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Green Irish Tweed V Cool Water - Real Life Head to Head challenge

post #1 of 68
5/24/10 at 12:48pm
Thread Starter 
Right.

Following my Bois de Portugal vs Antaeus Challenge
Tarheel-Golfer sggested 'doing' GIT vs Cool Water.

So I did.

Similar to before - but to remind you - I've decided to start wearing two different frags at the same time once in a while, then canvassing for opinions...

I'm 50, I canvassesd a number of women at work over the course of a few days. I swapped around between wrists and asked each lady several times. All ladies were mature - late 30s to mid 50s.

Both colognes had been on for at least 3 hours before I started asking.

Guess what?

Cool Water won. Unanimously.

So there you have it folks.

This weeks challenge - Bois de Portugal vs M7. Place your bets now!!!
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post #2 of 68
5/24/10 at 12:52pm
I see that GIT is considered the number one most complimented frag in the sticky thread. I wonder how many of these
fragrance gurus even considered wearing some Cool Water instead?
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post #3 of 68
5/24/10 at 12:53pm
I'm surprised Cool Water won tbh.....I love Green Irish Tweed and gave my bottle of Cool Water away.....night and day for me.

My money's on M7.

Hats off for doing this......interesting to say the least.
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post #4 of 68
5/24/10 at 1:13pm
Maybe its just my body chemistry, but Cool Water just smells like cheap aftershave on me.
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post #5 of 68
5/24/10 at 2:46pm
That's a big shocker that Cool Water beat Green Irish Tweed. Creed Portugal will beat M7 by a mile!!!!!!
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post #6 of 68
5/24/10 at 3:02pm
Cool Water is a shadow in quality terms compared to Green Irish Tweed , I wonder what the result would be if people had to choose which one they would like for free.
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post #7 of 68
5/24/10 at 3:44pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jack Hunter View Post

Cool Water is a shadow in quality terms compared to Green Irish Tweed , I wonder what the result would be if people had to choose which one they would like for free.

Remember, these Ladies had no 'investement' in the trial. After a couple of days I did say one was a cheaper version of the other, but never said which was which until after they expressed their opinions. You therefore already have your answer...
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post #8 of 68
5/24/10 at 3:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zerby View Post

That's a big shocker that Cool Water beat Green Irish Tweed. Creed Portugal will beat M7 by a mile!!!!!!

ditto
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post #9 of 68
5/24/10 at 5:58pm
That's expected really. I know a ton of women who actually wear Cool Water for men, and who get extremely turned on by it. It's more intense than most aquatics on the market, and although not a powerhouse, it was made during the end of the powerhouse era which gives it that little extra "look what I'm wearing" so to speak and helps with its projection. I don't know anybody who isn't a Basenoter who dislikes Cool Water.
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post #10 of 68
5/24/10 at 9:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by vulcan View Post

Maybe its just my body chemistry, but Cool Water just smells like cheap aftershave on me.

On my skin, Cool Water wears better (for others) since I always get compliments when I've worn it. Yet, Green Irish Tweed, my lady loves it on me; but not like CW. And oddly enough, Truefitt & Hill's Freshman gets me more compliments than the two above - and to an untrained nose, they're the same. Freshman does wear all day for me though, whereas Green Irish Tweed will wear for 3 hours, then 3+ intimately. CW will wear bright for 2, but tone down considerably for the last 6 hours.
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post #11 of 68
5/24/10 at 9:22pm
To the average person there is no difference. So if you're looking to please others and get noticed/compliments get some Cool Water. It's much better than people here give it credit for.
If you want a fragrance just for yourself get what you like whether ir be Cool Water of Green Irish Tweed.

Overall though, Green Irish Tweed is such an overrated fragrance. It's great nonetheless but, nothing amazing. It was groundbreaking and amazing for it's time amongst the powerhouse 80's fragrances but, not now.
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post #12 of 68
5/24/10 at 9:58pm
Could it just be familiarity? What basenoters perceive as synthetic notes (and thus cheaper and inferior) in the Cool Water may be normal to the average Joe, so the Creed is unfamiliar and thus inferior to their noses?

That said, I'd love to see M7 beat Bois Portugal because I love M7, and just to see a few Creed fanboys cop it (says the Tom Ford fanboy)
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post #13 of 68
5/24/10 at 11:13pm
Most people's tastes - in regards to scent, at least (and music!) - run towards the ordinary so that's no surprise.

Most of the scents that BNers or perfume critics would consider amazing are disliked by a large majority of the public.
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post #14 of 68
5/25/10 at 4:33am
I did a similar test a while ago and found that most people asked could not tell the difference between the two at any point during the drydown, and only a couple expressed a preference for one over the other. But even that wasn't a hands down win for either of them. I myself have never been able to tell the difference and I like to think my nose is a bit more refined than average Joe Public.

I love most Creed scents, but this is one of the very many reasons that I will never buy one.
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post #15 of 68
5/25/10 at 4:39am
I have always prefered cool water as I don't like the big synthy violet notes in GIT.
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post #16 of 68
5/25/10 at 9:16am
Oh, good. Yet another GIT vs. Cool Water thread.
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post #17 of 68
5/25/10 at 12:00pm
I couldn't tell much of a difference between cool water and GiT, but the bottle of GiT I own is great in terms of longevity, 12+ hous, I would not count on it being so in the next puchase.

as for M7 vs BdP, I would go for BdP, assuming your going to wait 3 hours
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post #18 of 68
5/25/10 at 3:02pm
I was resisting to buy Cool Water in this summer. i lost
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post #19 of 68
5/25/10 at 4:41pm
Over the past few years Cool Water has become even more synthetic than before...the orange blossom and peppermint have radically gone down in quality, and the woods and geranium notes have also gradually degraded. It still has a large following though. Very few fragrances in the world can match the alluring green-irisy violet leaf notes of GIT which perfectly hits the spot for me...far superior to the gaseous synthy violet notes found in Dior Fahrenheit or Grey Flannel, more pleasant than the rotting/boiling egg aroma of the absolute.
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post #20 of 68
5/25/10 at 4:50pm
its okay for all you GITer's, i feel your pain (kinda). if anyones familiar with pacsun's Vurt line, you know its cheap synthetic absolutely disgusting trash. my sig scent was the green one before i got into better fragrances and my girlfriend LOVES it. its her favorite scent and no matter what else i wear, she doesnt like it as much. Le Male may hopefully be replacing it though, supposedly she loved that one. smells like sugar cookies during the late dry down on my skin so who WOULDNT love it haha.

not trying to hijack the thread so...

i really like this "experiment" youre doing. its like you can own a $500 fragrance and its great...but the fact of the matter is most guys wear this stuff to attract women, and maybe its not the most expensive ones that do the best job. i can honestly say i havent tried GIT, but Cool Water was mediocre at its best to me. aquatics arent my thing though, ill take a gourmand over an aquatic any day
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post #21 of 68
5/25/10 at 6:16pm
What do YOU prefer though?
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post #22 of 68
5/25/10 at 6:22pm
I prefer Green Irish Tweed over Cool Water - that is why I wear it. I don't give a damn about what others think or prefer.
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post #23 of 68
5/25/10 at 6:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by petruccijc View Post

I prefer Green Irish Tweed over Cool Water - that is why I wear it. I don't give a damn about what others think or prefer.

+1 Wearing it today
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post #24 of 68
5/25/10 at 6:29pm
GIT, absolutely.
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post #25 of 68
5/25/10 at 8:08pm
Wow, John, Thanks for taking my suggestion. And sorry guys for leading to yet another GIT vs. Cool Water thread. I know it's a dead horse on this forum, but I really was curious what John's general public testers would say.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mondrian View Post

Could it just be familiarity? What basenoters perceive as synthetic notes (and thus cheaper and inferior) in the Cool Water may be normal to the average Joe, so the Creed is unfamiliar and thus inferior to their noses?

Quote:
Originally Posted by SculptureOfSoul View Post

Most people's tastes - in regards to scent, at least (and music!) - run towards the ordinary so that's no surprise.

Most of the scents that BNers or perfume critics would consider amazing are disliked by a large majority of the public.

I am actually not surprised by the result. Though I personally can't tell enough of a difference between them to justify the price difference, I think Mondrian and SoS nailed the reason your test ended up like it did. Familiarity.

Quote:
Originally Posted by zztopp View Post

Over the past few years Cool Water has become even more synthetic than before...the orange blossom and peppermint have radically gone down in quality, and the woods and geranium notes have also gradually degraded.

zztopp, I'm glad it's not just me. Cool Water was one of my staples in college, and my memory of it is even better than the bottle I currently have. I still like it, but I do think it used to be much better.
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post #26 of 68
5/25/10 at 9:01pm
I like this kind of comparison thread. Keep it up!
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post #27 of 68
5/25/10 at 9:23pm
I would like to know at what point in the drydown did you do this (how many hours after application?). For the record, I don't like either one.
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post #28 of 68
5/26/10 at 5:16am
I don't like either one, er, either.
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post #29 of 68
5/26/10 at 9:56am
I tested Cool Water, just because of this topic, and it seemed to me like a cheap imitation of GIT.

Green Irish Tweed all the way.
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post #30 of 68
5/26/10 at 11:17am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bigsly View Post

I would like to know at what point in the drydown did you do this (how many hours after application?).

I did it over a couple of days, re-canvassing each lady at least twice. I always allowed at least an hour between application and sniff. Generally it was around 3 -4 hours.
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post #31 of 68
5/26/10 at 11:19am
Thread Starter 
Duplicate. Apologies.
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post #32 of 68
5/26/10 at 11:30am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by weylin View Post

I like this kind of comparison thread. Keep it up!

Your wish is granted. Within the next couple of hours I will be posting M7 v Bois de Portugal
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post #33 of 68
5/26/10 at 11:36am
This topic has been discussed to death and then some. No offense, but my only reaction to this thread is zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....
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post #34 of 68
5/26/10 at 12:35pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by WindyCity1014 View Post

This topic has been discussed to death and then some. No offense, but my only reaction to this thread is zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

In this format?

With age of wearer and testers declared?

Both colognes literally side by side?

Please provide the links.
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post #35 of 68
5/26/10 at 12:44pm
Are you joking? Sorry, but I have neither the time nor the desire to provide you with links. However, the whole GIT vs. CW debate has been over-analyzed to the point of absurdity.

That being said, don't let my cynicism spoil your fun. By all means, feel free to carry on. I'll be over here in the corner, napping...
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post #36 of 68
5/26/10 at 2:15pm
you're RIGHT!!
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post #37 of 68
5/26/10 at 2:48pm
Thread Starter 
[Rant removed to reflect TalkingMuffin's edit - Because we're all friends here on BN!]
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post #38 of 68
5/26/10 at 3:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by WindyCity1014 View Post

This topic has been discussed to death and then some. No offense, but my only reaction to this thread is zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

Has it? I think this is the first time someone went into the field and did a controlled test to compare the two. I think this is breaking new ground!
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post #39 of 68
5/26/10 at 7:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnTheBeginner View Post

if you consider 35 to be old then you're just a kiddie. Grow up and show some manners. Third part. You think alcohol will still be around after 3 hours? You definitely are a youngster then. A victim of the cr*p standard of science teaching these days.


You're RIGHT!
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post #40 of 68
5/26/10 at 7:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by TalkingMuffin View Post

Not that I care that much what some old ladies in your office think, ....

I note this too, John, so you're not alone and you're not the problem. Nothing to worry about JohnTheBeginner.
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post #41 of 68
5/26/10 at 8:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by vulcan View Post

Maybe its just my body chemistry, but Cool Water just smells like cheap aftershave on me.

In my skin too.

Grat idea for a original thread John!
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post #42 of 68
5/26/10 at 10:05pm
I tried a newer bottle are macy's and cool water is more similar to GIT these days than it was years ago I think. I tested an older bottle and THAT was pure garbage.

Not sure if they did a reformulation for the newer bottles or just the old bottle turned bad.

Either way, there's this...hairspray note that oozes from cool water that I really don't like. Otherwise, I'd like it.
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post #43 of 68
5/27/10 at 1:28am
Interesting finding, but not at all surprising. Contrary to popularly held beliefs, I don't find the two all that much alike. And GIT just doesn't work on my skin... Anyway, there are better fragrances out there than these two.
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post #44 of 68
5/27/10 at 2:16am
Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnTheBeginner View Post


I'm 50, I canvassesd a number of women at work over the course of a few days. I swapped around between wrists and asked each lady several times. All ladies were mature - late 30s to mid 50s.

Both colognes had been on for at least 3 hours before I started asking.

Guess what?

Cool Water won. Unanimously.

So there you have it folks.

Absolutely no surprise there at all.

The only woman likely to give a positive coment on GIT is one who is really expert in scents.

I recollect posting one female officeworkers reaction to the GIT sample I had on my arm as stating that it smelled
"really awful, just like a Doctor's surgery"
Renato
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post #45 of 68
5/27/10 at 9:43am
Just for the record, I like these threads overall. Though they won't exactly affect which of the two scents mentioned I wear, I find the "layperson's" view interesting, because I feel like we do tend to entrench ourselves in BNland a little.

Also, I've never seen a blind comparison test involving multiple test subjects before.

So, thanks for posting!
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post #46 of 68
5/27/10 at 10:37am
This is akin to how many things are perceived by hobbyists vs average joes. Take audio for example.....sit a newb in front of a pair of great speakers and some mass market ones. The newb will certainly mistake the mid-bass hump and shrill treble of the mass market speakers for solid bass and great clarity, leaving the well balanced, carefully crafted, neutral and "boring" speakers in the store. I'm sure you can see the parallels.

That said, I'm kind of over GIT. I bought a bottle last year, but don't find myself reaching for it often at all. Coming soon to the marketplace? Maybe.....
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post #47 of 68
5/27/10 at 10:44am
I think when it comes to cologne it maters what the average, uninformed nose likes. When I put on cologne, everyone else smells it. I want it to smell good for them as well as for me.

If women prefer Cool Water to GIT or can't tell the difference, that's the test I care about.
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post #48 of 68
5/27/10 at 3:44pm
Green Irish Tweed would always be my choice of the two.
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post #49 of 68
5/27/10 at 4:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by vulcan View Post

I think when it comes to cologne it maters what the average, uninformed nose likes. When I put on cologne, everyone else smells it. I want it to smell good for them as well as for me.

If women prefer Cool Water to GIT or can't tell the difference, that's the test I care about.

Thats the test most people care about. Cool Water will do exactly what GIT will do in that aspect and will last longer. To yourself that's an entirely different story. I personally find GIT so overrated to the point where people come across as fanboys!
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post #50 of 68
5/27/10 at 4:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrFragranceReview View Post

Thats the test most people care about. Cool Water will do exactly what GIT will do in that aspect and will last longer. To yourself that's an entirely different story. I personally find GIT so overrated to the point where people come across as fanboys!

I've noticed a lot of Creed worship on this forum. I wonder if that would be different if it sold for $30 a bottle.
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post #51 of 68
5/27/10 at 5:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by vulcan View Post

I've noticed a lot of Creed worship on this forum. I wonder if that would be different if it sold for $30 a bottle.

It would drastically be different. People like to have prestige and exclusiveness. Creed is high end and not many people have it. Creed overall as niche isn't all tht great. The scents fade far too fast and don't last for an EDP or even an EDT! The entire natural aspect I could care two shits about, I want something that smells nice and lasts. It has to have both of those.
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post #52 of 68
6/5/10 at 1:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by vulcan View Post

Maybe its just my body chemistry, but Cool Water just smells like cheap aftershave on me.

I would like to eat my words now. Having bought a bottle to actually test rather than spray it on my arm in the store, I have included Cool Water in my short list of all time favorites. Simple, clean, balanced, and masculine--everything that 99% of today's market lacks. I'm not surprised that you got a good reaction from it.
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post #53 of 68
6/5/10 at 1:23am
I am not sure if I am thinking right but with all this talk I am getting inclined towards buying a 'vintage' bottle of Cool water.

Anyone has some idea how can we identify a cool water bottle from the yore?
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post #54 of 68
6/5/10 at 1:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrFragranceReview View Post

It would drastically be different. People like to have prestige and exclusiveness. Creed is high end and not many people have it. Creed overall as niche isn't all tht great. The scents fade far too fast and don't last for an EDP or even an EDT! The entire natural aspect I could care two shits about, I want something that smells nice and lasts. It has to have both of those.

Snobs like to have prestige. People who truly appreciate fragrances, don't change their nose because of the huge price tag. When I smell Creeds I smell top-notch quality, there's something in them that oozes luxury and style.

I'm not saying people aren't influenced by 'exclusive' fragrances, some are, but if others see the magic in GIT and you don't that doesn't mean it's over-rated.
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post #55 of 68
6/5/10 at 2:54am
I think this is a perfectly legimimate discussion and one which is bound to recur with new voices which is all good...

I agree that cool water has gone downhill (as have most frags in recent years) but also contest that GIT quality has also gone far downhill even in the last five years (and a fair bit before that too).

As for the presitge issue - that is off the topic of this thread but I say that GIT is made from better ingredients by far. Its just that I prefer cool water.
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post #56 of 68
6/5/10 at 3:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrFragranceReview View Post

It would drastically be different. People like to have prestige and exclusiveness. Creed is high end and not many people have it. Creed overall as niche isn't all tht great. The scents fade far too fast and don't last for an EDP or even an EDT! The entire natural aspect I could care two shits about, I want something that smells nice and lasts. It has to have both of those.



Ease of access, pricing differences and biases apart, GIT is better than Cool Water, ingredient-wise. If Creed were as ersatz as the haters say they are, rational people wont buy them over the years as they have.

I actually prefer the ambergris-house-note-amped dry-down of GIT. That to me is the main difference between the two. I have used several bottles of CW right from its issue date, and reviewing from long experience and not by purpose-driven testing, i must say that GIT trounces CW in the longevity area as well. Easily a 12+ hours frag.

The OP's canvassing test is actually quite interesting, varied and not compromised by his own opinion. Nice one, JohnTheBeginner
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post #57 of 68
6/5/10 at 3:57am
great thread!

i'll have to try this comparison myself to see what kind of results it yields.
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post #58 of 68
6/5/10 at 5:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnTheBeginner View Post

Right.

Following my Bois de Portugal vs Antaeus Challenge
Tarheel-Golfer sggested 'doing' GIT vs Cool Water.

So I did.

Similar to before - but to remind you - I've decided to start wearing two different frags at the same time once in a while, then canvassing for opinions...

I'm 50, I canvassesd a number of women at work over the course of a few days. I swapped around between wrists and asked each lady several times. All ladies were mature - late 30s to mid 50s.

Both colognes had been on for at least 3 hours before I started asking.

Guess what?

Cool Water won. Unanimously.

So there you have it folks.

This weeks challenge - Bois de Portugal vs M7. Place your bets now!!!

This thread made my day!! It's a $225 bottle of Cool Water. I've been telling people this for years. So funny!!!
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post #59 of 68
6/5/10 at 6:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dogsinatub View Post

This thread made my day!! It's a $225 bottle of Cool Water. I've been telling people this for years. So funny!!!

No, if that were true they would have tied. GIT is a $225 sub-par version of Cool Water.
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post #60 of 68
6/5/10 at 10:49am
You GREEN IRISH TWEED haters are really becoming silly to the point of annoyance because of your one sided views, because either 1) you don't want/can't spend money on a superior product, so you get all bitter 2) You haven't tested them yourself, or own both for a less biased analysis 3) who knows, I don't care.

I own both, I like both. I'm relatively well off. I don't care how much fragrances cost, price isn't playing a factor.

But I'm telling you, straight up. GIT smells better to ME, because I love the natural violet notes in the drydown. It gets more powerful and intoxicating as it dries down, not weaker.

Cool water can't do that. It's a synthetic smell good, nothing more. And it's longevity sucks. It doesn't develop, it doesn't get stronger. But it smells nice, clean. Synthetic clean, like a detergent. Women like clean, synthetic smelling men, so it's no surprise this may win.
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