First Instinct

First Instinct, inspired by Abercrombie & Fitch First Instinct for men (2016)

The top is built around gin and tonic water with Kiwano melon, the spiky horned melon, which adds a watery, lightly sweet fruit note. Violet leaf in the heart is green and leafy rather than floral, and Sichuan pepper brings a tingling, citrusy spice. Suede and musk make the base smooth, with amber giving it a little roundness.

About the original

Abercrombie & Fitch launched First Instinct in 2016, with the composition usually credited to Philippe Romano. It became the start of a series: First Instinct for Her arrived in 2017, Blue and Extreme in 2018, Sheer in 2019 and Together in 2020. This page is the original men's eau de toilette. It is no longer listed on the brand's cologne page, and retailers report it as unavailable.

Our version

Ours is an independent eau de parfum made to evoke the same character. It is not Abercrombie & Fitch stock, not an official relaunch and not the original formula.

Who it suits

Men drawn to ozonic, watery scents with a touch of fruit are the natural audience. Its sweetness comes from the melon, so buyers who dislike fruity notes in men's fragrance may prefer something drier, such as Fierce.

Related scents

• Abercrombie & Fitch Fierce
• Abercrombie & Fitch Fierce Icon

Notes of the original fragrance, as listed in fragrance references.

Top notes: Melon, Tonic Water, Gin

Heart notes: Violet Leaf, Sichuan Pepper, Citruses

Base notes: Musk, Suede, Amber

Melon and tonic water form the opening with gin, fresh and lightly sweet with a fizzy bitterness from the tonic.

Violet leaf and Sichuan pepper make up the heart alongside citrus, green and tingling rather than floral.

Musk and suede lead the base, with amber underneath.

Is First Instinct discontinued?

It is no longer listed by Abercrombie & Fitch, and retailers show the men's eau de toilette as unavailable. We have not found an official statement from the brand.

Is this First Instinct or First Instinct Blue?

This is the original 2016 men's First Instinct. Blue, Extreme and the women's First Instinct for Her are separate flankers.

Is Abercrombie & Fitch First Instinct coming back?

So far, we have found no announcement from Abercrombie & Fitch that it will return. Our version is an eau de parfum in 50 ml or 100 ml.

Inside the EU, delivery is free on orders of €49 or more. Below that it is a flat €4.99. Outside the EU, delivery is a flat €4.99 on every order. We send every order in 1 to 2 working days. It arrives in 3 to 7 days across the EU and in 7 to 14 days outside the EU. You have 14 days to return an unopened bottle.

Abercrombie & Fitch and First Instinct are trademarks of their respective owners, and all rights remain with them. Parfumour is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or connected to Abercrombie & Fitch in any way, and no business relationship of any kind is implied. Our product is an original interpretation created to evoke a similar scent profile, and the trademark names are used purely for honest, descriptive comparison, so that you can quickly identify the style and fragrance family you are looking for. We make no claim to sell the original product, and we do not use the same ingredients or formula. Any similarity lies in the overall impression of the scent as interpreted by our own perfumers, not in the source materials.