Aventus dissected

Looking under the hood

Aventus released by Creed in 2010 propelled the brand to success, a phenomenon we have seen play out again where social media culture and a single fragrance can bring a brand to prominence. There is much to be said about the brand itself but I would just refer you to Gabe Oppenheim’s book, The Ghost Perfumer: Creed, Lies and the Scent of the Century.

I thought I’d deconstruct Aventus here, and show why whether you’re smelling it or seeing it from a more technical perspective, there is nothing particularly remarkable or surprising. It makes it all the more perplexing to understand why some fragrances take off in this way and others might flop.

In terms of the large building blocks, we find some 30% bergamot oil (or possibly a combination of a bergamot base), around 13% Iso E Super, 20% Hedione HC, 10% Ambrox Super and 14% Helvetolide supported by just under 2% ambrettolide. Many of the male scents of the past had generous dosages of bergamot that form part of the fresh top, and nothing is surprising about this scaffolding. This large quantity of ambrox is perhaps a little ahead of its time of release, though now when given the budget, it is not at all uncommon to see today.

The core of the fragrance is unmistakably chypré, where we find a combination of patchouli oil, oakmoss absolute, evernyl (found in oakmoss), pyralone (a quinoline), vanillin and a trace of birch tar, responsible for the slightly smoky finish but also helps contribute a sense of richness in comparison to other smoky materials.

The large swathe of Ambrox Super is supported by a trace of Grisalva, an IFF material which is ethyl ambroxan (rather than ambroxan) whose use in large quantities is mostly restricted by price, being more expensive than the already pricey ambrox, since it has a character that to my nose is a little more naturalistic.

A fruity facet comes from an accord built around Firmenich’s cassis base and Dynascone, a material that straddles between pineapple, galbanum and hyacinth. It gives a lingering freshness contrasting the chypre fond, along with over 1% Lyral in the original, a muguet material that is now banned. Lyral is incredibly tenacious for a muguet material, rather transparent and perhaps still to date the most naturalistic.

Small touches of damascone alpha and damascone delta are part of the fruity accord but frankly speaking, in the air, I find most prominent from the dry down the ambrox, pyralone, Dynascone and evernyl. In this way, it is a rather barebones chypre.

I believe the functional character and déja vu comes from this combination of evernyl and Dynascone which is found in so many male fougères as well as the touch of Coranol which for me has a vulgarity comparable to dihydro myrcenol, despite being closer to linalool in character.

If I had to critique it further, I would say my main grievance technically is that the accord to my taste is overly diluted and I would have liked to see a bolder use of the characterful materials along with ways to twist the chypre accord more significantly in the dry down, which is certainly possible.

It is also somewhat functional and it goes to show that an expensive formula (by today’s market’s standards) does not guarantee beauty, by any criterion. At the same time, this functional nature and the references to masculines of the past has to account for part of its appeal - familiarity is comforting to consumers despite them insisting on wearing something totally original and it takes a huge commitment often for years if a brand wants an innovative product to stick.