069 Invictus

069 is Blossom Perfumery's take on Invictus, following the same marine-citrus-to-woody-amber arc that made the original a modern locker-room staple. The opening leans harder into sweetness than the real thing, with grapefruit and mandarin pushed forward over a synthetic-feeling marine accord, so the first twenty minutes read louder and less refined than Paco Rabanne's version. Bay leaf and jasmine keep the aromatic core recognisable through the heart, though the transition feels flatter and more one-dimensional than the original's layered development. The base is where the dupe earns its keep, landing ambergris, guaiac wood, oakmoss and patchouli in roughly the right proportions for a warm, slightly sweet woody finish - it just doesn't project or last as long, fading to skin scent within a few hours where Invictus holds its shape for most of a day. Reasonable for testing the shape of the fragrance or topping up between bottles of the real thing.