But i didn´t test them at the same time. We had november 2008 a topic here about the strongest-manliest scent were Trussardi Uomo had a lot of votes.
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post #19 of 33
1/16/09 at 8:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hillaire View Post

Also, Antaeus isn't leathery. The other two are extreme leathers. Maybe a consideration?

Antaeus may not be an "extreme leather", but is a leather, no doubt about it, If there is a dominant note on it, it's leather, no matter if a bit "tamed" by the beeswax note.
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post #20 of 33
1/16/09 at 9:17am
Quote:
Originally Posted by smeller View Post

Antaeus may not be an "extreme leather", but is a leather, no doubt about it, If there is a dominant note on it, it's leather, no matter if a bit "tamed" by the beeswax note.

To me, Antaeus is all about woods - no leather in sight.
But I know, the smell of leather is difficult to define and is furthermore closely related to the smell of woods.....
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post #21 of 33
1/16/09 at 10:14am
In this order:

Vintage Trussardi Uomo (darkest of them all)
Vintage Antaeus
Vintage VC &A
Antaeus
VC & A
Trussardi Uomo
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post #22 of 33
1/16/09 at 10:41am
Quote:
Originally Posted by sables View Post

To me, Antaeus is all about woods - no leather in sight.
But I know, the smell of leather is difficult to define and is furthermore closely related to the smell of woods.....

Yes, it has plenty of woods also. But in the end the russian leather is what stands out to me.

Also VC&A is not the leather beast some are saying. Much more incense and flowers to my nose, but also great.
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post #23 of 33
1/16/09 at 1:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by the_good_life View Post

Antaeus or a vintage bottle of Van Cleef (it does not say "pour homme" on those).

I concur wholeheartedly.
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post #24 of 33
1/16/09 at 1:47pm
I find that I reach more often for VC&A, most probably because I own it longer than I have had Antaeus and I know better what to expect. IMO it's a bit darker than Antaeus - which I like, but not to say that A is not good! Both deserve a special place in my wardrobe :wave:

BTW I got them both blind and don't regret it at all. I appreciate fragrances that don't apologise for being strong and out there.

I'm unable to comment on the Trussardi
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post #25 of 33
1/16/09 at 5:40pm
All three of them are just GRAND, by, out of these three, Antaeus remains my favorite, closely followed by both Trussardi and Van Cleef and Arpels PH, honorably and equally sharing a more than remarkable and truly successfully and rightfully gained second spot, with just very little distance from the top ranking.
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post #26 of 33
1/16/09 at 6:18pm
The vintage Trussardi Uomo was strong and manly - Check out my review of it in the directory. Then I bought the reissued one and I have no desire to wear it - it's just too sweet to me now. I have used up my decant of the vintage so I can't compare them directly and I am going by memory but what I get with my new bottle is sweet and superficial.


Quote:
Originally Posted by sanatik View Post

I don´t know VanCleef PH - is it not an early fragrance from J.C ellena ?

foetidus i don´t find Trussardi Uomo sweet. I find Antaeus is sweeter than Trussardi uomo (which is available very cheap 20 for 100 ml). But i didn´t test them at the same time. We had november 2008 a topic here about the strongest-manliest scent were Trussardi Uomo had a lot of votes.
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post #27 of 33
1/16/09 at 8:32pm
The best smelling boyfriend I ever had wore Antaeus.
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post #28 of 33
1/17/09 at 12:40am
If you can get the New-Old VC&A please do. The reformulated one does not compare.

Otherwise, i would say Antaeus (as presently formulated).
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post #29 of 33
1/17/09 at 2:44am
Antaeus!
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post #30 of 33
1/17/09 at 7:56am
VC&A - good stuff
Antaeus - "That smells very soft and gentle." Comment I got from a female. Perhaps not what you're yearning after right now.
Trußardi - has a lot in common with VC&A, but rougher, less well blended, in my opinion.
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post #31 of 33
1/18/09 at 2:04pm
Thread Starter 
A little bit disappointing to hear that these have all been reformulated from their original status. Having read all about how great they are, it seems that they are now each somewhat of a lesser scent that what they once were, with Antaues being the best of the reformulations, but still somewat short of the original blend.

Two other fragrances have been mentioned to me - Quorum and Montana Pour Homme (Red). These both are certainly cheaper than my original selections, but can they hold their own in this (once) exalted company. I did try Quorum in my youth, remember it as being very rich but somewhat raw, never tried Maontana Red. Any views?
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post #32 of 33
1/18/09 at 3:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Buddy97 View Post

A little bit disappointing to hear that these have all been reformulated from their original status. Having read all about how great they are, it seems that they are now each somewhat of a lesser scent that what they once were, with Antaues being the best of the reformulations, but still somewat short of the original blend.

Two other fragrances have been mentioned to me - Quorum and Montana Pour Homme (Red). These both are certainly cheaper than my original selections, but can they hold their own in this (once) exalted company. I did try Quorum in my youth, remember it as being very rich but somewhat raw, never tried Maontana Red. Any views?

They can still be found if you really look for them and the reformulations aren't horrid, just not as rich.

Montana Red box is the superior choice over Quorum.
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post #33 of 33
1/18/09 at 7:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by perfaddict View Post

If you can get the New-Old VC&A please do. The reformulated one does not compare...

This will help you knowing which version of VC&A your are buying:

Original - Box does not say "pour homme".
Reformulated - Box says "pour homme".
New one (as of Interparfum licensing and manfacturing VC&A products): the box portarits brown leafs on it.
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