Giorgio Armani released Attitude in 2007 as a men’s eau de toilette composed by three heavyweights of mainstream perfumery: Alberto Morillas, Annick Menardo, and Olivier Cresp. Despite that pedigree, the fragrance never became a pillar for the brand, and Armani eventually discontinued it. Today it survives as a cult mention on forums and a frequent request for clones, which says more about its unusual coffee-led profile than about its commercial success.
What Does Giorgio Armani Attitude Smell Like?
The opening is the most distinctive part. Roasted coffee arrives immediately alongside bright Sicilian lemon, and the pairing is genuinely odd at first sniff. Some people find the citrus sharpens the coffee into something energizing; others feel the two notes clash, and early reviews were split exactly along those lines. Give it ten minutes and the tension resolves.
The heart brings recognizable lavender and dry cardamom. This is where Attitude earns its aromatic classification: the lavender reads clean and slightly barbershop, while the cardamom keeps things spicy without tipping into dessert territory. Despite the coffee note, this is not a gourmand. Nothing here smells like syrup or pastry.
The drydown is the best phase. Patchouli and cedar provide earthy structure, amber adds warmth, and opoponax lends a smooth, faintly balsamic resin quality that rounds everything off. On skin the final hours smell like polished wood dusted with soft amber and a fading trace of coffee. Wearers who stick with it consistently praise this stage over the loud opening.
Performance
Attitude performs like a typical mid-2000s designer eau de toilette, meaning modestly. Expect 5 to 8 hours of longevity on skin, with the first hour projecting moderately before the scent sits close to the body. Sillage during the opening can be noticeable if you overspray, but restraint works better here. Two to three sprays on the neck and chest cover an evening comfortably.
The weakness cuts both ways. Nobody will complain about being suffocated, but colleagues will likely stop smelling it on you by mid-afternoon. For a fragrance that now trades on the grey market between roughly $100 and $180 per 100ml bottle, that level of performance is hard to defend on value alone. Its price reflects scarcity from discontinuation, not superior strength.
Best Clone Or Alternative
Perfume Parlour Milan Style For Men - 0018 is the practical substitute. The UK oil house lists it as containing notes similar to Armani Attitude, and the resemblance covers the important ground: the aromatic coffee-and-lavender character, the spicy middle, and the warm woody amber finish. A 50ml eau de parfum spray costs around £18, which makes the math simple when authentic bottles command collector prices.
The tradeoffs are real but minor. The clone leans slightly sweeter and less seamlessly blended in the base, where Attitude’s opoponax gives the original a smoother resinous glide. Longevity on the Perfume Parlour version is comparable or better thanks to its higher concentration.
Buyers in the United States have another route: Alexandria Fragrances makes Egyptian Attitude, an inspired-by version that has drawn strong feedback from people who owned the original, with several reviewers calling it the closest match they have found since Attitude was discontinued. It costs $79.99 for 60ml, so it sits between the budget clone and grey-market bottles. Whichever house you choose, expect roughly 80 to 90 percent of the original’s character rather than a perfect copy.
When To Wear It
Attitude behaves like a cool-weather evening scent. Fall and winter suit it best, and spring days with a chill work too; heat pushes the lemon-coffee opening into harsh territory. Occasions lean dressy: dinners, date nights, office events in colder months. It reads mature and put-together rather than sporty.
Who Should Buy It
Buy it if you specifically want a warm spicy coffee fragrance with a classic masculine backbone and you enjoy hunting discontinued designers. Fans of scents like Polo Double Black or other coffee-driven masculines from the same era will recognize the family DNA and may prefer Attitude’s drier finish.
Who Should Skip It
Skip the original if price matters, since grey-market markup buys you moderate performance and a dated bottle design with a famously flimsy flip cap. Anyone sensitive to lavender or bitter citrus should sample first, because the opening polarizes. If you just want the smell, get the Perfume Parlour clone.
Final Verdict
Attitude deserves its small cult following. The coffee, lavender, cardamom, and amber-opoponax base combine into something warmer and more elegant than most 2007 designers managed. But discontinuation turned a once-affordable department store scent into a priced-up curiosity. Unless collecting the original matters to you, Milan Style For Men - 0018 delivers the experience for a tenth of the cost.