Abercrombie & Fitch
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
The kiwano and gin tonic assault immediately—a metallic-fruity spray that's faintly chemical and undeniably bracing, like biting into something both sweet and slightly off. Within moments, that botanical gin note becomes almost aggressively present, lending a herbaceous dryness that feels closer to craft vodka than perfume.
Violet leaf emerges with a eucalyptus-like greenness that neutralises the fruit's candied edges, whilst Sichuan pepper arrives with its signature tingle, making your skin feel alert and slightly prickled. The composition becomes less "fruit cocktail" and more "deconstructed botanical bitter"—synthetic elements create a glossy, slightly plasticky sheen that prevents any softness from settling in.
Amber and suede attempt to provide grounding, but they're too diffuse to rescue the composition into traditional comfort territory; instead, they create a muted, skin-scent quality that whispers rather than speaks. The remaining drydown feels like an echo of violet leaf and pepper, fading into a faintly sweet, almost powdery haze that's more absence than presence.
First Instinct Extreme arrives as a peculiar collision of aperitif and fruit bowl—kiwano and gin tonic creating an unusual opening salvo that's simultaneously tart and spirit-forward. This is not a comforting scent; it's deliberately prickly, even slightly uncomfortable, as though you've spritzed yourself with a cocktail that's been sitting in the sun too long. The kiwano (that spiky melon) provides a waxy, almost plasticky sweetness that never quite resolves into something naturalistic, whilst the gin tonic adds a botanical sharpness with an almost cleaning-fluid quality beneath its juniper veneer.
What emerges is genuinely interesting: violet leaf—that green, almost metallic floral—tangles with Sichuan pepper's distinctive numbing tingle, creating a synergetic friction that feels modern and slightly austere. There's a citrus undercurrent threading through, though Philippe Romano seems more interested in the citrus as a souring agent rather than a bright spotlight. The sweetness (76% accord strength) never becomes gourmand; instead, it sits uncomfortably against the spice and synthetic elements, creating an almost confrontational character.
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Diesel
2.6/5 (77)