Cool Water by Davidoff

Cool Water has been an insanely popular men’s fragrance since its release in 1988 and has pretty much achieved classic status, at this point. It’s a fragrance that I have interacted with a number of times over the years, but never got around to giving a full review on the website. As such, I have gotten a hold of a sample to try out this Davidoff creation once again. I will note that older releases like this, do get reformulated and changed, from exactly what their original incarnations were. That is possibly the case here, but I’m reviewing from the latest edition, in 2019.

What does Davidoff Cool Water Smell Like?

Notes include: lavender, mint, tobacco, amber, musk, jasmine, sandalwood, neroli, coriander, rosemary, and more

Click here to try: Davidoff Cool Water Edt Spray for Men, 6.7 oz

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Cool Water is quite aquatic to my nose, but bolstered by the inclusion of both mint and tobacco. Pretty sharp/ The tobacco smells quite green and unprocessed, sort of like that found in Versace’s Dreamer.

It is slightly spicy with a crisp cold air running through the heart of the scent. Very refreshing and clean, with bits of lavender and neroli floral essence.

As it moves along, Cool Water feels more soapy and woody, and this is the part that gets compared to Green Irish Tweed or Chez Bond. I’d say it’s closer to the latter, but again, has much more of an aquatic aroma than either of those do.

Is Cool Water better than either? Almost certainly not, but it is wayyyy cheaper than either of those pricey colognes. The rosemary doesn’t feel all that heavy to my nose, though, it is detectable just not all that prominent.

Then, after that soapy phase, it becomes more aquatic with a dry woods undertone. So, I get marine notes, mint, and lavender. The tobacco note fades, while the neroli hangs around somewhat. Then, there is dry oak moss and sandalwood at the base.

Eventually, a slight musk shows up. To me, the mint and aquatic elements, really make this scent. It’s like a nice pick me up, not too complex, but still attractive after all these years.

Sillage, How Long it Lasts, Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage on Cool Water was never crazy, but it was stronger in the past. It’s not bad now, just more of a moderate, but not a skin scent. It’ll probably require an extra spray or two, to hit that old level of sillage.

Still, it’s fine on me. I get an hour or so where it’s really leaving a solid scent trail in my wake. Thereafter it still sticks around like 3-4 feet from the skin. Finally, settling down into something more intimate in the late back half of the wear.

Longevity, also must have taken a hit. I’ve gotten 8+ hours from it in the past, but this batch hit right around 6, maybe close to 7 at times. Now, it could just be this particular batch I’m trying that is weak, but I don’t think this is an isolated case.

When compared to many other scents from this era, that are still around, Cool Water actually hasn’t lost all that much of its essence. It is worthwhile to get, if you enjoyed the scent years, even now.

Is Cool Water a versatile scent? Yep, always has been. It is great for office or casual wear. Not super sexy, but attractive enough to draw complements. This still gets worn by a lot of guys, but probably not as many as before, so you might actually stand out nowadays wearing this Davidoff cologne.

Seasonally, it’s a warm weather wear, and the that cool aquatic aroma is really nice when the temperatures heat up. Although, you could really wear it year round. It wouldn’t be bad in the winter months, just doesn’t project that cold climate feeling. The refreshing aspect is great when spring and summer roll around.

Overall Impression of Cool Water

Overall, is Cool Water worth a try? I’ll still say that it is worth a shot. It’s not exactly the same as it used to be, the smell isn’t completely different or anything, but I do notice some slight alterations.

It also isn’t quite as much of a performer, but very solid, especially at such a low price. I think most of the talk of changes is overblown. Cool Water is a value play for the right type of man.

Cool Water is a good overall fragrance, that is versatile, and actually smells like something a man would enjoy wearing. I personally enjoy the cooling aspects of the aroma and its later aquatic nature.

I’m not a giant fan of soapy sort of scents, but Cool Water does it well. The greenish tobacco note, is also a highlight to me. Not always in the mood for it, but it can be quite attractive.

Is it the best fragrance? No, but it’s simple, and an easy starter or everyday wear for a guy. You don’t stick around for 30+ years by being completely awful. This is an easy to wear cologne, with some great positives, and a pedigree to back it up.

To me, Cool Water is something that I could use sparingly. I don’t want it as a daily wear, but coming back to it once in a while delivers some nostalgic enjoyment.

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.