Artisan Blu by John Varvatos

Another sample that I recently picked up with my last order, was Artisan Blu by John Varvatos. I had never come across this particular flanker fragrance from the Artisan line, and was curious, as to how it would smell. This was released in 2016.

So, I’ve been wearing it recently, and gathering my impressions on both its composition and performance. Please continue below for my full thoughts on Artisan Blu.

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What does Artisan Blu Smell Like?

Notes include: lavender, basil, bergamot, bitter orange, chayote, pine, geranium, orange blossom, sage, cedar, patchouli, and more

Click here to try: John Varvatos Artisan Blu Men’s Cologne Spray, 4.2 fl. Oz. EDT

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My Full Wear Review

Before I get into my review, let’s see what John Varvatos says about Artisan Blu: is the ultimate embodiment of crystal blue waters under the warmth of the Mediterranean sun.

Okay, so, we know from the name and the description that we’re in for a sunny aquatic fragrance. The opening is full of citrus, from the bergamot and bitter orange notes.

The bergamot is the stronger of the two, and it does have, that beachy vibe. Sharp citrus with spicy basil and sage, really peaking through, at the top.

So, almost right away, I noticed the similarities between this and Mandarino di Amalfi. I grabbed my sample of that fragrance, put it on my other arm, and compared the two. The Tom Ford, is much more refined, and the citrus is different (lemon and grapefruit).

The main similarities come with the sage and herbal spices that flank the citrus. They’re not exactly the same, but do have some relations.

The spiciness of Artisan Blu, is what keeps it from going into pure citrus territory. Very herbal, with strong basil, some patchouli, and sage with weakens as the wear moves on.

Now, the chayote note, gives this one much of its crisp watery vibe. The water isn’t completely like salt water or anything, but it does give a slight marine-like aroma.

As it dries down, the lavender comes out, and also a very dry woody combo of pine and cedar. The further along in the wear I get, the soapier the blend becomes. Much more green than the initial tropical blue citrus impression, my mind went to.

Ultimately, I get lots of bergamot, lavender, pine, basil, chayote. Wrapped all together it is a zesty freshness with soapy qualities. The citrus is still the standout for the entire wear.

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Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage is honestly, not great. It’s pretty good for about an hour or so, and then, falls off of the map pretty much. Artisan Blu pretty quickly and consistently moves into skin scent territory.

That skin scent, seems to last for around 4-5 hours, before evaporating. Yeah, the performance isn’t great. That is a pretty common theme with a lot of Varvatos fragrances.

None of them have good performance, some are okay, and a whole bunch just fail completely at this price point. It’s a shame, because they are unique and often nice smelling colognes.

Seasonally, this one is late spring and summertime all the way. Very semi-casual or casual sort of scent, to wear on a warm day outdoors or to the office when it is nice out. Probably best worn by men mid-20s and up versus something that a teen guy would put on.

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Overall Impressions of Artisan Blu

Overall, do I like Artisan Blu? I like the smell, it is quite pleasant. The citrus top is great and I like the later contrast with the pine note.

It is an interesting composition, which adds depth to the usual summertime citrus. The basil and sage combination isn’t something that I’m too excited about in this one. Also, I wish it was more of a citrus aquatic rather than drying down into soapy woods.

Blu is nice enough, it’s clean. Is it amazing? No. The performance leave a lot to be desired both in power and longevity. If it did better in those respects, this would be a great summer option, for day wear.

As it stands, maybe grab it, if you can buy at a heavy discount and reapply. However, I always see this at a higher retail price of around $100 or so (currently), which is way too much versus what you’re getting out of this one. With better performance? Maybe. Just not the way it actually is.