Vodka on the Rocks (2014)
by By Kilian

It opens with a strong alcoholic punch that is cool and tonic. I can smell the rose and lily of the valley, but unfortunately they're enveloped in a lot of ambroxan. It goes on the generic faux woody/amber/aquatic releases that pop into the market from everywhere. Poor release, extremely overpriced.

I'm truly mixed. Opening is like receiving a tall glass of vodka and tonic on ice - the cool and crisp bubbly bit with some garnish on the rim of the glass. After the dry down it reminds me a bit of 4160 Tuesday's Beta perfume - a bit of something or a bit of nothing depending on how your nose catches the scent. Good longevity that shifts into a marine/aqueous accord, but I can think of at least three other aqueous perfumes with similar notes I'd prefer to wear instead and for half the price.

Great for an office scent for both men and women who want something that won't offend, or only be noticed in the close confines of an elevator, then this is a great choice because it can be barely detectable at times.

A super realistic opening. Smells just like vodka, ice & tonic. Then drys down to a bit of a generic aqua type scent maybe along the lines of ADG. Doesn't last very long. Totally overpriced.

Basically, a stronger Acqua di Gio for $300.

It's a study in chemicals - hedione and dihydromercenol for abstract freshness at first, quickly settling into calone, that smell of herbs growing in the salty dunes by a hot beach, eventually drying down to a vaguely melon-ish aquatic aromachemical stew.

This is pretty much exactly what Acqua di Gio does, but amplified.

It's a double-edged sword. AdG gets most of its charm from smelling artfully like a time and place more than a perfume. But by turning up the volume, Vodka On The Rocks clearly smells unabashedly artificial, wearing its chemistry on its sleeve in exchange for better projection, which I just don't personally think is worth it.

All things considered, I suspect an artificial vibe here, and it duly delivers; and it is annoyingly on-message and "modern" to boot, all "aldehydes" and "ambroxan", "creating the vibe", or whatever, of chilled clear alcohol. So pretensions abound, but for all that, if you can get past these things, it's not too bad at all. It is refreshing, it does create with some success a simple and sophisticated chilled conktail, and it does dry down to some recognisable and pleasing masculine perfumery materials. Applying the "how would I feel it I had been allocated one random fragrance to wear for the rest of my life" test, I'd be happy enough with this. Expect mild spices and florals, with some woods and a healthy dose of all things chemical. Full of artifice, but strangely good on a hot day.