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Cool Water by Davidoff ( Revised )

Image
By
Marine Notes, Mint, Green Notes, Coriander, Lavender, Rosemary.
Neroli, Jasmine, Geranium, Sandalwood.
Cedarwood, Oakmoss, Musk, Ambergris, Tobacco.

I try and revisit fragrances that are iconic and ones that have left me wanting in previous reviews. The version of Cool Water I'm reviewing is exactly like the image, which means it's a reformulated rendition. I have no way of knowing how it compares ( side by side ) to a vintage version as I don't own one. I've never been moved enough to snag one and that is still the case unfortunately.

I thoroughly enjoy the opening accord which lasts 4 to 5 minutes tops. At least on my skin, the "Marine Notes" aren't predominant. They are in the mix for sure, but the spicy lavender, green citrus and the suggestion of mint are what interplay the best. Sadly, they are ephemeral and soon give way to a more chemical aspect.

Even during the heart phase, the advent of a more revealing orange rendition is evident once the opening notes peel away. This too is fleeting and the chemical quality gets louder for the second time. Both these transitions have lived and died on my skin in a 10 minute period. What remains is an anhydrous version of H2O that possess undertones of Musk and Earth. A subtle interpretation of Tobacco arrives as well, but it's only noticeable because I was focused on what I was smelling. I don't desire to give the idea that I find Cool Water completely underwhelming. The fact is I don't, but it's possible that it simply doesn't perform on my skin like it does on others.

Suffice it to say that I conclude Cool Water to be "uninspiring". It's almost as if it leaves an "aftertaste" that may not be unpleasant, but leaves me indifferent. I need fragrances to move me, even a little, in some direction. After years of multiple wearings, all I can honestly say is "NEXT" !!!!!

Funny how one persons gem, comfort fragrance or go-to scent is another man's "Meh". Now, there's a reason why, since 1988, this fragrance is still selling and also finding new found fans. If I knew nothing else about this scent, that would be enough. Moral of the story is not to take my word on Cool Water as WORD. You may find yourself loving it, despising it or end up in the camp I happen to be in. It simply needs to be tried so you can make up your own mind. Sillage is good with longevity approximately 4 hours tops on my skin, with one third of that as a skin scent. Neutral rating from Aromi ( again !!!) for Davidoff's infamous Cool Water and as always, a sample wear is highly recommended.
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Comments

  1. Galamb_borongJanuary 29, 2010 at 4:17 PM

    Being a kid in the '90s meant that the first time I smelled Cool Water in a store was probably the hundred-thousandth time I'd smelled it in real life. Growing up, EVERY guy smelled like this.

    I find it pleasant, especially compared to some other aquatics on the market, but rather unremarkable to say the least.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bryan RossMarch 15, 2014 at 2:21 PM

    Aromi, the version pictured is a later vintage, but still "vintage," as it came a few years prior to the current version. I have the exact same vintage as yours, but I also own the current version. There is no comparison - the current stuff is so much better. This "middle ages" vintage that you reviewed has a cruder construction, bitter top notes (mine have gone a bit off), and an unappealing chemical drydown. The current version (blue shiny box, no white square) is an obvious attempt to match the violet-amber smoothness of Green Irish Tweed - someone at Coty realized that their competition comes from Creed! It's definitely worth grabbing a 1 oz bottle of the current stuff from Amazon to smell how they've modified CW - OR I'm happy to send you a mini bottle of the current formula. Not saying it smells any more "natural" than what you currently own, but I think it's an improvement. One bad thing about this fragrance that I've noticed when sampling older vintages - the older it is, the less attractive it smells. This sort of "fresh" fragrance doesn't smell so fresh after ten years.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AromiEroticiMarch 15, 2014 at 7:29 PM

    Thanks Bryan. This info is good to know my friend. I'll grab a small bottle of a recent release and see how that holds up.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousMarch 17, 2014 at 10:01 PM

    For me, as I've pointed out on my blog, CW has that "made by a committee" feel, as if the perfumer was compelled to use a tobacco note, which clashes badly with the other notes, IMO. The neroli and dihydromyrcenol don't work well together either. The newest formulation I dismiss as a fuzzy, "laundry musk" for the masses, though with less of a note clash.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Neeru MentholJune 18, 2020 at 2:17 AM

    Great blog information about Dihydromyrcenol Tops

    ReplyDelete

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