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Aramis Havana Reissue - Page 2

post #61 of 127
9/26/09 at 11:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by neal View Post

I did not so much pick up a brighter, more acidic top note as rather the older bottles were just ever so slightly more subtle in the opening, and this differed slightly from vintage sample to sample; which I did not bother to comment on as the volatile top notes are often entirely gone from vintage bottles. My bottles range from the mid to late 90's. I think we should all take a moment to reflect and rejoice ;') on all this as it is rare for a fragrance to be reissued at all - let alone reissued with no reformulation. Now if they would just stock those store shelves so you all can see for yourselves...

FYI The ingredients on my vintage bottle's box - alcohol denatured, havana fragrance (parfum), water (aqua purificata), purified ILN2246.

Nice summary, neal! Thanks for the ingredients list, as well. For those who just have to know, the full ingredient list on the new packaging reads as follows:

"Alcohol denat, Havana fragrance (parfum), water, eugenol, benzyl salicylate, linool, limonene, hydroxyisohexyl 3 cyclohexene carboxaldehyde, coumarin, citronellol, cinnamyl alcohol, geraniol, citral, alpha-isomethyl ionone, isoeugenol, benzyl benzoate, amyl cinnamal, benzyl alcohol <ILN25090>"

Oh, the beauty of regulations...
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post #62 of 127
9/26/09 at 11:09am
Is this more of a summer or cooler weather scent. I live in a suburb of Chicago, it is just getting cool at
night now (I love Autumn). May order it from Nordstrom though it appears to be unavailable from their
website (wasn't yesterday ).
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post #63 of 127
9/26/09 at 11:20am
or you can just go down to macy's on state street and pick up a bottle. they have plenty
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post #64 of 127
9/26/09 at 11:23am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by unbridled_id View Post

Is this more of a summer or cooler weather scent. I live in a suburb of Chicago, it is just getting cool at
night now (I love Autumn). ).



I prefer it in autumn, but since there's no autumn in Havana, Cuba - all bets are off :')
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post #65 of 127
9/26/09 at 11:49am
"or you can just go down to macy's on state street and pick up a bottle. they have plenty "

Ok sounds good, this Friday I will have to take a ride that way. Thanks!
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post #66 of 127
9/26/09 at 2:56pm
I just picked it up at Macy's. They only had two left... I'm behaving myself financially, so I just got the one. I might have to go back on that decision and go grab the other one -- It's the real deal. I had a TPC sample with a drop or so left and did a side-by-side. If it isn't the same, it's much closer than my nose can pick apart.

As far as the summer/winter question... I think Havana's an odd beast. Lot of 'summer' notes in what one could consider a 'winter' strength/depth frag, if that makes any sense.

I wear it year round, but it settles well into my skin chemistry and is actually rather subtle on me. (To take a moment to be sacrilegious, it comes out quite a bit similar to Quorum on my skin.)
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post #67 of 127
9/26/09 at 2:59pm
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Still haven't seen it by me... For all the people who have seen it, was it displayed on the counter, or was it hidden in a drawer and you had to ask for it??
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post #68 of 127
9/26/09 at 3:38pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by KMF View Post

Still haven't seen it by me... For all the people who have seen it, was it displayed on the counter, or was it hidden in a drawer and you had to ask for it??

Macy's in Boston had the entire 'gentleman' line displayed in the case.
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post #69 of 127
9/26/09 at 7:47pm
http://www.whomyouknow.com/2009/09/i...ection-by.html

Only makes me want Havana more.
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post #70 of 127
9/26/09 at 9:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by KMF View Post

Still haven't seen it by me... For all the people who have seen it, was it displayed on the counter, or was it hidden in a drawer and you had to ask for it??

The Macy's in Chicago had an entire display unit filled with all 6 last week. I picked up Havana (already had 900) and will probably go back for JHL (and maybe Devin.)
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post #71 of 127
9/27/09 at 5:39am
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I phoned one of the local Nordstrom stores last night and spoke to a salesperson from the fragrance department. He said they have 2 of the new Havana there. I had him put one away for me to pick up today. We shall see if it is there when I arrive around noon and then we shall see just how it compares to the original.
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post #72 of 127
9/27/09 at 8:37am
Picked up JHL and Havana at my local Nordies; they also had the full "Gentleman's" Collection. Great stuff and a good value at $48 for 100mls. Glad to see these two classics back on the market.
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post #73 of 127
9/27/09 at 10:40am
Just picked up a bottle from Macy's. I think it is excellent, thanks to all on this board. The lady asked me if I wanted more just in case it gets discontinued again. I think there is enough interest to keep it going (though I think I will pick up another bottle before the holidays).
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post #74 of 127
9/27/09 at 11:07am
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Well I picked up my awaiting Havana at Nordies this PM. Mine is still NIB but they had a Havana tester available, and testers of Devin, JHL, 900, New West and Tuscany (I just sniffed the nozzles of all the others and thought they are just like the originals as far as I can remember) so I single spritzed the back of my hand with Havana and ...POW!.

Folks, it is the real McCoy, or so close to it it doesn't mattter. I would say just a wee tad brighter in the topnotes but as has been stated the older Havana and some other frags might lose a half-step in the top notes after 10 years or so in bottle. Not a problem though. It has been 2 hours now since I spritzed the back of my left hand with the new Havana and the drydown appears to be identical to the vintage juice that I own...fantastic. Thank you Aramis for not screwing up a fabulous fragrance with a spineless re-formulation!!
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post #75 of 127
9/27/09 at 11:42am
i have not worn that stuff in years!!!
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post #76 of 127
9/27/09 at 12:35pm
I'll wear my original Havana in celebration of this thread. Probably pick up a bottle or two of the new stuff when there is more supply.
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post #77 of 127
9/27/09 at 3:55pm
kbe- Great news! I can't wait for my bottle to arrive.
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post #78 of 127
9/27/09 at 4:31pm
I wonder if the gentleman's line will be distributed here (esp. at the same retail price). I think the retail price of Aramis here is about $60.
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post #79 of 127
9/27/09 at 5:32pm
Can someone compare this with say Idole by Lubin or Cuba by Czech and Speake?
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post #80 of 127
9/27/09 at 5:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by finsfan View Post

Can someone compare this with say Idole by Lubin or Cuba by Czech and Speake?

I love Olivia Giocobetti, but Idole is too sweet for my taste, and so far I prefer C&S Cuba to Havana. My Havana arrived a couple of days ago and I like it, but it's not anywhere close to being a favorite. In the Aramis line, I actually prefer Devin and 900 to Havana. (Runs for cover.)
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post #81 of 127
9/27/09 at 5:49pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tonyprince View Post

I love Olivia Giocobetti, but Idole is too sweet for my taste, and so far I prefer C&S Cuba to Havana. My Havana arrived a couple of days ago and I like it, but it's not anywhere close to being a favorite. In the Aramis line, I actually prefer Devin and 900 to Havana. (Runs for cover.)

Not a problem Tonyprince. I fully respect and understand differences in taste in fragrances and opinions as to which nag will win a horserace. Both Devin and 900 are excellent frags, as is Cuba, and are in my wardrobe (Samples and decant of Cuba) because I like them to be ready for action should the mood to wear them hit me.
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post #82 of 127
9/27/09 at 8:10pm
I just bought Havana today, and I am 24yo. Am I able to wear it without being teased as a grandpa's smell? I like to stand out from the ADG crowd and the like of that.
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post #83 of 127
9/27/09 at 9:35pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Granzon View Post

I just bought Havana today, and I am 24yo. Am I able to wear it without being teased as a grandpa's smell? I like to stand out from the ADG crowd and the like of that.


Shouldn't you be asking this question BEFORE you buy the fragrance??
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post #84 of 127
9/27/09 at 10:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by KMF View Post

Shouldn't you be asking this question BEFORE you buy the fragrance??

Lol. Yea I should have asked before buying, but I just can't resist buying the last bottle while I was at Macy's trying the new CK Free. I like it, but should I wear it?
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post #85 of 127
9/28/09 at 12:20am
Of course you should what you are talking about
I'm younger than u and if i can wear it, you can.
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post #86 of 127
9/28/09 at 12:28am
Good to hear. Now I feel more confident in wearing it.
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post #87 of 127
9/28/09 at 12:45am
Only you can give yourself permission Not me :P

Please give us some more reviews of the reissue ! Tonyprice and stuigi
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post #88 of 127
9/28/09 at 12:21pm
My bottle just arrived from Nordstrom. I agree with those who say that the opening notes are a bit different. After 30 minutes the drydown seems to be similar, but maybe 90% as rich with rum. I have to do more sniffing.
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post #89 of 127
9/28/09 at 12:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ohhmygod View Post

Only you can give yourself permission Not me :P


A few funny comments in this thread, but your response is classic!
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post #90 of 127
9/28/09 at 1:14pm
Man, there is a real feeding frenzy for this one. I am new here so I find this very interesting. I have not found it at any of the Macy's I visited in Plano and Frisco, TX. Hopefully, there will be many bottles in stock for Christmas.
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post #91 of 127
9/29/09 at 3:58pm
OK- I have come to the conclusion that the new formulation is maybe 90% of what my original Havana bottles are like ( I have three and two Reserva ) in terms of strength and longevity. Perhaps like the original after shave. Definitely not 100% the same.
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post #92 of 127
9/29/09 at 5:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by stuigi View Post

OK- I have come to the conclusion that the new formulation is maybe 90% of what my original Havana bottles are like ( I have three and two Reserva ) in terms of strength and longevity. Perhaps like the original after shave. Definitely not 100% the same.

Is it worth $48 per 100ml?
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post #93 of 127
9/29/09 at 6:21pm
Yes, but only if you can't get a good price on the original. Sorry to disagree with my good friend kbe, but my opinion is 10% different. BTW- Original Havana after shave is better than 95% of the men's frags on the market.
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post #94 of 127
9/29/09 at 6:59pm
Any other opinions of Havana vs. Cuba by Czech and Speake?

Is it rummy and tobacco, or is the vanilla gonna kick in big time? I think Jaime says it is weak, so is that the common experience? $48 is good if it lasts but if not, Id pay twice as much and get the Cuba.
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post #95 of 127
9/29/09 at 7:01pm
I own both and feel they are not similar.


Quote:
Originally Posted by finsfan View Post

Any other opinions of Havana vs. Cuba by Czech and Speake?

Is it rummy and tobacco, or is the vanilla gonna kick in big time? I think Jaime says it is weak, so is that the common experience? $48 is good if it lasts but if not, Id pay twice as much and get the Cuba.
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post #96 of 127
9/29/09 at 8:30pm
I thought I would give my opinion for what little my opinion is worth (I've never smelled the original Havana)...here it is:

I tested the reissue last night at Macy's, and I think it's a fantastic value at $48/100ml. Very long lasting as is typical I think with all Aramis frags: I sprayed one spray to my arm at around 6 PM last night and I could still smell it this morning as a nice skin scent.

My vague impressions (I need to test it more)...spicy spicy tobacco! I get a sharp fruity cinnamon, like cinnamon and persimmon or apple, together with a dense, oily (yes, oily) tobacco note that seems like it's on fire as a hot core surrounded by a cloud of spices. The cinnamon is hot too, like the cinnamon in an atomic fireball jawbreaker, cinnamon oil. This stage lasted about twenty minutes, and then the spices eased up and just let the smooth tobacco note mellow and come forward. I'm glad the spices settle down at this point, because I think the use of cinnamon is heavy handed here and it was getting annoying. At this stage it did remind me of Feuilles de Tabac, which I wear pretty often (although FdT is silkier and smoother, I sprayed some on my other arm when I got home to test them side by side).

The drydown after about an hour is where Havana sort of turned a little strange on me...I swear it started smelling like Mexican food or taco meat, complete with flour tortilla (which I really don't understand, but I'm not kidding, there is a tortilla note in there). I wasn't wild about this stage, but I kept smelling...I could smell come green notes if I put my nose right up to my arm...I was intrigued. This is a complicated scent that definitely warrants further testing and wearing.

I think Mario Justiniani has a review of Havana in which he refers to it as a "Bay Rum Tobacco", and I think this is a spot on description of Havana. The spices in this are very much "bay rum", but the quality and complexity I smell here are in another league altogether. Imagine having this in a splash bottle and just splashing on a big handful like bay rum!

Again, I have no idea what the original smells like...but this is really good stuff.

Also, I just have to say: If anyone from Estee Lauder is reading this, you should be very proud of this fragrance (and all your fragrances, for that matter)...cheers and kudos to you for re-releasing it! I hope it is very successful for you!
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post #97 of 127
9/29/09 at 8:46pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by finsfan View Post

Any other opinions of Havana vs. Cuba by Czech and Speake?

Is it rummy and tobacco, or is the vanilla gonna kick in big time? I think Jaime says it is weak, so is that the common experience? $48 is good if it lasts but if not, Id pay twice as much and get the Cuba.

They both have tobacco / rum, but that's where the similarities end. Havana is much stronger & bolder than Cuba. I've owned both and easily prefer Havana... I get very little, if any vanilla in Havana...
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post #98 of 127
9/29/09 at 10:49pm
I finally tried it and perhaps my expectations were unduly inflated. Very heavy and much too synthetic for my taste. I also have Cuba Red and Havana reminds me of Red with some Patchouli added. Very loud and dated (I know it wasn't released in the 80's but it smells like it). If it were a person it would be David Hasslehoff.
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post #99 of 127
9/30/09 at 2:29am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stuigi View Post

Yes, but only if you can't get a good price on the original. Sorry to disagree with my good friend kbe, but my opinion is 10% different. BTW- Original Havana after shave is better than 95% of the men's frags on the market.

In all fairness Stu I didn't wear the new release and the vintage side-by-side to compare so my impression (memory of original Havana) could be off by a 10% margin easily. I will test both simultaneously next week and report here.
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post #100 of 127
9/30/09 at 2:55am
Cant wait, Kbe
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post #101 of 127
10/5/09 at 6:21pm
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OK. The following were my posts to the SotD threads tonight. I am posting here as well for those interested who do not visit those threads or who won't see them and are interested in an opinion. I find both the reissue and the original Havana to be, other than for the first 5-10 minutes where the reissue seems somewhat brighter and sharper, so identical that it would take a better nose than mine (arguably not hard to find) to distinguish one from another in a blind smelling where the 50% chance of being correct by guess was severly reduced..



Re: SotD Monday 5 October

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tonight I am pitting the recent reissue of Havana against the 'vintage' version of Havana.

Two spritzes of vintage Havana on my right forearm, then two spritzes of the reissue Havana on my left forearm.

Note: Updates to this post will continue approximately every half hour tonight until I either get tired of doing so or go to bed.

Initial observation: The usual Havana cacophony opening for both with a blast of concentrated citrus/spice dominating a tobacco background. For the first 5 minutes the reissue is brighter, sharper by, say, 20% in opening notes. But isn't that to be expected when pitted against a vintage fragrance that has been imprisoned in the bottle for over 10 years? I think so.

20 mininutes in: No discernible difference. I cannot distiinguish between the two. They are absolutly identical at this point to my nose. Still the concentrated citrus/spice/tobacco but now deeper, less sharp and much richer and with considerably more depth of notes.

50 minutes in: Middle notes of pepper and rum beginning to appear intertwined with the citrus/spice and the tobacco notes getting stronger. Again, both vintage and reissue are so similar at this point I could not tell which is which if I didn't know where I spritzed each. This is a sleek, muscular thoroughbred fragrance, glistening in the sweat of an early evening workout it is fully enjoying.

90 minutes in: Spices, rum, and citrus conncentrate opening notes beginning to mellowing but still dominant. Tobacco somewhat stronger than in the opening notes, but so nice! Florals beginning to show: hyacinth and Jasmine according to the Basenote Pyramid but I cannot be definite about which floral I am beginning to detect, only that it is a slightly floral note in the mix now. Magnificent overall sillage for both reissue and vintage. Makes me want to bury my face in my forearm (either) and just sniff and sniff..The reissue is ever so little behind in development but with the identical mix of wonderful aromas. Myohmyohmy...I am slap-in-the-face reminded why I love this fragrance so damn much! So similar still you would think it was the same bottle.

120 minutes in: Identical development, sillage and notes .Intense. Magnificent. Heading into drydown with Smoke, Fruitwood, Tobacco, some Rum, Vanilla beginning to emerge with some Floral and definitely some Spice left to strut it's stuff. All melded together in what I call Heaven on both forearms. Stopping here because as far as I am concerned Aramis has re-created a nearly identical fragrance to their original Havana in the reissue. Draw your own conclusions. I have mine now.
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post #102 of 127
10/5/09 at 6:38pm
Thank you so much, kbe. That should end all arguments!
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post #103 of 127
10/5/09 at 8:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by kbe View Post

OK. The following were my posts to the SotD threads tonight. I am posting here as well for those interested who do not visit those threads or who won't see them and are interested in an opinion. I find both the reissue and the original Havana to be, other than for the first 5-10 minutes where the reissue seems somewhat brighter and sharper, so identical that it would take a better nose than mine (arguably not hard to find) to distinguish one from another in a blind smelling where the 50% chance of being correct by guess was severly reduced..



Re: SotD Monday 5 October

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tonight I am pitting the recent reissue of Havana against the 'vintage' version of Havana.

Two spritzes of vintage Havana on my right forearm, then two spritzes of the reissue Havana on my left forearm.

Note: Updates to this post will continue approximately every half hour tonight until I either get tired of doing so or go to bed.

Initial observation: The usual Havana cacophony opening for both with a blast of concentrated citrus/spice dominating a tobacco background. For the first 5 minutes the reissue is brighter, sharper by, say, 20% in opening notes. But isn't that to be expected when pitted against a vintage fragrance that has been imprisoned in the bottle for over 10 years? I think so.

20 mininutes in: No discernible difference. I cannot distiinguish between the two. They are absolutly identical at this point to my nose. Still the concentrated citrus/spice/tobacco but now deeper, less sharp and much richer and with considerably more depth of notes.

50 minutes in: Middle notes of pepper and rum beginning to appear intertwined with the citrus/spice and the tobacco notes getting stronger. Again, both vintage and reissue are so similar at this point I could not tell which is which if I didn't know where I spritzed each. This is a sleek, muscular thoroughbred fragrance, glistening in the sweat of an early evening workout it is fully enjoying.

90 minutes in: Spices, rum, and citrus conncentrate opening notes beginning to mellowing but still dominant. Tobacco somewhat stronger than in the opening notes, but so nice! Florals beginning to show: hyacinth and Jasmine according to the Basenote Pyramid but I cannot be definite about which floral I am beginning to detect, only that it is a slightly floral note in the mix now. Magnificent overall sillage for both reissue and vintage. Makes me want to bury my face in my forearm (either) and just sniff and sniff..The reissue is ever so little behind in development but with the identical mix of wonderful aromas. Myohmyohmy...I am slap-in-the-face reminded why I love this fragrance so damn much! So similar still you would think it was the same bottle.

120 minutes in: Identical development, sillage and notes .Intense. Magnificent. Heading into drydown with Smoke, Fruitwood, Tobacco, some Rum, Vanilla beginning to emerge with some Floral and definitely some Spice left to strut it's stuff. All melded together in what I call Heaven on both forearms. Stopping here because as far as I am concerned Aramis has re-created a nearly identical fragrance to their original Havana in the reissue. Draw your own conclusions. I have mine now.

A marvelous analysis. This almost exactly parallels my own experience, as reported earlier in this thread - but your reporting is both more thoughtful and detailed!
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post #104 of 127
10/5/09 at 8:59pm
Damn !!! Every single time I conclude that I'm finished trying to purchase this fragrance because it has become a ROYAL PAIN IN THE ASS to actually buy a bottle, you guys have to post info like this.

Aramis is starting to piss me off.
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post #105 of 127
1/4/10 at 4:58am
Does anyone know when/if the Havana reissue is coming out in the UK? We're supposed to be getting 8 - Havana, Always, Life, Devin, JHL, New West, 900 and Tuscany. All present and correct and, more importantly in my collection (a big Aramis fan here). All, that is, except for Always and Havana. Always I can take or leave, but Havana's been "the one" for years and I've never managed to snag it. So when I heard about the reissue collection I got all excited, but here we are nearly 6 months later and still no sign of Havana in the UK - no high street shops, no department stores, nothing online. GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!

EDIT - emeterioy, If you are willing to ship to the UK, I will gladly take it off your hands.....
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post #106 of 127
1/15/10 at 6:23pm
is there any internet shop that has havana? preferably one that ships to europe... i can´t find it anywhere... :-(
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post #107 of 127
1/15/10 at 11:04pm
Haha! WOW! Thats great because Havana Reserva is alot more domestic to purchase rather than Aramis Original.

Thats great news!

Thanks and take care!

- Balava
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post #108 of 127
1/28/10 at 9:16am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Granzon View Post

I just bought Havana today, and I am 24yo. Am I able to wear it without being teased as a grandpa's smell? I like to stand out from the ADG crowd and the like of that.

I am 21, and do not feel awkward wearing this scent compared to other scents like Lauder for Men or even Escada. It is not overwhelming like others have described, as long as you don't go over three sprays. Havana is good for anyone over 20.
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post #109 of 127
1/31/10 at 6:40am
c´mon guys, you really don´t know where could i get one? :-)
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post #110 of 127
1/31/10 at 7:15am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by F.X.F View Post

c´mon guys, you really don´t know where could i get one? :-)

Nordstrom say Aramis Havana is backordered and they will be shipping orders around 2/12. They use a third party shipper but Abu Dhabi isn't listed as a country they ship to, at least not listed on the Nordstrom site. You might contact Nordstrom direct or their third party shipper FIFTYONE and check if they will do so to your country.



http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3063622?...3-000423bb4e95
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post #111 of 127
1/31/10 at 7:30am
It appears that Nordstrom doesn't ship fragrances outside of the US due to shipping restrictions.
If anyone knows of a website that ships Aramis Havana to Europe please give us a heads up
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post #112 of 127
5/9/10 at 12:06pm
www.perfumeemporium.com
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post #113 of 127
5/10/10 at 5:36pm
I was a bit disappointed to find out that the new one smells different than the original Havana. My original bottle has distict spices in the heart notes that compliment the bay rum and counter balance the tobacco to keep it from getting too one dimensional. I find the new one very linear as if they focused all their efforts on the tobacco and rum notes. They're very similar but I can detect a clear difference. I think Havana Reserva is more similar to the original Havana than the new release is. It's still a good scent and I'm happy Aramis released it again for those who didn't get a chance to buy it before it was discontinued.
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post #114 of 127
5/10/10 at 5:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by teflondog View Post

I was a bit disappointed to find out that the new one smells different than the original Havana. My original bottle has distict spices in the heart notes that compliment the bay rum and counter balance the tobacco to keep it from getting too one dimensional. I find the new one very linear as if they focused all their efforts on the tobacco and rum notes. They're very similar but I can detect a clear difference. I think Havana Reserva is more similar to the original Havana than the new release is. It's still a good scent and I'm happy Aramis released it again for those who didn't get a chance to buy it before it was discontinued.

This won't go over well.
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post #115 of 127
5/11/10 at 5:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by teflondog View Post

I was a bit disappointed to find out that the new one smells different than the original Havana. My original bottle has distict spices in the heart notes that compliment the bay rum and counter balance the tobacco to keep it from getting too one dimensional. I find the new one very linear as if they focused all their efforts on the tobacco and rum notes. They're very similar but I can detect a clear difference. I think Havana Reserva is more similar to the original Havana than the new release is. It's still a good scent and I'm happy Aramis released it again for those who didn't get a chance to buy it before it was discontinued.

I completely disagree - I now have bottles of both the original and the new GC version and both smell identical to me and everyone who I've tested them with. I see you're a long standing member and you single it out anyway, so I assume we're not talking the possibility of you getting confused with the difference between standard original Havana and Reserva (which your description fits perfectly, to my nose). Could be that the different ingredients in the new one alter how it smells on your skin.
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post #116 of 127
5/11/10 at 6:46am
It seems, and there always will be, some bottles that are slightly different than others.
many times we will buy a fragrance and it won't quite live up to countless reviews we read about it.
I think this is due to slight inconsistency on part of the fragrance manufacturer, or the storage and or handling of a particular shipment of fragrance, that causes a noticeable difference in the fragrance composition.
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post #117 of 127
5/11/10 at 7:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hasupk@gmail.com View Post

It seems, and there always will be, some bottles that are slightly different than others.
many times we will buy a fragrance and it won't quite live up to countless reviews we read about it.
I think this is due to slight inconsistency on part of the fragrance manufacturer, or the storage and or handling of a particular shipment of fragrance, that causes a noticeable difference in the fragrance composition.

I think you're dead right! As we Basenoters are 'enthusiasts' we naturally spend much more time sniffing and analysing the tiniest nuances of a particular fragrance and this essentially means that we notice tiny differences that the casual sniffer would completely miss. Each batch of a particular fragrance can't be EXACTLY the same as there are too many variables: ingredient quality, storage, handling and inevitable variations in the natural oils used to formulate the juice. It's a bit like the Guinness debate - is it better in Ireland as everyone who tastes it would have you believe? It tastes slightly different in every pub up and down the land but to the average punter it tastes like Guinness!!
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post #118 of 127
5/11/10 at 7:45am
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To my untrained nose, the original Havana and the GC Havana pretty much smell the same... However, I do find the GC Havana to be somewhat less potent than the original. I never considered wearing the original Havana in the summer, but I think the GC Havana works quite well in warmer weather... Almost like a Havana EdC...
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post #119 of 127
5/11/10 at 8:36am
Quote:
Originally Posted by great_badir View Post

I completely disagree - I now have bottles of both the original and the new GC version and both smell identical to me and everyone who I've tested them with. I see you're a long standing member and you single it out anyway, so I assume we're not talking the possibility of you getting confused with the difference between standard original Havana and Reserva (which your description fits perfectly, to my nose). Could be that the different ingredients in the new one alter how it smells on your skin.

Everyone's nose is different so I don't expect everyone to smell the same thing that I do, which is why there's no right or wrong answer. There will be people who say both Havanas smell identical while there will also be people like me who say they're different. I own bottles of the original Havana, Havana Reserva, and the Gentlemen's Collection relaunch. I can smell distinct differences between all three. However I do acknowledge the fact that I'm comparing a new bottle with others that are 10 years old, but there's no way to know for sure (without a time machine) if age is the cause of the differences that I smell.
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post #120 of 127
5/11/10 at 9:44am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by teflondog View Post

.... However I do acknowledge the fact that I'm comparing a new bottle with others that are 10 years old, but there's no way to know for sure (without a time machine) if age is the cause of the differences that I smell.

Absolutely true.
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