Explorer (2019)
by Montblanc

This must be the best fragrance that Montblanc has released to date. Similar to Aventus, but not a clone -
for starters, there's no fruity pineapple in the opening. But the fragrance accords are otherwise very similar, albeit more slightly different, more synthetic, and not at the same level of performance as Aventus.

Nonetheless, a really great fragrance, I find very delightful and immensely enjoyable every time I go back to it wearing it. I enjoy smelling it on myself again and again, throughout it's duration, as I do with other top fragrances, but the biggest difference is this is at a much more affordable price! What's not to like? Thumbs way up for me.

A very pleasant blast of fresh clary sage and semi sweet sharp citrus on first spray and nicely done too. The ambrox is clearly there but doesn’t shriek the way it does in Sauvage and the other ambrox-heavy ilk. It just plays its part like a steady bass part keeping everything tidy. There are vetiver and leather listed as notes but they don’t stand out individually - more like well blended facets of the aura but if any one note does stand out it’s the clary sage for me and it adds some real interest because its so unusual in this style of scent. In fact the clary sage does get more leathery as the fragrance dries down but always keeps the freshness too.

The question everyone keeps asking - does it smell like Aventus? Mmm-kinda-ish, if you tilt your head to one side and squint. As someone that has worn Aventus for some years I’ll say its quite different and it doesn’t smell like a clone although you can tell what the folks at Mont Blanc were aiming for. The basic structure of citrusy top notes and clean woody musks throughout will seem somewhat familiar but it has its own character.

Mont Blanc have managed to pull off a competent designer scent in Explorer in a style littered with nice tries and missed marks.

There’s enough space in my wardrobe for this too.

Thumbs up.

This is a faithful Aventus clone, to my nose.

This is my first review for any on here so forgive me I mess up on terms and such. Still a newbie to the fragrance world.

I decided to wear this yesterday as I stayed indoors to try this fragrance out from the decant I got. Initially it smells good, I am actually proud of myself smelling the top notes and said “is that bergamot?” It was looking at the note break down, so yay me. Lol!

I was enjoying it, it had nice projection and smelled kind of flowery but not in a feminine way at all. It smelled nice. That is until it dried down to a skin scent.

The Ambroxan note on this turned me away big time. I don’t know what it was, but it smelled like I was smelling a medicine cabinet. I honestly tried to not think negatively about it but the more I smelled it the more I disliked it. Just smelled super synthetic and just bad to my nose.

I’ll give this another go once the weather warms up to see maybe that it’ just the weather that’s effecting it. I’m now hesitant to try both Aventus and Savage as I hear this smells like a mixture of both.

Herbal and spicy opening that develops into a sharp green note. Over time the woods develop (and no wonder with all that Ambrofix!). The appeal is that Explorer develops into a fine fragrance but not until 2+ hours later, it's too astringent and herbal in the beginning but matures into a well done perfume. I can understand why people call this the department store Aventus, but it's a close but no cigar. More like a good mix of Aventus and Eau Sauvage.