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fresco by ilum deam (an aventus clone?)

post #1 of 375
1/15/13 at 3:23pm
Thread Starter 
UPDATE: wow over 267 replies. i've made 249 threads here on basenotes and this one managed to topple all of them (by far), with my average thread getting 10 to 50 replies.
i knew aventus would be the culprit.


i've had a lot of people talking to me about this one. at first i thought it was just a shill, but more and more people actually convinced me that it could be possible.

with all of the popularity that creed aventus has, at some point i knew somebody would clone it. and it goes for $50 for a 100ml bottle.

a lot of people have been saying this is very very close to aventus, but i've also seen a lot of cases where people say two things smell exactly alike and they don't smell alike at all.

how many people on here have tried it?

how's the projection and longevity?

and most important: the drydown. a lot of fragrances smell like niche clones at opening but then become generic at drydown. is this an exception?

i expect to see more hype on this fragrance this year, and i might blind buy it, but for now i'm going to wait and see.
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post #2 of 375
1/15/13 at 3:31pm
A lot on Ebay going for $27 for 100ml which I personally feel is about right for this US made scent. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=140906299431
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post #3 of 375
1/15/13 at 3:31pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by hednic View Post

A lot on Ebay going for $27 for 100ml which I personally feel is about right for this US made scent.

made in america! a true patriots scent!!!
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post #4 of 375
1/15/13 at 3:33pm
I watched CoachRob's review on youtube and bought a bottle for $26. I figured why not try it out

ETA:
http://youtu.be/3uHYeJduBuw
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post #5 of 375
1/15/13 at 3:38pm
I just received my bottle today Noirdrakkar and it smells VERY close to Aventus. This is not an imitation or something that smells similar. This is a straight up clone of Aventus. Gotta give credit to a YouTube reviewer named CoachRob619. Do yourself a favor and buy a bottle of this and subscribe to his channel.

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post #6 of 375
1/15/13 at 3:38pm
Thread Starter 
how's the drydown?
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post #7 of 375
1/15/13 at 3:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by noirdrakkar View Post

how's the drydown?

It's been 4 hours now and it still smells just like Aventus. It's linear, but what everyone loves about Aventus is in the opening and that is what you get all the way through this fragrance.
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post #8 of 375
1/15/13 at 4:10pm
Looks like the drydown has no birch tar which is what makes Aventus smokey. I can't stand birch tar so maybe I'll try this stuff.
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post #9 of 375
1/15/13 at 4:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by silentrich View Post

I just received my bottle today Noirdrakkar and it smells VERY close to Aventus. This is not an imitation or something that smells similar. This is a straight up clone of Aventus. Gotta give credit to a YouTube reviewer named CoachRob619. Do yourself a favor and buy a bottle of this and subscribe to his channel.


I've been checking out CoachRob619 for a while on YouTube. That cat tells it like it is. I ordered a bottle of this also. Enjoy man!
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post #10 of 375
1/15/13 at 4:17pm
Top: PINEAPPLE, BLACK CURRANT, LEMON
Mid: ROSE, JASMINE, PATCHOULI
Base: AMBER, OAK MOSS, MUSK, WOODY NOTES

Looking at the notes, I can definitely see how this could smell like Aventus. For $25 might be worth a shot.
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post #11 of 375
1/15/13 at 4:47pm
.....Here we go. I'll report back next week.
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post #12 of 375
1/15/13 at 4:59pm
HMMMM I really need to check this out.
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post #13 of 375
1/15/13 at 6:04pm
While I realize the top notes are an Aventus clone, I'm curious to know where the scent goes over time. How many hours do you get from it? What does it dry down to? Without the birch tar, it sounds more like it would be an Aventus Lite, not that that's necessarily a bad thing. I just have trouble imagining Aventus without the Creed base. That's what keeps Aventus from being just fruit water.

I envy you New Yorkers! I wish I could walk into a shop and try this. I'm curious enough that I may have to seek out a sample.
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post #14 of 375
1/15/13 at 7:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by L'Homme Blanc Individuel View Post

While I realize the top notes are an Aventus clone, I'm curious to know where the scent goes over time. How many hours do you get from it? What does it dry down to? Without the birch tar, it sounds more like it would be an Aventus Lite, not that that's necessarily a bad thing. I just have trouble imagining Aventus without the Creed base. That's what keeps Aventus from being just fruit water.

I envy you New Yorkers! I wish I could walk into a shop and try this. I'm curious enough that I may have to seek out a sample.

True
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post #15 of 375
1/15/13 at 7:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by L'Homme Blanc Individuel View Post

While I realize the top notes are an Aventus clone, I'm curious to know where the scent goes over time. How many hours do you get from it? What does it dry down to? Without the birch tar, it sounds more like it would be an Aventus Lite, not that that's necessarily a bad thing. I just have trouble imagining Aventus without the Creed base. That's what keeps Aventus from being just fruit water.

I envy you New Yorkers! I wish I could walk into a shop and try this. I'm curious enough that I may have to seek out a sample.

It's going on 6 1/2 hours and I can still smell it. I always perceived the smokiness as more of a patchouli/leather mix. Yes, it smells just like the Aventus dry down.
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post #16 of 375
1/15/13 at 8:00pm
That's really impressive. I mean, that's REALLY impressive.
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post #17 of 375
1/16/13 at 2:35am
I'm tempted to order a bottle
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post #18 of 375
1/16/13 at 5:47am
Thread Starter 
you can get a 2ml sample for $2 on the ilum dean website, which i did purchase.

if i really like the sample, i'll buy a full bottle, but i am skeptical.

i'd really hate to see a mass sell-off next week if everyone realizes that it's nowhere near Aventus.
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post #19 of 375
1/16/13 at 5:51am
..I just ordered from ebay yesterday after seeing coachrob's video. 27+shipping from drscent. will update when i have it. But i am excited
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post #20 of 375
1/16/13 at 7:33am
Which Aventus batch does this emulate?
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post #21 of 375
1/16/13 at 8:12am
Snagged it. Why not. I throw more away on stupid basketball bets.
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post #22 of 375
1/16/13 at 8:17am
I went the $2.00 sample route like noirdrakkar as I don't care for Aventus and can only hope that this is a superior fragrance. If it is indeed an near or exact clone then I am only out $2.00.
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post #23 of 375
1/16/13 at 9:15am
I bought the 100ml bottle for $30 shipped on eBay. The notes pyramid looks promising as it's very similar to Aventus. If it sucks, oh well, I'll have a scent to keep in my gym bag.
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post #24 of 375
1/16/13 at 10:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by noirdrakkar View Post

you can get a 2ml sample for $2 on the ilum dean website, which i did purchase.

if i really like the sample, i'll buy a full bottle, but i am skeptical.

i'd really hate to see a mass sell-off next week if everyone realizes that it's nowhere near Aventus.

Come on, friend. It's 30 bucks. There are 5ml samples that cost more. Take the plunge!!!
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post #25 of 375
1/16/13 at 10:37am
Quote:
Originally Posted by noirdrakkar View Post

i'd really hate to see a mass sell-off next week if everyone realizes that it's nowhere near Aventus.

If it smells good, those people would be idiots.

What matters most isn't whether it's an exact clone. How can there be an exact clone of a scent that experienced so much variance between batches? My sample of Aventus was the famous A42B10K04 smoke heavy batch. The bottle I bought smells very different than that - but it smells great, and that's what matters.

We're talking about perfume. What matters is how it smells and how it wears. Sure, it'd be interesting to see how close this scent comes to being an Aventus clone, but what really matters is: How does it smell? How does it wear?

Even if it isn't a perfect match for Aventus, if it doesn't smell cheap, I won't be surprised at all if Fresco is a excellent.
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post #26 of 375
1/16/13 at 10:43am
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post #27 of 375
1/16/13 at 10:45am
Interesting. For those who have tried it, what do you think of the quality of the ingredients compared to aventus?
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post #28 of 375
1/16/13 at 11:27am
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thinking of order a bottle. need more reviewers!
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post #29 of 375
1/16/13 at 12:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by heperd View Post

.....Here we go. I'll report back next week.

Looking forward to hearing your experienced opinion.
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post #30 of 375
1/16/13 at 1:56pm
Placed my order last night! I'll test it to my bottle of Aventus upon arrival next week and follow up.
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post #31 of 375
1/16/13 at 2:21pm
Placed my order too. Damnit lol
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post #32 of 375
1/16/13 at 2:59pm
I ordered a sample too. At $2, I couldn't resist. I'm not expecting it to smell identical to my bottle of Aventus, but I won't be surprised at all if it turns out to be really good. It'll be fun to try them out side by side.
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post #33 of 375
1/16/13 at 3:04pm
it's so funny to me how few youtube reviews say anything about the ingredients/accords/notes. most of those clowns have no nose. instead they talk about obvious things like potency/projection/longevity and vague BS subjective stuff like "season" and "time of day." that "info" is nearly useless to me when picking a fragrance.

however, JiveHippo's youtube reviewer did mention just enough to get me interested. i can't stand the "smokey" (birch tar) part of Aventus, and don't like vanilla, but I did find the top notes interesting. that review states no leather or vanilla which piqued my curiosity. i ordered a sample, what the hey.
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post #34 of 375
1/16/13 at 3:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MonkeyBars View Post

it's so funny to me how few youtube reviews say anything about the ingredients/accords/notes. most of those clowns have no nose. instead they talk about obvious things like potency/projection/longevity and vague BS subjective stuff like "season" and "time of day." that "info" is nearly useless to me when picking a fragrance.

however, JiveHippo's youtube reviewer did mention just enough to get me interested. i can't stand the "smokey" (birch tar) part of Aventus, and don't like vanilla, but I did find the top notes interesting. that review states no leather or vanilla which piqued my curiosity. i ordered a sample, what the hey.

I don't get any vanilla in the base but it does have the dark vibe that I believe is a combination of the leather and patchouli. I'm not sure what birch tar smells like so I can't vouch for that, but it is a bit smokey. Pretty much what you smell in the first 5 minutes is what your going to smell for the entire life of the fragrance. This is basically Aventus for a warmer climate. It's a winner for me because it's so humid where I live that Aventus is just way too potent if you going to be outside for any amount of time.
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post #35 of 375
1/16/13 at 3:33pm
Thread Starter 
i really like vanilla, a lot. but when its used in small bursts, not when its used as a crutch for turning a bland fragrance into a gourmand.

i detect the vanilla in aventus. its subtle, it's slight, but it's there and it adds A LOT to the fragrance.
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post #36 of 375
1/16/13 at 3:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sol invictus View Post

Interesting. For those who have tried it, what do you think of the quality of the ingredients compared to aventus?

One's an EdP and one's an EdT. Aventus is of course much stronger. In Aventus almost every note is "in your face", especially the pineapple. Fresco is a normal EdT in the way it projects. If your comparing pineapples to pineapples it's not as strong in Fresco, but it smells very similar to the Aventus pineapple and the rest of the notes smell very similar to the other notes in Aventus.
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post #37 of 375
1/16/13 at 3:47pm
Thanks for the warnings rich. 2 bucks incl shipping is a damn good price for any 2ml sample.
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post #38 of 375
1/16/13 at 4:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by noirdrakkar View Post

i really like vanilla, a lot. but when its used in small bursts, not when its used as a crutch for turning a bland fragrance into a gourmand.

i detect the vanilla in aventus. its subtle, it's slight, but it's there and it adds A LOT to the fragrance.

Which batch do you have? I don't detect any vanilla in mine, but that's probably because Aventus is a scent that I've never really made an effort to pick apart, notes-wise. I should though, just for the fun of it.

I wish I knew people who had different batches. I'd love to compare them side by side. I wish my batch had just a bit more smoke. Oh, I adore that smoke.

I get the feeling Fresco won't have the smoke, among other differences. One of the youtubers above made a comment about it being more of a summer scent, and that's what I'm expecting too. I wonder how long it'll take to get the sample. A week or so? Patience, patience...

...god, sampling is so much fun.

Anyway... it'll be interesting to see what Ilum Deam does next. If they're just going to clone scents, please please please let the next be an Amouage! I love Amouage, but their scents are such bankbreakers. On the other hand, if Ilum Deam is going to be more than just a high-end cloner, I'd love to see them develop Fresco as a line, perhaps with a darker version for 2013. I've always thought that Aventus could easily serve as a base for an entire line, and that's not something Creed would do.
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post #39 of 375
1/16/13 at 4:35pm
Ok, pulled the trigger. For $30 why not? Sounds close enough.
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post #40 of 375
1/16/13 at 4:35pm
Just wondering: Is "Ilum Dean" a Latin phrase? Does it mean anything? I visited their website, and noted two things: (1) Much content is missing, with placeholder when you click on some links (2) "Fresco" seems to be their one and only product (I was expecting them to sell other stuff too, like clothing or other personal care items).
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post #41 of 375
1/16/13 at 4:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by L'Homme Blanc Individuel View Post

Anyway... it'll be interesting to see what Ilum Deam does next. If they're just going to clone scents, please please please let the next be an Amouage! I love Amouage, but their scents are such bankbreakers.

Not likely. One of the hallmarks of Amouage is their heavy use of very expensive naturals, like Mysore sandalwood. Very tough to replicate that type of composition more cheaply.
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post #42 of 375
1/16/13 at 5:04pm
Just placed an order based on Coachrob's review. Can't go wrong for 30 bucks.
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post #43 of 375
1/16/13 at 7:51pm
Goddamnit! It's cold outside and now I have to go and get my credit card out of my car! Thanks guys! :-P
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post #44 of 375
1/16/13 at 7:54pm
now that its affordable i hope every one gives their aqua di gio a rest and get this.
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post #45 of 375
1/16/13 at 7:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikesc View Post

Ok, pulled the trigger. For $30 why not? Sounds close enough.

Me too - I couldn't resist!
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post #46 of 375
1/16/13 at 8:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stayclose View Post

now that its affordable i hope every one gives their aqua di gio a rest and get this.

Never!
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post #47 of 375
1/16/13 at 8:12pm
Here's another video on this.

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post #48 of 375
1/16/13 at 8:14pm
This is gonna be a hype monster... I can feel it already...
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post #49 of 375
1/16/13 at 9:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by protector View Post

Just wondering: Is "Ilum Dean" a Latin phrase? Does it mean anything? I visited their website, and noted two things: (1) Much content is missing, with placeholder when you click on some links (2) "Fresco" seems to be their one and only product (I was expecting them to sell other stuff too, like clothing or other personal care items).

Lol, I just checked their website.

"Ilum Dean, is a new fashion house in New York" riiiiight...except they don't appear to sell any clothes or accessories, and seem to want to thrive off selling a cologne that smells like Aventus.
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post #50 of 375
1/16/13 at 10:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JiveHippo View Post

Lol, I just checked their website.

"Ilum Dean, is a new fashion house in New York" riiiiight...except they don't appear to sell any clothes or accessories, and seem to want to thrive off selling a cologne that smells like Aventus.

I'm down for a company based on making high quality, cheap fragrance knockoffs. Assuming this is the "Aventus killer" that it is purported as, I'd be excited as heck to see if they could do faithful renditions of other favorites such as MI or Tobacco Vanille.
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post #51 of 375
1/16/13 at 11:19pm
Does Ilum Dean deliver international ? I wanted to try out the sample.

Edit: Guys they do deliver international !
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post #52 of 375
1/16/13 at 11:59pm
Blind bought this one. Considering I pay more than this for most decants I'm okay risking a let down.

The ebay seller was on 53 bottles sold when I purchased mine an hour ago. I just checked and it's now at 56 sold. Hype train for sure...
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post #53 of 375
1/17/13 at 2:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jridgen View Post

Blind bought this one. Considering I pay more than this for most decants I'm okay risking a let down.

The ebay seller was on 53 bottles sold when I purchased mine an hour ago. I just checked and it's now at 56 sold. Hype train for sure...

That's actually the second listing he put up on Ebay. He sold over 60 bottles in 3 days on his first listing. Now you can do directly to his website and purchase it for $25 and change shipped.
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post #54 of 375
1/17/13 at 4:48am
Hopefully people don't start using this to fill Aventus decant orders claiming it to be "Aventus". I'd imagine the more experienced person could tell the difference but the average joe coming into the hobby couldn't (because they just don't know what to expect). Just me being paranoid.
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post #55 of 375
1/17/13 at 5:36am
I just purchased 3 samples (didn't seem worth the effort for just one lol). No need for a full bottle, since I already have a full bottle of the "real" thing, but I am very curious to see for myself!
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post #56 of 375
1/17/13 at 5:57am
His shipping price has gone from free ninety free to $4, and now it's up to $6.30.
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post #57 of 375
1/17/13 at 9:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mesaboogie View Post

His shipping price has gone from free ninety free to $4, and now it's up to $6.30.

My guess is that it went from free "please try us out" to "ok this is expensive, we've got to start charging for this" to "OMG I need to rush this out faster to build on hype."
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post #58 of 375
1/17/13 at 10:11am
Purchased.. Shipped to my pop who will then ship to me in France.... yippee
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post #59 of 375
1/17/13 at 11:00am
well...I also got a bottle. You gotta love youtube reviewers to hype something like this lol. Will see if this anything like my beloved Aventus bottle
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post #60 of 375
1/17/13 at 11:51am
Doesn't seem to be a European source.
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Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Just Starting Out › fresco by ilum deam (an aventus clone?)