Explorer Montblanc for men

Pretty nice smell. Smells absolutely F&-K all like Aventus so I dunno where the hell that came from. It's amazing how people will smell citrus and immediately say "smells like Aventus!!" It doesn't even have pineapple in it! And it's definitely not smokey. Decent for what you get, I wouldn't say for the price as all these pricks who have called it an Aventus clone have succeeded in getting the price jacked up because of it. This should cost no more than $80 but I see it in some places for $150 which is insane for a Month Blanc frag. If you wanna get Aventus, just save up and get Aventus, instead of spending the same amount of money if not more on ones you think are going to smell like it but don't. And don't even dare say Armaf Club de unit smells like it either......that crap smells like vinegar and lemon pledge!!!! Anyhoo, this is not bad. Not amazing but not bad.

Pretty good cologne, woody and citrusy and good for its price, dries down into an aventus
like smell but just more masculine.

This is a nice fragrance
Woody citrussy
And cheap
I love the smell makes me quite happy

I heard mont blanc explorer is a classier, more manly, clone of creed aventus, you guys think it’s worth it ?

This was my first signature scent and my introduction to the hobby. It has a lot of sentimental value for me, and I'll probably always own a bottle.

It's not without its flaws (quite synthetic-smelling with a pretty flat dry-down), but it's a great everyday scent that's fairly priced, mass-appealing, and incredibly versatile.

Love the bottle/atomiser too.

Oelala delicious fragrance!
Love it! And for this price I love it even more!
Also very nice bottle, looks and smells more expensive then it is and that's great!

Not bad, but not good either. It was a blind buy for me - €40 for 60ml, and I wouldn't pay more for it.

It's not an expensive fragrance and it does smell like that. Starts very sharp, becomes more sweet overtime. The ingredients seem synthetic.

The bottle is nice - it doesn't feel cheap, unlike the scent. Performance is okay.

If you don't want to spend much money on perfume - go for it, but don't expect something great.

For the price, this is an amazing fragrance. Woody, citrusy and very masculine. It's a very nice, very safe smell. My biggest problem with it though, is the fact that it's an Ambroxan bomb. Not only does the Ambroxan overpower all the other notes, it also tends to make the wearer go noseblind very quickly. The projection and silage is pretty good but you won't be able to tell because you'll stop being able to smell it after 5 minutes. And if you can't smell it on yourself, what's the point?
I wear scents so I smell good to others but also so I smell good to myself. And when I smell good, I feel good. I feel confident and attractive. When I'm wearing MontBlanc Explorer, I just can't smell it on myself despite other people telling me that I smell really good.
Overall, it's good, very good, but the noseblind issue is just too big of a hurdle for me to jump. If you don't care about not being able to smell it on yourself, or if you're lucky and you don't go noseblind to it, then it's a ten out of ten fragrance.

The best Aventus clone I have ever tried. Smells so damn good. Give me this over spending 330 euro on a 100ml bottle of Aventus anyday. I can get 400ml of this juice for that price. Don't get me wrong the quality of Aventus clears this but the price point these days makes it too expensive. If you like Aventus but wanna save money, this is your frag.

I like this scent alot, very masculine and at the sam time citrusy. The downside is that it doesnt perfom that well (on me atleast) i use 4 sprays and no one can smell it.

If there was a fragrance that could be classed as a winter fragrance while smelling like Summer, it would be this. Not the best but not the worst, There's always Creed price wise and great replica of it too.

After about 5 minutes the woody balmy aroma takes over with a cool cardamon. Sillage and Duration and underwhelming and based on performance is worse than similar scent, Club de nuit by Armaf. Very likeable if sprayed thoroughly though and can be quite cheap.

7.5/10
if Club de nuit did not exist then an 8.5/10
Hope this helps.

One of my favourites and a go to for lots of situations, including work and evenings. Yes, it's a bit like Aventus, but stands on its own and I'm happy to have both as it's my sort of thing.
Lasts well and OK projection - about right to feel it's perceived without being annoyingly pushy.

It is a wonderful, particular fragrance. If you can get it at a discounted price, worth it. Otherwise, no: longevity is too weak for what it is. Still, it's a lovely mix of pink-pepperish and citrusy. I use it on everyday occasions, perfect for the office on more formal business stuff.

This is SO good! I get decent longevity on clothes but I get how someone might comment about longevity being better. But the smell! Oh yeah! If you don't like the smell something wrong. I wouldn't care about your opinion because your broken and we wouldn't like anything in common.

I used to think the performance on this was poor but after wearing it all day I went in to a shop and this lady said how amazing I smelt. Must have been 6 hours after putting it on.
I then went home and my girl friend literally couldn’t keep her hands off me saying how good I smelt and asking what I was wearing. Girls seem to love this one.

Oh my beloved Montblanc explorer...... On the first blast of this fragrance, you are uppercut with a bergamot (as in most fragrances) and pink pepper slice of air as the entire mood begins to change. Although I do not personally pick up any leather in this fragrance, I do receive that graceful amount of vetiver which tends to become a little bit synthetic like as the dry down progresses. This is then led into an ambroxan BOMB! To put it clearly you have to make sure that you thoroughly enjoy each of the notes that are said to be contained inside of this fragrance as this is NOT the most... how should I say... Well put together or well-made fragrance that is out there. BUT! it does hold a special place in my heart and for that I can say I am a big fan. You are going to have medium projection depending on how much you spray whenever you wear this AND this is going to be an easy dumb reach during the spring and summer months. Although there are better scents that are out there, if you are on a budget this is an easily affordable and amazing fragrance that will have the Creed Aventus fans kicking themselves over the fact that they dropped an absurd amount of money on that cologne. Overall, this would be a 6.6/10 and not really in a bad way.

A very nice everday fragrance, you can wear this almost all year round besides winter as it is missing an added warmth that I think would complement the overall body of the fragrance just better. But, definetly a 4/5 for me, I would recommend it to anyone who wants to smell expensive without spending hundreds and hundreds.

Great fragrance, doesn't perform great, but isn't the worst I've seen. Just overspray before going out and you should be fine. Smells a lot like Aventus, but a bit warmer (maybe from the ambroxan). Everyone should have this or Aventus in their collection IMO. Solid frag and safe blind buy.

Opens with a citrusy musk that reminds me of all the bowls of Froot Loops I ate growing up. Then it dries down into a woody almost herbal burst of citrus reminding me of a preparing a more grown up meal with lemons and rosemary. Seen a lot of complaints about performance but I can still smell it on myself after 8 hours or more. Also a perfect scent to wear when you can’t decide what to wear.

Man I wish this performed better on me.

I picked up a small bottle of this last year in order to spare my last bit of Aventus... After all, everyone was saying it was a great "clone," but to my surprise, they weren't as similar as advertised. I mean, yes the overall "DNA" is there, but Explorer is an entirely different scent that can stand on its own. I get good herbaceous citrus to start and a nice bit of spice with a hint of woody leather in the dry down. Now that my Aventus is finally gone (and considering it's barely a shadow of its former self), I find myself perfectly happy to reach for this as a nice, clean, year-round "alternative" at a fraction of Creed's ever-increasing price.

Amazing, long lasting, high quality and low priced. Smells just like aventus for a way better price, some small differences tho. Definitely a great everyday fragrance

Compliment Beast. Less fruity, more woodier version of aventus. Very safe, inoffensive, cheap, versatile fragrance. 4 season versatility and can be used for any occasion. I get about average to above average performance depending on if you overspray. Real swiss army knife of fragrances. 10/10 would recommend.

Better options available at the same price point. I think it is a waste of money unless you are collecting or really like this scent. Chopard and Bvlgari fragrances from discounters cost the same. Has a sharp opening which dries down to something pleasant but not unique

My first cologne that got me started. This is a really sharp fragrance that captures peoples attention for sure. A very dominant masculine scent. Creed Aventus without pineapple and less fruity.

After looking for and testing countless summer scents like a maniac, I've stopped on Montblanc's Explorer - incredible woodsy-citrus fragrance, slightly sweet with patchouli leftover that's a tad bit soapy.

It's a safe, non-offensive citrus smell that's still going to get you plenty of compliments.
Rating - 8.5/10;

This fragrance is a lovely citrus and woody scent for every season and occasion, I personally think this is a near exact clone of creed aventus, although performance does lack a bit its great value for the price

very mature. has some woods, citrus, and leather. it projects okay and performance is decent, about 5-6 hours with 4 sprays (on my skin). a super versatile fragrance for only $50.


8/10

Amazing opening, but it wears off pretty quick. The drydown is nice. A bit softer, it can be easy to go nose blind to it.

Weak as shit

70% similar to Aventus but not as good. Nice opening, ok mid and a very flat drydown. OK for its money I guess. 5/10

This is a more male version of Aventus. I have had decants of a couple versions of the actual Aventus. I have a few original Creed fragrances, including a now vaulted one. I have to say the demise of the brand is palpable in terms of quality and consistency IMO. As far as Aventus itself, the more smoky pineapple forward version I had of it, to me was the best one. The first issue being that it will never be made again by Creed as each batch is different. They all rhyme, but they aren't the same as one another batch to batch. The other issue, it appeals more to men than to women. It does. Be honest. Or maybe, just maybe women don't really want their man to smell like a pineapple. But, I digress. Enter Mont Blanc Explorer. No it's not a direct clone of Creed, but it also rhymes. There is more of a bergamot forward vibe from it as opposed to the Aventus and no smoke. But like I said above, it's more of a male forward version of Creed. The bonus is, if you like this and you want another one, every batch will smell pretty much like the last. So in terms of quality control, this wins hands down. It's similar to me to the Armaf CDNI Parfum more than to the pineapple forward Aventus, though they both are improvements on the OG for men IMO. The original CDNI is crudely harsh at the top and not a direct comparison to either of these two IMO. Of all the "clones", the Explorer is probably the best blended and smooth overall compared to any of the Middle East clone house offerings. It's interesting to see people talk about synthetics vs non synthetics in any of this. Show me a non synthetic pineapple fragrance ingredient. So there it is. It has the Aventus like DNA. It's more of a cousin to it than a brother. It's less sweet and even though women might even say the OG smells better off a test strip, or from some guy doing reaction videos on the street, women will still gravitate to a man that smells like a man in the end. At least IMO they will. Women will friend zone the guy who wears a pink shirt to the office, and they may hang around him after work, but there won't be anything further develop. That's pretty much how I see the OG Aventus... like a pink button down shirt. Explorer is a great value compared the the OG. For a regular guy that will only buy a handful fragrances to wear at any one time, Explorer is well worth considering for daily use. It also has a consistency that the OG could only hope to have at this point.

Keeping It Simple #3

Montblanc Explorer is like that one co-worker who you don’t spend a lot of time with and find to be extremly boring - yet you respect him since he’s really good at his job. Great clone, boring fragrance.

Agree that it is a safe citrus scent. Reminds me of Aventus but more well rounded and a lighter more mature lemon

Nice citrus scent I use atleast 20 sprays!

this is an amazing fragrance
smells nice and citrusy amazing first fragrance and it can be worn all day and all year
some people don't get that good projection so i recommend putting some lotion on before applying the fragrance

nice versatile fragrance, very safe blind buy.
My only issue is that on my skin this fragrance lasts around 2 hours max only when i overspray does it last any longer but does get compliments and is definitely worth the money

The opening is nice. But it doesn't last long, about 2hrs on my skin. After that, it acts more like a skin fragrance (not unless I spray15 - 20 times all over me). Clean, fresh, masculine, and for the young.

Elegant and fresh. definitely my signature and in an a much affordable price than Aventus.

aventus lite

To me this smells like aventus + sauvage EDT + a small touch of something reminiscent of sauvage ELIXIR in the base

Opening is slightly harsh and very heavily citrus and pepper for me but dry down is very nice, citrus dies down a lot but is still prominent. It becomes woody and musky on top of a nice amount of pineapple citrus, I don't think its AS versatile as most people say but it definitely is a very versatile fragrance. Smelly very high quality, Not a beast performer at all but its not as weak as people say its has ambroxan which is easy to go nose blind to. (me included) Blind buy safe IMO.

Scent 8/10
Longevity 7/10
Silage 7/10
Price (on Discounters I got 100ml for £30) 8/10

Great easy to wear everyday scent. Office safe.

I first smelled this in Macy's and I liked how it smelled at first but then went awhile without smelling it again. Then today I tried it again and man I'm not liking it anymore... I get major Sauvage vibes from this prolly the Ambroxen and leather/vetiver notes but yeah it smells nothing like I first smelled it in store. I swear that when you smell anything in Macy's it's completely different t then smelling it at home, I dunno why but it just is. Anyways Explorer is very masculine and pretty straightforward as far as what uts trying to be/do. I'm definitely not a fan of these types of scent profile so it's a no from me. But it does project well and lasts a decent amount of time.

Personally, I am not a fan of Aventus's pineapple note, but this truly has the same DNA, just without that pineapple, replaced by the pink pepper opening. So I like that about this alot. The opening of pink pepper is just a little synthetic but, at this price point that is expected. its great overall, so fresh, easily a year round safe pick. Very mass appealing- no one is going to NOT like how you smell. Dry down is a very nice woody leather that smells super masculine. The leather note is also not powdery like other leather notes I've smelled which I like. Not crazy in terms of projection or performance but its a perfect daily wear fragrance. Its nothing new, but its worth picking up.

Tested from a sample. Opening has strong citrus scent which mingles with a herbal accord. More herbal I'd say than spicy. As it settled the citrus went to the background and a smooth vetiver-leather scent became obvious. As it further evolved, about 20 minutes, a wood scent started to dominate which was backed by a softer musky scent. The wood scent eventually became less smooth and more sharp - maybe sharp/sour is a better way to describe it. Longevity was very good with decent projection - around arms length and gradually diminishing to around the 6 to 7 hour mark when it's down to a skin scent.

Overall, a great masculine fragrance which gave me a similar impression as Montblanc Explorer Platinum even though they smell different - an easy reach for everyday for a guy wanting a straightforward, pleasant scent, not trying to make a statement. Could work anytime of the year, day or night, most all situations. A definite keeper with a very reasonable price.

I do not know Aventus, so can't say how Explorer compares to it.

I'm not impressed with Explorer. I saw this scent being espoused as a good alternative to Aventus, and being a big Aventus fan myself, I bought a small bottle to try it.

You can tell that it was trying to emulate Aventus but the imitation is crude. To my nose, it smells overly synthetic and way to smokey. Initial impression was that it smells cheap, which it is, but for something that people say is a close copy, I expected more. Wouldn't recommend this one.

Clean, woody, masculine, long lasting and cheap; Perfect for daily wear and school/office. Lasts 8-9hrs for me, projects good but isn’t loud at all. Amazing low-budget pickup.

Yes nice 😫

If want an aventus vibe and not pay Creed prices, this is it.
More refined than cdni
Better price per volume than pineapple vintage
Better sillage than any modern batch of aventus.

Got it for my boyfriend - the travel version - when he was going away for a longer vacation.
Good scent in very good price - nothing too loud, appropriate for every occasion, non offensive and clean. Lasts good 6-8h and longer on clothes.
More than decent and for sure office friendly.
And last but not least - the bottle design is very good in my opinion, atomizer is also good.
Good all year round perfume.

I am not a fan of the first 10 minutes, it has a cleaning product undertone, but once this passes it’s a great take on aventus and the dry down is amazing; after one hour most people would struggle to tell them apart. I would really enjoy this fragrance but the heavy ambroxan just invites anosmia, and I don’t end up reaching for it quite as much as I would if I could pick it up myself. This is especially frustrating as this 10 minute period is the only time I can even really smell it on myself before my olfactory receptors get tired of it. I’m only able to smell the worst moment of the fragrance, but at least it makes me feel important like I’m a business man or something.

The performance is mediocre (6-7 hours longevity, after 4 it no longer projects) but still, the price to performance ratio really makes this a great buy and every man should have this, especially if he can’t afford the admittedly overpriced aventus. The performance of more recent aventus has been hit and miss, but the opening is what you’re paying for. If the opening of a fragrance isn’t that important to you, you might even prefer explorer with it being smokier rather than fruity in the dry down.

Very fresh and clean
Smells exactly like CDNIM although I haven’t yet gotten my nose on creed aventus
If you want fresh aromatic scents you can definitely get this juice

Nice one that is a bit different than what I normally go for. The leather notes are quite strong to me. Never smelled aventus so I don't know about that comparison. Probably won't buy a bottle but really good.

Wife rating: 9

At first spray it resembles Creed Aventus and maybe a little bit of Dior Sauvage, mixed with a clean deodorant smell to it. Dry down smells quite mossy on my skin. Wish it lasted longer.

Still can't understand all the positive reviews concerning this fragrance. Smells like a typical Aventus-style fragrance without the depth of the OG. Opening is weak and almost immediately dries down to a skin scent. Performance is terrible with a need to reapply at the 2 hour mark. Glad I only purchased a 5ml decant and not the bottle. Seems to be closer to an EDT vs an EDP.

i like this. so good

Montblanc Explorer is currently my favourite fragrance that I own- mass-appealing but really enticing. The fresh, bergamot and pink pepper opening keeps me coming back to it. It dries down to a pretty neutral woody smell, but I seem to go mostly nose blind to it after an hour or so of wearing. Lasts a pretty average 5 or so hours, maybe longer but I can't smell it on myself. I can't speak to the comparison of Creed Aventus as I haven't tested it yet.

It’s a really cheap but highly quality , inoffensive, juicy pineapple and citrus scent. I don’t get the woody notes. Could be anyone’s signature scent. It lacks a bit of personality in my opinion though.

3/5 👍🏼

ig: @aroma.affogato

If you're considering this fragrance, you likely know exactly what you're getting. It's a Creed Aventus-inspired scent crafted by a reputable brand, promising the allure of the original without breaking the bank.

In a market flooded with Aventus clones, this one stands out for its nuanced take. It strikes a balance between familiarity and uniqueness, leaning towards a more traditional fragrance profile compared to some of its bolder counterparts like Club de Nuit Intense Man.

While it doesn't boast the prominent pineapple note of Aventus, its blend of lemon and wood evokes a similar vibe. It's a safer bet for those who prefer a milder interpretation.

In terms of performance, it's reliable but not exceptional. The scent lasts decently, though not as long as some might hope.

Overall, it's a solid option for Aventus enthusiasts seeking a more budget-friendly alternative. With a pleasant aroma and respectable longevity, it earns a solid 7.5 out of 10 in my book."

I smelt it today and I must say the opening is horrible to my nose it smelt like someone burnt a bit of pineapple. I might have been too harsh on it I still don’t like the opening. But I must say the dry down is amazing smells like smooth creamy woods.
6/10

Not a fan of the synthetic musky smell in the opening but after it dries down it’s a nice woody citrus almost smells like Froot Loops. Reminds me of the smell of preparing a meal with lemons and herbs. I’ve heard a lot of complaints about performance but after an 8 hour shift with 3 sprays I can still smell it myself and have even gotten compliments on it.

As others have mentioned, this is a really good men's fragrance. It has been all I want to wear recently. Always grabbing for it. I literally had to put it back in its box so I'd give my other favorites a chance to compete.

Bright and citrus-y from the opening, but I go nose blind to it unless I over-spray. It does have a fresh woody base, but it gets lost on my skin unless I concentrate on what I'm smelling. Good value for what you pay, but I've never tried any other "Aventus" type fragrances.

If you asked me what a typical fragrance for men smells like, I'd point you to this one.

Quickly becoming my favorite scent as well (as the previous reviewer noted); what a pleasant surprise. Aventus-inspired colognes and dupes have been letdowns for the most part. My expectation was low seeing as many claimed this to be an Aventus clone, despite it having different notes. It smells quite different than Aventus, but that shouldn't stop you from enjoying this. Explorer scores high in all facets: projection, sillage, longevity, price, opening, drydown, nozzle, spray...etc.
The bergamot and pink pepper notes pop out and come together nicely in the opening. It's smooth, projects, and finds its way through and around clothing without being overbearing (the pepper seems to level out the CDNIM-like harshness which can be detected if you're really looking for it). Explorer's drydown is quite similar to CDNIM, with the former being more bitter and the latter being sweeter. Explorer lasts strongly for 8 hours and still holds for upwards of 12. It can withstand the being brushed by clothing, splashed with drops of water, and perspiration (Aventus and CDNIM cannot pull this off). It's just an all-around great, masculine scent!

Pros:
-Smells amazing all around; from the scent of the nozzle, the mist, the opening, and the drydown!
-Lasts the entire day
-Resistant to clothing rubbing on it
-Resistant to sweat/water
-Smells natural
-Fairly priced
-Masculine
-No harsh synthetic odor (common in cheaper fragrances)
-No suffocating hyperperfumy scents (common in expensive, and usually unisex fragrances)

Cons:
-Not the most original, perhaps?

Very quickly becoming one of my favorite scents. The woody, citrusy combination works well for almost any occasion, though I typically wear it as a work fragrance. I get a lot of longevity out of this and still smell it clearly after an 8-10 hour shift. At its price point I highly recommend.

Start with piercing nose smell - I don't quite like it.
But as time pass, the smell is smoother and it becomes more and more wonderful

Good Price Item - Moderate Sillage - Good Smell after 30 mins

Amazing scent, bad performance. My favourite fragrance up to now. I love the citrusy and leathery opening - Fresh and mature! In the dry-down, it isn't that good - spicy and woody. Performance is bad, but for this price, you can't expect much more. You could get a 30ml bottle and casualy respray, to get that addicting citrusy-leathery opening again. i paid 20$ for 30ml.

Scent - 9/10
Projection - 5.5/10
Sillage - 4/10
Price - 9/10
Versatility - 8/10

Solid 7 from me. Good starter fragrance, that you can wear all year!

Great safe fragrance for men, to me this is better suited for nights out or a special occasion

Okay frag, generally safe and inoffensive. Rather synthetic when compared to Aventus and is not an exact clone by any stretch of the imagination. I also go anosmic to Explorer very quickly due to the heavy ambroxan dosage. Decent for everyday wear, but is no where near as good as Aventus for me

Great fragrance, cant complain for what you getting at this price range. Clean, masculine, inoffensive. Great daily since you can get away with it pretty much anywhere.

The best fragrance at this price range. Absolutely amazing.

Probably my most masculine mass pleasing fragrance.

Most complimented by females ( as far as you smell nice).

Aventus for office.

Take the “niche” pineapple and smoke from Aventus, a lil Ambroxan and bergamot and here you go. Generic but great at what it’s supposed to do.

It’s the Kirk Cousins of fragrance. Phenomenal mediocrity in the best way.

Also, it last longer than you think.

i've tried this 3 times and each time it smelled vastly different. The first time i tried it on paper, all i got was the dirty, dry, greenness from the patchouli and a nasty bit of leather. then my boyfriend bought it from a discounter and i smelled it from the cap, and i actually didn't think it was bad. i literally thought he bought a fake because it smelled okay. i got mostly citrus like generic men's designer smell but not the worst. then on his skin after about and hour, it actually smelled how you would expect from the notes. i get the bergamot, clary sage, leather, and patchouli but it smells pretty balanced. after my third try, it's not bad but as someone who's not the biggest fan of patchouli and leather it's not pleasant.

This frag is just ok to me. Perhaps it will grow on me. It reminds me of Moustache 1949 but with the lemon replaced with pineapple or mango. It has that same underlying sharp woodyness. I've never smelled Aventus but I would have serious buyer's remorse if I bought a bottle and it smelled like this. It's not bad by any means but nothing special in my opinion.

A very masculine and fresh scent. I pickup notes of citrus in the opening and then it drys down to a woody, smoky, and musky scent. Suitable for everyday wear and could be worn in the office. Would definitely recommend!

if u like aventus this is better than cdnim

Smells exactly like Afnan supremacy not only intense except without the overpowering smokiness and muskiness

When I read or hear term masculine this fragrance is the first thing that pops to my mind, when I spray this fragrance on me I feel like my level of testosterone goes up for couple hundreds of ng/dL

Mont Blanc explorer and Creed Aventus are twin brothers. One just ask for more money. Don’t buy into the over price patchouli hype. If you want the masculine woodsy scent without breaking the bank go with Mont Blanc Explorer.

Smells like what I would expect and Arizona Desert/Canyon sunset to smell like

Didn't like that one, opening is fantastic, but when it sits down everything changes. Some says it smells like creed aventus, if aventus smells like that, it don't worth it. Hard to explain how it smells, going to say just weird, some hospital-lethal car accident vibes, but some going to like it
5/10

A guilty pleasure as an admitted perfume snob. This fragrance makes me realize I need to step off my high horse of $300 fragrances every so often. To put it simply this is just a really great fragrance. Sweet and citrusy with a really potent woody/leather backbone. Smooth and easy-going, not a typical "cologne guy" scent like most designer releases.

This is not an Aventus clone, but it does fit the category and is clearly an inspired scent with its bergamot and heavy ambroxan. Aventus is fruity and musky, whereas this is dry and woody. That being said, if you want to smell like Aventus, buy Aventus.

I have been wearing this perfume for months now following my need for a fragrance suitable for daily wear. Montblanc Explorer suited my needs perfectly, originally hyped as an Aventus Clone, I picked it up to see what all the talk was about. Now do not be fooled by other reviews, this is not a dupe of Creed’s famous fragrance. I’d say it’s about as similar to Aventus as Khamrah is to Angel’s share. Its within the same family and perhaps takes a large inspiration from Aventus but it sets a completely different mood to Creed. While Aventus really conveys classiness and old-money, Explorer, due to its freshness, tends to portray more of a fresh new money working-man. Montblanc explorer is a fresh, woody, and citrusy fragrance. I personally use it for school and work, but it can definitely be used for special occasions.

Scent 7/10:
This fragrance is a solid 7/10 scent wise. It’s nothing too special and doesn’t get me too many compliments but it perfect for a work/school setting. It is very fresh all around with a very strong bergamot citrus opening drying down into a still very fresh woody smell. If you’re looking for a fresh fragrance with a woody dry down, this might be for you.

Usage/versatility 8/10:
The versatility of this fragrance is a 8/10 in my eyes. This fragrance is rated for summer or spring but it perfectly capable all year around due to the woodiness. This fragrance could be used for many occasions like a daily wear, school, work, professional settings or even events like weddings or whatnot. Very good as a basic fragrance to wear for many occasions. However, I cannot recommend using this fragrance for date night or clubbing/bars etc. The freshness of this fragrance is not ideal if you’re looking to impress people.

Projection 6/10:
The projection is alright on this fragrance projecting about 1m (3ft) or so on application. Its nothing too special but if you’re using this for school or work, 3ft is all you really need.

Strength 6/10:
This fragrance isn’t too overpowering so you might need a few sprays to really get all out of this perfume. I recommend 6-8 sprays on your pressure points and chest. In my experience I get the best performance by applying 6 sprays to my skin and 2 on my shirt so do with that what you will.

Longevity 6/10:
The longevity on this fragrance is moderate so that’s why I give it a 6/10. I roughly get about 5 hours before this becomes just a skin scent. And even then, it doesn’t really stay on my skin and clothes into the next day either. Whether it be a problem with my skin chemistry or me wearing it wrong, others including friends of mine have had similar experiences. Not the worst longevity and will get you through a school or workday but nothing too spectacular.

Affordability 9/10:
The place where this fragrance shines is in affordability. I picked this up off sale for $80AUD for 100mL but one of my friends found it 50% off at $40AUD. Honestly a steal for what it is. It is an economical option for a daily wear fragrance that you’ll only need to spend ~$40 every 3 or so months for.

Overall, this fresh, woody fragrance is a great option for a cheap daily/school fragrance. It’s nothing too special but that’s almost why its great. The midrange performance is ideal for a professional space and therefore that is what I recommend the most for this fragrance. Do not expect this to be exactly like Creed Aventus. I’d say it’s a 50-60% match at best. Inspired by Aventus not a dupe. My final rating is 7/10 I will be buying again once I run out and continue using it for daily wear.

Very versatile and well put together this is a great fragrance!

A NON-EXPLORATORY EXPLORER
[Short review]

As the umpteenth version of an Aventus look-alike, Explorer doesn't have much to distinguish it. The familiar juicy pineapple prelude is missing. The same goes for the smoky birch note power. I also feel there are unnecessary synthetic impressions. And of course, some performance is also missing. Probably this perfume does not hold a position as an Aventus inspiration.
As a fruity and refreshing EDT, it's also a bit mainstream and not a unique offer. It opens fresh and peppery, more Sauvage-like than Aventus-like. It offers earthy light accords of vetiver and leather and that's how it tries to mimic the Aventus smokiness. The ambroxan and akigalawood notes also don't match the amber, patchouli, and moss accords used by Creed's leading creation.
Forgetting the under-average resemblance with Aventus, Explorer offers you a designer brand name easy to recognise. It's a nice feature when you decide on birthday and Christmas gifts 🙂.
The perfume is well-presented and offers you a pleasant fragrance that will attract some attention. Inside the brand, it joins the ranks of Starwalker, Presence, Individuel, and Emblem. It is another example of an inexpensive, versatile masculine fragrance from the Montblanc designer.
Men who pretend to only have a few bottles of perfume in their closet will appreciate using it during fall and spring. Collectors will just ignore it in any season.

Music: Alice Cooper - "No More Mr. Nice Guy"

Out of the atomizer, Explorer has a very cologney smell to it, almost typical and from 20 yrs ago like a Dunhill fragrance vibe. It's one of the few times with a fragrance where I think that it smells better on skin than by putting my nose to the atomizer.

This is a fairly fresh leather scent with depth and a little citrus like opening that is not juicy, refreshing or flavorful but rather used for lift in the fragrance and perhaps to balance out the nice pungent leather in this from being too pungent and giving it a degree of cleanliness than having it's own standout citrus accord. It smells very masculine and of good quality. I've been complimented on it. It performs decently in that it's very aromatic for an hour or so and you won't doubt that it's on you and yet it seems to sit close to the skin after that where you may have to wonder if it's still on you after 3-4 hrs. It's still there, it just seems to wear a bit lighter by personal perception but I believe that others around you will still notice it after the 4 hour mark noticeably.

I know it gets compared to CDMI and I think that this smells about 1 point better in quality than CDMI but CDMI probably has it beat by 1 point on being more interesting. This may not get you as noticed as its comparative rival but you'll probably respect it a little more and you'll feel much better about spraying it on you as it has none of the harsh synthetic aspects that CDMI has up close at the beginning. At that point, if it's between the two - it's more about personal choice as in many ways they do smell similar yet they're not identical twins. Owning both may seem redundant to many people who want the fragrance profile that these two share when comparing.

I find Explorer useful with some pleasantries to it and it became easy to find likeable after a wearing or two and two reach for regularly. It's easier to wear as a daily over CDMI. For the discounts online, I don't at all think it's a bad buy and can be one of those fragrances to help you have a more complete rotation. It's well worth the typical Mont Blanc discounted price. I see how this can be a date night scent even though it's not romantic, sweet or sensual just in the strength that it smells masculine which my just come across as sexy. Very good for a bar or event. Though it's rather cologney throughout, it develops depth within minutes.

Start with maybe 3 sprays with this one (e.g. base of throat and each wrist) and see if you need a little less or a little more from there. Smell your wrist throughout the day as you'll likely become noseblind to it and put the bad performance tag on it - it'll be there for awhile.

I'm not completely moved to repurchase but I've been using it and have found it to be something to look forward to putting on frequently. I like this probably second in the Mont Blanc house behind Legend Spirit. I think if it had a little more flavor to it that it would be something I keep a bottle of on a regular but the door is still very open with this one.

I don't know how this compares to CDNI or other Aventus clones or even Aventus itself yet (I'll edit this review when I will), however this is a very masculine fresh woody citrussy fragrance that smells just amazing and really screams man. I heard this is overall fresher then CDNI which is said to be more smokey and intense. Also CDNI has a harsh lemon cleaning agent like opening which explorer does not. And finally CDNI is said to have better performance and longevity. People tend to say this is not so good or average and that you will have to re-spray a lot, but for me this is long-lasting with a pretty powerful sillage for up to 6h. I also tried this with two seperate batches and the results were the same. This might just be my skin chemistry, but I can't be sure. So I recommend you see how this works for you if you have concerns about the performance/longevity. In terms of versatility this is great for formal occasions, special occasions, dates and probably every-day wear as well. So pretty versatile. A good fragrance for a masculine, confident, charismatic man.

Non-offensive, clean, fresh, spicy and versatile scent. Really like this and use it most days. Good value for money as well, lasts at least 5-6 hours on my skin and projects very well. Definitely recommend for a fresh scent going into spring/summer

I just bought it. It is close to Aventus DNA. It is ok, masculine and very versatile. It works at all times and seasons. I will rate the perfume after trying it.

First time smelling this I thought it smelled like a high quality hand lotion. I like the scent, however I become noseblind to it rather quickly. It's a very nice, affordable signature/dumb reach fragrance. To my nose I get a lot of chocolatey nuances from the cacao and patchouli playing off each other in the base. When I'm able to smell it, it's a very rounded and semisweet chocolate-leather. I enjoy it, but may not buy another bottle based on how quickly I become noseblind to it. Perhaps if Montblanc offered it in a Parfum concentration?

In the opening, it smells like an average Aventus clone. After that, it gets sour on me before becoming a skin scent. I dont even smell any ambroxian. Very weird juice. I paid $38 for my tester and I dont think its worth any more than that. I guess I dont like any MB scents.

Why is this so well regarded with compliment bros?

Very weak projection and longevity. Smell is similar to creed but bit more boring. Club De nuit Intense man would be a better choice if u ignore the harsh opening. Overall 6/10 for explorer.

Slightly more playful than aventus. Not as smokey.

I love explorer. Decent quality for the price, versatile, smells good. Can’t fault it

Man, this was my first ever complimented fragrance, it smells amazing: quite similar to Creed Aventus. It's a perfect scent for beginners and quite cheap if you buy a 15ml. Would recommend to any1. It's quite fresh and perfect for summer.

Personally I get strong evergreen notes from this... and a bit of briney ocean. For me it evokes the Pacific Northwest coast on a misty day. I don't really hear other people talk about Explorer that way, but that's how it comes off for me. I like it, but it took me a while to love it. You can't deny the compliment factor with this – I'm a bit mystified as to why women like this fragrance so much, but I really get compliments from it. So yeah, it's definitely in my rotation. UPDATE: This continues growing on me. And yes, it's 90% Aventus, just a bit less fruity. Which is fine by me. This is a keeper, particularly for work.

Maybe its just me, but my bottle doesnt smell past the first 5 minutes after I sprayed on skin and clothes, got both Aventus and this, and this is just a weak intention to be like Aventus, like I said, maybe is my bottle, but side to side, Explorer doesnt deliever projection, sillage and that feeling when you can smell what you have been wearing for hours, even my chinese travel spray filled with Aventus deliever better than my 100ml bottle of explorer, today I gotta sprayed it like 20 times, when usually aventus get the work done with 5 sprays.

there's nothing wrong with Explorer, but I have a hard time drumming up a lot of passion for it. it's a perfectly acceptable scent which I don't think many people will protest and is well priced for what it is. it's just not really my style.

As others have stated, this is probably one of the most versatile, sexy, long lasting, any occasion fragrances out there. If I was told I could only have one fragrance this would be it. I own several pre-reform Aventus batches, yet I still reach for Explorer. In my opinion, top five all-time designer fragrance.
Final note: whoever says women don't like this, need to look in the mirror because maybe it's them they don't like. In my experience women love this stuff.

Unfortunately, it is not as strong as the other clones. However, it is still good.

Heaven in a bottle. Signature scent worthy. I was drawn to it since I first tried it and I keep coming back. Will probably always have a bottle on the shelf.

Impressive 👍😍

citrus overpowers the musk for the first 10 minutes then the musk dominates. whereas Aventus is a 50-50 for quite some before turning musk dominant

seems like Explorer turns into a skin scent almost instantly. 5 sprays to the neck and I am not catching whiffs off my neck like Aventus. hot weather should help this perform for an hour or two before re-spraying

club de nuit is just a synthetic mess please avoid that trap if you're looking for an aventus clone. nobody does it like Creed

Tried this i at Sephora, good value for money but be careful, it might smell more mature or "old" than you would expect, hence, I recommend trying it first.
The smell is far from bad, just be aware of that.

Reminds me a lot of Hermes Terres de Hermes just a little weaker. but since it is a lot cheaper its a good buy i got the 30 ml for around 20 bucks which is a steal. The fragrance reminds me of a danish popsicle called "astronaut" which gives me a bit of nostalgia. the first time i smelled montblanc explorer i was dissapointed because it wasn't what i expected. but it grew a lot on me. atleast an 8/10

My all time favorite fragrance. It smells so good from the opening to the dry down. Explorer is literally the most versatile fragrance ever. Seriously. Any season and any occasion. School, work, meeting, casual, tuxedo, suit and tie, lunch, dinner, bar, club, date night, wedding, and anything else you can think of. WOMEN LOVE EXPLORER. fragrances aren’t “compliment monsters” or “panty droppers” like these YouTube reviewers say. LOL. I RARELY get any compliments but out of the fragrances I have, I have gotten the most compliments from explorer.

I've had Explorer on for 12 hours and it is still noticeable by me and others in the winter. Perhaps the perceived short longevity is nose blindness. This is a very good fragrance. Definitely Aventus DNA, but more palatable to a wider audience. I like the smokiness of Aventus and its clones. It's what makes it unique. But that smoke can become taxing over time. Explorer has the wood without becoming tiring. I also smell other DNA in it that makes it almost a greatest hits of modern men's fragrance. Easily a daily wearer, and it got compliments first time wearing it.

Great value, montblanc does not dissapoint

Solid

A lighter, safer, more office-friendly Aventus DNA. Very versatile for any season and occasion. For the performance, I might get lucky with this fragrance because on my skin this fragrance has good longevity and performance, but I doubt that's the same case for some people. Overall a good value-for-money fragrance.

Wear it because women like it.

Tasty and popular. You can't shoot him next to him. For every occasion.

Absolutely love this fragrance. It is fresh and woody. Definitely a good signature scent

Picked up a sample at Nordstrom and I initially quite liked it. After a while it became a bit cloying and strong, so I put it away. It kinda just had that generic synthetic men’s cologne vibe. It’s probably just my skin chemistry, and why I don’t usually go for strong masculine scents - But recently I’ve been occasionally revisiting it and just spraying lightly. I don’t really get any citrus in this. A little pineapple in the opening.

It’s just not my personal favourite nor my first reach.

Smelled this for the first time tonight. Yes, it does share a lot of similarities to Aventus. I have Aventus and if you put them side by side, you would see why Aventus cost so much more. Wayyyyy more depth with much more prominent notes and use of natural oils. However, I see this getting way more compliments from the masses. It smells really good, I’m not going to lie. I’m going to grab a bottle when my Aventus runs out. I had my run with Aventus in 2012, again in 2015, and now the batches suck, don’t last, and everyone else smells like it from all the dupes, even this one. This one is great, a perfect signature scent that just smells fantastic.

Perfect office scent, very masculine, not the biggest compliment getter but is a good subtle scent for someone who wants to smell good but not be loud. 7.5/10

I love this fragrance so much; I carry a 30ml in my work bag.
Funny observation though: my love of fragrances started off while smelling Malizia Uomo on my dad in the 90's and I actually get the same scent profile as Explorer dries down. It's such a good nostalgic smell. Am I the only one?

One of my most complimented fragrance.
I really love it.
Gotta buy another bottle.

Best blend from all aventus dupes. One of my all time favorites. Attention: you go noseblind super easy with this one but others can still smell it on you.

It's my first fragrance ever. I went to the store and smelled it at first and fell in love. The next day i bought it. I got 2 compliments so far and the Longevity is 5-8 hours with moderate projection. I would say this is for any season except winter. The occasion I wear this is school, hanging out with friends. Overal this is a very easy tot wear scent.

Blind purchase on this one as all the local places that had this in stock didn't have any testers for some reason. I'm pretty pleased with this one. I'm a newbie so I don't have a ton of references (I've never smelled Creed Aventus to even make that comparison) but this reminds of a lot of the standard blue fragrances on the open and then cools into a really strong patchouli and ambroxan smell on my skin. I don't think it projects all that strong but it lasts a while at close proximity for me, maybe 6-7 hours. And then lingers as a skin scent for 14+ hours.

I think I might just be lucky in that case, but there was a downside, when I had this on and went bowling in a really warm bowling center (they had the full winter heat going on a relatively mild winter day so it was hot inside) the smell on my skin became very acrid and biting as I got a little sweaty, so for me this may not be a summer fragrance. I think the citrussy blue notes work well as a spring/summer/fall fragrance, but I might have to avoid it on really hot days.

I'm really satisfied with my blind purchase, I haven't ever worn anything other than Nautica Blue and Life so this was a departure into new designer perfumery that is well tread ground for collectors at this point. But this is a very safe, generically crowd-pleasing starter into something more interesting than a basic blue fragrance.

Good masculine scent for a great price

I love it. I just blind bought it and I love it. At first it’s a bit strong with alcohol, but when it dries down it’s just a very familiar, fresh and clean scent. I sprayed 1 spray on my wrist to try it, and my brother could still smell it from 1 meter away.

Explorer by MontBlanc:
I'll start by saying I don't see any link to Creed Aventus at all-this is a nice fresh frag with blue-fragrance-like versatility. It's great for any age and any season day or night. It's one of the best beginner frags imo, for the right price-this has been going up a lot due to hype but for the right price it's a great option. Longevity and sillage aren't amazing but they're not bad either.

Top notes: Bergamot, pink pepper and herby sage
Middle notes: Gentle leather, some vetiver
Base notes: Ambroxan, patchouli

Longevity: 3/5
Sillage: 3/5
Scent: 4/5
Design: 3.5/5
Gender: Masculine
Overall: 3.5/5

Honestly I'm not sure how people think it smells like creed, I've had a few samples of creed and a whole sized bottle of Explorer, on my skin it smells like wet grass but in a good way if that makes sense.

It makes me smell sexy. You know when you were a kid and your dad or even your friends dad smells really good, it remind me of that. I feel like a roof wearing this stuff even thought I’m 17.

The opening is a little bit harsh on my nose, but after a few minutes it dissipates and turns into a super inviting woody scent with a bit of citrus mixed in. It has alright projection and insane longevity on my skin. Overall I'd give MB explorer an 8/10, it's pretty safe scent that's great for the price.

I actually love the smell both in the air and also directly. The citrus, spicy, and ambroxan combo gives the same vibe as dior sauvage edp but without the metallic, anise, and vanilla. MB explorer is in the middle between the smoky pinenapple-ish vibe from aventus and its clones as well is sauvage. its a non-pineapple-ish, citrusy, and also a simple version of aventus mixed with that sauvage edp without the metallic, anise, and vanilla kinda smell. it stays pretty decent for a freshie like 7-8 hours but its projection and sillage is a bit disappointing.

I have tested all clones that i can find in my city this is best one sooo far from other is lasting more than original formula is very good goes with any skin clean fresh just like original not that rich in base and mids like original but its expected from non niche brand

Clone 9.6/10
Overall scent for me 8/10 is overrated im going with cedrat boise intense

Heavily woody slightly fresh fragrance with hints of citrus. Smells gorgeous, a bit green and a touch soapy as well - but for me I pick up mostly woods. A very versatile scent as I can't see why you couldn't wear this in any occasion except perhaps a very snowy day.

I definitely have some experience with this fragrance but smelling it today that vanilla came out so much, it really reminds me more of Electimuss Imperium than Creed Aventus/Aventus Cologne! Smells so incredible I showed my co-worker and she immediately said she wanted to wear it haha truly a bang for your buck fragrance that holds up well and expresses different facets, definitely punches above its weight. Really impressed with the new Explorer Platinum too and I definitely recommend checking it out as well.

I like it, its nice for an everyday fragrance, I often use it in the gym as well, longevity is pretty good in my opinion, i can often smell it on my shirt from the night before. Im a big fan of citrus/vanilla and woody mixtures so this one is perfect for me.

This is a great fragrance and I don't want to diminish it with the typical comparison but let's be honest, this is a more than suitable Aventus alternative for most people, myself included. Obviously not the exact same fragrance but definitely the same vibe. Aside from the crazy price difference, to me it feels like the average person would prefer this scent over Aventus just because it's a bit more mainstream in it's notes with a bit more citrus and doesn't have the dusty, smokiness of Aventus which I quite like but some people I've shown do not enjoy at all. I use this as my daily and keep a travel size Aventus on hand for when I want that specific profile.

i like it, but i feel the citrus-like smell is too dominant.

Smells like a boy turning adult. Not the best but an exceptional budget option for a student. 10/10 for the money. 8/10 if you have money for something like gris dior or bleu de chanel.

Has this nice Woody smell while still having a young fresh smell

I said it before and I’ll say it again. This fragrance is so good from opening to dry down. You can wear this ANY season and literally ANY occasion you can possibly think of. I like to have a few different fragrances so I’m not wearing the same one all the time, but if I could only pick one fragrance to have for the rest of my life Montblanc explorer would be it.

Most versatile fragrance on the market. Can wear it literally anywhere. Love to use it especially for university and work, gets solid compliments as well. Anyone can pull this off, could easily be used as a signature scent.

Scent - 9.1
Longevity - 8.5
Sillage - 8.9
Value - 9.2

Smells like a freshly chopped tree with a touch of well-rounded sweetness

A better alternative to creed aventus dna,must have, i would say

I don't know if it's the fact that I change my diet drastically every two weeks and that causes my skin to affect performance, but sometimes just a couple sprays of Explorer is beast mode and so nuanced and refined. Even on my forearm, it hits my nose and it smells amazing. Lasts for hours.

Other times, it vaguely smells like anything even if I spray myself TWELVE times, and it becomes a skin scent in an hour. I don't get it!😄

I bought this for my friend, and he and his friends absolutely love it. It was one of the first fragrances I ever bought, and I've always loved how versatile it is for every occasion. Great for those who love Aventus, but don't love the price.

The only one you’ll need, because it smells like everything at once. Surprised to discover this apparently has top, middle, and base notes beyond ‘Every vintage Axe/Lynx discharged into a party balloon, shaken, and then huffed through a straw’. My husband ordered a sample online, it leaked into the packaging, and I could’ve sworn a sweaty high school gym class circa 1996 had broken out in our mailbox. Sorry to our postie. Great value for the price point as one spray should last a good half week if the state of our mail is anything to go by.

If I close my eyes and smell a spray of Aventus and Explorer I wouldn't know which is which, many people on here have failing noses, this one hits too close to home with Aventus. Really nice smell, but doesn't last that long unfortunately. I might just spray it on my garments a day before wearing them, maybe that would help.

Bit late to getting my hands on this, but wow this is really good. The woody, citrus and fresh aromatics notes are perfect and well done. This is so much better compared to CDIM. Perfect for daily wear and all seasons, projection is good and lasts around 8hours.

Got a sample of Aventus directly from Creed. Bought Explorer as a "blind buy"
Aventus, hands down, has a better opening and Explorer has a somewhat synthetic smell to it. The Aventus I got has 5/10 projection and 7/10 longevity while the Explorer gets 8/10 projection and 8/10 longevity. Explorer is definitely the smarter buy.

It's essentially a toned-down version of Aventus. The scent itself is delightful, no denying that. However it falls short in the sillage and longevity department. A good pick if you're looking for Aventus without overpaying.

I got a sample vial at Nordstrom and everybody I’ve had smell it loves it, great everyday fragrance. some might say its not suitable for winter or night but I personally think this fragrance is still usable at those times. overall great fragrance I HIGHLY recommend.

Aventus DNA for sure, but it does its own unique thing. It has the same fruity sweetness but not pineapple-forward, and it's fairly woodier especially in the drydown. I would rate this without comparing, but this is obviously Montblanc's challenge to Aventus, thus not especially intuitive to rate or describe this one without mentioning its inspiration. I believe the wood here is akigalawood, and it's got a patchouli-like profile to it that confers this perfume a mildly spiced profile that Aventus does not have. Projection, sillage and longevity are summer-mode, so nothing spectacular, but that is not the objective. It's well-blended and more accessible than Aventus, and I would recommend to grab it if you find it for cheap.

Out of the 20+ fragrances I own, it is Montblanc Explorer which has got me the most compliments overall, beating out giants like Bleu de Chanel and D&G The One EDP.

Women absolutely love this stuff. At work, at weddings, on dates, out and about, I've had so many people ask what I am wearing because it smells amazing.

It's fresh and yet peppery and woody, and very versatile. You can use this in pretty much any situation and it's an easy reach when you can't decide on what fragrance to use today. Also, the price point is low compared to most designer brands, making it fairly blind-buy safe. I have found the performance is good and lasts for ages on clothes - I see that other reviewers have criticised the performance recently, could be a new formulation. I bought my bottle about 2 years ago.

Is it original and groundbreaking? No. Is it being more worn by more and more people? Yes. Is it still worth having in your collection? Absolutely.

Tested a fresh bottle today in a shop and this seems lighter than ever before, and sweet. I'm wondering if it's been simplified.

My bottle is smokey, and smoke is the note I like least in this fragrance. Plus the Ambroxan means on some wears I go noseblind, but others not. I wear fragrance for myself so what's the point of that? Tangentially, I happily use the Explorer waxy deodorant with other fragrances and I'm on my second stick. I prefer the smell of the wax deodorant to the fragrance.

Explorer should be a well-liked $10 deodorant body spray, with less Ambroxan. It's curious Mont Blanc doesn't produce Explorer in deospray form, as it does for some of its other fragrances.

I regret not buying a couple bottles of Explorer when 100ml was twice selling online for 20E during the COVID pandemic. Real, new bottles, on a legit European site. I kid you not. That's the Lalique Encre Noir and flankers discount online price and I think this is where Explorer should be.

Only a little bit like aventus more like sauvage / homme 2020 with less sweetness and aromatics.
7/10 fantastic

I do think it's a good, well balanced and enjoyable fragrance. Unfortunately on my skin it disappears almost instantly even with overspraying. Bummer.

Price/Performance fragrance. Extremely versatile, i used Explorer in many diffrent occasions, and it pulls off almost any situation. scent is good, projection is meh, but the longevity is quite poor. Perfect for any season and everyday use, you might need to freshen up throughout the day though.

Good quality for the price, not exacly clone of Aventus, good longevity with moderare sillage.

People say this smells like Aventus. I haven't smelled Aventus, but it must be overrated as hell if it smells like this. To be clear, Explorer doesn't smell bad; it's just ok. I give it a 6.5/10 mainly for it's everyday use, as you can use this cologne year round.

I used it for 2 years, I got good comments, price performance is good but permanence is very poor.

very good daily driver. i use this as my daily and it does not disappoint with around 6 to 8 sprays. very fresh smell which mellows down into a woody scent. got a few compliments and when asked what it is i say its joop homme.

Why is everyone saying that this is an Aventus clone? It smells absolutely nothing like Aventus, unless Aventus and it's contemporaries somehow sport a vegetal/herbal base that I've somehow never picked up. It doesn't even smell like it belongs in the same category. If anything, this smells better than Aventus or CDNIM etc.

It’s said to be a clone of Aventus, nay I say it is own scent maybe inspired by Aventus but not a clone. I Smelled Aventus it doesn’t smell anything like it I think it is better. Pretty much a every day use.

This is my favorite fragrance of all time. My favorite fragrances are the citrus, aromatic, woody scents and that’s exactly what explorer is. The 3 perfumers did such an incredible job on this fragrance and they picked the perfect notes to use as well. This fragrance you can wear any season and ANY occasion. Literally ANY occasion you can possibly think of. It’s a 10/10 for me.

This fragrance is sooo good! Wear it to school and get compliments all the time. Lasted 24 hours on my skin once and projected strong for at least 4 hours. Smells soo good and performs perfectly for only $50. Definitely in my top 3 all around fragrances. Good for any occasion.

Amazing fragrace, very affordable and worth every penny. Good longevity and silliage for the price. Good everyday scent/office scent.

Montblanc Explorer: A Journey of Elegance for Everyday Adventures

Montblanc Explorer stands as a beacon of refinement in the realm of daily fragrances, offering an olfactory journey that seamlessly blends sophistication with versatility. From the very first spritz, this fragrance announces itself with a burst of invigorating bergamot, creating a fresh and vibrant aura that sets the stage for a day of exploration.

The heart of Montblanc Explorer reveals a harmonious dance of pink pepper, adding a subtle spiciness that infuses the scent with an undeniable energy. As the fragrance settles, the inclusion of leather notes provides a touch of timeless elegance, evoking a sense of confidence that accompanies you throughout the day.

What truly makes Montblanc Explorer shine is its adaptability to various settings. It effortlessly transitions from the boardroom to the classroom, making it an ideal companion for both work and school. The refined yet approachable character of this fragrance ensures that it never overwhelms but leaves a lasting impression that is both professional and personable.

For the daily grind of work and the academic pursuits of school, Montblanc Explorer strikes the perfect balance. It's a fragrance that doesn't demand attention but effortlessly commands respect. The subtle wafts of vetiver in the dry down create a grounded and reassuring presence, making it suitable for any occasion.

In the crowded landscape of daily fragrances, Montblanc Explorer emerges as a beacon of reliability—a fragrance that becomes a signature, an olfactory companion on the journey of everyday adventures. If you seek a scent that mirrors your elegance in the professional sphere and your approachability in academic endeavors, Montblanc Explorer is the perfect choice. It's not just a fragrance; it's a testament to the art of subtlety and the power of understated sophistication.

Released 4 years ago? Seriously? I could swear I've been smelling this fragrance on every middle aged man since the 90's. It smells generic in a good way. Like a working class dude who usually wears jeans and a checked shirt to the pub every friday after work. It's easy, fresh, every day kind of frag. You could have it in office or out with friends. It's not a classy scent for dressing up and going to a wedding. It's an out with friends for your friend's 40th kind of smell.

Been wearing this for a year. Satisfied with its everything. The scents, performance, sillage, price, anything. Do not expect this to be a clone to Aventus, a comparison is not relevant. They both have similarity but do not bother yourself to compare as this Explorer has its own offerings.

This is perfect for humid hot climate like tropical countries. It starts fresh, plenty of fruits and then start to dry into woody birch scent like Aventus, yes. Then ambroxan takes charge. No creamy, no vanilla. Safe for high heat climate.
I will absolutely, buy more bottles.

This is a great fragrance in its own right with great versatility. Absolutely love the airy aromatic character with peppery juicy bergamot, a dry woodiness that is lightly smokey, hints of leather and a faint sweetness.

I'm not sure where the comments on poor performance come from. I wear 3-4 sprays (2 behind the ears and 1-2 on the chest) of my mid 2022 bottle which still has an airy presence to both myself and my lady 12-14 hours later. Definitely not a projection beast, but it does leave an amazing scent trail according to others.

Mine fragrance to the work through fall.
Bought thanks to reviews here.

To me this is a brighter and fresher Sauvage EDP. And like Sauvage EDP, it has fantastic versatility. This is a classic dumb reach type of fragrance if you like this DNA. I think as of this review I’ll be calling this my signature. I’ll let my Fahrenheit rest a bit.

Also, this performs VERY well on my skin if I apply unscented lotion a few minutes before.

Vibe: Pineapple smushed into a nice log of wood, sprinkled with pepper.

House of Montblanc never fails. This is a very solid option for spring, summer days, at a low price. It is safe blind buy.

A truly great fragrance, but the key is to evaluate it from a distance. The scent experienced by the wearer might differ significantly from how others perceive it. I recommend smelling it on someone you know or in a different setting, like your bathroom, and then returning to form your judgment. In my case, it lasted a remarkable two whole days and emitted a heavenly aroma.

However, a word of caution: this fragrance is quite easy to become anosmic to, so it's important to be mindful of that. Additionally, performance on the skin may vary, so it's worth testing it out in different conditions to fully appreciate its potential.

I have never worn Aventus but I have tried Club De Nuit and Explorer due to the hype within the fragrance community. Much like CDN the opening and top notes really kill this for me. Maybe the Aventus DNA just isn't my thing to begin with. All I get here is synthetic citrus mixed with woods. It's possible that I haven't given it long enough on my skin to get the leather and vetiver though. With this I get vibes of an old pine tree air freshener if you dipped it in lemon pledge. I think the scent lives up to its name explorer, it smells fresh and outdoorsy. Like what a non-adventurous man would imagine an actually adventurous man would smell like. Granted I haven't worn this enough to see if it garners much attention, but this is a scent I can't really see women enjoying. It's safe, not sexy. That combined with the fact that the DNA has been oversaturated, I don't see myself coming around on this one.

I liked it a lot more after wearing it a couple times. The opening is very heavy and sharp, which I'm discovering is just representative of all Montblanc colognes. However, it gets much more tolerable after the drydown and turns into a pleasant, woody, aromatic scent that has surprising longevity, I got 8-9 hours where I was getting wafts of it throughout the day (4 sprays on neck, 1 on wrist). Not my favorite option, but one that is not a bad reach for slightly warm/cooler days, especially given the price point.

My husband used to wear another Aventus clone, La Martina Tierra Del Fuego, that was discontinued. After a careful search, I chose Montblanc Explorer to gift him as a replacement. I can confidently say that the batch I purchased does not have a longevity issue, as some have complained. I can still smell it on him 12+ hours after first application, so some of the performance issues people have reported could be down to nose blindness. Even if you can't smell it after a few hours of wear, other people probably can. The projection has lessened a little after so much time, but the scent is definitely still there. Explorer does have a slightly sharper, more masculine scent than Tierra Del Fuego, which is probably the bergamot in place of the pineapple. It doesn't smell synthetic at all, just very masculine and fresh. 100% recommend if you're looking for something affordable with Aventus DNA.

It reminded me of Zara Vibrant Leather EDT which I consider the best clone or alternative to Aventus. As for the Aventus DNA smell I perceive it as a guy who works in an office (middle management), has absolutely no sense of humor, is totally without charisma, and also wants to be liked by everyone plus he tries very hard to get a promotion... in a word, EXTREMELY BORING

Believe it or not, I would recommend Office For Men Fragrance One or L’Immensité Louis Vuitton, L'Impression Flavia, Tygar Bvlgari and Vibrato Sospiro

Perhaps this scent just doesn’t work with my skin chemistry but the only way I can describe the smell is citrus with the smell of a freshly opened pack of trading cards. Very disappointed.

My favorite fragrance of all time. The perfumers did such an amazing job with this fragrance and the notes that they used. It passed my beloved Dylan blue as my favorite fragrance, but I still love Dylan blue. Explorer and Dylan blue are my favorite signature scents that you can wear any season and literally ANY occasion. LITERALLY.

A perfect office fragrance in my opinion . It is affordable for daily use, fresh, and far from offensive . I like this thing more than Aventus because of the price point, and Aventus is to fruity for my taste . If I spend niche money I lean more towards ambery fragrances . I like that this one, it is fresh from the bergamot , and earthy from the vetiver , patchouli, and sage, also a bit spicy which makes it versatile. This is a very masculine fragrance, that is easy to reach for, and definitely a crowed pleaser . This one does not perform well on my skin . I get around two hours of good projection then it wears down to a skin scent . While yet I think this has worn off others still pick it up so maybe I am a bit nose blind to this fragrance ! I would definitely recommend this over Aventus !

Wanted to buy aventus creed until I saw the price and the complaints over bad performance and the rebatches. Decided to buy this instead and I am super happy with my purchase. This lasts 6-7 hours on my skin and it smells really mature, absolutely love it, will be using it a lot for sure!

Maybe there are some reformulations because my bottle's performance is really good. It projects well in the first 2 hours and still there for 7-8 hours. It especially shines in hot weather. To my nose, Explorer is a mature older brother of Club De Nuit Intense Man. More elegant, more refined and versatile. It got me lots of compliments. Most of them were from my male friends. Safe blind buy I must say.

First Pass - This is interesting and there is a lot going on. Banana? Patchouli? It's weird, unexpected, and dark

1 Hour Later - There is so much going on I'm struggling to pick out individual notes. The scent is very similar to the opening, but it has evolved slightly. I don't know how to describe the new additions... Maybe mint?

This is an enigma. I've never smelled anything like it, and I very much enjoyed it

***Scents, like tastes, are subjective. Wear what you like***

A lot of people seem to say the performance is bad, and for me, I cannot see it at all. Maybe there was a recent reformulation but this stuff really performs. I honestly cannot get away with more than 3 sprays

Regarding the smell, it smells very expensive for the price, and it's very versatile while also being very elegant and professional smelling. Highly recommend, 7/10.

Opening is incredible but it gives me nausea when it cools down. I was very tempted to buy this because it smelled so good but when I bought it I found out the awesome smell decades into something artificial after it sits on your skin/clothes for a while, but it still smells nice. The longevity is good though and it's usable in most settings.

The definitive men's scent in London in 2023. I travel round the city all the time, and this is by far and away the fragrance I smell the most - aventus and its clones en masse have overtaken Sauvage in terms of what I encounter most in real life. Do with that what you will.

smells so delicious omg i go rabid over this scent but i gatekeep this scent at work because i do not want every guy smelling like this.

Very nice summer fragrance and lasts quite long on me. I love wearing this but it's nauseating to me sometimes (I think I smell some strong chemical note). It smells expensive considering the price point.

This is a good all year round fragance.Great for everyday use and is very versatile.Overall great cheapie

This thing introduced me to Aventus DNA. Great for daily use and a versatile scents. Performance may not meet the expectations

Explorer got me into the Aventus DNA and I love the scent, but the performance was trash on my skin, max 3h with 1h of soft projection. After buying CDNIM PP and LE (which smell better and last longer) it was obvious to me that Explorer had to go, so I sold my bottle.

Scent: 5.5/7
Projection: 3/7
Longevity: 2/7
Overall: Good, worth considering (maybe performance will be better on your skin)

Much smoother than CDNI and more airy. Dumb reach for sure. The problem is that this smell is everywhere you go. EVERYWHERE

#273 in my "Tour de Fragrance"

No, it is not a perfect clone of Aventus. No pineapple, but if that's important to you Afnan Supremacy Silver is your answer. I actually like Explorer better than either Club de Nuit Intense Man or Al Haramain L'Aventure (both of which I gave away). Explorer is close enough to Aventus to not matter to me, especially when I consider the price differential, and that both Aventus and Explorer are middling performers. $65 for a moderately performing EDP is a little disappointing, $275 for moderate performance---I don't make that mistake twice.

This is a safe bet in any situation, particularly as everyday wear to the office, but I don't think anyone is going to be impressed. Like Aventus, it's just nice. But that's it. And there are at least a dozen scents in my collection trying to be just like Aventus, most captured above, all of which do just fine for the same kind of wear, most well under $50.

I've had a 100mL bottle for over two years. Love it, but it's getting really low (Batch code 03L04K350 - 12/2020). I'm thinking about getting a new bottle, but I just noticed that one of the notes has changed here on Fragrantica --- Ambrofix™ is now Ambroxan (I know, FWIW they're probably nearly identical). So the question is: has the formula recently changed, or just the description?

I like the citrus leathery dry-down of Explorer more than Aventus’s smoky dry-down. Other than that it’s basically the same.

Ambroxan :×

This hangs around for about 6-7 hours with good projection and sillage. Most people talk about the fruitiness in the opening disappearing almost immediately, but on me it sticks around for the drydown as a subdued note. Initially I get a lot of freshly ground pepper, then white musk and woods, with the fruit skirting around the edges. Very sharp and clean. The musky vetiver drydown works really well with my skin chemistry.

It isn't a big compliment puller, and it does smell very synthetic, especially the first few hours. It's also the most aggressively masculine cologne in my small collection. With that said I do like it, and at the price point through discounters it's a pretty good value.

This is a good one for hanging around the house on the weekend, or running errands after work or something. It's particularly great in the fall or on rainy days (especially a rainy fall day, which my area has been getting a lot of this year). There's a kind of cosy vibe to it without it being stereotypically warm or sweet. Will probably replace the bottle when it runs out, though it might be a while.

Edit: not really supposed to wear fragrances at my job, but lately I've been doing one spray on the chest before work. No complaints yet. Agree with other reviewers, really nice office scent.

Big fan of this fragrance for every day wear, including the office, gym and general casual socialising. Such a versatile fragrance and I get a good 8 hours performance with moderate projection - which is what I aim for in these settings.

First impression was the Bergamot, with the woodsy background. It helped hide the chemical smell that came forward briefly about 5 minutes later.
Eventually, it settled down to a very pleasant fragrance.
The duration is pretty accurate on the graph and is exactly the level of projection when at work.
Am quite satisfied with this new acquisition.

Bought this back in 2021 and only lasted around 6 hours.
Tried it again after 2 years and the performance is great 10+ hours.
Must need a bit of time to macerate.
9/10