ADG Profumo - Surprised by a sample (or 3rd time lucky)

[Sloth]

Hi, I first smelt Acqua di Gio Profumo about a year or two ago, in a store, on a card and from a quick spray to my hand or arm.
At first I thought 'It's ok, interesting but not FB worthy'.
A while later I sampled it a second time, and again only briefly in store, and thought, 'meh, too dark and smoky'.
Anyhoo, I tried it again, for the third time, last night, from an actual mini-sample sent by a friend.
It surprised me by how aquatic it was despite my memory and it's alleged dark or smoky incense notes.
It then it gradually started to morph into a delicious, semi-sweet, semi-dark yet still fresh scent, the incense really started to shine and toward the end I kept getting wafts of this lovely sensual scent that I couldn't stop sniffing. At no point did I find it cloying.
I was pleasantly surprised as I'd written it off as an over hyped and not a fresh enough scent that would be too cloying for my tastes.
I was wrong it seems.
My wife didn't compliment me or even deign to notice but then again she never does and thinks my fragrance fascination is I quote 'weird'. She's so annoyed by it that she won't even give an objective opinion and just say's she doesn't care and if I push just gives a negative opinion out of irritation. Don't get me wrong, she's lovely but when it comes to this for some reason it just bugs her.

Anyway, I'm wondering what to compare it to if it were in a Profumo vs ??? scenario?
Would it be Chanel BDC and if so which version, probably not the EDT so perhaps the Eau de Parfum , which apparently has incense in it (is it the same type as in Profumo?) or perhaps even the Parfum , although isn't that more about sandalwood rather than incense?

I was also considering, based on reviews and my liking of blue, salty frags, getting Profondo so would owning that and Profumo be pointless (I've not tried Profondo yet other than a quick spray on my hand about a year ago and I cant recall how it smelt).

Anyway, isn't it odd how you can judge a scent based on what you were looking for or favouring at that time rather than a detached on it's own merit basis?
I previously dismissed Profumo because it wasn't the super fresh and aquatic vibe I thought I wanted at that time but now I find it quiet lovely. It's the same fragrance (I don't want to disappear down the reformulation rabbit hole) but my perception has shifted, partly due to my requirements changing and partly due to learning a little more and my nose becoming a little more sophisticated or at least more experienced.

[hednic]

I enjoyed this one the very time I first sprayed it and my feeling hasn't changed since.

[StylinLA]

It's a great scent.

Why worry about comparing it to anything else if you like it?

[Sloth]

It's a great scent.

Why worry about comparing it to anything else if you like it?

To be honest, it's just to see if anything else will serve the same purpose better...or not, that and basic curiosity I suppose?

[sjg3839]

Very nice scent

[Sloth]

Is it nicer than other incense heavy scents like BDC EDP or Parfum?

[Sloth]

...and are there others that do the same thing? i.e. aquatic/marine but with a nice incense/rich dry down?

[notspendingamillion]

I have been prefering the original edt for like 6 months or so, but really enjoyed profumo last time i wore it. It feels nicely suited to a winter version of gio.

[Sloth]

I have been prefering the original edt for like 6 months or so, but really enjoyed profumo last time i wore it. It feels nicely suited to a winter version of gio.

How does the original ADG perform for you?

[speckmann0706]

Profumo is a excellent incense based fragrance, if your looking for something similar check out Loewe 7 Anonimo could serve a similar purpose it’s not exactly like Profumo but it is incense focused.

[FragFrog]

Ha, that happened to me too.

I had sniffed it in the store when it was released, then went through several original samples - each one smelled a little bit different.

Then I found a bottle which smelled just great and immediately bought two backup bottles of that particular batch.

It's just L'Oreal - sloppy quality control and big batch tolerances. The same with other Armani fragrances like eg. Code Absolu - I've talked about that before: https://www.basenotes.net/threads/46...=1#post4727627

[MELVCMS01]

Burberry Indigo for me is a much better alternative with better longevity

[tspencer]

Yes Sloth. I said about 4 years ago the same thing. After casually sniffing I didn't "get it" until one day at the counter it dried down on the card for like 40 mins and BAM. I bought a bottle. Then after several wearings I posted to the forum that I consider the Profumo version to be the best of all the Acqua di Gio's and a masterpiece. I know people don't want to think that a widely available designer is a masterpiece, but I finally think it's as good as Tommy Hilfiger, whereas I never thought the original Acqua di Gio was as great as Tommy H. Cologne (my 90's signature scent when I was in my 20's). But had Profumo been in the 90's I would've been hard pressed to pick between them.

[FragFrog]

I still like Acqua di Gio Absolu Instinct the most and I've already bought my backup bottles!

AdG Absolu Instinct.jpg

[deltasun]

For a bit richer take, seek out the Special Blend...

[FragFrog]

For a bit richer take, seek out the Special Blend...

I also had Special Blend, but I liked the original a little better.
Special Blend had a fir-like note that was a bit off.
Also performance wasn't as good as with the original.

But overall I don't think they are that different to justify the higher price tag. I see it more as a collector's item.

[deltasun]

I also had Special Blend, but I liked the original a little better.
Special Blend had a fir-like note that was a bit off.
Also performance wasn't as good as with the original.

But overall I don't think they are that different to justify the higher price tag. I see it more as a collector's item.

I like the darker, more pronounced patchouli that gave it a bit richer take to my nose. Performance was about the same for me; or at least it didn't differ enough for me to notice. And the price was great when Macy's was clearancing them a few years ago that I couldn't resist. But I can see the collector-ness of them for sure. I just never got along with my original Profumo bottle till I got the Special Blend. Hey, we all have our preferences - just throwing it out there to try since the OP is into this DNA.

[FragFrog]

I like the darker, more pronounced patchouli that gave it a bit richer take to my nose. Performance was about the same for me; or at least it didn't differ enough for me to notice. And the price was great when Macy's was clearancing them a few years ago that I couldn't resist. But I can see the collector-ness of them for sure. I just never got along with my original Profumo bottle till I got the Special Blend. Hey, we all have our preferences - just throwing it out there to try since the OP is into this DNA.

I totally get what you mean.
If the price is right why not getting the Special Blend?
I only saw that here in Germany some people asked three or four times the price of the original - and then I'd rather buy the original.

[notspendingamillion]

How does the original ADG perform for you?

I personally get good longevity. Its is not loud, but at appropriate volume. Its a proper edt to me, and of good proportions. It reminds me of how i feel whenever i wear 3rd Man and Yatagan. Caron does a good job with weighting a fragrance to feel present but not heavy. The musk that lives in the base of AdG stays about 10 hours or so i think. It is one that becomes just part of your ambiance. I get a bit more full bodied experience longer with Profumo, and about 4 more hours of quiet base. I can smell it on jackets and clothes later in the laundry. I got some on a pair of gloves a week ago and every time i pulled them out of my jacket pocker i could smell them. I think it causes some decent fatigue, juat not in the same way TdH does, where it shuts your nose off if you smell it too close too quick. I think the original edt is a fantastically done fragrance. It just smells super common. Ive smelled this more times in public over the last year than every other fragrance combined.

[Sloth]

I like the darker, more pronounced patchouli that gave it a bit richer take to my nose. Performance was about the same for me; or at least it didn't differ enough for me to notice. And the price was great when Macy's was clearancing them a few years ago that I couldn't resist. But I can see the collector-ness of them for sure. I just never got along with my original Profumo bottle till I got the Special Blend. Hey, we all have our preferences - just throwing it out there to try since the OP is into this DNA.

Thanks, I think I'd stick to the original Profumo unless the Special blend was a steal.
I'd be a little concerned that if the special blend was deeper and richer, it would lose some of its aquatic personality and it's the juxtaposition of fresh aquatic and dark insence that I find most appealing in this one.

[Sloth]

I personally get good longevity. Its is not loud, but at appropriate volume. Its a proper edt to me, and of good proportions. It reminds me of how i feel whenever i wear 3rd Man and Yatagan. Caron does a good job with weighting a fragrance to feel present but not heavy. The musk that lives in the base of AdG stays about 10 hours or so i think. It is one that becomes just part of your ambiance. I get a bit more full bodied experience longer with Profumo, and about 4 more hours of quiet base. I can smell it on jackets and clothes later in the laundry. I got some on a pair of gloves a week ago and every time i pulled them out of my jacket pocker i could smell them. I think it causes some decent fatigue, juat not in the same way TdH does, where it shuts your nose off if you smell it too close too quick. I think the original edt is a fantastically done fragrance. It just smells super common. Ive smelled this more times in public over the last year than every other fragrance combined.

That's interesting and encouraging as most reviews complain about performance on the original.
I love the smell of the OG EDT, but sadly have little patience for poorly performing juice, especially if it's not cheap, so have always held of getting a bottle.
I suppose I could get a decent or a sample to try out before going for a FB.

[Sloth]

Would we say that Profumo is an alternative to BDC Parfum or EDP or a totally different scent profile?
Would owning both Profumo AND BDC Parfum be a pointless duplication?

[Danny Mitchell]

Though not as familiar with the BDC line, I think they're different enough. I don't consider them in the same category. The BDC Parfum is the best of the line, IMO.

[notspendingamillion]

That's interesting and encouraging as most reviews complain about performance on the original.
I love the smell of the OG EDT, but sadly have little patience for poorly performing juice, especially if it's not cheap, so have always held of getting a bottle.
I suppose I could get a decent or a sample to try out before going for a FB.

Could just be me, others do report low performance. Its not loud like a Mancera, so it can play peekaboo. I generally get worse performance than is reported by others on Profumo, and better on the edt. For whatever its worth. Profumo still outperforms, just not by that much.

[Danny Mitchell]

It could be because my bottle is almost 20 years old, but my ADG EDT is a monster. Two or three sprays is plenty on that one. Profumo, I bought last year from Ulta, and it is pretty strong on me as well. Last easily over 8 hours.

[FragFrog]

It could be because my bottle is almost 20 years old, but my ADG EDT is a monster. Two or three sprays is plenty on that one. Profumo, I bought last year from Ulta, and it is pretty strong on me as well. Last easily over 8 hours.

I'm pretty sure that a lot of alcohol has evaporated from your old bottle so the concentration of the perfume oils is higher than it was when it was new produced.

I think for those who like the original AdG and aren't happy with the current version the new Profondo is worth a try - that one is certainly closer to the original than Profumo if you ask me though they implemented that sort of "blue" smelling notes in Profondo.

[Danny Mitchell]

I'm pretty sure that a lot of alcohol has evaporated from your old bottle so the concentration of the perfume oils is higher than it was when it was new produced.

I think for those who like the original AdG and aren't happy with the current version the new Profondo is worth a try - that one is certainly closer to the original than Profumo if you ask me though they implemented that sort of "blue" smelling notes in Profondo.

But I'm talking about how it was when I first got it.

[FragFrog]

But I'm talking about how it was when I first got it.

I'm sure that it is indeed watered down these days.
I remember it when it was new and everyone used to wear it. Never had a problem with longevity and projection back in time.

[Danny Mitchell]

I'm sure that it is indeed watered down these days.
I remember it when it was new and everyone used to wear it. Never had a problem with longevity and projection back in time.

I've only sampled the current version. Never really given it a full wear. But at least it still smells exactly the same, to me anyway.

[Ken_Russell]

Glad that you enjoy this. if comparing this to any Chanel masculine and especially Bleu de Chanel scent, the Bleu Parfum/EDP version would be the likeliest choice (s)