Artisan Acqua by John Varvatos

Having completed a review of Artisan by John Varvatos last month, I thought it would be a good idea to review the sample of Artisan Acqua which I tried out this week. I think that John Varvatos makes some really nice fragrances that are usually masculine and at least somewhat unique from most other popular cologne choices out there. Does Artisan Acqua, fit the mold of the Varvatos legacy or does it fail to meet expectations? Read on to find out. Note: I am updating this review, some 4 years on, to flesh things out some more about Acqua.

What does Artisan Acqua Smell Like?

Notes include: mandarin orange, tangelo, lavender. sage, musk, coriander, and others

Click here to try: John Varvatos Artisan Acqua Cologne For Men 2.5 oz Eau De Toilette Spray

My Full Review

Artisan Acqua is a bit of a different take on the original Artisan fragrance. This one is obviously an aquatic style men’s fragrance, but more of a citric and spicy take on the genre.  My first impressions of Acqua were of how clean and fresh it is and how much it reminds me of an aftershave.

It also invokes ideas of the sea or the summertime, which is probably when it is best suited for use. Even if it doesn’t have any real marine or oceanic notes to its composition, the effect of the tangelo and citrus accord give this a watery/juicy touch.

Acqua opens up with the citrus notes (mandarin and tangelo), along with some clean herbal/floral ingredients. It’s got that aquatic scent for sure, but it also has that underlying aftershave type of cleanly smell.

It’s a bit spicy, with some great smelling earthiness, underneath that traditional summertime citrus juicy top. Mastic and the fir do give this one a resinous quality at times.

After a bit, it settles down into a greener fragrance rather than the aquatic/citrusy blend that was first introduced to my nostrils. Again, Varvatos delivers a fragrance that has the classically masculine quality to it and not to mention how cool the bottle looks.

I actually pick up a lot of sage and lavender, plus some other herbal-like notes, that I cannot really distinguish from one another. The final drydown is a lot less of the citrus juicy/watery and more of that clean woodsy and slightly green aftershave vibe.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

My qualms with this scent, like so many others before it, comes down to its longevity and projection. Artisan Acqua to me rates rather poor to mediocre in this regard. It is a softer type of fragrance and it doesn’t lend itself well to projecting outwards.

Meaning, after a little while someone would need to be extremely close in order to smell it. Not very good sillage, even during the opening act. But, at least that is fairly detectable and this one quickly becomes a skin scent for me.

Out of all the times that I have tried this fragrance, I can simply not get it to perform.

Also, it seems to last about 3-4 hours on my skin and only performs up to par during those first two. This seems to be a common theme with many Varvatos fragrances. Nice smell, meh performance.

Some of the others might get me a few more hours than this. Acqua is particularly egregious with how disappointing the performance is.

It would again, be best worn in the summer months or late springtime. It’s more of a casual sort of wear, than anything formal or built for the nightlife.

As a daily wear, it could have a place also. Assuming that you have better luck with its longevity than I do.

Overall Impressions of Artisan Acqua

Is it a bad smelling cologne? No, I really like its scent. Though, admittedly, it isn’t one which blows me away either. It is enjoyable but it’s weakness doesn’t merit its inclusion as a day to day or even special occasion fragrance for me.

What I do like about it, is that Artisan Acqua, goes in a different direction from the traditional aquatic cologne. It has the juicy citrus opening, but from the start introduces floral notes, spice, and an earthiness.

But, it can be a let down, if you were expecting something oceanic or beachy in its presentation.

The change of pace is great. Again, the performance is what was disappointing for me. If this had more intensity or staying power, it’d probably be a popular warm weather wear.

It’s ultimately more of a woodsy green and herbal blend. That initial tangelo watery aspect fades and it’s just more of an aftershave sort of smell. Nothing crazy groundbreaking, bad performance, but pleasant overall.

Best Men's Colognes

Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.