First Instinct Man Abercrombie & Fitch

First Instinct Man arrives as a peculiar hybrid—simultaneously a cocktail hour aperitif and a skincare ingredient masquerading as fragrance. Philippe Romano has crafted something aggressively fresh, almost to the point of artificiality, where the kiwano (that spiky, pale green melon) creates a watery, slightly astringent opening that feels more botanical than fruity. The gin tonic accord doesn't settle into a recognisable cocktail; instead, it manifests as a sharp herbal brightness, as if someone has diffused juniper and tonic water through a laboratory filter.

What initially reads as a flirty, summery composition unravels into something more conflicted once the heart notes unfold. Violet leaf—that green, slightly peppery facet rather than sweet violet—collides with Sichuan pepper's tingling, almost numbing spice, creating an uncomfortable prickling sensation that sits uneasily atop the remaining citrus notes. There's a synthetic quality here that the accords substantiate at 64%; it feels like wearing a fragrance designed by algorithm rather than emotion, where every note is calibrated but nothing coheres naturally.