Absolu Aventus 2024 vs 2023 vs EDP plus Carmina: Creed Perfume Reviews

Impact of Creed’s ownership changes

Since Creed were bought by the world’s biggest private asset management company BlackRock and put under the rule of the CEO Javier Ferrán in 2020, they have released only one original scent – Wind Flowers for women in 2021.

Wind Flowers is a traditional floral bouquet that is too careful to be memorable and fully deserves the lackluster consumer response it was greeted with. 2021 also saw two flankers (Viking Cologne and the expendable and already forgotten Aventus Oil). They were followed by two years of silence.

Honestly, if you don’t have anything genuinely good, it’s better not to release anything than keep flooding the market with mediocre perfumes the world doesn’t need. Seen in this light, Creed’s lack of novelties over the past two years looks honorable.

However, from the corporate perspective, it didn’t quite fit the strategy of private equity companies like BlackRock. Their goal is to increase the value of their assets by developing the brand. A constant flow of new products is a common way to drive sales and occupy more shelf space in stores and the minds of the customers. Instead, BlackRock continued milking Creed’s cash cows, Aventus being the biggest one.

The next ownership change came on June 26th, 2023, with the announcement of the acquisition of Creed by Kering, a French luxury conglomerate that owns Gucci, Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen, Bottega Veneta and Balenciaga. The exact value of the deal was not disclosed, but numbers close to $3.8 billion have been reported. According to Reuters, Creed’s revenue for 2022 was $250 million. This means a lot of perfume bottles need to be moved in the future to make the deal profitable for Kering. And Aventus alone won’t be enough.

Spring Flower: new bottle or reformulation?

The first step after the acquisition by Kering was the rebranding of Spring Flower. Officially, this women’s perfume was only repackaged into a new baby-pink bottle of the standard rectangular Creed shape instead of the more ornate fuchsia flacon that dates back to 1996.

However, my nose picks up a difference between the formulations. The old Spring Flower had something oddly unpleasant happening after the first couple of seconds. Like an out-of-place damp animalic note that was creeping in on the fruit and flowers. It took some time for this stage to pass and give way to what felt like the intended effect – classic femininity expressed through gentle fruity and floral notes.

The new pink Spring Flower does away with this strange intermezzo and goes straight to the pleasantness of the fruity-floral small talk. The company keeps silent about it, but my nose smells a reformulation!

Speaking of bottles: Creed want to standardize them, bringing the women’s fragrances into the bottles that were up to now used for their men’s offerings. The reasoning behind it is to make the store display more uniform and pleasant to the eye.

In addition to the familiar sizes, Creed is introducing 30 ml bottles. While undoubtedly practical, I cannot shake the feeling they were made to look like little misfits in order to steer the customers towards the visually more appealing taller bottles. Creed’s version of 30 ml looks like a cut-off or squashed proper bottle with a disproportionate oversized cap.

Apropos bottle caps. Say goodbye to the multitude of shapes and colors that were crowning the bottlenecks in the past. From now on, there will be only one shape (the one with slightly rounded corners) available in three colors.

Also, the cap is finally getting heavier. I have always been wondering why a brand bent on exclusivity, quality and heritage is using such light and cheap feeling plastic caps. It seems Creed has finally woken up and decided to do something about it. The new caps have much more weight to them, and feel more appropriate for a luxury product.

Carmina perfume review

The next big release from Creed is Carmina, a perfume for women (arriving in stores on approx. September 15th). It’s named after the legendary bright and deep carmine shade of red. This particular dye used to be obtained from a cochineal insect (Dactylopius coccus) and was rare and prohibitively expensive, but is mostly derived chemically these days.

It is housed in a beautiful transparent purple-red 75 ml bottle (there is also a 30 ml option available, but the proportions of that bottle look anything else but harmonious), which will eventually be replaced by the classic white Creed glass with a crimson-red band. So if you find yourself liking the scent, I would advise getting the first limited red-bottled batch for its striking design.

And talking about scent. I’ve extensively tested Carmina on skin. So I can give you a review and guidance on whether to try or pass by it once it arrives in stores.

To me, cherry is the hero note in this perfume. Not the typical almondy variety that focuses on the intense aspects of the cherry stone that you can find in many fragrances following the recent cherry trend.

The cherry in Carmina from Creed feels like an equal parts mix of cherry fruit and sakura blossom. It’s much gentler and more floral than the intense tonka-heavy stony cherries currently dominating the perfume market. The sakura-cherry accord is reinforced by of rose and traces of violet. It is accompanied by some gentle smoky (courtesy of saffron) woods, amber and airy musks that add lightness.

Interestingly, on very hot days cherry-sakura recedes into the shadows and almost disappears, letting a magnificent fresh Rose de Mai (better known as Rosa Centifolia) take central stage. This fresh and delicate flower smells of youthful energy, green dew drops and soft white musk embrace. Over time, it acquires a spicy lemony heart characteristic of pink pepper.

At temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius, this rose dominates from start to finish, hardly leaving any room for other notes to emerge. But worry not, as the weather cools off, cherry and her entourage of flowers and saffron reappear. One could even say, thanks to Carmina’s adaptability, you are getting two fragrances in one bottle – the loveliest of roses for the hottest days of summer and a sakura-cherry delight for the rest of the year.

The overall impression is sweeter than the typical bouquets Creed offers for ladies. This amped up sweetness plus the interesting take on the trending cherry theme give the composition a more up-to-day feel while still remaining restrained and classy.

It’s too early to judge, but it almost feels like the brand with a reputation for proper and pretty, but boring and somewhat outdated female fragrances is ready to step into the more relevant territory instead of constantly looking backwards.

My opinion on Carmina: it’s worth checking out. It offers an original and lovely take on the cherry trend, as well as a beautiful rendition of spring roses,  while maintaining the elegance enshrined in Creed’s DNA. A modern fragrance for classy ladies and gents.

Btw, here is what we know about Creed’s next feminine release – Queen of Silk, expected to launch in spring 2024.

Absolu Aventus 2023 review

On the male part of the perfume isle, Creed has release a new take on their most successful perfume, Aventus. The new fragrance is called Absolu Aventus (and not Aventus Absolu). Its first iteration was published in 2023.

The first Absolu Aventus came in a 75 ml all-black bottle in an elaborate and very giftable box. It was shipped to stores in October-November 2023. The retail price was set to 320€.

Ever since the news about the upcoming release broke, fans have been speculating whether Absolu Aventus was going to be a limited edition. First, the final and definitive answer was a yes: Absolu Aventus would be a limited edition perfume, we were told by Creed! Stores carrying Creed had to place their one-time orders. They were told it wouldn’t be possible to reorder. When the stock was sold out, that was the end.

What did it mean for the consumers and perfume lovers? If you were interested in buying, you had to be quick. While stores had ordered a few extra bottles anticipating how popular the perfume would be, in the current economic climate they were not making big financial bets. So the stock numbers were REALLY limited. My advice in 2023 was: find a shop that stocks Creed near you and sign up for the waiting list to make sure you didn’t go empty-handed later.

Review: what does Absolu Aventus 2023 smell like? After wearing it I can confirm: Absolu is more than just a concentrated version of Aventus. It is a different perfume that managed to keep a piece of the original DNA.

The composition was reworked. The beloved pineapple note that revolutionized men’s fragrances back in the day and inspired countless copies, is replaced by grapefruit. Another integral part of the original Aventus that’s missing in Absolu is birch. Instead, the perfume features a deeper and woodier cinnamon note in combination with vetiver, patchouli with a dash of ginger.

On skin, Absolu Aventus opens with a fresh burst of greenness and grapefruit. Somewhat surprisingly, when sprayed on a paper strip, the fragrance gives off a quite pronounced cucumber water vibe (luckily, it is barely detectable on skin). Cinnamon is also there from the beginning, but its presence is soft and subtle, offering support to grapefruit & greenery.

As the fragrance settles down, the initial bright and fruity start morphs into a woody, smoky, rough-grained and dark main experience. Even though birch is no longer listed as a note, there is definitely a birch and oak moss feeling in the base.

After several hours, what you’re left with is a woody combination of vetiver, subtly colored by cinnamon and patchouli. The scent looses its rough smoky edges and transforms into a skin scent.

Does one recognize Absolu as an Aventus family member? Absolutely! The typical Aventus core of fresh fruity freshness and tart woody and mossy base is there. The Aventus DNA is very recognizable, despite being constructed by different means.

Aventus edp & Absolu Aventus 2023 comparison: what are the differences?

Of course, the question that interested most fans was about a direct comparison between Creed’s original Aventus edp and the 2023 Absolu Aventus. So I did just that – compared the two perfumes side by side, wearing them on different arms and recording the differences from the opening to the drydown.

Aventus (the original, current batch available in stores) starts much smoother and fruitier. It possesses more clarity, as if you were looking at the pineapple freshness through a cool and clear crystal. This start instantly wins me over.

Absolu Aventus 2023 presents differently right from the beginning. Its opening is more intense and direct. A right-in-your-face splash of grapefruit, slightly muddled by a drop of cucumber water and juicy green leaves. Not unpleasant, but somewhat harsh.

The transition from the opening to the drydown is shorter with Absolu. Where the original Aventus takes its time and leads you through the greenness of apple, softness of rose and luminosity of jasmine to arrive at the mossy chypre base, Absolu takes a shortcut, skipping most of the refreshing greenery and softness.

Similar to the opening, the drydown of the original Aventus is marked by greater clarity and harmonious interplay of several parts. You can feel both the greenish pineapple and the scratchy and smoky birch and moss.

In contrast, Absolu Aventus drydown lacks any hints of green or fruity freshness that are present in the OG Aventus. As time goes by, Absolu displays none of that attractive interplay of lighter and denser notes we know from the classic Aventus. Instead, it focuses solely on the dark woody patchouli and vetiver.

Addition of the word “Absolu” to the name normally suggests increased projection and longevity. At least, that was my expectation. Unfortunately, it was not met. Worn side by side, Absolu Aventus faded quicker and all but disappeared sooner than its pillar Aventus. Unfortunately, Absolu is inferior to the standard Aventus in both sillage and longevity.

Creed’s Absolu Aventus 2023 was destined to become a commercial success. Given the huge fan base and limited availability, it was flying off the shelves even despite its smaller size and higher price.

Did it surpass its predecessor Aventus as one of the world’s legendary perfumes that shaped a whole scent genre, inspired a cult following, as well as countless copies? I highly doubt it. Creed’s original Aventus opened up a whole new chapter in fragrance history by offering an innovative take on men’s colognes. Absolu Aventus, while being nice enough and ticking all the expected boxes, didn’t have a daring spirit to elicit big emotions or ignite the imagination upon the first sniff.

However, the interest and the revenue it generated were enough for Creed to change their course and re-release Absolu the next year.

Absolu Aventus 2024 review & comparison to 2023 and edp

Fast-forward to 2024, and Creed has changed its tune. Suddenly, Absolu Aventus is back due to popular demand.

According to Creed, it’s not a limited edition any longer. Instead, it’s destined to become a semi-limited “crop” type of perfume (some brands, including Creed, also call this approach “millesime“). Meaning Absolu Aventus will be occasionally re-released according to a schedule known only to Creed to represent the current state of ingredient harvest (or as soon as Creed needs another truckload of easy money).

So the 2024 edition of Absolu Aventus smells a bit different compared to the 2023 version. How do I know? I’ve tested and compared them side-by-side. Frankly, the 2024 version is better.

It seems that Creed listened to the people who bought Absolu in 2023 and did its homework, addressing the biggest complaint of all – the longevity and sillage.

While the 2023 edition was powerful enough for my taste, many buyers complained that it didn’t last enough and projected poorly compared to the original Aventus. If you shared that opinion, you might consider trying the 2024 vintage. It’s definitely stronger than that of the previous year.

Another difference is the freshness. Absolu Aventus 2024 is fresher than the 2023 edition. It’s still smokier than the current Aventus edp, but it radiates a more invigorating feeling than its older Absolu sibling.

Further comparing the classic Aventus edp to Absolu 2024 reveals the edp has more of the scratchiness of oak moss, which many Aventus lovers will recognize in their sleep. Edp feels rougher, more straight-forward and expressive.

Absolu doesn’t have the pineapple, which is replaced by the feeling of gentle sweet orange or grapefruit. It also lacks the characteristic earthy oak moss, going for the alluring smokiness of vetiver instead.

If you appreciate understatement, you’ll find Absolu 2024 to be more elegant compared to edp. Should you value strength and performance over fine-tuned nuances, I advise you to stick to Aventus edp.

Summing up, I have to admit it’s fun to watch a huge corporation do a 180 degree U-turn of un-limiting a perfume they swore would never hit the shelves again. In the best Creed manner, the company simply shipped a new batch of Absolu Aventus in fall 2024 without explaining the change of heart at all.

The confusion was amplified by the fact that the 2024 edition came in bottles identical to those of the previous year (did they simply have some empty bottles left they didn’t want to go to waste? We’ll never know). It was up to inquisitive writers and independent influencers like me to find out what’s happening.

While Creed has enough fans to sell pretty much anything they put forward, consumers are not dumb. A company can only use the “limited” trick once. The next time Creed releases a “100%-pinky-promise-strictly-limited” fragrance, we’ll be watching with a doze of healthy skepticism.

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