Kouros Cologne Sport 
Yves Saint Laurent (2003)

A paler version of the beast that is the original Kouros, notably in vintage form, in every sense from its hue to its composition, but still a flanker which is very much worthy of consideration in its own right.

Kouros Cologne Sport can't be called a conventional sport fragrance however you look at it, and in 2020 its unexpectedly delicate floral heart is perhaps the most contemporary aspect of a discontinued fragrance launched 17 years ago.

The aroma alongside the original is an altogether fresher and lighter affair with only the faintest reminder that this is a Kouros flanker, which leaves but a fleeting impression of the DNA of its forefather, something that purists and diehard fans will understandably hate.

I also appreciate why they called it a cologne (even so, it has around 8 hours staying power on my skin) but despite being far removed from the original, Kouros Sport Cologne is a very pleasant and long-lasting scent in its own right. Infinitely fresher than the much-missed Kouros Fraicheur which precedes this by a decade, and a world away from close cousin to the original, Kouros Eau de Sport, this is a safe bet for most ages and occasions.
Longevity is pretty good, silage quite discreet and the drydowm subtle to the point that some will find it disappointing.

Having said all that I applaud YSL for daring to create this hard to find and wonderfully clean take on arguably what is the most polarising men's scent ever created. It is subtle, masculine and a great introduction to the Kouros line for younger guys or those who worry about anyone wondering whether they smell somewhat like feline urine, to put it euphemistically. I can assure you that you won't offend even the most objectionable nose with this sporty number, it's excellent.

Wonderful discontinued flanker...

This is the only "sport" fragrance that I own, and like Dior Homme Sport this is not a typical aquatic sport fragrance, in fact it is very well made and really worth the money. It's just a shame that it's discontinued.

It has a couple of unusual notes for a so-called "sport" fragrance. Jasmine and cyclamen. I think I really like the tangy mandarin, bergamot and citron that slowly turn to jasmine and cyclamen with a hint of cedar. It's really nice... and in my opinion, not a sport fragrance. It can be worn at any time as an Eau de Cologne. The bottle design is very nice, clear glass as opposed to the matt white surface of the original. I really like it. It's just a real shame it's discontinued. I have no problem using this one for work or for playing tennis or something. It feels more classy that a simple "gym" fragrance, and it is in no way synthetic. A really good one, and different from a "typical" sport flanker.

A mysterious scent, but sadly misnamed. It should rather be called "The Enigma of the Hour" or "The Phantom of the Pharmacy" or even, quite simply, "Afterwards". Here we have the formidably earthy creature that is Kouros (honeyed milky sweetness interfused with sperm, sweat and goat's urine) taken past the halfway house that is Kouros Fraicheur and ultimately refined into a clean, subtle, serene and elusive being. A whisper of the original Kouros smell informs this fragrance, and its reserved, slightly medicinal yet warm aura might just possibly invite some sort of "sport cologne" connection, but its real essence lies elsewhere. I think it has best been captured by the review of the admirable Indie_Guy (see below) who says "It smelled somewhat 'funereal' and conjured up images of burial linens. Spooky ... Fresh and yet has hints of otherworldly dark things floating through it." A brilliant and poetic observation. Not so much death as decay in a Victorian churchyard (which, to my nose, Van Cleef & Arpels Pour Homme can sometimes suggest) but death in mysterious Egyptian dimensions - a space of eternal shadows. Not to everyone's taste, perhaps, but don't be alarmed into thinking that, if you wear this scent, you will be mistaken for one of the walking dead. (One could equally compose a narrative placing this fragrance in an 1890s Parisian salon, imagining it being worn by a slightly eccentric young dandy and also, perhaps, by his elderly aunts). I merely meant to suggest that it does capture a real sense of mystery - hence the connection with death as the ultimate enigma. Like the original Kouros, in its very different way, a bit of a masterpiece, and one equally likely to divide opinion.

A plasticky futuristic version of Kouros, KCS is a good but inessential scent. This prunes away the notes that take Kouros from interesting to amazing.

Kouros is to Kouros Cologne Sport as Azzaro PH is to Onyx .

If you want a summer version of Kouros, try Kouros. If you like Kouros but find it too threatening you might like Cologne Sport.