Acqua di Gio by Giorgio Armani

Undoubtedly my favourite fragrance from my youth. I’ve used countless bottles. While any perfume works year-round, this is bottled summer personified. Fresh, seductive and timeless. Thousands of flankers may have been released, but for me, this remains the indisputable Number One of all time. A scent that today drives me absolutely mad. I don’t care if it receives compliments or if some find it old-fashioned… I enjoy it 100%. The last units I bought don’t last as long as the older ones; I’m not sure if it’s my skin or those notorious reformulations… the truth is, I still enjoy it and will buy another when I can. Highly recommended regardless of age. If you like it, go for it.

Acqua Di Giò Pour Homme by Giorgio Armani. There are things that never age, such as fragrances that always surprise. This is a work that appeals to both young people and adults. Acqua Di Giò is a 90s classic that has aged very well. It’s remarkable how it holds up. It’s the salty, intense scent of the sea bottled. It features notes of salt, Calone (that molecule which gives the marine scent) and plenty of water. It’s the fragrance you wear when going shopping on a hot day. I live where temperatures range from 28 to 38 degrees; the heat is intense and I like to wear perfume. I love it because it brings me peace; it’s rich, citrusy, aquatic and very marine. That salty note makes you feel in the middle of a crystal-clear sea in France with the sun burning your skin. It’s the scent of summer, sensational. Those who say it’s old or that there are better flankers… perhaps they are right. But one cannot deny that for a reason it is so chosen. It’s a safe bet for lovers of marine fragrances. It’s versatile: suitable for dates, work, the beach or the pool. Acqua Di Giò, Profondo and Profumo are the best so far. Excellent perfume. Verdict: Scent 9.1/10. Versatility: Very good for heat and dates. Longevity: Not made to last long, but it does its job well for daily wear. Final note: 9.5/10. Negative point: poor longevity.

A fragrance every man should own, rich and refreshing. Summer at its finest. Unfortunately, it doesn’t last more than three hours.

A satisfactory perfume for daily wear in the heat. Doesn’t last or project too much.

It smells so good that my sisters, even though they were in their teens and didn’t want to smell like men, would grab me to use it because they loved it. It’s not a feminine scent, but rather that of a clean, confident man. It doesn’t shout ‘macho’; it’s an aroma that any nose accepts and conveys total confidence.

I see many clueless people here posting reviews without knowing that Aqua Di Gio came out after L’Eau d’Issey Pour Homme (1994) and was clearly inspired by it, or rather, a clone with much better marketing than the original.

I’ll separate scent from longevity. The scent is an infallible classic, like a white shirt: it fits anywhere, from casual to formal. It’s fresh, simple yet elegant, with a masculine character. Men find it familiar, almost like deodorant, so it doesn’t drive us crazy like it does women. However, women of all ages literally sigh when they smell it. As for longevity, it used to be a joke of bad taste that didn’t last even water; now, with the new formula, it lasts 4 or 5 hours on the skin. It’s not a miracle, but you can still smell it after an hour, whereas before it was an insult.

I was born three years after its launch, but I don’t feel it smells outdated. I think it smells of class, a clean man, and a rich citrus. I use it for work; I’m a lawyer, and I believe it’s ad hoc. Its main weakness is the very low longevity, perhaps around 3 hours. If this were different, it would undoubtedly be the perfect fragrance for my daily work life, although I think it also influences the fact that I’m exposed quite a bit to the sun, heat, and sweat.

I love the perfume, and those floral notes give it an elegant touch. 10/10 for lovers of the Aqua di Gio line like me.

Do not underestimate this classic simply because of its age: at first, I thought it was a generic scent and I was wrong. I’ve had the bottle for two months and, for no apparent reason, it’s the one I use most (four times a week). With the heat here, many perfumes become overwhelming, but this Acqua di Gio maintains freshness and sparkle without suffocating. I’m sure I’ll finish it soon and buy it again. The longevity is moderate, around 5-6 hours with 8 sprays, but that’s good for smelling clean without being intrusive. Simple, fresh, green and aquatic notes with a touch of peach and jasmine in the heart; that fruity part is my favourite, although sometimes it gets lost among the freshness of the calone. If you’re not looking for something excessive, it’s perfect: simple, beautiful and a novelty in a world of sweet, heavy scents.

Fantastic perfume! Ideal for cold climates and super special occasions. In my country it’s very expensive to buy, but one day I’ll have the opportunity to do so.

Love at first sniff. It’s not for nothing: it’s the best seller of all perfumery. I bought it about 15 years ago; it was my signature fragrance at university and the girls praised it a lot; I even had five bottles until I switched to Bleu de Chanel at the office. Despite its years, I feel it’s timeless, a classic you must have. I have a bottle with about 15 ml; the last time I used it to watch a football match with my old schoolmates. I have great affection for it, although I use it from time to time out of nostalgia. I recommend it to the new generation.

Very citrusy, it smells a bit soapy and lasts very little. If it lasted another 3 hours, it would be my favourite perfume 😭.

If anyone ever wanted to capture the Mediterranean man and put him in a bottle, they did it with Acqua di Gio. Here he is: effortlessly tanned, shirt unbuttoned to the third button, gaze between melancholic and roguish, with that gift of being liked without asking permission. The first hit is fresh, citrusy, and clean, like the first summer dive into an exclusive cove. Then comes the marine part, that salty breeze you smell after an argument with the waiters on the terrace and still seem charming. Jasmine, rosemary, a pinch of nostalgia… because everything Mediterranean, however cheerful it may seem, carries a small personal drama, generally romantic and poorly resolved. What’s interesting is that it smells like a man without needing to raise his voice. Unlike those gym perfumes that shout testosterone, this whispers conquests on terraces at dusk, political debates with a vermouth, and promises you won’t fully keep. You wear it and look like someone who read Cavafis on a sun lounger, who knows when to stay silent and when to lie with elegance. A type who could have a broken heart and still remember to splash on cologne before going out to dinner. The typical unlucky soul who leaves a mark… and then never writes again. And beware: half of the male humanity has worn it since 1996. The trick is to wear it as if you didn’t know you were wearing it. Like putting on an expensive jacket without looking at the label, because there are other more important things in your head. Or at least you pretend well.

I used to wear this fragrance when I was very young and loved it. My mother gifted me the perfume a few months ago, and the truth is I was hugely disappointed; it lasts and projects nothing. How could this perfume lose so much??? I have tried perfumes from €12 at Mercadona that last and project more. Incredible.