A classic fragrance from the sixties, Aramis is still going strong today. Named after one of the three musketeers, it’s an icon of post-war masculinity. However, can Aramis still be worn today?
In the following article, you will read Bespoke Unit’s review of Aramis For Men with a focus on the following topics:
- Bespoke Unit Fragrance Formula (BUFF)
- Fragrance Overview
- Blend & Fragrance Strength
- When To Wear Aramis
- Presentation & Value
Use the links to jump ahead or scroll on to read more.
Overview
- Brand: Estée Lauder
- Fragrance: Aramis
- Concentration: Eau de Toilette
- Introduction: 1964
- Olfactive Fragrance Family: Leather Chypre
- Related Fragrance: Brut For Men, Dunhill For Men
- Price On Amazon: $35 [Buy Now]
- Price On FragranceX: From $29 [Buy Now]
Introduced by Estée Lauder in 1964, Aramis is said to be the first prestige men’s fragrance offered in department stores. It was first released in New York then became available in Harrod’s the year following its release.
Today it is now sold in over 120 countries and is often associated with 1970s disco culture. The nose for Aramis was Bernard Chant and was something of a precursor to many contemporary fragrances today.
Aramis’ Composition
What makes Aramis particularly unique is that it’s a Chypre for men. Although this was once relatively commonplace, today it’s rather rare. A Chypre is often characterised by a bergamot head, and a heart composed of oak moss and labdanum.
In Aramis’ case, the Chypre structure is somewhat altered and accompanied by a leather accord. This is created through smoky, burnt wood and musky notes.
Head Notes
- Bergamot
- Artemisia
- Thyme
- Black Pepper
Aramis’ bergamot head is immediately contrasted by bitter notes of artemisia, which create a compelling opening. Aromatic thyme follows along with a spicy touch of black pepper.
Heart Notes
- Patchouli
- Jasmine
- Cloves
- Sage
Next, the head fades to reveal dark, earthy patchouli sweetened by a jasmine essence. Aromatic notes of clove and sage linger to provide an element of complexity.
Base Notes
- Oak Moss
- Guaiacwood
- Labdanum
- Sandalwood
As the patchouli lingers before fading, fresh oak moss emerges along with powerful notes of labdanum and sandalwood. These notes work together to create a vivid amber accord. Meanwhile, a long guaiacwood finish develops overt notes of leather.
Finally, the resulting accord developed by the base is reminiscent of an aristocrat’s old drawing room. Worn leather chesterfields wrap around a Persian rug. Meanwhile, polished wooden antique furniture host a plethora of curiosities and books. Opposite a roaring fireplace is a cabinet full of refined spirits such as cognac or whisky.
The One’s Life-Cycle
Needless to say, Aramis follows a very conventional dry down in which the head, heart and base evaporate in an orderly fashion. Nevertheless, the fragrance is far from linear and a number of complex accords interact to create its unique ethos.
Nevertheless, the head itself is very fleeting and achieves only its function to introduce the scent. The heart that follows lingers somewhat before the iconic base steps in to take its place.
Wake & Strength Of Aramis
Overall, Aramis is very much a power frag by definition. Both the sillage and projection are overly strong, which are held in place by an enduring longevity. This is a fragrance that will happily last you throughout the day and perhaps even the night that follows.
Although it performs exceedingly well, the wearer should take extreme care not to over-apply. Over-application is a little too easy with Aramis and the result is a very bitter and off-putting wave of artemesia and labdanum.
When Should You Wear Aramis?
Aramis is a delicate fragrance to pull off. As the feedback has shown, its perception is relatively polarising. Overall, it appears that the fragrance is enjoyed more by men than women. However, there are a few women that do enjoy its musky masculinity. Nevertheless, in this day and age, the number appears to dwindle in comparison.
Meanwhile, it appears to be more successful among older men who would enjoy wearing it. Consequently, this is a very mature fragrance that is best worn by men approaching or within their forties.
With regards to its seasonality, this is certainly a fragrance that performs best during the cold months. Given that it features such a rich woody bouquet, it’s unlikely that it will be as appealing during summer. Chances are that this is a fragrance best reserved for the winter given its leather and amber accords.
In addition, this is notably an evening fragrance. It’s not a fragrance that would accompany the daylight particularly well. Furthermore, it’s more of a romantic fragrance.
However, great care should be taken as it is very powerful. You’ll want to use it sparingly and even then, it may not meet with your date’s approval. Similarly, this is a ridiculously masculine fragrance. To quote Anchorman, 60% of the time it works every time.
Presentation and Value For Money
As a nod to its pedigree, Aramis comes in a similar bottle to that of its release. A very conventional bottle, with “Aramis” concisely yet elegantly written across the front in a serif font like a plaque. The clear glass allows you to admire light amber liquid and the atomiser is concealed by a gold-coloured plastic stopper.
Furthermore, the atomiser performs very well. This is quite fortunate as given how strong the fragrance is, you need something that allows you absolute control of what you apply. The spray is very decisive and misty, giving an even dispersal.
However, the packaging is not particularly attractive. In fact, it’s reminiscent of the boxed used for Tabac Pour Homme, another fragrance of the same era. It would seem that reddish cardboard was in at the time. However, today it looks quite dated.
Finally, Aramis’ value for money is nothing short of excellent. With an RRP of $32 per 100ml (3.4 Oz), you get a lot of bang for your buck given how strong it is.
Amazon features 110ml (3.7 Oz) bottles for around $35. Meanwhile, it can even cheaper on FragranceX at $29. As such, Aramis is featured among the best fragrances for under $30.
Closing Thoughts
Overall, Aramis is a heavy and oily celebration of leather and amber. Aromatic, citrus and floral notes all play roles in its blend but the true theme is its woody, resinous base.
If you enjoy old-school fragrances and heavy musk, then Aramis is the cologne for you. Just be sure to put on a gold medallion and show off you chest hair!
Think that Aramis has a place in your collection? Watch our video to learn more!
Have been using Aramis since the sixties ,and still use it exclusively, it is me ,I never tire of it and can’t count the times in my life people comment on it I just love it
Hi Thomas,
That’s fantastic to hear! It is indeed a classic fragrance and deserves the cult status that it has garnered today. Would you say that it has changed at all over the years or has the formula remained pretty consistent?
Best,
CP
being in 60s and even in in 90s, it’s not the same quality even not a comparable quality of the frag you will buy currently
That’s a shame but it’s not surprising as it’s the case with most “retro” fragrances that have been around for a while. Unfortunately, that’s also what we’re stuck with now. What is surprising, though, is that lots of people who knew it when it was released say it’s still just as good as before.
Best,
CP
I own this fragrance, and I love it been wearing it since the 90s,and I also own bottles from the 70s and 80s when it was labeled Eau de cologne or just cologne ..the cologne has changed I believe some ingredients has been replaced , treemoss replaced oakmoss and something else also has been replaced, the reddish box was introduced in the late 90s, before it’s a gold greenish turtle shell type box and some bottles will come pressurized, one spray and it will keep spraying , I believe this style was Intoduced in late 70s and early 80s , but it waste alot juice,in 1977 the SUPER EAU DE COLOGNE was introduced believe it was limited edition, it was labeled like this and was also in butane pressurized bottle , also own the bullet style rubber coating style bottle and some splash 4oz bottles that has been well taken care of thru out years , and yes it’s very strong still but very lovely moving on towards the late 90s early 2000s when the label changes to Eau de toilette and reformulation was in process todays Aramis is still very good but in comparison the older juice is much better with better longtivity
That’s very interesting. Thanks for your input! I’d also like to try out some of the older version just to compare with it now. Overall, you’re still happy with Aramis despite the changes over time?
All the best,
CP
Yes I do enjoy aramis even in it’s newest formula. Has been toned down a knotch but it’s still considerably strong in today’s standard. You should try and purchase a bottle of 4oz 110cc eau de cologne ,it can still be found at a decent price . The juice is incredible after all these years if well taken care of..even tho it was labeled Eau de cologne or Cologne, it was eau de toilette concentration , Americans didnt didnt find it very appealing calling men’s cologne Eau de Toilette in the 60s 70s n 80s. Aramis changed it label in the late 90s formula changed when Aramis was no longer being made in the U.S.A. any bottles from the u.k and Switzerland are the newest formulas
Hi Bryenn,
Thanks for your input. Much appreciated! I’ll look into getting a hold of a bottle. Yes, it’s weird how “cologne” is a corruption that is still used today because of our masculine insecurities!
All the best,
CP
I also been wondering and I was doing research on it, what are the difference of aramis eau de cologne n aramis cologne then there’s bottles labeled Aramis Natural spray cologne n Aramis Pure Natrual spray cologne..it’s Interesting cause I own all versions labeled he way I mentioned and I find no difference in them at all..for acception of pure natrual spray cologne , I haven’t bought that yet, wish I can post up photos of my Aramis collection , I also own a Concentree eau de toilette bottle ..thank u for the replies
Hopefully someone knows the answers to why it was labeled the way it was labeled maybe it was all marketing
I honestly don’t know either! As you say, it was probably marketing. We come across a lot of products that get repackaged so people buy them again. I’ll look into it, though!
Best,
CP
ARAMIS is the kind of fragrance made for rough, hard and bold retrosexual man, wit a strong character and very conservative personality; I’ve got a 3/4 of a 240 ml Eau de toilette bottle of ARAMIS in my wardrobe and for my birthday my partner gave me another ARAMIS bottle of 110 ml (she knows I love this fragrance)
I can’t say anything else that hasn’t been said about ARAMIS cologne, that despite the time it remains one of the best and mos representatives fragrances for men as a true classic among classics; ARAMIS is one of my favorite fragrances that I never get tired of, I wear this colossal cologne in almost daily bases just alternating it with QUORUM and YATAGAN that I love equally; in the past, I wore a lot of fragrances without concerning or even thinking about what was the most representative fragrance for my personality and style, well I know now that these 3 fragrances just are what I was looking for; ARAMIS, YATAGAN, and QUORUM are the fragrances I have chosen to wear permanently for any season, date or time of the day.
Hi Edinson,
Hear, hear!
I’m almost positive that I read a very similar comment to this in the past. Did you leave one on our YouTube video?
All the best,
CP
hi mate,
Yes, I think I did, as I love my fragrances and when there’s a review about the ones I wear, I like to give my humble and personal opinion; I do respect that there are people out there that ain’t fans of ARAMIS, YATAGAN or QUORUM as they belong to the powerhouse and very strong fragrance family but these three I have chosen are just simply awesome; they go well with my personality, character, and style………… I have always chosen to follow my very personal choice so I stick to it without changing to follow the fashion line.
Fashion sucks if you ask me.
Thought I recognised your comment! I completely agree and understand your sentiment. As Yves Saint Laurent said himself “fashion is fleeting, style is eternal!”
All the best,
CP
I have used Aramis as from the start but I find now that the smell is no where near as nice and doesn’t last as long. What has happened to it? I am thinkng of changing to another aftershave, which, is a pity after all these years.
I haven’t personally noticed any strong changes. However, if you’re really disappointed with Aramis, might I suggest that you try Givenchy Gentleman? Otherwise, another good option is Dunhill For Men.
My father always used Aramis or Givenchy Gentleman, I remember being fascinated with the black and white pattern on the Givenchy Box, there was also a Brown and Beige box too. He flirted with Aramis 9000 briefly but it is the classic Aramis that I am also sporting now!
Great choices!
After 35 years being above “normal” interested in fragrances, my rather huge collection of juices consists of weirdos and mainstreams en large. So, of course, I reach for the tried and true ones over and over, leaving the odd crew gathering dust.
Aramis, sadly, belongs to the neglected fellas. I love Aramis, it’s brashness and it’s unrefined attack on the nostrils. But, I seldom reach for it anymore.
It’s cousin Devin, on the other hand, gets a whirl quite often during the fall and early winter, along with Grey Flannel, Tabac, Lagerfeld Classic, Quorum and Milton Lloyd’s The Man Silver. (As for the last mentioned; it’s a dupe of Kouros, and smells closer to the vintage edition than the watered-down modern Kouros).
But, back to Aramis; obviously it still sells, and it makes my half-century old heart happy to know that it will probably be sold long after I’m gone.
In a world where trends ends quicker than a one-night stand, it’s comforting to know that some things still last beyond the blink of an eye.
Thank you for another excellent piece on the old road warriors!
Thanks for your eloquent response! It’s great to hear from other fragrance fanatics. Indeed, if Aramis has lasted this long, it’s sure to outlive the both of us.
Rafael
My husband has worn Aramis for over 40 years now. Always been his go to cologne. He always bought the splash cologne, never the spray. However, for quite some time now we haven’t been able to find the splash. We can find after shave in splash, but not the cologne. Any suggestions as to how we could get ahold of a bottle?
Thank you.
Hey Lori,
While it does seem less prolific than the spray version, I do see some listings for the splash cologne on Amazon.
Rafael
I am unable to find the Aramis deodorant stick which seems to be discontinued !
My first bottle of Aramis was purchased for me by my great aunt Dor (PhD)
I was 16 (1964), living in eastern Montana and the aunt just mentioned was living in Sacramento. Her older sister (78) was living with us and I was given the privilege at 16 of escorting my great aunt to Sacramento to end her years living with her sister. While there, Dor took me with her to do a bit of shopping at Neiman Marcus. I was wearing English Leather as that was all the rage for boys in eastern Montana and evidently other parts of the world as well. Anyway, Dor didn’t like the smell of the English Leather so insisted I try something new. I think she just pulled the Aramis off the shelf for no particular reason.
To show my lack of sophistication, I am now 75 and have worn nothing but Aramis since – day/night, all 12 months, all seasons. I have had many compliments on it. However, my wife (ex now) decided I needed something new so on a cruise 15 years ago bought another fragrance we both “thought” we liked. We didn’t. Left it on ship.
I’ve always had the spray mist bottle and simply spray a bit and walk into it. Works for me.