Cologne Reviews

Artisan Acqua by John Varvatos

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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.

Pacific Chill by Louis Vuitton

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Pacific Chill is a new perfume release from Louis Vuitton for 2023. I bought a sample of this scent, as soon as I saw one available, because I really wanted to try it out. I’ve like a lot of the brand’s summertime fragrances and hoped that this one is a hit too. How does it smell? Does Pacific Chill last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Pacific Chill Smell Like?

Notes include: blackcurrant, lemon, orange, ambrette, cedar, coriander, basil, carrot seeds, peppermint

My Full Review

Here’s how Louis Vuitton describes it: Evoking the regenerative vigor of the infinite ocean, Pacific Chill translates the pleasure of the warmth of a new day on the skin. An audacious olfactory creation by Master Perfumer Jacques Cavallier Belletrud, this detox-oriented cologne captures nature’s vitality which revives the senses and opens the mind.

Pacific Chill opens up cold, sharp, and very fresh. The citrus notes lead the way, but I get a lot of greener notes involved early on, on my skin. The peppermint, coriander, and basil right away give this fragrance a lot of flavor and makes the opening act quite interesting.

To me, the peppermint is the strongest of the latter three notes and the other two just sort of play background support. That will shift and the basil, will come out more in replacement of that mint note.

Blackcurrant only adds to the sweet-tart kind of vibe that Chill puts out.

After a short while, the mint and blackcurrant notes back off. Pacific chill will be a citrus and basil based fragrance. The orange and citron are distinct on my skin and there is that apricot-like effect coming in, as well. Louis Vuitton doesn’t officially list that as a note, on the page that I saw but something similar is present at least.

Still kind of cool and icy drink vibes. Kind of spicy fresh still, with a greater musk cleanliness than in that initial spray.

Early, this has a refreshing drink feel to it. Later, Pacific Chill is more of a clean shampoo sort of scent. The fruit notes kind of combine into a amalgamated citrus and apricot smell, with the carrot seeds and ambrette giving it a muskiness.

Peppermint and basil are basically non-factors by this point. Fruity clean with a bit of sweetness, but more of a tartness, however.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Pacific Chill opens like an absolute bomb, on my skin. Seriously, this one envelops me in a cloud of iced fragrance for about an hour. Then, it kind of goes into a lighter moderate mode.

It’s certainly got a steep drop off from what it starts off like versus how it finishes, but I was surprised I even got that much of a loud projection. Should give you a nice scent trail.

Even in that lighter state, Chill doesn’t fade away, and carries on. I get about 7.5 hours of wear. With more sprays from a full bottle, I wouldn’t be shocked to hit 9, but 7.5 is about what I expect.

Seasonally, this is spring and summer all the way. Very much a warm weather fragrance, fruity citrus greenery.

Pacific Chill is unisex, but I’d say leans more feminine. Doesn’t entirely stray into the zone, but the fruity shampoo aspects of it certainly push it that way. It also feels a lot more youthful than the other LV summer fragrances. Not a super mature fragrance, kind of like a refined teenager’s perfume.

This one is more for daytime casual wear, anyway. Not going to be something for the nightlife or even formal wear during the summer. So, even if it is somewhat immature, it should be too much of an issue.

Overall Impressions of Pacific Chill

Overall, do I like Pacific Chill? I certainly liked the opening act. When I first sprayed this perfume, it really grabbed my attention. Not that it was a complete love for me, but it was very unique and interesting.

But, even with that being the case. That sharpness can be bothersome at times and not always what I want to smell. Though, the way it comes across as a cold and refreshing drink is really great.

The back half of this fragrance? It’s fine. It has too much of that fruity shampoo aroma for my liking. On the whole, while this is a unisex scent, it does seem to skew towards being something a younger woman would wear.

Personally, I think Vuitton scents like: Afternoon Swim, Cactus Garden, and City of Stars are better overall than Pacific Chill.

For the current $300 price tag, I think it’s too much of a stretch for most people. I don’t think that Pacific Chill is going to be a Louis Vuitton fragrance that is universally beloved. For some folks, sure. I think that it’s worth trying to see if you fall into that camp or not.

That being said, it won’t be a must-have for most people.

Vert des Bois by Tom Ford

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Getting back into the Tom Ford fragrance reviews, today, we have another one from the Private Blend collection: Vert des Bois. This is one of the offerings from the ‘Vert’ series, on fragrances which really focus on the green notes. How does this one stack up? What does Vert des Bois smell like? How long does it last? Is it worth a try?

What does Vert des Bois Smell Like?

Notes include: plum, olive leaf, poplar, anise, jasmine, mastic, and patchouli

Click here to try: TOM FORD VERT DES BOIS EAU DE PARFUM SPRAY 1.7 oz / 50 ML

My Full Review

The opening of Vert des Bois is very green, as you’d expect from the name. Poplar buds and olive leaf are joined by a distinct anise note and a healthy dose of patchouli. At the heart is a solid wood structure, but at the start, there is a sweet plum note, and a bit of the oily olive smell.

I know, it sounds weird and shouldn’t work, but it actually does. It’s listed as a part of an ouzo accord, which while I am familiar with the name, I’ve never actually had. So, I can’t really speak to its aroma.

The plum note isn’t around for too long and isn’t all that strong while it is. I thought it might play a stronger role, when I saw the ingredients list, but nope.

Vert des Bois is quite a natural smelling fragrance, and about 20 minutes into the wear, I get the emergence of a jasmine note, which takes away some of the initial spiciness of the anise. At this point, it is a smooth wood and floral combination, with that olive leaf and the patchouli.

There’s also a really great smoky note that is sitting gently in the background of this perfume, which adds another level to the rich Greek nature theme.

From there on, this Private Blend scent, stays roughly on the same path. The jasmine weakens and it becomes more wood dominant, with the poplar really taking hold. It is flanked by olive and patchouli, among some other woodsy aromas.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage on Vert des Bois, isn’t terribly strong. It strikes me as more of a moderate, but it is noticeable, and consistent throughout the wear.

That initial 30-45 minutes does create a nice enough scent trail. It’ll probably reach in the 5-8 foot range, at its peak, before retreating closer.

The longevity is really good. I got somewhere in the 8-10 hour range of wear, I kind of lost track, but it was going strong well into the evening. I wouldn’t doubt the ability to routinely get double digit hours. You do get your money’s worth in terms of the performance.

So, Vert des Bois, is very green but it doesn’t seem like it falls strictly into the spring or winter months for wear. I had it on during a warm spring day and it worked fine, without issue.

It is also definitely a unisex fragrance for most of the time, pretty much square in the middle of the spectrum, not overly manly or feminine. Then, it does dry down quite woody, and masculine. Another well blended Tom Ford scent.

Overall Impressions of Vert des Bois

Overall, do I like Vert des Bois? I do. Though, it is much more of a niche scent, than many others that I review here. It is a really unique fragrance, that captures a natural Mediterranean woods concept very well, but I’m not sure who it is for specifically.

Someone will have to be in the market specifically for what this offers, because while it does what its designed to very well, it’s not a mass appeal sort of scent. If you like green, woody, with notes you’d associate with Greece, Vert des Bois is a great choice.

The performance is great. I enjoy the mix of unique notes, which often don’t get used or at least not paired together. It’s for sure one of the more unique mainstream designer offerings.

The olive tree wood, the great anise, mastic, and even a little plum. It does become more of a traditional jasmine and woods aroma, as it dries down. But, it’s still uniquely attractive, fresh, and with a smoky background.

Not one for the masses, but a cool option to wear from Tom Ford.

Open Road EDT by Coach

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Open Road was a release from Coach in 2022. I wasn’t aware of this fragrance until I had the opportunity to buy a sample and just added it to my cart. It hasn’t seemed to get very much attention thus far, but is that a mistake? How does Open Road Smell? Is it actually worth a try?

What does Open Road by Coach Smell Like?

Notes include: lemon, red apple, lavender, Sichuan pepper, sage, vetiver, cedar, patchouli

My Full Wear Review

Here’s how Coach describes it: inspired by a road trip along the American coastline and the thrill of living for adventure. Woody and aromatic, it combines energizing Sichuan pepper with notes of lavender and vetiver.

Open Road does indeed open up with an aromatic freshness to it, but paired with the early Sichuan pepper spice. It’s got a crisp feeling from the light apple note that is present, even though, the lemon is the leader between those two.

The fruit notes are present, but this one doesn’t have too much juiciness and isn’t very sweet. More of a sharp lemon with that softer crisp apple. It is balanced with the pepper, calming lavender, and an earthiness from patchouli and emerging vetiver early on.

The patchouli is very light in the mix and only seems to be around for the first 20 minutes or so on my skin.

The next phase the lavender and Sichuan take over the main focus of the cologne. It’ll move more into its woody phase, but the top notes will have to burn off some more before the vetiver really comes into its own.

I’m surprised that the lavender doesn’t just dominate on my skin, but it is more of a shared power with the spiciness for this phase. Sage seems to peak through for a little while, just not an insane burst of the stuff or anything.

After maybe an hour, you’ve pretty much entered the dry down where vetiver reigns supreme. This gets very woody and clean, less spicy, and pretty straightforward and pleasant. Vetiver, lavender, and cedar are most of what I’m getting.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this is a lighter moderate fragrance. Not going to completely envelope you and leave a long trail, but its detectable and has a decent reach off of the skin. Open Road is one that you’ll sort of forget that you’re wear and then randomly catch a whiff of, hours into the wear.

I get about 7-7.5 hours of wear with this one from Coach. If you’ve ever tried any other fragrances from this brand, it’s about what they all seem to provide. Not terrible performance, just a tad above average, but never elite.

Seasonally, this is almost a year round wear. It’s very nice in the moderate temperatures that we’ve been having this week in spring. It could probably do quite well in warmer weather too. The extremes either way, might not be ideal, however.

It’s super versatile. Mostly for daytime use. But, within that it can go from casual situations to work. Not very luxurious or super formal. However, as something for when you just want to smell fresh and not have to overthink it, Open Road does the job.

Overall Impressions of Open Road

Overall, do I like Open Road? The opening act is pretty mid, but I do like that dry down. Even if it is super simple and not too original. This gets compared to K EDT by D&G, which I also have a sample of right now. They are fairly close, but K is a tad better to me.

This one is super basic, but I definitely don’t hate it at all. Sure, the lemon and Sichuan are kind of annoying up top, that’s the worst of it though.

The rest of the wear is pleasant and just a clean woody aromatic fragrance. It did have me sniffing my arm, every so often, because of how nice it was the other day.

The performance is nothing to brag about, though, it’s pretty good. I don’t think that this one is particularly a gem, but it might be worth checking out for some guys. The price has already dropped at some of the discount sites, so, you’ll probably be snagging a decent deal if you do want to check Open Road out.

Select Night by Mercedes-Benz

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Select Night is one of the fragrance releases from Mercedes-Benz which has enjoyed some popularity since its release in 2019. It was one of the colognes from the brand that I bought a decant of months back, so that I could test out and see if it actually deserves the attention. How does Select Night actually smell? Is it worth a try?

What does Mercedes-Benz Select Night Smell Like?

Notes include: cardamom, lavender, bergamot,  vanilla, orange blossom, guaiac wood, cedar, sandalwood, patchouli

Click here to try: Select Night

My Full Review

Select Night starts off with a pretty hefty dose of cardamom in the opening act. The spice hits hard, but still feels somewhat tempered by notes like lavender and vanilla. Early on the lavender has the upper hand, but towards the end, the vanilla will take over the top spot.

Still, the cardamom reigns supreme in the opening act. It actually has a fizziness to it which reminds me of Armani Code Profumo. Mainly, I think its the way the orange blossom and vanilla are interacting in the mix.

Beyond the spice, Select Night has that same sort of sweetness in the mix, as the other colognes that it gets compared to. To me, that’s its least appealing aspect, as the sweetness smells kind cheap in this blend for some reason.

This gets compared often to Noir Extreme by Tom Ford. Sure, it has some similarities, but it is not at all the same. Noir Extreme is much better than Select Night.

At some point the cardamom will start to lose it hold on the composition. That’s when this really becomes lavender and vanilla dominant. I also get a period with a stronger orange blossom and some emergent sandalwood.

The dry down is more of a woody fresh blend with plenty of lavender and vanilla. The cardamom and orange blossom fades. There is a bit of a powdery finish to this and the sweetness has toned down from earlier in the wear.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Select Night starts off with plenty of power. I can spray it on a piece of clothing I have laying around and pick up the cologne from 8+ feet away easily. It doesn’t stay at that super high level, but it is above average when compared with most basic colognes out there.

The longevity for Select Night is somewhere in the 8-9 hour range for me, on skin. Good projection and it’ll stick around for a long time without issue.

Performance with the Benz cologne is well above average, across the board. Great value.

Seasonally, this is built for autumn and winter, while not being overly heavy. So, in some regions of the world, you’d probably be able to get away with wearing Select Night in spring as well.

It does live up to its name, as being more for the night. It’s stylish and attractive enough to receive complements, but probably not going to fit in at the office during the daytime. But, as a fragrance to wear out, one should get plenty of use. Any age can roll with Select Night, also.

Overall Impressions of Select Night

Overall, do I like Select Night? It’s pretty good, one of the better Mercedes-Benz releases, but isn’t amazing. If its closest comparison is Noir Extreme, it falls well short of what I get out of the Tom Ford cologne.

It does have some elements of its own and similarities to that Code flanker, so it’s not trying to be exact anyway.

The opening cardamom is nice, especially with that fizziness, giving this a warm dynamism. The dry down is more of a straightforward woods, lavender and vanilla, but it’s solid.

The performance is for sure one of its strengths. So, if you can get a good deal on a bottle, there isn’t too much downside to owning this cologne. Nothing about Select Night is a glaring weakness, does everything well enough, and is worth trying out.