Reviews of 4711 Echt Kölnisch Wasser (1792)
by 4711 (orig. by Muelhens)

About as refreshing as a splash of witch hazel after a shave to me. The notes all collide together when first applying and then fade pretty quickly.

holy god i smell like my aunt!

As cheap as this cologne may be, it’s too vile for me to even seriously consider purchasing. It’s essentially a sharp, muddy (great choice of adjective, foetidus) and dated citrus concoction that has no real relevance in the 21st Century. Its status as the original cologne water, I strongly believe, is the main reason why it’s still in production – it certainly isn’t because it’s a great cologne that transcends time.

However, for the sake of curiosity, I urge you to try it – just don’t expect to like it.

OK, it’s inexpensive. That’s about all that I can say for 4711 Echt Kölnisch Wasser. I find the opening accord to be too sharp, not very refined, synthetic, and if I use a lot, (which is almost required) it gets cloying. I usually like the combination of citrus and rosemary, but here it’s quite muddy and without definition. The rose note is all right, but I find it entirely too recessive and short lasting, and I don’t get any of the base notes because the whole fragrance is totally gone within a half hour. No. I don’t want to wear this even if it is inexpensive. For all practical cologne purposes, I’ll stick with CdG’s Vettiveru and Muglar’s Cologne even if they are more expensive.

Ah, the memories this synthetic, fever reducing, alcohol-blasting coolant bings back!

Being 9 years old in Cuba and splashing some 4711 in the inside folds of the handkerchief which I carried in the breast pocket of my jacket, on the way to Mass.

I wanted to use Bay Rum, like my dad. But granny thought it was too macho and precocious for a child. So I got stuck with 4711.

Despite all this, there just might be a God . . .

I can't believe serious perfume lovers like this. To Germans it rightfully embodies the epitome of cheaply synthetic drugstore granny cologne. It's agressively sharp, short-lived and tacky and does not hold a stick to a genuine, natural-ingredient Eau de Cologne by Roger et Gallet, Berdoues, or, to stay in Cologne, the original Kölnisch Wasser by Farina. Btw. if you forget about the 4711 myths for a moment - its originator was a speculator and conman who sold it as a cheap imitation of the original Farina cologne under the same name. After decade-long court battles the company had to give up the name Farina and switched to 4711 in the 1880s. The story about the monk's gift of 4711 at Muehlen's wedding and the French officer writing the house number 4711 on the wall are PR-poppycock. To all connaisseurs of perfume I can only say: next time you're in Cologne, avoid the 4711 tourist trap and check out Farina, who are still in business (since 1709)

Horrible! I'd never use this!