Creed Aventus (2010): Eating the Royal Pineapple {Fragrance Review}
Aventus is the latest fragrance composition by Creed
est. 1760, first as a tailoring house in England. Later they became one
of the chosen few to have the privilege of belonging to the exclusive
French syndicate of Haute Couture as a felicitous consequence, further
down the road, of their transplantation to Paris in 1854. They are now
better-known for their fragrances as well as longevity as a
family-operated business for 6 generations with Oliver Creed and Erwin Creed as the latest representatives of the dynasty. Once more, as is their consistent tradition, the establishment-oriented perfume house turned their sights to a historical figure, Napoleon Bonaparte this time (see also Jackie Kennedy), to inspire their creation, which "...honors traits of virility, power, strength and vision, inspired by Napoleon, the man who crowned himself emperor of France and all Europe, a self-made king who waged war, peace and love on terms he set."...
The inspirational component of the scent is unmistakable and should be evaluated by potential patrons who would like to wear a perfume which speaks to them on an appealing symbolic level, as can be read on the UK website,
"AVENTUS, the spirit of the man whose life and ambitions know no boundaries! [...] Evoking the legendary men whose inspiration and drive have changed the face of the world, AVENTUS conjures up lost empires, far distant lands and exotic ambitions."
Like for Love in Black which celebrated the biography of Jackie O, Aventus derives olfactory meaning from key, carefully highlighted ingredients that the creators were able to affix to Bonaparte's life itinerary. There is no doubt a certain level of arbitrariness and randomness or simply creative license in doing that. We can well imagine that Napoleon left in his wake innumerable olfactory cues, but nevertheless, for instance, his favorite palace dessert remains Royal Pineapple and thus it is present here to contribute to a significant fruity and gourmand facet to the scent.
One could have found an ancient eau-de-cologne accord also as the Emperor was well-known to be a great consumer of it, literally showering with it, but this reference was set aside. His symbol, the imperial bee could have led to the inclusion of honey or beeswax notes but they were not called upon either. A more nihilistic interpretation could have heavily utilized the scents of war, but Creed is not interested in experimental sensory works.
According to the press release, the notes in the perfume ought to be understood in the following manner,
"The ingredients in CREED Aventus track the life and rise of Napoleon. Its top note is blackcurrant from Corsica, the sunny land where Napoleon was born. Next is bergamot from Italy, where young Napoleon's first victories made him famous. Next are Calville Blanc apples from France, where Napoleon climbed to power as emperor. Royal pineapple, Napoleon's favorite palace dessert, completes the top note.The middle note starts with Napoleon Roses. Next is Louisiana birch, crafted to make his throne. Following that is jasmine from Egypt, a far point in Napoleon's empire. Exotic patchouli, valued for scent, but also as a totem of health, completes the middle note.The base note is oak moss from Spain, a late Napoleonic conquest. Ambergris from the seas shows the reach of Napoleon's navy. Gourmand vanilla in the French style signals the touch of high living Napoleon enjoyed."
Notes: Bergamot, Blackcurrant, Apple, Pineapple /Juniper Berries, Birch, Patchouli, Jasmine / Musk, Oak Moss, Ambergris, Vanilla.
How it Wafts
The fragrance opens on an above average tonic, zesty citrus opening, which while it recalls the über lemon-y Monsieur Balmain by Balmain for its frank outburst of citruses, does not smell like it. In the background, rather discrete, is a familiar ambery-woody masculine cologne accord which feels both urban-chic and outdoorsy in the sense of evoking slightly the atmosphere of a forest.
What reveals itself to be less traditional is the development and quiet ushering in on the scene of a fruity note which evokes to me at first osmanthus and apricot but which in fact is meant to be pineapple. After you learn to recognize it, it does indeed smell like pineapple but with a serving of vanilla. It reminds me of a kind of dessert I used to feast upon in my childhood: a fresh pineapple filled with vanilla ice-cream mixed with carved-out chunks of said pineapple. The pineapple accord on which my nose focuses quite a bit here comes across as slightly unusual, offering an interesting sour nuance - a high-pitched musk - and then a slightly smoky one - seemingly due to ambergris and patchouli.
The pairing of pineapple and citruses into the heart of the fragrance is doubly unexpected as both coming across as a balancing exercise between fruity, fresh roundness and a pale, brisk citrus note which evokes the coldness of vodka, as well as due to its placement in the middle stage of development of the perfume where one might have expected the accord to be located in the top notes. One would have expected also for it to feel more blended-in rather than quite perceptible in 3-D style.
As Aventus continues on its course, it becomes clearer that the composition is cultivating a certain level of originality, as a third atmosphere, not necessarily a very logical one succeeds, smelling of smoky tonka bean and sweet resins with a hint of coffee which seems to be due to the patchouli. The drydown also unveils nuances of caramel, toffee, and coffee.
The perfume manages to feel original, especially for a masculine cologne, thanks to its attentive insertion of well-defined and headspace-like fruity notes. Aventus does not smell fresh in a classically coded way but rather as if you had just cut open a ripe Royal pineapple and Calville Blanc apples. The realistic freshness is tempered by very soft, suave fruity nuances. The brand is apparently conscious about this renewed sense of freshness calling it "imperial freshness."
The composition also feels somewhat idiosyncratic, in a good way, as the perfumer was encouraged to seek disparate sources of raw-material inspiration within the biographical details of Napoleon's life. Even if I didn't know that there were Calville Blanc apples of France and Royal Pineapple dessert, or Louisiana Birch, I could experience a progressive fading into different, variegated atmospheres. The composition feels like a patchwork of select, rare relics.
When I asked about the interesting smoky and sour nuances of the Royal pineapple note inquiring whether it was just the fruit or a pastry, I was told that although the press release had not mentioned it specifically, it was indeed a pastry dessert which is at the heart of the fragrance. Adam Brecht added that the Creed family are connoisseurs of food and that Erwin Creed in particular loves to cook.
It might be of interest to readers to know that if Napoleon loved to eat Royal Pineapple, there might have been a symbolic component to it as the fruit was seen to be a symbol of England. A 19th century caricature represents Napoleon saying that he wants to conquer the Royal pineapple, meaning the throne of England. The fruit was first introduced there and its green toupet was seen to be in the shape of a crown. It was readily called the King Fruit upon its introduction in England. Under the 1st Empire, pineapple was also considered as a symbol of high status and luxury.
What is interesting about Aventus for me is - beyond its olfactory personality which is pleasant and draws you in - the manner in which it attempts to render the supple fabric of life.
Like existence itself, Aventus is not logical, but it ultimately manages to affirm meaning and a sense of quirky balance. This can be felt in the overall harmony of the ensemble while the fragrance still lets out notes that feel plucked from very different families of smells. If you enjoy L'Artisan Parfumeur Ananas Fizz but think it is too understated as a pineapple cologne, then Aventus is still light but fleshier.
A perfume it reminds me of the most in the phase where it wafts of coffee, roses and resins is Torrente L'Or (2001), a feminine composition which retrospectively can be seen to hold the inspiration for a balance of masculine and feminine notes. The rose in Aventus is quite present; it is fruity and soft but made more unisex thanks to this coffee-like nuance.
Despite its labeling as a masculine scent, Aventus, which means "success" is unisex enough to be happily worn by women as well thanks to this rather prominent fruity facet. It has furthermore to my nose a light fruity chypré vibe. Since it was inspired by a man who loved women (see quote), there is no need to feel Aventus was meant for a gentlemen's club only.
Previous Posts in Perfume Review & Musings:
Estée Lauder Sensuous Noir (2010): Sensuous in the Evening, in Public Spaces
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