tommy bahama

Tommy Bahama for Men

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Tommy Bahama for Him was released back in 2013. It’s been almost that long since I’ve tried it out, but never long enough for a full review. I grabbed a mini bottle of this fragrance some time ago, in order to finally correct that. How does this smell? Does this cologne last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Tommy Bahama for Men Smell Like?

Notes include: watermelon, tangerine, ginger, pear, tiare flower, violet leaf, coriander, amber, sandalwood, tonka bean

Click here to try: Tommy Bahama for Men

tommy bahama review

My Full Review

Tommy Bahama opens up with a nice blend of juicy fruits, led by the watermelon note. It’s a lighter watery sort of crispness with the watermelon and pear notes giving this fragrance its aquatic aroma.

The tangerine note, is the second strongest fruity ingredient behind the watermelon, and only adds it’s clean citrus touch for a few minutes in the opening, at least on my skin.

Tommy Bahama for Men often gets compared to Nautica Voyage and it’s easy to smell why. The crisp fruit (apple, in the Nautica) and violet leaf really overlap and the main highlights of each.

However, Tommy Bahama lacks almost all of the other floral influence. The tiare flower here is barely detectable and not a prominent feature like the mimosa and Voyage. Not to mention the musk, lotus, and greenish notes.

No, they’re not a one to one match but the similarities are for sure there.

Anyway, in Tommy Bahama most of the other notes really don’t have all that much substance, outside of the amber. The ginger is around giving it a light spiciness early. Though, the coriander doesn’t factor in much with it.

I get a melon and violet leaf blend for much of the duration with amber and light woods coming in later on. Really, not too much development here. Even if the notes, suggest greater depth.

Fruity, aquatic with a very light saltiness, and some violet leaf is basically the gist of this cologne.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, it’s a lighter fragrance without much of a scent trail being left behind. The projection is pretty middle of the road. Probably 4-6 feet off of the skin, at its peak. Mostly, going to hover in that 1-3 foot zone.

The longevity for me is 4-5 hours. Most of the times I’ve worn it, I get almost right at 5 hours, before I cannot detect it on my skin. Sometimes, it disappears even sooner than that.

This is a spring and summer wear. It’s light, fresh, aquatic, with that ozonic aroma coming from the violet leaf. I do like that this has less of that ‘greenish’ aspect that Nautica Voyage has and the violet leaf isn’t super loud.

But, it’s mostly a casual daytime wear. Just hanging around. Maybe at the beach or hanging around on the coast. Nothing too fancy. Clean aquatic, not a bold nightlife wear or anything like that.

Overall Impressions of Tommy Bahama

Overall, do I like this fragrance? It’s fine. Like a more streamlined Nautica Voyage, which isn’t a bad thing depending on the price you get it for. At full retail, it’s not worth it. At under $20, possibly.

That being said, I like Voyage more than this. Even with its greener profile and mimosa heart, it just comes across as a nicer scent.

The opening is the most interesting part when you really have an array of fruits, the touch of ginger, and it feels the most ‘aquatic’ without being oceanic. The watermelon, pear, and tangerine work well.

The rest of the fragrance is kind of boring and doesn’t really develop as much as it probably should with the list of notes. Sure, you might get some floral impressions but that tiare flower doesn’t really come through.

The longevity and general performance is completely average. Really, you would only need a full bottle of the stuff if you find it for dirt cheap and want a summer freshie. Even then, there are better options.

I don’t hate Tommy Bahama for Men, but it doesn’t do anything truly remarkable.

St. Kitts for Men by Tommy Bahama

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St. Kitts has been my personal favorite from the Tommy Bahama line of men’s colognes for a long while now. But, it’s also been some time since I’ve tried it, and I’ve never written a full review for the website. Let’s change that. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is St. Kitts for Men, worth a buy?

What does St. Kitts by Tommy Bahama Smell Like?

Notes include: mandarin, star fruit, lime, sea salt, watery notes, musk, driftwood, and more

Click here to try: Tommy Bahama St. Kitts Men Eau De Cologne Spray, 3.4 Fl Oz

My Full Review

I bought a giftset of St. Kitts over the holidays for $15. It included a full bottle of the cologne, aftershave balm, and a body wash. For the price, it’s a pretty great deal. It had been a while since I’d tried this Tommy Bahama scent and figured it was time for a full review.

It opens up with the star fruit and citrus blend. The star fruit leads the way, with mandarin second, and that same lime note found in St. Barts bringing up the rear. Many other fragrances have variations on the citrus opening, but this combo is pretty unique and really is the selling point with St. Kitts.

The fruits are light, fresh, and give it that sweet tropical aroma. One thing I noticed here, is that the musk note seems stronger than I remember. It’s going to play a bigger role in the cologne versus the aftershave balm which is the pure fruity smell.

With the musk, comes an ambergris. It’s not too prevalent versus the musk, either.

Underneath that, water is the next main note, salt water to be specific. Not heavy or super oceanic smelling, but it does lend to the island vibe we’re looking for with this sort of fragrance.

Finally, some cedar and driftwood. These two notes are pretty light in this iteration. Almost like they flipped with the musk note. Still, very enjoyable.

St. Kitts is a rather linear cologne. The development is the fruits fade in strength and it becomes more balanced with the musk, ambergris, water, and salt.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is pretty moderate. At the start, it’ll project itself 4-6 feet with a decent amount of sprays. That’ll last an hour or two, and then, St. Kitts for Men is a much lighter scent. It’ll stick close to the skin.

It’s probably my main gripe with this fragrance, it’s eau de cologne strength. I wish the concentration could’ve at least been an EDT, or even better, and eau de parfum. That would’ve beefed it up and give Kitts better performance.

The longevity, though, isn’t terrible. The scent will stick around for about 6.5 hours on me. Much of that original opening will be gone, but what’s left is still definitely there for the duration. Again, I want that to be different.

Seasonally, spring and summer all the way. This is a very nice casual cologne for a hotter day. I will wear it around town, on vacation, or maybe even for a workout.

I personally have too many other fragrance options for this to be my daily wear, but it could have a spot for someone who wants something understated.

Overall Impressions of St. Kitts for Men

Do I like this cologne? I do. It’s my favorite from the Tommy Bahama line. St. Barts is number two. I absolutely love the citrus notes in this, which is probably why I enjoy wearing the aftershave balm more than my bottle of the cologne itself.

Those fruity notes are an amazing combination. I love them in this, but they’re kind of not being used to their full potential either.

This is a pretty simple fragrance, without too much development. Tropical fruits, watery notes, musk, and a beachy constitution.

The performance is a weak point. The sillage doesn’t maintain its strength for very long, and while it does technically last 6.5 hours, most of the best part is non-existent by then.

Still, this is an easy one to wear, and a scent that I’m going to enjoy breaking out when things start to heat up. For $15? It’s a buy. Full price? That’s up to you.

Maritime Deep Blue by Tommy Bahama

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Along with my sample of Maritime Journey from Tommy Bahama, I also picked up one of Maritime Deep Blue, which I had tried out before. Now, I wanted to revisit this scent and give it a full and proper review for the site. How does it smell? Perform? When should it be worn? Continue below for my full take after testing it recently.

What does Maritime Deep Blue Smell Like?

Notes include: geranium, cedar, orris, juniper, bergamot, cardamom, water lily, freesia, musk, moss

Click here to try: Tommy Bahama Maritime Deep Blue Eau de Cologne Spray, 2.5 Fl Oz

My Full Wear Review

Upon the first spray, I immediately get the similarities between this and both Polo Blue and Eternity Aqua. The main commonalities are mostly in the beginning of the wear and they aren’t entirely the same, but it’s pretty close.

The main difference for me, is the both Polo Blue and Eternity Aqua feel much more aquatic and coldly crisp than this Maritime Deep Blue. Those both contain the cucumber note, along with the citrus or tart plum, in the case of the CK fragrance.

Maritime Deep Blue, opts for water lily and a nice dose of juniper for freshness. It doesn’t have an exact aquatic aroma, but it’s a decent facsimile at first. Geranium is a very light note in Deep Blue, but it is also found in the Polo scent, adding to the overlap.

Once we get past that first wave of bergamot citrus, rosemary, and juniper; this one will become more floral and woodsy. I know the advertising and name makes you think oceanic, but I’d set my expectations for freshness. This is a classic fresh sort of cologne.

The spice of cardamom and rosemary is a very nice contrast against the juniper and juicy citrus.

The next phase,  the juniper and cardamom hang around, and the water lily, cedar, and freesia really come through. At this point, Maritime Deep Blue becomes a lot more distinct than it opens up.

Nevertheless, the woods/musk/spice are found in all three of these colognes, and keeps them in the same relative area.

I end up with a dry and fresh spice, floral touches, and a clean woody base. Pretty simple, but well done.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Like other Tommy Bahama fragrances, Deep Blue isn’t a powerhouse, and falls toward the lighter moderate end of the spectrum. With three sprays to the same spot, this one is noticeable but isn’t going to carry over the entirety of a room.

Probably, a 4-6 foot scent bubble, that gets progressively closer as it dries down.

Longevity wise, 5-7 hours. There is a lot worse from this brand, in terms of performance, but it isn’t an outstanding example of an all day wear. Thus far, it is much closer to the 5 hour mark for most wears versus 7.

Update: Yeah, like 4 out of 5 times, Maritime Blue will be on the skin for around five hours. Usually, with low humidity, it has better odds at going longer. But, it’s usually very humid around here.

Seasonally, I like this as a spring/summer wear. Though, it’s fine to wear here in January, as the citrus isn’t massive. It can be a bit too fresh for the winter, when I prefer to go with something warmer and with some greater thickness.

In the summer, it can get eaten up a bit by the humidity. However, it also smells at its absolute best and just works with the general vibe of the season.

Maritime Deep Blue is mainly a casual warm weather cologne. It can also be worn in daily, semi-formal situations. Light enough for the office, if need be. Fresh and clean, not really sexy, and not a nightlife focused scent.

Overall Impressions of Maritime Deep Blue

Do I like this fragrance? I do. I think that it’s one of the better offerings from Tommy Bahama. It’s not very original, but it at least mimics fragrances which smell nice. However, I don’t really love either the Polo or Calvin Klein, but can enjoy wearing them.

The performance is okay. It’s not great and actually lags behind its two comparable colognes. I do really like the use of juniper in Deep Blue, I think it adds a layer that the other two don’t have. Is that enough to buy? For me, no.

I can get Eternity Aqua for much cheaper, usually. Plus, Polo Blue EDT, isn’t the best one from that lineup. Polo Deep Blue or Blue EDP are both better. So, while I like Maritime Deep Blue, I don’t really see a place for it.

Maybe, at $15-30 this would be worthwhile, but I can’t see me needing a bottle at near full price. If it’s like $80-something, I’d pass. Although, I’ve been seeing Tommy Bahama fragrances for cheaper as of late. So, it’s probably pretty likely you’ll be able too grab this one near that price point.

Maritime Journey by Tommy Bahama

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Maritime Journey is a part of the recent Maritime collection of fragrances by Tommy Bahama. It was released in 2019. I actually got to try this once a few months ago and recently grabbed a sample sprayer, in order to give it a thorough chance. In this post, I’ll cover how it smells, performs, when it should be worn, and if it’s worth a try.

What does Maritime Journey Smell Like?

Notes include: cardamom, apple, lavender, moss, coriander, orchid, cedar, violet

Click here to try: Tommy Bahama Maritime Journey for Him, 4.2 Fl Oz 

My Full Wear Review

I’ve got a bunch of samples that I’m working my way through and oftentimes these scents can smell quite a bit similar. When I sprayed Maritime Journey, I noticed that it has some similarities to Eternity Air by Calvin Klein, that I had tried out the previous day.

Checking the notes: apple, violet, and lavender are present in both. What’s funny is that, this Tommy Bahama isn’t the oceanic scent (despite the name), but Eternity Air features sea water and seaweed as notes.

The initial spray nets me a big dose of crisp and juicy apple, violet, coriander, and lavender. As the fragrance’s tagline suggests, it’s: A fresh aromatic scent for every adventure.

Yes, it does indeed come across as very fresh, with a distinct coolness to the aroma.

As Maritime Journey, moves along its development, I start to get way less of the coriander note and get way more: moss, cardamom, and cedar.

It feels less juicy and aromatic, turning drier and quite woodsy/earthy. The violet note is also fading, but it hangs around enough to further that outdoorsy vibe. Still, that dose of apple and lavender keeps it feeling fresh with some sweet highlights.

The last few hours of wear are more about the moss and woods, with the remaining cardamom, giving it a bit of a light spice.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, Maritime Journey isn’t very strong. For much of the wear it is noticeable, but moderate, and then it becomes fairly light. It’s not a complete skin scent on me, though, it is pretty subtle.

The longevity is okay. Much like the rest of the Tommy Bahama collection, this one won’t blow the doors off with its performance. 5-6.5 hours it seems to hang around. Not terrible, depending on how much you paid for it, but not great.

 

This light freshy cologne would work best in springtime, in my opinion. However, it is January now when I’m testing it out, and it feels fine.

The woods and moss make it work perfectly fine in the cooler weather, but it is light enough to venture into the heat. Though, it’s not a traditional summer scent.

I would mostly wear this one as a casual daily wear sort of fragrance. You could wear it to work or semi-formal occasions. Maritime Journey isn’t a nightlife or romantic wear, however. It’s fresh and clean, but not really sexy. 

Overall Impressions of Maritime Journey

Do I like Martime Journey? I do. I think it’s among the best that Tommy Bahama has to offer, it’s just not amazing to me. This is a cologne that I can spray on, smell relatively good, but not necessarily grab any attention. Very low key, but gives a nice enough wear.

The sillage is light and the longevity is just okay. I wouldn’t pay full price for a bottle, but when this gets discounted it could be a nice pickup for a guy who enjoys this style of cologne.

This is a like, but not a love for me. I will probably finish out the sample over time, even if it’s not a must have for me personally. 

Set Sail Martinique by Tommy Bahama

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I recently reviewed two of the scents I bought from Tommy Bahama. One scent that was left off the list was Set Sail Martinique, which was instead represented by the superior in my opinion, Set Sail St. Barts. It was released in 2010.

In this post, I want to take a closer look at Martinique and determine if it is worth a purchase or if it is a scent that is relegated to second tier status. As usual, I will cover what’s in it, how it smells, when it should be worn, and if it is worth a buy.

What does Set Sail Martinique Smell Like?

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Notes include: blue lavender, pepper, musk, bergamot, aquatic notes

Click here to try: Tommy Bahama Martinique Men Cologne, 3.4 Fl Oz 

My Full Wear Review

Set Sail Martinique is another scent that is a part of Tommy Bahama’s Set Sail line of fragrances. When I reviewed Set Sail St. Barts, I mentioned that it was like sipping an alcoholic drink on the shore and then transitioning with that drink into the water.

To me, Martinique is like being in the Caribbean Sea while wearing suntan lotion. Seriously, you get a smooth and creamy scent from the blue lavender note and some musk, which is dotted with a hint of citrus from the bergamot. That is what the opening of this cologne smells like to me.

The bergamot’s sharpness is really tempered by the aquatic type of notes, lavender, and musk. It still feels bright, but muted, and definitely doesn’t have a juiciness or zest. Still, it has that salty sea breeze and lotion smell to it.

After about 10 minutes, the pepper and musk began to play a bigger role, in Martinique. Neither really ever took over, but you do start to detect more of an aquatic and salty smell, that is totally reminiscent of being in the tropics at the beach.

I think that the Set Sail line of colognes, has done a great job of capturing that sort of mood, and reflects the style of all of these scents.

This dries down into a mostly lavender and musk affair, with bits of pepper, and soaked in a marine environment. Almost like the notes are wrapped in sea weed.

Kind of weird description, but if you’re familiar with Bvlgari Aqua and those flankers, you’ve got a close approximation.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection and longevity wise, Martinique is pretty moderate. The scent really isn’t overbearing and while it will probably last on one’s skin throughout the day, it won’t be working overtime.

The sillage isn’t overbearing and completely pull off being a casual daily wear.

Mostly, it’ll get around 6-7 hours of the time. Some percentage of the time, it’ll get around 8 hours. It’s actually one of the better performing Tommy Bahama fragrance.

I pretty much only spray this stuff before going to the gym, on an old workout t-shirt. Also, this is completely a summertime fragrance, so it holds up quite well in the heat.

Overall Impressions of Set Sail Martinique

Overall, I think that this is an okay cologne. I honestly like St. Barts much better between the two of these fragrances, and since they fulfill the same niche, I would go with that one over Martinique.

Set Sail Martinique is a simple and straightforward cologne which is more appropriate for summertime, beach, and wear in areas with warmth and humidity. It’s a specialized cologne for certain occasions, so if you’re in the market for that type of scent you might like this one.

It’s not bad, but it never blew me away with anything that it did. I think that they just tried to create a super simple fragrance with oceanic qualities and came up with this. The performance is good, but there’s nothing spectacular here.