Explorer Ultra Blue 
Montblanc (2021)

The initial reaction to Montblanc Explorer Ultra Blue (2021) from "FragBros" is really no different than what it was to the original Montblanc Explorer (2019), cocky self-assured dismissal and smarmy jokes aimed at the stuff as if their reputations for being cool and unrepentantly sexy cologne gurus were at risk by saying anything other than it sucks. Just like with the original Explorer, I also expect most of their opinions to do a complete 180 the instant Ultra Blue gets any traction among their viewers or peers, since by that point the tables will turn, and they risk their "Smartly-Dressed Sex God Fragrance Sage" status with the hypebeast/sneakerhead/influencer crossover culture that celebrates vapidity as if it were genius. That said, Explorer Ultra Blue is a nice modern aquatic dosed at eau de parfum strength, nothing spectacular maybe, but nice enough that it at least deserves the same respect as any well-made Polo Blue (2002) flanker (or flanker of a flanker to be technical) deserves in this day and age. I'd personally wear this over any Bvlgari Aqva pour Homme (2005) flanker, as at least it shows some depth beyond "hurr durr smell like ocean and stuff" which is how I've always interpreted the seemingly intentional banality of that line.

Explorer was how it basically took an accord or emerging genre/style, one that had for a decade been the realm of high-end luxury niche fragrance purveyors or their clones and "democratized" it as the hoity-toity elites bemoaned, creating something everyone could reasonably enjoy without the stigma of buying a "clone brand" if such a thing was beneath their dignity. The fact Explorer cut loose the luxury fettering and paired down the style it emulated into something drier, and argubaly became something more versatile and approachable was not lost either, and Ultra Blue shows more exploration of that "DNA". The top notes are the usual juicy aquatic fare, with bergamot and our good old friend calone-1951 adding some fruity melon zing while the usual aquatic aromachemicals standardized since the 80's also enter the picture. The ozonic and salty zip of "sea notes" are boosted by hedione high-cis and ambroxan, referencing Acqua di Giò pour Homme by Giorgio Armani (1996) nicely. The base is pretty much cut and paste Explorer dry down, which is the core of akigalawood and sclarene (from clary sage) mixed with some ambrocenide woodiness. Ultra Blue doesn't go as heavy on the patchouli vibe and doesn't have any noticeable vetiver, but it smells like part of the Explorer family tree, which is something any decent flanker wants to achieve. Wear time is about 10 hours and projection is moderate, being best as a casual summer fling as per most aquatic marketing suggestions.

I guess the reason why the YouTuber Bro Choir doesn't want to like this stuff is Ultra Blue is just too on-the-nose as an aquatic flanker to Explorer, and they like to pretend that everything likeable as some huge hook to it or deeper sense of fufilment even if it really doesn't, so they can at least seem like they are selling you on something that will place you above the casual fragrance user. Montblanc Explorer Ultra Blue as perfumed by a returning team of Olivier Pescheaux, Antoine Maisondieu, and Jordi Fernández doesn't pretend to reinvent the wheel or even the aquatic, and just simply -is- an aquatic interpretation of the original Montblanc Explorer, which itself was -just- a sportier downmarket interpretation of the DNA found in Creed Aventus (2010). As this DNA gets further disseminated and placed into everything from fougère and oriental hybrids to fruity floral chypres, the "FragBros" are going to see less and less of their worshipped star Aventus in these scents, and they can stay mad in my opinion. How many generations of breeding with commoners does it take before noble blood isn't? Don't answer that, you get my point. If you like Montblanc Explorer Ultra Blue and can have it as a good discount, enjoy it for what it is instead of being ashamed to like it for what it's not. Thumbs up