The Best Fragrances Flankers Prove That Instant Classics Can Use an Upgrade
“Flanker” is a divisive word in perfumery. We’ve all seen the endless Sport and Extreme variations, where a designer house tweaks a couple of notes on an already popular fragrance, tacks on a new name, and rolls out another addition to the line at a headache-inducing cadence. The term conjures images of overly alcohol-laden, generic fumes written off as cash grabs that ride a familiar hit instead of meaningfully or artistically evolving it.
But that reaction flattens the conversation. And while some of the skepticism is warranted, there’s far more nuance here than the opening notes might suggest. Many thoughtful reimaginings have gone on to become some of the most enduring and compelling “flankers” in modern perfumery. As Carlos Huber, fragrance developer and founder of Arquiste, explains, “the word flanker still carries baggage in the niche world, but when done with intelligence and restraint, they’re no longer seen as lowbrow, but as a legitimate creative tool.” Heck, many of Fragrantica’s 2025 Readers’ Choice Award winners were flankers, some of which we dive into below, so clearly there is a devoted fanbase.
What separates a fantastic flanker from a forgettable one comes down to intent and artistry. As Carlos puts it, “it isn’t built just to extend shelf life or capitalize on a familiar name. It exists because there’s something unresolved, or newly relevant, within the original idea.” At their best, flankers are a considered progression where “the balance shifts, the tension changes, and the materials are allowed to speak differently,” whether that means rethinking the scent pyramid, amplifying certain notes, or a new olfactory lane while keeping the OG DNA intact.
Extraits and absolutes, however, live in a more considered space and tend to resonate especially strongly with fragrance heads. As Carlos puts it, “concentration shifts are like adjusting the lighting in a room you already know, revealing textures and details that were always there. Higher concentrations allow a fragrance to slow down, letting raw materials unfold with more gravity and intimacy.” Whether labeled absolu, extrait, or parfum, these fragrances don’t just shift concentration; they deepen the conversation.
Flankers are often associated with designer houses you likely know, but thoughtful reimagining’s are universal, spanning luxury players and mass-appeal brands alike. The best flankers are evolutions, proof that a familiar idea, when handled with care, can be just as intoxicating as the original or, as Carlos puts it, “even eclipse (it), not because it replaces, but because it reveals its essence more clearly.” That’s when it stops feeling secondary and becomes a statement in its own right. Below, twelve of the best flankers, evolutions, and extraits, from recent standouts to modern classics.
The Best Fragrance Flankers, According to GQ
Best Overall Flanker: Creed Absolu Aventus
Aventus is a stone-cold classic, a signature scent, a Roman Empire–level fragrance, minus the decline. The intoxicating woody-fruity chypre has served as a gateway into finer fragrance for countless guys. That said, it’s undeniably ubiquitous, and while I’ll always ride or die for the original, I equally admire Aventus Absolu, its darker, moodier, more mysterious cousin. Where the original leans fruit-and-woods-forward, Absolu opens with subtle sweet nods to that familiar DNA but dries down into a spicier, woodier blend of patchouli, vetiver, labdanum, and cinnamon for warmth and complexity without sacrificing the opulent wearability that made Aventus iconic. The all-black matte bottle completes the vibe, reinforcing its richer tone with an evening-leaning elegance and a commanding presence to match. You’ll keep catching new facets as you absentmindedly sniff your shirt, because it really is that good. Once a limited release and now a permanent fixture, it’s not exactly wallet-friendly, but as a reinvented modern classic in its own right, it’s worth every (s)cent.
