Reviews of L'Eau Bleue D'Issey pour Homme (2004)
by Issey Miyake

Unless you've had positive experiences with herbal scents or possess an enlightened attitude towards anything weird in general, you're likely to find L'EAU BLEUE D'ISSEY's rosemary dominated citrus opening as unpalatable as bitter medicine. So I'm not surprised to read a few negative reviews here. But good things do come to those who wait; the rosemary receding well enough for the ginger, lavender and juniper berry accords to take centerstage and paint the scentscape in gorgeous hues of dark and deep green. And I can't help thinking, surely 'Bleue' is a misnomer. Then something interesting happens - the lush greenery all but vanishes and I'm left with a freshness that reminds me somewhat of cool ocean sprays. Hahaha! You certainly got me there, Jacques Cavallier. This IS 'BLEUE' after all!

One of the best Issey has to offer and the top one for me from this line. This one catches ones attention right from when it lands on skin. Very powdery & to an extent herbal in a very cool way. This one has that unique quality which I have
seen in only few scents...the way this surrounds/engulfs the wearer. The other scent which created this domain for me was L'Instant. The peppery zing along with exotic florals and dash of spices leads you into a beautiful woodsy accord which forms the heart of this scent...the interplay is just plain amazing. The best part isn’t over yet, it has to offer one of best ambery, woody mossy drydowns ever, making you feel totally refreshed for another round. A classic somehow underplayed and ignored on BN.

An aromatic and very resinous (rosemary, pine?) opening, then spicy (ginger), for a very dry (patchouli) and somewhat powdery (sandalwood?) drydown. After about 45min the amber kicks in to soften the edges. Yet the whole always stays quite airy, in a montain-forest-ocean kind of a way. I

Though the L'Eau Issey pour Homme theme (top notes and the very dry drydown) is present in the composition, the overall effect of L'Eau Bleue is of something never smelled before. It's not the sort of scent that is appealling right away, it's a smell more than a fragrance. The Eau Fraiche version is easier to wear.

It's not really for me (too dry), but I admire Shiseido for having dared to put something like this on the market.

Love the monolithic outer space bottle.

I´m a devoted fan of Miyake/Kenzo because of the different of their perfumes.
I absolutely love L'eau D'issey.Sexy,and that Kind of i´ll-wear-it-to-be-smelled :).
Now, There´s something in this new fragance, a mystery. First I´d change the name for brownish-orangy, definetly not blue.:) brings confussions for sure.
In my opinion, in colder weathers could be nice. I just can smell Rosemary-anised and woods, rosemary far too prominent, and in Madrid with 45º in the shadow on summer,I just can´t stand it.
the best part is the drydown, is more soft herbal, non woody founded,and kind of orangy dry note.
I have to say that this perfume has caracther, but it´s individual itself. You love it or you hate it as A*Men.
If you like herbal scents go for it, if you don´t avoid it.
I reommend try the fresh version, it´s sooo lovely and opposite to this one and the L'eau D'issey fans won´t be dissapointed.

The front of the box looks like a billboard, but inside there’s a gorgeous bottle that rivals even Bvlgari for good looks. Unusual & very strong smell that lasts a long time. A scent that you’ll either love or hate, not for everyone, & only for those daring to be different. I bought this & Creed’s Erolfa at the same time & put each on a different arm at the same time. Bleue D’issey is a stronger scent & longer lasting, although Erolfa lasted a long while also & smelled very nice too. But I don’t smell any sea/marine here, as others have noted. If you want a good sea/marine fragrance, try Mare, Aqua Motu, or Oltre.

A dirty, herbal, and slightly demented fragrance that one wants to either embrace or hurl at various stages of its evolution. The opening is the olfactory equivalent of the first minutes in "Saving Private Ryan", with a nasal carnage almost unparalelled in modern perfumery. Thankfully, this assault of rosemary and lavender is brief, but it certainly leaves its mark on the wearer. Once it has been suitably tethered, it becomes a much more civilized entity, the balance is better, and there is no dominance from any one single ingredient. A slightly sour sweetness is afforded some attention in the middle and base notes, and I sense that it is the juniper causing this interesting twist in the proceedings. It is very difficult to rate Bleu, but I have to say that it caught my attention from outset, and it never released its grip. For having the cajones to be different, and providing such entertainment, I give it a thumbs up.

If you don’t want to smell like rotting vegetables or disposal waste then stay well clear of this one. It's possibly one of the worse fragrances I have ever had the misfortune of smelling.

The bottle’s extremely dull and the scent is simply putrid – this is certainly one fragrance that deserves to be discontinued.

[Original submission date: 10 April 2008]

Wow! A stunning scent that evokes color "blue". It is not the typical sportspray, ozone mist or generic aquatic. It is a nice wet woody, aromatic scent with a lot of depth. It is very good for a calm person and it is also great for a summer date.

One of the better and most interesting designer releases in the past few years. It is another interesting creations of Jacques Cavallier.

Very very aromatically clean and surprisingly complex multi-layered composition. Doesn’t smell that synthetic to me as some other reviews seem to indicate.

I get full-bodied and deep green aroma. Grass, waxy bitter tree leaves with slightly medicinal herbs thrown along. Something like a spiced up cucumber slices there, too. Wonderfully masculine. Smells very summery to me in a most wonderful way. I remember few years ago on some warm day in July I wore this on the shore of a lake and it was like a match made in heaven.

This is like a slightly twisted and unstable, more interesting, intelligent and characteristic brother of Azzaro Chrome.

Absolutely great, and the bottle is very beautiful too.

I bought this one based on a solo review. The smell is unique. It has a more green scent rather than blue. Opens up with a chemical like odor or should I say medicinal is a better word. This reminds me of how a fake christmas or other evergreen tree smells when it is new upon the first sprays. The dry-down is plugs my nose with musty moss. Moss is good in fragrances but I didn't like it in this one. No joke, It smells like the interior of a cave. It is one of those try before you buy. I think that it does have that dirty yet clean smell that girls like, but I couldn't stand to smell it. I gave this stuff away!

God I love this. It is very medicinal in the opening, but once you get through the first ten minutes it's an amazing, fresh blend of wood and patchouli. Imagine walking through a forest. It's been raining overnight, but now the sun is breaking through the canopy overhead and all around you is the vibrant smell of ferns and spring.

This is my favourite, and versatile enough for any occasion. I received more compliments in 12 hours wearing this than everything else i've tried combined. It was on sale at a ridiculous price too..... I couldn't help myself - I cleaned out their entire stock :)

Whau! What a wonderful scent...!!! Different, mysterious, strong yet cosy, fresh'n warm, spicy'n sweet, not easy start but a tremendous wear on! TEN THUMBS UP!!!

Nice bottle, scent a mix of herbal, citrus and a dot of wood. Lasts a lot and also claims lots of attention.

oh my God, was my first reaction, it brought to my mind those days of drawing and painting, when i was a painting artist, it´s true remembered also NEW WEST aramis. excellent fragrance!

I really do like this one. It is somewhat complex. It has a piney-herbaceous overtone that stays throughout the cologne's lifespan; then there is a soft powdery undertone which softens the pine and herbs. The powdery undertone hints at iris even though there is no mention in the notes pyramid but that is how it comes across to me. Anyone can wear this for any occasion, day or night. I have to admit it is different but worth a try.

I personally love this one, the basenotes are where it shines the most though.
The Topnotes are kinda weird. It has this thing that it does which pisses me off
though, it changes on my skin according to the weather(summer does this good).
Plus don't over apply this one, It's kinda strong. But other then that go for it.

Kind of smells like rosemary and cucumber. What a strange scent. Smell first before buying.

What a strange concoction. It's both putrid and wonderful at the same time. Quite odd. Reminds me of the notes of Fluid Iceberg. Hugely synthetic. Thumbs up on the weirdness, thumbs down on the smell.

better than the new one whichis terribly terrible but no match to original. it lasts awhile but not my kinda scent. a fougure type that does not reach home plate.

reminds me of Aramis 900 I usto wear in the late 70s early 80s but a bit lighter, has older scent of a calm man. Has a retro scent to me and that is nice these days very complex and will not be confused for a cheap fast mix cologne that are out in production today.

This one...if you want a head turner fragrance, this is it...people will turn their head wondering why you smell so bad...i have to admit...3 sprays for first trial...3 sprays the next day for 2nd trial and i dare not try it again...went straight to the bin..sorry, not for me.

I really tried liking this as I am a huge fan of other Issey Miyake fragrances, it just didn't get my attention it didn't stink but to me it didn't smell great either. longevity was good the dry down was nice but the opening was way to much for me, so I will give a neutral rating because the scent wasn't to my liking but it passes in all other categories.

If I have just one word at disposal to describe L’eau bleue that word would be – original.
L’eau bleue is a bit unusual and when you wear it maybe you are insecure about possible people’s reactions to the way you smell. Believe me, you shouldn’t worry about it, people around you find this scent very lovely.
You could try this little experiment: splash some L’eau bleue on your arm. Wait about half an hour. Smell it, but let your nose be 3-4 inches from your skin. Wait just a little bit, then put your nose on the skin and smell it again. Do you notice any difference?
For some reason, the smell of L’eau bleue always brings to my mind the picture of a wet bush. God knows why.
In my opinion, L’eau bleue is ideal for spring, but… one winter morning I was on the bus on my way to work. I remember, it was very cold. At some station some guy entered. I felt immediately the smell of L’eau bleue. I was enjoying very much in that smell. It’s a nice “olfactory memory” to me. However, I never wear L’eau bleue during the winter.
No doubt, rosemary plays the key role in L’eau bleue’s top. The drydown is less original but more pleasant.
Unfortunately, I’m not able to explain the reasons, but I can easily imagine this scent on three characters from Dostoevsky’s novels: Rodion Raskolnikov (Crime and Punishment), Ivan Karamazov (The Brothers Karamazov) and Nikolai Stavrogin (The possessed). They all are young, intelligent, educated and handsome, but with the huge internal conflicts.

best cologne of all time. I have been buying colognes for years and have never seen one that turns as many heads as this one. men and women alike. to bad it has been discontinued. Adonismdx

Had my bottle for about a year an a half. It's a great scent to turn heads, I find that I need to wait roughly 30 mins after spraying before going out (personally I find the top notes a bit too intense but it calms down relatively quick).

It's in and probably will stay in my current rotation.

I like the strong herbal notes of this fragrance. It reminds me of New West Skinscent for him, one of the best fragrances I ever had. And the longevity on my skin is excellent. Two thumbs up!

Very aromatic, herbal, unusual scent that I absolutely adore. Different from the mainstream fragrances popular in America, but it deserves to be more appreciated. This is such an incredible aroma. It transports me to the deep forest on a moonlit night - it has a bit of magic about it! Very masculine, but I wear it when I'm home alone just to smell it. I would LOVE to smell this on a man. The new "eau fraiche" version of smells nice, but much more mainstream and I'm sure will sell better. So sad this is being discontinued. Ten thumbs up!

Have always wanted to own a bottle of L'Eau Bleue D'Issey. Have smelled it at work, at parties, and I can imagine myself wearing it, in comparison to the first IM for men. Bought one just 2 days ago, and I am liking what I smell on my skin. Fresh at first, and then woody/powdery. Very lasting too!

For me it's a great scent. In general, all male scents tend to finsh with vanilla-or-warm-woods-like notes. That's not the case. It's a cool but atractive fragance. And that's the reason why I like it. And for all who say it smells like insecte spray or chinese medicine... you should wait a couple of minutes to catch the real scent...

A very daring scent. It smells a lot of thyme or rosemary at the beginning. We used to have thyme oil at our home because it was very good for stomach ache. When I was kid they used to drop some on a cube of sugar and give it to me. I still keep one at home. They use thyme and rosemary oil on the hair. Once I bought special oil mixture from Body Shop which has rosemary oil among the others. What yoy smell on the opening is a strong rosemary smell. First I didn't like it because it was just rosemary to me. But later on afew weeks later I guy in our company smelled so nice to me and and the scent was familiar to me. I was thinking to find it out, but I couldn't ann at the and I asked it to him. As you could guess; it was L'Eau Bleue. The same day I went to the perfume shop and gave it another try. This time I liked it, but still I was not sure of it. A few days later I sprayed some on me. I wanted to see the effect of it on the other people. Most of my collegues and friends liked it. I told them I was testing it and I was not sure if it was to heavy or shouting "Hey! I'm here" Most of the have found it fresh, some've found it a bit minty. Just a few who are interested in cooking smelled some thyme or rosemary, but they've told me that it was not overwhelming. The problem with this scent is that you feel like that you smell strange or bad but the traces that scent leave are definitely nice. It is just like in the case that you hear your voice on a record and most of us hate it because we hear it dfferent. It is same with this fragrance, we feel like that we smell unpleasent, but this is not the fact for the people around us.

Oooh is this a weird scent or what...? First of all, why is called "Blue"...? I get no blue vibes here and I have tried many blue scents before. Maybe rather leaning towards green, since the wood notes are so dominant in this fragrance. The only scent that I can come to think of with this much wooded notes is one from Hugo Boss. I also read that some find this to be a unisex scent... I can't really see that, unless you are the boyfiend of a wood chucker... I can see how all this does not seem too positive when it comes to grading these fumes, but I can't help, it is appealing in some sort of weird manner, noting I would wear, but maybe something that I would sniff from time to time... Another notion comes to mind, how is this scent working in Japan...hmmm...can see how the original IM is brilliant on this level, but this is more suitable for a Canadian lumber jack or like myself a Norse Viking...where the need for a mosquito repellent is imminent...or can come in handy when you need to leave a scent trail for a search party in the great woods...

I commented on this a few months ago...(same guy, lost my password) anyway, for those who don't like this, again, I say be patient with it. If you want something you can spray right out of the bottle, go with l'eau bleue d'Issey eau fraiche. Same scent but much ligter with a hint of mint/peppermint.
If you already have the bottle and you are annoyed everytime you look at it, try mixing a little bit with Burberry Weekend...the mix is simply heavenly. Try it!

I would say this is at least unisex. If you're wanting to smell like a man, look somewhere else. I can imagine women wearing this.

my uncle has a insecticide shop in Greece...pesticides..insecticides.. all that kind of stuff..

i smelled l'bleue and thought... thio kostas shop!!!...

now...the "eau fraiche" LIGHTER more FRESH version, is AMAZING! it isnt listen on here though...

OK. I thought the original IM was awesome, flowery, yes, but the ladies love it. I ran into this last year in Japan. Smells very purple. EXTREMELY strong. Those who described it as toxic or chemical like lack patience. Just a little spray massaged into your fav skin part does the trick. One of my fav for "I want something totally different that'll keep 'em guessing" mood. The drydown is just as exotic as well. Good job IM.

To me this is a great scent that has outstanding longevity. I find that this scent always gets quite a bit of attention from women when I'm out and about, with quite a bit of them wanting to purchase it for their significant others.

However with that being said, this is a very strong scent initially, and I find that if I will be accepting a ride with someone for the evening, its best if I apply this fragrance about 20-30 minutes before going out, otherwise in a small confined space, it could be too much for some folks.


I've found that this scent easily lasts between 6-8 hours on my skin, and that aspect makes it very attractive to me.

I recommend it if you liked the Original Issey, but did not like how short it stayed.

I completely agree with the descriptions, "toxic" and "chemical" because, to me, it smells EXACTLY like insect spray, no joke.

well, it's quite an ambiguous relation i have to this perfume. at times it's like the best scent ever and at other times (especially in winter; this is definitely a summer perfume) i can't smell it...it's disgusting.
the smell reminds me of tuscany because of its strong rosemary. it is very long lasting, especially on the skin. nevertheless it the scent changes after some time; the woody notes become more present.

but there is one thing that struck me about this perfume. never ever before i got so many compliments about this perfume. it's actually incredible. at random women i've never seen before approach me to point out how good i smell. it seems that this smell has very pleasing character to women. i haven't experienced this with any other perfume before.

over all i think it's a superbe perfume but you have to be in the mood for it because of it's very special smell.

Oh no! This has a horrid chemical flavour to it. Revolting.

I see another reviewer used the word "toxic". I think that's about right.

definitely a musthave for fans. actually, in order for me to purchase this one, i really need to wait for a more dilluted version, if there'll ever be one.
much, much to powerfull for me. a very unique scent, that actually gives me headaches...
less is more, people!

Being a fan of the EdIPH, I was not very keen in trying this also, but when I did I was pleasantly surprised! Its not as limey as Eau D'Issey PH but comes out very clean and fresh! Its good both for work and for pleasure!

This one truly is as weird as the previous reviews indicate. It's very hard to describe L'Eau Bleue but there's definitely a vegetable thing going on, the opening is sligthly reminiscent of the cilantro/coriander in the top notes of Rochas Aquaman, but the overall impression is more complex and better. I think the blue concept of this fragrance is a little deceptive, a medium green bottle would better represent the contents. Top sillage and longevity as always with Issey but do sample this oddling before buying cause it is very original and an aquired taste.

My best friend used to live on a dairy farm. I have a lot of memories from that place. This scent brought them alllll back. Unfortunately, I do not want to smell of wet hay and granulated cattle feed. Yes, wet hay and granulated cattle feed. We used to play in barns full of the stuff, and I clearly remember the smell. I think someone earlier said that this is "agricultural", and I think that's a perfect description. It's not bad, but I don't think it's for me.

The “bleue” word turned me off, so I delayed trying it for a year and a half. I was pleasantly surprised when I tested it. This is an excellent fragrance! It has a strong aromatic (with touch of wood) opening which holds solid for a good while. Then an unusual floral / spicy middle eases the scent to more typical potencies while still maintaining a firm grip on “edgy.” I think the highlight of the heart notes is the nasturtium. (I’ve always liked the peppery smell [and taste] of this plant and flower.) Nasturtium moves this scent a little toward vegetable gourmandism. When the middle florals finally settle down, the base—a light, sweet, warm amber / wood / moss emerges, and holds on for a very respectable length of time. I’m impressed.

This one smells way too heavy, smells like chinese medicine or a toxic spray... and sooo much wood it's just disgusting... I have never in my life been so offended by a smell. This stuff is indescribably horrific smelling. I really wanted to like it but I'll pass on this one!

I really didn't like it at first. To me, it smells like tea and sour cream. It sounds like a nasty combo but it soon grew on me. As others have mentioned, it is very 'creamy'. It's thick and has a slight tartness to it, which is why it reminds me of sour cream. It lasts well into the next day for me, which is impressive given it's a fresh scent. It's a fragrance that I wear for myself because every girl I know hates it. Oh well, some people will never understand.

Comes out of the box fast! When a salesman applied this to a strip 4 feet away, it took 2 seconds and I could smell it's introduction already. Definitely need to take your time evaluating this one. Get a sample, give it a good 20 mins or so and reevalutate. Has a unique character and is complex, lasts quite a while. Can be worn by the 40something for work and not smell like you're on your way to the club.

If sprayed, one has to wait for a couple of hours to let this sophisticated fragarance react with your skin. Very warm, sexy and yet fresh

to be honest i did fork out a lot of money for thsi fragrance after smelling it on someone but i guess its one of those scents that you have to be the right person to wear it. it was just average to me

This fragrance has that great quality that not many others have. It calms down after short while and it just smells better as you wear it. Strong at first, I thought too strong but it develops in a pleasent way. A mixture of herbs it seems. It's not for everybody so if you know you are a bit of a stereotype you better stick to your Aqua di gio, or Hugo Boss, because this one has personality.

I received a sample with a perfume order and placed the L'eau Bleu on my husband's dresser after a quick sniff of the vial. As another reviewer noted, sampling this way tells you little of its true character. On skin, I get an agricultural smell. This is a good thing, reminding me of a mixture of scents I associate with the country landscape. It's very pleasant, and I'll enjoy hubby wearing this. I doubt we'll buy more as it seems to be just a little too obvious: 'Hi! I'm a man's cologne!'

Almost overwhelming, this unique and woodsy blend is a nice counterweight to the overly citrus and overworn original. I love this one, and it has some of the best body products etc to accompany. It even has a shaving oil scented with the fragrance to protect the skin from razor burn etc (like shave ease from Clarins Men). Good lasting power and warm, striking dry down. Don't judge it off a card...try it on the skin! Thumbs way up on this one.

a really complex fragance, theres a mistery inside...
an impressive smell, need to understand it...

I do not recommend. This smell is terribly overrated and is an exact replica of other 'Blue' scents like Nautica Latitude/Longitude and Polo Blue. Several friends after getting a whiff said they would only use this as a last resort for backup. The original L'eau D'issey is far far better.

Where L' Eau D' Issey reminds me of the smell of honeysuckle blossom, this one is similar but colored with an extra and more complex note. It's a hit with me.

This scent is a stunner.
Initialy a citric aroma is present, that is soon
overtaken by a lively woody aroma that has dark
overtones. A very captivating scent that the women love. Enigmatic, mysterious and extreamly masculine. It is very long lasting (6hours+) and strangely does not dull with time. That is the beauty! - a wonderful
subtle aroma that is as active as when first applied.
Streets (possibly highways) ahead of the original Issey Miyake.

Pine, woods, sap - all drying down to a warm medicinal herbal aroma. Very very interesting!

Been a big fan of L'eau D Issey, i was expecting a great smell, to my surprise i hated this one, it reminds of a bubble gum, if you liked the L'eau D Issey dont expect much from this one.

What an aromatic, woodsy, and long-lasting scent! The original Issey gave me a headache, sad to say. But this one did no such thing. It is passionate, wanting to get noticed without being too strong. Very few scents around that evoke the feelings this does, IMHO.

I looked around at a lot of colognes such as reaction, miracle, deep water, spark seduction and I love this new one from Issey Miyake. It also sticks around for a while without being obtrusive. Just my 2 cents....

I like it quite a lot. At first sniff, it smells like those great woody notes that open Joseph Abboud, only without the not-so-pleasant drydown.