Christian Mathieu was the nose behind Kenzo Pour Homme, which underwent a number of reformulations since its original release in 1991. Nevertheless, Kenzo’s concoction is one of the few surviving aquatic fragrances for men from the early 1990s. Much like the heart, the base follows in complexity. Overt notes of cedar wood provide a sharp contrast to its accompanying notes with fresh and oily wood tones. Otherwise, the base consists of a tableau of moist, fresh and earthy oak moss. On a similar theme, ambergris and patchouli shortly follow with a long, sweet finish. The EDT also has a strange vibe, which I can only describe with a color - grey with blue shade. The EDP feels more refined, the leather and Akigalawood takes center stage, aquatic weirdness with fig note less prominent, hence the increased similarity to Ganymede and Bois Imperial. Kenzo Pour Homme opens with a rich accord of seaweed and sea salt (sel marin) that deeply interact over a complex bed. Rosemary adds an element of aromatic freshness, which accompanies bittersweet bergamot. Discernable mahogany notes evoke leather and tobacco with a sweet finish. Heart Notes Wow, Kenzo really did great on this one. For me, it would have the Honorable mention of best 2022 release in Aquatic scents.

Similarly, it’s worth remembering that less is more with Kenzo Pour Homme. Layering it on will lose the nuanced complexities and the notes’ details. However, using it sparingly will allow the minor notes to better reveal themselves against their stronger peers.The sugariness goes on but loses the vigour on its way to the base a couple of hours later. On the long run, I feel more the luscious vanilla note that well blendes with fresh citrus head and woody base notes. If you are anything like me, you should catch the mild facet of the ambroxan, not mentioned in the roster. I mean, looking at the base notes, such as vetiver, cedar, sandalwood and vanilla, and don't see anyone responsible for the resulting sugariness, but ambroxan, which is the new normal. However, are there any of you who notice something in common with Versace's Eros Flame or JPG's Le Male Eau Fraiche as for concerns the sweetness? Maybe it's more than just a suspect, given that the perfumers Nathalie Gracia-Cetto and Oliver Pescheux are also the creators of those fragrances. I get a fresh, slightly green woodiness, and it get better in the drydown. As it dries, it becomes darker and richer. The drydown is where it shines. It speaks out with confidence, but isn’t self absorbed. If I compare it to its EDT Intense brother, I say that the EDP is the older brother that has already succeeded, but doesn’t tell everyone about his success. You can just “feel” that he is able to do whatever he wishes. He doesn’t need reassurance, he has been there, done that. Although the aforementioned Davidoff Cool Water predated its release by 3 years, Kenzo’s iteration of aquatics is an altogether different experience. However, it’s difficult not to compare these two fragrances that are alike in both theme and era.

Although introduced in 1991, Kenzo Pour Homme is a lesser-known yet modern aquatic fragrance for men. Despite having been overshadowed by peers such as Davidoff Cool Water, it nonetheless offers a comparable yet unique experience. The only irksome aspect of the bottle is that the blue smoked glass effect is achieved by a coating of plastic film. This easily scratches off and you’ll see in the photos of this review the result of a few months of wear and tear. Kenzo is a sensual yet consistant marine adventure throughout the dry-down. Its multi-faceted head is a brief glimpse of calm blue ocean waters, swaying seaweed and floating driftwood. The dry down seamlessly transitions to its evergreen heart. This perpetuates and even deepens the marine theme whilst altogether creating something new. This is not your usual aquatic. It’s thoroughly modern and while minimalist, there’s plenty to hold the attention from start to finish. Quentin Bisch has every reason to be proud of this creation. Similar Fragrances To Consider

The sandalwood note – deliciously creamy, with a hint of coconut – concludes the scent with finesse. There are the obvious designer classics such as Davidoff Cool Water EDT, Armani Acqua di Giò EDT, Bvlgari Aqua Pour Homme EDT, and Issey Miyake L’Eau d’Issey Pour Homme EDT, which have aged well. Nevertheless, their similarities in notes end there as even their shared themes are executed entirely differently. Davidoff Cool Water achieves aquatic notes through fatty and soapy Calone aldehydes that denote cleanliness. Alternatively, Kenzo Pour Homme seeks depth and complexity through combined notes that work together to form a marine accord. Aside from earthy sweet notes, the ambergris provides a raw animal musk with deep ocean notes with hints of tobacco. Furthermore, this adds an elaborate and complex finish, which is coherent with the fragrance’s opening head of salty seaweed. The Life-Cycle Of Kenzo Pour Homme