Aviance Night Musk Review- A 1980's Fragrance Flashback

Aviance Night Musk Cologne Spray 2.6 oz.

When I think about the many reasons why I love perfume, one is the tantalizing image they portray. Like others, I  can find myself caught up by the fantasy that perfume marketers try to tempt us with. I can't think of a better example than Aviance.  Although the original came out in the 1970's, the night musk version hit the shelves in the early 1980's.

When I was growing up, there was always some delicious smelling scent from Prince Matchabelli around. Windsong and Cachet are two that come to mind.

Aviance Night Musk Bottle Design

Like a pigeon standing at attention, the bottle is top heavy, yet has that distinctive crown logo that marks the Prince Matchabelli line. Because of its flat profile, wide top and small base, it falls over  quite frequently.


The Fragrance Notes

From online sources, the night musk version is described as a fragrant blend of Rose, jasmine, lavender, cloves, cinnamon, citrus and apple. * Nobody mentioned musk!*


Aviance Night Musk In Real Time

• Sniffing The Cap Impression-An unusual kind of apple-spice with a slight floral in the background. Weird is what comes to mind.
• On First Spray-The first spray comes out strongly of alcohol, then I am hit with some type of spiced lavender and a tad of cinnamon scented roses.
• After 15 Minutes-Okay, here comes some of those roses, a bit of jasmine and perhaps some other floral notes.
• After 30 Minutes-The only way to describe it is what a barrel of rotten apples smells like after being thrown into a fire.
• Complete Dry-down- Wouldn't you know that the perfumes you find the stinkiest last the longest? On my skin, this scent dries down to a putrid blend of pomander balls and plastic bags.

What I Like About It

If I could name one thing positive about this scent it's the memories of old-school scents and those unforgettable commercials that made us rush out to buy them. Okay, I can give it a second like; it's perfect for noses seeking to sniff unique combos of notes.


What I Don't Like

I find it slightly tacky that Prince Matchabelli puts different perfumes into the same bottle type. You will find that Windsong comes in the same exact bottle style.Sadly, there is much to dislike about this one.

In my opinion, Aviance Night Musk is all over the place. It isn't a spice, nor a floral, nor a fruit scent.  I sniffed high and low for the musk, but never found it. It's just plain strange and doesn't work for me. By now you may be wondering if I dislike it so much, why is my bottle is almost empty? Every once in awhile, I will "visit" it hoping for a more pleasant bloom that never happens. This is what happens when a perfume addict refuses to face ( or smell) reality.


My Recommendations

You stink!

If you are a die-hard collector of vintage perfumes, you might enjoy having this in your collection. However, in my honest opinion, it isn't worth what people are selling it for these days; especially on eBay.

It's a strange name, Aviance Night Musk. There is nothing musky about it. Perhaps it is best for night so people don't recognize you as you waft by smelling of rotten campfire apples.