L'Eau d'Issey pour Homme Intense (2007)
by Issey Miyake

Good and long lasting effort of Issey Miyake.

Young, intense, metrosexual and sporty. Compliments? Of course! People loves this kind.

Excellent option for people who loves aquatics with good longevity. Thats not easy to find, that s why this bottle is a good choice for this fragance concept.

My mom got me this one as a birthday present and during my first tries I wasn't that big of a fan. After a couple hours though, the base smell is quite good. It has a nice citrus smell that makes the wait worth it. I've only smelled the original Issey once but I didn't see much similarity. I got no idea why this is an intense version but it has a similar citrus - floral smell. Check this one out and give it some time!

The grey liquid belies the rather fresh and vibrant opening of bergamot, so called yuzu lemon and sweet orange (I guess that's 'normal' orange). A bit bitter, probably due to the bitter orange (bergamot) and the yuzu, also bitter. Wiling away a quarter of an hour you will notice this fragrance taking on a new facet. A very weird concoction; cooking spices of cardamom and saffron and an attempt to save the midnotes from culinary oblivion with an additon of a sweet floral note - 'blue water lily'. This hardly works as I get constant diffusions of comestible notes, as though I was invited to partake in a bowl of jalfresi. This pervades into the basenotes where I find it hard to pick up any amber or benzoin notes and very little frankincense at all. Is it the so-called 'papyrus' that I get then? I wouldn't know as I have never smelled papyrus; I can only imagine it to be like the smell of an old book, almost a sweet old paperback. But the base for me mostly smells of tobacco, and I don't know if that is a note here, but that's what I get. I don't think this an improvement on the original Eau D'Issey and maybe it will smell better in the heat of the summer, but I am not wild about it, so only a neutral thumbs here.

I'll start with saying I tried the original which was a mstake. Poor longevity. I really can't understand how so many people do not have an issue with this when 1 person who approaches it (me), does. For the amount of money forked out for the original, it is quite disturbing.

Nevertheless, I was hesitant when I approached the intense version however, the next day, was awe-struck. When paying 70-100 dollars for a fragrance, I expect it to last long (at least 8hours) and this intense version surely fits the bill. Plus, the scent stays true to the original in a better, well rounded and thicker fragrance. Absolutely wonderful.

From first blast is the citrus which warms up to cinnamon and incense, with a hint of the citrus. It is quite a unique scent and a compliment getter. Very inoffensive and perfect for anytime where. It is a thick scent so it need be appied sparingly.

After the first hour, the cinnamon really begins to make its appearance known. I've never really come across a cinnamon so well rounded before. The scent itself, is from what I believe because of the cinnamon and incense, a very exotic one at that. I own a few bottles of Opium Pour Homme EDP and this certainly reminds me of that. It comes across as an attractive remake of a classy scent which had no longevity or sillage but yet, does have much potential due to its fresh/smooth mixture of ingredients, only to make it unique thus, exotic.

I mentioned above if I spend the money, I want something worth it. With Issey, you pay a heavy duty price, but for me as I did with Opium EDP, went ahead and payed it because it lasts and lasts and lasts as if it were an EDP; and in addition, holds to the classy, well rounded, rich but exotic blend of ingredients that when you are in contact with someone, will make them wanting to getting closer to you, and perhaps you getting closer to yourself.

If you want a unique scent and for those Opium lovers who unfortunately do not have access to the EDP version of it or cannot afford to pay the high price of it, hunt down Issey Intense. It is somewhat difficult to find but is accessible and cheaper in price. You won't regret it.

....I wish I could have said that when I purchased the original.

Good lasting power and sillage on myself.

Its a tad to soft for me (especially some late part of the drydown wich at a time mostly smelled sweet and cozy), would like it to be a bit more ''intense'' rather than (intensively) sweet and tolerable. Not as vibrant as I hoped, for me it smells very good tough.

I really don't detect anything of the original L'Eau d'Issey in this. It's a different beast altogether, in my opinion. The top two notes I detect are cinnamon (the artificial kind, like you'd smell on those craft brooms in an art/hobby store) and a stony, raw talc smell. After that comes musk and a bit of saffron and various other spices mixed in. There's also a dry sweetness throughout. As another reviewer noted, the fragrance doesn't change or develop much, if at all. What you smell at first is what you get.

This is definitely a winter/evening cologne, and fits into the "oriental" category to me (i.e. best worn by a mustachioed, furry chested, dark skinned man wearing gold chains :P ). Also, as previously stated, it doesn't last very long, so you may be tempted to put on a little extra before going out.... DON'T, as it's pretty noxious when over-applied. If you can, just carry it with you and *lightly* spritz it on every few hours.

All in all not bad. It's not an everyday scent, at least not to me. Try before you buy (as you should with almost any cologne!).