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

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