Aramis Cool Blend
Aramis (2010)

Genre: Aquatic

Once in a very great while (Heeley's Sel Marin, Bulgari Aqua, Beth Terry's Mare,) there comes around an aquatic scent that smells as if some actual thought went into its composition. I'll add Aramis Cool Blend to that small set. Cool Blend is also exceptional in that the published pyramid actually gives a pretty good idea of what you'll smell.

Whatever you do, don't dismiss this scent without giving it a full wearing. On paper, a tidal wave of Calone capsizes the whole structure and leaves an acrid chemical spill in its wake. That's not so much the case on skin, where the scent's performance is far more gratifying. The lemon-lime top note is great: effervescent, naturally rounded, and perfectly offset by some soapy aldehydes and a handful of aromatic herbs – most conspicuously, sage.

It appears I'm not alone in finding the arrangement that follows oddly amorphous, though cinnamon and a clean, green jasmine are readily detectable. The Calone mostly hovers in the background, providing the “cool” in the blend, and while I wish it were even more subdued, other noses may be less likely to take offense. Besides the jasmine and sage, I smell little by way of obvious references to the original Aramis's herbaceous green leather chypre structure.

What saves the composition from inanity in my view is an ample dose of labdanum in Aramis Cool Blend's leather accord. The warm, animalic tang of labdanum offers an ideal counterpoint to the brisk, squeaky-clean Calone note. Granted, Aramis Cool Blend is neither potent nor all that long-lasting, but it is a happy, pleasant scent in a genre plagued by harsh, crude, chemical compositions.

Unlike most of the other fragrances with "Aramis" in their names, Cool Blend is a true flanker. The underlying basic Aramis accord comes through clear as day. With Cool Blend, imagine Aramis with a much crisper, drier edge. It is also a little bit lighter.

The problem with Cool Blend is the middle and drydown stages. The Aramis scent is still there, but over time it gets overpowered by a weird, semi-dirty chemical smell that I truly cannot describe. What results is an unpleasant mess, like a fragrance that's trying too many things at once, and doesn't know what it wants to be.

Aramis Cool Blend isn't quite terrible, but it's confused, and in the end it smells overly synthetic.

MY RATING: 4.5/10

There is a strong sense of nostalgia with this one. It starts with a very strong but pleasant citric blast. These top notes hang around for some time before the heart comes through, but they never really leave. At first I don't really sense the jasmine floral note in the heart, but I definitely pick up the sage & spices. The jasmine note then comes through quite prominently and smells for a time exactly like fresh jasmine flowers.

Later on in the drydown, I'm getting the amber & sandlewood notes quite prominently, but not really much leather; maybe just the smallest hint of the original Aramis leather accord.

Overall, I think I would class this as citric/spicy/floral/amber fragrance that should appeal to men looking for a fresh Spring or Summer scent.

Longevity: 3.5/5
Sillage: 3.5/5
Value for money: 3/5 - just a touch overpriced in my opinion (in Sydney Australia anyway - much cheaper on-line)

This fragrance does actually have a rather 'cool' sense to it. By that I don't mean cool as in 'hip', I mean cool as in a cool/fresh sensation that it leaves with you. So I guess that Aramis have actually chosen a rather fitting & appropriate name for this creation. It gets my thumbs up!

Not bad; smells surprisingly similar to the original Aramis. Sort of a lighter, more citrus-infused version. Worth checking out if you are a fan of the original and would like to experience it from a different angle. Between the two, I prefer the original.

Cool Blend seems to be pitched at those that crave a contemporary,calone imbued fragrance, produced with decent ingredients, and emboldened by a marquee brand. It does indeed produce a cool feeling as it evolves, but the title is most likely an attempt at attracting the hardcore Cool Water users - the word “blend” supposedly adding a click or two of gravitas.

As far as the fragrance itself is concerned, it actually generates limited quality, is very linear, and lacks both longevity and projection. The dense powdery opening is smooth, lightly aquatic, and modestly spiced. Once the thinnest veneer of citrus has been extinguished in the top notes, it largely maintains the same accord, just on a decaying orbit.

A noble attempt by Estee Lauder to add some modernity to their range, but I find myself underwhelmed

I am not a fan of aquatics & this here did not change my mind. This is another attempt to create a fresh cologne for the summer days, which indeed it is, however it is not interesting what so ever. Highly synthetic & very boring IMO! The longevity is WEAK projection is typical for scents such as this. Aramis continues to produce whack a** fragrances & therefore they do nothing for me. Save your $$$ & get something more appealing such as Bvlgari Aqua if this is your thing.