While both share citrus and woody notes, Montblanc's Explorer Ultra Blue offers a more refined, longer-lasting experience. Encode Blue, despite its similar aspirations, may fall short in performance and complexity. Explorer Ultra Blue's blend of sparkling citrus and salty accords creates a crisper, more polished impression, suitable for daily confidence. Encode Blue leans towards a simpler, shower-gel-like profile, potentially better for casual or gym use if you accept the performance issues. Price is a major difference. Explorer Ultra Blue wins out on quality and longevity, justifying the mid-tier price.
ScentArt
Which Should You Buy?
- You want a reliable, long-lasting aquatic fragrance.
- You appreciate a crisp and clean profile.
- You prefer a well-blended, high-quality scent.
- You want a versatile fragrance for daily wear.
- You're on a very tight budget.
- You need a fragrance solely for the gym.
- You like very simple, linear scents.
- You don't mind reapplying frequently.
A brisk, modern aquatic with sparkling citrus and salty blue accents. Explorer Ultra Blue is perfect for daily wear when you want to feel crisp, clean and effortlessly confident.
This one's a bit of a mixed bag. Some reckon it's a decent, fresh blue scent for the price, others find it a generic shower gel let-down with poor performance. Don't expect miracles, but it might do for gym or casual sprints.
Scent Profile
| Citrus | 10% | 12% |
| Floral | 5% | 5% |
| Fruity | 12% | 12% |
| Green | 2% | 2% |
| Sweet | 7% | 7% |
| Warm | 10% | 9% |
| Woody | 17% | 17% |
| Earthy | 20% | 17% |
| Animalic | 19% | 21% |
| Fresh | 26% | 26% |
Mood
Notes
Top Notes
Top Notes
Heart Notes
Heart Notes
Base Notes
Base Notes
Accords
Performance
Season and Occasion Fit
Seasons
The vibrant citrus, aquatic and ozonic notes make this fragrance ideal for warm weather, particularly spring and summer, while it lacks the warmth and density required for colder winter days.
Occasions
Its fresh, clean and non-intrusive character is perfect for daytime, office and casual use, while moderate projection and versatility also work for sporty occasions. Less suited to formal evening wear.
Seasons
A warm-weather pick - at its best in summer and spring.
Occasions
Its fresh, aquatic nature makes it perfect for casual wear and sport. The general consensus on moderate performance means it's suitable for office wear without being overpowering, but it lacks the depth for formal events or a romantic date.
Similarity Breakdown
Both share Citrus, Woody accords and Bergamot, Pink Pepper notes
Different accord profile
Where to buy
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