Reviews of Aqua pour Homme Atlantique by Bulgari
My goodness this is bad! What actually starts off kind of promising, fades quickly into nothing. The opening is no doubt Ambroxanville, but the hit of calone makes it interesting to me, giving off this watermelon vibe, that I found fresh and inviting. Sadly, it fades very fast, and within 30 minutes, all I smell is chlorinated water.
I gave it the benefit of the doubt, as I often don't follow other reviewer's, and I like to experiment things on my own without the persuasion of others. Well.. in this case, everyone who says it's horrible is spot on. It's a dud!
I gave it the benefit of the doubt, as I often don't follow other reviewer's, and I like to experiment things on my own without the persuasion of others. Well.. in this case, everyone who says it's horrible is spot on. It's a dud!
The Sauvage comparison is justified in so much as both open with a sweet bergamot note that is immediately pleasant but quickly degenerates into a horrible example of what is modern chemical dreck worthy of little consideration or praise. At first, things seem headed in the right direction (just as in Sauvage), but then the fragrance deflates onto itself into a flat, scratchy, synthetic wall of obnoxious aroma chemicals--a vague woody amber blend that just smells bad, especially up close. It doesn't smell fresh or clean, but instead kind of toxic and muddled. At least Sauvage has that peppery lavender thing going on, which can sort of be interesting. Atlantique just goes from sweet Bergamot to Ambroxan and then it's over. I don't know, maybe this stuff smells better to someone who is a few feet away from me, but up close (wearing it) it doesn't smell good. Too bad, I like the Aqua line and was hoping Atlantique had some redeeming qualities. Except for the opening 10 minutes, it doesn't. Thumbs down.
Side note: The other kind of disappointing thing about this fragrance is that they added it to the otherwise enjoyable "Aqva" line. There's really nothing "Aqva" about this. It's obviously Bvlgari's attempt to capitalize on the Ambroxan trend and rather than release it under an entirely new campaign they lazily added it on as a flanker in their aquatic range. However, while the other flankers in the range actually possess some kind of aqueous, sea-like nature, this one doesn't. Even Aqua Amara, while not my favorite, attempts to bring a watery, aquatic like dimension to an oranges and incense frag--a noble, though somewhat difficult challenge. My problem with Atlantique is that through Bvlgari's marketing team's laziness, they've tarnished the lineage with a very derivative, insipid release.
Side note: The other kind of disappointing thing about this fragrance is that they added it to the otherwise enjoyable "Aqva" line. There's really nothing "Aqva" about this. It's obviously Bvlgari's attempt to capitalize on the Ambroxan trend and rather than release it under an entirely new campaign they lazily added it on as a flanker in their aquatic range. However, while the other flankers in the range actually possess some kind of aqueous, sea-like nature, this one doesn't. Even Aqua Amara, while not my favorite, attempts to bring a watery, aquatic like dimension to an oranges and incense frag--a noble, though somewhat difficult challenge. My problem with Atlantique is that through Bvlgari's marketing team's laziness, they've tarnished the lineage with a very derivative, insipid release.
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Aqva Pour Homme Atlantiqve (2017) is literally just "Aqva Pour Homme Ambroxan". I could honestly end the review right here, but I won't. Bvlgari truly joined the Dark Side of the Fragrance Force with the original Aqva Pour Homme (2005), chaining Jacques Cavallier to a desk for the greater part of the next decade plus to continue hammering out inane flankers and flankers of flankers for this line. Each shiny glass pebble was barely different from the last, all focusing in posidonia seaweed as the star note, which was just a hair's breadth away from being plagiarism on the old Ralph Lauren Polo Sport (1992) anyway. Aqva Pour Homme Marine (2008), Aqva Pour Homme Toniq (2011), and Aqva Pour Homme Marine Toniq (2011) all were slight remixes of the original "second generation" aquatic accord, pushing past when these kind of dry, middling aquatic fragrances were popular. Aqva Amara (2014) was the first true ray of sunshine on the series, being a neroli-lead incense and patchouli scent that wasn't really even an aquatic at all, and a revelation in an innocuous pebble bottle, even if it was a bit too similar to Paco Rabanne 1 Million (2008) for its own good. Aqva Pour Homme Atlantiqve banks on the "woody amber" and "marine ambergris" craze simultaneously, and is also decidedly not an aquatic, but still falls short of attaining any distinction, just like all the older entries in the line.
Aqva Pour Homme Atlantiqve opens much like Versace Eros (2013) minus the mint, with a dihydromyrcenol "aquatic" top note stapled on to re-affirm itself in the Aqva line (whereas the older entries didn't have a blatantly-obvious aquatic accord), and then goes through sweet lemon and dry bergamot in equal measure. The opening is rather round and juicy like Versace Pour Homme Dylan Blue (2016) from the previous year, but without the landlocked fruit choice of fig to help it out. The heart consists entirely of the ambroxan "marine ambergris" accord, which is usually found in the base of such compositions, but due to its placement here, means it doesn't hit like a ton of bricks as it does in some ambroxan bombs such as Y by Yves Saint Laurent (2017), but it does form the basis for the primary experience nonetheless. The base is a tiny bit more clever with vetiver, patchouli, and a synthetic wood compound comprised of norlimbanol that Bvlgari shamelessly labels as "sandalwood", veering a bit into semi-oriental territory for thickness, topped with the rounder side of benzoin. The ambroxan and norlimbanol form that dynamic duo which is a no-no for most trying to avoid the 2010'a "mall accord", but are mainly responsible for propulsion and longevity of this, which is above average in both regards. I'd call Aqva Pour Homme Atlantiqve an office casual scent, and definitely more of a year-rounder than the other Aqva Pour Homme entries, but that isn't saying much.
Overall, Aqva Pour Homme Atlantiqve will appeal most to the "Broletariat" parvenu ladder-climber types that unironically use the term "alpha" and consider their fragrance choices as part of "The Game", demanding everything have voluminous sillage and eternal performance at the cost of personality. Unlike Versace Pour Homme Dylan Blue or even Y Eau de Parfum by Yves Saint Laurent (2018), there is very little about Aqva Pour Homme Atlantiqve for it to stand out on its own amongst an ocean of competitors in this overcrowded field. True, this sticks out like a sore thumb in comparison to other Aqva Pour Homme entries which have little distinction of their own to begin with, but big picture thinking has this being condemned as yet more corporate money-grab filler which Bvlgari seemed committed to doing for their masculine catalog. If you're looking for decent "bro sauce", there are so many better choices than this, but like most of the Aqva Pour Homme series, I find nothing particularly offensive about this either, so I give it a neutral in fairness. There just isn't much beyond the pebble bottle or the smell of the rather novel Aqva Amara to dig into with this series, and Aqva Pour Homme Atlantiqve is yet another example of why. Sample before taking my word for it, but Jacques Cavallier does little more here than deliver another paint-by-numbers composition for mass consumption.
Aqva Pour Homme Atlantiqve opens much like Versace Eros (2013) minus the mint, with a dihydromyrcenol "aquatic" top note stapled on to re-affirm itself in the Aqva line (whereas the older entries didn't have a blatantly-obvious aquatic accord), and then goes through sweet lemon and dry bergamot in equal measure. The opening is rather round and juicy like Versace Pour Homme Dylan Blue (2016) from the previous year, but without the landlocked fruit choice of fig to help it out. The heart consists entirely of the ambroxan "marine ambergris" accord, which is usually found in the base of such compositions, but due to its placement here, means it doesn't hit like a ton of bricks as it does in some ambroxan bombs such as Y by Yves Saint Laurent (2017), but it does form the basis for the primary experience nonetheless. The base is a tiny bit more clever with vetiver, patchouli, and a synthetic wood compound comprised of norlimbanol that Bvlgari shamelessly labels as "sandalwood", veering a bit into semi-oriental territory for thickness, topped with the rounder side of benzoin. The ambroxan and norlimbanol form that dynamic duo which is a no-no for most trying to avoid the 2010'a "mall accord", but are mainly responsible for propulsion and longevity of this, which is above average in both regards. I'd call Aqva Pour Homme Atlantiqve an office casual scent, and definitely more of a year-rounder than the other Aqva Pour Homme entries, but that isn't saying much.
Overall, Aqva Pour Homme Atlantiqve will appeal most to the "Broletariat" parvenu ladder-climber types that unironically use the term "alpha" and consider their fragrance choices as part of "The Game", demanding everything have voluminous sillage and eternal performance at the cost of personality. Unlike Versace Pour Homme Dylan Blue or even Y Eau de Parfum by Yves Saint Laurent (2018), there is very little about Aqva Pour Homme Atlantiqve for it to stand out on its own amongst an ocean of competitors in this overcrowded field. True, this sticks out like a sore thumb in comparison to other Aqva Pour Homme entries which have little distinction of their own to begin with, but big picture thinking has this being condemned as yet more corporate money-grab filler which Bvlgari seemed committed to doing for their masculine catalog. If you're looking for decent "bro sauce", there are so many better choices than this, but like most of the Aqva Pour Homme series, I find nothing particularly offensive about this either, so I give it a neutral in fairness. There just isn't much beyond the pebble bottle or the smell of the rather novel Aqva Amara to dig into with this series, and Aqva Pour Homme Atlantiqve is yet another example of why. Sample before taking my word for it, but Jacques Cavallier does little more here than deliver another paint-by-numbers composition for mass consumption.
Out of recent Bvlgari bottles purchased, this and the original Bvlgari Man really pulled me in. Granted, I am always drawn to a more citrusy, clean, fresh, woodsy, spicy, aquatic scents. I love the freshness of this and it ticks my boxes so to speak, though that sounds weird. It is not just your run of the mill Old Spice "fresh" shower gel, though it does have that vibe. Still, what a great smell that is! Its not just straight clean, fresh. Its got a spice to it. I almost gets whiffs of Mont Blanc Legend, but definitely more fresh. The only note that really stands out to me is the Lemon, and there is also an ocean smell; though I don't know exactly whats the ocean smells like or how to describe it. There's a vibe that's reminiscent of the beach, and I love the beach. But more like the beach on the outskirts of a forest, like after a long hike through the woods you come to a split, and the woods just end; splitting dirt and sand. And there's the ocean, wide and vast awaiting you to jump in and explore! Right where the two worlds collide. and I recommend you to jump in and explore this interesting scent. Not a top 5, but a definite summer scent that can be easily enjoyed by many at the office without being too much. To make everyone smile even for a second, about that trip to the beach and the long hike to get there.
This is the most disgusting scent I ever tried.
It's the smell of the world's worst boss in a hot, sultry, wet, summer day in the office.
What I find is an insane concentration of calone in alcohol, do not know how people can identify vetiver ambergris and so on in it.
I accidentally sprayed (once) on my hand and after two hours and several wash it's still here harassing me.
This means longevity is pretty good though, if you want to smell like chemicals and make people in front of you shed tears this is what you want.
It's the smell of the world's worst boss in a hot, sultry, wet, summer day in the office.
What I find is an insane concentration of calone in alcohol, do not know how people can identify vetiver ambergris and so on in it.
I accidentally sprayed (once) on my hand and after two hours and several wash it's still here harassing me.
This means longevity is pretty good though, if you want to smell like chemicals and make people in front of you shed tears this is what you want.
Take the original bvlgari aqua's marine accord and add a small dose of patchouli, a bit of ambroxin , some generic and synthetic aquatic and citrus ingredients and you have atlantique. This performs extremely well on my skin, I get 8hrs of note worthy performance, after 8hrs I washed my hand and it came back to life for a further 2hrs projecting. Clamnole made a good observation ..it does have a big resemblance to polo blue, so for me this is a very good mainstream freshy, and out of all the blue bottle fragrances in the designer game it performs the best. No points for originality tho.
If you thought Aqua Amara was underwhelming, try this ....
Atlantique has very little of the Bvlgari Aqva DNA, and instead is yet another vile chemical disaster. It is not an aquatic, rather yet another fresh woody amber, and is a complete abomination when compared to the original, which was innovative. It's only been seven months in 2017, but this is a strong contender for being the worst release of the year.
Stick to the original or the Marine flanker.
1/5
Atlantique has very little of the Bvlgari Aqva DNA, and instead is yet another vile chemical disaster. It is not an aquatic, rather yet another fresh woody amber, and is a complete abomination when compared to the original, which was innovative. It's only been seven months in 2017, but this is a strong contender for being the worst release of the year.
Stick to the original or the Marine flanker.
1/5
Very, very sweet, like candy. I don't get much aqua, but there is very nice citrus in the beginning. Reminds me of Acqua e Zucchero, but lighter.
Performance is very good. Projects nicely and you can smell it jumping off your skin for 5-6 hours later with only a few sprays.
Performance is very good. Projects nicely and you can smell it jumping off your skin for 5-6 hours later with only a few sprays.
I think this one gets a bad rap because it has similarities to sauvage but doesn't just smell exactly like it. So Imo, the people who hate Sauvage don't like this, and the people who are Sauvage fans dont seem to like it because its not Sauvage. I do not care for Sauvage myself, but I am a big fan of the Bvlgari aqva line and this stuff smells great. Also the wife doesnt care for Sauvage either (Said it just smells like soap), but thought this "actually smells really nice". To me, it has more going on than Sauvage, with the aquatic and melange of basenotes going really well with that Ambrox.
I mostly get a bright citrus, but with depth, blended well with the aquatic ambroxan which really does feel kind of oceanic overall. It is more sweet than Aqva Amara, and not as heavy but definitely still performs well. I don't get the seaweed vibe from this that the original Aqva has, which I actually really enjoyed but understand it can be polarizing, and it also doesnt have that bitter frankincense from Amara, that again i personally like, but some do not. I dont mind if its not a hit in the fragrance community, it just means the price will go down and everyone else wont smell like it. I really like this release, maybe more so than Aqva Amara, depending on the weather, I can see using this on the hottest and most humid of days without reservation, where maybe the Amara could be a bit much in that scenario. If you like the Aqva line but want something not as heavy, check this one out.
I mostly get a bright citrus, but with depth, blended well with the aquatic ambroxan which really does feel kind of oceanic overall. It is more sweet than Aqva Amara, and not as heavy but definitely still performs well. I don't get the seaweed vibe from this that the original Aqva has, which I actually really enjoyed but understand it can be polarizing, and it also doesnt have that bitter frankincense from Amara, that again i personally like, but some do not. I dont mind if its not a hit in the fragrance community, it just means the price will go down and everyone else wont smell like it. I really like this release, maybe more so than Aqva Amara, depending on the weather, I can see using this on the hottest and most humid of days without reservation, where maybe the Amara could be a bit much in that scenario. If you like the Aqva line but want something not as heavy, check this one out.
The old Bvlgari Aqva had and still has this certain something. It is complementary with its wearer in communication with the environment.
Atlantiqve version is like a bit toned down Aqva Marine flanker, maybe a bit warmer and less loud or sharp. Not good enough to be regarded as a worthy flanker.
Advice (to self and others): albeit the "old" Aqva is now 12 years old, it still has this special vibe and does the job more than well. Long story short - I'll stick to the original Aqva (2005.) and eventually also get Amara version.
Originality: 3/10
Scent: 5/10
Longevity: 8/10
Projection: 6/10
_________________
22/40 = 55%
Atlantiqve version is like a bit toned down Aqva Marine flanker, maybe a bit warmer and less loud or sharp. Not good enough to be regarded as a worthy flanker.
Advice (to self and others): albeit the "old" Aqva is now 12 years old, it still has this special vibe and does the job more than well. Long story short - I'll stick to the original Aqva (2005.) and eventually also get Amara version.
Originality: 3/10
Scent: 5/10
Longevity: 8/10
Projection: 6/10
_________________
22/40 = 55%
This must be my seventh bottle of Bvlgari Aqva, although I only had the original and the toniq, since I did not like the overt fruityness of both Marines and the Amara at all. As someone who still enjoys this line immensely, the new Atlantiqve is a sensible, almost logical next step that combines features of several older versions. The main thing to note here is that the ambery component of toniq is made much more prominent while retaining some of the earthy-mineral aspects that make the original so unique. And four sprays from the 50ml bottle go a long way with regard to sillage and longevity.
So indeed, if aquatics are not your thing this probably won't work, but then that is probably true for all iterations of Aqva. I find this to be another very enjoyable, high-quality ocean kind of smell that has enough minerality to it to keep it interesting and separate it from a number of competitors, while not going all-out synthetic and blue. Well, apart from the gorgeous blue of the bottle. I'll stay onboard as long as it's available.
EDIT: Two years later I recently got the second bottle, just as expected. Still lovin it. I do not feel this to be overly synthetic at all, especially not when looking at the more obvious contenders for this type of fragrance these days. Very much the opposite, in fact.
So indeed, if aquatics are not your thing this probably won't work, but then that is probably true for all iterations of Aqva. I find this to be another very enjoyable, high-quality ocean kind of smell that has enough minerality to it to keep it interesting and separate it from a number of competitors, while not going all-out synthetic and blue. Well, apart from the gorgeous blue of the bottle. I'll stay onboard as long as it's available.
EDIT: Two years later I recently got the second bottle, just as expected. Still lovin it. I do not feel this to be overly synthetic at all, especially not when looking at the more obvious contenders for this type of fragrance these days. Very much the opposite, in fact.
Bulgari's Aqua line has, IMO pretty much played itself out. There really hasn't been anything innovative in the aquatic genre in years and the Atlantique version isn't anything original by a long shot. I will give credit to it not being as harsh or synthetic as most of it's line mates, but it's all been done before.
Atlantique to me smells very reminiscent of Nautica Voyage or perhaps a calmer Polo Blue, especially when you get the opening apple-pear like top notes. It's got a laundry fresh base with good longevity and average sillage. However, it's easily replaceable/interchangeable with a dozen other scents that sell for half the price. I'd pass on this one.
Atlantique to me smells very reminiscent of Nautica Voyage or perhaps a calmer Polo Blue, especially when you get the opening apple-pear like top notes. It's got a laundry fresh base with good longevity and average sillage. However, it's easily replaceable/interchangeable with a dozen other scents that sell for half the price. I'd pass on this one.
Thankfully I don't detect even the slightest hint of anything remotely fishy in this. But then again, I have never detected anything fishy in any of Bvlgari's Aqva line (where other people clearly have). I also don't sense much resemblance to Dior's Sauvage (which I happen to like). In my opinion this is much more similar to Bvlgari's Aqva Tonique & Aqva Marine Tonique. It's a bit sweet and a bit salty.
While it's undeniably an 'aquatic' style of fragrance, there is a sweetness to this (like the definite and clear pear top note in Tonique) that the note pyramid listed doesn't seem to support. A combination of sandalwood and benzoin could possibly produce the sweetness, but these are listed as base notes and I'm detecting the sweetness from the very top notes.
If the note pyramid is correct, then it's an odd mix of notes that unsurprisingly comes across as a bit of an oddity on my skin. Combining earthy notes like patchouli and vetiver, with creamy sandalwood and benzoin, then unspecified 'water' and 'sea' notes just doesn't seem like it would work. Yet to some degree I think Bvlgari and Mr Cavallier have pulled it off. I like it well enough, but I don't think I'll grow to love it, like I do the original Aqva or some of the other Aqva flankers.
I don't find this to be particularly synthetic or cheap smelling (compared to other similar fragrances in market). While it performs well enough, it doesn't match the longevity of the original Aqva or even the more recent Amara (which is a powerhouse on my skin).
As this was a gift and didn't cost me anything, I can live with my mediocre feelings towards it and I'll definitely get some fair use out of this bottle. I'd give it a solid 3 out of 5.
While it's undeniably an 'aquatic' style of fragrance, there is a sweetness to this (like the definite and clear pear top note in Tonique) that the note pyramid listed doesn't seem to support. A combination of sandalwood and benzoin could possibly produce the sweetness, but these are listed as base notes and I'm detecting the sweetness from the very top notes.
If the note pyramid is correct, then it's an odd mix of notes that unsurprisingly comes across as a bit of an oddity on my skin. Combining earthy notes like patchouli and vetiver, with creamy sandalwood and benzoin, then unspecified 'water' and 'sea' notes just doesn't seem like it would work. Yet to some degree I think Bvlgari and Mr Cavallier have pulled it off. I like it well enough, but I don't think I'll grow to love it, like I do the original Aqva or some of the other Aqva flankers.
I don't find this to be particularly synthetic or cheap smelling (compared to other similar fragrances in market). While it performs well enough, it doesn't match the longevity of the original Aqva or even the more recent Amara (which is a powerhouse on my skin).
As this was a gift and didn't cost me anything, I can live with my mediocre feelings towards it and I'll definitely get some fair use out of this bottle. I'd give it a solid 3 out of 5.