First Instinct Extreme by Abercrombie & Fitch is an aromatic fougere fragrance for men. It was released in 2018 in an Eau de Parfum concentration. This scent is part of the First Instinct line, which has many fragrances for both men and women.
The nose behind this fragrance is Philippe Romano. He collaborated with Abercrombie & Fitch on the First Instinct as the debut fragrance of this collection.
| Perfume Name | First Instinct Extreme |
| Brand | Abercrombie & Fitch |
| Year Released | 2018 |
| Concentration | Eau de Parfum |
| Scent Family | Aromatic Fougere |
| Gender | Men |
The Abercrombie & Fitch First Instinct Extreme fragrance was inspired by a confident and charming man. Philippe Romano said that he tried to use a woody scent with a hint of spices to give an amazing feeling of warmth and sensuality. So, he made First Instinct Extreme smell like a mix of urban and natural, strong, masculine scents.
The perfumer says that First Instinct Extreme Eau de Parfum continues the self-aware man’s journey into exciting new sensations that began with the modern fresh fougere and oriental warmth of the original First Instinct Man.
I decided to purchase this fragrance because I had tried a sample at my favorite fragrance store and liked the innovative fragrance list.
What does First Instinct Extreme by Abercrombie & Fitch smell like?
The top notes in First Instinct Extreme are made from carambola (star fruit), pepper, and mandarin leaf. These are followed by the middle notes of violet leaf, sichuan pepper, cardamom, and saffron. Lastly, the base notes are musk, amber, coconut milk, suede, and cashmirwood.
| Top Notes | Carambola (Star Fruit), Pepper, Mandarin Leaf |
| Middle Notes | Violet Leaf, Sichuan Pepper, Cardamom, Saffron |
| Base Notes | Musk, Amber, Coconut Milk, Suede and Cashmirwood |
The combination of mildly fragranced woodsy, earthy, and musky notes creates a tropical, cozy, and energizing atmosphere to match the inspiration behind the fragrance. A mix of warm, spicy, fruity, and aromatic notes made First Instinct Extreme smell even better.
My Experience
I really enjoy the approach that Phillipe Romano takes when creating Abercrombie & Fitch fragrances. He makes a step forward in the composition of aromas by using traditional notes that I see in Abercrombie & Fitch’s items but also innovative ones for male fragrances. Finally, the brand has a new approach to the male fragrance top notes.
Once I put on First Instinct Extreme, I really liked the toned and deep fragrance that felt masculine. Also, it made me quite happy to experience a fragrance that felt perfect for summer while being a bit darker than typical aromas for warm parts of the year.
As the scent sits a bit on the skin, the carambola, pepper, and cardamom combination really pops out. It feels incredible, and everything blends really well. The transition to dry down is smooth, and there’s a familiar scent profile afterwards.
The sweet aroma of carambola is very new for me, as well as for Abercrombie & Fitch’s fragrance. I have tried many of their fragrances, but never one with this note. I always struggled to find a nice, summery fragrance that also felt a bit dark and mysterious, and I think First Instinct Extreme is just that.
The spicy and dark aroma really reminded me of Davidoff’s Cool Water Intense, with some hints of Mont Blanc Legend Intense. Cool Water Intense can be a bit too sharp, whereas Extreme is not. These fragrances reminded me of other Abercrombie & Fitch scents, such as Fierce or First Instinct, so I wasn’t surprised to find similarities with Extreme.
However, I feel like Extreme really lives up to its name since the scent sits nicely on both skin and clothes while its spice can be felt for a long time. The blend is good, so there is no dominance of one over the other, which is great and gives off a unique experience when wearing Extreme. I love when a fragrance is recognizable, so for me, Extreme was a good catch.
However, the heavy and strong aroma was a bit ruined by the musky notes that are present in the base. The muskiness is too present and ruins the sexy undertones that I was going for. Because of this, sometimes First Instinct Extreme feels more like a youthful fragrance than a mature masculine one.
Silage & Projection
First Instinct Extreme has a really good performance. The silage is quite nice and very present, and the projection lasts for a good amount of time. I would say this fragrance has better performance than the typical Abercrombie & Fitch scent.
Longevity & Versatility
I really like the longevity of First Instinct Extreme. It lasted for about 8 hours, and the intensity was present throughout the entire time. A fragrance like this is very suitable for both day and night since it has a rich scent profile. Extreme is also a great summer scent, with each note working well with the others to make it very empowering and pleasant.
Conclusion
First Instinct Extreme is a great blend of the typical designer smell of Abercrombie & Fitch and its own unique personality. I really like the approach of a dark aroma in a fragrance that I often seek to find. More importantly, I was happy to see that a daily summer fragrance can include this type of aroma and yet feel fresh.
The overall experience for me was a bit ruined by the musky finish, but I still felt very confident and masculine wearing it. The rest of the aromas in Extreme were very nicely done, making it very empowering and strong.
The fragrance followed me throughout the day, and I could really feel the inspiration that Phillipe Romano was going for. First Instinct Extreme is definitely worth the money I spent on it, and I will definitely buy it again since it has become one of my favorite summer fragrances.