Fragrance Reviews by fudull

Other than the fresh citrus opening, there is nothing in this concoction that bears serious consideration. This is truly a synthetic fragrance from start to finish, but other than the bright opening, the midnotes are mild and the base is nonexistent; thus its longevity is quite poor, less then 3 hours on my skin. I generally like synthetics as long as they are well-crafted and last the whole day. This one fails on both counts. The overall impression is one of a much weaker version of Echo, minus the suede note and with a lot of citrus at the top.

It is not that bad, just very average.

L'Aquatonic is aptly named, because after it opens up with a refreshing burst of a citric moss accord, which is by far its most dominating note, it definitely takes a watery turn. When these middle "water" notes take over and I smell nothing after a couple of hours. I do sense a slight vetiver note in the drydown but it is so feint, it could be leftover from my last cologne. Still that opening mossy note is perfect for a sunny summer morning and since it comes only in the 120mL bottle, you can afford to over- or re-apply at your leisure over the course of the day.

I really like this fragrance, and if it wasn't for its subpar longevity, I would wear it more often, especially now in the summer. I have made a conscious attempt to alternate its use with my other favorite fresh/summer fragrance Mugler Cologne, depending on whether I want to be synthetically fresh for a long time via Mugler, or a few hours of naturally fresh by means of Lancome.

I would rate it neutral overall, but a thumbs up as far as summer fragrances go.

Sweet but quickly fading.
Having read the great comments by some of the prominent reviewers here, I went out and bought the gift-set, including the aftershave and deodorant stick. Initially this fragrance is all it is advertised: sweet and unique with the anise coming through early and then quickly followed by the cinnamon. This early mixture is not groundbreaking, but it is well done and can be very enjoyable in a cool day... for about 20 minutes, because after that there is virtually nothing. I don't sense the supporting notes, and I certainly do not get the white musk (which usually lasts ages on me) or the vetiver (another typical basenote that my skin amplifies). In fact for the remainder of about an hour, I sense a weak vanilla-cinnamon swirl, which is pleasant but has not sillage and fades into nothingness after 90 minutes, thus completing its disappearing act. Oh yeah, and the deodorant, even when unused, smells like sweat mixed with cinnamon, so I never even put it on. Presently, I only own the aftershave, I gave the rest to a cousin of mine, he seems to like it, but then again he always over-applies.

Forget the topnotes, this one is a sweet powerhouse that reeks (in a very nice way) of tobacco, leather and incense. Most importantly, these mid notes last for ages and are very cleverly enveloped in an aura of sweetness that girls of this day and age seem to adore. Any woman with a sweet-tooth who appreciates good spices will be all over you for as long as you can bear it. I agree with the majority here, that during summer this is not the ideal fragrance, but for some strange reason Michael Kors works wonders in the clubs, where at times it can get just as hot and humid.

A bit too subtle.

I really want to like this one, no actually I honestly want to love it, but it just doesn't last on me, and I place longevity as one of my top priorities when it comes to rating fragrances. Lanvin Vetiver and Burberry London are my two most often used workplace scents, and I wanted this one to be that after work fragrance that refreshes me for the rest of the evening. The opening accord is probably the best chilled citrus blast I have smelled in a long time, I also get a bit of a metallic aftertaste which I guess comes from the mint. Surprisingly, I do not detect the pepper or the lavender, to which I am naturally very sensitive, but then I thought not all lavenders are created equal. These early impressions should have given me a hint but I didn't waver and for about a week, I would put it on just as soon as I left work and by the time my commute was over (30 to 40 minutes later), I would step out of the car with nothing on, fragrantly speaking of course. After doing some more careful testing, I found out that there is no drydown at all on my skin, maybe the faintest hint of amber, but nothing of the vanilla or the wood. I think Lanvin missed the marketing ploy with Oxygene, because I think this is one of the most "airy" fragrances out there, and while it has a nice bottle and great set of topnotes it is practically insubstantial.

Perhaps it is because this was the first fragrance I ever purchased, or perhaps it is the fact that while wearing this the last 9 years I have received more compliments that I can count, or maybe it is the amazing sillage and longevity which causes the whole laundry basket to emanate of vanilla and amber for days after I have put in it a shirt with a modest application of Le Male. It is hard for me to be concise when praising this fragrance, because while going through 3 bottles, I do not have only one reason why I love JPG Le Male, but at any given time I can give at least a dozen different ones.

I have also heard the criticism, with terms such as "chemical meltdown" and "overwhelmingly cloying” often going around. I disregard these critiques, because in the end of the day, 12 to 14 hours after initial application, an aura of warmth and sweetness is still prominent and heads turn regardless, and if it is a synthetic sweetness that causes this effect, well then so be it. Perhaps time has come where a well-done synthetic can compete and hold its own with the all-natural offerings out there.

I will gladly go out on a limb and reserve Le Male's place among the venerated classics. Decades later, we shall speak of it in the same breath as Guerlain Vetiver, Grey Flannel and Dunhill Edition. Not because it shares their notes or themes, but because it shares the qualities of a classic: amazing versatility, breakthrough combination of notes, remarkable progression and development, and the sillage and longevity of a thoroughbred. I just do not know of any fragrance that was released in the 90s that better captures the essence of the decade and has even two of these characteristics let alone all four.

A thumbs up for the ages.

I found a tester vial of this in some shopping bags that I was going to discard and decided to wear it for the day. I did not have much in the form of expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Intense opens up strong, very different from the original which has that citrusy sprits that serves as the perfect pick-me-up in the summer mornings. With this version, I get a blast of woods and incense, though these are well blended and it is hard to detect the timing of each note. I don't think the overall effect is "intense" but rather more "heavy". I find this to be a completely different sort of fragrance, either way it is well done, and has a richness to it that the original lacked. For some reason halfway through the day I almost thought I had put on B*men, it gave a very similar vibe as the drydown was in full effect. I tend to like B*men so I like this one too, and I must say that longevity is quite good, 12 hours later it was still noticeable. which for me is one of the necessary characteristics for a purchase. Still, I am not in a hurry to rush out and buy it, after all, I still have to get the Bleue edition first.

I'm strangely amazed by this hidden gem. Not because it is well-blended or composed of rich ingredients, but because it seems to be surrounded by a unique and brooding, dark aura that I can best describe as "smoky". Of the top notes I get the heavy citrus and the mint but then there is definitely an earthy/herbal aroma that comes in and dominates my sense of smell and lasts for 4 to 5 hours. I think what I pick up the most is the fennel, memories of which go back to my childhood where dried fennel was used as an herb added to the fireplace along with the wood whenever guests would come over in our village house. For such an aromatic herb, fennel is much underused in most fragrance compositions. Though I would classify it as a dark fragrance, I would not limit its usage to overcast days, or stormy nights; in fact I have worn it during early mornings too and found that it mixes nicely with the crisp air.

A thumbs up on the use of distinctive ingredients, which create a truly unique fragrance.

It is sweet and unmistakable. Its power and mystique rely heavily on its gourmand distinctiveness. I would get it for my girlfriend, but I have A-Men for myself, and I must admit that the two are quite similar.

I don't know if it is an instant classic, but a woman wearing it will never want for attention.

If you could bottle the essence of “stuffy” you would end up with Bowling Green. I don’t fully understand why I get such a visceral reaction when I spray this, since I love its predecessor, now THERE is a worthy aromatic.

With Bowling Green, I immediately pick up the fresh citrus early on, but then the middle notes kick in quickly and whew…talk about a woody mess. I get lots of pine and cedar and moss and nothing to balance this, nothing to bring it back to sanity because to me the patchouli is meek and the cinnamon is stale, and it’s not just my bottle either, I tested one in a GB store and I got the same unpleasant odor. Sometimes a so-called classic is just old and not great simply because it is from the 80s or has discontinued. Bowling Green proves that point since it smells like my grandmother’s closet where she would keep all the old woolen blankets and a copious amount of moth balls.

I am not old by any means, and though I admit that I cannot not regularly sport this fragrance in my workplace, I break the mold every now and then and apply a spritz or two (and not a single drop more). Its aromatic green lavender is intoxicating, and yes, as most intoxicating substances go it is overpowering but this mellows down to a delicate mossy/woody accord that lasts for the better part of the day in my skin. I also get a touch of vanilla-like sweetness which is very reminiscent of JPG "Le Male" one of my personal favorites, so maybe that is why I love Grey Flannel.

As the classics teach us "all in moderation" perhaps applies best to this fragrance since overdoing it will lead to either the temporary paralysis of your sense of smell, or if you happen to live out in the country, you may find yourself just irresistible to all sorts of herbivores.

All in all, right up there with Plato and Aristotle. Its place will be forever linked with great classics. Though I don't think greek philosophers smelled quite like this...maybe like Kouros who knows...

A warm visit to the candy shop.

Literally, this fragrance has the intoxicating qualities of some of the most addictive edible sweets out there, which is not bad, but it tends to be a bit overpowering for the ones with sensitive noses. Thankfully, most girls love the sweets offered in this concoction and immediately notice the chocolate, caramel and vanilla in the drydown and positive comments pour in from all sides. Now the similarities with women's Angel are unmistakable, in fact my girlfriend has threatened to use my bottle on several occasions, but there is enough substance in the mid notes to bring some manliness to the mix, not much mind you, but just enough.

My biggest problem with this fragrance is the coffee. It does not really need to be there. It does not add any complexity and just caters to the noses of the Starbucks generation. Coffee has become a popular ingredient in the some of the new fragrances (Trussardi Inside Man, Polo Double Black, DKNY Be Delicious Men) I just hope the trend does not continue, isn’t it enough that the reek of coffee is in every aspect of society from the office to the restaurant and at home, now we must have a remainder of our need for caffeine by wearing its most pervasive aroma. Once upon a time a cup of coffee could conjure up wonderful memories, but now it is as common as car exhaust. No thanks, I’ll stick to tea, a flavor/aroma I find much less intrusive.

Overall, A*Men is well constructed and quite potent so don’t expect to shower with it and still retain your olfactory receptors. It is unique and long-lasting, which makes it very special indeed considering that it came out in the era of the aquatic invasion. Despite the coffee imposition, a definite thumbs up.

So this is what Escada had to offer for the summer...a fruit stand over-ripened by the scorching summer heat, until it almost smells delicious if you are a fruit fly. No thanks, I'll take Burberry Summer instead.