Recently I´ve become increasingly relativistic in judging and reevaluating older fragrances. Like many members on the Basenotes Community Board I very strongly dislike where the mainstream fragrance industry is heading and has developed the last couple of years. Way too much effort is put into packaging, limited editions, summer versions, ridiculous pyramid copywriting and such. Genuine creativity and originality has dissappeared in favour of hype and politically correct and synthetic scents that aim to please as many consumers as possible.
Further there is a growing trend of "dual" markets for the big brands. Dior have their 3 upscale colognes, Guerlain their L'Art et la Matiere series, Chanel their Rue Cambon, Hermès their Hermenessences - the list goes on... Practically this means we now have to pay about 3 times more for the same quality that was standard issue during the 80´s while the conglomerates squeeze every penny out of each aquired franchise with their "special editions" and summer versions - products that seldomly even make it to next year.
Unfortunately all kinds of new sub-par "niche" houses have popped up as well recently, capitalizing on peoples quest for the genuine. Fancy packaging and claims (hardly controllable) of all natural ingredients hardly justifies the prices asked by for instance Profumum. In my opinion you earn your respect by decades of quality output. Sadly many lose it much faster in the race for quick success today.
So how does this rant relate to my reveevaluation and growing fondness of Cool Water? A few years ago I dissmissed this fragrance sharply. But recently I started sampling it again and it grew on me with each try. I started to think of it with a strong sense of nostalgia and even appreciated it´s simple old school bottle. The Green Irish Tweed reference is unavoidable, especially since that Creed (in this rare case) is the original. And sure, GIT has more bite and complexity, but CW is close, much closer than the price tag would indicate.
Cool Water is a simple fresh fougere that works perfectly on a mild spring day. Less marine than the concept indicates, I´d say its a herbal, slightly peppery scent with a strong base of oakmoss, musk and pleasant cedar. The overall impression is, pardon the cliche, a modern masculine classic.
I eventually bought a bottle and it has served me very well in the office the last couple of months.
Cool Water, together with Acqua di Gió and Eternity may very well be the initiators of todays downward spiral of forced freshness. But compared to all the mediocre new stuff released, especially by Davidoff themselves, Cool Water will always remain a nice alternative. Good Stuff.
Review originally published on www.basenotes.net
Year of Launch: 1988
Gender Classification: Masculine
Reminiscent of: Creed Green Irish Tweed, Calvin Klein Eternity
Longevity & Sillage: Both Average
Overall rating: 7/10
No comments:
Post a Comment