Our take
What does Code Ultimate smell like?
Armani Code Ultimate came out in 2012, labelled as an eau de toilette intense. Antoine Maisondieu took the 2004 Armani Code and pushed it toward wood. The opening stays true to the family: grapefruit and mandarin, with star anise adding a licorice touch. The heart is drier. Cedar and cypress give it a resinous, upright feel. Heliotrope and olive blossom, already present in Code, add powder. The base warms things up with vanilla, tonka and smoky guaiac wood. It adds up to a woody oriental for evenings, no louder than the original. Armani Code Profumo is more ambery and sweeter, while Ultimate keeps a straighter posture. Cypress makes all the difference here. It brings a Mediterranean forest smell that the other Codes lack. The star anise also gives it a slightly bitter edge we enjoy.
When to wear it
For autumn and winter evenings with a dark jacket. Three sprays, since longevity is that of an eau de toilette.
It belongs to the Oriental / Amber, Woody family. Code Ultimate is one of 46 creations by Giorgio Armani in our encyclopedia.
